The duo launched from their seats, both looking towards the door. Draco had a protective arm around her waist. If she had not already been preoccupied, Hermione would have smiled at the gesture.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Draco furrowed his eyebrows, loosening his grip on his wand.

"Don't suppose it was Moaning Myrtle, do you?" Hermione looked up at him sheepishly with a hopeful grin.

"You're rather cute sometimes Granger?" He smirked at her before walking towards the door. The bushy haired girl blushed and followed him. "We should make sure everything is okay." Draco added, turning the handle on the door.

"...Should I stay away from you?" Hermione spoke sadly. Her question made his heart drop.

"It might be safer that way," Draco took his hand off the handle, facing her. "Though I'd prefer to have you by my side so I can make sure you're safe." He explained to her, running a hand through his already messy hair.

"Then by your side is where I'll be." She smiled and opened the door, before he hand a change to. They walked out and headed down the corridor to find Professor McGongall running down the corridor as well. Draco had never seen the old woman run and he was honestly quite impressed with her speed considering her age.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked.

"A girl was attacked." The Head Mistress said with distress in her tone.

"Who?"

"Daphne Greengrass." They turned a corridor, heading for the Hospital Wing, "Dementors. Again. And there are still more outside, so I advise you two to find a safe place to hunker down away from windows until the Professors take care of the matters. I don't want either of you hurt again." The woman turned another corner, before gesturing for them to go, leaving them behind.

Hermione looked up at Draco with concern. They hurried down the corridor after McGonagall but halted at the sight of the Dementors. There had to be four or five of them, but a handful of teachers had them under control. Draco shook his head and frowned.

"I'm not letting you get attacked again." His voice was quiet but firm.

"Draco, honestly nothing is going to happen." She tried to assure him, gently wrapping her arm around his forearm in a caring matter.

His expressions were hard to read as he carefully pulled his arm away. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows worriedly at that. Draco sighed deeply, "let's just get you back to your common room." He began walking ahead of her towards the Gryffindor Tower.

"But... Don't you want to go back and read? It's not even afternoon yet." Hermione caught up to him, speaking with confusion.

Draco didn't answer, he just kept walking, his jaw clenched. The girl looked down at her feet and was silent until they reached the corridor before the Gryffindor portrait door.

"What's wrong?" She sighed loudly.

"What's wrong?" Draco snapped, turning to her angrily. "What's wrong is that if I'm around you, you'll end up getting hurt!" he sighed, collecting himself. He hated being angry, especially at her. "I'm sorry... I just, need some time to think. Alone. I've always been a loner anyway..." He gave a sad smile.

"You sure?" She looked up at him with worried eyes.

He nodded. "Come here first though." Draco stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around her. She melted into his embrace and hugged him back, putting her head on his chest. He placed a kiss on the top of her head and rested his head on hers for a few moments.

"It'll be okay you know. We'll be okay." Hermione's voice was soft and calming. He almost smiled at her courage. But couldn't. Instead he pulled back from their hug and dipped his head down to kiss her.

Deeply. Passionately. It was a perfect kiss. Almost too perfect, thought Hermione. It seethed of every emotion. It almost scared her. It seemed like more than just any other kiss. But the butterflies in her stomach made her forget the nervous thoughts in her head. Hermione pulled back for breath and smiled up at him.

"Be safe, okay love?" Draco furrowed his eyebrows, waiting for an answer. The bushy haired girl nodded. "Good." He placed one more kiss on her lips before parting from her embrace. Hesitantly letting her hand fall out of his before walking away. His gut wrenched with every step, but he knew he couldn't look back. Because then he would never leave at all.

Hermione sighed, suddenly feeling cold without Draco to keep her warm. She watched him walk until he disappeared around a corner and put her hair behind her ears. She turned and walked to the Portrait, slipping inside and up to her Common Room.

She grabbed a good book and curled up in bed beginning to read. However she could not seem to read more than a few sentences before her mind was in another world. A world where she was with Draco. Hermione couldn't help but worry about the boy. Why was he acting so strange. And that kiss!

"Merlin, that kiss..." She mumbled under her breath. It was amazing. She thought she would lose her balance from that damned kiss. But why did it seem like so much more than any other kiss they had shared. Sure they had only shared about three total. But... there was something about it. She could tell.

