Draco looked at him curiously, "Potter, what are you doing here?"

Harry gasped for air, still catching his breath from running all the way across the school. He mangaged to get out, "Hermione... is... going to... die."

Hermione and Draco both stared at him for a good minute in confusion, which gave him time to catch his breath.

After Harry's breathing returned to normal, he continued as to explain, "Hermione's parents have been informed of her condition ever since she fell into a coma. They've decided to take her off the life support charm because they think she'll never wake up. They're taking her off tomorrow at noon. Hermione, wherever you are, I'm sorry. I tried to convince them to wait longer, but they wouldn't listen. Please forgive me."

Tears were streaming down Hermione's face. She sniffed and tried to stop the tears unsuccessfully. Hermione spoke, her voice thick with emotion, "Draco, tell Harry I don't blame him. Oh, God. I'm going to die tomorrow." She started sobbing loudly.

Draco quickly told him with defeat evident in his voice, "She doesn't blame you. You can go now."

Harry left quietly trying not to be noticed by Hermione and hid behind a bookshelf. 'Poor girl, finding out you're going to die is terrible! At least she has Malfoy to help her. That's not a particularly comforting thought.' He looked between books to see Malfoy talking quietly to space, more than likely Hermione. Malfoy gently tried to pat some part of her, if Harry didn't know better, he would have thought that Malfoy cared greatly for Hermione, maybe even going as far as saying he loved her! 'That's just crazy!' Harry thought to himself. He shook his head to clear himself of that preposterous thought and left the library.

"Hermione," Draco tried consoling the sobbing girl. "We'll figure this out. We have time. We can do this."

"No! We can't!" Hermione wailed. Her voice then turned somber in defeat. "I'm going to die tomorrow at noon. I might as well enjoy it.

Draco softly tried to pat where Hermione's arm was. He accidentally went through her. He gave her a sheepish grin and apologized.

She smiled waterly. "If I'm going to be gone tomorrow, I don't want to spend my last day in the library."

Draco looked at her incredulously.

"Don't give me that look," Hermione chided, then continued. "Come on. I want to take you somewhere where I've never shown anyone else."

She stood quickly wiping the remaining tears from her eyes and motioned for Draco to follow. Hermione walked briskly outside with Draco following closely at her heel. She was walking toward the forbidden forest and when they got to the edge, Draco spoke up.

"Hermione, where are we going?"

Hermione gave him a cheeky smile and told him, "You'll see."

Draco sighed knowing that she wasn't about to tell him as they entered the forest. They had been walking in it for fifteen minutes and Draco was about to ask if she had any idea where they were going when Hermione squealed happily, "We're almost there!"

Suddenly she stopped short. Draco, not paying complete attention, accidentaly walked through her. He turned around to face her realizing he did that.

"Draco," Hermione looked at him seriously. "What I'm about to show you is my secret study spot." Draco scoffed and Hermione gave him a quick glare before continuing, "I didn't just study here. I came here to think without interruptions. It's quiet and peaceful and no one interrups your thoughts with loud talking or music or anything of the sort. I'm showing this to you because you've helped me so much this past month and you've been a wonderful friend. If you ever just want to get away from everyone, come here. No one will bother you because you are the first person I've told. Harry and Ron don't even know about it. This is where I came when you went to bed or class. It has been my santuary, and now, I want it to be yours."

Draco stared at her for a moment. That was the nicest thing anyone has done for him since... ever. He didn't know what to say. He merely muttered a weak, "Thank you."

For Hermione, this was enough because she started walking again. Draco followed her dazedly wondering what this place was. She led him out into a clearing.

Draco blinked several times, trying to adjust his eyes to the bright sunlight. Draco spent a few moments taking in the scenery of this beautiful place. They were in a rich green meadow that was about 16 meters long by 12 meters wide. There was a small pond 2 meters away from them with many colorful fish swimming about. There were some snidgets quietly chirping and other various small magical creatures such as a few bowtruckles in some of the oak trees that were on the outer edges of the clearing, several mokes scampering around near the pond, and a couple of fairies fluttering about in the middle of the meadow.

Hermione was watching Draco with interest. He was always so arrogant and smug and nothing was ever good enough for him, but now he was completely stunned by the beauty of it. He held an expression of wonder of the incredible place. 'I bet my face looked just like that when I first saw this place,' Hermione thought to herself.

