Disclaimer: All characters and places in the Harry Potter series are owned
by J.K. Rowling. I have created a few characters and places of my own in
relation to this story. But everything else is owned by Rowling.
Chapter 9: "Forget and Forgive"
"Draco! What are you doing here?"
"Nothing, I just. I. I was looking for Crabbe and Goyle and I. actually I came to give you this," Draco said, drawing Hermione's wand from his pocket. "That other guy, the one who vanished, found it by the hallway and he told me to give it back to you. So, here."
Hermione took her wand and carefully placed it inside her robes. "Thank you."
"Um, no problem. So, so what are you doing here anyway?" Draco asked.
"I. I. I excused myself from class. because I. I."
"If we'll keep on stuttering like this, then we might as well drop the whole act of trying to work up a decent conversation. After the things that have been said, it just might not work."
Draco had started to leave when Hermione grabbed her arm. "Please don't go. I. I would like to talk to you."
"Then I guess we had the same thing in mind."
***
"Are you sure no one would see us here?" Hermione asked.
"Positive. I put an invisibility and silencing charm around the room. It's good as empty," Draco answered.
"Since when did you get good at that kind of stuff?"
"Since we had to learn them before we fought the death eaters, have you forgotten?"
"Oh yah."
"Well, I guess you knew all these things earlier."
"Yah, I guess."
There was an awkward silence. Neither of them talked. But Hermione couldn't help but feel guilty.
"Look, I know I've been mean, and I know that I hurt your feelings. Maybe even hurt your ego more than any girl might have tried. But I want you to know that I now have an open mind about our friendship," she finally blurted out.
"Geesh. That was fast. First of all, you did hurt me. My feelings and my ego. Secondly, it's okay because I somehow deserve it. Thirdly, if Harry and Ron are just forcing you to do this, then you might as well stop it right now," Draco said.
"No one's forcing me to do this. I've just realized that I don't want to live my life bearing too much guilt on my conscience. I don't want to be walking down that creepy hallway thinking that someone out there is just waiting for me to accept his friendship while I keep my head high and feel awkwardly selfish."
"Is this really how you feel? I mean, after what you said the other day, it sounded like it was final that you'll never learn to forgive and trust me."
"I guess the only way that I can get over the horror you've caused my life is by trying to forget they ever happened. Then I'd be able to forgive you. Because it'd be wrong to say I've forgiven you but haven't forgotten what you have done to me. I learned that the only way to completely forgive a person is by learning to forget their mistakes."
"So you consider them mistakes?"
"Don't you?"
"I do."
"Um, Draco, what was it that you said to me that day, by the lake, before I left? I didn't quite get it."
Draco heaved a sigh. "Is that what made you change your mind?"
"Everything you said changed my mind."
"It's hard for me to say it again. It's hard for me to say everything again."
"Then I won't ask."
Draco could see the evident expression on Hermione's face. "But I want you to know that I meant everything I said. Every word."
"Then would you accept me if I say the words 'would you be my friend' from my heart?"
Draco beamed widely. "I'd be glad to."
***
"Hermione! Wait up!"
Harry and Ron were running towards Hermione who has just turned towards the Great Hall for lunch.
"Hey, guys!" Hermione said, coming to a halt.
"Don't hey, guys us. After what you did in Charms? That was awesome, Hermione!" Ron exclaimed.
"Yah, totally amazing!" Harry added, kissing Hermione on the cheek.
"Thanks," Hermione replied. "So, what happened in class?" she asked as the three of them entered the Great Hall. As always, everyone's heads turned to watch the couple.
"Professor Flitwick kept on ranting about how that was the most amazing wand work he has seen all his life, except perhaps, he said, Dumbledore's," Ron answered.
"Really?"
"Yah, he actually asked us to duplicate what you have done. But not even Padma Patil could do it," Harry said as they sat on the Gryffindor table.
"The closest she got was a simple slash on her plank," Ron added. "How did you do it anyway? Plus, using Harry's wand and not yours, that was amazing! Some say it's because you're in love. But Flitwick told us you could do it even if you were blindfolded."
"He did? That was nice of him to say," Hermione said.
"Well it's the truth, isn't it?" Harry said, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"All I can say is that I finally have my wand back."
"Really? Where did you get it?" Harry asked.
"Draco gave it to me."
Ron almost choked on his food. "Draco? Not Malfoy? Are you guys okay now?"
"I guess you can call it that," Hermione said, smiling.
"That's great, 'Mione!" Harry said, laying his hand on top of hers. "I knew you had it in your heart to forgive."
"Thank you."
***
"You knew it would work, and you were right!" Draco cried happily. He was jumping up and down the common room. As usual, he and Dylan were the only people there.
