"Are you still in love with him?" Draco asked and she looked wary before taking a deep breath.

"Yes." She stated matter-of-factly and he felt his face start to shut down. "Love doesn't disappear, it doesn't fade away." She was biting her lip yet completely unapologetic. "It sticks with you forever because it was deep and vibrant and it was all you had for a while but it's done now."

"Would you take him back?" He asked and he was more nervous then he thought he had a right to be. She was going to leave him. It had to end sometime.

"No." She said slowly. "I loved him yes, I'll always love him but that's in the past. It could never be the same. Ron and I- We're different people now. It's better just staying a memory." He felt angry as he took in her disappointed expression.

"You'd rather be with him then me." He whispered trying not to feel the truth behind it; he let his face become blank as she sighed.

"No, no I wouldn't Draco," Her voice was stern and at any other time he would have smiled, teasing her about her Head Girl behavior, but now was not the time, now was much to serious, something was being decided here"As much as you want to believe that's true it isn't," She was trying to catch his eye but cowardly he looked away.

"You think that's what I want?" He hissed sharply feeling red flags of anger blossom on his pale cheeks.

"You want this to be easier to end," She murmured and she looked down scuffing her foot against the rug, dust rising to surround her. He watched how even in the midst of the filth she sparkled in the dim sunlight from the grimy window, it was all so gloriously painful. Too beautiful and he felt the familiar anxious pounding in his skull as he thought about leaving her.

"I-" He stepped forward a sheen of sweat tingeing his forehead and making it glitter, "I never want to leave you," He murmured his hand moving underneath her chin and gently guiding her eyes toward him. He saw the fear and pain in her eyes and he wanted to cry because he knew he caused it. It was his fault. "But, Hermione it won't be a matter of what I want soon," He said and she jerked back her eyes were wide with disbelief and she shook her head backing away.

"What about what I want?" She said harshly her voice hoarse, he recognized the signs and he stepped forward to take her in his arms but she stopped him. "I'm not letting this conversation go unfinished," She said turning her eyes –her beautiful passion filled eyes - on him.

"I want you to be safe," He whispered his voice giving away all the weakness he was trying to hide and he flinched turning from her slightly.

"And I want to be with you," She said fiercely her hands going to rest on her hips in defiance and he smiled slightly as she tilted her head up setting her jaw.

"I can't do this Hermione," He said, "I can't make up reasons to try and convince you," His grin was a mockery of real happiness. "I'd never be able to sway you." She nodded in agreement the line of her cheek softening slightly.

"I know you think that this," She motioned between them and Draco thought the movement meant so much more, told of everything that had happened between them, "has to end sometime. But, it doesn't. Look at Harry with Ginny, Bill with Fleur!" She said in desperation, she must have recognized the set of his shoulders.

"Yes but neither of them are spies," He said softly and she flinched slightly at the word. Spy. Something they never mentioned and whenever conversation had strayed that far she had put a stop to it. This was his point, this was his last defense because slowly, painstakingly so he was realizing that he might not be able to leave her.

And that would be the worst sin ever. Greed. He wanted all of her, her lips, her heart, her mind, and her tears. He wanted to evoke emotions in her which he never wanted anyone else to be able to. He wanted to hold her at night and never let her go, to kiss her every morning both still covered in dried sweat and not even care. He wanted her to have his child and live in a little house, maybe near those friends of her. He wanted so much of her and it felt so heartless to him.

Because why should he take if he could never give? He didn't deserve what he thought, maybe even knew he couldn't return. He couldn't make promises yet he wanted her to make every single one. He wanted her to give him every part of her.

"Remus and Tonks," She said suddenly tearing him away from his thoughts.

"What?" His face showed his confusion, "Why are you bringing up those two? Are you trying to distra-?"

She cut him off forcefully, "He's a spy," She said and his eyes widened, she cut down his walls everytime, she left him so fucking powerless.

He spluttered for a moment, "But she's bloody crazy it doesn't count," She glared at him and he stepped back unconsciously.

"Tonks might be a bit enthusiastic," Her lips quirked up at the corner before she schooled her face into a mask of disapproval, "But she is an extremely talented Auror and witch, and in no way stupid." She nodded stiffly as if to say 'that's settled'.

"It's different Hermione," He said and tears threatened him. He blinked harshly to rid himself of them. "One day I'm going to go on a mission and never come back." She shook her head fiercely and he grabbed her shoulders shaking her. "I am going to die someday," He watched as she mouthed 'no' shaking her head again. "Voldemort is no idiot one day he will see something and he will know."

"You wouldn't let that happen, you're too good." She said adamant so completely in faith of him that he instinctively wrapped her in his arms.

"Just because you could not break through my barriers doesn't meaning he can't," He said hopefully waiting for that spark of indignation but she remained silent and still.

"Then stop," It was a heartfelt plea and he shook his head feeling her quiver against him slightly her hand going up to grip the fabric of his robes.

"I can't," He whispered back sadly.

"He'd have forgiven you; you don't owe him anything," She said bitterly and he rested his chin on her forehead.

"You don't know that," He whispered and somewhere he knew that his debt to Dumbledore would never be repaid.

"I know him," She said angrily her voice rising. She pushed back from him to look into his eyes though his arms still encircled her. "Professor Dumbledore wanted nothing more then for there to be a little more love in the world." She said and he gazed down at her. They had never spoken of love, had never said the word to each other. It was almost like a declaration. But she didn't pause continuing on as if she hadn't really said anything at all. "He sacrificed himself so that you could live, Snape told you as much," She snapped at him her eyes burning with an emotion he couldn't read.

