Hermione woke up slowly. The events of the previous day mulled through her mind, and after a while, she decided it was time to go get something to eat. She hauled herself out of her bed and exited her room, without thinking about changing. On her way down the hall, she heard a noise emanating from the kitchen.

The closer she got, the clearer it sounded. She heard a radio playing, and a male voice singing along with it. She stopped at the doorway to see Draco singing and dancing to the music, while preparing a breakfast. Upon further investigation, she saw that breakfast was cooking itself while he was getting plates to eat off of.

A smile broke across his face as he shook his butt to the music while he poured two cups of coffee. A similar smile spread across her face when she watched him put the perfect amount of cream and sugar into her cup. She snuck up to the breakfast bar, making sure he did not hear or see her. Draco charmed the plates to float and set themselves on the bar, and he went to pick the mugs of coffee himself.

The song changed to a slower one, and Hermione closed her eyes to just soak in the atmosphere. She jumped when she felt his hand touch on her shoulder. She looked towards him, his hand was extended, an offer to dance. Blushing, Hermione accepted and stood to dance with him. He pulled her in close, her hand in his, resting his other hand on the curve of her lower back. Leading her across the kitchen floor, she realized he was singing along, looking right at her. She found herself getting lost in him.

As if almost on cue, there was a dramatic musical break in the song, and out of impulse, Draco leaned in and kissed her. Passion pulled at her heart and she returned his kiss with a burning desire. The lyrics resumed, yet the two never broke apart, the dancing stopped. Slowly, Hermione knew she would have to stop this, and began to break the kiss, trailing off into smaller ones, and pulled herself away. Sitting back down, she began to taste the food he had prepared for her. Draco stood there, feeling rejected, and slowly walked to the bar and sat down to eat with her.

The silence was heavy. Neither wanted to break it, save the sounds of the forks hitting the plates. Hermione eventually dared to look over, realizing that Draco was gazing at her. Once he realized she looked over, he diverted his eyes, and hid from her by going to refill the cups of coffee.

"I heard everything you said last night," she stated when he was as far as he would go. Draco froze mid pour, coffee overflowing onto the countertop. He muttered a cuss and then charmed the coffee into the mugs and back into the pot. He turned around, jaw still slack from finding out that she had heard it all.

"You... you heard?"

"Of course I heard! I went into the hallway to try to talk with you, but you were not there when I opened the door." Hermione confessed. She refused to look up from the coffee that Draco handed her, afraid her eyes would convey everything she was thinking.

"I... I don't know what to say to this?" Draco was speechless.

"I doubt there is much left for you to say. You said it all last night. The only person who has anything left to say would be me." She dared herself to look over at him, with his hands in his hair, stress drawn all over him. "I wish I knew all along and that my family did not have to lie to me. I wish I was able to grow up like you, knowing the ins and outs of the wizarding world. Maybe I would have been better adapted and people would have liked me more. It hurts knowing that I worked so hard to try to fit in, and it turned against me. You of all people hated me because of who I thought I was and how I was a 'Know-it-all' and a Gryffindor. Ever since I figured it out, and came here to confront them, I picture how it would have been different. Maybe I would have been in Ravenclaw like my family. Maybe you and I would have been civil to each other, instead of constantly attacking one another in the halls. And now, I have seen you while you are vulnerable, and you have seen me. So please, Draco, tell me. Where do we go from here?"

She looked at him, her eyes pleading for an answer she was not sure would come. After waiting long enough, she sighed, turning away from him. That was all the answer she needed, and it hurt her to think more upon it. Turning to go get ready for the day ahead of her, she felt him grab her arm, forcing her to turn and face him.

"Hermione, why do you ask what I want? You know what I want, you said you heard it all. Please, tell me, what do you want?" Tears filled both of their eyes, waiting for an answer, and unwilling to move. Stubborn pride, both had it.

"I want it all. I want to be happy, to know what it's like to be a pureblood. I want to bring my family name back into light. I want to wake up knowing everything is going to be alright and I don't have to fear anything ever again. And I just want to be loved by somebody who isn't afraid I am going to fall apart. I just want to be like everybody else!" She starred into is eyes, a sense of longing, unable to say what she wants to. With a heavy sigh, wiping tears from her eyes, she rose and left the kitchen, dragging her feet to her room.

Softly, she closed the door and leaned up against it and cried hard. She did not care if he heard her or not. She conjured up a box of tissues, and walked up to her bed and threw herself down onto it. Part of her wished this never had happened, that Harry could trust her to do the right thing and not have sent him. He threw her whole plan off, and now she doesn't even want to follow through with what she had to do today.

Hermione was startled from her cry by a knock at the door. "Mione, can I come in?"

