Chapter Sixteen: No News is Good News

Draco went to the library at a quarter to 7. He took out his Potions project and tried to reread it as he waited for her. It was only a rough draft, but all the information Hermione needed was on here. He tried to read it all and take it in at the same time, but it seemed difficult. All he was doing was wondering why she was late. "Draco!" Draco turned his head and saw Blaise running into the library.

"Be quiet!" The librarian snapped quietly.

"Sorry," Blaise whispered to her and ran towards Draco.

"What is it?" Draco asked a very concerned Blaise.

"This," Blaise pulled out a letter from his robes, "A Augurey delivered it to your room. I heard it pecking at your window. It's addressed to you!" Oh no... An Augurey could only mean one thing...
"Malficious?" Draco asked quickly.

"What?"

"Was it black with greenish black with silver feathers and did it have a silver collar with my family crest on it around its neck?" Draco demanded.

"Yes, yes! It had black eyes as well and extremely unlike any Augurey I have ever read about, it was not nervous at all; in fact it was willing and forceful. I think he would have broken your window in to give this to you,"

Draco sighed. "That's Malficious, either my father has learned way to kill me by mail or my mother is using him to send me an urgent letter she couldn't risk my dad finding out about with owls flying about the manor,"

"I'll vote for the second one," Blaise decided, "now open it up!"

Draco nodded, ripped the envelope from his family crest (which was green wax stamped to read: M), unfolded the parchment and read it aloud quietly.

"Dearest Draco,

I fear to tell you your father has seen your recent act of 'glory' in the Daily Prophet, I tried to not show him, but your father was...insistent on it. Damn him, if he hurts her... He is angered with you Draco. "Oh no, really?" Blaise hit him as he spoke aloud for the second time and he continued reading, "He insists to see you the moment you arrive home from Hogwarts, but I fear for when you do. Please, avoid this place as long as you can, he means to punish you or at least teach you a lesson. He also means to have you join Voldemort and the Death Eaters so he will yield at some extent with his unorthodox methods. If he knew I was writing this it would be the end of me, but my darling, the last thing I want is for you to be a Death Eater, please do not be like your father. I love him, but the darkness has long since taken over him, keep away from this place as long as you can. Until I write you after I've found out your fathers plans, I beg of you to do your best to stay away. I will not have you hurt or brainwashed any further with Voldemort's beliefs. Enclosed with Malficious is a package with the gold and silver that is enough to get you out of the area for the summer and as long as you need. I was able to place some extra in your account at Gringotts as well, even stay in the world of Muggles if you must; any where but here till Malficious finds you again. You may write back but hide the letter in Malficious collar. I am pleased to learn you have helped save a life, even if it is a muggle born, but your father is not as pleased as I am. So please abide my demands, I love you Draco.

Love Mum"

Draco looked blankly at Blaise. As the things like 'hurt' and 'brainwashed' ran through his mind he couldn't help but wonder what in bloody hell they meant. But at the moment he decided to figure out some thing he could at the moment, "Blaise, did Malficious have a package?"

"Yes, it's up in your room, it was quite heavy so I thought I'd just bring you the letter, want me to keep it locked up while your down here?"

"Yes, please," Draco said, still not believing his own mother didn't want him to return home for safety reasons. Does she mean I have already been brainwashed? Did my own mother plan for me to be raised differently? With his feelings since the past week and some new facts that came to light he began to see there was nothing wrong at all with being a mudblood and he could see why now this being enemies thing was such a big deal. I was so horrible…I didn't even know why I was just literally trained horrible…

"Hey," Hermione said putting her bags down out of no where.

"Hi," Blaise said friendly.

Draco jumped and looked up, "oh hey," As if all of the things I needed to say weren't going to be difficult enough, nothing is going to come out right. Especially when she looks just as good in a normal outfit then she did at the Yule Ball.

"Am I interrupting?" She asked plainly taking her books out, she sat down and her eyes traveled to his letter.

"No," Draco said closing his mother's letter and shoving it in his pants pocket.

