Take on Me

By

Ponderer

Chapter Eight

(the finale)

I've been loving you for such a long, long time
Expecting nothing in return
Just for you to have a little faith in me
You see time, time is our friend
Cos for us there is no end
All you gotta do is have a little faith

Have a little faith in me

Oh, faith

- Mandy Moore 'Have a Little Faith in Me'

          It was a week later when Narcissa left to return to Malfoy Manor. She had stayed an extra two days when Draco offered taking her for a little holiday in town; the day after his conversation with Hermione. He didn't have the courage to tell her he was leaving, so he told Harry, him being the only one awake that early.

          "Are you sure you should just leave like this? She'll need to talk to you," Harry said, helping his friend carry Mrs. Malfoy's luggage downstairs.

          "Just tell her I'll talk when I get home but I think I should leave her alone. She needs to let it sink in," Draco explained.

          "You never really told me exactly what happened either," he told him.

          "I kissed her and told her I loved her," Draco replied, sighing.

          Harry's brow creased at the words spoken. "And what did she say?"

          "She didn't say anything. She fainted."

          When Draco didn't come home after two days, his housemates began to worry; Hermione most of all. After he told her how he felt about her, se couldn't help but think they had some kind of bond between them. She wanted him home. But she used that week to her advantage. Thinking was what Hermione Granger was born to do and she definitely needed her thinking cap. How did she feel about Draco Malfoy? As immature as it seemed, she made a pro and con list.

Cons –

He makes me angry.

He's too smart.

He's too handsome.

'That's it for that list?' she thought, but continued on with the pros.

Pros –

Wonderful.

One of my best friends.

Gorgeous.

Mysterious.

Someone I've always wanted.

          "Someone I've always wanted?" she asked herself, looking down at her parchment in wonder. Where had that come from? Had she harbored feelings for this man and not known? Honestly, she could be so thick sometimes. "I have to talk to him," she decided, throwing the paper away, and leaving the room.

          "Mum, I've told you, I'm not hiding out. I'm giving her space. It seems she needed it," Draco said again, feeling this conversation was getting older than she was. Narcissa looked over at her son who was lying on the couch, arm covering his eyes.

          "Draco, you're being a coward and you know it. If you want the girl to know how you feel, don't hide. It's not making you look very good," she replied sternly.

          "I'm not…"

          "Hiding, yes I know. But she thinks you are. You haven't written to their letters, and you won't let me either. Isn't it time for you to go home?"

          "Mum, I am home," Draco said, laughing at her as he sat up.

          "No, where your heart is, is home. Your heart isn't here. It's with Hermione, and you know it," she answered, going back to her letter.

          "What are you saying? You want me to go? You're kicking me out?" He asked, looking at her with wide eyes.

          "If that's what I have to do to get you out of here, then yes. Now, leave me alone Draco. I have business to tend to. I expect you do as well," she replied, smiling slightly. Her son huffed and left the room, still hating to be told what to do. "Still the same boy, just his heart belongs to a different woman now," she said, almost sadly. With a sigh, she began writing to a friend about their current events.

          Draco walked into the foyer quietly, as to not disturb anyone. He didn't want anyone he was home until he knew was there. Hearing no voices from the downstairs, he went to start up the stairs when a voice startled him.

          "You're back."

          He didn't have to turn to know who it was. "She's been worried sick about you, you git," Harry continued as Draco turned around but didn't come back down the stairs.

          "Look Harry…"

          "No, you said a few days. I thought maybe after those few days, you'd write to tell us you were okay. Some little note would have done justice. But you didn't respond. You know how that made us feel? How it made Hermione feel? She thought you'd be here, especially now, after what you did, what you told her," Harry continued on, not listening to what Draco was trying to say.

          "I should have written, I know that now. I'm sorry Harry," he started to apologize but his friend shook his head.

          "You shouldn't be telling me, you should be telling her," he answered, pointing upstairs. Draco looked up, and was surprised to see Hermione standing there, relief in her eyes.

          "Hermione, I…" he started, going up to where she was.

          "You what? You're sorry for being honest? You're sorry for leaving? Or, how about you're sorry that you forgot to write to us? Tell us you were okay?" she exclaimed, relief gone and replaced with anger.

          "I already got the third degree from Harry about this…" he sighed, putting his bag on the floor, leaning against the wall across from her.

          "Well, you'll get it again from me. I expected more from you, especially lately. I thought we were close! Couldn't you come talk to me or the other two about this instead of running away like a scared baby? Jesus Draco, sometimes I can't understand you," Hermione replied, stalking back towards her room.

          "Well you're running now, so don't be a hypocrite!" he yelled after her, catching up to her.

          "I'm the hypocrite?" she laughed. "Who is the one who was telling me they loved me then left? That's not love Draco."

          "And how would you know what love is?" His words stopped her from walking and she turned to him.

          "Because I love you too, you git! Because I've been worried about you while you were gone, all I thought about was you! And I'm scared because I know I need you so much, and that I can't live without you in my life. Because I've been so stupid to not know I was in love with you for so long and all I want to do is make passionate love with you. But right now I just want to slug you!" she said, beginning to pound on his chest with her small fists. He let her for a few minutes before grabbing her wrists and pulling them around his waist to hold her in an embrace. She calmed almost immediately when she felt him kiss her forehead, her tears drifting down her hot cheeks. "Why?" she asked in a small voice, he almost didn't hear her.

          "I was afraid," he whispered. Hermione pulled back enough to look him in the eyes, confused at his confession. "What would you do if you told someone how you felt and they fainted?" She blushed slightly and looked away.

          "I'm sorry about that. It was just a big shock. What did you expect me to say?"

          "I don't know. Anything?" he asked, smiling a bit.

          "Is it enough if I said that I know I love you back?" she replied, moving a bit closer, her smile growing.

          "It might be," he said, his lips covering hers finally. An explosion went off between them as they finally molded together. The kiss started slowly, but then the passion grew and both found their way into his bedroom. The door closed gently behind them.

          "So, you think they're together now?" Ron asked, his mouth full of cereal as he and Harry sat at the kitchen table.

          "They'd better be. I can't handle anymore drama around here," Harry sighed as his friend laughed. Both lifted their mugs of coffee and clinked glasses as Harry said, "To them."

          "To them," Ron repeated.

The End.

Author's Notes: I'm sorry it too so long, but look, it's finally here! The ending was a bit hard to write because I wanted a bit more with Harry and Ron. Because of my break from this story, I only used a page of what I had written and changed everything else. There won't be an epilogue to this story because although I still enjoy reading D/Hr, I can't write it as well as I would like. So, I'm sticking with H/Hr from now on.

I would like to thank all the reviewers who read this story. I was considering to not finish this, but I thought of all those stories that have been unfinished that I enjoyed and how disappointed I was. I didn't want that for my readers. So here it is, another completed story.

As for me, I don't know what my next piece will be. I have a few ideas in my head, especially after recently seeing 'Love Actually'. British movies are becoming some of my favorite films lately, so it helps with locations and how they act.

I would also like to say thank you to A-Ha for their song influence on this piece. 'Take on Me' is one of the best songs out there, and I think it should get much praise. And I also have to say thank you to the fabulous writer J. K. Rowling for her wonderful books that have me in love with magic at seventeen.

Thank you all.

- Ponderer