Chapter 3
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm so glad you all liked this story so far. This next chapter is a little short but the fourth will be longer. It's already as long as this one, and I'm not finished yet. Special thanks to:
kole17- Thanks for the great reviews!! We should have another conversation about Tom soon, I miss them! LOL Thanks for waiting "patiently". Don't worry, I didn't mind your impatientness. Hope you like this one!
Erica- Here's the third one, I hope you like it!
Sheezy-mah-neezy- The pairings are just to give the Gryffindors enemies...except for Neville. He got a nice person. Dumbledore didn't think he could handle a Slytherin. As for seeing this kind of story on FictionAlley, I can honestly say I never read a story like this so I didn't mean for it to be like any other story. But thanks, I hope it is better in this chapter.
Lila- Your use of "heart-to-heart" gave me an idea for this chapter. They really do have a heart-to-heart. Thanks for your reviews, and I hope you like this chapter!
ZeroIsPlural- Thanks for reviewing. I like your stories, too. And how could anyone think Blaise is a girl?! LOL. I hope you like this.
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Malfoy and Goyle were already in the library when Harry and Hermione got there. Malfoy turned and looked at Goyle, who was at the table behind him. He looked lost. Malfoy smirked to himself. It's probably the only time he'd ever been in a library, he thought. He watched Potter mumble something to Granger, then sit across from Goyle. He studied Granger intently. She's not bad-looking, he thought. Too bad she's such an annoying mudblood. She sat down across from him, saying nothing, and opened a book. He went back to his reading.
Every once in a while, Hermione glanced over at Malfoy. It's a shame he's such a jerk, she thought, because he really is gorgeous. She decided these were dangerous thoughts, so she concentrated on her book. She began to hum "Only Hope" by Mandy Moore. Over the summer, she had gone to see "A Walk to Remember", and the song was her favorite part. Her humming was soft, so it didn't attract Madame Pince. It did, however, attract Malfoy.
Ok, so she sings good, he thought. Big deal. He glanced at her. She didn't seem to notice she was humming.
"Shut up, Granger, I'm trying to read," he snapped. Her head jerked up and she looked straight into his eyes.
"I didn't know you could read," she said innocently.
"You don't know me at all," he retorted.
"What's there to know? You're evil and cruel, you're spoiled, you're a snob, and you hate me and my friends. That's all I need to know," she said shrugging.
"That's where you're wrong," he said. "You can do better than that, you've got the brains." Hermione wasn't sure if she was supposed to take that as a compliment. She decided to ignore it.
"Why are you so bitter all the time?" she asked. His eyes, which were considerably light, now turned cold and dark.
"You have no idea what my life is like. You think I'm bad? Get to know my father, and I'll look like an angel. You're too busy with your nose stuck in books to know anything about the real world." He stopped and suddenly pulled up the sleeve of his robe, rolling it up to his shoulder.
"Look," he ordered. Hermione slowly peered across the table at the spot on his upper arm that he was indicating. A big reddened wound was deeply engraved in his flesh. Her jaw dropped and she looked at his face. Was that a tear? She shook her head, assuring herself that Draco Malfoy was definitely not crying.
"Wh...what is that?" she asked, horrified that she knew the answer.
"This would be the result of a curse that missed me by this much," he said, holding his fingers apart about three inches.
"He...he wasn't aiming for your heart," she said, her voice full of questions.
"No, just close enough to scare me into doing his will," Draco replied.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"I don't need your pity. Just know you have it easy," he shot at her angrily. He glanced at her face. She looked like she was ready to burst into tears. He felt his heart soften. Soften? Draco Malfoy's heart never softened.
"Sorry," she repeated quietly. Luckily, their voices had been kept low, so Harry hadn't heard any of their conversation.
"Don't worry about it," Draco shrugged. Hermione was shocked. Were they actually having a civilized conversation? And why did she feel like she wanted to hug him, to let him know he could have real friends? He's really not so bad when he's being nice, she thought. He's almost...appealing.
"What are you smiling at?" asked a voice, dragging her away from her thoughts. After their heart-to-heart (*side note to Lila*), Draco had gone back to reading. Now, as she looked up, he was standing over her with a confused look on his face.
"Oh, no reason," she answered quickly. Why am I all nervous? she thought.
"Well, I'll see you in Herbology tomorrow, then," he said awkwardly. He left the library before she could respond. She looked at the clock. Their hour was up. Harry stood up and sat down across from Hermione.
