Draco couldn't believe it. Granger had punched him in the face! She had stood up to him, had done what no one else ever had. He went to the Astronomy Tower that night to think. He knew why he was the way he was. Why he was always calling her a mudblood, and making fun of her. his father. Draco had grown up being told that muggleborns were scum. That they weren't worth his time. But now that he thought about it, that was rubbish! There was nothing wrong with those muggleborns! They were just like him, if not better than him at magic, if Granger was anything to measure summer, when Draco went to Diagon Alley with his father, he told his father what he had realized. His father dragged him into a corner unseen by most passerby, except one girl, a girl with bushy brown hair, and a love for books of all kinds.

That girl saw Lucius Malfoy whisper-yell at his son, and then throw him to the ground, whispering "You are no son of mine until you realize that we are BETTER than them!" She saw him turn sharply and stride away from his son.

Somehow, almost without telling them to, her legs carried her across the street to the bleach blond boy lying on the ground, sobbing. She looked at him and said "Draco..." He looked up at her with despair as she wrapped her arms around him, and he leaned into her...

... They sat there together, not saying anything, for almost half an hour, there in that side alley in Diagon Alley. Hermione didnt know what she COULD say. She had heard what Lucius said. She knew Draco had changed his beliefs about Muggleborns. But did that excuse everything that he had said to her over the past three years? She didnt know the answer to that. What was she supposed to believe?

Draco pulled away, and they sat in silence for a few more moments before he spoke. "Please don't tell anyone about this, Hermione."

"You called me by my first name."

"Yeah, I did."

"... Did you mean what you said to your dad?"

"Will it change anything either way?" Draco asked. Right now all he wanted was her forgiveness, and to start over as her friend. But he knew that wouldn't be possible with his friends, and hers. But he had a plan.

"Of course it would. I'm not above forgiving someone for their mistakes, if they're sorry." Hermione, all of a sudden, wanted to be his friend, but she needed to know that truth.

"Yes I meant it. Can you forgive me? I also want to be your friend. If thats possible." Draco looked at her, his eyes hopeful.

"Ok then. I believe you, and forgive you. But how are we going to be friends, with your friends, and mine? They wouldn't understand, and I'm pretty sure the rest of the Slytherins would kick your butt if they knew you've changed." Hermione had thought of the same thing Draco had. Oh God she's so smart. And pretty.-Draco thought. Wait what? he thought. How can I be thinking that?

"Well, I think, for now, we have to keep our friendship a secret. I think its the only way. And I think we have to pretend like we still hate each other." Draco said.

"Like Romeo and Juliet," Hermione said, then blushed. "I- I- I mean..."

"Yeah. I know what you mean."

Then Harry and Ron passed by the alley calling her name.

"I have to go! I'll see you at school, Draco."