Draco stepped out of the washroom taking a deep breath. He slid his long sleeve, gray jumper over his head. Glancing in the mirror he tried to make his hair look half way presentable. He shook his head at himself, what was she doing to him?

For the first time since the war, he cared about how he looked. He cared about what someone thought. He cared about someone. He cared about living. Smiling to himself, he made his way out of the Slytherin Common room, heading towards the Room of Requirements.

As he stepped off the moving stair cases he found himself physically collide with another person. "Woah sorry." She said as he looked up to see a dark skinned man, maybe only a few inches taller than he was. "Mr. Zambini." Draco furrowed his eyebrows in shock.

"Oh... sorry Draco." The man said, "I was just coming to look for you."

"I don't think this is a good time Mr. Zambini." Professor McGongall's voice spoke from behind them. Draco turned to see her, her face stern.

"He has the right to know dammit! Draco, Blaise was killed." He said, his voice breaking.

"What?" Draco practically yelled.

"His mother was too... There is a group of Death Eaters who are trying to... avenge Voldemort." The man seemed livid. His hands flew about as he yelled. "They blame us. You, me, Blaise and many others who helped the Light Side in the end. They blame us that they lost. Their going after us and anyone who we love Draco."

"That's enough Mr. Zambini. Come with me please." She ushered the man away from Draco.

"Keep a look out, Boy! Protect the ones you love, they come after them first!"

Draco swallowed deeply. Not again...

-*-

Hermione opened the large door and saw no one was there. She looked at the large old clock on the wall, 1:03. She furrowed her eyebrows. Hermione walked over to a couch and sat herself down, wondering where he may be. Time ticked by. Minutes turned into an hour. Hermione felt her heart grow heavier with every passing minute. Why would he not show up?

She felt her stomach clench, thinking back to the conversation she had overheard just two hours before. She promptly stood up and walked out the door, shocked when she saw the very boy she was waiting for, pacing outside the door.

"Draco?" She questioned.

He jumped a good few inches off the ground but looked at her unfazed.

"Why didn't you come in? I've been waiting for an hour!" She exclaimed, though she wasn't mad, more relieved, he thought she sounded.

"I'm sorry... I just, I couldn't think of how to tell you." He sighed deeply.

"Tell me what...?" She looked worried instantaneously.

"That... that we can't hang out together. Or be seen together. Talk together. Look at each other. What happened these past few days, must stay in those four walls it happened within. Sorry Granger." Draco's voice broke as he looked at his shoes.

Hermione felt like her heart break. She shook her head, feeling tears swell in her eyes.

"Why?" He looked up at her to see her bottom lip quivering.

"Because... I have to protect you." He said simply.

"Because of the death eaters?" She questioned quickly, taking a step forward.

He took a step back. "How did you know?"

"I over heard the Head Mistress talking to Zambini's father." She explained, taking another timid step towards him.

"Then you know what their doing. Their killing every ex death eaters loved ones and then them." He said, pain ridden in his voice.

"Then why do I matter?" She questioned, truly wanting to know what he saw them as.

Draco's face fell, "Well... I guess you don't." His heart clenched.

Hermione looked up at him, a tear streaking her face. "Right." She bit back her emotions that threatened to over pour. "I guess I was just stupid then." She looked away from him, wiping her tears away with her sleeve.

"What? W-why?" Draco stuttered. He just wanted to hug her. To pull her into his chest and run a hand through her still damp hair, and hold her forever. But he just stood their, his head pounding.

"Because I thought I meant something to you Malfoy! But clearly I don't and I was just bloody stupid!" She yelled at him, no longer being able to hold in the overwhelming feelings.

"Of course you mean something to me! Why do you think I wanted to distance myself Hermione?" He yelled back, crossing to her. They stood only inches away. "Because I care about you! And you're the closest thing I've even got to a 'loved one'. You're the only thing they could use against me! And I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you!" He yelled but she didn't care, she took every word he threw at her. "Especially because of me!" His voice was loud and strong, but his hands were shaking.

