I managed to post last night, so I'm happy about that. And I'm going to type as many chapters as possible from now until this evening. I'm also writing as fast as I can. Ok, now I'm going to type and stop babbling on. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Nope, the characters aren't mine. I'll put them back where they belong when I'm done. Promise!
Chapter 8
Understanding
Hermione's POV
I woke up at dawn the next morning as the sun slowly rose. I watched it through the window across from me. The cloak I was wrapped in was warm and soft. It smelled slightly spicy (A/N: Old Spice cologne. YUM!). I knew it wasn't mine, but I was thankful for it. I stood up and stretched. It was Sunday and I knew most of the school would be sleeping in. I decided an early breakfast and a walk would be nice. I ran up to my room, changed quickly and grabbed my own cloak, a scarf and gloves. I scribbled a quick thank you note on a scrap of paper and pinned it to the other cloak, which I left on a chair in the common room. I slipped out the portrait and headed for the Great Hall.
The large room was almost completely empty, except for one bleary-eyed Hufflepuff and Dumbledore. Coffee pots sat on every table along with baskets of muffins and some wizard foods I didn't recognize. I picked up a blueberry muffin and poured myself a large cup of coffee. The silence of the room was a little odd, but I loved it. This was what a Sunday morning was about. I was almost finished when Malfoy walked in. he saw me, and instead of sitting at the Slytherin table, he walked over and sat across from me.
"Morning, Granger. Sleep well?" our eyes locked for a second before I looked away. He poured himself a cup of coffee and watched me sip my own.
"Morning, Malfoy. Actually yes, I did for spending the night in a chair. Did you sleep?"
"Yeah, for about five hours." He sipped his coffee and smiled slightly. "Why are you up so early? You usually sleep in on Sundays."
"I woke up with the sun and decided to take a walk after I ate." I finished my coffee and stood up. His next question made me stop short.
"Can I come with you?" he looked hopeful. I didn't know what to do, but I didn't want to refuse him, so I nodded. His face lit up in a smile for a second before he checked his emotions and it blanked again. He stood up and followed me out the door. It was cool outside, and I pulled on my gloves. They were a fleecy gray and they matched the scarf. I pulled it out of my pocket and offered it to Malfoy. He took it with another smile and wrapped it around his neck. We walked slowly in a companionable silence. Halfway around the lake, he stepped between the hanging branches of a big, old willow tree. I followed and found him sitting on a large log. I sat next to him and conjured up a waterproof flame. I leaned back against the tree and looked up. The branches stretched toward the ground like a waterfall. I smiled and turned to look at Dra-Malfoy. He had his hands over the flames and seemed to be contemplating something.
"Penny for your thoughts?" he jumped and looked at me. I breathed in sharply. The gray of the scarf pulled out the color of his eyes. His white blond hair fell around his face. Our eyes locked, until I shivered and looked away.
*~*~*
Draco's POV
When she spoke to me, I jumped. I hadn't expected her to say anything. Then, she gasped softly and our eyes locked. She was beautiful. Her hair fell around her face, free from the braid. Then she shivered and looked away.
"I don't think my thoughts are worth a penny, whatever that is." I replied, voice quiet. She smiled again and leaned back against the tree. I was thinking about the evening before with the leeches. Good blood and bad blood. How could it exist? Her voice pulled me out of my thoughts again.
"Our worlds are so different." She was speaking upward, into the tree. "I know Muggleborns, like myself, can pass back and forth between the worlds, but how do purebloods pass into the Muggle world? And how do the two worlds exist side by side like that? It doesn't make sense. How-"
"How can the blood in one person be better than the blood in another?" she turned to look at me, surprised. "I know it doesn't make sense. But it's been drilled into my head since I was born. Muggles are horrible, the bane of the Wizarding world. Muggleborns are dirty. Mudbloods are not worthy of being near purebloods. This has been taught to me. I'm beginning to understand it doesn't make sense. You're a Muggleborn, but you beat me at everything, except Potions, and that's because Snape holds a grudge. If Muggleborns are so lowly, how can they be better?" I turned to look at her. "I can't change how I was raised. I can't change who I was."
"Who you were. Not who you will be."
"But we're forgetting the fact I'm the son of a Death Eater. I'm being forced into becoming a Death Eater. My family has been dabbling in the Dark Arts for centuries. Do you know what Malfoy means? It's French for 'Bad faith'. My father's name is Lucius, as in Lucifer, also known as Satan. He enjoys torturing Muggles and Mudbloods. I am who I am. I don't know any different." She was looking at me, but not as though she hated me. I thought she would hate me.
"You aren't your father."
"No, but everyone expects me to be." I stood up and offered her my hand. She took it, and I helped her up. I figured she would drop my hand, but she didn't. She held it as we walked back up to the school. When we reached the doors, I stepped away and smirked.
"Do you have your ingredients yet? You still have a point to prove." She mock-glared at me and I ran up the stairs. "Later, Granger."
"Not so fast, Malfoy. I have to pick the fluxweed tonight, and I'm not going alone."
"Take the Wonder Twins."
"No, because I don't want them to know that I'm brewing it now. They think I'm going to start brewing over Christmas break."
"So you're lying to them? How very Slytherin of you." She glared at me.
"No, I'm changing a detail." She was now standing next to me, looking up because I was taller.
"Ok, and what does this have to do with me?" she gave me a look.
"Could you-could you come with me?" she looked hopeful. "Please?" I rolled my eyes.
"Alright, what time do you want to go?" she gave me a smile.
"Meet me in our common room at 11:30." I nodded and walked inside and headed for the hall and another cup of coffee. After that I had a Muggle Studies test to study for.
