((Sorry for not updating quickly, I was on a bit of a holiday, but I made this chapter long so hopefully that makes up for it! Thanks for all the reviews lovelies x))
Hermione awoke to a loud knocking on the door. She lay in bed happily for a moment before her eyes darted open, quickly sitting up in bed with the realisation that Malfoy should not have been able to climb the staircase to her room. "Malfoy?" She called out slowly, rising from her bed and quickly shoving on a pair of shorts under her oversized shirt to look halfway decent.
"C'mon Granger I don't have all day." That was not the deep drawling voice she was expecting.
"Parkinson?" A loud sigh came from outside her doorway and she decided to crack open the door slightly, grabbing her wand as a precaution. She was curious as to why, and how, Pansy had managed to get into the dorm, and was knocking on her door. Was this some form of a sick joke from Malfoy? "Why are you here…?"
Pansy pinched the bridge of her nose and put her head down, clearly already frustrated with the Gryffindor's insistent questions, before she took a look at the girl standing in front of her and groaned. "It'll take longer than expected Draco."
"I don't care, just do it!" Hermione could hear Malfoy yell from the love seat in the common room.
"What's going on?" She turned back towards Pansy Parkinson and folded her arms defensively against her chest as she began to get scrutinised by the Slytherin girl.
"Don't be so closed off Granger, I'm here because I owe Draco a favour, and he seems to think using the debt on you in a wise investment." She rolled her eyes and grabbed Hermione's arm. "Come into the bathroom with me, I need to get started, I don't have all day."
Pansy pushed her into the bathroom and sat her down in front of the floor length mirror, scrunching up her nose in disgust at Hermione's tangled bush of a mane and drowsy face. "You have fairly good skin…" She frowned and moved closer, "but your hair is atrocious. How do you go out in public like this? It's awful."
Hermione hissed under her breath at the insults she was receiving, wondering again what in the hell was happening. "Have you come purely to insult me or is there a different reason for your unwelcome presence Parkinson?" She spoke, her words coming out harsh and cool.
"Draco said you got screwed over by the Weasel. Even I think that's sad. Apparently Draco has a plan, but he said you need to be pretty for it to work, and that's where I come in. I'm fixing your look Granger. Now hold still."
Pansy pointed her wand towards Hermione's head and she tensed, her grip on her wand so tight it was almost snapping. The young witch mumbled some quick latin spell work, and Hermione's eyes widened as she watched her chocolate locks slowly uncurl, losing their frizzy appearance and becoming sleek and shiny. The smooth, straight locks hung from her head, making her face look bigger than usual, not hiding it completely underneath all the tangles. Pansy grinned smugly at the how wide Hermione's eyes had become as she stared at herself in the mirror.
"How…"
"It's a quick and simple spell which you redo once a week, I'll teach you in a moment. Look, now that your hair isn't a birds nest on your head.." She paused, stepping back and staring at Hermione, "you actually don't require very much make up. I could almost leave it be, and you'd be what the boys would call, "cute"… But Draco asked for stunning so I'll fix your eyes up and be done."
Hermione was lost for words as she watched Pansy apply black eyeliner around her eyes, intensifying their chocolatey colour, and making her face more structured. "Thank you…"
Pansy stood backwards and nodded at her work, signalling it was time for Hermione to stand and get dressed, before she left the bathroom without a single word. Hermione pulled her school skirt and shirt on, gazing fixedly at the mirror, appreciating the difference in her appearance. She almost wished she could bring Pansy back and hug her, but she knew that the girl had only helped her due to Draco, and that in no way were they now suddenly friends.
"Granger what the bloody hell is taking you so long?!" She heard Malfoy shout from downstairs, and she took a glance at the clock on her wall, swearing internally at how late it had gotten, class started in half an hour and she hadn't had breakfast yet.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," she replied, hoping down the stairs on one foot as she ungracefully shoved the other into a school shoe.
"Let me see what Pansy did." Malfoy stood and came closer, staring at her with his blank face, no hint of approval or disapproval present. His eyes slid from her hair, to her face, and then slowly down, making Hermione blush awkwardly. "Not bad. Not over the top either. It'll work."
Hermione recoiled slightly at the response, she'd been expecting somewhat better, although she needed to remember that it was Malfoy who was speaking. "What now?"
He smirked at her hesitance and seemed to be enjoying her lack of knowledge at the situation. "Isn't it obvious Granger? I got Pansy to come fix you up a little bit so that when the Weasel gets a look at you he'll be fuming mad."
"Why would he be fuming mad?"
