Disclaimer: As always, JK Rowling is the mastermind

1996 - October

"I saw you staring at the mudblood."

Draco looked up from his homework to see Gregory Goyle standing in front of him, seeming slightly unsure of himself. Was he really about to do this? Was Goyle really about to blow his cover? He wouldn't dare, would he? The boys had all seemed a bit afraid of him after learning that he had taken the Dark Mark.

"Wasn't," Draco replied absently, going back to his work.

Goyle noticeably took a rather shaky breath before nodding his head determinedly and plunking down beside him. He was really going to do this. To say Draco was surprised would be an understatement.

"Of course, you were just watching the Gryffindor table and were staring at the invisible creature that left the table right when Granger did," he accused, voice more stable than Draco thought it would be.

Draco sighed. This could not be happening. After having kept his feelings a secret all this time, how could people be noticing now? Especially Goyle. If he had noticed, Draco wondered how many others had as well. The thought was rather frightening.

"Stay out of my business Goyle," he said in a low voice.

"You're not having feelings for the Mudblood now are you? Cause, you know how bad that would be."

"I'm not," Draco stated firmly and coldly, though he did not look up.

"Well good, because Mudblood Granger is going down in this war and you don't want to be going down with her."

Draco flinched at the word mudblood being used with her name. The Slytherins had begun doing that recently and Draco absolutely hated it.

"Everything is fine. Now, leave me alone," Draco demanded, hoping the other boy would listen.

"Hey, don't play me. I know what I saw and I have to say it scared me a bit. Want to make sure it's not true. Some of the guys are talking. They say you're in love with-," Goyle explained.

Draco interrupted him. "I am not in love with her." This time he gave Goyle a glare.

Greg stuck his hands in the air as a sort of surrender. "Look. I'm just watching out for a friend. I hear things, you know. My father, he talks about… stuff." He paused and lowered his voice. "Mudbloods like her are going to be the first to go. Mudblood Granger will be dead and everyone close to her will meet a similar fate. Just don't want you to be one of those people." Draco sneered threateningly, causing Goyle to jump for his feet and edge towards the exit. "Just wanted to make sure," he repeated before ducking out.

Draco stared at his homework in shock.

This was bad. Really bad. Goyle's father was a Death Eater, and one that wasn't currently imprisoned. If he happened to tell his father about this, both him and Granger would be dead! Ugh, now, even the thought of the name 'Granger' left a foul taste in his mouth. He hated how it was being paired up with the derogatory term. Could he keep himself from slipping up though if he thought of her as Hermione? Did it even matter anymore if Goyle and possibly others already knew?

Hermione. Draco felt the edges of his mouth hitch up a bit in the first attempt at a true smile he had experienced in a long while. He liked the name, he liked pretending that he was deserving of the ability to use it, or at least think it. It was beautiful and suited her. He would just have to be more careful, especially when he was around his friends.

It wasn't as if he could really be in love with her anyway. He hadn't even had a single nice conversation with her. He didn't really even know her. He wanted to though. He wished he was allowed to be nice to her, wished he didn't have to treat her like the garbage all the other Slytherins thought she was. What he really wished was that he were allowed to try to get to know her better, try to be her friend, perhaps, even try for a bit more.

1997

Dumbledore,

You were right. I am in trouble. I tried to do the right thing and

now everything is messed up. I was sent to kill Hermione but I

couldn't do it. I took her to a secret place I use to get away from

everything. She is completely fine now, but I had to make people

believe she was dead so the Death Eaters wouldn't go after her, or

me. I've been trying to keep her safe, but they made me do some

really bad things and now I don't think I can do this anymore.

You said you could help me, but I don't deserve you're help.

Hermione does though and I don't know how to protect her

anymore.

Draco

Draco read the letter over and over again, as if these words alone would determine Hermione's fate. When he finally decided they were good enough, he tied the parchment to the leg of his owl and sent it off to Dumbledore.

He took a deep breath. Draco had officially made the decision to become a deserter and that was a terrifying thought. He had absolutely no idea what he was doing, but he trusted Hermione. She was the only thing that mattered anyway.

Draco went out into the sitting room to find Hermione curled up on the sofa in front of the blazing fireplace, reading a book.

He cleared his throat. "I sent the letter to Dumbledore explaining everything," he told Hermione as he sat down beside her.

"That's good," she said, setting her book down beside her.

Draco had a burning question on the tip of his tongue, but he wasn't quite sure if he should ask it. He thought of himself as a monster, yet, she kept telling him that he wasn't. He had killed someone. Why would she say he wasn't evil, wasn't a monster, when he had done such terrible things? He knew that she told him that she understood it wasn't who he was but he still couldn't comprehend how she could always look beyond those things. Finally, he decided to ask.