*~*~*
Hermione's POV
After I asked Malfoy to come with me that evening, I headed for the Gryffindor common room. I glanced at my watch and saw it was 7:45. We had been outside for almost two hours. The common room was quiet, only a few first years up and I took a seat by the window. I was surprised Dra-Malfoy had opened up to me like that. I was beginning to think he wasn't as horrible as he pretended to be. That he may actually be human. That I might even begin to li- I jumped when someone tapped me on the shoulder. Harry smiled at me and sat down.
"Morning, Mione."
"Hey Harry. Ron still sleeping?"
"Yeah, How long have you been up?"
"Dawn." He looked surprised.
"That early? Why?"
"I fell asleep in a chair in front of the fire. I watched the sun come up, then took a walk with- around the lake." I attempted to cover, but failed. Harry noticed.
"Took a walk with who?"
"It doesn't matter. I'm hungry, do you want to go eat?"
"Mione, please." His green eyes were pleading. I could never resist that look, and he knew it.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Why don't you want me to know?
"Because you'll get angry, tell Ron and he'll make a scene and we'll all be angry at each other for a few weeks. Then we'll eventually start talking, but won't relax around each other until after Christmas. Don't give me that look. You know it's true."
"Yeah, I know. Will you tell me if I promise not to tell Ron?"
"Harry, I don-"
"Please, Mione?" I sighed.
"You have to promise not to get upset, or tell Ron. I don't want to fight with you guys.
"Alright, I promise. Who was it?"
"Malfoy." His jaw dropped.
"Are you-"
"Yes, I'm serious. He asked if he could come with me, and I didn't have a reason to tell him no at the time. If I had said no we would have argued, he would have called me a… called me a name and my day would have gone downhill from there." Harry nodded, agreeing with me. "Then we sat under the willow and talked. Harry, I don't think he's as bad as he acts. His beliefs are his fathers, not his own, and- and I think he may want to change." This last bit came out rushed. Harry sat there for a minute, thinking about what I had said. He didn't normally blow up at a moments notice, like Ron. The only time he did was when Malfoy insulted me.
"What makes you think he wants to be different? And why should we give him the chance? He has tortured us relentlessly, called you mudblood more times than we all care to remember."
"He told me he didn't understand how the blood of one person could be better than the blood of another. He can't change who he was, but maybe, if we give him the chance he can change." My voice was soft.
"But, Mione-"
"Harry, what's done is done, you can't change the past. I figured you, of all people would understand that, but maybe I was wrong."
"Hermione, he's made you cry."
"So have you, Harry." I stood up, tears springing unbidden to my eyes. I didn't look back at Harry. I started to walk across the common room, but he gently grabbed my arm.
"Mione, I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you angry. Please forgive me." I turned around to face him, but couldn't stop the lone tear. A look of anguish crossed his face, and he gently wiped the tear away and pulled me into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Mione. I-I never meant to make you cry." I breathed in deeply, then stepped back.
"It's alright, Harry." My voice was quiet again. "Come on, I need some coffee. He nodded and slipped his arm around my waist and we headed down the stairs.
"And Mione, I-I think I'll take your word about Malfoy. If you think he can change, then it's possible. I gave him a grateful smile.
"Thanks, Harry." We were just outside the doors, about to step in.
"Besides, you have yet to be wrong." The way he said it made me laugh. We walked over to the table and sat, making plans for the day.
*~*~*
Draco's POV
She came in with Potter. He had his arm casually around her waist. For some reason, this sent a wave of jealously through me. Malfoys are never jealous. He had made her laugh. I wouldn't admit it to anyone, but I loved her laugh. It was beautiful, like her. I shook my head. Like she had said, we were from two different worlds. Even so, I was looking forward to meeting her tonight. The Slytherin table was empty, except for a second year and I. I shot him a glance that told him if he said anything, I would make his life hell. The other few students in the room wouldn't say anything either. I stood and walked across the room, carrying my coffee mug, and sat across from Granger. She and Potter both fell silent.
"Morning, Potter."
"Morning, Malfoy. Can I help you with anything?"
"I doubt it, but I was wondering if Granger could help me with something."
"What do you need, Malfoy?" I turned to look at her.
"Well, since you're a muggleborns, I was wondering if you could explain to me what a computer is and what it does." Potter looked surprised. I think he was shocked that I hadn't insulted either of them yet. I played dumb. "What? I have no reason to know what one is, and if I ever came across one, I want to know to avoid it and avoid my fathers' wrath. I also want to pass the Muggle Studies exam tomorrow."
"Fine with me, Malfoy." Potter replied.
"I can do better than tell you, Malfoy. I can show you one." Granger spoke up, causing Potter and I to look at her.
"You've got a computer, Mione? Why didn't you say anything?"
"You never asked." She poured a cup of coffee and stood up. "Are you coming?" I nodded and stood up. I followed the two of them out the door. Maybe today wouldn't be as boring as I thought it would be.
~*~*~*~*~
There! Another chapter! Go Me!! I'm sick, but I'll still try to post tonight. I hate summer colds. And rain. It's been raining everyday for the past week. Rain is gloomy. Puts me in a bad mood. Oh well. Hope you like the chapter. Here's my thank you list:
Ashley023, ladyx (x2), Hello Kitty, LunXkittY111 (What love triangle???) TBAPPS (What do those letters mean?) deaides, Valkyrie Nienna Helyanwe, Cain (Talk?), fantasymei-aqua, writergirl03, smudged, kmoney, elvencherry07, OceanGuardian, and Linwe Amandil (I know what you mean. Not the chicken! I still have to write in a fluffy white cat somewhere…)=Inside joke. You don't want to know.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed. You guys keep me writing. If you want me to keep posting, you better review! Hehe, just kidding. I'll post anyway, but the more reviews I get, the better the story is. Reviews are good for egos. Thanks!
~K~