Disclaimer: De prachtige wizarding wereld en de tekens (met uitzondering van die origineel zijn) behoren tot J.K. Rowling.
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Draco was leaning on the headmistress' desk, legs and arms crossed as he regarded her. His lip curled into a smirk as she looked around, puzzled by his presence.
'What are you doing here, Malfoy?' she asked, and he raised an eyebrow in response.
'Well, I could ask you the same thing, Granger,' he retorted. 'I have a legitimate reason for being in this office, Professor McGonagall wished to see me. She'll be here in a minute, so you'd best be off and leave me in peace.'
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, slightly confused. The headmistress had definitely said that she had wanted to speak to her after the feast; perhaps this was some sort of misunderstanding? Nevertheless, no matter who was right or what truce Malfoy may have made with Harry, she did not want to be alone in the same room with him, so she turned and started towards the stairs. As she did, Professor McGonagall, who was making her way up the moving staircase and into the room, almost collided with her.
'Ah, Hermione! I hope you're not planning on leaving, I do wish to speak with you,' she said, mildly surprised. As she reached the top of the stairs, she was pleased to see the other student in the room as well. 'Oh yes, good, both of you are here. Take a seat, please!'
The headmistress sat on the chair at the other side of the desk that Malfoy had been leaning on, and the two students sat down as well, facing her. Seeing their puzzled looks as to why they were there together, Professor McGonagall hastened to explain.
'I hope you don't mind that I asked to see you two at the same time – as I have matters to discuss with both of you, this was the most efficient way.' Both students nodded, satisfied with her explanation, and she continued.
'Miss Granger, your request to study Muggle Studies has been approved.' Hermione beamed, not surprised. She had expected that to be the outcome, given her near-perfect scores during the past years. Beside her, Malfoy shifted in his chair slightly.
'Mr Malfoy, your request to study Muggle Studies has also been approved.' Hermione's eyebrows shot up towards the ceiling, not being able to believe her ears. Draco Malfoy, the proud pure-blood ex-Death Eater who used to tease her about her background, applied to take up a subject that studied Muggles? Voluntarily? Why, she thought, this all seemed very strange indeed.
'In order for this to work, she continued, 'you and Miss Granger will have to become study partners for this particular subject.' Both students opened their mouths to protest, but she silenced them with a raise of her hand, addressing them both this time.
'I expect that you two will be able to put aside any animosity you two have had in the past.' She adjusted her glasses and leaned forward, regarding them both seriously before beginning to explain. 'This is the only possible way for the both of you to catch up to the rest of the class, who have already taken the O.W.L. in this subject, and have been working on the N.E.W.T syllabus in sixth year. Miss Granger has the advantage of being familiar with the topics covered, coming from a Muggle family, and Mr Malfoy here will be able to bring the perspective of wizards with no prior experience with such things.'
'But Professor, I don't think –' Hermione started to say, before being cut off again by the headmistress' stern gaze. She looked over exasperatedly at Malfoy, who was being uncharacteristically quiet.
Draco's lips were pressed into a thin line, eyes downcast. He was leaned back in the chair, fingers steeped beneath his chin as if in deep thought. Feeling her eyes on him, he slowly turned to face her, grey eyes hard as he looked at her.
'Surely you don't think that it would be too hard to bear my company for long enough to study with me for one subject?' he said, tone as cold as ice. Hermione blinked twice, then licked her lips and straightened up, quickly turning away from him.
'I suppose that I could tolerate it,' she decided, tone equally frosty, 'seeing as I have little choice in the matter.' Professor McGonagall smiled, and clapped her hands together.
'Good, that's settled then! As you both are taking on nearly the same subjects, the timetables should be compatible. These sessions will not be supervised, but Professor Hope will be monitoring your progress closely and reporting back to me. I'd suggest at least one study session a week – perhaps on Tuesday nights, after dinner?'
Both the students nodded stiffly, deliberately avoiding each other's eyes.
'Good. That is all,' she said, dismissing them. 'The password to the Eastern Tower is Salve.'
They both stood and made to exit, Hermione leading the way and Draco following closely behind. The walk to the Eastern Tower was a rather long one, made to seem even longer by the thick glacial silence between them. Their footsteps echoed down the corridor, the only sounds apart from the howling wind outside rattling the windows.
When she noticed that the sound of their footsteps had started to match up, two sounds merging into one, Hermione, bursting to the seams with questions, could not stand the silence any longer. She cleared her throat tentatively, slowing down slightly so that she was walking next to her new Muggle Studies partner.
'We were all quite surprised to see you come back this year,' she said, finally.
'I was pardoned by the Wizengamot,' he replied defensively. 'I have every right to be here, just as much as you do.'
'Yes, I know,' she said exasperatedly. 'I didn't suggest otherwise.' Draco turned to look at her, surprised by the lack of contempt in her voice.
'Oh.'
They walked in silence for a while more, and they reached the large brown door that led to the Eastern Tower. Hermione stopped outside, as did Draco. As he was about to mutter the password, she put her hand on his arm, causing him to jump, startled. Hermione, shocked by the extreme reaction to her touch, quickly withdrew her hand.
'Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you,' she apologised quickly. 'I just had to ask – why didn't you rat us out when you recognised us at the Manor?' Draco regarded her curiously, and shook his head.
'Why do you even care?'
'I don't know, okay?' Hermione said, sighing and rubbing her hand over her face. 'Just tell me – after all that happened, I think you owe me a little bit of closure.'
Draco's reply was so quiet that she almost missed it.
'I didn't want more blood on my hands.'
Hermione looked puzzled for a moment, then pressed on.
'Not even my blood? My,' she paused, 'mud blood?' Draco winced at her choice of words, then replied with a tone of finality.
'I never wanted to be a Death Eater, Granger. Now please, let's get to bed.' He muttered the password, and the door disappeared to reveal a warm and empty common room. It was much like all the other common rooms, with the standard couches, coffee tables and fireplace, but with large windows, not unlike the ones in the West Tower. The walls were decorated with the four House banners, but with little else. There was a staircase on the far end of the room, splitting into two and spiraling upwards, towards the dormitories.
They entered, Draco walking up the stairs immediately while Hermione sat down on one of the sofas, thinking over what he had said. Just before he disappeared from sight, he paused and turned back to face her one more time.
'I'll see you tomorrow.'
With that, he made his way upstairs.
Arriving at the boy's dormitories at the top of the stairs, Draco was relieved to find that the other boys he was sharing the room was had already fallen asleep. He quickly located his own bed, one with a dark green duvet cover, with his trunk placed at the foot of the bed. He quickly changed into his bedclothes and slipped into bed.
And yet, sleep escaped him. He seldom slept well at night; he hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep in years now, and soon found himself pondering the year to come. His truce with Harry would be beneficial, he decided, as would his partnership with Granger. Her company hadn't been too hard to endure, despite the difficult question she had asked him that night, forcing him to relive those memories he had faced during that horrible time of war. Unbeknownst to the others, his aunt had tortured him, too, after they had escaped, convinced that he had lied to them.
Still, the Muggle-born girl hadn't seemed too resentful, which surprised him, considering the atrocities she had had to face in his childhood home. He still shuddered as he thought about her screams.
His thoughts wandered to his father and mother, considering their fate, and then, finally, at long last, he fell into a light, fitful slumber.
A/N: Finally, the main story idea is beginning! Also, congratulations to previouslyjade for being the first to comment on the new professor's names in the previous chapter: Simona Hope is both 'hope for the future' and an anagram for Homo sapien! Thanks again for all of your reviews, favourites, and follows! They're so encouraging.