The next day, Hermione had two breaks- one before lunch after Herbology, and one at the end of the day following Charms. She decided to wait until the last break to check on Draco, and the whole day she was fidgeting anxiously in her seat.

If Draco read Anne Frank's diary and admitted that the idea that Jewish people were below all other races was bogus, then perhaps they could get somewhere. If not, Hermione honestly had no idea what to do. She couldn't stand looking at him anymore now that she knew what he really thought.

She knew it was silly, but she had always liked to believe that Draco didn't really believe in any of it and was only repeating what his father said. Now that Draco was sixteen, he couldn't use that excuse and he proved damn well to Hermione that he truly believed it.

I mean, now that he has taken the dark mark, he kind of has-

The dark mark!

Hermione straightened in her seat from the epiphany, if you can call it that, she just had. Professor Vector continued lecturing as Hermione came to the realization.

Yesterday, Draco hadn't been wearing the black suit as he usually did. Donning a white button-down shirt, Draco had rolled his sleeves up to his elbow, Hermione remembered.

And then he called her blood status inferior and gave her a hundred reasons why purebloods were superior, but that's beside the point.

So that meant that Draco didn't have the dark mark? But that couldn't be. She pondered the thought until class had finished, and it wasn't until charms that she realized how blind she had been.

"Now, class," Flitwick stood on his podium and addressed them squeakily, "Today we will be talking about concealment charms and their properties."

Of course! Draco had used a concealment charm to hide it.

The rest of the class, Hermione said very little and pondered what else he was concealing. When Neville asked her about partnering to practice the charm, Hermione was too entrenched in her thoughts to hear. She asked him to repeat and Hermione agreed. She concealed Neville without an issue, and stood, thinking about Draco and his distorted values.

When Flitwick called class to an end and the bell had rung, Hermione restrained herself from sprinting to the Gryffindor Common Room. She gathered her things and retreated from the classroom, speedily trekking up two flights of stairs.

Passing two fifth hours snogging in a dark alcove, Hermione deducted five points from Slytherin and five points from Gryffindor.

"Don't let it happen again," she warned as she walked away, shaking her head at their horrible attempt to stay out of sight.

"Tattersall," Hermione said, approaching the Portrait hole.

The Fat Lady smiled, "There you are."

The door swung open and Hermione entered, on the lookout for Harry. Luckily, he was talking to Ginny animatedly by the window. She really hoped that the two would get together rather than flirt all year, but it wasn't likely, she figured.

"Harry," Hermione grinned, approaching him quickly, slightly out of breath from her determined speed walking, "Can I go get those things I used again?"

Harry nodded, "Do you know where it is?"

"Yes; thanks a ton, Harry!" Hermione called over her shoulder as she began to climb the stairs to the boy's dormitory.

She felt slightly guilty, knowing that Harry likely wanted to know what she was up to. She was glad that she could count on Harry to trust her, though.

Rummaging through his trunk, she retrieved his cloak and map swiftly. After unfolding the cloak, placing it over her body and tucking the map securely into her pocket, she left the room, ready to find Draco and discuss his thoughts on the diary.

If Harry or Ginny heard her invisible form come through the Common Room, they didn't show it. Hermione stepped out into the hallway and walked up to the alcove where she had taken points from two snogging fourth years and pulled out the map.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," she breathed and watched as the map unfolded itself.

Searching for someone on the map was a meticulous process, but after a few minutes, Hermione located Draco. He was on the seventh floor, as was Hermione, presumably on his way to the Room of Hidden Things.

Strange, Hermione thought, it looked like his name was getting closer to Hermione, like he was walking up to the alcove-

She looked up, alert, to see Draco speed walk by, oblivious to Hermione watching from the alcove.

After he was a meter in front of her, Hermione slipped out of her hiding spot and began following him, trying to keep her footsteps quiet enough that he wouldn't hear her and be alerted of his stalker.

Surprisingly, Draco turned and began walking down some stairs, apparently not going to the Room of Requirement. She followed him, keeping a fair distance away as he made his way to the first floor. Turning past the Great Hall's entrance he continued walking at a fast pace, and Hermione was practically jogging to keep up. Surprisingly enough, Draco had not heard her fast footsteps; he was likely too far immersed in his own thoughts to notice.

When he turned once more, Hermione was certain that he was headed to the library. And right she was, they entered the sprawling room filled with bookshelves galore and began walking to the back.

How strange that he also enjoyed sitting in the back of the room. It made sense for him, though, as he seemed to enjoy being away from everyone else.

He abruptly stopped walking to grab something from his book bag. Pulling out a book about the history of WWII, Draco returned the book to the bookshelf. Hermione brightened after seeing this, knowing that meant that he had read the novel, The Diaries of A Young Girl and then took it a step further to do outside research.

