Author's note: There's some really really long dialogue from Draco here so
bear with me.
When dinner was over and everyone was chatting, with the exception of Professor Snape and Draco, Dumbledore tapped his knife on his glass to get everyone's attention. "I'm very glad to see all of you who stayed this Christmas. During a very long discussion the other teachers and I have decided that since there are only four of you and you are all from different houses, that you shall all have a sort of a campout in one of the common rooms." The young girl from Hufflepuff raised her hand. "We have already picked the room if that's what you were going to ask." She put her hand down so he continued. " After some deliberation we have decided to have you all stay in the Gryffindor common room. Now I know it will be a tad bit awkward but I think we can all manage. Since there are no prefects here Hermione and Draco are the oldest and will be in charge of you to younger students." Hermione looked at Draco. This would be the perfect chance to talk to him! "Now if you'll head up to the room you'll find that your clothes and sleeping bags are up there. Now off to bed with you. Goodnight." The four of them picked themselves up and headed to Gryffindor's common room.
Once up to the portrait hole, the Fat Lady asked for the password. Looking slightly embarrassed Hermione sang quietly, "Always Coca-Cola." The portrait swung open and the other three went into the common room. Before Hermione could go in the Fat Lady stopped her. "Now dear what are those other houses doing here? Especially that Slytherin!" "It's okay it's under Dumbledore's orders. It's just for Christmas holidays and we'll change the password once they're gone." She nodded so Herm headed into the room. Sure enough there were duffel bags and sleeping bags laid out on the floor. The two girls from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were wondering where they could change into their pajamas so Hermione led them up to the girls' dorms and changed also. When they came back down they discovered Draco had changed into his pajamas and was already in his sleeping bag. He looked somehow different from his normal self this year. He had a small pair of glasses on and was reading a large, thick book. As the other girls crawled into their sleeping bags Hermione went over to Draco. "Hey I was wondering if…" Just then McGonagall walked in. "Lights out!" Reluctantly, Hermione went to her sleeping bag and got it and Draco put away his book. The lights went out and none of the kids could help falling fast asleep almost right away. However Hermione's wouldn't last for long.
At about three in the morning, Hermione was awakened by someone calling out. She opened her eyes to see Draco thrashing around and kicking at something in his sleep. She cautiously crawled over to him and watched him for a moment. He kept tossing and turning but also started to talk. "No. Leave her alone. Please stop! Oh God!" Just then he bolted straight up in bed and was about to scream when Hermione clamped her hand over his mouth. "If you scream now you'll wake up the whole castle. Do you want everyone to come running in here?" He shook his head. "Good." She removed her hand and he took in a deep breath. Herm watched him, he was shaking and although she couldn't see him to clearly she was almost completely sure that he was crying. She softly touched his shoulder and he flinched. "Malf… Draco if you ever want to tell me anything, I'm here. I just wanted you to know that." She had turned away and started towards her sleeping bag when she heard his voice. "Hermione, Can we talk?"
The pair had settled on one of the beds in the girls' dorms. Hermione waited quietly for Draco to speak. " It all started early this summer. As you know my father has always been an awful person. Well this summer it got worse. When he found out that Voldemort had been loosing power over the years he became furious, and it seemed like he came up with any excuse to direct his anger at my mother and I. He, he, he beat us and there was nothing we could do to stop it. I've still got scars, I'll probably have them forever." He pulled up the back of his shirt to show Hermione and when she saw his red, raw back, she gasped. He continued. " It was the worst for my mother. She's always been on the frail side, so it was harder for her to take. I tried to get him to stop, to at least leave her alone, but when I did it just made him even madder and he hit her harder and harder. One day he broke her nose, shattered her jaw, and cracked three of her ribs. We knew we had to get out and we even had a plan. But Father found out, and when he did he gave me a good sound beating and then took my mother into their room. I could hear him hitting her, kicking, screaming at her that she was his and she wouldn't ever leave him. Then
everything was silent. It was to quiet, so I decided to go in there, I grabbed a dagger from a case on the wall before so I would have some form of protection. I stormed into the room and found him choking her. When my father saw me he dropped my mother and turned to me. I ran over to my mom, felt for a pulse, anything. But there was nothing. She was dead and he had killed her. I could feel all this rage boiling up in me and before I knew it I had jumped on him. I was screaming and yelling, cursing, and all the while slashing with the knife at anything I could connect with. When I finally calmed down I moved away and I was horrified at what I saw. I had killed my own father."
