Hello everyone, thank you for being patient! Here is chapter seven as promised- be wary for some grammatical errors or spelling mistakes as I rushed the editing a bit, but hopefully I managed to spot everything. I'm not sure if the next chapter will be up by next week, so it may be another two week wait unfortunately :( Nevertheless, the week after next is the beginning of the Easter Holidays (because the school I go to finishes on a Wednesday), so I will definitely be able to post then. In the meantime, happy reading...

7. Meeting on the Bridge

That night Hermione couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned for many hours before finally coming to the conclusion that sleep wasn't going to happen. She couldn't help it: her brain was alive, whirring. She'd replayed the whole conversation with Draco over and over in her head, and had been thinking about how in the world she could help him. So far she had come up with nothing, but then again, she supposed that was something they could discuss on Sunday. Before they had separated earlier, Hermione had suggested they meet up again, however instead of using their usual meeting place she'd suggested the old Covered Bridge by the Clock Tower Courtyard- the one that began right at the base of the Clock Tower and ran all the way across the valley to the Sundial Garden at the other end.

Their plan was to meet up at the centre of the bridge just after midday, when Hermione knew most of the sixth year students were headed to Hogsmeade for a day of discounts at the Three Broomsticks. Harry, Ron and Ginny were going, but Hermione had managed to back out, pretending she had a ton of extra coursework from her Ancient Runes class, a class that none of her friends were taking. Luckily, Draco also happened to be taking Ancient Runes, so Hermione predicted this would furthermore be a legitimate excuse for him to use as well. Not many took the class, as it wasn't a hugely popular subject considering there was actually quite a lot of hard work and analytic skill required- a perfect cover for Hermione. Most of the students in the class were from Ravenclaw, along with a handful from Gryffindor and a couple of Slytherins, including Draco, who was actually rather clever if he put the effort in. He was always close behind Hermione in terms of grades.

Hermione took a deep sigh. Draco was like a puzzle she was trying to solve. Who knew that all this time he was hiding someone very sincere behind his arrogant persona? After hearing his confession, Hermione had realised that he was just a boy, afraid of his own family, pulled into something bad he couldn't get out of. She had to admit; she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Ever since he confessed to her, she realised how awful it would be to live a life whereby if you stepped out of line, you would be punished. Whatever you believed in, whatever you wanted to do: it didn't matter. He had no control over his life- he wasn't allowed a choice- and it wasn't fair.

'Hermione,' someone hissed from somewhere in the darkness of the dorm room. Ginny, Hermione concluded, recognising the voice instantly. 'Quit staring at me with those big brown eyes,' her friend continued. 'It's creeping me out.'

'Sorry,' Hermione whispered back, rolling over in her bed with a groan.

'Can't sleep?' Ginny asked.

'No,' Hermione replied. 'You?'

'Not really. In fact, I've just woken up. How long have you been awake?'

'A while,' Hermione said after a pause. She guessed it was best not to mention the fact she hadn't slept at all, and that she'd been awake from the moment she'd clambered into bed.

'Are you ok?' Ginny asked suddenly, heaving herself up to a sitting position in bed, her back resting against the headrest.

Hermione stayed lying on her back, her brown curls fanning across the pillow like a dark halo. 'Of course,' she answered, trying to sound as genuine as possible. She knew Ginny could tell when she was lying. 'Why do you ask?'

'Oh, I don't know.' Ginny waved her hand vaguely, a ghostly flutter in the shadow of the room. 'How you seemed to disappear after that prefect meeting... it just made me wonder. You've been more distant recently, what with the late night walk and that 'knitting thing' in Hogsmeade. You seem more withdrawn- and you're not sleeping. Is there something you want to talk about? It's not Ron is it? Is he getting to you?'

Hermione lay rigid in bed, unsure of how to answer. Was she really that obvious? She supposed she had been frequently going off on her own recently, and her excuses were getting worse. How long had she expected her friends not to notice? 'Nothing's up, really,' she said. 'I've just been thinking a lot about how this year… school seems different. With all that's been going on, don't you think it's a bit strange how we're just at school, having normal days, like nothing is going on? There are people out there preparing for a war, and we're just taking classes like nothing is happening… I guess I'm just wondering when it's all going to end. At some point, I know everything is going to change. And I have a feeling it's going to be soon.'

'Wow,' Ginny said after a long moment of silence. With a creak of old bed springs, she flopped back down against her mattress. 'You've got some deep stuff going on inside your head. Sure Ron has nothing to do with it?'

'Well,' Hermione said, 'he's still mad at me after Hogsmeade, but I'm not worried about that. He's not what I'm hung up on, if that's what you mean.'

'You know he's only mad because he cares about you,' Ginny said. 'He's probably just worried about you, too. He wants you to be ok.'

'Why would you think that?'

