OMG! I had actually completely forgotten about this story i've been so busy. then i was going through deleting old doccuments on my computer when i found it. so i decided i really needed to finish it. To all the Blaise/Hermione fans I'm sorry. Before I even posted the first chapter i always intended it to be a dramione and i just threw Blaise in because i needed someone to complicate things.

If however a Blaise/Hermione ending is requested i am more than happy to write it. it would not be too difficult to do and i can promise it would be uploaded quickly.

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story. i cannot believe it took so long to finish. I hate it when authors don't update quickly so i apologize most sincerely for this.

So thats it from me. A big thank you and a big sorry.

Now please enjoy and as always, please leave a comment :)

Hermione POV

Hermione stepped through the garden carefully not wanting to walk too much on the grass lest her heels became irretrievably buried in mud. She had no idea where she was going, only that she had to find Draco and tell him how she felt before she lost her nerve. It was a difficult task, especially considering the amount of loved up couples snogging at every partially concealing object on the grounds. At last Hermione halted next to a moving statue of a phoenix that had been erected in memory of the war. Every 10 minutes or so the phoenix would flap its wings, burst into flames, crumble, then resurrect again. It was a representation of how the wizarding world had died but was being reborn. Leaning against its wing after one such cycle she tossed off her now filthy shoes and tried to think of the logical places Draco would have gone.

Well he can't have gone back to the castle because he would have had to pass me, and he's not in the gardens. I can't see him near the lake, which leaves; she turned in the direction of the Quiditch pitch. Of course! Didn't Draco tell me himself that he goes flying when he wants to escape? Why didn't I think of that before? Gathering up her courage, her shoes and her skirt, Hermione moved as fast as possible in a full-length ball-gown in the direction of the dark stadium.

As she reached the entrance to the stadium she caught sight of a tall silhouette with silver-blonde hair, standing in the middle of the pitch. The outline suddenly lifted his arm and swung at a fast moving shape. Thunder echoed around the stadium as a bludger smashed into a distant wall. As she neared him, Hermione realized that he was only wearing his shirt and black slacks and her heart began to beat so fast she thought she would pass out.

"Draco!" she called a little breathlessly as she ran to him. His head had whipped round to look at her and his eyes widened before he turned his attention back to the revengeful bludger flying towards him. Hermione thought his eyes looked oddly red –and that his cheeks' seemed to sparkle slightly in the light of the lumos charm he'd cast around them.

Catching the bludger against him with both hands Draco forcefully pushed it back into its casing on the ground. She noticed his broom lying discarded on the ground along with his formal robe and gloves. She waited nervously as he gracefully stood and looked straight into her eyes.

He started to say something but his voice cracked. Cursing under his breath, he cleared his throat.

"Can I help you?"

Draco POV

I can't believe she's here! And for Merlin's sake witnessing me crying. His masochistic mind automatically conjured up images of her kissing Blaise and he felt the stab of heartbreak all over again. I suppose she's here to tell me that she's with Blaise now. He cringed at the thought. Come on Draco pull yourself together!

"Well I um, I want to tell you something" she stumbled. He waited tensely for her to continue, inwardly dying. Here it comes. She twisted her fingers awkwardly and Draco could feel the anxiety radiating out of her.

After a horrible 3 minutes of dead silence Draco decided he needed to prompt her before he completely lost his mind.

"Yes Granger? I'm all ears." She flinched at his use of her last name.

"Granger?" she choked. Draco rolled his eyes masking his own hurt.

"Fine. Hermione. Come on spit it out. I haven't got all night." She seemed to be caught between hurt and anger. The latter took over.

"You know what Malfoy never mind." Draco felt his own anger building and immediately crossed the distance between them as she turned to leave.

"Come on Hermione," he took hold of one of her hands pulling her back to look at him. "You want to tell me something just say it!" Maybe if she tells me now it wouldn't hurt so much to see her with Blaise later.

"Let go of me!" she squealed pulling away from him. He tightened his hold.

"I'm not letting you go till you say what you came to say."

"Merlin Draco you are such a prat! You think everyone is beneath you because you're rich and a pureblood. Well here's news for you. We're not! In fact I can't think of anyone who is beneath you!"

"Than by all means don't feel the need to waste your time on me when I'm sure Blaise is waiting-" he sucked in a deep breath. He wasn't going to burst into tears in front of her.

"I apologize Hermione, please just tell me what you came to say." Hermione was still seething.

"For YOUR information Draco Malfoy Blaise is NOT waiting." Draco's eyes widened ruining his calm veneer.

"No! He like a true gentleman accepted my feelings for you and wished us happiness…"

Needless to say Draco was struck dumb. He tried to find something to say but his brain had stopped functioning. She's not with Blaise?

Hermione POV

I continued to rant; my emotions now completely out of control, and my heart breaking.

"I know you wouldn't have done that! You! You unfeeling, arrogant, jealous, obnoxious twit-" I was suddenly cut off by a pair of lips.

"Oh". My eyes closed savouring the feeling of Dracos lips on mine. I leaned into him, melting under the heat of this kiss. This kiss… it made me feel giddy, like every inch of me was tingling with excitement. Just when I thought I would faint from dizziness Draco started to gently pull away. Our lips touched softly once, twice, three times more before we parted breathless.

