A/N: I do not own Harry Potter and other recognizable items.

Three weeks had passed since Draco's supposed confession night. He had changed his mind at the last minute after hearing Hermione's tirade about liars. He was disappointed in himself for being such a coward, but he didn't want to risk losing Hermione before he even had her. He simply had to make sure that she never found out that secret. He figured that he could just play the part of the victim and just pretend later on that he had somehow remembered everything. That seemed like a good plan. Now all he had to do was be extra careful not to let anything slip.

That night had been perfect. Hermione had kissed him and it felt like nothing else mattered. Time stood still and all he could think about is Hermione's soft lips on his, locked in a passionate kiss. It made him think back to all the times he hurt her and he regretted every minute of it. Being with her like this was like a slice of heaven and he never ever wanted to give that up. If only he had approached her sooner, he wouldn't have wasted all those years wondering.

He didn't have a choice back in Hogwarts, not with his father, the war and all that crap about blood purity, but when the war ended, he had all the freedom to do so and opportunities came every day, yet he walked away. He remembered all those years ago when he was serving his sentence. Among other things, he had chosen to volunteer at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries just so he could see her every day. He donated a library just because he knew how much she loved reading. He even sponsored charity events and fundraisers to the causes that were important to her just because he wanted to feel like he made her happy even though she doesn't know that it was because of him. Even after he had completed his sentence, he continued doing all that just so he had an excuse to keep seeing her without raising suspicion. But he never took action, wasting those chances and playing the 'what if' game all these years.

It all comes back to one thing: he was a coward. But he promised himself that he wasn't going to runaway anymore, well after the lie about the amnesia thing anyway.

Things had been going great between Draco and Hermione. They grew even closer as they spent every single day together. They were both inseparable and very comfortable with each other. Hermione even worked up the nerve to tell Draco about the wizarding world, putting it as mildly as she could, hoping he didn't freak out. She told him stories about Hogwarts, their classes and even Quidditch (even though she never paid much attention to the sport) just because she knew Draco loved it. Draco on the other hand tried really hard to act surprised, being in denial and plainly freaked out just to make it believable. In the end, he figured he'd get an award for best actor or something. He loved how passionate Hermione was when she related stories of her Hogwarts adventure, how her eyes would light up as she shared her feelings when she discovered the magic of the wizarding world. And for the first time, he saw his world, the world he grew up in and was raised to believe that her kind didn't belong in, through her eyes and it was amazing.

Everything had been going according to plan. He however did not anticipate Eva's negative reaction. Eva had deduced from Hermione's stories days after that night that he had not confessed. He had expected her to be on his side at least, not against it. He thought that she of all people should understand his actions knowing where they both came from, but they just ended up fighting, putting a rift in their life-long friendship.

"I can't believe you didn't tell her! What were you thinking?" Eva dragged him outside of the clinic to the back to avoid being heard, especially by Hermione who was busy tending to a patient at the moment.

"I had no choice."

"Yes you did and you made the wrong one yet again!" She was getting frustrated already. How can Draco just stand there, all calm and composed, as if everything was fine?

"You couldn't possibly understand where I'm coming from, what I'm feeling."

"No, I don't. But I know you. You're head-strong, proud and you act like you don't care; you're so good at hiding your emotions, but deep down I can see that you're hurting. You just don't want to admit it." She tried to put it as delicately as she could, hoping that Draco would at least listen.

"You don't know anything."

"Oh? I don't? Then why do you run to me when you don't understand those feelings you try so hard to deny? I'm your go-to girl and I don't mind, but don't you see? I'm hurting because you're hurting. I care for you, Draco. You're my best friend, we have been for the longest time now and I just don't want you to sabotage your chance at happiness. I know you're afraid, but would you rather live your life in a lie?"

Draco was stubbornly silent, looking anywhere but Eva.

"Ugh! You are impossible. Fine, be the coward that you are! You never listen to me anyway." Eva lost her control. She was shouting now, but she knew no matter all the shouting and explaining she did, Draco would never yield to that. He was too damned proud, the stubborn prick!

"Says the girl who ran away, who deserted her friends and family and disappeared without a trace." He said in a lazy drawl reminiscent of his Hogwarts years.

"We're not talking about me! And it's hardly the same thing!"

"I don't see how different it can be. I'd say you're more of a coward than I am Pa—"

"Don't you dare say it! You promised that you would never ever use that against me. You are such a git, Malfoy!"

"At least I chose a side. And did you ever expect less from me?" All the while, Draco never broke his composure. He stood tall, cold and emotionless. To a Malfoy, showing emotions would mean weakness. He had learned that at a very young age when his father used to punish him for all sorts of things. Lucius would be so proud.

"No, but I assumed you were strong enough to be the man that you weren't all those years ago." Eva sighed heavily defeated. "Fine, do whatever you want, but don't come running to me to fix what you mess up." She stalked away with a heavy feeling in her heart. They never had an argument that they didn't resolve without parting before. They had promised never to walk away from each other no matter what. They promised to support each other, knowing that it was only the two of them against the world, but this time, Eva just didn't understand his logic.

Draco walked the other way, feeling bad for how he acted with her. He was kind of mad at her for always being right. She could read him, his feelings like an open book no matter how hard he put up that emotionless front. But he would never admit to that.

He was so clouded with anger and other jumbled emotions that his usually sharp senses failed to notice someone listening in on the conversation.

"Interesting…" The eavesdropper had said maliciously.

