Chapter One The Meeting
"Hey Hermione," Harry said as he walked to the table Hermione was doing her homework at a table.
"Hey Harry," Hermione smiled, "Would you like to sit down?"
Harry sat. "So, are you planning on going to Hogsmeade next weekend?"
"There's already a trip to Hogsmeade planned? Didn't we just get her?"
"We got here a month ago, Hermione," Harry smiled, "Aren't you backed up on homework already?"
"Harry, I unlike you, have already completed my homework which means I unlike you have the privilege to go to Hogsmeade." Hermione said with a sneer.
"Oh Hermione, you sounded just like Malfoy did last year." Harry said with a pained look on his face. "And I do have the privilege to go to Hogsmeade. If you'll remember correctly two years ago Sir…" Harry stopped talking.
"Oh Harry, I'm sorry to have brought that up." Hermione said quietly laying her hand on his arm.
"No." Harry said taking a deep breath, "its fine. Everyone is right. It's mostly thanks to Sirius that everyone knows about Voldemort."
Harry is right, Hermione thought, if Harry didn't love Sirius so much then he wouldn't have gone to the ministry to look for him last summer. The ministry wouldn't have known Voldemort was back.
"So anyways, the reason I'm here is to ask if you would like to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend."
"Harry, I go with you all the time. Why would this time be any different?" Hermione asked with a small giggle.
"Well, this time I thought we could go, you know… without… I mean just me and you. Like a… a…," Harry looked at his feet.
"Like a date?" Hermione helped.
"Yea like a date." Harry said firmer, still looking at his feet.
"I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you, Harry." Hermione smiled.
"You would?" Harry asked finally looking at Hermione.
"Yea, why not?" Hermione got up kissed Harry on the cheek, "But for now I'm going to bed." Hermione walked up the girls' staircase looking back at Harry, who was smiling, as she rounded the corner.
Hermione woke up earlier then usual and got ready for her first class. It was Arithmancy, and since so few students took the class all four houses were put into the same class. This was the one class that Hermione had to deal with Malfoy without Harry or Ron's support. Ever since last summer Malfoy had been getting meaner and meaner to her. The insult of "mudblood" came up at least 30 times a period. To make matters worse, there was assigned seating and she was seated next none other than, Draco Malfoy.
Hermione met up with Harry and Ron in the common room.
"I'm really beginning to dislike Arithmancy," Hermione said grumpily.
"It can't be all that bad," Ron said as they climbed out the portrait hole. "I mean at least it's not Double Arithmancy. You don't have that long to sit next to him."
"Ron, any time sitting next to Malfoy is horrible." Hermione said with a huff. "Especially since he knows I know his father is a Death Eater."
"I'm sorry you have to sit next to him Hermione. But at least it's not like Umbridge or something." Harry said with a smile.
The trio of friends sat next to Ginny at the Gryffindor table. Ron began piling his plate with food instantly. Ginny and Hermione gave him a disgusted look.
"Ron, that's totally barbaric." Ginny said raising her eyebrows.
"Speaking of barbaric," Ron raised his eyes to Hermione. "I have to find out from Harry that you two are ditching me this weekend? A date? With Harry?"
"Ron, of course you would find out from Harry first," Hermione stated. "You two do share a dorm room. Anyway what does that have to do barbaric?"
"Well, I thought that half way through the date you could be barbaric and ditch Harry to come meet up with me?" Ron asked wiggling his eyebrows up and down.
"I'm sorry Ron, maybe… never." Hermione giggled.
"Ah well, looks like it's just me and you, Gin." Ron said with a smile.
"Well, Ron, as much as I would absolutely LOVE hanging out with my favorite brother at this school, I have a date." Ginny said getting up.
"Ok, well I'll let the date thing slide since I'm your favorite brother at school." Ron called to her retreating back.
"Ron," Hermione said sympathetically, "You're her only brother at school." Hermione smiled, "Hey Gin, wait up." she yelled getting up and following Ginny. "See ya later" she called over her shoulder.
"Bye Hermione" Harry called.
Hermione was pleased to see Malfoy wasn't in class yet. It was only a matter of time before he would get there though. Hermione sat in her seat and took out her books. Looking up when she finished she saw Malfoy walking in the door.
"I know you can't get enough of me Granger but could you please not look at me?" Malfoy said while sitting down.
"I know you think your superior to everyone else but your not. So please believe me when I say that it was a coincidence that I looked up when you walked in." Hermione said looking at her books.
"So you have a date with, Potter, this weekend?" Malfoy said looking at the board.
"How did you know about that?" Hermione asked shocked.
