„Open up!" He yelled again and knocked even louder.

The door swung open and the kind woman smiled at him. Then she noticed his expression and her smile faded.

"What's going on?" She asked concerned.

"I...I'm not sure..." He replied confusedly.

She eyed him for a couple of seconds. "Well why don't you come in?"

He followed her into the office and sat down on a chair.

"Well?" Tonks then asked after she sat down on the chair across from him, the chair that was usually being used by her husband.

Draco didn't know what to say. He didn't even know why he had come here, what good would it bring? He had seen Tonks a couple of times over the last months, meeting her to drink tea or just talk. It almost seemed like family. Almost. She somehow had made it her mission to welcome him into her family and be there for him. He couldn't say that he didn't like that, but he found it odd as well. But he had to admit that it had felt kind of good to have someone to talk to. He knew Tonks would never tell anyone else about what they were talking about so maybe he even trusted her. He knew that the woman had matured a lot ever since she had become a mother.

She raised her eyebrows at him. "So?" She asked again. How should he start? What would he tell her when he didn't even know himself what was going on? But maybe she could help him sort that out.

"Remember when we talked about Hermione?" He finally asked and she nodded patiently. "Well..."

The following hour he spent telling her all about everything that had happened, not leaving any detail out. He knew that it was way past curfew by now, but he couldn't have cared less.

When he was finally done Tonks spoke for the first time. "So now you feel...?"

He shrugged a little. "Confused."

"About your feelings for her?" She wanted to know.

He nodded. "Yes, but not only about that. I'm also... well I'm wondering if I really have changed or if I'm really still the same kid I used to be... I mean I think I have changed but... I don't know... I'm confused."

It was true that now when he was with her he could finally let go of the past and didn't bother hating himself anymore. But when he wasn't with her...

Tonks leaned forward. "Listen. You are not a bad person. You have changed a lot. Would the old Draco have talked to a blood traitor like me about his feelings? Would he have talked about his feelings at all? No. You are a better man, Draco. You are one of the best men."

He grunted. Somehow talking to Tonks always felt like talking to a therapist.

"I am all for you settling down with a girl and becoming happy, but if it confuses you that much..." She went on and then her voice trailed off.

It remained silent for a couple of seconds, then the woman sighed. "So she said she loves you, huh?"

He shrugged, embarrassed about talking about something like that.

"And that confuses you as well?"

He nodded.

She sighed again.

Draco was finally on his way to the common room. Even though they hadn't come up with a solution or a decision, it had felt good to talk to Tonks. To get it off his chest. So as he was walking up the stairs he couldn't help but think about what they had talked about – or rather who. Hermione made him feel like a somewhat good person. Was that what love was all about? He thought back to the tingly feeling inside his chest whenever she had touched him. The kisses, the skin contact. There was definitely an attraction there that he had never felt before. And a feeling that he had never felt before. He stepped through the portrait hole and came face to face with the witch he was thinking about.

Immediately the colors in front of him seemed to intensify and his heart beat faster.

"Hi." He said stupidly and she nodded, before she walked past him and out of the portrait hole.

He wasn't even able to feel disappointed about her not answering. All he could think about was how beautiful she was and how every room seemed to brighten up when she stepped in and darken when she left.

She loved him. His heart skipped a beat. And he did love her.

The next couple of days went by like a dream. Nothing could make me feel anything, nothing that happened really stayed in my mind, everything just passed through. I avoided Draco as much as possible, wanting to leave him time and being scared of hearing his decision. I had told Harry about what had happened the same day and ever since then he stole glances of Draco and told me that he looked „absent-minded" or „confused" or „happy". The last one of those had been when Ron had received a howler from Mrs. Weasley in the Great Hall for avoiding me and Ginny. After that Ron had finally had the guts to talk to me about some random unimportant thing. Later he had apologized to me. Now everything was fine with my friends again, even though I didn't know how that would be after Draco's decision. Every minute that passed I was wondering why it took him so long, but at the same time wishing it would take him longer so that I didn't have to face him so soon.

„Cheer up, Hermione." Harry always told me at breakfast and I just smiled sadly.

„He's not worth the drama anyway." Ron then always mumbled, but I didn't pay any attention to it.

I spent as little time as possible in my common room, hiding in the library instead. In the classes I had with Draco I tried my best to ignore him, which became very hard in Potions, since we were still Potion partners.

One week after my last encounter with Draco I sat at my usual table in the library, when a giddy red-headed girl came running towards me and sat on the chair across from me.

„Hermione!" Ginny yelled and a couple of first-years glared at her. I just threw them a glance of utter authority and they suddenly were very interested in their homework again.

