Oh, this is the start of something good
Don't you agree?
I haven't felt like this in so many moons
You know what I mean?
And we can build through this destruction
As we are standing on our feet
So, since you want to be with me
You'll have to follow through
With every word you say
And I, all I really want is you
You to stick around
I'll see you everyday
But you have to follow through
You have to follow through
These reeling emotions they just keep me alive
They keep me in tune
Oh, look what I'm holding here in my fire
This is for you
Am I too obvious to preach it?
You're so hypnotic on my heart
So, since you want to be with me
You'll have to follow through
With every word you say
And I, all I really want is you
You to stick around
I'll see you everyday
But you have to follow through
You have to follow through
The words you say to me are unlike anything
That's ever been said
And what you do to me is unlike anything
That's ever been
Am I too obvious to preach it?
You're so hypnotic on my heart
So, since you want to be with me
You'll have to follow through
With every word you say
And I, all I really want is you
(For) you to stick around
I'll see you everyday
But you'll have to follow through
With every word you say
An I, all I really want is you (For) you to stick around
I'll see everyday
But you have to follow through
You have to follow through
You're gonna have to follow
Oh, this is the start of something good
Don't you agree?

Hermione woke up the next day too find Draco already up sipping coffee out on the terrace. She dragged herself out of bed, groaning at the time on the clock.

'Four-thirty in the bloody morning, this is ridiculous.' After a quick shower, Hermione stepped out on the terrace and looked at Draco calmly watching the sunrise.

"Good morning." Draco looked up with a smile. "Good, you're up. Shall we head to Elba then?" Hermione nodded. Draco told her the address to apparate to and in a flash, she was standing in front of a grand Italian villa on acres of land on the Island of Elba.

"Oh my…" Hermione walked through the arched gateway towards the house that rose up beyond the olive trees that surrounded the villa. She took a deep breath and smiled.

"It's lovely, isn't it?" Hermione looked back and saw Draco approaching her. He took her hand and led her into the house. Inside, the foyer was made of pure white marble. Hermione gasped at the domed ceiling that had frescoes of roman gods and goddesses.

"The marble came from Carraba, it's some of the best in the world."

"Draco, this place is wonderful. Did this place belong to your family?"

"Mum's side. We never spent much time here when I was at Hogwart's--it was too peaceful for my father. Now, would you like some breakfast?"

Hermione just nodded as she continued to admire the paintings and sculptures that were placed all over the house. Draco flicked his wand several times and conjured up some tea and a lavish spread of fruit and bread, as well as some sausages and eggs. Hermione immediately sat down in the dining room that adjoined the kitchen and began eating ravenously. She didn't eat much at the reception the night before and didn't realize just how famished she was until all the food appeared before her. After a few minutes, Hermione looked up and saw Draco smirking at her.

"You reminded me of Weasley for a moment. Hungry?" Hermione just nodded as she continued to taste everything that Draco had put in front of her. When she was finally satisfied that she had eaten her fill, she leaned back into the chair and let out a sigh.

"That breakfast was heavenly." Draco stood up and held out his hand. Hermione accepted it and let him lead her into the lush gardens in the back. Again, Hermione found it hard to believe how serene the villa was, and how beautiful the grounds were. Draco broke the silence.

"So, you wanted to know my favourite colour? " Hermione sat down underneath an olive tree and looked up at Draco patting the ground next to her. He sat down and leaned against the trunk.

"Look, last night, when I said that we didn't know each other, it's because, well, we don't Draco. I honestly have these feelings for you that I haven't had in a while and it bothers me a bit that I know very little about you and who you are now. Sometimes I still find it very hard to differentiate between Draco my boyfriend and Draco, the boy who lived to torture me endlessly."

Draco took Hermione's hand and stroked it lovingly.

'Feelings? She's talking to me about bloody feelings? WHAT DO I DO?' Draco continued to think as he held Hermione's hand, knowing that she was waiting for an answer. He knew that he was in this relationship solely to polish his previously tarnished image, but now….now he didn't know exactly why he was sitting at a beautiful villa in Italy with an equally striking woman by his side. Taking a deep breath, Draco decided to just speak without thinking.

"My favourite colour is, believe it or not, red. Not on my person mind you, but I always loved the colour. It symbolized to me power and strength, as well as passion. I have no brothers or sisters, I had no pets, I don't care for many of my old friends, I detest eating with my hands, I am a bit partial to cold weather, I have a soft spot of old muggle movies, I play the piano quite well, am an excellent quidditch player, and I don't care for long walks on the beach on the reason that I find sand uncomfortable between my toes." Draco looked at Hermione to find her in a fit of laughter, leaning against him for support.

"What is so funny? You wanted to know me, correct?"

Hermione stifled her laugh and nodded. "Draco, oh, darling , when I said that last night, I just really wanted you to know that if you want to be with me, you'll have to follow through, with every word you say. All I want at this moment in my life, at this moment of the day, right now, is you. You somehow make me feel, oh, I don't know, compatible with someone. I think what we have is the start of something good--don't you agree?"

Draco could barely believe it. Miss-High-and-Mighty, Queen of Independence, Hermione Granger was telling him, Draco Malfoy, schemer, louse, leach of all humanity, that she was beginning to care for him! He Didn't know where it was a good or bad thing.

'Just play along Draco, play along. Soon, you'll be free to run rampant….'

"You're right, absolutely. From this point on, you and I are going to build something wonderful, I know it." Hermione smiled and placed a kiss on his lips. She leaned against him and closed her eyes.

Draco stroked her hair, thinking about what he had just done. 'She'll understand someday, she will…' But somehow, Draco wasn't sure if he knew what he was feeling at that point, only that for the first time in his life, he felt as if he were home.

****************************

The song is called "Follow Through" by an amazing singer, Gavin DeGraw. If you have a chance, listen to his stuff, it's fantastic.

I am so sorry for being so behind on updates. It's a tough semester and im hanging on by a thread, but I have not forgotten all my wonderful readers. This chapter is for every single one of you. It's a bit short, but it's 2 a.m. and it's all I had in my head right now, but the chapter played itself out in my head as I wrote my fifteen page paper on John Locke, so I just had to get it down.

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.