She came in to the Gryffindor common room feeling so happy that Ron had played so well even though a little annoyed with Harry for using Felix Felicis. But her smile faded and tears weld up her eyes. There, in full view of the whole room, stood Ron wrapped so closely around Lavender Brown it was hard to tell whose hands were whose. Ducking her head to hide the tears she ran out of the room and found an empty classroom. She conjured some birds to keep from thinking about Ron snogging Lavender. Ah! There she thought about it again. No, no, she must concentrate on the pretty birds. Harry came after a while. She tried to be brave and hide her pain.
"Oh, hello, Harry," she said in a brittle voice. "I was just practicing."
"Yeah… they're — er — really good…" said Harry awkwardly no doubt sensing her distress.
"Ron seems to be enjoying the celebrations." she couldn't help showing her hurt a bit. Harry was her best friend.
"Er… does he?" said Harry.
"Don't pretend you didn't see him," said Hermione. "He wasn't exactly hiding it, was —?"
The door behind them burst open. Ron came in, laughing, pulling Lavender by the hand.
"Oh," he said, drawing up short at the sight of Harry and Hermione.
"Oops!" said Lavender, and she backed out of the room, giggling. The door swung shut behind her.
Hermione was staring at Ron, who refused to look at her, but said with an odd mixture of bravado and awkwardness, "Hi, Harry! Wondered where you'd got to!"
Hermione felt like she could stab though Ron's heart right then just to make him feel what she was feeling. She slid off her desk and tried to keep her anger out her voice.
"You shouldn't leave Lavender waiting outside," she said quietly. "She'll wonder where you've gone."
She walked up to the door trying not to do anything to Ron. She heard Ron breathe a sigh of relief and that did it. She spun around and shouted, "Oppugno!"
Leaving Ron to enjoy the bird beaks and claws, she walked away to her room.
…
Christmas holidays had arrived. The days had passed by, working feverishly on her assignments and practicing magic. She boarded Hogwarts express and tried to find Harry. She found him in a compartment sitting with Ron and a fogged heart drawn on the glass door with the initials R and L. She left without a second thought feeling like puking at the immaturity of Brown and pathetic choice of Ronald Weasley. She missed him, but if that was how her romantic life with him was going to be, she was better off without him. She would get someone much better. Who was she kidding? Nobody even considered her a girl. She walked through the train and found an empty compartment. She sat with her head resting on the window thinking of all the memorable days she, Harry and Ron had for 5 years. Tears rolled down her eyes. The compartment door slid open. She didn't respond thinking it was Harry trying to make her feel okay.
"Are you okay, Granger?" the familiar voice seemed different when blended with concern. She looked up in shock, eyes wide. Draco Malfoy stood in the compartment, with hands in the pocket of his shining tailored robes, silver eyes meeting brown for a second before looking down.
Hermione's mouth fell open. She stood up so fast that her head hit the luggage rack, "Ow!"
Malfoy's eyes widened and his hands came up a fraction, "Be careful!"
Hermione's eyes widened even more if that was at all possible.
"What the… who are you?" she stammered out in disbelief.
Malfoy's concerned expression gave way to an amused smirk, his eyes twinkling in a very Dumbledore like fashion. Then he became serious again.
"I need your help." He said with a little pain in his eyes. How she knew he was in pain was beyond her, but being Hermione Granger she couldn't refuse anyone asking for help. She raised an eyebrow in question and he sat down without invitation.
"Granger, I… Will you please listen with an open mind? I know how cruel I have been these 5 years but I really cannot take help from anyone else. I wanted to go to Dumbledore but… but…" Malfoy struggled with words.
Hermione sighed, "Malfoy, if I judge you the way you have treated me all these years, what will the difference be between you and me? Please go on. I promise to listen with an open mind."
Malfoy shut his eyes, in guilt or embarrassment she did not know.
"Granger… Hermione I… I have become one of them… one of… the… the Death Eaters." Malfoy got out before he broke down sobbing uncontrollably in his hands.
