Hermione Granger's sobs echoed eerily across the diamond-like lake, punctuating the peaceful silence Draco Malfoy had come to enjoy. He looked up from his reflection, straining his eyes to find the source of the sobbing. His eyes, gorgeous gray orbs, found nothing. His smooth, pale skin creased slightly on his forehead. Deep in thought, he was interrupted by a rumble from his crony's stomach.

"Goyle, Crabbe, go inside. Leave me."

He waited in silence for the sounds their plodding footsteps to fade. Without their hulking bodies leaning over him, distracting him, his thoughts came easier.

Now then, Malfoy thought, why would Granger be out there crying all alone? Maybe Potter and Weasley are ignoring her again? After a few more moment's thought, he decided against that idea. No, she's coped with that well enough before…this is something more. Ah, I bet Weasley cheated on her. That would make sense.

The tall boy rose gracefully to his feet, brushing his silvery-blonde hair away from his eyes as he scanned the other bank of the lake. He was unable to locate her, and her sobs were beginning to fade. Turning slightly, he glanced at the great doors of Hogwarts. No sign of anyone.

I'll go talk to her-this might be the best chance I get to really make Potty and the Weasel mad. Maybe I could make her hate them! I can't imagine anything that would upset them more.

He set off walking around the lake, but chose to come around Granger from behind so that she wouldn't run away. Even as he approached the sounds of her tears, he was unable to see her.

I hear her…If she's where she sounds like she is, she ought to be in plain view! So-why isn't she?

He searched his memory for other times when something like this had happened.

Aha! When I saw Potter's head at Hogsmeade-he must have an invisibility cloak. I suppose Granger stole it.

Directly behind Hermione now, he could discern a faint distortion in the air. He put his hand out and gently removed the hood from her head as he sat down beside her.

"Hey…What's wrong?" He schooled his features, which were now, as usual, attempting to form a smirk, to an expression of concern, almost tenderness.

"Get away from me, Malfoy! I-I don't want to talk right now, t-to anyone, especially n-not you." This speech, punctuated by sobs, was such a harsh rejection of his attempt as kindness that it almost upset him.

"What happened? I could hear you crying from all the way across the lake…Are you alright?" Resolving to try harder, he made his voice sound compassionate, full of concern – it wasn't as hard as he'd expected. She looked so, so forlorn that he couldn't help but pity her. She wasn't at all like that twit, Pansy, who only cried to achieve some goal (probably to make him feel guilty – too bad it never worked).

"N-n-nothing! I'm, fine! I'm fine..!" He tentatively placed his hand around her shoulders; he couldn't help it. She sounded as though she wanted to convince herself of this, rather than chase him away.

"Shhh..It's okay. Why don't you tell me what happened? You'll feel better, I promise." She still looked wary of whatever ulterior motives he might have, but gave in and confessed in a voice that was so broken with sobs it was all he could do not to hug her.

"It-it was R-Ron…I c-caught him in th-the boy's d-dorm with L-lavender an-and Pavarti! He w-was ch-cheating on me..!" Draco no longer had to force his face to assume the emotions he was trying to fake; in fact, he was no longer faking. He was so overcome with concern and pity for her, he was scaring himself. Draco Malfoy, the Ice-Prince, wasn't supposed to feel pity for anyone, especially not the Mudblood Know-it-all, Hermione Granger. But he did. Unable to resist the temptations, he turned his body so that he could hug her, leaning his head onto her shoulder, stroking her hair with his other hand. She leaned back against him in an unconscious acceptance of the comfort he was offering, her tears falling onto his robes.

"Shhhh…It'll be alright. I know it will. Everything will be fine…"