A/N- So I always put up my chapters in the afternoon (at my time) but I was like I haven't updated for almost a week and I just finished writing the other half of this chapter right now and I just had to put it up! So I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, just to make that clear.

Pray

Hermione, against her many protests to herself, got out of bed and slipped on some clothes to go get breakfast before Harry and Ron did. She knew she had to face them sometime but she was hoping that she could hold off on it, once she was certain everybody had calmed down. She thanked god that it was Sunday and there was no classes today. She could not take any more stares for a while.

As she finished pulling on her jeans her body ached, but not in a painful way. The aching felt good and she smiled. It reminded her of last night.

She quickly left the common room before anybody could get her attention and headed down to the Great Hall. Once she got there she scanned the small crowd of people and breathed a sigh of relief to see that neither Harry nor Ron nor really anybody was there yet. She headed over to her regular spot at the table and stopped before sitting down. This was the seat she normally sat at. But she felt like she was changed. And that seat was not good enough for her. She chose another seat, further down the table from where she passed when she came in and sat down. She smiled to herself and grabbed a scone.

Hermione enjoyed her alone time and her eyes flickered over to the Slytherin table. Her scone went down hard in her throat and she coughed into her arms sleeve. There weren't many people at the table but the ones who were there were all staring at her with a smug look planted on their faces. She looked down into her lap and let out a shaky breath. It wasn't going to be easy; it would take some time for people to get used to the idea. She needed to keep reminding herself that.

"Hey," she felt a light hand on her back and she looked up, her heart skipping a beat. She was about to ask what he thought he was doing and she stopped herself. Everybody knew now. There was no more secret.

"Hi Draco," she smiled as he sat down next to her. Hermione let her eyes travel over to the Slytherin table and he followed her gaze.

"Don't worry about them," he told her, grabbing some food.

"It's occurred to me," she watched him eat, observing him, "I've never eaten a meal with you before."

"Yeah?" He smirked.

"I like it," she smiled back.

"Good, get used to it." He did a quick lift of his eyebrows. She watched him put down his food and brush his hands together, getting rid of the crumbs. "Listen I need to talk to you."

"Is this about you leaving in a few days for winter break?" She frowned.

"No, but- wait you leaving? Wait don't you mean we?"

"No," Hermione shook her head. "I told my parents I need to stay here for the break and catch up on my school work." He could tell she was saddened by the fact she wasn't going home this year.

"We will talk about that but what I wanted to first talk to you was about last night." He said.

"What about it?"

"Well," he shifted in his seat so his body was facing her. "That was the first time we, you know, since actually being a couple. And I wanted to make it more special for you; I don't know maybe in a bed." He frowned.

"Draco," Hermione shook her head and took his hand in hers. "Last night was the most amazing night I have ever had with you. It felt different, you know? I wouldn't change anything. And plus, it was kind of always are thing doing it in random places." She smirked at him.

"I feel the same way," he admitted.

"It was perfect," Hermione assured him.

"It was," he ran a hand through his hair. "Anyway, so about the break, do you really think it's such a good idea staying here after what happened between us?" Hermione cocked her head in confusion. "I mean I just don't want you to have to put up with peoples shit because of us, especially if I'm not here." He nodded towards the Slytherin table.

"I'm a big girl, Draco. I think I can handle a few Slytherin classmates."

"I don't know if it's necessarily the Slytherin's I'm worried about." Her eyes dropped.

"Are you going to tell your parents about us when you go?" She looked back at him, changing the topic to another not so pleasant one. Couldn't they ever have a nice and normal conversation? He averted his gaze away from her and he seemed to drift off into another place. "Draco?" She asked.

"I don't know," he whispered, still not looking at her.

"Because you don't have to," she tried to look at him.

"I said I don't know," Draco stood up from his seat. "I'll see you later." He mumbled, quickly bending down and pecking her lips.