"Okay, well then I'll leave you two to finish your assignment and I'll get right to that thing that needs doing,"

"Thank you Blaise," Draco said as Blaise left, "Well then," he said jumping right to the point desperate to get the letter and these other crazy things like thinking she looked nice, off his mind, "I was able to snag some of our actual Potion. I told Snape it was for a special matter since you have been absent from class. So," he said taking a vial out of his pants pocket and gathered his work from around the table, "this is our project so far. It's practically finished, except for the final touches and corrections,"

"How did you get this all completely done alone?" Hermione asked astounded.

Well I can't sleep at night because of you, so work is really the only option and even then I go crazy… because of you and my undefined thoughts, "I had some extra time on my hands," She still looked expectant. What do you want! "Because of Quidditch being over and it wasn't that hard," Draco lied.

"Well I thought you might have finished it if you thought I wouldn't be recovering soon, but I would like to earn my own mark as well Malfoy,"

"You made the potion,"

"I nearly spoiled it; I would have if it wasn't for you!"

"Look, you've obviously had a hard week, just accept the fact your project is done. It's better then being incredibly behind, besides I'm not as stupid as you think," she looked up at him challengingly, "I'm certain you would have written the exact same thing any ways,"

Hermione wanted to defy that theory so she picked up the parchment and began to read their finished assignment. About 5 minutes later she put it down and sighed, "Be that as it may…I feel useless to the project."

"You aren't useless," Draco said.

"What?" she said, not believing what she heard.

"Oh nothing," Draco said shaking his head nervously and opening a random book that had been lying on the table before he had gotten there. Romeo and Juliet? Oh for the sake of all that is Slytherin… He pretended to flip through the pages but then he felt the book being taken away. What the? Hermione had it in her hands and had it shut, "Um Malfoy," Oh no, what's she going to say...I can't confront this now; I need to think, think I tell you! As Draco heard this voice in his head he wanted to bang his head on the table, my mind has become a desperate fortress. "I need to talk to you about some thing,"

"What is it?" He asked, his voice hitting a high pitch. What am I, 13?

Hermione's eyes drifted down the table where younger students had there eyes frozen on Draco and Hermione. Have they been watching us this whole time? They began to whisper as Draco noticed as well, "Actually, could we go some where else to talk about it?"

"Yeah," Draco nodded, also annoyed with their viewers. The people in this school need to get lives. Me? Not at all; I go around saving the lives of mudbloods and then end up feeling some thing that is scary! You know you got a life when…

Hermione lead the way to the very back of the library, and all the way there it kept getting darker, fewer and fewer candles were lit. She walked until she hit the very last wall, just to make sure no one was around. It was a very concealed place back in the old stacks of legendary parchment and super old books written in incomprehensible languages. Not a lot of students knew about the place the students called 'the stacks', given its name because the books weren't used enough to have to keep them filed and organized. Therefore they were left stacked, disorganized and a student like Hermione's, nightmare. And since its lack of use, it was not only used for the stacking of barely used educational material, it was used as a secret place where students went to have… breaks from studying.

"Um Hermione, you know this is where a lot of students-,"

"I know," Hermione broke in. "But I'm one of the few students who actually use the books back here so people can't assume any thing."

"People assume every thing, in case 6 years at Hogwarts and Rita Skeeter didn't teach you that,"

"The point is we can actually find a book back here. If all I wanted to do was talk we wouldn't have had to come this far back,"

"But what kind of book do we need? The potion, the paper…every thing is done!"

"If you haven't been in Snape's class long enough to know it, extra knowledge on any mistake you can make with the potions, their outcomes, any historic discoveries that have changed the potion over the years…is worth extra credit,"

"Is there any thing you don't know?" Draco said shaking his head and without realizing it smiling it a bit.

"What? Help me out here," Hermione said beginning to go threw some dusty stacks but when Draco began to help her she answered his question, "well there's plenty. Why would I still be in school if I knew it all?"

"That's what I'm wondering. You always know what the teacher is going to say, you always know what's going to be taught, you just always know every thing."

Hermione waited a second for him to continue and tell her how horrible that all was but he didn't continue, "That's it?"

"What?" Draco said opening and old Potions book.

"There's no, 'no one likes a know-it-all' or 'you need a life mudblood'?"