She decided now was the time to take Draco out of his reverie, "So, what do you think of it?"

Draco turned to her, his warm grey eyes sparkling, "This is the most beautiful place I've ever been."

Hermione smiled, "I see we've finally found somewhere good enough for the great Draco Malfoy."

Draco smirked at her and replied in his most dignified voice, "I believe this place is just barely up to Draco Malfoy standards. If the grass had been a shade lighter or darker, then it wouldn't have made the cut."

The two promptly burst into laughter at this outrageos response. They both fell on the ground rolling around in their mirth. When they had finally settled down, they were laying right next to each other. They layed there in silence for a few minutes.

Hermione suddenly spoke, "I'm not ready to die."

Draco turned on his side to get a better look at this amazing girl. "You won't. I won't let you. I promise."

Hermione then turned on her side to look at him. "Don't make promises that you aren't going to be able to keep."

Their faces were merely inches away from each other. Yet, neither minded. Draco couldn't help but think, 'My father must be turning in his grave for me being this close to a mudlbood.' At this, he smiled. Hermione smiled at him, she was just glad that he had turned out to be so wonderful. Without him, her month of being a spirit would have been terrible and she would've given up long ago.

Hermione held out her hand straight, arm bent by her side, palm towards Draco. "If you could touch me, would you?"

Draco rested his hand right next to Hermione's so it looked as though they were touching. He whispered, "Yes."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, but was happy all the same. "Even though I'm a mudblood?"

Draco smirked at her, "Yes. There is more to people than just who their parents are." He thought of his father when he said this. He didn't want to be anything like him, a blind follower, cruel, sadistic. He deserved the end he met.

Hermione's smile turned into a grin. "It's about time you learned that."

Draco shrugged nonchalantly, "Old habits die hard."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, but kept the grin on her face. She sighed and said quietly, "I always wished this place had something comfortable to lay on or sit on. Whenever I lay down here, my back is always sore when I go back."

Draco looked at her, an idea coming to mind. He was going to save that for a little later.

He got up and walked around Hermione.

"Where are you going?" she asked nonplussed.

Draco smiled at her cheekily. "You'll see."

Hermione got up and started to follow him. She muttered sarcastically to herself, "Where have I heard that before?"

The two headed out of the forest and Draco led Hermione to the lake.

"You showed me your favorite place, so now I'll show you my old favorite sight," Draco told Hermione.

Hermione looked at him questioningly, "Your oldfavorite sight?"

Draco replied, "Yes, my new one is your 'study spot'. It's beautiful there." A small voice inside Draco told him, 'It's not as beautiful as her though.' Draco didn't even argue with the voice. He knew it was right and he wasn't going to deny it.

Draco quickly took himself out of his thoughts and told Hermione, "The sunset is amazing over the lake. Have you ever watched it?"

Hermione thought for a moment and shook her head. "I've gone to Hogwarts for over 6 years, yet I've never even thought to watch the sunset over the lake. How pathetic is that?"

Draco answered smiling, "Very."

Hermione shot him an ineffective glare due to the smile on her face. She looked back to the lake which just turned the most beautiful shades of gold, orange, and red. The squid, as if on que, rose just his limbs and very slowly, appeared to dance, giving the appearce of sychronized swimmers.

Hermione gasped at the sight. "It's so beautiful."

Draco, watching Hermione's reaction thought to himself, 'Yes, you are. Wait. Did I just think something that cheesy? I don't think I got enough sleep last night.' Shaking himself mentally, he turned to face the sunset. It truly was a beautiful sight.

The sun slowly met the horizon and then slowly, disappeared from the horizon all together. Hermione didn't took her eyes away from where the sun was after it was completely hidden. To Hermione, the sun was going to be similar, soon she would set, never to rise again. Depressing, I know, but would you be thinking of other things if you knew you were dying in less than a day? I didn't think so.

Draco stared at the Giant Squid, lost in thought of how to save Hermione. 'If only I could get Madam Pomfrey to not cast the spell on Hermione, convince her somehow that she'll be fine. Maybe I could render Madam Pomfrey incapable of magic? No, that won't work. What if someone gets hurt very badly, then she won't be able to use magic. Plus, it may be a potion. If only I could get Hermione away from Madam Pomfrey... That's it!' Draco thought to himself.

He turned to Hermione quickly, "Hermione, I know how to save you!"