"I told you, I knew what I was doing. And now you're friends. That's step three," Dylan answered, rather proud of his achievement.
"So where's the scorch mark?"
"You'll find it below the knob, on the door."
"Why do you keep on marking the places where Hermione and I get to talk?"
"I just like to keep track on things. Besides, they're important places. You might wanna go back there someday."
"If we end up together."
"When you end up together."
Draco stared at Dylan. There was a lot about him that he still doesn't understand. And the more he works with him, the more mysterious he gets. "You always brag about how much you know about me. But how well do you know Hermione?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you're so confident that you can help me get her, then you must know a lot of things about her, even more than what I know."
"Let's just say I know her well enough to turn her around."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I can manipulate her, without even trying, by using you."
"Me? Are you actually telling me I had a lot to do with this, and not just you? Are you okay? I think you're sick, because you're a little less conceited than usual."
"My plan wouldn't have worked in the first place if you hadn't really loved Hermione Granger. I only needed to tell you when to speak. You had the right words all along."
"Wait, your plan? Is there something you're not telling me?"
"I told you this before. We both want something out of this. As long as all your care about is getting your girl, then there's nothing else you need to know."
"Just promise me one thing."
"What's that?"
"No one must get hurt in the process, even Harry. Especially Hermione. And when this is over, you should leave."
"When all of this is over, you'll be sure to never see me again. By that time, I'd be willing to leave you. But I can never promise that Harry Potter won't get hurt. Because when he puts up a fight, you'll be there fighting back. And I'll be just behind you, backing you up."
"This isn't a war, Dylan. Harry is not my enemy. I wouldn't be able to bear hurting him. He means a lot to Hermione."
"Are you backing out, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Maybe that's exactly what I'm trying to do. But what if I am? What if I'm satisfied with only a friendship from Hermione? What if I love her so much that I can sacrifice my own happiness just to see her happy, even if it's not with me?"
"That's so touching, Mr. Malfoy. But why are you asking me this? Aren't you supposed to know the answers to these questions?" Dylan asked, his expression full of arrogance.
Draco couldn't bare looking at that face again. Somehow, it made him feel inferior and helpless. He let his eyes wander around the room, searching for answers to his own questions. Then it hit him. "I don't have all the answers."
With his usual smirk, Dylan threw him a small bottle and Draco caught it just in time. Unfolding his palm, he read the words printed across the bottle in red, bold letters. "Veritaserum."
"Then you better find out for yourself, Mr. Malfoy."
Chapter 9: "Forget and Forgive"
"Draco! What are you doing here?"
"Nothing, I just. I. I was looking for Crabbe and Goyle and I. actually I came to give you this," Draco said, drawing Hermione's wand from his pocket. "That other guy, the one who vanished, found it by the hallway and he told me to give it back to you. So, here."
Hermione took her wand and carefully placed it inside her robes. "Thank you."
"Um, no problem. So, so what are you doing here anyway?" Draco asked.
"I. I. I excused myself from class. because I. I."
"If we'll keep on stuttering like this, then we might as well drop the whole act of trying to work up a decent conversation. After the things that have been said, it just might not work."
Draco had started to leave when Hermione grabbed her arm. "Please don't go. I. I would like to talk to you."
"Then I guess we had the same thing in mind."
***
"Are you sure no one would see us here?" Hermione asked.
"Positive. I put an invisibility and silencing charm around the room. It's good as empty," Draco answered.
"Since when did you get good at that kind of stuff?"
"Since we had to learn them before we fought the death eaters, have you forgotten?"
"Oh yah."
"Well, I guess you knew all these things earlier."
"Yah, I guess."
There was an awkward silence. Neither of them talked. But Hermione couldn't help but feel guilty.
"Look, I know I've been mean, and I know that I hurt your feelings. Maybe even hurt your ego more than any girl might have tried. But I want you to know that I now have an open mind about our friendship," she finally blurted out.
"Geesh. That was fast. First of all, you did hurt me. My feelings and my ego. Secondly, it's okay because I somehow deserve it. Thirdly, if Harry and Ron are just forcing you to do this, then you might as well stop it right now," Draco said.
"No one's forcing me to do this. I've just realized that I don't want to live my life bearing too much guilt on my conscience. I don't want to be walking down that creepy hallway thinking that someone out there is just waiting for me to accept his friendship while I keep my head high and feel awkwardly selfish."
"Is this really how you feel? I mean, after what you said the other day, it sounded like it was final that you'll never learn to forgive and trust me."
"I guess the only way that I can get over the horror you've caused my life is by trying to forget they ever happened. Then I'd be able to forgive you. Because it'd be wrong to say I've forgiven you but haven't forgotten what you have done to me. I learned that the only way to completely forgive a person is by learning to forget their mistakes."