'Oh, you know...' Ginny trailed off, leaving the two girls in an uncomfortable silence. But Hermione already knew what she meant about Ron caring about her. She had known for a while now that Ron 'liked' her, and not just as a friend. He really liked her, feelings she had once reciprocated, but now things were a bit more complicated. They had been falling out a lot, and she was too messed up to think about a relationship at the current moment.

'You know, Hermione,' Ginny said after a while, her voice softening. 'When you say things are different now, at school, they don't have to be if you don't want that.' Easier said than done, Hermione thought to herself as Ginny carried on speaking. 'You can forget about the rest of the world for now, at least for a little while. Enjoy yourself, don't let things get to you.'

Hermione sighed. She respected her friend for trying to comfort her, but sadly relaxing would not be possible. Ginny just couldn't know about her issues with Draco. 'Thanks,' was all she said in return.

'It's ok. Just know that if you don't lighten up, I will not stand for another minute next to an angry Ronald. I have to warn you I may get violent.'

Hermione laughed. 'I'll keep that in mind.'

The next day was another glorious one. It was as if the weather was contradicting her mood. As Hermione made her way down to the Covered Bridge in the early afternoon, the sun was beating down on her hard; making her pleased she had opted to wear a t-shirt instead of a jumper alongside her jeans and converse combo. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and the fusillade of bird song reminded her of a blissful day at the park, not a day inside school grounds.

Once she was stood at the foot of the Clock Tower, she found herself staring down the path of a long, narrow, derelict bridge constructed of wooden beams which extended to the floor of the ravine it laid across. The roof of the bridge was sagging slightly in the middle, and appeared rather tattered. Overall, the whole thing didn't look entirely safe, but Hermione knew there was no risk of the bridge collapsing. It had been a part of Hogwarts for years, and anyway, it was probably kept stable by magic.

Yet again, she had arrived after Draco. He was already standing right at the centre of the bridge, his arms resting on the wooden hand rail as he leaned forwards, looking out across the hills that surrounded Hogwarts Castle. It was a beautiful sight with the hilly landscape rolling into the distance and out of sight, patches of trees and dense forest areas dotted about, the wide lake that sparkled like diamonds in the afternoon sun. There wasn't another soul in sight, and the quietness of it all resulted in a perfectly peaceful atmosphere. Hermione felt like she could stand on the bridge, in this moment, forever.

'You're going to say: It's beautiful, isn't it?' Draco said without turning round, as Hermione came to stand beside him.

'Well, I'd be right,' Hermione replied, also resting her arms against the rail. 'You can't beat this.'

'Mmm,' Draco murmured in agreement, before the two lapsed into silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, though. In fact, it felt like the complete opposite to Hermione. She found herself feeling more at ease than she had done in days, merely standing and allowing herself to take in the picturesque scenery. The view from the bridge was truly wonderful, and having Draco by her side didn't make her feel awkward at all, for somehow she knew he was feeling the same way. They were both content.

It was Draco who broke the silence, although his quiet voice didn't startle Hermione. 'Sometimes I just stand in that tower, looking out of the window, for hours.' He pointed to one of the castle towers that was visible from where they stood. If she squinted, Hermione could just make out the barred windows that she recognised to be from the tower where they met. 'It's a great place to go on your own, when you need some time by yourself to think about things and just get away from it all. I know I won't be interrupted, because no one else has a key, and it's not like it's used for anything,' Draco explained.

'I didn't think you were the contemplative type,' Hermione said.

Draco glanced at her sideways with a sly grin. 'There's a lot you don't know about me, Granger.'

'And there's also a lot I do know,' Hermione added. 'Although I'm sure the rest... I don't want to know.'

Draco grinned at this, and without thinking he reached out to brush a stray curl back from Hermione's face. His fingers brushed lightly against her cheek, causing her to feel a tingling sensation. She gave a small gasp. His fingertips were cold, but she knew that wasn't why she found herself shivering. Neither of them moved, for a moment, Draco's hand still in Hermione's hair. When they locked eyes, Draco withdrew his hand quickly.

'Have you thought about how you're going to help me?' he asked. He sounded a little breathless.

'I have,' Hermione said slowly. 'Nothing so far.' She looked up again, into Draco's eyes. This close, they appeared to be a darker grey than normal- the colour of a thunderstorm, as opposed to the usual lighter grey- clouds on a rainy day. 'I'm sorry I've not been more help,' she whispered.

'Don't apologise,' Draco said. 'We've still got time. And you have been helpful. Yesterday, I... I felt a lot better after our talk. Confiding in you helped me a lot, so...thank you.'

Hermione smiled at him. 'I knew talking about it would help. It's all about confronting your fears.'

'I bet you read that somewhere,' Draco said with a brief laugh.

'Probably,' Hermione agreed, sceptically. 'But I also know from talking to my friends about my issues. It's always helped me get through a tough time.'

'You have tough times?'

'Of course. Everyone does. And plus we argue all the time. Ron is a nightmare...'

'Weasley?' Draco asked in mock surprise. 'Never would have guessed.' He stopped suddenly, his face darkening slightly. 'Wait, I'm not... taking you away from your friends am I?'

