Authors note:

For those of you who recognize this story it is a reworking of my original story. I didn't like where the original story was headed, or how it was getting there, so I decided to remove the first version and rework it. It had also been a long time since I updated the other version so I hope to be able to get chapters of this one up faster. Please let me know what you think.

****I in no way claim to own the characters in this story, they are the property of an incredibly brilliant woman. The plot of this story is mine.

Chapter 1

The sun peak out from under the curtain as the figure on the bed moved. Could it be morning already? She didn't want to believe it. Wasn't it just moments ago that she crawled into bed and closed her eyes. There was no way that it was time for her to wake up just yet. But the knock on the door told her different.

"Herm...? Are you going to wake up?" A brunette head peered from around the partially opened door.

Hermione Granger looked out from under the duvet and frowned. "Mum, I'm sleeping or at least trying to. "

Anastasia Granger looked at her daughter, "I know honey, but we have to get going or we are never going to make it to Diagon Alley today. And we have to get your school stuff. The train leaves tomorrow. Or have you forgotten?"

Hermione threw the blanket off and stood up, shaking her long braid of auburn hair, and looked at her mother. "Okay, okay. I'm up."

"I'll meet you downstairs then." With that Anastasia turned out the door, shutting it behind her.

Once her door was closed Hermione padded over to her bathroom and opened the door. When her parents renovated their house the previous summer Hermione's only request was to have her own bathroom, a sanctuary for her to retreat to and relax after spending all her time reading and studying. Luckily her mother agreed and convinced her father that the added cost would be worth it.

Hermione turned the light on in her bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror taking in her new look and for the hundredth time since she came home from the salon she began to question her choices. What ever had possessed her to make such drastic changes to her appearance? Grabbing the end of her braid she pulled the elastic off and ran her fingers through the braid releasing her hair from it. She shook her head and grabbed her brush. Slowly she moved the brush through her auburn and gold curls. She remembered walking into the salon with Greta, her childhood friend. And she remembered the hairdresser telling her that auburn would suit her and the gold highlights would soften the look, but what had possessed her? It wasn't like her to care so much about what she looked like.

Hermione sighed and shook her head, what's done is done. She only hoped that she wouldn't hear about it when she got to school. It was bad enough that she had filled out, but to be bothered because she colored her hair the same color as the Weasley's. She didn't need the aggravation. Not when she had enough because of her blood.

Hermione turned off the light and stepped back into her bedroom to get dressed. Why worry about school yet, it was still a whole day until she had to get on the train. Moving to her closet she pulled out the outfit she had bought the week before with Greta. She had wanted something special to where the day she revealed her new look to her friends. She quickly got dressed and laid down on her bed closing her eyes. Her mind quickly moved to think about him. Was he thinking about what the next year would bring? Was he looking forward to the new school year? Had he completed all his shopping?

A voice broke her thoughts "Hermione are you coming?"

Opening her eyes she called down to her mother "Coming" She stood up and shook out her hair one last time. She needed to get a grip on her thoughts. It was no use thinking about him. She could guarantee he wasn't thinking about her. She turned to go downstairs.

Her mother was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. She looked up as Hermione made her way slowly down the stairs " Come on Hermione. You're the one who arranged to meet with your friends on the last possible day of shopping. I wanted to shop weeks ago. I hate putting things off."

"I know mom. I'm sorry I took so long" Hermione whispered as she grabbed the coat her mother passed her. "I just wasn't ready to face them. I wasn't ready to show them. I'm still not sure I am."

Anastasia moved to stand in front of her daughter, placing her hands on her shoulders "I know dear. But I warned you that putting it off wasn't going to make it any easier to show them. You look beautiful and you shouldn't be worried about what they think."

Hermione sighed. It wasn't her friends she was worried about. She had avoided going to Diagon alley earlier to avoid running into her other classmates. She had wanted to enjoy the rest of her summer without knowing what they thought of her new look. But most of all she worried about him. What would he think?

Everyday Draco Malfoy dreaded waking up in the morning, and today was no different from the rest. But then again he never expected it to be. From the moment he opened his eyes, to the moment he closed them he detested the life he had to lead, the role he was forced to play.

He ran his hand through his blond hair and looked in the mirror, admiring his father's handiwork. The purple and green bruise encircled his left eye and stung as he tried to close his lashes. He tried to think back to why he had gotten this lovely piece of art on his body but the only thing he remembered what that he deserved it. Just like he had deserved al the others he had received through the years. His father had made sure that Draco only blamed himself for the pain that was inflicted on him, but what if....

