Stay by my side

Chapter 14: It's nice meeting you

Author's note: So, I'm sorry that these past few chapters have been so short, but I just wanted them to get over with so I can have my fresh start. But this chapter will be a bit longer! I hope you'll enjoy and as always I really appreciate all your support!

They finished their classes as usual. Hermione actively participating, taking notes of everything the teacher said and giving answers to every question that had been asked. But it didn't slip her notice that Draco was a little more restless today than usual. She was trying to figure out what it was several times, and even asked him if he was doing alright, but he kept on telling her that he was doing just fine.

She hadn't managed to get to a reason as to why he was displaying this behavior, but then again, it wasn't top priority in her thoughts. She had better things to think about, like school for example.

They walked together through the corridors but were stopped by a group of whispering first year girls. A few pointed at them and one was pushed forward by some others. "You two!" She boldly said and Draco stopped abruptly as her words hit him. He raised an insulted eyebrow, clearly not pleased by the way the girl called out to him.

The little girl cowered away slightly, but bottled up some more courage as her friends whispered some encouraging things in her ear.

Hermione observed the group, they were all from Ravenclaw and looked like the typical Lavender types. All very nosy and in other people's business. The dislike for the group of girls was already starting to rise.

"Why are you two holding hands? Are you two a couple?" The girl said, composing herself as she put up an equally arrogant face.

Hermione bit back a smile as she saw the way Draco's entire attitude changed. His once calm face turned into an ice cold scowl and he broadened his shoulders as he took a few steps forward to the girl, giving Hermione's hand a soft squeeze as if he was trying to tell her something.

Figuring it out quick enough, she also tried to come off as cold as possible as she took a few confident steps with him.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" He coldly spat at the girl in front of him and you could see her taking a frightened step back as Draco towered over her, being quite a bit taller than the girl.

Her friends, however, would have none of this and so they pushed her forward again. The girl scraped her throat as she said with a slightly shaking voice, "Well, you, obviously. A slytherin, Draco Malfoy, who is holding his so called enemy's hand." She waved at their two hands.

"If you know so well who I am, you should know better than talk to me like that." He said through gritted teeth.

The other girls were at the meantime giving Hermione very judgmental glances as they looked her over, making Hermione slightly uncomfortable and making it even harder to not break her cold stare.

Draco noticed the girls' stares and gave them a judgmental glance as well before opening his mouth. "And what are you all looking at?" He said as he made a very quick motion which Hermione hadn't processed until it happened.

Draco had pulled Hermione closer to him via their hands and went behind his back with his other hand and managed to slightly reach the hands they were holding, touching her hand as he let go of his right hand and threw his arm around her shoulder, touching her bare right shoulder with his right hand, letting go of her left hand as his left hand fell next to his body again.

There they were, Hermione being as close to Draco's body as she could possibly be as his slightly cold hand rested on her collarbone. Her surprised look quickly faded as his body warmth comforted her and so she relaxed her face and acted like this was a regular thing.

"Whatever is happening between the two of us," Draco said as he motioned with his left hand to their two bodies, "is none of any of your businesses. Now, get out of our way." He said threateningly and the group of girls stared at their position dumbfounded before a girl behind pulled the others to the side.

Draco started walking again, his arm still resting on her shoulder and Hermione gladly followed him outside to the stone bridge. Just outside of the doors he came to a halt again and wrapped his other arm around her as well and his left hand slipped to her right hand. "Smile." He whispered in her ear as he pulled away from the hug with a smile on his face himself. Hermione did as told and cracked a believable smile as they made their way to the Potions classroom so Draco could talk to professor Snape.

As they disappeared from sight, the two dropped their smiles and Hermione looked at Draco surprised, "What was that arm thing for?" She asked and he nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "Weren't you the one who said we should stick up for each other? I'm just following your plan, Granger." He said and a small smile spread on her lips without her wanting to. So, he did take her plan serious. That was at least a good beginning.

When they arrived at the Potions classroom, they somehow made sure Hermione couldn't overhear what they were talking about by making her wait outside the classroom whilst they closed the door as best as they could with their hands still in between and the two of them whispering to each other.

Hermione, however, hadn't even the slightest interest anyway in what they had to talk about. She knew for sure it wasn't about school, but whatever it was, was none of her concern. So, instead her mind drifted off to the past few days. She was surprised at how everything went and dare she say, even a bit confused.

Before her thoughts could drift any further, the door opened again without warning and so she was hit hard in the back of her head. "Ouch!" She loudly exclaimed as her free hand reached up to her head, trying to soothe the pain.

Malfoy came out of the classroom and looked at Hermione stroking the back of her head, "Sorry, Granger." He simply said and started walking and with a frustrated sigh, Hermione followed him to the Great Hall, ready to silence her rumbling stomach.

"Granger!" Draco said impatiently and Hermione jumped up, getting her nose out of the book she was reading for her Potions paper. She stared at him in confusion, wondering if something bad happened.

"Finally, I've been calling your names four times already." He said and Hermione looked at him surprised, not having noticed he was talking to her at all.

"Anyway, come with me." He said but Hermione shook her head. "No, I told you this evening would be mine." She argued and he put on a teasing smile, "And I said we would see."

