Disclaimer: i don't own any of the characters.

The price of love

Hermione sat in the prefect's bathroom, tears pouring down her face but she didn't make an effort to wipe them away. She looked in her compact mirror and saw herself looking at her worst. She sat there; a heartbroken girl, in love with one who would never love her in return.

This is her story.

Hermione had a happy life; parents and friends who loved her, teachers, except professor Snape, who loved her knowledge and younger students who respected and looked up to. Life was good. There was however one who didn't love her, respect, or even like her; Draco Malfoy. He had been a constant pain in her side since first year, over time she saw past the cold hearted boy and saw a man in his place, he was still cold hearted but not as much and grew to love him.

Her best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, knew nothing about her love for the Slytherin Prince; they would be horrified if they found out so Hermione kept it a secret from every one, including Draco.

One day, though, her secret was revealed to Draco by his best friend Blaise Zabini. And that is where it all went wrong for the Muggle Princess.

"Draco man, you know how you said that Granger would never fall for you?"

"Yeah."

"Well she has, big time. She loves you, you poor bugger."

Draco paled. 'That mudblood in love with me, does she have a death wish?'

"She must be stupid if she thinks I'm going to love her back."

"Now, now Draco. Don't be so hard on the poor girl. Play with her mind first. Make her think she has a chance and then break her heart."

"You're right. And the less mudbloods in this school the better."

The plan was in motion; Draco would flirt with her and then go off to find Pansy, Hermione would follow and that's when Draco would break the news to her.

A few days later Hermione received a letter from Draco.

Hermione,

Meet me by the lake after dinner; I want to talk to you about something I've been hearing from various students.

Love Draco.

Hermione was ecstatic; the love of her life wanted to talk to her alone, without any one there to push him into being horrible. She remembered the last few days when Draco had been flirting with her. Maybe he's going to ask her to be his girlfriend. Her friends wondered why she was eating in such a rush.

"Mione, why are you eating like Ron?"

"Hey."

"Sorry Ron. Mione."

"I'm just in a rush that's all Harry."

"Ok then."

They dropped the subject and Harry and Ron began to talk about Quidditch.

"See you"

They didn't look up but said goodbye.

Hermione ran out of the hall and down to the lake. She saw a faint blonde light and knew it was Draco, she had butterflies in her stomach she was so nervous. She approached him from behind but stopped when she saw Pansy Parkinson with him. They were kissing the life out of each other. She gasped loudly, they stopped and Draco turned around.

"What, you actually thought that I would love a mudblood like you? I brought you here to establish that I wouldn't go anywhere near you even if you were a pureblood."

Pansy thought this was harsh but didn't care; it was Hermione mudblood-bookworm Granger. She wouldn't care about her.

Tears fell down Hermione's cheeks. Draco noticed.

'She actually does love me. Oh my God, why am I feeling like this? I should be happy about hurting her. But I'm not. Why?'

Pansy interjected.

"I think you should be going now. You've wasted enough of Draco's life."

Hermione ran back up to the castle. When she was gone Blaise came out of the trees and Pansy left.

"I saw the look on her face. She does really love you."

"What have I done? All this time I've been looking forward to hurting her and seeing her humiliated but now I've done it, I feel awful."

"Maybe she'll come around and everything will go back to the way it was."

"I don't want it to though."

"I don't know what you can do man. Come on let's go back in before we freeze our asses off out here."

The two boys walked back in silence. Draco now knew what love was; he saw it in Hermione's eyes every time he walked near her. Blaise knew Draco loved her now that he had hurt her. He didn't always hate Hermione, and he knew that this was the one time too many for Draco to hurt her. She's probably get revenge on him.

And this is where we left off. Hermione in the prefects bathroom, looking at how broken she was. The bell for classes was about to go but she didn't care, she wouldn't be going to class; it was Potions with the Slytherins. She pulled out her wand and conjured parchment and a quill, she wrote a quick note and laid it beside her. She then conjured a small dagger. She had to act fast, there was someone approaching the bathroom door. She plunged the dagger into her chest, she tried not to scream and succeeded but she yelled out in pain instead. Whoever was at the door burst in; it was Ron. He took one look at Hermione's dying body and rushed to her side.

"Mione, what have you done? Please don't leave us, I'll get help."

"No Ron, I want to be like this. I did this to myself. Please don't do anything."

"I have to tell someone, Dumbledore, Harry, Madam Pomphrey, Ginny, the other Gryffindors."

"Very well. You can actually do me one last favour. Take that letter and give it to Draco."

"Oh my God, Mione you love him don't you. He made you do this. I'm going to kill him."

"No, don't, just give it to him. Don't read it though."

"Ok,"

"Goodbye Ron."

Her eyes rolled back and closed. Ron held her in his arms, blood seeping onto his white shirt, tears rolling down his face. He put the body down gently, called for a house elf to tell the headmaster and walked out the room.

"Goodbye Mione"

He entered the potions room in silence. He made his way to Harry.

"Where's Mione? Why have you got blood on your shirt? What happened Ron?"

"She's-"

"Weasley, where have you been?"

"Sorry sir, I left my book back in the common room."

"That is no excuse. Where is Miss Granger?"

"She's-"

"Never mind, both you and Miss Granger will serve detention tonight, no-"

"I will not go to detention sir"

The class, including the Slytherins, gasped. No one had ever said that they won't do a detention for Professor Snape. He was livid.

"Oh yes you will, you and Miss Granger will-"

"Mione won't do it either because she's dead you slimy hook nosed git!"

The class was silent, everyone looked at Ron. He got up and went over to Malfoy's table.

"Here you bastard, this is from Mione. I hope you can live with yourself."

He gave Draco the note.

Draco,

I was a fool to love you and I'm sorry. I should hate you for all you've done to my friends and I but I don't. I only feel love whenever I see you. Goodbye Draco.

Love (and I mean it)

Hermione.

Blaise read the note over his shoulder. He looked at Ron's shirt and at Draco's face; tears falling down his pale cheeks. He couldn't believe it.

'How could I do this to them, I made Draco break her heart and as a result he lost the only girl who loved him for who he is and not how rich his family is.'

Harry came up to Ron.

"Come on, let's go see her."

"Ok, I sent for a house elf to get Dumbledore. Her body should be in his study."

"I'm coming with you." Said Draco.

"If you think for a minute that you're coming with us to see the girl who loved you than you're mistaken. She may be dead but I won't let you anywhere near her body."

"Please let me come. It's my fault she did this. She was the only girl who loved me, I saw that when I broke her heart."

"Do you love her? Or is it just guilt?" spat Harry

"Both"

Once again the class gasped; Draco Malfoy had just confessed his feelings for Hermione Granger.

"Very well."

They had completely forgotten that it was the middle of the lesson and that Snape was in the room. The boys left and made their way to Dumbledore's study. On the way there Draco swore he heard Hermione's laugh echoing in the hallways, he swore he smelt her perfume. It lingered on him. It would linger on him for the rest of his life.

When they reached the study Dumbledore allowed them to remain with the body for a little while. They each said goodbye to her. Draco was last. Harry and Ron left whilst he said goodbye.

"Hermione, oh my god I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did. It was wrong to play with your feelings. I love you. They might not believe it but it's true. I loved you when I saw how much you loved me every time I walked up to you but I had hoped it wouldn't be love, I tried to deny it but I can't anymore. I love you more than there are stars in the sky. Sounds cheesy I know but its how I feel. Goodbye Mione."

He left the room; he now understood the price of love.

As he shut the door he didn't notice the slight movement of Hermione's hand or her eyes fluttering open.

The end

Sequel up soon