"Look, I'm just trying to tell you guys what happened! Can't you please accept my decision? I don't see why you two are being so stubborn!"

Ron and Harry stopped and turned to look at their desperate (but not showing it) friend. "Hmm…I wonder, Hermione! Could it be, perhaps, that it's because he has been our mortal enemy for what, 6 years!" Ron retorted sarcastically.

Hermione shook her head in disbelief. Why couldn't they just accept her and Draco? Sure Ron was right—they had been mortal enemies—but she was their best friend and they should have supported her choices whether they liked it or not!

She felt a small onslaught of tears coming on, but she tried to blink them away. "Please, Ron. Harry. I know you two don't like—sorry, hate—him, but please just at least support us whether you don't like our friendship or not! I've been your best friend from ever since first year. I don't think this one incident should change that, do you? I chose to be with Draco, and you can't just ignore me forever! You can ignore him all you want to, you can hate him with all your might, hell, you can even complain to the whole school about him and me…but please don't give me the cold shoulder, for I believe our friendship is more important than just throwing it away for some petty thing! I need you guys, and, frankly, you need me too even if you won't admit it."

Her two friends looked at each other, and were going to walk away again, but they didn't feel they'd be able to live with the guilt of Hermione's so wanting request. Ron couldn't speak, but Harry replied for both of them. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but we really were always going to be your friend, Hermione, no matter what. You're right—friendship does go farther (and ours especially) that anything. Nothing should come in the way of it. Forgive us?"

Hermione smiled widely and threw her arms around both of them, inhaling the sweet scent that belonged to only them. "Oh, thank you! You two are the best people and the best friends anyone could ever have." She said, her voice muffled in Harry's shirt.

"Yeah, yeah. Now go get Malfoy—sorry Hermione, but I don't think we'll ever call him Draco—before we change our decision." Ron spoke at last.

Hermione said nothing, but her smile widened, more than she thought it could.

"Draco, Draco, Draco!" Hermione called excitedly when she finally spotted the platinum blonde head of hair in the crowded hallway.

He frowned and turned around, no smile evident on his face, but his blue eyes happy. "What?" he asked.

"Ron and Harry are alright with us being together!" her expression could not seriously be any more exhilarated.

"Wonderful. Potter and the Weasel." He said without thinking. His eyes turned shifty and he looked at her with a weak smile.

Hermione scowled harshly, but she could hardly get mad at him. "You can't call them that, Malfoy! If they're willing to compromise, you have to too!"

"Thanks for the tip, now I'll know when you're mad. You call people by their last names."

"Do i? How many people have noticed?" she asked worriedly.

"I dunno. I mean, I did just now."

"Perfect. Just fantastic."

"Hey, come on, now. It'll be fine. It's not that big of a deal." He said, putting his arm around her.

She wriggled out of his grip and stared at him with her hands on her hips. Well, stared as in looked up about seven inches. "Draco Lucius Malfoy, it is a big deal! Guys are so insensitive!"

He looked at her with interest. "You know, you get cute when you're angry."

"I—I—what?" she inquired incredulously. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"Just what it sounds like."

"I resent that! I do not look…look…cute, especially when I'm angry." She defended.

"Oh, yes you are."

"I—"

She was cut off by his quick kiss, which soon turned into a deeper one, and though she protested at first, she gave in to his charm, and kissed him back. She was slightly aware of the other people in the hall going outside, in the Great Hall to eat, in the Library, or wherever else, but she didn't pay them much mind, for they weren't concerning her a whole lot. She felt his hands move to her lower back, and she frowned into his mouth, vaguely telling him he'd better not move any lower than that. To her relief, he didn't, but that didn't stop her either from wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

Finally, after a few more glorious seconds which felt like hours, she separated herself from him. "Is this really happening?" she asked seriously, looking deep into his now shadowed eyes.

"What do you mean?" he asked, almost breathless.

"I mean, we used to hate each other and now look at us! How did this happen?"

"I don't know, but that doesn't mean it isn't right, does it?"

She smiled, her arms still gracing his neck. "No, it doesn't I suppose. I just—I don't know. It just seems surreal. Are you sure this isn't some long dream? Are you sure we're really doing what we think we are?"

"Hermione, no more questions, alright? You want to know the truth? I love you. I always have."

"You—you what?"

"Not exactly the reply I was looking for..."

"Oh, Draco, just be quiet. You know I love you, too. I was merely asking if this is all truly happening. If this happiness is going to stay forever."

"I hope so." he replied deeply, cutting off any more questions with his lips.

Any more matters that were running through her brain now ceased themselves, shutting them away in the farthest niches of her mind, not likely to ever surface again. Whatever hardships they would face, what they had faced would be nothing they couldn't conquer…for Draco was hers…and hers forever.

-The End -