Hello, all! Just so you know, in this chapter, Hermione gives her backstory, and I admit that I made it up. I couldn't really find a backstory for Hermione, so I made my own. I hope you like this chapter! It's mostly dialogue, but I promise that some action will be coming soon =)

PS - I found another song that could a part of the soundtrack: Shape of My Heart by the Backstreet Boys. I just thought it really tells how Draco regrets his past deeds, and wants to show everyone, particularly Hermione, how he's changed... how's his heart has changed.

Chapter 9

Draco stopped dead in his tracks. He's not seeing things, is he?

Annabelle stood there, talking with Hermione in the middle of the corridor, with people walking around! And worse, Potter and Weasley were with them! His heart started pounding in fear at what Annabelle could be telling those three, what she could her telling Hermione. He tried so hard not to tell her about Annabelle's vision, especially when they talked in that old classroom the day before... has the ghost girl taken it upon herself to tell Hermione about it? Oh, he hoped not...

Hermione started laughing. Laughing. What on earth could Annabelle have said to make Hermione laugh?

Suddenly, Annabelle turned her head and saw Draco. She stopped talking and stared at him, her eyes wide. The three friends with her looked over and saw who she was staring at, and Hermione's own eyes widened. Should he go up to them and stop the conversation?

No. As much as his reputation has been tarnished, and he's now mad for a muggle-born, he's not going to associate with Potter and Weasley. He turned and walked in the other direction, even though his next class was down that corridor. He walked on, and almost rammed right into someone as he walked around the corner.

"Draco, where are you going? Class is the other way."

Pansy. He still talks to her and other of the Slytherins, but not Crabbe and Goyle. His friendship with them is kaput. "I'm aware. I don't think I'm going to class today."

Worry etched her features, and Draco could admit that they were attractive, but he wouldn't think farther than that, regardless of how Pansy feels about him. The pink in her cheeks whenever she talked with him is evidence that she still fancies him. He doesn't want to deal with another girl.

"Are you not feeling well?" she asked.

He shoved his hands into his school uniform slacks pockets and looked off at the stone wall, at a single brick in it that was off-color from the others. "In a way. I'm heading back to the common room for a bit. You might see me in the next class."

The next class he doesn't share with Hermione.

"Okay. Well, feel better, okay, Draco? Really. You haven't seemed yourself lately."

Annabelle, Hemione and the Dark Lord were to blame for that. Interesting—that he thought of those two girls before that Dark Lord. "I'll be fine, I'm just having a rough go of it, that's all."

She nodded. "Well, again, feel better. I'll see you, okay?"

She rose her arm and touched his shoulder, then she was off down around the corner. He watched her go for a moment, debating on whether he should tell Pansy about all this. She's been his friend since year one, and she's like a sister to him. Honestly, he's felt more comfortable around her than around Crabbe and Goyle.

But no. Maybe telling her wouldn't be a good idea. He doesn't want anyone else to know what's going on with him. Annabelle obviously does, but what harm can the Dark Lord do to a ghost? She's already dead. Hermione on the other hand... she knows he's a Death Eater, but she doesn't know what he was commanded to do. And she shouldn't know, for fear that the evil being might harm her. Actually, knowing how much he hates muggles, he might just kill her on the spot.

He pushed that thought away, not wanting to think about it. He turned back around to head off to his common room, but Annabelle was standing right there. His heart nearly jumped out of him at the surprise. "Dammit, Annabelle!"

"I apologize for startling you." She clasped her hands together in front of her. "So, I saw you earlier as I was talking with Hermione and her two friends."

Draco folded his arms and gave her a daring look. "And just what were talking about with them?"

She saw the look in his eyes, and she smiled. "Don't worry, Draco, I didn't tell her about the vision or you or that you're mad about her." He huffed at that, not really liking being reminded of it. "I just wanted to say hello. I've had this vision about her, so I thought is wise to get to know her a little. She's actually quite nice, and her friends are, too."

Of course Potter and Weasely would seem nice to her—she's a beautiful girl, even though a ghost. "Are you sure that you said nothing about me?"

She thought a moment. "Well... after Hermione saw you staring at us for those few seconds, she asked if I was close to you."

His heart leaped at that and he was suddenly very interested in this conversation. "She asked that of you?"

