And I just can't look it's killing me
And taking control
Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
-Mr Brightside, The Killers
A Rebel With A Tainted Heart: Chapter 4
After walking up and down the seventh floor corridor numerous times and repeatedly chanting 'I need to find Draco Malfoy', the Room of Requirement finally revealed itself to Hermione. It was a well kept secret that, in fact, the first thing Professor Dumbledore had done upon his resurrection was the rebuilding of the Room. It was an important part of the school but now many believed it to be destroyed still.
"I need to find Draco Malfoy," Hermione whispered one last time before gasping as the large, old wooden door appeared in the middle of the stone wall.
Hesitantly, she pushed against the massive door, which was difficult considering her petite frame. She was nervous about how Malfoy would react to her, would he yell or would he insult her? She suddenly didn't know why she had volunteered to go after the annoyed blond, yet she did.
-Damn my Gryffindor courage, always getting me in dodgy situations!
As Hermione walked through the door, what she saw definitely was a surprise. The Room was almost completely empty apart from a golden snitch and a down trodden wizard. The wizard was sitting with his back against the wall, long legs stretched out before him as the golden snitch whizzed around above his head. It took Hermione a few seconds before she noticed the faint tear marks on Draco's cheeks.
"Malfoy?" Her voice echoed throughout the room and she cringed slightly at how loud she sounded, despite speaking quietly. The blond looked up in confusion at her before quickly masking his face to his usual blank look of indifference.
"What do you want Granger? Come to insult me, tell me you wished me dead? Because, believe me, I've got enough of that already. I'm pretty sure I don't need any more psychological abuse," Malfoy sighed.
"I didn't come here to insult you Draco," The use of his first name shocked them both and for the first time, he looked into her eyes. Hermione recognised the pain in his eyes. She could see it. Like she could see the pain in a lot of things. But this was the most heart-wrenching, horrifying, bone-shattering pain she'd ever known. Draco Malfoy was tormenting himself and she wanted nothing more than to help the broken boy before her.
"Really Granger? Because I'm-" He began to speak but she cut him off.
"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered honestly.
"What?" He asked sceptically, whispering back just as quietly.
"I said I'm sorry. Truly. You went through hell and back and none of us even realised. Not Zabini, not Parkinson, not me, not the Weasel, not Ginny, not even Harry. We all thought that we all had it so hard, obliviating parents, and leaving parents, having no parents, leaving Hogwarts, hunting Horcruxes, and running from Death Eaters or Snatchers. But no one even understood just what it was like to be forced to be on the other side. Having to do what you were told, being forced into submission, being ordered to kill someone you've known for a long time, trying to protect your parents, being ordered to hand over your classmates to their death and being thrown into Azkaban. I can't even begin to imagine what you've been through, but I'm positive that it was a lot worse than what I had to go through. And for that, I'm sorry. Especially that it was at such a young age, I wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even you," Hermione finished softly, sitting down opposite him. Draco had been oddly quiet throughout her mini rant and now he looked up at her with the same sadness in his eyes.
"Well thank you Hermione, you're the first person who doesn't want me dead. But you don't understand, I may not have wanted to do it, but I still did it. I may not be like them, but I was still one of them. I am guilty and I deserved all I got and am still getting," His voice was calm and steady, but inside his heart was breaking.
"Draco, you know it was never like that! I know that you didn't want any of it. You're not evil, you're not like the rest of them. You may not see it but I do," She said quietly.
"But I haven't done anything good," He cast his eyes downward.
"Yes you have. I heard you healed the injured at the war, the injured fighters on the Light Side," Hermione whispered and he looked at her again, his eyes softening.
"Why are you being so nice to me, it's not like I've ever been kind to you. I've been horrible, I've been the worst kind of person imaginable and yet you still come here and talk to me, properly, as if we've been friends all our lives?" He was confused to say the least.
"You're still a good person Draco; you were just forced to make all the wrong choices. As Dumbledore once said 'Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who deserve it'. And let's be honest, when was the last time you called me a Mudblood?" She asked him brightly, ignoring his wince at the word which had once frequented his vocabulary.
"I stopped after I saw you bleeding all over the floor in my house; Bellatrix should never have done that. She should never have hurt you and she should never have hurt me," He spoke softly, with an air of sadness about him which just made Hermione's heart tug.
"You know, you're just the nice Slytherin that's too shy to show it," She replied. Without saying anything more, she stood up and hugged him tightly.
He was amazed that the very girl, who he tormented, was here many years later clinging onto him for dear life. Eventually he relaxed, wrapping his arms around her tightly and allowing her to rest her head on his broad shoulder. He still couldn't wrap his head around it – she was so forgiving, surprising him earlier on the train as well. Maybe, like him, she was just tired of it all. There was no point. But an invisible barrier separated him from the rest of the world. He was – he had always been a marked man. For once, she was one of the few who seemed not to care. Finally they extracted themselves from the others grip, looking around the room sheepishly.
"We should go back, I believe Blaise will be waiting for you," Hermione said, breaking the silence.
