Thank you all for your patience ! I'm sorry for the big delay, I was writing all of my exams. But I'm done now with lots of free time to write ! Hope you enjoy this, I think that we are nearing the end of our story, thank you to all those who have stuck with this, my first fan fic, and to those who favourited/followed/reviewed, it means a lot ! Don't stop now, there will still be a bit more to come !

As always, thanks and creds to JK Rowling. ~

Draco stood sifting through various moments in his life. When he had received his dark mark. When the Dark Lord had been to his house. When he had stood with his wand pointed at Dumbledore, trying to find enough darkness within to say the words that would make him a murderer. In many ways, this situation felt as though its stakes were just as high, For as he shot a furtive glance at Hermione, and thought about what he was going to confess in moments, it seemed to Draco that he had never wanted something as much as he wanted this.

"Whenever you're ready, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall barked out. Was it Draco's imagination, or did she look at him sympathetically?

Wiping his suddenly sweaty palms on his robes, Draco took a steadying breath and began, holding Hermione's gaze the entire time.

"I spent a long time thinking about how to proceed with this confession. Thanks to a certain party (here he paused to pierce his classmates with a pointed look) I can't merely state who I like. I can't simply apologise either, you are also probably all aware of how I utterly blew the entire situation. What I can do, however is explain, as it will force me to delve into things that I'd rather not. I only hope that it will be enough...on more than one level. Complete silence ensured as Draco paused to gauge how Hermione was receiving his presentation. He held the entire class's rapt attention.

As you all well know, my family never upheld the most moralistic ideals. I was raised to believe that I was of the utmost lineage and class, raised to think that I was superior to everyone...especially muggleborns and blood traitors. While my parents loved me and each other, they never showed it, in fact, I was treated to the opposite. Nothing I ever did was ever good enough. Coming second in the class was a failure, especially when the first place was earned by a muggleborn. How dare I not make the Quidditch team first year when Saint Potter did? No offense, Harry, he added to chuckles and titters from his classmates. I was raised being taught that kindness and the showing of emotion was weakness. Only dominance and power was acceptable. I know that this in no way excuses my actions, given how terrible they were, but I hope this may explain why I was the way that I was, (I speak in the past-tense for I hope to no longer be that way,) and why I acted out...when I fell head over heels for a muggleborn. Some of you may be asking yourselves "Why should these things matter to him anymore? The Dark Lord has fallen, his parents are in Azkaban, who is there to judge him, or to punish him if he no longer complies with these twisted ideals?" Well, I urge you to stop and think about yourselves, and how much the war changed your perceptions of others. Does not the fact that we are all sitting in this Adjustments class indicate that there is still work to be done all around? As someone just so eloquently put it, we all have our prejudices, which is why I still behaved the way I did-I still felt under attack, as though I needed a defence mechanism. It was instinct. I say this not to make excuses for my behaviour, but to share something that I have learned over the course of these past few tumultuous years-nothing is black and white, but varying shades of grey.

Having finished, Draco looked up at McGonagall, who gave him an approving nod and who actually flashed him an approving smile, a rare honour. She then gestured at him to take a seat. Walking to the front of the class, she made eye contact with the Ministry official before saying, "I think it would be beneficial for all involved if you had a few moments of self reflection before having a discussion with your partner about the presentations we have seen today. Whenever you are ready, you may begin."

As soon as McGonagall had finished speaking, Draco turned to Hermione. He knew after all, exactly what he wanted to say!

"Hermione, I-"

Hermione raised a finger, and Draco fell silent.

"I'm not ready for us to be in a relationship yet, Draco. I think that there are still several things that we need to iron out. We did after all each behave badly in our own way, even if we have both acknowledged it and explained the reasons behind it. I would however, be interested in taking things slowly, maybe going on a few dates and seeing how that goes? It certainly seemed to go well the last time don't you think?" At this, she smiled at him, and to Draco, that was enough. Well, almost.

"That sounds fine, though there is one condition "

Arching an eyebrow. Hermione asked, "Oh?"

"Well, you see, if we're looking at rates of success, I'd say that kiss had been going well at first, and certainly merits a second try, don't you think?"

The two looked at each other before simultaneously bursting into laughter.

xxxxx

"You knew all along, didn't you?" Harry asked Blaise quietly.

"What do you mean?" Blaise asked coldly, clearly still smarting from their confrontation during the party.

"I mean, you just seemed to grasp this entire situation. You understood that there was more going on than mere Slytherin fault, that we Gryffindors are at fault too, and I'm so sorry for that. You've been cool from the start, and I treated you badly, I admit it." Harry looked Blaise directly in the eye and held out his hand, the two men shook hands.

"Man, you gotta admire that Gryffindor courage!" Blaise said, eyeing Harry with admiration, for boldly admitting his fault.

"It looks twice as good next to you slippery Slytherins," Harry teased, clapping Blaise on the back. The two fell back easily into their easy, lighthearted friendship.

xxxxx

"...Pansy," Ginny said in an atypically timid way.

"Shut up, Bitch!" Pansy snapped. "I hate you!"

Ginny's temper immediate flared. "You listen here Pug-faced Parkinson! You are just as guilty here as me. I don't know what I did that has you acting like such a she-devil but you better spit it out or get over it because I'm not going to put up with this crap!"

"I hate you because I miss you like crazy!" Pansy blurted out.

There was a moment of total silence between the two firey witches, then suddenly they were hugging and laughing.

Blaise and Harry, who saw the entire exchange shared a chuckle.

"You know," Blaise said, "They're kind of well suited for each other don't you think?"

"Yes, I think it's good for Ginny to be friends with someone as firey as her." Harry agreed, gazing fondly at his girlfriend.

"You know, if you ever feel like that person is no longer you..." Blaise trailed off, half joking.

"Blaise, have you ever considered Pansy?" Harry offered.

Blaise looked momentarily taken aback, before appraising Pansy as he mused, "No I hadn't. But now that you mention it...hmm..."

"I mean, I know this class is about inner-house unity, but, love is love after all..." Harry laughed.

"We could always double," Blaise suggested. Glancing around at Ron and Daphne who were unashamedly snogging and Draco and Hermione who were trying and failing at being subtle about holding hands under their desk, "Or quadruple?"

"Is that even a thing?"

"It is now."