Chapter Three

Hermione rolled her eyes, her brown curly hair was glowing under the pale kitchen light, Ron stood across from her, ticking off all the things on his fingers that Draco Malfoy was.

He was sarcastic, he was rude, he was an absolute arshole. He was arrogant and sneaky and a cold blooded killer.

These, apparently, were just a few of the reasons why Hermione should not continue interacting with him. She thought the last one was a bit more than exaggeration. He had never actually killed anyone.

"He's changed, he is different Ron. He wants to be a new man." She told him firmly, feeling like this was the millionth time she said it.

The night time sky hung like a pantomime background outside the windows of the burrow, darkness that leaned against the small, brown framed windows, pressing itself against the glass like it was trying to hear their conversation. She had apparated back from Draco's apartment to find Ron waiting for her, looking for an explanation as to why his girlfriend had left him alone all day.

She hadn't lied to him about where she had been, she thought he would understand and support her.

She hadn't lied to him, even though there was a small part of her brain, a part that she regularly ignored, telling her it was a bad idea for Ron to know she had spent the whole day having fun and enjoying the company of his darkest enemy.

"Hermione this isn't another experiment for you! He's not something you can take and – and fix." Ron spat, "He's never going to change. He can try, I suppose, but he'll always be a Malfoy. And you're always going to be to kind and loving to see that you can't change that. You can't fix what he's spent all his life trying to prefect."

Hermione raised her eyebrows in indignation.

"Oh for Merlin's sake Ron! Don't be so bloody narrow minded! Of course he can change! If he wants too he can! And if I want to help him that is my decision!"

Ron scowled and moved towards her. Hermione leaned back against the counter, her hands either side of her hips; she looked straight into Ron's blue eyes.

"He can change if he wants. But I don't want you involved, at all. Hermione he's going to hurt you, and I'm not allowing that. I can't ever see you hurt again. I promised myself I wouldn't let that happen." he told her quietly, running his fingers gently down her arm, the arm that lay scarred under the pale pink sleeve covering it. Mudblood, an inscription that would linger on her delicate skin forever.

Hermione's brown eyes fluttered up and searched his face, his eyes… eyes that were serious and sad and so full of love for the girl standing infront of him.

"You can't stop me Ron." She told him softly, needing him to understand she was serious, "He needs me, and he needs help. You however, need to stop living in the past." She pushed herself away from the countertop and walked past him.

"No way in hell am I letting this happen-"

"Ron you can't stop me! You can't control what I do!"
"I can't just sit by and watch him hurt you Hermione! Don't you get it?! You are my fucking everything! And he is nothing to me, nothing at all, just another asshole that needs to man up and take some responsibility for the way he chose to live his life! He chose to be a death eater! He chose it! And he chose Voldemort, right infront of us! And I don't fucking care Hermione, Merlin himself will come back from the dead before I let him anywhere near you again."

"Don't talk to me like I'm a three year old Ron! You don't get it do you? He had no choice in any of this! Even if he sometimes taught that he did, that if he chose it he could be different, he knew it wasn't possible. Because while Voldemort was in power he would have been killed for taking our side!" Her voice was breaking; her face a blotchy pink and tears welled in her eyes.

Quietly she walked back towards him and took his large, rough hands in hers, holding them tight as she looked up at him.

"Ron… he has a choice now… and he's choosing right. He has a chance and he's taking it. Can't you accept that?" her voice was quiet, her eyes pleading for him to understand. He dropped her hands.

"I'm not choosing to see you get hurt." He told her, looking away.

Fury boiled in Hermione, she loved him, she did, but he needed to understand she could look after herself.

"Ron what exactly is it you think he's planning to do to me?!" she demanded, trying and failing to make eye contact with her boyfriend.

He walked around her, making his way towards the kitchen door with his head down, floppy red hair falling in his eyes.

"He'll hurt you 'Mione. He'll let you think you're helping him and then h-he'll break you. I know him. And I-I… I forbid you from seeing him."

