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Blood Is Thicker Than Tears

Chapter Eight

Hermione stared at him with concerned eyes. She hadn't yet entered the room, uncertain about getting into his personal space. Having only been civil to Draco in the last day and a half, she wasn't exactly sure of their status. She wanted to be friends, she thought. It was all very hard to understand. So much had happened within such a short time span; what was she really to do?

People had often dubbed her the 'smartest witch at Hogwarts,' but she had been feeling rather incompetent since returning to school. While her best friend was trying to come to terms with having a sibling, she was playing brother maker. Was she really being intelligent in the role she chose to play? She had known the much more calloused and evil Draco for much longer than the one she was seeing lately. Did that mean he was being real now or was he actually that great at acting?

Draco stared at her from the bed with something unreadable in his eyes. She'd never seen someone look so vulnerable before. His face was pale and drawn, his eyes red and wet, his body slumped and worn. It was almost as if all of his former git-self had drained away and been replaced with a sad replica of someone who wanted to be better. The trouble was knowing if it was at all true. Could be really be better? Did he even know what better was?

Walking into the room, she bent down beside the bed. His eyes fell down to hers. In her life, the only other time she had seen such sorrow staring back at her, was looking in Harry's eyes when he lost Sirius.

Her hand came up, brushing Draco's hair off his cheek. "You are a great wizard and one day you will be known for something other than the Malfoy name." She told him softly as if it was a secret only to be shared between them.

A small smile tugged at her lips. "It's going to be hard, everything in life is, but you are going to get through this. Imagine the end, for just a moment. No more Voldemort, no more Lucius, no more hatred being poured out of you. Think of who you want to be, who you want there with you in the end, and what life you want to live."

Taking her words to heart, his gaze flickered away. She could practically see it all turning in his head. Hermione wondered exactly what it was he was seeing for himself. She knew what she wanted. The war would be over in her future, Harry and Draco had saved good and triumphed over Voldemort. Beside her were her best friends in all their glory and the entire school witnessing the defeat and cheering for the new future ahead of them. In her life, she would accomplish everything she could, never caring about her grades or homework because maybe she'd be the once assigning it. She only hoped that Draco saw something equally good for himself.

Slowly, his hazel eyes fell down to hers again. His mouth quivered slightly, trying to make a smile but failing. "How are you so good?"

Her hand fell to his chest, over his heart. "It comes from here." She whispered. "You can be as good as you want. Forget everything anybody has ever told you while instilling their hate. Be who you want and know that you are that person. There is nobody holding you back, no consequences to fear. You are a Black by name and a Potter by blood. There is no Malfoy in you."

"What if there is?" He asked, his voice nearly cracking. He turned away, fearing the tears that threatened to fall. "What if I'm not as good as I want to be?"

"Look at me." She asked.

He turned to her, the salty remnants of his trepidation trailing down his cheeks.

"If you were evil, you would not cry over the possibility of not being good." She nodded. "Draco, you are good at heart and people will see that when you are ready to show them." Feeling her own eyes stinging for the sadness she saw reflected in him, she swallowed. "Are you alright?"

He nodded, "I think I just need to sleep."

She stood up, "Okay. I'll wake you for dinner." As she began to walk away, she stopped, feeling his hand tug at hers.

"Thank you." He told her, smiling lightly.

"Your welcome." She squeezed his hand before leaving his room.

Feeling an overpowering need to talk to Harry, she hurried over to the Gryffindor Tower. "Grittergrate buldyquate," she half-shouted the password to the portrait. Tutting with a scowl, the large woman, allowed her into the room. Running down to the boys' dormitories, she was greeted with loud 'heys!' and 'girls can't be in here Hermione' from the boys around her. Rolling her eyes, she looked around for Harry.

Seeing the curtains closed on his bed, she jogged over and climbed through them. Putting a charm around the bed so nobody could hear what they were saying, she shook Harry from his nap. Waking with a start, he looked around the darkness confused. Turning on a small lamp high above his head, he shook his head. "What are you doing in my bed Mione?" He asked.

"We need to talk." She answered, whispering even though she knew no one could hear.

"And this couldn't wait until later?" He wondered.

She sighed, "Probably."

"What's happened? Is it Draco?" He asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yes." She nodded, a smile pulling at her face. "Sit up will you? I'm practically on top of you."

