Author note: So I was throwing ideas around and I don't know what I could do to put some hard times in their relationship I don't want Hermione to die but I'm thinking of giving her some sickness but idk what :/ have some time to figure it out
Chapter 2: Changes
Draco had a long night he got home around 1 in the morning. He was exhausted he was ready for bed he drifted off really quick.
"Draco wake up, wake up" his mom said
"It's Saturday no school" he responded pulling pillow over his head.
"You have tutoring today and the school play" his mom said with the famous family smirk she pulled the blankets off his bed. Draco was officially annoyed he only had 5 hours of sleep plus drinking he slowly got up and got ready. No one should have to get up so early on Saturdays who actually enjoys it he thought. Within 30 minutes he was good to go he had to be drove to the high school to get on the bus to get to the sister school. His mom dropped him off as he got out, he saw none other than Science bookworm with no surprise a book in her hands.
"Wow why am not surprised you're here willingly" Draco said to Hermione
"This stuff looks great on college applications plus I want to be a teacher so it works out" she said back with pride in her voice. Draco rolled his eyes and got on bus he put his headphones on just wanting the day to be over. It was a long day he got paired with kid you didn't want to be there anymore than he did. After 3 hours of trying to get it through to this kid he was over it luckily the tutoring was over now he gets to go home for a few hours than he had to go to the spring play rehearsal. He got his stuff and headed to the bus he was just looking at the window when he heard a familiar voice
"Do you want to buy raffle tickets? I'm trying to raise money to buy Jefferson new computers"
"No"
"So? I saw you with Luis. And I know it can be difficult but maybe you should back into it somewhere else" she was trying to talk to Draco to at least be friendly
"Are you going to go see Neville Longbottom?" still no answer from him 'That would be a no" she sat there again in quiet.
"They moved from the hospital to a rehab place" still trying. Draco was annoyed at this point.
"Is this your idea of small talk? If so, your social skills need work. No one made him jump"
"It's called peer pressure" she said
"How do you know? You read it from your little book?" he said looking at the journal in her hand.
"Please don't pretend like you know me, okay?"
"But I do, I do, we have had all the same classes since kindergarten. Why, your Hermione Granger, you sit at table someone not exactly the reject table but definitely in the exile group, your best friends are potter and the weaselette. You have exactly one sweater. You look at your feet when you walk if your nose isn't in book, you enjoy getting to school early to read in the library. And for fun since your friends have activities to do you tutor on weekends and hang out with star and planet geeks. How's that sound?"
"Fairly predictable."
"You don't care what people think?"
"No"
Draco went home for a few hours to eat and work on his car a bit. He decided to take his car to the rehearsal he was 15 minutes late. He entered the drama stage
"Mr. Malfoy better late than never" Mr. Lockhart said he's probably one of the most annoying teachers in the school always going on about his stage days. They went over what the play was about and before Draco knew it his name was called. He was playing a main character. This was going to be miserable. During script reading he was purposely failing at it hoping they'll kick him out plus he wanted to get under Potter's skin since he wrote the play. After a long rehearsal it was time to leave. As he was leaving, he saw Potter and Granger talking. He was just about to get to his car when he heard the same voice, he's been hearing all day.
"So would it kill you to try?" Hermione asked with annoyance in her voice
"Yep, and I'm too young and good looking to die" Draco smirked back
"You don't care about classes, but you like school...because you're popular and you'll never be on top again."
"Why are you trying to make such small talk with me?" Draco was really annoyed maybe a bit curious
"Forty-two." She said simply
"What do you mean, forty-two? He said with curiosity
"Forty-two is befriend somebody, it's a to-do list I have for my life".
"Like getting a new personality?" he said making her put her head down for a second
"Join the Peace Corps, make a medical discovery." She said with pride
"Ambitious." He said sarcastically though a pinch of it was actually impressed
"Be in two places at once, get a tattoo." That one threw him for a loop
"A tattoo? What's number one?" he's more curious than he should be about that one
"I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." With that the conversation ended and she headed to her car.
He went home and Sunday Blaise came over to help him with his lines. Which was nightmare Blaise couldn't take it seriously he needs actual help he doesn't want to but may have to ask Granger for help.
The next day at school Draco was hanging with his friends in their usual spot before school.
"This is what I love about early spring. Where those legs been hiding?" Blaise said checking out a girl coming by.
"She's trashy," Pansey said with a sneer and attitude Draco figures she still made at his rejection.
All of the sudden he saw Hermione coming up to him. He wanted to ask her about helping him with his lines but he didn't want to seem pathetic in front of his friends
"Well, if it isn't the Virgin Mary," Pansey said looking at her outfit rolling her eyes again wearing a long floral print dress that was a little big with a black t-shirt and her oversized black sweater and her sally janes
"Here comes your leading lady," Cormac teased with Theo Crabbe Goyle laughing
"Hey, Carter. So, I'll see you after school for rehearsal?" Hermione said to him
"In your dreams." Draco said as cocky as ever but her face made him want to kick himself.
"Hi. Where's your sweater?" Astoria said with a sneer. Hermione just looked at her and walked away. Draco watched as she walked away.
"Let's get out of here" Cormac said with everyone following. Draco followed behind. All day he was trying to get Hermione alone to ask about secretly studying lines together. Wasn't hard to find her as he figured she'd be in library.
"Hey Granger, what you reading?" Draco said. Hermione turned her book to him while still reading she was reading a sherlock Holmes hound of the Baskervilles.
"Look about what I said today in front of my friends you got to understand I have a reputation"
"And how's that mine problem?"
