Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

One Strange Night

Things had been going pretty well for Hermione.  School was easy as always and she had no problem staying at the top of her class.  Her relationship with Harry was wonderful, she loved him so much!  They spent lots of time together, and they usually ended up taking walks together around the lake every night at dusk.  Things were perfect!

Hermione even managed to get along with Malfoy.  They were even on somewhat friendly terms.  They had planned a successful Halloween Masquerade Ball and planned many trips to Hogsmede.  Hermione had noticed small things about Malfoy that were different, like he stopped hanging out with his former friends, well he had basically stopped hanging out with anybody; but it was not her place to pry in his business and find out why.  Besides, she was busy.  She had to figure out how she was going to make the cure for her grandmother.  She had spent countless hours reading and figuring and she had finally done it!  She figured out just what she would need to use for what she was calling the Reanimation Potion. 

It was almost Christmas Vacation, and she decided that this would be a good time to make the potion and test it out.  It would be quiet and she would have no schoolwork to worry about.  It made her very excited, if it worked, she could heal her grandmother. 

Hermione closed the book she was reading.  Malfoy was sitting across the room on a recliner reading also.  She got up.  At the sound of her stirring, he looked up.

"I'm going to go get a shower."

"Oh, ok."  He returned to his book.

Hermione went up the stairs and into the bathroom.  She took a hot shower and then went to her room and put her pajamas on.  She wasn't tied yet so she decided to go back to the common room and read.  She didn't see Malfoy in the recliner so she figured he went to bed.  When she got down the stairs, she realized that Malfoy was sprawled on his back in front of the fireplace motionless. 

Fearing the worse Hermione ran to him.  "Malfoy?  Malfoy?  Draco!"  she called.  She was getting really worried. 

Draco let out a moan, "Her, my, oh, ney?" he managed to get out. 

"Yes,  Hermione. Are you okay?  Where does it hurt?  We've gotta get you to Madam Pomfrey!"

"NO, no.  I'll be fine."

"Draco…"

"NO."

"Fine.  Hold on then.  Wingardium Leviosa!"  She lifted Draco and laid him onto the couch.    She sat on the couch too and cradled his upper body in her arms. 

"Draco what happened?"

"Oh Hermione" He started "It was horrible."  He began to tell her.  He told her everything.  Of how he began to question his father, how he realized finally what he was and grew to despise the man for it, how his father want him to be the same, how he could never tell anyone the way he felt, how no one ever really wanted to listen.  Then he told her about what had happened that night.  His father's face appeared in the fireplace.  He told Draco that his inniciation into the Death Eaters would be this Christmas Vacation.  Draco told his father he didn't want to go, that he would never  shame himself by being a Death Eater.  His father got angry and thrust his flame head forward trying to reach Draco.  The flames didn't burn him but he had passed out from the heat and smoke.  He remembered his father's words.

"You filthy brat, you have disgraced me for the last time!  After all I have done for you, you dishonor me in this way!  I take no more responsibility for you, if you ever come home, I'll kill you!"

Listening to this story Hermione's heart was filled with sorrow.  Here was a boy who that for the past six years needed nothing but love, and she had extended to him only hate.  Here now her heart was moved, and she felt love for this boy as he so desperately needed it.  She began to cry tears that Malfoy himself could not produce.  He looked up into her eyes, they sparkled as she expressed his emotions, what he was feeling, sorrow, and love.  He reached you and touched the tears that fell onto her cheeks.  He sat up slowly, and pulled Hermione into his arms and held her tightly.  He closed his eyes.  Here he felt as if something that had been missing his whole life had now found him, he felt complete.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

A/N:  hey guys!  How am I doing?  I've never written any fan fics before and I am very open to suggestion and criticism.  Also, I haven't read the fifth book yet (I know shame on me!  My mom wont waste money on the Hard Cover addition, so I put it on hold at the library, and they haven't called yet) but if any of my story doesn't fit in with the new book, please excuse it after I read it I could change it.  Well until later

~Atiannala