Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, they are the brilliant works of the marvelous J.K.Rowling. I also do not own Coldplay or To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

CHAPTER 8

'What does this mean?' thought Hermione as she sat at dinner that night. She often caught Draco's eye; it seemed as though they were sending silent messages to each other. He could see that Hermione was confused and a little upset about what had happened earlier, and began poking his fellow Slytherins when she was looking to make her laugh. Hermione did not know why she was depressed about what happened before. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She had fallen hard for Draco Malfoy, the perfect gentleman that no body but her saw. 'Let's face it' she said to herself, 'This just isn't going to happen. To start with, Ron and Harry would never have it. Second of all, Heaven-only-knows what his father would do, and thirdly, and most obvious, what makes me think he'd ever want to go out with me anyway? It was just a kiss, he doesn't want a relationship. And anyway, I'm not so sure I do either'But in her heart she knew that was just what she wanted, badly.

She dropped her head to the table and sat like that for the rest of the meal. Suddenly she straightened herself having cleared her thoughts and laughed. 'Listen to yourself! This is stupid! He's still an ass! And besides, he probably just wants to get into my pants.'

Draco saw her suddenly laughing hysterically, but she seemed to be looking at the person opposite her and he was suddenly jealous that he could not make her laugh like that. He so desperately just wanted to make her smile. For the rest of dinner he sat scolding himself for being so arrogant and not as loveable as he felt he wanted to be towards her (A/N Oh my goodness! Draco you're so pathetic! I know that was a corny thing to write, in fact this whole chapter is, but I wanted to make you smile :) )

It was a Friday night, and Hermione went back the Gryffindor Common Room and stayed with her friends until the late hours of the night. When she came back to her dorm, there was no light except for the dull glow of the fire. Over the top of the armchair nearest the fire she could see the familiar blonde hair of Draco, and in front of that on the coffee table a glass of red wine. From where she was standing she could hear him mumbling under his breath, seemingly arguing with himself. She stood and listened for a moment, though it was barely audible.

She coughed lightly as if to apologize for interrupting, and he turned and stood swiftly to face her, his cape billowing with this fast movement. With the light of the fire behind him, his silhouette looked almost haunting. Suddenly he leapt toward her. She took a step back in fright, but he grabbed her at the sides and was all of a sudden gentle. He wrapped his arms around her waist and once she realized what he was trying to do, she placed hers around his neck. He buried his head into her hair and she lifted hers to rest on his tall shoulder. And there they stood, swaying gently from side to side until Hermione broke the silence.

"Are you ok? Who were you talking to?" The swaying stopped and he looked at her as if appalled at her lack of tactfulness at invading his privacy.

"Nothing. I mean no one" He abruptly left and went up to his room, leaving Hermione standing alone in the Common Room in the dull light of the fire. She was so confused she found herself wandering aimlessly around the room. When she realised what she was doing she stopped, in front of the coffee table. She picked up the glass of wine and took a sip. It dried her mouth out and sickened her to her stomach. She did not understand how people could drink it with pleasure. It just now occurred to her; maybe they didn't. Maybe they drank it to soothe themselves, to get away. Maybe that's why Draco drank it. He had all that abuse inflicted by his father to face, in the past present and future no doubt.

She stepped forward and poured it into the fire, watching the flames devour it like a suffocating fish embraces water. Hermione walked up to her room and fell asleep in her clothes. She had a rather long sleep-in in the morning, not rising until 12:30. 'What a waste of a day' she thought as she changed out of yesterday's robes and into clean ones. She walked out of her room and upon reaching the landing at the bottom of her stairs she found Draco lying unconscious on the floor.

"Oh my goodness!" Hermione rushed over to him and tried to wake him, but he did not stir. Suddenly she wished she had not thrown the wine away last night, she remembered that in old fashioned Muggle films they used to use it to wake people. She went to lift him but thought better of it. Getting out her wand, she levitated him to the Hospital Wing and called Madam Pomfrey. She quickly scuttled off to find a potion he could inhale to bring him to his senses. He did not regain consciousness for another hour however, and Hermione was there waiting when he did.

Finally his eyelids began to open, and his cold grey eyes looked up at Hermione. He looked confused at first, a sight that Hermione found adorable; she had never seen him like this before. About 2 minutes after he had come to, Madam Pomfrey shooed Hermione out of the Wing to leave her to look after him. Hermione hadn't had enough time to ask Draco what had happened.

Draco had awoken to find Hermione sitting next to his bed, in the Hospital Wing complete with Madam Pomfrey bustling around preparing potions and things of the like, which she violently shoved down his throat as soon as he had opened his eyes. Hermione had been talking to him in a rushed, mumbled speech which he did not understand. He was too busy to even get a word out with the flustered Mediwitch pouring things down his throat. She had then forced the Head Girl to leave and not come back for a few hours so she could examine him.

Madam Pomfrey got out her own wand and pointed it at his stomach. He was too busy getting over the last burning concoction she had given him to notice what she was going. When his abdomen had glowed red, she came up the side of the bed and put one sturdy hand on either side of the bed next to his shoulders, leaning in close to his cold grey eyes. He looked at her with sheer terror, unsure of what she was going to do. Then, he felt himself showing her what had happened before he had passed out, something that he couldn't even remember clearly himself until he showed her. She peered into his eyes as if watching a movie on a small screen. His muscles were tensed. Once he had began showing her what had happened he tried to hide it, not to show her any more, but she was strong and did not let off until she had seen it all. His muscles relaxed as she lifted her head and breathed a deep, contemplating sigh.

He breathed heavily himself, as if he had just been running and come to an abrupt stop. He had never had someone perform legilimency on him before. Madam Pomfrey pulled a chair up next to his bed and sat down on it. She had a concerned look on her face when she broke their silence and asked,

"Why?" He knew this - or something like it - was coming, but that made him no more prepared for it. He lay his head back down on the bed as if he was just about to bear all to a shrink. But he didn't. His features hardened, and he squeezed out through tight lips,

"I don't know. But it's not what you think"

"It's not? Well that does not make my job very much easier you know. I'm supposed to be writing a report on all the..." She was cut off when his hand shot up and grabbed her collar, determination in his eyes.

"You will not!" It was now her turn for a look of terror.

"But I...I have to..."

"Surely you don't have to mention all the details? No one needs to know everything, it'll just cause problems." He slid himself off the opposite side of the bed, wand in hand, and muttered a locking spell on the Wing's doors.

"Go and get your reports book. Now!" The MediWitch flitted nervously into her office and returned with a slightly worn notebook with "Medical Reports" printed on the cover. He snatched it from her hand and read the title page. It read

'Any statement written in this book cannot be altered or erased for any reason. Everything written in this book is final. Copyright MediWitch association. Printed 1094'

He smiled and thrust it into her hands. She had a quill clipped to the side of the book and she removed it to begin writing. She held it over the page, expecting him to dictate to her. He was pacing around the room, his determined face disappeared and a look of desperation was in its place.

"Well you can write it! Just write something like, "Draco Malfoy, admitted for a blackout. And don't forget to sign it!". She did as he had said, her hand shaking.

"I trust no one will hear of this" he said, reading the notebook scribblings over her shoulder. He looked relieved, unlocked the doors and stepped swiftly out of the room, leaving Madam Pomfrey sitting on the chair in the middle of the room a nervous wreck. It was over, and she breathed a little easier when he completely disappeared.