Hey guys! I've had time to write, coz my sister has swine flu, so I am also house bound as she is doing everything in her power to make sure I get it so she doesn't suffer alone, such as blackmailing me into playing monopoly, scrabble, boggle, and licking the phone before she passes it to me. Lovely girl that one (y) after she has recovered though, I'll have less time to write because it will be the summer holidays and my friend from Denmark is coming to England for the first time since Christmas *happy dance*

Love Sent To: xxxMistressofMalfoyxxx, MaryAliceBrandonWhitlockCullen, twaineeII, polkadot girl, Crossy, CFCRockAngel, cheerluver, CheekySweetChic, Esmeralda2134, ponygurl022996, GemmaJade, That Ella Loves, georginacastleorpington, Kiku18, Samara Longbottom, krissie92, tfobmv18, crazyelf22, every-rose-has-a-thorn, Vanilla Salt and Jazii26.

Remember, check out shygirls other stories :)

Hmm, fluff anyone? Well whether you want it or not you're getting it =P

In the last chapter:

Hermione stood with Draco in the corridor thinking. Never before had she realised, there was a name for a child who had lost their parents, orphan, there was a name for someone who had lost there spouse, widow, however, there wasn't a name for someone who had lost a child.

"It's going to be so quite without her" she whispered to Draco a tear silently slipping down her cheek.

"Yeah…" Draco murmured back to her putting his arm around her shoulders and embracing her. "Come on, lets skip next period, we can go down to the lake."

Hermione nodded into him and allowed him to lead her out suddenly feeling very small in his large arms.

Chapter 12: Down By The Lake

Draco had never been down to the lake before, aside from the time in fourth year to watch Potter hopefully drown, well that was what he had thought at the time, he had always associated the lake with couples coming down to talk and make out. Given Draco had never really had a couple and a need to talk, it wasn't often he came down here. He still had his arm around Hermione's shoulders and he was finding it surprisingly comfortable, she fit nicely in the crook of his arm and he found comfort in the fact that he was making her feel better, and the fact her arm was around his waist.

"Where do you wanna sit?" Draco asked softly.

"Anywhere's good I guess," Hermione murmured back. With this Draco steered them towards a group of trees where the ground was free from damp. They were still waiting for the first snow fall and it was much anticipated. Reluctantly Draco removed his arm from around Hermione and sat down with his back against a tree. She joined him on the floor and lent against his shoulder.

"It's stupid," Hermione started. Draco looked at her. "It was a doll, not a child, not anything special, nothing more than an assignment, like an essay for potions, yet still, I can't help feeling like I have lost a part of me. It's worse than when Ron left Harry and I in that forest," she finished, tears now streaming down her face, forgetting that Draco wouldn't know what this last part was about. Draco, ignoring the fact that Hermione had said something he had no recollection of knowing, just sat there, listening to her voice. Hermione continued.

"I didn't realise it would be like this. I wish they had just told us to manage bills, or look up how to look after a baby and have a test or write an essay on it. Don't you think?" she asked, wiping her cheeks and moving away to look at his face.

"Yeah," Draco agreed, "I do. I don't think it is fair for them to do it. Any of it. All this marriage law crap, it's a removal of human rights. I mean sure they gave us a fighting chance with the tests and everything but in all honesty, I think they got some of it so wrong. Crabbe and Violet, I can't think of two people less suited to each other." he finished

"Oh I don't know," answered Hermione, "I can think of a few people that are together now and they are total opposites."

"Like who?" Draco asked, "Weasley and Blaise seem to be okay. They were opposites and they are doing very well."

"Yeah…" Hermione said slowly.

"So who are you talking about then?" he questioned curiously.

"Um… me and you…?" she said as more of a question.

"Really Miss Granger? Because I was under the impression we were getting on quite well." he smiled slyly.

"Well, yeah, we are now. But I know what my questionnaire answers were, and I can imagine yours to be the opposite."

"Oh really?" he asked, "well they say opposites attract, or maybe our questionnaire's were more similar than you presumed."

"Oh yeah? Favourite colour?" Hermione asked.

"Blue," Draco answered and her smile faltered, "what?"

"I was sure it would be green" she sighed.

"And why was that?"

"Because you're in Slytherin…duh!" Hermione laughed. Draco raised one eyebrow at her.

"And is yours red?" he asked.

"No…it's blue like you, why would it be red?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"Because you're in Gryffindor…duh!" he said imitating her with a smile.

"Okay, so that wasn't as I expected...umm… aspirations for the future?" Hermione asked wondering how similar two people so different could be.

"I want to be a death eater, just like my father." Draco said, deadpan. Then he saw the horrified look on Hermione's face and burst out laughing. "Just kidding!" he said chuckling, "I'd like to think I could work at the Ministry, and possibly have a family to come home to. You?"

"I want to live in a cardboard box on the street and own 50 stray cats." she smirked.

"How would you own 50 stray cats? If they are stray, you can't own them." he contradicted.

"Oh yeah?" she said, "Just watch me!" Then Hermione lent back against the tree and Draco put his arm back around her.

"Do you ever wonder what it's gunna be like?" Hermione asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Wonder what what is going to be like?" he asked.