"So you consider them mistakes?"
"Don't you?"
"I do."
"Um, Draco, what was it that you said to me that day, by the lake, before I left? I didn't quite get it."
Draco heaved a sigh. "Is that what made you change your mind?"
"Everything you said changed my mind."
"It's hard for me to say it again. It's hard for me to say everything again."
"Then I won't ask."
Draco could see the evident expression on Hermione's face. "But I want you to know that I meant everything I said. Every word."
"Then would you accept me if I say the words 'would you be my friend' from my heart?"
Draco beamed widely. "I'd be glad to."
***
"Hermione! Wait up!"
Harry and Ron were running towards Hermione who has just turned towards the Great Hall for lunch.
"Hey, guys!" Hermione said, coming to a halt.
"Don't hey, guys us. After what you did in Charms? That was awesome, Hermione!" Ron exclaimed.
"Yah, totally amazing!" Harry added, kissing Hermione on the cheek.
"Thanks," Hermione replied. "So, what happened in class?" she asked as the three of them entered the Great Hall. As always, everyone's heads turned to watch the couple.
"Professor Flitwick kept on ranting about how that was the most amazing wand work he has seen all his life, except perhaps, he said, Dumbledore's," Ron answered.
"Really?"
"Yah, he actually asked us to duplicate what you have done. But not even Padma Patil could do it," Harry said as they sat on the Gryffindor table.
"The closest she got was a simple slash on her plank," Ron added. "How did you do it anyway? Plus, using Harry's wand and not yours, that was amazing! Some say it's because you're in love. But Flitwick told us you could do it even if you were blindfolded."
"He did? That was nice of him to say," Hermione said.
"Well it's the truth, isn't it?" Harry said, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"All I can say is that I finally have my wand back."
"Really? Where did you get it?" Harry asked.
"Draco gave it to me."
Ron almost choked on his food. "Draco? Not Malfoy? Are you guys okay now?"
"I guess you can call it that," Hermione said, smiling.
"That's great, 'Mione!" Harry said, laying his hand on top of hers. "I knew you had it in your heart to forgive."
"Thank you."
***
"You knew it would work, and you were right!" Draco cried happily. He was jumping up and down the common room. As usual, he and Dylan were the only people there.
"I told you, I knew what I was doing. And now you're friends. That's step three," Dylan answered, rather proud of his achievement.
"So where's the scorch mark?"
"You'll find it below the knob, on the door."
"Why do you keep on marking the places where Hermione and I get to talk?"
"I just like to keep track on things. Besides, they're important places. You might wanna go back there someday."
"If we end up together."
"When you end up together."
Draco stared at Dylan. There was a lot about him that he still doesn't understand. And the more he works with him, the more mysterious he gets. "You always brag about how much you know about me. But how well do you know Hermione?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you're so confident that you can help me get her, then you must know a lot of things about her, even more than what I know."
"Let's just say I know her well enough to turn her around."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I can manipulate her, without even trying, by using you."
"Me? Are you actually telling me I had a lot to do with this, and not just you? Are you okay? I think you're sick, because you're a little less conceited than usual."
"My plan wouldn't have worked in the first place if you hadn't really loved Hermione Granger. I only needed to tell you when to speak. You had the right words all along."
"Wait, your plan? Is there something you're not telling me?"
"I told you this before. We both want something out of this. As long as all your care about is getting your girl, then there's nothing else you need to know."
"Just promise me one thing."
"What's that?"
"No one must get hurt in the process, even Harry. Especially Hermione. And when this is over, you should leave."
"When all of this is over, you'll be sure to never see me again. By that time, I'd be willing to leave you. But I can never promise that Harry Potter won't get hurt. Because when he puts up a fight, you'll be there fighting back. And I'll be just behind you, backing you up."
"This isn't a war, Dylan. Harry is not my enemy. I wouldn't be able to bear hurting him. He means a lot to Hermione."
"Are you backing out, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Maybe that's exactly what I'm trying to do. But what if I am? What if I'm satisfied with only a friendship from Hermione? What if I love her so much that I can sacrifice my own happiness just to see her happy, even if it's not with me?"
"That's so touching, Mr. Malfoy. But why are you asking me this? Aren't you supposed to know the answers to these questions?" Dylan asked, his expression full of arrogance.
Draco couldn't bare looking at that face again. Somehow, it made him feel inferior and helpless. He let his eyes wander around the room, searching for answers to his own questions. Then it hit him. "I don't have all the answers."
With his usual smirk, Dylan threw him a small bottle and Draco caught it just in time. Unfolding his palm, he read the words printed across the bottle in red, bold letters. "Veritaserum."
"Then you better find out for yourself, Mr. Malfoy."