I'm so sorry!! Let me tell you why I'm so late!! I want to continue this story in another fic, but I couldn't make a good idea of that new one yet... I'm posting the last chapters now... but you will see it needs a sequence... really sorry again... and thanks for the patience.

Chapter XLIX

"So you love him that much" Malfoy asked.

Hermione didn't feel anger or evilness in his voice, but a deep sadness. Her brown eyes met Malfoy's grey eyes. "More than you can understand, Malfoy". She saw that his body was shacking a little.

"You made your choice then".

"There was no choice to make. I told you that in... ah!" Her body contracted.

"Hermione!" Ron called, worried.

Draco gave a step towards her, but stopped. "You'll regret it, Granger".

She smiled to him. "I doubt it".

Ron's eyes were totally normal now. He saw Malfoy staring at Hermione for a few seconds then he turned his back at them.

"Are you ok, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"I'm... ah!... don't worry". She smiled.

"You can say you love Weasley but don't ask me to not love you". Draco turned to them. His eyes were shining, seeming to be with tears. "This is not the end". He looked at Ron then at Hermione and left.

"What else that guy wants?" Ron looked at Hermione. "You shouldn't have entered in front of me".

"You were not seeing anything, how could you defend yourself?"

"Now you're hurt... and because of me". Ron lowered his head.

"Look, Ron..."

"Hermione! Ron!"

They turned to see who it was.

"Harry! Ginny! What you... ah, now I see. You read my message, right?"

"Thank God I woke up earlier than you thought".

"Ron Weasley, how dare you was so stupid?!"

"Calm Down, Ginny". Ron said, blushing.

"I should write to mum!"

Ron's eyes got wide. "Ginny, please, don't".

"But I should".

"What happened? Hermione, you're hurt?"

Ron rose, holding Hermione by her arms. "Tell you later, mate, now help me here with Hermione".

"Ok".

They managed to put Hermione on her feet, but she could not walk properly, so Ron held her in his arms. Crabbe and Goyle were not at the glade and Malfoy was gone too. Ron put Hermione in front of him on his broom and Harry carried Hermione's one. They went to the castle.

Hermione didn't let her friends take her to Madam Pomfrey. She convinced them that a little nap would restore her strength. The common room was still empty and they felt thankful to God for that. Ginny alone had to take Hermione because the boys couldn't enter at the girls' side. Ron kissed Hermione's cheek slightly and she went upstairs with Ginny.

"Ron, what hit Hermione? She shakes like Neville when he was hit by the Cruciatus curse".

"But it was exactly what hit her".

Harry's eyes got wide. "You must be kidding!"

"I wish I was. Malfoy knows how to use the Unforgivable Curses. He tried Imperious curse on me before using Crucio against me but Hermione entered in front of me and..." He stopped.

"And you resisted? The Imperious curse I mean".

Ron gave a half-hearted smile. "At least this whole crazy thing was useful for something. I think Malfoy used Crucio cause he got really angry at me".

They heard footsteps.

"How is she, Ginny?" Ron asked.

"Well, she's not shacking so hard anymore. I guess she's right, she just need to rest. The others will wake up really soon. We should at least pretend that we are studying and think of an excuse to give when people ask us where's Hermione".

"We can say she's not feeling well" Harry said.

"Yeah, I think it's the best thing to say". She looked at Ron. "C'mon, Ron. It will not make any good to anyone keeping a face like that".

"She's there cause of me. If I wasn't so stupid..."

Ginny was really angry at him but now she felt pity. "What's done is done".

Somebody opened a door upstairs.

"C'mon, let's seat and open any book" Harry said.

They ran to the table near the fireplace.

Harry looked for Dobby a few hours later and asked him to bring food to Hermione. The house elf was really glad to serve a Harry Potter's friend so it passed all day looking after her.

Harry, Ginny and Ron didn't see Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle at breakfast but they were there for lunch. Goyle had little scratches on his face and was limping a little. Crabbe didn't have any signs of fight but had a dumb look in his eyes.

Harry smiled. "I guess he still is a little stunned".

"You stunned him?"

"When we got to the glade they tried to hinder us" Harry answered.

Ron saw that Malfoy was looking at him and sustained the look. Malfoy also had some scratches on his face and Ron noticed that he was holding his left arm. "I think I did a real damage there" He thought.

Nobody suspected what really happened to Hermione. The night was falling when she went down. She was still week but the colors were back to her face. Ron helped her to go down. "How are you?"

She smiled. "Fine".

Ron took her to the table where Ginny and Harry were waiting for them.

"So, Dobby was a good nurse?"

"The better I guess". She sat. "Studying? I can't believe it!"

"Well, the finals start tomorrow". Harry said.

"Finals? Who cares about finals?" Ginny asked, exasperated.

"Oh, no, Ginny! Will you start that again?" Ron asked, bored.

Everybody laughed.

Finally it was saturday. Ginny's O.W.L.s were in the past as were the N.E.W.T.s and the finals of other students. Malfoy didn't bother Hermione or any of her friends. Gryffindor won the Cup of Houses and at quidditch. Everybody's trunks were already at the station. They ate breakfast and went to there. They saw Hagrid at the platform.

"Hi, Hagrid". Harry went to him and gave him a hug.

"As always I came here to say 'bye'".

"We'll miss you, Hagrid". Hermione smiled.

"Now listen, be careful, right?"

"Don't worry. Anyway, I know there will be people to be careful enough for me" Harry said, ironically.

"It's serious, Harry" Hagrid said, seriously.

Harry blushed. "I know".

He smiled. "I think you'd better be going". Hagrid hugged each one then waved 'goodbye'.

They entered at the train.

"I'm leaving home, not coming back to it" Harry said, sadly.

Ginny held his hand. "We'll take you off there as soon as you can imagine".

Harry looked at her and smiled. "I hope so". He gave a little kiss on her mouth.

"We should find seats. Soon there will be none". Hermione held Ron's hand and pulled him, entering the corridor.

"I think we can still find seats at the back" Ron said.

Hermione turned to him. "I hope... oops, sorry". Hermione collided on someone. She looked at up and saw big grey eyes looking at her.