A/N... My bad... Again :) SORRY! I have hit a stupid writer's block, that doesn't really want me to finish my story... But I SHALL! Thank you for all your reviews and alerts... You are amazing!

However, to the anonymous reviewer who was rather rude: In answer to your question, no I am not a retard, and yes I do have my facts straight. Hermione did not get "Mudblood" carved into her arm in the books; it was an idea for the movie by Emma Watson and Helena Bonham – Carter. Oh and if I "actually read the books"? Honey, I have basically memorised them, I have read them that often... You don't really have the right to talk to me like that, thanks...

And "billy": Thanks so much for the constructive criticism (enter sarcasm here)... If you don't mind, why do you not like my fic? I'm actually quite interested to know.

Apart from that, all of the other reviews were fantastic! I love you guys!

I have decided to write one final, long chapter! So, next chapter!

Chapter 24

Draco sighed to himself, rubbing his face with his long, white hands. He was sitting in the large, empty Manor, hating himself for running away again. Why couldn't he have more courage like those damn Gryffindors? When the going gets tough, Draco gets going. It was his whole life story. Again, he was alone. He lost the only person who loved him, and the closest friends he made now hated him again. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Blaise... Hermione. WHY? Why did he have to run when she was lying there, hurt? Draco's mood quickly switched from melancholy to self-directed fury in milliseconds. He picked up the plate his dinner was on and threw it at the wall. He hated being back here, at his detested home. Every room, every hallway, had a terrible memory stitched to it. Draco was pretty much making himself ill by staying there. He was much more pale than usual, and had deep purple bags under his eyes.

Draco sighed to himself again, pulling his wand out to clean up the recent mess. He was startled out of his dream like state by a booming knock at the door. Suspiciously, Draco made his way to the front doors. He opened the door and was shocked to see Ginny Weasley standing in front of him, hands on hips, eyes blazing.

"Hi Draco, how are you, invite me in."

And before he could react, the redhead was making her way down the long hallway. Still utterly bewildered, Draco closed the door and silently followed. When he found her, Ginny was sitting on an emerald green couch in the sitting room, arms folded across her chest, glaring at Draco with an expectant eyebrow raised.

"You look like crap." She stated.

Draco chuckled weakly. "Yeah, thanks."

Ginny shook her head. "You do look better than Hermione though, I'll give you that much."

Draco's heart stuttered at her name. "Is... Is she okay?"

She frowned at his obvious attempt to sound casual. "Yes. Well, sometimes she gets a sharp pain from her ribs, and she's utterly heartbroken, but apart from that, she's fine."

"Okay, I get that you hate me for leaving."

"No. I'm hating you for not going back to her."

"Oh."

"You are both hurting, so much. And she is far too stubborn, and you are apparently far too noble, to do anything about it! Draco, it's been two weeks. Have you dropped out of school? Because McGonagall has noticed, and she's pissed. School went back last week, and guess what? You are actually missed! The boys won't admit it, but we have gotten used to you hanging around."

"So, if school is back, what are you doing here?" Draco asked.

Ginny blushed a bright red. "I may or may not have snuck out from Hogsmeade."

Draco smirked. "Your brothers are terrible influences."

Ginny smirked back. "Who said it was my brothers' idea? Anyway, back to the matter at hand. Hermione is suffering. Her grades are falling and she actually doesn't care! She doesn't smile, she doesn't laugh... Draco, she still loves you. And judging by the looks of you, you still love her too. One incident shouldn't tear you two apart."

Draco groaned. "You don't understand! You don't know how it feels to watch the person you love most get tortured and thrown around in front of you. Do you know how helpless I felt? Do you know how it feels to be part of the reason that your loved one is laying on the ground, unconscious? I left her because I think she can be safer without me around."

Ginny's left eyebrow was raised again. "I don't understand? Uh, hello, Harry Potter's girlfriend sitting here. I understand more than you think. Do you know how it feels to watch your seemingly dead loved one be carried out in front of a few hundred Death Eater's and Voldermort himself? Do you understand how hard it was to be left behind, while he and his mates go gallivanting across Britain to save the Wizarding World? You are far more like Harry than I originally believed."

