Disclaimer: You know the drill… And I don't own the song My Immortal - it belongs to Evanescence.

((A/N: I just thought that the song sort of fits the latter part of this chapter. And it gave me the inspiration for that part. Btw, I'm so sorry if this chapter is confusing…))

My Immortal

I'm so tired of being here
suppressed by all my childish fears

And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
and it won't leave me alone

These wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me

You used to captivate me
by your resonating life
now I'm bound by the life you left behind

Your face it haunts
my once pleasant dreams
your voice it chased away
all the sanity in me

These wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me

Chapter Twelve

Into The Pensieve

"Jo! Joan! Hey! JOAN!" James snapped his fingers in front of Joan's face.

Joan looked startled. "What was that for?"

Andrei rolled his eyes. "You were out of your mind, you were not paying attention to James and I, you were doing a great impression of Aunt Hermione's boyfriend when he was at dinner?"

"Whatever."

"Joan," James knitted his brow in confusion. "Something's bothering you."

"How can you tell?" Joan continued to look into the fire in the common room's fireplace.

"Other than your blank look? Well, your lack of response to Andrei."

"Yeah, besides, we know you really well, Jo." Andrei piped up.

Joan sighed. How could they not? They all practically grew up together. "I'll be having a father again soon." Her face contorted into a mix of emotions with happiness triumphing over the rest.

"How?" Andrei was obviously the most clueless.

"Aunt Hermione would marry Devon." James replied exasperatedly with a tone that says 'duh'.

"Care to bet on that?" Joan uttered, her Malfoy mind back into its conniving tricks.

"What do you mean?"

"I bet that it would not go that way." Joan smirked at the perplexed expressions of her best friends. "There will be no marriage involved." She offered her hand to James.

James thought for a while before replying. "You're on." He shook Joan's hand.

"Hey, what about me?" Andrei scowled. "Why am I always left out in the darkness and coldness?"

Joan turned to face him. "You decide whose side you'll want to be with."

"That's easy – James' side."

"Two Galleons, then?" Joan's smirk was getting bigger by the minute.

Andrei and James looked at each other for a split second and then answered. "Two Galleons it is."

---

"Hermione, I -."

Hermione backed away and pulled out her wand. "Step back." Her voice was soft as she pointed her wand to the intruder who had just gotten out of the bathroom. "Who are you?"

The man sighed and mumbled to himself. "I knew this wasn't going to be easy."

Hermione continued to glare and point her wand at the man, her brain gearing to action.

"Hermione -."

"Don't you dare speak my name," Hermione replied, gritting her teeth.

The man took a deep breath. "Ok, fine." He ran a hand through his blonde hair, which was hanging loosely above his eyes. "Listen, it's me, Devon -."

"Devon?" Hermione's voice became shrill. "This is NOT a funny joke. Enough with the pranks – you don't have to pretend to look like Draco in order for this relationship to work."

"I'm not just Devon, I'm Draco," The man took a few steps forward.

"ENOUGH!" Hermione's voice had gained momentum and was echoing in the Manor. "Please stop joking, Devon. Accio wand!"

Draco's wand zoomed from his pocket and Hermione caught it.

"I'm not joking, Hermione. You know me," Draco showed his empty hands. "Look, I'm unarmed with a wand and I'll never do anything to harm you."

"I don't know who you are and what you are doing inside my house but all I know is that you are ruining the memory of my husband." She glared at the blonde man, apparently masquerading as the late Draco Malfoy.

"I'm Draco Malfoy."

"Prove it." Hermione spat.

Draco closed his eyes and thought, running a hand once more through his hair.

Hermione stood transfixed, looking at his eyes. "Oh my," She thought silently. "No, it can't be…" Her eyes flashed angrily. "Of course he can't be."

Hermione hastily cast a spell that created an invisible wall, which only sound and light can penetrate, between them.

"What the -?" Draco pounded the invisible wall. "Hermione!"

"I told you not to speak my name, didn't I?"

"But -."

"You are taking long to prove to me who you really are."

"Ok, hold on, wait." Draco blinked and looked straight at Hermione's brown eyes. "Remember when we ice-skated when Joan was three or how about the wedding? Our wedding was simple and the Potters and Weasleys were wed on the same day. I remember it all. I AM Draco Malfoy."

