Friends…? By HPFangirl71

"Ron…" Hermione called out tentatively as she entered their apartment.

She walked to the living room, unsure of Ron's current mood. Their lunch date this afternoon hadn't gone well and she was still shook up by it. As she entered the room, Ron stood to greet her. He wrapped her within his strong muscles and let his fingers caress the back of her neck. When he held her like this, it reminded Hermione of just why she'd married him.

"Mione, I'm so sorry about this afternoon." he muttered quietly into her ear.

He pulled away to look deep into her eyes, his own dark eyes pleading with her to forgive him yet again. His lips pressed against hers and she lost herself within the gentleness of his kiss. She smiled tentatively up at him and a large goofy grin of relief appeared upon his face. She'd first fallen in love with this Ron, not the arrogant self-centered Quidditch star he'd now become. Yes, Ron had his terrifying moments but he also had moments of sweetness like this too. These tender moments were what swept her heart away and allowed her to forget the monster he could sometimes become.

Draco sat alone in the huge manor that was his home. He'd just finished dinner and sat watching as the house elves cleared away the remains. His thoughts kept straying back to the events of this afternoon. He'd been shocked at how vulnerable and unprotected Granger had looked. Not once during all those years of trading childhood barbs and banter had he thought of her like that, not even when he'd watched her take his aunt's crucio spell with such courage and dignity. She'd always been so strong and unmovable. How had she let it come to this? Personal jealousy and his parents' bigotry were the only things that had made her his sworn enemy but the war had changed all that, had it not?

Her earlier thank you had shaken him to his very core. He'd hated leaving her alone in so much pain but he'd sensed it was what she'd wanted. If only she'd been willing to open up to him. His body seethed with anger from this afternoon as he thought of seeing Ron with a tight grip on Granger's shoulders, threatening her in a darkened corner of the hallway. Draco had seen the bruise upon her cheek and known it was Weasley who'd done that to her as well. How could the man be so stupid, he had a smart beautiful witch for a wife and he treated her like dirt, how could he not see just how lucky he was. Draco looked around him and felt the perpetual ache of loneliness that sometimes entered his heart, he knew what it was like to be alone, with no one and it wasn't pretty. What he wouldn't give to switch places with Weasley and not be alone anymore.

Days passed by and Hermione didn't see Draco Malfoy at all. Just because she didn't see him didn't mean he wasn't present within her mind. She thought of his voice so soft and kind. She thought of his gentle touch upon her skin and she almost wanted to believe he'd been sincere. It annoyed her that she couldn't seem to forget this one act of kindness of his out of her head. He was still Draco for crying out loud. He was still a former death eater who had insulted her with his bigoted epitaphs. He had to be up to something! He couldn't be trusted and he certainly didn't deserve a second chance from her, did he?

Finally, Hermione had had enough of wondering, she entered Draco's office at the Ministry, determined to get some answers. Without so much as a knock, she entered the office and faced the loathsome blonde down.

"Okay, what gives?" she said as she pressed both palms firmly into Draco's desk, forcing him to stare her directly in the eye.

"Well good afternoon to you too Granger! To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" he asked her with a playful grin plastered upon his face.

She looked him nervously up and down, now suddenly embarrassed by her outburst. She pulled her hands from his desk and stood upright but was still determined to get some answers.

"I want to know what you're up to?" she boldly asked him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he questioned back.

"I mean exactly that! Just what are you up to? This kindness act… it can't be real can it?"

"Why, because of our past? People can make mistakes Granger, especially when they're just kids. I know I was awful to you but I'm sorry for that…" he said haltingly.

She saw the look of guilt that crossed his face as he said those words and suddenly she wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe him more than anything in the world. She wanted to believe that Draco Malfoy had really changed.

"Well then, Friends?" she said, offering her hand to him.

"Friends…" Draco whispered as he grasped her hand tightly.

They exchanged nervous smiles and Hermione turned to leave his office. Just as she was about to walk out the door, she heard him say something she wasn't quite sure she wanted to hear.

"Now tell this "friend" how you really got that bruise and all the others like it…"