"Hey, I take offence to that!" Draco said indignantly.

Ginny chuckled. "You are both bloody noble, you know that? Harry broke up with me at the end of your sixth year, so that I wouldn't be a target for Voldemort. He would have rather forgo his own happiness, and mine, than get me hurt. You did the same thing for Hermione. Except, this time, you are just being plain stupid. Fix this, Draco Malfoy, or I swear I will Bat Bogey Hex you."

Draco ignored her threat. He sat there quietly, thinking hard.

Maybe Ginny was right. He knew that he was not coping well at all. And hearing that he was making Hermione suffer unnecessarily physically pained him. He rubbed his face tiredly. Ginny sat patiently, watching Draco's expressions while he inwardly deliberated.

There was a chance that Hermione wouldn't want him back, after what he said to her. Draco believed that if he was rejected, he would feel much worse than he did now. But... What if they got back together, and something else happened? Should he take the risk?

Chanel your inner Gryffindor mate, let's go get her. Draco thought.

Without a word to Ginny, he dashed upstairs. He whirled around his room, packing his trunk. He then had a speedy shower, and cleaned himself up. By the time he hauled everything down to the front hallway, and shrunk his luggage to put in his pocket, Draco was ready. Ginny smiled proudly at his determination. Together, they left Malfoy Manor and disapparated to Hogsmeade.

Hermione was sitting in the Three Broomsticks with Harry and Ron. She had to admit, it was lovely to be with just her boys again. She knew that she had worried everyone when they all came back from Christmas break, but she couldn't help it. Draco had broken her, but she was trying to forget about it and move on.

Harry and Ron were fooling around, laughing and talking loudly. Hermione smiled to herself, feeling relatively happy for the first time in two weeks. Harry and Ron noticed her smile, and they looked at each other, silently hoping their old Hermione was making a return. Hell, they would be happy if she started badgering on about their homework again!

They all turned to the front door and watched Ginny enter, followed by a nervous looking, but very familiar, blond man.

The Golden Trio were frozen in their shock, silently watching as the odd duo made their way over to them. The pub had gone mostly silent. The Hogwarts students that were there knew a bit about what happened over Christmas, and they were anticipating some drama. Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ginny, silently communicating her fury at going to Draco. She missed seeing Harry nod his head in greeting to Draco, and Ron's approving glance. Just as Draco opened his mouth to speak, Hermione got up and left.

"Shit." Draco muttered.

Ginny sighed. "That went well."

Harry looked at Draco. "Mate, I'm really glad you are going to fix this, but you have to admit, you know it's not going to be easy. She's bloody stubborn."

Draco sighed. "I know. Merlin, I know. I screwed up big."

"So go get her!" Said Ron.

Draco nodded, and he, too, left the Three Broomsticks.

Ginny collapsed onto the closest chair. "That was fun."

"How did you manage to convince him?" asked Ron casually.

"Played on his emotions, brought up Hermione's pain, maybe threatened a little. Nothing much." Replied Ginny just as casually.

Harry chuckled. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

Draco hurried through the snowy streets of Hogsmeade, eyes peeled for the beautiful Hermione. He saw her briefly; she had turned off the main road and was heading up the deserted road towards the Shrieking Shack. He quickly changed course, following Hermione. He watched from a distance as she sat down heavily on a fallen tree trunk. She put her head in her hands shaking her head, and then she moved them to her hair looking around wildly. Draco ducked out of the way; he didn't want her to run off yet. When she put her hands back on her face, Draco moved quickly. He stood right in front of her before he spoke.

"Hermione, please don't leave. I just really need to explain."

Hermione gasped in shock. She stood up quickly, and began to flee.

"No, Hermione, come on!" Draco grabbed her arm gently and sat her back down, ignoring her furious glare directed at him.

"What makes you think you deserve to be heard? Do you know how much you hurt me? I don't want to hear you half – arsed explanations, Malfoy!"

Draco was astonished to hear the amount of hostility in Hermione's voice. It hurt, but he knew he deserved it.

"Well, maybe I don't deserve to explain myself. But you deserve to know the truth. And I will keep trying to explain until you give me the time of day, Hermione. It's up to you. You want to avoid me now, only to have me bug the hell out of you later? Done. But if you just sit there, I will talk."

