Chapter 1, Heartbreak and Healing
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, or the plot.
Draco's POV
Draco Malfoy slumped on the couch in the Slytherin common room, glaring at the fire. He was in his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Today had possibly been the worst day of his life, and it was only the second week of school. A younger student, probably a second-year, scrambled across the room and out the other door, obviously trying desperately to evade Draco's glare. Draco rolled his eyes and shifted on the couch, frustrated. He had only dumped his girlfriend of two years, Pansy Parkinson, a day ago, and this morning had seen her and Vincent Crabbe eating face in the hall. He knew Crabbe wasn't clever (or charming) enough to pick her up, so Pansy had done this on her own, probably to get back at him. Her stupid scheme was so bloody obvious. He wasn't really upset about her hooking up with Crabbe so soon after their relationship, he realized, Just that he now saw the shallow type of people that he hung out with. Draco had left her because he lost interest. She was just a waste of time. Draco raked his fingers through his white-blonde hair and pulled despairingly at the ends, disturbed by the time he'd lost by spending time with Pansy. Compared with the friendships he'd witnessed between other students at Hogwarts, his were superficial and meaningless. This realization gave him a headache. Uncomfortable with his thoughts, Draco took his eyes off the fire and let them wander around the room.
The common room was deserted because everyone was at Hogsmeade, and most the students of second year and under were petrified of Draco and avoided being in a room with him alone.
Draco glared at the silver and green scarf hanging around his neck sullenly. Suddenly he pulled it off and flung it into the fire, watching it burn with satisfaction.
I have got to get of this dungeon, he thought, and swung his legs off the green plush couch, and onto the floor.
He left quickly, slamming the large door shut and stalking through the halls, scowling at the paintings as he walked past them.
"What a horrible boy." One of them whispered to another.
Draco ignored her as usual, but this time it hit him with a deep realism. It was hard for him to digest how others must see him with distaste, and not awe as he'd always thought. He kept going; walking without direction in the large castle, people dodging him as he went.
Draco was on the brink of self-loathing when a sniffling sound coming from a nearby classroom distracted his thoughts. Curious, Draco opened the door. He saw a brown curly sitting in a corner, crying softly.
"I thought he knew!" A small voice whispered.
Draco went closer, and realized who it was. "Granger?" He said softly.
She looked up at him, her face tear-stained, and tears still falling. She looked at him for a second, her face flushing with mortification.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" She asked, her voice shaky as she tried to contain her tears.
Draco looked at her in a somewhat sense of shock. "What wrong?" He asked simply.
Hermione looked at him and bit her lip. "Nothing." She sniffed and turned her head violently.
She looks so hurt and yet...beautiful. Draco found himself thinking, and in his gut he had an aching feeling of deep pity and compassion. He faltered for a moment, and then knelt down next to her, and looked imploringly into her wet almond eyes.
"Hermione, what's wrong?"
The girl grimaced as she tried to hold her sobs, but she gave way to her tears quickly. "I love him!" she blubbered, holding her face in her hands. "I love him! I love him!"
Draco took her small hand in his own awkwardly, still not knowing exactly what to do. "Who, who do you love?"
Hermione groaned softly. "Ron. I think I love Ron, but he loves Lavender!" She sighed shakily and let her hot tears fall down her face as she glowered at her shoes. Draco ached seeing her like this.
"Don't cry Hermione." He whispered and, after a moment's hesitation, pulled her to him. They sat like that, Hermione crying into his chest, and Draco softly smoothing her curly hair.
Hermione's POV
Strolling around Hogsmeade with friends as the sun set on the horizon, Hermione Granger gazed lazily into the window at Madam Puddifoot's shop, and stopped with a shock.
Ginny and Parvarti looked at her with concern.
"Hermione, you alright?" Ginny asked with a slight grin, confused.
Hermione didn't answer her, just stared, horrified, at the scene behind the glass window.
Ron Weasly, her crush since her second year, was in the small teashop snuggling up to Lavender Brown, holding her hand and laughing at her jokes. While she watched, Ron, unknowing of Hermione's presence, lifted Lavender's hand to his cheek, and turned slowly to kiss the back of her hand. Lavender moved toward him and, under Hermione's alarmed gaze, kissed him.
Hermione felt tears forming in her eyes, but she didn't turn away from the sight, mesmerized. Hermione watched, stupefied, as Ron returned the kiss with eagerness.
Parvarti and Ginny were looking at her with concern, and were straining to see what Hermione was upset about.
"I…I have to go." Hermione said suddenly, her eyes hot and misty, and stumbled down the path back to Hogwarts.
Ginny and Parvarti called after her, but Hermione ignored them.
This isn't happening! Hermione told herself, as she raced back to the large castle. She stormed through the gates into the castle.
Hermione ran down the halls, not caring that people were staring.
She staggered into an empty classroom, and slammed the door behind her. She slid to the floor in a corner, and sobbed.
She heard the door open, but she disregarded the sound.
How could he do this to me? I thought he knew! "I thought he knew!" Hermione repeated to herself softly.
"Granger?" A male voice asked.
Hermione looked up, and saw Draco Malfoy standing awkwardly before her. "What do you want, Malfoy?" She asked, her voice shaking, ashamed of her eyes that must be puffy and red.
