Draco POV

"That is very nice of you Draco...But I'm not a charity case that you need to take care of." she snapped at me, before she ran away from me. I sighed and stared at the ground. Yet again, Rita Skeeter is going to make Hermione's life a living hell. All because I wanted to hold her, and make her know that someone out there cared about her. From what I had seen of the wonder twins, Hermione had the brains. Potter tried to show compassion, but his temper got the best of him everytime. And Weasley...Frankly, he was an idiot. He probably thought of himself and how she had wronged him in killing their child, rather than thinking that she had bonded with their child from the beginning, and it had taken its toll on her. More than anyone would ever know.

The fact that she had said I believed her a charity case irritated me. I was most definitely not like that. I didn't care about anyone. I didn't think about who needed what, and what charity was going on when. Charity didn't exist for me. I took care of who I cared for. Everyone else didn't matter. And I know that it sounded selfish for me to even think, or believe that, but it's how I am. I won't just turn around and be a compassionate ninny. I knew she lived in muggle London still, I heard she still lived in her old home. I could technically find her easily. That might not be the best thing to do though...I still planned on going to the Muggle world and finding her address so I can apparate there if she doesn't contact me. I even thought about going to Hogwarts to beg for the Potions position and replacing the incompetent fool, I'm sure that McGonnagall would appreciate sending him away.

With that in mind I walked back to Madam Malkin's and saw that Mother hadn't even been half way done for the day.

"I think I'm going to Hogwarts, Mother." I stated simply.

"Whatever for?" My mother looked at me strangely.

"I can't stay at the house all the time, I need something to do with my time. And I've heard the potion's professor there is an incompetent fool."

"While that may be true, do you honestly think that they'll let you take his place? You'll have to wait till next year." My mother turned away and continued with her shopping.

"It doesn't matter, because at least I'll have my name listed as a possible option for next year, or maybe even next term after Christmas." Mother nodded at me and I turned and walked outside, apparating away with a crack.

Hermione POV

It had been three weeks since I had been to Diagon Alley, I never saw Draco after that. I couldn't even bring myself to send him a letter. Why would I bother? It's not as if I owed him anything. After I had spent an hour that day crying, I had spent the rest of the day doing my usual stress cleaning. My potions lab was cleaned completely, my potions ingredients and potions were all organized again, anything I couldn't use was thrown out. My library was reorganized, alphabetically, which gladly took a lot of time, and I had a headache afterward, which gladly took my mind off of Draco.

After having my house completely turned upside down and cleaned up again, I had spent the next few days holed up in my library doing more private research. I barely kept my mind at work, but I still managed to think about Draco more than I wanted to. I again, threw a book down in exasperation. Putting my head in my hand I tried to make the images of that day fade away in my mind. But it didn't work. I threw myself out of the chair, the chair falling to the floor behind me as I made my way, slamming the door behind me.

When I heard the doorbell, I grabbed my wand from my pocket. No one knew where I lived. I didn't even have anyone here from the muggle world. So to have someone at the door was a dangerous thing. I cracked the front door to find blond hair and a pair of grey eyes that I would know anywhere.

"You can put your wand away Granger, I don't have mine out." I opened the door a little more, stowing my wand in my pocket again.

"What are you doing here?"

He held a piece of paper out to me. When I held it in my hand, I realized it was an application for an apprenticeship.

"I went to McGonnagall right after you left Diagon Alley and requested the potions position for next term. I asked her when it would be acceptable to have an apprentice at the school, and she said start of any term, and that I could have one pretty much right away." I looked at him not knowing what to say. "Would you mind if I come in, you look like you need to sit down." He smirked at me, as I let him in.

"Why?" I asked him.

"Because I want to give you the chance to do what you need to do." Draco held up his hand before I could say anything. "And before you say anything. No, I do not see you as some charity project. You should know me better than that. My mother is the one that donates to charity. I could care less. If it doesn't affect me directly I don't bother."

"Then why are you doing this?" I couldn't understand. I hadn't seen Draco in a year. Nothing about me would, or should affect him directly. It didn't make any sense at all.

"Because I want it to affect me directly. It's partly my fault that you are the way you are." I shook my head at him.

"Don't take pity on me Draco, it isn't becoming in the least. And it can't be good for your reputation."

"Fuck my reputation, Hermione Granger!" Draco snapped at me. I backed up a little, my eyes wide. "Hermione, I am trying to do what I can for you, because I want to. Not because I feel sorry for you, and sure as hell not because I want something from you. I don't pity you, I don't feel anything along those lines. I care about you in a way you probably should, and will never know. But I am not doing this out of pity, now fill out the damn application so you can send it to McGonnagall, she needs it tomorrow before she can do anything." I watched as Draco took a deep breath and turned around to leave.

"Wait.." I whispered.