Okay, so I had this story idea, and I produced this! :D
This is the revised version, all the credit goes to juhninja! Lol, thanks, love(;
And by the way, Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Sirius, nor Dumbledore died. I just like to think J.K. was just on something. Ahaha.
So hate it or love it. Either way, please review it.
The war was finally over, but it wasn't all about celebrating and relaxing. Lives were lost, buildings destroyed, and people changed. But at least it was all over, and everyone could try living normal lives once again.
Hermione Granger was one of those people who just wanted to move on. Out of almost everyone in the wizarding world, she could personally say that she had been through more than the average teenager. So much, she should be lucky she made it out alive. And she was. She still had her friends, a loving redheaded boyfriend, and was still completely mentally stable. What more could she want?
But the morning after the battle, she knew she was still missing something, but she couldn't figure out what it was. She wanted to find out what it was before it killed her, and thinking in a crowded common room didn't help her. So she decided to go to the lake. The lake was always there as her place to think.
She managed to slip out of the common room, where everyone was still celebrating their victory. She walked the path to the lake with her head down, random thoughts swirling in her head. She was surprised that she arrived at the lake so fast, but maybe she was thinking too much while on her way down to notice. She continued to walk with her head down towards her personal spot under a tree, but stopped when she saw a shadow already there. She looked up to see a familiar blonde boy staring back at her.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I can ask you the same thing, Granger," Draco replied, "Shouldn't you be celebrating with your little friends?"
"I decided to take a break," she said, her arms crossed.
She stood there for a little while longer, their eyes still locked in a stare. "Aren't you going to sit?"
Hermione looked at him in disbelief before he said, "Oh, I get it. I'm a deatheater, so I must be dangerous to sit next to. Fine."
He stood up to leave before she said, "No, it's okay. You can stay."
He returned the look of disbelief as they sat down together, staring at the lake.
"You never answered my question," she said as they looked at each other, "Why are you here?"
"You didn't either," he said, smirking.
"I'll say if you do."
He sighed. "I came here to think about things."
"What are these 'things'?" she asked.
"Hey, that's two questions. You need to spill, too."
She smiled but stopped herself, realizing what she was doing. "Same reason. Your turn."
"I guess I'm just thinking about what's going to happen. Now that everything's over and done with, I have no idea what to do with my life. You?"
She looked at him, not saying a word for a couple of seconds before he said, "You know I was never a deatheater. That was all just part of the plan."
Her eyes grew wide and asked, "What plan?"
"Dumbledore's. You knew that Snape was actually a spy for the Order, right?"
She nodded before realization hit her. "You were one, too?"
He chuckled at her tone of shock as he said, "I knew they called you smart for a reason."
Hermione smiled, not caring what she was doing now. They stayed silent again before he said, "You can trust me, you know."
She nodded before saying, "I just feel like I'm missing something, but I don't know what it is yet. I mean, I have everything I can ask for, but there's just something that's not there."
He nodded before saying, "I feel like that sometimes. Though, I never know what it is."
She sighed before closing her eyes. "I wish I knew what it was."
"You'll find out eventually," he simply said, "I'm still figuring it out myself."
"But you see, that's the difference between you and me. You're patient. I'm not."
"Then try to be. Not everything will come to you immediately. And we have more differences than that."
"Yeah I learned that the hard way. And yes, the list can go on and on."
He chuckled before they stayed silent again.
"Well, I should go now. People might start to worry," she said, standing up. "Nice chatting with you, Malfoy."
"Anytime, Granger. If you need someone to talk to, I'm always here the same time everyday," he said.
She laughed. "I never imagined those words coming out of your mouth in my life."
He laughed as he said, "Things change. People change. And I'm one of those people."
She nodded before smiling. "See you tomorrow, I guess."
"Tomorrow it is."
She flashed him another smile before leaving. On her way up, she began to think something entirely different than the thoughts while on her way down. Thoughts like 'Who is he and what did he do to Malfoy?' to 'I hope I get to see more of that side more often.'
She returned to the tower to see the twins, Ginny, Harry and Ron sitting and talking.
"Where have you been?" Ginny asked her as she sat down next to her boyfriend.
"The lake," she simply said, "I needed to think."
"Leave it to Hermione to think at a time where people are celebrating," Fred teased.
The brunette shot him a look before saying, "What have you guys been up to?"
"Just talking," Ron said, playing with her hair absentmindedly.
"We were about to go the Great Hall for some food, but we decided to wait for you," Harry explained.
"Well then, let's go. I am feeling rather hungry," Hermione said. She was starving.
They got up and headed to the hall. When they arrived, they found that they were not the only ones. People were still eating and chatting away. They didn't seem to mind about sitting at house tables anymore, either. Gryffindors sat at the Ravenclaw table while Slytherins joined the Hufflepuffs.
"What is he still doing here?" Ron asked, looking over at Draco. He was sitting at the Slytherin table with Blaise.
"Why shouldn't he be here?" Hermione defended.
"Well, after all that had happened, I don't think it's a good idea for him to even show his face around here," the redhead said angrily.
