Chapter Five: fifteen years earlier

Lightning flashed outside the library windows as Hermione waited for Malfoy to arrive. Never having liked storms very much, the current state of weather did little to calm Hermione's fluttering nerves. "This is ridiculous," she muttered to herself as she found she had doodled over a large percentage of a fresh piece of parchment. "What is the matter with me?"

"Must be me," the voice whispered in her ear, nearly shocking her out of her seat.

"Malfoy!" Hermioned shrieked as she tried to regain control. "What in the world is the matter with you? Have you no decency? You nearly scared the life out of me!"

Draco smirked as he took his seat opposite her. "Sorry, Hermione," he tossed in an off-handed manner. "You know me….mean as a snake and all." At this he chanced a look at her and saw her color drain for a moment. Score one for me he said silently to himself with a smile.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked in a cautious voice.

"Sneaking up on you?" he asked. "Because you're an easy target and I never pass up a freebie."

"Thank you," she replied wryly before continuing. "What I was asking, Malfoy, is why you've been calling me by my first name. You did it this morning too and you've never called me anything but Granger or….you know." She couldn't bring herself to actually use the horrible "m" word.

Draco felt momentarily sorry for her distress but instead of apologizing, found himself relying on old tendencies. "Well," he cocked his well-training eyebrow at her. "I was trying to be civil. But, if you rather, I'm sure I can think of several other things to call you."

Hermione looked at him as if he had just grown three heads. "You are a complete ass, you know that, right?" asked Hermione as she tried to control her temper.

"Certainly," Draco replied, trying to think of a way to rectify the situation. "But even asses can be civil when they try to be and that is why I call you by your God-given name. Now, you try it."

"Excuse me?" she asked in bewilderment.

Draco watched with amusement as Hermione tried to process what he was saying. "You heard me, Hermione. You try it. Call me by my name."

"Look, Malfoy."

"Tut, tut!" Draco grinned as he cut her off. "Say it with me now: Draco. Draaaaco. Draaaaacoooo." He drew his name out longer and longer each time he said it in an effort to be comical.

The corner of Hermione's mouth twitched slightly and she bit her tongue to keep from laughing. But the sight of Malfoy's face all screwed up as he elongated his name was too much to hold in. And when she started to laugh, Draco thought his heart would stop at the lovliness of her face. Her eyes sparkled. Her cheeks pinked ever so slightly. And her smile was radiant. "Alright, Draco," she said as she continued to chuckle. "Now that we've gotten the speaking lessons out of the way, it's your turn."

"My turn for what?" he asked as he continued to stare at her.

"Your end of the bargain, obviously. Spill and then I help you with class, remember?"

"Of course, I remember," Draco said, his features instantly darkening. "I was just kind of hoping that you would forget."

Hermione watched his body language closely. As he spoke his shoulders rounded slightly, he crossed his arms over his chest and his previously open countenance now matched the tone of his voice. This was definitely unexpected!

"Look, Draco," she started to press, but paused as she caught his gaze. He looked hurt. He looked haunted. He even looked a bit helpless under his cocky façade. She felt compassion for him stir within herself and she instantly decided to take a chance. "About our agreement. I have a ton of homework to do so why don't we just study for class tonight and then you can tell me what's going on another time – when you are ready to."

Draco measured her steadily with his gaze. What was she playing at? "Why?" was all he asked.

"I already told you. I have homework and…"

"No," Draco cut her off. "You're lying and I want to know why!"

Being a proud Gryffindor, Hermione thought she understood some of the feelings inside Draco at the moment. And so she treaded carefully. "Well, we are being civil to one another now. That makes us acquaintances if not friends on some level, right?" She held her breath as Draco surveyed her carefully before nodding. "Well I figure that friends don't push. They just wait until they are needed. So I'll just wait until you need to tell me. Does that make sense?"

Draco didn't know. He had never had any real friends to speak of. He had never found anyone to trust completely. This was something too new to fully understand. "A bargain is a bargain," he said as he shook his head. "Besides, I don't need your pity."

"Listen, Malfoy," Hermione cut him off. "I mean Draco." She blushed to her roots and Draco found himself beguiled by her once more. "Don't think I'm being some big girly pushover, because I'm not. And I definitely don't pity you. I'll help you tonight, but if you don't 'fess up eventually, I'll tell everyone who will listen that your word is as worthless as a skrewt without its blasting end!" She bit her lip, hoping her threatening tactic would work.

Draco smirked, watched her chew on her lip again and felt his stomach twitch once more. He knew he was being played. After all, he was a master of manipulation himself. But he decided to let it go – gratefully. "Alright," he agreed. "Tonight we work."

"Well then," she said as she opened her notes. "Let's get to it."

"Thank you," Draco whispered quietly.

Hermione smiled. She bet he had never uttered those words before in his life.

"You're welcome," she said sincerely. And to her delight, he smiled back.