Author's notes- thank you to all of you who have reviewd. i know that we have reached a sad part of the story but if you read the title you will see that this will have some sad parts. this is not the last chapter so please wait for more updates. Oh yeah...and as always...please review AND ENJOY!

She's his yellow brick road
Leading him on
And letting him go as far as she lets him go
Going down to nowhere

She puts on her make-up
The same way she did yesterday
Hoping everything's the same
But everything has changed

In my mind
Everything we did was right
Open your eyes, I'll still be by your side
How could I ever have been so blind?
You give me something to sleep to at night----Michelle Branch

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling light and happy. She felt like she could do anything. Although she still couldn't believe that she loved her best friends enemy she knew that it would work out somehow.

She got out of bed and took a shower. She got ready and made her way to the common room to where Harry and Ron were sitting involved in a chess game. She sat down on the couch watching them smiling. Everything seemed so perfect. She always thought that people who acted all happy and claiming that they were in love were just people who read one too many romance novels but now she knew what they meant. You couldn't help but smile at the small things.

Harry suddenly looked up and smiled at her.

"You seem happy, Hermione." He said with a bit of a chuckle.

Hermione looked up at him and smiled even wider.

"I am. I got a good nights sleep and I'm ready for breakfast when you guys are."

"Check Mate!" yelled Ron suddenly.

Both Harry and Ron looked at him and laughed.

"I guess we are ready then." Said Harry.

They made their way to the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryfinndor Table. Hermione watched her meal appear in front of her. She sighed lightly and began to eat. She quickly looked over at the Slytherin table. Draco hadn't arrived at breakfast yet. She shrugged and continued to eat.

"I think we have Divination next...so that means that you've got Arithmancy next, right Hermione." Asked Ron.

Hermione looked at him and nodded.

They finished their breakfast and headed out of the Great Hall. When Hermione said good-bye Harry stopped her. He made sure that Ron was out of earshot and asked "How's you're back?"

Hermione smiled a bit and replied, "It's all healed, Harry. I got a healing potion from Madam Pomfry so its all healed...just a couple of scars but that's because I waited too long to get the potion. I feel perfect."

Harry smiled and hugged her before saying "Good. Be careful okay?"

Hermione nodded and left to Arithmancy. When she entered and sat down at her desk Harry words were ringing in her mind. He cared a lot for her and she cared for him. He was like a brother to her. She closed her eyed and shook her head slightly. She knew she needed to clear her head. She needed a little time to herself to think. She resolved that she would take a break during lunch. She would get a little fresh air to clear her head.

Hermione met her friends in the common room before lunch and told them that she was going to skip it and spend a little time outside.

"Are you feeling okay, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Yes. I'm just a little stressed. Everything will be fine. I promise." She said assuring them.

They nodded and walked down to the entrance hall and then the split up. Hermione made her way to the oak tree near the lake. She sat under it and stared at the small ripples make their way to the shore and then break up when it got too shallow. She leaned closer to the lake and looked at her reflection. Her hair was sticking up in parts with frizz. She closed her eyes and sighed. She tried to think if she was doing the right thing in loving Harry's worst enemy. She opened her eyes and looked back at her reflection in the water. But this time she wasn't the only one in the reflection. Draco was behind her. She closed her eyes and turned around suddenly but when she looked behind her she was alone. She shook her head and stood up and made her way back into the castle.

Draco noticed Hermione leave the castle and not join her friends at breakfast. His curiosity got the better of him. He was worried something was wrong. He followed her outside but stayed far enough away to where she wouldn't notice. He saw her look into the water. He had never seen her look so beautiful. He sighed. He slowly walked towards her and stood behind her. He looked into the water as well and he saw himself next to her and he never saw anything more perfect. He saw her open her eyes and see him in her reflection. She closed her eyes and began to turn around but before she could he was already gone and hidden behind the tree. He watched her rise slowly and walk back into the castle. He watched her intently and when her body disappeared he whispered to himself, "I am so sorry, Hermione. But this has to be done. I love you."

Hermione watched Harry and Ron play another game of Chess at around 10:00 at night. She laughed as she heard Ron make weird whooping noises every time he knocked one of Harry's pieces off of the board. She sighed and walked over to them.

"I have to go to check the corridors. I'll see you guys later okay." She said.

"Do you want us to wait up for you?" asked Harry.

"No. You guys get some sleep okay." She said. She left the common room and made her way around the castle before reaching the Astronomy Tower stairs. A part of her hoped he would be up there. She wanted to see him again. She had to. She reached the top and saw the one person she had ever loved stand before her looking out the window in obvious deep thought.

"Draco?" she asked bringing him out of his thoughts.

He turned around and stared at her. She was smiling and her face was glowing in the moonlight. He would have liked to take her in his arms right there and then but he knew that he couldn't. He took a deep breath but didn't answer her.

"Draco, are you okay?" she asked.

"Don't call me that." He said in a harsh voice being pained by the sound of it.

"Well then what do you ant me to call you?" she asked playfully as she moved closer to him.

"Just don't talk to me at all." He said taking a step back.

Hermione looked at him oddly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Draco? What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing." He said shortly.

Hermione stared at him and took a deep breath but still too a step closer to him. He again backed away from her. She looked at him a little hurt.

"Draco..." she said in a bit of a whisper.

"I SAID DON'T CALL ME THAT, MUDBLOOD!" he yelled. He closed is eyes knowing that if he looked at her he would take it all back. He would grab her and try to force everything away. He knew he would kiss her senseless and try to make all the pain in her heart go away. But he couldn't. He had to save her from his father.

He didn't hear her respond and when he opened his eyes he saw her looking at him with more hurt in her eyes than he ever imagined. She walked backwards slowly to the staircase and when she reached it she ran down with tears streaming down her face.

Draco watched her run down the stairs and he couldn't believe what he had just done. He backed up to the wall and took a deep breath. He wanted to find her and he wanted to make things all better. But it was too late. He closed his eyes as the cold from the night froze his veins. Her heart, he already knew, was officially broken.

Hermione ran as fast as she could not able to stop the tears that were coming down her face. She couldn't go to the common room. She didn't want to risk Harry and Ron still being awake and seeing her like this. She ran to her own special place to get away from life. She made her way down the corridors and stopped in front of the doors to the library. She entered and walked up and down the isles. She grabbed a random book and sat down in her favorite table. She began to look at the open book in front of her not reading a word. She just watched her tears moisten the pages. She laid her head down on the book and closed her eyes never knowing such pain had existed. She fell asleep on top of that book knowing heartbreak for the first time in her life from the first person she had ever loved.