Disclaimer: I don't like the way Ron and Lavender snogged senselessly in Book 6, so rest assured that unlike Ms Rowling, I will make any lemony stuff seem a bit more tasteful. Hopefully. That is not to criticise the author's writing style though, for that was required to weave the magical world of Harry Potter which I cannot dream of emulating, rather unfortunately.

A/N: I had TEN reviews for my previous post! Oh my, that was such a beautiful reward for my writing; thanks so much Ravenclawxoxprincess, pinkicing101, Silidons, luckei1, queenofthelameos, Gwinna, jam, Steelo, slytherin-kittycat and blueeyedchibi:) I'm so glad to see new reviewers too! Well here's a rather nice chapter, in my opinion, because it has a lot of D/H flavour to make up for all the unhappiness that has happened...sorry this chapter took so long - I just began the new school year and it's been kinda hectic. I hope you people enjoy this, and REVIEW! With much appreciation, because an author needs all the constructive feedback he or she can get in order to write well :)

Let's get started then! This SHOULD be the second last chapter...so look out for the concluding one! Which might take a while, but I promise it will not ruin the story so far.

At first, there was darkness. Just plain darkness.

My head hurts.

There was some buzzing in the ears, but nothing more.

A while later, the ache subsided a little.

All of a sudden, there was a burst of light!

Wh-aatt?

Hermione blinked softly, then she summoned all her strength to give a series of quick-flutter blinks as the light became clearer, and the fuzzy images came into focus.

The first words on her cracked lip were,

"Where's Draco?"

Draco Malfoy, who had been sitting beside her, immediately grabbed her cold hand within his warm one, and brought it to his cheek. "Here, here, I'm here!" He whispered rawly.

Hermione blinked again, then her eyes relaxed. Her face was so pale, and her fingers were limp against his strong ones.

She turned her gaze towards the rest around her bed. So many of them. She picked out the relieved green ones of Harry, which were actually flooded with tears, but he brushed them away absent-mindedly. Beside him was a wide-eyed Dobby, who was bouncing up and down with a shining elvish grin plastered on his face. She saw the sparkling blue ones of Ginny, which were equally flooded, and the satisfied ones of Ron. She saw the thin smile on Pansy Parkinson's face, the beam on Professor Dumbledore's wide countenance, and the grin tugging at the end of Professor Nell's lips. On the right she saw Madam Pomfrey nod briskly and arranged the bottles of medicine on her tray, while Neville gave her a rather weary smile.

She then turned it back to the figure beside her, an exhausted, tousled-haired, blonde boy, whose grey eyes, for the first time when she looked into them, were blurry and faded.

Draco, you're crying.

And why shouldn't I? I thought you were dead!

No, no, you didn't. Remember what I told you? I told you I wouldn't die. Miracles do happen, Draco, they really do.

"Madam Pomfrey, how – how was this possible?" asked Harry, staring at Hermione.

Madam Pomfrey looked a bit flustered, but then Neville shakily pointed to a bottle with some lilac-coloured liquid swirling within. Harry narrowed his eyes at the bottle. "That looks really familiar."

"I'm – I'm so glad…" whispered Hermione, as Draco gripped her hand tighter. "I'm so glad Professor Dumbledore knew…"

"Well my dear girl," said Professor Dumbledore, chuckling lightly. "You leave me a suicide note and expect me to watch you die?"

"What's going on?" Ron asked, for the umpteenth time, turning as red as the roots of his hair at his own ignorance. "I am utterly out of place."

"No, you're not, Ron," sighed Hermione, wistfully, her voice so soft that all of them were leaning over the bed to hear her. "Not at all…"

"Part of your plan eh?" Ron asked, cocking his eyebrow as he stood up straight. He wore an amused look on his face, yet it was equally etched with exasperation. "Blimey Hermione, next time will you be a bit more obvious if you were tired of Mickey climbing all over Crookshanks, like yell or something?"

Pansy lowered her head.

Harry continued to stare at the lilac-coloured liquid. Then he lifted his gaze to Neville, who was perspiring profusely and shaking a little.

"Neville?"

Neville did not seem to respond, as he stared at Hermione.

"Mr Longbottom," and Neville jumped a little. "I think you owe the rest of them some explanation," chuckled Professor Dumbledore.

Neville blinked. "Erm, well…"

"I'll say it for you, bumbling block," said Draco, scowling as he fought back the tears in his eyes. "Longbottom made the Shultzen Potion for Hermione, because the effects of the Shultzen Potion is that it can make the effect of a hex or curse lighter than usual. I suppose," and Draco cleared his throat before continuing, "Longbottom's the best at enhancing the herb factor in the Shultzen Potion."

"I…I found it in a book…that if you add a particular herb with a particular length, and chop up one of the ingredients more finely," added Neville, getting a little excited. "The effects of the Shultzen Potion are enhanced!"

"And Neville…" whispered Hermione, her pale face breaking out into a contented smile. "Does the herb bit the best out of all of us."

