Chapter 11
"I still cant believe that you actually agreed." Blaise was having a hard time digesting the fact that Draco had convinced Hermione to have a night out with him. "Where did he say he's taking you anyway?"
"I don't know. Hope its some place bereft creepy monsters and murderers." She was definitely nervous. Her voice was quivering and hands a little shaky, while putting on her lilac coloured jumper. "I dont know why I'm doing this in the first place. Given Malfoy's an evil psychopath."
She looked into the mirror and started fixing her hair. For some strange reason, she was putting in some extra effort to make herself presentable. Her dark blue jeans went well with the jumper she thought. And a small part of her was certainly excited and expectant. Ughh.
"He's not that bad Hermione." Blaise thought he should comfort her a little. He's not warm at heart but trust me, he couldn't help the situation back then."
She turned to look at him. "What do you mean?" she asked wanting to know more.
Blaise sighed. He thought it was for the best if he told her. He had assured Draco that he wouldn't blurt it out to anyone. But he wanted to help him, he was his best mate after all.
"Draco was forced to think evil by his parents and Voldemort. Never gave him a chance to be normal. In the attempt to regain his position in Voldemort's circle, Lucius imposed dirty responsibilities on his shoulders. All his life he has been made to live in a place surrounded by dark and terrible intentions. Obviously the good was thwarted out of him."
"But...but Voldemort returned only when he was older. And you must agree, he wasn't a very friendly kid, rotten from the very start. He should have tried to tell his parents-"
"He did all that for attention!" Blaise had a concerned look on his face. He needed to make her understand. "Couldn't you make out? He always lacked friends. Crabbe and Goyle were more like henchmen. He had yearned and needed some real friends and so he envied you three. His head was poisoned with thoughts on blood supremacy, blasphemous ideals at a tender age. And as he grew up he was given away for Voldemort's disposal."
Hermione gaped at him speechless. She had never exactly bothered to peep into Malfoy's life, nor she had been interested. All she knew was that, he was a despicable git who made a mess out of everyone's life. She had no idea about his craving to actually be human like everyone else.
Seeing the dilemma on her face, Blaise continued "He was used by Voldemort in the most cruel ways imaginable. His own parents couldn't handle the sight of him being tortured and hurt while Voldemort practiced different potent dark curses on him. It was painful, but he had to endure it; use them too, on victims and slaves. Narcissa and Lucius couldn't protect their only son from such terror because they feared their family's life. They did love him dearly, but implemented it in the wrong Voldemort taught him well. Equipped him with every kind of magic, that would help him conquer our world. He could could see potential in Draco and so trained him in such a way that he is monstrously powerful now but he's suffered a great deal of damage. If he cant think with a good mind, you cant blame him."
"That's horrible!" a whisper escaped her mouth. She could hardly speak. Her eyes were swimming in tears. Tears for Malfoy, which was out of possibility just some time ago. Having such a difficult childhood was unfair and melancholic for anyone. She's been tortured by Bellatrix once and that had broken her. But picturing Draco getting tortured like that time and again made her shudder and provoked immense sympathy in her. No, he didn't deserve such a gruesome past.
"I know its hard for you to look at his better side when there's such little to like about him. But he does truly desire you. Its been with him for a while and has been growing stronger in him, this passion. Since the passing years, he's lamented every instant he's hurt you. Now that things are a bit calm, he's trying, trying really hard to win your heart but sadly he doesn't know how! Imagine, For a person whose not been loved his entire life, from where can he bring warmth in himself to offer others? Give him a chance Hermione, look beyond the baneful. Even I don't agree with his methods but he really does care. All that is needed to repair him is someone who can understand him, love him equally and get the cold monstrosity out of him."
Hermione slumped down on the nearest couch. Her knees were weakened by the insight in Draco's life that Blaise had just given her. She had had most of her memorable moments with friends. Actually her whole life had been brightened up by them. She had shared her joys and sorrows with the others. But he had no on who cared! No one he could express his feelings or hardships to. A life drained of all the joy and happiness was all that he got. Pity was overwhelming her. She and everyone else was so misunderstood. She pressed her forehead lightly, all the revelation was giving her a headache. He's lost in the dark.
"Think about it. And excuse me, Im kind of tired, I'll go rest now." Blaise got up, placed a comforting hand on her shoulders and went inside to his bed.
Hermione sat there for a while, immobile. She walked down the memory lane of her's, Ron's and Harry's attitude towards Malfoy in the past years. They weren't sweet to him, actually speaking they never had a civil talk with him at all. But he had brought it upon himself, a part of her defiant mind argued. He had behaved in the most repelling way with them, caused them to fall in major trouble loads of times. A complete arse. He deserves a sorry life.
No. He has suffered hasn't he? More than any of them, to be told the truth. To have lived throughout in crude horror and forgotten happiness was a punishment enough.
With an internal war still waging inside her, Hermione looked at herself in the mirror once again. She removed the traces of any tears and set her hair till it fell on her shoulders perfectly. Though she had convinced herself to treat Draco a little better, she decided against letting him know, that she knew now and he had somewhat got the better of her.
