A/N: I've gotten a lot of people reading the original without the changes, so I'm not sure if I'll continue updating it here, or simply switching out the old chapters. What do you all think?
"I-I was...talking about your handbag," I said quickly, my eyes fixated on the ground. Damn, why did I have to blurt that out? Surely she would think I was crazy obsessed now. I groaned internally.
"I don't have a handbag Malfoy..." Hermione said slowly. I gulped, keeping my eyes glued to the floor. Merlin this was embarrassing.
"Um...well, I meant-"
"That's sweet Draco," she said, cutting my mumbling off. I bit my lip nervously, and glanced up at her. Merlin I loved when she said my name.
"Thanks... Hermione," I whispered. Not knowing what came over me, I reached out a hand towards her and gentle grabbed her hand. It felt so forward, but when she didn't snatch it back in repulsion, I couldn't help but smile.
I didn't even see it coming, as a fist collided soundly with my jaw. I flopped into the wall beside me, staggering and disorientated. I blinked to try and clear the black spots dancing across my eyes, and managed to make out an angry, red headed Weasley with his fist drawn back, ready to punch me again.
"Get your hands off of my girl!" He yelled, pushing me flush against the wall. He held me pinned there, and drew his fist back. Panicked, I shoved against him, but he was stronger than me and barely moved.
"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione screamed shrilly, making both of us snap our heads in her direction. "How DARE you punch my boyfriend! And how DARE you call me your girl. I am NO ONE'S GIRL! You are just a prejudiced, arrogant, little toe rag! I don't want to see you again and you better hope that you don't see me." She had her wand drew and pointed at him. While Weasley was a stupid jerk, he wasn't stupid enough to cross Granger when she had her wand drawn. Hell, even her fist did enough damage, I thought, remembering last years incident with her.
"Let him go," She snarled, pointing her wand right in front of his face. He huffed before releasing me.
"This isn't over," He growled, before storming off.
"Are you alright?" the witch asked me, her expression soft with concern.
"Yeah. It was just a little hit anyways. My jaw is not broken or anything," I stood up and gingerly touched at my bruising face. It did in fact hurt terribly, but I couldn't tell Granger that. She'd kill Weasley, I knew it.
"You know you will see him again, right?" I asked, looking down at her.
"I know," She replied sighing, "But I have an idea for when that does happen. But for now, let me help you." She moved her wand and gently touched my jaw with it. After muttering a few spells, the pain in my jaw stopped and I sighed in relief.
"Thanks Granger. I didn't want to say anything, but it had hurt. Of course, not as much as your punch to my nose last year," I teased, eliciting a laugh from her.
"I almost forgot about that. It's crazy how quickly things, and people can change..." She looked up at me and gently touched my face. Her cold fingers were soothing against my burning skin.
Before getting too carried away, I cleared my throat. "Are you going to buy that dress do you think?"
"I think so. I do really like," she smiled and gently touched the material between her slender fingers.
"Let's go and buy it and then go for a Butterbeer. Is that fine with you? It'll be my treat!" I said, winking at her.
She giggled and replied, "Sure! I'll just change and then I'll go and pay for it." She walked back into the changing room and emerged back in her normal clothes a few minutes later. She had the dress back in the box and walked up to the counter with it. Her eyes darted to a pair of blue earrings on the counter. After hesitating for a second, she checked the price of it before her face fell slightly and she put them back down. Making a mental note of that, I waited while she paid for her dress, absentmindedly looking around the store. I still needed some dress robes for the ball... I'll just go again next weekend, there had already been far too much drama here today.
A few moments later, we were out the door and back into the snowy streets. Gentle white flakes were falling down on us, as we walked towards the Three Broomsticks. We shuffled inside and headed towards a small, two person table. Granger moved to sit, so I quickly moved the chair for her.
"I just might keep you around Malfoy," she said grinning. I chuckled and sat down across from her. The Three Broomsticks were trying out what the muggles did at their restaurants by employing servers. A small house elf, dressed warmly in a large navy sweater came to get us our drinks shortly after we sat down. The brunette looked a little upset with that, but I assured her that they were probably getting well paid for their services.