"Okay," Hermione said, watching him go. She sighed and turned back to look at the Slytherin table. She looked away from them. Hermione tried to sit there for another few minutes, but when she couldn't take the stares anymore, she reached out and grabbed another scone and stood up. She was going to go back to her room and study. Hermione quickly made her way out of the Great Hall and when she turned out of the room she ran into someone.

"Watch it," the girl sneered. Great, she rolled her eyes. Just who she needed to run into, Pansy Parkinson. "What's your problem, Granger?"

"Right now you," she tried to side step Pansy but she followed. "Please move," Hermione tried again and this time Pansy pushed a hand down on Hermione's shoulder, stopping her. She quickly dropped her hand once she had Hermione's attention again. "What do you want?"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Pansy crossed her arms. Hermione blew out a frustrated breath.

"Hermione Granger, sound it out slowly."

"Funny," Pansy said sarcastically.

"I try," Hermione grimaced.

"Listen Granger," Pansy leaned in closer to her and Hermione could feel Pansy's hot breath on her cheek. "Whatever is going on between you and Draco, won't last. I don't know what has gotten into him but clearly he's in a phase. He'll drop you faster than you can say, Slytherin." Hermione gave her a look. "You think he will survive actually dating you? The Slytherin's will kick his ass, and his parents will disown him. You are just a filthy Mudblood." Hermione stared at her. Was this really happening?

"Look Parkinson," she was not going to let this girl ruin her relationship with Draco. She wasn't going to let anymore girls do that. Hermione took a step forward, making Pansy take a step back, looking a bit less threatened then before. "Draco will never want you. No matter what you say or do, we are together. So get the hell out of my way before I make you." She narrowed her eyes. Pansy drew in a sharp breath, not wanting to move. "Fine," Hermione shrugged and reached into her boot, pretending to grab her wand.

"Whatever," Pansy sniped. "But this isn't over with Granger." She warned.

"Is that a threat?" Hermione stood back up.

"It's a warning," Pansy narrowed her eyes, matching Hermione.

"Consider one back." Hermione lifted up her chin. "Now get out of my way." Pansy's lip twitched and she stood there another second before stepping to the side. "Hmph," Hermione said as she passed Pansy and walked down the hallway, making sure not to look back.

"Is she awake?"

"I don't know who cares."

"She looks like she just moved."

"Wow…"

"Do you think she can hear us?"

"Oh my god, out of my way… Granger, wake up!"

Oof!

Hermione rubbed the back of her head as she felt a sudden pressure hit the back of it. She slowly lifted her face, it felt numb. She looked down to see she had fallen asleep on her books.

"Oh you're up!" She looked over at Parvati and scrunched up her face.

"Yeah," she rubbed her book indented cheek and pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"How do you feel now that you have ruined everything?" Lavender asked from her side. Hermione caught the side of her with her eyes, not bothering to move her head.

"I don't know what you are talking about," she mumbled, running her hands over her tired face.

"Now that Ron and I are broken up I know you're going to go after him." Hermione looked over at her.

"I'm dating Draco," Lavender scoffed.

"Yeah and how the hell did that happen?" Hermione frowned.

"Like I'd tell you," she sat back against her bed. "What time is it?"

"Three o'clock," Parvati said, sitting on the end of Hermione's bed.

"I slept for a while," she ran a hand through her hair.

"This was all part of your plan, wasn't it?" Lavender crossed her arms. "Steal my boyfriend? Huh?" Hermione closed her eyes and shook her head. "I know it was!"

"Please go away!" She groaned.

"No!" Lavender gasped. "I will not go away-"

"Fine, then I will." Hermione got up from her bed and brushed past Lavender, heading for the door. She threw it open and headed down the stairs.

"Hey!" Parvati turned to Lavender. "I wanted to ask her about Draco." Lavender rolled her eyes.

Hermione bounded down the stairs and came to a halt on the last step. Damn, why did she keep getting encounter after encounter? She looked down at the floor as she took the last step on the stairs. "Hey," she whispered and looked back up at Harry and Ron who sat by the fire, staring at her.

