Chapter Twelve: "Far Away"

A/N: Only one more chapter after this ): Thanks for all the fantastic feedback. Don't forget to leave me a review to remind me to update, or else I seriously will forget !! Thanks, and enjoy this chapter :D

Ginny's eyes widened slightly, not believing what she had just said. She pulled away from Draco, staring at him. Draco had an alarmed sort of expression on his face. Ginny waited for him to say something.

"What?" Draco finally asked, swallowing.

"I love you," Ginny repeated, a little louder and a lot clearer. Draco's eyes shifted and he looked down.

"If you have something to say, now would be a good time," Ginny told Draco, trying to blink back the tears that were forming in her eyes. Had be been using her the whole time? Did he not love her?

"I care about you, Gin… a lot."

Ginny felt her lower lip quiver slightly as the tears threatened to fall. "Why can't you just tell me that you love me?"

Draco sighed, his eyes filled with helplessness. He hung his head, refusing to meet Ginny's gaze. "I… can't."

"I need to hear you say that you love me," Ginny answered, a tear rolling down her cheek. She looked at him desperately.

"Ginny, you have to understand when I say I can't," Draco told her gently, looking very guilty. He gave her a pleading look, but that only saddened Ginny more. Another tear rolled down her face.

"So you just used me?" Ginny demanded, unable to stop the tears from dripping from her eyes. Draco shook his head firmly.

"No way. Ginny, it's not like that… honestly."

Ginny sniffed. "I want you to love me, Draco." Ginny lowered her eyes, feeling very helpless. She wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her robes, still refusing to look at Draco.

"Please, don't be like that…" Draco took a step towards her, and moved in to kiss her. Ginny backed off.

"I'm sorry, Draco." Hurt, Ginny turned around and left Draco standing in the hallway, shocked. After Ginny was positive she was out of sight, she buried her face in her hands and cried.

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Ginny entered the common room, feeling slightly depressed. Two days had passed since her blowout with Draco, and Draco hadn't said a word to her yet. Ginny hadn't told anyone what happened, because she didn't want to admit that she loved Draco Malfoy.

"Hi Gin."

Ginny turned around and saw Hermione waving to her, her eyes peeking over a thick novel. Ginny gave Hermione a small smile, hoping Hermione wouldn't call her over there.

"Come over here," Hermione muttered, waving her arms, "We haven't talked in ages."

Obediently, Ginny hurried over towards Hermione and took a seat next to her. Ginny bit her lip, and silently prayed that her eyes weren't too red. She didn't want Hermione to know she had been crying for a third day straight.

"Ginny," Hermione muttered, concerned, "You're eyes are bloodshot. Have you been crying?"

Ginny lowered her gaze and shrugged. Hermione put her arm around Ginny's neck.

"Did you and Draco have a fight?" she asked softly. Ginny nodded again, still refusing to look at Hermione. Hermione sighed, and gave Ginny a comforting hug. Ginny stiffened up to Hermione's touch. Hermione pulled away.

"You want to talk about it?" Hermione asked. Ginny felt her eyes tear up again as she thought about what had just happened with Draco. It was still fresh in her mind as if it were yesterday.

"Draco and I were… and then I… and then he…" Ginny choked. The tears were rolling down her cheeks now. Somehow, Ginny didn't want to admit to Hermione that she had told Draco that she loved him.

Hermione bit her lip, giving Ginny a sad and helpless sort of look. Ginny leaned on Hermione's shoulder and they sat there for a few moments, not saying anything.

"Ginny…" Hermione whispered. Ginny turned around and looked up at Hermione, a confused look on her face.

"Do you love him?" she asked softly.

Ginny bit her lip, and tears started to fall again. She nodded, her lower lip quivering slightly.

"I'm sorry," Hermione told her quietly. Ginny shrugged helplessly, and shook her head.

"Don't be," she croaked, "I'm sorry for falling for him in the first place. I should have seen this coming. I can't believe I was so stupid."

"You love him… wow." Ginny nodded. Hermione swallowed.

"So the kiss between you and Harry meant nothing? Like, you don't love Harry or anything… right?"

Ginny shook her head vigorously. "You know it meant nothing, Mione. I lo-" She swallowed and continued to talk, "I love Draco."