I could barely speak let alone stand.

"Hermione" he whispered huskily looking into my eyes. He didn't need to say anything else. Just the way he said my name told me everything I needed to know.

"Third time lucky huh?" he murmured. I let out a breathless laugh thinking about our last two near misses- or kisses in fact.

"I think it was worth the wait." I whispered before he kissed me again. He made a sound of agreement. I couldn't stop smiling. I had never been so euphorically happy in my whole life.

"Hermione," his tone was firm as he pulled away and I immediately felt my stomach drop. He couldn't have changed his mind already! His eyes closed and I could feel his hands tighten on my waist. I waited with baited breath trying to prepare myself for the worst. I was completely unprepared for the vulnerable look in his beautiful grey eyes as he gazed at me.

"I, I lo-" my heart skipped "I love you". I smiled up at him all my anxieties gone. Hell had officially frozen over: Draco Malfoy loved me.

"Well that's good." I smiled slipping my arms around his neck. His arms encircled me pulling me tight against him, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"And…?" he prompted nervously. I laughed softly.

"Oh alright. I love you too."

Draco POV

Draco and Hermione drifted back to the common room hand in hand.

"Goodnight." She whispered to him at the bottom of the stairs to the girl's dormitories. Draco smiled and kissed her sweetly on the lips. He watched her till she disappeared behind the door before turning around and heading back out. There was someone he needed to have a word with.

Draco found Blaise where he knew he would: leaning against the balcony of the Astronomy Tower, looking out at the stars. Blaise was smoking a cigar and had just exhaled as Draco stepped onto the balcony.

"Come to gloat?" Blaise inquired calmly. Draco opened his mouth to protest but nothing came out. In his head he still couldn't believe that his relationship with Blaise had come to this.

When the war started the Zabini family had stayed far out of it whilst the Malfoy's were thrust into the very centre. He had once gloated to Blaise that he was on a mission for the dark lord, feeling ultimately superior to his friend. Draco couldn't believe how his friend forgave and looked after him when that mission nearly claimed his life, especially since he had never apologised- Malfoy's never apologise. But he didn't need to. Blaise knew that he was sorry, he always knew.

Then during the war they were once again separated. When they were reunited Draco couldn't even look at Blaise for shame. He had seen and done so many terrible things. He had been a coward all his life but he never knew it till then. When he finally met Blaise's eyes they held no judgment, only concern for his best mate.

And now here they stood; shoulders squared, expressions cold. Blaise had edged away from him, putting more distance between them. He needn't have bothered. They'd never been further apart in their lives.

"I don't want to keep fighting Blaise." Draco told him seriously.

"Oh I see," Blaise replied dryly. "Now you've got the girl we can go back to being friends."

"No of course that's not why!" Draco objected, "I just want my best mate back."

Blaise's posture sagged slightly and his eyes became tired.

"Why did you do this Drake? You always had everything. The best grades, the most money, the fastest broom. Why couldn't you have just let me have this one thing?"

Draco was stunned. He'd never thought about their relationship like that. True, he used those things to impress other students, and to make his parents proud, but when it came to Blaise he could just be himself. Sure he'd always been the one to assume the leadership position –at least in public- but he thought Blaise was cool with that. Now he could see how much it had gotten to his friend after all these years. All things considered, Blaise was a better leader than he could ever be.

"Blaise, I" deep breath in "I'm sorry." Thus Draco Malfoy, Prince of Slytherin, made his first apology. Blaise looked at him shocked.

"What did you say?" He asked him blankly. Draco hated having to repeat himself but he was making a lot of exceptions tonight.

"I said I'm sorry; for everything in the past and for falling for the same girl. I love her Blaise."

Blaise's eyes had widened at his last confession. He had watched him carefully, searching for a hint of sarcasm or insincerity but found none.

"You love her?" He repeated

Draco just nodded. Blaise turned from him to look back out over the grounds of Hogwarts.

"Have you told her?"

"Yes"

"Well then at least you've done one good thing in your life." Blaise looked back at him with a smirk. Draco grinned.

We're good.

Hermione POV

The next morning, Draco was waiting to escort Hermione to breakfast.

"Hey beautiful" he smiled kissing her. Yep- I didn't imagine how good this feels.

"Hey" she replied. He offered her his hand and she took it, entwining their fingers as they left the common room.

"Do tweedle scar and tweedle poor know the good news?" he teased. Hermione used her free hand to hit him.

"Your terrible!" she laughed. Draco merely grinned and manoeuvred his arm that was holding her hand so that it wrapped around her waist without letting go of her.

They walked down like that, kissing every now and then and nearly running into pillars, students and walls. When they entered the great hall the tables were as they had been for a while now; round and spread out like a restaurant. And there at one of the tables was Ron, Harry, Ginny and Luna. They all looked up when Hermione and Draco entered; in fact most of the great hall seemed to.

"Well, saves having to tell everyone separately doesn't it?" Draco murmured in her ear. Hermione barely heard him. She was too busy anxiously watching her friend's facial expressions. Ginny was smirking, Luna was looking out the window in a daze, Harry's mouth was open and Ron was…

Splat

…Passed out on the floor. Ah, nothing unusual, nothing at all.

The END