Draco Malfoy crept through the dark halls of Hogwarts keeping to the shadows and trying to be as silent as he could. It was a cold night, windows rattled and hailstones pelted the panes, although Draco wasn't fussed, the more noise the weather made, the better chance Draco had of making it to the hospital wing without being caught.
He finally rounded the corner to the corridor that led to the hospital wing, it was empty. He hurried down it and paused at the door to the hospital wing to make sure no one was moving inside. Once he was satisfied the coast was clear he opened the door and slipped silently inside.
Only one bed was occupied. A figure lay in it, curled on her side. Her cheek was resting on her hand. Her slight even breath was disturbing the long hair that had fallen over her face as she slept. She was his best friend at Hogwarts. The first friend he had made there. Hermione Granger.
He stood in the doorway for a moment studying his friend. Now he thought about it, it was amazing they were friends at all. Their houses were enemies. Then she had made friends in her own house with Harry Potter and he was sure she would realise he was no good and not talk to him again. But no, she had stuck by him. Draco also knew she was muggleborn and knew his father could never find out about their friendship. But still, he stayed her friend, he couldn't stay away. She was the only one who was really kind to him. Who made him feel wanted and liked.
He went over to the bed and was overwhelmed by a sudden urge to brush the hair away from her face. She usually looked deep in thought all the time. Her eyebrows furrowed as she took down countless notes and read countless books. But now her face was relaxed with a slight smile curling the edge of her lip. She looked so young, so small, in sleep. He felt a fierce urge to protect her.
Her eyes fluttered suddenly and Draco backed away, so as not to be caught in the act of looking at her. Her eyes slowly focused on him and she gave a start. She sat up and her eyes searched the darkness of the room. She was still not all cured from being turned into a cat and her eyes glowed faintly in the dark.
"Draco?" She whispered. Apparently she still had cat vision because she seemed to have no trouble seeing him in the darkness.
He stepped forward.
"Hi." He whispered. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you."
"What are you doing here?" She whispered.
"They wouldn't let me see you in the day. I just had to see that you were ok."
"So you snuck out at night!" She hissed at him. "You could have been caught!"
"Sorry." He mumbled looking at the floor. "I just wanted to give you this."
He walked up to the bed and pulled from his robes a get well soon card. Still not looking at her he put it on the table beside her bed and turned to leave. Hermione grabbed his hand.
He turned around and saw her smiling at him. She wrapped both her hands around his one hand.
"Thank you." She said softly before kissing him on the cheek. For the first time in his life Draco flushed bright red.
"Now go before you get caught."
Draco turned, a little dizzy, and exited the hospital wing and although he tried to hide it he couldn't help the bemused, slightly goofy grin that spread across his face.