"Hermione," he paused. "How do you still see the good in me? Even after everything I've done. Nobody else does, including myself."

She seemed to ponder the question for a moment before answering. "I've noticed how much you've changed, even before all this happened. I'm not sure exactly what it is, I just know that you're not a bad person. And about everyone else, I don't think you really allow them to see anything other than the bully you've been showing them for years."

"But how can you look beyond the things I've done?" he asked.

She sighed. "Everyone makes mistakes."

But his mistakes were huge. Not just the horrible deeds he had done that previous Saturday night, but the things he had done specifically to her ate him up inside. He had said things to her that he wished that he could take back. He had told her that she was ugly, annoying, a know-it-all, unworthy to be a witch. He had insulted her for things that she couldn't change, nor did she have any say in to begin with.

As she sat beside him, looking at him with a quiet innocence and genuine beauty, Draco wondered if anyone had ever told her that she was beautiful. Did she know that she had the power to take his breath away with a single look? Had she ever been told how talented she was or how her personality could lighten a heavy room or warm a cold atmosphere? He didn't know if she had ever heard those things, but he did know that he hadn't said them. He had only told her the opposite. And right now, he wanted nothing more than to fix that. She deserved to know that she was special, she deserved to know that she was more to him than just a burden or a rescue mission, more than someone to do his homework like the friends she normally surrounded herself with. But he couldn't. How could he? She would know how he really felt about her. Then again, was that such a bad thing? Was he really even attempting to prevent that anymore?

The way Draco was looking at her was slightly strange. Something she couldn't quite place was putting a light in his eyes. Was it just the fact that she had said he wasn't a bad person? But hadn't she been saying that for days? Maybe he needed constant reassurance? After what had happened, it wouldn't be surprising.

Nothing was fully adding up to Hermione in the past weeks that she had been at the cabin. His story didn't seem to make sense with the evidence that kept coming up. She ran through it in her mind. According to him, he had shown up to kill her and couldn't do it so he brought her back here. But Hermione had noticed so much that conflicted with that.

There were new clothes in the wardrobe. For some reason the wardrobe just happened to be filled with clothes her size? Then there was the fact that he had cared for her. He made her food, helped her when she had collapsed all that time ago. Yes, he was mean the first couple days, cold and detached for the next couple weeks but that had faded away. He had spent time with her, they had talked and laughed and gone on that walk. Then that awful night had happened and he confessed what he had done.

What didn't make sense to her about this was, if he had truly just decided on the spot to spare her, why would he have gone to such lengths to protect her? Why did he listen to her when she suggested going to Dumbledore? Why did he desert the Dark Lord and his followers when it went against everything he had ever been taught?

There was a lot more to this story than he was telling her and she hated not knowing. She hated not being in control. What she hated even more, was being lied to, and right then, things were not making sense with what he had been telling her.

"Draco, so much isn't adding up to me," she began slowly.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I don't think you're telling me everything about why I'm here. I have been trying to figure it out, but nothing is making much sense."

"Maybe you don't have to know everything," he told her strictly.

"That is not fair. I think I deserve some sort of proper explanation. I know you told me some, but it doesn't make sense. Not anymore."

"Why can't you just leave this alone?!" he asked, volume rising.

"Because there is a lot more to this and I need to know what is really going on!" she argued. Why was he being so stubborn? Then it hit her. He wasn't telling her any of the truth. Voldemort hadn't sent him to kill her because he thought she would get in the way of his victory, there was no way he would believe that a muggle-born could be that much of a threat. Her head spun with questions and she was beginning to get a bit frightened.

"You know enough!" Draco claimed.

"Why do I have this feeling that I don't know anything?" she asked. "I have given up so much and yet, you refuse to even tell me the truth about why any of this is even happening? I let my friends, whom I care about greatly, believe that I am dead, I gave up finishing my sixth year of education, which you know full well is a big deal for me, and still, you tell me nothing! What is really going on here?!"

Draco seemed very conflicted, his eyes darting back and forth as he thought. Then suddenly, his eyes locked onto hers. Was he going to tell her? Her heart thudded in her chest as the silence drew out between them. His eyes flickered downwards slightly, resting on her… lips? It was then that she realized how close they had gotten during their fight, both edging towards the other as they argued. Now, her breath caught. Her body was frozen, she couldn't even move as he drew even closer and Hermione felt something shift within her; an anticipation, an excitement. She could feel the heat of his breath on her face as slowly, his lips brushed against hers, softly, almost timidly.

