Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing but the plot.

It had begun the beginning of seventh year.

Everything was the same. I'd owled Harry and Ron over vacation and we talked without a care in the world. I went on Holiday with my parents. The greatest most wonderful time I had had in such a long time. And the last good time I would have for a long while.

As usual I had met Harry and Ron at Platform 9 ¾ . It was a wonderful day out. I had just stepped out of the barrier, pulling my hair out of my face when I heard both of the wonderful voices that I had wanted to hear.

"Hermione!" Ron and Harry shouted together.

I turned to see both of them sitting in a compartment on the train, leaning out the window to wave. Harry's black hair blew slightly in the wind exposing his lightning bolt scar that he was so cruelly famous for. Right next to him was Ron. His height stuck out as he kneeled down to look out the window. I smiled at them and put up a finger saying that I'd be there in a minute.

My first stop was the luggage compartment. I had a hay day with that one. Pulling, pushing, and shoving my luggage that weighed more than me in the direction of the luggage compartment. I was not out of shape but I wasn't the strong person that Harry or Ron was. It took all I had to finally get it there.

But as I approached the compartment my mood took a sudden turn. Of all the people I could have seen there I had to see the one that I hated the most. The one that I hated with a passion.

I knew of course that I had to see him sooner or later, but I would have preferred the later. He was the reason I had a rotten summer, the reason I was lying to my friends, the reason I would never be the same. There were so many reasons why I hated him. And I knew that he returned the favor.

I slammed the luggage down and turned to leave before I could say or do anything rash. Although it may have been rash, I know that it would have made me feel a little better. I now understood how Harry felt all through his life. Harry and I both hated Voldemort, but he had more of a history with him. I hated this man, dare you call him that, and Harry hated him also, but I had more of a history with him.

I ran onto the train, bumping into people as I went. I could taste the bile forming in my mouth, the pain squeezing my chest, the tears forming in my eyes, and the scream rising in my throat. I needed to get away from it all. I needed a large pillow and a book. Having neither I decided to run toward anything that provided solitude.

It seems that whenever you need something the most it is hardest to find. The bathrooms were taken. All the compartments I could tell were full of people talking about the wonderful summers, enjoying the ride to Hogwarts. I wish I could have been one of them.

Finding an empty compartment toward the end of the train I opened the door and slammed it behind me. I threw every locking charm I knew at the door and it cracked under the pressure. However much it cracked though, it didn't break. It was locked securely shut before I fell unto a seat and sobbed.

I didn't hold back. I hadn't cried for a long time and all the emotions that I had felt between a couple weeks ago and now came pouring out in my tears. If I had had more emotions bubbling inside me I would have burst from it. Spontaneous combustion I now know is a possibility to the human body. I cried because I was angry, sad, lonely, anxious, nervous, and most of all scared. I cried for what I had, lost, or would never get.

When I was drained of energy and tears I sat up from my fetal position and rubbed my eyes with my sleeve. I had been crying for well over an hour and the train had already started to move. The setting sun outside made me guess that it was around six o'clock and about time for dinner. My rumbling stomach agreed with me. I decided that Harry and Ron were most likely looking for me and I got up to sneak back into their compartment.

But wouldn't you know that the instant I composed myself I feel the need to cry all over again. The second after the last syllable of my cleaning spell was uttered the door swung open with a bang. I knew someone was there because they had heard me crying. Why else would people choose to come to an almost empty compartment?

"Listen, I don't want to talk about it ok?" I sighed, turning to the person who had entered. I had thought that it was Harry or Ron or maybe even Luna but no. The person standing before me had the evil little smirk on his face and the icy blue eyes to match.

"Well, that's good because I don't want to talk to you," Malfoy spat.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" I asked. I was taking deep relaxing breaths and trying hard not to imagine him stuck to the wall with a curse that I had thrown at him. It didn't seem to be helping though because my blood was already boiling.

"I just thought there was a damsel in distress. I was coming to rescue her. Everyone can hear you crying." he said lazily looking at his nails and picking some 'dirt' from under them. I knew there was nothing there because, thankfully, Malfoy liked to have a very high hygiene status.

"Just let me out," I said trying to push my way past him. I couldn't bear to look at him now.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" He asked in a whisper. He took hold of my arm and store into my eyes almost like a normal, caring person. His blue eyes were still sharp and cold, but they didn't seem to be as cold as I thought they were. "Because I'm sure you do." He added. I had barely heard his last comment and it made the breath catch in my throat.

