Draco POV
"Wait..." She whispered behind me, as I turned to leave. I stopped in my tracks, but I couldn't look back at her. In my outburst I let out too much, and didn't know what kind of welcome I would get for what I said. It was all true. What happened to her did affect me directly. And I did care about her more than she should...and probably would ever know.
"Look at me, please..Draco," I heard her stumble on my name, but I still just shook my head. I couldn't face her. I took another step towards the door. "Don't leave." she said a little louder. "Look, I can understand if there are things that you would rather not talk to me about. I understand also, that you are probably a really private person. But...I don't want you to go, can't we just...stay here and talk? I'll fill out the application if you do this for me. I promise."
I turned around and looked at her. Her request didn't push too many boundaries, but with how I was feeling right now, I could tell her too much, but I agreed anyway. While we talked, she never went near touchy topics. It was light, and I found myself actually enjoying myself just talking to her. True to her word, she did actually fill out the application, right in front of me while we were talking. Suddenly she looked up at me after signing her name.
"Why do people change their favorite colors according to their house?" She asked me curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"Harry and Ron would never have anything to do with any other color other than red and gold. Same with a lot of the other Gryffendors. Same thing goes with other house colors according to the person."
"I don't know, what's your favorite color? Did it change when you were sorted?"
Hermione blushed a little. "It did change. But...Not to my house colors." I raised my eyebrow at her, urging her to continue. "My favorite color as of my first year at Hogwarts is green." I couldn't help but laugh.
"Green? Don't tell a Gryffendor that, they may have a heart attack." She smiled at me.
"Well? What's your favorite color if you think I'm so funny?"
At that one, I blushed slightly. "When I was a kid I never wanted to be in Slytherin. I heard stories about Gryffendor bravery, and Slytherin betrayal. I didn't want that, and I still don't. When I could get a hold of anything that was red, I did. I tried to hide it, but the moment my Mother and Father noticed I had a collection of red things, they put a stop to it. Charming it all green."
"So in other words, I'm more the Slytherin and you're the want to be Gryffendor?"
I smirked. "Seems like it." I looked at the clock on her wall, not realizing we had been talking for 3 hours. I looked at her. "Get that application to McGonnagall. Sorry, but I was supposed to be home two hours ago. I don't want to miss dinner."
"You could stay here and have dinner with me?"
I smiled, but shook my head. "Mother would never let me hear the end of it, I better go." I stood and turned. "My house next?" I suggested. Seeing the look in her eyes, a slight nervousness, and a tinge of fear, I corrected myself. "I won't even go into the parlor after that day, Hermione. I want you to see my library." I got a smile for that, and she nodded slightly. I turned slightly on the spot, and apparated away with a crack.