"He was trying to ease my guilt," Draco said and she screamed quietly pushing out of his grasp, wrapping her arms around herself.

"You are such a prat! Snape was nothing if not truthful!" She advanced on him one arm reaching out to poke him in the chest and he stumbled back slightly, "You won't admit it!" She pushed both arms out her open palms pushing against him angrily, "Why won't you admit it! Why do you do this to yourself?" She was almost screaming now as tears dripped down her face. He grabbed her wrists lightly as she made to push him again and she struggled to rip away.

"It is my burden to bear not yours," He murmured trying to sooth her but that only proved to incense her further.

"Stop trying to be some bloody martyr, a saint, just stop," She said glaring at him, "You are not either and I want you to stop this and act like yourself."

"Isn't this me Hermione?" He asked quietly and she stilled looking away from him her lower lip quivering. "Haven't I always tried to keep all this from you, tried to keep you from my guilt?" He asked.

"I hate you," she whispered and this time she stepped forward wrapping her arms tightly around his middle. "I hate you." She murmured into his shoulder.

"I wish you did," He said and she stiffened, "I wish I hadn't made it so hard on you."

She shoved away from him again and he winced as she made contact with the same spot, "Don't even say that! I make my own decisions and you would have to be a- a- a complete git to think that I could be coerced into doing anything that I didn't want to." He chose not to reply and her face broke down a bit, "Don't have that look Draco, just don't." She said pleadingly her finger going up to trace his cheekbone.

"What look?" He asked.

"That look like you're about to do something devastatingly stupid," Her eyes flicked between his.

"I can't help that you read me so well," He said not bothering to deny it.

"Please don't," She started taking a deep breath to calm her shaking voice, "Please don't do something stupid."

"I can't promise anything."

"Yes you can; you're just not willing to," She said bitterly and he looked away. It hurt to have her say that. In that moment he wished more than ever that he could.

But, he couldn't. He had made one promise in his life, and this he had to keep.

As he saw more tears glide over her cheeks he spoke, "I hate to see you cry," His voice was hoarse as so many emotions threatened to explode. "I hate to know I caused them," He said. She moved her head to the side hiding herself behind a curtain of hair but he moved forward brushing it away and pulling her face to look at him. He leaned forward placing open mouthed kisses on her cheek as he tasted her tears, salty, refreshing, and draining. Telling him she cared even as she hurt.

His lips ran over her nose and he bent his back to place a kiss on her lips drawing back and rubbing his nose against her cheek. Her hands moved up to grasp his hair and she pulled him down for a gentle kiss but as he moved his lips she parted hers pulling him close as they became heated. He wrapped an arm around her waist one hand coming to brush against her cheek.

He moved forward slowly until her back gently pressed against the wall and he moaned as their bodies touched in new ways. He pulled back gasping to place kisses along her jaw before dipping down to lave at her neck all the while keeping her gripped to him. He pushed against her insistently and was rewarded by a quiet moan. Slowly he stepped back taking her hand in his as he moved to the stairway.

They walked the hall in silence hands grasped painfully hard, reaching the door to his room too slowly. They went inside and he closed it before pressing her against the aged wood just to feel connected to her once more. His breathing was erratic as he shakily moved to kiss her again. Her hands were trembling as she unbuttoned his shirt, pushing it and his robes off in one move. This was nothing new but it felt different, distinct, nothing was the same even as they kissed as they always had. Lips moving against the other as their tongues danced excitedly with each other. She pressed one hand to the center of his chest before pulling back and kissing the smooth skin, right above his heart.

She stayed like that for a moment, lips and body still as she felt the erratic beating as blood rushed through his body. She straightened placing a kiss on his chin the highest place she could reach when he wasn't bent over. He felt her teeth graze and he leant down allowing her to take his lips. It was almost like a dance as they removed the others clothing slowly moving towards the bed. He turned pulling her onto it with him looking down as she laid there hair splayed over his covers. His hand went up to smooth over her lips before he leaned down placing kisses above her breast feeling her shiver beneath him.

He knew there was so much he should say. But he couldn't find the words. He couldn't put justice to what he felt.

He traveled down her body nipping and teasing her, making her gasp in surprise and moan in pleasure. He once again found himself looking down her and only one thought came to mind.

Perfect.

Perfect and beautiful.

She was Hermione and he was Draco.

He entered her slowly savoring the expressions flashing across her face, and he groaned as he felt her heat. He leaned down feeling tears glittering in his eyes and kissed her harshly, passionately loving how their moans and gasps melded into perfect harmony. It exploded all at once and he collapsed on her sated feeling the rise and fall of her chest as she traced symbols on his back. He rolled over facing her watching as tears fell down her face and he looked down when he felt the same happening to him. He felt her lips brush against his cheek before she moved forward pulling him alongside her. Arms winding around him tight and unforgiving keeping him locked against her and he couldn't be happier. He moved until he grasped her as well, he held her like he was about to drown and she was his only hope for survival.

He held her close near to his heart, right where she belonged.

A/N: There are more parts to this. I wrote the first page and it's been sitting in my computer just tempting me to continue it. I tried quite a few times getting nothing but I'm glad to say I've finally found the direction I want to bring this. I like it and I hope you do too. Review please.

Your very inspired author,

Wonderwall