Chapter 24 And So It Goes.

Draco's POV

I woke up the next morning, a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. The night before flashed back into my head and I groaned. I rolled over, warring with myself. I had left her standing there, my other half. I hadn't expected to find her so quickly, so early in life.

And I had never stopped to ask her name, or to even look at her unmasked face.

How stupid could I have been? And with the war more inevitable by the day, I sighed heavily. I shook my head and tucked the thoughts back into the corner of my heart. I would find her again someday, for now I had to get up and face another cold, lonely, loveless day. I looked out the window. The sky was grey, fitting for the first day of November.

Fitting for my mood. I walked downstairs to the shower and was disgruntled to find it occupied. I knocked and heard Herm-Granger call back that she'd be out in a few minutes, if I would kindly wait. I glared at the door and stomped over to a couch and sat. A few minutes later, the door opened and she emerged wrapped in steam and a gold towel.

"All yours." She said quietly, not her usual cheerful self. I glanced quickly at her face, but it held nothing. I watched her walk toward the stairs, limping lightly on her injured ankle, but upright all the same. Her hair hung down her back in dark, gentle wet curls. A flash of memory hit me, too quickly to identify and I shook my head and walked into the bathroom.

It smelled like her, all girly and sweet. I quickly lathered up my bodywash, erasing her scent from the air, but not before another flash of memory. I shook my head again. I was torturing myself. I was bound to see her everywhere, even in my plain fellow prefect. She attended this school, but I wasn't sure if I would ever find her again.

Stop.

I had to stop. This would never work, tormenting myself. I would forget, and if I ever stumbled across her again then I would never let her go. Until then, I had to close my heart. Yes, Draco. Close it as you should have years ago. I cursed at the voice in my head, but I knew it was hopeless. I knew I wouldn't be coming back after Christmas. No one would, even if the school still stood. It would no longer be safe to leave your homes, not that parents would let the children who survived.

I hope she survived.

Hermione's POV

The time from the Halloween ball to Christmas passed in a blur. Malfoy refused to have any contact with me, citing my dirty blood and inferior intellect. I carefully finished the Polyjuice potion but never added the final ingredient, the bit that would change the potion to allow you to change. I found something else that would stabilize the potion until it was time to add it. Snape was duly impressed and even allowed me the use of the potions room and a few things from his personal supply cabinet on occasion. Harry, Ron, Ginny and I were back to how we had been when I still lived in the Gryffindor common room. I spent most of my time there, only escaping to my common room when the ache over him grew too great.

I didn't know his name and I still ached for his touch, his kiss. I would bury myself in my homework and extra projects then and try to forget, but he was never far away from my thoughts. I was unsure of how or why I had been so taken by him, or why he was still plaguing me weeks later.

At least, that's what I told myself. My heart knew better. It knew how deep that connection had been built and it was loathe to give it up. I would occasionally find myself looking for him in classes, but he was never there. My knight was gone and only the jesters were left.

Draco became more cruel the closer we got to Christmas break. The whole school was excited, but he and the Slytherins were black holes that sucked the joy out of the atmosphere. The day before break began, I was in my room packing when he walked in. He stood in my door way looking lost and very anxious.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" I asked in a cold tone. He stared past me, out the window at the snow that fell softly. "Malfoy? I asked you a question. What do you want?" His eyes snapped to me, and the despair I saw in them stopped my breath. Suddenly, he turned and left without saying a word.

I began to breathe again, but it was hard. I shivered, then jumped as an owl pecked on the window. I stood to let it in, but found myself not wanting to go near it. It was a large, black eagle owl. Everyone in the school knew who it belonged to. Finally, I stepped toward it and it allowed me to pull off the letter before it bit my finger sharply, drawing blood. I yelped and it seemed to smirk much like its master before it flew back out the window. The letter was unaddressed, but the owl would not make a mistake. My hands shook as I opened it to find a few words in beautiful handwriting upon the page. I read it, over and over, unable to grasp its meaning. When I did I ran to his room. It was cold and completely empty. I sank to the floor, terrified by what this meant, for me and those around me.

Don't take the train.

And that's how I believe I'll end this story. Don't worry, that's now how I expected it to end either. I thought it would be much fluffier, but I want the danger, the suspense, and release from the confines of Hogwarts. It can't hold these two much longer, and this would be the best way to get them out and set them on the paths that will eventually lead them back to each other in the next story.

Which wont be long. I don't know how much longer my muse will stay, but I intend to work her to death tonight before she goes. Perhaps I'll have the whole story, perhaps not. Either way, I hope you enjoyed this. Thank you for reading.

K