Chapter 5: The Truce
Disclaimer: Okay so I obviously don't own Harry Potter universe. All of that credit goes to the amazing J.K. Rowling. If I did own it Hermione would have ended up with Draco and Ginny would have been more like my OOC Ginny. I do own this plot as well as any characters I make up and add into this story.
A/N: Hi everyone! I'm super excited that I'm finally updating. I completed this chapter about four days ago but just got it sent back from GinnyGinervaWeasley yesterday and tonight I had to do the editing. I'm really really sorry for such a terribly long wait. I'm sure you all can understand how hectic my life has been. My life has gone insane between grade 11, friends, family, drama, boys, crazy experiences, confusion and difficult choices, but I'm back now and I hope you like this chapter. I know I promised last chapter that I would update faster and I'm really sorry that I didn't. I'm going to make a plan or a schedule to make it so I have time for writing, but still be able to get my homework done and spend time with friends. Again I love when you guys review this fanfic, hit favourite or hit follow. Thank you so much to everyone that reviewed, followed and favourited you all made my day. Thank you to Tessitra, Cat130, HallowRain8587, CheshyreGrin, shaymars, and mkmkmk for being the first six to review. Most of this chapter is Draco's POV but there is some Hermione POV. Next chapter I plan on being the opposite. Now on to the story.
Hermione POV
Harry, Ginny, Ron and I are at King's Cross Station heading towards Platform 9 3/4. I can't believe this is my last year at Hogwarts. During the war I missed Hogwarts so much and knowing this is my last year I can't help but feel extremely sad. Hogwarts has been a second home for me; it's where I first learned magic and met my best friends. It's the place where I grew up I can't imagine never coming back. Professor McGonagall said that when I graduate if I chose not to become a professor that I'm welcome to visit the school whenever. She also told this to Ginny, Harry and Ron.
"I can't believe this our last year. While I hated the work load I really loved it at Hogwarts. Minus the times we were trying not to get killed." Ron chuckles.
"Hogwarts has always been my home it's going to be hard when we graduate in June." Harry adds.
"I know how you feel it seems crazy that we won't be here every fall and wake up in the Gryffindor dorms. Oh my god I'm not going to be living with you guys!" I realize. How did I forget?
Ginny begins to laugh and says "How did you manage to forget Mione?"
"Well I guess I just didn't think about it I mean we talked about how I'll be living with Malfoy, but somehow I forgot that it meant I wouldn't be with you three."
"Wait are you seriously telling me you're going to be sharing a dorm with Malfoy the whole year!" Shit I completely forgot to tell Ron.
"Mate it will be fine Malfoy won't try anything. I thought we went over this he has changed." Harry replies.
"I know I know but come on them living alone together is bloody insane! Hermione just promise me that if anything happens you will tell us."
"Ron she will be fine don't -" Ginny begins but Ron cuts her off.
"Please Hermione. I'm not saying anything will happen it's just it will make me feel more comfortable if you say you will."
"I promise. If anything happens, which I doubt anything will, I will tell you guys."
"Oh I think I see Neville. We should go say hi." Harry points out to us. I haven't seen Neville since a week before I went to the Weasley's to prepare for returning to school. Neville and I have kept in touch throughout the summer.
We chat to Neville for a bit until Harry, Ginny and Ron go to find a compartment.
"Wow Hermione you look great. Oh well not that you don't normally -"
I chuckle as I say "Don't worry Neville I know what you mean and thanks. You look great yourself." I smile.
"Thanks Mione."
"Nev I'm sorry you and Luna didn't work out. I was really rooting for the two of you."
"Thanks it's okay though. She and I are still friends. I mean things were kind of odd at first, but it's good now."
"I'm glad. Do you want to go meet up with Harry, Ron and Ginny now?"
"Sure. So how are you feeling about working with Malfoy? I know he is changed now but do you think it will be hard with your past?"
"I'm not sure but after everything Molly and Harry have said as well as Andromeda I have a good feeling about it. Then when I saw him in Diagon Alley it was like I was talking to a completely different person. I guess in reality it was just who he actually is. I can't imagine what it has been like for him. I just hope that he and I will be able to talk it out."
"I'm sure it will all work out Hermione. I do agree he does seem to have changed. I talked to him a bit before you came over actually."
"There you two are!" I hear Ginny say once we get to our compartment. "Where have you been?"
"Sorry we got to talking." I reply. Ginny, Harry and Ron nod in understanding as Neville sits beside Ron and I sit between Ginny and Harry.
