It was time for the second detention. Hermione had started feeling queasy at lunch, hardly eating any of her pork chops. She made an excuse of needing to go to the library in the afternoon to finish her ancient runes essay, which luckily, Harry and Ron accepted without question. As she wandered round the library, running her fingers along the dusty spines, a thought occurred to her. Harry knew that she'd finished her runes essay because he had been with her, reading Quidditch books and putting Hermione's books way when she'd finished with them. Harry had known, because he had put his book away and asked Hermione if she was done because he was hungry. She replied, telling him to hang on one more minute, she was on her last sentence. And then she had rolled up her parchment, handed the book to Harry to put away, and put everything in her bag and left with him.
He must've forgotten, Hermione comforted herself. He wouldn't expect you to be hiding in the library because you were nervous about a detention!
At half past two, unable to put up with any more nervous anticipation, Hermione started to make her way to the tower in hope that she'd get there before Draco. Unfortunately it took her only ten minutes to get to the tower, and go up to the room. And, to her dismay, someone was already standing there.
"Granger!" Malfoy called down. "It's the gentleman who's supposed to be early, not the lady!"
Hermione ignored him and ran up the spiraling steps. "Unfortunately," she said as she reached the room, between gasps of air, "this lady doesn't believe in feminism. She does what she likes."
Draco grinned. "Ah. I've always liked a woman who goes against the rules."
Hermione blushed and looked down, frowning. Draco wasn't possibly flirting with her? Of course not, how silly. This time yesterday he was still spitting 'mudblood' at her!
"You know full well that I don't break rules!" she said, still looking at the ground and trying to sound as superior as possible. Needless to say, it didn't come out like that.
"Of course, Granger. You're not breaking any now, are you?" Hermione looked up and he grinned. She couldn't help but smile back. What was wrong with having a little fun? After all, these detentions were compulsory. She had to do them, Snape would never dream of excusing her. So she might as well shake it up a bit. That sounded fun, didn't it? Shaking things up a little. Hermione smiled to no one in particular and leaned against the wall. Draco, who was also leaning, turned toward her.
"So I was thinking, Granger. If you're so clever, why aren't you in Ravenclaw or Slytherin?"
Hermione laughed. "So you actually think of me voluntarily?" She replied, her voice full of humour.
"Yeah, I guess I do! Answer me. Why are you in Gryffindor?"
Hermione shrugged. "The Sorting hat saw fit to put me in Gryffindor. It was debating Ravenclaw, though. I think it put me in Gryffindor to keep watch over Harry and Ron! But it was never, ever supposing Slytherin for me. Why do you say that?"
Draco looked up at the top of the tower. There were openings at the pointy top, letting in beams of sunshine. His face caught a ray and glowed like an angel.
"Slytherin isn't for dumb people, Granger. And you aren't dumb. You'd do well in Slytherin."
"You-know-who was in Slytherin," Hermione half-whispered. Draco was silent for a while.
"That doesn't mean that everyone in Slytherin is bad." His voice had a pinch of hurt in it. He turned to Hermione, who had flushed a deep rose.
"I-I didn't mean you are bad, Draco. Although you have made life a little unbearable for Harry, Ron and I." This conversation is going downhill rather quickly, she thought.
Draco put his hand on Hermione's shoulder and turned her towards him. His face was completely solemn. "I'm sorry."
Hermione, taken aback at the unexpected apology, smiled. "Look, it's fine with me. But I hated it when you called me a mudblood."
Now it was Draco's turn to look taken aback. He withdrew his hand and rubbed his face. "I-I… I thought... it was just a nickname, Granger. Just like yours for me was 'filthy little cockroach'. Or variations on that line. But I never meant it to really upset you."
Hermione wasn't sure what to say. "Well, it did. I don't mind being muggle born, but the names to get to me."
The look on Draco's face was hard to comprehend. As if he was debating whether to say something. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Snape's cold voice echoed round the tower.
"Enough with the socializing – " Snape drew out the last word – "and go inside. I will come back after 4." And with that, he made his way down the stone steps, his black cloak billowing out behind him.
Hermione and Draco exchanged worried glances. How much had Snape seen? He'd crept up on them awfully quietly. They went inside the room.
Just like yesterday, they were greeted by a thick, swirly cloud of dust. Coughing and choking, they made their way to the pile of cleaning products they'd so hastily abandoned yesterday. Hermione automatically reached out for the duster, and knocked hands with Draco, who grabbed it as well. They both withdrew their hands lunged for the cloth instead, resulting in them both laughing at the awkwardness.
"Draco, take the duster. You're taller." Hermione grabbed the cloth and polish and got started on a nearby desk. Draco took the duster and, in a bid to make her laugh, jumped up onto the desk Hermione was polishing to clean the ceiling. In return, Hermione pushed him off, and they both tumbled to the ground in fits of laughter.
As their laughing subsided, Hermione frowned. "You're Draco Malfoy," she said seriously.
Draco was confused. Don't tell me she's been mistaking me for Harry or something, he thought.
"Why are you being nice to me?" she asked.
Draco got up, brushing off his knees. "Why are you letting me be nice to you?"
Hermione got up and leaned against the desk. "I just want to know why you've been throwing insults at us ever since we came to Hogwarts, and now you're being friends with me? Why have you changed so suddenly?"
Draco was silent. Hermione drummed her fingers on the desk, impatient.
He sighed. "You're easy to talk to. I tried being nice to you and you warmed up to me like that" – he clicked his fingers – "and I thought, 'if we have some company this detention might go a little quicker.' I never thought that we were actually going to get on really well. It's stupid really; we still have to pretend we hate each other. I just don't see the point of getting too friendly. We'd only be able to talk in secret."
Hermione breathed in, her throat blocking up. How stupid are you, Hermione? Getting all welled up because you thought for a moment, all this stupidity between you and Draco and Harry and Ron would stop. Although it makes sense for Draco to say that you can't just suddenly be friends. People would reckon he was using a Confundus charm on you! "If you actually mean it, I don't mind trying to stay friends with you. But if you'd rather just forget anything happened, then, fine. I'll forget too." She bent her head and wiped her eyes furiously.
"Well, let's not rush into anything yet," said Draco. "We still have five more detentions when we can talk."
And that's how it went. For the next few detentions, Draco and Hermione showed up half an hour early, and then would separate the jobs between them. Then, when the detention was over, Hermione would leave first. When she had exited the tower, Draco would go down. They were careful not to make eye contact during dinner, they were cautious to avoid each other during lessons.