*cries* My Draco! He's finally been real life kissed! Hermione stand in line! I WAS HERE FIRST!

*grabs Draco* Kiss me!

Draco: She's crazy! Security! Get her off of me!

*Crabbe and Goyle drag GirlEnigma away kicking and screaming* You say this now! But we both know who was in your bed last night!

Hermione: Draco! How could you!?

Draco: H-How did you know that I sleep with my wand still!?!

Both women: *falls*

Well just because the story got a mush moment doesn't mean it's over! I'm still kicking! (Sort of...) Eat my arthritis fastest typing fingers in the west! BWAHAHAH! ACTUALLY I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY! BWAH! *sticks tongue out* (Now why'd I do that...?)

But seriously I'm just sitting around listening to 'Do You Call My Name' by Raw waiting for reviews. When did the review well run so dry?! It's not everyday you see an insane Draco-loving-anime-otaku running around the net! (Ok...well I'm actually more than a normal person should be. And if you lived around my town you'd see me everywhere! I just sort of pop out behind shrubbery to scare people... BWAH! But I can do that without using the element of surprise! Hee hee!)

*dances* Don't sue! I don't own Harry Potter! I only own the shirt on my back and the split personality in my head! (Which I'd be willing to trade for Draco... Any takers?) Well I had to try...

BWAH! Ja ne!!!

And a warm shout to MysticalStormz! Thank you for such nice reviews! I really appreciate it! (And I will try to add some of the things into my story that you had questions about. Like the bad feeling, etc.)

Hermione brightly walked down the hallway. She kissed Draco last night. Hermione didn't want to admit that she really liked Draco at first, but now she knew that she was in love with him.

That posed a problem though. She had recently found out that Harry and Ron were in love with her. She didn't want to hurt her friends like that though. Hermione's smile faded a slight bit. How was she going to tell Harry and Ron that she didn't want a romantic relationship with them?

She sighed. Hermione knew that they wouldn't take the news anywhere near well. Wouldn't they want her to be happy even if it wasn't with them?

"Hermione!" Lavender waved cheerfully, "How are you? I haven't talked to you in ages."

"Oh hello Lavender," Hermione smiled half-heartedly, "I've been better. What about you?"

"I'm just peachy," Lavender giggled, "I had a brilliant evening with Wes. Double cool with knobs."

"Wes?" Hermione asked.

"He's my new boyfriend," Lavender said cheerfully, "He's a 6th year Ravenclaw. He has wonderful hands if you know what I mean," she winked.

"Oh," Hermione blushed, "Well I wouldn't know anything about that..."

"Don't be shy," Lavender said, "You must have had a boyfriend."

"Um..." Hermione blushed from embarrassment, "Not really. But... Oh never mind."

"No, no not never mind! Maybe I could help you out with your love problems."

"Well I do have a slight problem..."

"Go on then!"

"These two boys...they've been my friends for a long time...but they have a crush on me."

"Marvy! I knew you had to get some action sooner or later."

"Ah... W-well I don't like either of them like that. I'm in love with another guy. He's a...Slytherin and not a very nice known one either."

"That's always trouble. And you need some guidance on what to do?"

"Yes. Very much so."

"Hmm... Did you talk to this Slytherin bloke? He might provide some enlightenment on the situation."

"I haven't seen him since last night..."

"Well do you think he'll stay with you? I mean do you think he'll want to go out with you?"

Hermione thought back and remembered that Draco wasn't allowed to publicly even talk civilly to her. Hermione frowned, "I...don't think so."

"Then the choice is obvious! Forget about the Slytherin and go out with one of your friends because at least then you'll have a nice relationship and maybe make him jealous too."

Hermione took in her words. Hermione might be the smartest girl in the school but she didn't know anything about romance and certainly nothing about expressing her feelings. She didn't know if this was the right way to go about this.

"Well I've got to be off," Lavender sighed, "I hope you work out your 'problems'. Bye!"

"Bye...and thanks for trying," Hermione smiled.

"No problem," Lavender said as she walked away from Hermione.

Hermione looked around to see Draco walking toward her in the empty hallway. He met her eyes and gestured to the library. Hermione nodded and left to the library. She was glad that Draco wanted to talk.

"Hello," Hermione smiled as Draco entered.

"Yeah," Draco nodded, "So...I've come to talk to you about something..."

"I have to talk to you about something too..." Hermione nodded.

"Ok. Well...I'll start. Is that ok?"

"Sure."

"Sit down," Draco said.

Hermione sat down and Draco started to pace nervously in front of her. His gray eyes were clouded with questions and she could tell that he was doing his best to sort out his feelings too.

"I... I don't think we should see each other again," Draco sighed, running a hand through his pale hair that wasn't gelled down today.

"...W-what? Why not?" Hermione asked. She didn't really want to take Lavender's advice. She wanted to be with Draco!

"My father is serious about this respect crap he yells at me every waking moment," Draco said seriously, "He wouldn't think twice to kill you or anyone else to make a point. I don't want anyone to die just so I can be with you."

"Why?" Hermione sniffed. She didn't understand. Wouldn't Draco want to find a way to be with her?

"I just told you Hermione," Draco said blankly, "It can't work. You have to stay far away from me. If you interact with me your life will be in danger. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Draco..." Hermione cried, "What's wrong with you? Usually you wouldn't listen to anyone. You'd only do what you want to do. That's why you kissed me, right? Because you wanted to."

Draco paused. He turned and looked at the floor. His form was rigid. Hermione didn't like it.

"D-Draco?" Hermione pleaded.

"Don't even glance at me anymore," Draco said softly, "My father suspects something already... If being even crueler to you is what I have to do...then don't think I won't. I'm going to protect you," Draco said heatedly, whipping around to stare at her, "Even if you don't like it."

Tears leaked out of Hermione's eyes. Why had he given her one of the best moments in her life and then snatch it away? She understood that he was trying, in his own way, to watch over her, but this would get both of them no where fast.

"Draco," Hermione said, trying to keep her voice steady, "I...understand what you're trying to do but...don't you see that it doesn't help either of us at all!"

"It keeps us alive!" Draco shouted, "He'll kill you!"

"Being without you will drive me crazy too," Hermione said sadly, "Can't I come see you sometimes?"

"No."

"In secret?"

"There are no safe places."

"You're making this impossible for me..." she sniffed.

"I'm not going to say that I'm sorry," Draco answered, "If I would show you a shred of kindness you would hope for us again. I don't want to further your suffering. You'll just have to get over me."

"What if I don't want to?!" Hermione yelled, standing up, "This isn't your decision alone to make!"

"It is when I'm the problem!" Draco yelled back.

"You were never a problem! You were a solution!"

"You don't know what I am!"

"Then tell me!"

Draco turned and gave me a last glance. I could tell that this was the last time I'd be able to freely look into his eyes. I knew that he had given up on our relationship before it even had started.

I also knew that Draco had some very serious problems and that his father and planted them deep inside him. Draco felt that he couldn't stand up for what he believed it. He had to be a different person all the time. Draco had spent so much time being this other person that he has forgotten who he really is. He forgets that his father is only human and there are ways to outmatch him. His father isn't invincible. And the fact that Draco was acting like this made Hermione mad.

"Goodbye...Hermione," Draco said, touching her cheek with a single finger and then swiftly leaving the library. She watched him leave, almost in slow motion.

"Will that be the last time you ever say my name?" she asked the empty library.

Her bad feeling had crept up on her again...but this time Hermione knew why.