AN: Sorry it's taken me so long to update! I can't believe it's been like 10 years! Ok, not ten years, but y'all know, right? Sure! Ok, so here it is! Hope y'all enjoy the un-edited chapter! By the way, I think I need a new beta—not that my other one was bad, I just lost her email! Who wants to help??

Disclaimer: Need we go over this time and time again?

Hermione chewed her lip fervently and ran a nervous hand through her shortened hair.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Draco asked from his spot on the leather couch, placed near enough the fire to feel it's warmth licking at his face.

"My friends that I haven't seen in over three years are about to come. In fifteen minutes, Draco, I'll be reunited with the people I've missed the most."

Draco grunted. "So I guess that means you didn't miss me much then, eh?"

Hermione sighed. The past four hours since she'd been reunited with her love, Draco Malfoy, have been almost constant bickering and nagging. "Draco, you know I didn't mean it that way..."

"Then what did you mean when you didn't tell me what was going on! I thought you were dead!" Draco snapped. Hermione stopped her pacing to look at Draco. His features were shadowed by the lights of the flame, giving histhem a sharpness. His eyes glinted like the ocean after a storm—a steely blue. Hermione's breath caught as they're gazes locked. His look seemed to soften just a bit.

"Draco, you know I didn't mean to hurt you," Hermione said, taking a vigilant step forward. Draco froze, mesmerized by how angelic she looked with the glow of the fire behind her. Herthin frame was covered in silky robes that seemed to quiver with her every move, giving her a grace unknown to man. Her short hair accented her gentle features, her bangs gave her a "mysterious" look. He immediately looked at the floor.

"I know." He breathed out. "I—"

"Hermione!" A delighted squeal came from the fireplace as a fierce red head bounded out of the flames and leapt up to Hermione, who turned quickly in shock, knocking them both over onto the oriental rug on Draco's floor.

"Ginny! Oh my, Gin!" Hermione said, the girls sitting up and hugging on the carpet, tears streaming down their cheeks. Ginny pulled away first, gently touching the scar onHermione's forehead and her bruised eye.

"You could've fixed that up, you know," Ginny said in a motherly tone.

Hermione smiled broadly. "It makes me look more tough."

"Night and Day Hermione Granger!" Harry said, who was now also out of the fireplace. Hermione quickly tried to scramble up, but Harry beat her too it and picked her up off the ground in the biggest hug she had ever felt.

"Harry, if you thought I was dead before, I'm going to be in a second if you don't let me breathe!" Hermione said, and Harry quickly set her down, looking her up and down.

"Hermione, you are more beautiful than ever before. I love your new hair doo." He said, gently taking a lock of it and allowed it to slide out his fingers. "It's really you." He said more to himself than anyone else.Hermione looked in his green eyes and saw pain, worry, and relief all at once. They turned slightly glassy as a single tear ran down his cheek.

"Moine." Came a final whisper. Hermione held out her arms to her third friend, who limped over to her and hugged her tightly, his body wracking in sobs.

"Ron, oh Ron, your joyous personality, where has it gone?" Hermione asked after hugging for quite a while, looking into his warm brown eyes.

"It's still here. It's just...it's been such a long time since you left, Hermione. Such a long, long time."

"I know Ron, but I'm not leaving again." Hermione said, stepping back to take a look at her three friends. Harry and Ron were equal in height still, about 6'2, and equally built. Harry's hair was still the same old jungle, and the familiar circular glasses hung in place on the bridge of his nose. Ron's hair was slightly longer than usual, going over his forehead and curling up at the edges. Ginny was Hermione's height, her fiery red hair down clear to her elbows. The only unfamiliar thing on her was a gold ring with a shiny diamond on it on her left hand.

"Gin?" Hermione asked in question.

"Oh yes! I've forgotten you didn't know. Harry and I…well, you know. We got married last year." Ginny said, gracefully going on her toes to kiss Harry on the cheek, who instantly blushed.

"And you, Ron?" Hermione asked inquisitively, not seeing a ring, but knowing that Ron couldn't last long without a woman near him.