"Yes, she did. After she saw you and you two locked gazes for a moment, she asked if you and I are close. I couldn't lie, so I said that we were. I told her that I fancy you like mad, but nothing can come of it because I'm a ghost." Sadness encumbered her features. "And that really is saddening. But at least we're friends."

Draco's pulse suddenly rose in alarm. "Hold on, you told her that you fancy me?"

"I did."

"And how did she react?"

Annabelle smirked and gave him a sly look. "You would want to know that, wouldn't you?" He didn't answer and waited for her response. "Well, she didn't react much to it, just a simple nod of her head. Of course, what else could she do when her friends were there standing next to her? If she fancies you, she would probably keep it hidden from them."

Hope made Draco's heart start racing in excitement, but he still stood there normally so no one passing would suspect anything. "You think she fancies me?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "She might. Maybe. I think she's still trying to accept the fact that you're a nicer person, as well as a..." She looked around, then leaned in and whispered, "You know what. I saw you running with her last night, and I witnessed your conversation and heard everything. You are very open with her."

He shouldn't be surprised that Annabelle saw that. "More open that I would like to be," he grumbled.

"That means you trust her. I don't think she said a thing about you being a you-know-what to her friends. She's keeping that secret for you, like you wanted her to."

He smirked. He's going to add trustworthy to the list of things he likes about that cute, bushy-haired girl.

"Well, Draco," Annabelle breathed, "I think I should go and let you get on to your common room. I heard you say to Pansy that you were headed there."

That smirk played across Draco's lips a little more, turning it into a small smile. He felt a whole lot better now that he knows that Hermione said nothing about him to her friends, and there's a possibility that she fancies him. Why else would she ask if he and Annabelle are close? "You know what? I think I'll just go to class. I feel loads better."

"Alright. See you around, Draco. And good luck with everything."

She vanished right in front of him, but he thought nothing of it and turned on and headed to the classroom. Once in, his gaze immediately went to Hermione, and he sat a couple tables behind her.

He's wanted to know what she thinks about him, and he has gotten his answer in a roundabout way, but now he wants to really dig down deep. What does she think about when she thinks about him? Him being a Death Eater is the main thing obviously, the fact that he's changed from his past self, and the fact that he's like her when it comes to schoolwork and grades... but what else?

The rest of the day, and the day after, she made glances at him at meals, in the halls, and in classes. He smiled to himself, but tried not to make it obvious to people walking by. Pansy commented last night in the common room that he seemed happier. He couldn't tell her the real reason why he was like this, so he just said that he was feeling loads better than he was when he last talked to her. Thankfully, she took that.

Saturday came, and Hermione was still making glances at him. He spotted her in the courtyard as other students were in there, hanging out on the benches and grass—it was a pleasant sunny day—and others were casting spells of wind and sparkles and whatnot. Hermione was with her boy-friends as usual. She glanced up at Draco as he leaned against the stone pillar that was part of one of the entryways into the courtyard. She quickly looked away when he noticed her eyeing him. Why is she? What he already knows, or...

Maybe he'll have some fun. He leaned off the pillar, and walked in her direction, hands in his black slacks pockets, and in just a white collar shirt and deep green sweater vest since the weather was nice. Hermione looked up and saw him stride over to her, as did Potter and Weasley.

"Granger."

"Yes?" she asked and her friends were giving him, as well as Hermione, odd looks, looking at them back and forth.

"What's the deal, huh? What's with the constant stares?"

She blinked at him, and her cheeks flushed pink. He tried to keep a straight face when he wanted to grin at her reaction. "What?"

"You've been staring an awful lot the past few days. You have something to say to me?"

She glanced at her friends, then back at him. She stood up from the stone bench she was sitting on. "I haven't been staring at you."

"Oh, haven't you?"

He gave her a trying look, and he noticed her whole face was starting to turn pink, not just her cheeks. "I..."

Draco could laugh at her current state, but his features remained firm. "Alright, forget it," he said. "But stop with the staring. It's a bit creepy."

He walked off and couldn't help but smile. That was dreadfully fun. She looked so flustered. Of course both of them know why she's staring at him... he's a Death Eater and she knows. Or, could she actually fancy him? That grin remained as he happened to hear Weasley ask Hermione,

"What was that all about, Hermione?"