"Yes and the Weaslette will be looking for you as well," Draco commented, standing and offering Hermione a hand up to which she accepted with a raised eyebrow. He merely shrugged it off.
"I may have been a dick, but I was still raised with manners and taught how to treat a lady properly. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the Weasel," He smirked and she bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud.
-Who knew that Draco Malfoy was a real emotive person underneath that entire false exterior? He actually is quite lovely- Holy god Hermione did you just use Malfoy and lovely in the same thought? This is getting out of hand, focus damn it, focus!
They got to the portrait and quickly said the password before they could be grilled by the founders, who had mischievous looks on their faces. They stopped suddenly as they came across Blaise and Ginny sitting fairly close together on a sofa, the redhead was almost on the Italians lap. He didn't seem to be complaining though! The young Malfoy cleared his throat and raised a perfect blond eyebrow at them expectantly. Hermione stifled a giggle as the air jumped apart with such speed that it appeared almost inhuman.
"Draco! You've reappeared. Calmed down as well, sorry yeah, I didn't know," Blaise muttered and Ginny suppressed an eye roll as the two did that ridiculous little handshake greeting that guys do.
-They do realise they're just slapping each others hands right? Oh days, Blaise Zabini is so hot. And to think I was so close to kissing him. Come on Ginny, he's a Slytherin, you know this. It's been drummed into you by Ron – never trust a snake. But Ron is being a bit of a twat recently, so who really cares what he thinks?
"You going to write to Narcissa? Because I'm thinking of writing to my mum, making sure she hasn't accidentally killed Christi. Although known her she's left her somewhere," The Italian rolled his eyes and his best friend shot him a disapproving look as he tried to hide his smirk.
"I think so, but I don't know where she is. She went to one of the other Manor's after me and Lucius got thrown in Azkaban by Scrimgeour," He sneered the Minister's name with such a coldness that it reminded Hermione of the old Malfoy.
-Old Malfoy? What. The. Fuck? I have totally gone insane, lost my entire head. This is Draco Malfoy, my enemy, pureblood extraordinaire and renowned Mudblood hater. He hasn't really changed! Has he? I mean I did see him upset in the Room of Requirement and he looked so broken. The War changed everyone, it was bound to change him as well. Perhaps he realised that what he thought was a good cause, wasn't that great after all. Do I really feel sorry for him? I still don't trust him though. They don't call me the Brightest Witch of Our Age for nothing. It's going to take more than a few apologies and a heart to heart before I can even consider myself 'friendly' with Malfoy. And what about Zabini? He and Gin seem pretty close, I don't want her to get hurt, and I'll definitely be keeping a close eye on the two of them. No doubt Ginny will be dragging him into the nearest broom closet for a quick shag as soon as it's possible. She seems to like him, she basically called him and Malfoy hot! Malfoy, hot? I mean what the hell?! He can't be hot, he's freaking Malfoy! It's against the rules or something. Who am I kidding, he is so bloody hot, as in surface of the sun hot. I AM NOT ATTRACTED TO HIM. IT IS JUST ME BEING A TEENAGER. OH MY DAYS.
"Hermione? Helllooooo? Earth to Hermione? Anyone in there?" Ginny waved a hand in front of her friend's face, causing her to blink a few times before staring confusedly at her.
"You were totally zoned out Hermione, honestly," Ginny crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at her. Rolling her eyes was the red heads new big thing.
"Where do you think Cissa is Dray?" Blaise asked Draco, who seemed kind of zoned out too.
-Maybe something happened between those two?! I bet they shagged, no wait, not that quickly, Draco's not Weasley. Ha, I made a joke about the Weasel in my own head!
Blaise laughed out loud, causing them all to stare at him like he was off his rocker. He just shrugged it off, embarrassed on the inside.
"Who's Christi?" Weaslette asked him, a puzzled look on her face.
"My baby sister Red, she's only one and let's be honest, having the village bike as your mother isn't exactly the best way to be brought up," Blaise sniffed in disgust.
"Such endearing terms you used to describe your mother dick. Let's hope you don't refer to all the girls like that," Ginny smiled sweetly at him and he narrowed his eyes.
"Hey, I can vouch for him here. She is very willing," Draco answered, holding back a shudder.
"It's ridiculous and extremely mortifying, having your own mother hit on your best friends. As Draco is well used to by now," Blaise covered his eyes with his hand.
"Well used to it. It is quite awkward having to peel your mother off me every time I visit though," Malfoy agreed.
"Well you are Slytherins," Ginny shrugged, as if that explained everything.
"Really? Thanks for clearing that one up Weaslette. I didn't know the name of my own house that I've been in for eight years," Malfoy replied sarcastically, shooting her an "Are you stupid?" look.
"I was going to say, before I was so rudely interrupted by a ferret, that most Slytherins are hot. A lot hotter than the Gryffindors. Must be the whole bad boy thing you lot have going for you," She said casually. Blaise and Draco stared at her whilst Hermione's mouth dropped open. Ginny was so blunt and forward, one of the many things the brunette liked about her.
