Draco and Hermione sat on the living room couch, both happier than ever.

"It's crazy, isn't it?" Hermione sighed with a laugh, pushing her head farther into Draco's neck. "You and I...who would've thought?"

"Finally something the Know-it-All didn't know!" Draco said, smirking at her as he played with her fingers.

"You make way too many jokes about that...I'm not a walking dictionary. I'm not supposed to know everything!"

"Whatever. I knew it would happen."

"You did not. How?"

"The day you came up to me...after the Final Battle. You comforted me. You saw me in a different light, and I saw you in a different light. And I knew you cared." Draco said softly.

"Some things are meant to be, I guess...no matter how crazy they seem. Maybe the Final Battle served a good purpose after all..."

"Yeah..." Draco whispered as he slowly brought his lips to hers and began to kiss her. Hermione giggled and pulled away.

"Draco, stop! My parents are in the other room...they could walk in on us."

"So? They wouldn't mind. Your mum likes me."

"Draco, you think everyone likes you."

"Not true! I don't think my parents like me...and before, I thought you hated me."

Hermione sighed and stared into his eyes. She whispered, "I could never hate you."

"Stop, stop, stop. This is getting too mushy for me." Draco said, jokingly making a disgusted face.

Hermione bit her lip and looked away. Her something was obviously on her mind. "Draco..." she whispered.

"What is it?"

"Ron and I...we never...officially broke up. Does that mean I'm cheating on him?"

"Who would you be cheating on him with?"

"With you, you silly ass!"

"You're not cheating on him...it's not like we're seeing each other or anything. We just kissed, that's all." Draco said. "Besides, him being a total ass to you pretty much broke you two up."

Hermione abruptly pulled away from Draco. "Just a kiss? That's all it was to you, wasn't it? I'm just another girl you've added to your 'To-Do List' just like the hundreds of other girls you've done this to. You're a pig, Malfoy. I never should have put my trust in you."

"Woah woah woah. Calm down...that came out really wrong. That's not what I meant."

"Don't tell me to calm down, Malfoy. You have no business telling me what to do."

"Will you please give me a chance to say what I meant?"

"Why should I? I think I know perfectly well what you meant."

"No, you-"

"Malfoy, you are-"

"Hermione, listen to me-"

"I'm not going to-"

"Why aren't you-"

"If this doesn't matter to you then why are we-"

"HERMIONE!" Draco snapped. Hermione shut her mouth immediately. "For Merlin's sakes woman, will you shut up and let me explain myself? You jump to conclusions so fast...you need to learn not to judge people like that. "

"Fine." Hermione said, defeated.

"What I said came out wrong. Okay? First off, you're not cheating on Weasley. You two are definitely broke up. I'm sure he knows it too." Draco sighed and reached for Hermione's hand. "And no, it wasn't just a kiss. Hermione, you know you're different than any other girl I've known...you're smart, funny, tough, and unlike the other girls-the many other girls I've known-you're not hot...you're beautiful."

Hermione couldn't help but blush. She bit down on her lip, holding back a smile.

"It's not that we're not seeing each other...but we're not really seeing each other either. Or maybe we are. I don't know. But that's the point. I don't know what this is...what we have...all I can tell you is that I like it. And I love you." Draco offered her a shy little smile.

"Gosh...you really know how to make a girl forgive you, don't you? Do they sell manuals or something? How do you know that the words 'I love you' make a girl melt?" Hermione said.

"Nope, no manual." Draco smiled at her. "That was actually the first time I've ever said those three words in my entire life."

Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go off on you about that, but...things have just been so rough lately. I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"You are forgiven...but only if you give me a hug."

Hermione laughed and leaned into Draco's open arms and stayed there. She rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. He lay down on the couch so now; Hermione was lying on top of him. He began to play with her hair.

"So go on...tell me what you wanted to tell me."

Hermione took a deep breath, scared that Draco might make fun of her for what she was about to say. "I'm having nightmares. Every night...that's why I always want to stay up late...because I don't want to have those dreams..."

Draco rested his hand on Hermione's back. "What are the nightmares about?"

"The Final Battle. Every night, the dream is the same. It's everyone that died in the battle, all huddled in a circle in the empty courtyard, looking at something. I never get to see what they're looking at...but when I show up, they all turn and look at me. Their eyes are blood red; their skin pale. Tonks is always the first one to speak. 'Hermione,' she says, 'you can't trust anyone. The war is not over.'"

"Hermione, stop." Draco said. "That's nonsense. You're freaking yourself out. It's a silly dream. Of course the war's over."

"Is it, Draco?" Hermione challenged. "The second person to speak is always Lupin. 'Ms. Granger,' he says, 'surround yourself with only the most trusted of friends. They will protect you from what is coming.' And then...Snape. He says to me, "I was curious just like you know you are, Granger. I knew the truth but I couldn't risk telling it. Go back to 1945...' And then the dream ends."

"Sounds like a whole load of rubbish to me. What does 1945 have to do with anything?"

"1945 is the year that Tom Riddle graduated from Hogwarts...but it could mean anything. But I always wake up right after Snape says that...even when I try to ask more; to get answers..."

"Honestly, you're taking this too far. You need to relax."

"I can't relax, Draco!"

Draco suddenly started to massage her back. She let out a moan of pleasure as he started to kiss her neck.

"Okay...maybe I can relax..." she murmured as Draco continued on. Hermione soon became lost in his touch and completely forgot about the dreams. "I love you too, Draco." She breathed, her voice a mere whisper.