Hermione didn't move, didn't speak. She also didn't look at him. So Draco took that as a go ahead.

"I felt like you deserved so much better than what I could offer you. You are the epitome of good, and people believe that I'm the complete opposite. You had already endured ridicule and cruelness for being with me, but when we got attacked... I just lost it."

He had Hermione's attention now. She was staring unwaveringly into Draco's eyes.

"I thought that if I left, you would be better off. I was trying to be noble, but I guess my Slytherin traits took over. I got angry that you weren't letting me leave, and I said a lot of things that were lies, and I regret it."

"Oh really? You regret what you said? You lied? Of course you did. To be honest, I should have seen it coming!" Hermione scowled.

"Is that all you got out of what I just said? Really Hermione?"

"You just... You... Argh!" Hermione was so frustrated she was breathing very heavily, and it was causing pain to her still bruised ribs. She wrapper her arms around her middle, trying to stop the pain.

Draco reached for her, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Why do you care?" Hermione hissed, twisting out of his reach.

Even though Draco knew she was talking about her physical pain, he deliberately used the opportunity to explain how he felt for Hermione.

"Hermione, I love you. I've always cared about you, and I will always care about you. What I did and said was completely moronic, and – and stupid, for lack of a better word. I never wanted to hurt you like I did, but I thought that if you stayed with me, it would be a lot worse. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I broke both of us, and I just can't forgive myself for this. I completely understand if you want nothing to do with me. But I am going back to Hogwarts, so you will see me around. And... Yeah. I'm really sorry, and I love you."

Hermione still hadn't moved. Draco took this as a negative sign, so he sighed heavily and started back down the track.

"Wait, Draco."

He turned, and saw Hermione now standing, staring intently at him. "Do you really mean that? Everything you said?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't."

Hermione closed her eyes, and Draco watched in horror as a tear slipped down her rosy pink cheek.

"Merlin, I didn't mean to make you cry! I'm sorry." As much as he wanted to move and gather her up in his arms, Draco stood where he was.

"I'm sorry too!" Hermione suddenly cried out. "I should have fought harder, against Marietta and for you. I just gave up! I don't know why, or what happened, but I froze both times. I didn't go after you because I thought you really didn't care for me. You understand that right? I mean, after what you said..."

"No, I understand!" Draco was elated that Hermione was even talking to him. "I get it, I really messed up. And, like I said, if you want nothing to do with me, I accept that, just as long as you know that I tried."

Hermione bit her lower lip and closed her eyes. Draco held his breath. When she didn't say anything for a few minutes, Draco turned and walked away again. He shook his head.

All of a sudden, he was on the ground.

Hermione had her arms around his neck, her head buried in his chest, sobbing.

"Don't go. Don't leave again."

Draco sat up partially, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He whispered, over and over again.

Hermione looked up into Draco's expressive eyes, and was shocked to see that he was crying.

Just as he whispered "I'm sorry" again, Hermione kissed him.

"I love you, too." She whispered back.

Then there was an outbreak of cheering. Draco and Hermione whipped around and saw Harry, Ron, Ginny and Blaise appear from under the Invisibility Cloak. They were all grinning. Hermione shook her head, blushing, and leaned her forehead on Draco's.

"I love you." Draco said.

The End.

A/N: Whew! Longest chapter I believe! Sooo 24 chapters, 202 reviews, 34,013 hits, 106 favourites and 170 alerts! You guys all rock! Thank you so much or the support and reviews! SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING:

Ellen2607, Shivvv, Martina Malfoy Lestrange, mrsroseross07, LalaLupin, Virginger, ScaryNeko, Kilala – Kun, LyndahJune, thefourteenth, PenguinSplash, Dragon'sFury547, iloveR5andOneDirection, Setsuna Hime, My-name-is-a-secret101, Celiacprincess, Drew secrets, tripleloopx, Violent Moon, Hermionehp904 and LeevyGranger... You guys rock my world with your regular reviews!

KaylaKay, over and out!

xxxx

P.S PLEASE REVIEW... Any thoughts, criticism, love, hate, WHATEVER :) PLEEEASE!