"You just missed the news. Seamus just came by and told us that he heard we have four new professors this year and a new head of Gryffindor." Harry tells Neville and me.
"I still can't believe it I mean it has been McGonagall for years. Yeah she can be strict, but it wouldn't be the same without her." Ron complains.
"Did he say who the new head will be?" Neville asks.
"No he said he didn't know. I wonder who it will be." Ginny adds.
"I cannot even think of someone to fit the role. As Ron said it won't be the same without McGonagall." I admit.
"Mione don't you have to go meet Malfoy now?" Ginny asks.
"Hell I completely forgot. Thanks Gin! I'll see you guys later. Bye." They all say goodbye and I walk to meet Malfoy.
I wonder if McGonagall will tell Draco and I who the new head is during the meeting. Wait did I just think of him as Draco.
I get to the Heads Compartment door and I begin to open it.
Draco POV
I'm sitting here waiting for Granger to arrive. I don't know what I'm going to say to her. Do I tell her I'm sorry? Will she even believe anything I say to her? She seemed to notice that I'm different when we talked in Diagon Alley but is that enough?
I see the door open and Granger peeks in. I assume it's to check if I'm here.
"Hi Malfoy."
"Hey Granger."
"When did you get here?" She asks me.
"Not too long ago. I was with Blaise and Daphne before I got here." I reply.
"Sorry you had to wait. I was chatting to Neville and then we went to a compartment." She explains.
"Don't worry about it Granger. Do you know when McGonagall will get here?" I ask. I don't want to talk to her now if McGonagall is going to be here soon.
"I believe she said an hour into the train ride."
"Oh okay thanks. Um I guess you're going to go back to your friends then."
"No I'll stay. If that's okay with you."
"I'm okay with you staying." I reply. She looks at me and smiles. Maybe it won't be as difficult as I thought.
She pulls out a book from her bag and begins to read. Maybe I should leave her be. No I should talk to her now. It's best to not put it off.
"Granger." I say to get her attention.
"Yes?"
"Um...I just want to say I'd like it if we could you know start over."
"I'd like that."
"Well then we should probably be on a first name basis right?"
"I do agree...Draco." Wow my name sounds so different when she says it although not a bad different more like a good different. "
"Draco?"
"Oh sorry I was just thinking. What did you say?" Obviously I drifted off for a moment while I was thinking.
"It's okay. I just asked if your had a good summer. Well as much as you could have with everything that happened." It's cute when she gets nervous. I don't think I've ever seen her like this before.
"Overall it was good. At first it wasn't so great with the way people act around me now, but I'm trying to get used to it. How was yours?"
"Honestly it was amazing. I hope that doesn't sound callus. In the beginning it was really hard but then I'm not sure what happened. I guess I just felt like I could breathe again. Like I could be a teenager, actually act my age, and live my life. Does that make sense?"
"No don't worry it doesn't sound callus at all. It actually sounds great. I'm glad it was amazing Hermione. It made complete sense. You got to enjoy your life without fear or stress and you just got to be in the moment. I can definitely tell that a lot happened during your summer." I chuckle.
She laughs and says "I had a very eventful summer indeed. Ginny and I went to New York for a few weeks where my cousin Kate lives and it was absolutely spectacular. Kate is one of the few of my non immediate family members that know I'm a witch. It ended up being that her best friend Maria is a witch and owns a nightclub so of course we spent a great deal of nights there. Sorry I'm starting to babble."
"No it's okay I was enjoying it. What I mean to say is I liked listening to your story. Keep going." God it's like I cannot even speak anymore. What is going on with me?
"Okay...well we spent time shopping, sightseeing the city and breaking free. Breaking free in the sense that we were letting loose and as my mum would call it "going wild". Of course we didn't do anything wildly crazy. I'm still Hermione Granger."
"Wild? Wow I cannot imagine you as a wild child. Although honestly I don't really know much about you do I?" I reply. Wild Granger. Nope I cannot see it. Of course it isn't like I think of her as a shy, conservative and prudish girl it's just she's Granger. I mean she's fiery and outgoing no doubt about it but also she's mature, responsible (with exception usually when helping Potter), quiet and respectful. Not that she doesn't go out and have fun. I just don't see her being one of those wild partying witches who are careless, although I doubt Granger would party recklessly.
"I don't know about that. I mean you've been around me for years you've probably learned some things about me from that. We've definitely not been close that's for sure." She laughs and then continues. "I think wild is an incorrect term. More like outgoing or vivacious. Like I'm more free spirited and willing to get out of my shell."
"From what I've seen of you Hermione you have always been like that."
