The mood at supper was light. Ron and Harry were mad at Storm and Hermione but tried to cover it. Hermione and Storm made the mistake of telling the guys that they were going to meet Draco in the library after supper. They tried to hide displeasure when the girls announced this but annoyance now laced their voices as they talked.
The girls could care less though. They found it easier to let the anger dimmer than rage a word war at the table. Besides, the guys could talk to someone else while they were mad. They ate slowly though, hoping to detain the girls.
To everyone's surprise, even Hermione's and Storm's, Draco rose from the Slytherin table and began walking in their direction. The Gryffindors, expecting an attack, slowly drew their wands. But Storm and Hermione beamed at him and rose to meet him.
"Hello ladies. How are you this evening?" Draco asked charmingly with a smile on his face.
"Wonderful. Though it would be better if those two," Storm pointed at Harry and Ron, "would lighten up. Don't give me that 'I'm so innocent' look Harry and you Ron, don't look as if you just at the world's biggest lemon. We are old enough to decide who we want to be friends with."
"We don't need your approval. It would just be nice if you guys wouldn't get so worked up over this," Hermione said earnestly.
Harry was the first to give in, like always. "Okay. Go ahead, have fun. But when you get back Hermione, could you check my Potions essay? Please?"
Hermione laughed, "Don't I always? What about you Ron?"
Ron grunted, which they took as approval. Hermione bent down and hugged them both. "Thank you," she whispered in their ears. She stood and joined Storm and Draco. Together they walked out of the Great Hall.
Little did they know that the students weren't the only ones watching them as they left. Snape watched Draco with regretful eyes. A Slytherin hanging with Gryffindors? It was just unheard of! Then he turned curious eyes to Storm. Who was she? Why did she look so bloody familiar?
As if she could read his thoughts she turned to look at him. Then she smiled, a chilling smile as if she knew all the thoughts swirling around inside his head. But then just as quickly, she turned away.
One professor, though, smiled as they left the room. Dumbledore was very happy with how things were turning out. The houses were merging. Hopefully the rest will realize that this was a necessary step to defeat Voldemort. Everything was going to plan. The twinkle in his eye grew brighter as he thought of the days to come.
"So Draco," Storm smiled and looked to make sure Hermione was still looking for a book, "why did you used to hate Hermione? You guys have so much in common. Your both at the top of your class. You both like the same classes. I mean, why did you guys hate each other?"
"It's complicated," Draco said even as he realized that what she said was true.
"Why is it complicated?" Storm sighed. "Men, I will never understand you kind! Is it because her parents are muggles?" Storm waited for him to say something, but Draco remained quiet. "That's it, isn't it?"
"No," Draco bit out. "Yes, Argh! It's complicated!"
"Quit saying that!" Storm bit back, then turned to make sure Hermione was busy. "Explain and quick."
"You don't understand. I've been raised to believe that the only good wizard is a pureblood. So I already had one strike against her. But she became friends with Potter and I was expected to hate her. I didn't know that she was nice, I didn't care really. For the sake of my family and my family's reputation, I had to hate her."
"Your right, I don't understand and quite frankly, I don't want to." Storm began packing up her stuff. "To put it nicely, you owe her an apology. There is no justification for your previous prejudice."
As Storm got up to leave, Draco began to feel really guilty. "Where are you going?"
Storm looked at him with accusing eyes. "You know, when I lived on the street, I had many different kinds of acquaintances. Werewolves, vampires, muggle-borns just to name a few. You didn't pick friends because of what they were or who their parents were, you trusted no one actually. But there were still those few people that you turned to for help. I don't think you have those type of people in your life. If you had, you would have realized how good you and Hermione are together a long time ago. I'm going up to my dorm. Tell Hermione I left. Apologize."
Draco watched Storm leave. She was right and he knew it. He turned his gaze towards Hermione. She was still shifting through the books. Her long brown hair hung beautifully down her back. Her face was void of any makeup and she was…lovely. How could he have never noticed before?
She turned her gaze to his. Brown met silver as they stared at each other. Draco rose to his feet and slowly made his way towards her, his eyes never leaving hers. When he reached her, he took the book out of her hands and placed it back on the shelf. He reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.
"Hermione," Draco whispered, "I am so sorry."
Hermione looked at him, confused. "For what?"
"For everything I ever put you through, for everything I ever called you."
"Draco, don't." Hermione whispered softly, looking at the floor.
Draco put a finger under her chin and lifter her face up. "I have to. I feel so bad about how I treated you all because of your parents and Potter. I never took the chance to know you and for that I am sorry."
"Why the sudden change? Wait, let me guess, Storm." She wanted him to deny it, to say he was apologizing on his own free will. But no such admission came. "I'm sorry Draco, I just can't do this."
She quickly brushed past him and gathered her stuff as quickly as possible. Then, like a scared rabbit, she fled. She burst through the portrait hole and looked around for Storm.
Upon spotting her, she pointed at her. "You. Upstairs. Now." She managed to say all that with controlled anger.
Storm complied and lead the way. She began getting ready for bed as Hermione shut the door with a menacing silence.
"I cannot believe you made Draco feel so bad that he apologized. Don't you see that it means nothing if he doesn't do it on his own. How could you?"
By the end of her tirade, Hermione was in tears. She stared at Storm, trying to figure her out. How could one girl come into their lives and in one day, throw everything off balance? She turned slowly and climbed into her own bed.
The darkness eloped her and from the darkness came Storm's voice. "I'm sorry." And then came the deathly silence.
Author's Note
Hey ya'll it's me again (and Kim) Hope you guys are enjoying the story and don't worry, Draco will eventually apologize on his own accord. Anyone guess Storm's secret yet? Note: No one that has read the end of the story can answer (Autumn, Kim, Megan, Steph I hope you guys like it….Thanks for reading.