There are some moments in a person's life when they take a step back and watch themselves from the outside. Moments where you see the person you currently are then decide, maybe I can be someone better. Currently, Draco Malfoy found himself in the library thinking somewhere along those lines. It was his first night back in the castle after the war. He was allowed back as part of his pardon from The Ministry thanks to the testimony of one Harry James Potter. Saint Potter. Not that Draco wasn't grateful for what the wizard had done for him; quite the opposite. He'd even made a truce with the bespectacled Boy Wonder. What he felt the most confused about was what had transpired on the train to Hogwarts.
Draco sat in an empty compartment waiting for either Blaise, Theo, or Greg to show up. Nobody came as the train started pulling away, so Draco assumed that they either decided not to come back at the last minute or where sitting elsewhere. The train had rocked him to sleep within minutes and he was dead to the world. After being stuck in the manor for the past three months and not sleeping well in the process, it was a welcome slumber. He was roused awake by the sound of the compartment door opening then closing then a sob. He slowly lifted his cloak that was thrown over his head to see none other than the Golden Girl herself sitting across from him sobbing into her hands.
Draco decided to clear his throat so she'd realize she was not alone. At the sound, she gasped and looked at him with wide eyes. "Oh! Malfoy! I didn't see you there!" Hermione Granger had grown into a beautiful witch, anyone with eyes could see that. She summoned a mirror to check her reflection and sighed. "I guess I should have expected this." She said mainly to herself.
"Granger, I have no idea what you are talking about." Draco said dryly. He sat up and saw her red rimmed puffy eyes and scowled. "What's wrong?" The sincere concern in his voice made her sit up straighter and take notice of him. He'd grown taller over the summer and his face was no longer sunken in. Draco Malfoy was extremely good looking and the thought of him being civil towards her made her stomach do somersaults.
Draco watched her carefully. It looked as if she was struggling with herself as to whether to answer his question or not. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then sighed. "Ronald has just broken up with me via a note hidden in my bag. I guess he thought it'd be easier than manning up and doing it face to face!" Draco shook his head in disbelief. She continued her rant, "So there I was in our old compartment with Ginny, Neville, Parkinson and Luna and find it thinking, 'Oh! How sweet! Ron slipped me a love note.' So I read it and begin to cry and embarrass myself after locking myself up in the bathroom alone as people are knocking to make sure I am not offing myself. I am just so angry at that ginger bastard!"
Draco couldn't help but chuckle. Hermione turned her head sharply to glare at him. "I'm sorry! I swear I am not laughing at your emotional distress. I just have never heard you bad mouth Weasley before. Ginger bastard! I like it!" He laughed louder now and it must have been infectious because. seconds later, the tinkling sound of Hermione's laughter joined his.
"Yes, well, I would use more colorful language but I am a lady after all." She flipped her curls behind her shoulder then winked at him...winked! Draco's eyebrows raised disappearing behind his bangs in shock at how familiar she was being. This was the first real conversation they had ever had. No mocking, no cruelness, no anger, but friendly banter and dare he say, flirting?
The Trolley Cart witch came just then, "Anything from the trolley, dears?" Draco got up and got some sweets giving her more than needed. "My thanks to you young man. You two have a pleasant school year." The woman smiled at them both then continued her way down the train.
"Here, I bought more than enough if you want anything. My mum usually has chocolate when she's upset." He smiled at Hermione and she blushed. She had never actually witnessed him smile; smirk? Absolutely, but smile? Never. He was very handsome when he did that, and she couldn't help but blurt out the next words she said.
"I never noticed how attractive you are." Her hand immediately clapped over her mouth and she went from slightly blushing to bright pink in embarrassment. Draco's smile only grew.
"Thanks, Granger. You're not too bad yourself." It was his turn to wink at her. He then grew bold and sat next to her, turning to face her. She was watching him warily at first then began to relax as he laid out all of the goodies he'd purchased. Picking up a licorice wand, he continued, "You know, I want to apologize for being such a twat to you over the years. I already apologized to Potter, but you deserve it too. I should have never called you, well, you know. Even the thought of that word makes me sick to my stomach. I don't think like that anymore. Haven't for a while actually."
Hermione looked up at him and nodded her head slightly. Draco looked down and saw her hand laying on the seat. She had small, dainty fingers painted a pale pink. Her skin looked so damn soft. Before he could think better of it, he reached out and touched it. When she didn't say anything or reel back in horror, he grew bolder and took it in his own hand. "I am trying to be a better person. I want to be a better person." He felt rather than saw her move closer.
