DISCLAIMER – I own NOTHING…

AUTHOR'S NOTE – Here I am, back with a new chappie!! Hope you'll Njoy it and I glad that you liked the previous one. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS!! And thank you for believing in me so much… You're simply the BEST!=)

After graduation, I got a job at St. Mungo's Hospital as a Healer and Draco well, that's the least fun chapter of our story…

            "New York?" I shouted, frustration creeping inside of me.

            Draco looked at me with a pained expression on his face. "New York." He confirmed.

I got up and started pacing in front of him. Draco got up and tried to stop me but I shrugged his hands away.

"Do you believe what you just told me, Draco?" I said bringing a hand to my head.

"Come on baby," Draco said. "It not easy for me either."

"Now don't you 'baby' me," I told him. "You're thinking about accepting a job a America, Draco. Thousands of miles away from England… away from me. And you just know you can't apparate over long distances."

"We'll find a way to see each other regularly I'll write to you, We'll use Floo Networks and, I don't know." He said. "But Mione, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. I've been praying for this job for months now. I can't just let it slip away."

I ignored the lump that was forming in my throat and shook my tears away. "I know I should let you go and do what you want to do," I said in a strangled voice. "You're happy with this job and all and seeing you happy makes me happy. But I can't stand the fact that I'll have to be without you. You're glad about it, but what about me?"

I glanced at him, tears misting my vision. "I love you so much," I said. "And during these few months that we were together I became so very fond of you and I don't even have to try living without you cause I know that I can't. I can't live without you, Draco. I'm weak."

"You're not," Draco said, brushing my tears away. "You're the strongest woman I've ever encountered. You've lived through all my nasty remarks for six years, Granger," he added lightheartedly, trying to cheer me up.

But instead, that made me cry harder. "Come on," he said taking me in his arms. "Don't cry. I'll be back for holidays and I promise you that we'll keep in touch."

"H – How c – can y – you… be… s – so sure?" I hiccupped. "L – Long dis – distance relationship al – almost n – never w – work…"

"I'm sure of it because I love you, Hermione." He said, lightly kissing me. "I love you."

            I accompanied Draco to the airport a few weeks later. Draco held me close to him as we walked towards the airport doors. If only he could just keep me close to him like this till the end of time. I'm gonna die, I thought miserably.

I would've given everything for another day with him. But unfortunately, he really had to go and my job obligations wouldn't allow me to go with him even for just a week.

I tensed up as we approached the gate 37. The doors through which he was gonna disappear. And I just knew that I wasn't going to see again. Not for a very, very long time. Think he sensed my agony cause he tightened his grip around my waist. We reached the gate and an announcement was made.

"Your attention please, all the passengers of the flight for New York, Boeing 878 are requested to present their ticket to the gate 37 and board the plane, thank you."

My insides gave a hard squeeze and I felt sick. Draco looked down at me. His blond hair was shining in the bright morning sun. And his crystal blue eyes were striking and matched his sky blue sweatshirt perfectly. I looked through the glass windows. The sky was blue, the sun was high up and the birds were chirping. It shouldn't be so. If the weather corresponded my mood, the sky would be gray and cloudy, rain would be tumbling down and forming rivers down the roads and there would be lightening and thunder.

But then again, lately, nothing was going my way.

I looked at him. The sad and broken expression on his face was almost unbearable and I felt a lump form in my throat. I tried to swallow it but it just wouldn't go away. How was I ever gonna get through this?

"I've," he said in a broken voice. "I've gotta go now, sweetheart."

I looked up at him; my usually warm brown eyes, which sparkled with life, felt dull and sad. "Okay," I said softly.

I slipped my arms around his neck and pulled him down to kiss him. "I love you," I whispered.

"Love you too."

"Goodbye," he said, gently pulling me to him and holding me close to his heart.

"Bye Draco," I gave him a weak smile. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too."

He gave me another kiss. There was nothing gentle about it. It was almost desperate and as he rubbed my cheek, I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. I had promised I wouldn't cry but I could help it anymore.

He released me and I looked at the ground. He jerked my chin up, forcing me to look at him. "I'll come back," he said gently.

I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand and smiled faintly at him. "I know," I said my voice almost unrecognizable.

He smiled at me. Then gave me a last kiss and walked to the gate. I watched my love walk through the doors and stared after him. Wanting to hold him in my arms one last time before he went away. Before he went away for a very, very long time. Unwanted tears began to roll down my cheeks. I loved him so much and yet, the cruel fate had to bring us apart.

            We went through seven months of intense owl post and Floo Network communication and all that stuff. Each time I saw him, or heard from him, I felt exultant… but it wasn't the same as seeing him in real, in three-dimension. But, it started to get boring and the letter and everything started to stop coming in quantity, until it was only once a month I heard from him and then once every six months. And then once a year, that is, Christmas day.

            Apparently he was busy, but so was I so I didn't really mind. Being a Healer took a large amount of time and I didn't have time to think about why he didn't write so often now. Or maybe I was so disappointed I preferred not to think about it much. So I concentrated on my job. The only time when I had the courage to let myself think about him was on Valentine's Day.

            "Good Night, Joe," I called as I passed near the reception.

            "Going home already?" the elderly receptionist smiled at me.

            "Yes," I replied. "This big company is organizing a Valentine Party tonight and I'm invited."

            "Cool," Joe replied. "Have fun then, Miss Granger. And Happy Valentine's day!"

            "Thank-you Joe, same goes for you," I smiled.