"Some Gryffindors aren't so bad themselves Red," Blaise winked at her and Draco mock gagged behind him, causing Hermione to burst into a peal of giggles. Ginny gave a smirk that was definitely Slytherin-worthy.
"Excuse me I have to go and vomit," Draco wrinkled his nose in disgust at his friend's horrendous pick up line.
"It wasn't that bad Draco, come on!" Blaise whined.
"Mate, I'm embarrassed to be seen with you after hearing that!"
"That's a bit of an over reaction!"
"Is it really? 'Some Gryff-' Do you know what, it was so bloody awful that I can't even repeat it. Oh my god Blaise, and they call you the second in command of Slytherin. Jesus," Draco shook his head, before stretching his long, pale fingers out, cracking his knuckles.
"Back to the matter at hand Zabini, which manor?" He asked again.
"I don't know? Not Wiltshire, obviously. Badenoch, Scotland? Wexford, Ireland? Cluj-Napoca, Romania?" Blaise offered.
"How many Manor's do you frigging have Malfoy?" Ginny asked, astounded.
"You have a Manor in Romania? Romania?" Hermione asked, disbelieving.
"Yes Granger, I do. It's quite cold there though. Altogether Weaslette? 26 Manors," Malfoy answered coolly, brow furrowing as he did.
"Lake Como, Italy? Valencia, Spain? Victoria, Australia?" Zabini was still rhyming off Manors.
"26 holy God, that's a lot!" Ginny was stunned but Draco merely raised an eyebrow.
"I've got it! Provence-Alps-Côte d'Azur in France! Your mother loves that Manor because it has all your heirlooms and photos and shit in it," Blaise grinned proudly.
"Blaise vous pensez que vous êtes un génie, mais vraiment tu es juste un idiot," Draco said sarcastically in French, with a perfect accent.
- Blaise you think you're a genius, but really you're just an idiot.
"Draco, tu oublies que je peux parler français également," Blaise replied cockily.
- Draco, you forget that I can also speak French.
"Pas aussi bien que moi. Vous avez probablement aucune idée de ce dont je parle," Draco countered.
- Not as good as me. You probably have no idea what I'm talking about.
"I'm sorry what?" Blaise was lost.
"Mon point exactement."
-My point exactly.
"Yeah yeah yeah, just cause you can speak French. It's only because your family line originates from there," Zabini huffed.
"Fine speak Italian then," His best friend raised his eyebrows expectantly.
"FINE. Draco, pensi di essere sorprendente, perché si può parlare francese, ma scommetto che non riesco nemmeno a capire una parola di questo. Tu sei il Principe de Serpeverde e tutti ti amano, sei uno arrogante cazzone," The Italian replied smugly.
- Draco, you think you are amazing because you can speak French, but I bet you can not even understand a word of this. You are the Prince of Slytherin and everyone loves you, you are an arrogant prick.
"Blaise un po geloso siamo? I am amazing because I can speak French and for your information I understood every word, right down to you calling me an arrogant prick," The blond scoffed and his friend sat down at the large table nervously.
"Yeah, well, let's just write," Blaise coughed, sinking down into his seat in a sexy slouch which Draco mirrored.
Ginny was staring in disbelief at the two, as was Hermione. The fact that the pair just had an argument in French and Italian was hilarious. Ginny especially liked the fact that Blaise got put in his place.
-Smug little Slytherin, but oh so sexy! I wonder what Ron and Harry would say right now if they knew I was thinking about how hot Blaise Zabini is?
A knock at the portrait startled the two girls to which the two boys burst into laughter. Hermione couldn't help but note how well-mannered and polished the two actually were, they were so unlike Ron and Harry. Where Ron and Harry were loud, untidy and had God awful manners, Draco and Blaise were quiet, well organised and extreme gentlemen.
"Seriously? You've faced Voldemort, Death Eaters and us, and a little knock scares the hell out of you? You need to sort out your priorities," Blaise chuckled and both Hermione and Ginny glared at him, although for different reasons. Ginny glared because she was angry that the prick was so damn attractive. Hermione glared because she remembered that Ronald had said something similar to her a few years before.
"I'll get it shall I?" She asked sarcastically.
"If you must Granger. It's probably Weasel making sure we haven't killed you two yet," Draco smirked before rolling his eyes. God he hated that bloke.
The brunette shot him a dirty look before getting up and swinging the portrait open. She refrained from covering her eyes and groaning out loud. What was it that was a common saying in the Muggle World? Oh yes.
Speak of the Devil and he shall appear.
"Ronald," She greeted coldly.
Author's Note:- GUYS IT IS IN PARAGRAPHS, ALL HAS BEEN SORTED, MY MICROSOFT WORD IS FUNNY OK HAHA. RONALD IS A-CALLING! I'm sorry, I'm kind of hyper. School finished early today so I sat and wrote this for you all. Oh I'm so generous. Wee bit of Dramione in the beginning *sobs at cuteness* Then Ron appears, ooh dramaaaaaa! And Ginny and Blaise? As always, thanks for reading, please leave a review/favourite/follow the story ~ Thanks x