For a while Hermione sat there in stunned silence. Draco looked over at her. "Just say it," he said bitterly. "Tell me I'm a horrible person, no better than him because of it. That's what everyone else who knows has said." She scooted closer to him. "No Draco, that's not what I think at all. You were acting in self-defense. He probably would have killed you too if you hadn't done something." He looked at her, tears streaming down his pale cheeks. "That's just the thing Hermione, it was part self defense, but I didn't know that he was going to kill me. There was just this voice inside me that said kill him, and I was so mad so I did. It was like I couldn't control myself." Hermione didn't know what to say. She hesitantly put her arm around him and he buried his head in her shoulder. For some reason she just couldn't let go of him so she just held him as his body shook with his sobs. She stroked his soft hair and whispered into his ear. "It's fine, just let it all out. I'm right here."
Hermione wasn't sure how long she and Draco sat there clinging to each other. But eventually his tears subsided, however neither let go. Finally Draco fell asleep and Hermione didn't have the heart to wake him up. So laid him down on the bed and covered him with the thick quilt. She started to walk away when she heard him start to mumble again. Afraid he was having another nightmare; she quietly walked over and slipped under the covers next to him. She snuggled up next to him and his arms came around her, almost as if she were a teddy bear that a child would hold onto during the night. She felt safe knowing he was next to her and he could protect her, so she let herself drift off to sleep.
Author's note: I know Draco seems kind of wimpy in this chapter but he kind of had to be for the story to work. So I'm sorry if it annoys you.
When dinner was over and everyone was chatting, with the exception of Professor Snape and Draco, Dumbledore tapped his knife on his glass to get everyone's attention. "I'm very glad to see all of you who stayed this Christmas. During a very long discussion the other teachers and I have decided that since there are only four of you and you are all from different houses, that you shall all have a sort of a campout in one of the common rooms." The young girl from Hufflepuff raised her hand. "We have already picked the room if that's what you were going to ask." She put her hand down so he continued. " After some deliberation we have decided to have you all stay in the Gryffindor common room. Now I know it will be a tad bit awkward but I think we can all manage. Since there are no prefects here Hermione and Draco are the oldest and will be in charge of you to younger students." Hermione looked at Draco. This would be the perfect chance to talk to him! "Now if you'll head up to the room you'll find that your clothes and sleeping bags are up there. Now off to bed with you. Goodnight." The four of them picked themselves up and headed to Gryffindor's common room.
Once up to the portrait hole, the Fat Lady asked for the password. Looking slightly embarrassed Hermione sang quietly, "Always Coca-Cola." The portrait swung open and the other three went into the common room. Before Hermione could go in the Fat Lady stopped her. "Now dear what are those other houses doing here? Especially that Slytherin!" "It's okay it's under Dumbledore's orders. It's just for Christmas holidays and we'll change the password once they're gone." She nodded so Herm headed into the room. Sure enough there were duffel bags and sleeping bags laid out on the floor. The two girls from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were wondering where they could change into their pajamas so Hermione led them up to the girls' dorms and changed also. When they came back down they discovered Draco had changed into his pajamas and was already in his sleeping bag. He looked somehow different from his normal self this year. He had a small pair of glasses on and was reading a large, thick book. As the other girls crawled into their sleeping bags Hermione went over to Draco. "Hey I was wondering if…" Just then McGonagall walked in. "Lights out!" Reluctantly, Hermione went to her sleeping bag and got it and Draco put away his book. The lights went out and none of the kids could help falling fast asleep almost right away. However Hermione's wouldn't last for long.
