A/N: I'm sorry about the long wait but life has been rather.. hectic. I (finally) fell in love and he loves me too and now we're a couple. (We've been together over half a year so I'm sort of proud) Apart from that school is (still) trying to kill me although I am pleased to report I passed most of my subjects so far. Tomorrow is another big test (biology) so I might take a while again to update. I just wanted to give you a bit to read in case you were getting bored. I hope you like it because it's probably not what you might have expected...

HPOV

We were back at school in no time and Fred was looking murderous at the breakfast table. He kept glaring at Draco, making me realize Draco had been trying to break us apart. Draco was back to his usual self, the cuteness of last night completely lost but not forgotten. He was grateful for what I had done and I knew his bad behavior had a good will to support it. For the first time I looked at Ron and Lavender without even a tiny sting of pain or regret. Ron was not the one for me. He was perfect for Lavender and he seemed to think so too. Harry was holding hands with Ginny and laughing rather loudly. "Lavender." Ron said, loud enough for the entire hall to hear it. The silence had never been so thick before. She looked at him with stunned eyes, too shy to giggle. Ron got up on the table. "I say, in front of everybody here, that I will marry you when we're done with school." A lot of romance noise burst loose. "That is, if you'll have me. I love you Lavender Brown and I'm crazy about you. I would do me great pleasure if you didn't reject me."

"You're drunk." I said a bit loudly. He smiled a bit goofy. "I needed some liquid courage." He confessed. He turned back to Lavender but before he could even cast a look of question she had her arms wrapped around his neck, kissing him intently. "I love you too Won-won." She whispered. Everybody was clapping, except the Slytherins, who were making gagging noises and boo-ing the situation. Naturally Ron got multiple points removed for his drunken proposal but everybody knew he had meant it. He hadn't bought a ring yet but he and Lavender intended to do that soon. He didn't have much to spend but I knew he'd been saving up for this a while now. The rest of the day would be very hectic for both of them but they were happy in love so nobody could blame them. By lunch they had both gotten a howler from their parents, saying they were way too young to get married. They had endured it saying it wasn't like they were getting married this summer. They'd finish school and get a job. When that was done, they'd consider doing the getting married. It was Lavenders crazy idea to be engaged that long. She thought that would make sure the stress of marriage itself would wait a long time. I considered them insane and irrational but I didn't care. I knew they had been in love for about three years before they even got the guts to admit it to themselves. They were both impulsive and add that to Ron and his love for butter booze and anybody could have seen this coming. I managed to get Lavender apart for a moment later that day. "Lavender, congratulations!" I said, she smiled happily. "Are you pregnant?" I asked her, considering that the only logical reason for them to get married. Lavender got red and turned away. "I take it that is a yes." I said. She just nodded. I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Does Ron know?"

"Yes." She said. "That's why he asked me. I'm just so happy he doesn't walk away from his mistake." I smiled. "I'd have it removed if I were you. You're not old enough to care for a baby." She nodded. "I know. I already told Ron I was having it removed. He was very sad about it but he understood why. That's when he said that he only wanted a child if I'd be the mother and now he proposed. We're both a bit insane but we're in love."

"And you're perfect for each other." I said with a smile, knowing that those two would never break apart no matter what would happen to them. I had seen it with Ginny and Ron and their parents and I silently hoped it was a family disease, fall in love so deeply it removes all sanity. That is how I wanted to be loved.

