Author's Note: I know I should be working on the sequel to Let the Music Heal Your Soul, but I keep getting ideas for one shots and I have to follow through. I swear to God I'm going to start working on it soon. But for now enjoy this. It's not my best but I just had to do it.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, unfortunately.

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Hermione felt bad. This was the third time she'd snuck out this week, and it was Wednesday. God only knew how many times she had done it since the beginning of school. Too many to count. Her life had taken a dramatic turn those last few weeks before she had started her seventh year at Hogwarts. Those last few weeks had been a time of war and death, and they had brought Hermione together with Draco Malfoy. Hermione recalled the time as she snuck past Harry's Head Boy quarters and out of their dorm………………

The day of the final battle there was a sort of invisible line that no one dared cross. They simply shot spells and curses at each other across it. It had pained Hermione greatly to be fighting against her fellow classmates, whether they had been friends or not. It was something that no one should have to do, but she did it anyway because it was necessary. After countless hours of fighting she noticed some new commotion on the other side of the line. The Deatheaters seemed to be gathering all of their children close around them. It took a few moments, but suddenly it dawned on Hermione with startling clarity what was going on. She remembered reading about a spell in which the blood of the young was spilled in order to bring forth power during war. She was forced to watch in horror as the scene unfolded. They had no idea what was about to happen to them. As she looked around she noticed that no one around her seemed to notice. But when she looked back over at the gathering of Dark forces she realized that Draco and Blaise seemed to be looking a little wary.

"Run Draco," she whispered to herself. Over on the Dark side Draco stepped back and grabbed hold of Blaise.

"Do you understand what's going to happen Blaise." His friend nodded, dark eyes wide.

"They're going to sacrifice us."

"Exactly. We need to get out of here." They waited for attention to completely shift to their fathers and made a run for the line. They were almost there when Draco realized Blaise was no longer with him. He turned and watched in terror as he saw Blaise's father grab him by the hair and roughly pull him back to where they were all gathered. He was about ready to run back and help Blaise when someone tugged his hand and pulled him over the line. Draco looked down and saw Hermione.

"Malfoy. I know you know what's going on over there. You can't go back."

"Blaise is my best friend. I just can't stand here and watch…" He broke off as he saw Blaise's father unsheathe a knife. Hermione held fast as he tried to pull away and run to him. He watched as the knife slid across Blaise's throat and the blood was spilled. "No!" Draco screamed. He fought against Hermione and actually made some progress, but she wouldn't let him go. She planted her feet and held tight. He fell to his knees, his head hanging. Hermione knelt in front of him and forced him to look up, framing his face with her hands. Tears were threatening to fall from his crystalline blue-grey eyes as she spoke to him.

"I'm sorry, but the way I see it Draco you have two choices. You can go back over there and get yourself killed, or you can fight with me and we can beat this, beat them. You know which is the better option, but its your choice to make."

"Why are you doing this? I've never done anything to deserve your compassion. You could kill me right here and now. Why aren't you?" A tear slipped down her cheek.

"I'm sick of killing. I want this to end with as many people alive as humanly possible. And I know that somewhere inside you there's something that knows to chose the light, something that makes you a good man." Without saying a word to Hermione, Draco turned and shouted the killing curse. Blaise's father fell to the ground , dead next to his son. Draco turned back to Hermione and she saw a solitary tear trace a path down his cheek from those hard, gorgeous eyes.

"Blood for blood," he whispered. :Lets do this Hermione, there's no turning back now." She nodded.

"Harry's about to go after Voldemort, do you know where he is?" Draco nodded. "Good. Lets put your skills to use." She turned to lead him away but he pulled her to him. Before she could protest he bent and kissed her fiercely and she went absolutely limp in his arms.. When he pulled away she grasped at him to keep herself upright. "What was that?" He brushed a hand through her hair.

"Spur of the moment. I figure if I'm going to die today I might as well go out with a bang. Well, okay and its something I've thought about for a while." He kissed her again.

"What a bang," she whispered. "Come on lets find Harry." ………………………………...

They had found him and Draco had helped him kill Voldemort. But for some reason, even after all that, Draco still wasn't trusted. I suppose it was only natural considering his past. That was why Hermione was still sneaking about after hours. She looked around her and realized that she had completely spaced out. She was already at her and Draco's spot. He wasn't there yet. She hugged her arms tight around herself and hoped he would get there soon. She didn't like being alone in the forest. As soon as she thought it she felt lips brush against her neck and leaned back against a strong chest.

"You'd better be who I think you are," she murmured. A deep chuckled overtook her senses and she shivered delightedly. "You are." She turned and pressed her lips to his. He smiled into the kiss.

"I've missed you," he whispered as he brushed a kiss against her forehead.

"I've missed you too." Draco caught something unknown in her voice and pulled away to look at her.

"Mione have you been crying?"

"No… Oh I guess I have been. I didn't realize." He nodded.

"I thought so. Come here." He settled against a tree and pulled her down to lean comfortably against his chest. "Now tell me what's going on."

"I was just thinking about that first day." She felt him stiffen at the memory then quickly force himself to relax.

"The battle," he said quietly.

"Yes. Mostly I keep thinking about how frustrating it is that they still won't trust you. You fought for good, you helped Harry destroy Lord Voldemort, and they still refuse to believe you've changed."

"Past deeds stick in people's minds luv. I've always been a right pain in the ass and a bastard to boot. That's what people remember." She sniffed as the tears came again.

