Summary: Looking at her, he thought that the war heroine needed a savior. "I'm not a hero." Hermione said in a choked voice. "In fact, I don't even know who I am anymore." "I'm here for you. If that helps." "You know what… I decided not to be Hermione Granger anymore. So you better move fast and confirm the rumor that the missing heiress, Amelia Jane Zabini is back." A grin crossed his face as she stood up in a regal fashion showing every bit of a pureblood that she really is.

From a different Angle

iloveapplejuice

It was December and as customary procedure the Headgirl and boy were doing their rounds in the great hall, passing pieces of parchment for students to sign if they will be staying in Hogwarts during the break.

Hermione scanned the parchment for Gryffindors and searched for the names Potter and Weasley. But to her surprise none of the names she expected to see were enlisted in the said parchment.

Dinner was almost coming to an end but she still hasn't seen any of her bestfriends. A hollow feeling in her stomach started to make her uncomfortable and her chest started to tighten. She wasn't able to touch any food that was on her plate until finally, Justin Finch-Fletchey, co-head, arrived to escort her back to their shared dormitory.

"Hey, care to enlighten me with your musings?" he nudged her side which caused her to smile. It was times like this that she was very grateful that he was made Headboy and not some pompous Slytherin that she knows of.

"Its nothing. I was just wondering why…" she gulped. She didn't want Justin to know that she was left out in the dark again by Harry and Ron. It's what has been happening ever since the start of term. She didn't want to sound whiny and accused her bestfriends of abandonment but that's what she really feels. It was clawing through her stomach like a restless kitten that rips painfully up in her heart.

Justin felt Hermione's apprehension. He sighed, knowing fully well what was happening. He couldn't blame her. She was, to put it in simple words, too nice. And sometimes, even if he is a nice guy too, it really ticks him off because it's just too much. But it was Hermione's business and he couldn't just butt in and tell her to stand up for herself.

The war was finally over and there was a drastic change everywhere. It was sad indeed but they all need to move on. Healing in different aspects was in a slow phase but Justin thought that gradually, it would happen. But looking at her, he thought that the war heroine needed a savior.

"…Well. I…" pink stained her cheeks and she played with her hair while looking at her shoes. Justin looked great and hard on her and he made a decision, that same moment, he took her elbow and made a turn at the next corner.

He knew that he wasn't going to be her savior. He wanted too, because they were friends and it just pains him in a way to see her struggle in a losing battle. She needed someone strong right now. Someone whom she can hold onto even just for a moment to realize that she was worth it. He didn't know exactly who that person could be but Hermione needs that person right now before its too late.

"Fawkes." Justin said to the stone gargoyle that was guarding the Headmistress' office.

"Is there a meeting tonight? How come I didn't know anything about it?" Hermione panicked as she searched for her planner inside her bag. Justin was about to comment otherwise when he saw all the books and notes thaw were inside her bag. "Darn it! Where are you, you stupid planner?"

Taking her bookbag form her grasp, he slung it over his shoulder. "Control freak." Justin muttered under his breath and received a playful jab on his side that made him finally lose his cool.

"Ha! Like you know any better."

Entering the office, Justin told Headmistress McGonagall his suggestion. She raised a quizzical eyebrow at him and then turned to an incredulous looking Headgirl who had her mouth agape. He chuckled inwardly upon glancing at his friend and lifted a hand to close her mouth with an innocent smile plastered on his face.

"You twat!" Justin covered his head with a pillow as he sat in an armchair in their common room.

"What did you expect me to do? Watch you mope around like that? This way, it'll be more fun and we can take this memory with us as we graduate!"

"Oh, take that pillow away from your face! I'm not gonna claw at you."

"But you can take my eyeballs out!" A book came wheezing by and he just ducked it on time. " Come on Hermione! It's just a ball!" he batted his eyelashes at her.

"Don't you have a schedule?" At this she grabbed the calendar by her study table and waved her wand on it. "Look at this, we've got exactly twenty days left to prepare everything. Minus the eight hours we spend on classes and extracurricular activities, not to mention time for eating, sleeping, taking a bath, doing our homework, studying for exams, etc. And don't forget, my tutoring sessions with my friends, project meetings with the ferret, our patrol duties, customary attendance in the upcoming Quidditch match which by the way, I'm sure Harry would win."

"Prefects."

"Huh?"

"Prefects." He repeated while grinning widely at her.

"But… that's wrong! It was your stupid idea to have a ball!"

