A/N: I didn't get many reviews for my last chapter, I was a little disappointed. Only eight reviews! Now I am going to wind up the story soon, as soon as it looks natural for Draco and Hermione to end up together.

Chapter 18

Hermione apparated to her apartment expecting to see Draco and planning to convince him to accompany her to the burrow next Sunday, but instead there was a nervous looking Harry potter sitting on her couch fumbling with his hands.

Harry looked at his best friend, waiting for her to speak but Hermione was determined not to speak first. After several minutes of silence Harry sighed and said, "Hermione I know I don't deserve to talk to you but please listen to me once and then I will leave. I can never change that I said all those hurtful things to you but I am truly very sorry. It kills me that I hurt you and made you cry. You are my family, the sister I never had, I won't be able to live if you decided you didn't want me in your life anymore."

"You and Ron have been my best friends since I was eleven years old and now we all are broken up. That day we came as soon as we read that horrid article and I was sure that you would never do anything like that. I was expecting you to be with Ron in your apartment making fun of the article, but we came upon a dark apartment where Ron lay totally drunk. If you had just seen his condition you would have understood why I became irrational; he looked half dead. He kept mumbling your name and it felt like all that was said in the article was true. I was so angry that you would do that to Ron and so I asked your boss for your new address. All through that I was hoping that maybe there was an explanation to all that was happening but couldn't think of anything. Then here we saw you with Malfoy and my sense went out of the window. You seemed happy while Ron had looked miserable."

"I know there is no excuse for what I did but I hope after some days, weeks, months or even years you'll be able to forgive me, I will wait for your forgiveness even if it takes forever."

All through Harry's speech, Hermione had looked anywhere but at him. She was hurt and couldn't bear to look at him without feeling the pain that his words had inflicted upon her. After saying all he had to, Harry gave Hermione one sad look and then walked towards the door. Hermione followed his movements with her eyes and felt a part of her heart leave with every step he took. He had been with her through worse, so what if he hurt her once. She remembered the time her parents had died, harry had helped her get through that. He had been the best friend and brother anyone could ask for; she couldn't let him go. Just when he opened the door, Hermione said, "Harry, come back; I forgive you."

Harry turned and looked at his best friend in disbelief; he hadn't anticipated that she would forgive him that easily. Hermione finally looked at his confused face and repeated, "I forgive you because you are the best friend I have ever had, because you have been with me through a lot worse. I am not saying that I wasn't hurt but I can't ignore all that you have done for me just because of one mistake. I love you with all my heart and I won't be able to bear it if you weren't a part of my life."

Harry walked up to her and hugged her like there was no tomorrow, Hermione hugged him back and let a lone tear fall; it felt good to have her best friend back. They stayed like that for a few moments and then parted and settled on the couch.

Harry looked a little unsure but said, "I don't know if I am in a position to be angry with you but I am, how could you even think about dying? I would have killed Ron if anything had happened to you."

Hermione sighed, "It was one of the lowest times of my life, I didn't know how I could live without him. After the war it was all about us being together, I guess I forgot how to live alone. I loved him a lot, he was my whole life, and letting go of him felt like letting go of my life. And along with that I got totally pissed, I don't know what I was thinking being so stupid."

Harry scrutinized her face and then asked, "You said you LOVED him, not love him; Are you over him or are you still in love with him?"

Hermione took a minute to find the right words then explained, "I loved him like a best friend plus like a lover, that is a whole lot of love, but when he cheated I realized that most of that love had been a lie. I didn't know him like I thought I did, the Ron I knew and loved would have never done that to me. So yes, I am over him, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt to see him again."

Harry asked, "Does this have anything to do with Malfoy?"

Hermione smiled at the mention of the blonde and said, "Draco has a lot to do with it, he helped me a lot during that time, I owe him my life. I am glad he found me before I died or it would have been my biggest mistake. He is an amazing person once you get to know him."

Harry stared at her then asked, "So you like him?"

