Another month past away, nothing new happened. Draco still wasn't able to find some success. The vanishing cabinet was not any further and the cursed items he tried to get delivered to Dumbledore weren't much of a help. What did he thought? As if the headmaster was so easily to kill. Silently Draco sighed, he was hopeless like his father and it will cost him his life. It was late at night and he wandered around in the castle. Through the dungeons where the Slytherin common room was, up to the Great Hall. It was empty, silence everywhere. Draco preferred the silence and was happy that no one was there to question why he was out of bed. It was dark everywhere, only the light of his wand made it lighten up. Slowly he sat down on one of the tables, tried to get every thought out of his head. He didn't want to think of what would happen to him. But time was running out. That came clearer and clearer. When he looked up again he realised that he sat on the Gryffindor table. Carefully his hand touched the wooden table, it felt cold and hard. Just the same wood as his table was made off. But why was he even interested in that now? The last weeks were just so weird. And when did he get so sentimental. A loud sigh ran down his throat and he stood up again. Cold air met his arms, which weren't covert in clothes. Carefully he looked down on the mark on his left arm. Dangerously the sign of the Dark Lord marked him. It was still strange to look at it, he never had imagined to become his servant. Hasty his eyes fixated on the stone walls in front of him. Before he began to freeze he went out of the Great Hall. With his head in his thoughts he walked and walked with no destination. He just wanted to be alone and pity himself. Suddenly a question flooded his mind. Why haven't he seen Granger the last days? Neither in class nor at the astronomy tower. He wondered if she avoided him because of their strange meetings. But because he didn't came to an answer he decided to go back to bed.

The next day he went up the stairs to the astronomy tower again and there she was. A part of him regretted that he went up here but the other part wanted to see her again. He sort of wanted to talk with her about what happened. Again he watched her but this time she looked up. Her warm brown eyes met his again, he felt comfortable. Slowly he came nearer and finally set himself next to her. "So no convincing me to leave, today?" she asked amused. "No. I think I need some company."
Irritated she looked at him. "And you chose me? The person you, next to Harry, hate the most?" she perked up her eyebrows. A faint laugh slipped out his throat." Ha. Yeah I thought the same. But to be honest, I don't care who you are." Again she looked at him, not sure what his sentence meant. "You're strange Malfoy." Hermione said and he nodded. "Well, I should care who and what you are, but it's not that easy. You know?" What was he doing? Was he about to tell her everything? Did he care if she would tell anyone? He was so confused about anything and it was fact that he needed to talk to anyone. She hold her promise and hadn't told anyone about their last meeting. When he came up here, she was concerned to see him again but when he sat down she looked more curious. Could he trust her? What did he become?
"What do you mean, you should care?" It was a very convenient question. Easy to find out, he was insecure. "Can I trust you?" Draco asked, afraid, his eyes on hers. The warm sun made her eyes glitter beautifully.

It took a time for her to answer. She still stared at him. But suddenly her warm expression changed and her gaze became angry. But there was more, Draco just couldn't describe it. "Draco Malfoy, the boy who always insulted me, hated me. And now look at you. Talking to a "mudblood" and asking if he could trust her." With the word mudblood she draw quotation marks with her fingers in the air, her voice furious. A shock hit him. It was true, he always did, but the situation changed. "You know what? You can trust me, but I don't want to talk to you. You were horrible to me and I won't allow you to play with me. Go Malfoy. Before I jinx you!" Nobody saw this coming. Perplexed Draco stood up and went. But before he left he looked back at her, shocked. Her expression was furious, almost cold.

Irritated and confused he walked into the dungeons, back to the Slytherin common room. It was, except Blaise, empty. Deep in his thoughts he sat down into the couch, devastated. But what was he expected? Did he really expect that Hermione Granger would so easily listen to him after the history they shared? He was a fool.

"Doesn't look like you had a nice morning. You look awful." Blaise sat himself next to Draco, worried. After he didn't answer Blaise became more curious. "You talked to her didn't you?" Draco still stared into the fire, petrified, but nodded after a while.

"What did she say?"

His thoughts ran through their conversation again. They were almost friendly to each other. Never Draco would've imagined that. And less, that he cared about her screaming at him. He felt sorry that he was an idiot all the years. It was a strange feeling, though.

"Nothing helpful actually. She screamed at me. Even if I would care, she will never forgive me for what I've done to her and her little friends the last six years."

"If I were you, I would try to apologise."

