A/N: A little long because I just couldn't divide it any other way. Warning for Elements of Silly-ness and some of that friendly-HHr that drives Draco nuts.

Last Chapter...

Malfoy broke the kiss as they heard the front door slam shut behind them, and rested his forehead against hers. They let their breathing slow a bit. Malfoy lifted his gaze to hers. He stared at her intensely.

"Did you bewitch me?" he murmured. "I've never…damn."

Hermione let out a ragged breath.

"I…" she trailed off. She could've said the same thing…and it scared her. "I have to go." She shoved him and took off out of the store.

"Granger," he called. "Dammit, wait!" He fixed his cloak around him and took off after her, willing his arousal to go down.

He skidded to a stop out in the middle of the street. He saw her half-running, her black hair flying behind her. Draco took off after her, over taking her shorter strides quickly. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into a side alley.

"What was that?" he exclaimed.

She refused to look at him.

"Granger?"

She jerked away from him. "Just leave me alone."

"What is wrong with you?" Malfoy demanded as he stopped her from leaving.

"This isn't right," she shook her head.

"What isn't?"

"Us. Kissing."

"Jeez, Granger, is was one kiss."

"No," her gaze suddenly shot directly to his. "It wasn't. You said it yourself. Oh God," she distractedly ran her hands through her hair. "Well, nothing can become of…what just happened, that's for sure."

Draco suddenly comprehended her turmoil and lifted a knowing eyebrow.

"Oh, really?"

She looked at him. "Yes, really. I don't want nor do I need an entanglement with you, especially now."

"Come on, Hermione." He took a step closer. "You can't deny something's there…" he took another step, to which she retreated accordingly, "…Between us."

"Don't call me that. And yes I can ignore it all I want," she retorted, albeit her voice trembled.

He took the remaining steps towards her and took her chin in his fingers when she tried to turn away.

When he leaned in she spoke, "Malfoy, don't." And he paused and considered her.

"I told you, you have nothing to fear from me," he spoke quietly.

She shook her head ever so slightly. "Draco, please…"

He stilled and cocked his head slightly.

"Say it again," he said.

Hermione frowned. "What?"

"Say it. My name."

"Draco," she said slowly, confused.

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly as he released her chin and stepped back. Hermione let out the breath she'd been holding.

Shaking off her confusion, she addressed him, "I need your promise that you won't pursue me in any way, at least until we get through the final battle." She looked at him intensely. "I'm serious here, Malfoy. I need your oath."

He crossed his arms and considered her.

"Why is it so important to you?" he asked.

She sighed. "Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does."

"Fine. I can't let you distract me. I can't waste any energy on dealing with anything other than this. Please, give me your word?" she said, almost desperately.

It made Draco frown in deliberation. "You felt it too," he concluded finally.

"What?" Hermione flushed. "I—"

"Alright," he cut off her inevitable denial. "I'll take the oath. On one condition."

Hermione looked at him warily.

"You have to call me Draco from now on."

She frowned in confusion. "What?"

"You heard me."

"But…that's ridiculous," she stuttered.

He shrugged. "So humour me. Do we have a deal?" he held his hand out for her to take.

After a moment she did, albeit slowly.

His visage became serious as he spoke the words of his oath. Hermione felt a burning heat at the joining of their hands and then it receded quickly, leaving a pleasant tingling sensation.

Suddenly Hermione was aware of Mal- Draco's thumb caressing hers repeatedly and she pulled her hand away, glaring at him.

"Draco! The oath was barely out of your mouth!" she scolded.

He gave her his trademark smirk, only more boyish, and shrugged.

"That was to get me through the week."

Her face screwed up into disgust. "You're a pig." She turned and stalked away.

"Hey, it's not like I grabbed your arse," he said, following her. "Hanging out with Wonder Boy and Raggedy Ron has left you quite the sheltered prude."

She stopped abruptly to face him and he caught himself before he stumbled into her. "If being a prude means that I can still make sense of vaguely sexual overtures and recognize them for the wolf in sheep's clothing that they are when coming from horribly sadistic creatures such as yourself, then FINE! I'll tattoo prude on my ass if that's what it takes for you to just leave me ALONE!" Hermione spun away just as abruptly and stalked off down the street.

Malfoy stood there watching her. Bloody hell. So that's what she thought of him now. She'd been so careful up til then to not let him rile her or show him the contempt he expected from the Wonder Trio.

