DISCLAIMER: I do not, nor have I ever, own any piece of Harry Potter. All characters, settings, etc. are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

CHAPTER 2: Not Alone

Hermione groaned groggily as she sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. So this is a hangover, she thought regretfully. I shouldn't have had so much to drink. Harry was right, bugger me. I can't even remember getting into bed.

"I can't believe she did that! No wonder everyone hates her," Lavender said to Parvati.

Hermione groaned again and tried to tune out the loud voices of her roommates.

"Well, you should know that I heard from Padma who heard from Blaise this morning at breakfast that Malfoy didn't get back to his dorm until really late last night," Parvati was excitedly telling Lavender, waving her hands in the air.

Hermione's eyes widened when she realized they were talking about Malfoy and the events of last night began to flash through her mind.

"And Pansy was really upset because she'd been waiting up for him. She was sat in the common room when he finally got there and, get this, he was piss drunk. Pansy screamed bloody murder!"

"What happened after?" Lavender asked and Hermione had to admit she was a bit curious too.

"They broke up!" Parvati shouted gleefully. Huh? Pansy and Malfoy broke up?

"They didn't!" Lavender gasped.

"They did! And Malfoy's been acting like it's no big deal at all. Pansy's furious!" Parvati shouted.

"Well I would be too if the same thing happened with me and Ron," Lavender said.

Hermione scoffed. "Could you guys possibly be any louder?" she asked them. "I've got an awful headache and your screaming is making it a hundred times worse."

Parvati and Lavender both looked at her with sour faces. "You know, Hermione, I've never seen you get up this late before. What did you get up to last night?" Lavender asked her. "It sounds like you might have a hangover."

Hermione's eyes narrowed at Lavender's accusatory tone. "None of your business Lavender. Don't you have to go see Ron or something?"

"You know, you're right. I do have to go meet Ron." she replied haughtily and narrowed her eyes. "What are your plans for today?"

Hermione turned her head and rolled her eyes as Lavender and Parvati resumed their conversation. Don't stoop to her level, she told herself.

She got up and went to go take a nice, long, hot bath in the prefects bathroom. As she was filling up the bathtub, she remembered that peppermint was supposed to be good for headaches and she added that into the water before climbing in.

When she fully sank in, she felt her muscles start to unwind and relax. Yes, this is what she had needed.

Hermione still couldn't believe the trouble she had gotten into last night. Talking with Draco Malfoy, drinking, being amicable. What was wrong with her? Next time, I'll stick with water and a good cry, she thought. Although, Malfoy was being rather nice, wasn't he? But, why would he be nice to me? It wouldn't surprise me if he was back to his old, horrid self today.

They had spent quite a while together and they hadn't even fought once. It was something Hermione never could have predicted happening.

She sighed. It was really unlike her to do those sorts of things. Good thing she was also back to her usual self today. Although, she thought, it wasn't such a bad time.

She was about to close her eyes and rest for a while when she heard a loud growling coming from her stomach. Great. I can't believe I overslept and missed breakfast, she thought, getting out and putting on a light pink jumper and jeans.

As she walked to the great hall, Hermione couldn't help thinking of the conversation she'd had with Malfoy last night. Unless she had heard wrong, Malfoy had told her that Ron didn't deserve her. And he had said it casually too, as if he hadn't really considered what he was saying. It struck her as odd that he'd then made a joke. It just didn't seem like the Malfoy she knew. She was turning a corner when-

"Watch where you're going Granger," she heard the boy from her thoughts snarl. "I'm surprised, even without your head in a book you still manage to bump into me."

Yep, he's definitely back to his old self today, she thought as she glared at him. "Sorry, I wasn't looking."

He paused, looking at her skeptically. "It's okay, just watch where you walk."

Hermione looked up at him now, a quizzical expression on her face. Did he just say it's okay? "What?" she asked him but he was already walking away.

What is up with him? She thought. I have never in my life met someone as confusing as him. Not even Ron is this back and forth.

Groaning, she made her way back to the common room to drop off her stuff and grab her schoolwork. She was planning on heading to the library for a few hours before lunch so she could get some work done early.

Nearing a corner, Hermione could make out hushed whispers coming from farther ahead. Seeing Ron and Harry in front of her, she started to make her way towards them.

"I mean, don't you think it's a bit weird that as soon as Lavender and I start dating, Hermione starts acting weird and obnoxious about it?" she heard Ron tell Harry.

Harry sighed. "I don't think she's acting weird or obnoxious, Ron." Neither of them seemed to notice her as she walked closer.

"Harry don't even try to deny it! She's acting like she has a stick up her arse. Even Lavender said so! She told me Hermione tried to pick a fight with her earlier today."

"So just because Lavender said so, you automatically have to blame Hermione?" Harry was clearly irritated with him.

Ron frowned and avoided his question. "I just don't even know what her problem is. Why can't she be more like Lavender?"

She froze. Tears clouded her vision and her mouth fell open as she looked at Ron. He looked up and saw her for the first time.

His eyes widened. "Wait, Hermione I didn't mean-"

She glared at him. "Oh, you didn't? Save it Ron," she said walking past him with her books clutched tightly in her arms.

Hermione rushed to her favorite table in the library and hastily sat down, throwing her bag and books on the table and finally allowing her tears to fall. "Stupid, egotistical, good-for-nothing Ron," she sobbed putting her head in her hands. "I can't believe I ever let myself develop feelings for that- that animal!"

Momentarily distracted, she didn't hear the footsteps behind her moving closer. She felt a hand gently pat her on her back and she yelped, jumping, and looked up surprised.

When she saw who was sitting next to her, it was all she could do not to faint right there.

"Malfoy? What- what are you doing?" she asked, shocked, as she scanned his face, her tears coming to a stop.

"Isn't it obvious Granger? I'm trying- and clearly failing- to comfort you," he replied smoothly.

She narrowed her eyes. "But, why?"

"I don't really know. I mean, you were crying. So-"

"So you thought that you, Draco Malfoy, would comfort me? Me? Hermione Granger? Your sworn enemy's best friend?"

He chuckled. "Why are you always so surprised when I do something nice?"

"Maybe because you've never- save for last night- been nice to me in the six years we've known each other?"

"People change," he said simply.

She frowned. "I'm well aware of that. I just never thought you could. Or that you wanted to," she said cautiously.

Draco looked at her seriously and they locked eyes. For the first time, Hermione saw something other than the arrogant boy she had always known.

"I want to."