Accepted

Chapter 8

Draco's POV:

The job was done. Neither of us would die, but now, i felt lonelier than ever.

She'd just met me, for the first time in HER life, & i couldn't help but miss her already. I was the only one in our year she didn't REALLY know. I had erased a fourth of her memory, & it it was all of me.

I saw her walk toward Harry & Ron. I'd just gone & talked to them, & told them what i'd done to her. Harry nodded, a sour grimace on his face, but somehow, i knew he felt for me... He knew i loved her, that she might have loved me too, & the decision i made was the toughest of my life; either we would live on but forget each other forever, or we would both die. Ron, on the other hand, had the same cold expression towards me as usual, & he mumbled something that sounded like

"You didn't deserve her, anyway, cockroach..."

I watched her sit down with them & they had fake smiles on their faces. She started to talk cheerfully, ignoring that fact, & i swear i'd heard her say my name.

"That Draco Malfoy... Nice boy." Ron looked at Harry & stifled a laugh.

"Could use a friend, though." she continued. That's when they looked at each other with horror, not wanting to relive what we'd all been through already. She finished with something that REALLY made me look up. "I feel like i've met him somewhere..." & she rolled up her sleeve, staring at the single dark red scar, giving a small smile at it, then flashed a wink in my direction. I looked into her eyes, then at her arm, experiencing the wonderful forbidden feeling again. Love... towards a Mudblood.

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Now that the job was done, i had no idea what i could do with myself. Hermione had no idea who i was and i didn't see any purpose of doing anything anymore. I grabbed my book & went down to the lake to my usual tree. Opening it, i scanned the page, not reading anything, & peered over the page. There was Hermione, heading down to the tree west of mine, with Ron.

She looked happy, a normal girl who had, not more than a year ago, had finished one of the most dangerous jobs known to wizards & muggles alike. Without another care in the world, she was a girl who was dear to my heart that had completely forgotten me. I watched as she looked over at me, nudged Ron in the ribs with her elbow, then smiled & waved enthusiastically at me.

Ron stared at her like she was mental until he gave in to her elbow & gave a small smirk & wave at me. I blushed, waved back, & ducked behind my book so as not having to look at Hermione, though i couldn't help overhearing her words.

"Ron, there's something kind of... Peculiar about that new kid... Pleasant... Charming, almost. Wouldn't you agree?" she had been laying down in Ron's lap while he stroked her hair, & had looked up at him when she talked. He smiled down at her, &, trying to hold back a giggle, said,

"Sure, love..." bent down, & kissed her. I'd seen enough. I picked myself up off the ground, book in one hand, & walked off back to the castle, saluting them a good day, with less expression on my face than a brick. Strolling down the corridors, i stopped at the dungeons, went into the common room, into my dormitory, & slammed the door shut, then plopped down onto the 4-poster bed, falling backwards.

I admit, i slapped myself a few times, trying to get the fact into my lovesick head, "She will never love you again, Draco. Get-it-in-your-head!!!"

My face hurt, so did my head, & to add to that fact, i could not have been more wrong.