Hi! I just wanted to thank you all for being the best fans a person could have. You all make me want to get out of bed every morning… okay, so I'm lying. Nothing makes me want to get out of bed, but you guys do make me want to jump right on the computer and put these thoughts onto digital paper. You guys add color to my pale, pasty life. Thank you.

A quick list of the things I own:

A computer

A toothbrush

Underwear

A pool

Cold, leftover pizza

The plot

As you can see, Harry Potter is not on that short list. He and everything to do with him belongs to J.K. Rowling. But one day I will meet her, poke her in the eye and take it all over. And then I shall have Hermione and Draco fall madly in love with each other. Until then…

"Did you just apologize?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry that I said those things. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"Why are you always apologizing? You apologized last night and then again today. Do you ever not apologize about anything?"

"Look, Malfoy. I apologize when I know that I have done something wrong. You should try it sometime."

"No thank you. Malfoy's never apologize."

"Will you ever give that up?"

"What?"

"Stop identifying your self as a Malfoy. Surely you are a person underneath all that crap. You have to have feelings hiding behind that wall you put up."

"Well, what about you? You preach to me about putting down my defenses when your own are far more deadly than mine!"

"Are they now?"

"Yes they are. I don't let anyone in as a way to protect myself. That's what I've been taught. But I don't pretend to let people in like you do."

"Pretend?"

"Yeah pretend. My walls are simple stone walls. Yours are four feet wide, wrapped in barbed wire, with flashing neon signs saying 'KEEP OUT!' You pretend that you and Ron and Harry are the tightest thing to come since spandex, when in reality you push yourself so far from them I'm surprised you're not on Pluto by now!"

"Don't you dare criticize me."

"Or what? You couldn't stand up for yourself if your life depended on it."

"That's not true and you know it."

"You're right. You can stand up to me, but you could never tell Potter and Weasley what you think. You would rather die, pretending to be friends than to actually tell them you don't like they treat you."

"I did tell them. I told them that night on Halloween. I've told them every time they've ever been idiots to me. I've told them so many times, and they never listen. I don't know what to do! I can't help it they don't get it! I've tried to be good friends. I've tried to like Quidditch, and to not yell at them about their homework, and then they laugh and ask me if it's 'that time of the month'. So don't you dare talk to me about my walls."

She sat down heavily. She was exhausted after that rant. She laid her head on her arms and began to cry. It was painful to think of her friendship from outside view. It did look like they were best friends, but Hermione knew different. It hurt to have Malfoy tell her he saw through her façade. She wanted to leave the room and leave him locked up for eternity. She stood up and brushed her tears away. She was fed up, frustrated, and felt like hitting someone. She walked to their wands and picked up her own.

"What are you doing?"

"Something I've wanted to do for a long time."

She unlocked the door and walked into the cage. She watched as Malfoy slowly walked away from her. She lifted her wand, and watched him cringe. She threw the wand back towards the fireplace and continued to walk towards Malfoy.

"What… what are you doing? Why did you throw your wand away. Now we're both going to be locked in here. What are you doing? Are you gonna hit-"

She lifted her arm and brought her hand crashing into the side of his face. It felt good to let out some frustration. She lifted her arms again and rained blows on his chest and his arms. Whatever she could touch, she hit. She felt powerful hands wrap around her wrists. She struggled to get away from his grasp. But he was too strong.

"What do you think you are doing? I am not some punching bag. Calm down. Breathe."

She listened to his advice, and the pain she had been running from finally caught up with her. She leaned her head against his chest and began to cry again. She felt his hands drop her wrists and took the opportunity to circle his waist. She felt his hands caress her back, comforting her.

"I'm sor-"

"If you say you're sorry one more time, I will lock you in the cage, and leave you here." He replied.

She laughed into his chest.

"I don't know why I did that. I'm so… I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay. I understand."

"You do?"

"Yeah, you felt frustrated, and angry, but mostly sad, and hurt. You fell as though nothing you do will ever be good enough. You feel like they will never understand you. It's as if you could fall off the face of the earth and they wouldn't even know you were gone. Trust me, I know."

And in that moment she did. Trust him. She felt as though someone had finally understood the emotions that had plagued her. She collapsed in his grip. She stood there a long time, clutching her enemy, who turned out to be the only person that understood her.

"How? How do you know what it feels like?"

"It's the same feeling I have with my parents. We pretend we're a close loving family, but really I was a mistake. My parents didn't want me. They still don't."

"I'm sor-" she stopped, seeing his look.

She continued to look at his face, and for the first time saw him as a handsome man. His face was mature, and his eyes were a light blue rather than gray. His hair was not white blonde, but a gold color, and he wasn't nearly as pale as everyone made him out be.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing, I was just admiring your looks. Too bad we don't have music. This could be a really romantic moment."

"Are you serious? You're a witch. If you wanted music, it wouldn't be that hard to get."

"Are you suggesting any songs?"

"No, I just thought it funny how you don't seem to realize you're magical."

She stepped away from him and gathered her wand. She magicked a stereo and some of her favorite CD's. She put in one and started to play the song. The first notes of Third Eye Blind's How's it going to be drifted out of the speakers.

Before you take a swing, I wonder, what are we fighting for

She felt his arms circle her waist, and she wrapped her own around his neck.

Is there anything I'm going to miss, I wonder

And in that moment she knew that was where she belonged. She felt the connection they had forged in such little time. The bond was far stronger than the bond she, Harry, and Ron had. She felt safe, and loved. She felt him place a kiss on the top of her head. She knew he felt it too. The feelings that at first were pretend were now very much real. They loved each other, and understood each other completely. They continued to sway, their bodies acting as one.

"I love you."

"I love you."

It didn't matter who had said it first, in Hermione's mind. It only mattered that he loved her. She lifted her head towards his face. He bent his head down and laid a gentle kiss on her lips. She heard the chorus and thought it fit their situation only too well.

How's it going to be, when it goes down

How's it going to be, when your not around

How's it going to be, when you found out there was nothing

Between you and me, cause I don't care

How's it going to be

She deepened the kiss, knowing that nothing could ever come of this. She knew the minute they walked out that door they would go back to hating one another. They had no other choice. She felt his love, and his regret in his kiss. He knew also that they could not accept each other outside of this room. She felt herself back up to where the wands lay, one on top of another. She felt for his and handed it to him, never stopping the kiss. She heard him whisper the unlocking spell. She felt his hands run along her back.

How's it going to be

When you don't know me anymore

And how's it going to be

He broke the kiss, pulling back ever so slightly. Hermione felt a ripping sensation in her chest, and knew her heart had just been broken.

Want to get myself back in again

The soft dive of oblivion

Hermione longed for his kiss, the smell of him. She wanted nothing more than to run into his arms and never leave. She watched him walk to the doorway, and pause. A small blossom of hope sprouted in her chest. He looked over his shoulder and said two words.

"I'm sorry."

She wanted to call out, tell him to come back, but she could not speak. She watched as her one true love walked out of the doorway, never to be hers again.

How's it going to be when you don't know me anymore

How's it going to be

She sank to the floor and cried.

Yeah, I know I cried myself. I had to add the song. It fit so well. Don't forget to Read&Review.