(A/N)- I hope you guys like this chapter!
(Disclaimer)- I still don't own anything.
Chapter Four- Revelations
Because the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables were on opposite sides of Great Hall, it was easier to ignore Draco than Hermione had initially suspected. She actually had a good time visiting with friends she hadn't seen all summer, eating a huge meal, and forgetting about her problems. Harry and Ron knew something was wrong, but after a while Hermione really began to relax and they decided to drop it. First year students were sorted, and Dumbledore made his beginning of the year speech. He also announced the year's Head Boy and Head Girl, and the Prefects, but other than that unpleasant reminder Hermione forgot all about Draco. After chatting for a while when the meal was over, Hermione said her goodbyes and left Great Hall.
She trudged up the stairs to her room, tired after the long meal. She glanced at her watch: 10:43 p.m. Hermione yawned. "And I have classes tomorrow!" She thought. When she reached the portrait of the unicorn, she sleepily murmured "Earthly dragon" and climbed in.
Much to Hermione's surprise, Draco was sitting on the couch, pensively staring into the fire when she entered. Unbeknownst to her, Draco had left Great Hall right after being announced as Head Boy. He wasn't in the mood for a feast after the incident with Hermione. Draco turned to look at her.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Hermione said coldly. "I figured you would be partying all night with your Slytherin friends." Hermione strided towards her staircase.
"Hermione." Draco stood, and placed his hand on her arm as she passed him. Hermione instantly pulled away, shocked. She stared at him with confusion written all over her face.
"Did you just call me Hermione?" She asked incredulously.
Draco quickly put his hand at his side, and looked down at the ground. He seemed nervous. "I'msorryIcalledyouaMudblood," he muttered.
"What?" Hermione demanded, still wondering what the hell was going on.
Draco sighed, looked up at the ceiling, and then looked at Hermione. "I said, I'm sorry I called you a Mudblood."
Hermione stared at him. "You've never apologized to me before. Why are you apologizing now, after all these years?"
Draco looked away again. "You wanna know the truth?" He asked hostilely. His eyes turned hard. "My father would love it if I cut you down and called you a Mudblood whenever I could. But I'm not going to be like him, dammit! I'm tired of trying to please him. So I'm sorry." Draco softened. "I know it's a little late, but yes, I would like to try and be civil to each other this year. If the offer is still up."
Hermione's initial shock was giving way to pity, much to her astonishment. He just looked so sad and alone. "Why am I starting to feel sorry for him?" She thought. But Hermione knew. Draco had never known love, while Hermione had been surrounded by it all her life.
Hermione swallowed hard. "Yes, the offer is still up."
Draco gave her a half-smile and turned to go to his room.
Hermione didn't want to waste this moment. She was too interested in him now to let him go just like that. She had never seen Draco show so much emotion when talking about his father. Hermione was intrigued.
"Draco, wait--"
Draco wearily turned to her.
Hermione hesitated, thinking. "If I don't ask now, he'll never tell me. Dammit Hermione, just do it!"
She licked her lips. "Why do you hate your father, Draco?"
Draco's eyes hardened, but he thought he heard caring in Hermione's voice. Her voice sounded so much like his mother's. Eighteen years of teaching had told him to never reveal his true feelings, but that night the burden had become too much for him. Draco's shoulders slumped, and he put his head in his hands. After a few moments, he raised his head to Hermione, and began to speak.
~*~*~*~*~*~
They talked for hours, about anything and everything. Neither of them could believe it, but they could really talk to each other. During that time, Hermione and Draco began to understand one another. It wasn't fast, and it wasn't easy, but it happened. They realized they actually had some things in common. Both were only children, although they grew up in very different circumstances. They even laughed together at Draco's hilarious impersonation of Snape, who he hated as well. After a few hours, the conversation turned to dating.
"Draco, how could you date Pansy? She's just so.overbearing," Hermione said.
Draco laughed. "Believe me, we're not dating. She just claims we are to anyone who'll listen. But what about you? I mean, Seamus Finnegan?"
Hermione playfully hit him. "Seamus is very nice! It just didn't work out to date him." Hermione paused. "It didn't work out to date anybody, actually," she added. Hermione looked down, desperately trying to push the lonely feeling away.
"Yeah, me neither," Draco agreed.
"The Prince of Slytherin has girls falling at his feet, and he can't pick one of them?" Hermione teased.
Draco smiled. "They're all so much like Pansy, so dumb and fake." He looked at Hermione shyly. "It's nice to finally meet a girl who isn't," he added softly.
Hermione looked up into his eyes, her heart pounding. Draco leaned closer to her. Hermione couldn't breathe. Without stopping him, without wanting to, Hermione let him gently kiss her lips. Draco slowly pulled away, terror in his eyes. Staring at Hermione, he desperately whispered, "Please don't hate me," and ran to his room.