"Well for one thing, you were already out of his league before you fixed that mess you called hair, but now he will be hitting himself repeatedly because you are much better looking than he could ever hope to seduce." Hermione's eyes widened at the quick passing of the words 'better looking,' realising that he did actually seem to think the different hair was a positive change. "Not to mention, if he was jealous of my conversations with you beforehand… he should get prepared for an angry day ahead of him."
"So you're going to make him jealous?"
He almost smiled at her, but maintained the stony facade long enough to reply, "I'm going to make him regret ever messing with you."
"Why though Malfoy. Why? I don't understand your part in this." She stared up at him, her neck craning in order to make direct eye contact, hoping to somehow get some form of reaction from him which would explain to her what was going on. "I don't get it… Do you actually… yknow.. care?" His eyes flashed and she winced a little bit at the wording of her question, but remained staring into his silver eyes.
"I honestly don't know Granger." He said quieter than usual, staring intently at her. He took a step forward and her breathing hitched slightly. "I've been doing the wrong thing for so long. I've made so many mistakes, and I've been nothing but a prat to you since day one." His jaw clenched and his words grew intense. "So many bad things… maybe this is my chance for redemption. I want to change my fate, and if that means driving him crazy and getting him mad with regret over you… then I don't see why I shouldn't."
She had to resist the urge to wrap her arms around his torso, reminding herself again and again that this was Draco Malfoy. That maybe Ginny could be correct about his plans.
He'd seemed so genuine though.
Who was she to deny him the chance to try to change. If he were to have his fates unravelled, changed and torn down before him to grow again as a positive entity then she may as well let him use her problem to help.
"What do I have to do."
Malfoy chuckled slightly, shifting his bag's shoulder strap over his body, and striding towards the portrait hole. "Nothing Granger, act natural. I mean… blushing will help, but I seem to be able to get that reaction out of you just fine on my own."
"You're such a prat."
"You didn't deny it though. Tsk, Tsk Granger, one might thing you're beginning to find me attractive." She blushed again, but stared angrily at the back of his head, watching his form retreat through the doorway. "Class is in ten, you may want to run, nerd."
It did not occur to Hermione, as she'd been dashing through the corridors on her way to Defence Against The Dark Arts, that she would have no place to sit in the classroom, due to her fight with Ron. Harry would, no doubt, be sitting and siding with him on the matter, much like in third year when Ron had picked fights with her over Scabbers' disappearance. She put her head up and strode through the doorway as confidently as possible, and the moment she entered the room the chattering paused.
"Looking good Hermione," Dean Thomas smiled at her as she walked past, and she beamed at him in response, happy for him to break her tension. She resisted looking towards the side of the room she knew her two friends would be sitting, instead glancing around for an empty seat.
"Granger," she heard him call her from across the room, and could tell everyone else was paying close attention to what was about to happen. "I saved you a seat."
She smiled slightly, hearing small intakes of breath from around the room at the unexpected encounter between the two, and she walked gracefully to his side, sitting down in the chair to his left. She was slightly shocked however, when he leaned in close to her.
His mouth was close beside her ear, his breath tickling the side of her neck. "He's not happy." He whispered, and she could tell without looking that he was smiling, "In fact, his face is more red than yours right now. Nice blush Granger."
If he wanted to play the game, she could play the game.
Hermione did an uncharacteristic giggle and playfully shoved his shoulder, distancing his face from hers. He pulled back in surprise, as if not expecting her to be able to react so girlishly, before running a hand through his impeccable hair. She smirked back at him and then winked.
The room went silent, and Malfoy'd mouth dropped slightly open, before he mentally shook himself, turning away from her at the exact moment their teacher entered the classroom and began an in-depth conversation about the transformation cycles of werewolves.
"Not bad Granger, you had me for a moment there." He whispered from the side of her mouth, and her heartbeat quickened from excitement. "I think Weasley's going to try to fight me. Look at him."
Hermione did a sly glance to her left at the table where Harry and Ron were sitting, and noticed Ron's knuckles clenched tightly, forming fists, and his mouth stuck firmly on a frown, hatred marking his red face.
It was the small sense of victory that kept her happy for the rest of the class, and she left feeling better than she had in a fair while, not noticing Malfoy walking behind her, watching her with a slight smile tugging at his lips.
"Oi Malfoy!" He paused for a moment at the sound of his name, knowing full well who had been angrily shouting at him.
"Weasley."
The boy dropped his bag to the ground and rounded his shoulders, approaching the blonde aggressively. "You back off of her, you hear me? She's not yours, you're worthless and you don't deserve her."
Malfoy laughed shortly at this comment, before sticking his nose up at the boy. "Of course she's not mine. She's no ones. She's not an object Weasley, and if you think that I don't deserve her, you should take a look in the mirror and think about that."
