Hermione watched in disapproval as Harry took off after Malfoy. She didn't agree with this method of confrontation which her best friend had settled on as Draco wasn't exactly looking himself this year.
He was paler than usual, and dark circles took a home around his eyes, their usual blue-grey pale and ghostly.
He always looked far away in thought and like he was in another place that wasn't Hogwarts.
Of course Hermione would never mention her observations to Ron or Harry. They'd scowl at her for paying such close attention to the Slytherin Prince.
As soon as Harry disappeared into the corridor she made the decision to stop him. The look on Draco's face when they had seen him had screamed not to follow.
She wasn't surprised Harry was the one to actually test that warning.
Hermione jumped off the bench and turned to follow her friend.
"Mione! Where are you going?" Ron shouted, watching as the bushy-haired girl began to run down the hall.
"I'll be back don't worry!" she shouted back over her shoulder, giving Ron a reassuring smile.
She wasn't sure what she was going to do, or why she was suddenly feeling like she had to protect Draco from Harry's undying wrath. But she did.
"Harry!" she hissed, finally catching up to the green-eyed boy.
"Hermione? What are you doing?" he whispered, glancing ahead of him just to see Draco disappear into the prefects' bathroom.
"To stop you! He's obviously not in his right mind, Harry," she explained, ignoring the confusion that plastered itself over Harry's face.
"But Mione! He cursed Katie!" he beamed, anger flashing behind his eyes, and his grip on his ready wand got tighter.
"Then let me go talk to him," she suggested. The words had left her mouth before she could register them in her brain.
It wasn't logical for her to go talk to him. He hated her and everything she stood for.
But some part of her was convinced he'd rather see her than a fuming Harry Potter.
"What?!" Harry hissed, "Hermione, you can't be serious-"
"Harry, don't argue with me or so help me Godric…" Hermione said sternly, cutting Harry's sentence off mid-lecture.
Before he could say anything else to stop her, she was half-running, half-walking to the prefects' bathroom.
She heard her name being called from behind her but she had made her decision and wasn't going back on it now.
She stood in the long hallway as quiet as she could be. She could see Draco's long lean figure standing over the sink.
He looked to be…shaking?
Hermione listened carefully, weighing her chances of getting away alive.
She was too far into this ridiculous plan of hers to step away now.
As a precaution, she pulled her wand out slowly as she made her way closer to the shivering boy. As she got closer, an unnerving and unfamiliar sound filled her ears.
Was he…crying?
Something inside Hermione turned. It was only 6 years ago when it was her crying in the bathroom. Obviously for different reasons but it made Hermione feel…sorrow? for the Slytherin who was once so cruel to her.
Now that she thought about it, he hadn't been cruel to her since third year. Ironically, after she had punched him square in the nose.
Hermione plucked up her courage to inform Draco of her presence then. She was a mere 10 feet from him, her wand ready just in case this went south.
"Draco?" she said softly, taking a step back when harsh ghostly grey eyes turned on her.
He looked absolutely awful.
Worse than he had all year, and it tore at Hermione's heart
His hair wasn't slicked down like it always was and his usually neat clothes were wrinkled and damp with water.
His cheeks glistened with tears in the dim bathroom light.
"Leave me the fuck alone, Granger," he spat, holding his wand out towards her.
She didn't move.
"I know we're not friends-"
"Bloody hell we're not, so piss off," Draco interrupted harshly, about to spit out a stupefy when his wand was ripped out of his hand and the faint echo of "expelliarmus" filled the air.
"You bitch!" he shouted, striding towards Hermione, backing her into the opposing wall.
"Watch it Malfoy, or I'll punch you again," she warned, watching the surprise flash behind his eyes.
"What the fuck do you want then?" he accused, still standing dangerously close to her. "Come to interrogate me for your little friend scar-boy?"
"I-I've noticed you're not yourself… and you looked really upset… I just… I came to see if you were okay…" Hermione stuttered, then whispering slightly "I know now it was a horrible mistake. I'm sorry."
She turned to take her leave when a strong arm blocked her path, pinning her to the wall.
"You… came to see… if I was okay?" Draco asked bewildered. Since his arrival back to Hogwarts, not one person has noticed the weight on his shoulders which he felt as clear as day. No one asked if he was okay. Not even Pansy or Blaise had noticed he wasn't exactly himself.
Now, some girl he barely knew, who he barely cared to know, noticed he wasn't alright. That there was something wrong and she actually risked coming to talk to him knowing he'd blow up.
"Yes. I did. I'm sorry." Hermione's voice was strong and stern, her eyes not meeting his for the fear that his ghostly completion and foggy eyes would make her feel even more sorry for him.
"You're the first person who noticed…" Draco whispered, backing away from Hermione, refusing to avert his eyes from her face.
"What's going on Draco? I could help you… you don't have to do this alone…" Hermione whispered, meeting defeat as her eyes looked at his damaged face.
"I can't tell you. I shouldn't want to tell you…" Draco scowled, turning away from the Gryffindor and slamming his fists against the sink. His head was spinning, he was confused and scared, the task he was given leaving its mark on his soul and on his arm…
He could feel the Dark Mark burning under his shirt, burning its meaning into his bones.
"Why not? Because I'm a muggle-born? Come on Draco. You must know by now those beliefs are wrong?" she pleaded, carefully making her way closer to him.
"Of course I know! Of course I know this entire situation is fucked up! But…it's the only way," Draco erupted, harshly turning around to face Hermione, tears pricking the back of his eyes as his hands shook.
"You see this?!" he shouted, ripping the bottom half of his sleeve off, revealing the black ink sketched into his skin. "This is why I can't tell you! I have to do whatever he says Hermione!"
Angry tears poured out of his eyes then, his voice shaking. "Or he's going to kill me and my family will suffer."
His voice was barely a whisper but Hermione heard it clear as day. Her heart shattered and made a home in the pit of her stomach.
She felt sick.
She had never seen Draco Malfoy so broken, so hurt, so conflicted between what's right or wrong. She wasn't used to this Draco. The one she knew was proud, confident and knew what he was doing. This Draco was damaged.
"Draco… let me help you…" she pleaded once again, "I can help you. And your family. Just let me. Please."
Hermione wasn't sure why she felt so obligated to help the subjecter of her torture the last few years but seeing him now, broken and confused, made her see him in a different light. Of course he wasn't all bad, he just needed to be steered onto the right road.
"You'll tell Potter. He won't believe you. I'll be alone in this again so what's the fucking point?" he snarled, shaking his head.
"I won't tell anyone. It'll just be me and you. I promise. I want to help you Draco," Hermione said slowly, not realizing her actions till the cold pale skin of Draco's hand was in hers.
He didn't flinch at her touch, or scowl, or insult her for touching him. Instead, his fingers slowly weaved themselves through hers.
"I'll hex you if you tell anyone about this, but thank you, Granger." He said it softly, and there was still a tint of bitterness in his tone. But nonetheless, Hermione grinned.
"I wouldn't expect any less of you Draco." She gently nudged his arm playfully, causing an unnatural and strange curve of his lips she suspected to be his smile and it was beautiful.