The days following went by in a blur. All the happiness and peace in those days are easy to think about but they didn't seem real. It's almost like I felt something was coming. I was staring at the ceiling, it had been behaving odd since breakfast. Lightning and thunder were competing in the hall but outside was a bright weather. A final thunder shook our chairs and took me out of a rather complicated issue I'd been thinking about. Fred was sitting next to me, hugging me to him. He and Draco were still fighting but Draco was in detention with Snape so I had Fred all to myself. I looked up and kissed him on the lips fondly. "I love you." I said with a smile. "Glad to see the ceiling is starting to clear up, it was starting to get on my nerves." Fred had a content smile on his face. "I don't remember it ever behaving like that. It's almost as if it's nervous." He joked. I poked him in the ribs. "Not funny. It might be serious." I didn't really mean that of course. I was just enjoying peace for as long as it would last. Draco would be back soon. As if reading my mind, Fred whispered in my ear. "Why don't we go for a walk outside? The weather seems good enough." I nodded and we went outside. As he opened the door and let me out, the sunbeams hit my face and the warmth made me feel happy and safe. When I looked around I saw a dark cloud hovering near the gates. "What's that?" I asked Fred, pointing at the darkness. "I don't know." He shrugged. "Nothing serious, I expect." We slowly walked closer to investigate. Nobody else seemed to pay attention at first but soon everybody was pointing and looking at the cloud. An earthquake that wasn't natural at all knocked everybody down and I could have sworn the castle itself shook. The darkness faded and the destroyed gates became visible along with a group of black robed witches and wizard wearing mask. There was a lot of screaming as all the students tried to get back to the castle. Fred and I along with a few others defended the fleeing students. Dumbledore would come, Dumbledore would save us from them. That is all I could think. There were too many of them for the ten students gathered on the doorstep. Many curses shot our way and we fired back just as fast. I saw one of my fellow students fall to the ground, his face pale after a blast of green fire had hit him. A strange cry came from the forest and I saw a strange being in the corner of my eyes. My attention got diverted as I saw a flying skeletal horse I knew had to be a thestral. The boy was dead. The realization hit me along with a searing pain. After that everything turned black and I was floating into nothingness.

FPOV

In the blink of an eye my entire world changed. We were already an inch from relative safety when that boy must have been killed. I was trying desperately to keep at least a few death eaters distracted and curses flew around our ears. There were several yelps of pain and a few screams but I knew that looking back would get me killed. McGonagall came running, shouting curses as she went. The other professors and Dumbledore come soon after. Then, my world stopped as I felt Hermione fall down beside me. Everybody was dragging all the fallen students, both dead and alive, into the castle and hands helped me get her to safety as well. I don't remember much, apart from the furious battle in me to get her inside where they could help her. Only when the doors closed did I fall apart. I never knew many healing spells but I tried every single one I knew on her. Her beautiful face with unseeing eyes lay motionless on the floor. I felt my own tears streaming down my face and I saw them falling on her cheeks. I faintly remember hearing a scream of pure agony that seemed to come from my own mouth. I remember Ron and Harry, taking Hermione's hands as they cried their own grief. I remember that my little sister was falling apart on the shoulder of her boyfriend as Lavender, crying hard with mascara all over her face, tried to comfort Ron. Than the weasel faced Ravenclaw came running, his face seeming deprived of the little color he'd had in the first place. My agony was the only thing holding me back from hitting him. If she and he had not been friends I hadn't wanted to steal her away. I wouldn't have dragged her into that disaster. As the thoughts ran through my head everything went red and I did the only thing that seemed logical, I lunged at him.

DPOV

I saw the circle of grief around Hermione's unconscious form. All the unnecessary crying, all the wasted tears. I knew how dead people looked, I had seen several of them when I had been loyal to my father. Hermione wasn't dead. I grant them that she did look dead if you didn't know the subtle signs to tell the difference. She had obviously been sick and pale with grief before she got hit by the curse that I knew all too well. She needed help before it became permanent. Her body function had been frozen, I needed to unfreeze her. Nobody else seemed to know it was necessary but before I could do anything, her idiot boyfriend was leaping toward me, murder written all over his face. I quickly stunned him and levitated Hermione out of the grief circle. I knew that had been a mistake when I saw all her grievers give me the look her boyfriend has given me before attacking me. I was surprised to see all their curses bounce away from me. Dumbledore had given me a shield and I used it to flee, not thinking about anything but Hermione. I had to save her, no matter who stood in my way.

An then, he was there. My bloody father. His cruel smile was all I need to give him a piece of my mind. He had trouble breathing and couldn't exactly notice anything. I fled further, taking Hermione as I fled from what I had just done to my own father. Lucius Malfoy was likely to drown in his own blood by my actions and I didn't care. I, Draco Granger, was finally doing the right thing and although I hated the thing I had done to my ex-father, I didn't let it take me over until I got Hermione to Madame Pomfrey and had explained the jinx. Then, I sank to the floor, crying my own sorrows out.

A/N: I'm sorry about the sudden end and sudden twist but my muse decided that all the luck and happiness just couldn't last forever. Reviews are much appreciated and so a big thanks to all my lovely reviewers, you are the reason this story hasn't died yet. I'll try to update a lot sooner this time. Again, please review and soon the story might continue.

Admit it, you are happy I told you Hermione isn't dead BEFORE ending the chapter :P