Puzzled he looked at his friend, before he stared at the ground. "Apologise? You're insane? She'll never forgive me."

"Oh trust me man, love goes irrational ways." A smirk appeared on Blaise's face.

"Love?" Blaise really used that word to describe their relationship. Not that there would exist one. It didn't came into his mind that he would feel something for Hermione because, to be honest, they weren't even friends.

"Of course I see that you feel for her in a twisted way. Maybe not love, yet. I see that you're interested, I can see it in your eyes."

"My eyes? What is wrong with you Blaise? Gone under the lovers and now you're a psychic or something?"

"No. Lover, yes. But Draco, I know you a long time now, I can see right through you." The smile became brighter. Draco looked irritated at his friend, not sure what to think of this conversation. But he was right with one thing. Blaise knew him for a long time now and he probably knew him better than Crabbe, Golye and his parents alltogether.

"And you say to apologise will help?" he furrowed his brows. The one with the dark brown eyes just nodded. "And what about you? You said you're a lover now?"

Again he smiled. "I'll tell you when it's time for that. For now just one hint. You wouldn't imagine who it is."

The next day he expected to meet her on top of the astronomy tower, he hoped. Almost all night he thought about what Blaise had told him. Apologise will help. Draco hated to apologise. He hated to confess something at all. Again and again he played the conversation through in his mind. Before he finally fell asleep he developed a good conversation. But when he went up the stairs to the astronomy tower all his courage vanished and pain ran through his body, he nearly panicked. Another few times he thought about what to say, before he arrived on top of the tower. When he did, he found the place empty. That wasn't part of his plan. What should he do now? Should he wait and see if she was coming or should he knock on the door to the Gryffindor dormitories? He didn't know and was insecure. In the end he sat down and sighed. This didn't went the way he planned. Hours went by, it became dark outside. Still no Hermione Granger. Frustrated he went back to his dormitory and went to bed early.

The next morning came way to early, but he slept better than the last weeks. Though he was very tired. It was Saturday morning, early when he grabbed a book, a notebook and went again up the staircase in hope to meet her there. All his thoughts were by apologising Hermione. But again, the whole day he didn't saw her up there.

The same on Saturday. In the evening he decided to go up to the Gryffindor common room and ask for her. He also came up with a story. Both of them were prefects, so it was easy to tell the Gryffindor's that he needed to talk to her because of prefect matters. Satisfied with this idea he walked down the corridors until he found the Fat Lady. Unsure how to knock he stood there some minutes.
"Can I do something for you my dear?" asked the Fat Lady. "I want to talk to one of the Gryffindor students. Can you help me reach them?"

Some minutes later the door opened. He didn't know if the painting was the one who called someone or if it was just a coincidence.
The next moment Ginny Weasley stood in front of him, her gaze very irritated. "Malfoy? What are you doing here?" she asked curiously with irritation in her voice. "I'm looking for Hermione Granger. Need to talk with her about some prefect business. Would you mind fetch her for me?" he asked as friendly as he could, but her look was a nasty one. "And that can't wait?" the red haired asked him suspiciously.
Why exactly was he here? He couldn't imagine himself doing what he was doing just now. "Please? Just get her, I don't want any trouble. It's important." Doubtful she examined him, she didn't seem to be sure if he was trustworthy. With a short nod she vanished behind the closed door. Again he needed to wait, but it was okay. Minutes went by and Draco started to get bored when Hermione came out of the portrait door.

"What do you want Malfoy?" she asked coldly. "Can you come with me for a second? I need to say something and it's important. I don't want to get overheard." Hermione narrowed her eyes in suspicion before she nodded and followed. It didn't take them long to get into an empty classroom. After Hermione closed the door, she looked at him, her hands on her hips. "So. What is so important? And why haven't you waited to the next prefect meeting?" she asked annoyed. It took him a moment to talk, he breathed sharp. "Because I needed to get you out of your common room." Draco started, their eyes locked the same great way as up the tower the other day. "Why? Malfoy I swear if that is one of your tricks.." she started but couldn't finish because he came really near and put his index finger on her lips. She hadn't expected that and her eyes became bigger. "I want to apologise." he said quietly, his eyes searching in hers for any anger. His finger still touched her lips until he realised and removed it. Her lips were soft and warm, almost perfect. Suddenly her gaze became warm, the last time they were this warm was up the tower some weeks ago. "Apology accepted." Spontaneously she began to smile. He returned it.