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A/N: Thank you all who reviewed!!! Here's the next chapter... it's all in Hermione's POV.. if it's confusing, just tell me and hopefully i can clarify
Anywho, yes i do have msn.. i'm on it a lot for no reason =/..lol.. my email is in my bio if u feel like adding me =). Well anyway, i hope you enjoy reading this chapter!

Chapter Eight: Battling With Your Inner Feelings

"It was just something in your eyes

That made me realize

But now I hear voices deep inside

Tellin' me, tellin' me it's you and I"


What was that about?

Hermione stood outside of the Great Hall for several minutes before realizing that she wasn't even moving at all. For the first time in her life, her brain couldn't seem to process what had just happened. She knew that Draco had somehow managed to blurt out a request for forgiveness, but couldn't bring herself to believe it.

H-Had Draco Malfoy just apologized to me? The one Slytherin who has me on his "everyday to torture" list? What exactly are his motives? Hermione seemed puzzled by these thoughts. But there was still that one small voice inside her head, the one that always had the best of intentions in any type of situation or to any kind of person.

Maybe he really was being sincere. Maybe he really wants to change. You are the first person he wants to show his new side to. He wants to apologize for all the times he called you a mudblood, for all the times he degraded you. Give him a chance, the voice told her.

"No, I can't!" Hermione told herself out loud, earning quite a few stares from passing students. She smiled sheepishly and walked in the direction of the Gryffindor common room, not wanting to face Draco if she goes to her own dorm.

Yes, you must. You must forgive him. He knows that calling you that word is hurtful to you, and he's honest this time when he said he's sorry. The past is the past, and you must forgive and forget, even to someone like him, the voice continued to tell her calmly.

"I just can't. How could one measly apology make up for the years he'd hurt my feelings?" she asked herself more softly to avoid the stares of others.

It was not measly. It was from the heart.

"From the heart?" Hermione scoffed at what her own mind was telling her. "He doesn't know anything about feelings and emotions besides protecting his own ego."

He has changed. He has matured more than people think. He may seem to have a tough exterior but deep inside, he's just a scared little boy with just as much insecurities, fears, and desires as the average person. Did you not notice how he treated you that day in the library? He was kind, and he treated you with respect, her voice said defensively.

"Respect? You mean when he said that the reason he suddenly burst out laughing was because of my face?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

He certainly glanced at you a lot. It wasn't in the cold, evil sort of way he gives everyone else, but rather a sense of warmth and fondness. It was much like he was trying to read you – maybe to know more about you.

"What are you saying!" she asked, but not wanting to know what her mind was telling her.

I'm saying you must give him a chance. Forgive him. You may find that he's a different person now. You may discover things you didn't know about him... or things that you are denying within yourself about him, her voice told her.

"What is that suppose to mean!" she said loudly, wanting to get to the bottom of what her mind was trying to tell her.

"Hermione, who are you talking to?"

She looked up and saw Harry in the entrance to the Gryffindor tower, staring back with a concerned face.

"Oh, nobody. I think reading too much is finally getting to me" she laughed nervously.

Harry continued looking at her, not quite believing her answer but just gave in. "Oh okay then. I was just about to look for you. Ron's not very patient, you know, especially when he wants to play his favourite game."

They made their way to the room, but just as they entered, Harry leaned close to Hermione's ear and whispered, "If there's anything you want to talk about, I'm always here to listen."

Hermione gave a small nod but thought, Great! Now Harry thinks I'm going mental!

"It's about time, mate! Let's play!" Ron exclaimed with delight.

"Hermione, do you want to play first?" Harry asked.

"No, no you go on first. I'll play later," she said with an assuring smile.

Harry and Ron then set up the pieces while Hermione sat on a couch beside them and watched. She couldn't concentrate for long when her thoughts gradually drifted to Draco and what her inner voice said about him.

Why should I listen to it? I mean, how do I know that he has changed for sure, and that this isn't some act that he's putting on to make a fool out of me? But he did seem honest about it. Maybe he has changed since he was acting different when I saw him in the library, she sighed as she debated in her mind about Draco's new behaviour towards her. I certainly don't know much about him but what am I denying within myself about him?

"I just don't understand," she said softly.

"It's easy, Hermione. You see, I moved the knight—" Ron started to instruct.

"What are you talking about, Ron?" Hermione asked, not realizing that he thought she was talking to him.

"You said you didn't understand, so I was just explaining to you why I made my move. Alright there?"

"Umm... yeah," Hermione smiled nervously, "Don't mind me. Just continue playing."

The two boys looked at her for a few more seconds, trying to see whether she was telling the truth or not, but listened to her and resumed their game.

That was close. Why am I being like this? Maybe I'm just thinking too much about things that aren't even important. But I just can't... why is it bothering me so much? Hermione kept thinking to herself as she mindlessly watched her two friends play a intense game of wizard's chess, Should I listen and go accept Draco's apology? What has gotten into him lately? This is absurd. I shouldn't have more questions than I have answers! Draco isn't suppose to be on my mind, he's my enemy for Merlin's sake! This is just too much. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him... but why do I constantly think of him? Why do I always look at him and feel light-headed when he looks back?

"That is just ridiculous," she accidentally said out loud.

