A/N: This fic is AU as it is not HBP complient. This is my first fic as well.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I own the plot and anything that you do not recognize. This disclaimer will only be present in this first chapter.

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Changes & Dreams

He didn’t know how long he’d been awake. He didn’t really care either. He just lay there, staring at the silky green canopy of his bed. Anyone who saw him would wonder what he was thinking, but they would never guess that not a single thought crossed his mind. At least not now, in what had become a daily routine. He would fade out of sleep slowly, and just lay there, staring, until the noise of other boys waking would shake him out of his trance.

Everything had changed for Draco Malfoy that fateful summer. Everything. No one really understood how much he had lost. Voldemort had been defeated – but before that, the Lord had made sure that Draco paid the price for his treachery. Not many people knew, but Draco had told Dumbledore everything. He himself wasn’t even quite sure what made him do it, but he did. And he paid dearly for it. When Voldemort discovered that his secrets had been told, he had stormed Malfoy Manor. His intentions were to kill Lucius, which he did, but not before Narcissa leapt before her husband attempting to save him, leaving her lifeless as well. He searched the house relentlessly for Draco, the traitor – but he was nowhere to be found. He had been taken by Dumbledore to safety.

Draco wasn’t sure why he risked everything. A voice inside his head had told him that everything would end up okay. He had almost believed it then, and trusted his instincts. But everything was certainly not okay now. He had lost all the things that were important to him. His parents were both dead, his beautiful manor destroyed, along with every wonderful possession that had ever mattered. His closest family members were Death Eaters, all of which suffered the Dementor’s Kiss. All he had had to turn to were the blood traitors, and at the time, Draco was not willing to lower himself to come crawling to them. Instead, he accepted Dumbledore’s offer to come stay at Hogwarts for the remainder of the summer holiday. He had been so lonely, but had convinced himself that it was the best solution.

So there he lay, staring, during the early November morning. If he was the old Draco he would have been thinking of his prized possessions, his family, or even new ways to insult those lousy Gryffindors. But he wasn’t the old Draco anymore. He was no longer pompous, or obsessed with his pure stature. Even his smirk had left his face, which had almost been a permanent fixture once. Everyone knew that he wasn’t the same anymore, but they didn’t truly understand why. Nor did any of them understand why he just sometimes faded out during class or meals, looking as if nothing was going on in that mind of his. The reason for that though, is that he had nothing to think about. He used to think about things that mattered…and all of those were gone. Draco hated dwelling on the past and letting himself be vulnerable to anyone who might accidentally say the wrong word. He was never going to let himself cry. So he pushed those thoughts from his mind, pretending that they never existed. It was a sad way to live, but Draco had become at ease with it.

A grunt from the corner of the dormitory shook him from his daze. He propped himself up on one elbow, to see who the perpetrator was. He eyes soon rested on a sleepy Crabbe who had stumbled out of bed.

“Come on Crabbe, it’s Saturday. What the bloody hell are you doing up so early?� Draco spat through gritted teeth. It took Crabbe a moment to realize that he had been spoken to.

“Quidditch, Malfoy,� he grunted.

“Yeah,� came a yawning voice from the other side of the room. “You’re captain this year, how could you forget?�

Malfoy looked to see Gregory Goyle also waking up, rubbing his eyes with both hands. He realized that he had forgotten, and hated that he had been reminded by two of the slowest people he had ever met. Without even responding, he got up and walked to the bathroom.

I have the feeling that today is going to be a very long day, he thought. He had no idea how right he was.

~*~*~*~

A soft sunlight filled the room, its yellow glow stretching across the girl’s soft, relaxed face. Her toffee colored eyes fluttered open. By the look on her face, you would know that she hated waking up to a new day. Every morning, it was only yet another time where she had to return to reality, straying from the dreams that would flood her mind each and every night.

Yawning, she sat up in her bed, finding that she was the only one left in her dormitory. It surprised her that the other girls had actually been able to keep their giggling down enough so that she could continue sleeping. Those girls had been giggling a lot lately. They have every right to, she thought, they are all in love. And that is what Hermione Granger had to face every single day.

Ever since the Dark Lord’s defeat before seventh year began, everyone was able to relax for a change. No one had to worry about a sudden attack or violent happenings anymore. With that stress out of the way, they all found the time to find someone who made them feel like they were floating on air. Harry had finally admitted his feelings for Ginny (much to Ginny’s content), Ron and Lavender were together, Parvati and Seamus; the list went on and on! Even Neville had found the nerve to ask out Luna Lovegood. But who did Hermione have? No one.

Hermione wandered into the bathroom in the dormitory to get herself ready. It was a Sunday, so she could take as long as she wanted. With the other girls gone, she could even sing in the shower if she wanted to. After ten minutes, she finished her shower, stepped into fresh clothes, and sat at her vanity (there was one for each girl). After attempting to tame her hair from its natural frizzy state, she left for the common room.

Walking down the stairs, her mind wandered to her dream that she had had that night. As usual, she had been walking through a little forest next to a creek, holding the hand of a boy. He was tall and stately, his broad shoulders square and proud. His hands were warm, and he had long slender fingers, suggesting that he was a good wizard. Hermione didn’t care about what his fingers were like though. The fact that they were intertwined with hers was all that mattered. In this recurring dream, she never saw the face of her loving companion. It seemed as if every time she tried to peek, she would wake with a start. So even in her sleep, she learned not to look and enjoy the presence of someone who cared until the rays of the sun woke her.

When she got to the common room, she found it deserted. How late have I slept? She wondered. Glancing at the time, she realized where everyone would be. The Quidditch game starts in five minutes! Hermione made a mad dash out of the portrait hole, said a quick “I’m sorry,� to the Fat Lady (she was rather ruffled at the sudden rush), and headed toward the Quidditch pitch.

As she ran, Hermione seemed to have no time for thought. But in the back of her mind, all she really wanted to do was crawl between the covers and slumber once more. While she slept, Hermione didn’t have to dwell on the fact that everyone else was in love. In her dreams, Hermione could have what she wanted. In her dreams, Hermione was never alone.

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Chapter Two: The Quidditch Match and the Aftermath



Hermione had never been much of an athlete, but she found herself at the Quidditch pitch in record time. While climbing the stairs to the Gryffindor section, she heard a new voice booming through the air. Ever since Lee Jordan, commentator extraordinaire, had left Hogwarts they hadn’t been able to keep a steady one. Hermione finally reached the top of the stands, and after taking a moment to catch her breath, began desperately searching for a certain red haired friend.

“Hermione! Where’ve you been?� Hermione recognized it as Ginny, but couldn’t for the life of her figure out where she was in the mass of red and gold clad students.

“Ginny, I can’t see you!�

“A bit to the left!� Hermione turned to her left, and saw her smiling friend, cheeks flushed from the cold.

“Have I missed anything?�

"Eh, not really. The game only started a few minutes ago. Where’ve you been?�

“I don’t exactly know how, but I slept until nearly twenty minutes ago.� At the realization at how short of a time she’d been awake, Hermione rubbed her eyes and yawned.

“Jeez…at least you made it to the game!� Ginny chirped optimistically.

Ginny and her Quidditch…I just don’t understand it sometimes! Hermione thought.

“Yeah, at least I made it to the game…� Hermione trailed off somewhat sarcastically, hoping that Ginny would get the drift that actually liking the game was not in Hermione’s mind at all. She didn’t. Hermione sighed, and turned towards the action. Gryffindor had the Quaffle, and Ron, even from far away, looked relieved that it was nowhere near where he was. She searched the skies, and eventually found Harry circling the pitch, ever the watchful Seeker.

He looks so free…she thought. With barely a care in the world. He’s not a hunted man anymore. He’s so happy. Everyone is so happy. If only – but her thoughts were interrupted by a shrieking Ginny.

“Great Merlin! Hermione, look!� Hermione’s eyes darted around the field until they came to something that had never been seen before in Hogwarts history. Harry was chasing the Snitch…and Malfoy wasn’t following. Now, Hermione may not know a lot about Quidditch, but she knew that this was definitely not supposed to be happening.

“What’s he doing?� she whispered to herself. Almost immediately after, Malfoy shook his head slightly and shot off on his broom.

