Author's Note:

Here's your bonus chapter as promised! Like I said earlier, please just take a minute or two out of your day to type a quick review! I give shoutouts to my faithful reviews and question-askers.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN *BONUS CHAPTER*

Draco's point of view

*Song of the chapter: Everything has Changed by Taylor Swift*

"I love you." Hermione said, and I could tell she hadn't expected to say that, but she also wasn't taking it back.

I stared into the eyes of the woman I loved, knowing that I did love her. And so I told her. As the shouting hit "Happy New Year!" I took the brown-eyed Gryffendor stronger in my arms, and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. I wanted to be everything to her, just like she was everything to me, I wanted to give her the sun, moon, and stars.

"Hermione? Are you down here? C'mon, it's New Year-"
I separated from her to see Potter staring at the two of us, Hermione and I's arms still around each other. There was no good explanation. The shock and understanding was written all over Potter's face. "What in the world were you dong with her! Hermione he's using you!"

Using her? Using her? The very thought made my blood boil as the first thing that he assumed was that it was some kind of trick. I could hear Hermione try to explain but I didn't catch her words as Potter pulled out his wand to point at me.

"I am not using her for anything! How dare you!" I spit out.

"Get away from her, Malfoy!" He yelled furiously.

I took out my own wand, ready to cast whatever spell it took to get him out of the way. Hermione was pleading with us but it didn't matter, he needed to pay for his words. "Cruci-" I began to yell out at the same time as him.

"STOP!" Hermione screamed, bringing my attention back to her. Tears were all over her face and my expression softened at the sight. She blubbered out something, and then, she ran.

"Hermione! Wait!" I called. I began to run after her but Potter's arm stopped me. He was stronger than I gave him credit for, but I still struggled against his arms.

"Haven't you done enough?" He yelled. I didn't bother to listen, I needed to go after my crying girlfriend. "Just leave her alone! You've caused enough damage as it is!"

"I've done enough damage?! Me?! I love her! You know nothing of what's between us!" In my rage I didn't notice that the cheering from above us had died down, and now, every person in Gryffendor who had stayed over break, stood behind Harry, many of them with wands drawn.

"You... You love her?"

I turned my face away from his questioning look. "Yes," I growled as I met his glance again, "and now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go after my crying girlfriend." I pushed his arm away as I heard murmurs go through the crowd at the word 'girlfriend'. I stomped away, starting in a sprint in the direction she had gone.

After looking up and down the halls for an hour, I came to the conclusion that she didn't want to be found, and I knew she was more then capable of staying hidden. When I slammed the Slytherin door shut, I started in the direction of my room, weaving through the small crowd of remaining partiers. It was then that my eyes flickered to the corner of the room, where Alistair sat drinking tea with her cat. I changed my course until I was standing in front of her.

Florence looked up, "something I can do for you, Draco?" She asked confused.

"Have you seen Hermione? Has she come to you at all tonight?" I asked, worried.

Her brow scrunched together, "No, she hasn't, is everything okay?"

I looked around before whispering, "let's just say, by tomorrow I'm pretty sure the whole school will know about me and her."

She let out a small gasp, "what happened? Why don't you know where she is?"

"Potter found me and her, well, together, and me and him sort of got into a fight. She went off somewhere, really upset, I don't know. What do I do?"

Florence's eyes darted around the room as she attempted to take it all in. "For tonight, or rather, this morning, let her be. You messed up,"

I began to protest.

"No, you did. You showed a side she doesn't like of you, the cruel boy who throws temper tantrums and tries to hurt her best friend. Give her some time, and when she's ready, let her know what needs to be said."

I nodded my head at her words, even though I could hardly imagine staying away from Hermione for whatever amount of time that took. I gave Florence another nod, and went up to my green-clad bed. I crashed myself on it, but didn't sleep for awhile that night. I couldn't stop thinking about what I had done, and how much I didn't deserve her.