Hermione's face relaxed and Ginny could tell that she was relieved. Hermione's tense face broke into a small smile, and she looked happier than she had been for weeks. Ginny was happy for her friend, but her happiness had a sad touch to it.

"Thanks, Gin. I have to go find Harry now. There's something I need to tell him." Ginny nodded, and Hermione took off.

Sighing, Ginny laid down on the couch. Somehow, she didn't think anything would make her as happy as Draco made her.

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Hermione dashed out of the portrait hole and began frantically searching for Harry. Where could he have gone? Desperately, Hermione dashed towards the Great Hall. She yanked open the door and peeked in. Her gaze shifted to the Gryffindor table. Harry, however, was nowhere in sight.

Sighing, Hermione closed the door. She dashed down the hallway and spotted Harry approaching the Gryffindor common room.

"Harry!" she hollered. Harry turned around and Hermione ran up to him. Panting heavily, she covered his mouth with her own. They stood there, lip-locked, for a few moments before Harry pulled away regretfully. The two of them stared at each other, panting slightly.

"I'm sorry," Hermione told Harry. "I know the kiss meant nothing between you and Ginny. I'm such a prat."

"Yeah," Harry answered agreeably, "You are a prat."

Hermione swatted him, and Harry laughed. "But you are a lovable prat. And you're right, the kiss between me and Ginny meant nothing."

"However…" Hermione pressed her lips against Harry's lips. "That kiss definitely meant something."

Harry grinned, and crushed his lips against Hermione's. "Did that kiss mean something as well?" Hermione smacked Harry playfully.

"I love you, you idiot. Don't you ever let anything I do doubt that." Hermione slid her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him again. Harry didn't answer Hermione. Instead, he nibbled her ear. Hermione pulled away, laughing.

"That tickles." Harry nibbled her ear again, and Hermione laughed again. She turned her head and brought her face an inch away from Harry's.

"Mione?"

"Yeah?" Hermione asked, their noses almost touching. Harry lowered his glance slightly and then looked back up at Hermione.

"I love you, too." He closed the gap between their faces, and Hermione felt her heart flutter as the two of them kissed. "Let's go somewhere more private."

"And do what?" Hermione asked playfully. Harry kissed her softly, a small smile on his face.

"Maybe some of this," he answered, kissing her again. Hermione grinned and kissed him back. The two of them walked off hand in hand, snogging every so often. Harry had never felt so alive.

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Ron sighed, and banged his head against the desk. How could he have been so stupid with Luna? He had just freaked and said some things that he seriously regretted. Some part of him liked Luna a lot, but the other part wouldn't let him get too close to her. He didn't want to be crushed like his crush on Hermione was. He didn't want to go through the same grieving twice.

"Hi Ron."

Ron turned around and saw Harry heading towards him with a sad sort of smile on his face. Ron was half tempted to get up and walk away from Harry like he had been doing for the past few weeks. However, Ron was feeling kind of tired. He didn't want to run and hide from his best friend. In reality, he missed Harry.

Ron sat there and watched Harry make his way over towards where Ron was sitting. Ron gave Harry a curt nod, and Harry took a seat next to Ron.

"Listen, Ron… I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to keep from you that I fancied Hermione. I just didn't want to hurt you."

"Look how that worked out," Ron muttered sarcastically. Harry gave Ron an apologetic look.

"Do you remember the time in our third year when Hermione punched-"

"When Hermione punched ferret square in the jaw," Ron smirked. He smiled slightly at Harry.

"Yeah, and when we told Ginny, she laughed about it for a day because she hated Malfoy so much…" Harry continued.

"And know she's dating him," Ron muttered. Oddly, the usual anger he felt didn't surface when he thought about his sister and Malfoy. He knew that she was old enough to make her own decisions, and if she got hurt, that would be her problem.

"Look how things change," Harry pointed out. Ron nodded agreeably. Harry continued, "But our friendship is one thing that will make it through all of the change. Come on, Ron, we've been friends for too long to let something like this come between us."

Ron hesitated for a moment before giving Harry a grin. "Thanks, mate. I'm sorry I overreacted."

Harry shrugged, unable to contain his relief. "It was understandable under the circumstances."

They sat there for a few more moments in silence, smiling at each other. Then, suddenly, Ron's smile faded.

"Ron, what's wrong?" Harry asked, utterly confused.

Ron bit his lip. "I kissed Loony Lovegood."

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Stay tuned for the very last chapter