Hermione waited for Draco to continue walking to the back of the library to remove the cloak. After folding it up and placing it in her bookbag, she set off to speak to him.

Finding him sitting at a table near a window and writing furiously in a journal, Hermione slid into the seat across the table.

Draco looked up and closed the journal, eyeing Hermione with evident suspicion.

"Hello," she tried, keeping her voice quiet out of apprehension rather than knowing that they were in a library.

"Afternoon," Draco nodded, folding his arms.

Hermione gave up on greetings and got straight to the point, "Did you read it?"

She knew he did.

"Yes."

"And?"

"It confirmed my views," Draco replied curtly. "I mean, you really just proved to me that Muggles are stupid animals. This man, Hitler, he killed millions of Jewish people and promoted the perfect Aryan race despite not even fitting the standards he created? Honestly, Granger, that just increased my resentment."

Hermione nodded, feeling confident in herself, "So you'd agree that Hitler was wrong?"

"Wrong?" Draco scoffed, "He was outright mental. I mean, he blamed Jewish people for Germany's economic failings and then, after rising to power, killed and tortured the Jews in 'labor camps'? For what? Having a different religion?"

Hermione felt her confidence grow, "That's correct."

"And Muggles are proud of this shit?" he whispered in a confronting tone.

The tension was growing between the two as they continued debating.

"No," Hermione explained, "It was a shameful time in Muggle history, and to this day, it's something that-"

Draco interrupted, "Well, you've just made my opinions stronger. Muggles are fucking idiots. It's not like they could choose which family they were born into-"

Draco seemed to recognize what he had said right after the words left his mouth.

He said it.

"No, they couldn't. So it's wrong and idiotic to judge and extinguish an entire race over something they have no control over, isn't it-"

"That's fucking different!" Draco kept his tone at a whisper, yet the venomous snarl didn't go unnoticed by Hermione. "It's completely different, and you know it! This was some sort of trick to make me care about stupid fucking Muggles, wasn't it!"

"Is it, really, Draco?" Hermione asked, searching into his eyes for any sign of empathy.

He stood up angrily, "Yes, Granger. It is different. I think I'm going to go study someplace else, where I won't be attacked constantly."

Hermione didn't turn around to watch as he left and felt the slight whoosh of air created as he walked determinedly by.

She had done it. She had broken through some armor that he had put up, and despite denying feeling a change in heart toward Muggleborns and Muggles, Hermione had a feeling that a change was soon to come.

Weeks passed since their fight in the library and Hermione watched with a feeling of sorrow as Draco began showing up late to all their classes or not attending at all. His skin began to grey slightly and he looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

On top of that, he had stopped attending their meetings for Runes. Hermione continued working on the project, deciding to try and translate as much as she could, but it was hard to do without another person.

The first meeting after the fight, Hermione waited outside the room for Draco for at least twenty minutes before giving up. After that, she stopped trying. He hadn't spoken to her since and Hermione was relieved yet also dismayed at the thought of continuing her work on her mission.

A week or two into October, after snow had fallen and created a white blanket over the castle and its grounds, Hogsmeade was open to students. Walking with Harry and Ron, Hermione was enjoying being out in the snow, as Winter was one of her favorite times of years, especially at Hogwarts.

Her relationship with Ron was starting to improve. He began speaking to her again, but Hermione could tell that he obviously didn't trust her as much. It would take months for that bond to return to what it used to be.

"Where should we go first?" Hermione asked, pulling her cloak closer to her cold body and rubbing her mittened hands together quickly.

"Ah, Fillius!" Slughorn called out, a few paces ahead of the trio, "I was hoping to find you in the Three Broomsticks!"

Flitwick lied, "I'm afraid not today, Horace. Emergency Choir practice…"

Hermione shook her head and glanced at Harry and Ron, waiting for a response. Harry, watching with a curious expression as Slughorn continued walking and Flitwick shuffled away, replied, "Anyone fancy a butterbeer?"

"Anything to get out of this bloody cold weather," Ron muttered into his scarf.

When they arrived at The Three Broomsticks, which was full of students, they took a seat at an empty table. Removing her coat, Hermione sat beside Harry, leaving Ron sitting across from them.

Harry, his eyes fixated on Slughorn, who was telling a tale about some sort of Norwegian-style sled, unzipped his jacket and tentatively took his seat.

"Anything to drink?" A waiter appeared, ready to take their order.

"Three Butterbeers," Ron said, "with whipped cream and a pinch of Ginger in one."

Hermione smiled, glad that Ron remembered her order, but Ron didn't return the grin, averting his eyes by staring at something out the window.

"Oh, bloody hell," Ron cringed, looking at a couple embracing each other across the room. Upon closer inspection, Hermione realized that it was Ginny Weasley and Dean Thomas. "Slick git."

"Honestly, Ron," Hermione rolled her eyes, "They're only holding hands."

