Looking down over the edge of the box seats, Hermione saw the teams advancing onto the pitch. Draco leading his team, Harry leading his (A/N very symbolic isn't it?). Hermione sighed. It would always be like this for her and Draco. A constant battle against everyone else. She watched as Draco shook Harry's hand without trying to break his fingers and the two teams rose into the air.

Gryffendor won the match. It was clean, and rule abiding. The Slytherin team seemed at a loss with out the usual Malfoy, and played very poorly. Hermione hurried down to the field and met Harry, Ron, and Erin. Ron was looking significantly relieved. He hugged Hermione warmly, and she wanted to cry.

"We won!" he cheered, "We beat Malfoy!" Hermione tried to smile, "Congratulations, you all played wonderfully."

"Rather clean game, for Slytherin, wasn't it?" Harry said, shooting a glance at the opposing teams retreating backs.

"Yeah, they didn't seem focused at all," Erin sighed, "C'mon, let's get back to the castle. Coming, Hermione?"

"In a minute. I-"but she couldn't think of a reason. Erin took the hint.

"See you in the Common Room, then." She steered Ron and Harry away. When they were out of sight, Hermione turned to see Draco walking towards her from the other side of the field. He stood close to her, and she gave him a sincere hug.

"I'm sorry you lost, Draco."

"I'm not. I just wanted to finish the match." He bent his head and gave her a very tender kiss on the lips. Somehow it made Hermione feel like everything would be all right. That, perhaps, Ron and Harry would understand and that everyone could just be civil to each other. But all those feelings vanished when she heard someone behind her, and turned to see Blaise Zambini sprinting back up to the castle.

Hermione sat on her bed in the girl's dorm, waiting for Erin to come up from the bathrooms. She kept telling herself, "It doesn't matter. People were going to find out eventually." But somehow she couldn't shake the fear of someone knowing about her and Draco. Who would Blaise tell? Would any one care? "Yes," she thought miserably, "Someone will definitely care." When Erin entered, Hermione couldn't keep the feelings pent up anymore, "Blaise knows."

"He does?"

"Yes. He saw... saw Draco and me after the match."

Erin sighed and nodded, "Not the best way for people to find out, but then again, there wasn't really a good way, was there?"

Hermione shook her head. No there wasn't. She had to talk to Draco.

"Erin, I've got to..."

"Do what you need to." Erin sighed, and watched Hermione slowly leave the dorm, closing the door behind her.

Once Hermione got out into the hall, she started to think. How on earth was she going to find Draco? Most likely he was in his Common Room. She couldn't get in there without months of preparation, and she wanted to talk to him now. Unable to think of anything else to do, she set off down the corridor. It was quite a long time past curfew- if any teacher saw her she would be in so much trouble. 'Hermione,' she thought desperately to herself, 'You're a prefect. Are you really going to risk your school career for him?' She continued down the dimly lit hall.

Now that she thought about it, Hermione didn't know how on earth Harry could stand wandering these halls alone. Shadows made strange shapes on the walls, torchlight and fear made the shapes twist and come alive. Thinking of Harry, she almost started to cry. Harry, who needed his friends with him most of all, whose dreams were haunted by the horrors of his past, who wandered the halls aimlessly, desperately clinging to the one place he felt loved and cared for. And what was she doing, behind his back? Instead of talking to Harry after his match, she had waited in the shadows to comfort the boy who had made his life hell for 6 years. The familiar sick feeling rose in Hermione as she took this in. She felt dirty, cruel, and heartless. She was disgusted with herself. And yet she still continued on in the dark.

She turned a corner to see she had reached the front door of the castle. Of course. He would be out by the lake. Quietly she pushed it open and walked out onto the grounds. Sure enough, across the sloping lawn she could see a figure in the moonlight. She walked quietly over to him.

"D-Draco?" she spoke timidly.

He whirled around, and relaxed as he saw her. Quickly he put his hands gently on her shoulders and kissed her. Hermione returned it, but inwardly wanted to scream and collapse from the shame she felt. When they broke apart, she said quietly,

"I need to talk to you."

"About what?" Draco still stood very close to her, holding her hands firmly to warm them.

