CHAPTER THREE
Hermione growled in frustration as Draco seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Jumping as she felt someone tapping her shoulder, spinning around she met the startled eyes of Harry," Mione, you okay?"
" Yeah Harry I'm fine."
Harry smiled," Good, Ron and I missed you at lunch." Hermione smiled slightly, it was good to know despite so many changes in her friends they still cared about her," So what you up to?" Hermione turned sharply as she was sure she heard the rustling of robes and the flicker of Slytherin colours caught her eye.
" Hermione, are you even listening to me?" demanded an angry sounding Harry.
Hermione turned to look at him," What on earth are you talking about?" Harry simply raised an eyebrow at her,
" You don't think I've noticed how you've been watching him? How everytime he enters a room, your eyes soften and when he looks at you, your breath quickens?"
Hermione eyes widened slightly, had she been that obvious? Her mind raced back over Harry's words before her eyes narrowed and she snapped," So what if I do? Perhaps if you weren't so narrow minded you would see he's changed!" Drawing back, she paused before remarking coldly," I'm surprised you even noticed, I mean your Hogwarts latest cassanova. I'm actually quite flattered that you took time off from the hero worship to care about little old me and what I might be thinking or even feeling!"
As Harry stood there looking stunned, Hermione took this opportunity to march off. Taking deep breaths she tried to calm her shaky nerves, she couldn't believe the nerve of Harry. How dare he even try to make assumptions or judgements about her!
" Something wrong Granger?"
Hermione looked up to meet the eyes of Draco, she stood searching them for any sign of malice or contempt but was shocked to find none," Why would you care if there was?" Draco frowned for a moment before he simply shrugged but as he was turning to leave, Hermione asked," Why did you confront Drusilla about the potions competition?"
Draco froze on the spot, how did she know about that? Swallowing he turned to face her before explaining," I don't know, just felt like it I guess." He hoped she wouldn't see through the blatant lie that had just come from his mouth but unfortunately Hermione was far too sharp for that,
" I may not know you that well but I know you well enough to know when you're lying Malfoy..tell me the truth."
Draco crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow," So you think you know me?"
Hermione smirked slightly enjoying the playfulness she saw in Draco's eyes before she watched as he actually smiled, she couldn't believe Draco was actually smiling. Not the smile she was so used to, the one he would use whenever he had done something particularly nasty or had got the upper hand over Harry. This smile was different, it was genuine and it made his face light up and his eyes sparkle.
" You could say I've had my eyes opened Granger, seen people for who they really are." Hermione looked confused for a moment before she took the time to observe Draco, his eyes seemed to be sad and his face showed some sign of pain.
" You okay?" Draco sighed, a strand of his hair fell over his eyes and as Hermione looked into his eyes she was surprised to find so much pain reflected back," Draco?" Draco shook his head before suddenly he turned and began to walk away quickly. Hermione fought with herself for an all of thirty seconds before she ran after him, reaching out she grabbed his arm and pulled him so he had to face her.
" Let go of me Granger."
" Not until you tell me what's going on." Pulling his arm free, he scowled. How could she see through his facade? Preparing himself he looked up but what he saw in those eyes nothing in the world could prepare him for it, scowling as Harry and Ron marched towards them he remarked cooly," Your little friends are heading this way."
Hermione turned quickly watching as Ron was looking confused and Harry looked mad, taking a deep breath she composed herself before she walked towards them," Still associating with Draco I see." Harry remarked sarcastically. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes,
" Honestly Harry I thought you of all people would have the maturity to understand that a person can change."
Ron blinked various times, what in the world was going on and why in God's name were his two best friends fighting one another like sworn enemies? Sighing as he could tell this was going to take awhile, guess he could forget having dessert today. Hermione took a breather from arguing with Harry before she glanced back and frowned as Draco was gone, looking back she froze as Dumbledore was stood behind both Ron and Harry.
" Would anyone care to tell me why you are all fighting?"
Draco leaned back against the cold stone walls of Hogwarts, bloody Granger and her questions. Why couldn't she just leave things alone? Sliding down the wall so he sat on the floor, he pushed his hands through his hair as he tried to block out the memories, the memories that now haunted his dreams and plagued his every waking moment. Clenching his fists, he curled his legs up so he could hide his face in his knees. When was this going to stop? When could he forget?
IN DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE .....
