Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Amends

Cleverness is not wisdom

Be happy. It's one way of being wise

The Room of Requirements refused to open up for him. He paced back and forth with a sense of urgency. The room had to work! He had nowhere else to go. He huffed and leaned against the wall. Maybe when the fire had destroyed the magic room beyond any further use… damn his stupid friend for using something too strong and uncontrollable. He smelt something singed and wrinkled his nose in disproval as a charred door appeared before him. Was it so much to ask for a decent place to rest his head? Deciding it was best to try here than the Slytherin dungeon he pulled at the handle attentively, a loud crack echoed down the hall as the door practically snapped off its hinges. Peering into the darkness a sense of foreboding came over him. Would he greet the skeleton of his dead friend? His remains charred or would he simply be ash? He swallowed and shut his eyes tightly.

With a deep breath Draco plunged into the room. He was pleasantly surprised to find a small bedroom. The modest bed side table was charred and even the bed curtains were singed in some places, but it worked. He tested the bed weakly with his hands before flopping down on the bed a pile of ash wafted into the air. This would work for now. He could get past the smell, not like it bothered him. He inhaled deeply again.

A memory came to him then, a violent suppressed memory. Images of the World Cup came back, and he heard his father's cruel laugh as he dangled the body of helpless muggles.

"Go find that Mudblood you hate so much. Teach her a lesson," he remembered wanting nothing to do with this but having to watch from the darkness of the trees as the muggles screamed in agony. The thought of Hermione having to go through this humiliation and possible rape had left Draco nauseous and he fled to the woods. The further he was the better. He could still smell the burned trees and tents. He flipped over on the bed a sigh escaping his lips. He was in for a long night.

A sharp pain stabbed at his side as he tossed restlessly. The singed air numbed his nostrils and he sneezed to rid himself of the smell only it made it worse. Disorientated he stumbled from the bed and into the dark hallways of Hogwarts. He found a tapestry and laid behind it, his legs sticking out obviously into the hallway but as long as no one observed closely he should be fine. What was he thinking? Using that cursed room to try and rest. His nose burned with the stench of rotting charred things, and his eyes began to tear as the remainder of the ash found its way to them. His head pounded as unwanted memories came pouring into him.

Memories of Hermione. Memories of her being tourted. Watching as she wreathed on the floor in an unbearable amount of pain. Hearing that awful scream she had produced. Hearing her sobs for help, watching as her eyes pleading with him to do something, anything. And what had he done for this angel? This woman who believed the best in everyone? He had sat there and watched with a look of indifference. The thought now tortured him every day and deep down he knew that if he had tried to save her, save the golden trio, they would all be dead now. Voldemort would have won and his family would be back in their high standings with him. Only he didn't want that. His act of confusion, of not knowing what to do, that had saved her. It wasn't enough. His memory pulled up a sharp clear image of her broken body on the floor. Blood spilled from her in random places, and those deep brown eyes pierced into his soul. Mudblood. How aptly fit.

He threw up then. Wallowing in his own pity and disgust he laid there unmoving. Why should he bother?

He was thankful that it was close to morning. He would clean up and go eat breakfast and pretend nothing had happened yesterday. That his life was still unchanged, that he hated everyone and treated them as if they were below him. No one could know that he had changed. He would be targeted, like when Voldemort had. He would never let that happen again.

Only there was a problem. Hermione knew and so did Harry. That could be easily fixed. He could act indifferent and hopefully his façade would fall back into place. He didn't want to. He just had to stop this fast pace of building friendship he had with the two Gryffindors. Things would get complicated if… things were complicated he sighed to himself. He would not stop what he was doing, he didn't even know what he was doing.

Screw it, was his last thought before he drifted off into a fitful sleep against the hard stone wall. The velvet tapestry creating a weird feeling as it brushed against his skin.

"I knew ferret's liked to wallow in their own filth. This just seems like a random place to do it," a voice boomed over him.

How could he have not have heard this person? He couldn't have been asleep for more than a few seconds. He didn't want to open his eyes and greet the menacing look from above him. He grunted and reached out for the tapestry in vain.

A chuckle vibrated through the stone floors and seemed to vibrate through his very bones. He felt a giant hand grab the back of his neck and pull him to his feet roughly.

"Well ferret?" Well ferret what? He wanted to snap. He kept his eyes firmly closed and refused to let his legs gain support under him, letting the giant hand hold his body as if it were a loose rag doll.

"I'ght there Malfoy. Enough of yer games," the deep voice was laced with concern now. Stupid Gryffindors and their damn compassion. He let his eyes lazily roll open to meet the half giant.

"Hagrid I was in the middle of a pleasant nap," he didn't know how he managed to keep his voice so calm and even. He could easily be squashed by this giant. Draco never had a fondness for him but he knew that he meant a lot to Hermione. She was the sole reason in his world, and he had vowed to be her friend. Being her friend meant making peace with her and her friends. Remember Professor Snape… he had hated Lily's friends. That had been one of the causes of the rift in their relation. Learn from the past, his conscious called to him. Don't make the same mistake. It was time to look past the past differences and make amends for his old ways.

He offered a weak smile to the giant before he was dropped abruptly on the ground.

"What the-"

"Sorry. Orry. I j'st weren't e'pectin ya ter smile is all," he rubbed the back of his giant head before lamely offering his hand to the fallen Slytherin. "Here let's clean ya up," he giant pulled out a rather large looking wand and swiped it through the air.

