Sometimes It Feels Like The World's On My Shoulders
Prologue

"Hullo, Granger."

"Malfoy." She nodded his way then continued on walking hand in hand with Harry.

"What was that about, 'Mione?"

"Well, we're in this deal that since we're pretty much stuck together next year, we've started being civil."

Harry grinned as he let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. "What next? You two snogging in the hallways?"

"Watch yourself, Potter," she teased, blowing him a raspberry. "I said we were being civil, so I think the next step would to be actually listening to each other when we speak."

"Point well taken," he replied as he bent his head down to nip her tongue before she yelped and thumped him lightly on the arm.

It's disgusting how those two hang off each other, Draco thought as he walked away, looking back over his shoulder, sneering at them. His eyes rested on Hermione's backside. But Granger does have some nice assets.

It was true. Draco was mesmerized as her hips and ass swayed to and fro. Then Potter had to snake his arm... Ugh.

"Draco! Oh, Draco! Over here, darling!"

The sneer on his face deepened as he heard Pansy's emphasis on 'darling'. "I told you never to call me that."

She ignored his comment and jumped onto him, wrapping her legs around his torso. He pushed her off and she landed on the cold stone with a loud 'thump'. He shot her a dirty look.

"I told you to stay away from me. Are you daft or something, girl?"

She stood and took an angry pose, her hands resting against her hips. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me you deaf little blint. Now bugger off!"

She shrank back from him for a moment then held her head high and walked off.

"You gotta admire her spirit, though," he muttered before stalking off to his dormitory to brood.

Hermione reclined against Harry, letting out a contented sigh as her head rested on his shoulder.

"You know, I never thought they'd tell us before the beginning of the year," she mused. "But I guess things change."

"Yeah. We can actually relax and act our ages now, Mya. It's a lot easier without Voldemort gone."

She turned to look at Harry, the beginnings of a smirk playing about her lips. "So you're going to act seventeen now? Much better improvement from ten!"

His face screwed up for a moment before he chortled with laugher along with his girlfriend.

"You know, I might leave you one of these days, Hermione Elizabeth Granger!"

"You'd never!" she replied with mock-surprise. His face softened as his breathing slowed and he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"No, you know what? Never."

Hermione stopped herself before she did something. Those were the exact words, verbatim, that he had told her as they lay together on the forest ground. She sighed wistfully as the memories clouded over her mind. It's over, she reminded herself. You're with Harry now. She closed her eyes and let one memory of him pass through: his blonde, blonde hair.

Draco sat along the window ledge of his little room. It was actually one of the many hidden rooms in Hogwarts and he was happy that only he knew of it. Well, himself and her. But he doubted she'd ever come back. To the room or to his arms. But it was mutual thing they had decided on. But he still missed her without a doubt. He had hated not feeling her in his arms for the world to see back then. Now it was worse: she was with another. To make matters worse, they'd walk around the school making everyone sick, especially him. To just rub salt in his wounds, she was with Potter.