Life could not get much better than this. He had everything he had ever wanted. Well everything he would admit to wanting and needing. But she still was not his. She still belonged to her friends, Potter and Weasley. She still belonged to the proud and brave Gryffindors. The fact that he noticed her defied the pureblood-mudblood boundary that existed between them. Why was the Prince of Slytherin, Draco Malfoy, thinking about a mudblood?

After all, his life was perfect.

Right?

Right.

Family, friends, and school were all she had ever wanted and needed. Harry and Ron were the greatest friends. Not only was she the Head Girl, but she was also first in school and probably one of the brightest witches since Rowena Ravenclaw herself. There were occasional dangers from the dark side due to the impending war, but life was still more or less perfect. However, there were times when she caught herself looking across the table to the forbidden side. The side Gryffindors must detest. She would notice the blond boy and his cronies. She would notice their smirks, taunts, and disgust at anything besides themselves. He had his fellow Slytherins and his Pureblood family. Why was the ideal Gryffindor, Hermione Granger, pondering about the irritating ferret? After all, her life was perfect.

Right?

Right.

Winter of seventh year arrived and everyone was preparing for the trip to Hogsmede. Well everyone except Harry and Ron. It just so happened that they both coincidentally fell off their brooms during a Quidditch match against Slytherin. Oh the shame for the Gryffindors! Moreover, the taunts they received from the Slytherins were relentless. Hermione tried to sympathized, but she still carried on her life like nothing happened. Apparently, that was something Hermione Granger could do very well, besides every single assignment. She, like the rest of Gryffindors, was eagerly awaiting the trip tomorrow.

"Oh it will be wonderful tomorrow. After all, today is the first snow-day. Oh I just can't wait. The weather will be so nice and …," exclaimed Hermione.

"Please Hermione, spare us your cheerfulness. We, on the other hand, are incapable of seeing that wonderful scenery you are dreaming about," snapped Ron.

Hermione turned to Harry and realized that he had the same reaction as Ron upon his face.

"Well I'm sorry if I can't contain my excitement. I simply wanted to express my joy with my two best friends. Don't people say that healthy friendships thrive on communication?"

"I wouldn't consider our current state as healthy."

"Oh you boys are no fun. Then again, not being able to walk due to a broken leg and ankle is not a situation I want to be in," Hermione jibed with a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha that is hilarious. Making fun of your friends when they are down. I would like to thank you for rubbing it in, Hermione."

"Oh you know I'm only joking."

They continued talking until it became clear that night had arrived. She parted from her friends since Head Girl duties had to be fulfilled. As she left the hospital wing, Hermione faced the dark corridors. She had to admit that night duties were not something she particularly enjoyed. She truly hated the dark. She hated the feeling of not knowing what would lie ahead of her when she turned the corner. Most of all, Hermione hated the feeling of loneliness. Yes, Hermione Granger was afraid to be alone. It made her feel so vulnerable. As Hermione continued to walk, lost in her thoughts, she encountered a not-so-pleasant person. Let's just say that meeting one of her least favorite people in the world during one of her least favorite hours was not a delightful moment.

"Granger, what a lovely night to be out. I must say when I wished for company, I didn't expect that wish to be granted by you," Draco snarled with a smirk.

"Malfoy, you know you are forbidden from wandering the corridors at night. Please return to your dormitory."

"Ouch, what a strict Head Girl. What exactly would you do if I refused to return to my dormitory?"

"Then as Head Girl, I would have to report you and deduct points from your house."

"Is that all? I rather continue my sauntering and take in all I can of this night."

"Malfoy, this is my last warning. Return to your dormitory or I will report you!"

"Granger, you need to ease up a bit. Don't be so uptight all the time. Maybe then, guys will actually realize that you are a girl."

"Malfoy, you ba……."

"Uh ah…What did I just say about being less uptight? Don't worry, I will return to my dormitory. I was just teasing you. Have a good night, Granger."

Malfoy rendered her speechless. She was so mad that she could not, for the life of her, think of anything to reply back. She decided to let him go this time. She followed him until she was sure that he entered the Slytherin dungeons.

Once again she continued her patrol, but Hermione could not get Malfoy out of her mind. She was always so confused when it came to him. He was Draco Malfoy, son of the infamous death eater, Lucius Malfoy. Draco, himself, would probably receive the dark mark sooner or later. He was a pureblooded Slytherin who truly despised her. He was the epitome of everything she was supposed to hate. But she could not and she chose not to hate him. On top of that, she could not figure out why all of her fantasies included him.

