Ahhhh. I am so, so sorry for only updating now, but my laptop died on me and I had to have it fixed and that took forever, and I didn't have any of my fanfic files so I couldn't continue. (Plus I have Calculus for summer class and after nearly failing Trigonometry I had to up my game.) Here is one of the last chapters for this fic. If you guys miss me you can always check out my other ones (shameless plugging right here). The latest was A Few of My Favorite Things, which I quite like. ANYWAY. On with the story!

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Draco held Hermione's hand all the way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. They had spent the night together after Hermione had refused to return to the Gryffindor dormitory. She hadn't wanted to spend the night in the same place as Ron and Lavender, and Draco didn't want to leave her in the state she was in. Thankfully (and to his immense pleasure), she had fallen asleep fairly calm and maybe even happy. He was holding her hand now because he knew what to expect in the Great Hall after what happened last night. Before they descended the last flight of stairs, he paused and looked up at her. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'll be all right, Draco," she smiled at him, squeezing his hand.

"I'm right at the Slytherin table if you-"

"I know, Draco. I know." She kissed him quickly on the cheek. "I'll be all right." Draco had to smile at her stubbornness.

"Come on then." He pulled her down those last few steps and into the Great Hall. And just like on the day after the victory party (and just like he predicted), everyone was whispering to each other. The whispering faltered when they entered, as everyone stared at their hands. Pansy actually stood up, aghast. As Draco led Hermione to the Gryffindor table he saw the Weasel glaring at him with red eyes. Lavender was beside him, fuming. Harry and Ginny were sitting further down. Ginny was beaming at them, Harry was eyeing Draco with mistrust. Draco helped Hermione sit across them.

"Good morning, Harry, Ginny." Hermione nodded to both of them as she sat. Turning to Draco, she said, "you can go now. I'll be fine. Really."

"If you say so." Draco let go of her hand and nodded to both Harry and Ginny. "Potter, …Ginny." Ginny bit her lip to stifle a laugh at the stiffness in Draco's voice. Harry nodded curtly, but Draco could see relief in his face. He smiled down at Hermione again and headed toward the Slytherin table.

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"So you didn't return to the dormitory last night, Hermione," Ginny smirked, watching Hermione put food on her plate. "I suppose it was because of him?"

"I just didn't want to go back. Ron and Lavender would have been there. I didn't want to walk in on them snogging in the armchair or something." Hermione focused on cutting her waffles. "But yes." She hesitated, but it was Ginny. "Yes, I was with him."

Harry just at there, stabbing at his eggs. Ginny elbowed him and he grunted. "Oh, honestly Harry. Would you rather Draco or that stupid git? Personally, I'm happy for Hermione. I think Draco is a much better choice." She smiled at Hermione.

"He is. He's a lot nicer now that he was before. And he actually listens to me." Hermione stole a sidelong glance at Ron, who was picking at his bacon while Lavender looked around the room.

"But he's a Slytherin, Hermione." Harry's voice startled her. "He's a Malfoy, for crying out loud."

"And he's a decent human being. Much better than the Weasely you call your best friend."

Harry snorted. "After what he did to you, he should be glad I didn't hex him."

"Oh, but I did," Ginny gleefully announced. "Bat Bogey Hex as soon as he came through the portrait hole. Harry made me take it off this morning though. Seems he thinks the git's got enough problems without having bogeys hanging around him." She munched on her toast, pleased with herself.

Hermione had to laugh. "Leave him. Honestly, I don't want anything to do with him anymore. Now pass the strawberry jam."

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Draco sat down beside Blaise Zabini and pulled a plate of ham toward him. As he loaded his plate with food, Blaise eyed him and smirked, "worked up an appetite last night, did you?"

"Not in ways you'd think of, Blaise." Draco elbowed his friend as across him, Pansy sniffed loudly. "What got into her?"

"Well you did show up with the Mudblood on your arm, Draco. And she has had a crush on you for, oh, three years now?" Blaise nonchalantly sipped his water. "You know, your mother wouldn't be very pleased at all." He glanced at Draco. "And wait 'til your father hears about this."

Draco nearly snorted out his juice as he burst into laughter. "Very funny, Blaise." He looked at Pansy, whose eyes (as he now noted) were quite red. "And please, refrain from calling her a Mudblood from now on. Friends don't insult other people's girlfriends." Pansy burst into tears at that and ran from the hall.

"You could lighten up on her, mate. She's had a trying time of this."

"You could go comfort her, you know. That is your specialty." Draco pointed at Blaise with a forkful of eggs.

"Please. I don't do leftovers." They laughed and Blaise punched Draco in the shoulder. "She really worth the mess you're getting yourself into?"

Draco looked over at Hermione, laughing with Ginny. He watched her toss her head back, watched her eyes glow. He turned back to Blaise and grinned. "I'd pick her over any pureblood, any day."

Blaise cocked his head. "You know, Draco, you've changed. But not in a bad way. You seem… happier, somehow."

Draco laughed. "I am." He looked at his plate. "It feels weird. But also… good."

"Did you hear about the dance, by the way?" Blaise asked as he stole a piece of bacon from Draco's plate.

"Dance?"

"The end-of-the-year dance. Got into Dumbledore's head after the Yule Ball. The House heads finally agreed to it, so we're having one at the end of term." Blaise looked over at Draco. "You going?"

Draco looked at Blaise, then at Hermione. Turning back to his friend, he grinned. "Yeah, I think I will."

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Strange and possibly bad chapter that seems to act as a filler. I just needed to introduce the dance somehow and explain why Draco and Hermione spent the night together. (Some of you were asking.) Once again, I apologize for the delay in my updating and I hope you guys are still following this. The next chapter's probably going to be the last, but I'll start working on another fic soon! And I hope you guys will be just as enthusiastic about my next one. (: Hope you guys have been enjoying my story! And of course, review, review, review!