"Malfoy, thank you." She leaned in and kissed his cheek then hugged him. "Apology accepted." She whispered against his ear. Draco returned the hug and felt her melt into his touch. Just then, the compartment door opened and they jumped apart. Draco saw Theo, Blaise, and Greg standing in the doorway smirking at them.
"Sorry to interrupt but we had heard a rumor that the Golden Girl and you were sharing a compartment and just HAD to see it for ourselves!" Theo snickered as he entered the room followed by the other two snakes. "Damn, Granger. You're looking good. Don't you boys agree?" Blaise leered at her as Greg nodded in agreement.
"And where the Hell have you tossers been? I thought we were sharing a compartment?" Blaise chuckled and motioned toward the back of the train.
"We were in the last train car with the rest of Slytherin. Have to stick together, you know. Not feeling as welcomed by the rest of our classmates. Now, if we all had a beautiful witch like you have here, it might not be so bad." Blaise blew Hermione a kiss then smirked as he watched Draco look at him as if saying, "I am going to kick your ass as soon as the train stops!'
"Granger." Greg Goyle spoke gruffly. "Sorry for being such a dick to you. You didn't deserve it." The compartment became eerily quiet at Greg's sudden apology. After her shock wore off, Hermione smiled brightly at him causing him to blush bashfully and she thanked him. Draco sat back and listened as they all talked about what N.E.W.T.S. classes they were taking. He felt a clam wash over him. Was it because they were all getting along? Maybe. Or maybe it was the fact that as they were all talking, Hermione shifted closer to him and reached blindly behind her to take his hand in hers again.
Draco relished in the feeling that Hermione Granger had decided to stay close to him as his friends talked her ear off. He was only a bit uncomfortable because he knew that all four of them had a bit of a crush on her since their fourth year. But she seemed to have decided that he, Draco Malfoy, was worthy of her time. The boys got up after a few minutes more of gabbing and said goodbye; going back to their train car.
"I never would have guessed that those three could be so nice to me." Hermione said after a moment of reflection.
"Well, they do all have crushes on you," Draco sniggered. At her shocked face, he chuckled, "Oh come on, Granger! We're teenaged boys! And you're..." he trailed off not wanting to say more, but her expectant look urged him to continue. "You're a beautiful witch! Merlin! You're beautiful and intelligent and witty and so strong and brave. How could we NOT be attracted to you?" Hermione smiled brightly and was blushing at his speech.
"You too?" She practically whispered her question as she looked up into his eyes.
Draco shifted closer. He put one hand on her tiny waist then buried the other in her curls before pulling her to him for a fiery snog session. Her quiet moans and whimpers urged him to continue. Somehow she ended up straddling him over his lap. His hand traveling from her waist to her ass, he wandlessly locked the door and closed the blinds. He felt himself growing hard as she rocked against it causing pleasure for both of them. "Fuck, Granger! Is this really happening?"
Hermione giggled then kissed him hard before pulling away. "We're making out on the bloody train, Malfoy. Yes, this is actually happening." Draco smiled at her then plundered her mouth again. "Oh God, Draco!" He'd adjusted her on his lap causing her clit to rub against his erection in the most pleasurable way. The sound of her calling out his name making him groan. He squeezed her ass and pulled her flush against his dick. Her breath came out in pants and her moans became even louder. "Oh God! Oh Draco!" She cried out as she came undone and he wrapped her tight in his arms.
Draco kissed her sweetly, loving the way she felt in his arms. He chuckled as he pulled her away from him to look at her. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair wild, and she looked as if she could float away. "I cannot believe that we just did that." Draco nuzzled against her neck then moved to kiss her throat. "How many times I have wished to have you in my arms. To keep you safe." A kiss to her pink lips. "To show you that I am worthy of you." Hermione looked into his eyes.
"I have wanted you since sixth year. I had my first sex dream that year." She giggled at his shit-eating grin, "You had caught me following you and captured me; taking me to the Slytherin dungeons and tying me up. Then you had your way with me in the most erotic way possible." The way her voice dropped caused his erection to come back. By the look in her face, he knew she felt it too. "We'll be arriving at the school soon. We'd better get freshened up, don't you think?" With one last kiss, she climbed off of him and fixed her hair and her clothing as Draco tried to calm himself. "See you around then?" Hermione smiled at a disbelieving Draco Malfoy and left him in the compartment alone and disheveled.
His thoughts were reliving the memory as Theo, Blaise, Greg and him were on the carriages to the school. Hermione was ahead of them with girl Weasley, Longbottom, Lovegood, and for some odd reason Pansy. He wondered what that was all about. He had looked over to his friends and noticed them smiling at him. "What?"