The next morning, I woke up early to get down to breakfast. I looked in the mirror as I buttoned up my white shirt, and thought of nothing but her. Alistair had said to give her space, but I didn't know if I could do it. What if she thought I didn't care? What if, because I didn't go to her, she thought I didn't feel the deep regret in my stomach that I most certainly felt? I needed to see Hermione Granger, I had to.

I looked hurriedly around my bed space, and dug through my chest. Finally I found it, her Gryffendor scarf she had left with me one day. I took in its scent, which still smelled like her, old books, fresh blackberries, and a little bit of cat hair mixed in there. I didn't want to waste time, however, so I quickly cast the locater spell on it, knowing that the magic would lead me right to her. I followed some twisting staircases, and when it started to head down the corridor to Gryffendor tower, I grabbed at the scarf and ran the rest of the way up the staircase myself.

"Coconut Pines." I said quickly to the hungover Fat Lady.

"Wrong."

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"Prefects changed it last night for the New Year. Now please leave me in peace, I have a massive headache."

I swore under my breath. "There's no way you could let me in? Please, I need to see someone." I pleaded.

"No password, no entry." The portrait snapped. That's when I formed a plan.

I ran through the still-cold morning air across the Hogwarts grounds, all the way to the far side where Gryffendor's housing was. I stopped and began to mount my broomstick, shivering as I sped to the window of the common room. I looked in and startled quite a few students, but none of them were Hermione. I went up and to the right to where the Girl's dormitories were, and peeked in through the window.

There she was, lying on her bed reading a book, just as another girl waved goodbye and shut the door of the room.

I hesitated, then knocked on the window. Hermione's head turned, and when she saw me, she fumbled her book until it hit the ground, and I was sure the first thing she would chide me about was making her lose her place.

Slipping off the bed, she made her way towards the tall window which she began to open.

"Hermione." I said breathlessly, for I physically was out of breath.

"Draco, what in the world are you doing?" She asked, her silky brown hair framing her face.

"Your password changed, and I really needed to speak with you. If you'll let me?" I questioned more than stated.

She pushed the rest of the window wide open, and luckily it was tall enough to welcome me into the heated room. When I had sent my broomstick down in the corner, I turned to look at her. We were both silent for an awkward moment.

"I.. Am so sorry. I don't know what to say, but I know I needed to say something. It was all my fault, I should have excepted the fact that it wasn't going to be exactly friendly if anyone ever found out about us-"

"Draco-"

"Please Hermione, let me finish. I shouldn't have gotten so angry at Potter just for trying to protect you. I need to learn to live with him as much as he needs to except me. I-I can't even give a good reason for what I attempted to do to him, and I need you to know that in my right mind I would have never tried to hurt one of your friends like that, nor emotionally you. I spent an hour trying to find you last night, and I can't bear the thought that I have hurt you. Please, I know I don't deserve it, but could you find a way to forgive me?" I finished finally.

She reached up to press a hand against my cheek, and I leaned into her palm. "Draco," she said in a slightly hoarse voice, "I forgive you."

My heart leapt. "But.. This isn't the first time something like this has happened, and even though I know you never meant to get so worked up, I can't- I can't-" her voice cracked, "I don't know how I'm supposed to see you every day, when I start to remember the person you seemed to turn into when you were provoked."

"Hermione, I would do anything to make this right again."

She looked away from me.

"You said- you said you loved me. And I you!" I whispered.

"I do love you, I think I did-I don't-I don't know right now." Tears came into her eyes as she took a few steps away from me. "Please, right now what need is space, time. Could you please go?" She asked with her back turned.

I felt like my world had shattered. I couldn't grasp the fact that she was scared of who I was-of who I had always been. "As you wish." I said, grabbing my broomstick and flying out of the tower window, letting my world come crashing down on everything we had built.

"But what Buttercup didn't know, was that every time Wesley said 'as you wish', what he really meant was, 'I love you.'" - The Princess Bride

Stay Awesome,

~ ThePondFamily3