"It's just Draco just messing around again," Potter said, but Draco hardly heard it. He pulled out his wand when he was off by that pillar and muttered the spell. What Potter was saying suddenly became audible: "But Hermione... you've spoken to him recently. You didn't find anything out, did you?"

"I already told you no. He's just... changed. He's rescued me on more than one occasion, one of which was a situation I admit was difficult to get out of."

"I wonder what's going on with him?" Weasley said. "I don't like it."

Of course Weasley wouldn't like Draco hanging around Hermione and saving her from bullies. But Draco smirked with pride at the redhead's jealousy.

"In any case," Hermione said, and the wind blew her hair and Draco imagined that it smelled of that perfume, "he's not like those trolls Crabbe and Goyle anymore. He doesn't like bullying, as shocking as that is."

"Someone must have charmed him or something," Weasley said.

Someone certainly did charm him, but not in the way that they're thinking. Annabelle has that power over any male in the school.

"He's still Draco Malfoy, though, Hermione," Potter said. "Just be careful."

"I don't think I have to worry about Draco anymore," she responded. "In fact, I don't think anyone has to anymore."

Draco put his wand away and he noticed Hermione look over at him as he leaned against that pillar again. What she said... touched him. Like, made his heart feel lighter. Knowing that he was the monster he was growing up, and how he's treated her and everyone else, her saying that really meant a lot. Draco Malfoy is not longer the Draco Malfoy who everyone fears. He's different now. And having the girl he wanted dead just four years ago say that... it made tears gather in his eyes.

It truly hit him, more so than before. He's a good person now. Given he still has to kill a man, but that's something he has to do, but doesn't want to, so him and his family are not killed. If it weren't for that and being an unwilling follower of the Dark Lord, he would be... normal. A normal, good person.

He was right before... he was really dealt a horrible hand of cards when he was born. But at least he's where he's at now. He just has to move forward.

Draco figured out that Hermione worked in the library. After observing her and watching her, he knew that she went in at 3:30 and came out at 9:30—a half-an-hour before curfew. But that is only every other day since she has schoolwork to finish. She also works on Saturdays, but for a full shift of eight hours, 3:30 to 10:30, since the library closes later due to curfew being an hour later on the weekends.

At around 6:30, after dinner, and a few hours after he totally embarrassed Hermione in the courtyard, he walked into the library. He knew the real reason why he wanted to go there, but he needs a couple of books for the History of the Wizardng World assignment that is due on Monday. He came up to Madam Pince's desk, and the thin witch with a tall pointy witch's hat looked up at him from something she was writing.

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy. What can I do for you?"

He's been in the library more than once since that time he needed to get those books for Snape's essay. He's talked with the middle-aged, and albeit intimating, librarian before, and has gotten books for him via her workers. He learned his lesson after that essay fiasco—he's going to reserve them before anyone else does. And by anyone, he means Hermione. "Yeah, I reserved a couple of books yesterday, two history books for a class assignment."

A look of realization hit her aging face, and her thin lips forming an O. "Oh, yes, I remember having one of my workers retrieve those for you yesterday." She got up and went into a room behind her desk where reserved books are kept. She came out of the room with two thick hardbound books and put them on her desk with a loud thud. "Here you are."

"Thanks. And which worker found these for me?"

"Why would that matter? He got the books for you, didn't he? Just remember to bring them back when you're done."

The worker was a he, not Hermione like he was hoping. "Right." He took the books, and was about to go find a table, but he heard his name. He turned and faced the librarian. "Don't mind my saying this, but I am rather shocked at your sudden desire for studying."

He nodded. "Yeah... I just figured I should put to good use the smarts that I have. Before, I never really cared to use them."

"Well, I'm glad that you are. It's about time."

"Yes, it is." He held up the books. "Thanks, again."

He left her and he thought about that encounter. She's a little protective of the books, he's noticed, and he was glad that she didn't know that he stole them before without checking them out. But it doesn't matter now. He just wants to get his assignments done, and done well. And he's thankful towards that spindly librarian for that. He's even polite to her. Since when has he been so polite? Never, that's when. He smirked. Maybe Annabelle was right that her telling him about her vision would do good things for him. Not only has he stopped with the bullying, and has become a little nicer, he's actually being polite to his elders, when that was far from his mind a few years ago.

