Author's note: Yes, I know I said there will be no chapter till New Year but I thought it will be good as a last day of the last year treat. Hope you enjoy! And don't forget to review!

Hermionemalfoyforever Thank you for the review! I'm glad you are enjoying the story.

Maesde Yes! And it's going to get even more interesting now! Thank you for the review!

101FrozenFire101 Thank you for the review! And yes Slytherins are coming with a bang in the next chapter. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter.

Thank you all for the reviews!

…..

Three weeks later the DA was in full swing. Everyone practiced to their full limit; they took the signs of the war far too seriously. Every day the Daily Prophet reported news of raids, kidnappings and murders. This was enough for the members of the DA to give their best. The DA Core sat till late night every day to research new study material or for their practice. Harry had started teaching them wandless and non-verbal spells and they were quick learners. By the end of three weeks, all the members of the DA Core were able to do wandless and non-verbal magic to some extent.

Umbridge was positioned as the Headmistress of the school; Dumbledore was removed from the position with the excuse that his presence was required more in the Ministry than in the school. Harry was sure this was just an excuse to keep Dumbledore out of Umbridge's way. No one protested or said anything to this decision as everyone knew it was going to happen one day or the other.

Harry and Ginny had come close due to DA meetings and practice almost every other day, though Harry kept denying it he knew the distance between them had reduced. Neville and Luna had started spending considerable time together at and after school hours, and they did look good with each other. Hermione had seen Ron looking or rather staring at Lavender. She had tried to talk to him about her but he being Ron would flush and move over to another topic.

Hermione was not happy but quite satisfied with the prevailing conditions. Umbridge had done and was doing everything to make their life miserable, including increasing restrictions to implying ban on stupid things. Hermione normally wouldn't let these things affect her but they did, mostly because they were wrong and were being done to control the students, when in fact Hogwarts was supposed to be a place of free learning and education.

But this was not the reason why Hermione was not happy; the only thing which kept bothering her these days was Draco Malfoy. After that day, Hermione remained constantly worried about him. He looked miserable day by day, there were dark circles underneath his eyes, he scowled more often, and his health was worsening. Nobody saw that but Hermione noticed he did not listen to any of his classes; he seldom did his homework and spent his time alone without his friends.

Hermione finally managed to corner him late on Wednesday evening in the library. He was sitting at her table when she came and smiled at her. She sat down beside him but did not take her books out but instead sat staring at him.

"What?" he asked finally irritated.

"Nothing." She said but still kept staring at him.

"Why are you staring at me?" he asked slowly.

"Because I want to." She said stubbornly.

"Fine." He said and turned to his parchment. Five minutes later, Draco put his quill down and turned to face Hermione who was still staring at him.

"Hermione what do you want?" he asked, anger flashing in his eyes.

"Answers." She said, not taking her eyes off him.

"Which answers? I don't think I owe you any."

"Oh! Yes, you do." She straightened up in her seat and looked at him curiously. He fidgeted uncomfortably under her intense gaze.

"And what are they?"

"Why are you behaving like this? I mean you are avoiding everybody even me these days and you're suffering." She said in one breath.

"This has got nothing to do with you." He said arrogantly and scowled darkly at her.

"Fine." she said sounding hurt and got up to leave.

"Hermione wait…" Draco caught her by her wrist and stopped her. "I'm sorry." She sat back down and stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Look, I'm just tensed. It's only a week for Christmas holidays and I'm…I'm just…"

"Scared and confused?" she completed for him. He looked at her for a minute and then said, "Not here, can we talk somewhere else?"

"Sure." She said and he got up, packed his bag and left. Ten minutes later Hermione left the library looking casual and met Draco on the sixth floor. Together they went to the abandoned classroom and locked the door behind them.

"So what is it?" Hermione asked once they had settled down near the window.

"You know why I'm tensed." He smirked at her and looked out of the window. It was pitch black but still he didn't take his eyes off the window.

"Did you think about what I said?" she asked remembering what had happened at that exact place they were now sitting. She remembered his cry and her words to him after that.

He simply nodded to her.

"And?" she asked.

