AN1: Wow!! Chapter 51!! Can you believe it? This is a continuation of chapter 45! So, yeah, be aware of that. You might want to go back and read chapter 45 if you don't remember what happened.

(Oh, and this should have been out before Wednesday, but I had been going through some sucktastic testing and haven't really been feeling up to writing. But it's out now and that's what matters!)

Disclaimer: I am not in any way, shape, or form affiliated with JKR, Warner Brothers, or Harry Potter. That's why I write fan fic. Because I am a FAN.

Dedication: This chapter would not be out without the encouragement of Athenarena. She left an awesome review for the Valentines Day chapter (45) and asked if I would write a chapter following the events after it. Thanks for the really kind words!

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Draco drummed on the table impatiently. All of his feelings of despair, utter heartbreak and sadness had left him. He sighed heavily. Well, maybe not completely. He was still reeling over his recent discovery. Hermione, his Hermione, the one who he'd loved with all his heart—he couldn't bring himself to consider his current feelings for her now, after what had happened a mere hour ago—had been cheating on him with Weasley of all people.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice the door of the Room of Requirements open. And he didn't notice Hermione walk in. Only when she was right behind him and tapped his shoulder did he realize she was there. He turned around and there she was with a bright, cheery smile on her face as if she hadn't just broken his heart; as if she hadn't just been cheating.

"Hey," Hermione greeted before giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"Hey," Draco murmured halfheartedly.

Hermione noticed that something was wrong instantly. "What's wrong?"

Draco sighed. He wasn't really sure how to do what ever he was going to do. As bad as she had hurt him, he didn't want to hurt her. He could tell that she was in a lovely mood and he knew that once he announced that they were through, she'd be crushed. Despite the fact that she had been cheating on him for the past three months, some part of her cared deeply for him. Or so he'd thought. Now he wasn't too sure.

"I got you a gift for Valentines Day," he said.

"Oh! Really? You shouldn't have."

"I know."

Hermione laughed lightly, thinking he was joking, but when she saw the look of utmost seriousness on his face, she stopped cold. She tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"I saw you," was his way of answering her unvoiced query.

"What?" She seemed genuinely confused.

"With Weasley. I heard the two of you talking. I was going to give you your gift then, but you became...otherwise engaged. So I heard that it's been three months? Congratulations."

Hermione's eyes widened and her face paled.

"I'm so sorry," She pleaded. "I don't know what I was thinking, I really don't. Can you ever forgive me?"

Draco's face was as hard as stone. "No."

Hermione stood up and ran out the door, feeling as guilty as she had ever felt in her entire life. The door slammed shut and only once Draco was sure that she wouldn't hear him, he whispered hoarsely, "But I wish that I could."

The now ever-so familiar feeling of tears greeted him again in his loneliness. He still loved her, he had realized, but after this, he'd never be able to trust her again. For his own sake, for his own sanity and peace of mind, he had to let her go.

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Hermione held in her sobs as she ran. Why had she done that? She was the first one he'd ever opened his heart to, and what did she do? She destroyed it. Hermione was disgusted with herself. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she sprinted to the Gryffindor common room, where she knew that she would find Ron. Maybe seeing him would make her feel a little better.

Tearing open the door, Hermione saw a sight that tore her already broken heart into more pieces. Ron was there all right; so was Lavender. They were having a friendly conversation; if that's what it was called now. In Hermione's eyes, it was a more-than-friendly, fourth-year-cool and sixth-year-lame suck face fest.

'Oh what a tangled web we weave when we practice to decieve,' was Hermione's first coherent thought. And how fitting it was.

Blinded both by her tears and by her rage, Hermione crept up to the snogging couple. She yanked Lavender away from Ron. Both of them looked shell-shocked, but Ron more so than Lavender.

"Hermione," Ron started. "It's not what it looks like!"

"So that red mark on your face isn't from me slapping you?" She choked through tears.

Ron was confused. "What?"

Hermione mustered every ounce of force that she had and slapped Ron on his cheek, hard. No sooner had she pulled her hand away did the red mark start to show up. She took immense satisfaction in that. Without another word, she turned on her heel and fled. She didn't want to see him anymore. And she especially didn't want to see Lavender fawning over his now very red cheek. As she ran out the door, Hermione heard Lavender. "What's her problem? It's not like she wasn't doing the same thing with you behind Draco's back."

Hermione was sickened. So Lavender knew. And yet that didn't stop her from being with Ron. What a slag. But at this point, Hermione didn't think too much better of herself. If the pain that she had felt at seeing Ron and Lavender together was what Draco felt when he saw her with Ron...if it was possible, Hermione's heart broke even more.

"What have I done?"

Hermione fled to the Astronomy Tower. It was the only place that she knew for sure would be secluded enough so she could cry in peace. She flung the door open and to her relief, it was empty. She found a corner and plopped herself onto the floor. Her sobs wracked her whole body and her tears fell harder and faster.

Hermione cried for several reasons.

She cried because she'd demolished Draco's heart.

She cried because Ron had been using her all along.

She cried because she'd been so stupid to cheat on the best person she'd ever been with.

She cried because she missed Draco.

But most of all, she cried because she'd ruined her chance with him. And the only person she could find to blame for that was herself.

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AN2: Eh, not as good as I'd hoped it would be. Sorry if it disappointed you, Athenarena.

Review please!! Then, if you guys are lucky, the next one with be so freaking happy that you can't help but smile while AND after you read it!! So, get to it! Haha. No but seriously, please review!

DUCKY: ...if you know what I mean! (nudge nudge)

Lovelove, Amanda