The encounter at the library was two days ago, and Hermione had already put it behind her. The boys had Divination, and it was free time for her, so she went out onto the school grounds for a walk. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon and she smiled, breathing in the fresh air. She stretched, her slim body arcing slightly as she felt the cool wind blow past her.

She walked around the green grass for a while, and then sat down, looking in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. Thinking about recent events, and about what she felt for Draco Malfoy. She never really understood what she saw in him. What she saw was a boy hiding in a shell, a boy who didn't show his true self to others.

"What are you thinking about, Granger?"

She looked up, and saw Malfoy. Great.What a coincidence, she thought, wanting to roll her eyes.

"It's none of your business, Malfoy," she replied.

"Well," said Draco, sitting down beside her. "All right then."

She got up to leave, but Draco grabbed hold of her hand. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from you," she responded curtly.

"Surely I'm not that detestable to you, Granger? Come on, sit down and talk to me. I won't eat you up," he said, grinning.

Hermione looked at him, and saw that his eyes were almost pleading her to stay. "Okay," she finally said.

She sat down again and Draco let go of her hand. There was a momentary silence.

"Granger, what's your greatest fear?" he said suddenly.

"Why do I have to tell you? You might use it against me," she said.

"Can you stop looking at me as if I'm an evil scumbag?"

"Okay, okay, fine," she said. "But I'll only tell you if you agree to tell me yours."

Draco hesitated. "All right," he said finally.

"I'm afraid of…of falling," she admitted.

"Falling? From heights?"

"Yes. That's why I never dare to go to a high place. It's something like being afraid of heights. Enough about me. What about you?" she said, turning to him.

"Me? I'm not afraid of anything. I'm perfect," he said.

"Hey! That's not counted. How can you not be afraid of anything? You're not a god," she responded.

"I'm almost a god, Granger. How can it not be possible?" he said with a smirk.

"I should have known I was an idiot to believe you would tell me your greatest fear, Malfoy. Why am I sitting here and talking to you?" she said. She started to get up again.

"Being a Malfoy."

"What?" She stared at him incredulously.

He swallowed and repeated. "Being a Malfoy. My greatest fear is being a Malfoy."

"You mean you're afraid of yourself?" She sat down, once again.

"No. I'm afraid of what my family expects from me. What my family wants. I don't think it's what I want, anyway. They want me to do so many things that I'm not sure I even dare to," he said, turning away.

Hermione saw him shut his eyes painfully. For a moment, she thought he was going to cry. Then he suddenly turned to her and gave her a smile.

"Can you hug me, Hermione?"

Hermione was too shocked by the request to even notice that he had called her by her first name. "What?"

"Please?"

Draco Malfoy saying 'Please'? Hermione looked up at the sky to see if it was falling. She looked at Malfoy again. "Okay. Just once."

She saw Draco smile gratefully at her. She went up to him, and raised herself up on her knees. Then she put her arms around Draco Malfoy and held him in a warm and close embrace. She felt Draco put his head on her shoulder.

I'm actually hugging Malfoy. He's actually in my arms. Am I dreaming?

She closed her eyes. I could hold him forever.

Draco couldn't believe that he had just revealed one of his deepest and darkest fears to his archenemy's best friend. What was so special about this girl, which made him want to tell her everything? Why did he feel that once he told her, everything would be solved?

He had requested for her to hold him, so that he would feel comforted. He was afraid of so many things his family wanted from him. Among all the girls he had dated, none of them felt as sincere as the one holding him in her arms now. None of them felt as warm, and as nice. And suddenly, he realized. She sees me for who I am. For the Draco Malfoy inside.

He felt her long brown hair brushing against his face and his back. It was nice to have someone like Hermione Granger around you. Potter, you don't know how lucky you are, he thought silently. Slowly, he pulled away from her.

"Thank you. And that's the last time you'll hear those two words from me," he said, grinning.

Hermione stared at him mutely. Why do you seem so weak at times, and so strong the next?

"What's the matter, Granger?"

"I don't know what to think of you, Malfoy. How can you seem like two different people in the span of a few minutes? Why do you put up a façade for everyone to see? Why are you acting?" she said, looking at him.

Draco looked at her, shocked. She wasn't fooled by the façade he put up. All the flirting and breaking girls' hearts? That wasn't him at all. It was just an exterior, a show put up to fool everyone around him. And he had managed to make everyone believe that. Everyone except Hermione.

"What do you know, Granger? You don't understand anything at all."

"I could feel your pain, Draco. I could feel the pain inside you. Why do you bottle it up?"

Draco didn't say a word. He bit his lower lip and looked away stubbornly. If I looked at her again, I would probably start crying and start to tell her everything.

There was silence for a while. Finally, Hermione broke the silence.

"Set yourself free, Draco. Set yourself free." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Then she got up quickly and ran back into the castle.

He looked at her, until she disappeared inside.

**