Chapter Twenty

Both Draco and Hermione were beyond confused, questions raging inside them. Should they confess their feelings? What would the other person think? How would they react? Could we still be friends? What if they don't feel the same way? How would I even tell them? Would everyone else accept us? Do they want to be with me?

Do I want to be with them?

Whenever this question came up, they both knew the answer immediately.

Yes. Without a doubt, yes.

As their feelings started to deepen, the two spent more time together. Hermione and Draco could often be found studying together in the library, arguing over something that had been said in class or different theories. Hermione always won.

Whenever she looked up at him, it felt as if her stomach was being turned into a pretzel, being twisted and turned in ways that she never even thought were possible. Something in his gaze made emotions surface that she had never experienced before.

Sure, she had had her share of crushes. There was Ron and Viktor along with various muggle boys, but nothing like this. With Draco Malfoy, Hermione felt almost euphoric. She felt as if everything was perfect and as if she would be lost without him.

It was similar with Draco. He was constantly fighting the urge to kiss Hermione. He wanted to hold her, to comfort her, to protect her, to love her...

His thoughts were slowly centering around this one person and he did not know how to react. In the past, he would distance himself when someone got to close. This time was different though. All he wanted to do was to share everything with Hermione and to have her trust him just as much.

And this time he did not fight the feeling.

Draco embraced the trust and security he felt around Hermione. Why not? He though to himself one day. What is wrong with wanting to be close to someone?

Hermione and Draco were sitting in the library arguing over a book that they had found.

She shook her head. "No, I'm telling you Draco, Hensin's theory is completely moronic. Why would you be able to switch moonstone and crushed stamen? It doesn't even make sense."

"Yes it does," Draco said back, just as passionately. "They both have the same properties as well as the same mineral base. Theoretically, why wouldn't you be able to interchange them?"

"Because, although similar, there are too many differences to guarantee that they will always have the same effect in a potion," Hermione replied. "There are some critical vitamins that crushed stamen has that moonstone, being made mostly up of various stones, is unable to posses-"

Had Hermione gotten the chance, she would have gone on to state the differences between the potions ingredients, thus proving her point. However, before she could finish her sentence, Draco's lips crashed down on her own and she immediately stopped talking and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Much to their embarrassment, they heard an astonished gasp and pulled apart quickly to see that Madame Pince, the prude and strict librarian, was staring at them in horror.

"In the library! Do you adolescents have no restraint at all? A library of all places. I'm surprised at you Ms. Granger, I had expected at least for you not to do something so, so...so hormonal."

Hermione would usually blush and apologize as she was being abashed. She could not find it in herself to feel the least bit guilty though. Draco had kissed her! Draco had kissed her! Draco Malfoy had kissed her, Hermione Granger!!

Nothing, not even being kicked out of the library could dampen the mood she felt. She was in a pure state of bliss and nothing could bring her out.

Once they had been shooed out by the angry middle-aged women, they simply stood there and stared at one another.

Hermione smiled shyly and said, "Hey."

Draco grinned back and replied, "Hi."

There was a moment of silence but not an awkward one. They were simply both lost in one another, staring at the person that they had longed to kiss for so long.

Draco, giving in to his desire once more, leaned down and kissed her again. Unlike the kiss they had shared moments ago, which had been heated and had been carried out truculently, this kiss was tender and loving. For lack of a better word, Hermione thought of it as timid, as if Draco was offering her the chance to pull back any moment. Much to his surprise, and hers as well, Hermione deepened the kiss by pulling him closer down to her.

They continued this until they needed to breathe. The silence fell upon them once more and Draco felt compelled to break it.

"Wow." It was not the most subtle or strategic of things to say, but it made Hermione chuckle.

"Wow," she agreed. "You sure know how to kiss a girl."

He smiled at her and replied, "You sure know how to kiss back."

"So what does this make us?" Hermione asked.

Draco, seemingly unsure, said, "I know what I want us to be." When Hermione asked what, he replied, "Well, there's this girl I like and I'm starting to hope that she feels the same way. So, I was wondering if this girl would go out with me?"

Hermione's eyes twinkled. "I think you would have to ask her to find out."

"Of course," Draco responded. "Hermione, will you go out with me."

"I think that that would be wonderful," Hermione said and chastely kissed him on the cheek. "Wait, you like me?"

Draco blushed slightly, "I did just ask you out, didn't I?" At Hermione's pointed look he rephrased. "Yes, I do. In fact, I'm pretty crazy about you."

Hermione felt as if she was floating. For a while now, she had been dreaming that Draco would say this kind of thing to her. But that was only dreaming, this reality topped any dream that she would ever have, and taking advantage of the moment she kissed him, making that three kisses in under five minutes.

Neither were complaining.

Until school ended, the two were constantly in each other's company. In classes, during free time, at dances, even at meals. They were perfect together, constantly whispering to each other and always kissing. It was nauseating to some to think how the two of them ended up together. What had happened to their legendary hatred of each other?

It seemed as if these days, they only had time for each other. They were always doing little things, like holding hands, to show the other how much they cared. What had happened, indeed.

Somehow, they made it through their hatred and switched emotions as if simply turning a light switch. Hermione managed to convert Harry and Ron to the belief that Draco had a good side, and Draco convinced the Slytherins to respect Hermione, although in most cases it turned out to simply ignore her.

The two were completely oblivious to other people's reactions. Nothing mattered as long as they had each other.

They were still together at the end of the year and were getting more and more serious as time went on. It seemed as if they were joint, unable to separate themselves. But this unity was not a physical bond, it was emotional and mental. They may have been crazy to care for each other but craziness suited them well.

Some people thought it was all fake and called it a joke, some believed it to be a fling and others called it stupidity. But for now, you could call it love.

Far From The End

A/N: It's over. I am so happy that it's over. It became such a chore to write it and I'm sorry that it was so horrible. I started this so long ago and it is nowhere near up to par. Oh well, I hope that at least one person liked this since I thought it was pretty awful.

I ended it with the beginning of their relationship. I thought that was better than dragging it out for another twenty chapters about all the ups and downs of their relationship. I kept it simple (and bad). You can see where the name is from, though. I guess that could be a plus ... ?

Thank you if you kept up with it even though it was horrendous and thank you to all my reviewers and everyone who will review.

review?