I don't own anything so enjoy!!Don't forget to review at the end

It started with...

Chapter 19:

Res una

Hermione turned a page in her book. She looked drained and tired, probably from getting up really early in the morning to sleeping really late at night. She rubbed her eyes. People were beginning to wonder if her eyes were ever brown the way they stayed red. At the moment she was feeling angry, then she'd feel confused, then she'd get upset and the cycle continued.

Draco watched from afar as his girlfriend turned the pages of her book. She looked drained and unhappy. Draco wondered what was going on, had Harry told her to stay away from him? What had Harry done to her that made her look like this? He hadn't seen her over a week. He had given her space, he had given her time. So what was going on?

Biting his bottom lip he got up from his seat and walked over to the brunette. "Hermione?" He said gently. She looked up in alarm at him. "You look...well." He said not wanting to insult her.

"He's not speaking to me." Choking on fresh tears, Hermione looked up at him. Draco wanted to punch Harry right now. Why had he made her like this?

"But I am." He said trying to make her smile. It didn't. It made her cry. Draco crouched down to her level and pulled her close to him. He inhaled her sweet smell of roses and oddly enough books. He smell was making him feel heavy with emotion. "It'll be alright." He said softly kissing her head.

"Oh Draco!" She sobbed. "I don't know what else to do!" Draco rocked her gently. He didn't want to say anything but he felt awkward at this scenery. He didn't know how to handle weeping females. "No one's speaking to me!" She sobbed slightly louder. Draco felt himself blush as he felt hundreds of eyes on him.

"Hush now. Come on. Let's go to my room." He said holding her hand and leading the way out of the large room. Students watched with amazement as Draco Malfoy was holding hands with Hermione Granger.

"I've seen stranger things but none of them compare to this." A student whispered to his friend who nodded in agreement.

---

"Here sit down." He said offering her his leather couch. She sat down obediently. She noticed the small leather pouch with the golden handle sticking out. But she didn't say anything. Draco came back with two bottles. "Butterbeer." He said when he noticed her wondering gaze on them. "It's hot, so be careful." He cautioned. He noticed her glance towards his small dagger. "I found it here." He said.

"I believe you." She said softly. Draco went over and handed it to her. She stared at it as it rested in Draco's hands. She gingerly reached out for it. Holding onto the sheath she released the small dagger. Her eyes widened at the beauty of it. She traced a finger over the designs. "Ok I know that your family is into the Dark Arts and all but could you please explain to me why you have a dagger in your room?"

"Hey!" Draco protested. "Okay it's the writing that's on it. Think you can tell me what it means?" Hermione took the dagger from the sheath and examined it.

"Draco who gave this to you?"

"The room."

"Draco. This dagger is ancient. For you it would seem like a fancy dagger but it really belongs to a very old wizard. Goes by the name Merlin. Heard of him?"

"Some old dude gave me a dagger?" Draco asked. Hermione took a sip of her butterbeer. "Why?"

"I may be the smartest witch but I'm not that smart. Hogwarts is a really old place. Maybe just maybe Merlin did exist...and he left this dagger to help someone if they lost their way." Hermione said gently giving Draco the dagger. She placed her butterbeer aside. "It says that 'When the darkest hour arrives'..." Draco turned it around. "The second part means 'To decide your fate'." She looked at him.

"Ok that's weird." Draco said quickly, he put the dagger back in its sheath. He stared at the object for a while. Hermione realised that something was bugging him. She got up slowly and walked over to him. She hugged him from behind. Draco at first was surprised but then smiled at this. "We've not been this close for a while now." He remarked.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I just thought that...well I didn't know what I was thinking. I've just been a mess." Tears started to slid down her face. Draco turned round and hugged her back. He pressed her head against his shoulder.

"I'm the one that's sorry. I shouldn't have put you in this position." Draco murmured softly. Hermione lifted her head up in alarm.

"Why should you be sorry? We've done nothing wrong! We love each other!" She protested she reached out and touched his cheek. "I love you." She said strongly. Draco gave her a weak smile.

"You don't even need me to reply to that." He said before kissing her softly, he had meant it to be a swift kiss but instead it turned into desperation, he wanted dominance over this kiss but Hermione wasn't having any of that. She pulled his head closer to hers. Suddenly their need to be loved took over. She kept on kissing him when her legs wrapped round his waist. Draco could see where this was going but he didn't want to stop it. He needed to be loved while Hermione desired it. His hands roamed up her white shirt while she worked on undoing it. When he felt his shirt sliding off his broad shoulders he stopped their little heated make out session.

"What?" Hermione demanded feeling like a balloon inside of her had been let out. Draco let out a small groan.

"I don't want to feel like I'm taking advantage of you." He said frowning slightly. "You're upset about the whole Harry situation and I don't want to feel like I'm taking advantage of you." Draco explained. Hermione stared at him like he was saying something in a different language. "Look I love you and-" He was cut off by Hermione's finger.

