A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.

Thanks for the reviews everyone. I'm probably hated. Still no kiss! but its coming. Very soon.


Chapter Twenty: Can I keep you?

Hermione ran as fast her feet would take her to Draco's own room. She knew he would be somewhere in there, hiding from everyone. Especially her. When she got to the portrait to his room, she hesitated before she entered. It was dark, all the candles that normally gave off the light were unlit. The only light that came from anywhere was from Draco's room. Hermione slowly walked into it but he wasn't there.

Exiting the room she noticed the staircase further down away from his bedroom. He had to be up there then, she thought. She knew Draco wouldn't roam the hallways and want to show his face. She walked up the staircase, to a tower that she had never been on before. Draco was near the window of it. Leaning down against the wall, his back facing her. She could hear the quiet sobs that escaped his chest.

"Draco.."she said quietly. he looked over to her and quickly looked away when he saw her. His quiet sobs stopped. "Draco, I-" she moved closer to him.

"Go away." he said darkly.

"I know you're-"she stopped move closer to him.

"Cant you hear, Granger? I said go away! NOW!" he was shouting at her now. She still didn't move from her spot. His tone was so familiar from when he used to insult her in the past. It wasn't the soft tone she had become to love.

"Draco! Stop it! I'm not going anywhere!"

"GO AWAY!" he was now screaming at her.

"Please.. Talk to me."

Turning away from her, "You can't listen once, can you! I said go away, mudblood!" she flinched at the word. He gasped from what he had just called her. Hermione began to back away from him. He stood up and looked to her, she could see the tear trails on his face. As her own eyes blurred from tears.

"If that is how you feel." she said, trying to contain her own sobs. He was crying again, the tears screaming down his face. But Hermione still felt sorry for him, even after what he had just called her. It was as if she had just been ripped apart. Her heart wanting to fail.

"No.. I didn't... I didn't mean it- it only slipped.. " he fell down on to the ground again. "I'm sorry- I lov- No, I'm sorry.." he stopped twisting his words and covered his face with his hands. Hermione stared at him for a long period of time before walking over to him.

"Shh.." she said leaning down in front of him. "It's okay.. Everything is going to be alright." said whispered in his ear, as he wrapped his arms around her. He sobbed in her arms. She felt her own tears stream down her cheeks. "I'm here for you. Always, Draco Malfoy." he didn't answer her immediately but remained in her arms to cry. Hermione didn't know how long she stayed in the tower with Draco, nor did she care. She could never leave him and he didn't want her too either.

He finally looked up to her, wiping away her tears that were coming on her cheeks.

"Haven't I told you before, girls like you shouldn't cry." she smiled barely.

"Oh, please." she cupped his face into her hands, using her thumbs to wipe away his tears.

"Hermione...I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to call you that.. I'm just so-" he paused, thinking of the right word. "-angry. You've done everything for me." he was still holding on to her. He was staring straight at her, afraid of letting her go.

"Draco, it's okay. I know you're upset. Call me whatever you want." he got close to her so their foreheads were touch like they were at the Ball.

"Don't ever leave me. Please?"

"I wont. I'll always be here. I promise, Draco." he closed his eyes; she could feel his warm breath on her lips.

"Can- Can I keep you? Always and forever?" he asked whispering. She smiled as they both cried silently again.

"Of course. You-" but before she could say anything else to him, his smooth, soft lips came crashing onto hers. Finally, after all the time she had been waiting, she finally got her kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck pressing against him harder, never wanting the final moment to be gone. He intertwined his fingers into hers and held onto them as tightly as he could.

"Draco." she broke apart. "I-" kiss. "-Need-" kiss. "-to-" kiss. "-tell-" kiss. "-you-" "-something." kiss.

"It can't wait?" he said as he began to kiss her again. "I've been fighting the urge to kiss you since the first day we began to talk."

"You've made me wait this long?!" she pulled away from him.

He rubbed his face, trying to get the still teared eyes to stop hurting. "How was I supposed to know that the Gryffindor princess fancied the Slytherin prince?" he said, grinning.

"Oh, I thought it was obvious. I'll try harder from now on."

"I don't want to go to classes today, Hermione.. Will you stay with me?"

"Well, I-" she made eye contact which was probably the worst thing to do, as she saw the remorse filled in. "Okay, fine. I'll stay with you." he kissed her again. Taking her hand once more and guiding her down the staircase to his bedroom. They laid down together, heads touching one another. Hermione held his hand, as another was placed on her stomach, Draco's freehand was rested behind his head.

"Is your mum going to be okay?" asked Hermione, in thought of what happened.

"I really don't know.. She loved my father. She loved him a lot. I'm not sure if what the papers say is really true. I can't imagine my father ever trying to escape. Especially since Voldemort isn't around anymore.. I don't know. I hope she will be okay. Christmas holidays is in a few weeks. So I'll see her soon."

"This is awful. I feel so sorry for her." she looked to Draco. "If she ever needs anything, I'll always try to be of some assistance." she tried to smile to him.

"There's no need. She'll be okay. Just with time." he placed a hand on Hermione's cheek. "You said earlier you wanted to tell me something?" Hermione's heart sank. She had almost hoped that he would have forgotten that she needed to tell him something. "What is it, Hermione?"

"No-Nothing. It's not the time to tell you." she said, wanting to pull away.

"It's okay, you can tell me anything right now." she shook her head.

"No, not this."

he cupped her face. "Hermione Granger. Tell me!" she shook her head. "Please?"

"No. I really can't! Not right now anyway."

"Fine. That's okay because I already know what you were going to tell me."

"Oh really? What would that be then?"

He smiled brightly. "Well it would have me responding with, I love you too."


I'm hungry.