Chapter One
Best Friends.
Draco Malfoy Sniggered as he cut the corner off his Pixie Ear. Hermione Granger had answered a question for Slughorn perfectly with an additional ten points to Gryffindor. Rolling his eyes he pushed his ear to the side of the chopping board before grabbing his ladle and stirring his bubbling cauldron.
After six years of torment and torture, you would think that one would simply move on and find another victim to harass. Yet that was not the case for Draco Malfoy, no instead he found himself leaning into the habit of having tortured her for so long, that he just couldn't help it. It was like a favourite past time game now a days. Although that recently had all changed.
The snide remarks, hurt full comments and joy full food throwing episode's during dinner, had all ceased. Draco Malfoy was becoming soft and sadly he had finally, with the help of his two best friends, figured out why and that why was her.
Hermione sodding Granger had made Draco Malfoy Soft and she had absolutley no clue. Hermione Granger was having a dramatic affect on him, one that caused his heart to skip beats and butterflies to erupt in his stomach when she passed by him or even glanced at him briefly. Yet she had barely uttered a word to him the whole year.
Draco Malfoy liked Hermione Granger.
Pureblood, Head Boy, stuck up, arrogant, self centred, jerk Draco Malfoy liked Hermione Granger, Head Girl, top grade Student, know-it-all, bookworm, gorgeous, Muggleborn.
Draco sighed as he dropped his pixie ear into his Cauldron, watching as it turned a sickly shade of green. Draco tilted his head across the room and watched as his girlfriend talked animatedly to a girl from Ravenclaw who Draco could tell wasn't really listening to Pansy babble nonsense. Pansy looked up upon feeling eyes on her back and smiled at him. He nodded in acknowledgement with a half hearted smile, hoping that the guilt that was seething through his body was not showing.
Draco always felt guilty when it came to Pansy. She knew that he would never truly love her. She knew that he would never tell her he loved her or make love to her. Through thick and think Pansy seemed to always be there for him, Only last year when Draco had been set a mission by Voldermort to kill Albus Dumbledore, that of which he failed, she had been there every step of the way. When the Daily Prophet was announcing that his father was a death eater back in his fifth year, she had not once turned her back on him, when he got angry or sad, sometimes even when he yelled at her for things that weren't her fault, she would listen to him or console him, without hesitation, and so every time Draco looked at the girl he was dating, he felt bad, for he would never love her.
Draco admired how much she had matured over the holidays. Although she wasn't stunning like Hermione was, Pansy was still attractive. Her black hair had grown reaching just below her shoulder and settling with small waves. Her face was still covered in thick dark make-up which all the boys saw as hot and her body was slim but lacked curves. Still her personality hadn't changed and that to Draco was the major problem in their relationship. They were too much alike. Both wanting control, money and power. They were born for each other but at the same time weren't.
Draco snapped out of his thought's, as an angelic laugh flew through the limited air that was left in the classroom, reaching his ears with ease. How he would love to be the small sound wave of laughter escaping from her mouth. Looking up he spotted her almost instantly, her brown, bouncing, gorgeous curly locks moving as she threw her head back in laughter.
Hermione was sitting at her usual Potions table with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Potter was currently attempting to making her laugh, conjuring a small flock of birds to fly above her head. Some dipped into her hair as others perched on her shoulders. She patted them softly with her index finger as they nipped at her, playing foolishly. Slughorn smiled at Harry but raised a disapproving eyebrow, whispering something in his ear, Harry nodded and vanished the birds. Draco watched as her smile faltered slightly as they disappeared and she turned to Ron trying to gain his attention.
Feeling his Stomach jolt with jealous and anger, Draco looked away as she tapped Ron on the Shoulder a couple of times. Ron turned to her and nodded as she asked him a question but turned back to his starring contest with his ex-girlfriend Lavender Brown just as quickly as he turned away from Hermione. Draco frowned at Ron's drooling over Lavender and his unaffectionate ways towards Hermione.
