A/N: Hello, all! Chapter eight, here for your viewing pleasure! I hope you all enjoy, and don't throw rotten fruit at me- I know it was late, but I have a feeling you'll like this one! ;)

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!

Chapter Eight- Name MIA

Draco Malfoy sat on his borrowed bed, in his borrowed clothes, and gazed reverently at his brand new wand, a gift from former enemies. He was still in shock; why had she bought him a wand? And not only a wand, she had also shoved an ice cream cone in his face while he was still struck dumb.

No one had ever done something so nice to him, not ever in his entire life. His parents had spoiled him, sure, but they had the money to do it, and they used toys and objects to keep him busy and out of their hair. That was the way Pureblood families raised their young- spoiled them and passed them off to their house elves.

Never in Draco's life had anyone given him anything without an ulterior motive. Never, that is, until today.

The gratitude he felt threatened to overwhelm him suddenly. So much had changed in such a short time. Draco felt the world was upside down sometimes, and it unnerved him.

What was real? The kindness Hermione Granger and Harry Potter showed him that morning, or the slurs his family had taught him for so long?

Your father tried to kill you, idiot! A voice said to him, what other proof do you need?

It's hard, turning your back on everything you knew, even when you know it's the right thing to do he reasoned. I just need something to snap. I just need to know which direction is the right one.

Draco sighed, flopping backwards onto the bed, idly waving his wand, golden sparks flying out of the tip.

He closed his eyes and imagined a different life: one where he had been loved and tended to by parents, not house elves, one where he had enjoyed school and had good friends, one where he was in a relationship with a beautiful girl, buying her a ring, kissing her on their wedding day, her belly swollen with their first child, a girl that looked just like her, with brown eyes and curly hair…

He wasn't sure how long he lay there, a few minutes or a few hours, but there was suddenly a soft knock at the door. "It's open." His voice sounded rough to his ears.

Hermione opened the door, smiling when she saw him. "You love that wand, don't you?"

"Yeah, it was a nice surprise." A pause. "Thank you again, for buying it. I owe you seven galleons, Granger."

She snorted. "Don't be silly. Think of it as a gift, a welcome present." She shook her head. "I'm only sorry we couldn't salvage your original wand. It must be strange to have a new one."

"This one feels about the same, but yes, there are subtle differences. I think I will like adjusting to this one, though."

Gray eyes met brown, blush alighted on cheeks and the connection was broken. Hermione studied her shoes, waiting for her flaming face to fade. Draco's soft chuckle broke the silence, making her eyes snap up to his face. His eyes were bright, something in them that she had never seen, never noticed before.

He looked… almost happy.

The thought pulled at her heart, making her want to cry. She felt sorrow for this man, this lost little boy. He had nothing his entire life, no family, no true friends, no love. How was that possible?

How was it that this beautiful boy in front of her had never experience the joys in life as she herself had? She had caught the surprise in his face numerous times over the last few weeks, when she had been making breakfast, curled up on the couch with a book, laughing at something on the television, or singing as she folded her laundry.

Every time she had surprised him, he had this look of confusion, soft and unfocused, on his face. And every single time, this strong urge to hold him, soothe his hurt and make him happy.

This prompted Hermione to recall their attraction, and the incident that occurred earlier that day. As if she hadn't been thinking about it all afternoon, and his reaction in Ollivander's. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel his warm, sweet breath on her face, feel the warmth from his thumb as if moved to touch her lip… Wait, she could feel his thumb on her lip.

Pulling her eyes open, she blinked, mere inches away from those steel gray eyes. When had he moved? Her brain got a little fuzzy has his hand moved to caress her cheek, the fingers both rough and soft at the same time.

Her eyes closing of their own volition, she unconsciously leaned into his touch as he tugged gently on her earlobe, bringing his hand down to her chin.

"Hermione."

His voice was soft, the desire he felt an underlying current, hard as steel and sharp as flint. She let out a soft mewl in response to her name, shivering at the effect he had on her. And just with his voice!

She opened her eyes just in time to see Draco tip his head down to meet hers, and suddenly his cheek was caressing hers, the skin rough where he hadn't shaved. Goosebumps covered her body, and Hermione took an unconscious step forward, pressing her body lightly into his.

Draco's eyes popped open, his breath coming out between his teeth in a hiss. Her eyelashes had been driving him crazy, tickling his face, but when she leaned into him, leaning her soft body into his…

Groaning softly, Draco took a step back, his breathing labored. Hermione's eyes opened, looking unfocused, closing again as he pressed a soft kiss onto her cheek, soothing the redness from his whiskers.

"Hermione." His voice was pleading.

She looked at him, her eyes understanding.

"Draco, it's okay." Her hand slipped into his. "I understand."

He ran a hand violently through his silver hair, frowning.

"No, I feel bad. I should explain-"

"Don't." Her voice was firm. "Please. I understand why you pulled away."

A sigh was her only response.

"I don't understand where this attraction came from." She laughed, a lilting sound. "I mean, we are polar opposites. This war was brought us together."

He shrugged, cupping her face, running his thumb along her jaw line. "I know it did. I feel so different than I used to." He laughed harshly. "I was raised that this, the way I feel, touching you like this, hell touching you at all, would have been a sufficient reason to be punished by my father."

Hermione felt the tears running down her face before she knew she was crying.

Draco tutted softly, wiping them away with his forefinger, his eyes softening. They held a haunted look, the same reflection they had held when she found him, broken and bleeding in the dungeon of his own home.

"You have had such a hard life." She whispered, twisting her fingers in the edge of his shirt, looking up to meet his eyes. Another tear slipped out, landing on her cheek, and without thinking Draco leaned down to kiss it off.

As he pulled back, she brought her hand up to caress his face, her eyes full of emotion as she gazed into his. "What can I do?" Her voice broke, her heart breaking. "How can I save you? I don't want to lose you, I want you to heal." She smiled a little smile, her eyes soft. "How can I help?"

Draco felt his heart break at her words. She was pleading with him to let her help him. A sudden revelation hit him.

Hermione Granger cared enough for him, Draco Malfoy- the Slytherin Prince, the nasty boy that called her horrible names throughout school, that made her and her friends' lives a living hell- that she would do anything to help him.

She said she didn't want to lose you.

Unbidden, tears filled his eyes, and the next thing he knew, he was bending down, pressing his lips to hers, gripping her shoulders, her arms around his neck. Her lips were soft, warm against his, her slim body molded into his, sending jolts of electricity into his chest, gripping his heart.

Her kisses were so sweet; simple, blowing through him like a gentle breeze, filling him to the brim, then leaving him with a content feeling.

Draco pulled back, resting his forehead against hers, their eyes closed, their breathing in sync.

He opened his eyes to find her watching him, her lips swollen, her eyes bright. When she spoke, he laughed aloud.

"Do you know how long I've been waiting to do that?"

Pssst! So, what do you think? Good? Needed something else? Let me know: review! I have two paths that this story could go down- the question is, which would you prefer? I could always write an alternate ending as a one-shot... Okay, option one is short- one or two chapters more. Option two is wayyy longer- I add a twist and write, oh, I don't know, a million more chapters. Okay, not really a million, but a lot more than one or two! I think I have already decided, but I kinda wanted to know what you preferred: anyone sick of this story? haha!