'So hard to move on
Still loving what's gone
They say life carries on
Carries on and on and on and on

The news that truly shocks

Is the empty empty page
While the final rattle rocks

Its empty empty cage
and I can't handle this

I grieve for you

He watched the funeral from the shelter of the trees, his face drawn and pale. He watched her friends bow their heads at the prayers, watched Potter hug the youngest Weasley to his side, watched her brother fold his arms and press his lips together to stop himself echoing the same pain Draco felt.

He should have known this would happen. Should have known from the start, from the first hot, heavy desperate way their lips met, like magnets put too close together. Should have known from the instant he wanted to touch her pale skin, wanted to kiss away her pre-exam panic. Should have known better.

Mudblood and Pureblood aristocracy never works. Never did, never will.

Draco knew this, had known this, but hadn't stopped himself. Hadn't acted on the knowledge she didn't have. And now she was dead.

He looked up again, and found her graveside deserted. He didn't even know how long he'd been standing there, but it was getting dark and the rain was pouring from the sky. Nevertheless, he ventured from where he had been standing under the yew trees and stood in the mud and wet grass by the freshly turned earth over her.

"Hermione, forgive me. I love you." He whispered, crouching to trail his fingers over the muddy earth. "You worked your way into my heart, and I am so, so sorry." His voice cracked, and he closed his eyes, not even sure if the water on his face was from the rain or from his tears. "Take care." He stood up, and turned to go. Then he stopped.

Harry Potter stood in the middle of the path, his black hair plastered to his skull by the rain, his expression unreadable. Draco didn't say anything, just stood there, watching her best friend.

"Come on Malfoy." Harry said finally. "Let's go home." Draco took a few unsteady steps towards the other boy, and before he knew what he was doing he was sobbing into his shoulder. Harry awkwardly hugged him back, biting his lip to stop his own tears falling. "I know you loved her. She knew it too." He said softly. Malfoy pulled back, as emotional as Harry had ever seen him.

"We fought." Draco whispered. "I shouted at her."

"She knew you loved her, and I know she loved you. Malfoy, let her go." Draco closed his eyes.

"Hermione's gone. I want to die."

"Come on." Harry put his arm around the other boy's shoulders, and guided him back to the castle, barely visible in the heavy rain.

Hermione Granger

1988-2005

Beloved

&

So tell me if you like it, please. I know I've been away for absolutely ages, but I've been writing in my absence, so I'll do my best to update as soon as I can. Next time will probably been Christmas, but that's in only a month (yay!) so you won't, hopefully, have too long to wait. I will also do my utmost to keep writing the unfinished stories I already have up, like Leoli and my many Harry Potter fics, which I started and never finished. Until then, I hope this will tide you over, so enjoy! Istalindar.