"To a degree, but usually only when needed I would be so daring. I mean for me it's hard to get out of my comfort zone and it's not because of worrying about what others will think it's just I like comfort. It's simple and easy, nothing can go wrong if I keep to that. An important lesson I learned was that to make life worth it you have to go live it and not just keep to the easy path." Wow. I've never given her the credit she deserves. She truly is one of a kind. She is right that you cannot stick to staying in the same place. I don't want to stay where I am but I also am afraid of change.
"You're completely right. I think that is my main problem right now. I'm so used to how things were and how I had to be that I don't know what I want any more or how to put myself out there. I don't want to be the old me I just want to be me for once. I guess I'm so used to having no choice that I don't really know how to break free. Now that Lucius is gone I don't have any rules to follow. I don't have to be the person he wanted me to be."
"I can try to help you if you would like. We can help each other with it." She seems hesitate but I think it's because she is unsure what I will say.
"I would really like that."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why did you call your father Lucius?"
"Simply because I honestly hate him. For everything that has happened. How could I not?"
"Yeah I can understand that. Did you...go see him before? Sorry never mind that is not-"
"It's okay and no I didn't neither did my mother. I think part of her wanted to just because she used to love him but I think her anger made her dismiss that feeling."
"Do you miss him?"
"I thought I would on some level but no I don't. I know he is my father but I really wish he wasn't. I know I need to get over how I feel about him but it's easier said than done. The worst part is I don't just hate him for everything he did but I hate him for making me hate myself." Hermione opens her mouth to speak but is interrupted by a sound of the compartment door.
"Hello Draco. Hello Hermione. I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt. I can come back in a moment if you would like." McGonagall says kindly to us.
"No no it's okay Professor." I reply.
"We were just um catching up." Hermione adds.
"Okay then let us get started." McGonagall says with what seems to be a knowing smile. I have a feeling she overheard a part of what I said before she came inside.
McGonagall then continues "As Head Boy and Head Girl it's expected that you will work together and show good teamwork as well as house unity. Of course you both are at the top of your class, so I expect you both to be perfect fits for your roles. I expect you both to very mature and to be at least cordial with one another. That won't be a problem, am I correct?
"No not at all Professor." Hermione says.
"You have nothing to worry about Professor. I promise."
"Good I'm glad. As you're both aware you will be sharing a common room together. It's by the Astronomy Tower with a portrait of a lion and snake. The password is unity. Now I advise you both not to share your password but if you chose to please be sure to choose only those you both trust. After tonight's feast meet me at my office so we can discuss a few more things. Afterwards I shall take you to your common room."
Hermione and I nod then McGonagall hands us a piece of parchment each. "Here are the round schedules for this month. It includes when you both will patrol together. It has the names of all of the pairings for the month and when the pairs patrol. After this month it will be your job to rearrange the pairs and the schedule for the rounds. Of course you will have to do your rounds together. I must go attend to the meeting with the prefects. At the end of each month you will have a prefect meeting. If you wish to have any other meetings with the prefects please feel free to come to me to arrange them. If you have no questions I will leave you," She takes a short pause and then says "Alright I shall see you both after the feast. Have a lovely day Hermione, Draco."
"Goodbye Professor." Hermione and I say together.
"Draco...about what you were saying earlier if-"
"It's okay Hermione you don't have to." I know what she's going to say and I'd rather not hear it.
"What do you mean? I was going to say I'm always here if you ever want to talk. I know we've only just begun to get along but I'm here." What the hell? I definitely didn't expect that.
"Really? Thanks Hermione. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions."
"It's okay. What did you think I was going to say?"
"That you don't think things can be different but you wish they could." I really need to stop jumping to conclusions.
"I would never say that. Draco I'm here for you and while maybe not everyone has seen it or will see it, you're a good person and you aren't who they thought. I can see it already. You went through so much that I cannot even imagine and it wasn't right nor was it fair. You aren't a bad person because of it. I remember hearing Harry talking to his godfather Sirius when Harry was going through a lot of pain. I never told them I heard but Harry was saying he was afraid of becoming a bad person...of ending up like Voldemort. Sirius said to him 'You are not a bad person you are a very good person that a lot of bad things have happened to'. You may not want to hear this but you're very similar to Harry. The past doesn't define you. It's not about the past it's about the choices you make going forward."
"There is a big difference between Potter and I though. He hasn't done any wrong. I think that's why I've always disliked Potter because I wanted to be brave and strong like him. To do and be good."
