Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Harry Potter series, all characters and settings belong to JK Rowling. I simply manipulated it slightly for entertainment purposes only.
He ran his fingers through his platinum blonde hair, his silver eyes hazy with thoughts of the previous months. Sighing he stuffed his hand back into his school uniform and continued to walk about the busy castle. With his father and mother awaiting trial he felt his whole life slip out from underneath him. 'Were muggle born witches and wizards really that bad? Had a war really been necessary?' He contemplated why the Dark Lord had ever thought muggles should be enslaved; 'he had already killed the father that had abandoned him and his mother. Did Voldemort really think that every single muggle was that way?'
Draco pulled his hand from his pocket and began fidgeting with his wand; he had drifted away from the noise enough to be able to hear his own footsteps on the beaten stone floor. Frowning he realized he was headed toward the Room of Requirement because of his many trips there during his sixth year. Draco put his wand back into his pocket and swiftly turned around headed downstairs, toward anything but that room. His thoughts wandered to the muggleborns and half bloods in Hogwarts. They stood together to protect those they loved. Muggles, half-bloods, and purebloods alike all stood together to defeat Voldemort with Potter leading the way. Was it a matter of life and death or a matter of right and wrong?
Draco stumbled over a jutting out stone underfoot, probably from the Death Eaters attack on the castle. His hands reached out to save him from falling but fell to his side when he righted himself. He sighed and turned the corner smacking into someone hard. Without a thought he reached out and placed his hand behind the persons head as they fell. Draco whimpered in pain as the persons head crashed down on his thin fingers, he closed his eyes and his head fell to the persons shoulder.
"Ah bugger!" Draco cursed gently removing his hand from behind the persons head. He breathed in a sweet smell, like freshly bloomed flowers, as he made his battered hand into a fist with sickening cracks and pops of his fingers. He opened his eyes to see long wavy brown locks of hair in his fist. They looked so familiar, so innocently familiar. His eyes slowly drifted towards the persons face, soft pale skin, warm, but rather shocked brown eyes gazing up at him, and pink lips open slightly in surprise.
"Malfoy?" she whispered. He wasn't sure what to do.
"Granger? I-I'm so sorry." Draco stuttered pulling himself off of her then offering her a hand up. He winced as she grabbed his recently injured hand. She grabbed his wrist and carefully pulled herself up so as not to hurt him further.
"No, I'm sorry I should have been paying attention to where I was going!" she smiled, obviously confused at his apology. His eyes looked her over; she had certainly become more a hero than he'd ever be. Strong, but subtle, her physique was battered and bruised from the war, but she held herself proudly and ready as if expecting a sneering comment from the young Malfoy. 'Surely not all muggleborns are bad?'
"Are you alright?" he asked softly. A blush ran across her face as she nodded slowly. He smiled, a sad smile that wasn't hateful toward her or by any means Slytherin in nature. He searched her eyes, her rich brown eyes, for something briefly, perhaps understanding, curiosity? He didn't want to cause hate anymore; he was tired of all the pureblood nonsense that had dribbled out of the now cold and dead Voldemort. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry."
"Draco? What's come over you?" she asked eyeing him curiously. He smiled at her sadly.
"Nothing." He smiled sadly, his thoughts finally seeming to click. He looked into Hermione's eyes that held complete befuddlement. He chuckled and removed his hand from her shoulder. "I'm just sorry." He turned on his heel without waiting for her to respond, 'No Draco, not all muggleborns are bad, some are the best and bravest, more than any pureblood you know. Welcome change Draco, it will bring you peace.' He stopped before rounding the corner and smiled at her, "Thanks Hermione." he left her there in the empty hallway.
Hermione, baffled, walked into the Great Hall and met up with Harry and Ron.
"What's wrong 'Mione? You seem kind of confused." Harry said leaning against Ginny who was smiling. Hermione shook her head seeing the platinum blonde boy walk into the Great Hall and rush over to his mother.
"The war is over, we can finally move on with our lives." She said turning from the Slytherin boy to her friends with a grin.
So that was a one shot of Draco and Hermione. I like the pair but a while back I kept thinking about how they may have come to be. Obviously there would have to be an apology but there had to be an event where Draco realised he was wrong about muggleborns. well this is how I pictured it happening, obviously just the beginning but I'm not sure if I should continue it perhaps if I get some suggestions I could make it work. R&R please?