*I just want to let you guys know that the last chapter (the first one) is the ONLY chapter that will be written from a third person point of view. I think it's more fun from a characters Enjoy 3
** I DO NOT own anything. All the characters are from J.K. Rowling's brilliant mind. Please Please PLEASE review it guys I want to know what your honest opinion is.
Chapter Two: The Revelation
Draco was animatedly talking next to me, excited about the upcoming Quidditch match against Gryffindor. I couldn't help but notice the way he spoke with such eloquence, and how much more easily he smiled when he wasn't surrounded by his Slytherin buddies. We were nearing the Potions room now, and I fully expected Draco to step away from me. However, he inched closer and opened the extraordinarily heavy door for me. As we stepped into the class, 15 pairs of eyes stared at us.
"Sir, Hermione and I were in the library studying up on the necessary ingredients for the Babbling Beverage. You did say that would be included on the final exam, right?" Draco quickly lied.
"Correct my boy! I admire your drive and hard work, and I'm going to send you and Ms. Granger to the library once more to continue your studies." Replied Slughorne, looking rather proud of the supposed work Draco and I had done.
"Oh! Mr. Slughorne, I couldn't miss your class. I will do my studies outside of my class time." I could see the look Ron was giving me, and from the corner of my eye I could catch a glimpse of a smirk that had appeared on Draco's face. Knowing all too well what was going on inside Ron's head, and what Harry would say once he heard that I had been "studying" with Draco, I had to find a way out of spending even more un-allowed time with him. No matter how desperately I wanted to figure out why he was covering for my tardiness, and why he had been looking at me for such a long time.
"Oh, but you can my girl! We are simply reviewing what we learned last week, and I happen to know that you copied down my lecture word for word. I also know that those notes are what Mr. Weasley is now trying to sneak under the rest of his papers. Getting ahead on will do you more good than reviewing what you already know." Knowing he was right, and that it would look suspicious if I turned time to get ahead, I turned around and walked through the door Malfoy was joyously holding open for me.
"Hermione, can I ask you something?"
"Um, sure Malfoy, why not?"
"Why do we hate each other?" He sounded so sincere, almost like he was scared to ask.
"Well, because you and Harry hate each other and Harry's my best friend. Why that means we hate each other, I'm not sure. It just came naturally." I had never thought of it like that before. It had always seemed like we had to dislike each other, not like we had a choice.
"I don't want to fight anymore. I have nothing against you. In fact, we are a lot alike. Think about it, I'm Head Boy and you're Head Girl. That proves we both not only excel at school, but we also can handle responsibility. You hated me because you felt loyalty toward your friend, and I didn't like you because I didn't like that you were friends with someone who had rejected me." Draco Malfoy had not only just admitted that he could be my friend, but had shown emotion.
"Rejected you? How did Harry reject you?"
"I offered to be his friend on the first day of first year, and he turned me down flat." By this time we had stopped walking .There was no way that I could handle all this and walking at the same time. Draco's feelings had been hurt by Harry, and he still fights with him over it? His ego had been bruised that badly by it? Or had he honestly wanted to be Harry's friend? How had I never known all this before?
"Malfoy, look. I don't want to fight anymore either. Honestly, I don't see why we can't be friends." A strange look passed over Draco's face when I said friends, it almost resembled disappointment. "You're right, we are a lot alike. But, you are also the opposite of me in almost every way."
"Well, can we see how things go? With the way my life has been going lately, I'm going to need someone I can depend on." He said, while looking down at his shoes. He was nervous, I was sure of it. He was playing with his hands, and looking straight down. He seemed…scared. I couldn't handle seeing one of the strongest people I've ever met breaking. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it, hoping he would understand that I would be there for him however long he needed. He pulled me in for hug, and it felt so natural to have my head against his chest, and his head resting on mine. I could feel the slightest pressure of him placing his lips on the top of my head, almost as if he hadn't done it at all.
We stood there for what could have been hours, never feeling uncomfortable or awkward. He needed something, someone that he could call on when he couldn't handle it anymore and I needed him. I had never known it before, but standing there, in the corridor, I had never been surer of anything. I needed Draco Malfoy to hold me the way he was, and that revelation didn't scare me or worry me. It made me feel whole.
*Okay guys, so A LOT happened in this chapter. It's almost 3 times the length of the last one, but that's because as I was writing it I couldn't stop! I love writing this story, and I really hope that you enjoy reading it. Please review and let me know what you thought.