"Lighter?" echoed Ron. "How much lighter?"

"It's not just that," said Professor Nell, looking at Hermione and Draco with a smile. "Avada Kedavra is maximised only when the caster expresses great hatred for the one he or she is cursing."

"Which is why I couldn't hex Bellatrix Lestrange the other time at the Ministry properly either," said Harry, as light dawned upon him. "Coupled with the Shultzen Potion, the effect Avada Kedavra had on Hermione was much reduced!"

Draco looked back at Hermione, his eyes shining as it roved over the mass of brown curls that lay spread over the pillow, the fingers that fell lightly into his grip, and finally, the brown eyes that sparkled as they met his silver ones. She gave him a faint smile, and her fingers tapped lightly in his palm. He couldn't help returning an amused look, but one that was absolutely full of relief and pain intertwined at the same time.

"So Professor, you knew?" asked Ginny. "You knew that they would require the use of it when you left Neville behind?"

Professor Dumbledore laughed. "They left a note good enough to be a suicide note! Surely Miss Weasley, you would know that Mr Malfoy did not have the least bit intent to remove Miss Granger from his life, did he?"

Draco's silver eyes were suddenly overshadowed a little by the glowing red tint appearing on his cheeks; Hermione's eyes fluttered slightly, and her smile became a little coy.

Ginny looked at both of them and grinned. "Of course I know."

"I'm just glad you're fine, Hermione," said Harry, smiling.

Hermione lifted her other hand weakly, and Harry moved forward to hold it in his hand. "Thanks Harry, you were really great…I knew you would come."

"Just rather late," added Draco, in a rather sarcastic tone, which earned a reproving look from Hermione, despite how pale and weak she was.

"What about me?" asked Ron, slightly annoyed.

Hermione laughed, a faint, rasping sound. "Silly boy, you too." She let go of Harry's hand and slipped into Ron's. Then she smiled at Ginny as well. "And you, Ginny, because your sacrifice made everything possible."

Ginny blushed, and went even redder when Harry put an awkward arm around her shoulders and gave her a rewarding pat. Ron opened his mouth, but shut it again.

Professor Nell gave Hermione a wink, and she nodded lightly, to show that she was really appreciative of what he had done. Then he signalled for everyone to leave the room, except for Draco. Slowly, they filed out of the Hospital Wing, while Madam Pomfrey bustled back to her office. Before they all left, Pansy turned around to look at Hermione through blurry eyes, almost in a last moment of plea. Hermione paused, before she dipped her head a little, and Pansy's eyes shone so brightly that the happiness extended to her sullen mouth and brought a beautiful smile to the sallow face of Pansy Parkinson.

There was no one else left in the Wing, except…

Draco brought Hermione's other hand into his clasp, and took them to his lips, where he planted a soft, warm kiss. Hermione's eyes shone as she looked into his beautifully sparkling eyes.

"Draco?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm…I'm so thankful."

"For what?" He asked, innocently.

She pulled her hands out of his clasp, then in a very daring move, she put it on his shoulder and slipped her cold palm into his collar, and to the back of his shoulder.

Draco closed his eyes, feeling a trail of goosebumps wherever her fingers had touched. He could feel his body radiating heat, as her cold touch travelled across his skin. She lay her palm on the back of his shoulder, and rubbed back and forth lightly, causing Draco's heart to flutter. Oh god, she is…she is just so amazing…

"There's nothing there anymore," she whispered, and Draco realised that she was feeling for his Dark Mark. He could see the glimmer of relief in her eyes, as it translated into beads of tears trickling down her white face. Before she could retrieve her hand from his collar, he pressed his hand against the bump on his shoulder beneath the cloth of his shirt, feeling the cold pressure send a shiver throughout his entire body. Hermione let out a soft gasp, as her fingers gave the smallest of struggles against his grip. She could feel his warm skin beneath her icy fingers, and she almost wanted to feel the heat from every, every part of his skin.

"It's so strange," blurted Draco, in an uncharacteristically fumbling manner, although his hand held hers firmly against his shoulder. "We hated each other so much before…and yet, you risked everything to save me from the Dark Lord…"

"Are you sure I don't hate you now?" asked Hermione, wearily, but with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You're still so high-and-mighty, snobbish, sarcastic…"

"Why, Hermione," he remained serious as he looked straight into her honey-coloured eyes that seemed to be drawing him towards them. "Why?"

"Hate the sin, but never the sinner," quoted Hermione, as she shut her eyes contentedly.

Before she could fully open her eyes, all she could make out was a blur image of the figure before her leaning in to press his lips against hers, eliciting a soft gasp, but only to let the air escape into his mouth as he enveloped her lips. Hermione shut her eyes again, as she gave him all she could in that one long kiss, for the man whom she had tried so hard to save, and was finally on the right track because she never gave up on him. All the past hatred and enmity, were torn apart, shredded into pieces to reveal the bare soul of human emotions…and there was Love, and Passion, that were left to emerge from the debris.