Ab Intra: From Within

Chapter 01

Hermione Granger was always careful. Careful was her middle name-Along with smart, determined, and ambitious. Others would also say she's annoying and prideful. But of course, those statements weren't true at all, and had absolutely no logical proof or reliable sources.

Following such events with dangerous wizards and unimaginable monsters, she knew when to take a step back and think things through. She knew when to turn around and go to a professor or to Dumbledore when things really got ugly. But then she belonged to Gryffindor, and her bravery shined bright along with her capabilities of getting into very, very ugly situations.

And so the girl found herself in one of those very, very ugly situations.

The brunette hugged the large stone in front of her as she peered over the side of it. Curiosity was the first to get hold of her. Finishing up a meeting with Professor McGonagall about their latest Transfiguration class, she noticed the familiar silver head stomp off towards Hagrid's hut. But the boy wasn't going there; he was just pacing, back and forth over a patch of grass. So much so that he was wearing it down into a pile of dead dirt.

Now Hermione knew when to keep her distance. At first, she convinced herself that following him was just a precaution, to make sure he wasn't doing his usual activities which resulted in disaster. She wanted to make sure he wasn't going to Hagrid to attempt yet again to kick the poor man out of Hogwarts.

Now she was just worried.

Draco Malfoy was yes, considered to be her best friend's greatest rival, and yes, was the one who was brave enough to call her mudblood. However she was kind at nature, seeing someone in such distress really picked at her heartstrings, no matter how evil they were.

The boy shouted at the sky with a fist for the hundredth time, making her shrink behind her cover.

What really could make such a heartless shrew get so upset? Taking another peek, Hermione clutched her chest to hide a gasp. Malfoy was now sitting on the ground, back to her, head collapsed into his hands, body obviously shaking from cries.

She wasn't worried anymore. She was scared.

What happened to the laughing brat who found enjoyment in others suffering? He just seemed so small, so helpless in his loneliness. Perhaps the many years of bullying and making others cry finally crashed down on him, perhaps he was realizing his mistakes, and the pain he caused.

Hermione Granger was also one who believed in forgiveness.

And so with one step, she approached him. And with silence, she bent down and wrapped her arms around his shivering shoulders.

He froze from shock, and did not breathe until the smell of pumpkin filled the girl's senses. There was no movement, only the grass danced with the breeze, and Hermione let silver hair tickle her forehead. Her heart had ceased to beat. Fear and regret played with her mind, but she did not pull away, she did not falter.

"I forgive you." She whispered, and like an explosion, the boy's body shook with violent sobs as his head was buried into her wrapped arms.

Later she found out that Malfoy's mother had passed on, and he never had the chance to ask for forgiveness in becoming the man he never wanted to be.

After that afternoon, everything changed.

Hermione watched him from across the room as they sat at their designated tables and ate their usual hearty dinner. He never spoke a word to her, barely even a glance. But when he did catch her eye, he held her stare with little emotion. There was no cool tint to his gray eyes; they were as empty as she assumed them to be.

When she held him on that sunny day, they remained there as long as it took, so long the sun was already hiding behind the looming castle. Her arms had grown tired, but she did not move away, and even then, she let her emotions escape enough to soak his own dark robes with silent tears.

He had stood up and showed his back to her in a final moment of appreciation before walking away.

That was all she really needed.

"You notice Malfoy has been really weird lately?" Ron Weasley said with a mouthful of potatoes, noticing his friend's steady gaze towards Slytherin. Hermione immediately became infatuated with her beans.

"Yeah," Harry said from across the table. "He missed out on like, 16 chances to bring up your family, Ron."

"Even Snape was waiting for something witty last potions class." Ron agreed.

"Maybe he's changed." Both boys stared at Hermione with wide eyes and open mouths.

"What? Are you completely bonkers?" Food sprayed all over the place from Ron's mouth.

"This is Malfoy we're talking about." Harry picked chunks of food from his cloak.

"Are you that heartless?" With a loud bang, and a voice a bit too raised, Hermione stood up and collected her things. Leaving her stunned friends, and a bunch of curious students, she ran out of the room and up stone steps to her sanctuary.

Never has been as disappointed in them as she was at that moment. She took a step that no one was brave enough to do. She pushed the past behind her, and welcomed a poor soul into her arms for the sake of everyone. Yet they had the balls to—with a pause, she took a breath, and continued up the stairs at a slower pace.

Then she stopped again. Hermione had to do homework.

"Did you forget something, love?" A painting of a fat, jolly woman asked from the wall, her nose titled upwards as she sniffed at a crimson glass of wine.

"Only the one thing I cannot afford to forget!" Hermione called as she bounded down the stairs two at a time, her eyes set on a quiet table in the library.

A/N: The next part is a million times better, I swear.