Hermione was finishing up at the clinic. She was planning to go visit Eva before Draco would pick her up for their dinner-in date at the farm. He had promised her that he would cook and she was beyond excited. But first thing's first. She had to check on Eva. She had been out a couple of days after saying she wasn't feeling so good one afternoon. She was getting worried.

She was about to leave when Gwen blocked her way, one hand on her hip and a smug look on her face. Hermione didn't have time for this right now. Gwen had been mean to her since the day she started and she had gotten used to it.

"Do you need anything?" She sighed, trying not to lose her patience.

"Off to visit your friend?" Gwen said icily, ignoring Hermione's question.

"Yes, in fact I'm in a rush so please, get out of my way."

"You wouldn't be in a hurry to see her if you knew what she was keeping from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione knew that Gwen was baiting her and she should totally ignore it, but she was curious all the same.

"Your boyfriend and your so-called friend have something to hide. Don't you think they're quite close? They were quite inseparable before you came." She said this with a glint of triumph as she saw Hermione's wand hand twitch. She knew she had hit a nerve.

"What they have between them is none of your business. Why don't you go and wreak havoc elsewhere?"

"If I were the girlfriend, I'd be concerned. They just don't have something to hide; they have something to hide from you. Did you ever wonder why Eva is avoiding you? Or the fact that the both of them aren't as close they were as before? If I were you, I'd find out. Especially after the ordeal you went through with your last boyfriend."

"How did you know about that?"

"I have my sources. Anyway, aren't you glad I told you? We wouldn't want a repeat of the last time now, would we?"

Hermione didn't respond, she was too busy trying not to hex this arrogant witch into next week.

"I'll take that as a yes. Now aren't you meeting with your boyfriend? Say hi to him for me would you?"

There were a lot of things running through her mind as she walked back to her cottage. She was angry at Gwen, worried about Draco and Eva and just plain confused of the whole situation.

She knew better than take the word of a girl like Gwen. She was deceitful and manipulative. She was the type who liked to destroy friendships and Hermione knew the best way to handle the situation was to ignore her. But she couldn't help but be wary with what she had said. It wasn't because she didn't trust Draco and Eva, she did but maybe because she was too afraid to go through all that drama again. She was just starting to heal from Ron's infidelity and she knew she wouldn't be able to survive if it ever happened again. It hurt too much.

She had forgotten everything that happened that afternoon when she saw Draco waiting for her at her cottage. She lit up instantly and smiled as he gave her a hug and a quick peck on the lips.

In a minute they were standing at the Toulson Residence. Hermione apparated them both knowing that the elderly couple were out of town.

"Couldn't wait to be dazzled by my cooking skills?"

"Surprise me."

"You know, I could never get used to that popping in and out think. You should tell me before you do that. But that's a great way to travel. Saves us time."

Draco was cooking a simple spaghetti and meatballs for the both of them since that was all he knew how to cook well. Hermione thought that it was adorable. They ate dinner at the garden with Celine under the table, waiting for her master to drop scraps.

Dinner was romantically sweet. They had talked about random things, but after they cleared up the dishes, they were just content to just sit on the swing in each other's arms, listening to each other's breathing.

Hermione could hear Draco's heartbeat as he tightened his protective hold on her. She looked up just in time to see a shooting star cross the starry sky.

"Draco, look! A shooting star. Quick! Make a wish." He looked at her face as she closed her eyes tightly to make her wish. He smiled at her innocence and lowered his head to kiss her eyelids. She opened them and was looking straight into him.

"Did you make a wish?"

"No. I don't need to."

"Why not?"

"Because I already have you here with me. What did you wish for?"

"It's a secret. If I told you, it wouldn't come true." She shifted on the swing to get closer to him. She once again rest her head on his chest when suddenly she could feel his fingers trace her jaw to her chin and tilt her face upwards until she met his silver gaze once again.

"Hermione…I—I love you."

"Draco…"

"You don't have to say it back right now if you're not ready. I'm just telling you that I do and that I would wait for you no matter how long it took."

Hermione gave him a soft kiss that progressed to passionately desperate in seconds. She pulled away, eliciting a groan from Draco for the loss of contact, only to straddle his lap and resume kissing. They both lost coherent thoughts as they just gave into the passion. Her hands were running through his soft, silky hair while his were going all over her body. Hermione hadn't noticed, but she was pulling his shirt off and tossed it to the side. Luckily he did.

"Maybe—we—should –take—this back—to my room." He said in between kisses. And with a single pop, Hermione apparated them to his room in the basement, on his bed. It was a flurry of clothes flying off of their bodies as they lost themselves in the heat of the moment.

Hermione wasn't thinking anymore. She still thought that it was too fast, but she surrendered to her desires anyway because she was sure that she loved him too.

Hermione looked at his immaculate face as he slept. They were side-by-side, facing each other with his arms around her waist. He looked like an angel, at peace as he sleeps with strands of sweaty blonde hair sticking to his face. She could look at him forever and not get tired of this sight. She brought her hand to his face and brush off the strands of hair as Draco unconsciously pulled her toward him. She rests her head on his chest. She was tired and was almost asleep, but before she could totally lose herself to dreamland, she kissed his chest just above his heart and said,

"I love you too, Draco Malfoy."

A/N: So what did you think about this chapter? Did you figure out Eva's secret from their argument? Anyway, i write really awkward loves scenes so its up to you guys to imagine the last part. I do hope you liked this chapter. I tried to update as quick as I could.

I'd like to thank the people who added the story as favorite. It really made me happy knowing you guys like it. What would be more cool if you took the time to review...let me know your thoughts, opinions or whatever whether you like it or not. I would really love to hear your thoughts. SO DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! thanks! :)