"Hey," Harry said, Ron just looked back at the fire and took a sip of his drink.

"How's it going?" She walked over to them and sat down on the couch, playing with the fabric of her sleeve with her fingers to keep distracted.

"Okay," Harry said. "What about you?"

"Alright," Hermione looked at Ron. "Ron, how are you?" She asked. Ron ignored her. Hermione sighed and stood back up. "Fine, be that way." She walked over to the picture frame.

"Hermione," Harry said, turning around in his seat to look at her. Hermione looked back at him with sad eyes before slipping out into the hallway. Praying that no one else would speak to her.

"What?" Draco snapped, looking up and scanning over every one of his friend's faces. "If you have something to say, say it."

"Granger-"

"Except about her," Draco warned Crabbe.

"No, we will talk about her, Draco." Blaise said, moving past people to get to the front to speak to him. Draco raised an eyebrow at his friend.

"What's there to talk about?"

"Oh I don't know, like what the hell are you doing with a Muggle-born, a Gryffindor, and our enemy?" Blaise loomed over him and Draco stood up to match his height.

"Those things don't matter anymore." He said coldly.

"Since when?" He scoffed

"Since for a while," Draco flickered his eyes over to meet Goyle and Crabbe's.

"Well it matters to us." Crabbe and Goyle along with two other Slytherin's stood up behind Blaise.

"Too bad I don't care," Draco brushed passed them.

"Oh you will care if we kick you out." Draco stopped in his tracks and slowly turned his neck around to look at them.

"You can't do that,"

"Watch us,"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Draco turned around, marching back over to Blaise.

"Imagine if your father finds out; probably send you off to some brain washing facility."

"Fuck you!" Draco shoved Blaise's shoulder. "Don't talk about my father!" He warned, as he had many times in the past. "And don't you talk about my girlfriend either."

"You're making a mistake, Draco." Draco turned around to find Pansy coming up behind them.

"I'm sure," he said sarcastically.

"If you really like her…"

"I do," he stared at Pansy.

"Then she'll leave you for Weasley, sooner or later. One of you is fucked at the end. You two will never last." Draco scoffed.

"Coming from the girl who hasn't had a solid relationship in forever." He rolled his eyes.

"I resent that," Pansy glared at him.

"Like I care," he walked out in front of them and turned to face them all. "You look up to me, remember?" He snapped his fingers. "So don't cross me, or it will be the worst mistake you will ever make." With that note, he left the room, all of them staring after him.

Classes were brutal. Being in the Great Hall was even worse. Walking through the hallways was like being stampeded on. In the common room she was a freak show, being stared at and given disapproving looks. In her room she got glares and scolded. The only sanctuary she had was the bathroom. At which she occupied at the moment.

Hermione leaned on the sink and put her head on the cold glass. None of this was easy. Not one hour went by without her being questioned about Draco, or even worse threatened. Not to mention her best friends were still not talking to her.

Hermione wet her hand and slid it on the back of her neck. She breathed in threw her nose and tried to think of calming things. But nothing came to mind. The last day of classes was on Wednesday and Draco would be leaving the following day. She had barely spoken to him since their conversation that took place yesterday in the Great Hall.

"You again," a cold crisp voice that seem to appear from out of the air, spoke to her. Hermione turned around and she sighed, not wanting to talk anymore. Moaning Myrtle stared, hovering above her. "Where's your forbidden lover?" She giggled. Hermione lifted her eyebrows and turned back around to stare at herself in the mirror.

"I don't know," she said.

"So now the whole school knows." Hermione looked in the mirror at the area Myrtle was in, but she wasn't there. She got a sudden feeling of sadness for the girl. The girl who never go to love and experience it. Hermione frowned; maybe it was for the better.

"Hmm, yeah," she looked down at the sink.

"You don't seem too happy," she could feel Myrtle getting closer to her.

"I am," Hermione said.

"Right," Myrtle chuckled.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" She felt the question come out before she could think it over. Hermione turned around to look at Myrtle. "That maybe this may all not be worth it in the end?"