At about three in the morning, Hermione was awakened by someone calling out. She opened her eyes to see Draco thrashing around and kicking at something in his sleep. She cautiously crawled over to him and watched him for a moment. He kept tossing and turning but also started to talk. "No. Leave her alone. Please stop! Oh God!" Just then he bolted straight up in bed and was about to scream when Hermione clamped her hand over his mouth. "If you scream now you'll wake up the whole castle. Do you want everyone to come running in here?" He shook his head. "Good." She removed her hand and he took in a deep breath. Herm watched him, he was shaking and although she couldn't see him to clearly she was almost completely sure that he was crying. She softly touched his shoulder and he flinched. "Malf… Draco if you ever want to tell me anything, I'm here. I just wanted you to know that." She had turned away and started towards her sleeping bag when she heard his voice. "Hermione, Can we talk?"
The pair had settled on one of the beds in the girls' dorms. Hermione waited quietly for Draco to speak. " It all started early this summer. As you know my father has always been an awful person. Well this summer it got worse. When he found out that Voldemort had been loosing power over the years he became furious, and it seemed like he came up with any excuse to direct his anger at my mother and I. He, he, he beat us and there was nothing we could do to stop it. I've still got scars, I'll probably have them forever." He pulled up the back of his shirt to show Hermione and when she saw his red, raw back, she gasped. He continued. " It was the worst for my mother. She's always been on the frail side, so it was harder for her to take. I tried to get him to stop, to at least leave her alone, but when I did it just made him even madder and he hit her harder and harder. One day he broke her nose, shattered her jaw, and cracked three of her ribs. We knew we had to get out and we even had a plan. But Father found out, and when he did he gave me a good sound beating and then took my mother into their room. I could hear him hitting her, kicking, screaming at her that she was his and she wouldn't ever leave him. Then
everything was silent. It was to quiet, so I decided to go in there, I grabbed a dagger from a case on the wall before so I would have some form of protection. I stormed into the room and found him choking her. When my father saw me he dropped my mother and turned to me. I ran over to my mom, felt for a pulse, anything. But there was nothing. She was dead and he had killed her. I could feel all this rage boiling up in me and before I knew it I had jumped on him. I was screaming and yelling, cursing, and all the while slashing with the knife at anything I could connect with. When I finally calmed down I moved away and I was horrified at what I saw. I had killed my own father."
For a while Hermione sat there in stunned silence. Draco looked over at her. "Just say it," he said bitterly. "Tell me I'm a horrible person, no better than him because of it. That's what everyone else who knows has said." She scooted closer to him. "No Draco, that's not what I think at all. You were acting in self-defense. He probably would have killed you too if you hadn't done something." He looked at her, tears streaming down his pale cheeks. "That's just the thing Hermione, it was part self defense, but I didn't know that he was going to kill me. There was just this voice inside me that said kill him, and I was so mad so I did. It was like I couldn't control myself." Hermione didn't know what to say. She hesitantly put her arm around him and he buried his head in her shoulder. For some reason she just couldn't let go of him so she just held him as his body shook with his sobs. She stroked his soft hair and whispered into his ear. "It's fine, just let it all out. I'm right here."
Hermione wasn't sure how long she and Draco sat there clinging to each other. But eventually his tears subsided, however neither let go. Finally Draco fell asleep and Hermione didn't have the heart to wake him up. So laid him down on the bed and covered him with the thick quilt. She started to walk away when she heard him start to mumble again. Afraid he was having another nightmare; she quietly walked over and slipped under the covers next to him. She snuggled up next to him and his arms came around her, almost as if she were a teddy bear that a child would hold onto during the night. She felt safe knowing he was next to her and he could protect her, so she let herself drift off to sleep.
Author's note: I know Draco seems kind of wimpy in this chapter but he kind of had to be for the story to work. So I'm sorry if it annoys you.