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Chapter 5 - Broken Silence

It was a beautiful Saturday morning. The sun streamed through the open kitchen window. Hermione sat at the oak table waiting for her breakfast. She had placed her order with the table already. While she ate, a slipshod Draco dragged in. He looked like a train wreck. The second he saw Hermione, he seemed to wake up. He did an about face and practically ran out the door. Hermione could hardly get the words "Good morning Draco" out before he bolted!

Draco still could not face Hermione. That terrible night was still fresh in his mind. He knew Hermione had forgiven him, but he still could not forgive himself. He went into the bathroom and turned on the water for a shower. He took off his pajamas and stepped into the steamy shower. When he was finally feeling himself, he got out and dressed for Quiddich practice. He was proud of his muscular body, which he owed to Quiddich. He grabbed his Nimbus 2001 and headed down to the field.

Hermione could not get over how strange Draco acted around her. He hoped he knew she forgave him. She looked at the clock, luckily, because she would have been late to meet Harry and Ron for lunch. After that they were going to go to Hagrid's for tea. She met up with them in the Great Hall. They had a nice lunch. Hermione completely enjoyed talking to them. She missed having them to talk to all the time.

Later that afternoon Hermione said "Bye" to Harry, Ron and Hagrid. She had a Head Boy and Girl meeting with Dumbledore and McGonagall. She saw Draco turn the corner ahead of her. She hurried to catch up with him, and when she did, she put her hand on his shoulder to hold him back.

Draco felt a hand on his shoulder. When he turned around he gasped with surprise seeing Hermione there. "Draco," she said, "we need to talk before we go in there. Why have you been avoiding me?" He could not answer her. He averted his eyes so he was looking past her. She must have noticed, because she continued, "If it is about that night, you know I forgive you, It is awkward for me too. Let's just try to act like nothing is wrong or that nothing has happened while we are in there. "She pointed in the direction of Dumbledore's office. "OK," he said. It was the first word he uttered in her presence since their talk. Hermione nodded and gave him a smile of encouragement. "We can do this," she said. They started down the hall in the direction of the office.