Hermione was already sitting in Potions class when he came walking through the door. He wasn't dressed like everyone else. While most students wore the school robes, he dressed as if he were coming from a business meeting. His suit was well made and well-tailored. He wore all black but he still looked striking.
He walked towards Hermione's table and sat down next to her. Instantly, the room erupted into whispers.
Hermione leaned into Draco, her voice low, "everyone is staring at us."
"And?"
His voice mimicked his body language; he was at ease, comfortable even. He didn't care that people were staring. Hermione wished she could have been so confident.
"And they're going to wonder why we're sitting together."
"You're the only person in this building that doesn't completely annoy me. Let them think what they want."
"Malfoy you can't ju-"
"Can't just what? Do you have a partner in this class?"
"No, I don't"
"Then it's settled. We're partners then."
They worked for the rest of class in silence while everyone else in the class gawked at them between mixing ingredients. When class ended, they both gathered their books and walked together towards the Great Hall.
"You know I was thinking about what you asked me last night."
Hermione gave him a quizzical look.
"You asked me why I am being nice."
"Decided to change your answer?"
He stopped in his tracks in front of her and turned to look at her, "no I meant what I said. I know what you think of me. I know what everyone thinks of me. I'm the malevolent death eater and I am expected to play that part."
She went to respond but he put his hand up, silencing her, "I am being nice because there is something in you that I recognize Granger. Despite how different we might seem, I think that we are both going through some very similar things."
"Like what," her tone was skeptical. She laughed at the idea of being anything like him.
"I know what it's like to have your whole life planned out. I know what it's like to have people expect one thing and for you to want something completely different. I know what it's like to lose people for choosing to do the right thing."
She looked deep into his eyes, "why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
She shifted her books in her arms and stepped closer to Draco, "this whole, let's cheer Hermione up thing. It's not your problem."
"I just told you, I know what it's like."
"Do you really? I just lost one of my best friends and I am skating on thin ice with the other thanks to our break up. I am about to lose the only bit of family I have left. Do you know what that's like?"
"More than you can possibly understand."
His voice was low, with an edge of anger to it.
"Why do you think I bothered coming back here Granger? I have nowhere else to go."
Hermione went to say something but by the time the words began to come out he was already halfway down the corridor. Hermione let out a sigh and decided to go back to the common room. She had another two classes but she wasn't feeling up to going.
She had barely taken two steps into the common room when she heard Ginny's voice.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Hermione kept walking, her eyes fixed to the ground. She knew if she looked at Ginny, she would lose it. She wouldn't be able to keep her thoughts straight if she did that.
She set her bag down on one of the large wooden tables and began to unpack it, eyes still avoiding Ginny's gaze.
"I didn't know how to. I didn't want you to be angry. I didn't want to hurt him. It all blew up in my face."
Hermione sat down at the table and opened her defense against the dark arts text book. She pulled out a stack of parchment and a quill before Ginny sat down next to her. She pulled the quill from Hermione's hand and slammed it on the table.
"Damnit Hermione, you're my best friend. You should have said something."
"You're his sister Ginny. What would you like me to say exactly? That I love your brother but I'm not in love with him? That I didn't want our lives to end up being that way for the rest of our lives?"
Hermione raised her voice a bit, "I have been struggling with this for months now. I have tried to make things work. I have tried to make things better. We are growing apart."
Ginny tried to say something but she came up short. Instead she sat there staring at Hermione.
"It's hard for me too. I didn't want to hurt him. That was the last thing I wanted."
"I know Hermione."
Ginny leaned closer to her and wrapped an arm around her trying to console her.
"I'm sorry Hermione. I was just a little mad that I had to hear about it through a letter from Harry."
Hermione sniffled, "Did he say how Ron is doing?"
Ginny laughed, "He's insufferable as always. Harry says he'll be fine. He was just a little blindsided. Harry trusts that you know what's best. He's going to talk to him once he's had a few days to sulk."
Hermione nodded, she was grateful for Harry. She hoped that he would be able to salvage even the tiniest sliver of their friendship.
"I have to get going to practice. We can talk about it more afterwards okay?"
Hermione nodded her head in agreement, "I'll be here."
She watched as her friend walked out of the common room. Even though she said she would be here when Ginny got back, Hermione knew that she would make herself scarce. She didn't want to have this conversation. She had said what she needed to say.