Wow two updates in one day. I am spoiling you :P I finally had a day of rest, and lots of ideas that I wanted to write…and viola two chapters in one day I am on a roll

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine *hangs head in defeat*

Chapter Seven: Building Friendships

I woke up the next day feeling so refreshed, managing to sleep the whole way through the night without one nightmare. That potion is a lifesaver I think. I climbed out of the hospital bed and waited for Madam Pomfrey to let me leave. Once I was free to leave I went directly to the Gryffindor Common room so I could shower and get changed. Once I was dressed in my uniform, I noticed that I had a good thirty minutes before lesson. I think maybe I should have some breakfast. I seriously wasn't hungry, but I thought I should be taking care of myself, I haven't eaten since Saturday. That honestly can't be good for you. Don't you die after a week if you haven't eaten anything? It something like that anyway. I grabbed my bag and hurried to the Great Hall. Once in the Great Hall, I saw my friends sitting midway along the table. I walked slowly over to them, and sat down next to Harry. I grabbed a slice of buttered toast and took a bite. And then I realised that it was rather quiet between my friends, I looked up and saw them all watching me intently. I slowly brushed my hand around my mouth.

"Is there something on my face?" I asked curiously, wondering why they were still staring.

"How you feeling?" Ginny whispered. Suddenly everything that happened last night…well technically this morning, came back to me. I forgot that they know what has been going on, and that made me sad again.

"As well as can be," I said quietly taking another bite of my toast. Why did she have to bring it up, especially at breakfast? I don't want the school to know what is going on in my life. I don't want to get those fake apologises, the sympathetic looks that people give out when they hear about someone's death. I know they mean well, but they always seem to fake.

"Are you sure you're up for lessons today?" Ron asked. I looked at him.

"I'm not a fragile little girl Ronald. I can manage, I can't miss a second day of school," I whispered. Slightly harshly, but I don't care.

"I'm sure the school wouldn't mind," he tried to reason.

"Well I would mind." I took another bite of my toast and stood up, "I'll see you guys later, I'm going for a walk." I told them.

"Oh I'll come with you," Ginny offered. I slowly shook my head.

"I just want to be by myself for a while." I told her.

"But you don't have to be," she pushed.

"But I want to be." I said bluntly, not caring. "I'll see you in Defence," I added walking away. Only a couple of days ago they were happy to leave me alone, but now they know the truth, knowing them, they would want to be with me twenty four seven. That could become too suffocating for me. I know they mean well, but still.

HGDMHGDMHGDM

The day passed in a haze. I answered all the questions in my lessons. Harry, Ron and Ginny didn't stop hassling me all day. Asking if I'm hungry, am I alright, the lessons are not to strenuous. Why can't they just leave me be. When we were back in the common room, we were all doing our homework. Well I was…they were too busy making out with each other. Can you say awkward with a capital A? I quietly stood up so they wouldn't hear me and left the common room. Instead of going to the library because that would be too obvious, and when they notice I am not there they are going to head their first, so I went to the astronomy tower instead. Once I reached the Astronomy Tower, I walked over to railing and leaned against it looking up at the slowly darkening sky.

"Not going to jump again are you Granger?" a voice called out from behind me. I slowly turned around to see Malfoy sitting on the floor against the wall.

"You are so funny Malfoy." I said sarcastically. "What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"I came to think. To get away from the other Slytherin's," he answered surprisingly truthfully and quickly. I wasn't expecting that at all. "What about you?"

I walked over to him and sat down next to him, pulling my legs up to my chest. "I had to get some time to myself."

"Why didn't you go to the library?" he asked confused.

"Oh am I that predictable?" I asked laughing. One of my first laughs in a couple of days. Malfoy allowed a small snigger.

"Well it is what you usually do," he pointed out simply.

"That is exactly why I didn't go there. They won't think to look here." I told him shortly.

"Oh trouble in paradise?" he asked. I quickly glanced over at him. I don't give him enough credit, he is rather clever. Then he gets the second highest grades in our year.

"You would think that. I feel like I'm suffocating. I had to tell my friends about my parents yesterday, and since then they have been thinking I am incapable of doing anything. It's ridiculous." He made a sound to show that he was listening. After sitting in silence for a few minutes, I think what I told him had only just sunk in.

"Wait, you only told your friends yesterday? Meaning that you told me before you told them?" he asked, obviously trying to make sense of it in his head. I know, it is a rather strange concept. Me telling him first before my best friends. Anyone looking in at this moment must be thinking that that is madness. It is madness. If someone told me six years ago when I first met Malfoy, that I would have had a heart to heart with him, I would have told them that they were mad, and needed to check themselves into St. Mungo's asap. But like I have been realising more and more these days…Times have changed.