He found an empty table near some shelves and got to work after getting an ink bottle, feather, and parchment out of his school bag. He opened one of his books and found what he needed. He started writing when he noticed movement in the corner of his eye. He didn't think anything of it, thinking it to be some random student, but when he looked over, he saw that it wasn't just any student...

His pulse rose as he saw Hermione walk down an aisle of shelves, and a stack of about a dozen books was floating next to her. The lighting was dim, since the nearest torch was on the other side of the shelves, but he could still see her pretty clearly... and that's all he wanted to do at the moment—just see her. Forgetting what he was writing for his assignment, he watched as she let books fly to their place on the shelves, even ones that needed to go to the very top shelf. She had on her school uniform of the usual skirt, shirt, sweater vest and tie, but it looked rather good on her. The skirt went above her knees a few inches, revealing her feminine legs, and the sweater vest hugged her torso and showed her curves.

"Blymee..." he muttered and covered his mouth as she stood on her tip-toes and he could really noticed her figure. His cheeks heated and he gulped as his heart hammered at his chest. She's... hot. Even when she's just wearing her normal school uniform.

She turned her head in his direction, and he immediately tore his gaze off of her and back to his parchment, his face heating up. He heard a small gasp escape her, and she dropped a book, which echoed throughout the whole library. Draco smirked. Did she react like that because she noticed him? He hoped.

He glanced at her again and saw that she had commenced putting away the books after picking up the one that she dropped. She seemed a tad flustered due to her fumbling with a book as she put it in a spot directly in front of her.

Maybe he'll have some fun again.

He stood up from his seat and passed a couple tables that had students at them, but only a few. Not many students are in the library on Friday night. They were out doing fun things. He may not be at a party, or doing something like that, but this is fun for him. Plus, most guys want to be in the same place as the girl they fancy.

He came up to where Hermione was, and right as he walked up to her, she dropped a book again. She let out a groan in frustration and muttered, "Golly, what's wrong with me?"

She paused as she was knelt on the floor and noticed his shoes. Her gaze traveled up his tall form and she gasped when she saw who stood before her. "Draco!"

"You know, I could tell you loads of things that are wrong with you."

Her cheeks started to deepen in color, and oh, how he loved that. Loved that he was making her flustered. She dismissed what he said and stood up. "You startled me, golly."

"Not the first time."

She faced the shelves and started putting the stack of books floating next to her away again, letting them go and they traveled on their own accord to where they needed to go. "What do you want?" she asked in a quiet voice since it was the library after all. "Other than to embarrass me and startle me?"

He thought back to the courtyard and tried not to chuckle at remembering her reaction to him coming up to her. "I was only asking why you've been staring at me endlessly the past few days, you know."

"You know exactly why I was staring."

His thoughts immediately went to him telling her that he's a Death Eater, but he hoped it was something else. "You really haven't told Potter and Weasley about it, have you?"

She stopped with the books for a moment and looked up at him. "No, I haven't. I promised you I wouldn't tell anyone, as much I would like to." She turned and started with the books again. "But I'm sure that your ghost girlfriend has told you that already. Quite the charming young woman."

He smiled at that one, liking the slight annoyed tone of voice. "Ghost girlfriend, huh?"

"Isn't that what she is?"

He leaned against the shelves with his shoulder and folded his arms, giving her a trying look. "What would you like her to be?"

Hermione creased her brows and glared at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It's only a question."

"A question that I'm not going to answer."

He loved how agitated she was getting, and her cheeks remained in that same shade of rosy pink. He leaned in a little and asked in a low tone, and she backed away as he came closer, "Are you jealous, Granger?"

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened. "What?! Of course not! How can you even say...?!"

He leaned back and rose his brows, and he tried to act terribly calm, regardless of the fact that his heart was still pounding hard inside of him. "Say what? Why else would you use that tone of voice in saying that she's my girlfriend, huh?"

She huffed through her nose and started putting the books away again. "And why are you so adamant about getting an answer out of me? Tell me that."

Dammit. He couldn't think of a good come-back for that one. He frantically tried to think of something before she could suspect his feelings for her. "Why else? I stopped bullying you, yes, but it's still fun to mess with you a bit, and make you blush to no end."

