Sive mors dilectio

"What am I doing here again?" The tall blonde asked the group of Gryffindors.

"Shut up, ferret. We're talking," Ginny said throwing him a look.

Draco sighed and leaned against the wall. He was currently sitting in between Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom in the circle of seventh year Gryffindors. He honestly didn't know why he was here other than the fact that his hands were tied behind his back.

"Why am I even here?" He asked Harry quietly as to not get on Ginny's bad side.

"Not sure. She said she wanted to make things interesting so she sent Neville to get you," Harry shrugged also speaking in a hushed tone.

Everyone knew the two boys were actually good friends, and just did crazy comedical acts in public for everyone's amusement.

"Harry! Are you talking to him?" Ginny asked as she whipped her head to the left, away from Parvati who she was whispering to.

"No. Absolutely not!" Harry said quickly sitting up straight.

"She's got you whipped," Draco muttered.

"I heard that!" Ginny said.

"And what're you gonna do about it?" Draco asked.

"Well I happen to know your little secret. So I might accidently just slip up and tell everyone," Ginny said with a smirk.

"Shutting up!" Draco said before closing his mouth, face extremely pale.

"What are we doing again?" Hermione sighed, "I'd really like to go back to my dorm." She groaned and lied her head in Seamus's lap.

"What are you doing?" Seamus asked.

"Shut up. I'm not in the mood and Ginny won't let me lie down," Hermione growled sending him a dangerous look, "What time is it?"

"Ten to midnight. Then our fun will begin!" Ginny grinned.

"Ten to midnight," Hermione whispered closing her eyes tightly.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked her as Hermione placed her legs in his lap and he soothingly rubbed her feet for her.

"Ten minutes to midnight," Hermione said again.

"Wat 'appen at minigh'?" Ron asked, face stuffed with food.

"What's today's date?" Hermione asked him.

"Uh, March sixteenth, why?" Ron answered after swallowing his food.

"What happens one year ago today?" Hermione asked as Seamus stroked her hair.

"Oh," Ron said, "But what's the big deal about that?"

"About what?" Ginny asked.

"One of the spells. Its a curse," Hermione said sadly, "

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"It means death or love in Latin," Draco said, "But there's only one person who's ever used that spell.... Oh."

"Yes. Oh," Hermione sighed, "Five minutes left."

"Damn," Draco breathed, "And she's dead."

"Mhm," Hermione said, "She can't break it. She wouldn't anyways."

"She would," Draco whispered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Okay, someone fill us in!" Parvari asked.

"One year ago Bookworm, Potter, and Weasel got captured by some snatchers and taken to my Manor. My deranged aunt, Bellatrix, tortured Herm- uh Granger got tortured by Bella for about an hour or so before Potter and Weasel came and grabbed her and Dobby, a house elf, saved them. He unfortunately died in the process. One of the spells my aunt used was a curse. Death or love. Bookworm here has exactly one year for someone truly in love with her to kiss her or she dies at midnight." Draco quickly explained.

"What?" The two girls, Ginny and Parvati, cried while the boys looked very uncomfortable and troubled.

"Two minutes!" Hermione said not moving from her spot on Seamus and Dean's laps.

"Don't talk like that, Mione," Harry said.

"Well I can't live," Hermione sighed opening her eyes, "No one is in love with me. And it can't be sibling love or any of you besides ferret could help me. It has to be actual romantic love."

Ginny was staring wide eyed, "Let's start the game." She said.

"What?" Parvati asked, "At a time like this we're going to play a game?"

"Yep. Truth or dare," Ginny said, "Malfoy, truth or dare."

"That's a trick question!" Draco exclaimed.

"Yes it is. Choose," Ginny smirked.

"You're plain evil," Draco grimaced.

"Thirty seconds," Ginny smirked and Draco's face paled.

"Dare." He said.

"Kiss mione," Ginny said urgently.

"Bloody woman. I will get you back for this!" Draco said as he stood and sat down next to where Hermione was.

"Sorry bout this," he said.

"Its fine. At least I'll get my first kiss before I die which is in.... Ten seconds so do it," Hermione said sitting up.

Draco smirked and pressed his lips to hers knowing he was dead soon. Hermione kissed back, not even caring who it was just knowing she wasn't going to die without kissing someone.

After a full minute, Draco pulled away and immediately looked at the ground twisting his fingers together.

"Why am I not dead?" Hermione asked as she moved her arms, "Wait am I ghost?"

"No. Not a ghost," Draco said now glaring daggers at Ginny.

"Then how am I alive? I have to kiss someone who's in love with me to live and you were just now my first- Oh." Hermione said after she rambled out loud and it all made sense, "Oh."

"What's oh?" Ron asked as he ate a chocolate frog.

"Hermione could only live if someone who is helplessly in love with her kisses her in the year leading up to her death," Seamus said smirking.

"Yeah, but who was it and how? She just said the only person she had ever kissed was Malfoy just now." Ron said with a look of confusion.

"Really Ron?" Harry asked and Ron gave him a weird look. "Godric you are just like Dudley," Harry said shaking his head.

"Let me help!" Ginny exclaimed, "Malfoy is in love with Hermione."

"Way to sugarcoat it," Draco grumbled leaning against the wall since he had returned to his seat.

"Your welcome!" Ginny laughed.

Hermione was just sitting staring at the floor. Her face was written in pure shock and confusion. Her lips were moving as though she was talking but no sound was coming out. Anyone who didn't know her would think she was crazy, but in reality its what she did when she was in deep thought.

"Mione?" Neville asked uncertainly.

"Yes?" Hermione asked slowly.

"You okay?"

"I-I think so. Just... Surprised," Hermione said looking straight at Draco who was avoiding looking at her at all costs.

"My god your horrible," Harry mumbled before he stood up behind Draco and turned his head to face Hermione and held it there, "Talk to the girl!"

"Is it true," Hermione gulped.

"We both know you'd be dead if it wasn't," Draco mumbled trying to break free from Harry's grasp.

"Okay," Hermione said, "Okay."

Draco broke free of hareys traps and looked at his lap, face red. He felt two fingers places under his chin and lifted his face to look at them.

"Love you too, ferret," Hermione said before she kissed him.

Draco was quite taken aback by this and his eyes widened but he quickly caught up and kissed her back.

When Hermione finally pulled away, she smiled, "Thank you. For saving me,* she whispered.

"Anything for you," Draco smiles.

Hermione grinned and hugged him tight, never wanting to let go.