Hermione sat uncomfortably under the gaze of Dumbledore, Ron was muttering under his breath and Harry was trying to avoid Dumbledore's eyes altogether. Dumbledore watched as the three friends seemed unusually quiet," So would anyone like to tell me what is going on?" Frowning as no-one answered him, he shifted his glasses on his nose before he heard Harry mutter,
" Malfoy."
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows," I see, has Mr Malfoy been causing problems?"
Hermione snapped quickly without meaning to," No Professor Dumbledore!" Dumbledore looked a little taken aback before Hermione looked shamefully at her feet," I apologise Professor Dumbledore but this has nothing to do with Draco." Ron's eyes widened as she used Draco's first name,
" You feeling alright Mione?" Moving closer to her, Ron placed his hand on her forehead and looked confused as it felt normal to the touch," Something has to be wrong, I mean you used that toad's first name!"
Dumbledore smiled to himself," So what exactly has Mr Malfoy done?"
" He hasn't done anything Professor, it's just that Harry doesn't believe anyone can change!" Dumbledore looked across at Harry and noted the anger burning in his eyes,
" Harry? Is this true?"
" But Professor Dumbledore, she has this fanciful idea that Malfoy has changed and that he is different but it's just a ploy!"
Hermione let out an exasperated sigh before Dumbledore turned to her," You are dismissed Miss Granger." Hermione looked stunned for a moment before she nodded respectfully and walked out shutting the door behind her. Letting out a long sigh, she couldn't believe Harry was being so close minded about this. She knew Draco had been horrible in the past but the past was the past.
Shrugging it off she began to wander towards the Gryffindor common room but stopped when she heard a whisper, looking around she wondered where it had come from and what had been said. Turning around she walked back towards a small stone wall and was shocked to find Draco sat curled up with his Slytherin robes obscuring him from view. Moving closer she gasped as suddenly his head jerked up, his eyes wide and scared for a moment before he blinked and the ice cold control he exhibited took its place.
" Can I help you?" he remarked sarcastically.
Hermione chose to ignore it as she knelt beside him looking at him closely, noting the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes and the unruly way his hair cascaded down his face and knew something was indeed wrong," I didn't come here to fight Draco."
" Why did you come then? Not like you have any reason to give a damn." Sighing he attempted to smooth his hair back and away from his face but stopped as Hermione's hand fell on his,
" Don't, I like it like this." Draco let his hand drop, confused as to why Hermione cared about how he looked or more to the point, why she would bother talking to him after all he had done to her in the past? Hermione took a seat beside him wrapping her Gryffindor robes around her before she tilted her head at him giving him a smile, this only confused him further as it made him think how he could not have noticed what a beautiful woman she was growing up to be," You may not have given me much reason to give a damn but nonetheless I hate seeing anyone in pain as you so obviously are now are you going to tell me what's wrong?"
Taking a breath he closed his eyes, how could he tell her? Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he opened his eyes and met the concerned gaze of Hermione before he muttered softly," When I was away from Hogwarts I saw some things, things that no-one should ever have to...things of pain, torture and hurt. The kind of things that your imagination concocts when you're thinking about the monsters under your bed or the kind you read about in history books." Hermione squeezed his shoulder gently before he continued," The people I thought I knew weren't the people I thought they were, they were almost like beasts...all they could think about was how the screams of agony gave them pleasure, worst of all they thought I should be a part of it. Not the being tortured part of course but being a part of their small group inflicting such pain, refusing them led to a painful summer." As Draco rolled up his robes around his sleeves, Hermione held back a gasp as with a click of his fingers his perfect flawless skin melted away to show an arm full of purple and red bruises and cuts that were over fifteen centimetres long," My payment for my insolence and lack of grattitude." Draco commented with resentment clear in his voice, clicking his fingers again the cuts and bruises vanished beneath a sheen of perfect skin. Looking up he saw shock and horror in Hermione's eyes, sighing," I knew I shouldn't have told you."
Hermione frowned before she replied," I'm sorry Draco, I never imagined.."
" That someone like me would have feelings? Worries?"
" Basically yes, you've always seem so composed and so unaffected."
Draco laughed sadly, shaking his head," My father would be proud, he always taught me not to show weakness." Hermione moved closer, peering closely at him she lifted her hand towards his face and gasped as the unmarked skin disappeared and her fingers touched a bruise spreading from his temple to his jaw," Who did this Draco?" Draco turned to look at her, his lips now marred with cuts spread into a sad resigned smile,
" I doubt you would believe me even if I did tell you."
He stopped as her hand covered his," Try me."
END OF CHAPTER THREE!
