Chapter 2

After Hermione had explained what happened, Snape stroked his chin thoughtfully, and watched her with his terribly dark eyes.

"I am not inclined to believe you Miss Granger," he said, twirling his quill in his fingers idly. "Why did you not aid Mr. Malfoy with the potion?"

"He called me a mud-blood," Hermione replied through clenched teeth.

"Perhaps he was joking."

"Perhaps not," Hermione said quietly. "Pardon, professor, but I must go to my next class." Snape shrugged, and she hurried out into the busy corridor.

"What an evil git, he made you late for class," Ron said indignantly during dinner. "That awful-"

Hermione smiled at his earnestness. "Ron, just calm down. It was completely reasonable to detain me. If I were a teacher, I would be worried as well. Malfoy and I have never been on the best of terms."

"That is the understatement of the century," Ron said with a tired laugh. "Malfoy has only hated us since before we even met him."

"I hope he's okay," Hermione said with a sigh. "It's my fault, in a way."

"Was it your fault Malfoy was an idiot?" Ron asked suddenly. "No! Of course not. Hey." He paused. "Where's Harry?" Hermione shrugged, and finished her food at a rather rapid pace.

"What's the hurry?" Ron asked as she jumped up from the table.

"I'm going to make sure Malfoy is okay," she called over her shoulder as she exited the Great Hall.

"Where the hell is Harry?" Ron mused as he turned back to his food.

Hermione stepped into the quiet, dark infirmary, and felt her heart jump up her throat. Madame Pomfrey was sitting on a bed, talking to someone in low tones. All of the other beds were empty. It could only be one person who was lying there. Hermione steeled herself, and strode forward forcefully. She would not let her fear get in her way of apologizing.

Draco listened to Madame Pomfrey talk, clenching his eyes shut, for fear he would see his arms again.

"Draco, we are searching for a potion which could restore your skin, but in the event we cannot find one, you must be prepared to live with these scars."

"Do not tell my family, yet," he croaked. "I am having a hard time believing this, my mother would be horrified."

"Draco, it is the school's responsibility to inform your parents of an injury occurring while on school property-"

"Fine, you can tell them, just don't tell them how it happened."

"Very well then." Draco felt her get off the bed, and started walking, but stopped and began speaking with someone. "Draco," Madame Pomfrey said. "Do you feel up to a visitor?"

"Sure," he said with a slow sigh. "Who is it?"
"It's Hermione."

Hermione looked down on the broken body of the boy whom she had called her enemy for the entire time she had been at Hogwarts, and instantly felt stupid.

"Hello Granger," he said, not opening his eyes.

"Hello Malfoy," she replied, biting her lip. His potion had acted like fire, and burned up his skin. His once beautiful face was now nothing but a mess of blackened skin.

"Come to gloat?" he asked, his voice fading.

She stiffened. "No. What kind of person do you think I am?" She paused. "Never mind, do not answer that question." He stifled a laugh, but a smile peeked out from the corners of his mouth.

"So if you are not here to gloat, why are you here?"

Hermione shifted her feet nervously. "I don't really know. I think it is because I should have helped you with the potion, but my pride got in my way. I wanted to prove that I was superior, but I was wrong."

"No," Draco snapped bitterly. "You were right, and I was just being stupid. It's not your fault.'

"Draco," Hermione said, her voice shaking. "It's my fault too."

Draco laughed, a heart wrenching sound. "Go away Granger." Hermione spun on her heel, and ran out, hastily wiping away bitter tears.

She rushed into the Commons Room and collapsed on the couch in front of the fire. Harry was sitting with someone on the other side of the couch.

"Hello," Harry said genially as she buried her face in her hands.

"Oh, it's all my fault!" she sobbed. "He looks awful, and who knows if he'll get better! It's all my fault!"

"No," Ron said, running his fingers through Harry's hair. "It's Malfoy's fault."

"Don't you feel any pity for him?" Hermione snarled, ignoring the look of shock on their faces. "You are so heartless, Ron!"

"I feel pity for him," Ron said with a careless shrug. "But he's stupid." Hermione threw her hands up in the air in disgust, and was about to leave, when she noticed that Ron was sitting in Harry's lap.

"That's why you were so worried about where Harry was at dinner!' she said gleefully. "Ha! I knew it all along."

Ron quickly jumped out of Harry's lap and blushed bright red.

"Don't tell anyone," Harry ordered.

"Why would I?" she questioned with a slight laugh. "I was right!" She skipped off to her dorm room, but thought of Draco, and her happiness was dashed.

Hermione hardly slept a wink that night. She tossed, turned, and paced around the room, wondering what Malfoy was thinking. Breakfast was a silent affair, with Harry and Ron casting anxious glances in her direction.

"So, you're sure you don't mind?" Harry inquired timidly. She smiled gently at him, and put down her fork.

"Were you worried I had a crush on one of you?"

Ron nodded

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I only think of you two as friends." Harry sighed in relief, and returned to his bacon.

Hermione went through her classes in a daze, amazing her fellow students and her teachers.

"What has gotten into you, Hermione?" Professor McGonagall asked during Transfiguration. "You haven't raised your hand all day." A ripple of laughter spread across the room.

"Huh?" Hermione said, shaking her head and waking up from her reverie. McGonagall frowned slightly, and continued with the lesson.

After the class was over, Hermione was packing up, when McGonagall confronted her about her lack of interest in class.

"Is something wrong, Miss Granger?" she asked, watching her best pupil over the top of her glasses.

"I'm just worried about Draco Malfoy," Hermione confessed, looking around to make sure no one from her house was nearby.

Professor McGonagall nodded knowingly. "I understand, but do not blame yourself Hermione. Mr. Malfoy has had that coming to him for years."