Dropping Draco's wand, Hermione covered her ears and shut her eyes. "NO! NO! NO! Draco Malfoy is dead!" She opened her eyes once more and fought tears. "I really don't know who you are but don't you dare bring my husband AND daughter into this." Hermione swallowed and visibly controlled her emotions. "How did you know all of this?"

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

"What was that?"

Hermione rushed to the window and saw three figures wearing black standing in the front yard of the house. She whipped to face Draco. Fury was evident in her eyes.

"You used me." Her voice was dangerously calm.

Draco's eyes widened. "What!"

"You used me and my daughter." She summoned her semi-packed bag to herself. "You tricked us. You were part of this twisted plan all along -."

"What plan?"

"The plan you are part of." Hermione swallowed once more, her voice was starting to crack. "You pretended to save me from Knockturn Alley, for all I know you could have set that up -."

"But I didn't!"

Hermione gave a hollow laugh. "And you expect me to believe that?" She continued to stuff her clothes in her bag, quickly and urgently this time. "After the said rescue, your goal was to become closer to me and Joan in order to gain reliable and important information. Information from Joan like the so-called memories you told awhile ago," She said the words bitterly. "And then, make it lead to this situation. This situation, in which you will have me defenseless, would then lead to my kidnapping by you and your black cloaked comrades."

"But Hermione," He continued to ramble on about certain memories. He was obviously desperate. "Remember when my mother died and you were the only one there for me? When Joan fell into the fountain after she called me, she was two then… When I had inadvertently said that I love you first during one of our spats as Heads while planning a Ball?"

Hermione looked hard at Draco with confusion, zipping her bag close and shrinking it. "How did you -?"

BAM! BAM!

Someone was ramming the front door in an attempt to break it down.

Hermione scooted to the window and opened it wide, placing her miniature bag in her pocket.

Draco pounded on the wall. "Hermione, what are you doing?" He shouted.

Hermione stepped on the windowsill and with one last look at Draco. "Good-bye, whoever you are." She jumped off the windowsill.

"NO!"

---

Joan shot up from her bed.

"NO!"

Mariel Jordan was immediately awakened from her sleep since she was sleeping in the bed nearest to Joan's.

"Yo, Joan, what happened?" Mariel queried as she rubbed her eyes.

Joan looked around and lied down back on her bed. "I don't know."

"Nightmare?"

"Sort of."

"Tell me about it, it'll help you feel and sleep better."

Joan closed her eyes, trying to relive her dream. "We were in the DADA classroom and then a boggart came from nowhere and then it became a Dementor. This Dementor," She shivered. "Held a unfinished homework and a letter to my mother, telling her that Snape wants to see her because of my failing Potions grade."

To Joan's surprise, Mariel burst out laughing.

"What?" Joan was clearly annoyed.

"That's it?" Mariel gasped in between laughs.

"Shh… You'll wake the others." Joan hissed.

Mariel attempted to stop her laughter. "Bloody hell, Joan, I thought it was something worse."

Joan simply glowered.

---

Hermione closed her eyes and jumped, but at the same time apparating to their secret hideaway. When she opened her eyes, she was once more in the familiar, but now dusty, home that she knew during the War. She had not been here since, well, since Voldemort's dark reign. She got her bag out, enlarged it and left it near the front door.

"Lumos."

With only the tip of her wand as her source of light, she went into the living room and knelt in front of the center table. Tapping a specific carving at the edge of the table with her wand, she murmured a spell. Instantly the place was well lighted and, after several household charms, spic and span. Contented with the state of the house, she plopped into the couch

Staring blankly in front of her, Hermione was void of any emotion. Too much has happened for her to be able to process it all in a few seconds. She slumped into the couch and closed her eyes, reliving what had just transpired.

When she opened her eyes, Hermione felt tears flowing on her face.

"My day started fine," She whispered quietly to herself. "Joan and Devon getting along really well…" She choked on a sob. "Just when I have finally admitted to myself that I love Devon, h-he." She stammered and cried more. "B-betrayed m-m-me." She slowly wiped her tears and noticed the picture frame on the center table along with the other ornaments on it. Hermione picked it up and laid back once more on the couch, gazing at the picture with love and smiling forlornly at it.

