Disclaimer: I still don't own anything. Why do you keep rubbing it in my face? Jeez. Not very nice, are we?

A/N: Well, here's the final installment. Part 3. Enjoy, and review please! Bit of a recap to start out with.

"I'm looking at the person who gave me a second chance at life. What other reason do I need?" he replied, in a very unlike Slytherin way.

"That answer sounded like something Harry would say. Stop it! I- I'm not allowed to like you! You are allowed to like me!" She was nearly shouting now. She was scared. Did she really like him? Of course not. He was a Slytherin… the person who had made her life a living hell when they came face to face. She was not allowed to have feelings for this bit of scum.

"Maybe it was. Granger, you do have to admit. If you really hated me, you would have let me die. Think about it," he said.

Hermione didn't say anything more. She turned on her heel and ran out of the Hospital Wing.

She ran all the way back to Gryffindor Tower, and up to her bed, not even bothering to say hello to Harry and Ron.

She lay on her bed and stared up at the ceiling for a long time. Did she really have feelings for Malfoy?

"Of course you don't," she thought to herself. "You had to save his life or it would have looked bad on your Head Girl record…"

No matter how many times she said it to herself –out loud or in her head- there was still this awful sinking feeling in her stomach that wouldn't go away.

At dinner that evening, that feeling was still in Hermione's stomach. She couldn't eat anything, and she was having trouble carrying on a conversation. Her mind was a million miles away.

"Hermione! HERMIONE!" She heard Harry yell from a long way off.

"Huh? What? Oh, yeah Harry?" she asked. She slammed back into the real world.

"You haven't been eating or talking- what's up?" he asked, concerned.

"It's nothing."

"No, it's not. Hermione- spill."

"I… I had a talk with Malfoy today," she found herself saying. At this point, Hermione knew she couldn't hide her mysterious errand any longer.

Harry frowned. "Why?"

Hermione snorted. "You don't know why? You can't remember that I saved his life on the train a mere two nights ago?"

"Oh… yeah… McGonagall make you tell?" he asked, apologetically.

She nodded, her chin resting in her hand. "Yeah. First day back."

"How'd he take it?" Harry asked.

Hermione didn't know what to say. Should she spill all her feelings right here, right now? She felt a slight urge to get up and run, but wasn't sure if she wanted to satisfy it.

"Hermione…" Harry said again. "How did he take it?"

Hermione still didn't say anything. All of this confusion was really beginning to take a toll on her spirits, and she felt like she was going to cry. "Um…" she said.

"Well? Hermione, what's wrong?"

"I- I can't tell you. I just CAN'T!" Hermione yelled. She stood up and ran out the Great Hall, tears splashing down her face.

"What's with her?" Ron asked, looking up from his Transfiguration notes, from which he had been studying.

Harry sighed. "I don't know."

Hermione didn't know where she was going, she was just running. Eventually, she ended up outside, by the lake.

"I can't take this anymore! Do I really like him? Do I?" she asked her reflection in the water. "I can't! I- I'm a Gryffindor! And he's just a- a foul Slytherin! I didn't save him because I had feelings for him! I saved him because I had to! I would have taken the blame if I didn't!"

Yelling hopelessly at her reflection seemed to help, as she calmed down a little.

"Are you sure that's why?" said a familiar voice behind her.

Hermione whirled around, and found herself facing the very last person she wanted to see- Malfoy.

"Go away," she said lamely. "I don't want to be near you right now."

"I heard what you were telling Potter- and your reflection. I don't think that's really what you believe. I think you're just telling yourself that because you don't want to admit you have feelings for me," said Malfoy, walking closer to her.

"I don't have feelings for you," she said, her voice cracking.

"You don't believe that. You know you don't. Come out of denial, Hermione."

Hermione felt as though the wind were knocked out of her. Did Malfoy really just use her first name? She felt slightly dizzy and sat down. Malfoy followed suit, and sat down next to her.

"Go away. Please. I can't be seen with you!" she cried.

"Hermione, stop this. You get no where in life if you're in denial."

"Stop calling me Hermione! We're enemies! We always have been- and we always will be!" said Hermione, trying desperately to believe what she was saying.

"You don't believe that. Hermione… come on. Everyone will get used to the idea eventually."

Hermione was shaking. "STOP IT!" she yelled, starting to cry again. "I-I HATE YOU!"

"Stop what? Speaking the truth? Come here, Hermione," he said, arms outstretched.

Hermione couldn't move. She was shaking too hard. Her body didn't resist as he pulled her into a hug.

"No… stop. Please…" she said weakly.

Malfoy helped her stand up. "Are you sure you want to stay this way?" he asked. "In denial?"

She shook her head. "N-no… but… Malfoy-"

"Draco… please," he interrupted. "Call me Draco."

"Draco… us being together… it- it just won't work."

"As I said before, they'll have to get used to the idea sometime. Trust me," he said fervently.

Hermione sniffled. "How can you be so sure?"

Draco wiped away a small tear that trickled down her cheek. "It's what I'm here for- some solidity. You obviously don't have enough of that right now."

She didn't say anything; she just looked into his trusting eyes.

"You trust me, don't you?" he asked.

She nodded.

He leaned in and kissed her softly, and she knew that this was her only choice.

A/N: Okay everybody, all together now- "Awwwww…" I hoped you liked my story. Reviews would be gratefully accepted!