"Don't do it."

Hermione whipped her head around at the sound of the faintly familiar voice. It took a second for her eyes to focus. Tears? When did she start crying?

"Go away," she muttered, turning away from the blurry stranger.

The man stepped closer. "Don't do it. Please." A cloud moved over the moon, and a thin beam of pale light floated down illuminating his face.

Hermione looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening. Draco Malfoy stood there, his pale blonde hair soaked to his head. His grey eyes were unreadable and intense.

"D-Don't come any closer!" Hermione shrieked, trembling. Memories flooded her head, memories of her time in Malfoy manner. "Mudblood."

"Take my hand," Malfoy said, reaching out to her. "I'll help you climb back over."

Hermione shivered, cringing away from him. "If you come any closer, I'll jump!"

Malfoy arched one elegant eyebrow. "No, you won't."

Hermione stared at him. "Excuse me? What do you mean, 'no, I won't'? Who do you think you are? You don't know me, Malfoy. And why do you even care? I'm just a…a filthy mudblood!"

Malfoy sighed. "Granger, if you were going to let go, you would have done so already. Now stop being an idiot and take my bloody hand."

"Just…go away," she said in a small voice. "Please."

"I can't," drawled Malfoy. "I'm involved now. The wizarding world would crucify me if I let their Gryffindor Princess do herself in."

Hermione made a strangled noise. "Oh, no worries Malfoy. I'm sure no one would ever even know you were here. Now leave!" She tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, but her foot slipped slightly. Giving a panicked cry, she grasped the railing again with both hands.

"Granger," Malfoy growled, "if you don't take my hand right NOW I swear on all that is and will be that after I jump in to save you, I will kill you myself."

Hermione scoffed. "You wouldn't jump in. The fall alone would kill you. And we all know your passion for saving your own arse!"

Something flashed in Malfoy's stormy eyes, an emotion Hermione couldn't identify. "I'm a decent swimmer," he said shortly. He pulled off his shirt.

"What-what are you doing?" Hermione squeaked, her eyes running over his bare torso. He gave her a knowing smirk. She flushed, looking away.

"I would really rather not have to jump in after you, Granger," he said. "But I will if I have to. Just know that I will be VERY annoyed after."

"Why do you care?" Hermione asked again, desperately. "This isn't your problem, Malfoy."

Malfoy sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. "I don't care, really. Why would I? I just don't want the repercussions of watching you kill yourself."

All the energy seemed to drain from Hermione's body. "Just go, Malfoy," she said tiredly. "Nobody will know you were here. I certainly won't tell anyone." She gave a bitter little laugh, looking down at the river below.

"I have a son," Malfoy suddenly said.

Hermione blinked. "Erm, what?"

Malfoy's face flushed. "I just said I have a son."

"Er," Hermione said awkwardly, "congrats?" She looked at him, nonplussed.

"He's just turned a year old," Malfoy continued. "His mother left him with me when he was two weeks old and never came back."

Hermione stared. "Oh," she managed. "I suppose that must be very difficult for you. I imagine a child must really inhibit your lifestyle."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "I love my son," he stated quietly. "I want to be there for him. I want to raise him so he…so he doesn't turn out like…me."

Hermione frowned, her amber eyes meeting Draco Malfoy's grey ones.

"I've made a lot of mistakes," Malfoy continued quietly, his eyes boring into hers. "I made some bad choices, and I…I believed in things that weren't…true. It nearly cost me my life. It certainly cost my parents theirs'. Having a child to care for changed me. The war is over, and the…prejudices and beliefs I've had my entire life don't matter to anyone anymore. I want Scorpius to grow up without them. He already has the stigma of being…of being a Death Eater's son. I don't want him to be like me."

Hermione stared at him, her mind whirling. She tried to process everything he had just said. She opened and closed her mouth several times. Finally, she said weakly, "Scorpius? You named your kid Scorpius? Who does that?"

Malfoy gave a bark of laughter, startling her. She clutched the railing tighter. "Family tradition." Heis laughter faded as he looked at her.

"Now, give me your hand. Please."

Hermione hesitated. If she didn't do this now, she never would. She would have to continue living in hell, trying to put a fake smile on her face to appease her friends.

"Granger," Malfoy said, his voice soft. "Granger…Hermione. Please."

Hermione's head whipped around in shock. Since when did he call her by her first name?

Malfoy held out his hand. "Please."

Hermione swallowed. Then, slowly, she reached out her hand, wrapping her fingers around his. Their eyes met as he helped her climb over the railing. Hermione's legs were shaky, and she stumbled. Malfoy grabbed her, holding her to his bare, wet torso.

"I've got you," he murmured.

Hermione breathed in his scent. He smelled of the rain and spearmint and musk. Taking a deep breath, she leaned back and peered into his eyes.

"What now?"