Chapter 10: Draco's Hopeful Plans

Ailing Red Rose/ Ailing Red Rose

Hermione woke the next morning on cold, marble floor. Tears stuck to her face with a sticky impertinence and she did not know how they had gotten there. Her entire body ached and her head was pounding. As she sat up the events of the previous night flooded her mind, and she looked around for Draco. But, to no avail, he did not seem to be in the hospital wing. She stood up, and successfully made her way over to the wash station. She cleaned up her face and changed into her normal muggle clothes that somebody had brought for her.

When she had acceptably tamed her hair she went over to Madame Pomfrey's office. She was still asleep with a bottle of whiskey on her desk (it was no secret to anyone that she was a bit too fond of the bottle).

"Madame Pomefry!" she said. The middle-aged woman woke with a start and pushed a great amount of paper off her desk.

"Oh, dear, I didn't here you get up!" she gushed. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Did you tend to Mr. Malfoy?" she asked with some concern.

"Mr. Malfoy?" repeated Madame Pomfrey stupidly.

"Yes, he came in here last night…" but she shut her mouth abruptly, why was she worried about Malfoy. "Oh, never mind, I must have been dreaming. Anyways, I was wondering if it would be okay for me to be discharged today, even though we weren't planning on it. You could inform the Professor?" Madame Pomfrey looked confused for a moment, but then seemed to decide it didn't matter.

"Oh yes dear, that would be fine. You seem alright enough to walk." Hermione nodded bemusedly and gave her thanks.

Ailing Red Rose/ Ailing Red Rose

It was Sunday so most of the students were either in Hogsmeade or strolling about on the grounds. And since it was such a lovely day, the sky was bright blue and there were barely any clouds, she decided she would join the students on the grounds. It had been awhile since she had enjoyed Hogwarts just for the shear beauty of being Hogwarts. She had spent the majority of her time here in previous years figuring out schemes to defeat Voldemort or keeping an eye on Harry and Ron's ridiculous ideas.

Hermione walked past the Whomping Willow and sighed. She could still remember that night with frightening vividness. It had taken all her courage to get on Buckbeak and set free a convicted felon. It had been made all the worse because it was the first adventure she had gone on without Ron, somehow it hadn't felt quite right. That year had been the beginning of the downfall of their friendship. Hermione walked past the Forbidden Forest. That evening had been one of the most painful nights of her life. Seeing her friend being strangled and not being able to help him, had driven yet another wedge between them. Hermione walked past the base of the Astronomy tower, by the place that Albus Dumbledore had fallen. Her last hope in the world had deserted her. That day had been the start of it all, that ridiculous rampage across the country, the many fights with Ron, the kiss with Ron, and the inevitable break-up. And also, in many ways, the break-up of their trio's friendship.

Hermione stopped by a tree near the shore of the lake, good Lord that place brought back the entire suffering bouts in fourth year. She pulled her copy of "Lord of the Rings" out of her bag and started to read, she would have to get used to seeing Hogwarts for what it was, a wonderful school, not a place full of bad memories and pain. She had not gotten more than ten pages when she was interrupted as a rock was hurled at her book. She immediately scowled, she was not in the mood deal with obnoxious first years, and looked around for the source.

"Malfoy!" she yelled angrily and surprised. "What the hell was that for?" Draco grinned and walked over to her.

"I thought we were on a first name basis. After all…" his grin turned wicked.

"That was nothing, Malfoy, just a lapse in judgment." Draco's face fell.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you Miss Granger," he turned around and started walking.

"Wait! Draco," she grimaced inwardly, "I'm sorry, it's just…you know it's rather unexpected. With our history and all…" she mused uncertainly.

"Or rather or lack of one?" he smiled, quite sweetly this time.

"Well, I wouldn't say there's a lack of one," she said pleasantly, "I did punch you in third year, remember?" Draco laughed.

"I remember that quite vividly, I think you actually left a dent in my nose." Hermione grinned.

"I didn't know I could hit that hard."

"Well you can, I certainly will not get in your way again."

"I'm glad I taught you some sort of lesson," she patted the ground next to her. Draco sat down, very close to her.

"That punch was deserved, mind you, I was a pretty big git back then. I think your punch was the first step on the road to recovery." Hermione flushed and looked down at her lap.

"You've changed a great deal since you were a kid, Draco. You're barely the same person. Or more like, you've become the person you never wanted the world to see," she said quietly. Draco nodded thoughtfully.

"I think you're right on that account. I've always been this person, but I was afraid of what my father would say if I didn't live up to his expectations. I didn't get a chance to see who I really was because I was too concerned with impressing him and living up to being a Slytherin," he was silent for a moment, "but I want to change all that. I want to make amends, Hermione, I really do. I know it sounds cliché and all that, but I don't want to be labeled as this heartless person forever."

"You're not heartless Draco, just a bit distant. And hopefully, the world will soon take away that veil."

They sat there for a long time, Hermione even fell asleep. But she was woken awake when the giant squid emerged from the lake and gave a foul cry. She blinked sleepily for a few moments, and then asked, lazily,

"What time is it?" Draco pulled out his arm from behind her back,

"Umm, around five, why?" Hermione sat bolt upright.

"Five?" she jumped to her feet. "I've got to go, Draco, sorry!"

"Why?" he asked, clearly hurt.

"I've got to meet someone?"

"Who?" he asked while she brushed dirt and leaves off her jeans.

"Umm," unwilling to tell him so she started running off towards the castle, "Snape."

And she left Draco sitting under the tree, completely alone, wondering why the only girl he had ever loved was running away from him to meet his godfather.

Ailing Red Rose/ Ailing Red Rose

AN:

I really want to send out an enormous thanks to t wrecks. The comments that were left helped me so much and defiantly put more care into this chapter, hopefully it's more clear, easier to read (grammar errors and such), and interesting.

I think this chapter's a little longer than mine normally are, and I think that's the way it's going to be from now on, it's going to require a lot more work, but I think it'll be worth it and it'll make the story come easier.

I'm also trying to come up with a sort of 'signature' type thing between different parts of the story, so I'm going to be trying different one's out. The one in this chapter isn't completely original, rather boring actually, but I wasn't really paying attention to that this chapter.

Also, I think I'm terrible with coming up with chapter names, so I might quit, maybe not, but normally it just annoys me so much when somebody doesn't have chapter names

And finally (lol) I hope you liked today's chapter!!!

Please review!!! It's so encouraging and really keeps me writing!!

And for those of you reading and not reviewing (I know you're out there) I'm going to come after you with a big blue trident and point it at you until you press that tiny button and make a little offer to write me a review….it doesn't even have to be positive!just write one!!

Sorry for all the rambling!

Ailing Red Rose