Hermione was surprised for a moment before remembering Harry's insistence throughout the year. Malfoy obviously felt remorse for becoming a Death Eater. She didn't know whether to touch him to comfort him or if he'd be disgusted with a Mudblood's touch. So, she simply waited for some time and then said, "How can I help with that, D..Draco? I don't know much about them."
Malfoy… Draco looked up, eyes bright with tears.
"I… I gave her the cursed necklace… that Bell girl. It was for Dumbledore. The Dark Lord… Vo… Voldemort has asked me to kill him. And… and… to let Death Eaters into Hogwarts. He'll kill me, Her..Hermione. He'll kill my family." He told her lips trembling. Hermione listened and understood how tough it must be for him. Harry was fighting on the side of light and yet there was so much danger. Working on the dark side unwillingly, Draco was in more danger than anybody could imagine.
"Draco, I understand that you cannot go to Dumbledore. Vo… Voldemort must be keeping eyes on you all the time. I will talk to Dumbledore. I think he can provide you and your family protection if you fight on our side." Hermione said analyzing the situation. She wasn't called the brightest witch of her age for nothing.
"Thank you." He whispered, "Can you tell Potter too. If he doesn't understand just obliviate him but please try." He said heads bowed down.
Hermione smiled, "You always did want to be his friend didn't you? Okay, I'll tell him too. Draco, how did you get over the pureblood prejudice? Or are you just hiding your disgust?" she asked trying to test him.
Draco gave a sad smile and shook his head slowly, "Hermione, when have my personal thoughts ever mattered? Yes, I was prejudiced. Yes, I called you Mu.." he paused looked away and continued, "Mudblood. Yes, I have done many things. I still do. Please understand I didn't have a choice. I wasn't born matured, you know. In the privacy of my head, I've never been disgusted by you. Hated you, yes, but that was because of your marks." He looked at her and touched her hand.
"See?" he said smiling. Hermione smiled as well, finding another friend in the world, a warm hand when one had left her for another girl.
They sat in silence for a while watching the scenes passing by, his warm hand over her soft one.
"Fourth year, at the ball, you looked beautiful." Draco broke the silence. Hermione looked up, shocked once again. He sure was full of surprises, and pleasant ones at that.
"Thank you. I didn't know you had seen me." She blushed slightly.
"I always see you. You tie your hair in a bun when you work, from which a few short locks near your neck always escape. You dress mostly in some muggle pants with rough texture. You use apple flavored cream and a sweet and spicy smelling perfume." Draco said smiling a little.
Hermione looked at him, "Okay I get the 'I always see you' part but how do you know my cream and perfume? Is it too strong? I didn't even put them on today!" she asked mildly panicky.
Draco laughed a sweet husky laugh which made her smile as well, "I smelled it while passing you. You never seem to notice me unless I'm insulting you or your friends."
Hermione bit her lips embarrassed, "Well, your insults hurt. I had learnt to ignore your existence since 3rd year. The punch helped me cool down my anger." She smirked and Draco laughed again.
"Yeah, that was some punch." He smiled at her.
They sat in silence remembering the incident.
"That was when it started." He said quietly.
She heard him and asked, "What started?"
"My crush on you. I felt silly on being hit by you. But I couldn't stop thinking about it for months. I tried so hard to go back to insulting you but…" he trailed off.
Hermione was speechless. Crush? What was he talking about? He had a crush on her?
He continued, "I don't know when it turned to love. But I knew it this year was love when Amortentia smelled like you. I couldn't stay Death Eater anymore. I had to be where you are. I know you will probably never forgive me but I had to at least try."
Hermione's heart swelled with so much happiness that she was surprised it hadn't burst. He loved her. Someone in this world loved her truly. She could have thought about a hundred reasons why this pair couldn't work, but true love is rare as precious gems. She could only remember that he had come over to the light for her. So she beamed at him and hugged him. He put his arms around her holding her close a few tears slipping on her neck where his face rested. They spent the rest of the train ride together and then the rest of the life, holding each other and never letting go through happiness and through pain.