Weeks had passed after their encounter at the Astronomy Tower. Neither of them spoke to each other. Draco on the one hand felt ashamed that he had let himself break. And in front of Granger.

Hermione on the other hand didn't know how to approach Malfoy. She knew it was hard for him. But she never saw him in such a weak state. She had never see him weak at all.

What was she supposed to do about this situation? Should she talk to him after all? Or should she wait until he approaches her?

Weeks turned into months without further encounters. Hermione found herself often at the Astronomy Tower. Looking up in the night sky and silently crying. Little did she know that a certain blond wizard was watching her. Secretly hiding in the shadows. Not going over and comforting her like she did. He wasn't able to give comfort, he knew that and it defiantly wouldn't help her if he breaks down again while comforting her.

Seeing her that sad wasn't something Draco liked to see. He liked seeing her smile. But the moments he remembered her smile on the little occasions he saw that she never really meant it because her smiles never reached her eyes like they used to…before the war. He had to change it. He simply had to. But how?

One day he bummed into Granger while looking for a book in the library. He supressed a sorry and quickly turned. Away from her. He couldn't face her. Of course, he told her everything and she even saw him cry. But it was too much for him looking into her eyes and seeing pity. He didn't need her pity. He could handle things himself, thank you.
Draco didn't get far away from her because she caught up with him while he was nearly sprinting down to the dungeons.

"Damn it, Malfoy!" he heard her shout. "Wait just a second!" He stopped. Turned around and watched Granger catching her breath. He tried to look annoyed but his curiosity got the better of him. He didn't ask what she wanted. He just waited for her to say it herself.

Granger looked around. Was she afraid of being seen with him?

"Look Malfoy" she started. "I don't want to…I don't want someone eavesdropping." Draco's puzzled expression meant that Granger needed to explain.

"I want to talk to you about the things you told me and…" she drifted off but Draco knew immediately that she was referring to what happened at the Astronomy Tower. He took her hand and led her towards the Slytherin Common Room, knowing that no one would question him, except of Pansy, but her he could handle.

When he muttered the Password and walked into the Common Room, still holding Granger's hand, he looked around not seeing someone he might explain to and walked straight to his dormitory. Granger following behind.

When he walked into his shared room, he found Pansy sitting on his bed. With one of his white school shirts covering her naked body. He assumed that Pansy was naked underneath. She did it many times during the years they were dating. Pushing Granger behind his back so that she won't see Pansy, he motioned for the naked girl on his bed to leave.

Pressing Granger behind his back, he watched as Pansy got dressed, a sad expression on her face and Draco could swear that that black haired girl was about to cry. That was before she started speaking, clearly recognizing the girl behind him, so he thought.

"You found someone else to shag?" Draco felt Granger shifted behind him. He pressed her even harder against him, telling her with his body to stay put. Thank Merlin she listened.

"I don't see if that would be any of your business considering that we are not dating anymore," Draco said through gritted teeth. Pansy was about to say something else but Draco nearly yelled at her to get out.

Closing the door after Pansy, Draco put a few charms around the door so no one would come in.

He motioned Granger to sit on his bed and walked to the window. Of course, he just saw the Black Lake cause the dungeons were built beneath it but it was still a better view than looking into Granger's eyes.

"You know. I thought it would be hard to tell you" Draco started, not waiting for Granger to open her mouth. "But I needed to get it out of my system. I couldn't tell anyone, thought, because I knew that no one would understand me. I still feel guilty for the things that happened to you at my house but I can't make them undone. I wish I could."

Granger stood up and Draco felt her behind him. He couldn't let that happen again. It was hard for him to let it happen the first time he clearly didn't want it to happen a second time. He turned around and faced her. He got her by surprise. Crossing his arms over his chest, he continued.

"I wanted you to see that it was a hard time for me as well. That I see things different now. I wanted you to understand me. That I broke that one night. I didn't mean it to happen. I didn't want you to see me weak."

"I'm not telling anyone" she cut in.

"I know you wouldn't. I still feel…ashamed that it happened. But I felt so…different at that moment. I can't really tell you how good it felt. Like as if any guilt I had was suddenly gone. I felt relieved."

Granger had a small smile spreading across her face. Again, they weren't reaching her eyes.

"We don't need to talk about it if you don't feel comfortable." She said. The smile not leaving her face. Draco took her hand and let her to his bed. Sitting down Draco kicked off his shoes and sat cross-legged on the bed.

Trying to change the subject, Granger asked him, why he brought her to his room when they could simply be sitting in some of the empty classrooms. Draco laid down, crossed his arms over his head and tried to explain.

