Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter.

Phantom Lover

Chapter Eight

None of them moved. They all stood there in a confused triangle, different thoughts running through all of their heads. Hermione's eyes never wandered from Ron's furious face, who had nothing but eyes for Malfoy.

Quick as a flash, Ron tackled Malfoy, ramming him against the tree.

"RON!" Hermione screamed, clapping a hand to her mouth.

Ron ignored her cry. All he wanted to do right then was break every bone in Malfoy's body.

XXX

"Dammit Ron!" I screamed, as I shoved Ron, some hours later in the common room, after Draco had been escorted to the Infirmary, and Ron sentenced with a weeks worth of detention. "Can't you learn to ever control your damn temper!

Ron scowled. "Why are you making this into something bigger then it bloody is, Hermione? He had his hands all over you, what else was I supposed to do, let him keep doing it? He's scum, Hermione, can't you see that! After everything he's done to you, you're just going to let him touch you with his filthy hands?"

I glared at Ron, who was making my temper come out of me. "I can make my own decisions, Ronald! You're not my mother!"

"I may bloody well not be, but I'm your fucking boyfriend!" he yelled at me, stepping toward me. "That means something, Hermione!"

"I don't care, Ron! Just because I'm your girlfriend, does not make me your freaking property!"

"You don't care, do you? You've never cared, have you, Hermione?" Ron said, his voice dropping in volume. "You've never felt the same way about me that I have about you..."

I bit my lip nervously. "Of course I've cared, Ron, why would you say something like that?"

"But you've never loved me, have you, Hermione?"

I closed my eyes, and drew in a breath. "I did Ron, I did," I whispered, as tears welled up in my eyes. "Things changed. Feelings change."

"But... Malfoy, Hermione? After all the hell he's put us through for the past six years, you can just accept the fact he's changed like that?"

"People change, Ron."

He scoffed. "Not him. I promise you Hermione, he's going to screw you over. He can never change. He's always going to be the same. Always. Even someone as pure as you can't change him," he paused, and looked up at me. "I guess that's it then."

"What?"

"If that's the way you feel about... everything... there's no point in us staying together, Hermione," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I'll always be here for you, Hermione, just remember that."

I walked over to him, and kissed him on the cheek. "I know Ron, I know. Thank you for everything. Thank you for understanding."

He shrugged. He walked passed me, and up the stairs to his dormitory. How Harry was going to react, wasn't something I was looking forward too.

XXX

I heard soft voices exchanging words next to my bed. I chuckled to myself. I let old Weaselbe get to me. Hell, I don't blame him. After the six years of torture I've put him through, why wouldn't he want to beat the stuffing out of me? I never thought I'd end up in here, though.

I heard somebody pull the curtains around my bed. I looked up, and saw the face of an angel. She smiled.

"Hey," she said softly, running a finger over my cut lip. "I'm sorry, Draco."

I laughed. "It's okay, Hermione. He was just defending his girlfriend. Hell, I would've done the same."

"Yeah, but, he didn't have to do this to you."

"I'm okay, Hermione, it's nothing serious at all. Just a few cuts and bruises. It'll be fixed in no time. I mean, I can leave now if I want. Don't worry about it," I said smirking.

My smirk got her to smile. "Fine, Draco. I just wanted to come and check on you, to make sure you were alright," she said, turning to leave. "I've got to go to dinner now."

"If you wait a moment, we can go together."

She didn't say anything for a few minutes. "Are you sure about that, Draco?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You know why, Draco."

I sighed, throwing the covers off me, walking to the other side of the bed. "Yeah... but I'm sure about this, Hermione. I'm sure about us."

She smiled, her cheeks turning pink. I finished dressing, and walked over to her. I kissed her on top of the head, and entwined her fingers with mine. We walked into the Great Hall, and I never let go of her.

XXX

We walked into the Great Hall, all eyes on us. I couldn't help but get that nervous feeling in my stomach. I knew what people were thinking. The Slytherins, of course, were thinking how much Draco had brought shame to the House. The Gryffidors were thinking how I had brought shame to them.

He let go of my hand, and we went to our seperate tables. I sat down infront of Ron and Harry, who were both silent. The Hall erupted in babble once again, after a few moments.

"Can I have the potatoes?" I asked, as people around us began to talk again.

"Don't worry about it, Hermione," Harry muttered, as he passed the potatoes.

"What?"

"You know what, Hermione."

I sighed. "Why wouldn't I worry about it, Harry? You've hated him for years, and you expect me to not worry about something like this? I just want to make sure it's okay with you.. if he's... my friend."

Harry looked at me, and chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?"

He smiled. "If you love him, it's not my decision if you're to be with him or not. I trust you," he paused. "But if he does anything to you, I'll hang him."

I laughed. "Thank you, Harry. Ron..." for the first time since I had broken up with him, I glanced at him. He was smiling.

"It's okay, Hermione. I'll always love you, just remember that. But, go on, it's your choice, love," he said, still smiling.

I couldn't help but smile. It seemed as if everything was perfect now. I let my eyes wonder over to the Slytherin table, and I met those warm, silver eyes I had missed so much.

XXX

"Put me down, Malfoy!" Hermione yelled, as she hit him on the back.