Hermione's stomach seemed to churn. She shook her bed and got herself up, deciding to write him a note. She placed herself at her desk, grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill. Her forehead rested on her a hand for a moment as she tried to collect her thoughts.

Hermione rolled her eyes, sighing. 'our last interaction'? Nope. Pulling another piece of parchment out, she dipped her quill into her ink well once again.

Making an annoyed look down at the paper Hermione groaned. Why was this so difficult? She pulled out yet another parchment and sighed, noting that she should purchase more before school starts up again in less than a week. Biting down on her lip in frustration, Hermione dipped her quill once more and tried once more. Three times the charm, right?

Hugs? No! Kisses? God no she wasn't some sappy bint. Hermione groaned loudly, crumpling the paper up into a ball and throwing it across the room.

Good enough. Hermione shook her head and carefully folded the note, placing it into an envelope. She grabbed one of her sealing candles and her wax stamp with her initials. A present from her parents that she truly treasured.

"Incendio." She whispered to light the candle. The wax dripped onto the envelope and she carefully sealed it with her wax stamp. Once it dried, Hermione walked to the window and opened it. Letting out a sharp whistle she waited for an owl to come. She smiled as one flew to her window, she was happy she wouldn't have to walk to the Owlry this time, as the don't always here her whistles.

"To Draco Malfoy." She told the small owl as she fed it a treat from the small bowl that rested on her desk for this purpose exactly. The little owl chirped and flew off.

However, before she could even close the window, she saw a larger owl pass the one that had just left her. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows as the large, black, Eagle Owl landed on her window after dropping a letter in her hand.

"Thank you?" She said with confusion in her voice, as she had never seen that owl before. She gave the owl a treat and it took off before she could read it or write any reply. Strange, she thought, but closed her window just the same.

Hermione looked down at the envelope, H.G. was all that was on the outside. It was written very neatly in fancy script. She plopped down on her bed and carefully opened the dark green seal. She studied it for a moment, but it didn't have any thing on it other than a fancy design.

Hermione pulled the letter out and opened it, reading it slowly, not to miss a word.

Hermione felt the tears slip from her eyes. She shook her head, running out of her dormitory, note still in hand. She flew down the stairs, taking every short cut she knew of. Her legs burned but she didn't care. She ran as fast as she can to the Slytherin Dormitories. She ran into a few students, breathing an apology, she continued to run.

When she finally reached the door she knocked loudly. Hermione panted, trying to catch her breath as her lungs and legs ached. "Hello? Anyone!?" She cried for someone to answer. After a minute, the portrait opened. A girl no older than thirteen opened the door.

"Merlin, what?" The girl groaned, but as soon as she saw Hermione straightened. "Oh my, Miss Granger, what's wrong?"

"Is Draco Malfoy here?" Hermione panted loudly, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry... no. He left with his trunk and broom about ten minutes ago. I just assumed he was going to visit family or friends last minute." The girl stuttered out flustered. "Why? Is something wrong."

Hermione just looked at the girl for a moment shaking her head. She soon remembered that Draco would be sent to Azkaban if he didn't do one year here at Hogwarts. She did her best to straighten herself.

"Oh no... Nothings wrong, he did, go to see friends. He just... um... Pranked my uh- my hair brush... Yeah my hair brush. I came to tell him off." Hermione chucked nervously.

"Oh." The girl chuckled. "huh..." She didn't seem to totally understand why Hermione Granger of all people was all upset over a hair brush but shrugged it off and nodded. After a awkward pause they exchanged brief goodbyes and the younger girl closed the door.

Hermione pulled herself into an empty potions classroom and looked down at the letter that she was still holding tightly in her hand. She collapsed against the wall, silent sobs leaving her mouth as her body shook from her cries.

She had to get him back before the ministry knew.

She never thought he'd leave. What was she going to do? How would she find him?

She looked back to the note.

I might as well tell you, I love you Hermione. Yes I'm crazy, but I figure if this is the last contact I have with you, you deserve to know.

All she wanted was to hug him. She just wanted to be with him but now she felt more alone than ever.

But what scared her the most was that he left... I think I love you too, she thought, but now, it was too late to tell him. Because now he was gone.