            Five years had passed since Draco had gone through gate 37 and disappeared from my life. I had never stopped thinking about him, but there was nothing much I could do about it.There had been no other man after Draco. Nobody serious anyway.

            My professional life was better than my love life. I had become like one of the best Healer's at St. Mungo's with an international reputation.

            I got out in the cold streets and made my way to my apartment. A cozy little apartment with everything I needed I had just bought three years ago. I quickly showered; blow dried my hair and put on my black dress.

            Valentine dinners were such a drag but it was a duty to attend them. I grab my wand and disapparated from my living room just to apparate a few seconds later in front of high and big doors. Two guards were posted in front of the doors. I presented them my invitation card and they welcomed me.

            As I entered the room, I immediately felt a bit self-conscious. There were couples everywhere. Damn it, I thought. Valentine parties are supposed to be for singles you guys. I brushed it off and went to say hello to some old acquaintances.

            After that I started feeling a bit bored. Yes! I mentally shouted. I broke last years record by five minutes. Cool, we'll see next year how it's gonna be.

            The opening notes of a very familiar song started playing and I instantly felt melancholic. Oh no, I thought. Not this song. It was the song on which Draco and I had danced at the seventh-years dance.

            I leaned back against the wall and crossed my arms over my chest. Really cool, I thought. Our song is playing and he isn't even there with me.

            I wanted to cry right then and there but I wouldn't allow myself to. Enough crying for someone who won't come back.

            He will, the little voice of faith and hope said. He promised he would.

            The voice of despair said, but it's been five years and I'm still waiting like an idiot. I'm not even sure he still thinks about me. After all, we agreed that it would be okay to see other people.

But it's not as though we broke up… huh? The other voice asked.

Sure, despair-voice retorted. Since when haven't you heard from him? Since Christmas, girl. And it was just a simple card with a To Hermione… Merry Christmas… Love Draco. Nothing more. If you were still together I don't think that's all he would've –

My thoughts were then interrupted…

            "May I have this dance, Miss?"

            I looked in the direction of my interlocutor and was about to come up with a polite refusal but I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw those blue, blue eyes smiling mischievously at me.

            "Draco?!" I let out, breathless.

            "Hello Hermione." He smiled.

            "Oh my GOD!" I shouted, falling in his arms. "What are you doing here? Since when are you here?"

            He returned me my hug. But then I felt stupid and all my frustration and bitterness came up to the surface.

            I pushed him back and frowned at him. "Why didn't you call me? Why don't you owl post anymore? And why the hell didn't you tell me you are coming back? I'll never forgive you for not keeping in touch anymore."

            "Hey, as far as I can remember, I don't get much post from you either!" Draco told me. "But I'm sorry, I know I didn't write much. I was somewhat busy."

            I scowl at him for a few more seconds but then, I couldn't stop a smile from tugging at the corners of my lips. It was like they had a mind of their own. "I'm so glad you're here!!! Since when are you here?"

            "Since just now," he replied.

            "How come you're attending this stupid party?" I asked. I noticed several heads turn towards me and they gave me some nasty look. "Did I really talk that loud?" I asked in a hushed voice.

            Draco laughed. "I've been invited too. You know, I've acquired quite a good reputation since." He told me smugly.

            "Yeah, I bet you did." I said rolling my eyes at him. "For how long are you here? Please don't say you're going back tonight. Please don't say so, please don't say so."

            "Actually, I've asked for a… transfer and you know that I'm a model employee and that no one can say no to an archetypal worker…"

            I squealed with joy and fell into his arms once again. This was so unbelievable. Fate wasn't that cruel after all. It's was just that it couldn't making good things happening to me. It had to let me go through some harsh times in order for me to be able to know the true value of what life has set aside for me.

            "You haven't changed a bit, Mione," he told me, his eyes sparkling.

            I smiled at him. Not being able to believe my luck.

"You haven't answered my question yet." Draco said. "Wanna dance?"

            "Sure!"

            And just like the first time, he led me the dance floor and we danced like the very first time: shyly, almost nervously.

            "It's been so long since I last saw you," Draco said.

            "An eternity." I agreed. "You see, since you haven't been here for Christmas and Easter and my birthday nor have you had the decency to write to tell me if… if…" If you still cared about you. If I'm still the one. If you still loved me, I wanted to say. "If you're alright I though you might've been dead or something," I finished lamely. "Okay, so I'm going to stop talking now."

            "You're babbling, Hermione." Draco laughed.

            "Okay, okay, no more babbling. I'm gonna stop babbling. No more babbling from now on. From the second I say stop, I'm gonna stop babbling –"

            "Hermione, it's okay, really," Draco said. "You babble only when you're nervous."

            "And your point is?"

            "I'm glad to still have this effect on you." Draco said.

            I took in a sharp intake of breath. "You will always have this effect on me Draco. But the real question is, do I still provoke the same feelings I did back then on you, today?"

            Very slowly, he bent down and gently brushed his lips against mine sending shivers up and down my spine.

            "Is that enough of an answer?" he whispered against my lips.

            "Uh," I breathed. "I… I think I didn't quite… understand. Mind repeating?"

            He smiled. And pulled my mouth back to his, granting my wish.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – That's all for today, folks! Hope you liked it. I didn't want Draco and Hermione's separation to last chapters and chapters, hope you get my point. See? It's practical, the get separated and get together again… ALL IN ONE! =P hehey… Neways… hope this chapter is good enough for you. PLEASE review…