"You what?!"

But Ron was walking away from her now, and she followed him out the door into the hallway.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley! Turn back around and talk to me!" she called as he started up the stairs.

"I'm going to bed Hermione, I love you."

Her stomach twisted.

"Oh whatever Ron, go sulk then."
He didn't look back at her.

Hermione felt like collapsing. Arguing with Ron always did this to her, it drained her.

He always did this, argue and scream and fight and then, when it got too much, he would walk away and leave, and she would be left alone feeling like scum and thinking that maybe she had been in the wrong. But no, this time she was not going to apologize, she wasn't wrong.

She collapsed at the foot of the stairs, leaning her head against the wall as tears streamed like train tracks down her face quietly. She wasn't wrong. Draco was changing and she knew it. How dare Ron forbid her to see him!

"Hermione?" she looked up and met Harry's green eyes looking down at her with worry.

Harry and Ginny were a proper couple now. They were house hunting, and they were staying at the Burrow until they could find somewhere to move in together. Hermione was genuinely delighted for them - they deserved it, to be happy together.

"Hermione are you okay?" Harry squatted down, bending his knees as he squished in beside her on the narrow steps of the stairs, which groaned under the weight of the two of them.

She sighed, scrubbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her jumper.

"It's Ron." She mumbled.

Harry nodded slowly, deciding it was best not to tell her that he, and probably the whole house, had heard quite clearly their whole argument.

"He doesn't understand Harry, and he's not even trying to."
"About Malfoy?"

"Yes, he is going to be different from now on and I'm trying to help him Harry, to help people start accepting him. How can I do that if my own boyfriend won't even hear me out?"

"He'll come around." Harry said quietly.

She leaned her head over on his shoulder, so glad all of a sudden that he was here, that he was listening. A surge of affection came over her for her best friend, who she considered her brother. He had been through so much, but he had always been there for her throughout everything she went through.

Her thoughts drifted back to the night in their fourth year, when Harry had sat in this exact position with her, but on a cold staircase in Hogwarts. She had cried on his shoulder and Harry had understood, without her even having to tell him, that it was because she was in love with Ron. He knew it hurt her to see him with Lavender. She had been so glad to have him there with her then, to hold her as she hurt.

She sniffled, ridding her brain of the painful memory of how she felt that night that seemed like a lifetime ago, but that was as vivid as if it happened last week.

"Do you believe me then, that he can change?" She whispered.
Harry sighed, running his hands up and down on the legs of his dark blue denim jeans.

"I – well you know I'll always support you, right? But I don't know Hermione, I really don't. I mean, sure he mightn't want anything to do with the dark side anymore, but he really does love being bad. It's what he's good at. He loves making snide comments and thinking he's better than everyone else and I don't know if he can change his genetic makeup, it's built into him to be an arse."
Hermione sighed, getting sick of everyone telling her this.

"Doesn't the fact that he wants to be different count for anything? The fact he wants to be good, to be fair and civil and make a life for himself? Doesn't that in itself show that he has the capability to do it? Because I think it does."

Harry smiled at her softly through the dark.

"I think you have an amazing ability to always see the best in people Hermione, and that's not a bad thing. I know you can take care of yourself. You've spent the past eight years taking care of yourself, and me, and Ron. He knows you can do it too Hermione, he just doesn't want you in any danger at all. That night… in Malfoy manor when we were trapped in the cellar and you... you were screaming, Hermione he nearly went insane. We both did. I thought he was going to go mad, I really did. I've never seen him so bad, not ever. It killed him."

Tears slipped down Hermione face, and Harry reached up and brushed them off with his rough thumb.

"I l-love him Harry. But I have to do this. He asked for help and I know it inside of me that he isn't all bad, or going to hurt me. Ron will just have to deal with that fact."

"Okay Hermione." Harry whispered, kissing her softly on the side of the head.

