Disclaimer: I thought I had better put one in. The characters aren't mine. All owned by the wonderful JK Rowling or Warner Bros, whoever holds the rights. The song isn't mine either, that's Fleetwood Mac's but it's a good song so im willing to overlook it! The plot is mine and all emotions you feel, I created them for you! hehe! On with the story!

Before we start I would like to dedicate this chapter to my wonderful but sometimes annoying friend, Kristina. Its her birthday tomorrow and I haven't got her present yet!!! Happy Birthday! Now you have to review!!!

Storms

Chapter 2

Every hour of fear I spend

My body tries to cry

It had been a long battle for her. For months Hermione had been alone. She had been kept isolated from everyone. It was to prepare her for the events that lay before her, she was told. She was given assignments to do, tasks to complete, to toughen her up for what lay in store for her. She hadn't seen Ron or Harry for months. Hermione was tough. She couldn't get any tougher. Still now, years later, her tasks would haunt her.

She remembered the first assignment she was given. She was sent to a household in which a muggle family had been killed by dark magic. The family had been killed by Avada Kadavra, yet they were tortured and beaten before hand. It was Hermione's job to search to search the house for Death Eaters and to capture them. Hermione failed her task. She broke down and started crying when she saw the scene. It reminded her too much of her family. She had not seen them since she left for her last year of Hogwarts. Later on, during the war, Hermione was told that her parents had been killed. Death Eaters had broken into her home, taking her parents prisoner and torturing them for information about her. After they had finished, they killed them. The bodies were later found by Aurors.

Once Ministry officials were happy with Hermione's state of mind and ability, they let her begin battle, for she was the finest witch in which they had. Since that fateful day, Hermione had not been the same.

Hermione did not feel like visitors. She phoned Harry and Ron and convinced them she was okay, for them not to come, but the next week, when she would be better. She walked back to the window sill and positioned herself back into sitting position. Once again she looked out onto the street before her. A family walked past, baby in pram and they were walking down the footpath. Hermione's mind began to wonder…

Once again Hermione was in the Heads Common room. Winter was approaching and it was becoming cool. A fire suddenly began in the fireplace, sending a warm glow throughout the room. It was always warm in the common room. Hermione noticed Malfoy's bedroom door open, slightly ajar, this rarely happened. Curious as to see what was wrong, Hermione quietly walked over to his room. She peered inside and noticed him at his desk, writing furiously.

'Malfoy, are you okay?'

'How many times have I told you Mudblood, leave me and my problems alone. I am perfectly fine except for that annoying filth that stands in the doorway.' Tears started to well up in Hermione's eyes at the sound of those harsh words.

'I'm sorry I asked.' she simply stated, turning to walk out of the room.

Hermione made herself comfortable on the lounge and quietly began to sob. She felt so stupid. Malfoy was hard to live with. He was so unpredictable. She hated the way he made her cry and then act as if nothing had happened. He was human, so surely he felt guilty, or a little bit of shame and maybe embarrassed. He had to feel emotion, she wondered. The air in the room became heavy and Hermione became drowsy. She soon fell into a gentle sleep, her tears staining the lunge arm. A short while later, she was awoken by someone sitting next to her. Hermione lazily opened her eyes and found Malfoy sitting next to her.

'Listen Granger' he commanded. 'I'm sorry for what I said. I shouldn't have said that. Can you find it somewhere to accept my apology?' Hermione sat there, shocked at what he had just said. She could tell he was uncomfortable, that word never having escaped his lips before. Her shock quickly turned to anger.

'You want me to find it in my heart to forgive you Malfoy? Do you know how much you've hurt me these past six years? You've insulted me, taunted me, called me Mudblood' she shivered at the thought 'and now you want me to forgive you?'

'I-I' Malfoy stammered, obviously not expecting this comeback. Hermione interrupted him.

'All I have tried to do this year is be nice to you. Not become your friend but act civil towards you. I have never hurt you Malfoy. Why do you always hurt me? Over and over again?' She held his stare. She was not going to back down easily. Malfoy was silent for a while.

