Ch. 7

In the morning, it was Hermione who happened to wake him up. She knocked on the door and he didn't answer, so she knocked louder. He opened the door and it was obvious he hadn't been out of bed yet that morning. "Malfoy, what are you doing? We have to leave!"

"I must have overslept, I'll be out in a minute."

When he got out they had missed breakfast and had 15 minutes until lessons started.

"I'm sorry we missed breakfast, but this way we avoided any letters from those friends of yours."

"You didn't do this on purpose, did you?"

"No, and it's a shame because I am hungry."

"Follow me," she said as she led him to a picture of a fruit bowl and tickled the pair. The portrait swung open. "We only have 10 minutes, grab something and let's go."

Several house elves came up to them and bowed and asked if there was anything they wanted. Hermione and Draco were able to get a few things in under a minute and headed out towards their classrooms.

"That was great Granger!" He said while eating a few bites of his food and walking briskly.

"Now we just have to talk to McGonigal," she said as they both sighed. Hermione knew that the headmistress would be understanding.

After classes were over for the day, Hermione went to find Draco in the potions classroom. She stepped before the doorway and noticed he was having a conversation with a student and remained in the hall. He was talking to a younger girl student that she had seen in her class and he seemed to have a friendly tone with her, he almost sounded encouraging if she could believe her own ears.

The student left and Hermione walked in to see Draco straightening up before leaving.

"We better not be late since we weren't at breakfast," she offered in a sing song voice.

"yeah, okay." He seemed distracted as he joined her at the door.

After a few seconds Hermione piped in again.

"You seem like something is on your mind. I won't push you to talk about it though." She was hoping to come off as supportive.

"Maybe later tonight," he replied. "And, thanks." He said the last part with hesitation but he sounded genuine.

As they sat down to dinner Professor McGonigal eyed them.

"You're going to tell her, I'm not," Hermione whispered over to him. "The sooner the better."

"Fine," he said in a surly tone as he got up and went over to the headmistress.

She had a sharp look on her face that lightened as he explained. She looked over at Hermione who pretended not to be looking and started examining her house table. She hadn't had many issues with her house since she had started, mostly thanks to the protective portraits that Malfoy had designed. She knew instantly if students were wandering, and she could be in the tower quicker than any one of her students could say quittich.

Malfoy came and sat back down and started to eat. She wanted to ask him for details but figured she would get plenty of time to do that during the evening patrol.

They patrolled in a backwards pattern from what they did the night before. Hermione had asked him what McGonigal's reaction was.

"she said she hoped I was being honest and that we weren't fighting again."

"She looked like she believed you though," Hermione added.

"How can you tell? I can never read her…"

"She was my head of house for six years, I got pretty good at knowing her reactions. When she believes you she will soften the look she has on her face."

"I've never seen her soften, I'm not sure it's possible." Malfoy added in a sarcastic tone.

"So, your student earlier, want to talk about it?" She wanted him to know he couldn't avoid the subject forever.

"I guess I better," he didn't know how to bring it up, so he just started. "She's the muggle born that had a run in with Bones."

"Does she have a name? We can't keep calling her 'the muggle born,'" She scoffed.

"Marie Chadwick," he returned quickly. "Sorry," he added reluctantly.

The name jogged her memory from class. "Yes, okay, continue" She pushed.

"Well…what he said has been really bugging her. She had been a very happy student, now she's barely turning in her work. I didn't seem to have that effect on you…"

She could tell he was still processing how to handle the situation with this student.

"No, because I didn't care what you thought me," she said matter of factly.

"Didn't? But you do now?" he caught her use of past tense.

She ignored him and continued as she felt her cheeks redden. "When I came to this school I never looked back, but I know other muggle born students that wondered if this was the right path for them."

"How could they, after possessing magic? How can someone make a decision like that?" He had a really hard time understanding how someone could abandon the magical world to be a muggle.

"When all you know is something different, being introduced to a whole world that you didn't know existed is kind of intimidating. If you're the only person in your family who knows about the wizarding world, then that makes it pretty lonely too." She was trying to help give him perspective.

"How did you deal with it then?" He asked in a soft tone, she hadn't expected his questions to get so personal.

She considered him for a moment and if he was going to make fun of her for what she was about to say and then decided to continue. "I made friends. It wasn't easy, most people don't like a know it all." She looked down for a moment and considered her next words. "Even when I did manage to be friends with Harry and Ron, I didn't always get along with them. We fought many times, and I would find myself alone again. I had to make friends from other houses, get involved in activities."

"Yeah, but you didn't have the stigma of being a Slytherin. Could you imagine being sorted into that house and being a muggle?" Hermione could see that Malfoy was really growing his capacity to have compassion for others and was surprised.

"No, I can't, but I don't see that it matters too much. The house doesn't define who she is, there are probably several notable traits about Slytherin that don't involve blood status, aren't there?" She questioned.

"Yes, there are. But even most members of her house are the same, she's not really fitting in, it's taking a toll on her." He sounded concerned.

"I would be willing to talk to her if you think it would help. I don't want to step outside of a boundary, but seeing as she's muggle born, maybe you wouldn't mind?" She offered.

He stopped, "You would do that Granger? She's not even your student?"

"But we're here for all the kids right, not just the ones in our houses? Isn't that what we fought for against Voldemort?"

He inhaled sharply and grabbed his arm, he didn't like to hear the name. "Granger, please don't." He began sweating and his voice was shaky. The name still instilled fear in him.

"Sorry," she waited for a moment and when he hadn't spoken, she lightly touched his arm.