'No,' Hermione was quick to blurt out. 'I... you... actually,' she said, 'you've given me a break. I wasn't really in the mood to endure the chaos of Hogsmeade today anyway.' Although there was no denying it, ever since she had been meeting with Draco, she had grown more distant from her friends. On the other hand, this didn't seem to bother her. It wasn't as if she was ignoring them completely. She still spent most of the day with them, but now she felt she also needed to dedicate time to Draco, who was in need of her help. She wasn't sure if she considered him a friend, though. She wasn't even sure what he was to her.

'As long as you're certain,' Draco said waveringly.

'I am!' Hermione insisted, all of a sudden feeling a little irritated. She didn't want Draco to start getting concerned about her over nothing. She was fed up of dealing with her overprotective friends as it was.

'Well,' Draco ran a hand through his hair, 'I've never seen you without those guys. You're like... the golden trio. You're always together- inseparable,' he said tightly.

'Well maybe that was the problem,' Hermione snapped, not sure quite why she was getting so angry. She saw Draco regarding her inquisitively. He could tell she was getting annoyed. 'I'm,' she said, realising her voice had raised an octave or so, 'sorry. I'm sorry. But it's fine, honestly.'

'Ok...,' Draco sighed.

'Things are different, now,' she persisted.

'Very true,' was Draco's response. 'You kind of lead a double life now. All because you couldn't help but follow me that night to the Room of Requirement.'

Hermione doubled back when Draco said this. He had sounded...off. Almost like he was angry that she had followed him. 'What do you mean? Are you pissed that I did? Follow you, I mean.'

'Not really,' Draco huffed, although he sounded rather vague. 'I was just wondering why you were following me.'

'Because,' Hermione retorted, suddenly irritated again, 'you were acting all shady, and I was curious. I guess I wanted to bust you for doing something illegal. I could tell you were up to something. But then it all changed... and here I am. Here we are.'

'Hmm, what were you doing up that late anyway?' Draco inquired, one eyebrow raised. 'I assume that's how you found me, and I expect you weren't stalking me beforehand?'

'No, I wasn't,' Hermione said firmly. 'And I was on prefect duty.'

'Prefects aren't allowed out that late. I made sure of it. I was trying not to be seen, remember? And I'm not stupid,' Draco replied.

'Fine, but you didn't see me, did you?' Hermione said. She cleared her throat when Draco gave her a look. 'Ok, not the point. I was... out for a walk, you know, to clear my head.'

'Granger,' Draco said with piercing eyes, 'you expect me to believe that you were just out for a walk? You've probably never broken a single rule in your entire life.'

'Actually, I've broken many. You don't know me, Malfoy,' Hermione said accusingly, narrowing her eyes. To her surprise, Draco's eyes softened.

'But I want to,' he breathed. Hermione stared at him, and she found herself experiencing that feeling again. The one where she went all tingly and time seemed to stand still. It was just her and Draco, and everything was as clear as day. Every little movement he made- she noticed, but at the same time, she didn't. She felt as if she was in a dream. Their eyes locked, and held, for what felt like an infinite moment. And then their gaze broke when, this time, Hermione looked away. She turned her head to the side, to look out across the valley, her emotions a mess... again. Why did Draco do this to her?

Her eyes flickered back to Draco's again, and then shifted away awkwardly when she saw that he was still staring at her, a slightly frenzied look about him. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him finally turn, and she heard him clear his throat. 'I don't want to do this,' he said.

'Do what?'

'I can't assassinate Dumbledore! I just- can't do it. I know I can't. W-what will happen when my father finds out? When- when the Dark Lord-'

'He's not your Lord,' Hermione broke in. 'No one is.' She sounded pretty stubborn to her own ears, and even though she wasn't looking at Draco, she noticed a small movement she believed to be a smile at her words.

'Voldemort, then,' he said, pausing, testing the foreign word on his tongue. 'Whoa, that sounds weird.'

'Weird?'

'A good kind of weird. He sounds like... the enemy.'

'He is the enemy. And saying his name... it proves you're not afraid of him, not really. You're brave, Malfoy, and we'll stop this,' Hermione said, facing him.

Draco glanced at her with sad eyes. 'You're going to promise me, now?'

'You know I promised,' Hermione said. 'Don't you ever forget it.' She looked at Draco again, who was stood looking rather forlorn, a slight, wobbly smile playing on his lips. Without thinking, Hermione stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Oddly enough, hugging Draco didn't feel strange. She wasn't sure why she did it, and for a few seconds Draco stood, unmoving, his hands still by his sides, probably in shock. When Hermione didn't let go, Draco finally wrapped his arms around her, too, burying his head in her shoulder. She mimicked his actions, pressing her nose into the crook of his neck, and tightening her hold on him. And that's how they stood: holding each other, in silence, and in comfort.

Next chapter coming soon... Please review, and thank you for taking the time to read! :D