"So, how was it?" he asked.
"...okay," she replied slowly. She was still a bit surprised that they had kind of gotten along.
"He's really not that bad once you get to know him," she told Harry, matter-of-factly. Harry almost fell off of his chair.
"You're not serious," he said, trying to convince himself she was kidding.
"No, actually, I am," she said, smiling. She stood up and left.
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In Herbology the next day, Draco felt extremely awkward. They were, of course, doubled with Gryffindor, so he was sitting with Hermione. Neither of them had exchanged words all lesson. Draco was confused because he had been nice to her. Hermione was confused because she was beginning to fall for him. Before, apart from his looks, she would never have felt attracted to him. No, I don't love him, she thought. I just like him. No, you love him, said another voice in her head.
She suddenly felt as though someone was looking at her. She turned to see Draco staring at her as though he had never seen her before. She felt the heat in her cheeks. Why do I have to blush? she thought.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"Nothing," he mumbled quickly, then turned back to his work. What was the matter? he thought. I am not falling for her. Never. No way, he told himself. But he couldn't help remembering how nice she had been, and how sorry she looked, despite all those years he had tortured her. No one had ever been like that to him. Not even his mother. But he couldn't start being nice. Then again, he didn't want to be like his father. He hated his father. And he didn't care what his father thought. I will try to be nice, he decided.
Meanwhile, Hermione couldn't make up her mind. Was he really worth liking, or would he just turn around and be cruel again? Needing to find out, she decided to test it.
"Draco, what did you put for number four on your list of uses for this plant?" she asked. He turned his head so fast it looked as though his neck would snap. Her heart skipped a beat. He's going to insult me, she thought, her heart sinking. Actually, he was just taken aback for two reasons. For one, she was asking him for help on work. Secondly, she asked as though they'd been friends forever. He got over his shock quickly.
"Oh, um...it eases burning pains," he answered.
"Thanks," she said, and she couldn't help smiling. This was definitely out of character for him, but hey, it fit fine. She definitely liked this new Draco. But how would her friends react?
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A/N: I am trying to not rush into Draco and Hermione's relationship. It's hard keeping them in character, but I'm trying. Sorry it took so long to update, but I've been busy with school. I hope you like this story. Please R/R!
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm so glad you all liked this story so far. This next chapter is a little short but the fourth will be longer. It's already as long as this one, and I'm not finished yet. Special thanks to:
kole17- Thanks for the great reviews!! We should have another conversation about Tom soon, I miss them! LOL Thanks for waiting "patiently". Don't worry, I didn't mind your impatientness. Hope you like this one!
Erica- Here's the third one, I hope you like it!
Sheezy-mah-neezy- The pairings are just to give the Gryffindors enemies...except for Neville. He got a nice person. Dumbledore didn't think he could handle a Slytherin. As for seeing this kind of story on FictionAlley, I can honestly say I never read a story like this so I didn't mean for it to be like any other story. But thanks, I hope it is better in this chapter.
Lila- Your use of "heart-to-heart" gave me an idea for this chapter. They really do have a heart-to-heart. Thanks for your reviews, and I hope you like this chapter!
ZeroIsPlural- Thanks for reviewing. I like your stories, too. And how could anyone think Blaise is a girl?! LOL. I hope you like this.
****************************************************************************
Malfoy and Goyle were already in the library when Harry and Hermione got there. Malfoy turned and looked at Goyle, who was at the table behind him. He looked lost. Malfoy smirked to himself. It's probably the only time he'd ever been in a library, he thought. He watched Potter mumble something to Granger, then sit across from Goyle. He studied Granger intently. She's not bad-looking, he thought. Too bad she's such an annoying mudblood. She sat down across from him, saying nothing, and opened a book. He went back to his reading.
Every once in a while, Hermione glanced over at Malfoy. It's a shame he's such a jerk, she thought, because he really is gorgeous. She decided these were dangerous thoughts, so she concentrated on her book. She began to hum "Only Hope" by Mandy Moore. Over the summer, she had gone to see "A Walk to Remember", and the song was her favorite part. Her humming was soft, so it didn't attract Madame Pince. It did, however, attract Malfoy.
Ok, so she sings good, he thought. Big deal. He glanced at her. She didn't seem to notice she was humming.
"Shut up, Granger, I'm trying to read," he snapped. Her head jerked up and she looked straight into his eyes.
"I didn't know you could read," she said innocently.
"You don't know me at all," he retorted.