"Blaise."

He sighed, "Don't worry about him. He was far away; we don't even know he recognized you."

"I know he did. And I'm worried."

"Why are you against people knowing?" Draco asked sadly. But Hermione could hear in his voice that he was really asking, "Why does it have to be like this?"

"I don't know, but we can't change them."

Draco nodded, and understood she had caught his thoughts from his voice.

"No we can't. But we can get away."

Hermione's eyes got wide. She shook her head rapidly, "I can't- we can't... leave."

What had started as just a loose idea in Draco's mind quickly began to take form, "Yes we can. We could just disappear. I've got enough money to go anywhere we want. We could go to France or Spain-"

"But I can't Draco," Hermione pleaded, "Hogwarts is... is my whole life. My future, my friends- I can't just leave them."

"I love you," he said softly. But Hermione heard it,

"What?"

"I love you. And whatever you want I'll do. If you say stay, we'll stay. But think about it, won't you?"

He took her silence as a yes, "I'll meet you hear tomorrow afternoon, after last period. You should get back."

Hermione nodded, and turned to go.

"Think on it," he whispered, and disappeared into the shadow of the trees.

Hermione walked very timidly into Transfiguration the next day. First period had never been so nerve racking. Surveying the group of tired Gryffendors, nothing seemed any different. Parvati and Lavender whispered to each other and giggled. Dean doodled on his parchment and Seamus nodded off, head leaning heavily on his elbow. Hermione, Ron, Harry and Erin took their usual seats. Harry and Ron had said nothing out of the ordinary that morning. "Maybe Draco asked Zambini not to tell anyone," Hermione thought. She felt a little better. No one seemed to look at her any different- maybe no one knew.

Draco sat taking notes quietly in Charms. He looked at the empty seat next to him. Where was Blaise? "He's just over slept, is all," Draco thought, feeling very tired himself; "He'll be in soon." He went back to concentrating very hard on his wand motions for the spell they were learning.

Blaise walked slowly down the stairs from his dorm. Just as he'd hoped, the Slytherin Common Room was vacant. He took a small bag out of his pocket. In the other hand, he took his wand. Pointing it at the fireplace, he spoke, "Ignito!" A fire roared in the stone hearth. Opening the bag, he took a handful of a greyish power and stood in front of the fire.

"Malfoy Manor!" He spoke, throwing the dust into the flames. They burned green. Getting down onto his knees, he stuck his head through the crackling flames.

He saw a large library. It was poorly lit, and seemed in desperate need of cleaning. A man was sitting in a black leather chair. A pale man with long blonde hair. He smirked.

"Well hello, Blaise. Fancy seeing you here."

"Morning, sir. I know something that might interest you."

After school that day, Hermione walked alone across the grounds. Harry, Ron, and Erin had gone to Quidditch practice- she promised to meet them late. She hurried down the steps and out of the courtyard. It was a sunny day, clear blue sky, and all in all she felt much more cheerful than she had this morning. But it was too good to last.

"Fancy seeing you here, Granger," a cold voice spoke. Hermione turned. There stood Blaise Zambini, Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, and a large collection of other Slytherins she didn't know. She froze.

"W-what do you want, Zambini?" she said, trying to sound less afraid than she felt.

"To talk of course," Pansy said in mock sweetness.

"About something very interesting I saw after the match yesterday," Blaise finished. Hermione blanched. She couldn't think of anything to say. She didn't have to. Pansy walked forward and slapped her with all her might. Hermione fell backwards to the ground.

"You're a whore! A filthy, pathetic, disgusting whore!" she shrieked, but Blaise pulled her back. Hermione quickly stood up, and took out her wand. But they had planned this.

"Accio wand!" Blaise shouted. It was wrenched from Hermione's hands. She stood there, totally defenseless, as Blaise smirked, twirling her wand in his fingers. He began to advance towards her.

"Life is frightening without a wand, isn't it, mudblood?" he sneered, "and where's your heroic boyfriend? Why isn't he here to save you?"

Hermione backed away slowly as he advanced.