"Sure." Draco walked in and sat down on the edge of her bed. He took a deep breath and looked at her. Everything about her made him want to hold her to stop her from crying. A soft sigh, he moved over and pulled her into his arms. Hermione began to calm down, feeling protected and comforted in his strong arms. She found herself wrapping her arms around him, nuzzling in to his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Time stopped, or so it seemed. Draco whispered caring words to her, kissing the top of her head, and before he knew it, she was asleep in his arms. He then leaned back against her headboard and took a nap, holding her tightly.

Hours later, Hermione stirred. Something felt different. She looked around her to realize that she was laying in his arms, and he too was asleep. She wanted to move, she had too. This was not right. She tried her best to get up without waking him, but before she knew it, he was stirring as well.

"Feeling better?" Draco asked, voice still rough from the nap. Hermione smiled, his hair was no longer laying perfectly. She grabbed her wand and pointed it at his hair, getting ready to mutter a charm to fix it back. "WHOA! DON'T HURT ME!"

"Sit still!" she giggled as she said the charm. "Your hair looked crazy, I was just fixing it for you." Hermione turned to walk to her dresser, looking for what to wear to the meeting with her parents. Unable to make a decision, she closed her eyes and reached into a drawer blindly, pulling out something at random. She went to put it on, when she remembered Draco was still in her room. "Could you... um..."

"Oh! Right, we have plans today." He stood and walked out the door, looking over his shoulder at the witch. He closed the door, a grin spread across his face. Walking into his room, he changed his clothes. He looked into the mirror briefly, and noticed how his hair was laying perfectly. He ran his fingers through it, and it fell right back into place. The signature smirk showed, and he couldn't help but want to thank her.

In the living room, Hermione was already waiting to go. She stood up, and headed to the door, holding the door open for Draco. The two walked silently to their apparation point, and apparated without word. They arrived to their point, and before they moved, Draco grabbed Hermione's hand, turning her to face him.

"I know your parents might ask. I think they deserve an answer. I will let you decide what you want to call this, and I will stand by it. Okay?" Hermione nodded, unsure of what to say, and then lead the way to the house.

A quick knock on the door, and it was answered almost instantly. Her mother ushered the two in, offering something to drink as they went. Saying yes to some tea, they sat down, a little closer to each other than anticipated. Her mother and father walked in, tea in hand, and sat down facing them. Hermione starred into her mug, and felt Draco's hand touch her knee. She looked up, and noticed everybody was looking at her.

"I was just asking Draco if the two of you thought of how we are all going to go back home. Do you have any ideas?" her father asked.

"I could ask Harry, he said I was not allowed to come back without you two, so I am sure he has something prepared." Hermione reached into her beaded purse and pulled out her cell phone. She dialed Harry, and waited for him to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Harry? It's Hermione. I... I am ready to come home, with my parents. Do you have an idea to bring them too?"

"Do you have a floo available?"

"Not at my parents place, but Draco has floo set up."

"Dra-Draco? You... you know about... nevermind, can he go over and pick up something I am going to floo?" Hermione relayed the message, and Draco nodded, apparating right there. "Listen, Hermione, I want to explain-"

"Save it, Harry. We will talk when I get home. Did he arrive yet?"

"Yea, he should be getting back shortly." And before the sentence was finished, Hermione heard the all too familiar pop, turning to Draco. "Ah, good. Draco has a set of passports for your family to use the International Floo. To be honest, Kingsley had them ready and said that you would need them, but I did not know muggles could use the floo, but he assured me it was ok." Hermione could tell he was confused.

"Ok, thanks Harry. We will be home shortly, so don't worry. I will send an owl when I am ready to discuss important matters." Hermione hung up the phone without saying good-bye, and turned to her audience at hand. Walking to Draco, she took the passports from him, handing them to her parents. "We will leave tomorrow morning, enough time to pack, and take care of last minute things. I am going back to where I am staying to pack everything, and I will come back to help you."

"Oh, Hermione. We will be fine. There are a few spells we can do, and packing is one. We can leave sooner if you like," her mother said.

"No, I would rather wait until tomorrow." And she turned out the door, Draco trailing after her. He caught up to her, and grabbed her arm just in time as she apparated. Caught off balance, Hermione fell to the ground, pulling Draco on top of her.

"Hello there," he said with a smirk. Hermione was unable to resist him, and just smiled shyly. Draco had not felt more content, and he just leaned in to kiss her. "Mione, can we simplify this?"

"Wha-What do you mean?" Hermione asked, still feeling the kiss on her lips.

"I don't want to be confused on where we stand. I am so happy with you, and this," he motioned between them, "this feels natural. So what do you say? Will you be mine?"

Laying there on the floor of their place, Hermione was speechless. She looked at him, trying to put words to what she was thinking. Taking a deep breath, she answered his question.