Author Note: This is my first fanfic and I am really unsure on how good I really am at this, so please read and review and if things seem decent I will continue to upload. I really just need a few opinions! Thanks Crys


Chapter 1 - The Beginning of Change

It was a dreary day, even drearier still for one particular individual. Now this individual was not dreary due to an unexpected circumstance, or even from a particular event, he was simply dreary because that was the way that he was brought up to act. His father was dreary, his mother was dreary, and he tried his best to make them both proud by being just as dreary as them. Little did he know that his dreary existence was about to be completely rearranged. A simple moment in the normal routine of daily life was about to make Draco Malfoy the happiest man in the entire world.

Draco awoke to the sound of clicking. He arose from his king size bed reluctantly to open to the window, flinching at the bright morning sunlight filtering in through the pristine glass. A snow white owl flew in through the open window and landed on the corner of the large wooden desk in the corner nearest to his entry point.

True Draco was dreary, but there was much more to this boy that anyone could ever imagine. The façade that he wore to keep his parents happy was impeccable. Only one person ever saw his real side. Draco wanted nothing more that to grow up to be the exact opposite of his parents. It was not because he was against his parent, whom he loved dearly. It was strictly due to the person whom his parents served. He was brought up to become the next in command over the Death Eater armies, but he could never bring himself to follow Voldemort. The one thing that Voldemort stood for was the one thing that he was not. Voldemort was not only a half blood, but was brought up in a muggle orphanage. Draco couldn't see how he could take orders to kill muggles and half bloods from a person who was one himself.

Draco walked over to Hedwig the owl and removed the letter from her beak. Hedwig nibble his finger lightly and Draco removed an owl treat from the top desk drawer. Satisfied with her treat Hedwig sat patiently waiting for Draco to read and respond to the letter that her master had sent to Mr. Malfoy.

Dear Draco,

It has come to my attention that the death eaters have decided to

regroup and recuperate before our next battle. We have come to the

perfect time to make our move. Please meet us at the headquarters

at 4 o'clock sharp for a planning session on our next move.

Sincerely,

Harry Potter

P.S. Hermione would like to know what size clothes you wear. I think she is making us some protective clothing. She has to find some way to keep her mind off of things. Please send a response with Hedwig.

Draco opened the desk drawer again and pulled out a quill and bottle of ink. On the back of the parchment he wrote down his sizes and placed the folded parchment back in Hedwig's beak. With a soft hoot Hedwig was gone. Draco looked over at his watch to see how long he had before heading off to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Realizing that it was only 2, he headed toward the door on the other side of the room that led to his bathroom.

Draco was spoiled in every sense of the word. His parents never hesitated to give him the finer things in life. Even now that they sensed something was not right with their only child his mother and father still insisted on pampering him. He was now living in his own house that his father, Lucius, had bought him this summer, as well as a brand new broom and his own set of house elves. Thinking of his house elves always made Draco smile. He couldn't help but remember all the arguments that he had with Hermione about his elves. She of course thought that it was morally wrong to not pay them for their services, while Draco believed that it was their duty to serve their master paid or not. It seemed to Draco that he had been having a lot more interaction with Hermione over the past couple of weeks, but he never let her get close.

Draco had converted over to the light side not strictly because of his feelings toward Voldemort. Draco Malfoy was full of secrets. The people in the Order had not even had the chance to find out the real reason that Draco was against his family and destiny. The Slytherin Prince was in love. Although, it was unknown to even him, everything that he did was for that one special person. Hermione Granger had stolen his heart, but he just wasn't sure if she wanted it, or for that matter, if he wanted her to have it.

Draco turned on the shower and removed his boxers. He stepped in to the steam feeling automatically refreshed, as if the water could wash away all the doubt and worry in his life. As he stood there letting the water cascade down his chest, he couldn't help but think of the first time he realized just how beautiful Hermione really was.

It was October 31st and Hogwarts was in an uproar over the Halloween ball that was to take place that evening. Draco, Hermione, and the other prefects were busy decorating the great hall. Draco and Hermione were in charge of the band and bandstand decorations. Dumbledore had insisted on them working together for "house unity". Draco was against the whole ordeal and had flat out refused to help Hermione with any of the planning or manual labor. Draco was sitting on the floor in front of the raised stage that usually housed the staff table in the great hall, doing exactly what he said he was going to do… nothing. Hermione was busy conjuring up streamers and banners for the stage which was to later that evening house the one and only Weird Sisters. Draco was watching Hermione distinctly. The trademark Malfoy smirk crossed his lips every time that Hermione would turn around. Every so often Hermione would complain of all the work that she had to do without anyone to help her. Unfortunately for Draco neither of the pair was allowed to leave their area until the decorations were complete. It was close to 7 pm and the ball was to start at 9. Draco and Hermione were still in the great hall, and there seemed to still be a lot of work left for Hermione to do.. Hermione finally turned to Draco and pleaded. "Malfoy, will you please just help me with the last bit of streamers? I want to have a little time to get ready for the ball, and I promise not to tell anyone that you did anything. I know how much that would shatter that façade that you have everyone believing." Draco then looked around the room only to notice that all the other prefects had finished their decorations are were now back in there dorms getting ready for the biggest blow-out of the century, as far as Hogwarts was concerned. "I really don't know why you would want me to mess up the perfect job that you have already done Granger. Besides if I was to help then I couldn't sit here and get my rest for this evening. Merlin knows that I will have enough girls to dance with and that can be so tiring." Hermione just went back to work mumbling under her breath as she curled the ribbons for the balloons that she had places on each corner of the stage. Draco couldn't help but notice at that moment how cute Hermione looked when she was angry. He had been sitting on the floor this whole time watching Hermione work, and the harder she worked, and the more she sweat, the cuter she looked to him. He had never really noticed before today that for a muggle-born she was quite the beauty. Draco watched as Hermione pushed back a piece of her bushy brown hair from her eyes, and it was that moment, even if Draco was unaware of it, that changed the way his world worked. Draco slowly stood up and started conjuring up the remainder of the streamers while Hermione put the finishing touches on the balloons. "Thank you Malfoy, it's hard for me to say this, but maybe somewhere deep down you might have a sliver of a heart" Hermione said as she started toward the doors of the Great Hall and to her dorm to get ready. Draco couldn't help but just stand there and smile. That was the first in many smiles that Draco would have that no one would see.

Draco finished his shower and stepped out in front of the mirror. He knew that he spent way too much time fixing his hair, but if he was going to an order meeting, then he knew that he needed to look good because she would be there. After combing every strand into perfection, he walked out to his closet and began pondering what he would wear. After coming to a decision on a pair of black slacks and silk green shirt, Draco looked at his watch, which read 3:30. Eager to see his friends, which are what Harry, Hermione and Ron had become to him, he walked over to his fireplace and quickly flooed over to Number 12 Grimmauld Place.


AN: Well there it is, so leave a review please and let me know how I did. Crys