Chapter 24: Love
A/N: Disclaimer in first few chapters!

Hermione was seething but was also hurt beyond belief. You see, she went to Diagon Alley where she was meant to be meeting Draco for lunch. Guess what sight she was met with? The love of her life kissing a stunning blonde. The brunette had felt like she had been dosed with cold water. She had wanted to go up to them but she felt her heart breaking and she just wanted to get out of there. The brightest witch of her age was just about to escape the cafe when two strong, pale arms wrapped around her upper body.

"Where you going, hon?" a familiar voice whispered huskily in her ear, nibbling her earlobe lightly. Hermione spun around in the male's arms, stopping in confusion when she was met with the pale pointy face of her boyfriend.

"Who are you?!" she hissed breaking out of his grip and backing up into the cafe.

"I'm...Draco...?" Draco's brows furrowed in confusion. "You're boy-" He stopped short, staring past her face and into the face of an impostor. "What the hell?" the real Draco roared, starting forward to attack the intruder only to be blocked by his girlfriend's arm.

"Prove it!" she responded sternly. He looked down at her innocent face and smiled softly.

"When we started seventh year, we shared the Head's Common Room." He began wistfully, staring into her lively brown eyes. "I treated you like dirt for the first 6 years that we went to Hogwarts but with Aunt Bella and Voldemort dead, no one had any hold over me anymore. I had noticed little things about you over the years...how you separated your vegetables from your meat when you were eating, how you bit your bottom lip when you got nervous or excited. I learned to grow fond of you. I wanted to protect you n 7th year, you were just so innocent...so pure. Not marred like me. You were the one true friend I had in all my years at Hogwarts apart from Blaise. I offered you an apology at the start of the year. I remember that day like it was yesterday. You were walking down the Charms corridor on your way to class when I bumped into you, sending all your books to the floor. I bent down and helped you pick them up. When all the books were off the ground, I offered to walk you to class and so I did. I apologized wholeheartedly as we were walking. I remember that you didn't believe me at first so I gripped your shoulders and spun you to face me, allowing you to see the sincerity and self-loathing in my eyes. When I had finally stopped speaking, you said softly "I forgive you, Draco." With those simple words, I felt a surge of love and compassion for you. From that moment on, I wanted to protect you. I wanted to hold you in my arms and forget that the world existed. At that moment, I knew that I loved you. Now that we are in a relationship, I can freely say that I love you. So...I love you, Hermione Granger and I always will."

As Draco finished his speech, the woman he poured his heart out to sobbed in joy and flung her arms around his neck.

"I love you, too." Hermione mumbled into her boyfriends neck. The young man's heart swelled and he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. He picked her up off the ground and spun her around a couple of times until they were both dizzy and giddy with happiness and love.

"No!" a voice interrupted them as Draco placed both her feet back on the floor. While still in the confines of her lover's arms, the brunette witch spun to face the speaker. She was met with the deforming face of the fake Draco Malfoy. As the Polyjuiced facade slowly receded, she was left facing her ex-fiance, Ron Weasely.

"Ronald!" she forced out through clenched teeth. "How dare you! I love this man with all my heart and you dare to come in here, Polyjuiced like him and kiss a random woman. Let me guess! You're main goal was to break us up, wasn't it?" Ron looked down at the ground. "You would believe that I would go back to you even after you cheated on me? Ha! You think WRONG! I love Draco and I want to spend the rest of my life with him...if he'll have me..." she glanced back uncertainly to see a beaming face. He immediately nodded his head when he saw her hesitant look. He was at loss for words. This was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. He didn't deserve her but he loved her so...wasn't that enough?

"Yes, Hermione Granger. I would be honored to spend the rest of my life with you!"

"I love you, Draco Malfoy!" she smiled, hugging him tightly and meeting his lips in a tender kiss.

The youngest Weasely son was gobsmacked but he did not fail to notice the auras of love that spread from the couple. That's when he realized that he was a fool to let her go but that it was too late to ever win her back. She had moved on and all that he wanted was to see her happy. He smiled a little sadly.

"Hermione!" he called out as he backed up towards the Floo Network. He watched as she turned in his enemy's arms. "I'm sorry for everything I have done to hurt you but I hope we can still be friends. Good luck with her new life. I hope you will be happy with Malfoy." With that, he disappeared to his family home.

"You too, Ron...you too." she mutterd to herself, snuggling closer to her boyfriend's chest.

A/N: Awwwwwww! I am aware that this may be moving a bit too fast but I can't help it. It just popped into my head as I was writing it! Anyway, hope ye all enjoyed that chapter!

loves to read234~Thank you! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Guest~Ok...none of this is true so I am just letting my imangination run away with me here!

Goose~He never had a choice did he? But please, if you don't like my story...please don't read it!

Beetle126~I really enjoyed writing it! Thanks for your review!

agustine~The imagination is a wonderful thing!

LittlebigmouthOKC~I know! It's quite embarrassing for the rest of his family!

Thanks for all your support! Keep it up! Means a lot! Toodles!