"I'm engaged to be married in four months to Helene Colbert." Ron said bashfully.

"Oh wonderful news! Congratulations, all of you!" Hermione said, giving them all a big group hug.

"You all might want to leave soon. I don't know how safe we are for this long in my household. Voldemort might pop in any second, and he's never alone." Draco drawled, breaking the moment. Hermione shuddered at the tone in his voice.

"He's right. Hermione, take some Floo Powder and say Padfoot's Palace," Harry explained, "we'll leave you two some time alone together, but we'll come back for you in two minutes if you're not here."

Hermione nodded as she watched her friends disappear into the flames. She slowly turned to see Draco standing, facing the fire with an intensity in his eyes that took her by surprise.

"Draco—"

"No, Hermione. I know you're sorry. I used to be a child, so carefree and easy to forgive—three years ago. I've matured too much these past three years, and I know it's wrong, but I just can't look past this. It just—hurts so much. It'd be best if you just left." Draco said with a tone of finality.

Hermione stifled a whimper as she slowly walked towards Draco. Meeting his eyes, they stood there together, gazing into the other's eyes. Hermione slowly stood on tip toe and kiss him on the cheek, her lips lingering, hoping to send to him the same electric feeling she still got when she felt his presence in the room.

"Draco, please don't be a stranger. Merlin knows that we've spent too much time apart as it is." Hermione whispered. Then, with one final look, she walked briskly to the fire, and without a pinch of Floo, walked in and disappeared.

Draco stood in silence as he allowed his hands to touch his cheek where her lips left a tingling mark on his cheek. Slowly exhaling, he apparated to his bedroom, two floors up, feeling more exhausted than he had in a long time.

Hermione sat on the frumpy old couch, the light glow of a fire flickering shadows across her face. Pulling the thick blanket tighter around her body, she gazed into the dying embers, trying to recall the last time she felt safe and warm...at the same time.

Glancing at the clock that hung alone on the wall, Hermione easily saw that it read 4:37. She sighed, leaning her head on the high back of the couch, realizing what a pity it was that she couldn't fall asleep in a perfectly good, warm bed in her own room in one of the many levels above her. Slowly she allowed her eyes to flutter short, driving her into a very light slumber.

Hermione heard muffled footsteps. Not opening her eyes, she guessed the intruder's exactly location and was ready with a stunning spell tingling at the tips of her fingers. Hearing the steps stop, she slowly counted down in her head. Three...two...

"Don't move!" Hermione shouted, springing for her spot on the couch...realizing that she was in unfamiliar territory. Looking at the almost shaken individual barely four paces away from where she stood, her memory came flooding back, and she sat back down on the couch, a blush creeping up in her cheeks. "I'm sorry, it's just it's been so long since..."

"Why are you sleeping on the couch? Do they not have any decent rooms in this shack?" Draco's mumble came. Hermione's head shot up, wondering how she couldn't recognize the confidentair that Draco always carried.

"I haven't slept in a bed for three years. My body isn't used to the comfort and I couldn't exactly fall asleep."

"So you've slept curled up in a ball these past years? With the fear that someone was going to suddenly creep up on you and do something to you?" Draco asked. Hermione recognized a softness that wasn't in his eyes earlier that day...or, more appropriately, the other night.

"Yes." Hermione whispered, feeling suddenly self conscious in her simple pajamas and blanket. Draco stepped over towards her and scooped her up in his arms.

"Where's your bedroom?" He asked, not meeting eyes with her.

"Second floor, third door on the left."

Draco grunted his acknowledgement as she escorted her up the stairs and to the appropriate room, where he gently laid her down on the neatly made bed. Tucking her in soundly, he took a step back to look at his work. "Let's see if that doesn't help," He said, kissing her on the forehead, then almost ran for the door. Hermione's lips teased a smile to them, and she drifted off to the most sound and lovely sleep she had ever experienced, dreaming of the sweet kiss Draco had placed on her forehead.

Sorry if you guys were disappointed in that chapter--it just suddenly came to me after like a month of Author's Block. Be sure to review--and I need a new BETA!!!

--VBC