"What's there to know? You're evil and cruel, you're spoiled, you're a snob, and you hate me and my friends. That's all I need to know," she said shrugging.
"That's where you're wrong," he said. "You can do better than that, you've got the brains." Hermione wasn't sure if she was supposed to take that as a compliment. She decided to ignore it.
"Why are you so bitter all the time?" she asked. His eyes, which were considerably light, now turned cold and dark.
"You have no idea what my life is like. You think I'm bad? Get to know my father, and I'll look like an angel. You're too busy with your nose stuck in books to know anything about the real world." He stopped and suddenly pulled up the sleeve of his robe, rolling it up to his shoulder.
"Look," he ordered. Hermione slowly peered across the table at the spot on his upper arm that he was indicating. A big reddened wound was deeply engraved in his flesh. Her jaw dropped and she looked at his face. Was that a tear? She shook her head, assuring herself that Draco Malfoy was definitely not crying.
"Wh...what is that?" she asked, horrified that she knew the answer.
"This would be the result of a curse that missed me by this much," he said, holding his fingers apart about three inches.
"He...he wasn't aiming for your heart," she said, her voice full of questions.
"No, just close enough to scare me into doing his will," Draco replied.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"I don't need your pity. Just know you have it easy," he shot at her angrily. He glanced at her face. She looked like she was ready to burst into tears. He felt his heart soften. Soften? Draco Malfoy's heart never softened.
"Sorry," she repeated quietly. Luckily, their voices had been kept low, so Harry hadn't heard any of their conversation.
"Don't worry about it," Draco shrugged. Hermione was shocked. Were they actually having a civilized conversation? And why did she feel like she wanted to hug him, to let him know he could have real friends? He's really not so bad when he's being nice, she thought. He's almost...appealing.
"What are you smiling at?" asked a voice, dragging her away from her thoughts. After their heart-to-heart (*side note to Lila*), Draco had gone back to reading. Now, as she looked up, he was standing over her with a confused look on his face.
"Oh, no reason," she answered quickly. Why am I all nervous? she thought.
"Well, I'll see you in Herbology tomorrow, then," he said awkwardly. He left the library before she could respond. She looked at the clock. Their hour was up. Harry stood up and sat down across from Hermione.
"So, how was it?" he asked.
"...okay," she replied slowly. She was still a bit surprised that they had kind of gotten along.
"He's really not that bad once you get to know him," she told Harry, matter-of-factly. Harry almost fell off of his chair.
"You're not serious," he said, trying to convince himself she was kidding.
"No, actually, I am," she said, smiling. She stood up and left.
****************************************************************************
In Herbology the next day, Draco felt extremely awkward. They were, of course, doubled with Gryffindor, so he was sitting with Hermione. Neither of them had exchanged words all lesson. Draco was confused because he had been nice to her. Hermione was confused because she was beginning to fall for him. Before, apart from his looks, she would never have felt attracted to him. No, I don't love him, she thought. I just like him. No, you love him, said another voice in her head.
She suddenly felt as though someone was looking at her. She turned to see Draco staring at her as though he had never seen her before. She felt the heat in her cheeks. Why do I have to blush? she thought.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"Nothing," he mumbled quickly, then turned back to his work. What was the matter? he thought. I am not falling for her. Never. No way, he told himself. But he couldn't help remembering how nice she had been, and how sorry she looked, despite all those years he had tortured her. No one had ever been like that to him. Not even his mother. But he couldn't start being nice. Then again, he didn't want to be like his father. He hated his father. And he didn't care what his father thought. I will try to be nice, he decided.
Meanwhile, Hermione couldn't make up her mind. Was he really worth liking, or would he just turn around and be cruel again? Needing to find out, she decided to test it.
"Draco, what did you put for number four on your list of uses for this plant?" she asked. He turned his head so fast it looked as though his neck would snap. Her heart skipped a beat. He's going to insult me, she thought, her heart sinking. Actually, he was just taken aback for two reasons. For one, she was asking him for help on work. Secondly, she asked as though they'd been friends forever. He got over his shock quickly.
"Oh, um...it eases burning pains," he answered.
"Thanks," she said, and she couldn't help smiling. This was definitely out of character for him, but hey, it fit fine. She definitely liked this new Draco. But how would her friends react?
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A/N: I am trying to not rush into Draco and Hermione's relationship. It's hard keeping them in character, but I'm trying. Sorry it took so long to update, but I've been busy with school. I hope you like this story. Please R/R!
