Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and not copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Disclaimer in Layman's Terms: Harry Potter, the characters and the plot do NOT belong to me. Just this fanfic, and the original characters mentioned in it. Thank you.

On Borrowed Time

Chapter 11 - The Morning After (Sunday - October 20, 1996)

When Hermione opened her eyes, the unfamiliar environment around had her worried. But when her brain finally decided to get back to work, she remembered where she was. Her room was usually warmer than Draco's was so she shivered and covered her bare shoulders with his soft silk blanket. She smiled at the sight of Draco sleeping, sprawled on the other side of the bed but still facing her. She continued to watch him as he slept peacefully, being mindful of his heavy breathing.

She slowly moved closer to him and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. He heaved a loud sigh before opening his eyes. Draco gave her a peck on the lip and moved the hair away from her face.

"Good morning."

"Good morning." She gave him a sweet smile as she touched his arm.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Very well. The best I've slept for years."

"So did I."

Hermione giggled as Draco's stomach growled loudly.

"I should have eaten lunch," he said touching his abs. "I was too nervous about the game."

"Nervous? Ha! And it didn't even start."

"Blame your boyfriend for that, not me."

"Ex-boyfriend, Draco."

"We had just been together for a day and you are calling me your ex?"

Hermione lightly punched his shoulder and said, "I meant Harry, stupid."

"So, what am I now?"

"Whatever you want it to be."

"Am I your boyfriend now?"

"Definitely."

Draco's stomach growled yet again and that made him sit up.

"Can we go downstairs and have dinner?"

"I suppose."

"So, are we ready to tell the world about us?"

"No."

"No?" he asked nervously. "Are you saying you want us to keep this secret?"

"I am not ready to tell the world. I am ready to tell the school though."

Draco a sigh of relief escaped from his chest yet again

"Let's get dressed."

"Well, I was thinking that I should change into something else besides my uniform. And have a shower maybe."

"Alright. I will see you by the staircase the Great Hall entrance."

"That's fine."

They straightened themselves up in silence, but when she reached for her shoes, he ran towards her and grabbed her shoes before she was able to reach for them. He kneeled by her feet and place her feet in. Once they were both in, he buckled her shoes before tickling her knee.

"Thanks... But stop tickling me!" she giggled before suddenly keeling over to lean on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I think I just got a whiplash or something."

"It's just a sudden movement thing. Happens to me whenever I fly too fast and not see a Bludger aimed right at me. Are you sure you are alright?"

"Yeah. I am fine. I'll see you in a few minutes, alright?"

"I will see you."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek before walking out as quickly as she could. She took heed as she opened the door of his room, shielding her face for any potential onlookers. She felt very much relieved that there were no Slytherins in the common room for she still felt a little nervous walking around uncharted territory. She was a Gryffindor after all.

She jumped out the portrait hole and hurriedly headed up the staircases that led to the first floor. No one greeted her or even made eye contact with her as she ran up the stairs that led to the Gryffindor Tower. Halfway up, she felt out of breath and was feeling a bit light-headed. She shook of the feeling as she continued to climb up. But when she reached the fourth floor landing, everything around her started to dim and right then and there, she blacked out.

"Ron, I think she's waking up. Hermione? Hermione?" said a familiar voice by her bedside.

Even with her eyes half-dazed, she knew that a pair hands held hers, squeezing it lightly.

"Hermione, please wake up."

"Harry?"

Confused, she asked as she slowly tried to sit up, "What happened to me?"

"Apparently," said Ron as he and Harry assisted her, "you fainted not far from the Portrait Hole. You were lucky Harry found you."

"I fainted?"

"I don't know why you," continued Harry. "I just saw you on the floor, all pale and your breathing was irregular. You scared me. I am sorry."

"It wasn't your fault, Harry"

"After the game… well, the game then the fight, right after Madame Pomfrey let me go and I went ballistic on you, I sat in my room and thought for hours of the things why you hated me and why you have a reason to. First of all, I was completely insensitive. You were the one doing all the affection. Love is not a one-way thing and I should have known that. Then I kept secrets from you and refused to confide in you… and that I only told you after you confronted me with it. I was so stupid. I should have volunteered to tell you."

"Harry"

"And then I should have let you explain. It was not your fault that he was flirting with you. I should have listened to your explanation about the kiss. I wish I did not blow up on you like that. I should have believed you, Hermione, forgive me. I should not have been jealous. We should have talked about it before I let my jealousy get in the way. I should have cared more about how you feel too. I should not be telling you who to be friends with. I should never have blown up on you like that. And I know that you just confided with Draco because you needed someone to talk to and Ron isn't much of a listener."

"HEY!" argued Ron. "I can listen well enough, thank you very much."

"You didn't want to talk to Ron because he is both our friend and it would not be fair to him," continued Harry. That is the only reason why, right? I mean, there is nothing between you, right?"

"Harry, I"

"Hermione, it all my fault. I am so sorry for making you upset like that."

"No, Harry"

Harry pulled her in a tight hug and then started to rub her back.

"I stand to my word, Hermione. No matter how you hurt me, I still love you. You had me worried sick last night, Hermione. When I came to your room to apologize and you were not there, I thought you were crying somewhere else so I searched everywhere for you . I tried looking for you at the usual places but you were nowhere to be found. Where were you?"

"I…" she stuttered. "I… I was"

"Don't tell me you fell asleep in the library," interrupted Ron.

"I… I actually fell asleep at… I"

Hermione's heart was racing as her throat started to constrict. She did not know how to tell them that she was with Draco… and that she had done something else with Draco.

"Yeah, Ron," she said finally as her conscience started to pound her mind. "Yeah, I feel asleep in the library."

