*sniff* this is the last chapter guys.

I would once again like to thank you all for reading, especially to all my reviewers, hope you enjoyed it.

AN - As much as I wish I did, I really don't own anything but this little plotline, damn!

As we walked towards the lake, I rambled on, voicing my thoughts aloud about my friends, Draco just nodded along, knowing better than to interrupt. "He's even more oblivious than I thought, isn't he? I mean, think about it, we haven't exactly been that subtle around school (that'd be near impossible), you're always holding my hand (sigh), and I've been in a considerably better mood these last few weeks…"

Draco stopped abruptly, and I nearly crashed into the back of him. "Hmm, maybe the lake's not the best place…what about…all the way over there?" He pointed towards the Quidditch pitch as he turned around to face me.

"Why, what's wrong with the lake?"

Tucking two fingers under my chin, he pulled my face up as he gestured towards the lake over his shoulder. "That's why." I looked curiously over his shoulder, my face changing instantly into a scowl, my anger threatening to resurface. There, sat on the small pebbly beach where Draco and I had first spent time alone, sat Ron and Harry.

Harry looked over, seeming almost apologetic; Ron however remained resolute, facing forward, although even from this distance (maybe thirty feet) I could see the skin of his neck and ears turning red.

Forcing a smile at Harry, I retook Draco's hand as I skirted around the lake, to a much prettier area off to the side…with the added benefit of hiding both Ron and Harry from view.

Draco plonked himself down on the grass, leaning against a tree trunk, watching me as I continued to pace back and forth in front of him. Surely they would accept Draco in my life…for me, I was their friend and I was happy, isn't that how they would want me to be? That's when a thought struck me, a smile spreading over my face. "You know what this means Draco?"

"Uhm…that your friends are twats?"

"No!" I gave him a pointed look. "This means that we can now go 'properly' public…snogging and all." Next thing I know, I'm in Draco's lap, unable to talk as his lips attack my own, effectively wiping all logical thoughts from my mind.

His lips move away from mine, dragging a whimper from my mouth at the sudden loss. He laughed, smirking at my reaction. "I'm never gonna get used to that am I?" I questioned as I opened my eyes to look at him.

"Still make you weak at the knees do I Granger?" Amongst other places, I thought to myself.

Kissing me on the nose, he shuffled me off his lap and rose to his feet. "Up." He held out a pale hand.

"I'm not a fucking broom Malfoy!"

"Seriously…you took offence to that?" He sighed. "Fine, please could you stand up for me Hermione? There, better?"

"Yes, thanks." I grabbed his hand, hauling myself to my feet. Leaning in, I pretended I was going to kiss him…he leaned in towards me, "Ah, ah, ahh…you've got to catch me first." Turning, I ran as fast as I could back towards the castle, which really isn't an easy feat, when you're wearing damn flip flops.

Draco gave me a couple of seconds as a head start, before setting off at a sprint after me. "Get you're gorgeous arse back here right now Granger. You know you can't outrun me."

I giggled, stopping briefly to taunt him with a wiggle of my backside, before resuming my run up the hill.

Too soon, a long slender arm snaked its way around my waist, I squealed with delight as I was tackled to the ground, him looking down at me with humour twinkling in his eyes. I rolled us over so he was now the one on his back, with me leaning over him. Our eyes locked together, his burning with an intense longing and need that I'd never seen before, so I kissed him, hard, with every ounce of my being until I ran out of breath.

Gasping for air, we both lay on the grass in silence, his arm holding me tight against his body as I rested my head on his chest. Enjoying being with each other. We were completely oblivious to the many shocked stares of our fellow students.

Sunday found Draco and me wandering aimlessly around Hogsmeade. It was stiflingly hot, forcing people to walk around under cooling charms (thank Merlin for magic eh?).

I paused as we walked past Madam Puddifoots, looking in the window. Draco squeezed my hand gently, clearly wanting me to look at him, his eyebrow was raised quizzically. "Granger, please tell me that you don't seriously want to go in there?" Pouting, I pulled the best puppy dog expression I could muster, pleading with him.

Rolling his eyes and sighing deeply, he started in the direction of the door. I stopped suddenly, nearly yanking his arm out of its socket. "Bloody hell, what the fuck was that for, are you trying to dislocate my arm?"

I burst out laughing, his expression flitting between pained, annoyed and curious. "It's okay Draco, we really don't need to go in there, it's not really my scene, you know."

A grin spread over his face as we watched me, obviously deciding whether or not I was being honest. "Thank fuck for that. It would have been a terrible blow to my masculinity if anyone had seen me being dragged into that soppy place." Pulling me into a tight hug, he lifted me clean off the ground as he spun us around in a circle. (that was manly!)

Once I was back on two feet we resumed our walk, me resting my head on his shoulder as his thumb rubbed circles against my hand. There really was nowhere of interest left to go, so as my stomach rumbled rather loudly, we decided to head back to school for some lunch. "So…food and then library?" I asked hopefully.

