Hermione entered the common room and slumped into a chair, staring at the fire. What did I just see, she wondered. Was that Malfoy, actually helping someone? Ginny interrupted her thoughts.
"Hey Hermione, how was your first day?" she asked.
"It was pretty good. Ginny, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked as she hugged her friend.
"Just waiting for Harry so we can go to the library," Ginny said. "Can I ask you a question Hermione?"
"Sure" she replied.
"What did you mean, in Runes, when you told Draco that he got what he wanted from you?" Ginny asked, is a slightly suspicious tone. Hermione hadn't noticed Ginny in her Runes class until the professor had taken attendance.
"Not what you're thinking!" Hermione said as she shook her head. Ginny was obviously concerned that Hermione had cheated on Ron.
"When I read about the Malfoys impending trial before the Wizengamot, I wrote to the judges. I told them that Narcissa and Draco were basically pawns in Lucius' schemes and asked them to take that into consideration when judging their cases." Hermione explained in hushed tones to Ginny. She didn't want Harry or Ron to hear about this.
"So that's why he's not in Azkaban!" Ginny said. "So if he was just a pawn in Lucius' schemes, and you really believe that, why are you still so mad at him?"
"He," Hermione started, and then paused, thinking. "This summer, at the Manor, I believe they all were pretending to care about me so that I would speak up for them when their trials were held; pawns in yet another scheme. Lucius all but told me that was their only motivation for helping me when I was cursed. Let's just say Draco played his role over the top. He didn't have to..." make me love him, she thought but didn't say it. "Pretend to care so much" she finished.
"So, you think he was just pretending to care about you? That's why he showed up at the Burrow right after you left for London, looking for you?" Ginny asked.
"He did WHAT?" Hermione exclaimed. "Why would he do that?" she asked Ginny.
"I have no idea! He apperated not more than five minutes after you left, and Ron jumped him and punched him in the mouth. You spent more time with him that I ever have, why don't you answer your own question" Ginny said. Just then Harry emerged from the boy's dorm and came over to them.
"Ready to go Gin?" he asked. "Hermione, we're headed to the library. Want to come along?"
"No" she said distractedly. "I think I am just going to study in my room."
Another set of eyes watched from a corner of the common room as Hermione headed down the hall to the girls dormitories. Blasie Zabini had also returned to Hogwarts for his eighth year, at his mother's insistence. He had been pleased to see his old Slytherin year mate, Draco Malfoy at school. His pleasure was turning to disgust, however, watching the formerly proud pureblooded Malfoy mooning over the mudblood Granger.
The next afternoon Hermione spent in the library studying with Ron. She was determined to be nice to him, and not let his every move grate her nerves. They were working on a Potions essay that was due the following week. Ron had wanted to put it off, "Blimey 'Mione, it's not due until next Wednesday! We've got loads of time! Let's go to Hogsmeade!", but Hermione had insisted.
"Ron, it's a full twenty inch essay! Do you have any idea how long that will take to write?" So now they sat together in the library, Hermione studying the history of the Invigoration Draught, Ron pretending to read about Draught of Living Death, but in reality, scratching Chudley Cannon doodles on his parchment and staring out the window.
"Come on 'Mione, can't you just tell me what to write? You know I'm no good at research!" he pleaded.
"Ron, if you want to be an Auror, you will have to be able to do research! It's not all just catching bad guys, you know."
"Well, Harry and I will just be partners then. He can do the research and I'll catch the bad guys!" he said smiling at her.
"Have you told Harry of this plan?" she asked, laughing at him.
Just then Malfoy approached their table. "Ron" he began, "Did I hear you say that you are you writing your essay on the Draught of Living Death?"
"Yeah, Malfoy. What's it to you?" Ron snarled back at him, but Draco kept his composure and slid a book towards him.
"I just thought you might find this book helpful. It has some really interesting history about the Draught" he said, and walked away.
"Did Draco Malfoy just offer to help me?" Ron asked Hermione.
"Uh, yeah. It looks that way" Hermione said as she picked up the book. If Malfoy was giving it to Ron, she wanted to make sure it was something that would actually help him, and not some wild goose chase meant to give him trouble. She recognized the book immediately. It was a rare original of "Potiones of the Soule" written in the late 12th century. She and Malfoy had studied from it. This book was not a school book, this came from the Malfoy library. It was incredibly rare and expensive. And Malfoy had just entrusted it to Ron. He could just about write his entire essay from the information in this one book. "You know what? Let's go get that butterbeer after all," Hermione said to Ron. He jumped up and hugged her and they left the library holding hands. Draco watched them go.
After Ron and Hermione left, he went over to the table where they had been sitting and took the seat Hermione had vacated.
The next week, Hermione noticed a flyer posted in the eighth years common room.
"All Seventh and Eighth Year Students
There will be a meeting in the Great Hall this Saturday at 10 o'clock a.m. for anyone wishing to be a tutor for first and second year students. A score higher than E on any O.W.L. subject is a requirement."
Hermione read the notice excitedly. Ron joined her at the notice board. "Ron, look at this! I am going; I would love to tutor someone! What about you?" she asked.
"Can't" he mumbled through a mouthful of food. "Quidditch practice" he said.
"Oh" she said, disappointed. She was hoping this was something they could do together that she would enjoy.
"Three Broomsticks tonight?" he asked her.
"No, sorry Ron, I've got a Charms essay to finish." And she left the common room for the quiet of her bedroom.
On Saturday, she showed up early for the tutors meeting and saw Malfoy standing at the front of the hall, shuffling some papers.
"Malfoy, are you considering tutoring an acting class?" she asked sarcastically. "If you could have been graded on your performance this summer, you would have gotten an 'O' for certain"
All he said was "Hermione, how are you finding school so far? Actually, I organized this club. I brought the idea to Professor McGonagall and she approved it." He was trying so hard to change, to prove to her that he was a better person than the Draco she had known. He found that he had actually enjoyed helping the first years. So much, that he had even approached Professor McGonagall about forming the tutoring group.
"Great" she said cynically, threw herself into a seat, crossed her arms and stared at the wall through the whole meeting.
Later, at lunch Ron asked her how the tutoring club meeting went. "Well, if you can believe it, Draco Malfoy is the leader of the club" she said, with disgust.
"Really?" asked Ron, "Malfoy?"
"Yes, it's reprehensible. I cannot believe Professor McGonagall approved this. What could Draco Malfoy possibly gain from tutoring first and second years. Unless…" she trailed off, "Unless he wants to groom them to become the next generation of Death Eaters!"
"I can assure you, my intentions are honorable" came a voice from behind her. Malfoy had passed by on his way out of the Great Hall and heard what she said.
She jumped up from her seat and poked him in the chest. "Really Malfoy? Since when do you do anything for anyone if there isn't something in it for you?" she asked scathingly.
"Since May second" he answered and walked away. She stared at him as he left, dumbstruck.
After lunch, back in the common room, Blaise jerked the tutoring club notice from the board, crumpled it up and threw it into the fire He's practically turning into a Gryffindor do gooder, he thought.