"And what Hermione? Isn't the answer quite obvious? Of course I'll die if that ever happens." He said looking back at her.

"And what have you decided then?" she pressed on.

"It's not easy Hermione." He said in a whisper. "To leave everything behind and make a new start. It's not easy, it's torturous and it's haunting me now."

"Who said it was going to be easy?" Hermione asked half angry with him. "I don't remember saying that you. Of course it's going to be difficult Draco, maybe one of the most difficult things you'll ever do in your life. I know it's not easy to choose between your life and your parents but you don't really have an option do you?" she tried to be reasonable. She wanted him to understand and make the right choice.

"It haunts me Hermione." He said. She looked into his eyes as if to see beyond his spoken words and surely it was there, the fine traces of a horrible haunting, like a nightmare coming true.

"But you can't really do anything else Draco, you have to make a choice. It's just a week from now and you have to make a decision today or tomorrow." Her voice was desperate she knew, but she had to try her best to convince the Slytherin.

"You know I really thought about all those things you said to me that day, and that's what I have done all these days. I'm not saying you are wrong Hermione, you are right, hell yes you are. I want you and I don't think I'll survive without you and you are just waiting for my decision so you can make yours regarding us and believe me Hermione I want you to love me just the way I do but…"

"But what Draco? What is stopping you?" she asked when he did not speak.

"Even if I decided to switch sides, who will believe me? Draco Malfoy? The evil and arrogant Slytherin? I'm not the most loved person in Hogwarts if you haven't noticed Hermione. Who will give me a chance?" he stared straight at her and she saw the doubt in his eyes. She knew it wouldn't be easy for the others to accept him but she was ready to try. Hermione knew what she had to do.

"Draco, look at me." she said softly and he turned back to her. "Meet me here tomorrow at the same time."

"But…" he started but she cut him off.

"No, don't ask any questions. Just come, okay?" she asked and waited for him to nod his head. She wanted to make sure he would come and Hermione knew he would.

-…..-

It was still two hours before the DA practice when Hermione entered the common room but found it deserted. Harry and Ron would normally wait for her and then head together to the Room of Requirement. Maybe I'm late. She thought as she turned back on her heels and went to the Room of Requirement.

Opening the door she saw Harry shirtless training with one of the trainee the Room of Requirement had provided to them. It was an old and a rusty solider with magic as powerful as any witch's or wizards. When Harry saw Hermione enter he deactivated his opponent and made his way towards her.

"Hey Hermione." He greeted her with his huge bright smile which rivalled Dobby's.

"Hey. Wish Ginny could have seen you like this." She said and Harry blushed beet red. "Where's Ron?" she asked when she was sure Harry had lost his capability to speak. They made their way to the sofa near the fireplace.

"In the kitchen, nicking food before the practice." Hermione smiled as she sat down, Harry took the armchair near the fireplace.

"Harry…" she began, she knew it was going to be difficult to tell him about Draco but she had to.

"Yes?" he asked looking up from his book which he had taken from the table in front of him.

"You remember you said you wanted to recruit some neutral Slytherins into DA as well?" Hermione said and Harry nodded slowly.

"Well, the thing is Harry…I didn't mean to lie to you but I don't…I mean I didn't realize when things started to change and…"

"Whoa! Hold on Hermione, you lost me. Who are you talking about?" he closed his book and edged forward in his seat.

"Draco Malfoy." She said in a whisper. Harry had to strain his ear to hear what she said, but when he did understand his green eyes grew wide and his breaths came in small volumes.

"You mean…." He started but Hermione by now was close to tears. She had then realized that she had hid far too much from him and Ron. Harry was sensible to some extent and she knew he would understand but Ron…Ron was a different thing and she knew only Harry could make him see sense; that is why she decided to talk to Harry about this.

"I'm so sorry Harry. I didn't mean to do this. I swear I wanted to tell you when things started to change but I was scared Harry, I was scared of your and Ron's reaction." She cried openly now and she made no effort to stop them nor did Harry.

"BUT DRACO MALFOY?" Harry roared and got up. He started pacing in front of the fireplace with his hands clasped behind his back and Hermione realized how much he resembled a worried Sirius.