Meanwhile, Draco was lying in bed pondering over a similar dilemma. He knew that inside his heart, he wanted to cross the boundary marked by blood. Yet, the second war was looming at his door steps and his father was still in Azkaban. Despite all of this, Draco could not help but think of Granger. How disappointed his father would be if he saw Draco at this moment. Draco knew that he would soon receive the dark mark and fight under the Dark Lord. Nevertheless, until that moment arrived, he would continue to indulge in his fantasies.

Morning entered as crisp as Hermione imagined it to be. Fresh snow laid on the ground and felt like carpet when walked upon. It was not extremely cold, but cold enough for the occasional shivers. After she bid Harry and Ron farewell, Hermione joined her fellow schoolmates for the trip to Hogsmede. Hermione went to all the regular places with Ginny and Luna. But she really missed the usual trips with Harry and Ron. Hermione walked out of the Three Broomsticks to a secluded place close to the forest.

It was a beautiful place where nature was her companion. She observed the trees, the migrating birds, and the nearby mountain range. The stunning scenery was disturbed when a certain blond boy entered.

"Another lovely day, isn't it Granger? I always seem to meet you at such beautiful times."

"What now, Malfoy?"

"I'm just enjoying my trip."

With this, he closed the gap between them to the point that Hermione became uncomfortable.

"Can you for once take my company as a good thing? I mean you no harm."

"Oh please, Malfoy. You need not bare me harm for your company to irritate me."

To Hermione's surprise, there was no anger on his face. Though the biggest surprise came next. Draco grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him. Hermione was just a couple of inches from his face. He leaned in and kissed her. It was simple at first, but after several seconds, it turned deep and passionate. This scared the living hell out of her. She broke the kiss and took a deep breath. His kiss nearly suffocated the life out of her. This time, Draco didn't expect what happened next. Hermione gave him one hell of a slap.

"What did you just do?!"

"Granger, I thought that would be self-explanatory. I kissed you and then you suddenly slapped me. I should ask you…actually I WILL ask you. What did YOU just do?"

"I slapped you so you would realize our situation. A kiss does not and cannot erase everything that defines us before today. You and I can never happen!"

"Why?"

"Why? I thought THAT would be self-explanatory. First of all, we're not even on a first-name basis. We are so different that we cannot possibly begin to understand each other."

He turned away from her, his eyes were fixed upon the snow-covered trees lining in the forest near by.

"We, like black and white, don't mix together; it would only result in a blur of reality."

"Hermione, I am willing to cross and completely wipe out that barrier between us. Let's not limit a relationship to just black and white."

"We are on the brink of a war. You will be a death eater and I will be part of the Order. Is it just me or are we enemies?"

"I am willing to become neutral if you are. We can make this work."

"This has to be a joke, right? Draco Malfoy cannot be this foolish."

"NO! It is not a joke! Maybe I am a fool in trying to compromise. But I'm sure that I'm not the problem here? You're the one that cannot look pass the Slytherin-Gryffindor, Death Eater-Order, and good-evil boundary. Your insecurity created this boundary that divides us in the first place."

"You and I are impossible! There is no we or us!"

"No, it is possible. Hermione, you're the person that is making it impossible."

Hermione could not say or do anything, but cry. It was so overwhelming to be in this situation. Earlier, she was laughing with her friends, now she was crying because of Draco Malfoy. Her friends! What would Harry and Ron think of this? The fact that she was contemplating Draco's offer would be such a disappointment to them.

Draco could not watch her cry anymore. All he could do was walk away from the scene. She chose her friends. She could not look beyond the expectations. What could he say, he took a chance and failed. Life was not perfect after all.

The war came and passed. The statement may sound simple, but it was far from it. The war lasted 5 years and resulted with endless casualties. The Order won and as people put it, peace was intact once more. The Boy Who Lived continued on living after defeating the Dark Lord.

The battlefields were nothing more than fields of bodies. The land soaked in all the blood thinking it was water from the much needed rain. Witches and wizards were scrambling around looking for survivors. In the middle of the last battle stood Hermione Granger. She was on the verge of collapsing, but managed to somehow stay up. She stumbled forward looking for a particular person, though she claimed otherwise when asked. In the back of her mind, she wanted her search to be unsuccessful. If she could not find his body, she could presume that he was more or less alive. However, luck was not on her side. In front of her laid a pale blond man. Tears flowed rapidly down her cheeks.

She was staring at the body of Draco Malfoy.

Good triumphed over evil when Harry defeated Voldermort. People returned back to their normal lives including her closest friends. Harry had Luna, Ron had Padma, and even Neville had Ginny. Life was perfect again with evil gone, but her tears kept flowing.

If life was perfect, why was she on her knees crying?