Second Ending:

HERMIONE

God, Draco can be such a nincompoop at times. I mean, really, turning your back to an opponent? Even I know better than that and you don't see me fighting battles, do you?

"Nice one Draco," I say sarcastically.

"I try saving your life and this is the thanks I get?" he asks, glaring at me.

"Yeah, and the key word is try. No thanks yet as you haven't saved my life because as you can see, we're stuck in this predicament."

"I can see that, Granger," he growls. "And if you keep talking any longer you'll have two wands pointed at you instead of one. Would you like that? Yeah, I bet you would, with your motor mouth moving nonstop."

"And yours isn't? Jeez. What thanks are you expecting anyway? A thank-you-for-trying-to-save-my-life-yet-we're-still-seconds-before-death-but-thanks-anyway? 'Cuz if that's what you're expecting then, you've got it. Thank you, thanks a lot!"

"Have you ever heard the saying 'it's the thought that counts?'" he says. "Apparently not because you don't even care that I am now standing up to my father just for you and still you have the nerve to insult me."

"I just can't believe you didn't make sure he was immobilized first before coming to see if I'm all right. I mean, you studied dueling, did you not?"

"Well I'm sorry if I wanted to make sure you weren't hurt-"

"I will be seconds from now because of you."

"You know what, fine! Be the ungrateful little psycho that you are, I give up. Until our dying day you still nag me with useless, stupid… argh! There are no adjectives to describe what the hell you're trying to nag me with!"

"I was just stating the obvious, I was not nagging. But I don't think it's that obvious since you don't even seem to notice it. Why are you so blind?"

"I'm not blind, I see you don't I?'

I roll my eyes. "For a really good Potions student, you suck in metaphors. Blind! You can't see what's in front of you!"

Draco just looks at me blankly.

"And you make fun of Neville for screwing his potions work when you're just as daft as Crabbe and Goyle."

"Which I guess is the reason you're my girlfriend. And for someone so smart like you, it's such a wonder why you even consider dating me."

"I find stupidity attractive."

"I'll let Crabbe know. Or would you rather I tell Goyle?"

"ENOUGH," Lucius interrupted. "The two of you just shut up. Now Draco, this is the path you've chosen, you've let me down and made a mockery of the family yada, yada, yada… I just want you to know that you are at fault. So there, I've done it; prepare to meet your maker."

"You brought mother along?" Draco asks. I smack him on the head. Lucius just sighs; I suppose he's used to Draco's idiocy.

"Expelliarmus," a voice from behind said and Lucius' wand comes flying out of his hand for the second time. This time it landed under Parvati's bed.

"Professor Dumbledore!" I exclaim in surprise.

Lucius turns around to face Professor Dumbledore who quickly casted a spell that made him freeze and fall down to the floor with a loud thud.

"How did you know he was after us?" I ask.

"The Malfoy's house-elf owled me about what Lucius was planning to do so I apparated. Unfortunately, Hogwarts is guarded with apparate-free hexes so I had to run all the way here."

"My house-elf owled you?" Draco asked.

"Yes. Bamboozle isn't really as loyal as you think he is. He has joined the Order and is working as a spy for us," Professor Dumbledore answered, smiling mischievously. "I assume you two need some time alone so I'll take care of Lucius and you two sort things out."

I nod and sit on the bed, needing more time to take in what just happened.

DRACO

"So I guess your attempt of saving me and looking like a war-time hero is futile since Professor Dumbledore did all the life-saving round here anyway," Hermione says. The flight of the Dumbledore took place a while ago when he hauled my father's ass to Azkaban where it belonged so we are now alone together. And it's getting quite frustrating.

The girl just won't give up. I cross my arms and frown at her.

"You are such an ingrate, you know that? My father will disinherit me the moment he regains consciousness and finds himself in Azkaban, I won't get a single knut from him whether he's alive or dead meaning I have to work for my own money after Hogwarts, all of this just for you and still, still, you insult me."

"'Cuz I love the way your face scrunches up like that, like your really annoyed."

"Newsflash Hermione dear, I am really annoyed."

"I know and I love it," she says with a smile and reaches out, grabs my robes and pulls me on top of her. And she kisses me. I love her aggressiveness.

She flips me over so that she's now on top of me and not once did our mouths lose contact.

"So," she says sitting up, playing with the hem of my robes with one hand and tucks in a lock of hair with another. "Did you seriously think Lucius brought Narcissa along to kill us when he told us 'to meet our maker?'"

I arched an eyebrow. "I'm not that stupid Hermione. I knew very well what he meant. I was just stalling for a few seconds of oxygen."

"Right. And metaphors are?"

"Shut up," I say, pulling her back down to me. "I love you, you know that right?"

"Yeah, I do."

"I just want to let you know cuz what happened a while ago made me realize how precious life if and that I don't want to go down not telling you that. Which by the way, was a very hard thing to do with you and your nonstop psychobabble."

She laughs. "I know, I'm sorry. I love you too."

"And just so we don't get the story mixed up, our grandchildren will know that it was you who kept on bitching out at me even when their evil great-grandfather was pointing a wand and ready to Avada Kedavra the both of us, right?"

END