A/N: Sorry for the delay, life is getting hectic with college apps and classes. I didn't abandon this story though!
Disclaimer: I only own the plot, and Breccan (because I invented him) that is all.
Friday came faster than expected, and luckily enough for Hermione, Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't scheduled on the last day of the school week. In Transfiguration, McGonagall assigned a foot long scroll on the process of becoming an animagus, which confused Hermione, because they had already had lessons about animagi in third year. In History of Magic, Professor Binns assigned a two and a half foot scroll on each house's respective founder, and nicely enough, Professor Flitwick didn't assign any Charms homework. Hermione was in the library, and had plenty of time to kill before dinner started, 3 hours in fact. She removed her parchment and textbooks from her bag, but couldn't find the will to start her homework. Her musing was interrupted, yet again, by Draco Malfoy.
"Granger," he beckoned, sitting down at her table. Hermione shifted in her seat so that her back was to him.
"Do you have an answer for me?" he asked hoping to get a response. He cursed inwardly when she began humming, continuing to ignore his presence.
"Ah, this is about the other day, isn't it? When you cried, right? You shouldn't wear your heart on your sleeve Granger, it doesn't take much effort to get a reaction from you." Still she hummed, and Draco realized he'd have to try a different angle to get a response.
"Gryffindors are supposed to be brave, but avoiding me all week is pretty spineless, don't you think?" he asked rhetorically. Hermione swung around and glared at him.
"I was NOT avoiding you, I've been busy all week," she started furiously, "You have some nerve Malfoy, calling others spineless when you couldn't even stop your aunt from-" she stopped abruptly, instantly regretting what she almost said. Draco's face blanched and Hermione could tell she had struck a nerve. She almost let it be, thinking back to how he had made her feel earlier this week, but for someone who never showed an ounce of genuine emotion, Hermione decided she wasn't prepared for what would follow if she didn't resolve her blunder.
"Look, I didn't mean it Malfoy. The start of term is getting to me, and I guess I'm still not over what happened earlier this week, but that was no reason to snap at you the way I just did. Honest, I didn't mean-"
"Yes, you did." he interrupted, his face returning to its cool facade.
"Excuse me?" she asked, not sure she heard him correctly.
"The things we say in bouts of anger hardly ever stray from what we're actually feeling. So don't tell me you didn't mean it, when you did," he got up from her table now, his face still not revealing what he felt, although his body was stiff and his jaw clenched.
"Don't forget about the meeting in McGonagall's office after dinner," he stated before swiftly exiting the library. Hermione felt terrible. It was low of her to attack him with events from the war, and his behavior. Voldemort was living in his house for crying out loud, and there was no way he could've stopped Bellatrix without warranting his death. The pangs of guilt were making Hermione feel sick, and she wasn't able to fully recover in order to concentrate on her homework.
Draco was disgusted by the fact that he was affected by Granger's words. He also very badly wanted to hex her, but decided it wouldn't fare too well to attack a fellow classmate, and the Headmistresses' favorite student at that. He started to hang a second year upside down in the third floor corridor, but realized the kid's whining only grated on his nerves even more, so he left the kid crying in the corridor with silencing charm on him instead. He was so distracted he hadn't even realized he made his way to the entrance of Slytherin House. The password this year was just 'Slytherin,' and after muttering it, he entered and made himself comfortable in his usual armchair.
"Well, well, well…" A soft voice purred by his ear, "What do we have here? To what do we owe this pleasure of you finally gracing Slytherin House with your presence, Draco?"
"Nice to see you too Parkinson," Draco groaned realizing he wouldn't get the peace of mind that he intended.
"Blaise wasn't exaggerating then when he said you had changed, never thought I'd hear you utter my last name in reference to me," Pansy scoffed. She took a seat in the armchair closest to him and grimaced as if she was put off by his attitude. Draco ignored her, or tried to at least, but she soon began humming, and it sounded too similar to Hermione's for him to just ignore.
"Is there noone else that you could bother with your incessant humming?" he practically growled.
"This is my common room, last time I checked you have a new House, so if you wanted to be left alone then you can be on your way," she sneered, motioning to the door.
"You're right, I don't know what I was thinking coming here when I knew the likes of you hung about." He was across the room in five long strides, and made his exit known to the whole of Slytherin House with the force that he had yanked the door shut.
Irritated and irate, with plenty of time still before dinner and the meeting, Draco took his broomstick and made his way to the quidditch pitch.
Hermione made it to dinner halfway through, because she had lost track of time after finally starting her homework. Still not wanting to talk to Ginny, Hermione squeezed in between Parvati and Neville. She turned around to look across the Great Hall and check whether Malfoy was there, upon searching for him, they made immediate eye contact. Hermione wanted to look away, but the intensity with which Malfoy was staring back made her feel as if he was challenging her. After a bit of time had passed he smirked and winked, completely throwing Hermione off, and causing her to turn around. When she turned back around she saw Draco recounting something to Blaise and Theo, causing them to laugh, and look over at her. She turned back to her table, cheeks burning, and decided not to look across the Great Hall for the remainder of her meal. Hermione didn't talk much during dinner, and when Dean asked her if she would be stopping by the common room that evening, she lied and told him "Maybe." Eventually dinner ended, and Hermione made her way to McGonagall's office alone, mentally preparing herself for the meeting that would surely not go smoothly.
