Chapter Two:
"Malfoy?" Snape asked. Draco snapped out of his trance, "Sir? I didn't hear what you said," he quickly recovered.
"What other ingredient does one use for a Polangola Potion?" Snape repeated.
"Ummm..." Hermione had thought this to him a few days ago, and now he couldn't seem to remember it. He glanced over at Hermione, and she nodded ever so slightly, giving him a boost of confidence. "Leg of a rat, " he answered positive with his answer.
"Correct!" Snape exclaimed, slightly surprised. Although Draco was one of his favourite students, he knew Draco wasn't exactly one of the brightest, and was quite pleased to see that Draco might have been studying.
That night in the Gryffindor Common Room, Hermione had not yet returned and Harry and Ron sat in silence, both just watching the clock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. It was 7:45pm and still no sign of Hermione.
"Reckon we should tell McGonagall?" Ron broke the dead silence. Harry shook his head then answered, "No, because what if she's really in the library?"
"Then? Let's go see!" Ron stood up. Harry got up and in no time, the two were making their way to the school library.
"Potter! Weasley!"
Harry closed his eyes in disbelief.
"Snape, " he muttered. Ron and Harry turned around.
"And where do you think you're going at this hour?" Snaped questioned, with slitting eyes. For once Harry answered the truth, "To the library sir, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher wants us to do research on the backround of our house creature." Which was true, only they planned to do their research last minute like they always did.
"A likely story Potter, must you do your so called 'research' at this hour?" Snape raised his eyebrow in question.
"Yes, because tomorrow Ron and I have a quidditch practice, and as team captain, I should probably spend my weekend drawing new plans, so yes it has to be today, sir, " Harry quickly answered. Snape sighed loudly, "Very well Potter, Weasley, you may go, but you must go back to your house by 8:30pm, giving you a good half hour, and I better see some books in you hands when I see you!" With that he stormed off. Ron breathed a sign of relief once Snape left, "That was too close Harry. Close enough for his abnormally, large nose to easliy sniff out our plan!"
"I know Ron, I know, quick let's go!" The two reached the nearly empty library.
"We need to split up Ron, you take this floor, and look for books on Gryffindor as well, and I'll take the second floor, " Harry commanded.
"Gotcha, " Ron nodded and left in search for books and Hermione. Harry stood for a few seconds just thinking of sections that would intrest Hermione. He walked up to the second floor, calling for Hermione. No answer.
Half an hour later, with no sign of Hermione, Ron and Harry set back to their house with a few books on Gryffindor.
* * * * * * * *
"HERMIONE!" Harry and Ron exclaimed simultaneously as they spotted her coming in from the main entrance. Hermione spun around to see her two friends. She was speechless.
"R-Ron, H-Harry...where have you been?" She asked, afraid Draco would come in.
"Where have WE been?!?" Ron yelled.
"Come on you two, let's go back to the Common Room, " she tried getting then away. ' Draco will be coming in any second!'' She thought.
"We got into trouble by Snape cause of you! AND we had to ACTUALLY get our research done for Care of Magical Creatures!" Ron was hopping mad.
"That's a good thing Ron! Getting it done earlier is better!" Hermione tried to squeeze her way out. The three walked back, but Ron was still yelling, "Where were you anyways Hermione?!"
She turned and faced Ron, her eyes flared with flames, "Look Ronald Weasley! My buisness is my buisness! For the past few days you've been hounding me with questions about my whereabouts! This isn't first year anymore Ron! We're in seventh year,and I can take care of myself! I can be wherever I want to be and however long I want to be out, without you acting like my guardian!! I, too, have a life other than books, whether you believe it or not! I don't need you OR Harry to look out for me!"
She turned her back on Rond and Harry and marched off to her bedroom. She tossed her books on the floor, then threw herself on her bed and started to cry.
' I'm so sorry Ron, Harry, I never meant to say any of that! If only they knew. If only, ' She thought. She cried herself to sleep, thinking to herself that she's sacrificing her two best friends for Draco Malfoy.
' But I promised Draco, I promised him, ' were her last thoughts before drifting off to sleep.
The next day was Saturday and she had promised to meet up with Draco after breakfast. She was getting ready to head out to the Great Hall, when she overheard Ron talking to Harry.
"Can you believe Hermione?! We were only trying to help and this is what we get?!" He still seemed pretty mad. Harry was silent though, but the _expression on his face was clear. She ran back to her room, and started crying all over again. She nearly forgot about Draco, then rushed out, already half an hour late.
" I'm s-sorry, I'm l-late D-Draco, " she stuttered, tears still in her eyes.
"Hermione, what's the matter?" Draco asked. He was so worried when she was late, and now that she was crying, he was even more concerned.
"It's n-n-nothing Draco, "she couldn't look at him, so she turned away as she tried to dry her eyes.
"Hermione." He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She turned around, and burst into fresh tears.