Harry, who was halfway to placing his pawn on the proper spot, held his hand frozen in mid-air surprised that Hermione had blurted something out of the blue.

"Hermione? What's ridiculous?" he asked.

She turned to him and snapped back to reality. "Huh? Oh nothing. Go on, finish your move, Harry. Don't look at me as if I'm mental! I'm fine, don't worry."

"Are you sure? You don't seem like yourself."

She gave a small smile. "Yes, I'm sure Harry. You shouldn't worry so much."

"I'm not. You know I told you that if there's anything you need or anybody to talk to, I'm always here, right?"

Ron spoke up. "You mean this happened before? Hermione?"

"What are you saying, Ron?"

"You were talking out of nowhere." He leaned closer to Hermione and whispered. "A-are you talking to someone under an Invisibility cloak?" he then looked around him, his hands reaching out and grabbing the air as if wanting to pull off the cloak of the culprit. He looked quite funny doing that, causing Harry to stifle a laugh behind his back.

"No, don't be silly, Ron. I don't know anybody who has one of those besides Harry here," she said to Ron, and Harry's relief.

"Well then, what exactly are you up to?"

"What am I up to?? You actually think I'm up to something??" Hermione said, causing both the boys to feel guilty for feeling overprotective. "Well, I'm not. Maybe the stress of studying and having so many responsibilities is finally getting to me. That's all."

"But—"Ron started to say when Harry interrupted him.

"Then you should get some rest. We don't want to keep you here if you really need to relax that brain of yours. Don't you agree, Ron?" He asked, turning to the red-haired boy across from him.

"Yeah, go on Hermione. We could do this some other time." Ron consented.

"Oh, alright. Umm... well, good night boys" Hermione said.

"Goodnight"

"Hope you feel better in the morning." She heard them say as she made her way out of the Gryffindor common room, and towards the direction of her own.

Just great. They both think I've gone mad. At least I can always use the 'Oh, it's just the books' excuse if they ever ask me again, she thought. Her mind kept wandering to her many thoughts before, and all the events that happened in the past few days that she couldn't really understand. She was so keen on trying to find answers in her own mind that she almost missed her entrance to the Heads' common room but stopped in time.

"Lady Granger! How are you tonight?" the knight in the portrait asked.

"Great. I'm great," she lied.

"That's wonderful to hear! May I have the password?"

"Fizzing Whizbees." The door immediately opened once she said the name of the sweet candy.

"Thank you, kind sir."

"Pleasure is all mine, my fair lady," the knight replied as Hermione headed inside.

Please don't be inside. Please don't let Draco be inside, she kept thinking to herself as she entered the large room. She scanned her surroundings, and when she came to the conclusion that he wasn't there, she let out a sigh of relief. She still didn't know whether to forgive him for that apology, and she didn't really want to deal with him yet.

As she was walking up the stairs and was near her bedroom, she heard another door open and a small, hesitant voice saying, "Hi."

She slowly turned around, and there he was. Draco was wearing the same type of shirt, but dark green this time, and black boxers. He certainly looked very good-looking in this view. She now knew why all the girls in the school fancied him.

"H-hi. Umm... I don't think I have time to talk. I'm really tired right now, I should get some rest," Hermione said very nervously, and turned back to enter her bed room when Draco spoke up.

"Have you thought about what I said earlier?"

Why must he ask me! She thought as she was figuring out what to say. She remembered what her "inner voice" told her but she was still undecided as to whether to listen to it and forgive him or not.

"Hermione?" he asked when she didn't speak right away, "You know I meant what I said. I know this may seem strange, but I feel it's the right thing to do. For me to say I'm sorry to you might not be enough for the six years I've teased you terribly, but you've got to understand that I've never said sorry to anyone before and mean it too. You've also got to understand that I'd like to start over."

He would like to start over? Start over what? she thought. "What are you talking about, Draco?"

"I'm saying I'd like for us to start over. No hard feelings. I want everything to be fresh and new. I'm saying I'd like it if we could be..." he was hesitating to say the next word, "friends."

"F-friends?" Hermione asked, wanting to know whether this was real or not.

"Yeah, so can you... no, do you think you can accept my offer of friendship?" he smiled as he held out his hand to Hermione.

She looked at it as if it was some foreign object she's never seen before, even if it was just simply Draco's hand. I guess if he'd like to start over and be friends with me, it wouldn't hurt, right? she thought. Without realizing, she gradually lifted her hand to put in his, and instantly felt a sense of warmth spread through her body at the slightest touch of his hand. Draco smiled and slowly shook their hands as the deal of friendship has begun to take place.

"Good. Well, I'm glad we talked this over. We should be getting some rest, don't you think? Goodnight, Miss Hermione." He bowed slightly to her, and lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it very softly. She could immediately feel chills going down her body as she felt the touch of his lips. They both blushed red before Draco let go of her hand, and retreated to his bedroom.

D-did he just do what I think he just did?? I wonder if this was part of the friendship deal, she wondered as entered her own room in disbelief. She would never look at her hand the same. A big grin grew across her face as she stared at the spot where Draco's lips had touched.

Draco kissed my hand! Hermione thought dreamily as she collapsed on her bed.