Draco's eyes stung with the threat of salty tears. He couldn't stand having her believe he was trying to ruin her still. He had done nothing as of late to imply that he wanted to hurt her. He loved her. Truly, and genuinely. "Hermione, listen to me, okay? Just for a fucking minute. Let me explain, please..." He begged her, holding her arm again. Hermione's eyes met his, and he could feel her glare cutting him all over. But her ears were open, and she was willing to listen. "I had the full intention on hurting you...in the beginning. I invited you to live with me because once I saw the beautiful creature we had created...as cliché as it sounds, it melted the cold in me. Made me forget about..." He stopped and thought about what he had almost told her, and brushed it off. "Made me forget how much ugly was in the world. And I knew I couldn't inflict that kind of pain on anyone ever again. I do not take this word lightly, but I love you, Granger. Are you so thick not to be able to tell?" They both looked on the verge of tears. She stood there and thought. She went through every possibility in her mind. She considered him telling the truth. She thought about everything he had done to her. She thought about the well-being for her daughter. She thought about the feeling of hopelessness she had as he tore away every bit of her that she had. And like that, she had made her decision.

"I'm sorry, Draco. But I can't trust you. I'm packing my things and going back to my parents' house in the morning. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to prepare a spot to sleep in Erika's room." She stood and tried walking away, but he wouldn't let go of her arm. "Draco Abraxas Malfoy, let me go. Right. Now." She said, dangerously low. The look she gave him shoved daggers through his chest, but wouldn't puncture his heart. Simply grazed the surface. It wouldn't kill him, but the pain and scar tissue would always be there. The look told him that she no longer wanted him, needed him or loved him. He felt pain in his arm and tightness in his chest. His eyes went wide and he dropped to his knees, clutching at his chest. She didn't do anything, but simply exit the room, dragging a blanket with watched as his world walked out of the room and he suddenly welcomed the cold embrace of death. He did nothing but writhe in pain and close his eyes. Hermione felt guilt and walked back into the room. Once she saw Draco's current state, she dropped to her knees and crawled to him. He was no longer moving, except a faint movement of his chest as he breathed. She grabbed him and rushed to the chimney, grabbing a handful of Floo powder. She tossed down the powder and was engulfed in a cloud of green smoke before appearing in the chimney of St. Mungos.

"Someone, please! Please help me! My..." Hermone stopped. She had no idea what to call him. He wasn't her boyfriend, her friend, her husband or anything of the sort. "He...He had a heart attack. Someone, please help him. Please...I don't know what to do!" She was bordering hysterics. A Healer ran to her, pushing a wheelchair. The Healer put Draco in the wheelchair and wheeled him into a hospital room, before putting him on the bed. The rest of the evening was nothing but a blur, aside from a few things. Hermione remembered the feeling of guilt running through her veins as he flat-lined. She remembered the tears running down her cheeks when they said they weren't sure if he was going to pull through. She remembered the 8 cups of bitter coffee that was too strong. She remembered the look she got on her face they told her he had been put on life support. She remembered hoping some miracle would happen. She remembered trying her hardest not to break down completely. She remembered them saying he had slipped into a coma.

She sat in a chair next to his bed, holding his hand and professing everything to him. "Draco...I am entirely in love with you. You've hurt me in ways you cannot even imagine, but in hurting me, you gave me my beautiful daughter. You've given me a reason to keep living. I want more than anything to be able to trust you and love you as much as I want to. You are the best friend I could hope for, and yet at the same time, my worst enemy." She looked around and made sure no one was watching. She stood and leaned down, making it look like she was kissing his cheek. "But when you get out of this coma, neither Erika or I are going to be here. I might have just saved your life, but that does not change what I said in the room. You are not the person I had hoped you'd have turned into. I will never trust you." She pulled away and looked at his unconscience face. Though the rest of his body was slack, his brows still furrowed. He wasn't in a deep coma, as it would appear. He heard everything she said. She stood quickly and Apparated back to Malfoy Manor. Erika was in the arms of a House Elf by the name of Snuckah.

Hermione went into Draco's room and ripped through drawers, pulling all of her things and tossing them into a huge pile by the bed. She was tossing light colored blouses, trousers, panties, bras, socks, skirts. Everything in the drawers were emptied on the floor. She sorted through piles and piles, before finding a small white box. She opened it and inside was a piece of paper and a ring. A 3kt princess cut green diamond on a 14kt white gold band, accented with 1/10kt black diamonds, 3 on each side. She held it ebtween her thumb and middle finger, reading the paper in the box.

'Hermione Jane Granger.

I know that we have our issues, and I know you will have a hard time forgiving me for what I did to you. I still haven't found it within myself to forgive me, so I can't imagine it's much easier for you either. I fucked up big time. But, now, we have a daughter, and while I cannot speak for the both of us, I love you, more than anything. I've never been too skilled in professing my feelings to women, but then again, I've never had much feeling to profess in the first place. But, goddammit, I don't care.

The point of this is, I'm in love with you and there's nothing about you I would change, except for one single thing;

Your last name. So, Hermione, will you do me the honor of becoming Hermione Jane Malfoy?

~Draco Malfoy'