She had heard enough. But the thing she next did shocked them both. She closed the few inches that separated them, stepped up onto her tiptoes, and kissed him. Placing one hand on his cheek and the other on the back of his neck, she kissed him deeply. All the anger, frustration and sadness poured into it.

Draco stood there shocked for only a moment before he melted into her. He placed his hands on his waist, pulling her into him further. He kissed her back with fervor, his previous fears forgotten. All he could focus on was her. Her lips moving against his. Her small, yet demanding figure in his arms. He deepened the kiss, putting a hand on the back of her neck. An action that made her heart do a flip.

The kiss made Hermione's legs feel limp, she swore if he hadn't been holding her, she may have fallen over. She ran her hand through his hear and instantly loved the feeling of his soft, slightly wet from his shower, hair in between her fingers.

She made him feel like everything he thought he'd never feel again. Draco wanted her and only her in every way. He wanted to make her happy and for the first time in years he could see himself happy. He could picture a happy future.

Backing them up clumsily, he opened the door to the Room of Requirements and pulled them both inside. It was only then that Hermione pulled away for breath. Her eyes were wide and filled with something he had never seen directed at him. He dare say... filled with love?

"That was..." She began.

"Unexpected." He finished for her, they both chuckled.

Silence washed over them but only for a moment before Hermione plucked up some of her Gryffindor bravery and spoke; "I want to be with you." Her words were simple and genuine and it scared them both to hear.

Draco sighed and pulled her over to the couch, sitting down with her. He looked around the room that had conjured for them. A couch with a fireplace in front of them, behind them a huge window seat with a view overlooking the Black Lake. Hermione watched him, nervousness in her eyes as she waited for a reply.

He reached over to her timidly and gently pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear, "I want to be with you too, Hermione." He breathed deeply, as if saying it was a huge weight off his shoulders. "But with the Death Eaters... it could put you in so much danger." He explained to her, "and that's not even mentioning how bloody mental I am." He was honest with her. Painfully honest. But she appreciated it more than he knew.

"I know." She said, with a joking tone at first, which earned her a smile from him. But her voice turned strong as she proceeded with determination. "I know what the consequences and risks are... or could be. But I have been fought in wars and I am tired of running from things I want. I'm willing to fight for this Draco, if you are that is..." She trailed off, suddenly losing her confidence.

He put a hand on her cheek, "I have lost everything I ever cared about. I don't want to lose you too." He admitted, "I would never forgive myself if anything happened to yo-"

"Draco." She quieted him, placing her hand on top of his own that rested on her face. He enjoyed the silence in the room as her voice broke it over and over. It was the most beautiful sound he thought he had ever heard.

"Yes?" He gulped.

"It would be a privilege to, at the very least, try, and fight for this. Whatever the bloody hell this is!" She laughed with a smile across her face.

He returned the favor with a full smile. Hermione was pleasantly surprised to see such a bright smile beam from such a dark boy. But she was beginning to learn, maybe he wasn't quite so dark after all. She looked at him in awe for a moment. The flames from the fireplace reflected on his pale skin. Patterns of fire danced across his features and lit up his eyes. For only a second she wondered if it would all work out, but decided she didn't want her brain all clogged up with unpleasant thoughts.

"Hermione...?" Draco's voice was soft and gentle. He took her hand in his and traced patterns with his finger along her hand.

"Yes Draco?" She smiled.

"Oh sorry." He looked up to her, realizing he was rather focused on tracing patterns. "I'm not good at all this. I've never... been with someone, not like this." He confessed.

"That's okay, I'm too nervous to even know where to start." She blushed.

"How about... We just stay here. For as long as we can. And call that a start." He offered her a goofy grin that she couldn't help but adore.

"Are you scared?" Hermione whispered.

"Not so much anymore." He turned his head to face her.

She nodded and put her head on his shoulder. He took a deep breath, enjoying her scent. There was a silence between them. A comfortable silence that was broken by a crackling fire. They just sat side by side watch flames dance, hands intertwined.

Both content.