"I actually thought that it would be more comfortable. Besides it wasn't that far away from where we were standing."

He eyed her. She looked curious. He was a bit surprised when he saw that she too, kicked off her shoes and sat next to his waist. Of course she knew not to sit cross legged because he would see her underwear. She was wearing the school uniform.

"And what was that thing with Pansy?" she asked, not looking at him.

Draco chuckled. Really? That curious?

"Nothing. It was really nothing"

"It didn't look like nothing. She was jealous because you had obviously brought someone else into your room."

"And still it's none of her business. We aren't dating anymore. Except those occasion when she offers me herself. But if I want to bring someone else. .."

Granger got it and kept silent for a while.

They were both kept in their own thoughts.

"What do you think will happen now?" Granger suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" Draco responded. „Do you mean us?"

Granger just nodded, still not looking at him. Draco had to think about his answer. He didn't know what she thought about it. Maybe that what he wanted was not what she wanted? "I don't know" he truthfully said, "what would you like to happen between us?"

"I would like to get to know you better" Granger blurred out. "Ok" Draco smiled. That's what he thought, too.

"What would you like to know?" he asked, "besides the obvious things." He grinned. He liked that idea. At least they could try a friendship.

"You know. Besides the obvious things I would like to know more about your childhood outside Hogwarts."

Draco had actually to think about it. Besides the facts that his father had brainwashed him during his childhood there was nothing special about it. He did had everything he ever asked for but he didn't consider that as a happy childhood. His mother always tried to make him happy but Draco just always wanted to impress his father. Riding his first broom at age 7, performing non – verbal spells at age 4 - so his mother had told him. Besides that nothing, he could tell Granger.

Therefore, he looked up to the girl sitting willingly on his bed.

"I actually don't know what to tell you. My childhood is nothing I like to remember. You know that my father brainwashed me since the moment I understood what he said. But apart from that,… my mother loves me and still tries to make sure I have everything I need. If she could have been able to say a word against my father I think my childhood would be a bit different."

Granger looked thoughtful but didn't add something to it.

"What about you?" Draco asked. He was eager to know more about the little know-it-all Gryffindor princess.

"Not as happy as I would like it to be." She said without looking at him. "I didn't really had friends before Hogwarts. I was always bullied because I was different. The children in my neighbourhood always ignored me. Even my cousins never liked to spend time with me. So I spent most of my time looked up from everyone. It changed a bit after I received my letter to Hogwarts. My parents were thrilled and proud. And when I returned over Christmas the first year they were eager to know everything that had happened. And while we spent the holidays at one of my aunts I hadn't felt lonely once because I knew I have friends waiting for me to come back."

Draco didn't look at her.

So Granger didn't have a peaceful childhood. What had he thought? She had been exposed to magic maybe at the same age he was. Doing first little spells. And she was a muggleborn. So there was no one to show her for eleven years.

They chatted over two hours without spending too much time on one topic.

A suddenly knock on the door shot them down and both looked surprised to the door. The inferior knocked a second time. Frightened Granger looked to Draco who looked as frightened as she did.

Without a second thought, Granger closed the curtains at one side and hid behind them. Draco stood up and opened the door. He was surprised to see Pansy standing in front of it, holding her right hand up to knock a third time. "What do you want?" Draco snapped at her. Pansy jumped nearly at his attitude and faced the floor. "I'm sorry" she muttered, "I didn't mean to be upset. I know we're not dating anymore but…" she trailed of and tried to look into the room. Draco blocked her view looked a bit bitter and closed the door again.

"I think I should leave" he heard Granger say. He didn't want her to leave but knew that at one point he had to. Draco smiled, looked back into the corridor and escorted Granger to the Entrance of the Common Room. Lucky that not so many students were sitting in the room. Most of them were first or second years. They said their good nights and headed in different directions.

Back in his dormitory, Draco thought back to the previous few hours he had spent with Granger. He liked her company. She was smart and could easily catch up everything he said. He knew that he couldn't expect more than friendship with the Gryffindor princess, not that he wanted to. His father was maybe already looking for the next Misses Malfoy. Draco perfectly knew he wouldn't be able to marry for love. Granger could. Again, he smiled a said smile. She was probably head over heels with Weasle. He heard the rumours. He had seen them in Diagon Alley last summer. They looked happy. He wished he could be happy one day. With his future wife…and son.

He hear the door open and one of his roommates walked in. Draco didn't bother to say something to the young man; he closed the curtains around his bed and laid down, trying to sleep. Before drifting off his thoughts were surrounded by the beautiful young witch he past hours with. He smiled and fell peacefully asleep.

TBC

SnapeEvans