Chapter 34 – A Perfectly Good Heart

Hermione gasped when she turned the corner and ran straight into someone.

"Malfoy," she cursed under her breath before quickly walking past him.

He grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"What's the rush?" Malfoy said pulling her arm painfully, "Stay and chat."

"I'd rather gouge my eyes out with a hot poker," she spat pulling her arm away and turning to continue down the hall to the classroom.

Pain shot through her and she felt the world dissolve into darkness.

Hermione shot up when she felt the ice cold water hit her. She coughed and sputtered and wondered why she was dripping wet.

"Finally. You sleep like the dead."

He made it sound more like a threat than an expression.

Hermione blood ran cold when she realised that her wand was gone and Malfoy was standing across the room from her.

"What do you want?" she tried to say confidently but she felt her heart racing.

Malfoy shrugged.

"Just wanted to see what fasinates the Weasel so much."

Hermione gulped and shifted back but soon hit the stone wall behind her.

"Why does he like you so much?" Malfoy wondered aloud, "I must say that I'm not too surprised that he is a poof."

"Shut your mouth!" Hermione screamed back, "What does it matter whether someone is a boy or girl? All that matters is that the people involved love each other. But I'm sure you wouldn't understand what love means!"

Malfoy's face darkened and she wished that she had kept her mouth shut.

"Pathetic," Malfoy said waving his wand cutting her clothes.

She bit her lip to stop herself from screaming out in pain but she felt her eyes being to sting from tears as the blood seeped through her clothes.

"What?"

She realised that Malfoy was staring at her curiously.

Hermione eyes widened and she quickly checked that she was still in her male form. She sighed in relief when she saw she was. So what was it that fasinated him so much?

"A time turner," Malfoy said thoughtfully.

'Not good,' her mind screamed as Malfoy stepped towards her.

"Stay away from me!"

Malfoy laughed at her as he advanced further.

Hermione felt her blood run cold.

'Not like this,' she screamed internally, 'I won't go out like this.'

'Let's see what fascinates Weasel so much shall we,' Malfoy drawled as he closed in on her.

She wanted to scream but she felt all the energy was drained from her.

'I'm scared. I'm scared...'

She felt her entire body go cold as Malfoy's hands trailed up her legs and arms.

Tears instantly sprung to her eyes.

'Ron.'

She felt his ice cold lips on her neck and she cringed.

Then suddenly her eyes zeroed in on Malfoy's wand which he was holding quite loosely in his hand. Without a second thought she lunged and grabbed the wand off him.

He was so startled that he dropped the wand onto the ground and she instantly grabbed it from the ground. She waved the wand around madly.

"Stay away!" she screamed holding the ripped remains of her clothes tightly to her chest.

"Stay away," she said more tearfully.

She heard Malfoy scream in pain.

She looked down and saw him lying in a pool of blood.

Her eyes widened and as the sight before her registered in her mind she screamed.

She screamed once more when she felt someones hands on her.

"Get off! Don't touch me!"

'It's me Hermione, calm down. It's Ron."

Hermione stopped and looked up at the person in front of her.

She saw the blood trickle down his face and she instantly dropped the wand in her hand. She wanted to hug him, to feel safe in his arms but anger coursed through her. She began to hit him.

"I hate you!" she cried, "It's all your fault! I told you people would notice."

Ron looked at her in confusion. He tried to touch her but she pushed him away.

Ron sighed before looking back at Malfoy. He pulled out his wand and placed it on Malfoy's forehead.

"What are you doing?" Hermione questioned angrily.

"Modifying his memory," Ron explained before standing up, "You're right its my fault, so I'll take the fall for this."

"What?! No! I don't need you to rescue me!"

"Would you think straight for a second, remember who it is that you are here for!" he screamed back at her.

She stared at him in shock.

"The reason that you are here – it's more important than our personal rubbish."

She cringed when she heard her words repeated back at her. She closed her eyes and hugged her legs to her chest.

"I can't think…" she held her head in her hands.