"I miss you so much, you know. You just don't know how much I still think about you and how much I still love you after all these years."

Hermione cuddled into the couch, holding the picture frame against her chest, feeling peaceful like she hadn't been all night and fell asleep.

It was the picture taken of Draco and Hermione on their wedding day.

---

"NO!" He pounded yet again at the invisible wall. He just gaped in horror as his wife jumped with him not being able to do anything in his power.

"STUPID!" He shouted to himself and punched the wall, not wincing in pain.

The windows automatically shut, as Malfoy Manor was under high security spells and the house has its own way of defending itself. Nobody unwelcome would be able to enter the house unless invited by any one of Malfoy blood or relation and for that reason Draco did not panic about the three black-cloaked figures outside endeavoring to enter the manor. Hermione panicked for she thought she was not safe with him, Draco, and distrusted him.

Draco punched the wall once more and sat down, feeling defeated.

"Smooth move, Malfoy… And I pride myself for being suave." He ran a hand through his hair, an indication for either frustration or anxiety.

As he sat down, he noticed a package fall out of his pocket.

"Dumbledore gave me this." He thought while he picked the brown paper wrapped box and started to unwrap it. "Bloody stupid me… Fat help it will give me right now."

It was a miniaturized Pensieve.

---

Draco woke up as the wall that he was leaning on vanished, thus he landed on the floor.

"Ouch!"

He immediately got up and scrambled to get his wand, which Hermione had dropped earlier near the foot of the bed.

"Now to find Hermione," He thought and looked out of the window. "Of course…"

The spell in the room that keeps its occupants in it was now lifted and so Draco apparated to where he knew Hermione was, but not before getting the rose on the bedside table.

---

Draco found Hermione in the same position she had slept the night before. He smiled wanly at the sight in front of him, so near yet so far.

As he gazed at her, he realized that he could not just wake her up for fear of her all-powerful wrath. Instead, he took out enlarged the Pensieve, extracted several memories, placed them in it and left it on the center table in front of Hermione.

Draco tucked a lock of hair behind Hermione's ear and kissed her forehead. He smiled as Hermione smiled in her sleep, snuggling into the couch. He left the rose beside the Pensieve and sat on another chair, simply observing Hermione sleep.

After ten minutes, Hermione shifted in her sleep, as though to wake up. Draco got up and decided that it was not yet time for him to be seen once more. He headed towards the kitchen to silently prepare for breakfast.

---

"Honestly, Harry," Ginny said while daintily buttering her toast. "I don't think you should be worried about Hermione and Devon." She bit her toast. "He's practically in love with her and vice versa."

It was another morning at the Potter household with Harry and Ginny eating their breakfast earlier than the children, so that they would not be hassled too much and so that they can eat in peace.

Harry absentmindedly nibbled on his toast. "Not be worried? Ginny, there was some sort of ambush on Hermione last night."

"I haven't forgotten, but Dumbledore himself informed us that Hermione was fine, didn't he?" Ginny stirred her coffee. "He assured us that Devon would be with her in hiding so I don't think there's a problem."

"That's just it." Harry sighed. "There's something about Devon that I can't place. Something familiar and…"

"Sinister?"

Harry looked at his wife queerly. "So it wasn't just me having hallucinations, now isn't it?"

"Well, yeah…" Ginny admitted dejectedly. "Ok, so I did think that there was something wrong with this Devon character but I just don't want to, you know, worry anyone, especially Hermione since she's pretty contented right now."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Worry anyone? Sure, now I'm really worried with this revelation that you noticed that evil aura about him."

"Then again," Ginny sipped her coffee. "I could be wrong."

"Could be, since we always apprehensive whenever Hermione seriously dates someone, right?"

"We?"

"Ok, Ron and I."

"Good."

"But, you've got to admit, there really was something familiar about him." Harry finished his coffee.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Right, just drop it, honey, 'k?"

Harry looked thoughtful. "Come on, sweetheart, help me think. I won't rest until I figure this out." He propped his head on his hands.

"Ok," Ginny replied, getting up to prepare their children's breakfast. "But only because you wouldn't quit annoying me."