Laughing, Harry pushed himself so that he was leaning against the backboard. Rubbing his eyes, he smiled. "Would that really be so horrible?"

"Oh shut up," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Boys; nothing but a body of hormones."

Harry laughed, "Alright, so what did you want to say about Draco?"

"Well," she paused. "First I'd like to know how you feel about him."

"How I feel about him?" He sighed. "I don't know him."

"No, but you have to have some kind of thought about him. I mean, he is your brother now." She shrugged. "I know he's been horrible in the past, but-"

"Horrible in the past?" He snorted. "Just because he's my brother doesn't mean he's not still the prat he was before."

"I don't think he is," she said, her eyes pleading for him to understand.

"What's going on Mione? Why are you all of a sudden sticking up for him? You despised him before." His eyebrow rose.

"I know..." she sighed. "I know. I just- I've spoken to him. About why he was so horrible before and I really believe that it was all Lucius' doing. If you could've seen him a short while ago in his room-"

"You were in his room?" He shouted. "What were you doing in there?"

"No need to yell! It's not like I was snogging him. Merlin, Harry, we were only talking." She rolled her eyes. "He was upset, I wanted to be sure he was alright."

"There you go again, caring about Draco." He shook his head, "He never cared about you before if you don't remember. He didn't care when he was making you cry or hate that you weren't enough for everyone. I was the one holding you then, I was the one making sure you felt better."

"I know that." Her brow furrowed. "You make it sound like I think he's better than you or that I'm choosing to be his friend over yours."

"Friend? Since when have you two been friends? You have a conversation in his room where he's sad and all of a sudden he's your best mate instead of me?" His face was reddening with anger.

"Do you hear yourself?" She asked flabbergasted. "Are you ill? I'm trying to see if you're really going to give him a chance at being your brother and you're trying to throw it in my face that I'm getting along with him."

"Well I'm just confused at to when you started making Malfoy feel better." Harry said, crossing his arms.

"He's not a Malfoy, Harry. You know that," she frowned. "He's your brother, maybe you should think about that."

"You don't I've thought about it?" He shook his head. "It's all I think about," Harry shouted. "My brother is a Death Eater's son, and probably one himself."

"He is not Lucius' son. He's James Potter's son!" She yelled. "Why can't you just accept this and try to understand that everything has changed. It's not going to just go away!"

"I know that! Alright? I know!" He turned. "I don't want it to change. I don't want someone else to look after while I fight Voldemort. I can't keep watching over people who can't handle themselves. I can't lose- I just..."

"Is that what all this is about?" She asked. "You worried that if you get attached to him, you'll lose him to Voldemort."

"I've lost everyone else to him. I've almost lost you to him many times." He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to collect himself.

Her hand reached out and ran over his messy raven hair. "Hey..." She said.

He looked at her with broken eyes.

"You're never going to lose me," she smiled. Looking down, she sighed. "But you will lose Draco if you hold him at an arm's length."

Harry exhaled deeply. "I know."

"Dumbledore set the meeting date for Saturday," she reminded.

He nodded, "I'll try to get to know him."

"You better," she grinned. "Otherwise it'd be a complete waste of a perfectly nice day. I think Ron and I will go to Hogsmeade. He's been whining about sweets since he arrived."

"And I'm guessing you need a new book," he smiled.

"Of course." She nodded.

His chest rumbled with laughter. He tugged on her hand, pulling her in for a hug. "Thanks Mione."

Turning over so she was lying against him, she nodded. "You know I'm always here for you."

"I know." He said, his eyes falling closed. Yawning, he moved so he was lying down again.

"I have homework," she mumbled.

He chuckled lightly, "Do it after a nap."

"It's just like you to say that," she yawned. "I'm not tired."

"It's been a long day... shh..." he muttered.

Falling asleep, the two best friends didn't think anything of it. Many a time, they'd shared a bed. Though, Ron and the other boys questioned their actions, Hermione and Harry were as close as two friends could be. Never seeing each other as a romantic partner, their bond was tightly wound in friendship.

People had often questioned why they were so close, causing a lot of tension and animosity in any relationship either friend held. After going through all that they had, they'd never found anyone more comforting. Sleeping together was a normal occurrence, one that they didn't see as a problem.