"He never loved you," Blaise continued, "Had a nice little chat with him last night, didn't we?" There were murmurs of agreement from the other Slytherins. "You see, I was under the impression he'd changed. He fooled me too, I'll admit. But no, turns out he was using to you get closer to Potter. Waiting to make his move."

Hermione began to shake her head. It couldn't be true. It couldn't. He wouldn't do that... but wait,' said the little nagging voice in her head, 'Have you forgotten already? What dearest Draco used to be like?'

The encroaching gang watched in delight as they saw there plan begin to take affect on Hermione.

"Then we would all be rid of Wonder Boy, wouldn't we? Even Draco said he wasn't sure the plan would work. It didn't seem like Potter's best friend, the smartest mudblood this school has ever seen, would fall for it. But no, you fell right in as planned. Instantly threw aside your friendship for what you thought was love. And now you are going to pay for your ignorance."

He raised his own wand. "Goodbye, Granger. Glad we could help you die with a feeling of betrayal and ignorance." He opened his mouth to speak, but there was a loud roar from the steps of the castle, "Accio wands!" Both Blaise's and Hermione's wands flew up in the air, and came down directly into Draco's outstretched hand. He extended his own wand and walked down the steps, coming to stop directly in front of Hermione. Blaise and the other Slytherins began to back away.

Hermione had never seen Draco look so angry. And yet, despite his obvious rage he pulled off a characteristic smirk.

"What? You're frightened?" he asked in mock surprise, "There's so many of you, doesn't seem like I could possibly fight off you all."

They froze as he twirled his wand casually in his fingers. Blaise was white with obvious fear. Draco noticed and said casually,

"Blaise, are you too scared to duel me? It's not like I've ever wiped the floor with your face or anything."

Then shockingly, he threw back Blaise's wand, "Of course, the last time I beat you, you were armed. So I suppose it's only fair."

They all obviously knew what was coming. Pansy pleaded, "Draco, you didn't- you never really loved her did you? I mean, you love me, don't you remember-?"

"And what a prat I was! But no, Pansy," he paused. There was a gleam of hope on her pug face. He crushed it, "I never loved you. And yes, I do love Hermione."

Blaise stepped forward. "I've come too far to have a stupid traitor ruin this for me!" But instead of pointing his wand at Draco, he directed it at Hermione.

"Avada Ked-"

At that exact moment, Hermione heard Draco shout something. A spell that didn't sound familiar. A flash of blue light appeared, and hit Blaise in the forehead. He fell over backwards to the ground, and lay very, very still. Hermione gasped. He didn't... Draco couldn't have...

"He's not dead, Hermione," Draco whispered to her. But it didn't stop the feeling that the event would blow over. Draco turned to the other Slytherins, "Anyone else?"

"Very impressive, Draco. The Spell of Removal, the trait of a Malfoy if I ever saw one. Too bad you won't be one for much longer." The cold voice echoed over the grounds. Very slowly, Hermione and all the Slytherins turned to see Lucious Malfoy standing there, quite calm, as if he strolled around Hogwarts every day.

Draco faced quite steadily away from him, but said, "Hello Lucious." Then he slowly turned to face him.

"The Ministry will be here soon. They won't take an attack on a student lying down. You did attack him, don't you realize? An innocent student? He might die. So before those fools get in the way, come talk to me. We have a lot of catching up to do."

Hermione stared as Draco walked slowly by her, until he was twenty feet from the man he insisted wasn't this father. It was silent as the group of spectators, so recently against each other, watched the proceedings.

"Surprised to see me, Draco?"

"No."

"Good. That will make this so much easier. All those years, Draco, I cared for you. Gave you a manor to play in, servants at your disposal, even a large bank account for you to squander. Your whole life you were pampered and spoiled, and what did you do? You ran away."

"You never loved me," Draco said darkly.

"Of course I didn't!" The older Malfoy laughed. It was chilling, "What if the Dark Lord asked for you as a sacrifice? I couldn't be attached to you. But I cared for you like the best father possible, you sniveling little brat! But it wasn't good enough for you, Draco, oh no. You wanted love."

Draco was shaking with rage, "You have no idea what being a father is! You're just a shell of a man! You do whatever Voldemort tells you to! You're pathetic!"

