Chapter Two

Dramione

Hermione let out a long breath. It had been a week since she'd told her friends about her relationship with the notorious Slytherin, and it had gotten slightly better. Harry had come to apologize to her up on the Owlery tower last Tuesday.

It had been snowing even more that day, with fierce gales pushing snow all over the place. The owls had been sleeping more often, depending on younger wizards to come up the icy steps and bring them food and timber for their measly fire. It was Hermione's turn that day—her name was magickally picked from a top hat—but what she hadn't expected was Harry, following her up the steps.

When they were inside the tower, safe from the windy interruptions, Harry confronted her. "I'm really sorry about how I acted," He said, looking at the floor like an ashamed little boy. "I knew you were hanging out with him, but not like…that."

Hermione blushed. "It's only recently been like…that," she defended herself. "And you have nothing to be sorry for. I'm sorry for needlessly cussing and shouting at you—and at Ron." She shuffled her feet around in the snow that had blown inside. "Speaking of Ron… have you two been… talking, much?"

Harry gave her a nod, then reconsidered and shook his head instead. "We talk about anything but you, to be honest," he said, and his eyes turned remorseful. "I respect the decisions you're making, but… how do you know that he won't hurt you?"

Hermione's voice hardened. "Like how Ron hurt me?"

"Like how Ron hurt you," Harry conceded.

They stood in silence for a minute, but all too soon it was time for Hermione to meet Draco for lunch. "Thanks," Hermione blurted. "For… not hating me."

Harry smiled, and she was inexplicably reminded of how uncomplicated things were before they grew up, before Voldemort snuck into their lives. That first year, when she had been so nervous about fitting in with wizard-born children, and found the two most interesting people on that train ride when looking for a toad…

But the smile was gone too soon. And soon was the rest of Hermione's time.

She stumbled back down the steps, making an excuse about heading to her next class. As soon as she was inside, she pulled off her gloves and ran back to her dorm to have a good cry.

Now, Hermione was sitting in the Great Hall, studying her books while snacking on a stale protein bar. Even though it was December, students still shot her confused glances. Why aren't you out of school? they seemed to say. It turns out that everyone who was at school during Snape's reign was held back a year since the teachers during that time were 'governed unjustly'. Also, Hermione and her two companions were hunting Horcruxes that year, so they weren't educated at all.

Her mind wandering away from her book, Hermione flashed back to when she had first met Draco after the war. His dad had been caught and imprisoned, but not before yelling at Draco like never before. She had found him deep inside the catacombs, and at first had insulted him about supporting their cause.

"You have no backbone!" she had yelled. Draco had crumpled against the wall, his eyes gleaming—not with rage, as she had originally thought, but with tears.

"You're the reason they got in at all… you're the reason Ron's brother is dead, that Tonks and Lupin are dead, that all of our friends are dead!" She was screaming now, shrieking at him like her lungs were on fire.

"Yell at me," he had begged. "Hit me. Do something."

Hermione had paused. "No," she finally said, trying to stop her frantic tears but failing miserably. "Y-You're not worth the effort."

Draco sighed. And then, after she had reluctantly slid to the floor beside him, he had told her what his dad had done to him before Draco had ratted him out to the Ministry.

Hermione still felt guilty about yelling at him like that, when Draco had to be falling apart at the seams. His mother never left the house, ever since Bellatrix had been sentenced and her husband thrown in Azkaban. But, in the end, Hermione had grown closer to Draco by shaming him.

With a jolt, Hermione realized she had been staring at the Slytherin table while spacing out. She felt her face flush red as Draco's eyes connected with hers and he gave her a smirk. Hermione shoved her face back into her book and shook with embarrassment—she could hear the Slytherin's laughing from the Gryffindor table.

Later that night, Hermione stumbled down into the catacombs. She was wrapped in a blanket, wearing only socks on her feet, and almost giddy with exhaustion. But she still climbed down the steps and found their meeting place. Draco was already there, and turned to her with a smile.

Sharing her blanket, the pair stared out into the darkness of the underground halls. "Why do you like being down here?" Hermione had asked once. Draco had replied, "I don't. I go here because I know no one else likes being down here."

But now, with Draco at her side, a guy who was once an evil, squeaky, annoying boy who she would love to sock in the face—with him at her side, she didn't feel so lonely. Or so violent.

"So," Draco started, turning towards her. "What was the scene in the lunchroom about?"

Hermione blushed. "I just spaced out."

She continued to try to defend herself, withstanding Draco's teasing, but soon she got too tired to continue talking and leaned on Draco's shoulder.

Draco glanced at Hermione, sleeping peacefully next to—and partially on top of—him. He brushed her hair back from her face and looked at her, really looked at her.

She's so brave, he thought. After all she's been through, she's never really broken. And look at me. I'm pitiful compared to her. Draco glared at his hand, as if he could shout at himself.

But he shook his head. It was past time to stop being so self-obsessed. It wasn't about just him anymore—it was about him and Hermione, and their future. Speaking of future, Draco hadn't the faintest idea how to date someone. I should ask how Weasley treated her, Draco thought. See what not to do.

