HI EVERYONE! IM SO SORRY TO KEEP YOU ALL WAITING ON AN UPDATE. IVE BEEN HAVING SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES THE PAST FEW MONTHS I WILL TRY TO START POSTING AGAIN EVERY WEEK 3

THREE YEARS LATER…

Over the course of the past three years, Hermione and Draco had grown considerably closer. They would meet after hours, hiding in the closets or sitting on the roof. Everyone stared. A Gryffindor and a Slytherin, friends? Impossible. Harry, Hermione, and Ron slowly grew apart. Although he would never admit it, Harry was glad she didn't associate with them anymore, as he hated Draco with all his heart. He thought Hermione could do better in her choice of friends, but it is her choice. If she got hurt, it wasn't his fault. So he stepped aside and let Hermione make her own mistakes. Summers for the pair were torture. Draco would never admit to his father that he was friends, best-friends actually, with a muggle-born. Hermione vaguely mentioned Draco

One night, they stole away once again, to the Quidditch Pitch. They had to wait until the Gryffindor common room was empty, until the fire smothered down to a few glowing embers. It was about midnight when they sat on the bleachers chilled by the chilly January air. Hermione's cheeks were red along with her nose, and she was wearing a sweater and a fuzzy hat. Her eyes sparkled, reflecting the millions of tiny dots sprinkled across the sky. She started to rub her hands up and down her arms as a feeble attempt to warm herself. Draco noticed she was cold because he took off his cloak, leaving him in only a thin shirt, and wrapped around Hermione. She gave him a smile, and scooched closer to him on the bench.

The silence was broken by Hermione's voice, "Draco?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are we friends? I mean, why do you want to be friends with me? No one has ever wanted to be close to me."

"Then they're ridiculous. You are one of the kindest, most intelligent person I've laid eyes on. Merlin, even today you were not only doing advanced potions, but Snape said even 7th years struggled and you managed to do it perfectly the first time. Anybody would be lucky to be close to you. I don't care how many times I have to say that to get it through your head."

She was silent, she had no idea what to say. After about an hour of listening to the snow fall on the ground, they decided to head back. They walked slowly, trying to make the moment last, synchronized footsteps complete with stares when the other wasn't looking.

The next day, Harry decided to do something about Hermione's "friend". The day started per usual, waking up late, scrambling to the Great Hall and finally, barley making it into Potions on time. He cut it so close, Snape gave him a death glare as if to say, Late again, Potter?! One more time and you will be serving detention with me for the rest of the year! He glanced around the room, finding the only seat left empty was next to Hermio-. Nope, never mind. Draco slid back in his seat next to the honey-haired girl with two jars of what looked like shriveled hands. Harry had to end up sitting in the back, writing an essay instead of making the potion because there weren't any benches left. He shook with anger, why should he, Harry Potter, have to sit in the bak and write about a stupid potion when that ferret, Draco, got to sit next to one of the prettiest girls at school?

The rest of the day passed uneventfully until after hours. Everyone else was already in bed when Harry snuck down to write a letter to Hagrid. He stopped short due to the sleeping pair on the couch. Snoring softly, Hermione was asleep against Draco's shoulder. Draco looked up at Harry with innocent eyes, knowing that there was about to be a fight.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Harry whisper-shouted, so he didn't wake Hermione.

"Well, Potter," Draco spat the words out like poison, "I'm so glad you're interested in my affairs. I happen to be sitting on a couch with a girl on my shoulder."

That was it for Harry he didn't care if he woke Hermione up, he didn't care if he woke the whole house up. He just wanted to put Draco in his place. "HOW DARE YOU COME INTO MY HOUSE AND ACT ALL INNOCENT LIKE YOU'VE DONE NOTHING WRONG?"

"BECAUSE I HAVEN'T!" Draco shot back. He got up from the couch, laying Hermione down gently, but little did he know, she had woken up and was now facing the fire, tears glassing up her eyes.

"I WOULDN'T CALL THIS NOTHING, MALFOY. YOU CAN'T JUST SIT ON A GYRIFFYNDOR COUCH POISINING EVERY LAST THREAD WITH YOUR TOUCH! NOT TO MENTION YOU CORRUPTING HER, MAKING HER THINK THAT'S SHES MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE BY CHOOSING YOU!"

Draco now spoke in a soft, dangerous tone. "You think I'm corrupting her? Mate, I think you've got the wrong idea. I've been there for her every time you haven't. Every tear, every moment of insecurity. She's tried reaching out, but when you just ignored her, Mate, that broke her. Now, I don't care if you hate her or not, but just like every time before this; I will be there for her whether you like it or not. And you want to know why? Because I love her." His eyes quickly grew, matching Harry's expression in shock of what he'd admitted out loud.

"You l-love me?" Came a trembling, quiet voice from a tear-stained face girl.

"Yeah," Draco said, "I think I do. C'mon let's get out of here." He gently took her hand and guided her through the porthole.

The hallways were eerily silent at night. The only sound being their shoes hitting the stone and cloaks swirling around their ankles. Hermione hadn't spoken a word since leaving the common room, so Draco pulled her aside and they sat down on a staircase.

"Hermione?" Draco asked, "Is everything alright?"

She turned so she could see his face through her big doe eyes. "I think I love you too."