„What?" I then asked calmly.

„I talked to Harry today!" She squealed.

„Okay, keep your voice down! And that's great, what did you talk about? Did you finally talk about what happened?"
She shook her head no. „No, we talked about Quidditch. Well I'm still on the team and so is Harry so it was just a matter of time until he had to talk to me."

I smiled warmly. "Well that's at least a start."

She nodded enthusiastically. "I'm thinking that the next time I see him I'm going to talk more about... what happened."
"That's really good, Gin." I responded.

"I hate it when you're doing homework, you're always so... uninterested in anything else."
"I know, but this is due tomorrow." I motioned to the Ancient Runes essay I was working on. "Tomorrow."

She sighed. "Okay. But I hope you know what a success that was."
I nodded and smiled. "Yes, I do."

As soon as she had left I continued working on my essay. I was happy for Ginny, I really was. But this essay was important. And it wasn't like she had much to talk about anyways, she had probably just talked to Harry for five minutes. Maybe even less. Maybe he had just tried to tell her how to improve on something. Who knew? Ginny always made a mountain out of a molehill. But I really hoped they would make up soon. It became clearer and clearer to me every day that Ginny was sorry for what she had done and regretted it. I knew that she really liked Harry, she had just been distracted by Draco's dazzling pick-up lines and looks. I couldn't really blame her for it and I hoped that Harry would be able to forgive her and give her another chance. I was sure it wouldn't happen again.

When I was done with the essay and was going to get out my Muggle Studies homework, I was interrupted by another person.

"Hermione, can I talk to you for a second?" I heard a not very friendly voice say and looked up.

"Of course."

Tonks seemed kind of angry as she sat down on the chair and folded her hands on her lap. "Here's the thing... I love you as if you were my sister, Hermione..."
"I'm pretty fond of you too." I replied quickly.

"Let me finish, will you? Right now I am pretty pissed at you."
I was really confused. Why would Tonks be pissed at me? I hadn't even talked to her in a couple of weeks, but that had been because she was gone a lot. She only stayed here in Hogwarts on a couple of weekends.

"I'm sorry that I haven't talked to you in so long..." I started, but she cut me off.

"To me? Honey, this is not about me. Draco is a part of my family now." So that was what this was about. "I might have some family left, like my father and Remus, and my mother, but he doesn't have anyone except for me! And I can't help but feel responsible for him. I have done my best to get that boy back on the right track and I am actually really proud of what I've achieved. And I know that a big part of it had to do with you too, but that doesn't give you the right to do this. What he needs right now is steadiness. A steady environment, steady relationships."
I glared at her, anger rising up inside of me. "What do you think I did? I want exactly that. A steady relationship. That is the one thing that I want. So don't come here and hiss at me like I did something wrong."

She sighed. "I know that you want that. But what you're doing is confusing him. A lot. And he doesn't need that right now. And am I wrong when I say that you avoided him for a week now? Not exactly very steady now, is it?"
"Yes, but only because... I wanted to leave him time." I defended myself, confused by how Tonks patronized Draco. She had really become a mother.

"Listen, Hermione. Draco's like a lost puppy right now. He has to be handled with care or he will never be able to trust another human soul. At the same time he has quirks that we have to accept."

I breathed in to calm myself. "Listen, Tonks. I know that you're worried about him, but I think you underestimate him a little. He's stronger than you think, and he will get through this. There's no reason for you to battle out his fights. And I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want that either."

She raised her eyebrows. "So now you know what he wants and doesn't want?"
I bit my lip. "Well does he know you're here to have this conversation with me right now?" She didn't reply. "I'm taking that as a no, which would mean that you know that he wouldn't want it, so you didn't tell him. And now excuse me, but I have to finish my homework."

Tonks reluctantly got up. "Hermione, don't tell him about this, okay? He would kill me."

I smiled and nodded. "Are you coming to Christmas at the Grimmauld Place in two weeks?" I asked her before she left.

She grinned. "Of course. I think I'll bring my lovely cousin too. That is if I can convince him of it." She rolled her eyes.

"Good luck with that." I laughed and she joined in. Then she left and I turned back to my homework. I thought it was really cute that Tonks felt so protective of Draco. But the thought that he needed protection like that was just ridiculous. Draco Malfoy could take care of himself.

A/N: Hey guys,

Arrrrgh this chapter's pretty much just a cliffhanger... before the BIG FINAL CHAPTER that is about to come! Haha! Are you excited too? I sure am! Review the hell out of this story, folks! Let's see if we can break that review button!

Love,

ShayleeRae