“MALFOY TAKES OFF AFTER POTTER!� shouted the commentator. Everyone’s eyes were on the speeding Slytherin, who was nearly a blur. Surprisingly, he was gaining on Harry. He was a few meters behind, then at his ankles, and in practically no time at all they were neck-and-neck, arms reaching for the tiny, fluttering Snitch. The whole crowd seemed to be holding its breath, wondering who would be the victor. But apparently fate was not on Malfoy’s side that day, for seconds before Harry’s fingers grasped the Snitch, a bludger went crashing right into his head.

~*~*~*~

“Did you see how hard the ferret fell?� Ron repeated for nearly the twentieth time since the game had ended.

“Ron, seriously, can you just drop it? We all know ‘how hard the ferret fell,’� said an exasperated Hermione, quoting with her fingers and mocking Ron’s voice. They were in the common room, waiting until it was time to head down to dinner.

“But Hermione, he deserved it!�

“Deserved it? What did he do to deserve it?�

“Oh, so you’re sticking up for him now, are you?�

“No. I just don’t think he 'deserved' to get hit in the head with a bludger! Now can we just drop this, and go to dinner?� Hermione got up and headed toward the portrait hole, determined to end the conversation, not to mention that her stomach was rumbling loudly.

“Whatever you say, Hermione,� Ron said sarcastically while linking arms with Lavender and stepping out into the hall.

“Don’t talk to me like that, Ron.�

“Oy, now you sound like my mother!�

“Do not!�

“Do too!�

“Will you two shut up?! You sound like two old witches!� exclaimed Ginny from behind them, clearly very frustrated.

“Ginny, she’s sticking up for the bloody ferret and sounding like Mum!� Ron whined, throwing out his arms for dramatic affect.

“So…?�

“So, something’s wrong with her! Hermione, you haven’t talked like my Mum in ages. I thought you stopped doing that! Now you’re even sticking up for the sodding ferret! Why?�

Hermione stopped. Why had she been sticking up for Malfoy? She’d never said one good thing about him before, and now she was sticking up for him. But still…something about him had changed. She didn’t know quite what it was, but it definitely had happened. She slowly turned around and looked Ron in the eye.

“He’s different.�

“Oh, he’s different. That explains a whole lot,� Ron snorted.

“Can we just forget about this?�

“No, we can’t just forget about it! You’re sticking up for Mr. Ferret, the boy who calls you a Mudblood! Just because your parents are muggles doesn’t make you any less of a witch! And you’re defending him!�

“Just because his father was a Death Eater doesn’t make him any less of a wizard either, Ron.�

Now this clearly hit a nerve. No one had ever thought of their prejudice towards Malfoy the same as his prejudice towards Hermione. Most of the surrounding Gryffindors gaped, and Ron looked like he’d been smacked across the face.

“You…I…� Ron struggled to find the right words.

“Yes, I know, you didn’t mean it that way. That’s how it always is with you, isn’t it?� her eyes filled with tears.

“Hermione, don’t cry, this is silly…�

“Don’t tell me what to do Ron. I’m a big girl, and I can defend who I want to. You just need to actually think sometimes,� and then Hermione ran off, her appetite completely lost.

“I have to say,� started Harry, “That she has been a bit moody today. But she kind of has a point, Ron.�

Ron looked at his best friend then huffed off towards the Great Hall, Lavender running after him the whole way.

~*~*~*~

Draco woke up with a splitting headache and a purple bruise the size of Britain. Adjusting his eyes to the light, he groaned when he saw Madame Pomfrey approaching with a glass full of what looked like lime green goo.

Sit up, Mr. Malfoy! Once you take this, you can be straight out of here.�

Why, to make room for all the other patients? Malfoy thought, glancing around the empty ward. Still, he took the glass, grimaced, and chugged the disgusting stuff down. Immediately, the tension released on his head and he swore he could feel the swelling go down.

“What exactly happened to me? I don’t remember…� Malfoy asked, straining his mind to remember the end of the Quidditch match.

“You took a bludger straight to the head, Mr. Malfoy. It'll be a while until that memory comes back, so don’t go straining your mind. Your head is in a bad condition already. Now, head of to dinner before there’s nothing left!�

Malfoy stood to get up and was quickly shooed out by the old nurse. He made his way towards the Great Hall, but realized that after the green goop his stomach didn’t want anything else.

There she goes again, ruining my appetite, he thought bitterly.

With nearly half an hour until dinner would be finished and two hours after that until curfew, Malfoy found himself wandering the halls. His memory had come back, and he was thinking about the Quidditch game. What had happened to him? Usually he was so focused in games, but this time, one second nothing is happening and the next Potter’s been chasing after the Snitch for two solid minutes! Malfoy had not been pleased with himself. Then again, was he really himself? He seemed so different lately, and though he knew why, he didn’t like it one bit.

Pushing the thought from his mind, he started to look at all the various tapestries and paintings surrounding him. He studied Barnabas the Barmy, a drunken Sir Cadogan, and a rather fat lady (little did he know what lay behind her!), and he quickly grew bored. He walked down to the ground floor, and decided to head out to the lake.

He strode across the grass and walked around the lake a bit until he came to his favorite spot. It was a large willow tree, and underneath was a flat rock, large enough to lie down on. He half-smiled to himself as he walked towards it in the dark. He didn’t hear the crying.

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Confrontations

Harry sighed as he sat across from his best friend at dinner. Ron was stuffing his face angrily, completely ignoring Lavender as she desperately tried to calm him down. After nearly ten minutes with no success, she gave up and started to chat to Parvati Patil, giving her boyfriend one final glare before turning her back on him. Ron glared back as he shoved a large piece of meatloaf in his mouth and struggled to swallow, then looked at Harry.

“Who the bloody hell is she kidding anyway?� He said it loud enough that several Gryffindor first years yelped and hastened to move further down the table. Ron looked around and lowered his voice slightly. “I mean, come on! Malfoy being different is about as likely as all those Death Eaters coming back and trying to take over the world again!�

Harry didn’t exactly know what to say. He knew that Hermione was right, but he had suffered the wrath of Ron before and didn’t want to risk anything. He finally just mumbled ‘yeah,’ and became very interested in the treacle tart that had appeared in front of him.

“You agree with me Harry, right? Like I said, who’s she kidding? Nobody ever really liked Malfoy if they weren’t in Slytherin, and now all of those people have shunned him too! Why is she, of all people, defending his sorry ass? He’s such a –� but Harry interrupted him before a very Ron-like string of colorful language filled the room.

“Give it a rest for a while, okay? You know how Hermione gets when you two get in a row about something she believes in….� Both of them shuddered slightly at the memory of S.P.E.W., and Harry half smiled at his friend’s obsessive antics.

“Yeah, but seriously Harry, why? Why is she sticking up for Malfoy?�

“I dunno…but I bet she has some good reason…she is Hermione, after all.�

“I guess…just don’t expect me to be overly nice to her yet, okay?�

Harry groaned inwardly as Ron tucked into his pudding. Oh well…he thought, remembering all of the squabbles that Ron and Hermione always had. At least I made some progress….

~*~*~*~

Hermione didn’t really know where she was going when she ran away from her outburst with Ron. Her feet just seemed to be taking her where they pleased, barely letting her catch a glimpse at where she was. Before she knew it, she had run all the way out into the cold night and right up to the lake. She plopped herself down onto the damp grass, and leaned against a rock. A sudden gust of icy wind made her hug her knees to her chest, and she realized that her warm wool cloak was lying on her bed high up in Gryffindor tower. She tilted her head back to look at the twinkling navy blue sky, and that’s when the tears that had been threatening to fall finally slid down her cheeks.

She was so confused, and could never remember a time where her thoughts felt so out of control. She had had some crazy ideas before, but they all had good reasoning behind them – at least, what was good reasoning to Hermione. But now, no matter how hard she tried, her reasoning made no sense…and yet she still believed it. It was so unlike her and so like her at the same time; unlike her for not having good reasoning or a well thought out idea, like her for being too stubborn to give it up. There was something different about Malfoy, and even though she couldn’t put her finger on it, it was there.

In the middle of her sobs, Hermione let out an anguished “UGH!� and hit the soft ground with her fist. What is it about him? Why am I so…so…emphatic…about him being different? He’s Malfoy, he’ll always be Malfoy…and yet…and she gave another frustrated cry into the night that no one but the giant squid heard.