Yet she was not immune to wanting him.

Somebody bumped into him and broke him out of his thoughts. He suddenly realized his ride had left him in the proverbial dust and that as much fun as being stuck in the Order camp without seducing Hermione as an interesting distraction and her Wonder Dogs wandering about, Death Eaters popping out of nowhere to take him away was less appealing.

He hurried down the street looking left and right. He spotted the ends of long black hair entering a shop and strode towards it.

It was the Quidditch store. Opening the door, Potter and Granger's head turned to look at him, both none too happy to see him.

Draco pasted on his smirk and strode towards them. Hermione turned away from him, while Harry sighed.

"Well, Draco, as much as I understand you're a complete git and always will be; seriously here, I really do; I would appreciate not having to hex your ass, and then hold back half the Weasley brothers from beating you into the ground just to assuage my conscience, for pissing off the only person here somewhat willing to deal with you."

"Cool your knickers, Pothead. I'm here to give my apologies and request…erm, a little help," he mumbled the last part.

"Excuse me?" Hermione said. "My mumblish is a little rusty since I stopped training with you."

He gave her an overly sweet smile, eyes narrowed as he spoke again, this time through his teeth.

"I need a favour."

Hermione scoffed.

"And what makes you think we'll grant you anything more than lifetime's worth of boils?"

"Because," he gritted out. "You are forgiving beyond reason and simply can't help but help whom you consider the 'underdog'," he replied in an annoyed sing-song voice.

"Those boils are sounding really good to me right about now," Harry drawled.

"What do you want, M-Draco?" Hermione stared at him coolly.

"I need clothes."

Both former Gryffindors frowned in confusion at him.

"Muggle or Wizard?" Hermione questioned.

Trust her to be logical in her confused state.

"Er, Muggle."

Harry scoffed.

"So what, are you saying we take you to London and watch you dress shop?"

Draco glared at him. "Like that'd be on top of my To Do list if I didn't need your help selecting what was appropriate. And despite your ill opinion of my character, I would like an element of surprise and a measure of dignity when I avenge my mother."

A moment of silence followed as Hermione took in his words and Harry considered Draco.

"So, are you going to help me or not?"

Harry glanced at Hermione. She shrugged. Harry turned the other way and shouted for Mad-Eye.

"Think we can stop in London before we head back? Malfoy's got some…er, outfitting to do."

Mad-Eye studied Draco a bit, sizing him up with his rolling eye before responding.

"Aye. Make it quick though."

Harry turned back to Draco. "Alright then, but I draw the line at picking out knickers for you."

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"Are you making the clothes in there or what?" Hermione called out impatiently, as she sat in a random chair placed for shopper's convenience.

"Keep your knickers on," Draco grumbled as he pulled open the door.

Hermione pursed her lips as she scanned him from foot to head. Draco wore close-fitting light blue jeans, with only a white wife-beater as a shirt.

"Are these always supposed to feel so rough?" Draco asked.

Hermione shook herself out of her reverie, and lifted an eyebrow at him. "The jeans? They're durable and made for everyday wear, so no, of course they're not going to feel like silk."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"So are you going to get those? Anything else?" Hermione asked, briskly.

Draco looked back down at his pants. "Well, what do you think?"

"Me? You want the muggle-born's opinion?"

Draco grinned and leaned against the door jam. "Well, I'm not going to buy them unless you like them."

"I love them, Draco. Years of control and frugality are keeping me from demanding a pair of my own."

Amused by her answer, Draco still shrugged. "Eh…" Then he stepped back and closed the door.

Hermione rolled her eyes, and leaned forward, trying to find a more comfortable position.

"Hermione, love, will you find me some more trousers?" Draco's voice came from over the changing room door. "And throw in a couple shirts you find, too."

Hermione's eyes widened at his audacity, but figured the sooner he found clothes the sooner she could leave.

Standing, she wandered through the men's department. She grabbed three pairs of trousers, not jeans, and four shirts, all button-down, in various colours. Taking them back to Draco's changing room, she knocked.

After what sounded like a small scuffle, Draco opened the door, his face lighting up to see she had done as he asked. Commanded, rather. Shoving them into his arms, Hermione closed the door for him and told him to hurry up.