"Could it be – his eyebrows?"
Ginny took out two bowls and placed them on the table. "Nope. How about his nose?"

"Yes! His nose, it is sort of pointy, isn't it?"

"Yup. And his chin, pointy too, right?"

"Right. Now who do we know has pointy features?"

"Snape?"

Harry wrinkled his nose. "That's not pointy, that's greasy."

"True," Ginny nonchalantly replied, taking away their coffee cups and enchanting the sink to clean it. "How about facial expressions? Mannerisms? Those could be of help to us to see who Devon reminds us of."

"For all I know, he could have been a Deatheater that Ron and I have fought before."

"You really have to think morbidly, do you Harry?"

"Sorry."

"Really, I think we should just trust Hermione's judgment of other people. Besides, look what happened when she dated Draco, they ended up married with Draco in the Light side. Proves that Hermione knows the right people to trust."

"Yeah," Harry smiled at the memory. "Who would've thought, Draco Malfoy, Pureblooded Slytherin Prince, Muggleborn hater married Hermione Granger, Gryffindor resident genius, best friend to the Boy-Who-Lived?"

"Uh-huh." Ginny walked to the doorway to wake up their children when an image of the smirking Slytherin and Devon smiling passed her mind. She went back to her husband the same time comprehension dawned on Harry.

"DRACO MALFOY!"

---

Hermione woke up tired and with an aching back. She sat up and realized that something was on her chest. She took the picture frame, smiled at it, and then placed it on the center table.

"This wasn't here last night…" Hermione leaned to take the rose on the table, and then she noticed the Pensieve. She took her wand out and prodded it slightly.

"I wonder who owns this…"

Hermione was astonished to find herself in the Pensieve, sitting inside the Head Boy and Head Girl's common room.

Curiosity getting over her, Hermione looked around, seeing herself alone, she plunged her head into the Pensieve.

---

Hermione felt slightly dizzy as she landed in the memory inside the Pensieve. Steadying herself, she saw her seventeen-year-old self, sitting in the common room, obviously fuming, but doing her work by going over paperwork.

Hermione cautiously moved towards herself when she became aware of a presence observing her seventh year self. She abruptly turned and was surprised at seeing her dead husband, then very much younger, standing in the darkness.

"Granger," He spoke gruffly.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Young Hermione replied without facing him.

Hermione remembered this scene very well, as it opened up a new stage in her life.

Draco Malfoy stepped out of the darkness and walked towards the fireplace, where Hermione was sitting near.

"Granger." He repeated, but now directly behind her seat.

"What?" Hermione replied, annoyed. "I'm doing my work here and you are obviously interrupting me."

Draco motioned to speak but Hermione didn't let him.

"Don't worry, Malfoy. After I'm done with the plans, I'll make sure to place your name on it and even ask you to sign it if you don't believe me, before submitted it to Professor McGonagall."

Draco grabbed the paperwork on Hermione's lap.

"Malfoy, give that back!"

"Granger, just listen to me!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Draco's expression darkened. "Granger, if you think that I'm some kind of spoiled brat, you're mistaken-."

"You sure had a convincing way of showing it." Hermione muttered.

Draco continued as though he was not interrupted. "I don't ask my minions to do my homework, if I wanted to pass. And, my father did not do anything to get me this position."

Hermione remained silent.

"I had to work hard for it Granger," Draco grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "I did this myself. And you would do well and give me enough credit for it and not pretend that I am just a brat who doesn't do his responsibilities." He stopped shaking her but did not let go of her shoulders.

Hermione glared determinedly at him.

"You think you know a lot, don't you?" He sneered at her. "You think you know everything, right?"

The present day Hermione watched on as she realized where this conversation was leading.

"Well, I'd really hate to burst your bubble, Gryffindor Mudblood." He leaned closer to Hermione and whispered. "But you just don't know how much punishment I get at home because of you." Seeing Hermione's dumbfounded expression, he added. "You, who managed to beat me in being top one, you who is teacher's pet, and you who," What he said next chilled Hermione. "Unknown to my parents, made me fall in love with yourself. I love you, despite the fact that you're everything I've been told to hate." And with that, Draco let go of Hermione and took half of the paperwork, appearing to be composed and cool as usual. "I'll be seeing you, Granger, and next time I see you, I swear, my share of work is done."