She didn’t know how long she stayed there crying. All she knew was that the sky was slowly becoming blacker and the stars brighter as the still, empty grounds swallowed up her sobs. She eventually grew quiet, but tears still rolled down her face as she rocked back and forth, attempting to soothe herself. She felt nearly at peace when she heard footsteps coming her way, and turned around to see just the person who troubled her.

He obviously hadn’t seen her yet because he sighed somewhat happily as he walked towards the rock that Hermione was leaning against. Hermione quickly wiped her face on her robes and stood up, glaring at Malfoy for destroying the peace that had almost reached her mind. His eyes widened when he saw her, and in the moment that he had stood there shocked, Hermione yelled “Go away!� in a voice that shook slightly. A new tear formed in her eye and she quickly wiped it away.

“Why should I?� Malfoy had reacted quickly and sneered, although his sneer didn’t look as heartfelt as it had in years past.

Hermione really didn’t want to have to explain everything she was feeling in order to answer his question, and instead sniffed and turned around, hugging herself. “Just…just go away, okay?�

“No. This is my favorite spot and I want it. You leave.� Malfoy said this pompously, but again, it didn’t sound like he meant it as much as he would’ve if it were six months earlier. Hermione turned on her heel, her eyes still puffy, and looked him in the eye. It was dark, and although she couldn’t see his face clearly, she sensed that he wasn’t smirking…again, something the old Malfoy would’ve done in a heartbeat.

“Have you ever even considered that maybe it could be someone else’s favorite spot too?�

Malfoy stroked his chin, pretending to think, looked back at Hermione, and said, as she was expecting, “Hmm…no.�

“Oh sod off, you ferret, and let somebody be at peace for a change!� Anger had suddenly coursed through Hermione’s veins, and it took Malfoy off guard.

“Let you be at peace? Ha! If anyone needs to be at peace, it’s me!�

“And why would that be?�

A deafening silence followed. Hermione had drawn herself to her full height, which wasn’t all that tall, but she still had a look about her that was menacing, daring Malfoy to answer her question. Malfoy’s jaw stiffened and his eyes narrowed. He looked down at Hermione and locked his eyes on hers.

“You don’t know what I’ve been through,� he whispered.

“And what have you been through exactly?�

“Nothing that I feel the need to tell you.�

“Mind if I guess then?� Malfoy’s left eyebrow rose slightly, then beckoned for her to continue.

“Let’s see,� Hermione stroked her chin, and then raised a finger in mock realization, “I know! You were a daddy’s boy! Always following him, wanting to please him, I know how you were – you’d do anything to get praise from your dearly beloved father,� she spat the word and took a breath.

“Last year you were finally old enough to do the thing that Daddy wanted most. You joined the ranks of the Death Eaters, too young to be branded but old enough to do Voldemort’s bidding – oh, shut up, it’s just a name – and then your dear old dad displeased Voldemort and he came and killed off your parents. He tried to get you too, I know it, why would he start something that he could so easily finish off? But no, you were gone, you escaped….Because you’re a coward! A coward that always had to have big cronies to back him up! Who attacked people just because of who they were! And yet you were afraid of me when I hit you in third year! You say all these things to get a rise out of me, just for fun, but when you do get that rise you’re afraid! You’re nothing but a coward Malfoy! A coward that convinced himself he was better just because of his parentage! A coward that thinks he deserves peace just because he’s an orphan! Do you see Harry begging for peace! No! I noticed that something was different about you today, but it obviously wasn’t this! So sod off Malfoy, and leave me alone! YOU ARE NOTHING – BUT – A – COWARD!�

Hermione had screamed those last few words, and took a deep breath to fill her empty lungs. All of her anger at him for the past seven years had finally come out in one big scream, and she felt lighter, as if a huge load had been taken off of her back. Malfoy, on the other hand, looked awful, but only for a moment. It took Hermione a second to realize what was coming, and she braced herself for his anger.

“How – how DARE you insult me like that! How DARE you insult the memory of my parents like that! You don’t know anything, you awful little wench, so don’t you EVER accuse me, or my family, like that again!�

“What do you mean by ‘you don’t know anything’? Of course I know! I’ve seen you with them, Malfoy, don’t act like you were never a part of them!�

“You don’t know anything, that’s why I said it! And dammit, aren’t you supposed to be smart? I never denied being a part of them! Didn’t Dumbledore tell his precious little witch why he knew when the Dark Lord was going to attack?!�

Hermione paused at these words. What in the name of Merlin is he talking about?

“No,� she stuck out her chin defiantly, “but Dumbledore is the most brilliant wizard of the century, if not in the history of our world! He knows things that other people don’t!� Hermione felt confident in her words, but that feeling was soon wiped away when Malfoy smirked.

“Ha,� he laughed quietly, “so Dumbledore hasn’t told you. See Granger, you don’t know everything.�

“And what difference does it make if he told me or not? And what does this have to do with you being a coward?�

“Everything.� Hermione suddenly felt very confused. What hadn’t Dumbledore told her? And why is it so important? Dumbledore had kept her informed of everything going on during the war….

“What are you talking about Malfoy?� she asked, still not believing him entirely. A small pause followed, where Malfoy seemed to decide whether or not to disclose this information with one of his least favorite people.

“I told him,� he whispered, “I told him everything; his plans, his whereabouts, anything I had heard in the meetings. I don’t know why…up until that time I had been completely faithful to the Dark Lord. Something in my gut told me to do it, instinct, I guess. For a few hours it felt like everything was going to be okay,� his voice faltered slightly. He coughed in an effort to hide it, and then continued.

“But nothing turned out to be okay after all. I should’ve known that he would come after me, but I was too foolish to realize it. He broke in, and he went after my father first, but…� he took a shaky breath, “but my mother tried to save him. He killed both of them. He looked everywhere for me, but Dumbledore had already taken me here to Hogwarts where I would be safe. He thought I deserved to live after all that I had done for him. The Dark Lord destroyed my house and everything in it. The only things I have are those that I brought with me here when Dumbledore took me,� he looked at Hermione and she was shocked to see tears swimming in his eyes. This time, a long silence filled the air, and it became incredibly awkward for Hermione.

“And that, Granger, is why I deserve some peace. I have nothing anymore. I still have money, but I don’t need it. All of my close family is gone; either dead, or living without a soul. Don’t you dare accuse me of being a coward…I risked everything, and because of that, I lost everything too.�

What happened next was something Hermione never expected to see. Malfoy himself didn’t expect it either, and yet it happened all the same. With the moonlight shining on his pale blonde hair, and his eyes glittering from reliving his nightmare, Draco Malfoy dropped to his knees – and cried.

---

Disclaimer: I do not own the song used in this chapter.

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An Angel

Hermione looked on in shocked amazement as Malfoy’s sobs began to fill the air. Was this really happening? Had Malfoy really started to cry in front of her, of all people? As she continued to stand there, the realization of it all washed over her.

He told Dumbledore? It was him? No wonder nearly all of the Slytherins hate him now. He practically ruined their lives….

At this thought, a new feeling towards Malfoy came over Hermione; pity. He really had lost it all. She felt disgusted with herself that she had yelled all of those nasty, terrible things at him, even if the majority of them were true. Yet the main point of her outburst wasn’t a part of that majority – after this reluctant confession, she saw that he wasn’t a coward after all. He had been more brave then Hermione had ever been, and she a Gryffindor! He had risked everything. His very own life had been at stake, and still, he had escaped a cruel death.

Hermione continued to watch the sorry sight. Her feet were rooted to the ground, unable to move, unable to leave him in such an emotional time of need. But even though she stayed, she didn’t have a clue what to do. She just stood there, debating with herself on the action she should take next. She was so immersed in thought that she didn’t hear the sudden muffled chatter of students walking back to their common rooms or the very distinct yell of ‘Hermione!’ that was clearly Ron and Harry looking for her.

As the minutes slowly ticked on Malfoy still cried, releasing the tears that he had refused to shed. Hermione watched as his back heaved, his pale blonde hair catching the moonlight making it look like soft silver. His face was in his hands, muffling his cries, and he sat back on his heels, slowly rocking back and forth just as Hermione had done not too long before. He looked so vulnerable and so innocent, despite all of the evil deeds that were to his name.