Hermione growled in frustration as Draco seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Jumping as she felt someone tapping her shoulder, spinning around she met the startled eyes of Harry," Mione, you okay?"
" Yeah Harry I'm fine."
Harry smiled," Good, Ron and I missed you at lunch." Hermione smiled slightly, it was good to know despite so many changes in her friends they still cared about her," So what you up to?" Hermione turned sharply as she was sure she heard the rustling of robes and the flicker of Slytherin colours caught her eye.
" Hermione, are you even listening to me?" demanded an angry sounding Harry.
Hermione turned to look at him," What on earth are you talking about?" Harry simply raised an eyebrow at her,
" You don't think I've noticed how you've been watching him? How everytime he enters a room, your eyes soften and when he looks at you, your breath quickens?"
Hermione eyes widened slightly, had she been that obvious? Her mind raced back over Harry's words before her eyes narrowed and she snapped," So what if I do? Perhaps if you weren't so narrow minded you would see he's changed!" Drawing back, she paused before remarking coldly," I'm surprised you even noticed, I mean your Hogwarts latest cassanova. I'm actually quite flattered that you took time off from the hero worship to care about little old me and what I might be thinking or even feeling!"
As Harry stood there looking stunned, Hermione took this opportunity to march off. Taking deep breaths she tried to calm her shaky nerves, she couldn't believe the nerve of Harry. How dare he even try to make assumptions or judgements about her!
" Something wrong Granger?"
Hermione looked up to meet the eyes of Draco, she stood searching them for any sign of malice or contempt but was shocked to find none," Why would you care if there was?" Draco frowned for a moment before he simply shrugged but as he was turning to leave, Hermione asked," Why did you confront Drusilla about the potions competition?"
Draco froze on the spot, how did she know about that? Swallowing he turned to face her before explaining," I don't know, just felt like it I guess." He hoped she wouldn't see through the blatant lie that had just come from his mouth but unfortunately Hermione was far too sharp for that,
" I may not know you that well but I know you well enough to know when you're lying Malfoy..tell me the truth."
Draco crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow," So you think you know me?"
Hermione smirked slightly enjoying the playfulness she saw in Draco's eyes before she watched as he actually smiled, she couldn't believe Draco was actually smiling. Not the smile she was so used to, the one he would use whenever he had done something particularly nasty or had got the upper hand over Harry. This smile was different, it was genuine and it made his face light up and his eyes sparkle.
" You could say I've had my eyes opened Granger, seen people for who they really are." Hermione looked confused for a moment before she took the time to observe Draco, his eyes seemed to be sad and his face showed some sign of pain.
" You okay?" Draco sighed, a strand of his hair fell over his eyes and as Hermione looked into his eyes she was surprised to find so much pain reflected back," Draco?" Draco shook his head before suddenly he turned and began to walk away quickly. Hermione fought with herself for an all of thirty seconds before she ran after him, reaching out she grabbed his arm and pulled him so he had to face her.
" Let go of me Granger."
" Not until you tell me what's going on." Pulling his arm free, he scowled. How could she see through his facade? Preparing himself he looked up but what he saw in those eyes nothing in the world could prepare him for it, scowling as Harry and Ron marched towards them he remarked cooly," Your little friends are heading this way."
Hermione turned quickly watching as Ron was looking confused and Harry looked mad, taking a deep breath she composed herself before she walked towards them," Still associating with Draco I see." Harry remarked sarcastically. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes,
" Honestly Harry I thought you of all people would have the maturity to understand that a person can change."
Ron blinked various times, what in the world was going on and why in God's name were his two best friends fighting one another like sworn enemies? Sighing as he could tell this was going to take awhile, guess he could forget having dessert today. Hermione took a breather from arguing with Harry before she glanced back and frowned as Draco was gone, looking back she froze as Dumbledore was stood behind both Ron and Harry.
" Would anyone care to tell me why you are all fighting?"
Draco leaned back against the cold stone walls of Hogwarts, bloody Granger and her questions. Why couldn't she just leave things alone? Sliding down the wall so he sat on the floor, he pushed his hands through his hair as he tried to block out the memories, the memories that now haunted his dreams and plagued his every waking moment. Clenching his fists, he curled his legs up so he could hide his face in his knees. When was this going to stop? When could he forget?
IN DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE .....
