Chapter Two

An Apology

"Merlin, I didn't mean to make you jump like that." Draco snorted, "I hope you don't make a habit of coming here, to…read. They have books in the library."

"Yes, but there are people in the library."

"I'm here. I'm a person." His voice was quiet; underneath his sneer there was a hint of pity.

"You don't count, Malfoy." Hermione lifted her eyes tentatively to Draco's, only to quickly look away. Guilt resonated on her mind. That was cruel, even though she had meant it sarcastically.

"Never thought I did."

"I'm sorry, that was out of line."

"Not really." There was silence, only for a little while, but it was enough for Hermione to pick up on Draco's uneven breathing, it was quickened, almost as if he was nervous. Then, all of a sudden, Draco turned and began walking away, only to turn back, obviously frustrated.

"Why did you come over here, Malfoy?"

"I knew you didn't leave. I could hear the rustle of whatever that is you're reading." He nodded towards the book in Hermione's hands.

"It's Keats."

"I don't really care. Look, I'm sorry I called you a mudblood." A slight smile broke over Hermione's lips.

"I might be able to forgive you. It's not like I'm not used to it."

"Why are you even here?" Draco's awkwardness at the situation was apparent in his face, making conversation never had been one of his fortes.

"I had to get away."

"From what?"

"Why do you care?"

"As heartless as I may seem, Granger, whenever anyone runs into the Room of Requirement sobbing even I know something's up."

"Why should I tell you?" Hermione rose from her chair, the book of Keats cradled in her arms, as a barrier between her and Draco.

"I might be able to help?"

Hermione gave the ghost of a laugh. "Really, you think you can help?"

"No, not really, but I might as well try. It'll be a good distraction."

"A distraction from what?" Hermione knew, as did Harry and Ron, that Malfoy was up to something, but this seemed so strange. Why was he in the Room of Requirement? Only, it made sense. Draco didn't appear on the Marauders Map, and it was impossible that he was leaving the Hogwarts grounds time and time again, so the Room of Requirement was the only place he could be. Why hadn't they worked it out before?

"You don't want to know." Draco slowly walked away from Hermione, searching for something to sit on, until he found the twin to the armchair Hermione had been reading in. He dragged it so that the two chairs were facing each other, about a metre or so apart, and sat, crossed-legged, his hands on his ankles, smiling a sad, sorry smile, gesturing with his head for Hermione to sit too.

The Vanishing Cabinet stood only thirty feet or so away, far too close for Draco's liking. He hated being with the thing anyway, it radiated a more terrible kind of Dark Magic than he had ever experienced before. Dark Magic had always been prominent in his upbringing, but the stuff in Borgin and Burkes could never compare to this. He knew perfectly well the reason why he had been asked to repair it. By the end of the year, Albus Dumbledore would be dead, and he would have played a part in it. Merlin, Draco might even be the one to kill him. If that were so, the triumph and envy he would receive from the Death Eaters would be unrivalled. Despite all this, however, Draco tried, as hard as he could, to delay the repairing of the cabinet. He knew that everyone was becoming frustrated with him, but something was holding him back.

Draco's thoughts danced between the Vanishing Cabinet and the girl who sat before him. Hermione Granger, of all the people who could have pranced right into his work, it had to be her. Thank Merlin it wasn't Weasley, or worse still, Potter. She'd tell them, about him being here. Soon enough, they'd all discover why he was never seen roaming the halls like he used to. They'd discover what he was building, and from that they'd find out what the Dark Lord was planning for Dumbledore. He had to stop her from finding out. He had to stop her from telling. Anything to keep it a secret, he would do anything.

"Are you going to say anything, or are you going to look at me strangely for the rest of the evening?" Hermione wore a blank expression, fighting back both tears and cries of confusion.

"Oh, sorry."

"This is weird."

"Yeah. It is." Draco allowed himself a quiet laugh. This really was weird. Surreal. This morning, he would never have pictured himself sitting opposite a tear drenched Hermione Granger in the Room of Requirement, discussing the state of their conversation.

"If we're just going to see how awkward this conversation can get all night then I think I'd better be going." Hermione readied herself to get out of the chair, but stopped.

"I thought you said you couldn't leave."

"I did. You're right. I can't."

"Then don't." Draco's gaze found Hermione's eyes, daring her to look directly at him. "Why are you here, Granger?"

"If I were to say you'd laugh at me."

"My laughing at you has never seemed to bother you before. I did it all the time."

"True."

"Go on then. Why did you run into the Room of Requirement crying?"

"I needed somewhere to hide."

"From?" Draco prompted. "What from, Granger?"

"Ron."

"Weasley? Why?"

"He's got a girlfriend."

"By Merlin, how did that buffoon get a girlfriend?" The Slytherin's laughter echoed around the Room. "You're joking, right?"

"He's not a buffoon," Hermione said, loudly, anger rising in her voice.

"I'll have to disagree with you on that one, Granger," a sneer formed on Draco's lips, "anyway, why does it matter to you, Weasley having a girlfriend?"

Hermione took a deep, disjointed breath. "I like Ron."

Shock filled Draco's eyes; his sneer vanished, replaced by a dumfounded look. "Weasley?"

"Yes. Weasley."

"So he got a girlfriend, and you came to be lost in the Room of Hidden Things?" Tears began to swell in Hermione's eyes once more, only this time she let them fall. They blossomed as they hit the paper of the book of Keats, but she didn't go to shut it. Hermione buried her head in her hands, and, as silently as she could, began to weep.

"Oh Merlin, don't cry, please, oh shit, it'll be ok. Weasley's a git, anyway." Draco sprang from his chair, and slunk towards Hermione, to awkwardly pat her on the shoulder.

Her crying stopped, and she looked up, incredulously at the boy who stood before. "What the hell, Malfoy? You didn't need to pet me." The words came stifled by chokes of misery.

"Well, what else was I supposed to do?"

"Leave me alone, perhaps?" At this, Draco slowly backed away.

"Do you want me to leave you alone?"

Hermione sighed as she wiped away her tears, her head now throbbing. "No, not really, but I think I ought to go anyway."

"You can stay if you want."

"I don't know if I want to or not." Hermione finally rose from her chair, "how do you get out of here?"

"From here, you take three lefts, two rights, and then just keep walking." Hermione looked to the book lying open on the chair. For good measure, she picked it up, and tucked it carefully under her arm - it was highly unlikely that the owner of the book was even alive, with the age of the book, let alone going to come back to claim it. "Hermione?" She jumped at the sound of her own name.

"Yes…Draco?"

"You won't tell anyone about this will you?" A debate raged in Hermione's mind for a few moments, on the one hand, she would have to face the mortification of admitting to everyone that Draco Malfoy had comforted her while she cried, but on the other, telling was the right thing to do.

"No, I won't." Relief washed over Draco, but he was careful not to let it show.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Draco."

"Are you going to come back?"

"We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?"