"It was afwul Draco! Just awful!" She wailed. She threw her arms around him and sobbed into his shoulders. He was shocked at first, but put his arms around her to comfort her, "It's okay Hermione, don't worry. It's okay," he whispered. She pulled away and dried her tears," I'm sorry Draco, I really am, I hope I didn't scare you."
He shook his head, "No, don't worry. Listen Hermione, instead of you helping me today, why don't we just go to Hogsmead and walk around, you can tell me everything there, whaddaya say?"
Her eyes still misty, she nodded. She gathered her stuff up and got ready to got out, but just as she opened the flap, she heard Harry's booming voice over the quidditch pitch,
"RON! We need you to HIT the bludgers QUICKER!"
"Oh my gosh! Quidditch practice! Draco, how are we supposed to get out, without being seen?" Her eyes were as big as saucers, she really didn't want Ron and Harry to see her with Draco. He smiled at her.
' She's kinda cute when she doesn't know what to do,' he thought,
"The great Hermione Granger? Doesn't know what to do? This is the end of wizard kind!" He teased, pretending to be shocked, "Even her pupil Mr. Draco Malfoy knows that in a situation, such as this one, one can use the 'invisibility spell', and since we are in seventh year, we can now use it legally as wizards!" He continued. She felt so stupid, yet a smile slowy crept on her tear-streaken face.
"Is that a smile I see?" Draco teased. Hermione rolled her eyes playfully, then with a commanding voice, she yelled, "DISAPERO INVISABITO!"
POOF! She became invisible, as Draco says, "Oh, so she goes pulling off the old 'disappearing act' huh? Well, we'll see about that! DISAPERO INVISABITO!" Now invisible, Draco chased Hermione out the tent , across the quidditch pitch and to Hogsmead. There, the two became visible againe, laughing as Hermione squeeled, "Draco! Quit chasing me!" She was laughing so hard thinking to herself, ' Who would've thought I'd be having this much fun with Draco Malfoy?! Of all people, Draco Malfoy...'
Malfoy himself, who was having just as much fun, couldn't believe of all people, he was sharing this moment with Hermione Granger. He ran over to where she stood and started to tickle her, she laughed so hard until she could hardly breath, but she managed to get a few words out.
"Draco! ... Please! ... Quit it! ... I'm so ticklish!"
He finally stopped.
"Okay so let's head over to the Three Broomsticks, and grab a bit to eat," he suggested. Hermione agreed and they took a table near the back corner for some privacy.
"So...," Draco started, "What's up?"
Hermione hesitated for a quick second, rethinking if she could trust him or not. After all he was 'Draco Malfoy'. She sighed and started her long story. She watched Draco as his expressions changed with the story. She took little breaks in between to take a sip of her Butterbeer, which Draco had bought. At the end, her eyes began to swell with tears again. Draco was shocked at the whole story, and felt like it was his fault.
"Hermione, I'm so sorry, " he told her. She looked up at him, surprised at his response, "Draco, I'm not blaming you, you have nothing to be sorry for."
"It's my fault Hermione. Don't you see? If I hadn't asked you to help me, you would've never gotten into a fight with Ron and Harry. If I hadn't been selfish about my marks, you wouldn't be in this situation. ... I think we should stop...if the both of us aren't benefiting from this, it's not worth it, " he told her. A look of utter disbelief could be seen on Hermione's face, as she thought to herself, ' Is Draco apologizing? Draco MALFOY?! My worst enemy since first year is APOLOGIZING?!?!?'
"Draco, NONE of this is your fault! Draco, Ron's just being Ron! And WHO says that the both of us aren't benifiting? You may be doing better in potions, but Draco, I'm getting something out of this too, ...I'm learning to teach AND i've learned to get along with someone who everyone thought was hard-headed and impossible to get along with. Draco, this has been the most worthwhile experience for me in a long time, please think before making your decision, "she pleaded,
"Don't throw away something that's worthwhile."
Draco looked into Hermione's pleading eyes. For almost a month, she's been sacraficting her free time at lunch, after school and even on weekends to help him. He felt so guilty and figured it was because of him that she was miserable. Despite the fact that he hated Potter and Weasley, he didn't want Hermione to be unhappy.
"Come on, let's go, "he muttered under his breath. Her grabbed his jacket and quickly headed out the door. He was walking so fast that Hermione nearly had to run in order to keep up.
"Draco...DRACO! Wait up! "She called, but he just quickened his pace.
"Go back to your life, Hermione, it's done, finished. I needed help and I got it. Thanks for your time and effort, I really appreciated it, " Draco said quickly in one breath.
"Draco, please, don't do it, "she begged. She reached out and grabbed his arm to make him stop. He did, and turned to face her. He took a metal picture of her face, so he could remeber her...as a friend.
'Hemione, I'm sorry this had to happen, I wish we could've remained close friends. Please forgive me for what I'm about to say, but it needs to be done, you need to be happy. I don't mean anything I say,' Draco thought. He closed his eyes for a split second and took in a deep breath. When he reopened them, his icy blue eyes had returned, and he became the old Draco Malfoy.
"Let go Mudblood! I don't need you anymore."
!!