She couldn’t take it anymore. She couldn’t stand to look at him as he cried, as he proved to her that he had changed. For once, she was scared that she was right. It was so much easier to handle the old Malfoy, but the new one presented problems. She didn’t have any idea of what to do, so she slowly turned and began to walk away.

She didn’t get very far before she stopped. She couldn’t leave him like this, not while he was crying his heart out. Turning around again, she walked towards him, her mind and heart furiously debating what she was about to do.

~*~*~*~

He didn’t expect her to stay. Of course he hadn’t. It would have been insane to think that she would; they were sworn enemies after all. The incident in their third year had proved that. She wouldn’t stay after all of those things he had done and said to her for the past six years. It didn’t matter that she had thought he had changed. He knew that she would perhaps consider it, then walk away deciding that he deserved to be alone.

He heard her start to move away, and it shocked him to find that it made him cry even more. To think that he was hurting from Hermione Granger leaving him was astounding. But he realized that in his time of desperate need for someone else, he had no one. Only one person alive knew about the true nightmare in his memory, and she was walking away, hurting him more then she would ever know.

He kept on crying, his mind stuck on the fact that he was all alone. He had lost it all, everything that mattered, and no one seemed to care about the pain he was in. Dumbledore knew, but he never bothered to check up with him. The Slytherins knew, but they loathed him for ruining the chances of the Dark Lord coming to power. And Hermione knew, but she was walking away that very minute, making the moment even worse then it would’ve been.

Just when he thought he couldn’t take it anymore, two small arms wrapped around him. He looked to see a head of thick, curly hair, and suddenly realized that he was embracing her in return.

She came back! He thought, amazed. She came back!

One hand tangled in her mess of hair, he sobbed into Hermione’s shoulder. In return, she held him tight and stroked his hair in a reassuring, motherly sort of way. She rocked him back and forth, and his cries became softer and quieter. He still held her tight, frightened that if he let go his world would come crashing down on him for the second time that night. She continued to rock him, and ever so quietly began to sing into his ear.

No mountain’s too high, for you to climb
All you have to do, is have some climbing faith
No river’s too wide for you to make it across
All you have to do, is believe it when you pray
And then you will see, the morning will come
And every day will be bright as the sun
So all of your fears, cast them on me
I just want you to see…
I’ll be your cloud up in the sky
I’ll be your shoulder when you cry
I’ll hear your voice when you call me
I am your angel
And when all hope is gone, I’m here
No matter how far you are, I’m near
It makes no difference who you are
I am your angel
I’m your angel
I saw the teardrops, and I heard you cry
All you need is time, seek me and you shall find
You lost everything and you’re so lonely
It don’t have to be this way
Let me show you a better day…
And when it's time to face the storm
I'll be right by your side
Grace will keep us safe and warm
And I know we will survive
And when it seems as if your end is drawing near
Don't you dare give up the fight
Just put your trust beyond the sky...
I’ll be your cloud up in the sky
I’ll be your shoulder when you cry
I’ll hear your voice when you call me
I am your angel
And when all hope is gone, I’m here
No matter how far you are, I’m near
It makes no difference who you are
I am your angel
I’m your angel…
I’m your angel…

She finished with a soft melodious note, and didn’t speak another word. Draco has stopped crying somewhere in the middle of her beautiful song, but still clutched her tight. They stayed like that for quite some time, in a silence that was anything but awkward. It felt right just to be there in each other’s presence without saying anything at all.

He heard the castle’s clock chime ten; they were an hour passed curfew. Slowly, Hermione untangled herself from his grasp and stood up. With a soft smile she walked away. There had been no need for her to speak – Draco knew she said ‘Goodnight.’

~*~*~*~

Hermione managed to get herself back to Gryffindor tower without being spotted by Filch or Peeves. She had thought she had seen Mrs. Norris out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned there was nothing there. When she stepped through the portrait hole, no one seemed to notice her arrival. There were a few fifth, sixth, and seventh years still up doing homework, but Harry and Ron were not a part of that group.

She slowly ambled up the stairs to her dormitory and was pleased to see that there was only one girl there, Lavender, and she was already asleep. Hermione slipped into her nightgown, crawled into her cozy four-poster, and drew the curtains shut. She leaned back with a small sigh.

Today sure was eventful….

A small smile graced her lips as she thought this. Today would be a day she would always remember, despite the craziness of it all. Today she had seen the real Malfoy, and in the oddest of circumstances. As Hermione snuggled down under the covers, one thought flew through her mind before sleep took her.

I said I was his angel….

~*~*~*~

Many floors below, Draco Malfoy thought the same thing. He was struggling to sleep as the events of that night kept creeping into his mind. She had stayed when everyone else would’ve left him. She had seen the real Draco that night, and surprisingly, Draco was okay with that. He felt no regret whatsoever for showing her that side of him. The only words that bothered him were the ones that replayed over and over in his head.

‘I’m your angel….’

Little did Draco know that the next morning, he wouldn’t lay in a blank trance as usual. He actually had something to think about, something that mattered to him. It would amaze him that this something was Hermione Granger, but after all…she was his angel.

---

A/N: If you have any constructive criticism, I'd be really happy to hear what you have to say. This is my first fic and I want it to be the best that it can be. Also, just note that I changed the lyrics for one of the lines in the song only slightly to make it fit the story better (in case any of you picked up on that), and I cut some of it out for length purposes.

---

Thank You

Hermione awoke reluctantly, wishing that she could’ve slept longer. She had had that dream again, and as always, hated to see it end. My subconscious is so cruel…she thought. Why can’t I just see his face? But while she loved this dream, she was curious. Why was she having a recurring dream? And why this one? Before she could think about it anymore, her thoughts were interrupted by the soft, but ecstatic voice of Parvati.

“Seamus invited me to his house for the holidays!�

“Why didn’t you tell me?� asked Lavender, who was also awake. She sounded hurt that she didn’t know this information already.

“He only asked me last night. I was going to tell you, but you were already asleep.�

“You could’ve woken me up…� Hermione heard Parvati sigh at Lavender’s response, and chose this moment to open the curtains that surrounded her.

“G’morning girls,� she said sleepily while she crawled out of bed.

“Morning, Hermione!� Lavender replied brightly as she walked towards the bathroom with her school clothes in her hands.

“So, Parvati, Seamus asked you to stay with him for Christmas?� Hermione asked while trying to find her socks.

“Yes!� she squealed, “Oh, I hope that Mum and Dad will say it’s okay. Padma’s going home, and so they might want me to come home too.�

“I’m sure they’ll let you go,� Hermione replied, although somewhat absentmindedly. She had found one sock, and was now looking for its mate. Eventually she found it and gathered up the rest of her clothes. She walked into the bathroom, and after making sure a towel was within reach, she stepped into the shower.

As the warm water washed over her, her mind wandered back to the previous night. She still couldn’t believe that Malfoy had opened up, and to her of all people. He had told her everything there was to tell, cried, and accepted her sympathy. I really was spot on with that one, she thought. He is different, and the tragedy of his life caused that. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He had lost everything to help the good side, and even he didn’t know why he risked it.

Hermione turned the water off and grabbed the nearby towel. After drying off, she wrapped the towel around her and walked out of the shower. She dressed quickly and sat down at her vanity, right next to Lavender. The girl seemed deep in thought, but after glancing at Hermione, she spoke.

“What’s Ron’s house like?�

Hermione smiled, as she was used to Lavender’s questions about Ron and his home life. At first Lavender had been jealous of how close the two were, but soon learned that there was definitely nothing more than friendship between them. Lately she had been asking Hermione a lot more questions than usual. Apparently, Ron didn’t talk about home all that much. Lavender wasn’t sure why, but Hermione knew it was because he was still embarrassed about his lack of wealth.

“It’s lovely. Tiny and cozy, and so interesting that you could spend months there and still find new things. It’s always full of great smells too. Mrs. Weasley is the best cook that I know.� A smile had spread on Hermione’s face as she spoke. There were tons of great memories that she had from The Burrow. Lavender smiled too, but then frowned slightly.

