A/N: Yay homeroom! .

Chapter 6: A Second Chance?

Hermione returned to the common room exhausted. The seventh years had such a large amount of work that they barely had time to talk. Hermione had found Ron looking at her more than ever, but she had no time to acknowledge it. She wished she could. But then she remembered…Why was she thinking about Ron when Malfoy also had her attention? She sighed as she threw her bag on the floor and flopped down onto the couch. Never before had she ever thought about putting off homework, but now she thought nothing of it. Closing her eyes, she fell asleep.

"Hermione? Hermione?" Ron and Harry stood over her, grinning. Hermione rubbed her eyes. "What do you want? I'm not doing your Defense Against Dark Arts paper, so don't even-"

"We're done. We just wanted to know if you wanted help on yourhomework." Harry said, clearly pleased with himself.

Hermione blinked in shock. "You're…you're done?"

"Yup!" said Ron as he bounced onto the couch. The common room was now quite empty. "Finished it about a half hour ago. But judging from the fact that you don't have ink spots on your nose from writing so fast, we guessed that you hadn't even started."

Hermione sat up and glared at him. His concerned mask melted away and he grinned from ear to ear. "Actually, Neville told us that you fell asleep as soon as you came up from dinner. You're never that tired. What's wrong?"

Ron had surprised her. He usually didn't care if she was tired. But oh well. She needed to stop thinking about him. Hermione pulled her robe up her arm to expose the bracelet. "Dumbledore told me about my parents…They're dead. But then he gave me an envelope. When I opened it, it had a letter, a bracelet, and some pictures. The letter told me that…." She couldn't put it off any longer. She had to tell someone. "That Voldemort killed my parents. He was looking for this charm." She pointed to the phoenix on her wrist. Harry and Ron looked horrified. Hermione continued. "The letter said it contained extraordinary powers. That is Voldemort used it, the world as we know it would be over. But it we used it against him…That we could destroy him forever."

The trio fell silent, wishing for more answers. What was the charm? How was it made? What gave it it's power? Millions of questions wove through their heads, but no answers presented themselves. Finally Hermione stood up. "I'm going to bed." She left for the girl's dormitory and Harry and Ron sat until she left. Ron looked to Harry. "What do you think?" Harry stood up. "I don't know."

…………………

The next morning dawned and Hermione suppressed a yawn. She slowly climbed from her bed and pulled on her uniform. She sleepily made her way down to breakfast alone, but saw Draco waiting for her by the entrance to the Great Hall. "Good morning Hermione. Did you sleep well?"

Hermione wasn't sure if she wanted to hug him or punch him. Finally she looked at him. "Why did you do that to Neville?"

Draco looked at her sadly, knowing that she was angry at him. He sighed. "I know what I did last year was wrong, and I know that it appeared that I started that fight with Longbottom. But I didn't. He started it. Longbottom started to yell and curse at me and I tried to keep my cool. But after a while…It was impossible. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Hermione looked into his eyes and saw no lie in them. I've never been able to do that before…Glancing at her charm, she saw that the feathers on the phoenix looked…fiery. It made the charm look alive. The powers of the charm…Draco took her hand. "Will you give me another chance and go to Hogsmead with me?"

Hermione weighed the decision in her mind. Ron and Harry would be…upset, but this was her life and her choice. Slowly she nodded. "Alright."

Draco gave her the most genuine smile she had ever seen him use. "Thank you Hermione. Thank you."

He turned into the Great Hall and left Hermione to herself. She slowly turned herself to face the hall and watched Draco's blonde head bob up and down as he walked to the Slytherin table. Hermione smiled. She made her way to the Gryffindor table and sat down between Harry and Ron. Harry noticed her obviously pleased with herself look and asked her, "Why are you so happy?"

Hermione speared a piece of sausage and placed it on her plate. "I'm going to Hogsmead with Draco." She said simply.

Harry's mouth dropped open and Ron choked on his egg. "You're…You mean?...With him…You're WHAT?" Ron sputtered.

Harry finally closed his mouth and placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "You DO remember that this is the same Draco Malfoy who helped the Death Eaters break into Hogwarts, almost killed Dumbeldore, and has been completely vile to us since our first year including breaking my nose last year?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, but Harry…Neither of you really know him."

"NEITHER DO YOU!" Ron shouted. The hall went silent and stared at him. Ron lowered his head, clearly embarrassed, but then yelled back "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?"

The students turned and went back to their meals. Ron lowered his voice. "You don't know him either Hermione. You think you do but you don't. He's called you a mudblood dince second year. He's always making fun of you. Why don't you go with someone you really know and are truly friends with?"

Hermione placed her fork on the table and folded her hands. Looking at Ron she said, "You mean someone like you?"

Ron's face was such a deep red that it clashed horribly with his hair. Sputtering, he tried to redeem himself. "I never…I didn't say…Why did you…When did I ever.." Without finishing his sentence he jumped up and ran from the hall. Harry looked to Hermione. "Well done." Harry stood and took after Ron, calling to him to come back.

Hermione lowered her head, ashamed at what she had done. Draco came over. "What happened?" He asked quietly. Hermione, without raising her head answered "It's complicated."

Draco took her hand. "Let's go." He pulled her up and they left the Great Hall to much staring and whispering.

When they were out into the Entrance Hall, Draco sat down with Hermione on the stairs. "What happened?"

Hermione relayed the story to Draco of what had happened between her and Ron. Draco pulled her close. "I didn't mean to split you three up. I'm sorry." He hugged her. "Pleae don't be mad at me."

Hermione sighed. "It wasn't your fault. I mean, I should have expected it. We've never gotten along. And especially after last year…"

Draco tilted her head so she was looking into his eyes. "I told you that I know I was wrong. I'm so so sorry Hermione. But when Voldemort…"

Hermione's eyes filled with anticipation. Softly she asked, "What happened Draco?"

Draco sighed. After a moment, he started. "It was maybe a week after I'd gotten home from school. One evening in the middle of dinner, the kitchen door burst open. Mother jumped up and the dining room door blew apart as Voldemort ran in. He grabbed my arm and started dragging me to the living room. Mother ran behind him, asking him what was going on. He didn't answer her until he had thrown me onto the couch and was pacing in front of the mantle. Finally, he told my mother that because of my father's stupidity, I would have to finish his task. When she asked what it was, he told her that she could tell no one or I'd be killed. He then told her that I had to find a way to smuggle a large group of Death Eaters, including the werewolf Fenrir Greyback into the castle…and then kill Dumbledore."

Hermione's eyes had started to water. She couldn't believe what he'd had to endure. Before she could say anything though, he had begun again.

"He told me of the cabinets in the Room of Requirement and Borgin and Burkes and how they would be the mode of transportation. He then told me that the cabinet in the Room of Requirement was broken and it would take Borgin to fix it. I had to threaten Borgin with Greyback before he'd listen…I felt terrible, but I had to do this. I couldn't show fear in what I was doing or Voldemort would have killed me months ago." Draco sighed. "What he doesn't know is that…When confronted with the time to murder Dumbledore…I quit. I couldn't do it. Snape knew though so…He did it. But he WANTED to. He's been working for Voldemort the whole time. I'm no longer faithful to Voldemort. I'm…" Draco sighed again. "As Pott- as Harry put it…I'm Dumbeldore's man through and through."