He left her still staring into the fireplace, perplexed at what just took place.

Hermione Malfoy felt her surroundings change and soon found herself in another memory.

She found her younger self inside the Head Boy's dormitory.

Hermione remembered this, it was the night that Draco came back from one of his father's summons, crying. Crying for, Narcissa has just been murdered by Lucius in front of Draco.

Draco was in the arms of Hermione, still crying silently. Hermione, instead of whispering comforting words, was merely stroking Draco's back gently and occasionally caressing his hair, but she was crying all the same. Narcissa knew about their relationship. She was happy for them and she voiced out that she never would like Lucius to know about it for fear of them being tortured, or worse, killed.

The older Hermione knew she had comforted Draco this way for, well, Draco is a Malfoy. He was only beginning to open up his emotions and was starting to be less and less awkward to human touch.

Just then, Draco spoke.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

Draco pulled away from Hermione's embrace and took her face into his hands.

"You're all I have left. Promise me you'll never leave me."

Hermione took one of Draco's hands and held it. "I promise. Will you promise the same thing?"

"I promise."

"But he broke it…" Adult Hermione whispered from her place. "Not that it was his choice though…" She felt tears stinging her eyes, as though reliving the memories all over again.

Her surroundings swirled into darkness. Hermione wiped the stray tear that had fallen. The next memory was once more set in the darkness, it was during one of the many rounds they had done as Heads around the school.

"Draco, are you sure about this?"

"Sure as I'll ever be, Hermione." Draco stopped walking.

"But – your father, he could –kill you…" The girl in front of him stuttered.

"Then, I'd like to see him try…"

"You don't really have to, I mean, there could be another way, you don't have to…" Hermione's voice trailed away.

"Hermione," Draco stared directly into Hermione's eyes. "I'm sure about this and no, there is no other way. I'm ready for this. I want to be part of your side. Merlin, I wouldn't care if Potter would laugh at my face when I take my oath."

Hermione glared a bit. "Harry is not like that."

Draco smiled. "Are you sure?"

The setting changed once more, and Hermione did not quite remember this recollection. She saw the reason later on.

Hermione was unconscious, most likely sleeping, on a hospital bed.

Draco, wearing a white hospital gown, mask and cap, was standing carrying something in his arms.

Hermione, present day, walked nearer and peered at what Draco was carrying. It was a baby – Joan, to be exact.

"Hello," Draco was cooing at the baby. "My how cute you are." He was smiling all over.

The baby in his arms smiled, still with her eyes closed.

Draco chuckled. "I see, you agree with me." He sat down in the chair beside Hermione's bed. "Here's your mother, still resting but nevertheless beautiful."

Hermione felt herself blush despite the fact that Draco was not really speaking directly to her.

"You'll probably grow up beautiful just like her." Draco continued to talk to his daughter. "And I, well, meanwhile, will do my best to be the father I never had."

Hermione felt the memory changing again but now, she was confused and fearful as realization hit her.

The memories in the pensieve – they weren't hers alone.

"Merlin…" She murmured as she stumbled into a new memory, which she was sure was not hers. She was in another hospital, somewhere she was sure she never had been to. There were various apparatuses surrounding a single bed in the room. She walked nearer to it and saw Draco talking to a Healer, looking a bit dazed.

"Sir, may I ask, what is your name?" The Healer asked

Draco replied. "I don't know, doctor."

Hermione was stunned; she was beginning to put pieces into place…

The Head shook his head sadly at his co-worker. "I knew it…"

The man blinked his eyes. "Why? What do you mean?"

The Head Healer addressed his subordinate. "Kindly update this man's file while I brief him." The Healer sighed as the Mediwitch walked away. "I might as well start from the beginning."

The patient merely stared silently.

"Well, about five years ago, you were sighted near our village, wounded and unconscious. For all we know, you were dead. However, we have a creed to follow. It goes along the lines of 'every life on this world must be given a chance, no matter how minute the chance may be.'"

The blonde motioned to speak. "Five years ago?"

"Yes, five years ago. Anyway, so you showed vital signs that you were to live, but you remained unconscious. For five whole years, you were in a coma in this very room."