As she wandered away, noticing a rack full of packages of three of those little white undershirts Draco seemed fond of.

"Hello. Can I help you and your boyfriend find anything?"

Hermione looked up startled into the face of a rather handsome young sales agent.

"Oh, he's not my boyfriend."

"Oh," the sales agent looked not unpleased. "Well, I'm Jeremy if you need anything."

Hermione smiled slightly and nodded. Jeremy left and Hermione finished picking out a pack of undershirts before turning to head back to the changing rooms. She stopped abruptly, short of running straight into Draco's chest. She looked up at him, but he was looking over her head.

When he glanced down at her, he frowned. "Who was that?" nodding behind her.

Hermione looked over her shoulder. She saw the sales agent, Jeremy talking to a coworker and glancing over at her. Turning back to Malfoy, she said. "He just wanted to know if he could help us."

Draco snorted. "More like you out of your knickers."

Hermione frowned. "There's no call to be a twat."

"I'm not being a twat," Draco said loudly. "I just don't see why one has to be accosted and ogled while one is trying to shop!" Draco said, looking straight at the sales assistants, speaking loud enough for them to hear.

During his little outburst, Hermione started to push Draco backwards back to the dressing room.

"Okay, concerned consumer, have you finished picking out clothes?" Hermione questioned as they reached his changing room.

Draco gave her a suspicious look instead. "What, are you saying you enjoy that buffoon slobbering all over you?"

"There was no buffoon and certainly no slobber and you are wasting time. Harry and the others will be back any minute and you will have to go around naked if you do not hurry up and pick out your goddamn clothes!"

"But—"

Hermione shoved him back in the changing room, "No," and shut the door. "I don't want to hear a peep until you are finished in there. And if you don't finish quickly enough, I may just have to go visit with the slobbering buffoons."

Hermione listened through the door for his retort, but was only treated to grumbling and the scuffling sound of clothes being changed.

Finally, Draco reappeared, dressed in Muggle attire with an armful of clothes. They paid for them, while the salesman Jeremy flirted with Hermione. Draco glared daggers at him the entire time, and when they turned to leave, placed an arm around Hermione's shoulders, to which she shrugged off.

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They had a plan. They let it slip to Snape that they would be returning to Hogwarts, to regroup and prepare, to tell Voldemort, but they were already prepared.

Knowing Voldemort wouldn't be able to pass up the opportunity, to end it all at the residence of the greatest power in the world, being the megalomaniac he is. His ego had grown over the past year, making him more careless that way.

Although the trio had been collecting his horcruxes, they hadn't destroyed them yet, except for the Ravenclaw horcrux.

They were doing it that morning before they left for their alma mater.

The releasing of the scattered soul would immediately be drawn to the closest host and bit of soul, which would be Harry, but they were prepared.

Hermione and Ginny had worked on the potion for him to take, with Snape's help, and the Trio would then say a banishing spell, destroying Voldemort's soul. Hermione was also bringing so strong Pepper-Ups for Harry to regain his strength before Voldemort arrived so he could end it.

The Trio spent the night before together. Laying in Hermione's bed, they stared up at the enchanted canopy, glittering with the night's sky. They didn't say anything, since they were all thinking the same thing.

It ends tomorrow.

The tension had been building for weeks leading up to this. Nothing could be said to mitigate it. Nobody wanted to say anything to alleviate it.

Then Ron farted.

"Oh, my GOD!! Ronald!" Hermione groaned, turning her face into the pillow, facing away from him.

Harry started laughing, though covering his nose as well.

"What?!" Ron said.

Hermione just shook her head before saying, "Out, Get out of my bed with your smelliness!"

Ron held his hands up in innocence before his grin gave him away. "I didn't do anything!"

"You're disgusting, Ron."

"Hey, you can't tell me you've never done it before," Ron grinned as he turned and gave Hermione a nuggie.

"That was pretty foul, mate," Harry added, his t-shirt over the lower half of his face.

"Oi! Gang up on me both of you why don't cha." Ron exclaimed as he grabbed a pillow and started hitting them.

Harry yelped, before grabbing his own pillow and returning the favour. Hermione joined in and it was a full on pillow war.

By the time Hermione and Harry had tackled Ron and double-teamed him, loud knocking on the door brought through their commotion. It opened before they could call out, and that's how Draco found them.

