A/N: So sorry for taking awhile to post! Reviews/constructive criticism always welcome.
Also, I have a new story out called Wolf, feel free to check it out and let me know what you think!
Hermione's POV
I didn't know what I was doing, this wasn't like me at all.
Sneaking out with a boy after dark? A boy I didn't even particularly like? He was making me crazy. I didn't necessarily want to talk to him, just see him.
I never thought I would say this but, 'I want to be alone with Draco Malfoy'
I shook that thought out of my mind and walked through the cold, misty air to the tree. I saw a figure sitting down, facing away from me. I breathed in sharply and went to sit next to him.
Draco's POV
I knew what she meant by 'the tree'. The one where I had admitted my feelings for her the second time. I was glad she was the one to ask to meet. It was driving me crazy not to talk to her and I would have done it myself soon if she hadn't.
I sat by the tree, staring at the lake with my head on my knees. I absentmindedly was tossing rocks in the lake, when I heard someone sit down next to me. We were silent for a few moments.
"Hey," I mumbled, not looking at her.
"Hi," her angel-like voice said.
"You wanted to speak to me?" I said, turning to face her.
"Not really, I just wanted to see you," she smiled at me.
I gulped, "You wanted to see me?" I asked, surprised.
"I want to figure you out," she looked at the lake for a moment, and then back at me. "Why... why were you so awful to me.. all of the time?" she blurted out, and her voice sounded hurt.
"Because," I started feeling even more guilty, "You were friends with Potter and Weasley," I said simply, though it wasn't all of the truth.
"That's all?" she whispered, staring into my eyes. I didn't speak for a few seconds.
"Well, I always thought you were cute," I smirked. "And I didn't let myself think that way about a-a mublood," I said. And for the first time in my life I didn't say that word with disgust or hate in it.
Honestly, it didn't matter to me anymore.
"And I just hope you'll give me a second chance," she didn't respond at first, just staring off into the distance.
After a few moments she whispered so low it was barely audible, "Why should I?"
A soft breeze blew across my face and Hermione's curls were beautifully swaying in the wind. I sucked in deep gulfs of crisp air that burned my lungs.
"Because I've changed."
Hermione's POV
His last words echoed in my head for a few moments. 'Because I've changed.'
Had he really?
This could all be just a joke with his friends. I could picture it now.
Malfoy sitting with the rest of the despicable Slytherins, all erupting with fits of laughter.
"So you really got her to believe that?" Blaise asked between laughs.
"Yea! It was so pathetic, she asked me to meet here like on a date or something. How dare that mudblood."
The whole table laughed again.
She ran across the Great Hall so she wouldn't have to hear them.
"Oh look! Poor Granger is going to cry! She actually believed I had feelings for her? BWAHAHA."
I snapped out of my trance to look at him, he was staring intently at the lake, and he seemed to be deep in thought.
"Malfoy?" I asked.
His silver eyes met mine.
"What made you change?"
He shrugged. "I just woke up one day... and I decided my life was going the way I wanted it to be."
I watched him throw a couple of more rocks in the water.
I was not convinced. "But why?"
"Why what?"
"Why have you changed?"
"So I can be a better person."
I stared at him. Somehow those words weren't processing. I couldn't picture him as any different than a lying, mean, heartless prat that preyed on mubloods.
This was a trick. It had to be. There was no other explanation. This whole love act wasn't going to work on me.
I got up to leave but his hand reached up and gently touched my elbow. He stood up and he was face to face with me.
"Look," he said, staring into my eyes. "words can't describe how sorry I am. I know I was horrible to you, and I was a stupid, ignorant child then. I'm different now, I've grown up. It's not an excuse, but I just hope one day you will forgive me. I promise I won't ever hurt you again."
I tore my eyes away from his and ran back to the castle. I didn't like the look in his eyes. I didn't like the guilt I was feeling. I didn't like falling for his trick.
It was a stupid idea to ask him to sneak out at night! What was I thinking? All because of a stupid joke.
The only thing that stopped me from thinking it was a joke was his eyes. They looked so hurt and troubled. They looked like real emotion.
I concluded that he was simply just a great actor.