Weasel-Bee was inconsiderate too say he was supposed to be Hermione's best friend.
Sighing, Draco stirred his potion aimlessly, eyes still fixated on Hermione. He was wishing that Hermione would give him the affection and attention she gave Ron. He wouldn't shun her away or ignore her, he would instead give it all back to her plus more. Hell, it's what the girl deserved after everything he had already put her through. She forgave Ron though so maybe their was some hope at the end of the tunnel after all. If only he could get her too say his name.
"Draco?"
Draco turned to the source of the voice, who was giving him a look that said you-know-what-you-were-doing.
"Was I doing it again?" He asked carelessly, already knowing the answer.
Blaise nodded as he crushed his ant beetles leg, releasing the juices all over the table top. Fixing it with a quick spell Draco sighed at his carelessness.
All week Draco had been starring at her and unfortunately for him Pansy had caught him. He had been able to convince Pansy that he was just imagining cruel and harsh things to do to Hermione but what had surprised him was she was not very happy when he said this, she had frowned and mumbled something about growing up before stomping up too bed. It was almost like Pansy had feelings for Hermione herself. Draco however was just thankful he had two of the greatest friends in the world. Every time either of his friends saw him starring at her they would pull him back to reality.
"Mate you really need to clear you head." Theodore said taking notes from the board. Draco used to torment Theodore over how much he studied and took notes during class, but when Draco started to fail a lot of subjects in his fourth year, he had tried to pin the blame on girls and hormones at the time, he had seeked Theo's help with a study tutor. He had even offered him money but he had declined, saying that he would one day owe him a favour.
"I know" Draco exclaimed, dropping his ladle onto the table.
"You can always talk to her, ya know." Blaise gave Draco a reassuring smile, before draining what was left of his beetle leg into his cauldron. Draco laughed, Blaise should ask Theo for a tutoring lesson some time too, there was hardly any juice left.
He glared at the floor. What did his mate's think he had been doing. Sipping tea with her until early hours of the morning, catching up on lost time and painting each others finger nails, because that's not likely. If anything, when Draco enters the common room she glares or walks away. Even if he wanted to try talking, she wouldn't let him.
Draco knew that if he went anywhere near Hermione let alone gave the girl a smile or accidentally - on purpose - bumped the girl in the corridor that he would be hexed into oblivion by Potter and Weasley. Draco looked up at the ginger boy with a quizzical look, there was something Draco didn't understand.
If Ron didn't want the goddess, who put all her time and effort into making sure his homework was correct or trying to get his attention. Than why when any other guy went near her was he so protective. Blaise had pointed this out a little while ago and the Slytherin Trio had studied the Gryffindor Trio like Hawks hunting for food. Harry thought of Hermione as a sister, nothing more. His intentions of seducing Ginny Weasley were quit clear. However Ron didn't show those sisterly feelings toward Hermione as he did for Ginny, so why wouldn't he let her date anyone else. It had stumped the trio.
Draco felt sorry for Hermione as she returned to her station across the table from Harry. She was mumbling to herself as she began to ladle her potion out of her cauldron, already finished. Ron bent his head closer to hers whispering something in her ear, she sighed before handing him her book so he could no doubt copy her perfect answer's or notes down into his own book. He couldn't give her the time of day unless it was for himself. Draco moved his attention across the room to Lavender who was pouting and pulling an odd face that mashed all of her facial features together. She turned away, starting a conversation with Parvati Patil and Draco read the words, Ron, leave her mouth a few times. So she is still trying to court Ronald. Interesting. Draco thought smugly.
Draco watched as Hermione waited patiently for her book to be returned to her. She was helping Harry cut up his ingredients to pass the time. Pushing her curls out of her face, Draco gasped. He looked around quickly too make sure no one had heard his sudden outburst. She was close to tears. Draco could see them forming on the inside of her long lashes. He wanted to race over to her and embarrass her in a bone crushing hug, whispering soothing, calm words in her ear, but upon the image that he would either be transformed into a pumpkin or land his arse in the Hospital wing he pushed the thought to the back of his mind.