Draco had a weird sensation run in his body and looked down. His skin was glistening like a newly polished trophy and his shirt and disappeared.

Both men blushed furiously.

"Right … er… well. Sorry 'bout that," the giant finished lamely. And suddenly Draco couldn't contain himself. He erupted into laughter. How fitting that Hagrid, of all people, should see him in his darkest hour. See him when he was wild and unclean. After the horrible and tortuous things he had done to this half man all because of his blood. Even if he was simple minded he didn't deserve to be treated like that.

The giant just stared at him dumbfounded. When Draco showed no signs of letting up on his maddened laughter he timidly chuckled along. It was rather funny, to find this clean and mighty Slytherin sleeping in his own filth in the middle of the seventh floor.

"What are ya doin up here anyways?" he asked as the youth's laughs subsided.

A dark look crossed his face. Dark worked on Draco, but a youth should never be so distressed. With pity he remembered the pain he had been put through. He could see something like that in his eyes.

His question was ignored so he settled to ask another.

"Do I need to take points away from yer 'ouse for being about in the castle after 'ours?" he phrased it with surprising gentleness.

"I guess,"

Hagrid just nodded and stretched his arms over his head.

"Want to 'ave some tea and talk 'bout it?"

This honestly wasn't happening was it? He looked down at his crystal like skin with a smirk.

"This should be fixed first," the giant roared with laughter now. Obviously enjoying Draco's flushed face and attempt to joke with him. The half giant escorted him down to the Hospital Wing, and Draco remembered another time this man had caused him injury. He scolded himself, no he had ignored a blunt warning and had done it to himself. Something that Hermione had reminded him with her solid punch. His angel would be the death of him no matter which side he was on.

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"YOU are LIVING at HAGRID'S?" her question speared him as he strode towards the great hall. She had spotted him coming up the grounds after he had spent nearly all morning and afternoon in the giant's company and fell into step beside him. He was eager to see her and chatted lightly but the gnawing pain in his stomach suggested he get some real food. The giant was nice but his cooking did nothing to help his stomach and he remembered he hadn't had a real meal for at least a whole day now.

"That is what I just told you," he mumbled pushing past her to get into the Great Hall. He was really hungry but he couldn't help but pausing to smirk as Hermione's jaw practically dropped to the floor.

"That's ridiculous. You two can't stand each other,"

Draco just quirked an eyebrow at her, silently challenging her statement and her tone she had used. Hadn't she been the one most willingly to believe he had changed? Besides what did it matter if he lived with the giant? He needed a place to stay and Hagrid had offered, he wasn't about to try and rest in Slytherin tower, not when things were so hostile. She bit her lip and followed him wordlessly for a moment.

She paused outside the Great Hall her eyes had lit up with curiosity.

"So since you are so desperate to avoid Slytherin's where are you going to eat?" she seemed to be enjoying the idea of taunting him right now. Hermione Granger would never be someone who he would understand completely.

"I'm eating with you,"

Her jaw dropped again and she gave a chuckle.

"Oh don't be serious Draco. The Gryffindor table will have your head," she playfully pushed at him. He snatched her wrist and gave her hand a pointed look. He badly wanted to lace his fingers with hers again in the simple gesture of acceptance. Her face turned crimson and she pulled her hand from his grasp.

"I'm not scared," he was terrified but he felt his pride swell when his voice showed no hint of fear. He grabbed her hand again and effectively intertwined their fingers.

"Stop people will see," she said tugging again. He felt his stomach drop as she said that but didn't let go of her hand. She was embarrassed that people would see? His face flushed and his squeezed her hand before pulling her after him.

"Not like that!" the urgency in her voice couldn't be ignored.

"Then like what?" he hissed, he wasn't surprised at his hurt tone, but surprised that he let it show.

"I just broke up with Ron…"

He realized with a start what she meant and dropped her hand. She didn't want Ron to see and be hurt. His heart pulled tightly in his chest but he grinned at her meekly.

"Friends hold hands," no they don't, the voice in the back of his head sneered. She grabbed his elbow and looped her arm with his escorting him back to the hall's entrance. Upon entering she let go of his elbow but managed steered him over to the Gryffindor table.

"What are you doing?" he hissed lowly in her ear.

"You did say you were eating with me," her eyes never lost their sparkle. What a devious little witch, he mused. His heart soared in his chest as he saw her grin happily, and it reached her eyes. Those lioness eyes that were wild and untamed that had been so broken the night before but right now shone with happiness and a whole range of emotions. One thing was clear in those lioness eyes, Hermione was happy. She was sitting next to him and was happy. All other thoughts ceased to exist as he felt the glares burn into his skin, he simply shrugged them off. She was happy and that was all that mattered. Some of the Gryffindors noticed the relaxed way he was talking to her, how he joked and was actually funny, a few would talk to him politely, their curiosity dancing in their eyes. Other lions eyed him with rage and hate. While a select few, namely Ron and a few stolen friends glared at him with the anticipation to pounce. He half blamed his lioness for leading him to the lion's den so willingly, but he was okay with that, she could feed him to the lions if she wanted. As long as she was near when they decided to devour their meal.


AN: Okay so loads of stuff happened in this chapter. I'm excited about it. Let me know what you think?