Draco walked into the garden. He looked shattered, sullen, angry. Hermione's breath felt sharp in her chest and her heart seemed to fly out and run to him. He began to walk towards her and for a moment she was sure he could see her. He seemed to be looking right into her eyes. Then she remembered, sadly, that she was wearing an invisibility cloak and he couldn't possibly see her. Introspectively, she wondered why he seemed to make her so stupid. She'd always prided herself on being in control, and on task. But now the first boy who came along, well second after Krum, could turn her head and make her forget everything, even herself.

Defying logic, which Miss Granger was fast loosing her own grip on, Draco continued to head directly for her. Purposefully. Belatedly, Hermione remembered why she had chosen this spot, that this was where they had lain, kissing and holding and hugging. She instantly moved away so that she wouldn't be sat upon, but Draco's mind was not dulled by sorrow. He saw the grass move at her feet and instantly drew his wand, speaking in a sharp voice, consciously firm and angry. "Who's there? One of Lord Voldemort's spies? Or just some nosy Slytherin?"

Hermione debated with herself whether to answer him as he continued to approach.

"Come on. What are you afraid of? Me? I'm not even a Death Eater yet. I probably don't even have the will to attack you."

Draco now seemed confident that he was alone, either that or Hermione guessed he must have fallen into such a huge despair that he had ceased to care. Simply that thought made her heart twinge in pain, no matter how her rational mind tried to scold it. He's just a boy, she tried to tell herself, but as he turned his back she followed him impulsively. He walked to the edge of the pool and Hermione remembered what he had wanted… to test the two of them there. Hermione found herself closer to the edge than she had intended to be and Draco is there, lounging on the stone nearest the water, looking in. From her reading in the past few listless days, Hermione had come to understand the pool's role in Penelope's death. It swallowed love that wasn't true enough and now Hermione found herself on the brink of the water, and quite possibly death, for no logical reason.

Even lovesick, Hermione pulled back. She tried to convince herself that it was for him, that looking in while under the Invisibility Cloak would be robbing Draco of what he had wanted to see and learn. Really though, she knew that she was unwilling to let a Slytherin pool test what she wasn't sure of herself. She gathered herself up to leave, feeling almost gratified that their love hadn't passed her test. Maybe this was all some silly infatuation that could be forgotten. It was some chemical hormonal reaction to the first boy who had kissed her properly, not love, and certainly not worth all this fuss over. Straightening up, Hermione moved to walk away but froze when she saw Lucius Malfoy stride through the archway into the garden.

"Draco, why aren't you in class?" The man's voice was so authoritarian and… Slytherin that Hermione shivered. Draco, on the other hand, didn't even deign to look at his father.

"Why Father? Are you worried that some Muggle-loving fool is missing the opportunity to sway me from Lord Voldemort's coattails?" Draco drawled. His tone was filled with such loathing that Hermione wanted to slap him, just to bring him out of his self pity. It was robbing her of her new found conviction and she didn't like that at all.

"Lord Voldemort's strength requires your best. Nothing less is acceptable. I thought he explained that to you on your birthday."

"And if I don't, he'll kill me."

"You would do better to devote your time to your studies than to this kind of treachorous thought. Even my position in his circle will not protect your insolent tongue!"

"Why should I bother being protected? So I can kill Muggles and Muggle-borns? What a profession, Father! I can hardly wait!" Draco's voice was filled with sarcasm and hate and Hermione found herself wondering if he would have made such a remark a few years ago. But Lucius didn't seem surprised, which astonished Hermione further. Draco had always seemed so subservient to his father, but to hear him talk in such a way… Hermione was dumbfounded.

"I see that you need some incentive, Draco. Just wait. Lord Voldemort can give you everything you've ever wished for, and more." With that, Mr. Malfoy stalked off, letting Hermione exhale in relief.

"Whoever is under that cloak had better come out, before I make you!"

Draco's wand was out and, with his Father's words still ringing in the air, he hardly needed further provocation. Looking down, Hermione could see her own feet sticking out of the pinned up hem. She sighed and removed the cloak.

"Hermione!" He gasped.

"Hi, Draco." If the words sounded weak and insubstantial in her head, they sounded even worse aloud.

"What are you doing here?" He grabbed her arm, pulling her to him swiftly and cradling her softly in his arms. By contrast his tone was angry. "Do you have any idea what could have happened if my father had bumped you? Or seen you? Or any Slytherin?"

"You're a Slytherin and the worst that's happening to me is that I'm getting yelled at."

His overprotectiveness was reasserting itself, but strangely it amused Hermione instead of irking her. She was more annoyed at the loss of his arms as he began to pull her out of the garden hissing, "That's hardly the point! Now put that cloak on."

All her new resolve replaced with a firmer conviction, Hermione pulled Draco to a stop and he whirled around to look at her. "Draco, I'm sorry."

"For what?" He tried to pull her along again.

"For saying what I said." Hermione took in a deep breath and continued at about three hundred miles a minute. "It wasn't anything you did... honest it wasn't, it's just that I had to hide us from everyone and when I got up to Gryffindor Tower Ron was waiting. He was so angry, and I hurt his feelings horribly, and then he kissed me and I didn't feel anything...except I was angry and then he's all hurt and I can't even look at him. I mean, he likes me and I don't like him and I don't even know what I'm supposed to feel about that...should I be guilty or sad or angry or... I don't even know what I'm supposed to be! And now Harry knows so they're going to have a fight about that and it'll all be my fault and everyone is being so nice to me and I can't even smile at them. The girls are dragging me around everywhere and being so sweet and all I am is a wet rag over it all because I just can't be happy because I can't forget about you and I don't even want to forget about you because I was so happy with you and I messed it up all by myself. And I was just being stupid and overanalyzing things cause I couldn't understand why you were being nice to me and worse I couldn't understand why I was being nice to you and nothing seemed to make sense anymore and I just didn't feel like me. But worse is that I'm so stupid because I just hurt the guy I love just so that I-"

"You said love." He interrupted, suddenly springing out of his stunned listening.

"I did." Hermione seemed as surprised as he was.

"I'm glad you said that."

"Me too."

There was an uncomfortable silence between the two. Hermione couldn't take her eyes from his and she found herself trembling. Several times Draco opened his mouth as if to speak, but closed it again. He watched Hermione as she did the same, immediately dismissing each comment as ridiculous. Each moved forward a few times, occasionally lifting a hand or an arm.

Finally they were close enough to touch each other, faces merely inches a part. And for a second, both hesitated, wondering what they were doing there: a Slytherin and a Gryffindor, a Death-Eater-in-training and a Muggle-born, a boy and a girl. Then they kissed properly and all doubts were thrown aside in the realization that, whoever they were, they didn't particularly care at that moment. Behind them, the pool rippled as though in satisfaction although neither Draco, holding Hermione as close to him as he could fit her, nor Hermione herself, lying under Draco with her tongue dancing on his, were in a position to notice.

For all of you who were distressed about the break up… hope you enjoyed! Read and Review please!