"Life, the future?" she said, gazing up at the sky.

"Well, I'd say mine would be completely the opposite to what I grew up in. There isn't any Voldemort now, no more domineering father. I guess you could say that I've had a fair share of the dark arts, more than most people…" he said darkly.

"Yeah, your whole family had a bigger share of the dark arts. Your aunt. Lovely women she was… shame molly killed her, I wanted to get to know her better." she said.

"Please tell me that was sarcasm." Draco frowned.

"Of course it was sarcasm." she smiled.

"Well, good, otherwise I would have skipped Madam Pomfrey and sent you straight to the 6th floor of St. Mungo's!" He laughed.

"Well there will be no shipping thank you very much. I'm quite content with where I am right now actually."

"Well, that's a bloody good job because I'm not moving," Draco grinned and lent his head on top of hers. They sat in silence for a few minutes staring at the leaves being blown about in the autumn wind.

"It's stupid isn't it," he stated more than asked.

"A lot of things in this world are stupid Malfoy. What particular thing is stupid at this moment in time?" Hermione sighed at him.

"Us."

"Well, thanks for that," Hermione replied, pretending to be hurt.

"No, you know what I mean, If someone had said, next year you and I would be engaged to be married I would have told them to seek help. Yet here we are."

"Yep. Here we are." she said smiling and looking up a him.

"Here we are…" he murmured quietly as he looked down on her.

Slowly they lent in towards each other.

"There you two are!" Yelled a male voice from afar causing Hermione and Draco to pull back from each other and squint towards the source of the voice coming from towards the castle, "we've been looking everywhere for you!"

Ginny murmured something to Blaise and slapped his arm. "No we didn't," he answered her unknown question, "look… they were just talking."

They both turned and grinned at Ginny and Blaise who were walking over to them hand in hand.

"We were beginning to get worried," Blaise said, "what was with you two- not being in last period."

Hermione looked at Ginny to find her eyes like hers… swollen and bloodshot. It seemed she had had as much trouble with giving away her SimKids as Hermione had.

"Yeah, because you two were in last period as well were you?" Draco said smirking.

"Um, well actually no," answered Blaise, "we went to the restricted section of the library." Hermione nodded in understanding whilst Draco sat looking confused.

"Why'd you go there?" Draco questioned.

"Because it's a good place to talk," Hermione answered before either Blaise or Ginny could.

"How?" he frowned, still confused, "it's a library."

"The restricted section is far enough away from Madame Pince's desk so you can chat in dulcet tones and not be heard, yet still quiet enough to be tranquil and soothing."

"Right…." said Draco, still slightly confused but didn't want to push it on.

"Normally we would have come down here. But I heard you ask Hermione to come, and I figured you'd want privacy," Ginny said kindly.

Draco sent a grateful look toward her, whilst Blaise looked at her with an exasperated expression on his face.

"You what? You never said! If you knew they were down here, why didn't you say so when we were searching all over the castle for them for half an hour?!" Blaise said furiously. Ginny shrugged, but Hermione understood, and mentally thanked her friend.

"Wait half an hour?" Hermione said, "What time is it?"

"Just coming up to half six. See then sun is almost gone." Ginny replied. It was then Hermione realised just how long they had been sat there, and the night had turned quite chilly. She shivered.

"Come on," said Draco standing up, "let's get indoors. Dinner will be soon, and its Ron and Luna's engagement party tomorrow, you'll want a good night's sleep. You coming?" Draco asked, turning to Ginny and Blaise.

"Nah… You guys go ahead, We'll catch up later." Blaise answered, with a cheeky smile on his face.

Draco helped Hermione up and she shivered once more. "Come on. Bye guys!" he shouted over his shoulder to Blaise and Ginny and received a wave in response.

They started to walk up to the castle. Draco tried to walk quickly but Hermione lagged slightly behind. She was very cold.

Draco sighed.

"Can you walk any slower?" he asked Hermione.

"Oh shut up! I'm cold." she smiled.

"Well, get on my back, I'll run us over to the castle."

"You sure? I'm hardly a SimKid," Hermione said nervously. She didn't want him to think she was heavy.

"I'm sure. Now come on, or I'll get pneumonia."

Hermione jumped on his back. Draco tested her weight for a split second before starting at a sprint towards the castle. Running in the damp grass with Hermione on his back squealing, Draco was a lot more comfortable then he had ever been before. When they reached the steps, both were out of breath and Draco looked down on Hermione,

"Warm yet?" Draco panted. A playful smile appeared on Hermiones face.

"Oh yeah," she replied and they walked into the Entrance Hall together.

So there you have it, 4 and a bit pages, practically all dialogue, of them progressing to the almost next stage. Damn Blaise right? Well, it seemed right for them to kiss then, but I have such a good scene planned out for their first kiss, it just wouldn't have been as cool if it was there first or second kiss you know, so I kind of made them kiss but didn't (y)

So engagement party More than likely next chapter, infact almost certainly next chapter, depending on what my laptop decides to write, do you reckon I should do a filler of what happens tomorrow morning, or just skip straight to the engagement party? Let me know in a review.

Also, what did everyone think of HBP?? Tell me in your review :D

Much love

Natalie xxxx

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