After breakfast, Hermione did the unthinkable: She skipped Transfiguration. She hurried down the steps to the library, which was empty, as everyone was in class—or was supposed to be.
She silently strolled down the aisles, slowing her pace when she heard stifled sobs. Coming around the corner, she found Draco Malfoy curled up on the floor, his knees tucked up under his arms and his head down. Feeling the guilt well up inside her, Hermione knelt down in front of him and touched his arm. He lifted his head with a strangled gasp.
"Draco, I am so sorry," she whispered, His face contorted into a hard, angry scowl.
"I can't believe you did that!" he hissed. She winced.
"If I had known, I would never have…" She trailed off, not really sure how to go about this. Draco seemed too upset to hold in his anger. A new wave of tears came, and Hermione pulled him into a hug.
"How long have you felt that way?" she asked softly, once Draco had quieted down. He shrugged one shoulder.
"Since last year." He looked up, his silver eyes shining in apprehension.
"What am I going to do? I'm going to have to change schools, or something!" Hermione's lips pressed into a firm line.
"You're not going to change schools! You are a Malfoy! You're going to march out there and hold your head high!" Draco gave a weak smile.
"You're right." She smiled and charmed his red eyes so that they were clear.
"Now, come on. We're late for Transfiguration. I told Harry that you were under a spell, but nothing more." He nodded and followed her up to the fourth floor. When they entered the classroom, Hermione had a brief whispered conversation with Professor McGonagall, who nodded curtly, and they both sat down.
"Why were you late?" Ron whispered. Hermione shrugged.
"I was in the library," she replied, shortly. She looked over at Harry, who was seemingly in a daze. Hermione noticed that as he was taking notes, he would absentmindedly finger his lower lip.
Smiling faintly, she began to copy down the notes. Perhaps her mistake would bring forth some good.