Days crept by. Hermione spent many of her nights in the company of Draco. After she had mastered the ability to apparate silently, Draco still visited to talk or to keep Hermione company. After Hermione sent Harry's gift off to him at Pivet Drive she started to relax a bit. Term was about to start in a month or so.

That night Draco showed up as usual and they lay on her bed beside each other just talking and talking about everything.

"You know after school next year I think you would really liked to fight against your father wouldn't you?"

This certainly caught Draco's attention. Ever since he had told Hermione about what was happening at his house it had happened a number of times more. He begged his mother to let him tell someone but she said that it was going to be okay. That soon his father would realize what he is doing is wrong and he would never do it again. Draco doubted this. He wanted to keep his mother safe. But what could he do? Its not like he could take her somewhere or anything.

He smiled at Hermione. She was keeping him going. She was helping him even if she didn't know it. She kept him living each day. He felt hope that one day, one day he would be able to save his mother from all this awful time and perhaps she could live in peace and maybe, maybe even learn to forget what happened and be happy with someone else.

"That's all I can hope. To take revenge upon the man who hurt my mother so much. Not just physically either."

Hermione stroked his arm. "I have an idea but I can't do it without Dumbledores help."

Draco's eyes widened. "But the man despises me. He favours Harry and Harry hates me."

"Draco, you really must give Dumbledore more credit than that. Dumbledore knows when you have good intentions or not."

"Yeah, I can see that. My father always talks about how much Voldemort dislikes the man. He always talks about how one day they were going to get rid of him."

Hermione smiled at him, "We know. Harry tells Ron and I things you know."

She had forgotten that he hadn't been with the three of them before. Draco didn't know how much they actually knew about Voldemort and his plans.

"You know what I noticed about you Draco?"

"What?"

"You call him Voldemort. Even your father calls him The Dark Lord."

"That's because I've realized that Harry and Dumbledore are right. Those who call him The Dark Lord or he-who-must-not-be-named are only afraid of him. And I'm not afraid of him. I hate him."

"Well, I'm glad you were able to figure that out."

Hermione wrote the letter to Dumbledore the next day and brought it to the owlery just like she had done with Draco's letter. She knew that pretty soon, she was most likely going to join Harry and stay with the Order and every time she thought about that, it made her heart feel empty once again. Then she realized that she felt that way because Draco would not be able to join her and be with them. She had to convince Dumbledore that it was safe to have Draco with them. She needed him with her.

A few days had passed and she finally got the letter she as looking for. Dumbledore sent a letter back to her telling her that he would be coming in tonight to her place to take a look at Draco for himself.

She also received a few letters from Ron and Harry and a few from Ginny as well. She was happy that Harry really liked his present. She only hoped that he would use it well and that, Harry might even trust Draco enough for her to be able to tell him that Draco got him that gift.

When that night came Draco showed up as usual and he was as he usually was. Lately he seemed to have become stronger. Hermione didn't mean his physical body of course, she meant his soul. She could see that he was starting to become hopeful. She saw it in his eyes, those beautiful silvery blue eyes of his that she just couldn't get enough of.

"Draco" she whispered, "Dumbledore said he's going to be coming today to see you."

Draco set down his wand on her desk and smiled at her. She couldn't help but notice how much more often he smiled lately. He wasn't sneering anymore. He didn't hold that arrogant posture anymore. He was different. He was gentle now.

She leaned on the wall next to her bed with one leg propped up on the bed and was making casual conversation with Draco and extremely anxious for Dumbledore to arrive.

They were in the middle of a joke that Draco had just told when Dumbledore arrived.

Dumbledore smiled at the two of them sitting next to each other by the little light from the desk lamp.

"Well Draco. It is very nice to see you again. I hope you are well."

Draco didn't answer. He didn't know what to say. He wanted to tell Dumbledore what had happened and how sad he was but then he looked at Hermione and realized just how happy he had been the past few weeks with her. Just sitting in her room and talking to her like they were the only ones alive.

Dumbledore waved his wand and a chair appeared. Dumbledore took a seat and let out a breath.

"It is very exhausting for an old man like me to be running around like this. I am getting too old for this, definitely getting too old for this.

"Well Hello Hermione. You look well rested."

She gave Dumbledore a big smile.

"Now, on to other business." He said looking now at Draco.

"Why do you want to go against your father?"

Draco looked at Dumbledore and he could feel tears trying to spill out but he was fighting it. He didn't cry when he was telling Hermione and he wasn't going to cry now.

He glanced at Hermione and she smiled and nodded encouragingly at him.

"He has changed now. He is not the man I once knew."

When Draco had finished explaining to Dumbledore he looked relived. Dumbledore didn't speak. He just sat back on his chair and stroked his chin.

"But Mr. Malfoy, you certainly are not doing this out of spite for your father are you? He gave birth to you. Although he has changed now, he still loved you those years you told me about."

"I know, I'm not doing this because I hate my father. I'm doing this because I love my mother."