It had been to wonderful months since the two lovers had been seeing each other, and they had become unseperatable. For the first week or two, however, the two had come encountered with many insults and putdowns, and frowns. However, even though not everyone agreed with their relationship, everyone seemed to be letting it roll off their shoulders.

It was close to the end of their seventh year, with a month left of school. Hermione and Draco had enjoyed each and every one of those days spending time with each other.

"I mean it, Malfoy!" she said, her laughter glittering the atmosphere around them.

"Not until you say it, Hermione," he said, packing her along over his shoulder to their favourite spot.

"No! This time, I won't give in!"

"Then I won't let you down," he said, sitting down under the tree, her still over his shoulder.

She growled in frustration. "Fine. I love you, Draco," she said, as she slipped from his grasp.

He grinned. "That's my girl."

She fell into his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck. "You don't have to do that to get me to tell you I love you, you know," she said, pressing her forhead against his.

He smiled, and stared into her eyes. He put a strand of hair behind her ears. "Yeah, I know, but it's fun to have complete control over you."

"Oh really?" she said, brushing her lips against his playfully.

"Indeed," he said, his mouth pressed against hers.

She pulled her head back, and pressed a finger to his lips. "I don't think so," she said smiling mischievously.

"What? You're going to deny me kisses?" he said, raising his eyebrows.

"Yep, I am."

"No, you're not," he growled, and rolled her onto the ground.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Kissing you," he said, pressing his lips to hers.

Hermione smiled in the kiss, and ran her fingers through his soft hair. She playfully licked his bottom lip, and his mouth opened to hers in response. She felt his tongue slide gracefully into her mouth as their tongues danced together.

Hermione pressed herself against his long body, intensifing the kiss. She grinded her hips into his, teasing him. She heard him suppress a low growl in his throat. His hands felt their way under her shirt, his long fingers itching to unclasp her bra. He earned a low moan from her lips as he removed her shirt.

Hermiones hands crawled down his back, removing his shirt from his back. Draco's lips were broke from hers as he made little kisses all over her face and chest, removing her bra, kissing between the crevice of her breast. He moved his hands down her stomach, his fingers inching into the waist band of her skirt.

"Draco..." she purred, as she toyed with his pants, pulling them off.

Draco let out a small growl as he kissed on her stomach, removing her skirt, revealing her teal panties. His hands easily removed her panties, her body finally his. He teased her, kissing around her theighs, earning another moan escape her lips. He kissed back up her stomach gently, his hands massaging her breast as he found her lips.

He felt her legs straddle him around the waist as he entered her slowly. She heard a whisper of his name from her lips as he pressed her to him. He let a growl escape from his lips as he slid in and out of her, her breath becoming short gasps. His lips carassed her face and neck, his tongue playfully licking and sucking on her neck.

She arched her back, digging her fingernails into his back. His hands slid down her back, pushing her in him more. He heard a long low moan escape from her lips as she climaxed slowly. He felt himself release his seed into her, as she moaned out his name as she released her orgasm.

Her body untensed in his arms, as she slowed down, exhausted. She lay down next to him, his hand wrapped around her waist. They lay there together, as the night air wrapped around them.

XXX

"Long time, no see, Malfoy," said a voice.

I looked up and saw Blaise. "Hey, Zabini."

"How are you and the- your girlfriend?" he said, a flash of guilt in his eyes.

"Well, we're good. Just the same. We have our fights here and there, but everything's okay."

Things were going better then okay, actually. Hermione and I had been getting along fantastic, the only obstacle in our way being love. Nobody had bothered us about our relationship since the first week we had been dating. It seemed as if nobody cared. Graduation was getting closer, and I was prepared to take any road to have Hermione with me all the time. Even if it was a bonding road. I loved her enough to do it.

"That's great," he said, almost to quickly. What the hell is wrong with him? "Hey, Malfoy, can you come here for a sec? I wanna show you something."

I shrugged. "Sure, why not." I tossed the magazine I was rifling through, and followed him.

XXX

"This has got to work," I said, as I heard footsteps coming towards me. "It's time for him to see the real light. He should know better than to be with that thing," I paused, and stood under the tree. I patted my hair down, as I saw two figures coming toward me.

I chuckled. "Well, this should fix it."

XXX

"Hey, Gin, have you seen Draco?" I asked her, as she stood with Harry by the lake.

She raised a brow. "Yeah, I thought he was with you. Over by "your tree," so to speak," she said, pointing.

I raised my eyebrows. "No... but thanks."

I hadn't seen Draco in a couple of hours, and was worried about him. I made my way over to our tree, (which we had called it, after so many wonderful things had happened under it), and saw two people embraced under the tree.

I chuckled. Well, evidently, someone else had found the tree too.

I stopped suddenly when I saw who it was. I gasped, a hand covering my mouth. The two mysterious lovers becoming real. So horribly real. I felt tears come to my eyes.

It was Draco, his arms wrapped around another women, one who I thought he had pushed away forever.

Sam Grisom.

A/N Well, I changed up the last part a bit, because I got some reviews that said, "why is it always Pansy that he cheats on her with? Why not someone else?" so I decided to make up my own character, thanks to "Midnite at Noon." Thanks bunches! Toodles!