“I hope he invites me to go there for Christmas. He hasn’t even mentioned Christmas yet, and it’s less than a month away,� Lavender’s frown deepened, and she looked at Hermione.

“How about I drop the hint to him for you, Lavender? Sometimes he just needs a little help.�

Lavender smiled gratefully and said thank you as she walked back into the dormitory. Hermione turned her attention back to herself. Gazing at her mess of hair, she grimaced. Try as she might to tame it, she was never all that successful. Occasionally she would charm it but soon the spell would wear off and her hair would regain its bushiness. Today she decided just to run a brush through it and wrestle it back into a ponytail. After doing so, she inspected her face for spots. Satisfied with her skin, she brushed her teeth and put on some lip balm. Knowing that she didn’t need anything more than that, she walked back to her bed and folded her pajamas. The house elves may insist on making my bed, she thought (she had tried to make it once but came back to find that it had been remade), but at least I can do this.

Grabbing her school bag, Hermione walked down to the common room where she was greeted by Harry.

“Hey Hermione,� he said, “Where’d you run off to last night? You never came to dinner.�

Hermione wasn’t quite sure how she should answer that question. She was saved though, by Ron walking toward the two of them. Inwardly she sighed in relief, and she smiled at the redhead.

“Good morning, Ron!� she said brightly, but got no response. Ron brushed past her and went to talk to Dean. Hermione gazed at him for a moment, and turned back to Harry, hurt written across her face.

“Don’t worry about it. He’s still a little worked up about the fight you two had last night. I talked to him, and he should be over it by dinner. Maybe lunch, if we’re lucky.� Harry gave Hermione a reassuring smile, and they stepped through the portrait hole to go to breakfast. She suddenly noticed the absence of Harry’s girlfriend.

“Where’s Ginny?�

“She’s already at breakfast. Now, Hermione, will you please tell me where you went last night? I was worried about you.�

A knot tied up in Hermione’s stomach. Should she really tell him what happened last night? No doubt Malfoy would be upset if she told Harry. But…she thought, what he doesn’t know can’t hurt him. And she knew she could trust Harry with the information.

“I went out to the lake…and I had a bit of a run-in with Malfoy.� Harry stopped in his tracks, anger heating his face.

“Malfoy? Did he do anything to you? I swear I’ll hex him into next year if he did!�

“Well, I guess he kind of did something,� Hermione contemplated, and then saw how furious Harry looked, “But it was nothing like that, Harry! He didn’t hurt me! He…he…erm…told me a very sad story.�

Hermione spent the next ten minutes telling Harry exactly what had happened out at the lake. She hesitated for a moment before telling him that she held Malfoy while he cried, but it came out anyway. She described how she had soothed him, and that her song had made his tears stop. By the end of her tale, Harry had a very interesting look on face and Hermione couldn’t tell what it meant.

“Harry? Harry, please say something.� Harry looked her in the eye, and she could see the shock in his eyes.

“He told Dumbledore? It was him?�

“Yes.�

“And Voldemort killed his parents?�

“Yes.�

“And Dumbledore kept him safe?�

“Yes, Harry. Why are you making me repeat myself?�

“It’s just…wow,� he let out a low whistle, “You were right.�

“I guess so,� she replied, feeling her cheeks flush slightly, “but I didn’t know that he did that.�

“I don’t think anyone would’ve guessed that, Hermione. He’s a Malfoy, and no one would expect that from a Malfoy.�

The pair walked in silence the rest of the way to the Great Hall. Hermione was happy that she told Harry what had happened. He was the type of person who would understand. She would tell Ginny soon, but she would need a longer amount of time to convince her that Malfoy wasn’t so bad. It was his father, after all, who had secretly given her Tom Riddle’s diary. As for Ron, well, she’d have to wait a while until she could tell him. He would be too stubborn about it, and they’d probably end up fighting again.

At last they reached the doors to the Great Hall, but Hermione put out a hand to stop Harry.

“Please don’t tell Ron, Harry. He wouldn’t understand, not yet anyway. I’ll tell Ginny later.�

Harry nodded in response, and the two walked toward the Gryffindor table, absolutely famished.

~*~*~*~

Draco saw her as she walked in with Potter. She sat down with her back to him, but he could tell that she was laughing at something that Ginny Weasley had just said. He gazed at her for a few more moments, and then returned to eating. He was alone at the Slytherin table, as usual, but he didn’t feel as isolated as he had before. He had finally told someone what had happened, and that was all that he needed to do.

A loud, musical laugh filled the air, and Draco looked up to see Hermione clutching her sides, shaking with laughter. He smiled, and realized that everything today seemed so much better than all of the days before. The sky seemed brighter, the laughter seemed louder, and the food seemed to taste better. He wondered if Hermione was the cause of this. If so, he liked it. The feeling felt a little strange, but it was nice to be happy again. Well, he thought, maybe happy isn’t the right word quite yet. But I’m a hell of a lot happier than I was before.

~*~*~*~

The rest of the day was pretty normal for Hermione. In Charms they continued to work on the Sleeping Charm nonverbally, which she had been the first to master after only three tries. Transfiguration was considerably harder, as they were changing pigs into dogs. Arithmancy was quite complicated, and Professor Vector set them an essay that had to be at least 18 inches long, due the following week. Her only other class that day, Ancient Runes, was spent reviewing what they had learned in the past two weeks.

During lunch, Hermione had met with Ginny in the back of the library, telling her exactly what she had told Harry. She didn’t look too convinced, but said that if Hermione felt that he was okay, then he was okay with her. After all, in all the years of his tormenting, it had been Hermione that he had hurt the most. If she could say that he had changed, then it was probably true.

Now, Hermione was trudging up the stairs from the Ancient Runes classroom to the Gryffindor common room. She was going to drop off her things, and then head on down to dinner. She was starving since she had only grabbed an apple for lunch, and wanted to get to the wonderful food as quickly as possible.

She gave the password to the Fat Lady, and darted through the common room and up the stairs. She threw her bag onto her bed, and paused for a moment to catch her breath. Then she skipped on down the stairs and walked very quickly through the common room, only stopping once to pick up Neville’s toad and hand it back to him. Finally she was back in the halls and making her way downstairs.

When she reached the third floor, she saw him. He was walking toward her, his long, lean body gliding quickly through the shadows. His blonde hair fell into his eyes, and he brushed it away with a flick of the wrist. When he was about five feet away from her, he stopped.

They looked at each other in silence for a while. His silvery, gray eyes searched deep within her brown ones. Like the night before, the silence was not awkward. Both of them realized in that moment that they understood each other, and that their relationship would never be the same again.

A loud crash from the floor below shook them back into reality. Draco flushed slightly, the pink contrasting with his pale skin. Hermione half-smiled, and began to walk away, but turned back around when she heard him speak.

“Wait.� Hermione could hear in his voice that he needed to say something. She nodded her head a little as a gesture for him to continue.

“Thank you.� And with a swish of his robes, he was gone.

~*~*~*~

She whooped in delight as she read the letter the owl had brought her. She had been hiding for far too long, and now she knew that in only a few months time, she could reveal herself. Continuing to whoop and laugh with glee, she hastily wrote a reply, and sent the owl off again.

Only a few more months, she thought, a wicked grin forming on her lips. Only a few more months, and that brat will wish he had never been born!

---

Christmas Is Coming


November faded into December, and the holidays were approaching quickly. The castle was filled with the annual cheer, and even Draco Malfoy lit up slightly at the thought of Christmas. Hogwarts would be fairly empty, and as he learned earlier in the week, he would be the only seventh year Slytherin sticking around. Not like I have a choice…he thought, but he wasn’t too bitter about it. He’d finally have some peace and quiet, and he wouldn’t have to endure the usual sneers from his house-mates.

He’d feel kind of lonely though; he couldn’t deny that. Ever since that moment with Hermione, he had been feeling lonely. Before then, he had come to peace with the fact that no one liked him and was fine with being alone. After Hermione, though, he knew that someone cared. And although he appreciated her for it, he cursed her at the same time. How can nearly two bloody hours make me so damn uncomfortable? he asked himself, even though deep down he knew the answer.

Draco sighed, frustrated, and leaned back in the armchair he occupied. Staring at the bleak, stone ceiling he wondered if the Slytherin common room could appear any more miserable. It’s wet, it’s cold, there’s only a sliver of sunlight….