Ron snarled and lunged towards Malfoy, but he was ready, dodging neatly out of the way as if it were no effort at all.
"You think you're so much better than everyone just because your family's rich." Ron stared at him with disgust, "But you're a Death Eater, and nothing can change that. You're going to rot in Azkaban just like your worthless father, and she would never want someone like that."
Malfoy's eyes flashed dangerously at the comment and within milliseconds his wand was twirling between his fingers menacingly. "Trying to get me to hurt you won't make her hate you any less Weasley," he spoke coldly, keeping an eye on Harry in the background, who had his wand hand raised towards the blonde. "Move along, get to class, all of you. Before I take 50 house points each from every person standing here."
"One of these days you won't be Head Boy, and people won't be around to protect you Malfoy. When you finally have to fight for yourself… that's when you're going to fail. Just like in sixth year."
The hall went silent, and Malfoy turned his gaze slowly towards Ron, anger lining his face, clearly distinctive in the lantern's light casting shadows against him. "50 points from Gryffindor." He hissed, clearly restraining himself from saying anything further, "Need I continue?" At the harsh tone of his words, the remaining eighth years scattered, leaving only Ron, Harry and Malfoy.
"Ron c'mon. We have History of Magic to get to. Let's just go." Harry grabbed Ron by the shoulders and attempted to pull him away, but it was no use. The two were stuck in a staring match, the air around them cracking with anger.
"Malfoy?" The soft voice caused the blonde to turn, seeing Hermione standing there wide eyed looking very awkward. "I noticed you didn't walk back with Blaise… what's going on?"
"Granger go to class," his words were soft but his eyes showed his alarm at her being there in the middle of their argument.
"What's going on." Her voice was stronger this time as she grasped the feeling around the corridor, realising trouble had been started. "Harry."
"Hermione," he nodded, almost sadly, "I'm trying to get him to come with me to class, he's just not listening."
Ron whirled around on Harry, "Pick a side mate! She's the one who ditched us, not me!"
"Ron there's no "us," I ditched you. I fully intend to still be friends with Harry." She glanced at him awkwardly before adding, "that is.. if he wants too."
"Of course." He said, smiling softly towards her before grabbing Ron's shoulder's again, "C'mon mate."
Ron sent a menacing glare towards the witch, which caused Malfoy to step in front of her between the two. "Granger let's go, I'll walk you to class." He picked up his things and put his arm around her shoulder, leading her away from Ron and Harry.
"Seriously Hermione. You're going with him again? You're just going to become one of the sluts that follows him around…"
"Shut your mouth Weasley."
Hermione stopped in her tracks and stared at Malfoy, intimidated by how harshly his words came out. He looked as if he were calm but Hermione had gotten to know him well enough over the past few months to realise that he was holding himself back from throwing curses at Ron. She grabbed his hand with hers, feeling him go rigid beside her for a moment out of shock, before growing slightly less tense. She squeezed his palm with hers and gave a little tug, signalling to him that she wanted to leave.
She could see Ron and Harry's eyes on their holding hands, assessing the situation, and Ron was growing more and more agitated. Hermione wanted to leave before something happened that would get them into serious trouble. She tugged Malfoy's hand again and he stepped to the side of the hall, pulling her with him, before waving his arm at the other two.
"You first." His words were sharp, it was not a suggestion, but an order, and as Head Boy, Harry was well aware that he needed to listen to him. Harry dragged Ron from the spot and forced him down the hallway away from the two Heads, disappearing around the corner after a moment.
As soon as they were out of sight, Malfoy dropped Hermione's hand, and leaned against the wall tiredly. She felt as if she should say something but nothing was coming to mind that may make him feel better. "It was expected Malfoy. We knew he'd get angry…"
"I know." There was a long silence, nothing moved but the flickering of the lanterns, and Hermione made the decision that they should just skip their class and go back to the dorms. She nudged him gently, and he stood, adjusting his clothing and hair as if it had become messy from the argument he'd been having. She wasn't ready to admit that he always looked flawless.
"I'm sorry."
"There's no point apologising for something you haven't done Granger, I knew that this would happen." They walked in silence for a beat before he added, "The hand holding was a good touch. You're not a bad actor."
"I wasn't acting."
He stared at her for a moment, a small smirk growing slowly upon his face before he shook his head, "you're full of surprises."
She smiled back at him, glad for the decent conversation they'd been having for the past few days. He really was changing, "I could say the same to you Malfoy."
His smile hardened slightly, but not enough for her to notice. Hermione remained blissfuly unaware at the reaction the words had had upon the Slytherin as she clambered through the portrait hole. He stood back for a moment, staring at the doorway she'd just entered and thought about his mother's words to him, before whispering " Oh Granger….If only you knew."