A/N::dodges random burning things:: I'm sorry! I know I haven't been forever, but I've said it before, Dan Brown inspires me, I just can't write unless it fits, correctly. Lol, lucky you guys, I'm bursting with new ideas! Unfortunately, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to reveal them all in this chapter, because I already have it all mapped out, and so it just can't go any way other than its supposed to. Does that even make sense? Oh, and I have 2 Reviewer Awards! Lol, one for…drum roll…CUTEGIRL786!!! Cheers Lol, for leaving me 4 reviews in a row, each of them superbly nice! And the second Reviewer Award! For…drum roll…SMILEENOV!!! Cheers For leaving me 8 reviews in a row, all of which were nice and funny! They each get…TEN BOXES OF CHOCOLATE POCKY!! Lol::delivers pocky::. Now then, time for the story. Lol.

Additional Author's Note: I apologize for the length, this chapter was a filler more than anything.

Hermione's POV

Hermione stared down at her table at lunch, trying very hard not to look at Draco and Rhea. She knew Harry and Ron were talking about something, but she paid them no mind.

'I wonder what it feels like, to just have to... give up all your dreams with another person, just like that... For the good of the world. But Draco's doing it anyways...' Fierce pride wove through her. 'I think he should've been put in Gryffindor, because it's an amazingly brave and sad thing to do, for the good of everyone else. But he's doing it. I wonder if I'm that strong to be capable of doing something like that...'

Nobody else saw it in the same light as Hermione did. To the gossip freaks of Hogwarts School, it was just another break-up. But to Hermione, it made Draco shine in a much different light than she'd always seen him. Maybe, just maybe, he had matured over the years. He wasn't the same pale brat she had clocked good in the face when they were all thirteen. He was... a man. And a brave one, doing the right thing.

She closed her eyes, waiting for the impending moment, when Draco would say good bye to Rhea... and walk over to Gryffindor table.

"Hermione?" It was Ron. He shouldn't have been interrupting.

She opened her eyes, stomach twisting ten times as badly as it did for Exams. "Y-yes?" she said, shocking herself with the stutter.

Luckily, he didn't notice.

"Why are you sitting there with your eyes shut and shaking?" he asked, concerned etched in his voice. Next to him, Harry also watched her carefully, wondering why their best friend had been so distant lately.

Hermione bit her lip and tried to come up with something. But anything that would've worked, she wasn't allowed to say. So she answered honestly, in a hushed tone. "A lot... a lot of things have changed, recently. I've.. changed. Things.. Things aren't the way they were anymore." She looked up at them and their eyes widened seeing the tears in her eyes.

She whispered again. "I love you both very much, but.. things are.. different." She looked down again, bushy hair concealing anything else.

Draco's POV

Draco swallowed painfully, watching Rhea walk away. She didn't cry; she was too proud for that. But he knew he had hurt her, and it hurt him a million times more.

Slowly, he made his way over to the Gryffindor table, earning quite a few stares. Not sure what to do, he put his hand lightly on Hermione's shoulder, noting with alarm that her head was down.

HPOV

She felt the hand on her shoulder, and knew it was time. Slowly, she turned around, trying to frantically blink her tears away but knowing he'll see them anyways.

Ron frowned. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?"

Hermione was going to say something, but Draco beat her to it. He smiled a teeny little smile at her, and said, "I'm here to sit with Hermione. It isn't illegal is it?"

She had to chuckle when she heard Harry and Ron's supressed sounds of suprise at his answer, not to mention his tone.

'Thank you' she mouthed. Smiling, she said out loud "Yeah, it's fine. Here, I'll scoot over a bit."

Normal POV

And thus, Draco Malfoy sat at the Gryffindor table. The Hufflepuffs stared; and the Ravenclaws muttered amongts themselves. And the Slytherins? Oddly enough, the Slytherins outright didn't care. Draco wasn't the only one who was smarter than his parents, and a lot of people were wisening up. Well, the older ones at least.

Eating with the Gryffindors was odd and tense, but strangely not as terrible as he thought it would be. Eventually, conversation broke out among them and Draco was at least ignored, if not accepted.

Hermione leaned over to Draco, her voice quiet but her eyes sparkling with mirth. "See what a good Gryffindor you make?" she teased.

He widened his eyes in mock-horror. "Ah, it burns! No! I won't be a Gryffindor!" Amazingly, they heard laughter.

Ron's eyes were wide open, as if he was scared by himself. But he had laughed. And the priceless look on his face set of Hermione, which set of Harry, who's crazy laughter set off Draco. Soon Ron joined in again and they all laughed until their sides ached and their faces flushed.

When the laughter died down, they all looked at each other, unsure and hesitant. But one thing was clear. Maybe, just maybe, there was a light at the end of this tunnel...

A/N: Tee hee... Wow, this sounds so much like the end of the whole story. ::sweatdrops:: I swear it's not!! xD