She glanced again.

"And snogging."

Ron and Hermione began to bicker with each other as Harry waved Slughorn over. Smelling strongly of butterbeer and firewhiskey, Slughorn slurred, "Harry, m'boy!"

"Professor Slughorn, sir," Harry greeted. Hermione sipped her drink and listened as Slughorn made a bad joke about there only being one broomstick when he first came.

Laughing at his joke, he gestured wildly, spilling his drink all over Hermione.

"Oh!" she exclaimed at the Professor's crass behavior.

Slughorn chuckled and replied, "All hands on deck, Granger!"

After implying that there would be an upcoming Slug Club event and sipping from his drink, Slughorn left.

"Scourgify," Hermione waved her wand and cleaned the sticky drink from her shirt and the table. "Good riddance."

"What're you playing at?" Ron asked Harry, concerned.

Harry smiled and waved as Slughorn left and turned to Ron and Hermione to say, "Dumbledore's asked me to get to know him. I don't know why. It must be important; if it wasn't, Dumbledore wouldn't ask."

Hermione finished what was left of her drink and the trio left the tavern. Hermione browsed Tomes and Scrolls in search of a book on Magical Time Travel and was happy to see that they had a fairly new book on time traveling and bought it happily.

"What do you need a book about time travel for, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"I would've thought she'd have been done with that after third year," Ron laughed, nudging Harry.

Hermione bristled, replying, "Don't you remember when I studied time travel in fourth year? For fun?"

Harry raised an eyebrow and Ron shook his head at her definition of 'fun'. Happy with her purchase, Hermione left the bookshop, a bag in one hand and her wand in the other.

Walking between Ron and Harry she was relatively content with the day (aside from Ron brushing her off, still angry at her, and Slughorn spilling his drink all over her). By the time they reached the snow-covered trail to return to Hogwarts, nearly everyone was gone. In the far distance, Hermione could see Hagrid entering Hogwarts.

Swearing internally, Hermione wondered if her taking time to buy a book would mean that they would miss seeing Katie Bell get possessed. Deep in her thoughts, Hermione was hoping that this wouldn't have any huge effect on the timeline.

A loud, ear-piercing screech rang out behind them. The trio turned over their shoulders to see Katie Bell lying on the ground, being flung around by some unseen force.

"I warned her!" came the cries from her friend, Leanne. "I warned her not to touch it!"

Suddenly, Katie's body was thrown into the air, her dark hair flying around her and her arms spread wide, before she fell to the hard ground, unconscious.

Everyone gasped and Leanne began to approach her friend's convulsing body.

"Stop!" Hermione cried out, remembering what Hagrid had done originally, "Don't get any closer!"

Hermione beckoned Ron and Harry over. "Do you think you two can lift her?"

They nodded and grabbed Katie's arms, draping them across their shoulders so she lied limply between the two.

Leanne turned to grab the Opal necklace that cursed Katie. Hermione shouted, "No!"

Leanne looked alarmed and Hermione explained, "We can't touch that since I think she was cursed. I'll handle it."

Swishing and flicking her wand, Hermione silently cast Wingardium Leivosa and levitated the package, holding it far away from herself.

"Let's go," Leanne suggested, staring at her friend with worry.

With Harry and Ron holding Katie and Hermione handling the necklace, the five of them set off for Hogwarts.

"And you're sure that Ms Bell did not have this in her possession before she entered the Three Broomsticks?" Professor McGonagall asked Leanne, inspecting the Opal necklace laid out on the table with growing concern.

"It's like I said, Professor," Leanne reiterated, "Katie left to go to the loo, and when she returned, she was holding the package. She said it was important that she deliver it to Professor Dumbledore."

McGonagall sighed heavily as she said, "Very well. Thank you, Leanne. You may go," she paused to turn her attention to the trio, "Why is it that whenever something happens it is always you three?"

Ron tried to joke, "Believe me, Professor, I've been asking myself that for years."

Leanne left the room as Snape entered, his dark robes billowing behind him as he stalked up closer to the necklace.

"Severus, thank goodness," Professor McGonagall beckoned him to join her.

As the two professors inspected the necklace, Harry asked, "She was cursed, wasn't she? I know Katie, and off the Quidditch Pitch she wouldn't hurt a fly."

McGonagall confirmed his suspicion.

"It was Malfoy," Harry stated decidedly.

Yes, it was.

Hermione turned to face Harry, an expression of astonishment on her face.

"Harry!" she said in hushed tones.

"Your evidence?" Snape asked, folding his arms with a look of doubt on his face.

"I-I have a feeling. I just know," Harry nodded.

"You just...know?"

"Well," McGonagall said with a stern glare at Harry, "be that as it may, Mr. Malfoy was serving detention with me today, so it is utterly impossible for him to have orchestrated this. I suggest that you three return to your dormitories."

