Chapter 22-

AN- Hello everyone, how is everyone doing? Well, this is the next chapter…Enjoy…

Ron woke the next morning feeling horrible. After Draco had told him about what he had done to Hermione, he could do nothing but cry. He stood up and walked to his desk. He pulled out a piece of paper and a quill and began writing a letter.

Hermione,

I don't know how to say this to you, but I want you to know that I feel totally horrible about what happened between us. I could give you thousands of different excuses as to why it happened, but nothing that I could possible say could ever make up for what I did. You and Harry are the best friends that I have ever had and I could never forgive myself if I didn't at least let you know how wrong and sorry I am. I took advantage of you when you needed me the most and I can't express how very sorry that I truly am. There will never come a day when I won't think of the horrible things that I have to done to you.

I know that this letter doesn't make up for anything, and I understand if you can't forgive me, but I needed you to know how really and truly sorry that I am. Thanks for always being a faithful friend. I am just sorry that I wasn't able to return the favor. I love you more than I could ever say and I want you to know that I will understand if you are not able to forgive me.

I love you and I always will. I am sooo sorry.

Ronald Weasley

P.S. Oh, and about Malfoy. I learned a few things in the Hospital Wing the other night. I think that he truly likes you, maybe even loves you. I am sorry for the way that Harry and I acted towards you at the end of the summer. I realize now that you weren't betraying anyone. You were just being true to yourself. I also want you to know that though we will probably never be friends, I will tolerate him for your sake. Just make sure that he knows that I am going to kill him if he ever hurts you.

By the time that Ron was finally finished writing the letter, it was drenched it tears. He quickly tied it to Pig's leg and sent it off.

Draco was warm, so warm that he didn't want to wake up, but he suddenly felt someone's breath on his arm. He turned his head to the side and slowly opened his eyes. Suddenly, it all came back to him and he couldn't help but smile for Hermione Granger was sleeping soundly in his arms. He then studied her face and found a happy, content smile where he had so often seen a tearful, scared frown. That smile brought the most extreme flood of relief through him that his face lit up and he heaved a huge sigh of relief.

He lay there watching Hermione sleep for several minutes before she began to stir in his arms. He tried to steady his breathing so that she wouldn't wake but it was too late she was opening her eyes.

"Good morning, beautiful." Draco whispered into her hair before laying a light kiss on her forehead.

"Hey." she replied staring up into Draco's shinning gray eyes, smile spreading over her entire face all the way up into her eyes.

"Did you sleep okay?" he asked.

"Never better!" she replied smiling. "You?"

"Well, once I got used to your snoring, I was okay."

"I do not snore!" Hermione replied swatting his arm.

"So you say." he replied raising an eyebrow.

"Whatever." Hermione said, pouting.

"I was only kidding. Now, get up and let's go have a wonderful day." Draco said as he began scooting off of the bed.

Just as Hermione was about to do the same, Ron's owl, Pig, flew threw the double doors of the hospital wing. After running into two walls and knocking over a tray of potions, he made it to Hermione and landed at her bed.

"Hey, Pig." she said as she began removing the letter from Pig's leg.

Draco, who recognized the owl as Ron's, immediately became angry, but fought his hardest to keep his eyes as neutral as possible. He watched Hermione's eyes as she read through the letter. Tears began forming in her eyes, but by the end of the letter she was smiling faintly.

"Well?" Draco asked, hiding the anger behind his curiosity.

"Um, he was just…apologizing."

Draco had to swallow back his anger in order to say, "Oh, that's good."

"Yeah, I am glad that he apologized. I know that they mostly just use me for homework, but they are still my friends and they have never done anything to intentionally hurt me."

With that, Draco exploded. "What are you talking about! Do you not remember when they hated you because they thought that you were with me? Don't you remember when they totally turned their backs on you after Ron came to the cabin? What about all of that, Hermione?" he ranted.

Hermione looked stunned at his outburst and was totally speechless. She just couldn't fathom how he could go from sweet and understanding to crazy that fast.

"Look," Draco said, after seeing her hurt face, "I didn't mean that. It's just, I don't want you to get hurt again. I don't want to take your best friends away, but I can't stand by and let them tear you up over and over again."

Hermione smiled. "Come here." she said, motioning for him to sit next to her on the bed. "Read this." She handed him Ron's letter.

Draco stared at her for a few minutes before finally turning to the letter. He read it through quickly, but stopped when he got to the P.S. and saw his name. He read that part three times before finally looking up at Hermione. He opened his mouth then shut it. Now, he was speechless.

"Now you see, does that sound like someone who is lying? Someone who wants to hurt me?"

Draco stared for a few minutes before finally shaking his head.

"Draco, people mess up." He turned his head away and looked at his lap. "Draco, look at me." After a second of hesitation he finally turned to her. "I know that trusting people is hard, but you have got to take a chance once in a while. Harry, Ron, and I have been through a lot together. We have all put our lives on the line for each other countless times and that forges a bond that is very hard to break. I know that Ron messed up. He messed up bad, but if I didn't give people second chances we wouldn't be here together right now. I would have left you out on the road to die by yourself. Now I am asking you to give Harry and Ron a second chance. I am not saying that you guys should become buddies or anything, but you can try to act civilly, right?" Draco nodded slightly.

"Fine, but remember, I am only doing this for you."

"Good. I am going to write Ron back really fast then we can go." she said getting a pen and quill out.

Ron,

I accept your apology. I know that what you did was not what was intended and I forgive you. I am also very happy to hear that you accept the fact that Draco and I are a couple. Draco told me that he would do his best to act civilly to you as long as you do the same.

Well, Draco and I are going to spend the day together. I will see you later sometime.

Hermione.

"Okay, now, let's go have that wonderful day together." Hermione said as she grabbed Pig and tied the letter to it's twitching leg.

"Right."