"Yes I told you first. Don't make big deal out of it," I told him.

"But why me?" he asked in a daze.

"Because you are the first one I saw, and to be honest, you saved my life," I told him quite frankly. Malfoy nodded slowly, still trying to understand.

"So why did you only tell the Gryffindorks yesterday?" he asked. I glared at him for his use of name for my friends. Because I didn't answer straight away he turned to look at me, and saw the look on my face. From seeing the look, I think he realised what he said, and strongly apologized.

"Malfoy, apologising again?" I asked in a mock shocked fashion, "Whatever has happened?"

"People change." He said bluntly. "And speaking of change, you're trying to change the subject."

He had notice. He is too clever for his own good. He looked at me expectantly, waiting for an answer, so I gave him one.

"Because I'm invisible to them." I told him.

"What kind of answer is that? Care to elaborate?" he pushed. I gave him an 'are you kidding me' look, and shook my head.

"I'd rather not, at the moment." I told him truthfully. Its weird enough he knows all of this, I don't want to pour the rest of my heart out to him. He is still the enemy. Okay maybe not the enemy, but he is still a Slytherin and I'm still a Gryffindor. He didn't say anything more about the subject, which I'm glad about. We sat there in a comfortable silence, while the sky got darker and the stars started to come out.

"It's weird isn't it?" Malfoy said randomly breaking the silence. I looked over to him and asked what he meant. "I mean how we can sit here comfortably in each others present without getting at each others throats. I mean, I can't even do this with any of the Slytherin's," he explained.

"I know what you mean. I think it's because we have both matured, there's none of that resentment." I continued, "Well for me anyway, I don't know about you," I added on.

"I understand what you mean. I don't speak for all of the Slytherin's because they are still sitting on their high pedestal and are refusing to get off. But I don't believe in all that Pureblood philosophy anymore. Father's views aren't mine." He concluded.

"What do you mean by still sitting on their high pedestal?" I asked him, wanting him to clarify his thoughts. Because frankly I don't understand them. I heard him take a deep breath.

"What I mean is that they still believe that they are the top of the wizard food chain. That they are the most powerful and everyone should bow down to them. I mean recent events have shown them, that you don't have to be a Pureblood to be powerful. You have shown that. But when I go to the common room and listen to some of the conversations, it makes me wonder how I was ever like that. They're ignorant." He explained.

"Oh that makes sense. But as you have been so clear to point out. You have changed. For the better." I smiled at him. "Oh this is so weird. Who would have thought I would be complimenting The Draco Malfoy," I laughed.

"Who wouldn't want to? I am great and oh so good looking," he smirked. I've noticed, he never smiles or laughs. It is either a smirk or a weird grunt thing.

"And with that, I think I should leave you before your ego inflates anymore." I said finally, standing up.

"Well it has been nice Granger. We should do it again sometime." He said from where he was sitting. I gave him a bewildered look. "I mean that it's been nice talking to you today. It's easy talking to you. I don't really get to talk like this to the Slytherin's," he added. A feeling sprung past inside me. Sympathy.

"Okay, why not. Owl me." I told him as I was leaving.

"Granger," Malfoy called out when I was about to climb down the stairs. I stopped and turned around.

"Thank you. And I'm still sorry about your parents. I didn't want anything to happen to them, truly." He said sincerely. Sadness fell across me again. I gave him a weak smile.

"Thank you Malfoy, that means a lot." And it did mean a lot. And I felt like he actually meant it. I turned back to leave when,

"And Granger," he called again. I turned around again, "don't tell anyone about this, because I would simply have to deny it." He smirked.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Secret is safe with me," I said while doing the universal action of zipping my lips and left. These are definite strange times. These changes have been too drastic for me. Who would have thought I would be making jokes and arranging meetings with a Slytherin and Malfoy no less? Maybe this is just a dream. I gave myself a quick pinch. Ouch. My opinions on people have been changing. Some for the better, and others not so much.

Well there you have at. Is this the start of a beautiful friendship? I would hope so, but then again, friendship isn't meant to be easy. So expect some drama in the up and coming chapters.

Because I would like to hear your thoughts and ideas. If anyone has any ideas that they would want to see in this story, write it down in a review or pm me. Anyway, don't be afraid to hit that little button below with the word review on it ;)

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