"This is my decision." She said. "Now shut up and kiss me!" She ordered. Draco smiled at her and gave in to her commands. He tried to gain dominance over the kiss but Hermione wasn't backing down.

"You're so light." He whispered breaking away from her lips and began kissing her neck with soft kisses. He let out a soft groan as he felt Hermione slowly un-did the buttons on his shirt then halfway she guided Draco's hand to hers. His warm hands felt cool on her skin. He leaned to kiss her as he slowly let her shirt slid down her back. Her brown curly hair looked like a dark waterfall as she leaned backwards against her soft pink skin.

Draco heard Hermione catch her breath and then rise and fall of her breathing in the dapples dim light of the room, he leaned against the pole of his bed, their heights the same. They let out a small chuckle as they realised what was going to happen.

She didn't feel nervous or self-conscious. It seemed totally right, so natural. They removed their last piece of clothing, now they remained in their underwear. "Wow." Draco whispered his arms wrapping round the girls waist. He pulled her close and suddenly their lips began the battle of independence. Hermione went closer towards Draco; their bodies finally closed the small gap. Now with their skin touching everything felt so intimate, so startling!

Their desires were mixed but it was visible how much they needed each other, how much they wanted each other. He led her towards the bed. He lied down taking Hermione on top of him. She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she bent down and kissed him. His hands roamed around her body, first her back then slowly they slid towards her waist. Hermione blushed when he squeezed her buttocks. "Hey!" She protested feebly, she giggled and recommenced kissing him. Then the moment came. Their bodies became one.

If anyone could describe love it would be impossible to describe. Love is a strange feeling that can be one of the most amazing in the entire world. Sometimes the emotions associated with love are blissful, and there are times when they can really hurt. In the end, love is something most of us, if not all of us, will encounter. While there are many different ways to define love and there are many different ways to love someone.

And as soon as the moment came for the couple to descend from the heavens Hermione found herself crying and Draco holding her close in his arms wondering what was going on with him.

--

Harry was storming back to the common rooms. He was not in a good mood. Ginny was refusing to talk to him, Ron was avoiding any confrontation, and Neville was hanging out with Luna...so Harry was spending time with either Seamus or Dean. His gaze froze on Ginny. She looked perfect; her red hair glowed beside the fireplace, Harry stood and gazed at her. I'm a fool...

Ginny turned and met his gaze. Her gaze narrowed when she saw him approach her but somehow her body wasn't obeying her mind. It just stood still and waited for him to approach her. "Hey." He said slowly. Ginny stared at him. "I'm sorry." He said. Ginny continued to stare at him. "I acted like a jerk...to you...to Hermione and I'm sorry."

"And?" She demanded, her blue eyes glaring at him.

"And I'm sorry." Harry said nervously. He was not good at dating women he decided. His past experience with Cho Chang backed him up with that. He bit his bottom lip and stared as Ginny looked away in thought.

"You're forgiven. But I want you to promise me that you'll not interfere with Hermione's love life. She's been treated unfairly." Ginny said with a tone to her voice that showed who was boss. Harry nodded but then realised something. He had everything again. His girlfriend was back with him, the golden trio were back on form and he had an ally in the form of Draco Malfoy.

"Done deal." He replied instantly. "No Ginny Weasley. You're coming with me." He took her hand and led her towards his dorm room.

--

"Wow." Hermione said after a while. Draco faced her; he was leaning on his elbow with a hand he was tracing along her collarbone. "I should fight with Harry more."

Draco chuckled. In the amount of time that had passed between them something had changed between them. Not in a bad way but in a greater way. They were on the same page, the same wave link, they were Marissa and Ryan, they were Kermit the frog and miss piggy...they were so deeply in love with each other that nothing could tear them apart. "I was that good?" Draco teased.

Hermione smiled shyly at him. "I can't compare." She said softly. She stroked his cheek, he snuggled into her embrace. "I love you."

"I know." He replied leaning to kiss her lips. "I love you too." Hermione pulled him towards her and suddenly she was dominating the situation.

--

"Albus you can't be serious!" Minerva McGonagall said in a shocked tone. "He'll be accused a traitor! He'll be sniffed by every blood hounded Auror in the country!" The tall old man turned himself away from the large window in his office and turned to smile at her.

"It's time we put things in motion. You have been a very dear friend to me." He said softly, his wise old blue eyes gleaming gently in the candlelight.

"There must be another way!" She pleaded; she clutched her dressing gown close to her. "Albus, what do you hope to gain from this?" She walked towards him.

"A forgotten legend." He replied. Once again Minerva was at a lost. She hated it when Albus spoke in riddles. "It's getting quite late." He said after a moment. Minerva shook her head at him sadly.

"You put too much faith in them." She replied when she was by the door. Albus merely smiled at her.

The plot thickens!!!PLS REVIEW!!!