"I can't be seen hanging with you it's nothing personal I'd be the same to anyone not in my circle, look you already know I don't want to do this play. But if I fail my lines and mess up Potter's play will be a joke to everyone seeing you wouldn't want that, would you?" Draco said calmly
"So, you are blackmailing saying if I don't help, you're going to ruin harry play?" she said with a tone
"No, I'm saying if I don't get my lines down, I'll ruin the play but not remembering" Hermione looked at him not sure what to do she really didn't want to help him but she wanted Harry's play to exceed. So, against her better judgement.
"Fine against my better judgment I'll help you, we can meet after school today here and go over where we can rehearse."
"Thank you thank you!" he said relieved she agreed.
"One condition, though" she said about to get some payback
'What's that?" he said nervous
"You have to promise you won't fall in love with me" she said with a smirk seeing his reaction to her condition
"That's not a problem" he said with a blush
"Okay. I'll see you today after school" with that Draco left and she continued her book.
Draco headed back to his friends trying to think of an excuse he couldn't go with them today. He kept thinking what Granger said 'not to fall in love with her as if and she says I'm cocky jeez' he thought. He saw his friends.
"Hey Draco where you been?"
"Principal's I have to go to cement factory and do some cleaning for trespassing"
"Seriously? Why now?" Crabbe said
"No idea its stupid"
"Well guess you won't be going to the mall and eating with us" Pansey said 'I can meet you after and we can hang"
"Again, drop it Pansey it getting old" Draco said with anger. With that she walked away in a huff with Astoria following behind her
"Hopefully on of these days she'll get the picture" Blaise said, Draco gave him the yeah right look. Now he just had to hide until they left then meet Hermione at library. For some unknown reason he was looking forward to it.
It was finally the end of the school day Draco was heading to the library hiding behind the stacks, then he saw Hermione. He walked over to her.
"Good afternoon, Granger"
"Malfoy, so let's start from act 2"
With that they began studying. It was going pretty smoothly laughing and joking over acting on Draco's part making Hermione laugh until they got kicked out of the library because it was closing. They headed to the parking lot where their cars we're. Draco was really enjoying Hermione's company its nice speaking to someone who has the same brain level as him. Hermione was really got to see the real Draco and she really enjoyed it he was much smarter than she thought which was a surprise.
"So, I'll see you Wednesday?"
"Yeah thank Granger" she gave him a nod and left. Draco kept trying to deny it but he enjoyed spending time with Hermione Granger who would have thought. Draco went home with a smile the energy she has is amazing. He got home and saw his mom's car wasn't there 'must be out shopping' he thought and went up too his room to start his homework and he decided that he wanted to make a list like granger did. So, he stayed up for a few more hours before getting ready for bed.
The week went by fast before he knew it it was time for him to tutor at the sister school, he's been doing it for a month now and he was really starting to enjoy until he had to tutor Luis the kid did not want to be there. During the week of studying lines with Granger and getting to know her she made him want to be better with school and life. At the sister school he kept glancing at Hermione she'd look back and he'd give her a small smile and she'd return it.
"You know the answer?" Draco said to Luis. The kid just rolled his eyes. So, Draco tried again
"Come on, man, I know you know." Draco signed he was getting nowhere with this kid. He looked outside and saw a basketball hoop. So, he told Luis to follow him he was going to try a different approach
"Okay. It's you, me and the basket. We form the three corners of a triangle." The kid was actually listening
"Take a step towards the basket." They both did "Am I at the same angle to you and the basket as before?" Draco asked
"Yeah" the kid said
"Are you?' Draco asked
"Yeah" he saw Luis brain getting it
"So, what did we just make?"
"A similar triangle?" Luis said with hope in his voice but uncertainty
"Yes. Okay, make me an isosceles." Draco asked and Luis took a step away "You got it, two sides the same. Okay, enough of this. Let's play." Then Draco shot some hoops with the kid not noticing Hermione looking out through the window with a smile on her face. Things between them started to grow into a friendship still hidden from his friends her friends were pretty busy to really notice anything. Draco wanted to do one more thing before he went home, he wanted to drop by the rehab. He entered the room to see Longbottom watching some monster movie on t.v. Neville looked up from the tv
"I came to say I'm sorry" Draco said looking at him he truly felt bad once he actually saw him
"Well, you did. Feel better?" Neville asked annoyed
"No. I feel like shit," Draco admitted
"You know what? I actually thought .I wanted to be your friend. And now I have no idea why. No idea," Neville said with sadness in his voice making Draco feel completely like crap he decided to admit something to Neville
"I made that jump once. I thought I was a badass. I remember actually saying that I meant to belly flop," Draco said remembering it with a smile and thinking to himself how stupid his friends and him are.
"Did it hurt?" Neville asked
"Like hell," Draco answered with a smile
"Good," Neville said giving Draco a smile a smile of forgiveness
"So I guess I'll see you at school then," he said giving him a handshake and smile
Draco headed home he felt a huge weight lifted off him and was happy with himself man was Hermione Granger really having a influence on him. He got home laid in his bed and grabbed the yearbook from past year and looked up Hermione Granger he couldn't help but smile he really didn't understand this feeling he had towards her. He shoved them aside thinking what his friends would say he knows Blaise wouldn't be appalled by it but not exactly thrilled. Cormac and Astoria would say he's lost his shit Theo, Crabbe, and Goyle would probably laugh but they kind of follow Cormac and Pansey oh my god would be pissed. He just couldn't shake her from his thoughts.