“Malfoy.�

Startled, Draco jumped out of his daze and looked up at the face of one of his former friends.

“Zabini,� he responded coldly, hiding the hope that someone with at least some prestige was actually going to talk to him again.

“You’re in my way.�

Draco glanced around, and sure enough, his chair was blocking Zabini’s path to the portrait hole. Without letting his icy façade fall, Draco scooted in his chair. The tall, dark boy glided past him without another word, and Draco mentally beat himself.

What were you thinking...He hates you...your place in Slytherin society is ruined....

Draco made a mental note to always think before his instincts got the best of him. Or rather, when they got the worst.

~*~*~*~

Hermione sat on her bed skimming through Advanced Transfiguration while Lavender and Parvati were packing for the holidays. Parvati had been given permission to go with Seamus, and although she was a little perturbed that Padma wasn’t handling it well, she was excited.

“A few weeks with Seamus all to myself!� she squealed while folding a skirt gently and placing it in her trunk. “I’ve never been to Ireland either. Ooh, I just can’t wait!�

“I can’t either!� came the muffled voice of Lavender from underneath her bed. She reappeared clutching a pair of pajamas and after cleaning them with a wave of her wand, she stuffed them into her trunk. “Hermione, I really owe you one. I bet I’m going to have so much fun at the Burrow!�

“The Burrow?� Parvati repeated, one eyebrow raised.

“Yeah, doesn’t it sound cozy?� said Lavender, smiling as she sat on her trunk to close it. A silent moment passed, and when Hermione looked up she saw both girls looking at her intently.

“Why aren’t you packing, Hermione? Did you do it earlier?� Lavender asked.

“Oh…no.�

“Aren’t you coming to the Burrow too?�

“No. Did Ron say that I was?�

“Yes, actually.�

Hermione sighed. There Ron went, assuming things as usual. “Sorry Lavender, but you and Ginny will be the only girls at the Burrow this time.�

As Lavender’s face fell, Parvati asked, “Then where are you going?�

“I’m going to stay here. It’s our last year at Hogwarts. I want to spend as much time here as I can.�

“Bookworm,� Lavender smirked. Within an instant, her face was full of pillow. She returned the favor, which resulted in a full-out pillow fight. Shrieks of laughter could be heard all the way down in the common room. Glancing towards the dormitory stairs, Ron furrowed his brow before returning to beating Harry at a game of wizard’s chess.

“Girls…� he sighed, and then looked up at Harry triumphantly.

“Check mate!�

~*~*~*~

Draco slowly walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Everyone was leaving for the holidays right now, so the hallways were considerably empty. He wasn’t sad that nearly the whole school was leaving this year, in fact, he was somewhat happy. He felt calm, rested, and absolutely – soaked.

Peeves guffawed from up above him. He blew a loud raspberry and pointed, tumbling through the air.

“Aww, is poor wittle Dwakie all wet?� Draco boiled with rage.

“Peeves! Why I –�

“Oh, is wittle Dwakie making thweats?�

“Do you want me to get the Bloody Baron?� Peeves stopped laughing and immediately came to attention. Sweeping his belled hat off of his head, he said “My deepest apologies, Mister Malfoy,� and flew off.

Ruffled and angry, Draco dried himself and huffed the rest of the way to the Great Hall. Walking through the doors, he saw that it was mostly kids from lower years staying. Scanning the room, he took a quick estimate – a couple Slytherins, a handful of Ravenclaws, seven Hufflepuffs, and ten Gryffindors. Yup, I’m all alone this Christmas…how surprising…he thought sarcastically as he stalked over to the Slytherin table. Settling down, he poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice and grabbed a piece of toast. While he ate, he looked around the room again. There were only a few professors at the staff table; McGonagall, Flitwick, Vector, and Dumbledore. While he wondered where teachers could possibly go for the holidays, the doors to the hall opened. His eyes slowly made their way over towards the noise, and then widened at the realization of who it was.

Make that eleven Gryffindors…

~*~*~*~

“What do you mean you’re not coming to the Burrow?�

“Ron, when did I ever tell you that I was?�

“Well, you didn’t tell me that you weren’t!�

“Oy, Ron, we’ve got five minutes!� Harry ran up to the bickering teenagers, pointing to his watch. He looked back and forth between the two, and upon seeing their red faces, asked, “What now?�

“She didn’t tell me that she wasn’t coming to the Burrow for Christmas!� Ron said heatedly, pointing accusingly at Hermione. Harry looked at her.

“You’re not?�

“No, I’m not,� she said, still glowering at Ron, “I’m staying here.�

“But why?� asked Ron, exasperatedly.

“Oh Ron, seriously, you know me better than that! This is my last year at Hogwarts,� she said, and then her voice softened, “I want to make the most of it.�

Harry couldn’t help but smile at his friend and warmly embraced her. “Well, have a happy Christmas, Hermione, with whoever’s left here.�

Hermione hugged him back, and then turned to hug Ron. The train whistle blew, and the two boys ran on board. Hermione yelled, “Tell everyone Happy Christmas for me!� and they waved as the train slowly disappeared from view. She sighed, and turned around to trudge through the snow back to Hogwarts.

She thought about Harry’s words as she walked. Whoever’s left here… Frankly, she didn’t have a clue who was staying. She knew that she was the only Gryffindor seventh year, and there probably weren’t any six years that were staying either. She had seen Susan, Hannah, Ernie, and Justin board the train, so that ruled out any Hufflepuffs that she could spend time with. She didn’t have many friends from Ravenclaw save for Luna, who had animatedly told her just last night that her father was taking her on a trip to Spain to look for horned snigledopes.

Walking into the castle, she charmed her shoes dry and started heading toward the Great Hall. She hadn’t had breakfast yet since she had gone to see her friends off, and she was starving. Pushing open the doors, she walked to the Gryffindor table and sat near a fifth year that she had never spoken to before. While she buttered her toast, she felt a pair of eyes on her. Looking up, her own eyes widened in shock.

She had forgotten about Malfoy.

~*~*~*~

That night after dinner, Draco paced outside the Great Hall thinking about what he could possibly say.

Considering that we’re both here alone, would you mind...no, too formal. Hey Granger, I was wondering if we could…no, no, that doesn’t work. Ugh, this is so damn frustrating. Why am I even doing this? Why am I bothering? Why do I ca-

At that moment the doors opened and Hermione walked out of the Great Hall. Draco stopped. Merlin! Alright, it’s now or never…

“Hey…hey Granger!� Hermione spun around and looked at him. He hated it when she looked at him like that. She looked at him so expectantly, and it made his insides squirm uncomfortably.

“Er…I was thinking…do you…um…� She still looked at him, but a small smile tugged at her lips. She obviously thought this was funny. Come on Draco, it’s not that bad…you can do it.

“Do you want to hang out with me tomorrow? I mean you don’t have to, but seeing as we’re both alone for the holidays I was thinking…� the words came tumbling out of his mouth, and when he stopped he turned red in embarrassment. Hermione smiled slightly, and he eased a little bit.

“Alright.�

By the time that Draco realized that she had accepted, she was making her way up the stairs. Shaking his head, he started to walk towards the dungeons.

Holy mother of Merlin. Father will turn in his grave…

---

A/N: Sorry for the long wait for this chapter, but I was really busy (and uninspired for a while). Every time I tried to write I was like “ick� and backspaced. Anyway, I’m back now! I also have a one-shot coming soon called Paradise. It’s my first attempt at angst, and hopefully you’ll check it out!

---

Snowballs and Strange Sounds

Hermione rummaged through her wardrobe until she finally found her blue jumper. It was definitely going to be cold that day, and that jumper was the warmest one she had. After slipping it over her head, she ran a hand behind her neck to release her hair from the collar. While pulling a pair of pants on, she stole a look at the clock. It was 8 o’clock in the morning and all was quiet in Gryffindor Tower.

After tying up her shoes, Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. Well…she thought, this is the best I’m ever going to get, huh? By actually being myself, that is. Her mind flashed to the time in fourth year when she had taken longer than any other girl in Gryffindor to get ready for the Yule Ball. She smiled to herself. Everyone had been so shocked to see that Hermione Granger, insufferable know-it-all, could actually look pretty. However, all of that beautifying took far too long for Hermione’s liking, and she had never bothered to do it again.