"Don't you dare speak to me that way! I will be shown respect!" Lucious took out his wand, "Crucio!"

Draco fell to the ground, consumed in the pain. Hermione picked up her wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

The counter spell caused the wand to drop from Lucious' hand, but he'd been using a spell at the time so he merely walked forward and picked it up. Draco picked himself up to all fours, his chest heaving, and vomited violently. He spat blood onto the grass. Lucious looked amused,

"Do you really think you can beat me, Draco? The most loyal of all the death eaters? I would destroy you. You betrayed me, after all I gave you. And for what? For a filthy, sniveling Mudblood you thought you were in love with."

Draco slowly rose to his feet, wiping his mouth, "You don't know what love is."

"Love is nothing! Where will it take you, Draco? It only gets in the way. You love, and you are weak. And eventually you fall!"

"How would you know?" Draco was clutching his wand so tightly that sparks were slowly flying from the end.

"How would you? The only person you've ever loved is that pathetic whore standing next to you!"

That was the final straw. "Never again, Lucious." Draco raised his wand, and shouted "Avada Kedavra!"

There was a flash of green light, and Lucious Malfoy crumpled over to the ground, dead before his head hit the grass.

Hermione stared, shocked. Draco turned to her, the anger in his eyes subsiding to a look of sorrow. Their eyes locked for a moment, but the moment was not infinite. The sound of people running came from behind them. The Ministry had arrived.

Draco turned to see 20 people in billowing black robes running at him. Aurors, all with wands outstretched.

"Stupefy!" one shouted. Draco dodged it, and set of at a run towards the forbidden forest. But another shout and he tripped on an invisible barrier and was overcome by Aurors. Students and teachers began to flood the lawn. Erin, Ron, and Harry, still in their Quidditch robes, appeared beside Hermione. Professor McGonagall came to the front of the crowd, and gasped as she saw the bodies of Lucious Malfoy and Blaise Zambini.

"Oh my God," she clasped a hand to her mouth. Quickly she conjured two stretchers. The Slytherins lifted Blaise onto one and Lucious onto the other. Pansy's shrill, hysterical voice sounded, "Mr. Malfoy's dead, Professor!"

"What?! What is the meaning of this?" She was confronted by the head of the Aurors.

"This boy," he gestured to Draco, who was being restrained by the other Aurors, "Attacked that student and killed Malfoy Sr."

McGonagall's eyes got very wide, "Are you quite sure?"

"He did it! We watched him!" Pansy shouted, "He's a murderer!"

McGonagall looked at Hermione, who was standing in shock, "Is this true?"

Hermione couldn't speak. She collapsed to the ground, Erin crouching next to her.

"I cannot believe it..." McGonagall trailed off. She was at a loss.

Draco regained use of his limbs. He shouted across the lawn, "Hermione!"

She looked up. Draco was being dragged towards a rock lying on the grass with two Aurors standing next to it. He was trying desperately to break free, but it was futile.

"Hermione! I love you!" he managed to shout before he was forced to touch the portkey and vanished.

It was silent. The sun continued to beat down on the lawn. Harry and Ron stood shocked as Hermione sat on the ground and cried silently. The entire student body was staring at her. But she couldn't move. She just sat there, tears streaming down her face, until with one loud, anguished cry she collapsed and blacked out.

Epilogue: Blaise recovered 2 months later, but was permanently blinded in his right eye due to Draco's assault. Draco was tried and found guilty of attempted murder and murder 1 under a full court. He was sentenced to life in Azkaban. One month into his sentence he was attacked by a death eater sharing his cell in attempts to avenge Lucious Malfoy's death. On a hospital bed two days later he said, "Tell Hermione I'm sorry, and that I love her," and died. He was buried in an unmarked grave outside Azkaban fortress.

A/N: Thank you all for reviewing. It means a lot to me, as this is my first posted fan fiction. I am terribly sorry it took me so long to finish, but it's had to write something that makes me so sad when I have other more happy things that I'm working on. To be honest, I am glad I am done with this story so I may post it and move on to my epic of fanfic, which has nothing to do with drac/herm as I am a firm believer in ron/herm. Yes, I'm a sucker for that. But I do hope you enjoy this. Thnx much!