Theo spoke up first. "You have a love bite Lord Malfoy!" The three friends laughed. "You lucky fucking bastard!" Draco looked away towards Hermione's carriage and saw her talking to the girls as Longbottom looked uncomfortable. Was she telling them about their tryst? He couldn't fight the smirk as he turned back to his friends.
"Not that it is any of your business, but we may have snogged the life out of each other." The other three groaned and felt like punching his smug face. "Then, she left and said she'd see me around. What do you think I should do? I mean, of course you guys know how I feel about her. We've all had our share of dirty thoughts about her, but I don't know if I should just tell her that I want to see more of her or what." They sniggered and he heard Blaise say 'I bet you wanna see more, so do I.' so he sent him a stinging hex.
"Oi! What the fuck! I was joking!" They all laughed and then Blaise surprised him, "D, you know it was more than just a minor crush for you. You told us about the manor. How distraught you were when she was tortured in your own home. By your own aunt? You care for her." The young wizards all held solemn faces at the serious turn of their conversation. Draco knew he was right, but did he really deserve any chance of happiness with the muggleborn witch?
"I know." He simply said then turn back towards the witch ahead of them. She was watching him, a look of confusion on her face. He smiled wanly at her and she smiled back warming his soul. "Fuck it! I'm going for it! Just look at her." He turned back to his friends that were now sporting matching grins and looking toward the witches carriage.
"Here's a question. What the bloody hell is Pansy doing over there? I haven't heard from her all summer and now she's looking chummy with the Gryffindors and Lovegood! What gives?" Theo shouted and Greg snorted. They all looked at Greg Goyle. "You know something, Goyle, don't you?"
"Well, well, well! I finally know something you guys don't! Ha!" They stared at him as he did a stupid little dance in his seat. Greg chuckled. "Can't believe that none of you heard. She's betrothed! To Longbottom!" They all dropped their jaws.
"Thought he was with Luna, um, I mean Lovegood! That's what I was told!" Theo practically shouted. He looked flustered and was looking over Blaise's head at the carriage ahead of them with an annoyed expression on his face.
"Apparently, they split two weeks after the battle. A betrothal contract was set up a couple weeks ago between Longbottom and Pans. They'd been seeing each other, and he proposed after a month. Apparently they are a true love match and everything. Crazy, huh?" It really was. Pansy was strictly against any and all Gryffindors. "His gran is best friends with Pansy's gran and they saw each other at a garden party. They were the only young people in attendance. By the end of the party, Longbottom had told his gran that he wanted to court Pans. My mum was talking to his gran when he told her. Since he's Sacred Twenty Eight, her parents were thrilled." Greg shrugged after telling them everything he knew.
Draco watched Theo looking thoughtful. He was still watching the carriage in front of them when Draco put two and two together. "Theo! You've got a thing for Lovegood!" Theo sputtered and turned bright red.
"What! No I don't!" He practically screeched.
Blaise clapped, "Yes! Yes you do! I remember from the battle when she saved you from that acromantula! You said, and I quote, 'I think I'm in love!' Then after you had found her and she was kissing Longbottom." Theo punched Blaise in his arm. "Then you sent her that Owl after thanking her and asking her to dinner but she said she was going with Longbottom." Blaise never forgot anything, like an elephant!
"Like you have room to talk, Blaise! Parvati Patel ring any bells?" Greg chimed in as if to defend Theo.
"Shut the fuck up Goyle! You've been pining after Ginny Weasley!" Blaise shouted at him.
Greg turned beet red. "Potter's girl? Really!" Draco asked his friend. Greg slumped in his seat.
"Actually, they broke up this summer." Theo added nonchalantly. "He started seeing Daphne Greengrass. What rock have you three been living under?" He chuckled then combed a hand through his chestnut curls. Theo, of course, had no one left in his family. His mum died when he was nine and his dad died at the battle. He had nothing better to do that read the paper and spend money.
They talked over their potential love interests as the castle came into view. "Our final year boys. You ready?" They were a bit nervous, but more excited. No more Death Eaters. No more Dark Lord. Just a regular school year then the rest of their lives.
After the Welcome Back feast, everyone went to their respective houses, but Draco made his way to the library. He entered and made his way to the back table by the restricted section; her table, and waited. He'd caught her eye in the Great Hall. He knew she'd be coming. She always did. Every year he saw her going. Her quiet place. He waited and thought about everything that had happened that day and smiled to himself. And then, there she was.
A/N: Yes! I know! Another Dramione fic! But this will focus on more than just one coupling. This may end up being my longest story yet! Hope you guys enjoy!