A Song for Lonely Hill
Apologies and Determination---
The room is really very nice, she reasoned. It was indeed. Malfoys did have contacts in high places, though only with muggles, for the Malfoy name was scum lately among most wizards.
I could fall asleep right now… It was the most comfortable mattress she had ever touched, let alone slept on. With the enormous wooden shades drawn over the windows, it was deliciously dark, just the way Hermione preferred. With the lights on, you could see the elegant cream walls and deep black shag carpet. She relished in the lovely glass desk perched directly in front of the ceiling to floor window. It revealed a glorious scene of night time in New York, which was really quite beautiful despite Hermione's dislike for the city.
Malfoy had said he would provide a room, but it was so much more than that. The bathroom included a luxurious Jacuzzi that could have easily fit three people, though the suite was designed for one.
Best of all was the mini-fridge, filled with absolutely priceless wines and various alcohol that Hermione had to force herself not to gulp down straight away. Though Malfoy was providing her his hospitality, his generosity certainly wouldn't stretch to include anything else she consumed while remaining there.
As repulsive as it sounded, she would have to find a way to repay him. Her inner morality demanded it. If only work at the lab paid a little better…
The next morning, Hermione awoke relaxed and rested for the first time in months.
Jumping into action, she threw on some fresh clothes, got her stuff together and bolted out the door to meet Harry and Ginny. She frantically zoomed down the hallway, ignoring disgusted looks from the staff, clutching her phone for any sign of baby time. She felt just awful for being so rude to them the other day, that she was determined to make it up by surprising them nice and early.
Then Hermione ran directly into the very last person she needed to see right now.
"Slow down, Granger, you almost took my arm off," Malfoy drawled.
"Sorry." Again, she prepared herself for what would require all of the control she could muster. "Er… I just wanted to thank you for getting the room for me, it's really very nice." The words had flown out of her mouth so quickly that she doubted he understood a single word of it.
He seemed to struggle with himself for a minute, then-
"No… No problem." His lip curled into what was unmistakably, yet unbelievably a smile. Yes, a smile, not a smirk. It was strained, but still there on his face. It was an act of Merlin himself.
Hermione stood dumbstruck for a full ten seconds staring at him, then nodded weakly and stalked off, resisting the temptation to turn around and gape a little more.
Then, remembering her mission, she burst immediately into action and flew out the doorway and down the streets of New York, racking her brain for the correct street name.
By twelve in the afternoon she arrived at the apartment and opened the door to find Ginny sitting on the couch with her mother and father, all looking very tense and expectant. Hermione watched Ginny stroking her stomach absentmindedly, while Mrs. Weasley glanced at her watch at regular intervals with very tired-looking eyes.
"Hermione!" said Harry, coming from another room and wringing his hands in anticipation. Once her presence was acknowledged by the two women, their faces at last showed a sign of warmth.
"I just wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday," she began, "I was emotionally distressed, but now I'm here and ready to celebrate. Forgive me?"
"Of course. We completely understand," Ginny said, kindly.
Hermione sat down and all awkwardness was forgotten. Every so often in mid-sentence Ginny would jump up, wide-eyed, and the room would erupt in gasps and lunges for pillows and various baby-time items, but then she would end up just needing to go to the bathroom and everyone would collapse back down again.
"Stop scaring us like that!" they would exclaim.
All were exhausted after a few hours of the constantly mounting tension and disappointment. Ginny kept insisting that it wasn't going to happen today.
"Our babies aren't ready, Harry, I can feel it, I know it." Still, no one relaxed.
Eventually the conversation turned to Draco Malfoy.
"Did I tell you Malfoy smiled at me this morning?" said Hermione.
"No! He didn't," said Ginny, mouth open.
"I swear it. Not a smirk, an actual smile. I made quite a fool of myself and gaped at him openly."
"Maybe it's his way of apologizing," said Harry knowledgably, "for everything he put you through at Hogwarts."
"It seemed very forced, though, you know? He still resents me. I can't believe anyone would still be prejudiced against muggleborns after the war and all that, but some people never change," she sighed.
"I suppose not. He still outright detests me, but I give him credit for trying to turn himself around. Even he deserves that," Harry said.
A sudden curiosity struck Hermione. Why was Malfoy trying to apologize, if that was it at all? Could someone like him ever turn himself around? Unlikely… she thought.
Was it an act? A fake smile plastered to his face to somehow in some twisted way benefit himself? She couldn't imagine how that would be.
But anyone can always turn themselves around, she knew. Any person always has the chance to go back and redeem themselves at any point in their lives, no matter the circumstances. It was a philosophy that Hermione had always believed in. A philosophy she needed to believe in.
He could do it, if the outcome would be beneficial to himself. And it would be… Regaining the old Malfoy respect, getting an important, well paying job, anything. For him, the possibilities were endless.
And not only would it help him... The world would be spared of his damnable pureblood pride. He might even be able to use his intelligence to improve the world, though that might be stretching it a bit.
I'm going to help Malfoy, she decided right then and there. He needs a little push to get him off his feet, and I'm here and willing.
But she wasn't fooling herself. Not really.
Hermione needed to believe that someone as low sunk as Malfoy could go back and change what used to be set in stone. If he could do it… anyone could do it.
I could do it…
In Hermione's opinion, her life couldn't be less worthy. She had never felt so lost in ages, so devoid of purpose. So many opportunities had been available to her not too long ago. Her future had been wide open. Everyone was expecting great things from clever Miss Granger, the brightest student to leave Hogwarts since Tom Riddle himself.
But those opportunities had long faded. Great things had not come to pass. And it was her fault, her pathetic stubbornness and lack of ambition…
Her mind was set. She was determined to turn Malfoy around, whatever the cost.
Draco Malfoy was going to be a new person. And in the process, so was Hermione.