Her reminiscing over, she pulled on her robes, grabbed her cloak, and meandered down to the common room. It was empty, and she guessed that the other remaining Gryffindors were still sleeping. To them, 8 o’clock was far too early to be getting up during the holidays. Hermione, on the other hand, was usually an early riser even though she liked to sleep. Like her mother always said, “The early bird gets the worm!� and Hermione had certainly gotten the worm – academically, that is.

Exiting the common room through the portrait hole, Hermione remembered how much homework she had gotten for the holidays. Sighing, she made a mental note to get started on at least two essays that night. She might even be able to get them done if she worked hard enough.

Strolling down the corridors, she finally made it to the Great Hall. Pushing the doors open, she saw that the house tables had been replaced with one smaller table. A few of the younger students and remaining professors were already eating. Hermione sat down next to a third year Hufflepuff, and cheerily said “Good morning,� to everyone. As she started on her meal, she wondered if Malfoy still remembered that she said she’d spend the day with him. Probably not, she thought. She was still uncertain about meeting with him, and convincing herself that it wasn’t going to happen was the best she could do to settle her nerves.

She barely noticed that someone was tentatively seating himself into the chair to the left of her. She mumbled a “G’morning,� as she took a sip of pumpkin juice, and didn’t even think to look at the face of the new arrival.

“Um…could you pass the marmalade?� asked the newcomer.

“Sure,� she said, and with her eyes still on her cup, she handed over the jar.

“So, uh, what were you thinking we could do today?� Finally looking up, she met a pair of gray eyes and choked on her juice.

~*~*~*~

Draco hoped that Hermione would still meet with him that day. He had a feeling that she’d change her mind, and he really didn’t want that to happen. So what if they weren’t friends; they had already started over. There was fresh ground, new insight, and hopefully, hopefully, she would be willing to give him a chance.

He could barely understand why he was so interested in her. She wasn’t very pretty, she always had her nose in a book, and she had memorized practically every fact known to mankind. She was annoying, really, but Draco was still intrigued. There was something else about her, something else that not very many people saw, and he wanted to see it.

Entering the Great Hall, he saw her tucking into her breakfast. The chair to her left was empty, and Draco took this chance with only a moment of hesitation.

“G’Morning,� she muttered, not really paying any attention to him.

“Um…could you pass the marmalade?� he asked, hoping that she would realize who was sitting next to her. Unfortunately, she still showed no sign of recognition and her eyes never left her plate.

“Sure.�

Draco was a little frustrated now. What could he possibly say to get her attention? Hmm…oh, that might work…

“So, uh, what were you thinking we could do today?� Hermione finally looked at him and her hand flew to her throat; she had choked. A bit of pumpkin juice spilled out of her cup, and a nearby Ravenclaw vanished the mess with a flick of his wand.

“Er…are you alright?� Draco asked, concerned. That comment hadn't been intended to affect her like this. She shut her eyes tightly and made a pained face. The gagging stopped, and her blood-shot eyes opened, meeting his again.

“Yeah,� she hacked once, and cleared her throat, “Yeah, I’m fine.�

“So, Granger,� he repeated himself, “what were you thinking we could do today?� He grabbed a piece of toast and spread marmalade on it. After taking a bite, he settled back in his chair and looked at the girl.

“Well, I don’t know. What do you want to do?� she asked politely, avoiding his eyes.

“It snowed last night. We could take a walk.� A walk won’t be bad. It won’t have to be awkward, right? Draco hoped that he had suggested something nice. A small smile tugged at the corners of Hermione’s lips.

“That sounds nice.�

After finishing breakfast, the two rose from the table and made their way outside. It had snowed a lot the previous night, and the entire castle grounds were covered in a blanket of white. The trees were bare and snow was caught on their boughs, ready to fall upon anyone who disturbed the peace. The lake had iced over and puffs of smoke could be seen coming from Hagrid’s hut. Draco started to set out onto the grounds, but soon noticed that Hermione wasn’t by his side.

“Granger, are you coming?� he shouted. Turning around, he saw Hermione standing on the front steps still taking in her surroundings. Even from meters away, Draco could see her eyes glisten like a child on Christmas morning.

“I almost don’t want to ruin it,� she said dreamily. She smiled for one more moment, and then walked up to Draco with a bounce in her step. He was amazed at her reaction to all of this; it was just snow, wasn’t it?

Draco voiced his opinions out loud. “It’s just snow,� he said, somewhat grumpily, and continued to walk on with Hermione by his side.

“I know. It’s so beautiful though! Everything looks like a picture perfect wonderland. And doesn’t the lake look like glass?� She pointed towards the lake, and Draco’s gaze followed her finger. He couldn’t help but smile at her childishness.

“I suppose it does.�

~*~*~*~


She stood still among the trees, watching the duo intently. Oh ho, she thought, amused, he’s with that Mudblood witch! Aw, poor daddy would’ve hated to see that. She laughed out loud, but shushed herself as she heard the boy speak.

“Did you hear that, Granger?�

“No, I didn’t hear anything.� The girl replied, a confused look upon her face.

“I think it came from over there.� The boy pointed towards the forest. Scared of being found, she pushed herself against the back of the tree. She scolded herself for making such a stupid mistake. She had freedom now and she shouldn’t risk it.

“It was probably just some animal. Come on.� The girl beckoned for him to follow. After taking one last look, he walked away.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she quietly brushed through the trees to follow them. She still couldn’t reveal herself…but it was only a matter of time.

~*~*~*~

“So, Malfoy, what do you like best about Christmastime?� Hermione ventured, trying to start a conversation.

“Presents,� he responded simply, not even smiling.

“Is that all?�

“Yes.�

“You mean you don’t like the food? Or the decorations? Or the snow?�

“Not really.�

“Do you ever play in the snow?�

“Malfoys don’t play in the snow, Granger.�

“Even when you were little?� Damn, she can be annoying! he thought viciously, before he replied.

“No. Malfoys don’t play in the snow.�

“So you’ve never had a snowball fight?�

“No Granger, and if you ask me anymore questions about snow, I’ll make you shut up.� Silence. Well, that seemed to take care of that, he thought smugly. Trudging on, it took him a while to realize that Hermione was no longer at his side. Sighing, he turned around.

“Granger, where have you – �

He didn’t get to finish his sentence. A rather large snowball had found its way to his face.

---

A/N: There you go, Chapter Seven! I hope you all aren’t mad at me about our “Mystery Person.� All will be revealed in coming chapters, I promise! Anyway, I have a new one-shot up called Paradise. It’s my first attempt at angst, and I hope that you will all take a look at it! Until next time!

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Learning

Hermione fought the overwhelming urge to giggle as Malfoy sputtered, wiping the offending snow from his face. His eyes showed his obvious rage and his jaw was set firmly. She wasn’t scared. Malfoy was all bark and no bite, no matter how hard he tried to prove otherwise.

“Granger! Why I ought to – � he started to walk towards her, pointing menacingly.

“What are you going to do? Hex me?� Hermione retorted with an air of innocence. Malfoy paused, seemingly musing over his options, and then looked around him. He smirked, and looked up at Hermione.

“Oh you’re so dead, Granger,� his eyes sparkling as he said this. Then, within an instant, he scooped up a handful of snow and lobbed it towards Hermione.

It missed by about three feet.

“Is that the best you can do?� she chuckled, and proceeded to throw another snowball at him. This one caught him square in the chest. Malfoy glared in her direction and heaved another one her way. His aim was much better this time and it hit her on her shoulder. A silent moment passed and Malfoy smiled smugly at his handiwork.

“Not bad.�

“Thanks.�

The pair locked eyes and burst out laughing. They darted around the grounds, throwing snowballs at each other in between fits of mirth. To any outsider it would have been an adorable moment. To any Hogwarts student or professor it would have been the strangest thing they had ever seen.

While this continued, Hermione wondered if this was really happening. Am I really having fun with Malfoy? Draco Malfoy? As soon as her thoughts ended, Malfoy stopped abruptly. The merriment on his face quickly flashed through an emotion that Hermione didn’t catch and then settled on stoniness.

