Disclaimer: I own nothing. It belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner brothers.
Warnings: SLASH, Mild language.
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Harry's POV
"I mean where does she get off? Chatting and joking with the enemy like they're old friends, is she absolutely mental?" Ron bellowed, pacing in front of the fire…truthfully I had stopped listening an hour ago, but I inserted a well placed nod or half-hearted grunt. He seemed happy enough with that, which meant I could read in peace…sorta. The portrait opened and Ron stopped in mid-rant, I looked up to see Hermione walk in, she looked as if Christmas had come early, Ron walked up to her gaping.
"Why are you so bloody happy?" He asked, still clearly angry with her, she gave him a look and kept walking; she at down in a chair next to me with a sigh, Ron glared at her.
I looked between the two in amusement, but I knew Ron was gonna blow soon, so I intervened.
"Hermione what happened?" I asked, she gave me a strange look, it was excited and almost….plotting…
"Oh, nothing much. I just had a conversation with Blaise and Draco." She said in a strange voice
"Oh, did you enjoy your little 'chat'?" Ron asked, normally this sentence wouldn't have been funny, but normally Ron wouldn't have made the quotation marks with his fingers…I snorted in laughter, I couldn't help it, no matter how much I tried to stifle it. Me snorting in laughter was becoming a more common occurrence.
Hermione looked at me, laughing also, at meeting each others gaze…we laughed harder. Ron glared at us…and at this point…I fell onto the floor in laughter, and Hermione looked close to tears of laughter. Ron stared at us and shook his head; slowly he smiled…which turned into chuckles…which turned into laughter. A first year walked by and gave us a strange look. I stood and sat back in my chair with a sigh.
"Ah, thanks for the laugh mate." Ron nodded and turned to Hermione.
"I still want to know what's up." He stated, Hermione sighed
"I was out in the entrance hall and a group of Slytherins jumped Draco and Blaise." She stated, I gave her a confused look and Ron voiced my opinions
"So?" He asked, she sighed again
"Doesn't that seem a little strange to you that six Slytherins would beat up Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin prince?" She asked, I give her credit…it did seem strange. But Ron wasn't so easily swayed.
"No. Maybe they just realized what a bloody prat he is."
"Ronald Weasley! Are you completely blind!" Hermione cried, I jumped at her outburst and Ron seemed a little startled
"No…why?" He asked in a confused voice, Hermione growled…which scared me…a lot. A mad Hermione is…well…I don't want to talk about it. I shrank away from her
"THIS IS NOT THE DRACO MALFOY THAT INSULTED YOUR FAMILY SO MANY TIMES! OR THE ONE THAT DUELED HARRY IN SECOND YEAR! This Draco has feelings! He is isolated. Lonely. Depressed. He doesn't eat, sleep or even talk, Ronald. He needs our help. And if you aren't going to be a good person, and help me, help him. Then I'm going to do it myself, and I don't want to hear a word from you otherwise. I am going to call him Draco, I am going to talk to him, joke with him, become friends with him. And there is nothing you can do to stop me." Hermione's voice had dropped to a dangerous whisper, her eyes were dark and narrowed with anger, she had stood and walked to Ron, their noses where about four inches apart. Ron had paled in either fear or anger…and I'm betting on fear. The room was deathly silent, the few others that were in the room were looking on in either fear or happiness that it was Ron and not them, Hermione was screaming at. Hermione didn't seem to care, she turned to me, and I shrank back, but relaxed when she smiled
"Do you have a problem with it Harry?" She asked in quiet and strangely hopeful voice, I shook my head
"Not really. No." I said truthfully…I hadn't hated Malfoy for a long time…she smiled wider and nodded
"Good. Know Ronald, do you have anything to say?" She asked, Ron looked at the floor
"But… 'Mione…what about all the times he called you a…a mudblood?" He asked quietly, Hermione smiled softly
"He apologized."
"So?"
"Forgive and forget Ronald, forgive and forget." Hermione stated, Ron looked up
"But what if this is just a trick Hermione, a plan so he can deliver us to you-know-who?"
"It isn't." I stated quietly, Ron and Hermione looked at me.
"What?" Ron asked, Hermione looked at me knowingly
"Malfoy and Zabini joined the light, about two weeks ago…Dumbledore told me, but swore me to secrecy, he feared for their lives; especially Malfoy's if the Slytherins found out." I explained, my voice still in a whisper "He was disinherited…disowned…Dumbledore let him stay his last year for free…Hermione's right Ron, we can afford to be his friends." Hermione nodded, looking pleased with me, Ron nodded in defeat
"Fine, I'll try, but I'm not promising anything."
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There. Chapter 2. Three will hopefully be up soon. But I can't promise, lots of homework.
And please review!