Chapter 18

"Thanks," said Ginny. "You're forgiven."

"I appreciate that," said Harry. A moment of silence reigned over the two young people.

"I love you, too, Harry Potter," said Ginny as she leaned her forehead against his.

"Really?" Harry breathed.

Ginny nodded and kissed him again, more passionately this time. "I have for a long time."

"How can you love me after all the things I've done to you?" asked Harry. "All the times I should have been there and wasn't, all the times I could have said something, but didn't. Why would you still love me?"

"I just do, Harry," said Ginny. "And I choose to forgive you those things because of it."

"Thank you, Ginny, for loving me," said Harry, kissing the tip of her nose.

"And thank you, Harry, for finally loving me back."

Suddenly, two pairs of identical hands broke into applause from the doorway.

"You owe me ten galleons, my friend," said Fred to his brother.

"I know, but it was well worth it," said George. He entered the room and clapped Harry on the shoulder. "Jolly good show, Harry."

"Take care of our little sister," said Fred. "And be careful about how you break the news to Ron."

Harry paled. He hadn't even thought of telling Ron yet. "Do you think he'll be really angry?"

"Well," said George, "it's hard to say. But just make sure there are witnesses around, all right, Harry?"

Before Harry could reply, an owl swooped into the room from the open window and dropped a letter on Harry's head.

"It's from Hermione," he said, "addressed to Ron and me."

"Well, go on, Harry," said Ginny. "Open it."

Harry opened the letter and read it completely before giving a report to the three Weasleys. "I think we'd better worry more about Ron's reaction to this," he said. "Apparently, Hermione and Malfoy are a couple."

"A couple of what?" asked Fred.

Ginny whacked him on the back of the head. "They are romantically involved, you idiot."

"Oh," said Fred. "I see. What's she doing with Malfoy?"

"Most likely shagging till the sun comes up," said George with a completely neutral face. Harry was too stunned to reply to the attack on his friend's honor.

"We have to go back soon," he said. "And I have to tell Ron. He's not going to be happy when he hears this."



"Are you all right, Hermione?" asked Draco as he entered Hermione's room.

"Yes, I'm fine," said Hermione. Draco's arms encircled her. "Have you resolved your issues with Professor Snape?"

"Yes." Draco kissed her neck. "You taste wonderful," he said.

"Thank you," said Hermione. Before things could go any further she said, "I've been thinking. About the prophecy, I mean."

Draco sat back on his heels to look at Hermione. "What about it?"

"Well," said Hermione, "what does it mean when it says, 'two will be bound'?"

Draco looked at his hands, which were holding hers. "What do you think it means?" He looked into her eyes.

"I think it means that we have to get married," she said. Draco opened his mouth to say something but Hermoine interrupted him. "It makes perfect sense. Marriage is one of the few wizard bonds that can't be broken. If you want to truly bind two people together, you marry them. Now, I know that you won't marry Professor Snape, and I know that I don't want to marry him. But I do know that I wouldn't be entirely opposed to the idea of marrying you."

"I'm not entirely opposed to the idea of marrying you either," said Draco. "But Hermione, I think we should wait. I'm not sure how long, but I don't think we're ready for that, yet."

"I agree. But I think it needs to be a plan for our future," said Hermione. She leaned over and kissed Draco.

"I think so, too," said Draco as he kissed her. Gently and sweetly he massaged his lips against hers. She opened her mouth to him, and he plundered it with his tongue, exploring, searching, tasting. Her hands went up his back, tangled in his hair. She couldn't touch him enough. She felt something poking against her thigh. But suddenly, he pushed her away.

"Wait," he said. "Wait. If I stay here, I won't be able to leave. I care about you, very much, Hermione," said Draco, "but I have to wait for this. Can you understand that?"

Hermione nodded. "I need to wait for it, too." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, Draco."

"Goodnight, Hermione."



"She and Malfoy are WHAT??!!" screamed an irate Ron when he read Hermione's letter. "We're going back there, right now!"

"No, Ron," said Ginny. "Hermione is of age. No one can make her do anything, especially not you."

"NO! I'm going to stop her. She's making the biggest mistake of her life!" Ron refused to back down.

"Then she can make it on her own," said Harry. "She doesn't need you or me to look after her. Hermione is a big girl."

"Yeah, a big fool! I won't stand by and let Malfoy seduce her like this! It can't be allowed."

"Well, then, little brother," said Fred, "we'll just have to tie you to the bedpost until vacation is over."

Ron glared at his twin brothers. "Fine," he said. "But when I get back, I'm giving her a piece of my mind."

"That's fine," said Harry. "All we're asking is that you let her alone to work things out by herself."

Ron frowned in silence. It looked as though he would do that for the rest of vacation. More to shake things up a bit more than anything else, Harry said

"Oh, by the way, Ron, Ginny and I are an item now as well."

"WHAT?!?!" Ron roared.



In the wee hours of the morning, Severus Snape burst into Hermione's room and woke her with a start.

"Miss Granger, something has happened that demands our urgent attention," he said.

"What?" asked Hermione, sleep still fogging her vision.

"Miss Granger, Draco is missing. No one can find him anywhere. He isn't in the castle. He's completely disappeared. It is feared that his father may have kidnapped him."

A/N: I know, a cliffy! I'm so mean! But, now that school is out, I should be able to update sooner. Sorry this took so long, but I had a major case of writer's block. Hope this was to your liking! Review, please!