Hermione blushed and then stuttered, "Ahmmm.. not like that."

Harry chuckled then said, "You are lying, you stuttered."

Hermione huffed, "I don't get it, why does everyone think that I stutter when I lie."

Harry laughed, "You always stutter when you lie."

Hermione suddenly realized that she had changed her wards so that no one except Draco, herself and Narcissa could apparate inside the apartment, how had harry managed to get in?"

Hermione asked, "How did you get in?"

Harry looked amused and said, "Malfoy came to my office this afternoon and then in no certain words told me to get my head out of my arse and apologize to you or I'll make you more upset. He told me that you loved me even though I was an idiot and he couldn't see why I was so important to you. But you were unhappy because of me and that is all he cared about. He is still a pain in the ass even though he is reformed but if he is what makes you happy then you have my blessing."

Hermione snorted, "There is nothing between us; you make it sound like you are giving your blessing for our marriage."

Harry smiled, "Wherever its going, you have my support. I am not very thrilled about it but you look so happy when you talk about him that I can't bring myself to object."

Hermione smiled and asked, "So where is the sneaky slytherin?"

Draco's bedroom door opened and he walked over to them with a smile, he loved seeing Hermione smile, it automatically made him smile. Hermione looked at him and asked, "You go behind my back and get my friends to talk to me, typical sneaky slytherin."

Draco chuckled, "What can I say, I am a slytherin through and through."

Harry looked at the teasing banter between the both of them and felt a little out of place so he said, "ginny must be waiting, I must leave now. Thank you Malfoy, for bringing me to my senses, you are still not my most favorite person but I think I can bear you for Hermione's sake."

Draco drawled, "I am flattered, the boy who lived is ready to bear me."

Harry murmured something that sounded 'arse' and hugged Hermione and said, "I am always there, remember that. call me if you need anything." With that he went back home leaving Draco and Hermione alone.

Hermione walked over to Draco and kissed him on the cheek, Draco looked stunned and he mumbled, "what was that for?"

Hermione smiled, "It was for being the sweetest man ever."

Draco looked horrified, "Don't let anyone else hear you, Malfoy's are never sweet."

Hermione giggled at his antics and mocked him, "But Malfoy you are verrrrry sweet."

Draco acted offended and said "don't say that again Hermione."

Hermione just laughed and said, "Sweet Draco….Sweet Draco…"

She didn't get time to react but now Draco was tickling her mercilessly while she tried to get his hands off her. Draco was telling her to take it back while she was laughing plus screaming in one go. They had fallen on the couch when Hermione finally said, "Ok fine, you are not sweet Malfoy, please stop, I can't breathe."

Both were breathless but as they caught their breath they realized the position they were in. Hermione was laying flat on the couch while Draco was on top of her and was holding both her hands above her head. Both said at the same time, "How do we always end up in the same position." They laughed at the similarity of their thoughts and righted their position.

Hermione remembered about her promise to Mrs. Weasley and asked nervously, "Draco I need a favor from you, seems like I keep asking you for something or the other, I have become too dependent on you I guess."

Draco liked her dependence on him and said, "It always helps when a beautiful girl owes you something."

Hermione blushed then said, "Its just that today I went to see the weasleys and they think that you are my boyfriend, molly wants to meet you and I couldn't say no or else I would have hurt her feelings. Can you please come with me to meet them next Sunday, the whole family has brunch every Sunday."

Draco knew that the weasleys were important to Hermione so he knew he couldn't say no, but there was also this nervousness about whether they would accept him or not, it was almost like meeting a girl's parents and hoping they'll accept you. Hermione was not his girlfriend but he still hoped that one day she would be. He had come to terms with his feelings and didn't deny it anymore; he was in love with Hermione granger.

He just smiled and said, "ok, I'll come with you."

Hermione was shocked as she had thought that he would be hard to convince, she was so happy that she threw her arms around him and squealed, " I love you Draco, you are the best." Draco hadn't expected to hear that.

A/n: read and review

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