"He has as much right to be here as we do, Ronald," she said, returning the same amount of anger.
Everyone then looked at her with odd looks. "What?"
"Are you actually defending him, Hermione?" Ginny asked.
"No," she quickly said, "I'm just stating facts."
They gave her another quick look before nodding and going back to their food. She took the moment to look at him, only to find him staring back. He nodded, showing her that he had, in fact, heard the whole thing. She nodded back before going back to her food.
"Well, that was interesting," Blaise said, chuckling.
"What was?" the blonde said, turning to him.
"That conversation the so called heroes just had. You're not going deaf are you?" he teased.
"No, I heard it. What's so interesting about it?"
"Nothing really," he started, "Just the part where Granger was actually defending you."
"She wasn't defending me. She was stating the facts, like she said," he said, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.
"Oh, come on. I'm not as dense as you think I am, Draco." He paused. "There's something you're not telling me."
"What's there to tell?"
"I don't know which is why I'm asking you."
"There's nothing to tell."
"Sure there is! Did something happen? Do you have a dirty little secret?" he said, laughing.
"No, nothing happened. And no, I don't have a dirty little secret, unlike you."
"That's too bad. Dirty little secrets are fun to have," he said, still laughing.
"Uh huh," he said, looking at the boy with an odd look. "Come on, let's get out of here."
They boys stood up to leave and walked towards the door, passing the Gryffindor table. Draco gave Hermione one final look before nodding again. She nodded back as he headed out.
Later that day, Hermione decided to take a break from all the talking and laughing and decided to go to the library to unwind. She quickly grabbed a book and found an empty table before starting to read. She was so wrapped up in her reading that she didn't notice a certain blonde enter.
Draco needed a place for some quiet time as well, and seeing Hermione there made it all the better for him. But he decided to have a little fun with her this time. He smirked to himself before grabbing a book and sitting at the table across from hers. He opened the book, but instead of looking at the pages, he looked at the girl instead.
Hermione sensed that someone was watching her. She looked up to see that indeed, Draco was staring. She raised an eyebrow as he waved. She waved back before they both went back to their books. But soon after, Hermione felt the same feeling again and she looked up to see him staring again.
She sighed before closing her book and walking over to his table. "What?"
"What do you mean 'what'?" he said, trying to sound normal.
"Do I have something on my face?"
He looked at her for a moment. "Nope, nothing."
"Then why are you staring at me?"
"Why, Granger," he said, putting his book down, "I didn't know staring was a crime."
"It's not," she said, annoyed, "I just want to know why you find me interesting."
"Who said I found you interesting?"
She laughed. "Well, by the way you were staring at me, it looks as if you do."
He chuckled. "You've gone mad."
"And apparently you have too."
He rolled his eyes before going back to his book.
"So why was Zabini laughing earlier?" she asked.
"Do I have to answer that?"
"I'd appreciate it if you do."
He sighed and put his book down again. "He wanted to know if I had a dirty little secret."
She laughed. "Why on earth would he want to know that?"
"Well, it is Blaise. I told him that I wasn't like him."
"He has dirty little secrets?"
He laughed as well. "Again, it is Blaise." He paused for a brief moment. "Do you have any dirty secrets?"
"No. Even if I did, would I tell you?"
"Probably not. But you trust me, don't you?"
"Not enough for that."
"Right. I still have to earn the Gryffindor princess's trust."
She rolled her eyes. "Do you have any dirty secrets?"
"That's for me and only me to know," he said, smirking.
"Well, then, if I gain the Slytherin prince's trust, would you tell me?" she mocked.
"We'll see," he said.
She made a face at her before they both went back to their books.
"So is this your little secret?" a voice said from behind them. They both turned to see that it was Blaise.
Draco made a face before saying, "Can I help you, Zabini?"
"Actually, I just wanted to join you and keep you company. But it looks like you already have someone, so I should just go," he said, turning around to leave.
"Actually," Hermione said, "I was just about to leave. Nice chat, Malfoy. Zabini."
She then stood up, nodded at them, and left.
"What was that about?" the boy said, taking Hermione's seat.
"Nothing, we just talked for a bit. That's all," he said, going back to his book yet again.
"What about?"
The blonde smirked and turned to him. "You, actually."
"Oh really?" he said. "And what were you two saying about me?"
"Nothing, really. Just talking about how you have plenty of dirty little secrets."
"Well, It's not a crime to have those kinds of secrets," he said. "I'm surprised you don't have any."
"We're not all like you, Blaise," he said.
"Unfortunately," he muttered, "Anyway, I should leave you with your thoughts." He stood up and turned to walk, but suddenly turning again, only to flip Draco's book right side up. "Much better," he said, smirking.
Draco made a face as Blaise walked away, snickering to himself. But even though Draco had his book flipped the right way, he still didn't bother reading it. Instead, he just thought. He thought about Hermione and how weird it seemed that he actually enjoyed her presence.
He shook his head before closing the book and leaving it on the table.
'I really do need some dirty little secrets,' he thought as he stood up and left.