Disclaimer: Here we go again. Why do you people do this to me? I do not own anything. J.K. Rowling owns it all.

Note: Okay this was fueled by a pop that made me extremely hyper. Just ask Fire N Ice. For those of you who don't know she is my beta reader. I couldn't have done it without you. *tear* Okay Draco finally comes around and then like every other story something horrible happens. *gasp*

Hermione looked into his eyes. It seemed as if he was watching a movie in his head. He looked up at her.

"Why? Why do you want to help me? "His eyes were full of fire as if she had insulted him. Hermione sat down on the floor. This isn't going to be easy She thought. He had so many things locked up inside him. She then had an idea.

"Draco, it is early and we need to go eat. "Draco looked at her.

"Granger, Do you have a spilt personality or something?" What was her problem?

"Well I see it like this. You can tell me now and get all emotional..." Hermione saw the death stare he gave her. "err..., If we eat now then you don't have to worry about anyone wondering why we didn't eat." Hermione couldn't even make sense of what she was saying either. Draco nodded. He didn't want anyone getting word to his dad that he was befriending a muggle- born.

After they had eaten, they came quietly back to the room, making sure that they didn't fall down the stairs again. Hermione looked at Draco waiting for him to talk, hoping that she had not waited too long and then him not wanting to talk about it. She watched as he began to unpack all the boxes. Hedwig and Spade ,Draco's owl, watched him also. Hermione wanted to write to Harry and Ron badly but thought it could wait till after she found out what was wrong with Draco.

"Well are you going to help me put up this tree? You remember what Dumbledore said, we have to put up the tree before he comes by tonight." Draco said, his voice icy.

Hermione sighed, she had been so close. The tree was put up quickly and they never spoke until they came to the ornaments. Draco was looking through the box and his eyes fixed on one. Hermione was busy putting up on that looked like her mum. She heard a sound close to growl come from Draco's mouth.

"Stupid bloody git! How dare Dumbledore give me this?!" Draco said squeezing an ornament that looked like his father. He throw it to the floor and to Hermione's horror he began yelling at it. "You think you can come into my life and ruin it! You think you can hurt my mother and get away with it. You think you can serve you-know-who and let me take the shame of it! YOU THINK YOU CAN PICK MY FRIENDS! WELL I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU! I AM GOING TO BECOME FRIENDS WITH POTTER AND WEASEL AND GRANGER! AND I HOPE YOU DIE IN AZKABAN!" Draco breathing had become unsteady. Hermione saw him shaking. Grabbing him by the arm, she pulled him into a tight hug. He never cried although Hermione thought he would. All he did was hold on to her. She looked at the 16-year-old. He acted so beyond his years. She thought he would break down like a child and cry but he was strong and only shook for a few seconds, the rest of the time he just gritted his teeth.

"Draco, you are so strong." Hermione said calmly putting her fingers through his hair. His eyes held neither fear nor panic but hope for tomorrow.

"Strong! I am not strong. Strong is standing up for yourself. Strong isn't taking out your frustration on a bloody ornament." She looked deeply into his eyes. He was no longer the young boy that called her names and insulted her. He was a young man and was finally breaking the chains of his father's restrictions.

"You are strong Draco. I would have cried and broke down. I saw you as a child before but now..." She felt older herself. "I see that you are someone that I would befriend till my dying day." Draco's eyes widened. She was his friend.

"Hermione, I don't know what to do now." Draco said looking into the air for some answer. Hermione smiled.

"Well for one thing we had better get the Christmas tree up before Dumbledore comes." Draco smiled and Hermione couldn't believe how handsome he looked.

Dumbledore came in two hours later to see a perfectly clean room with Christmas decorations all around. He saw the two enemies sitting on the floor looking through a Christmas catalog. He smiled, it had worked.

"Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy how good it is to see you in one piece." He said smiling at them. His eyes twinkled over the half moon glasses. "Well I hope you don't mind but I am going to keep you in here a little longer to make sure you are not acting." Dumbledore said. He wanted to make sure that Draco was really going to turn to the side of good. They both nodded and he turned around and left laughing to his self.

Draco looked at Hermione and they both started laughing. After a few minutes it was time for them to go to bed. Hermione went right to sleep but Draco's mind was too busy going for him to fall asleep. He was now friends with Hermione Granger, a mudblood and best friend to Potter. He could live with that but what was happening to him? He was feeling free and he didn't hear the voice of his father yelling at him again. He felt he was strong but deep down he knew that now things were going to change. And with that final thought he closed his eyes and dreamed.

*~*~* Draco's dream *~*~* Lucius looked out into the hallway. His master had left his wand on the window with bars all around. The Dememtors didn't affect Lucius because he had no happy memories inside him. He muttered a spell quietly and quickly slipped out of the cell. ~*~*~

Draco shot up. He was covered in sweat. His eyes were wide. He couldn't have got out of his cell. Draco shook his head.

"We have presents!" Hermione said running and jumping on his bed. He flew up in the air and fell back down. He jumped up and walked into the huge room. It was different. There was a long brown couch but the Christmas tree was still up by the fireplace. Under it to Draco's surprise was a few presents. Hermione had books from Ron and Harry and Draco had a new green cloak from his mother. Hermione also got a new quill from her mum and dad. Draco saw that there was three more presents under the tree. He gave one to Hermione and she gasped. It was a silver necklace with a heart made of red diamonds. She looked at Draco and then at the note. He had given it to her. She hugged him. Then handed him his two presents. He opened up one with green wrapping paper and found a small green snake in it. He looked at Hermione, she had gave it to her.

"Well I will get you something better but I didn't have much time. I thought you might want to have a pet. He can turn into different things and he is completely harmless. His name is Ace." Hermione said looking at him and blushing.

"Well I think it is cool." Draco said then he reached for his other present and opened it. It was the broken ornament of his father. Draco's eyes narrowed. "Why is Dumbledore doing this to me?" Draco said throwing it down. Hermione was confused.

"I will be back okay. I will meet you in the Great Hall." Hermione said heading out the door. She met Dumbledore.

"Um..Headmaster. Why do keep sending the ornament of Draco's father to him?" Hermione said shyly. Dumbledore looked at her confused.

"I didn't send him anything that resembles his father. Why would I?" Dumbledore then looked up to the door and ran to the door that opened into their room. Hermione followed and gasped. Draco was nowhere in sight and on the floor covered in blood was an article in the Daily Prophet. Hermione's eyes went to the bold headlines. Lucius Malfoy, Death Eater, Escaped from Azkaban. Hermione fell to her knees. Her and Draco had just become friends and now.......he was gone.

*gasp* Now who wants to review. Thank you for reviewing. I love you people. Hope you enjoy it! Also to everyone that reviewed thanks so much!!! Keep it up.