A/N This is my first FF that I have published, So I'm not sure what to write here... this is Chapter one.. Enjoy :DHermione pulled at her sleeve, tugging down until it almost covered her fingers. Sighing she attempted to focus on the work in front of her, rather than the spectacle that her date had made last night when he saw her scarred arm. Trying not to recall his horrified expression when he made out the word "Mudblood" scratched into her arm; Hermione started rifling through the legal papers on her desk, arranging them in order of importance.
Hermione and Ron had split up nearly a year ago, when he found out she was still in contact with Viktor Krum, even after numerous attempts on her part to assure him it was merely friendship. He had left before morning, back to the Burrow, and now Mrs Weasley refused to speak to her. In fact the only Weasley still willing to talk to her, and face the wrath of Molly Weasley, was Ginny. Harry and Ginny had set her up on the blind date the night before, and quite a few others before that. Luna had offered to introduce her to someone as well, but Hermione had politely refused.
Draco Malfoy headed toward the legal offices within the ministry, hoping someone would finally be able to lift the restriction on him to purchase certain magical items. Rubbing his arm, where the dark mark was branded on him, absent-mindedly he wondered if Granger knew of a muggle way to remove it. Cringing inwardly at the thought, he pushed his revulsion away. He was working on becoming comfortable with the idea that just because he was a part of the wizarding world, it didn't mean that he was automatically superior, having been introduced to a television he was starting to believe it.
Walking into Granger's office, he couldn't help but notice that she had her hand resting on her scarred arm, as if hiding it from view. Feeling guilty at the memory of what had been done to her, at the hands of his aunt, whilst he stood by and did nothing. He looked away from her, glancing at the wall that housed pictures of Granger and her friends, Frowning he leaned forward to look at one picture in particular. It had been an image of her and Weasley, at the Potter's wedding. Only now, it had been brutally ripped in half, and only a smiling Granger stared out at him. Shaking his head he turned to her, hoping to get answers for at least one of the questions floating about his mind.
Hermione jumped as the door to her office swung open, her hand flying to cover her arm. Staring at her visitor in slight shock, she sat there frozen momentarily as she stared at Malfoy. Noticing his interest in the torn photo on the wall she felt herself flush, first in embarrassment, then in anger at herself. Plastering a smile on her face she waited for him to turn back to her.
"Granger, I was wondering." Malfoy started before clearing his throat and swallowing hard. "I was wondering," He continued, "Is there anyway, with muggle technology to remove this?" With the last word he pulled his sleeve up to reveal the dark mark on his left forearm. Hermione found herself gasping at the sight of red gouges marring the image. Almost involuntarily she stood, reaching out toward him. He held his arm out toward her, looking away as if afraid of what he saw in her eyes.
Gently she held his arm in one hand as she traced the puckered skin. It looked like he had tried to scrape it off. "Oh, Malfoy." Feeling tears well up in her eyes she looked away, taking a deep breath before looking him in the eye. "I'm not sure if laser removal works on magically placed marks." Rubbing her own arm, she continued. "They couldn't help me with my scars."
Draco stared down into her face, seeing the sadness in her eyes wounded him. He grabbed her arm before she could pull away, and pushed her sleeve up. Tracing a finger lightly over the pale scar, he sighed, "I'm sorry Granger, I'm sorry I wasn't man enough to stop what was being done to you." To his surprise she smiled weakly at him, "Malfoy, you are the first man in the past year, to look at my arm without shrieking or hurling insults at me. Even after all this time, even though I used to ignore it, it defines how people think of me. To them I am just what is evident on the outside." To his horror a tear slid down her face as she continued, "Don't let your past define you, find someone who can look at proof of your past and accept that it is the past."
Draco found himself drawing her into a hug, and froze, waiting for her to rebuke him. Instead she threw her arms around his neck and started sobbing. Terrified he patted her hair, "Are you okay? Granger, was it something I did?" When she didn't reply he picked her up, and sat them down against the wall, rocking her gently. "Look, Granger, All that stuff you said. It applies to you too, if a guy cannot handle the fact you survived a war with scars, then he isn't worth the time of day." Reluctantly he pulled her away so he could look her in the eye, "What I see before me is a strong, smart and capable woman, who just wants to be accepted for who she is. Just like me." Sighing he took a deep breath.
"Hermione Granger, would you do me the honour of having dinner with me. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, and I was always a bit of a prat. I promise I will not run screaming at the sight of your scars, as long as you don't run from mine. I don't deserve this chance, but please consider it." Hermione stared at him in shock, had she really heard what he just said. Was Draco Malfoy, the epitome of prejudice, asking her, a Mudblood, to dinner? Her voice shaking, disbelief evident in her tone she replied. "Your scars don't make you who you are, your choices do. I accept your invitation."
Smiling Draco stood, setting her back on her feet. "One other thing, do you think I could petition to get my purchasing restrictions removed?" With a laugh, Hermione motioned to the chair opposite her desk. "I'll have a look, Mr Malfoy."
A/N So that is the end of chapter one. Please let me know what you think. The more encouragement i receive the more focused of writing the next chapter I will be :D