She gasped and glared at him. "I never—" He rose his brows again, daring her to lie to him. She stood tall. "Forget it. Now if you don't mind, I would like to get back to work. And it looks like you do as well, since I saw you working on an assignment moment ago."

He smirked, liking that she noticed him there. He knew that she saw him, but the thought that she studied him long enough to figure out what he was doing made him want to grin. "I know, but I wanted to take a break. I was actually curious about something."

She let another book fly to the top shelf. "Of course you are."

"I was just curious as to how long you've been working in the library."

"For the past three years, since my third year."

"I see. It's not surprising since you're quite the bookworm."

She paused for a moment and looked over at him, confusion in her eyes. "You should know that by now. And I should say to you that you have become a bookworm as well."

He might as well keep going. Talking to her normally is nice, even if she thought it odd like he sensed that she did. "I admit that I'm getting there. Do you want to be the librarian here someday? I can see you doing it."

She blinked a couple times. "Um, well... I wouldn't mind it. I actually want to work in The Ministry of Magic's public library at some point, maybe to be a librarian there, or a curator."

His brows rose at that. She just revealed something personal about herself. He's wanted to find out more about her, her innermost secrets and desires. Her telling him what she wants to do as a future career is a good start. "I see. I think you would do well with that."

"Thank you."

What else could he ask about? He didn't want to end the conversation here. Might as well ask one of the things he was the most curious about. "So... I was curious about another thing. How does a muggle-born find out about the wizarding world? I wouldn't know, obviously, since I'm a pureblood."

She moved a little towards him with her stack of books, and he moved out of the way as she put a book where he was leaning against the shelves. He smelled that perfume and it made his nerves tingle. She was silent for a moment, then, "I suppose that's a fair question. Are you asking my backstory?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Sure. After knowing about you and other muggle-borns, I've always been curious, even back when I wasn't the nicest of people..."

Some memories of him tripping first years, shoving into people on purpose, and calling Hermione mudblood countless times and seeing the hurt on her face came back, and he had to push them away. They shouldn't ruin the moment here.

"Well…" Hermione began, most likely thinking back to those times, too. She let another book float on its own to its place above. "I had this friend growing up named Helena. She was my neighbor on our street and we played together almost every day. I really thought I knew everything about her because we knew each other since we were three years old, but I was wrong. One day, when we were about nine years old, I was at her house for dinner. There was this room in the very back of her house that I was told to never go into, but being the curious and impulsive girl that I was, I went in without her parents and older brother knowing. I found things that shocked me and didn't think real—photographs on the walls that were moving, a feather quill that was writing on parchment on its own accord... I was shocked. I also saw a small stick on the desk as well. It was a smooth stick, and about half-a-meter long."

This was truly fascinating, hearing her story. And he was thankful that she was willing to tell it to him. "It was a wand. Your friend's family were wizards."

"Yes, I later found out that that was the case." She stopped with the books, but held one rather large hardbound book to her chest, and she leaned against the shelves with her back. She directly faced Draco as he leaned against the shelves facing her, hands in his pockets, as he usually has them. "Anyway, Helena's father came in and saw me there. To this day, I remember the fear that pulsed through my system at him seeing me in there when I shouldn't be. But instead of getting angry, he shut the door and went and sat down in his desk chair. He brought a stool next to him and told me to sit. I did so, and after, he told me about this other world, apart from the one that we were living in at that moment. He told me of things I only thought were in fantasy and fairy tale books. He told me of witches and wizards and spells, and even cast a few simple ones with his wand... I was fascinated and enchanted by it all. He gave me a book that talked about the wizarding world, and told me not to tell a soul that he gave me this book, or that we even talked. I agreed and went on with my life."

Draco nodded, taking all of that in, and noticing the smile that was stretching across those pink lips of hers... those pink attractive lips.

He shoved that thought away and got back to her story. He wanted to hear more. "So, how did you end up here?"

She hugged that book to her chest, and he wondered why she was doing it. Not for protection, right? Since she said herself that she nor anyone else needs to worry about Draco bullying anymore. Maybe comfort, since she loves books. She continued, "That's the next part of the story. So, I went home that night and stayed up all night until the sun came up, studying that book. Of course, I loved books then, but this one was special. It gave me the desire to learn more about this other world that's inside of the one that I was already living in. So, I went to Helena's house after a good long nap. I asked her father if he had any other books about this mysterious and wondrous wizarding world that he could loan me. He lent me three books, and over the next year, I studied all that I could, and asked for more books when I finished those, and I talked with him whenever I could. He became a mentor of sorts, and his family had no idea."

