Disclaimer: Fanmade by fans for fans. Please don't sue.

Title: Life On Hold

Summary: "I have a life to live, Draco. And I can't put it on hold waiting for you."

Genre: Angst

Rating: K+

Characters: Draco Malfoy & Hermione Granger

Day 04 Prompt: Word: Till

"Please, just wait," Draco Malfoy begged as he watched the love of his life run around his flat, grabbing various objects and shoving them into her bag.

"Until when, Malfoy? A month? A year? Until your parents are dead?" Hermione Granger angrily replied back.

"I don't know!" he harshly exclaimed, running his hands through his hair. "I just can't... not right now. Please, Hermione."

"We can't keep having this same argument over and over!" she screamed at him, throwing her bag on the floor. "I didn't fight in a war against prejudice and bigotry to spend my life sneaking around behind your family's back! I fought so I, so we, could be free. Free to be out, in public, together!"

"And we are together-"

"No, we're not," she interrupted. "We're 'Just Friends,'" she said, miming the air quotes. "You're still escorting other women to social functions; your mother is still trying to find you a wife."

"She's knows I'm seeing someone-"

"But she doesn't know it's me." Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose, took a deep breath and sighed; her anger was blown away, leaving her worn out and tired. She looked at her on-again-off-again sometime secret boyfriend. "I want a husband. Children. A family," she pleaded to him. "I have a life to live, Draco. And I can't put it on hold waiting for you."

Hermione searched Draco's face, delving into his stormy grey eyes. She saw his love... and fear. She knew he was scared; she was too. Their love was overwhelming, intense, and nothing either of them had ever experienced before. They were a boat without a map, floundering in the water, unsure where to go. But they had the stars... and each other. Their love could survive if they took care of each other. She believed it was worth fighting for.

But Draco was the last of his line; ages of pureblood tradition was thrust upon his shoulders. His family was always the most important thing to him; and after the war, it was all he had left. He couldn't abandon them; and as much as he wanted to, he wouldn't fight for her. She knew he was tired of fighting.

Wearily, Hermione dropped her head, picked up her bag, and turned to go. She was almost at the door when Draco hugged her from behind, his nose burrowing into her neck.

"Please don't go," he whispered softly.

Tears began to fall as she slowly removed his arms from her waist. Closing her eyes, she sadly sighed out an "I'm sorry," before walking away from him forever.