"I'm sorry Harry but he's changed." She argued through her tears.

"CHANGED? Yeah right." he shouted again.

"Yes Harry. He's changed, he doesn't want to become one of them, I swear Harry. And he's not lying."

"How do you know he's not lying Hermione? He might be using you to reach me. His father is a Death Eater remember? He might be…"

"No Harry, he's not." She said back more sternly than she intended.

"How can you be so sure 'Mione? He is…"

"Because I love him." She half shouted at him. Harry stood still, all movements and anger forgotten. He simply stood there in front of her. She was shocked too. It was the first time she had said it out loud and it was then she realised that she loved him too. Fresh tears rolled down from her eyes and she sobbed openly covering her face. Harry regained his lost composure and sat beside her. He took her hands in hers and begun...

"'Mione…"

"Harry I love him and he loves me too. I haven't said that to him but he had Harry and he really does. I've seen it his eyes how much he wants me. He just wants a chance to prove himself. He doesn't want to be like his father, he wants to be one of us." She tried reasoning with him.

"Why?" he asked in a low whisper shocked by Hermione's revelation.

"Because he knows if he choosed the dark side he would lose me forever. And I don't want him to." She looked at Harry with tear filled eyes. It had shocked him, no doubt. The boy who had made his life miserable with every passing second in this school now loved his best friend who was like a sister to him. He knew Hermione was not lying and he did love her. He could just see it in her eyes. Looking at those brown orbs he left like he was looking into the grey cold eyes of Draco Malfoy.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked silently.

"I want you to give him a chance through DA." She measured him with her eyes. She knew it was difficult for him to accept him, especially after what he had did to him, he had tormented and tortured him for all these years but she was desperate, she wanted Draco to have one chance to make a difference, everyone deserved it.

"Okay. Fine. I'll call all the DA members now and tomorrow. Today I'll tell them the decision of including Malfoy in the DA and tomorrow you can bring him to meet everyone." He said slowly. He then cleared his throat loudly and fell silent.

"You…you are not angry?" she asked not believing what Harry said.

"No." he stated simply but did not give her any explanation.

"But why? You should be." She said angrily.

"I can't be Hermione. I can't be angry with you and what good will it do? I can't lose you; you are my best friend and my only sister. I respect your decision. You are a responsible and an intelligent girl, you can decide for yourself. You know what is good and bad for you. I don't and I'll never doubt your judgement 'Mione. If he said he wants to change then you must have researched it well. And I know you wouldn't bring this up to me until you were completely sure of him." He said simply and she flung her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you Harry." She said softly.

He smiled at her. He knew it was going to be difficult, to be in the same room as Malfoy and not kill him but he was ready to try, for Hermione and because there was no time for rivalry when there was a war looming at the year end. He wanted to finish off the house rivalry that existed in the school.

-….-

Hermione couldn't drift off to sleep. It was an eventful day and tomorrow would be even bigger. Ron had walked in a couple of minutes after their discussion. Ron had sworn, insulted, kicked and hexed. He was so angry that he even raised his wand to hex Harry who was trying to calm him. Hermione knew this was going to happen but she helped Harry to calm Ron down. They tried reasoning with him, explained and made a few promises and in the end when Hermione promised she would kill Malfoy if he ever tried to hurt anyone of the three that Ron agreed. He made her swear she would really kill him. She knew she would never leave Draco alive if he ever hurt any of her boys. So Ron had agreed and she was drained off her energy when the entire seventy five DA members arrived at a short notice from Harry. They were seventy five of them. Many students got recruited in the three weeks and they were all angry at Harry's decision.

But Harry handled it well. He made everyone see the disadvantage of house rivalry at the time of a war. He explained how things would go from bad to worse if they did not end their rivalry with the Slytherins. After much shouts and arguments the DA had agreed with Harry. They had decided to give the Slytherins one chance but they had also promised they would rip them apart if they tried to betray them.

So the only thing remaining was to tell and convince Draco about DA. She knew he'll agree. He'll have to, she thought.

-xxxxxxxx-

Done! One more chapter before New Year!

Enjoy and Review!