Hermione sat uncomfortably under the gaze of Dumbledore, Ron was muttering under his breath and Harry was trying to avoid Dumbledore's eyes altogether. Dumbledore watched as the three friends seemed unusually quiet," So would anyone like to tell me what is going on?" Frowning as no-one answered him, he shifted his glasses on his nose before he heard Harry mutter,
" Malfoy."
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows," I see, has Mr Malfoy been causing problems?"
Hermione snapped quickly without meaning to," No Professor Dumbledore!" Dumbledore looked a little taken aback before Hermione looked shamefully at her feet," I apologise Professor Dumbledore but this has nothing to do with Draco." Ron's eyes widened as she used Draco's first name,
" You feeling alright Mione?" Moving closer to her, Ron placed his hand on her forehead and looked confused as it felt normal to the touch," Something has to be wrong, I mean you used that toad's first name!"
Dumbledore smiled to himself," So what exactly has Mr Malfoy done?"
" He hasn't done anything Professor, it's just that Harry doesn't believe anyone can change!" Dumbledore looked across at Harry and noted the anger burning in his eyes,
" Harry? Is this true?"
" But Professor Dumbledore, she has this fanciful idea that Malfoy has changed and that he is different but it's just a ploy!"
Hermione let out an exasperated sigh before Dumbledore turned to her," You are dismissed Miss Granger." Hermione looked stunned for a moment before she nodded respectfully and walked out shutting the door behind her. Letting out a long sigh, she couldn't believe Harry was being so close minded about this. She knew Draco had been horrible in the past but the past was the past.
Shrugging it off she began to wander towards the Gryffindor common room but stopped when she heard a whisper, looking around she wondered where it had come from and what had been said. Turning around she walked back towards a small stone wall and was shocked to find Draco sat curled up with his Slytherin robes obscuring him from view. Moving closer she gasped as suddenly his head jerked up, his eyes wide and scared for a moment before he blinked and the ice cold control he exhibited took its place.
" Can I help you?" he remarked sarcastically.
Hermione chose to ignore it as she knelt beside him looking at him closely, noting the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes and the unruly way his hair cascaded down his face and knew something was indeed wrong," I didn't come here to fight Draco."
" Why did you come then? Not like you have any reason to give a damn." Sighing he attempted to smooth his hair back and away from his face but stopped as Hermione's hand fell on his,
" Don't, I like it like this." Draco let his hand drop, confused as to why Hermione cared about how he looked or more to the point, why she would bother talking to him after all he had done to her in the past? Hermione took a seat beside him wrapping her Gryffindor robes around her before she tilted her head at him giving him a smile, this only confused him further as it made him think how he could not have noticed what a beautiful woman she was growing up to be," You may not have given me much reason to give a damn but nonetheless I hate seeing anyone in pain as you so obviously are now are you going to tell me what's wrong?"
Taking a breath he closed his eyes, how could he tell her? Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he opened his eyes and met the concerned gaze of Hermione before he muttered softly," When I was away from Hogwarts I saw some things, things that no-one should ever have to...things of pain, torture and hurt. The kind of things that your imagination concocts when you're thinking about the monsters under your bed or the kind you read about in history books." Hermione squeezed his shoulder gently before he continued," The people I thought I knew weren't the people I thought they were, they were almost like beasts...all they could think about was how the screams of agony gave them pleasure, worst of all they thought I should be a part of it. Not the being tortured part of course but being a part of their small group inflicting such pain, refusing them led to a painful summer." As Draco rolled up his robes around his sleeves, Hermione held back a gasp as with a click of his fingers his perfect flawless skin melted away to show an arm full of purple and red bruises and cuts that were over fifteen centimetres long," My payment for my insolence and lack of grattitude." Draco commented with resentment clear in his voice, clicking his fingers again the cuts and bruises vanished beneath a sheen of perfect skin. Looking up he saw shock and horror in Hermione's eyes, sighing," I knew I shouldn't have told you."
Hermione frowned before she replied," I'm sorry Draco, I never imagined.."
" That someone like me would have feelings? Worries?"
" Basically yes, you've always seem so composed and so unaffected."
Draco laughed sadly, shaking his head," My father would be proud, he always taught me not to show weakness." Hermione moved closer, peering closely at him she lifted her hand towards his face and gasped as the unmarked skin disappeared and her fingers touched a bruise spreading from his temple to his jaw," Who did this Draco?" Draco turned to look at her, his lips now marred with cuts spread into a sad resigned smile,
" I doubt you would believe me even if I did tell you."
He stopped as her hand covered his," Try me."
END OF CHAPTER THREE!
