::Chapter Twelve: Remembering ::

Hermione's mind drifted again.

"You're good or evil Draco. Neutrality will only end up torturing you, killing you."

"You no nothing about torture." He said through clenched teeth.

"I know that it's painful, isn't that enough?"

"Painful? That's all you think it is?" He was taking shallow, jagged breaths. Hermione feared he would collapse any second. He licked his lips before he began. "That's not even the worst part of it. It's emotionally draining; you're dying mentally. The curses penetrate your skin piercing your very soul, stinging, and leaving emotional scars. Do you think that I can ever get that back, that I can ever be like I was before?" He fell to the cold ground feet away from her. "And then the pain. It." He choked back sobs. "It's indescribable." He gulped before the tears could spill onto his pale cheeks. "There is nothing that can make those scars fade, with five years, ten years, all of eternity." Defiant tears pelted his cheeks. "There is nothing I wouldn't do to not have to face those years of torture, no one should ever have to feel that pain, the vulnerability." Hermione's own tears flowed down her cheeks. "Painful? It's demeaning."

Once again Hermione felt tears find their way down her cheeks. Memories flooded her mind and to be honest she wanted them to come.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" The question was rhetorical and she ignored it with the greatest of ease. "And what if I was to do this?" He kissed her ear lobe and she bit her lip.

"Stop." She mumbled.

Hermione lay on her bed and closed her eyes. She recalled the moment where she realized she was truly in love, with Draco Malfoy.

A smirk coated his lips raising her temper even more with the passing moments. But she couldn't help but stare at him before she could finish her tirade. She noticed for the first time how much he had truly changed since their days at Hogwarts. His once perfectly kept white-blonde hair was unkempt and was falling in all directions; his gray eyes seemed to be a more crystalline blue that bore into her. Her eyes traveled down his body in a once-over, the years of Quidditch practice had left him with more that just a losing streak. Through his button down white shirt Hermione could clearly see muscles. Her eyes rested on his left forearm where she knew the Dark Mark resided, the one thing that connected him to this mass of murders.

Hermione sighed deeply.

A strong look of concern coated her face and a knotted feeling rose in Draco's stomach. He'd never felt that someone truly cared about him, least of all a mudblood. He felt a sudden urge to repay her for the wonderful feeling he felt inside, but he was being selfish. He didn't want this feeling to stop. He leaned forward and kissed her softly.

And that's when it became too much. Hermione's silent tears became hysterical sobs. She screamed, she screamed in agony, in despair and in hope.

"Hermione?" A voice came from the front door. "Are you all right?" The voice neared her bedroom door.

"I'm fine Harry." She lied wiping at the tears. "Not to be rude but I'd really like to be alone."

"I'm worried about you." He said to her door.

"I'm fine, really. I just need some time to collect my thoughts."

"Can we talk? Please." Hermione sighed and wiped the tears off of her face. She opened her door

and found herself face to face with Harry. "Have you been crying?" He asked thoroughly concerned.

"Harry, really, I don't want to talk about it."

"Was it Malfoy? What did he do? You're supposed to be able to tell me anything."

"You really want to know what happened?" She nearly snapped. "I fell in love."

"With Malfoy?" Harry yelped.

"Yes. I fell in love with Draco Malfoy. And would you like to know the worst part? The absolute worst part? He loves me too." 'Damn those bloody tears.' Hermione sighed as the droplets made their way down her already tear stained face.

"You know this is wrong. There are punishments for this." He realized he was fighting a battle he could not win, love conquers all.

"Why is it that the one person I love more than anything is the one person I can't have?" That one question pushed Harry over the edge.

"You don't love him, you don't even know him!"

"I do know him! I was trapped in a basement with him for four months!"

"Four months? You've been my best friends for fifteen years."

"Harry, I love you. But my heart belongs to Draco."

"Unfortunately, his does not belong to you." Harry lied.

"What?"

"You were a ploy, nothing more."

"W…why are you saying this?" Her heart shattered.

"It's the truth. I don't what you to think that Malfoy is your true love when he was just using you." Hermione let out a sigh of despair. "I'm sorry." Harry apologized.

"How could I be so blind?" She felt herself collapse into Harry's arms. He lifted her chin up so that their eyes met.

"Malfoy may not be able to give you his heart, but Mione, I'd give you mine before you could say "Quidditch"." Hermione looked at him unable to grasp what was going on.

"What are you saying?"

"I love you. The moment I thought you died, a part of me died too. I like this feeling, that I can be with my best friend as long as I want."

"Harry." She began but her words were never heard. Harry leaned forward and kissed her. At first Hermione didn't respond. Soon their lips were moving in a synchronized fashion. "I love you too." Hermione whispered once they had broken apart.

Draco Malfoy, head of Malfoy Manor, last living heir to the Malfoy estate, and rightful Dark Lord took his place at the head of the long table. The new Dark Lord sat at his throne, a throne he did not want. He got up from the table and gave the manor one last glance and ran. Where he ran nobody is sure, and honestly, nobody cared