He looked at her curiously. "What's wrong?" He asked.
Why is Draco Malfoy of all people so concerned about me? Hermione asked herself.
"Nothing." She answered loudly with her eyes on the floor, sniffling.
To her surprise, Draco knelt down next to her, and looked into her eyes.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Draco asked again. Hermione was surprised; she hadn't ever heard him say her first name.
Hermione couldn't hold back her sobs any longer. "I love him! I love him! I love him!" She blubbered, her words clumsy and nearly indistinguishable. Oh heavens, he must think I'm a bloody idiot, she thought.
He took her hand in his as Hermione shook with sobs.
He's so kind, and his hand is so warm. She thought, and then thought about Ron's would feel.
"Who, who do you love?" Draco asked, rubbing the back of her hand.
Hermione felt the hot tears coming down fast, yet she didn't bother to wipe them away. "Ron. I think I love Ron, but he loves Lavender!" Hermione wailed, and felt like she would never stop.
"Don't cry, Hermione." Draco whispered, and pulled her closer. He smoothed her hair, as Hermione cried.
Draco's POV
Draco soon felt her relax completely against him, and her crying stop. Her breaths evened out, and she was quiet.
I can't leave her here. I'll take her our common room. No one's due back for hours. Draco thought, and slowly pulled her up.
With her arm over his shoulder, he supported her as they went down the corridors, ignoring the curious glances from the other students.
When he reached the dungeon doors, he carefully took out his wand, and whispered the password, pointing his wand the lock. It clicked, and swung open. The room was empty. He pulled Hermione over to the couch that just earlier he had been laying on, and helped her lie down. Her eyes, swollen and exhausted from so many tears, quickly shut.
He got a blanket, and laid it over her small figure.
Draco wandered over to an armchair by the fire, and sat down on the arm. He watched as Hermione slept, his gaze never leaving her tear stained face. His mind was heavy with thoughts, and he knew at this moment that he wanted to be different. For the last hour he'd felt like he was appreciated, and he felt like he was doing something meaningful. And for some reason, his heart was thumping quickly just looking at Hermione. He let his gaze run over her slumped figure and smiled softly. He took a step toward her and traced her cheek with his finger. Biting his lip, he went back to his seat as if the touch was forbidden. He shook his head wildly and rubbed his head with his hand. He didn't know what he was feeling as he sat across from her, but he soon fell asleep. When he woke up the next day, the sun was glaring in his face, and Hermione was gone.
Hermione's POV
Hermione was exhausted from crying, and soon her tears turned silent. She must have fallen asleep, for soon she found herself being pulled up from her seat and lead down the hall with her arm over Draco's shoulder. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she really didn't care. She now had a somewhat sense of trust in Draco, and she knew he'd keep her out of harm's way. People were staring at them, and Hermione had no doubt what they were thinking.
Draco Malfoy helping someone?
But Hermione was so emotionally drained that she just felt like collapsing. Her brain was so heavy that she could barely consider why she should be questioning Draco's change of heart.
Draco laid her down on a soft couch, and Hermione finally rested her eyes.
Hermione woke later with a start. She looked around frantically, and tried to remember the happenings of a few hours ago. Her mind raced through her memories, and she realized she was in the Slytherin Common Room.
She quickly sat up, and looked around. She saw Draco lying on a chair, and she watched as he shifted in his sleep. Slowly, she drew her eyes away and pushed herself off the warm comfortable couch.
I have to get out of here before everyone gets back. She thought, and glanced at her watch. It was eight thirty at night. Most of the students would be coming back from Hogsmeade in a matter of minutes.
She exited the room quietly, and went back to her own dormitory.
Hermione plopped down before Griffindor's fireplace in the Common Room and watched the flickering heat absentmindedly.
Draco Malfoy? Why would even care? He seemed so different, so changed. Hermione was now puzzled by the change of attitude in the Slytherin prefect, but deep in her gut, she was surprisingly pleased.
Hermione pondered over this for while as her classmates and friends came into the room, chattering and laughing, and left for their own beds. She left the room before Ginny and Parvarti could spot her.
At breakfast the next day, the girls wanted to know what had happened and where she had disappeared to, but Hermione just shook her head and continued to pick at her food. She glanced at the Slytherin table periodically, hoping to see Draco, but he wasn't there.
The girls gazed, bewildered, at Hermione staring into space. Finally Parvarti huffed irritably, "Well you're not any fun, are you?"
Hermione mumbled, "I'll talk later, all right?" and left the Great Hall abrubtly, thoughts of Ron and Draco on her mind.
Her-My-Oh-Knee A/N Hello everyone! I've been saying for a while that I want to write a Draco/Hermione fic, so here it is! My cousin and I are co-authoring this story together; I'm just posting it. We don't know how many chapters there will be, but probably around ten. We'll update every two weeks, maybe sooner. So review review review!
Her-My-Oh-Knee
Sam
SupaJen: Hey guys. I have a good feeling about this story. Two heads are better than one, si? Well, I honestly hope yall enjoy it and review, because I want your thoughts. Draco is such a troubled boy, isn't he? ;) Well hey, it gets even better. So keep checking up on it, and I hope yall will check out our other stories as well.