AN: after reading many of review I decided to update and finish the story, thanks to all of you that liked my story.

Chapter 6

28th of May

The Graduation ceremonies had been boring, but she was spicing them up every time with a different talk to her peers. Hermione had graduated with the highest mark and was valedictorian.

She was proud to be the best, to outsmart all the purebloods that treated her as an inferior being, and so she decided that every month she was going to write a new discourse. It was starting to be difficult to find new words every time, yet, she liked the challenge.

The previous night she had thought about Malfoy's behaviour, and she was convinced that it was only his pride that made him be that nasty.

At the end of the ceremony she approached him. "Draco, can we talk in private?"

He was watching her very coldly, but nodded and followed her.

Severus noticed the two students leaving the place together, and tried to keep an eye on them until they disappeared inside the castle.

Hermione stopped when she noticed that nobody was around. "I want to apologise to you, Draco." He was silent and she went on, "I told Blaise that if you still want, we can go together to the Ball. It had been… silly… of me not giving you a chance."

Draco studied the witch in front of him; she was so beautiful. Her blood was not pure, but everything else was perfect. "I have to … err… apologise too. I believe I got carried away yesterday. You know, old habits die hard."

Hermione smiled. "I know. You fought with us against Voldemort, but I think I still saw you as my enemy. Now, I want to give us a chance. I am offering a friendship for now."

Draco smiled back. "It's enough for a start. But I want to inform you that I will try the Malfoy charm on you until I will succeed."

She smiled slightly. "You know Malfoy", she said while taking his arm and leading him to the Great Hall for lunch. "You should be careful on what you wish for, one day you may have it."

Severus was surprised to see the two students smiling at each other. What was going on? Malfoy yesterday had been really mean to her, and now they were too close to each other.

That night, Draco and Hermione went to the Ball together. She danced with him and then with Blaise Zabini.

Blaise wasn't very talkative, but he was a curious guy. "So Granger, what made you change your mind about going to the dance with Malfoy?"

Hermione smiled. "I just thought that his ego had been stomped too much. Beside, he can be very dangerous when he is annoyed."

Blaise nodded. "He is not used to a refusal. But I can assure you that he is not as bad as he wants everyone to think. His life has been comfortable, but not easy."

After a while, Severus asked for a dance and Hermione warmly accepted.

"Miss Granger is Malfoy or Zabini the one you cheated on Weasley with?" Severus asked abruptly.

They were both surprised by the question. Hermione recovered quickly and replied, "It is none of them sir. I tried to break up with Ron for a while, but it seemed he did not understand it. So, the only way was to fake the cheating. Slytherins obviously jumped at the chance to help."

Severus snorted, Slytherins enjoyed annoying Gryffindors. "What surprises me is that Draco took you to the Ball."

Hermione smiled. "Let us say that Malfoy does like to get attention. Beside, I believe that during this last year he hasn't been that nasty with me. Being Head Boy had made wonders on him."

The dance ended too soon, and Hermione was scared that Severus would get out of her life so soon. So she suddenly said, "Sir, may I ask you something?"

And when he nodded she added, "I was thinking to study Potions at the university. Could you write me a reference to take with me?"

Severus was surprised at the request, and pleased that she wanted to study Potions further. "Shall I write it now?"

"Yes sir, tomorrow I will leave very early." She was smiling sweetly at him, but her eyes were pleading.

"All right then. Follow me; we will go to my private quarters." Severus walked out of the Great Hall with Hermione in tow.

Draco watched the scene and sighed. Hermione Granger had a monstrous crush on Severus Snape. His Head of House seemed interested in the girl too. His smirk came back when he remembered that Snape was not going to have any memory of her until next month, and if he managed to get into Granger's life, he had more chances than Severus.

Hermione was sitting on a chair in front of a huge desk where Severus was writing a reference for her.

The room was full of books and had a cosy aura. It was too green and silvery for her, but she thought that it could change once she got hold of the man.

Surprised at her thought Hermione did not notice that Severus had finished writing, and was now watching her with interest.

Since when was she thinking to share a room with Severus Snape? She had just accepted to give Malfoy a chance, but she knew deep down that her heart belonged already to Severus.

He will not remember me tomorrow morning. Hermione thought, she knew that her mind was right, but she was sure that there was a way for him to remember her!

Severus stood up from the chair and walked until he reached Hermione. He kneeled in front of her and said, "Here's the letter, Miss Granger."

Hermione met his intense gaze and took the letter he was handing her. The air was charged with electricity, and Hermione did something that was unexpected to both.

She circled his neck with her hands and pressed her mouth softly to his one. After a moment of hesitation, he answered her kiss and they stayed there, kissing each other, for a time that seemed an eternity.

It ended too soon for her, but she knew that she would cherish this moment forever. She smiled at him and then wished him a goodnight. Before leaving she looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please, Severus do not forget tonight." And she left.

Severus was puzzled. What had she meant? Why did she look so desperate?

Severus decided to talk with the Headmaster about her behaviour, and in Albus' office he discovered the truth.

He devised with Albus a way to remember her. He took the memories of these two days out of his mind and placed them into the Headmaster's Pensieve.

The 27th of the next month he was going to remember her.