"You really want my opinion?" Myrtle asked.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"I'm surprised you guys even lasted as long as you did. I guess that says something." Hermione squinted at the ghost.

"You think so?"

"I think you're lucky."

"What do you mean?" The ghost smirked at Hermione.

"You'll understand one day." Hermione opened her mouth to question her but Myrtle flew away and disappeared behind a stall. Hermione sighed and looked back into the mirror, thinking about what Myrtle said.

She walked out of the bathroom, her words echoing in her ears all day.

"I figured we should talk." Harry walked beside Hermione along the path outside. They stomped threw the snow. Hermione looked over at him.

"Are Ron and you staying here for the break?"

"Yeah," Harry said.

"Me too,"

"How come?"

"I have a lot of school work I fell back on."

"What next weeks?" Harry joked. Hermione gave him a small smile. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that Ron isn't as mad as before."

"Yeah?" Hermione said. "And what about you?"

"I'm coming around; we're still going to need some time."

"Then what's this about?"

"I just wanted to be on good terms with you." Hermione stopped walking, crossed her arms, and faced him. He stopped too and turned to her.

"I hope we can be more than terms to each other."

"We are," he assured her.

"Then where've you been the past couple of days?"

"Making sure Ron didn't do anything stupid." Harry said.

"I miss you guys,"

"We miss you too." Hermione bit her lip and cautiously asked,

"Do you think Ron and I will ever be the same again?"

"I don't know," Harry said truthfully.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen. It just did."

"I don't think you need to explain yourself anymore." Harry told her. Hermione sighed and stared into the snow.

"Sometimes I just feel…" she looked back at Harry. "That I've completely lost it."

"Lost what exactly?"

"Lost the sight of everything. What's real, what's true, what's right, I just don't know anymore." She shook her head. "How can I be sure that this is right?"

"I've never doubted you Hermione. Not once." Harry said finding her eyes. "And I still haven't." Hermione stared at her friend, letting his words sink in. A slow smile broke onto her face. Was that possibly acceptance? She pulled Harry into a hug.

"You don't know how badly I needed to hear that." She laughed.

"I've missed you," Harry said over her shoulder.

"Are we going to be okay?" She whispered, as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"I hope so," Harry sighed. "I really do."

"Write to me," Hermione repeated for the hundredth time. "And write to me after that." She nestled her head into Draco's chest. He chuckled,

"I heard you the first billion times," he stroked her hair. "I've got to go." Hermione pulled back and looked up at him.

"I wish you were staying here."

"I know," he placed a hand on her cheek. "I have some things I need to take care of first."

"Be safe," she whispered, closing her eyes as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Try not to get yourself into any trouble." He smiled down at her.

"Same goes with you." She said.

"Okay, well," he looked over his shoulder at the students hurrying out of the castle with their bags. "I should go," he spoke quietly to her.

"Yeah," she laced her fingers with his. "I know." She looked at him lovingly, "I love you."

"I love you too." They slowly leaned in and pressed their lips together.

"Mudblood lover!" They heard someone call to them from the crowd. Hermione's lips tightened together and she shut her eyes as they both awkwardly pulled back from the kiss.

"That's a nice way to end it." She threw a look into the direction of the holler.

"Yeah," Draco ran his hair back. "I really don't want to leave you with-"

"Stop I'm fine." She assured him. "Now go so you can come back to me sooner." He smirked at her.

"I'll miss you."

"Bye Draco," she said, as if he was going off to war. Which he might just as well be. He still hadn't told her what he was planning to do with his parents, but she figured he was going to tell them.

"Bye Hermione," he slowly walked back from her, their fingers slipping apart, once they did he hoisted his bag on his shoulder, so it wouldn't fall, and quickly walked away. Hermione watched him go, praying he would come back to her.

A/N- Well there you have it, I hope you liked it! Sorry it's been a while since I updated last but at least the chapter was a little longer than the last. Please review!

Brittany