"One second," Harry asked suspiciously, as he let go of her hand and started to stand up. "You said you fell asleep in the library?"

"Yes, Harry," she answered nervously. "Why do you ask?"

"The library was the last place I looked for you even though I know you are always there. No one else was there last night except for the Ravenclaws. And I watched Madame Pomfrey close the library for the night."

"You might have missed me then."

"Oh, that's reasonable since the library is huge." However, Harry did not sound reassured at all. "Where did Draco take you?"

"Huh?"

"Right after I yelled at you at the infirmary, you were waiting for him. No one saw you ever since. Where did he take you?"

"What?"

"Where did Draco take you?"

"Nowhere. I yelled at him and I stayed in the library."

Harry smiled and gave a loud derisive laugh as he turned away from them. He continued to chuckle as he looked out the infirmary window.

"Third time is the charm, isn't it Hermione?"

"What are you talking about?"

That was when he turned around and gave her the same livid look as he did right after the Quidditch game.

"You are lying again," he whispered, his voice cracking.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I did fall asleep in the library"

"You've lied to me three major times!"

"Harry"

"I was planning to let that kiss pass because I love you and maybe you were caught up with the moment that you just kissed back. That, I could stand to see you do. But I could not stand you lying to me."

"Listen to me!"

"No, Hermione!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "You are lying through your teeth and it is so obvious! I cannot believe… I cannot actually believe I actually thought of apologizing to you and wanting you back! I mean, what was I thinking? I must have been… I am insane!"

"Why do you care about where I am or who I have been with anyway? And I thought we were through!"

"We were!"

"Then you have no right to treat me like I am your property anymore!"

"I never treated you like… like property."

"Never? NEVER? Harry, you tell me what to do, you tell me who I can be friends with… or not be friends with."

"It only applies to one specific person."

"And you pretty much wanted to me to give up everything I do to please you."

"I do not!"

"And there is no passion between us. There is no spark between us! You don't love me."

"I do."

"No. You care for me. You love me as a friend, like how I love Ron. You only love me as a friend. And that's how I feel about you too."

"I do love you, Hermione! I love you as a boyfriend loves a girlfriend."

"That's just it! Wake up, Harry! We are no longer a couple. I want to be the girlfriend of someone who really does care for me. I love Draco. I want to be with Draco, not you."

She finally said it and she was just as shocked as Harry and Ron.

Harry was breathing with difficulty now, constantly gulping as to prevent his throat from running dry. He was biting his bottom lip as he tried not to look at her directly.

"Are you serious, Hermione? Draco? Draco Malfoy?"

"Hermione!" shouted Draco from the infirmary entrance. He rushed towards her, not caring for the other people in the room and hugged her tightly. "I just heard. Are you alright? I was so worried. When one of the Gryffindors told me that you are in the infirmary, I ran here as fast as I could." he then pulled something out from his pocket. "And you left your tie in my room last night"

"Hello, Malfoy," snarl Harry as Hermione closed her eyes and clenched her teeth.

"Hermione, I…"

Harry walked angrily towards Draco, but inches away he stopped. He gave both them the deadliest glances she has ever seen him give anyone before stomping out of the room.

"I will guess that you told them, Hermione," asked Draco. "And he's not taking this lying down, is he?"

"Just stay here. I have to talk to him."

"No, we'll do this together."

Hand in hand, they chased after Harry.

But before they could even reach him, Harry turned around, making them stop dead on their tracks.

"I think I knew that you loved him the second he moved in for that kiss in the hallway!" He shouted. "I mean, I should have just let you go then and there. I mean, if I loved you, I should have let you go. If you love me back, you will run back to me, right?"

"Harry," she answered. "I am sorry you had to go through all this. I didn't mean for you to be hurt in anyway or for you to find out this way."

"I should have been prescient about it, you know. I should have known it was puppy love. If I weren't too busy thinking about myself, I should have been able to see that there was nothing between us."

"Harry."

"Say no more, Hermione. I think I should be adult enough to be able to let you go. If you think he deserves you, then he deserves you more than me. It's your heart, not mine, to give away."

"Thank you."

Harry then turned to Malfoy, punching his fist on his palm. "Treat her well, Malfoy."

"I will treat her like a queen."

"I should have done that."

"Will you still be my friend, Harry?" she asked weakly.

"Maybe my heart will heal completely one of these days. In due time, maybe we can still be friends… if Malfoy does not mind that, of course."

"I wouldn't."

"Thanks. But I swear to everything that I hold dear in my life, I will kill you with my bare arms if I ever hear you mistreating her in any way at all.

"You don't have to do that. I assure you."

"That's good to know. Well, fare thee well, Hermione. I hope you are happy now." He gave weak smile before turning his back on them and leaving.

Draco placed his arm around her shoulder before letting out a huge sigh of relief.

"That turned out better than I thought."

"It surely did. And I am so relieved it did."

Draco hugged her from behind, before whispering in her ear.

"What will happen now that we are to live happily ever after?"

"I don't know," she said as she leaned her cheek by his chin. "Que sera, sera. What will happen, will happen."

"And we have no control over that."

"But we will get through with it, won't we."

"We will."

"We won't regret anything."

"We won't."

"Are you regretting anything?"

"Yes."

"Tell me. What is it that you regret?"

"I regret not borrowing time soon enough."

End of Chapter

AUTHOR NOTES:

So, what do you guys think? You like it? Detest it? REVIEW!

If you like it,REVIEW! I would like to know if people would actually try to read a sequel to it because I would not want to waste my time if people think the story is crap. Got other fanfics to write, bunnies to slay, you know? Anyways, peace everyone. I hope you had as much fun reading it as I had writing it.