Chapter 26

(Draco's POV)

"God, I am such an idiot," I whispered to myself in the Slytherin common room.

"What the hell did you do to Hermione?" Pansy hissed at me with her hands on her hips.

"What?" I responded, coming back to reality.

"What did you do to Hermione? She is crying her eyes out at the moment."

"How did you find out?"

"Ginny came and told me that Hermione was crying because of you."

"Well, you are kind of right."

"What do you mean 'kind of right'?" she gave a death stare.

"I mean you are right."

"Go find Ginny. She wants you. She's in the hallway leading to the Great Hall."

"Well, if she wants me."

"To talk to you, dumb ass, now GO!" she screamed.

"O.K, I'm going," I ran out and through the hallways.

…&…

"You wanted to see me, Ginny," I said, panting.

Whack!

"Ow, what was that for?" I screeched.

"What the hell did you say or do to Hermione?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do."

She hovered over me.

"O.K, yes I do."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What happened?"

"'You came to check up on me even though I just broke up with your best friend,' she said. 'Oh. Okay, as long as that is a compliment, I'm good with it,' I said. 'Tsk, tsk, Malfoy. Tsk, tsk,' she began to walk away from me. 'Wait. What?' I ran after her. 'You only think about your self, don't you?' I asked. 'Well, duh,' he said. 'I knew it, you self-centered bitch,' she cursed and ran down the hallways to the portrait." I explained.

"You idiot!" she whacked me over the head again.

"Yeah, I know."

"She won't speak to you till tomorrow. Then you must give her the best apology ever, or I will hunt you down and kill you."

"Okay," I walked back to my dormitory in shame and barely slept all night.

…&…

The next morning…

"Hermione, don't worry, everything will be alright," Ginny encouraged me to get up.

"Okay, I'll go but can you walk with me to breakfast."

"Sure."

"Thanks," I got dressed and found Ginny waiting for me when I came out of the bathroom. Harry was waiting in the common room and gave me a smile and a hug and Ginny a hug and peck on the cheek. Ginny's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and together we walked to breakfast.

"Hermione!" someone called out from behind us in the hallway.

I turned around to find Malfoy and immediately expected an answer.

"What?"

"Look, Hermione. I didn't mean what I said yesterday. I was a complete bitch and I should have known better."

"Yes, you were, and yes, you should have."

"Do forgive me?"

"What did you mean?" I asked.

"To forgive me and forget—"

"Not about that; about what you said yesterday."

"Oh. I was just joking yesterday. I really care about you…along with myself and my mother."

I smiled.

He smiled.

I frowned.

"So, do you forgive me now, Hermione?"

"No."

"What?"

"No."

"Huh?"

"No. N-O. No."

He sighed. "Why?"

"Because I'm not giving in that quickly," I walked off to breakfast.

"Then what can I do to make it up to you?"

I stopped. "Well, you can start by thinking before you say something to me."

"Okay, I'll try."

"Good," I smiled and walked into the Great Hall.

…&…

At breakfast Professor Snape walked up to me and tapped my lightly on the shoulder.

"Miss Granger," he said with no expression.

"Yes, Professor," I turned to face him.

"You will no longer need to tutor Blaise; he has a better grade in my class so he does not need your services," he paused, "but another student does. Meet them in the library today at 4:00."

"Okay."

"Good work; you can either have 25 extra credit points or 50 house points. Which shall it be?"

"50 house points, please."

He walked off before I could ask him who I am tutoring.

"Thanks Hermione. You just got us 50 more house points," Harry smiled.

"Yeah, thanks Mione," Ron agreed.

…&…

All of Hermione's classes were going fine, except for Malfoy pausing before and after each word.

3 o'clock…

"Hi…Hermione…what's…up?" Draco said.

"Hi Draco, not much. How about you?"

"Um... same… I think."

"Draco, when I said think before you say something to me, I didn't really mean before and after every word that comes out of your life."

He stood there.

"Okay."

"I have to go to class, bye Malfoy."

"Bye Hermione," he tried to kiss me, but I walked away too quickly.

4:28…

"Shoot, I'm late," I said to myself, rushing into the library.

Goyle was sitting on the couch.

"Goyle? You're the student I am supposed to tutor?" I said, shocked.

"You're my…tootor," he mumbled.

"I guess. So what's your grade in Snape's class?"

"T--"

"Okay, then we'll start here," I pulled out my book and turned to the correct page.

He nodded and pulled out a muffin.

I shook my head.

He ate his muffin.

During the middle of the lesson…

"So, if you add dry heaves to the wet mumble-floggers, you get that spell thingy," he pointed to his book.

"You know what," I tilted my head to the side.

"Know what? What do I know?"

"I must teach you proper English, first." I spent the rest of the lesson (it was a three hour long one) teaching Goyle proper English. Surprisingly, he caught on quickly.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Goyle," I waved.

"Good bye, Miss Hermione," he said.

"Better," I tossed him a cookie.

He sat there eating and I walked off to the Great Hall. I made a stop at the Slytherin table, to drop off something.

"Here," a plopped a 5-pound book in front of Draco, "make sure Goyle does his homework and read one page and do what it says each night unless I instruct you otherwise."

"What the hell!" he turned to me.

"Well, you said you wanted to make it up to me, didn't you?"

"Yes… what am I supposed to do each night?"

"Go over one page each night with Goyle and do what the book says."

"Why are you helping Goyle?"

"I'm his tutor."

"Oh, okay."

"Good Draco," I patted him atop the head, gave him a cookie, and walked off to eat dinner (or what was left of it).