Rustling could be heard in the back of Hermione's sleepy mind. Then a hand shaking her shoulder, pulled her away from her dreams. Her bleary eyes focused on Ron, cocking his eyebrow at her. Feeling her pillow awaken, she smiled at Harry. "Must be dinner time if Ron is staring at us like that."

Laughing, Harry sat up. His stomach grumbled in response to the mentioning of supper. "Well, food sounds good to me."

Rolling off the side of the bed, she was met with curious stares from the other Gryffindor boys. "Get your minds out of the gutter." She chastised. Turning around she whispered to Harry that she had to wake Draco up for dinner.

He nodded for her to go.

Hermione made her way up to the Head Dormitory, a smile on her lips. She felt refreshed after the day she had. Nothing like a nap to brighten a frazzled mind. Giving the password: "Polished Polar Bears," she walked in and over to the two large doors of Draco's room.

Walking over to his bed, she stared down at his somber face. Still far away in the land of dreams, she almost considered not waking him. His mouth fell open and he began mumbling in his sleep. Leaning in, she tried to hear what he was saying.

"No father, you will pay for what you've done," he whispered.

Standing up, her brow furrowed. What was he referring to? The beatings? The lying of his actual heritage?

"I will avenge her, I promise you. You will suffer the same fate."

Startled from his sleep, Draco stared up at Hermione with confused eyes. "Is it that time already?" He asked.

Pulling herself away from her questioning thoughts, she nodded. "Yes, it's time for dinner."

Rolling over, he sat up and sighed.

"What were you dreaming of?" She asked.

"Hmm?" He looked over to her. Looking up from the corner of his eyes, his face darkened. "Uh, nothing. I don't dream."

Not wanting to press the subject, she simply nodded. "Well, let's go, shall we?"

Standing up, Draco stretched his long body. Hermione noticed how strong his frame appeared. Much like that of Harry's, which was to be expected since they both play Quidditch and have the same genes. Walking to the door, he held it open for her to walk through.

Smiling she continued on to the Great Hall, Draco by her side. There were a few questioning glances thrown her way, but nobody asked what was going on. "They're afraid," Draco told her.

"Hmm? Afraid of what?" She asked, confused.

"Me," he stated simply. "They don't ask questions because they're scared I'll kill them on spot."

"Oh." Hermione answered. "Well, that'll change." She smiled.

Walking through the large double doors for dinner, they were greeted with a cluster of confused looks. Sure they were the Head boy and girl, but was it really needed for them to accompany each other?

Turning to her, Draco smiled. "I'll see you after dinner. We have to get the prefects together and make sure they know where they'll be patrolling."

"Alright. I'll see you then." Waving, she walked over to her table, sitting between Harry and Ron.

Looking up from his plate, Harry simply smiled at her.

However, Ron had something to say. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" He shouted.

With a scowl in place, she turned to him, "If the next thing out of your mouth isn't an apology for behaving like a git, I will you give you quite the earful Ronald Weasley."

Red tinged face and anger coursing through him, he stood up. "No, I'm not going to pretend everything is alright. I can't take this anymore 'Mione. I'm not going to treat him like a friend simply because he's Harry's brother," he yelled.

Staring at him with disbelief was the entire school. However, he noticed more that Harry and Hermione were staring at him with hurt expressions. Laughing to cover up his mistake, he turned to the crowd. "Ugh... I was joking." He muttered.

Standing up, Harry ran from the Great Hall, Hermione trailing after him. "Wait, Harry. We should talk about this!"

"Talk about what?" He shouted to her. "The entire school now knows that my brother is Draco."

"Is that really so horrible?" She asked. "They were bound to find out."

"That doesn't matter. I've hardly spoken to him. Do you know how hard it's going to be trying to get to know him with all of their prying eyes?" He laughed, in self-pity. "Skeeter will be here before I even go to sleep tonight, I have no doubt." Picking up his pace, Hermione lost him.

Walking to the window, she knew that he would rid himself of his feelings by flying it off. She only wished that she could help him through it. It seemed there was nothing she could do. All of Hogwarts was going to be thrown into an assault of questions that nobody could hide from. Not even Draco with all of the fear surrounding him.


A/N Please review! It's really appreciated. I enjoy knowing what all of you think. So, just press the button and let me know your thoughts on all of this.

Thank you,
-Amanda