Draco chuckled. "Well, it all makes sense now. No wonder you knew so much about the wizarding world when you first got here, and were the best at everything, like spells and whatnot. You studied it all like mad before you came."

"Yes, that's what Harry and Ron said when I told them this story shortly after we became friends."

He still wanted to hear more. "So? What's next?"

She smirked, and he loved that they were talking like this, like friends would. Are they friends? No, not really, but this is still nice. The atmosphere was light and happy. "Well, since you're so curious... the book I studied the most was Hogwarts, A History. After reading about this school, I wanted more than anything to go and become a witch and learn more spells. Helena's father, Jeffery was his name, let me cast spells with his wand, and he said that I had a natural affinity to it. That's when I realized that I really and truly wanted to become a witch. I finally confided to Helena what I have been up to, and my desires, and she gave me hope that I may receive the famed Hogwarts letter in the mail. The June before our first year, that's when I received it, and Helena and her brother received theirs as well. They're here right now, and in Ravenclaw house. I talk to them from time to time." She smiled to herself as she looked off at the shelf behind Draco. "I don't think I can remember being more happy, when I got that letter."

Draco's heart pulsed in surprise when he saw tears gather in her eyes, but he wasn't sad about it because he knew they were from happiness. She wiped them away with her shirt sleeve. "Golly..."

"I'm envious of you."

He wasn't meaning to say that, but there it went. She gave him a confused look. "You're... envious of me?"

He nodded, not hiding it. His hands balled into fists in his pockets. "I suppose the truth is... I've always been jealous of you, with your smarts, all your friends, and just how happy that you are generally. And after finding it out, how happy you were when you received your Hogwarts letter for the first time. I dreaded receiving my first one. I didn't want to come to this school, but I had to."

"I recall you complaining about that a lot back then. Did you want to go to another wizarding school?"

He's never told anyone this before, not even his own parents. "No, I just... I didn't want to go to school period, especially not one that had..."

"Mudbloods? None-purebloods?"

He was silent as the happiness and lightness he was feeling earlier turned into a sinking feeling in his gut. The truth is really going to come out now. "Yes. I hated the idea of going somewhere where I would be surrounded by people my family deemed as filthy. The other wizarding schools would be the same, and I wanted nothing to do with any of them. Well, Durmstrange was a possibility, but still..."

He didn't want to look up at Hermione to see a hurt expression on her face because she was one of those people that were, to him and his family, considered filthy. He gulped hard, really hating the way he was when he was younger, and what he was raised to believe.

"You're not like that anymore, though... right? After all that has happened? I mean, I don't know the full of it, but things happened to you that made you change your ways."

It actually hurt that he had to reveal this: "Yes, I've changed for the better in most cases, but... I'm still not fond of non-purebloods. I mean, I don't hate them like I had before, but I don't like them, either."

Hermione was silent, and he wanted to say that there was an exception for his dislike of non-purebloods... her. But he didn't like the fact that she was the only exception. The hatred of people non-pureblood was ingrained in him since infancy, so it's something that's not easily changed. Maybe it should change.

"I supposed no matter what I'm like now," he said, and he could feel his throat tighten as he stared at one of the lower shelves of books that Hermione was against, "I was always stuck up and arrogant. A git. A snob. All-in-all... a monster that everyone hated. And still do."

She still remained silent for a moment, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear her response, or see her expression. But, after a thick minute, she said steadily, "Well... in all honesty, Draco, before, you were a git and an arrogant snob, and just not a nice person, but..." He forced himself to look up at her, his mouth a flat, unhappy line, and their gazes met. Hers was gentle, which was comforting a bit. "You're not a monster, and I don't think everyone hates you."

"Right," he said dryly and sarcastically.

"Well, maybe not now, but once they see what type of person you are now, they will think differently. A monster wouldn't go out of his way to rescue a girl that he once bullied with other bullies. I think that, finally, you've become a decent human being, just one that happens to have a large load on his shoulders."