"Come on, I'll take you up to bed."
"No Harry I don't think he wants me near him right now." She whispered.

"Sleep in beside Ginny then, I'll transfigure the couch for me."
"Harry no it's-"

"Fine. I know it is. Come on Hermione I slept under a stairs for eleven years I think I can deal with a comfortable, squishy couch bed."

She smiled at him gratefully as they stood up.

"Thank you Harry."

"No problem."

She climbed into Ginny's warm double bed a couple of minutes later, sighing as her head hit the pillow.

"Harry?" Ginny murmured, reaching over to Hermione's side.

"No Ginny its Hermione. Get off!" she whisper shouted as Ginny reached for her arms and started snuggling it.

"Sorry Her-mi-own." Ginny mumbled, rolling over.

Hermione laughed quietly, she was so exhausted. She didn't fall asleep until the sun began to slowly rise. She stayed awake worrying, dreading telling Ron what she had decided to do. She knew she would have to tell him tomorrow. She had planned to tell him when she got back from Draco's apartment, but things had just spiralled out of control and there was never a chance to say it.

When Ginny woke up the next morning, and noticed a sleeping brown haired witch beside her, she promptly whacked Hermione in the face with a pillow.

"Ahrrrgghh!" Hermione spluttered, "What the hell Gin?"

Ginny chuckled.

"Where is my boyfriend and what have you done to him?"
"Your boyfriend is downstairs, asleep, and he is perfectly fine apart from the fact he has a psychotic girlfriend!" Hermione murmured, rolling over angrily and pulling the pillow over her head.

Ginny laughed.

"Come on Hermione wakeee uppp! Mum made us breakfast. I can smell it." Ginny sniffed the air appreciatively.

"You've got a nose on you like a niffler." Hermione grumbled, annoyed at the sunlight and the lack of darkness and the damn birds chirping cheerily outside Ginny's window. Her head hurt.

"You'd swear you were after being on the Firewhiskey by the look of you!" Ginny giggled.

Hermione swatted her away, not wanting to explain that the real reason she was up half the night was because she was fighting with her brother.

"I'll meet you down stairs, la belle au bois dormant!" Ginny smiled, using a phrase she had picked up from Fleur.

Hermione groaned, dragging herself out of bed and tiptoeing in bare feet to the bright, happy looking bathroom for a quick shower.

Ron was at the table when she entered the kitchen. He was reading the Daily Prophet and spooning cereal into his mouth messily. She smiled at the sight, it reminder her of the countless mornings they had eaten breakfast together in Hogwarts and she had scolded him for dribbling on his uniform. Hogwarts. She swallowed deeply.

Harry was sitting across from Ron, talking animatedly to Ginny about something involving Quidditch. Molly Weasley was the only person that noticed Hermione's arrival, and she greeted her with a smile.

"Have some toast dear. There are sausages in the pan." Molly told her.

Hermione sat down beside Ron, her hands shaking.

She reached for some toast. Was now a good time to tell him, to tell them all?

"I've decided to go back to Hogwarts."

Whether it was a good time or not, now it was out; hanging like a ghost in the air between them. She had blurted it, four heads turned towards her and her cheeks reddened.

"I think it is the best thing for me right now. I can get my NEWTS done, and then pursue whatever career I decide."

Ron put down his newspaper.

"You are really going back, on your own?"

If she was honest she was disappointed Ron didn't already guess that this would be something she'd want. Maybe she should have talked more with him about it.

"I won't be alone Ron, I'll be in Ginny's year now. And some other people from our year are going back too."

Harry grinned hugely at her.

"That's brilliant! Ginny you'll have Hermione to keep you company!" he beamed. Hermione guessed he was probably happier that Ginny would have her so that she wouldn't be spending as much time with all of her other guy friends. He still had a grudge against Michael Corner.

"It's great news Hermione." Ginny smiled.

Hermione returned the smile.