He had to look away from her as Ron handed her book back, whispering his thanks and placing a kiss on her cheek. Now that was just plain cruel in Draco's opinion, for after he did that he went straight back to making sexual gesture's to Lavender Brown who had been awaiting his full attention ever since he snavelled Hermione's book and actually bothered to participate in the lesson. Why did Weasley, get a second chance, even though he was breaking her heart all over again, and Draco didn't even get a chance in the first place.
Draco bit his tongue, he knew why she did not give him a chance and he didn't expect anything different from her. Draco Malfoy did not deserve anything. He was still classed as scum in many people's eyes, mostly the male population. Blaise had tried a few times to comfort him, saying that they where still jealous for his record of shagging girls, but Draco knew better than that. The Majority of the school disliked Draco now more than they ever had before.
After everything he had put Hogwarts through the year before, he did not expect them to welcome him back with open arms, caring and loving. No he had expected the exact treatment he was receiving. While they were still scared of the Malfoy name, they were not entirely timid and running circles for his every command. Although, that was the old Draco, the new Draco gets butterflies and puppy eyes.
After his feeble attempt to kill Professor Dumbledore, He had not been able to fix the cabinet in time for a Hogwarts attack and was ordered to perform a much easier task of Killing Dumbledore. He had secretly gone to Dumbledore, requesting that Snape teach him Occlumency, and a truce was made between the three of them. When the Dark Lord heard that Dumbledore was not dead and that Draco had failed, he had not been surprised, only felt a little failed. No punishment was inflicted and Draco and Lucius both walked away unharmed. So when his letter arrived informing him that he would be accepted back to Hogwarts and made Head boy he had nearly chocked on his toast as he read it, his mother had fainted once she had read the letter through three times. Lucius just smiled. It had just come as a natural shock.
Draco never feared Voldermort, only hated him for the hideous thing he imprinted on his arm. There was no escaping it now. He was branded until the day Voldermort was laid to rest, hopefully un-peacefully.
"Draco!" Draco turned to Blaise giving the two boys at his table a sly smile. He knew he was going to cop a lecture later. All the time Draco had been thinking he had let his potion bubble over spilling onto Theodore's paper and extinguishing Blaise's Bunsen burner.
"Maybe you should get your head out of Granger skirt!" Theodore whispered sarcastically as Slughorn walked by their Table, muttering a quick spell to clear his mess. "And concentrate on more important things."
Draco glared playfully at Theodore as the image of perfectly sculpted legs entered his mind. "Screw you Nott!"
~*~
That evening Draco sat with his girlfriend and best mates at dinner. Blaise had made sure that Draco was sitting with his back to Hermione, so that they could have a peaceful evening, without having to bring Draco back to Reality.
Pansy's hand was resting against Draco's leg as she sat in silence, listening to the boys work out Quidditch tactics, even though Draco was not on the team this year, he still liked the scheming side of things.
"You could always get rid of hastler." Theodore's suggested, glancing quickly up the table to make sure David Hastler hadn't heard him. "He isn't all that great Blaise. We lost by thirty points because he kept dropping the Quaffle. He has butter fingers I tell you!"
"Oh hush Theo." Blaise said frowning, as he waved his wand over the piece of paper we were leaning over. "He isn't greatest Quidditch player no, but I only had three Chaser try out, I didn't exactly have any choice now did I?"
Draco Scoffed. "Blaise, the two chaser, besides Hastler, pretty much played the entire pitch by themselves, he is hopeless."
"Well if I had a seeker that was able to catch the snitch within the first twenty minutes of the game, I would be able to have a good enough team." Blaise said crossing his arms across his chest. "But that's not likely to happen now is it?"
Draco sighed. Blaise had tried every trick in the history of Hogwarts to get Draco to rejoin the team, but with little luck. His Quidditch days where over as far he could tell. He wasn't permanently injured or scared or anything like that, Draco just simply did not want to play anymore. He was actually prepared to study and focus on the task ahead of him. Draco wanted a career. He didn't need Quidditch practices, on top of head duties, homework and study. He just wanted a career. Where yet, Draco was unsure, but he had no intentions of being Voldermort's right hand man like his Father.
