Disclaimer: I still don't own anything from Harry Potter. I mean, didn't JK Rowling come up with all that stuff first? Yeah. Thought so.
A/N: Well, here's Part 2! Enjoy!
After the initial shock had left her, Hermione stood up and walked out of the office and made her way to the Great Hall where the Sorting was about half-way done.
"Hamilton, Avery!" squeaked Professor Flitwick.
A tiny boy walked up to the Hat and placed it on his head. A few seconds later: "HUFFLEPUFF!" and Avery ran off to the table.
"Holsteins, Mallory!"
A girl with long, flowing red hair stepped up to the chair. "RAVENCLAW!" She stood up gracefully and walked over to her table.
"Oh, hey Hermione," said Harry, noticing her presence.
"Hi. We get any new Gryffindors yet?" she asked.
Harry nodded and pointed two seats to the left of Neville. "Kid called Stephen Amos."
"No one else though?"
Harry shook his head darkly. "Most have been going over to Slytherin this year for some reason. Recall how long it took for the Hat to decide on Malfoy?"
Hermione nodded, remembering that the Hat had hardly touched his head before it yelled out Slytherin. "Yeah. I remember that."
"Well, it's been pretty much the same way for about a quarter of the kids so far."
Hermione shrugged as "Kolas, Renee" became a Ravenclaw.
Ron groaned. "I hate sitting through this, it always takes forever."
"Come on, it's not that bad. I like watching it," said Ginny.
"Yeah, well. You're just weird," Ron said lamely, as "Lee, Jennifer" became a Gryffindor.
"You don't like watching the kids become Gryffindors, though? At least, a little?" Ginny asked, hopefully.
Ron shrugged. "It's not like I'm ever going to get to know them."
Ginny decided to stop trying and returned her attention to "O'Malley, Shawn" who became a Hufflepuff a few moments later.
After another ten minutes, in which Ron wouldn't stop complaining, "Worren, Matthew" became the final Gryffindor, and the last first-year to be sorted.
"Come on, McGonagall… come on… 'tuck in'… 'start eating'- anything!" Ron said desperately.
Professor McGonagall raised her hands, and the talking ceased gradually. "Now that the Sorting is completed—"
"SAY IT!" Ron whisper-shouted, with his hands already on his knife and fork, looking down at his plate.
"Ron, patience!" Hermione chided.
"You may start eating."
"THANK YOU!" Ron cried aloud, filling his plate with extreme speed.
Hermione shook her head as she filled her plate as well.
"So…" said Ron, swallowing too much food at once "What did McGonagall want?"
Hermione chose her words carefully. "Well… you know… she wanted to know what… what happened on the train," she said lightly.
"Malfoy?" he asked.
"Uh, yeah. She wanted to know how his injuries had been obtained… how serious I thought they were…" She really didn't want to talk about this right now.
Ron obviously didn't catch her drift. "You tell her it was you that performed ACR… or whatever it is…"
"CPR, Ronald, and yes. I did inform her of that."
"And…?" Ron prompted.
"And she said that was a smart choice. Please, I'm hungry and wish to eat, not answer questions," said Hermione resolutely, and putting a forkful of food into her mouth.
Ron shrugged and continued to wolf down his food.
At break, Hermione managed to get Harry and Ron to leave her alone, by saying she needed to work on something S.P.E.W related in library. However, she had no intention of going to the library at all. She needed to just tell Malfoy and get it over with, or it would haunt her forever.
"Madam Pompfrey?" she whispered quietly when she reached the Hospital Wing. For some reason, the Wing felt like the library- you shouldn't yell, just whisper.
"Yes, dear?" asked Pompfrey, from around the corner. "Ah, Miss Granger. Mr. Malfoy is in the bed over there."
"Is he asleep?" Hermione asked, half hoping it were true. "I mean, I don't want to disturb him or anything…"
"No, no. He's quite awake. Over there, Miss Granger," Madam Pompfrey said briskly, with a wave of her hand.
"Thank you," said Hermione grimly.
She walked over to his bed, dread growing with each step. Finally she reached the bed. "Hi Malfoy," she said shortly.
"What are you doing here, Mudblood?" he asked, disgustedly.
Hermione set her jaw. She should have just let him suffer. "I came to tell you something."
"Then say it and get out of my sight."
"You know what happened to you?" asked Hermione.
"Finch-Fletchy beat the crap outta me, beat him back though."
"Do you know that he had you knocked unconscious?" she asked, still playing around with ideas of how to tell him in her head.
"Yeah. Socked me right in the head. Granger, out with what you want to say already!"
"I performed CPR on you, afterwards, and that's why you're here, insulting me," said Hermione, attempting at a guilt factor, which obviously had no effect.
"What in the name of Merlin is CPR?" Malfoy asked distastefully.
"It's a Muggle form of resuscitation."
"And why are you telling me this? Do you mean to tell me that you saved my life?" asked Malfoy.
"I'm telling you because Professor McGonagall ordered me to. And yes, because you asked, I did save your life."
Malfoy didn't say anything. Hermione assumed he probably wasn't going to either, so she turned to leave, figuring her job was done.
"Granger wait!" he called.
She stopped, wondering what he wanted now. She spun around to face him. "What?"
"Uh… this is going to sound strange… but… thanks. For saving me… I guess. Wouldn't have done the same for you, and that's a fact."
"I'm Head Girl. I had no choice," she said bitterly.
"Look, forget it's me you saved. Can you accept my gratitude?" he asked, almost pleadingly.
Hermione was startled. Where was this new Malfoy coming from? She hadn't expected this. "Sure," she said.
"Look, I know you hate my guts, but you can't totally hate me- you saved me, remember?"
Hermione froze. She hadn't thought of it like that. Her heart pounding, she looked him straight in the eyes. "Maybe you're right. But what's it to you? Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?" She was almost defensive.
"I'm looking at the person who gave me a second chance at life. What other reason do I need?" he replied, in a very unlike Slytherin way.
"That answer sounded like something Harry would say. Stop it! I- I'm not allowed to like you! You are allowed to like me!" She was nearly shouting now. She was scared. Did she really like him? Of course not. He was a Slytherin… the person who had made her life a living hell when they came face to face. She was not allowed to have feelings for this bit of scum.
"Maybe it was. Granger, you do have to admit. If you really hated me, you would have let me die. Think about it," he said.
Hermione didn't say anything more. She turned on her heel and ran out of the Hospital Wing.
A/N: Okay, before you complain that "I went too fast" think about this- it's only three chapters long and I don't want it to be any longer than that. Besides, everyone seems to like the sweet Malfoy better than the evil Malfoy, or at least, that's what I've seen. Next chapter will be the last part. Reviews are graciously accepted!