"Word travels fast around Hogwarts, Granger, you should know that," Malfoy sneered. "So what's Potter got that I don't have? Besides the old war wound."
Hermione shot Malfoy a look of hatred as the class started. Malfoy took out a quill, ink, and parchment, and started writing. Hermione was curious as to what he could be writing before Professor Vector had told them to, when he passed the parchment to Hermione. She quickly stuffed the parchment in her book before the professor could see it. After a couple minutes Malfoy whispered, "Aren't you going to read it?"
As subtly as she could Hermione took out the parchment Malfoy had passed to her. She quickly read the note.
No seriously Granger, what does he have?
Hermione glanced to the front of the class Professor Vector's back was turned as he tapped to board to put notes on it. She looked at Malfoy who was writing notes down.
Well, first of all he cares about me. He doesn't call me mudblood. He is against all evil. We've been friends since first year… need I go on? Hermione glanced at Professor Vector again who had changed to notes on the board. Now I need to borrow your notes. She quickly pushed the parchment to Malfoy then looked at the board. It didn't take long for him to respond.
I promise to give you my notes if you promise to do me a favor. Hermione put a question mark on the page and pushed it back to Malfoy. Again he pushed it back to her in less then a minute. Meet me in the Room of Requirement at 8 o'clock tonight.
Hermione read and reread the note utterly perplexed. Why should I even think your going to be there? Or even worse what if you will be there and curse me the second I walk through the door. She pushed the paper back.
What if I give you my word that my wand will stay in my back pocket for the entire meeting? Was Draco's response.
Why should I believe your word?
Because, the word of a wizard cannot be taken back. I promise that if I bring out my wand you can curse me before I even get enough time to think of a spell.
Is it just going to be you there?
Yes just me without a wand.
The bell rang throughout the castle. Hermione quickly shoved the note in her bag and grabbed her books.
"So?" Draco asked.
"Fine. But only because I need those notes." Hermione said and turned and headed out the door without a backwards glance.
Hermione kept checking her watch as she, Ron and Harry sat at their favorite table finishing her homework. It was ten to eight.
"Jeez Hermione, late for a date or something?" Ron joked.
"No, I'm just going to go for a walk. I'll be back later." Hermione said.
"Do you want company?" Harry asked.
"No, I'll only be a couple minutes, Well, less then half an hour. I promise." Hermione grabbed her Arithmancy stuff and headed out the portrait hole.
In ten minutes Hermione was standing outside the Room of Requirement having second thoughts. Finally taking out her wand she slowly opened the door that wasn't normally there.
"I didn't think you'd come." Malfoy said with her back to her. He turned around. "I didn't think you'd come armed."
"Where is your wand?" Hermione asked.
"In my back pocket just like I promised." He held up his hands to show they were empty.
"So can I have your notes?" Hermione asked wanting to get right to the point.
"Well, there's a problem with that." Malfoy said.
"Malfoy, who promised, you gave me your word as a wizard or something."
"Well, it's not like that, I swear. I have my notes; it's just that they're not the best notes in the world."
"Well, I'll take what I can get. It is your fault that I don't have my notes in the first place. Anyways, how can I expect you to have the greatest notes in the world, because we were talking while you were taking the notes which I still don't know why I was. And we weren't talking so much as writing-"
"You know you babble when you're nervous." Malfoy interrupted.
"How would you know?" Hermione snapped, "and why would you think I was nervous?"
"Just a hunch I guess." Malfoy shrugged, "The reason my notes aren't good are because I…"
"Because you… I need a little more then that Malfoy."
"Look!" Malfoy said loudly. "I am not the greatest at Arithmancy. It's actually quite amazing that I passed my O.W.L.'s last year. Assuming of course that my father didn't pay them off."
"Look whose babbling now." Hermione said repressing a smile.
"The reason I wanted you to come here tonight was so I can ask you a question." Malfoy said looking down. Hermione's heart jumped to her throat. "I was wondering if I could ask for your… he…"
"My help?" Hermione asked.
Malfoy glared at Hermione. "Yes I wanted to ask if you could help me with Arithmancy."
"Like tutor you?" Hermione asked quietly.
"Yes, you know maybe once or twice a week or something for like an hour or something." Draco said looking back down.
"Ok. How about Thursdays and Sundays for an hour. Seven to eight."
"I have Quidditch practice on Thursdays."
"Ok then Wednesdays that would be better because Harry and Ron have Quidditch practice and they wouldn't know I was gone." Hermione smiled. "Could I have your notes now? We can start today only I have to be back to my dorm in 20 minutes."
Hermione and Malfoy spent the next 20 minutes fixing his notes and reminding him of some of the things they learned back in third year.