A/N: Thank you guys for all the great reviews. It's really awesome to know that people like what I have to write.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

All You Wanted Chapter 5: A Decision

Harry didn't follow Draco out. He stayed to talked to Hermione a little while.

"Thank you Harry for saving me from Pansy," Hermione said.

"Don't thank me; I didn't even see what happened. It was Malfoy who brought you to Madame Pomfrey. I saw him carry you off and I went for Dumbledore. It was clear that Pansy did it. I saw Malfoy fight with himself for a second. It looked like he was about to kill Pansy. He obviously thought that your safety was more important."

"Why did he do that?"

"I don't know, Hermione. Maybe he has gotten past his Slytherin self. I have no idea why he did it. Had it been last year he would have left you and laughed."

Hermione nodded and yawned. She was so tired the potion that Madame Pomfrey had given her was forcing her to sleep. Her eyes fluttered a moment and closed for the night.

Harry squeezed her hand and left. He was truly puzzled as to why Malfoy had changed. He toyed with the idea that Hermione and Malfoy had a relationship that was more than just friendship, but even the new Malfoy didn't seem like someone that Hermione would want. Harry decided that it didn't matter. However much he couldn't see what Hermione could see, he knew she wasn't stupid. Hermione could take care of herself.

Hermione awoke the next morning from a very refreshing dreamless sleep. There wasn't any more pain. Well, that's what she told herself. There were still a few sore spots as she sat up in her bed. A spark of anger flashed through her as she recalled Pansy. She forced that thought to die quickly. She wasn't an angry person and she wouldn't be any better than Pansy if she couldn't let go of it. Karma would come back and slam Pansy in the ass.

She swung her legs from the lumpy bed. When she looked up she realized that Draco was sitting on the bed next to hers reading a book. Hermione was caught off guard and jumped at the sight of him.

"Morning," he said looking up, "I'll go get Madame Pomfrey she wanted to have a look at you before she lets you go." Draco got up lightly to go in search of the nurse.

Hermione smiled after him. She was glad that they had grown into friends. The sun was shining on his platinum hair definitely added to his attractiveness. There was no thought as to why this was inappropriate. She forgot about why she shouldn't be letting herself want Draco. He saved her, that's all that mattered. There was a chance that he could be saved from a terrible life. She wanted to save him.

Madame Pomfrey bustled about Hermione checking her injuries. When the nurse had decided that Hermione was well enough she let her go with Draco. Luckily it was a Saturday morning so she wouldn't have to worry about lugging her huge bag to class. Each stair she climbed she silently cursed for the pain that shot through her body.

In the shared common room, Draco made the Gryffindor comfortable on the couch. He tucked a blanket around her and got her all her books for homework.

"Thank you, Draco," Hermione said.

"What are you talking about," Draco said shrugging his shoulders and thinking, she just used my first name, that's amazing.

"For saving me."

"Oh that, it was nothing. Really."

"Would you have done it last year?"

"No. I'm surprised I did it this time. Parkinson was one of my friends you know."

"Of course she was. You two were an item for a while weren't you?"

Draco shook his head, "No, not really. She was just one of the Slytherins that you could count on. It looks like yesterday you could count on her to stay true to form. Make sure that any mu—Gryffindor stays away from a Slytherin."

Hermione decided to not comment that he refrained to say Mudblood. "Well, I'm sure it went further than that. She didn't exactly go light on me. It was like she..."

"Drop it."

"What?"

"Just drop the subject. I don't know why she did it."

"Fine. Sorry. Well thanks anyway."

"Just don't let it happen again," Draco turned and went to his room.

This isn't good. Pansy will go straight to my mother. Mother going to kill me, Draco thought hopelessly. If he was lucky he'll be the only life lost. After what Pansy had done he knew that he didn't want to put Hermione in any danger. He would just have to avoid her.

True to himself, Draco didn't make eye contact with her during classes or meals. When they were alone in their common room he didn't talk to her. And usually he just went straight to his room.

Hermione was distraught about the whole thing. She thought that they had sparked a deeper friendship, or something. She was confused about her feelings for him. She started to really like the time they had in the common room, especially since they actually started speaking to one another. Maybe she was wrong about him. There was one thought that kept plaguing her; making her hold on to some form of contact with Draco. If there wasn't something between us why would he have saved me?

Draco hated it every time he walked by her without as much as a glance. Slowly the Slytherins accepted him again. He had looked forward to the evenings where he would sit with Hermione and just talk. Even when they didn't say anything it was good.

Draco kept beating himself over it. He had relied on cutting himself at night when he was alone in his room. The way that he had stopped talking to Hermione was to much. She was truly the only friend that he had. No matter what he had thought of his peers in Slytherin, they wouldn't be half the person Hermione was. Hell, he would never be half the person Hermione was. The two Draco's in his head fought constantly. Both were strong, one pulling to what his parents wanting him to be and the other was screaming to him that he could overcome it all.

His mother did send a letter promising a good and painful homecoming.

Draco,

I don't know who you think you are. Associating with a Mudblood! Pansy Parkinson told me that that Granger thing stood up for you when you were arguing with the Weasley child. You listened to it no less! Your father would be ashamed. There is no reason why you should have listened to a Mudblood. I can't believe you. To make matters worse, you stopped Pansy from giving that waste of space a lesson. It's your own fault, Draco. You will have to learn from your mistake.

When you come home I expect you know that you'll be dealt with. I will oversee this personally. You have to take your father's place at the Dark Lord's plans. You have disgraced the family. I will not let you make a fool of yourself like that sorry excuse of a brother I had. Thankfully Bellatrix has taken care of him. I will not let my own family fall to shit.

Narcissa Malfoy

Draco threw the letter onto the floor and lit it with his wand. He couldn't let Hermione get caught up in his family. That night his cut a little deeper.