NO... he couldn't think that way, a Malfoy never questioned what his superiors told them. Wasn't that what he was raised to believe? If his father told him it was his own fault he was being punished, then he was to believe it.

Draco turned away from his mirror in disgust from the image it reflected. He turned and looked at the house elf packing his bags. "Make sure you get everything I need. I don't want to have to owl mother and tell her that I'm missing anything." But the truth was he didn't want Lucius to believe he was incapable of packing his own school trunk. That would show a weakness beyond words and weakness was not to be tolerated.

"Yes master Draco. Keby would never forgets your Hogwarts supplies. He knows they being very important to you."

Draco looked back to the mirror and shook his head, a new form of disgust shining in his eyes. He hated yelling at the house elves. They didn't deserve it. In the 18 years of his existence he never had to worry about a thing. Sure there was the odd time that something went wrong and Draco paid the price for someone else's foolish mistake but for the most part the house elves always saw to it that he was taken care of when his mother was unable to, or his father was too busy to. But it was just another role he was forced to play in this house. He smoothed his blond hair back and smiled. He was going back to Hogwarts, and he couldn't wait. Anything was better then the life he lived here.

The house elf finished with the bags and started to drag them towards the door. "Needs you anything else sir?"

Draco sneered, getting ready to play his role again. He turned to the elf. "No you fool, get those bags downstairs, now!"

"Yes sir" With a pop Keby and the bags disappeared from the room.

Once the elf was gone Draco laid back on his bed and closed his eyes. He often lay there in silence with his eyes closed. Some times it was easier to imagine another life when you couldn't see the one you were living.

"Son?" a voice reached into his mind and pulled him back into conciseness. "Are you awake?"

Without opening his eyes Draco answered. "Yes mother, what do you want?"

Narcissa Malfoy looked at her only son. He always suspected everyone of something, but she could tell that something lay heavily on his mind. "Just to talk before you leave."

Draco opened his eyes and sat up allowing his mother to see him clearly for the first time. His mother gasped and reached out to stroke her son's left cheek. "Why...?" She slowly sat down on the edge of his bed.

He pulled away. "Don't waste your pity on me mother. I asked for it."

A tear slipped down Narcissa's cheek. "No child asks to be beat by his father Draco. What ever he says you did, don't you believe him. You and I are both prisoners in this home and a prisoner to these rules my little dragon. One day I will break out and make him pay for what he's done to you."

Draco's cold features softened. He hated to see his mother cry, she was the only thing left worth coming home for. "Mother its okay, really. I'm fine. It's just a bruise. It will go away. Please don't do anything foolish. It's not worth it. I couldn't cope at school if I didn't think you were safe here while I was gone."

Narcissa closed her eyes and nodded. Yes it would go away, but what about the scar it left on her son's heart. "Draco, I love you. You are my flesh and blood. I should be protecting you from all of this. Not letting you pay for whatever angers him at any given moment. You should be free to be a child, not forced so young to be a man." Deciding to try to change the conversation she reached over and grabbed his hand. "I can tell there is something else other then the pain of the bruise on your mind. What's troubling you?"

"I keep thinking about what father said to me last night."

"About Malfoy's being incapable of feelings and of ever loving..."

Draco nodded. "Yes." He looked into her eyes searching for the answers to his next questions. "What if it's true mother? If it is then what's left for me? There's no hope."

In all the years of her son's life Narcissa only wished for one thing, her son to fall in love and step away from the dark and into the light. "It's not true Draco. There is so much left for you. You have to believe me. Even at one time Lucius believed in love. But his heart turned cold and love became a thing of the past, a silly notion he no longer had time for."

"I find that hard to believe mother. I can't ever imagine him being capable of any sort of emotion other then anger and hate."

"He wasn't always like this Draco." She leaned forward and stroked his cheek with her hand. "But you have to promise me something Draco. Just promise me that when the time comes you will love, that you will allow it into your heart."

Draco shook his head. "Impossible. I can't, I'm a Malfoy."

Narcissa took his hands in hers. "Anything is possible if you believe enough, anything. Promise me you won't close your heart."

Looking into his mother's eyes he nodded. He knew he would do anything for her. He would try.