The XanderCordelia Factor

The holidays came quickly, and Hermione couldn't believe that she and Draco had made up and become friends on such short a time period. Maybe he'd gotten drunk. Maybe he'd missed her so much he couldn't bear to be apart. Hoping it was the latter, she dressed in a Hawthorne Heights tee and light jeans, grabbed a skateboard and headed to the Room of Requirement, pausing only to wake Harry and take him with her. As they entered, skateboards in hand, they saw Draco there, already skating. Hermione grinned, and Harry nodded. They started skating, and music gently poured through hidden "speakers"

"It's my own personal mix," Draco said, "Autumn Rising, Cold, Dope, Metallica, Megadeth, Rent, Blink182, and Spinal Tap." Hermione nodded, and the track switched to A Change of Scenery by Autumn Rising. His blue eyes found her hazel ones, and for a moment, they connected.

Close your eyes and drift away from memory
You can't cover it up
The words that used to cut so deep, love's taken place
And you've learned from it

This numbs the pain and clears your thoughts
Looking up front, the scenery changes
Life is a lesson, learn what you can
Just learn what you can

Now when you're fast asleep, don't forget where you came from
Or who you used to be
The words that used to cut so deep, love's taken place
And you've learned from it

This numbs the pain and clears your thoughts
Looking up front, the scenery changes
Life is a lesson, learn what you can
Just learn what you can

When you look back on all the choices that you've made
Remember love has made the way
Make the best of what you're handed, learn from your mistakes
Your heart's preparing

This numbs the pain and clears your thoughts
Looking up front, the scenery changes
Life is a lesson, learn what you can
Just learn what you can...

The moment was lost when the song finished, and both returned to their skating and tricks. Harry smirked, but didn't let them know that both of them were BRIGHT red.

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Draco returned to his room later, the moment still burning in his mind. Changing his shirt to a nicer one for lunch, he thought over what he'd do to win his ex back over the two weeks they had. He walked to lunch, plopped himself down with the already waiting Hermione and Harry, and heaped food onto his plate (they were fries, so why wouldn't he?) And they began to talk music. Turns out Harry was a real big Dope fan, he had all the albums and been to their Summer of Sin tour with Makeshift Romeo and Mantis. Other than that, he liked Fall Out Boy and the Ramones. He found the Beatles to be lame and boring. Hermione liked Autumn Rising and Full Blown Rose as well as Busted, Son of Dork and Fightstar. She'd been to a Hawthorne Heights concert, went with Harry to the Summer of Sin tour (to make sure he didn't get raped) and was anti-Beatles.

"Maybe that's why many girls here don't like me. I like original and almost unheard of bands while they waste their time listening to mainstream shit." the boys had gasped at her using such profane language. They burst out laughing. Draco also found out that Harry played bass, and had been teaching himself for a while. They spent a whole day playing in the Room of Requirement, now fondly dubbed the Punk Room. Hermione just watched, writing something on paper. When she was asked what, she gave them lyrics. They spent time actually trying to sing, then she intervened.

"God, you boys sound like dying cows on acid!" then she sung, switching from angelic voice to emo singer, then to a AC/DC type voice - sounding like a heavy smoker. It was the best first day of vacation Draco had ever had. After about three hours of jamming on their guitars and singing, they took a break for a walk on the field.

"Wanna start a band?" they all said it at once, took one look at one another, and fell down laughing. Draco recovered first.

"Name?" he asked.

"Cows With Guns." said Harry.

"Can't, it's a website."

"Floating Heads?"

"Too much like the Talking Heads."

It went on and on, Harry supplying, Draco rejecting. At this point, Hermione interrupted.

"This'll take all bloody day if you don't get a move on. Draco, what do you think, as Harry's been supplying names all the while?" she asked, and their eyes met again. Connection. Draco was speechless for a second, then took a breath to steady his heartbeat.

"The Cyanide Injection."

"Brilliant!" Harry shouted, Hermione clapped her hands. All of them collaborated how to find a drummer. Then talk moved on to gossip. Who's fat, who's a slut, that sort of shit.

Finally dinner came, and they moved to the castle.

"You lot go without me, I've got to get something from my room." Harry said, leaving Draco and Hermione alone.

"So..." the blond started.

"Yeah." Hermione gulped. They were alone, and she was nervous. With Harry around, she was more confident about talking with him. Now that he was gone, she had no clue of about what to say to her ex. "Hello, I still like you, let's go out again. How are you besides that?" god Granger, get a grip. He probably hates you now. She felt tears start to well, and mentally squashed them down. Draco had unfortunately noticed.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, using Gentle-voice. He put his hands on her shoulders, and looked into her eyes.

"N-nothing." oh god she was such a bad liar. He gave her a look, like he knew she was lying, decided to let it go, and gave her a hug, hesitating a bit. It wasn't a suffocating hug, just a nice hug. He smelled good too. Like mints. Must be a thing he's got going.

"Anytime you decide to let me in on what goes on in that head of yours, I'll be there." His voice never changed tone, but somehow he sounded fragile. When she looked at him, she saw sincerity and sadness in his beautiful blues. She hugged back. They walked to the hall in silence. Harry, watching from the shadows, smiled. He was helping mend the trauma that Parkinson and that night had inflicted.

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Hey loves, so bored, so I decided to write some more. I'm so sorry if it seems like this just keeps going on and on. Villains will appear in the finale (next chapter. Has three parts. Cuz I'm weird like that)

R&R, and you'll get a cupcake! YAAAAAAAAAAY!

Shorty