Chapter 3MH

Stumbling to his room, Draco lays on the bed, gasping for air. That was definitely more painful then almost any spell he'd encountered so far, dark or not. Lying and looking at the ceiling, he notices the door on the right side of the room. Cringing, but sitting up, he walks over to it, observing it. Opening it, without a warning, he's suddenly in another room. Beige carpet, gray walls, and posters of bands and authors, complete the look. While still looking around, he hears a small noise. Looking over to the bed, he sees Hermione lying on her stomach, writing something.
Without a word, Hermione turns around, looking at Draco, "Found the door I see?"
He nods, taking a seat on a black chair. "Nice room... But why the door?"
She shrugs, "If I got mad at my parents, I'd lock myself in my room. I wanted more then one room to be in."
He nods. He understood perfectly. Him and his father had been fighting a lot more lately. Relaxing, looking at the ceiling, he is shocked to see it looks like Hogwarts. Showing the night sky, moon, stars, even the tops of trees that hung over her house.
Seeing his glance, she grins, "Dumbledore taught me it."
He nods, still staring at it, thinking. Saying in a dreamy voice, mainly because he was still awed by the sky, "Can you believe it Granger? We're having a decent conversation." He sighs... "I miss the good ol' days..."
She perks an eyebrow, leaning on her elbow, watching him, "The good ol' days? Makes you sound old Malfoy."
He scowls at her, thoughts swirling randomly, "Yeah, the days I could just flirt with whomever I wanted... Pick on you and Harry and-" He stops, wondering if he should even mention his name. She finishes it lowly for him, "and Ron." Looking up at the sky, she starts whispering, almost forgetting that this was Malfoy she was talking to. "I miss him... Especially at night, lying here, thinking of where he could be..." Her voice trails off lazily as she looks back down blushing, "Let me guess, 'Like I care?' attitude?"
Draco shrugs, "I miss the little git too, you know..." Smirks, "It was fun watching him stand up for you."
Hermione rolls her eyes, throwing a crumbled piece of paper at him. "Malfoy... Have you ever wanted to be a muggle?"
Draco looks at her in disbelief. "Why? I like the power in this world. Wizarding is my life. Well, my families..."
She looks at him curiously, "Don't like the family traditions?"
He looks away from her, not wanting her to see the uncertainly in his eyes, "My dad said its time for me to become a deatheater. As you know."
Great, she thinks. I get to live with a soon-to-be-deatheater.
He speaks quickly, "I told him no..." He smiles faintly, "He didn't take it well."
"I'd imagine so..." She looks at him, almost feeling sorry for him, "How'd he react?"
Draco turns red, shoving his sleeves down further.
She quirks a brow at him, "Don't make me strip you of your clothes as well as your pride."
He looks at her, his eyes laughing at her. "Granger, you ain't got the guts."
"Really Malfoy?" He was right though. She knew the spell, but did she really want to see him naked? Grinning inwardly, she admits she wouldn't mind.
Grabbing her wand, she points it at him. Mumbling to herself, joyous at the brief look of surprise on his face before all his clothing, except boxers of course, she wasn't that curious, flew off him, and landed in a neat pile next to her. "Well, Draco, I'd say we're on a first name basis now?" She laughed quietly at him.
He turns red, grabbing the e nearest blanket and wrapping it around himself. "Wanting to see me naked that bad?"
She grins, winking at him, moving so her head is at the end of her bed, looking at him. "You've changed Draco... Most times you would've threw some kind of spell at me by now. Or called me names."
He shrugs, "Things have changed... the more I see, the more I like you."
She recalls the colors she saw on him when his clothes had left him, "He hit you, didn't he?" Her voice is soft, coaxing, trying to convince an answer out of him.
Draco looks away from her piercing eyes, before nodding shortly, "Yeah..."
She looks down, "I'm sorry."
He shrugs, "Nothing you can do about it Hermione."
She yawns, smiling at him, deciding its time for a change of subject. "Glad we're on first name basis now."
He grins at her, standing up. "I think I'm gonna turn in now... I need to think."
She looks at him solemnly. "I'm always here for you Draco... Even if you don't think I am." Blushing, and turning so her head is at the end of the end of her bed, she slides under the blankets, "Good luck with your thoughts... Loneliness can eat one alive." She rolls over, throwing his clothes back at him. "Night..."
Night, he thinks, but doesn't say... Walking through the door, he lies on the bed, memories flashing through his head.

"No Father! I refuse to be one..."
"Too bad, you have no choice in the matter. You'll never have any choice in the matter until you have kids of your own, so don't bother."
"I hate you! And all of our stupid family. I don't want to be one, and I won't be!"
He had grabbed his arm, wrenching it behind his back. Pain shot up Draco's arm as he yelped. He wouldn't of minded being a deatheater. He just refused to bow to someone of a higher power for the rest of his life. Be a withering little slave to a snake for the rest of time... That wasn't him. He wanted power now. Not slowly climb up the ladder like he was afraid. He knew more Dark Arts then his father and Snape combined.
So what did he care?
But something had stirred tonight, when talking with Hermione. Some promise of a different light. One where he could have a family, not take on the role of a mercenary. He didn't enjoy watching his father kill women. He hated killing them, and refused to touch them before they died. He didn't think it right... But he did think that other things were...

He growls to himself. Why must things be so complicated? Why must life try and beat him down every chance it got? Rolling over, away from the door of one Hermione Granger, he sighed. Better sleep while you can, Draco buddy. Life is about to get harder.

Hermione lyed still, listening to Draco breath on the other side of the wall. She almost regretter kicking him. She knew it hurt, and had used it on muggles who got rough with her. Still though, he's Draco Malfoy. Not Harry, or Ron. She can't get attached just for that reason. Rolling over in a restless sleep, she can't believe just how much he changed. He almost seemed civil. Almost. Her eyes finally falling closed, like shades over a bright sun, she falls into a sleep of sort. One filled with Draco and another she didn't recognize. Trembeling, smelling blood even in her sleep, although just a dream, she falls restfully through a line of terror, tossing through most of the night. When finally in her dream, it ended. She had died. Draco had done it.