Draco turned to look at the girl he loved, she wasn't coping very well with any of this and he had to do something, but all his usual methods of making her feel good where no longer open to him. He went over to her sat down in the chair next to her.
"Hermione," Draco said, "It's going to be ok."
"How? How can it possibly be ok?"
"I'm here."
"Great, my worst enemy is here."
"That's not what you said last night."
"What did I say… no, I don't want to know," Hermione whispered as though if she spoke any louder she'd cry, "It wasn't me last night. it was a different me."
"It was a future you. Last night you said I was a friend, someone you could trust. It was you who felt that for me. You are going to feel that way at some stage in your near future. At the moment you need someone to listen to you. Well, if you will trust me soon, why not trust me now?"
"Trust him..." Hermione mumbled to herself, preoccupied.
"Huh?"
"That's what the note said."
"See, now are you going to listen to yourself or not?"
Hermione thought for a moment, then nodded. "Ok, I'll trust you… for now."
"Good." Draco smiled, "Now I was told to look after you and look after you I shall. What do you want me to do? I am in your service."
Hermione looked up into Draco's smiling face and couldn't help but feel a little better. He really did love her and she could feel it.
"Tell when you started loving me?"
Draco sighed. "I don't know, I think I always kind of liked you."
Hermione looked up into his sincere face slowing drawing closer to her own. "I guess I always loved you Hermione." She could feel his breath as his head tilted slowly. Their lips were so close, it was almost like the whole scene was moving in slow-motion. Their lips met and… bliss! Hermione's head was spinning, she felt like this was what she wanted to do but at the same time she couldn't overcome the fact that this was Draco Malfoy. Malfoy! It was just yesterday that he had mocked her, called her a suck up, she couldn't be standing here kissing him! Could she?
Hermione broke off. "I don't think I can do this."
Draco just nodded. "I think I can wait until my Hermione gets back."
"Thanks. Do you think I could have some time to think?"
Draco smiled, "Sure. I have to go do something anyway; will you be alright on your own?"
Hermione nodded and Draco placed a soft kiss on her forehead before leaving the common room and heading off into the school. Hermione was now left alone in the common room. She felt that she had to do something to make it all better, to fix this with her friends before she, her future self, came back. Having now made up her mind Hermione stood and followed the path to the exit that Draco had just taken. She stopped to think, they would have to go somewhere to talk, and best bet was that they would be in the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione walked through the familiar halls of Hogwarts, tracing the steps of six years of Hogwarts memories. She reached the portrait of the fat Lady and realised that she had no idea of the password, it had been Dragon's teeth last she knew but that would be months ago now.
"Drat." She said to herself.
"What is it dear?" The fat lady asked kindly.
"I don't know the password," Hermione replied honestly, "any chance it's still Dragon's teeth."
"No sorry dear."
"Oh, could you just let me in anyway?"
"Sorry."
"Ok, could you tell me if Harry, Ron and Ginny are in there?"
"No."
"Oh! Why not?"
"No, that's the answer, they didn't come here love."
"Oh, ok, thank you."
"You're welcome."
Hermione walked off towards the library, she wasn't sure if they would be there or out on the school grounds but it was a place to start. It was common that they would head into the library and talk; it was Hermione's favourite place to be.
Hermione walked into the library and began to wonder around the shelves looking for her friends. After about three minutes of fruitless searching she found them huddled at a table deep in discussion. They looked up as she walked in and waved her over.
"Hello." Hermione said cautiously. Where they still going to be mad at her?
"Hermione, I told them everything you said to me this morning." Ginny said.
"Oh good." Hermione replied, "How'd you guys take it?"
"I'm not sure if we can accept this Hermione, I mean it's Draco Malfoy." Harry glared at Hermione.
"I know I'm having as much trouble as you guys but he seem to genuinely care."
"Malfoy! It's Malfoy Hermione. Not Neville or Dean but Malfoy." Harry half yelled, "This just doesn't seem right."
"I know! If you were listening to Ginny then you'd know that from my perspective I only just found out that I'm going to date, no more than that, sleep with Draco!" Hermione retorted, "This is a lot for me to handle as well."
"Why would you do that?" Ron asked.
"Do what?"
"Sleep with… him!" Ron shuddered.
"I don't know, I mean he's smart and from what I've seen of him today he has a charming, sensitive side to his personality."
"Not to mention that he's so hot that half the school, the female half, are drooling over him."
"GINNY!" Ron said angrily, "Don't tell me you fancy Ferret Boy as well?"
"No, but he's pretty good to look at."
Hermione smiled, "I end up with the guy most of the school wants to be with! There must be some very jealous girls out there! Especially the Slytherins, they've been after him for years."
"Ok so there's one positive." Ginny said and then added for Hermione's benefit, "We were making a pro's and con's list."
"And what are the positives?" Hermione asked.
"It'll make the Slytherins jealous."
"That's it? What about he seems to make me happy or that he loves me?"
"Says he loves you Hermione, says he loves you."
"Ron! I happen to trust him."
"Why? You just woke up in his bed this morning."
"Yeah, but I left myself a letter telling me to trust him and I believe myself."
"Oh right." Ron started, "You'll just believe anything you say?"
"Yes I do, I have no reason to lie to myself especially about this."
"How can we even be sure of this letters authenticity, there are spell to mimic handwriting, or he could have had you under the Imperio."
"I doubt it Harry."
Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Why can't you just accept that he's changed? That he really loves me?"
"See that's something you would never say!"
"Unless it was true."
"But it's not, he just has you brain washed."
"Harry, I woke up this morning and didn't believe it to be true, but it does appear to be that way. So just accept it."
"Cut it out you two, Hermione I believe you and if this is what you want then I at least will support you." Ginny interrupted before Harry could answer back.
"Ginny, this is Malfoy, Ferret Boy, wanna-be Death Eater and he's stolen our Hermione." Harry argued.
"No, this is Hermione asking us to accept that she has a boyfriend. She has not been stolen, she is still here and she still wants to be our friend."
"Fine I can deal with that but you have to let us threaten him. We have to protect you." Ron interjected, "So, if he so much as comes a minute late for a date or does anything to hurt you, you tell us and we'll sort him out."
Hermione smiled, "Thanks, you have no idea how much it means to me that you all understand."
Harry simply glared.