"Malfoy, yesterday you went to bed early for nothing considering you confused the quidditch practice date. I deserve this evening to peacefully work on school." She said and he let out a frustrated sigh. "I've already let you work two hours longer than I would have liked! How much longer do you need, woman?" He said but then shook his head. "Anyway, just come with me, Granger."

Hermione stared at him in hope he would change his mind, but when it became clear he had no intention in letting her continue her work, she reluctantly gave in.

He led her out of their dormitory and when they stepped outside of the room, hearing the portrait softly falling back into place and seeing the castle being very dim lit, Hermione realized that it was way later than she had expected it to be.

"Malfoy, what time is it?" She whispered as she looked around at the sleeping portraits. "A little past eleven." Malfoy casually said in a lowered voice and Hermione's mouth dropped open as she was dragged along down the stairs only to take a different staircase going back up.

"Malfoy," Hermione tugged on his hand, hoping to stop him, but to no avail. "We should get back, it's past curfew. We shouldn't be out here anymore." Her words shook a little with anxiety as she wasn't very pleased with the idea of walking around this late at the castle.

Draco stopped and took a step closer, "Granger, if you don't want to get caught, I suggest keeping that mouth shut and just follow me."

Hermione was about to open her mouth to argue again but closed it with a sigh, letting him lead the way.

After a couple of minutes she managed to make out her surroundings, they were now very near the Gryffindor Tower. "Malfoy, where are we going?" She whispered again but he didn't say much except for, "You'll see."

Just a couple of minutes later they arrived at a stone wall, and it didn't take her long to figure out where this was. "The Room of Requirement? What are we doing here?" She asked him but Draco just closed his eyes and his face lightly scrunched up in concentration and then a wooden door appeared.

He opened it quietly and stretched an arm out, pointing into the room. "Ladies first." He said with a smirk and Hermione rolled her eyes, entering the room.

Just one glance and she knew exactly where they were. The room took an exact copy of the Slytherin common room. She guessed he must miss spending his time there.

Hermione wasn't every fond of the idea of having to sit in such a room, but it wasn't like she had any other choice.

"So, tell me about you, Granger." Draco said as soon as they sat down on the leather couch. Hermione raised her eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"If you expect me to be nice to you for a week, I at least want to know who I'm putting the effort in for." He said as he popped his feet on the table in front of them, making himself comfortable.

Hermione stared at him as if he was nuts, but she did get what meant. And so she decided to give it a shot. She wouldn't tell him all about her, in case he had underlying bad intentions, but she was okay with giving away a few simple things about her life.

She told him all about her life growing up, how she never really had any friends because they all thought she was annoying whilst she shared her knowledge with each and everyone she knew.

Draco plainly told her that this didn't surprise him, and Hermione couldn't help but display the hurt on her face. Draco sighed and added a quick, "no offense" to it in hopes that this would make his words not sound as harsh as they did now.

Then she told him about the muggle world and the little trips she used to make with her parents. Hermione wasn't quite sure if it was interest she spotted on his face, but what she did know was that he did seem honestly curious in what she had to tell him. Whether he liked the information or not.

She kept talking about each year of her life, trying to give the most important details of it without him being able to do anything with the information he was getting. "And here I am now, sharing my life story with the person I never thought I would talk to." She ended her story and Draco grinned.

"So, tell me a little about you." Hermione said and the grin fell off his face. "I don't see why that would be relevant."

"We're in this mess together, Malfoy. You're not the only one having to live with someone you hate. There are two people in this situation. I want to know more about your life." Hermione said, hoping that those words would get him talking.

After a minute spent in silence, he gave in. He turned all serious as he talked about his childhood, how he couldn't make any friends either due to the reputation of his family. He was careful not to mention anything about the way he was treated by his parents, although he did sugarcoat how sweet his mother was for him as a child.

Hermione didn't need to hear a lot to come to the conclusion that Draco was in fact just a confused and lost boy. His entire childhood spent in fear after the disappearance of the Dark Lord. She couldn't possibly imagine how lonely he must have been as well whilst growing up.

For the outside world, he would seem like just a spoiled little brat, but little did anyone know, including Hermione, what Draco really must have felt throughout those years. What he still feels now.

Hermione looked Draco over, his stare had drifted off to somewhere on the ground, his blonde hair was lightly hanging in front of his face as his lips were tightly pressed together, the lines on his forehead deepening as his thoughts started to wander.

Never did Hermione care to think further than what she saw from him. To try to understand him. But she understood now why he chose to bring her here, to bring this all up. He was willing to change their relationship.

"I realize now that you and I still have a long way to go, Granger. We have many days to spend by each other's side." Draco's voice was a little hoarse as he softly broke the silence, still keeping his eyes concentrated on the ground.

"But I'm willing to give this a shot. Try to make the best out of those days we have." He said and his eyes slowly glided up and soon they locked eyes. "I think we're more alike than we would like to admit, Hermione. And I'd love to find out in what kind of ways we are." He said, dead serious as he kept his gaze concentrated on her face.

Hermione stared at Draco in amazement, letting his words sink in, before letting out a soft, "Maybe we are indeed, Draco."