“I’m going inside.�

Hermione stood there, confused as to why their fun ended so suddenly. Malfoy stalked toward the castle doors and clutched his cloak tighter around him. Turning around he shouted, “Oy, Granger, are you coming or are you going to stand there and freeze?�

She hurried to catch up to him and walked through the doors into a warm Hogwarts. Her day was already becoming quite interesting, and she could only wonder what the rest of it would bring.

~*~*~*~

As light as a shadow, she stole silently from tree to tree. Peering around a trunk, she looked in disgust at the sight before her. Draco was laughing and playing with this girl – and she was a Mudblood for Merlin’s sake!

This won’t sit well with the others…no way in Hell will it sit well with them.

She watched on as Draco suddenly stopped and claimed that he was going inside. He must’ve caught himself having too much fun with the Mudblood. She saw the girl look confused – or was it hurt? – as he hiked through the snow back to the castle. She snorted at the girl; who was she to think that a Malfoy would actually want to run around in the snow with her? But then, Draco called for her to follow. He was certainly being peculiar….

She pressed herself against the trunk when Draco searched the forest one last time with his eyes before entering. Thankful that she was dark and wouldn’t be easy to spot, she waited a moment before peeking back around.

Cursing her allies, she wished that she could follow them now instead of waiting. Though, either way, he would be caught unawares.

That boy won’t have a clue what hit him…. Grinning devilishly, she stole off into the depths of the forest.

~*~*~*~

Draco cursed himself as he strode towards the castle. Dammit! Why did I do that? Malfoys don’t play in the snow. I had just said that! I can’t look weak. And yes we’re being civil, but she’s already seen enough. He hoped that she hadn’t seen the sudden worry on his face, even though the emotion was only present for a moment. Malfoys didn’t worry. And they don’t play in the snow, he chided himself once more.

Continuing to mutter incoherently to himself, he waited as Hermione ambled inside. Drying his shoes and cloak, he started off down the corridor.

“Where are we going, Malfoy?� her voice sounded sincerely curious and he didn’t hesitate to respond.

“The library.�

He didn’t need to look at her to see the happiness upon her features. He could practically feel the bright smile that graced her lips and he could sense the twinkle in her eye. Hermione Granger adored books; that was common knowledge. He wasn’t doing this for her, however. Draco liked the peacefulness of the library. This is for me, he told himself. For me. Not her.

Entering the vast room, Draco walked straight to the back between two book shelves. Settling himself down at a table, he propped his feet up and leaned back in his seat. Sunlight from a nearby window washed over his face and a small smile tugged at his lips. Closing his eyes, he breathed in the peace that the library offered. His worry began to slip away and the minutes slowly ticked on.

After a while he realized that it was far too quiet. He opened his eyes and saw that Hermione had disappeared. Putting his feet back on the ground, he called out to the seemingly empty library.

“Granger?�

“I’m over here!� Her voice came from a humongous stack of books on his right. Peering around them Draco caught sight of Hermione’s bushy hair. She was sitting in her most typical pose; nose buried in a book. Glancing at the title, Draco sighed.

“You’re reading that again?�

“It’s my favorite book.�

“Hogwarts, A History is your favorite book?�

“Yes. Is there a problem with that?�

“No, but there are better –�

“Shush, I like this part.�

Hermione shoved her nose further into the book and leaned back against a table leg. Draco, not particularly fond of books himself, settled his chin into his hand and stared out of the window. Eyes roving over the landscape, he couldn’t help but think of what Hermione had said earlier.

“You mean you don’t like the food? Or the decorations? Or the snow?�

He had answered no, but now that he thought about it, it wasn’t true. He did like the food, though his mother had never bothered to make Christmas dinner when he was younger. The decorations could be a tad bit over done sometimes, but they brightened Hogwarts when it was gray and dreary outside. His mother had never bothered having the house elf decorate when he was younger either. And the snow…he loved the snow. It could get mucky and slushy after a while, but he loved it. His mother always ordered the snow to be vanished away from the house.

Come to think of it, his mother had never shown any holiday spirit. Neither had his father. His house had always been silent and bleak during the holidays. The presents had always excited him – what child hated presents? – but his parents had tossed theirs to the side saying “Thank you, Draco,� or “That’s lovely, Draco,� without so much as a hint of a smile on their faces.

Draco had said he didn’t like Christmas on instinct. It had never been shown as a big deal to him. But watching Hermione now and seeing how her eyes twinkled with joy and the little bounce in her step, Draco knew that he had lied. He loved Christmas. It was his parents who hated it.

Letting out a sigh, Draco wondered if he would even get any presents this year. Doubt it…he thought. No one likes me anyway. Who would buy me a present? He looked around lazily, the silence lulling him into a deep peace. And I never got presents for anyone either…maybe this year I…no, who would I bother giving one to? Maybe…maybe…may-

Thump!

Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin at the noise and promptly smacked her head on the underside of the table. Rubbing tenderly, she looked up and saw that Malfoy was face down, asleep. Chuckling to herself, she closed Hogwarts, A History and sat in the chair opposite from the snoozing blonde.

“Malfoy…� she whispered. Instead of waking up he let out a small snore.

“Malfoy,� she said, a little louder. Again, he didn’t wake, but his hand swatted at something in Hermione’s general direction.

“Malfoy!�

“What?!� Malfoy bolted upright and looked around before his eyes finally rested on Hermione. She giggled and scratched at the corner of her mouth. After a moment of confusion, Malfoy slowly brought the heel of his hand to the corner of his own mouth and wiped away a spot of drool. He obviously looked disgusted with himself because Hermione only laughed harder.

“Is it really that funny to you?� he asked, scowling. Hermione managed to restrain her giggles and nodded.

“I bet you do it too,� he said, and he folded his arms.

“At least I don’t do it in public.� Malfoy glared at her before looking away. Hermione smiled. She was handling Malfoy very well if she didn’t say so herself.

Leaning back, Hermione watched Malfoy’s face tense up. His nose twitched, he bit his lip, and – wait, were his eyes watering? Hermione’s eyes widened in shock. Surely she hadn’t made Malfoy cry.

“ACHOO!�

Nope, she didn’t make him cry.

“Er, Malfoy, is everything all right?� Malfoy glared at her with bloodshot eyes. He then looked around frantically as if trying to find something.

“Malfoy, really, are you all right?�

“Do I bwoody well wook awright?� he sniffed, “Oh Merlin, by dose!�

“By dose?�

“Not your dose, by dose!� he motioned to his nose, which sniffed very loudly. He sighed before asking, “Is dere a cat in here?�

Hermione burst out laughing, but no sooner had she done so did Crookshanks leap onto her lap. “Crookshanks, what in Merlin’s name are you doing here?� The cat mewed and rubbed up against Hermione.

“Is dat a cat?� Malfoy asked, and Crookshanks mewed again. “Oh Merlin dat’s a cat…Granger get dat ting outta here!�

“Malfoy…are you allergic to cats?� Malfoy sniffed before mumbling darkly, “Yeth.�

“Couldn’t St. Mungo’s do something about that?�

“Dey tweat howwific injuwies, bishaps, spells gob wrong, but dey can’t do a damn ting ‘bout awergies.�

“Well, I would’ve never guessed that,� Hermione said, stroking Crookshanks’s back.

“Nobody ewse dows tho don’t thay anyting.�

Hermione smiled and promised that she wouldn’t. Settling back, she watched Malfoy glaring at Crookshanks. If looks could kill, the cat would’ve been long gone.

Draco glanced at the big clock above Madam Pince’s desk. “We weally outta go to lunch before it’s all gone. Pwus I can get dat bwoody cat away from be.�

Gently pushing Crookshanks off of her lap, Hermione stood. The pair walked side by side out of the library, down a corridor, and headed for the Great Hall.

Peeking out of the corner of her eye, Hermione watched as Draco walked quietly beside her. Things aren’t going too badly today, she thought, smiling. Not too badly at all.

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A/N: Sorry to everyone for the long, long wait! I was having computer issues and didn’t have access to my files for a while. I have also done some editing in the first seven chapters. It’s nothing major, so don’t feel required to check it out. For more info about it, go to my Author’s Page. Also, if you haven’t already, please take a look at my one-shot, Paradise. I’m very proud of it.