"And I'm also Headboy. Which means I could assign them specific duties to perform that requires full cooperation. Besides, I'll be partnering some unlikely prefects to prepare for the ball in order to promote house unity."

"You're evil." And that was all Hermione could say.

Draco Malfoy stared at the roaring fire in their common room with a book on his lap. He was tired but he couldn't sleep. His mind was empty but his concentration was on full blast. His friend, Blaise Zabini and Max Aurelius were both sitting at either side of him. He knew that they were worried about him but he didn't want any of their fussing. Yes, they grew up together but that didn't give them any right to be this inquisitive.

"Draco, it's already eight. You should head now to the library to meet your project partner." Blaise cleared his throat nervously as Max told Draco this.

"Yes, mother." Replied Draco. Blaise smiled at ease knowing that it was his friend's way to tell them that everything is fine.

"Draco…don't be late for the meeting tonight." Max reprimanded as Draco stood up and left the Slytherin common room without another word. "Do you think we should follow him?"

Blaise groaned at this and slouched at his chair. "No, Max. It would just anger him. You know what he's going through right now and if we invade his privacy then it will only tick him off and he'll never speak to us again."

Silence passed between the two of them. "But, do you think that it's finally safe for them if ever given a chance? And what about us, Blaise? We weren't exactly a helping hand to the Light side during the war. We were neutral that's why they didn't lay their hands on us when the hearings began."

"I don't know."

Draco waited inside the library with his head resting on his arms at the table. As soon as she arrives, he will finally get some peace. He smiled a little at this. He knows that it pisses her off whenever they meet for their Arithmancy project and all he does is sleep while she discusses the procedures. He's always listening to her every word ofcourse, and he does his job diligently during their working time. But her presence is the only thing that calms him and relaxes him. She was the living hope that makes him stand by their plans and just hold on to the arrangements a little while longer. A few more days and he would finally be able to show her the truth. Not entirely, just piece by piece.

"Prefects meeting tomorrow at lunch." She placed her books gently at the table but a part of her wanted to slam it down with a loud bang.

He repositioned his head a little so his eyes would show. He looked at her and waited until she met his gaze.

"What?"

"What, what?" he adjusted himself and sat properly. He wanted to annoy her tonight.

"Never mind. So, since you're actually awake tonight. Might as well start working right?" She handed him a book entitled, "Pythagoras Preposterous Theory: Disproving the Pythagorean Theorem."

"Actually, Mia, as much as I would like to work tonight and strain my eyes with such big words, I'd rather prefer you telling me why the weasel and the-boy-who-just-wouldn't-die are not surrounding you that often anymore. Now isn't that a more amusing topic?"

"How about this, Draco." His eyes clouded as she said his name. He watched her remove her green ribbon from her hair and let it fall down her back. She rummaged through her bag to find her brush. "You stay out of my personal life and I promise I won't curse you to be a ferret forever." He grinned as she tried to manage her brown wavy locks. "So, how about that?" She said with mock enthusiasm. Finally, she sighed exasperatedly and just let her hair free.

"You know what…" he took a serious tone. "… I don't think that it's right that they're treating you this way. Friendship isn't supposed to be like that. Even, us Slytherins knows what loyalty means and when a friend is hurting." He paused for a while as he let his words sink in. "I'm not the most likely candidate to be your bestfriend but atleast I can see how lonely you are." He swallowed hard and bent his head. He daren't look at her. He wasn't ready for her reaction from what he was about to say. "I'm here for you. If that helps." He knew that he just took a big leap on their uncanny relationship but he didn't regret it because she needed to know that her world isn't limited to only Potter and Weasley. "I'll escort you back to your dorm." He stood up and started gathering her things.

They walked slowly. He wanted to say something that might ease the tension but he thought that it was better to remain silent so she could think things out.

"Am I that obvious?" she said in a small voice.

"Aah… I don't exactly catch your drift."

"What I mean is…" she laughed a little. "Am I that desperate to have Harry and Ron back that two of you noticed that I was off a little?"

"Not really. I just… knew it somehow."

She gave him a little smile that he carried all the way to his room until he was almost at the brink of slumber but before he drifted off to sleep he wondered what she meant by saying that there were the two of them who noticed. Who is the other person who also cares for his newest friend?

Working duration: One hour. (April 21, 2007)

Number of words: (excluding summary, title and end notes) 1, 805

iloveapplejuice: I would like to thank you for reading my fic and hope to hear from you through a review.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other things associated with it such as characters, places, events, etc. are owned by J.K. Rowling and other publishing houses. I gain no profit through this story.