He looked so vulnerable sleeping on the table, so unusual. She couldn't help but stare. It was first day of the school year. Hermione was one of the six students who had decided to come back to finish their seventh year. Romilda Vane, Cormac McLaggen, Draco Malfoy, Neville and Lavender being the other five. It had been daunting to come back. She wanted to complete her education but Hogwarts was not the same without Harry and Ron. She felt empty, incomplete somehow without her boys besides her. Seeing Draco Malfoy asleep during breakfast in the Great Hall was strangely comforting. Somehow, out of all the five, he felt most relatable. He had faced Voldemort just as much as she had, somehow more. The rest hadn't been out there. Their battles hadn't broken their very souls. They hadn't had to lose their innocence. In a way, he had been a lot more naive, a lot more privileged; and he had lost everything. His slight frown annoyed her, she wanted to wipe it away. He didn't need to frown anymore. But she knew better, didn't she? The scars ran too deep to heal so soon. The bell rang for the first period. Her eyes roamed once more over his pale face and the silver hair strand which had escaped from his ponytail and was falling over one eye. Then she got up.
Draco woke up to a high, soft, sweet voice saying
"First period is starting, you might wanna get up."
He had fallen asleep in the Great Hall during breakfast after another fitful night of nightmares. Slightly embarassed, he looked up to see Hermione Granger. Surprise flooded his face for a second before he processed what she had said and nodded. He took his bag over his shoulder and got up to walk towards greenhouse. She walked besides him as if it was a usual occurance. He was feeling weird beyond imagination. He could see her in his peripheral vision, walking lost in thoughts. So, he internally shrugged his surprise away and enjoyed the non-disgust for once from another being. It was so rare to get anything other than pity or disgust from anyone nowadays that he'd take this nonchalance gladly. She stayed besides him throughout Herbology, working on her plant silently. They walked to Potions together. He was feeling relaxed in her presence by now so it didn't surprise him when she chose to sit with him at the back of the class. He wanted to avoid the stares from the younger students who had promoted from sixth year. Professor Slughorn gave some notes and then informed them,
"You can partner up with your seatmate for the rest of the year. We'll be starting Polyjuice Potion today. Can anyone tell me how long it takes to brew it?"
He was surprised again that she didn't put her hand up as usual.
"No? I gave the hint that we'll only be starting today. It takes around a month to brew this Potion. So, this first stage will be the simplest. You can brew the first stage again if you make some mistakes but any mistakes in second stage..." Slughorn continued.
After noting down the instructions, he got up to get the ingredients, leaving her to arrange the Cauldron. They cut and crushed the ingredients together and then started the brew. After around half an hour of brewing silently he couldn't resist smirking a little. Her hair had gone all wild and out of control due to the humidity and heat.
Hermione was concentrating on stirring when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked at Draco and saw him remove the rubber band holding his ponytail together and offered it to her with a small smirk,
"You need this more than I do."
She blushed knowing he was referring to the mess her hair must be.
"Thank you" she muttered before taking it and putting her hair up in a bun. She noticed his hair falling as a curtain around his face in straight, smooth strands as he got back to work.
The period ended with the correct brew for the first part complete and she started packing up her things, cooling down her Cauldron with a tap of her wand and shrinking it into the bag.
"Miss Granger?" She heard a soft female voice speak from her left and she looked up. A younger girl from her class was standing besides her with a notepad.
"I'm Leta. I just wanted to tell you what an honour it is to meet you, Miss Granger. Could you please give me an autograph?"
Hermione felt her eyes go wide and she managed to squeak and stutter out,
"Oh! Umm... I... Err... Thanks... But I... I'm sorry, Leta. I don't..."
"It's fine, Miss Granger. Some other time." Leta said before smiling and leaving the classroom. Hermione looked after her in horror, finally feeling what Harry must've felt. Then she turned with the same wide eyes towards Draco who had just finished packing up his bag and was trying very hard not to burst out laughing, his lips twitching in a smile. She felt her own lips move and they both dissolved into uncontrollable laughter. That was the start of their friendship.