Draco frowned, for the past few minutes he hadn't even thought about that or the letter, in fact he was having a great time just stating the obvious he couldn't state before without making it sound horrible. "No," she raised an eye brow and looked at him. "It took me six years to realize it, but there's nothing wrong with being intelligent,"

Hermione stepped away from him and the stacks, shocked at the words. In fact she was so shocked the next thing to happen was some thing that has never happened. She flipped. "But what about the fact I'm a mudblood? What about the fact I'm wearing muggle clothes? What about the 'fact' I must only read so much to keep up because I obviously can't compare to a full-blooded witch or wizard?"

Draco closed the Potions book he couldn't read any way and was confused, "you want to hear those things? Aren't those things mean, untrue and horrible? Aren't you supposed to not want to hear them?"

"Yes but after six years of you saying that stuff any way it's not like I'm going to stop expecting them just because you were some kind of allegorical knight in shining armor! We can't just stop being enemies, look at the past!"

"But what if we were enemies for no reason?" Draco said, "I've been so confused and distracted lately and I think it's because when I saved your life I didn't feel like I was doing some thing wrong, I would have saved you even if I knew it was you falling regardless of what my dad taught me and I started questioning every thing he taught me because I never actually hated you, I was brought up to hate you!"

True, Hermione had come here tonight to figure out what was making her so distracted but that was the exact opposite of the answer she wanted. If he just could have said 'if it was you I wouldn't have saved you and NOTHING else they could have simply went back to hating each other as it should be. But was this why Hermione was distracted too? She was so thankful to Malfoy, and now she knew he would have saved her life regardless of the horrible doubts she had. He was the one to bring her work and assignments. He defied all of the old beliefs she had for him and finished their project. Ever since that one incident he had seemed completely different. But this was so big, not being enemies- it couldn't just be a simple decision. "So you don't hate me and yes I'm thankful that you saved my life but what am I supposed to do say..."oh he finally realized he had no reason to hate me and even though he's made my past 6 years miserable so I'm just going to stop hating him'? I mean other then your name calling and bringing my friends down I have not done much to you."

"I know you can't just stop hating some one. But we had no reason to hate each other. I mean I hated you because I was supposed to, so you hated me. But I never really hated you so really you never hated me,"

"How is that logical?" Hermione demanded. "No, forget that this whole thing has been illogical. So okay, maybe we don't exactly hate each other. But your reputation of being a sex god, bad boy Slytherin has been publicly eviscerated enough by you merely catching me with out having a say in it. Now you're a hero! If you were seen casting the slightest smile at me now, the Slytherins would hate you if they thought less then hate was between us."

"Don't you think I know all of that? Hermione, for some reason ever since I saved your life you have proven to be this amazing person I didn't know existed and I think it was because I was so blinded by what every one thought and it was the only reason I 'hated' you to begin with. I don't care about that any more and I just need to know if there's a way to end this enemy thing that never had a reason to begin with, I mean other then an apology," And there it was. Draco had told the true, the whole truth and literally nothing but the truth. He didn't even realize he meant those words till he said them.

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. She almost thought this was a joke from the old Malfoy but she wouldn't let herself believe it. This enemy thing, all this tormenting could be over. But how could she let go of the past? She knew Harry and Ron would never be okay with that or want to be friends with him as well. "I just don't know. I mean if we were to sort things out…wouldn't that just makes things worse in class with all of our friends. I've been so distracted already in class… I almost screwed up a Potion the other day and you're the only reason why this project is going good, that's usually my job in a foolish situation!"

"It could have happened to any one,"

"It never happens to me,"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well maybe it's about time it did," she glared at him, "Every one here is supposed to concentrate on school, we happen to live in our school but you take it so far. The only reason why you're sitting here with some body you think you should still hate right now is because it's interfering with your only way of life, also known as school. Like people have been telling you since you arrived here, you know every thing! I think the only reason why you almost accidentally screwed up yesterday is because you're head is sending you these signals screaming: its time to relax!"

"How can I relax when every thing is changing?"

"If you realize this change could be good."

"It would be our friends hating us because we decided we don't hate each other any more, how is that good?"