She realised that she could still feel Malfoy's lips and hands on her body and she began to rub furiously at her neck and face. The physical and emotional pain made her eyes overflow with tears.

"I hate you…" she sobbed.

"Hermione!" she heard Harry's voice but she didn't even bother to look at him.

"I hate you!" she screamed at Ron.

It was all his fault.

Hermione jolted awake and sat up in the bed. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and held her head in her hands as the images from her dream faded away. She heard Ginny's soft snores near her and she looked out the window. It was still dark. She sighed before getting out of the bed. As quietly as she could she walked over to the door. She looked over at Ginny once more before she opened the door slowly. She almost screamed but bit down on her lip when she saw the person standing in her doorway.

Ron was looking down at her. He yawned and rubbed at his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered.

He held up his watch.

'Oh right.'

She had forgotten about the watch. Ron had explained to her the first night she had stayed at the Burrow that the watch transmitted sudden changes in emotion.

She stepped out of the room and closed the door quietly behind her.

"You alright?" he questioned resting his arm on the door frame.

She shrugged before leaning into him. He wrapt his arms around her.

Hermione smiled up at Ron. He softly caressed her cheek. Her heart swelled as she saw the love in his eyes and touch. His fingers were hesitant and gentle.

"I love you," she whispered lifting her hand up to touch his face.

He smiled at her.

"Love you too, Puffin."

She giggled at his pet name for her. He had told her that her cheeks always puffed out when she was angry at him, she was offended at first until he told her that he loved the fact that she was so passionate about everything, of course she didn't let on that she quite like the nickname now.

She sighed in contentment as she rested her head on his chest and listened the rythamic beating of his heart.

"I'm late!" Ron screamed as he ran down the stairs.

Hermione rolled her eyes and held out the paper bag in her hand. Ron grabbed it as he put on his left shoe. He then turned and ran out the door. She watched him run across the garden before he suddenly stopped and ran back towards her. She smiled as she watched him catch his breath. He chuckled before he leaned over and kissed her.

"Chimney's that way," she nodded to the living room.

"Right you are," he said before he ran into the living room, "Bye Mum."

Molly looked up from the stove.

"That's the third day he's been late this week," Molly said to the stove more than at her.

Hermione blushed but quickly defended herself.

"We just talk, we have a lot of catching up to do."

She turned when she heard Harry groan. She saw her friend walking down the stairs looking disgruntled.

"Does he always have to scream like that?" Harry complained as he sat down and placed his head on the table.

Hermione simply laughed.

"Thanks Mrs Weasley," Harry said when Molly placed eggs and bacon on his plate.

"Ginny?" Hermione said in surprise when her friend walked down the stairs wearing a summer dress that only just reached her knees.

Hermione saw Harry's eyes widen as she walked towards him.

"Ron left already?" her friend asked.

Hermione nodded.

"That idiot, we were supposed to go together," Ginny sighed.

"Date with Dean?" Hermione questioned.

Ginny simply nodded as she buttered some toast.

Hermione saw Harry frown at Ginny before he looked away.

Lavender looked over at Ron as she checked the items on the shelves.

He was smiling as he munched on some chocolate biscuits.

She walked over to him.

"That good are they?" she asked him trying to understand the strange expression on his face.

He smiled at her.

"Disgusting," he laughed as he continued to eat another biscuit.

She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Disgusting? Then why are you eating it?"

"Because its delicious," he replied laughing once more.

"You are so weird," she said placing the clipboard in her hands down on the table.

"She really can't cook," he smiled.

"Who? Hermione?"

He nodded his head at her.

"So why are you eating it then?" she asked him again.

"Because Hermione made it," he said as though it were completely obvious.

Lavender sighed.

"I give up," she said turning round to continue her work.

A/N: I've finished the epilogue but I need at least 5-10 comments before I post the it. I'm not trying to be mean but I just want to know that everyone's read this before I post the final part, and I also want to hear everyone's thoughts. I promise the instant I get 5 or more reviews/comments I will post up the final chapter.