"I know, but its not fair. I just want to be with you."

"I feel the same, unfortunately I don't think people will ever accept me. " There was no sound from either of them for a long while. Finally Draco spoke again. "Hermione, I love you." She raised herself up to look in his eyes and opened her mouth to respond, but a loud and furious voice shattered the tender moment.

"That's enough!" Harry yelled as he burst into their perfect little world. Hermione and Draco scrambled up from the ground to face him.

"Harry, what are you doing here?"

"I followed you. I've heard you sneaking out and I've been worried. Now I see I've been right to be," he snarled. Hermione grasped Draco's hand protectively.

"You have not Harry. You shouldn't be here at all."

"Right, sure. Come on Hermione, you've lost it. We're leaving."

"I'm not going anywhere with you Harry. You've interrupted something quite important and I'd like to try and salvage the moment before its ripped to shreds. So leave!" Harry scoffed at her.

"Oh yeah. Look Hermione, I'm sure he's said 'I love you' thousands of times, to dozens of girls, including you. That really makes tonight special." The sarcasm was absolutely dripping from every word. Hermione was furious.

"He's never told me that before actually. Because when you really feel for someone you don't just throw those words around. This was supposed to be a defining moment in my life and I hate you for ruining it for me Harry Potter!" Draco gathered her in his arms and tried to comfort her.

" Nice move Potter," he said. Harry dropped wearily to sit on a stump.

"I just don't understand. How long has this been going on?" Draco sighed.

"If you call it on a technicality… since the day you and I went after Voldemort."

"What? That was nearly six months ago. Why didn't Hermione tell me?" She turned to face Harry and Draco took a couple steps back.

"How could I have told you? I knew this is the way you would react if I did. I've been happy with Draco and I didn't want you to ruin it for me." Harry stood and began to pace.

"But why Malfoy? How can you trust the little weasel?"

"Standing right here," Draco commented from his position leaning against the tree. Hermione shot him a pointed look.

"Because, Harry. He fought against the dark. He stood by your side and helped you destroy the Dark Lord. He's proved himself to be a good man. Why can't you trust him?"

"Because, Hermione! We have no idea why he came to the light. Who knows what reason he had?" Draco pushed away from the tree and stalked towards Harry, every muscle screaming with tension. Hermione grabbed his arm and tried to hold him back, but it was entirely pointless. Draco was right in Harry's face, his eyes shining with fire.

"You have no idea of the pain Potter! It's not your place to judge."

"I know how it felt Malfoy, I was there. What I don't know is why you were there with me." Draco took a deep breath and tried hard to force the anger back but his voice shook with pain and fury.

"Fine, you want to know why I joined you? My father wanted to kill me. All of the Death Eaters' children were going to be used as blood sacrifices to gain power. The horror of it all was too much. I decided that that kind of world wasn't worth losing my life for. Blaise and I made a run for it but he got caught. I wanted to go back but Hermione wouldn't let me. She knew that I'd die if I did. I watched my best friend die at the hand of his own father. I watched the knife drag across his throat. I saw the blood hit the ground. I saw the look of triumph on his father's face after it was done. So you see Potter you really have no idea how I feel. You've still got your best friends and now you have your precious explanation as well."

For a while all Harry could do was stare. His stomach turned at the very idea, but he knew it was true. The look in Draco's eyes told him that much.

"No, I don't know how you feel. I can't even begin to imagine, but at least now I understand why you made the choice that you did. Has it ever occurred to you that explaining that to everyone would help them trust Malfoy?" Hermione made a frustrated sound.

"Of course we thought of that. Draco wanted to, for me. But I won't do it!"

"Why not Hermione?"

"It kills him to have to relive that day and I won't put him through that kind of pain if I can avoid it. It's worth the sacrifice to prevent that." Harry softened a bit.

"You actually love him don't you?"

"Well, you didn't give me the chance to say it in the way I would have liked to." She looked up at Draco with a smile. "But yes, I love you." A smile flashed across Draco's face and he took her hand, dropping a kiss on her palm. Harry mad a face and continued.

"Okay, I don't think I'll ever get used to that, and I can't say that I'm happy about this, but I supose if Hermione's happy I can somehow learn to deal."

"Thank you Harry." He nodded.

"Malfoy, I'm sure you realize that all the usual threats apply. I'll leave you two alone."

He pause before leaving the forest. "And just for the record, hiding is never better." He left them alone. Hermione turned into Draco's arms.

"Thank God that's over," she said.

"Agreed." She sighed into his chest.

"Want to start over?" He nodded and they returned to their previous position on the ground. They remained silent as the mood was slowly recreated. Draco ran a hand through Hermione's hair as he spoke.

"I love you Mione." She smiled and brushed away a tear as she let the words wash over her.

"I love you too." They remained in the comfortable quiet, both wanting to savor the moment. After a while Hermione drifted off to sleep, and it wasn't long before Draco followed her.

When she awakened she was nestled in Draco's arms and he was carrying her towards the castle in the bright light of day.

"Did we fall asleep in the forest?" she asked.

"Yeah, go back to sleep."

"But Draco, the halls will be full of people." He smiled down at her.

"I know, but it's like Harry said. Hiding is never better. I'm willing to make a sacrifice if you are." Hermione positively beamed.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, now go back to sleep luv." She shook her head.

"No. Let me down. I want to do this with you." He set her on her feet gently and she grasped his hand tight.

"Let's go." Hand in hand they walked up the stairs and into the school.