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Chapter 7: Hate's death and Hope's beginning

Hermione rolled over in her bed smashing her pillow against her bed in attempt for comfort since she wasn't able to sleep. Thoughts of what had just happened ran through her head without stop. Over and over again, telling her that it had really happened. Draco had kissed her, basically admitting that all these years, he's had deep feelings for her. Then following the kiss, he told her that she stole his breath away, she had run to her bedroom afraid, afraid that she felt the same. At first she cried a little as a catharsis since she didn't know if she even wanted to face Draco tomorrow. Did she feel the same, why was deciding if she did or didn't so hard? She buried her head more into her pillow wanting it to smother her thoughts until finally she drifted to sleep out of being incredible tired.

-

At that same moment that Hermione was in her room not being able to sleep, Draco remained still on the sofa where he previously had a part of Hermione for a second. He held his head in his hands; his blonde hair trickled through his fingers and was messy all over what had happened, he paced his breathing right before he sighed. He had told her too much. Why did it just come out? Why did he tell her that she was something that he himself, the 'great' Draco Malfoy, couldn't resist? He got up slowly and walked to his bedroom, staring at her bedroom before entering his room and changing into his pajamas where he stood before his bathroom mirror.

"You're pathetic" he said to his reflection while slamming his hand down hard on the counter top. Why did this have to happen, I could have gone all 7 years at Hogwarts without Granger not knowing how much I wanted her. This damned Match Maker thing just ruined the chance of that. I lost my emotions. I kissed her and even though she was a good kisser I let emotion escape. I know better than that he told himself. What are you going to do now Draco his conscience asked. "I'm a fool," he sighed looking at his fist still on the counter. He shook his head and walked out of his bathroom slowly, eyeing his bed before setting himself down into his bed. Draco's eyes traveled over to where his light was, underneath was a piece of special paper and pen. Draco smirked, grabbing the pencil and paper jotting something down, and then rushed to his door opening it and running down to where the desk was in the common room.

Hermione had waked up later than usual, hesitant to go out of her bedroom. She dressed herself and took a final breath before stepping out into the common room. She looked around. Draco was no where in sight. She let out a breath, half in gratitude and half in disappointment. She was torn and tired from a battle of her mind and heart. She walked over to her desk picking up her book reading while she waited for Draco, since she was required to spend the day with him or the consequences will happen.

30 minutes had passed, still no Draco. When Hermione woke up she already missed breakfast. Draco was walking down the halls on his way back from the great hall irritated that Hermione didn't show up to breakfast, he begun to think things like if she were too embarrassed to show up and did he really screw everything up? McGonagall had said herself that there will be consequences if someone's match ditched them but would Hermione really want to do that and risk taking the consequences? Draco turned the corner where he saw the Portrait to where Hermione must have been. He muttered the password and the door open, sure enough; as usual, there Hermione sat with her hair falling upon her face with a book blocking her nose and mouth. He smirked as he progressed into the common room.

"You missed Breakfast." Draco said casually, as he threw himself on the sofa. Looking over and eyeing Hermione as read silently in her chair.

"I know, I just woke up" she said almost to a whisper still reading. Draco smiled his wide grin, hoping she'd catch a glimpse of it.

"So, what exactly do you want to do for this Valentine's Day deal?" Hermione looked up at Draco, knowing he was going to suggest something; she sat up then placed her book down on the table in the middle of the room.

"I think you know what you want to do, so why don't you go ahead and suggest it."

"What about a walk? That is unless you want to stay in here; I can sit here watching you read if you want." Draco said suggest fully as he played with his robes that wrapped around him.

"A walk sounds nice. I'll get my shoes." Hermione stood up and walked to her room gathering her shoes, she sat on her bed picking up each shoe tying them ready to go.

She came out and nodded at Draco that she was ready, he smiled as she walked towards him. He opened the door and they walked out into the hall coming their way to the entrance to the outside. It was a normal but cold February afternoon. They walked side by side, a few inches away. Draco was serious but happiness could easily be hinted, while Hermione watched the ground below; watching her step. Soon they came to an assortment of trees. Hermione soon felt that she was alone; she turned around, to find that Draco disappeared. Her head ran back and forth carefully watching each corner of darkness.

"Malfoy… Malfoy? This isn't funny. Come back now." She spun around searching for him. "Malfoy, I'm being serious. Stop hiding from me."

Draco hid himself behind the side of the stone wall just out of her visibility. He looked down at the ground where snow lied. Bending over he picked snow up rolling it back and forth between his palms and waited for her to look away where he stood near, and when she did he tossed the snowball straight for her chocolate brown hair.

Smack

Hermione immediately looked straight over from where the snow ball hit her, but Draco outsmarted her. When he released the snowball he rushed over to the corner, slowly sneaking around behind Hermione as she analyzed the spot that Draco threw the surprise from. She crept slowly towards the stone wall. Draco slyly snuck behind her. Hermione paused at the side of the stone wall, where is he she said to herself over and over. She stuck her head behind the stone wall to find nothing. Confused she started to back up looking around checking things twice. Then at that moment Draco rushed at her, yelling, scaring Hermione. He pushed her into a big pile of snow. He was pressed against her warm body when they landed. He was laughing generously, a laugh that Hermione and a lot of the others never saw. Hermione was upset from him pushing her into snow at first but she let down her stubborn side and started to laugh along as well. They were so caught up in laughing they didn't realize how close they really were and how their laughs had died down. Draco just gazed into her soft brown eyes, placing his hand on the side of her right cheek, cupping it slightly, thumbing back and forth over her skin. Soon her soft laughs slowed and she was looking straight back at him. They remained there in the pile of snow for a few minutes, gazing back into each others eyes, smiling.

From the side of the Stone wall stood Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore.

"Hope shines high on this day, Dumbledore" McGonagall said after watching Draco pounce out of no where onto Hermione into the pile of snow.

He smiled back "You were right, this plan is brilliant." They observed Hermione and Draco for a few more minutes before they knew to give them privacy.

Draco's eyes traveled back and forth sweeping across Hermione not being able to speak. He wanted to kiss her but he knew that she was still very uneasy about the previous night so he just looked into her eyes, smiling with no end. Time seemed never ending and frozen. They were stuck in a moment they could easily call their own. They were lost in each other's eyes, in each other's world.