Hermione straddling Ron, a pillow held high over her head, with Harry standing on the bed next to them, holding his own pillow.

Draco looked at them in disgust. "Oi, is this how you spend your last night alive?! Menage a Trio?"

A deluge of pillows struck him full force. Draco ducked amidst the laughing and pillows, as an evil grin formed on his face. As his stood up straight, the pillows rose into the air with him, before shooting straight at the trio. Draco grabbed one for him self as pillows starting flying back at him.

"Oof! Is this...how...grunt...the infamous...oof!...trio I've heard about...ugh!...all year...pth!...is supposed...mmph!...to act? Like bloody...oof!...children?!" Draco said amidst getting smacked from all sides with fluffy pillows.

The trio merely snorted and laughed. They'd been far older than their years the past twelve months. It was almost cathartic to behave in such a ridiculously juvenile manner on the eve when it all could end.

Draco stood at the bed's edge and was beating away at Harry and Ron. Every time he started to focus on one of them exclusively, however, Hermione would hit him and he would move on before their innocent fun could be ruined by old grudges.

In fact, he would focus on her, until Harry and Ron double-teaming him would get to be too much and he would take one and she would take the other.

Hermione decided she'd had enough after a while and collapsed back on her bed. The boys were still going at it, make the bed shake horrendously, so she waved her hand, creating a trundle bed to shoot out at the foot of her bed sending Draco toppling onto it, before it rose to the bed's height.

Then she sent two forces to the weak parts on the backs of Ron and Harry's legs causing them to sink and loose their balance.

The four of them lay there, Draco at the end, panting and limp from their exertions.

Then Harry drawled, "So, this would be a menage a quatro?"

Hermione giggled, and it was infectious as Ron joined her. Draco barked out a laugh. "Whatever, Potter. Just know I'm not going to be sandwiched by any of you."

"Ugh, Draco. If we didn't need to get some rest before tomorrow, you be eating my pillow." Said Hermione.

"I believe there are things I'd much rather be eating," Draco rejoined.

Ron made to sit up in a huff, but Hermione's firm hand on his chest stopped him.

"He's just teasing. Save the brute force for someone you never had a pillow fight with." Hermione said, wryly.

Ron looked at her wide-eyed, incredulous. "You don't know what he meant—"

"I know perfectly well what he meant, Ronald. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a prude. Now, if you don't want to switch places with Draco, you'll lie down and go to sleep."

Ron laid his head back, grumbling about bossy witches.

A long while later, when Ron's snores were serenading the room, Hermione lie awake.

She was facing Harry, who was laying face up. His eyes were closed but he wasn't asleep.

"Harry," she whispered.

He slowly turned his head to face her. "I love you, you know. You are my best friend."

Harry's eyes flickered wide for a brief moment before closing as a smile crept across his face.

"I love you too, Hermione. But this isn't goodbye."

Hermione shook her head.

"Of course not. But one shouldn't go into battle without hearing it at least once. Especially when it's true."

Harry tilted his head towards her as he saw tears glistening on her cheeks. Before he could ask what's wrong, she continued.

"What my life wouldn't have been if I hadn't met you…I don't even want to think about it. Scorned and alone…frightfully dull comes immediately to mind, however," she sniffed.

Harry smiled and reached out to brush away her tears.

Hermione laid her hand over his and met his gaze.

"Just know that you make a difference, Harry. All the hoops and secrets and bullshit summers… There are people who know you deserve more. Don't give up on the hope of having more. We can't give it to you if you don't give us a chance to. A chance to return everything you ever given us. Please, just promise you won't give up."

Harry stared into her wide, hopeful eyes as he leaned towards her.

Ron gave a loud snort right then, causing Harry to freeze and Hermione to startle, before they started laughing silently.

Harry leaned the rest of the way and kissed Hermione's forehead.

Looking down at her, he spoke, "On one condition. I have to ask that you stay alive to make good on my promise."

Hermione nodded. "I promise."

Harry's mouth lifted at the corners. "So do I."

As Hermione smiled and Harry snuggled against his two best friends, the fourth rolled to his side, wide awake, and feeling very much alone…

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A/N: Okay so a little long this time around. Next chap is the final battle, but it'll be mainly focused on the trio and Draco's part. I'm a little nervous about it, but wanted to finished this up before Deathly Hallows. Hope you enjoyed the pillow fight.;D