Ok, well this is the last chapter. Sorry that I didn't give any warnings before but I didn't know that it was going to be the end until I wrote it. So please read and tell me how you liked it! Oh one more thing, thank you to all you wonderful people who reviewed throughout the course of the story:

HandsOff

MechiMalfoy132 (you're so nice for reviewing every chapter, by the way)

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BlackHatInsanity

Cinderbrat

CharlieTookLeaf

ForgottenFaith

Eos Evanggelys

BenjiMaddenFreak

Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. They are all owned by J. K. Rowling.


Harry followed Ron who literally ran out of the common room. Harry knew that Ron liked Hermione but this was pathetic. Hermione could take care of her self. Even Ron knew that. Everyone knew that. Harry supposed that Ron was trying to be protective of her like he was to Ginny…but not in a brotherly way. Whatever the reason, Harry kept walking with Ron to the library.

Ron walked into the library with Harry right behind him and said, "Harry, you look that way and I'll look this way. If we can't find her, we'll meet back here, ok?"

"Ok," said Harry and he walked off in the opposite direction.

Ron quickly walked to the other side of the library where he looked anxiously through the shelves and shelves of books for Hermione. It wouldn't be hard to find her considering she was the only one at the school with extremely bushy hair. As he was walking past tables of students studying, mostly Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, he noticed Crabbe and Goyle sitting by themselves at a table doing nothing. This stood out a lot because firstly, Crabbe and Goyle were both never seen in the library and secondly, they were never seen out of the company of Draco Malfoy. Ron frowned then slowly walked up to their table.

"Crabbe, Goyle," Ron said, glaring at them.

"What do you want Weasley?" asked Crabbe squinting at Ron.

"Have you seen Hermione by any chance?"

"The mudblood?" asked Goyle. Ron was going to punch Goyle for that but he remembered that he was in the library and would be in serious trouble if Madam Pince saw that he had started a fight but he merely looked at Goyle.

"No, haven't seen her in here."

"Haven't seen Malfoy either, come to think of it. The last time I saw him, he was outside by the Forbidden Forest," said Crabbe looking up at the ceiling. "How long has Draco been gone?"

"A few hours, I think," replied Goyle. Ron grew a few shades paler then snorted. He didn't think that either of them were capable of thinking.

"You think he's with her somewhere?" asked Crabbe.

"Probably," replied Goyle forgetting completely that Ron was still standing there. "He's always wanted to hex her real bad. Maybe he's finally going to do it."

Ron's jaw dropped. He took one more look at Crabbe and Goyle who were talking. He shook his head and ran back to where he was supposed to meet Harry.

Harry came back slowly a few minutes later and said, "Sorry Ron, haven't found her."

"I have. Come on! Malfoy's got her in the Forbidden Forest!" Ron grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him out of the library.

Meanwhile:

After Hermione had slapped Draco, their conversation was a bit awkward. Every time Hermione started talking she would notice that Draco was gazing at her funnily and then she would stop. She would clear her throat and begin talking again. Hermione got so tired of this that she finally said, "Do I have something on my face that amuses you?"

"What?" asked Draco, "no."

"Then why are you staring at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like that!" When he raised an eyebrow, she cried, "Aargh!"

Draco smirked at her and said, "Maybe I should be the one helping you."

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "You know, you're a very interesting person. One moment you're all mad, then all of a sudden, you get cocky and arrogant, then you're happy the next. I don't get you."

"Really…"

"Yes really…you know what? I don't want to talk about this any more. Tell me about your family," said Hermione going into deep thought.

"My family…well what's there to say? You, Potty, and Weasley probably know more than I do."

"Hardly," sniffed Hermione. "The only people in your family I've met are Tonks, Sirius, your father, and Bellatrix Lestrange."

Draco smiled and said, "She was my favorite aunt." He noticed that Hermione was frowning at him and said, "What? She spoiled me a lot, how could I not like her?"

"She killed Sirius…"

"He was a blood-traitor, what do I care?"

"He was your family, Draco," said Hermione softly. "People need family to take care of them."

"Really, do they? Tell me then. I've heard rumors about the muggles Potter stays with. Do they treat him horribly?" Hermione nodded slowly. "That's what I thought. If they treat him so badly, then who's taking care of him? He's got no family."

Hermione looked at him with sympathy in her eyes. "That's where you're wrong. He had family, he always has. He's got me, the Weasley family, and the rest of the people who are willing to put their life on the line for him."

Draco snorted and said calmly, "Even Snape?"

Hermione's jaw dropped and she said, "How did you-"

Draco smirked and said, "The Order? Believe it or not, Granger, I am not a Death Eater. Besides, Snape's my godfather, he tells me things."

Hermione smiled back at him and said, "Well, as an answer to your previous question, I'm not sure how much Snape could be considered Harry's family but deep down, Snape has always cared for Harry." Draco looked at her and she said, "Very…very deep down."

Hermione looked at Draco who was sitting saying nothing. Then she noticed that he truly was different. Though it had only been a few hours, it was enough for her to see. This whole time that she had been talking to him, she noticed that he insulted her a bit but it wasn't with his usual enthusiasm. She felt that it was just an act, something to keep up his image. He seemed peaceful at the moment and Hermione liked that. She saw that he was gazing at the castle so she took the opportunity to walk over to him and sit down next to him.