How can you see into my eyes
like open doors?
Leading you down into my core
where I've become so numb.
Without a soul
my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
until you find it there and lead it back home.

I had no idea how to respond. Malfoy had never talked to me with out insulting me. Now here he was willingly offering me some help. It felt so out of place that it almost seemed normal. How was I supposed to respond? 'Yes, Malfoy, I do need help. Since you don't talk to me anyway I can spill it all to you.' Or 'No, Malfoy of all the low down scum, I would never say anything civil or share something of importance to you!'

I should have gone with the former.

Wake me up.
Wake me up inside.
I can't wake up.
Wake me up inside.
Save me.
Call my name and save me from the dark.
Wake me up.
Bid my blood to run.
I can't wake up.
Before I come undone.
Save me.
Save me from the nothing I've become

"You're right. I do." I said sitting down on one of the seats next to the window. He plopped down on the seat across from me and sat quietly. Maybe he had changed over the summer…I know I had.

How could I be saying that? With everything that's happened this year alone I know I'm confused, but Malfoy is still Malfoy. He will always be the horrible little snot that ruined my first year at Hogwarts. He will always be the one who makes my best friends life a living hell. How can I possible sit here and think that he isn't that bad?

"So, what happened over summer vacation," he began, trying not to look my in the eye.

"That's not what I wanted to talk about." I said. He snapped his eyes in my direction, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Then what did you want to talk about?" he asked getting his annoyed look again.

"I wanted to talk to you about our Head Boy and Head Girl duties." I lied. I wanted to talk about it, I really did. But I realized that I wasn't ready to. Especially not with Malfoy.

Malfoy snorted and leaned back in his chair crossing his arms over his chest so that I couldn't see his Slytherin badge anymore. His face was emotionless, set into a plain glazed over look. I too sank back into the chair already feeling guilty about lying to him.

Now that I know what I'm without
you can't just leave me.
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life.

"I doubt that's what you wanted to talk about." he said pouting a little.

"I do too." I said under my breath, so he wouldn't hear me. "It is." I said louder facing him. Two lies within one minute. What was I becoming? I could already feel the guilt build up on me. I never lied and was not use to the concept.

"Then why were you crying?" he asked a small sneer growing on his lips.

I was stumped. I couldn't think of a lie. This was probably a good thing. One less lie to have to worry about later.

While I sat in my stupor Malfoy had smiled slightly. Not a sneer or a scowl but an actual smile. The kind of smile that no one ever got to see but loved to see on the rare occasion they did. It was a smile that seemed so foreign to me. His teeth showed slightly and laugh lines actually appeared around his eyes making them look like sparkling diamonds rather than piercing ice pools.

He stood and started to leave the compartment. His hand was resting on the cold steel of the handle when he turned to look me square in the eyes. "If you ever need to talk about it, Granger," he said.

"Are you offering me an invitation to talk to you?" I asked raising my eyebrows. That was the shock of the century. Malfoy, inviting me to talk. Almost sounded like inviting me to tea and crumpets. I would have been less shocked if the Queen of England had invited me to talk.

"Only because as Head Boy and Girl we need to be friends or look like we're friends. I can't have my reputation go down the drain for being the worst Head Boy ever now can I?" he said before quickly exiting.

It was a good thing he left before I could have said something too. Just when you think you can start to trust a person they turn around and say something like that. The world was such a deceiving place it's hard to know when to trust and when to turn you back.

But no matter how hard I thought about what was said or done, nothing added up to the typical stereotypical image I had in my mind about Malfoy. The Malfoy I knew would not have come to my compartment, even if there was a damsel in distress. Malfoy would just make fun of the person for having emotion and feelings and leave it at that. Then why did he suddenly come to chat? That didn't seem like Malfoy at all. First he was almost nice then he turns and becomes the Dragon I had thought him to be? Something was wrong. I could feel it. I was going to find out what was wrong too.

All of this sight
I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark
but you were there in front of me

Tomorrow I would find out what was different.

I've been sleeping a 1000 years it seems.
I've got to open my eyes to everything.

Without a thought
Without a voice
Without a soul

Don't let me die here
There must be something wrong.
Bring me to life.

Bring me to life.
I've been living a lie
There's nothing inside.

Bring me to life