(Disclaimer)- I still don't own anything.
Chapter Four- Revelations
Because the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables were on opposite sides of Great Hall, it was easier to ignore Draco than Hermione had initially suspected. She actually had a good time visiting with friends she hadn't seen all summer, eating a huge meal, and forgetting about her problems. Harry and Ron knew something was wrong, but after a while Hermione really began to relax and they decided to drop it. First year students were sorted, and Dumbledore made his beginning of the year speech. He also announced the year's Head Boy and Head Girl, and the Prefects, but other than that unpleasant reminder Hermione forgot all about Draco. After chatting for a while when the meal was over, Hermione said her goodbyes and left Great Hall.
She trudged up the stairs to her room, tired after the long meal. She glanced at her watch: 10:43 p.m. Hermione yawned. "And I have classes tomorrow!" She thought. When she reached the portrait of the unicorn, she sleepily murmured "Earthly dragon" and climbed in.
Much to Hermione's surprise, Draco was sitting on the couch, pensively staring into the fire when she entered. Unbeknownst to her, Draco had left Great Hall right after being announced as Head Boy. He wasn't in the mood for a feast after the incident with Hermione. Draco turned to look at her.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Hermione said coldly. "I figured you would be partying all night with your Slytherin friends." Hermione strided towards her staircase.
"Hermione." Draco stood, and placed his hand on her arm as she passed him. Hermione instantly pulled away, shocked. She stared at him with confusion written all over her face.
"Did you just call me Hermione?" She asked incredulously.
Draco quickly put his hand at his side, and looked down at the ground. He seemed nervous. "I'msorryIcalledyouaMudblood," he muttered.
"What?" Hermione demanded, still wondering what the hell was going on.
Draco sighed, looked up at the ceiling, and then looked at Hermione. "I said, I'm sorry I called you a Mudblood."
Hermione stared at him. "You've never apologized to me before. Why are you apologizing now, after all these years?"
Draco looked away again. "You wanna know the truth?" He asked hostilely. His eyes turned hard. "My father would love it if I cut you down and called you a Mudblood whenever I could. But I'm not going to be like him, dammit! I'm tired of trying to please him. So I'm sorry." Draco softened. "I know it's a little late, but yes, I would like to try and be civil to each other this year. If the offer is still up."
Hermione's initial shock was giving way to pity, much to her astonishment. He just looked so sad and alone. "Why am I starting to feel sorry for him?" She thought. But Hermione knew. Draco had never known love, while Hermione had been surrounded by it all her life.
Hermione swallowed hard. "Yes, the offer is still up."
Draco gave her a half-smile and turned to go to his room.
Hermione didn't want to waste this moment. She was too interested in him now to let him go just like that. She had never seen Draco show so much emotion when talking about his father. Hermione was intrigued.
"Draco, wait--"
Draco wearily turned to her.
Hermione hesitated, thinking. "If I don't ask now, he'll never tell me. Dammit Hermione, just do it!"
She licked her lips. "Why do you hate your father, Draco?"
Draco's eyes hardened, but he thought he heard caring in Hermione's voice. Her voice sounded so much like his mother's. Eighteen years of teaching had told him to never reveal his true feelings, but that night the burden had become too much for him. Draco's shoulders slumped, and he put his head in his hands. After a few moments, he raised his head to Hermione, and began to speak.
~*~*~*~*~*~
They talked for hours, about anything and everything. Neither of them could believe it, but they could really talk to each other. During that time, Hermione and Draco began to understand one another. It wasn't fast, and it wasn't easy, but it happened. They realized they actually had some things in common. Both were only children, although they grew up in very different circumstances. They even laughed together at Draco's hilarious impersonation of Snape, who he hated as well. After a few hours, the conversation turned to dating.
"Draco, how could you date Pansy? She's just so.overbearing," Hermione said.
Draco laughed. "Believe me, we're not dating. She just claims we are to anyone who'll listen. But what about you? I mean, Seamus Finnegan?"
Hermione playfully hit him. "Seamus is very nice! It just didn't work out to date him." Hermione paused. "It didn't work out to date anybody, actually," she added. Hermione looked down, desperately trying to push the lonely feeling away.
"Yeah, me neither," Draco agreed.
"The Prince of Slytherin has girls falling at his feet, and he can't pick one of them?" Hermione teased.
Draco smiled. "They're all so much like Pansy, so dumb and fake." He looked at Hermione shyly. "It's nice to finally meet a girl who isn't," he added softly.
Hermione looked up into his eyes, her heart pounding. Draco leaned closer to her. Hermione couldn't breathe. Without stopping him, without wanting to, Hermione let him gently kiss her lips. Draco slowly pulled away, terror in his eyes. Staring at Hermione, he desperately whispered, "Please don't hate me," and ran to his room.