"Nope." He said casually as Blaise flicked his wand again and tried a new play. "Here try this."
They sat for another half hour, trying new tactics and game play, while Pansy sat listening intently. She gave opinions here and there, ones that Blaise found useful. Pansy had always been intelligent, but the three boys had never known that she knew so much about Quidditch. A little time later, Draco and Pansy were making their way through the great hall and outside, into the cool autumn evening.
A soft breeze blew around them as they walked in comfortable silence beside one another. It never occurred to Draco that what he was currently doing was slightly romantic. Walking in the moonlight, hands intertwined along the lake's edge, late at night. It was rather unusual for the pair to be seen together. Yes they were an item, the happy couple of Hogwarts and had been for the past four years, but they were very rarely seen together during. Pansy knew of Draco's impulsive reputation to sleep with other women, she knew he cheated on her at times when they fought or Draco just needed some one else, something different, but Pansy never mentioned it, she would simply turn a blind eye on the talk and gossip that would hit the next morning after Draco had slept with someone else, or been caught snogging in a closet in some deserted corridor.
Draco always felt bad. No matter how many times he tried to stop cheating on her he just couldn't. He thrived on the attention he got from the other young women of Hogwarts and found it hard to ignore them when they threw themselves at him. He did not love Pansy, not at all, but he did not hate her. He just simply liked her, which was why he always felt bad for his actions. Their relationship was not perfect, no one's ever is, but it could be and Draco knew that. If only he could commit.
The full moon shone down upon the couple who made their way silently across the Hogwarts ground's. Pansy was humming a soft tune as Draco watched the water ripple softly against the shore. Draco smiled warmly at Pansy and wrapped his arm around her waist drawing her closer to him. He could smell her peppermint and strawberry Shampoo as he leaned his chin on her head. He slowed their pace and came to a stop underneath the walnut tree that had the letter, B,T, and D carved into its fine bark. Draco sat down and leaned up against the tree. Pulling Pansy down with him.
Pansy sighed with comfort as she leaned into his warm muscular body. He wrapped a protective arm around her, rubbing tiny circles against her waist.
"Draco." Pansy looked up into his face that was starring blankly out across the lake. "Why do moments like these have to end."
Draco sighed and looked down at Pansy who awaiting his reply. "Because Pans." He smiled warmly, placing a delicate kiss on her forehead. "All good things have to eventually come to an end in some point."
Pansy nodded. "I wish they wouldn't."
The pair sat in silence for what felt like forever. Draco wondered why Pansy stayed with him. He was one of the worst boyfriends ever. He very rarely showed affection, he never acknowledged her when she was having a tough day and he even said other girls name during sex. Draco knew that Pansy was in love with Draco and was waiting for the day that she hoped he would Propose, but that day would never come.
"I love you Draco"
Draco froze. The last time she had told him she loved him they thought she may of been pregnant. Every time she told him she loved him Draco would look away, unable to meet her eyes. He couldn't lie to her and tell her directly that he loves her, because he didn't and he knew he never would, his heart belonged to another. So Draco always going to reply with the same answer. One that Pansy settled for and gave her a small smile.
"You too Pansy, you too"
Pansy sighed with contentment as Draco shifted underneath her. Standing up he offered his hand to her and hauled her up to him. They stood close together for a while, swaying gentle to the sounds of the lake lapping against the shore. They were silently dancing together in the moonlight. No music, no idea that they where even doing it, yet there they were, swaying gentle in time to the water and holding each other close.
Draco held Pansy closer to him as she shivered as the breeze picked up against her back. Draco kissed her forehead again before leaning his head against hers. To Draco Malfoy, the girl standing in front of him was not his girlfriend, but instead too him, Pansy was Hermione. Someone he could never do this with. So he imagined her there instead.