And she doesn't even know just how heavy that large load is, and he's not going to tell her what the full weight of the load is, what he has to do to Dumbledore. He rubbed his left arm where the Dark Mark is. "Even so... I was how I was."

"Yes, and it's good that you know how you were before. When you realize something negative about yourself, you want to change it. At least, most people do that."

He stared long and hard at her hazel eyes, and a question pushed at his lips, one he wanted answered fully... "What do you think about me, Hermione? And I mean the full of it?"

Her eyes widened, and he realized that he had just called her by her first name, when he has never done that before. Nevertheless, he waited for her response, and his heart banged at his chest in anticipation. She cleared her throat, as if stifling off the shock of his calling her by her first name.

"Well... like I said—I think you're a decent person now, after being bittered by how you were raised. It's not your fault that you were the way you were."

He stared at her in disbelief, and shot at her, "How can you possibly say that it's not my fault? I could have chosen not to call you mudblood and treat you and everyone around me like scum, but I did anyway."

All she did was nod. "That's true... but I say it's not your fault because you're human." She hugged that book against her chest. "You're a human who was brought up in not the loveliest of circumstances, and that upbringing has just bittered you. You took out your anger on other people, and you felt better because you think you rid yourself of the pain. But you didn't." She stopped, gulped, and then kept on going again, but in a thick voice. "The hurt, pain, and bitterness that has lingered inside you... it blackened your heart like a deadly disease, and it didn't go away until you allowed it to. With me." She paused again, and took a shaky breath. "I admit... Crabbe and Goyle could have seriously injured me if you hadn't stepped in to rescue me as I dangled in the air. I actually don't want to think about the result if you hadn't have stopped it. They had my wand, and no one else was around... I was helpless."

He saw her chin start to quiver, and he had the strong desire to take her into his arms and hold her. He about stepped up to her to do so, but someone walked by the shelves and he remembered that they were in a peopled library. He stood his ground, trying to let that desire to hold her subside, but it didn't.

"I..." he began. "I suppose I never really thought about why I was the way I was."

She took a large breath and let it out, and stood in a dignified manner, as if she hadn't lost emotional control. "Well, I think that some people never realize how they truly are, and why they are until someone tells them so. Others can see our real selves before we do a lot of the time, and can figure out why we are the way we are."

He nodded, still wanting to gather her in his arms, but he held out. "Like I always knew that your were the proudest person at Hogwarts before you wanted to admit it yourself."

She let out a bit of laughter, and he was relieved by that. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

They stood there for a moment as people walked about the library, and someone even had to walk in between them. After that person left, Draco noticed that Hermione was staring at him. "What?"

"Nothing. Actually, it's just... I like this version of you, Draco. I think you're a lot better than you were before."

He wasn't expecting that. He felt heat creep up his neck to his cheeks. "You... like the way I am now?"

"Yes. Being a you-know-what may have played into it, and forced you to want to look on the better side of things, and while there may be more to it..." She nodded. "Yes, you're a much more pleasant person now. And I have to say, you're a great conversationalist. It's shocking, but I rather enjoy talking to you now."

He couldn't help it—he grinned. A prideful one, but still.

"It's my turn now," she said.

"What?"

"What do you think about me? I think it's only fair since we covered my views of you."

That grin immediately faded, and his pulse started going so fast, he could pass out. She wants to know what he thinks of her?! How in the blazes is he supposed to answer that without revealing that he fancies her enough to not only want to protect her and hold her to him, but... to snog her also? To feel those lips that he was now looking at with desire? The realization caused him to hiccup.

"I, um…" he began. He needs to get a hold of himself! He stood tall and cleared his throat. "Well, like I already have said, I'm not thrilled about non-purebloods." She frowned. "But... you're not that bad."

That frown disappeared and she stared at him with wide eyes. "What?"

"You heard me, Hermione. Sure you're proud and don't know what's good for you—like your own safety—but you're not that bad. For a muggle-born."

He hoped that she caught on that he doesn't call her a mudblood anymore. Actually, he's not even going to call her "Granger" anymore, but call her by her first name. There's a nice ring to it, after all.

Hermione smirked, and then nodded, accepting his answer. His pounding heart told him to tell her more. "That's not all, though."

"I know. You said before that you cared."

He did? Oh, he did, did he? "Well... yeah, I said that. And it's true. I care that you're safe and not getting hurt."

