So I had hoped maybe for some more reviews, but I guess I'll keep posting. Maybe this time I'll get some reviews.

Harry Potter & Co. are owned by J.K. Rowling, not me. : (

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With the end of school came the first snow, more homework, and the worst news Hermione would ever receive in her life. By now the entire school had grown accustomed to seeing Draco and Hermione walking down the hall, or in the library together. Except for the few giggling first year girls who insisted they were a secret couple, those rumors were squashed by a livid Harry and Ron, no one found it out of the ordinary.

One bitter cold morning in the dank dungeons, Snape's instructions were interrupted by a pale McGonagall at his door.

"Pardon me Severus, but I need you to come with me Ms. Granger," she gave her a pointed look, mentally pleading her to not ask questions. Hermione gathered her bags, trying her hardest to avoid Snape's death glares. Halfway to the door McGonagall spoke again. "You as well Mr. Malfoy." Whispers followed them out the door, whispers that were silenced as Snape resumed his lesson.

"Follow me please." Hermione would have been okay, if it weren't for the odd stares her favorite professor kept giving her. Her first thoughts when she was called were that she had failed a test, but then she was extremely thrown off when Draco was called as well. Draco seemed to sense the nervousness in her, because as the followed McGonagall down the hall he slipped his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. Hermione accepted his comfort willingly, placing her head on his shoulder in return.

"Skittles." McGonagall muttered, mumbling something about ridiculous passwords as they went up the stairs. Draco and Hermione shared a mirthful look, becoming serious once more as they entered the headmasters office. Hermione's heart dropped as she surveyed her headmaster. Whatever they were here for could not be anything good. Sitting there in his deep blue, silver speckled robes, he looked older than he should have.

"Please," he waved his wand and configured three chairs in front of his desk, "have a seat. Lemon drop?" All three denied, and even Dumbledore himself didn't take one. He gave a haggard sigh. "I'm not sure how I'm going to do this, I don't believe I've ever had a more unpleasant task. While this concerns both of you, I'm afraid Ms. Granger will bear most of the brunt. Last night, there was an unexpected death eater attack on a muggle neighborhood-,"

Hermione let out a gasp of understanding, as she clasped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes instantly filled with tears, all the time tightening her grip on Draco's hand. He took the pain as he now understood why he had been tagging along. Dumbledore saw the recognition in their eyes, damning the god's for allowing these kids to be put through this kind of hell.

"Ms. Granger, I'm sorry. Yours was the first house they hit. They left a note as well," he said turning to Draco. He handed him a piece of parchment smeared with what was unmistakably blood. 'Her parents' blood,' his mind thought for a moment, but he pushed that thought away and read the note aloud instead.

"The Dark Lord does not reward traitors, or their friends." So it was his fault, because she was friends with him, her parents had been killed. A mixture of hatred and embarrassment filled him completely. How could he stand to face her, him, the reason her parents would no longer hug or kiss their baby girl. He looked up to see that he was being watched by Dumbledore.

"I called you down here Draco, because I wanted to tell you that no matter what anyone says, you did the right thing." But Draco wasn't listening his whole world was spinning. He noticed he was now the one squeezing Hermione's hand, and he dropped it like it was a poisonous snake. He got up unsteadily and ran for the door, feeling the need to crush something, or kill himself.

"Go to him, Ms. Granger, if there was ever a time you needed each other more it's now." She didn't argue as she bolted from the room, wondering if she could find Draco before she puked. She did. Curled up in a ball at the base of the wall not ten feet from where she was currently standing. She staggered over to him and collapsed in front of him. She wanted to say something, anything, she opened her mouth but nothing would come out. It was as if her insides had dried up, the churning in her stomach, and burning in her brain were enough to let her know she was alive.

They sat there in silence for several minutes, until Draco looked up to find Hermione still with him, giving him the saddest look he'd ever seen. The damn burst.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Oh Merlin, if it weren't for me, this is entirely my fault. I'm sorry." His voice cracked more than once as he gazed up at the girl who had so easily accepted him. She grabbed him and pulled him to her in a fierce hug. Her small frame shook as he placed his arms around her back.

"Draco it's not your fault, don't you ever believe that, ever. Do you understand?" She pulled back and cupped both his cheeks in her hands. "Tell me you understand." She was crying so hard her vision was blurry, but she was still able to see him nod his head. "Thank you." She mumbled, wrapping her arms back around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder. Anybody walking by would have been awestruck by the two sitting on the floor, a tearstained mess. Thirty seconds after she laid her head down, she suddenly hopped to her feet and took off running down the hall. Draco didn't know what happened until she was to the corner. He caught up to her as she flew into the girl's lavatory.

He paused for a moment, and then ran in after her. She was bent over a toilet, seconds from hurling when he pulled her hair up out of her face. He continued to hold it as she emptied her guts into the basin. As the class bell rang he shut the stall door, in case anyone stopped in.

Hermione finally flushed for the last time as the bell for class to start, rang. She stood up a little too fast though, and in her exhausted state, over balanced and landed on Draco's chest, who in turn over balanced as well, and fell until his back hit the closed door. The crying had drained them, causing Draco to slide down the door, still holding Hermione pressed against him back to chest, until they were sitting on the floor of the girl's bathroom. Hermione's body continued to be racked with sobs, as Draco held her close to him, trying not to think about what he would do without her. They sat there for who knows how long, Hermione in-between Draco's legs, with her head leaned back on his shoulder, Draco with his arms protectively around her shoulders. They stayed like that until a frantic McGonagall found them and levitated them to the hospital wing.

The rest of the school year passed without much excitement. Hermione told Harry and Ron about her parents, choosing to leave her experience afterwards a secret. She was a bit shocked to wake up in the hospital ward the next morning, but other than McGonagall, no one needed to know. They took their testing later on, leaving all but two sixth years yearning for the summer.

It was two weeks before the mass of students would cram into the Hogwarts Express for the journey back home. Hermione and Draco were sitting on the edge of the Astronomy tower's balcony, when he voiced a good point.

"Hermione, where are you going this summer?" she gazed out at the sky, and turned to look at him.

"I don't know. I don't really have anywhere to go do I?" Draco acted like he was struggling with himself to say his next thoughts.

"You don't suppose Dumbledore might let us…stay here do you?" His face expressed worry and hope at the same time making Hermione smile at him.

"It's worth a shot." And with that she grabbed his hand and led him to Dumbledore's office. The conversation was short and extremely satisfying. As it turned out, they were the new head boy and girl. Although they had to swear not to tell anyone, Dumbledore offered them the ability to stay the summer at Hogwarts, in their new dorms. Both agreed on the spot.

"Oh, and one more thing Ms. Granger, I'm sorry to say that the first week of the summer you are to stay at your aunt and uncle's." They were about to retort when Dumbledore interrupted. "It seems that until you are 18 you are still underage in the muggle world, Draco is now an adult, but you Ms. Granger will have to wait until your 18th birthday." They couldn't argue with that, and eventually decided that one week wouldn't be so bad. At least they would be able to enjoy the rest of the summer, having their run of the castle.

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Now if the readers would be ever so kind as to review, it would be much appreciated. By the by, this story is now finished so expect updates to be every other day or so.