Hermione

I couldn't believe how stupid I was! After Draco left the library yesterday I had went over our conversation in my mind over and over again until I realized the only off thing he had said.

"I also think your right for hating me and every little stupid thing I do, just like I do myself..."

He had said he hated himself and I hadn't even noticed! I should've noticed and reassured him that he was making a good decision and that he needn't hate himself for the past! The past is the past.

"On'y jus' hatched," Hagrid continued on about the Blast-Ended Skrewts, "so yeh'll be able ter raise 'em yerselves! Thought we'd make a bit of a project of it!"

"And why would we want to raise then?" Pansy Parkinson called from the back. The Slytherins had arrived. We'd been waiting on them to start the lesson.

"What she means is," Draco drawled from beside her, "what do they do? How are they special?" Pansy, looking petrified, scoffed.

Harry and Ron exchanged a look then looked to me. I, keeping my promise, shrugged and turned to look at the Slytherins.

Hagrid, looking a little surprised, opened his mouth and thought hard until he said, "Tha's next lesson, Malfoy. Yer jus' feedin' 'em today. Yeh'll wan' ter try 'em on a few diff'rent things- I've never had 'em before, not sure what they'll go fer- I got ant eggs an' frog livers an' a bit o' grass-snake- just try 'em out with a bit of each."

Seamus muttered something, but I wasn't listening I was eager to actually begin the lesson, though I wasn't too happy when I had to stick my hands into a pile filled with frog liver and try to get the Blast-Ended Skrewts to try and eat it. They didn't have mouths so I suspected they feed some other way. Maybe they absorb stuff, or those little suctions, or it could-

"Ouch! It got me!" Dean Thomas yelled, interrupting my thoughts and making Hagrid come running, "Its end exploded!"

Hagrid explained it was normal and Lavender started to complain so I focused on the Skrewts again. I vaguely heard Hagrid say the suctions might be for drinking blood and I decided that was probably how they feed. Now to figure out what they are supposed to do that was purposeful...

"Why are we even trying to keep them alive?" Pansy shouted from the back, "I mean they sting, burn, and bite us!"

"Shut up Pansy," I heard Draco growl. Harry and Ron heard it too and exchanged another look. They looked incredulous.

"Why should I? It's just that oaf Hagrid," she said loud enough for everyone to hear. Hagrid looked down and pretended that he was just trying to feed a Skrewt.

"Because I said shut up, alright?" Draco drawled.

Pansy frowned, "Why do you even care? He's not even a pureblood."

"Who cares?" Draco retorted slowly, "And if you want to play like that you're not even a pureblood."

Looking hurt, Pansy turned away and went back to staring at the Skwerts.

"Was it just me or did Malfoy stand up for Hagrid?" Ron asked as we walked up to the castle for lunch.

"He did. And he said he didn't care that Hagrid wasn't a pureblood," I answered.

"Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming!" Harry joked, though he looked serious about it.

I wanted to scream that they weren't and that Draco was trying to be better and that he apologized to me and promised to not pick on us anymore but I didn't. Because I couldn't. Because I promised. And promises never get broken on my watch.

Draco

I wasn't hungry so I went up to the library to study. Well actually I was trying to get away from Pansy who I knew would try to tell me off for embarrassing her in Care of Magical Creatures. I caught Hermione's eye on the way out and she shot me one of her famous smiles.

Mere moments later she came running down the hall towards me.

"Why didn't you eat?" I asked blankly.

"Oh I did. But very quickly. I have to go up to the library," She told me.

"I have to, too. Actually I need a hiding spot," I admitted.

"Why?" she smiled.

"Pansy," I smiled back, but mine was sarcastic and soon faded.

"I have one," She grinned wider, "Come with me!" She grabbed my hand and ran down the hallway. I would have yanked it away if it weren't for the fact that it was Hermione Granger's hand. I was so elated that I actually had it. But my happiness soon dissolved when I realized that she would never like me like that.

We made it into the library, but she kept running. We found the end of the room where a huge bookshelf stood and went behind it.

There was a comfy looking green couch, and two beige colored puffy armchairs surrounding a sleek white table and a medium sized bookshelf filled with books beside couch.

"I didn't know this was here," I said airily.

"Well you probably never came back this far in the library," she picked, "And it hasn't been here long. Last year I put the furniture here and put some books I wanted to read here. I didn't plan on anyone seeing it."

"Oh, well I'm sorry to intrude. But I love it," I smiled.

She turned her head towards me and smiled back. I didn't know how much later it was when she looked away awkwardly. She pulled her hand away from me (which I hadn't realized I still had) and went and sat on the couch.

"I can't come here all the time or people will get suspicious but I wish I could spend every waking moment here. I have books galore, comfort, Crookshanks-" who I just realized was laying on a armchair "- time to think, time to study, nobody watching me, time to be able to forget about You-Know-Who, and no worries!"

When she mentioned He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named I became uncomfortable again. My Dad was a Death Eater after all.

Without thinking, I blurted out, "Whydoyoutrustme?" super fast.

She smiled, "You apologized. I've forgiven you. The past is in the past. Forgive and forget."

"This doesn't feel right though. I've been so rude and you-"

"You're forgiven. That's the end of it."

We spent a lot of time there with her mostly talking about a club she made called S.P.E.W for House elf rights. I knew that if I told her that elves like their job she would just argue so I didn't. I did however join to make her happy. I loved hearing her ranting and raving about how unfair it was to the elves and if I joined maybe I would her more of her rants.

Then again she probably wouldn't be talking to me by then.

Eventually we had to leave so we walked out of her little nook together and walked out of the library until we got to her class.

Before she departed she smiled at me and said, "Come back there anytime."

"Still don't now how you trust me," I mumbled.

"Because you're a good person Draco. I wish more people knew that actually," she said matter of factly, "But a promise is a promise."

"Goodbye Granger," I smiled one last time.

"See you later, Draco," she beamed and then turned away.

She actually wanted to see me again?! How forgiving could she be? I didn't deserve her kindness anymore than she deserved my rudeness. Still I wanted it so bad. More than I'd ever let her know.