short chapter, i just really didnt want to add this to the bottom of the last one, and I know its boring, i swear to you on everying i love that the next chapter will be awesome and you will love and there will be ooo's and ahh's and give me mores, just bear with this boring and stupid and totally unloved chapter.

chapter 5 - friendship

Hermione reached the kitchens a short while later. Tickling the pear in just the right spot opened the door and she walked in to the great room full of house elves, although unlike other times she had been there they werent all busy preparing food. Instead most of them were looking at cookbooks, others were cleaning. 'I guess they dont have to all be cooking to just feed the few of us here' she thought.

"Hermione" called Draco from a corner of the room. He was sitting at a too small table, looking terribly uncomfortable. Dobby sat next to him, his big eyes seemed worried to be so near his old master. "The foods almost ready."

"Great im starving" she said, sitting down across from him. "Hello dobby" she said greeting the elf with a smile"

"Dobby was just showing my his collection of hats" said Draco, as if it had been a tortureous affair. Hermione blushed, knowing it has been her handiwork.

"Can i get you something to drink Miss?" Dobby asked, getting up.

"That would be lovely Dobby" she answered, and so he skipped away leaving the two alone. The everpresent awkward silence returned and they both shifted in there too small seats uncomfortably. "So.." she said, trying to break the ice.

"So.." he answered. mimicking her voice. His face then turned red. "Im sorry, that was rude, i didnt mean to insult you" he had blown it now. But when he looked at her, she was laughing.

"Its ok" she assured him, giggling behind her hand. Relieved he chuckled too. They both started to laugh harder at how silly they were being, both ending up in stitches, laughing their heads off about absolutely nothing. Like most good laughs, they tried to stop but only ended up laughing more. Hermione had never seen Draco laugh this way, it backed up his story that he had changed, and so she decided to let down her barriers, and give him a chance. She smiled and gazed at his now unbruised face. Smiling and laughing she realized how handsome he was. She had always thought him attractive, but now with a smile on his face and his arrogant attitude gone, she could see him for what he really was.

Noticing her smile at him Draco let his laughs die away. He had only actually seen her smile a few times, and usually it was when she was around Potter or that Weasly. The silence once again took over the table as he watched her smile at him. Luckily the Elves came bearing trays of food at just that time.

Together they feasted on pumpkin juice, mashed potatoes, roast beef, and salad. Dobby waited on their every need, running to get them more drink or napkins or salt and pepper. Over dinner the conversation begain to flow, and by desert they were talking like friends.

"SO, what were you doing in McGonagalls office?" asked Hermione, putting down her fork and pushing the plate of pie away from her.

Draco finished chewing and did likewise. "We just talked about some stuff" he said, as if it was a normal thing, him to be in the headmisstresses office.

"About what?" asked Hermione, being as persistant as she everwas.

Draco glared at her slightly, but then said "We talked about school, and classes, and my family." he looked up to see if she cared, she looked at him sideways, waiting for more so he continued. "It seems now with my mother dead and my father in jail i am left with their debts." He looked down, ashamed at his state. He was always one of the wealthiest in the school, or so he thought.

"Your mother Draco?" Hermione asked in a small voice. He looked up and saw concern in her eyes. "I didnt know" she said, not able to find other words.

Draco realized then that she didnt know him, didnt know what had happened. It made him remember just what had brought them together, the pain he had caused her. He suddenly felt wrong being in her presence. He shifted in his seat and started to mumble. He wanted to leave and go back to his room and punish himself. If she wasnet going to hold anything against him, than he would have to hold it against himself. Still, he wanted to talk about it. "She was killed over the summer." He looked up to see if she was getting angry, and all he saw was concern, so he finished." He killed her, to get back at me." He stared at his hands, the nature of their discussion had somehow gone completely off the course he had wanted it to.

Hermione placed her hand on his, causing him to look up at her. She looked like she was going to cry, only she looked like she was going to cry for him, not because of her own pain. "Its ok" he tried to explain. "We werent exactly close, i mean, she wasent a nice person, but, ya know? Its really ok" He tried to convince her and himself. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. Together they stared at each other. He was angry for letting her pity him after all that he had done to her, but it didnt seem to bother her as much as it bothered him. A small while passed where he tried to keep his emotion in check, not wanted to seem upset. She pretened not to notice how gruff his voice got, and eventually the subject got changed.

"So, You also talked about inhereting debt?" she asked, not trying to seem nosey, just trying to keep up the talking.

Draco looked down, anger at his father grew in him. "Yea, it seems my father gave all our worth to the deatheaters and now I've got nothing. Just a bunch of debt and the clothes on my back. But at least that idiot paid for Hogwarts through, so I can stay. McGonagall said she would help me get a job, maybe here or maybe with the ministry after i graduate, to start to pay it off." He stood, not looking forward to continueing a conversation about being poor. Hermione stood with him. "Its getting late, let me walk you back to your room." and so they took off, headed tword the towers.

"What about you, you were going into her office while i was leaving, what did you talk about?" Draco was eager to get the talk off of him and his troubles.

Hermione blushed, not wanting to talk about her newfound wealth after hearing about his troubles. "Nothing really, she just wanted to make sure i was ok to start classes." she smiled. "Im really looking forward to them actually" she began, and continued talking about her upcomming classes until they reached the portrait of the fat lady.

"Well, thanks for the talk Draco, and thanks for dinner."

"I guess" he answered nevously putting his hands in his pockets.

"Hey, considering we have only each other to keep company here, would you like to get together tommorrow?" She bit her lip, hoping she wouldent have to spend the day alone tommorrow.

"Sure" he answered. His head tried to will his feet to walk away but instead they were planted to the ground, facing her.

She looked at the door and then back at Draco. "Well then.." she smiled.

"Yea.." said Draco, cursing himself for his lack of vocabulary.

Hermione stepped foward and awkwardly put her arms around Draco. His eyes buldged at the contact, and he awkwardly hugged her back, but a moment too late as she was already pulling away. His hands grazed her breats and they both stood up and blushed. She moved to step through the door and into the common room. "Night Draco" she tried not to look at his face, embarassment creapt over her.

"Goodnight" he answered, as the door swung closed. He stood looking at the fat lady, who was grinning as tho she just got the hottest gossip in the castle. He begain to walk to his room, thinking of how he and Hermione had talked more than they had in 6 years in that one night.