A/N: Here's a real quickie for you, just to wrap things up at the party. Love you all, enjoy!
It's JK's.

Last Chapter:

She released Harry and wiped her eyes, looking around through the blur left by her tears.

She was just in time to see the pale boy, dressed all in black, storm from the room.

Hermione stared at the door, and then at Ron, conflicted. Ron was stirring, his eyes inching open.

"Hermione, go." Harry urged her, seeing how she was torn.

"But… Ron…" she said.

"I've got it, Hermione. You need to talk to him. I saw you two dancing, I get it, just GO or you'll lose him." Hermione opened her mouth to assure him he was misunderstanding, but his final words rung through her head and she left the room.

She found Malfoy outside, leaning against the side wall of the house, the midnight breeze ruffling his hair. His eyes darted to her face and back, maintaining the same blank stare. She approached him cautiously but he made no sudden movement to draw away, so she leant next to him. After a moment, she shivered involuntarily. Without a word, he removes his blazer and passed it to her. She placed it on her shoulders.

"Thank you." She tried to say, but the words never really began and they got lost somewhere in the middle, struggling to cut through the crispness of the cold air. There was a long silence before Hermione spoke, unable to bear it any longer.

"Why did you do it?" she whispered. At first she feared he wasn't going to answer, but eventually he did.

"Punch him, or run away?" Malfoy returned evasively, sounding drained.

"Run away, I guess." Hermione said.

"Wrong answer."

"Okay, why did you punch him?" she attempted.

"Because he was drunk, and being stupid, and I couldn't just let him hurt you." Draco said.

"So why did you run away?" Hermione pressed.

"You wouldn't understand."

"You don't know that." She sounded hurt by the suggestion.

"I do, trust me." He insisted, almost scoffing. He paced slowly as he continued talking. "I've been through more than is even conceivable to you, Granger. I've lost everything you take for granted, everything you've never even stopped to consider."

"At least let me try!" Hermione cried in anguish.

"Trying only ever ends up in failure, so what's the point?" he spat coldly, facing her.

"You hypocritical idiot! A minute ago you said you couldn't let Ron hurt me, but what are you doing right now? Or is it only you who's allowed to hurt me this much." She exclaimed, quickly silencing herself before she revealed too much.

"You really want to know?" Malfoy roared back. "Yeah, I punched that Weasel because I CARE. I ran away because I care too much! Caring is just a stepping stone towards pain – everything you care about, you lose somewhere along the way. His voice dropped to a pained murmur, "everything I've cared about, I've lost." Hermione looked sadly at Malfoy, whose eyes were glassy.

"Don't worry, you won't lose me. I'm your friend now, and I will be for as long as possible." Her heart yearned to be more than a 'friend', but she knew she should be grateful for what she had. Malfoy flared up again at her words.

"You. Don't. Get it. I said you wouldn't." Hermione opened her mouth to protest. "Don't. Just… don't." he began to walk away but Hermione ran to catch up with him. "I said don't, Granger. Leave me alone, please." He looked so weak, backing away with tired eyes and pleading voice that she stopped and he turned his back. He walked off down the street and she watched him go, until the dim light of the street lamps was too weak for her eyes, and she could no longer distinguish between his figure and the night. She shrank back into the protection of the house, still clutching Malfoy's blazer.

To her, that was the only part of him she had left.

Please don't hate me...! It will all be sorted out soon, don't worry. Also, sorry it was so short, I wanted to have the next day as a completely new chapter. I forgot to mention that I've switched to telling the story through Hermione, just because it works so much better. It will probably go back to Draco sometime. Review? Pretty please? I'll love you forever *smiles sweetly*Until next time!