Monday, October 5

After a night of tossing and turning on the sofa, Draco woke up feeling as if he hadn't slept at all. He sat up and rubbed his face, attempting to become more alert. The wizard looked back over his shoulder and saw that the bedroom door was still shut.

He sighed and stood up before walking over to the kitchen to find a small breakfast feast set up on the three-person table. He heard the bedroom door open and turned to see Hermione stepping out of the room.

"Good morning." He said, attempting to act normally.

She looked over and met his eyes with an expression that Draco couldn't quite decipher.

"Good morning." She replied quietly.

"Care for some breakfast?" he asked, nodding toward the table.

The brunette nodded, "Sure."

Together, they sat down at the table and silently began to eat their breakfast.

Draco hated that she was upset with him, but he couldn't blame her in the slightest. It had been his intention after all. As he ate, he thought over all possible ways to fix their current situation, yet nothing came to mind.

A soft touch to his forearm suddenly broke through his thoughts. He looked across the small table and caught those beautiful mocha eyes that lived within his heart and soul.

"Draco…" She spoke up, taking him by surprise. "I understand why you did what you did. It shattered me and the betrayal I felt was like nothing I had ever experienced before but I understand…now."

He nodded and looked before saying, "I'd trade my limbs…my life…my magic to change this situation if I could but those things aren't what he has threatened. My father…well, he's a mercurial man. He's also a dangerous and lethal man and I refuse to let him harm you or your parents, so…so I'm stuck. I'm stuck in this engagement. I haven't got a choice in the matter. I despise it with my soul, but I can't let him hurt you…I won't let him hurt you."

The brunette licked her lips and nodded.

After breakfast, the pair of them decided to go for a stroll together in the clearing. Neither spoke, unsure of what they could possibly say.

As they neared the base of the waterfall, they discovered the large cluster of boulders.

Draco watched as the witch climbed up onto the boulders, found a nice spot to sit down to enjoy the waterfall. She looked back over her shoulder at him and he took that as an invitation to join.

Following her lead, the wizard climbed up and sat down beside her, wiping his hands together to rid them of dirt.

They remained silent for a long time, listening to the sound of the crashing falls until Hermione spoke up.

"That night…the night you left the letter in my room…" She spoke just loud enough to be heard over the water. "I had several different dreams, which is odd for me because typically I only have one per night, if any."

He listened carefully as she continued speaking while staring at the falls, not sparing a glance in his direction for fear she'd break down.

"The first few dreams were lovely. You were in them, and we were happy. It was strange though because the final dream I had before I woke up was dreadful. Terribly dreadful. I was in this…this house of some sort. A dark, deserted house. A house I've never seen before. These strange bronze torches lit up the corridors as I ran through them, searching." She paused and shook her head with huff of frustration before continuing.

"At first, it wasn't clear what I was searching for but then…then I heard you. You were shouting my name, as if you were searching for me as well. I searched for you for so long. We both were shouting for each other."

The brunette went silent for several moments before whispering. "We never found each other. I woke up sobbing." She huffed, "I suppose it all makes sense now. I must have known something…somewhere in my soul."

Draco didn't speak immediately. After a moment he turned toward her and whispered, "I'd find you, Hermione. I'd never give up."

He noticed how her bottom lip trembled slightly and he desperately wanted to pull her close and hold her tight but knew better than to do so.

"No matter what, Hermione, I'm always going to be in love with you."

She sighed, "Draco…" She said, gently shaking her head, "You're going to marry…share holidays…sleep with…and…and have children with another woman. Whether it's intentional or not, you'll fall in love with Astoria. You and I…we'll simply be a thing of the past…a fond memory to look back on. No matter how much it hur…hurts to admit it…we're over." She finished and looked at him with a heartbreaking expression as a tear slipped down her cheek.

He desperately wanted to wipe it away as he swallowed and replied, "I…I refuse to accept that."

Slowly nodding, she said, "I know. I know you do, and I love you for it, but one day you'll have no other choice. When you look into the light eyes of your children…you won't see me, Draco. You'll see her. No matter how much I hate it, it's the truth, and there's nothing we can do to change it." she said with a quiet, sad sigh.

"I love you, Draco. You're a good man, and I wish things were different, but you're right, I can't let my parents' get killed. They're innocent." She added.

She looked over at him and smiled a terribly sad smile, "I'm going to go back inside now."

He watched as she stood up and slid down the boulders before walking back to the cottage.

He remained there, watching the falls as he continued to think over their predicament. Astoria was a good person, and they could have a decent life together…if he wasn't already in love with Hermione.

But that was it. He was in love with Hermione, and that wasn't going to change…ever. This engagement was ruining his life. There was only one person who could possibly change the outcome of this catastrophe.

He'd have to write a letter to his mother.