Hermione nodded and left, Harry and Ron trailing behind her.

Entering the Room of Requirement later that night, after Harry declared that Malfoy was not on the map anywhere, Hermione did not have her invisibility cloak, and decided to just risk it and hide behind furniture. Crabbe and Goyle hadn't been outside the room standing guard, which told Hermione that Draco hadn't been planning to be here.

She turned into a new row of junk, where Draco normally didn't go to watch him from afar. He was sitting on the couch Hermione had been on a few weeks ago, and writing in the journal again. His expression turned furious and he chucked the journal toward the vanishing cabinet with all of his might. His expression crumpled into a look of despair and he drew his knees up toward himself, put his head down, and started to sob.

Hermione was in awe. This was Draco Malfoy, the boy who had told her that Muggles were stupid animals. The boy who berated her for six years straight. The boy who hadn't shown emotion since fifth year. Yet here he was, unknowingly crying in front of Hermione.

Hermione felt out of place and suddenly was hyper-aware of her surroundings. She felt like she was intruding on a very personal, private moment but couldn't bring herself to leave. After a few minutes, Draco's cries subsided and after a few more moments of silence, Hermione realized that Draco was sleeping.

She was about to leave the Room of Hidden Things but stopped, remembering the journal Draco had been carrying around with him.

Accio Draco's Journal, Hermione thought to herself as the leatherbound book came flying toward her. She caught it and quietly tiptoed farther from Draco, just in case he woke up.

Sitting down against a tall Grandfather Clock that was moving counter-clockwise, Hermione opened the journal curiously.

She flipped through the pages. The first twenty or so were his notes on the Vanishing Cabinet and his assignment. There was a very detailed drawing of the cabinet as well as a receipt from buying the Opal necklace.

7/25/96

Dark Lord gave me an impossible assignment. How the fuck (this was underlined very heavily) am I supposed to kill Albus Dumbledore? Fuck that.

The words continued but Hermione stopped reading to contain her gasp. Kill Dumbledore? That was his assignment?

So, Dumbledore knew that Draco was trying to kill him and still wanted to send Hermione back in time to revive him? Hermione had so many questions, but the only man who could answer them was Dumbledore, himself, and that wasn't an option.

She opened a new page.

9/21/96

Granger and I argued over pureblood traditions. My handwriting is better than hers; I can't help that.

That much was true.

She had some good points but overall, she's got it wrong. Note: Find out if Dark Lord was a Half-blood?

She flipped eagerly to the next page.

9/22/96

The Diaries of A Young Girl: What I've learned. Muggles are fucking stupid. Hitler was a real wanker. Muggles embrace this shit?

I read some more books on WWII and discovered just how corrupt muggles are. If Granger was trying to brainwash me into being a blood-traitor, she picked the wrong book. So Muggles just hate Jewish people because of what? Their religion? I swear to Salazar, Granger is messed up if she just goes along with that.

Note: Find out if this Muggle prejudice is limited only to Jewish people or if it's other races as well?

There was a break in the page, and Hermione realized it was because he had written this after their conversation in the library.

So, Granger's fucked me up too, now. She made points about the relationship between pureblood supremacy and WWII and if I deny them, I'm hypocritical. Of course, the situation is different and the circumstances are completely unique, but still. I can't help but wonder if all the things my father and mother said aren't completely true… But why would they lie? I need time to think about all of this…

Hermione could have jumped for joy! Draco, although still stubbornly stuck on his horrid opinions, had begun questioning the things he believed. She flipped to the most recent page.

10/12/96

I can't do this. I CAN'T kill someone. I'm no saint but I just can NOT kill Albus fucking Dumbledore. I tried to do it the easy way and that backfired miserably. Some Gryffindor almost died because I'm fucking incappable of murder. Why can't I just-

The word ended abruptly, and Hermione knew that it was because he had gotten angry and thrown his journal across the room. She slipped through a gap between the aisle of junk she was in and the area where Draco was. She silently placed the journal back in the place it had been thrown to by him.

She paused to look at Draco. His cheeks were swollen and Hermione could tell he had been crying. Above his red cheeks, dark circles framed his eyes. His face was completely relaxed, devoid of the scowl he had been wearing for the past month. His expression was calm, almost angelic.

She left the room, leaving Draco and his confused thoughts behind. When she returned to the Common Room, she didn't say much to anyone, and went upstairs to find her journal. Opening the black book, she wrote:

Draco Malfoy:

-Leaving prejudice behind? Slow process, but still a possibility.

- Draco keeps journal of plans

-Cursed Katie Bell

-Mission to kill Dumbledore

-Originally believed that their gene pool was pure, making purebloods pure.

She sighed and closed the journal. Removing her shoes, she went straight to sleep, not bothering to change out of her clothes. The stress and intensity of this was only building, and Hermione didn't know how much she could handle.