Draco laughed, kissing the top of my head. "You'll never change will you? Food sounds good, but Blaise asked me to go flying with him later if that's okay?"

"Oh, alright then." My mood instantly deflated. That's when he decided to bring out that damn pouty-fish-face look, a small smile lifting my lips. "Its fine, I'll see you afterwards yeah?"

He flung an arm around my shoulders as we entered the Great Hall, "Of course you will."

An hour into my studying, I couldn't take it anymore, the call of fresh air and sunshine was too much, so packing away my books and parchment, I decided to go and watch Draco flying (so hot!). I normally would have spent this free time with Harry and Ron, but they weren't really talking to me.

Deep in thoughts about my two best friends by the time I made it down to the Entrance Hall, I was completely unprepared for an impact as a blur of ginger came barrelling into me, knocking me off my feet.

"Oomph!" We landed in a tangle of limbs rather ungracefully on the ground. "What the bloody hell was…" The other person came into focus, it was Ronald. "Oh, what did you want?"

"Hermione." He looked completely panicked. I pulled myself to my feet, hands on my hips. He sheepishly stood in front of me. "Look, I'm sorry alright, not just for knocking you over, for everything else too, but now's not really the, uh, time, I'll apologise properly later, I swear, but right now…right now you need to get to the Hospital wing." My heartbeat sped up instantly, panic coursing through my veins. "It's Malfoy, he's…."

I didn't hear the end of that sentence; I turned around, running as fast as I could towards the Hospital wing, Ron following behind. I barged through the double doors, not even slowing down; heads shot around to face me as my eyes focused solely on Draco.

He was lying on a bed, unconscious and covered in blood. Harry and Blaise Zabini stood on one side of him while Madam Pomfrey tended to a wound on his head from the other side.

Silent tears trickled relentlessly down my face. "Wh…what happened to him?"

Harry approached me, a little cautiously to wrap me up in a hug, squeezing me gently. "He's gonna be alright Hermione, just a concussion. I looked up pleading with him to tell me what had happened. "Malfoy and Blaise, well, they asked us to play a friendly game of Quidditch with them, he knew it would be important to you…"

I was completely shocked, see, this was why I lov… Shit. I was gonna say 'loved' wasn't I? A whirlwind of thoughts was rampaging around my brain, effectively blocking out whatever Harry was saying. I shook my head, I could think about this later.

"…hit a Bludger just as Malfoy was flying past, it sort of hit him in the head, and then he fell off his broom, it really wasn't very nice. Thankfully Blaise managed to cast a cushioning charm before he hit the ground."

I looked up at Blaise; he turned in my direction, offering a weak smile as I wordlessly thanked him.

Madam Pomfrey had healed Draco's wound and cleaned away the blood, but he was still unconscious. "He's a good guy Hermione, we're, Ron and I, we're sorry we didn't trust your judgement sooner."

Ron stood behind Harry, nodding fervently in agreement. "Yeah, we won't doubt you again, promise."

"It's okay guys, as long as you do remember that I'm always right." I smiled very weakly at them both as I moved over to Draco's side.

I'd been here nearly two hours now, and Draco still hadn't come round. Panic was beginning to creep back in as I continually stroked his soft hair. Once the others had left, Madam Pomfrey has assured me that it was perfectly normal for him to still be out of it, and that he really would be okay. But why wasn't he waking up?

I took his hand, trying to get him to wake up. The horrible plastic chair that you will find at every hospital bedside was distinctly uncomfortable. Standing up to stretch my legs I glanced out of the window, the sun had gotten much lower in the sky, what time was it? Something squeezed my hand, my head instantly shot back around to look down at Draco.

"Hey." He said quietly.

Hey." I replied, a smile spreading over my face at the same rate as my face flushed with relief..

"I'm okay Hermione, just a little bump to the head, nothing I can't handle." I burst into tears again, I was just so relieved. Then I remembered my earlier thoughts…if I wasn't in love with him, would I really have been quite so scared, or relieved? "Hermione, what's wrong?" I broke away from my thoughts as his hand came up to rest against my cheek, he looked at me worriedly as he wiped away my tears. I closed my eyes; revelling in these new feelings as I bent down to kiss him on the lips.

Pulling back, I looked him sternly in the eyes, focusing solely on them. "Oi Malfoy…that's mine." I pointed a shaking finger at his chest, "so you better be more careful with it."

He sat up grabbing my wrist; he pulled my hand so it was resting on his chest, over his heart. I could feel its steady beating under my hand. "Why yes Granger, I believe it is…as much as yours is mine." Before I could even react to what he'd just said, I was next to him on the bed, my lips being thoroughly ravaged.

That's it, all done. Best get working on something else I reckon.

Hope this last chapter didn't disappoint.

Gemsibob