"I don't know." Ron began, "Harry and me have interviews at the ministry on Tuesday and then we are starting Auror training. I'll hardly see you at all if you go to Hogwarts."
"Well I think it's a splendid idea, Hermione dear. You're education is important." Molly chirped.

"So is our relationship." Ron said lowly, annoyed.

"Ron I've been in contact with Professor McGonagall, and she said I can go home at the weekends. We can get an apartment together in London, maybe, and I'll see you every weekend. Maybe we can get somewhere near Harry and Ginny-"

"Or somewhere near Malfoy? So you can keep going at your little 'experiment'?"

Hermione's cheeks reddened, and she looked down at her fingers, counting to ten slowly so she wouldn't loose her temper.

Everyone's eyes were on them now; she looked up at Ron to see he looked sorry, obviously regretting his choice of words.

"I don't care whether or not it is close or far away from Draco Malfoy, Ron. As a matter of fact, I'll be seeing quite enough of him as it is. He's returning to finish school at Hogwarts too."

Harry spluttered tea down his front. Ron looked outraged.

"He's going back too?!"

"Yes Ron he is, does it matter?"

"Of course it matters!"

"I don't see why it woul-"

"Because it fucking does!"

"Ronald Weasley watch your mouth!" Molly scolded him.

"Whatever Hermione." Ron was only talking to her, his lips downturned in a stubborn frown, "You didn't even bother to discuss this with me!" he pushed himself away from the table, the chair scraping harshly against the floor. He grabbed his broomstick aggressively from beside the door and stormed out into the sunshine filled day.

That's it Ron, walk away, Hermione thought, then immediately felt bad for thinking such mean things about him.

But honestly! She had just told him about a decision that was bound to make both of their futures brighter, more secure. She had just proposed that they should move in together, and he hadn't reacted in a positive way at all! Somewhere deep inside she had expected it, because she was really going to miss him too. Hogwarts just wouldn't be the same without him and Harry, but it still hurt her that he couldn't at least act like he was proud of her.

She looked around the table to see Molly smile at her, tears brimming in her eyes. Hermione wondered were they tears of joy, of pride, or were they tears of grief. She swallowed. Harry was looking out the window after Ron, a worried expression in his green eyes as his hands rested behind his head, fingers pulling at his black messy hair. Ginny was standing up; she walked around the table and sat in Ron's recently vacated seat.

"I think its really great Hermione." She told her, pulling her into a gently but tight hug. Hermione hugged her back, absently wondering why the tears had vanished from her eyes as quickly as they had arrived. Maybe she was just all cried out.

xxxxxxx

Draco Malfoy awoke at exactly eight o'clock on the morning after Hermione had helped him clean his apparent. He woke up smiling, his head buried in the violet and vanilla scented clean pillowcase. He woke up with hope in his heart. It didn't matter that he absolutely annihilated the bones in his toe when he smashed it into the doorframe, and leapt around the floor howling.

It didn't matter that his blond hair wasn't perfect and he had to wash it. It didn't matter that the shower was broken and he didn't know the spell to fix it. It would only send cold, icy water slicing down onto his pale skin. He sang in the shower, and he sang loud.

Nobody could hear him, and even if they could Draco didn't think he would give a damn. He didn't care if people knew he was happy. Because he was happy, for the first time in what seemed like forever. And even if he wanted to he couldn't deny that the reason for his new found happiness was an annoying, frizzy haired witch with a tendency to drive him insane.

He wondered when he's see her again, the insufferable, amazing, funny, smart, kind and friendly witch. It struck him, all of a sudden like a tree hit with fork lightning, that he actually longed to see Hermione again, he craved her company. This fact completely baffled him. And he really had no idea how, in a matter of days, she had become the most important person in his life.

A/N:

Thank you so much to everyone who's reading.

Also, thanks to my reviewers: BringAttentionToTheMatter, HopeWithingDarkness, KatieLaughs, The Wall, everlastingtrueromance and to the Guest reviewer. It really means a lot that you took the time to give me some feedback! (: