A/N: I'm SOOO sorry for the humungously long wait for a ridiculously short chapter. I've been coming pretty close to finals for college and I am now working 40 hours a week with 15 credit hours in school, so its been pretty insane. I promise more when school is out in 3 or so weeks. But its no excuse. Without further ado...

Summary: In 6th year when Hermione discovers that Harry's baseless acusations about Malfoy are more true than she had anticipated, she goes to Dumbledore who stages Draco's death and sends him into hiding. But thats not where her part ends. Dumbledore expects her to tutor him on the 6th year material. Left with more time together alone then ever before, they begin to see things differently, in this, the prelude to their end.

Chapter 12: Today is a Solution, Yesterday is a Dream

After trying unsuccessfully to shake off the words of Professor Trelwaney, and the images that had been seared into her mind, she fell into a fitful sleep. After waking several times during the night she finally crawled exaustedly from the bed and sought out her one place of solace; the astronomy tower.

Thankful for at least one morning of clear skies in early January, she prepared herself for the dawn, bright and beautiful as it had once been so many months ago. As the sun rose and the world burst into diamonds, she fell into a mezmerized state, not noticing light footsteps behind her.

"Hermione."

She stiffened at the familiar voice uttering her name in such an unfamiliar way.

She turned around and glared at Draco. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, "Doing something I shouldn't be doing."

"Like being outside of Grimmauld Place. What if someone catches you?" She reprimanded lightly.

He shrugged again and leaned against the railing next to her, purposely ignoring her piercing glare.

"Why did you treat my parents that way?" she asked, angrily.

He grimmaced. "I was already angry with something else."

"That doesn't excuse it. Calling me that word again? How could you?"

He shook his head and muttered, "I'm sorry."

"You'd better be." She huffed.

"Well if you're not going to take me seriously I don't even know why I'm here at all." he nearly shouted.

"You call me names and treat my parents awfully and you think that just saying sorry is going to make it all better?"

"No!" He finally shouted. "I just..."

He let out an exasterated noise and said nothing else.

Hermione sighed. "At least you're trying."

He nodded mutely and said nothing. For a moment the admired the winter's majesty before them.

Hemione sighed again, "I honestly thought we were past all of this."

"Its not that easy. We can't just close our eyes and hope it will all go away. There's a war going on because of it. Because of...this." He gestured between them.

"You've already proven that you don't want anything to do with it." she said softly.

"Running away and hiding doesn't prove anything."

"You don't need to die needlessly because of a hypocritcal madman."

He paused for a moment, unsure of what to make of her comment. "Hypocritical?"

"Yes. You-Know-Who is a half blood. His father was a muggle."

Draco looked like he was punched in the gut, as though his world was turned upside down by this fact. His eyes widened and he didn't say anything; couldn't say anything.

"Very much like Hitler in fact."

He stopped his floundering for a moment and finally managed to speak. "Who is 'Hitler'?"

"He was a muggle and the military leader of the Nazi's, very much similar to the death eaters. He was bent on the genocide of all Jewish, that is a muggle religion, and non-arian people, who are people who do not have blonde hair and blue eyes. He himself had brown hair and brown eyes."

He shook his head. "And we wizards claim to be above such barbarism. We are only human."

Hermione nodded. "When we bleed we bleed the same."

And once again they were silent for a long time mulling over their own thoughts.

"Thank you." She finally said.

Draco simply nodded, and turned away. "It was all I came for, really."

"That is not to say that you're forgiven," she said, and he frowned. He started to walk away before she called to him.

"But...its a start." She smiled softly at him for a moment, before turning to look out upon the beauty of the grounds. His grey eyes watched her, like so many months before, admiring the beauty of something else entirely.

"Tomorrow's an illusion
Yesterday's a dream
Today is a solution
But you gotta learn to breathe
If you're looking for the answer
It's right before your eyes

Although it's not quite paradise
It sure looks like home
Not quite paradise
We are not alone
It'll be alright
No it's not quite
Paradise"

Not Quite Paradise, Bliss 66