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Prologue:
No one knew of there so called relationship change. Or that such a changed happened. I seemed to have come about in third year after she punched him. Or should we say broke his nose. Though being as arrogant as his is he wouldn't admit it. I mean what pureblood would admit that a so called mudblood had broken his nose. Let alone touched him.
But the situation came up none the less.
*End of third year*
Hermione climbed the spiral staircase to the top of the Astronomy tower searching for some peace and quiet. It was odd really to find her here. Everyone would assume that she was in the library already studding for the next years test. It tickled her really, how most people just assume where she would be. But to be hones they were mostly correct. If you ever went looking for Hermione Granger during the school days you would most likely find her either in the library or with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
But right now all she really wanted was some peace and quiet. This last week had been a mess, chaotic, a muddle, just dam well crazy. Pick one, anyone it would work in her describing her week. With exams, a mass murder after your best friend, that mass murderer turning out to be innocent and your best friend's god father, your friends rat turning out to actually be human, a werewolf, an irritable tree that loved to inflict pain. The list goes on.
So you couldn't really blame her for wanting some alone time just to relax without the need to think at all.
Hermione reached the top of the tower to find the late afternoon sun resting in the sky having already started its slow decent. The Black Lake looked beautiful from up there with the sun reflecting off it and the giant squid's tentacle's dancing in the sun teasing the second years on the shoreline of the lake.
She breathed in the afternoon breeze that danced through her hair as she lounged against the balcony railing. Closing her eyes as she succumbed to breeze and started to hum one of the tunes her mum use to hum whenever she was baking in the kitchen.
Soft footsteps echoed through the tower as someone else made their way up. Hermione's eyes snapped open as the intruder reached the landing and continued on. It seemed to take him a few seconds to realise he wasn't alone as she heard him freeze mid-step. Well to what sounded like a him, by the way the newcomer was walking.
Hearing him clear his throat she turned slightly in order to catch a glimpse of him before turning back to her view. She sighed silently, of all the people in Hogwarts to make their way here it had to be Malfoy. Cursing her luck as colourfully as she could she sighed.
"I mean you no harm Malfoy," she said her gaze never leaving the lake, "Trust me if I did you would be holding your face right now. I came up here for some peace and quiet. So if you want me to leave you need only ask." She said in a bored tone. She closed her eyes once again as the breeze tickled her face.
Draco subconsciously rubbed his nose in remembrance. She had broken his nose with that punch of hers and he wouldn't be a fool to underestimate her. Considering he had seen what the witch could do without a wand. He wasn't going to try and come between her when it was pointing at him anytime soon.
"You pack one hell of a punch Granger." Draco said without thinking. He curst himself quietly wondering why he had opened his mouth He saw her lips twitch slightly at the beginning of a smile started to appear on her face though she hid it quickly and he smirked.
"My dad made me take self-defence classes when I was little so I would hope so," she said turning slightly to face him.
Facing him full on she took in him fully and without thinking she exclaimed, "Malfoy you look terrible." She frowned at him.
And honestly he did. His shirt was untucked and scrunched at random, his hair seemed to have had hands run through it once too many times, he had dark circles under his eyes and his skin looked pale, well paler than usual. To be honest he looked like shit.
"Why thanks Granger that's exactly what a guy wants to be told," he said scowling and stomping towards the balcony railing a few steps away from Hermione.
"Malfoy honestly you look like you were run you over by a herd of hippogriffs that left you in their wake." She said trying to hide the concern in her voice. Why the hell did she care this was the guy that called her a mudblood since second year after all.
"Why the fuck do you care Granger?" he sneered at her.
She fell silent quickly glancing back at the lake.
The silence held for a few minutes before Draco let out a breath of air. He seemed to sag into the railing his shoulders finally giving out and his head came to rest on his arms.
"Malfoy- Draco, I honestly don't know why I'm asking this but, are you ok?" He could feel her eyes on him.
He hadn't meant to tell her anything honestly he only meant to tell her to mind her own dam business and to piss off not spill his guts out. But when he glanced up at her and saw the genuine concern written on her face. He spilt it all.
His worries, concerns, his fears for the future, his father, mother the dark lord everything and she listened. Not saying anything she let him talk. Let him scream. Let him let it out. And when he was done he looked a hell of a lot better.
They stood there in silence watching the lake before she finally spoke.
"I get it." She said glancing down at her clasped hands.
"What?" he asked a look of confusion crossing his face as he stared at her.
"I said I get it. I know what it feels like to have hopes and fears to feel like your losing control. Like, you can't do anything right." She said.
He stared at her with an unbelievable look on his face. This was Hermione Granger, Gryffindor princess, miss perfect, admitting that she felt lost and confused when she always seemed to know the answers to everything.
"What?" she said looking vulnerable? Draco shook his head.
"Nothing it's just, this is strange. Us talking and you of all people admitting that you might not be able to do things, that you have fears. That you know what it's like." He said breaking his gaze to stare out at the lake.
"Everyone has them Draco, where only human after all. We all have feelings, hopes, fears, wants, loves, hates. Its natural it's what makes us human. It's what keeps us sane. I kind of know how you feel. The pressure and all, feeling like you can't do anything right. When I found out I was a witch I was scared honestly. I was going into a world that I was completely new to so I naturally thought I was behind in everything. The only thing that grounded me were rules and my books. I mean if it weren't for harry and Ron I probably still be alone with no friends." She said.
"How do you do that?" he asked frowning at the lake.
"How do I do what?" Hermione asked.
"Make things seem ok and better. The only other person that seems to be able to do that is my mother." Draco said in a soft voice.
Hermione smiled softly thinking of how her own mother seems to almost always do that for her.
"I don't know Draco. I just gave you the facts. How you interpret it is a mystery." Hermione said.
"Can I ask you something Draco? You don't have to answer it if you don't want to but why do you hate me. Honestly?" Hermione asked not entirely expecting him to answer.
Draco thought long and hard about that question before he said anything.
"Honestly? I'm jealous. I'm jealous of what you have. Your grades, your brain, your ability to try so hard to make things work just so you can fit in. You have friends that care about you; you seem to have an amazing life. Whereas I'm stuck in a world where you only have allies and family life is mostly political. I mean besides my mother no one really cares enough about me. No one watches over me like your friends do. Yes potter and Weasley fight with you though it's mostly Weasley but at least you can talk to them and they care. I don't have that." Draco explained.
"I kind of know how you feel. The pressure and all feeling like you can't do anything right. When I found out I was a witch I was scared honestly. I was going into a world that I was completely new to so I naturally thought I was behind in everything. The only thing that grounded me were rules and my books. I mean if it weren't for harry and Ron I probably still be alone with no friends. And please Harry and Ron care about my feelings; anytime I bring up something like that they either completely ignore it and change the subject or give me these strange looks. You're the only person that I've told these things to, the only person willing to listen." Hermione signed at that before she glanced at the blonde on her right before making up her mind.
"I know we don't really know each other well or at all really but how bout we call a truce. Just between you and me. You can call me names and bully me for show. But I'll be there for you. Honestly I'm just an owl away. You only need to write. But Draco you can turn those allies into friends. Loyalty and friendship work best together rather than allies you need but don't trust. That seems like a disaster waiting to happen…. So how about it, Friends?" she asked holding out her hand to the blonde.
Draco stared at her considering her words carefully. How on earth did it come to this? A chance meeting in the astronomy tower with Granger turn into a secret truce and friendship. Thinking he did the most idiotic thing, he agreed. He Draco Lucius Malfoy agreed to a secret truce and friend ship with Hermione Jean Granger. What was the world coming to?
"Friend's." Draco said shaking the witches' hand.