Hermione zoned in and out of listening to the conversation. Realization was hitting her hard.

"I'm afraid, Head Healer, that I do not have enough memories for me to establish my identity."

The Head Healer nodded knowingly. "I suggest then that you stay with us for another year as a follow-up and check-up on your condition. Who knows, we may trigger your memory to come back.

Draco simply nodded.

Hermione was about to hold on to the bed to steady her when her environment began to move and contort into a new one.

She was in an office, probably the Healer's, she assumed.

"Are you sure you want to leave?" The Head Healer asked him.

Draco replied obstinately. "Yes, I am very sure of it."

The Healer heaved a sigh. "Very well, I suppose it's time for you to know something else regarding your accident." He beckoned to Draco to follow him into his private office. "Please, take a seat."

Hermione followed them into the office, eyes staring at Draco. She sat down at the seat opposite Draco and watching the scene unfolding before her while listening to the conversation that was taking place. She hung on closely to the discussion and her assumptions were proven by the next part of the dialogue.

"Changing your appearance will keep anyone who knows you from recognizing you. Is it clear so far, Devon?"

"Yes, Healer."

Hermione's eyes widened. "So he is Devon… And Draco is…"

"Thus, your enemies won't be able to detect who you are, if ever you encounter them. But not to worry, after you've fully regained your memory, you will be back to your normal and true physical state. So by the time your 'enemies' recognize you, you know who they are and you would know how to protect yourself." The Healer looked at Devon straight into his gray eyes. "The change would be gradual, as your memory would come back gradually. And after this procedure, I would have to erase your memory of anything related to the process."

Devon was taken aback. "Why?"

"To protect yourself from yourself. Someone can probe into your mind by using Legimency, thus exposing the fact that you aren't who you claim to be at the moment. Are ready to undergo all of this?" The Healer asked seriously.

Draco smirked. "Bring it on."

"That explains about everything," Hermione whispered as she prepared to lurch into another memory but was, instead, heaved back into the living room.

"Hey," Someone whispered from the couch.

Hermione faced him. "Draco."

---

"How did that happen?" Harry asked for the umpteenth time on the Draco-is-Devon topic. "Then again, that smile, or shall I say, smirk is one of a kind."

"Now, Harry, not in front of the kids."

"Mom, what are you talking about that has to be classified?" Sirius Potter complained with his untidy and curly black hair having a bad case of bed head.

"Now you've done it." Ginny told Harry as she assisted a half-asleep Lily into her seat. "Now, Lily dear, don't sleep into your cereal bowl, ok?"

"Dad?" Sirius eyed his father curiously. "What were you talking about? I'm nine years old now!"

Harry eyed Ginny warily. "Ask your mother."

"Mom?"

Ginny sighed. "Sirius, sweetheart, it's something that does not concern us."

"Then who does it concern?"

"Ok," Ginny furrowed her brows. "It concerns the Malfoys, but please, don't mention anything yet to anyone since I'm sure Hermione would let us know about it when the time comes."

"Bye honey." Harry kissed Ginny and said goodbye to each of his children in turn before he left for work.

"Great big information that was." Sirius grumbled, shoveling food into his mouth, not realizing he spoke it out loud.

Ginny rolled her eyes. Sirius was definitely not a morning person.

Welcome to the wonderful world of raising children.

---

Hermione tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, obviously unsure of what to do.

Draco stood up and came closer to Hermione. "Hermione."

"Shh." Hermione placed a finger on his lips. "Listen to me," She bit her lip. "I'm very, very, very, very sorry. I should've listened to you. I've been so stupid. I -."

This time, it was Draco who silenced her by putting a finger on her lips. He smiled. "It's alright. I thoroughly understand why you reacted that way. If you hadn't, I would have panicked – it wouldn't have been the Hermione I have fallen in love with."

Hermione blushed which made Draco laugh quietly and opened his arms wide. Hermione hugged him tight.

"Hermione, oxygen – need air. I'm home now! No need to do that!" Draco said half-jokingly.

Hermione let go of him and stared into his eyes of gray.

They pretty much stared at each other for a few minutes when Draco broke the tranquility by leaning forward – to capture Hermione's lips in a kiss.