"Harry will be the first to say this. He isn't perfect and he hasn't not done wrong. He makes mistakes like all of us. You're extremely brave and strong. I don't know how I could have gotten through what you did. Between your father and all of the darkness you stayed strong and stuck to yourself. Maybe you didn't always do the right thing and yes weren't the nicest person in the world at Hogwarts but did you hurt or want to hurt anyone? Did you follow through with having to kill Dumbledore? No you didn't. You saved Harry, Ron and I when you didn't have to. If they had figured out you were lying who knows what could have happened." Please don't bring up that night.
"I could have done so much more! I tried to kill Dumbledore I did. I put curses on people to try to get him killed. I tormented you and countless others and for what? My dad's approval. To protect myself from harm by my father or any of the Death Eaters. To be liked and to fit in with many people who weren't worth it. Honestly how is that okay? It's sick and selfish. I'm lucky to still have Blaise and Daphne, Hermione. God and that night still haunts me I should have tried to help you no matter what could have happened to me. It's despicable that I just stood there and watched. While you were suffering and Bellatrix was doing it. You have no idea how much that night torments me and how much I wish I could go back. I'm so sorry Hermione." I cannot believe I just said that. I'm shaking so much now and my heart is pounding. What is she thinking? Does she take back everything she said?
"Shhh…..it's okay Draco. Relax...just breath." Wait she's trying to calm me. She's kneeling in front of me with her hands on either side of my legs.
"Draco it's okay. I forgive you. There was nothing you could have done. I always knew you wanted to help. I saw it in your eyes that night. I saw pain, sadness, and guilt. You were just a young boy who had to grow up so fast, go through so much pain and see so much darkness. It's not your fault. The things you did and the way you acted it was for a reason and a strong one. It doesn't define you none of it does. You don't have to be that way anymore. We got thrown into messed up situations and had to grow up when we should have been acting like kids. Everything you went through wasn't fair and I wish you had not gone through it. I can say it's over now but it isn't. Technically it's over but that destruction and anguish it all caused is still here. The pain is still here and it won't go away easily. Together maybe we can help each other through it, but that cannot happen if we keep punishing ourselves. You deserve to be happy Draco."
"It will be a challenge but yes I would like that. Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." She says as she smiles.
"Why did you forgive me so easily?" I ask.
"Forgiveness is earned Draco. I don't know how but, I...just knew that you were different from the moment in the Manor then when we talked in Diagon Alley I realized I was finally meeting Draco Malfoy. Not Malfoy but Draco. Once that happened and I realized I liked the person I saw I forgave you. I could tell you weren't the person you always showed but that it was a facade. I guess I also saw a person I wanted to get to know. Someone that was a mystery and unique but also pure."
"I'm glad I took off my facade Hermione. I must say you're the fourth person to realize that."
"Me too Draco. Realize what?"
"I had two sides: Draco and Malfoy. Besides you, my mother, Daphne and Blaise all know. Well I guess my Aunt Andromeda and Mrs. Weasley."
"And Harry. He said ever since the war ended that you weren't who we thought and that part of him had always known but, he let his hate cloud his judgement. I guess most of us do that."
"What do you think changed his mind?"
"He said he didn't know what but he said it was just a strong feeling. Well let's just say Ron didn't like that answer." She chuckles.
"I can't say I'm surprised by Wease-Weasley. Sorry."
She laughs and says "Old habits die hard Draco."
I begin to laugh as well and then ask "If I asked you to be friends, what would you say?"
"I would say that I was one step ahead. I already thought we were." She laughs and I laugh too. Her laugh is quite contagious. We continue chatting but about things we like and dislike. I guess Hermione and I are more alike than we thought.
Who would have guessed that Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger would become friends?
A/N: Thank you so much for reading my fanfic! I hope you're liking it so far. If you ever want to know my progress on how the chapters are going on my profile in bold there is a part with the title "Their New Beginning Chapter Progress" which will say in the middle of writing, almost finished writing the chapter, or chapter sent off to GinnyGinervaWeasley for editing. Hopefully the length of this chapter didn't bother you, but since I haven't updated in a while I couldn't help but write a lot. Again I'm really sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I hope to have the next chapter done in about a week. If I'm having a hard time finding time to write I will let you know on my profile. Thanks for reading I really appreciate it. As you know I love all reviews whether it's constructive criticism, or to say how you're enjoying the fic. I'm currently working on chapter 6 – most likely it will be called "The Feast" – and it's going extremely well so I should be done in a few days then I will send it to GinnyGinervaWeasley.
Love you all!
DracoHermionelover98