The warm drink brought out a satisfied sigh from the both of us, and I felt myself defrost from the chill outside. I shrugged off my grey winter jacket, and sat back in the wooden chair. I gazed outside at the gentle snowfall, and pictured how different things have become over the last few days.
"Did you write a letter to Father Christmas?" Granger asked me suddenly.
"Father who?" I asked, taken aback.
"You know, Santa?" She explained, taking a sip of her steaming drink.
"Who's Santa?" I asked confused.
"You don't know who Santa is?" She gasped, putting her mug down sharply.
"No."
"Well, on Christmas Eve, he goes to all of the houses, all around the world and gives presents to all of the good children. The children, write letters to Santa, telling him what they want," She explained.
"But, if Santa knows that they're good. How does he not know what they want?" I inquired, still utterly confused.
"Oh you're no fun!" Hermione complained. "It's just a fun little thing we did for Christmas when I was younger. I actually thought he was real," She said laughing.
"He's not real?" I asked, confused.
"Well, my parents told me that he was until I left for Hogwarts," she continued, "But, growing up, it was a nice tradition to look forward to on Christmas day."
"That sounds quite nice," I admitted, taking another long sip of my drink.
I glanced at the hourglass hanging on the wall and said, "It's quarter after two, do you want to head back to Hogwarts now?"
"Sure," She replied, gulping down the last sip of her butterbeer. I placed some gallons on the table and we bundled up again, ready to embrace the outdoors.
The trip back to the castle felt a lot longer than the walk down. Perhaps it was due to the increasing amount of snowing pelting us, or the fact I was dreading for this day to be over. As we walked, we had tried talking at first, but the wind snatched away all of our words. When we finally reached the courtyard of the castle, Granger hugged me and whispered, "Meet me at the Astronomy Tower at nine o'clock tonight. Don't be late," She smirked and released me. She then flounced up the stairs while I trudged down to the dungeons. I let out a content sigh, today had been amazing.
After diner, I waited in the Slytherin common room until around eight-thirty. Pansy, had been chattering my ear off all night, trying to figure out who I was going to the ball with. Blaise had been chatting up Astoria, in an attempt to go with her. While I was trying to pretend to do my Divination homework. Now I know why Granger had left the class last year, it was a dreary bore taught by a crackpot old fool. The questions were just absolutely ridiculous! I don't know where I will be in ten-thousand days from now, or what symbol my tea leaves looked like. I groaned and scribbled down some nonsense about impending doom. She tended to like answers like that.
When the time finally arrived for me to meet up with Granger, I raced over there. Pansy was annoyed at my sudden departure, but Blaise gave me a subtle wink as I left. I hurried as stealthily and quietly as I could, and finally reached the top of the tower.
"What took you so long Malfoy?" She demanded, when I finally reached her on the balcony.
I glanced at my pocket watch and replied, "One minute late! Wow, aren't we picky."
"Well, I thought you wanted to spend more time together..." She replied, glancing out at the stars dazzling in the quiet night.
"Of course I do Granger," I said softly. I moved right next to her on the balconies rail. I then tilted her head so that I could look into her beautiful, amber and brown coloured eyes. I gazed intently into those beautiful eyes and smiled down at her. "How can I express my utmost apology? Would this suffice?" I asked, leaning gently into her. I feel her tense up at first, before she leaned forward, connecting our lips together. I pulled her head closer with one hand and the other wrapped around her waist. Her arms snaked up and went around my neck.
After a few more seconds of my lips being gently against hers, I broke off the kiss by slowly leaning backwards.
"That definitely makes up for it," She whispered, letting out a small laugh. She looked up at me again, and I saw a glint of something in her eye.
She stepped back and quickly said, "Goodnight."
Taken aback, I felt a tinge of annoyance. "Why do you have to go so soon? I just got here." I asked, sounding a bit harsh.
"Because I-I don't want to get caught," She replied quickly, her eyes darting away from mine. I felt my stomach drop. Something was wrong.
"Granger, what is it really?" I demanded, feeling myself growing cold at her sudden change in demeanor.