"Draco, you're shaking!" She hadn't meant to use his first name.

Her closeness and using his first name was a little too much for him, even though it comforted him at the same time. He withdrew his arm from her touch and continued walking. He began to be bothered by the fact that he felt comforted by her touch and wondered why he would feel that way.

She hadn't started up a subject after his reaction, not wanting to push him to talk. It was nearly eleven anyhow.

When they got back to their quarters he curtly said goodnight and she watched as he entered his quarters and shut the door. Because of his reaction she was a little worried about him.

She went into her own room and tried to think of all the advice she could give a poor young muggle born slytherin.

She heard a light tap on her door in the morning and when she opened it Draco stood there, ready to go.

"Morning," she offered.

He nodded his head at her but didn't speak. He didn't want her to see his reaction last night, he was not in control of his emotions. He might have let her in more than he ever wanted to.

She didn't push him to talk the whole day, even during the night patrol they watched mostly in silence. She knew that he would be upset with himself, and there was nothing she was going to be able to say to make it better.

The next night at dinner he surprised Hermione and filled her drink again before filling his own. She glanced at him sheepishly.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to lure me into a false sense of security," she half joked.

"I'm waiting for the right moment to hex you," he offered as he smirked at her.

She couldn't help but laugh at his joke and Hagrid looked over at her and raised his eyebrows slightly before returning to conversation with another professor.

After dinner they began their night patrols.

"Can I ask you something, about being a teacher?" She asked.

"No, I don't want the students who are complaining about you to say you got your pointers from me," he returned.

"Are you serious?" she stopped to look at him.

"Yeah, two essays the first week? You're pretty harsh Granger…"

"Harsh? What did you assign then?" she added sarcastically.

"Just brewing a few potions." He added like a know it all. "Things usually get more difficult as we progress. But assigning homework so soon, I'd be surprised if you weren't this year's most hated teacher…" he gave her a mock sad face.

She had been nervous about how the students saw her and reminded herself to take it easy when she could. Malfoy could sense this about her and had been trying to strike a nerve. She didn't retort but considered what he had said about balancing homework and school.

As they turned back to the common room, she finally started conversation.

"I'm going to Hogsmead this weekend, do you want to come?" She was hesitant to even ask, wondering what his snappy retort might be.

"Sure," he uttered.

"What, no sarcasm?" She tried to bring back his usual mood.

"Just don't take me to madame puddifoots…" he threw in.

Hermione scoffed, "I was thinking more like the shrieking shack!" she joked.

His spirits seemed to lift somewhat after that.

A few more days of classes and the weekend had finally arrived.

Hermione decided to sleep in and didn't want to get up when she heard a knock on her door. She stumbled out of bed and opened the door.

"Oh, Granger, you don't look so good."

"Thanks Malfoy, I'm still sleeping, it's been a long week."

"Did you want me to come back later?" he asked.

She thought for a moment

"No, I'm awake now. You can come in and I'll get ready."

"You're sure?" he asked, not sure if he should invade her personal space like that.

"Yeah, do you mind making some tea?"

"I suppose I can do that." He said as he headed into the kitchen.

She went into her room and threw herself together quickly. She wasn't going to dress like a teacher today, her first day out of the castle.

She put on a black knee length dress that was form fitting. She wore a bright scarf with it that added some color to her face. She kept her hair pulled back so that her appearance was more mature looking. She even sprayed on some light perfume.

When she came out of the room Draco was ready with some tea for them.

"Thanks," she said as she took her cup.

"Why are you dressed so nice? We're just going to Hogsmead, right?"

She didn't mean to but she blushed. "This is my first outing there this year. What did you expect me to wear, my robes?"

She could tell by his delayed response that this was exactly what he had expected.

"I am a woman Malfoy, we like to feel pretty once in a while…and I'm not fishing for any compliments, just stating facts."

That lined up with what he knew of women.

"Should I change?" He thought after her reply. He was planning on wearing his robes, but he did have some t-shirts he could wear.

"No, I want you to look like a stuffy professor, it will make us stand out as we walk around the village!" She was trying to be sarcastic but it came out as enthusiasm.

"I'll be right back," he said as he stood up and left.

A few minutes later he was back and in muggle clothes. His t-shirt was kind of tight and showed that he had defined arms and a defined upper body. He wore what looked like an ace bandage over his dark mark tattoo. His jeans suited him nicely too.

"You can stop staring, Granger." He said after he noticed Hermione wasn't looking at him like she usually did. She seemed to have lost the ability to look away.

"I'm not staring!" she yelled defensively.

"Whoa, I was just joking, but now I'm starting to think maybe you were staring." He was trying to get on her nerves.

Hermione sighed, "Just a little. You make a convincing muggle." She admitted.

Draco started laughing. "Nice one Granger." He wasn't aware that she was serious.

"When have you known me to joke about muggles?" she asked, half laughing at him.

He considered this for a moment. "I'm changing back," he said as she walked over to him.

"Nope, it's too late now, time to head out." She jumped ahead of him before he could open the door. She bent down and put on some pumps, he noticed that her figure looked good in her dress.

He let her lead the way out of the teachers quarters. He smelled something sweet that he couldn't put his finger on.

"What's that smell, do you smell it Granger?" he asked her.

"Does it smell like vanilla?" she asked.

"Yeah, I think that's it," he looked around to see where it could be coming from.

"Um…I'm wearing perfume today…" she didn't know whether to laugh or blush.

"I didn't know you wore perfume…" he said with a daft look on his face.

"Like I said, I want to feel pretty today."

He would have never said it, but he thought she was doing a reasonable job.