Draco looked up at her surprised by her actions. Hermione smiled at
him as she sat down next to him. "You know," she said, "you're really
not that bad of a person."

"You just noticed?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, I'm serious. I've been thinking; I'd like to be your friend…if you let me."

Draco looked at her and said, "Why would you want to be my friend?"

Hermione looked at the castle and said, "You seem like you need one.
And I'm not doing this out of pity either. It's good for inter house
unity as well…"

"Inter-house unity, that's a good idea."

"Stop, I'm being serious. I also want to be your friend because well,
as I said before, you are an interesting person and I'd like to get to
know you better."

Draco studied her carefully for a second. "How do I know that you're not lying?"

"I don't lie without a reason…to friends."

Draco took her small hand in his and said, "Ok then. Hermione Granger,
I will be your friend."

Ron and Harry took that moment to burst into the Forbidden and see
Hermione and Draco sitting next to each other.

"Hermione…" said Harry. "What are you-"

"Malfoy, get away from her!" yelled Ron as he ran over to where
Hermione and Draco were sitting. He shoved Draco aside and pulled
Hermione up in a crushing hug.

"Ron…let me go…can't breathe…"

Ron didn't hear her so Draco said, "Oy, Weasley, you're choking her."

Ron looked down at Hermione and released her. "I was so worried about
you. What happened?" Ron looked up at Draco and said, "Do you do
anything to her?"

Hermione stood in front of Ron and said, "Ron, Draco did not do
anything to me. We were just talking, that's all."

"Just talking? Hermione, he could have- did you just call him…Draco?"

"Yes, I did Ron," replied Hermione coolly. "That is his name, isn't it?"
Harry realized what was going to happen next so he yelled to Draco, "Cover you ears!"

"What?"

"When I count to three, plug your ears," replied Harry looking nervously at Ron and Hermione. "One…Two…"

"Potter, what-"

"Three…"

"RONALD WEASLEY, WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM? YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONTROL WHO I TALK TO! I CAN TALK TO WHOEVER I BLOODY WELL FEEL LIKE AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN EVER DO ABOUT IT! BESIDES WHERE DO YOU GO OFF THINKING THAT I NEED RESCUING FROM HIM? HE'S A PERFECTLY NORMAL PERSON LIKE ME OR YOU!"

Draco's ears had gone deaf by the time Hermione had finished shouting at Ron. Draco looked up at Harry who was humming something incomprehensible and had his ears plugged abnormally tight. "Potter! Potter!" Draco kicked Harry who glared at him and shouted over Hermione's yelling, "What?"

"Is she always like this?"

"What?"

"Is Hermione always like this?"

"Yeah! She's been worse though! She and Ron always fight like this!" yelled Harry over Hermione's voice.

"What?"

"They're always at each other's throats!" yelled Harry as Hermione calmed down a little.

"What exactly do you have against him, Ron?" asked Hermione.

"He's an idiot, that's what."

"No, he's not! You don't even know him!"

"And you do?" shot back Ron.

"I know enough to tell that he's a nice person overall."

"A nice person, huh?" asked Ron. "Is that why you were holding hands with him?"

Hermione felt a blush creep up on her cheeks but quickly pushed it back. "I'll hold hands with whoever I want. What's it to you anyways?"

Ron's face grew red and Harry winced when he heard that. "I'm done with this conversation. When you are feeling in a reasonable mood…" said Ron as calmly as he could, "I'll talk to you." Then Ron swiftly turned around, his face still very red, and walked slowly towards the castle.

Hermione let out a cry of frustration and yelled, "What the hell is wrong with Ron today?" She turned around and saw Harry who had a smile on his face and Draco who was smirking at her. "What?"

"Hermione, don't you see it?" asked Harry.

"See what?"

"Weasley likes you," said Draco.

"What? But I don't- I don't like him like that."

"I think he kind of got that part, Hermione," said Harry.

"Oh…I feel so bad now."

"Weasley had it coming to him," said Draco unceremoniously. He looked up to see Hermione and Harry both glaring at him. "What?"

Harry shook his head and said, "I'd better head on back to the school." Then he said, "Hermione, can I talk to you for a second?" Hermione walked over to Harry and he said, "So…are you friends with Malfoy?"

"Harry, not you too..."

"No, just are you friends with him?"

"Yes, I am," replied Hermione.

"Are you sure? Because I don't want you to get hurt. You're like a sister to me."

"Don't worry Harry, I'll be fine."

Harry looked up at Draco who was observing them closely. He noticed the Hermione was right. They did act a lot like family. Then he saw that Harry was walking towards him so he stood up straighter.

"Malfoy, don't do anything to Hermione that you'll regret," said Harry. Then he reluctantly held out his hand and said, "Any friend of Hermione's is a friend of mine."

Hermione barely suppressed her squeal of joy as Draco cautiously shook Harry's hand. "This is wonderful! We're all becoming friends."

"Don't get used to it, Hermione," said Harry walking away.

"What?" she asked confused.

"In case you haven't forgotten, there's still Weasley," said Draco.

"Oh, right. He'll come around eventually," replied Hermione, smiling at Draco.

The End