"Well..." She biting her bottom lip, "I don't want to mess this up. I want to leave before I say something stupid. I just don't know what happens when I'm around you. Everything happens so fast, and I don't want to say something I'll regret," She let out a sigh. "I know that sounds stupid, but I'm terrified of this. I'm worried this is just some awful prank you and your Slytherin friends have devised. And I have no one else right now. Harry and Ron are furious with me, and the other Gryffindors are too. I feel so alone Malfoy. I don't know what came over me to even start this with you. I know it was a bit out of spit to hurt Ron after what he did-"
"Wait, what?" I interrupted.
"Well that night we first met up here, I came back to the common room wearing your jacket. He freaked out at me and that's why we're not talking anymore," she explained.
"Okay, but what about the part you said you agreed in order to spit Weasley?" I snarled, feeling my blood boil with anger.
"I mean, after everything you said, I wanted to give you a chance! I suppose I was more intrigued and interested by the prospect of chatting with you after Ronald was being such a prick..." she trailed off.
"So what, you just were using me?" I demanded, trying to maintain a tough exterior while I felt my stomach was in knots.
"No, M-Draco. After everything you said, I wanted to give you a second chance. Because I believe no one is inherently good or evil, and that everyone is capable of change. You've been an arse for the last three years, and now suddenly you want to go to the ball with me? A mudblood-"
"Don't call yourself that," I cut her off.
"Well you have called me that in the past," she said with a glare.
"And I've changed since then. Despite everything, I couldn't help get a small crush on you last year. And I loathed myself for that. You were everything I was taught not to like. And yes, it was because of your blood status. So I teased you, and tried to get under your skin, in an effort to rid myself of those feelings. The summer after third year, I spent time away from my father, and my mother and I went to visit my grandmother, her mother... she confessed that she was a muggleborn who had been adopted by wizards at a very young age. Her parents had concealed that information from everyone, even my mother. My whole life had turned out to be a lie. My mother had never been one against blood status, and learning this information changed me." I paused and looked at her.
Her expression was analytical, as if judging if I was telling the truth or not. But why would I ever lie about this? This information would ruin the Malfoy name.
"I'm sorry Draco. Thank you for telling me. I just hope you realize why I was so skeptical," she reached out a hand and rested it on my arm. I nodded slowly, and covered her hand with mine.
"I do understand. But I do ask that you promise this information stays between us," I implored, my eyes pleading.
"I promise," she said firmly. "So are we okay now?"
I nodded. "It's getting late, we should probably head back before we get caught."
She stepped away from me, and smiled softly. "Thank you again for explaining everything to me."
"You deserved to know," I admitted. "Goodnight Granger."
"Goodnight, Malfoy." And with that, she quickly went down the stairs. Her footsteps became a dim noise, while I gazed out at the glittering snow beneath me.
I headed down the stairs, and decided to follow her for a bit to make sure that she arrived back to her dorm safely. I didn't want to seem like a total creep, but was also a tad worried about what could be lurking in the dark in this castle so late at night.
When she was only a few portraits away from her room, I was about to turn to leave when I saw a figure step out of the shadows. I froze, pressed up against the cold stone wall and hide behind a suit of armor.
"Hermoneenee?" A gruff voice said.
"Krum?" Hermione asked, as the figure stepped into the torchlight. "You startled me for a second," the witch let out a laugh.
"I am zorry Hermeone. I vas vaiting for you to come back. I have something to ask you." The buff quidditch star stepped closer towards her and instinctively I felt myself tense. What the hell did he want to ask her about?
"Vould you like to go to the Ball vith me?" The man asked. I felt my blood boil angrily, but remained hidden. I took a mental note to ask father to revoke his sponsorship of the team. Petty, I know, but no one crosses a Malfoy.
"I would love to Krum-" Granger said. I tore away from the armor and raced back towards my dorm. After everything I had said, everything I had done, what the hell? I ran until I reached the dungeon, before I finally stopped and panted for air. I needed to wake up from this awful dream! This had to be a dream...
A/N: I hope you all liked it! I added a more in depth explanation for Draco's change of heart towards Hermione. There is still more secrets to be revealed, not to worry! Let me know what you all think, and stay tuned for the next chapter!