Before she could even react, he pulled himself away, looking quite angry with himself. Hermione was shocked and slightly more confused, lips tingling.

Was that his explanation? Was that the reason why he had been sent to kill her, why he decided to spare her, and why everything else occurred that followed? That actually made some sense, except for the fact that he had hated her in school, hadn't he?

Draco Malfoy had just kissed her. He had kissed her, and even more astonishing than that, she wanted more. Was that the something else she could never quite place? That other feeling that she couldn't quite describe? She wasn't supposed to like Draco. They had just become friends! But for some reason, that kiss had erupted a fire within her, and everything was beginning to come clear. She had been disappointed when he had pulled away, not giving her the chance to return the kiss, to increase the contact. And now he seemed angry with himself that he had done it, that he regretted kissing her.

According to everything that had happened, this was not a recent attraction. Then why did he look so distraught that he had done it? She realized that she hadn't returned the kiss. Not that he given her time granted, but in his eyes, had she rejected him?

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he said quietly.

Without another thought to talk herself out of it, Hermione leaned closer, closing the small gap that he had put between them, and kissed him. His surprise was obvious but he quickly recovered and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer until her body was pressed against him. She felt it when his lips responded and expertly explored hers, adding the pressure she had been craving. Absentmindedly, her hand snaked up the back of his neck, pulling him closer. It felt amazing to be wrapped in his arms; safe, comforted, protect. . . perfect.

She broke the kiss separated them so just their noses were brushing, both breathing deeply.

"Was that your answer?" she whispered.

"Yes," he replied.

"What does this mean?"

Draco pulled away further, letting his arm slip from around her, her hand dropping back to her side.

"It means that everything was my fault. The decision to send me to kill you, it was because of me," he told her.

"I don't understand."

Draco looked like he was almost in pain, deciding what he could tell her.

"Because I didn't. . . hate you when I was supposed to. Far from that. They saw it as a weakness that I needed to get rid of, but I couldn't, so I made my own plan to save you," he finally explained.

Hermione was shocked. Draco hadn't hated her, as he put it, and it made her a target, one that he was supposed to get rid of. It explained everything, the appearance of previous planning, the care he had shown her, the lengths to which he went to protect her. All of this was so much to take in. The thing that bugged her was why he acted the way he did towards her at school.

"Why didn't you say anything?" she asked.

"I wanted to keep you out of this for as long as possible. I knew what would happen if anyone found out. Which was exactly what did take place when someone noticed. Everything that is happening to you and your friends right now is my fault and I'm sorry."

"This is not your fault Draco. I don't blame you, I blame Voldemort and the Death Eaters who put you in the situation where you couldn't 'not hate' someone. It isn't right that you have to be afraid like that," Hermione paused. "Why didn't you tell me the truth after you 'kidnapped' me?"

"I was afraid that it would scare you, that it would just be easier for everyone if it stayed a secret," he answered eyes drifting downward, towards the floor.

Hermione's heart broke for him. He had been living with the weight that he was the reason all this was happening. He had been afraid to talk to her, to get to know her, afraid that people would find out. A warm feeling spread throughout her though at the thought that he had been protecting her for a while, even without her knowledge, that the reason he was mean to her was because he wanted to keep her safe.

Hermione reached out and grabbed his hand in hers. "You don't have to hide anymore," she told him.

His eyes came up to meet hers again.

"Do…" he took a long breath. "Do you want to have a date tomorrow?" he asked quietly, as if unsure of himself. Even after the past week, it was strange to hear that tone to his voice.

Hermione giggled. "A date? But we can't go anywhere."

A small smile flitted across Draco's lips, just barely large enough to be noticed. "We could have a date here. Have some food, sit by the fire, play some music," he explained.

"I'd like that."

Author's Note:

Here's Chapter 12! Hooray! I did not think I was going to get this chapter up this week. It is a little bit shorter than usual, but I had absolutely no time to do anything but school work this week.

Your reviews made me feel so happy and loved! Thank-you so much Sachiko Heiwajima, negativecreep91, sonnetStar, bennettfan84, katyms113, SereniteRose, and Kat of a Different Color!

Your reviews are seriously the only thing that got this chapter posted!

This week I am headed on vacation so it is going to be really difficult again for me to post. I do have a day or so before next Sunday to write, but I also have more school work to do! If I get that many reviews again, I just might be able to get it done.

Thanks for reading and have an amazing week!

(P.S. Next chapter's title is "The Date")