'I don't know why I'm cruel to you'

'Ha, I thought you'd say something like that.' Hermione made her way to get up, but Malfoy grabbed her arm and pulled her back down onto the lounge.

'No, wait Hermione, I wasn't finished.' She looked pointedly at him, not willing to waste her time on him. 'I don't know why I'm cruel to you; I guess it was the way in which I was brought up. From a young age I have been taught to hate muggles and half-breeds. Please for one minute do not think that I intended to hurt you Hermione, I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry.'

'You disgust me Malfoy.' Hermione stood up and walked away, leaving Malfoy and his openness sitting on the couch.

For years Hermione had pondered over what Draco had been writing. She never found out.

The sun that was hanging in the afternoon sky was beginning to set. Hermione looked at her watch. It was beginning to get late. Ginny later phoned up and told her that she was coming around, whether Hermione liked it or not. Hermione had to smile at this, she did have wonderful friends for what she had been through, for what they had been through, and they were like family. They were the only family Hermione had. She pulled herself away from her nostalgia and decided to visit reality for a couple of hours.

Living through each empty night

A deadly call inside

Ginny was good. She took Hermione out for dinner and suggested they carry on the night at a club. Hermione refused and insisted she go home telling Ginny she 'had her own music to dance to.' Hermione made her way to her flat and once home, positioned herself once again on the window sill. The window sill was her favourite place. The window was big enough for Hermione to sit and think, read, write whatever she felt like doing.

Now that Hermione was alone again, her thoughts began to drift back to that night, so many years ago. After the incident, Hermione did not talk to Draco for a couple of weeks. 'Wasted time' she thought to herself. She looked up out of the window and into the sky. The stars were shining brightly, and the moon sat in the dark, the great orb hanging in the night air, as if the moonbeams were holding it up. Her mind drifted to Professor Lupin, once was a great friend of Hermione's, but was soon killed in the war.

She walked out of her flat and made her way up onto the rooftop, though the night was clear, the air was cold and crisp, turning Hermione's breath to frost. The crisp of the air cleared Hermione's head. It was soothing to sit outside, though Hermione was alone in her flat, she felt most alone up on the roof. She could see the whole of the city life before her. Hermione felt like she had complete control. But she did not have control of time. She was beginning to become tired. Time was drawing near.

Hermione hated bedtime, for that was when she was in her double bed, but there was only the one of her. She felt most lonely then. Hermione also dreaded going to sleep. Her doctor prescribed her a dreamless potion after the war, but sometimes she forgot to take it. It was only then that her thoughts danced around in her head, her dreams coming to life. Hermione began to doze, her eye lids becoming heavy.

Hermione sat outside on the grass, the giant castle of Hogwarts towering over her. When her work became the better of her and the common room became to warm, Hermione would sit outside in the cool night air. She might have been breaking school rules, but it was a risk she was willing to take, anything for peace and quiet and solitude. Hermione could hear the creatures in the Forbidden Forest, howling and calling, communicating to one another. She also heard something else.

The doors to the castle closed gently, and she saw a blonde head walking down the path. Hermione turned around and focused her attention on the stars.

'You know Granger; you'll catch your death sitting out here in this cold.'

'And you not praying?' She heard herself reply. 'Look Malfoy, I've been thinking, I accept your apology from last time but I will never forgive you for everything you have done to me.'

The two were silent for a while, Draco breathing a deep sigh. Hermione sat back on the grass. Having Draco next to her calmed her for some strange reason, but, for the moment, she was willing to accept the sensation. It began to get cold, Hermione shivering when the coll wind blew. Draco removed his robe and placed it over her shoulders. The pair didn't talk for the rest of the night, just silently enjoying each others company.

Hermione awoke to a fain sunlight coming in through her window. In her groggy state, she placed her hand next to the empty space besides her, expecting to feel the warm, smooth body of Draco in which she remembered.

A/N: Here's chapter 2 for you all, I hope you liked it! Well Kristina, I posted chapter 2, so you can review now, and I would like you to review chapter one as you said so! To all others, thank you for reading, you know what to do next!