"Why?"'

She's fishing for that answer again, the one concerning Annabelle's vision. He might as well tell her another truth. "I guess because I don't like bullying anymore, and you were one of the people I bullied the most. I guess it's my way of apologizing for the hell I put you through."

He saw her eyes water a little and she cleared her throat. She was rather touched by that. "Thank you, Draco. And... I accept your apology."

He wasn't expecting to apologize to her, but he is sorry, isn't he? For everything that he has put her through?

Yes, he is.

"So..." he heard her say. "I should..."

"Hold on," he stopped her. Could he really tell her everything else? Maybe it's better to take things slow so he doesn't shock her silly. "I also want to say... I think you're brilliant. I've thought that since I met you, but never stated it of course since I wasn't fond of you then, but yeah—you have an impressive brain in that frizzy head of yours. You're also a good person, and are a good friend to your friends." She smirked at that. "Also, you're too bloody proud, but I've already made that clear in the past couple of weeks, and you're pretty arrogant due to your knowledge of everything magic, and your desire to be at the top." She creased her brows. He should add something positive again. Heat encumbered his face again as he confessed, "And... I admit... you're not hard to look at."

Her eyes widened at that, and there was clear shock in her eyes. "You... think that?"

He might as well go along with this since it's already revealed. "You may be the blood that you are, but you're still a girl. And I may have been the git that I was, but I'm still a guy. You're not hard to look at. It's a fact. I bet others think so as well." Especially that Weasley, but he's not going to mention him or Hermione's going to call him jealous like he already accused her of being.

"Well," she said, "thank you for the complement. The rather... shocking one."

"Shocking?"

"Yes. I don't think I'm all that pretty, so it's shocking that you do."

His pulse heightened in alarm. He has to revert this, quickly. "I just said that you're not difficult to look at."

"Which means the same thing. All the same, though, thank you."

He didn't know what else to retort. "You're welcome." He looked off at the table his books and other things were on. "Well, maybe I should get back to working on that assignment before someone steals my books."

"Well, if that happens, you'll know how it feels."

He saw that smug look on her face, and he planted his hands on his hips. "Are you still on about that? I didn't even steal those books from you."

"Yes, but you stole them from the library without checking them out. You may have slipped by Madam Pince, but not me."

She had him there. "Fine, but you still got them. Stop making a fuss about it."

She smiled, and laughter escaped her, and oh how he loved the sound of it. Laughter escape him as well, and a passing boy walking by the shelves gave them an odd look. Hermione said, "Well, I admit that it's odd to laugh with you, but it feels good."

"I think the same thing." He looked over at his table again. "Well, I'm going to finish that assignment, and I'll let you get back to work."

"Oh, you'll let me, will you?"

He noticed her joking tone, and he smirked. "You know what I mean, Hermione."

He left and went back to his table, smiling to himself. He sat down in his seat and took his quill, but didn't start writing. He looked over and saw Hermione continue to put the books away, and he could see that she was smiling. Could it be from the fact that she suspects that he fancies her due to his confession of telling her that she's not hard to look at? No, that would imply that she fancies him, which he doesn't feel that she does, unfortunately, not after everything that he's put her and her friends through. Maybe she's just happy that they're getting along. He never thought that possible not all that long ago, and she probably never thought that as well. In all honesty, it's about time that they start getting along. He and her, that is. He's still not sure about Potter and Weasley. Potter nearly killed him in that bathroom, so it's not going to be simple, or even possible, to get along with him. Weasley's, just... Weasley. And he fancies Hermione, so probably no hope for him, either.

But Hermione... maybe this is just the start of something. Them getting along, having conversations, and laughing with each other for the first time can be the start of what Annabelle saw: him and Hermione falling in love.

He smiled at that and continued with his assignment. He wanted to stay until Hermione was off of her shift because he wanted to be there to walk her back to her common room. At whatever costs, he's going to make sure that she is safe. And she knows that, but wonders specifically why he's protective of her. Being sorry for bullying before is a reason, yes, but... Annabelle's vision. He wondered when he will finally be able to reveal that to her, that is, if Annabelle doesn't reveal it to Hermione herself first. They know each other now, so it might happen soon. He hopes that it won't, since he actually wants to see this vision play out normally without Hermione knowing about it.