"I don't know yet because there are so many bad news flashes but I do know that feelings and emotions have inexplicable ways of manifesting themselves… in a not always self-aware intention! But you can't always plan or stop them," Draco said, "at least I just figured that out now,"

Hermione looked away. This was crazy. He had crawled into her mind! He made her distracted in class, want to dress up to study…Draco Malfoy didn't want to be enemies any more, but Hermione was sure that in her mind some thing even crazier then just not being enemies was brewing. But that was the last thing she would admit. She tried to laugh. "Look Draco, you're verbal deconstruction of this situation is pretty out-dated."

"This may be out-dated but it's the best explanation I have! Right now my feelings are done manifesting, they have manifested beyond belief. I think you're amazing and for the sake of me I've tried to fight it but I just can't! You overwhelm me," Hermione turned around and looked at him; he was a few steps closer to her. She didn't move as he walked even closer to her. She did not want to believe this was him, how could she?

She looked up at him and spoke softly, "you know you are…" then she smirked, "the most arrogant flirt I have ever met,"

"Arrogance," Draco said surprised, "what part of this is arrogance?"

"Oh I've changed," she mocked, "I don't hate you, you're amazing," she mocked again; "well I don't think I believe you! It's just too ridiculous!"

"So are you! I tell you how I feel, I foolishly sell my soul to a girl who is too book-smart to realize a person who might have actually changed and still, STILL I persist to want nothing more then to-," If she really didn't believe him, he wasn't going to say this too. He was going to show her and prove it to her.

"Then to?" She said breathlessly from this arguing.

He gently put his hands around her waist. She looked at him cautiously. Without any signal or sign lowered his head and with no idea of what he was doing kissed her. He may have walked closer and put his hands on her waist but Hermione was still caught very off guard. Draco Malfoy kissed her and the most surprising thing about it is she didn't want him to stop. She exhaled as Draco pulled away only seconds later.

"Draco…you just…" Hermione couldn't even say it, she couldn't believe it.

"I know," He didn't know what he was doing when he did it but now that a speechless Hermione stared up at him with a smile of disbelief forming he didn't regret it. He smiled down at her and gently tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. His complete perspective of Hermione Granger was completely different. She was, felt, looked, smelt and acted in a way that he could not help but like. I like Hermione Granger? "I'm surprised you haven't slapped me and stormed out of here by now," Draco laughed.

"So am I," Hermione laughed. "It was so hard to believe but now how can I not believe it?"

Hermione POV

I can't believe it. I never thought I'd be standing here like this, in the arms of Draco Malfoy, y'know, willingly.

"It's so crazy, I know. Although it was harder to convince you then it was I. Are you convinced yet?"

"I think I was convinced since I walked back here…but the fear of the fact I might actually feel the same way forced me to not let you see I believed you. But it would appear as if this really is you," she smiled, "and me,"

Draco shook his head, "no one is going to believe this,"

"Do you think we could keep this, whatever it is, low key, I mean that's the thing…I think people will believe it, just not accept it…yet any ways,"

"Yes, that's true. I still need to make up 6 years of bullying to you. I don't even know where to start,"

"Think you're up to the challenge of figuring it out?"

"Oh please, I'm a Malfoy. No challenge is too great when such a prize lay at the end,"

"Oh so I'm just a prize?"

"More like a dream,"

Hermione shook her head with a grin forming on her lips. She quoted him, "you're amazing and I really did try to fight it…but you overwhelm me Draco Malfoy. Don't stop," Draco smiled and pulled her closer, and for the first time in over a year Hermione found herself falling head over heals again. She bit her lip as Draco put his hand on the back of her head and kissed her lightly. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. She let her arms travel around his neck as the kiss deepened. She didn't know what was going to happen next, but she didn't want to know. She just wanted to be here, like this, and never happier in a realization.

Draco's other hand was leading up her shirt and even though she wasn't protesting in any form, he knew this wasn't the time or place, if ever. He let his hand comfortably rest on the middle of her soft back, half way up her shirt. Draco decided at that moment he wouldn't screw this one up, he would never take advantage of her and right now it was too soon to make that kind of move. It had never been too soon for Draco, but now it was. I'm not even going to ask my self why Draco decided.

"Hermione, there you a-," Draco and Hermione pulled away slowly at this intrusion. Hermione gasped when she realized who it was. Ginny looked over at Draco, then back to Hermione, then to where their hands were and then their situation. Then, finally, her eyes widened in realization.