But at the moment, Draco just lifted her up and carried her to outside of the Gryffindor common room.

When Hermione woke up, she was laying on the Gryffindor couch. Rubbing her eyes and feeling bleary, she sat up and was face-to-face with Ron. They hadn't spoken since she'd admitted hanging out with Draco—and now, here he was, glaring at the fireplace like he'd love to watch it burn to pieces.

"R-Ron?" Hermione asked, unsettled by the intensity in her eyes.

Ron sighed, not bothering to turn to her. "You're making a mistake." Hermione fumed. Before she could interrupt him, though, Ron continued. "He's just going to hurt you!"

Hermione let out a breath. She knew she wouldn't get a word in until he finished ranting, so she let him continue his reasoning. "He's just going to hurt you, Hermione," Ron said—were there tears in his eyes? "He's going to hurt you, and betray you. Right now he's just won you over—after a couple of weeks, he's just going to toss you aside like a bit of ruddy garbage."

"Like you hurt me? Like you betrayed me? Like you won me over and then, after a couple of weeks, tossed me aside like a piece of garbage?" Hermione's voice was quiet. She didn't want to have this argument—didn't want to rip Ron farther away from her than he already was.

Ron ran his hand over his face. "I know… I know I treated you badly. A-And I know that it's not my place to criticize you after you think you've found happiness. But as a friend, because I could never think of you as anything less in my life—as a friend, I have to tell you that you're making a mistake."

"Funny," Hermione said. "Harry's been more of a friend than you have. He came up to the Owlery tower and apologized to me about that night, while you've just been a recluse and avoided me like the plague!"

"And whenever I came in the room, you walked out!" Ron replied, fuming. He took a deep breath, then stood. "I guess I can't persuade you."

Hermione grabbed his hand. "Ron. I know you don't trust me with this, but as your friend…"

He looked down at her, and for a second his rage softened.

"…As your friend, I hope you'll trust me to make my own decisions. And, before you go, how did I get here?"

Ron's eyes hardened again, and now all she could see was the boyfriend that came back every night smelling like beer and perfume. "Your new boyfriend dropped you off. I was walking up the same time as him. He said… he said you fell asleep by him."

"But I didn't…"

"No."

Hermione sighed—with relief or embarrassment, she couldn't tell. "Thanks, Ron." She let go of his hand, and lay back down on the couch. Ron stood there for a second, looking at her like he could see through her skin, and then left.

I thought it was all over, Hermione thought. I guess there's still some stuff to take care of around Gryffindor house. Has Draco even told the Slytherins about me? About us?

She shook her head, and slipped back into sleep.

That next evening, Hermione decided to go to the catacombs early, to see if she could meet Draco by the Slytherin house entrance. She wore only socks again, as well as the blanket and a thick sweater.

One turn away from the Slytherin common room entrance, Hermione heard voices. She slowed to a stop by the edge of the corner and listened, shrouded in shadow.

"What do you mean, you 'have someone else'?!" A girls voice, enraged, echoed across the stone tiles.

A familiar voice replied to her—Draco. The sound sent shivers up her spine, it was that cold. "I mean what I mean, Veronica. I have a girlfriend, and it's not you."

"But you promised!" The girl shouted. "You said you would be my Draky-poo!"

Now that's just stupid, Hermione thought.

She could almost hear Draco wince. "Don't call me that."

"Then what should I call you? Promise breaker? Liar? Cheater?"

Hermione stepped around the corner and into the faint light of the hallway's lanterns. "What about 'Hermione's'?"

While Veronica stood there, gaping, Hermione took the chance to size up her competition. Veronica was a pitifully skinny Slytherin girl, with dull, short crimson hair and brown eyes. Her cloak was literally swamping her, and her hair was spiked in every direction, much like a sea urchin. Is this all Slytherin has to offer? Hermione thought, then immediately took back the thought. She remembered seeing gorgeous Maggie in the lunch hall—so why'd Draco promise his heart to this one? After all…

"Draco, you could do much better," Hermione said, finishing her thought.

Veronica fumed, and looked ready to start a catfight—which would be really cliché, by the way—when Draco laughed, and any resistance Veronica had vanished. "S-She isn't…" The Slytherin girl gulped. "She's not your…girlfriend, is she?"

Draco nodded, all mirth gone, and Hermione watched the girl carefully to see how she would react. Veronica had hung her head, seemingly staring at a particularly interesting crack in the floor. Then something wet splashed in between her feet. The girl spun around and ran, past Draco and into the depths of the catacombs.

Hermione looked sympathetically after her, reminded of how Ron had ruined her time at the Yule Ball. This was a disturbingly similar situation—but this time, Hermione felt like Ron.

Draco sighed, and, his mind seemingly on other things, went to Hermione and wrapped her up in a hug. She let out a laugh, and they stood there for a while, basking in the glory that was the absence of loneliness.

They spent a long time down there, whispering reassurances and wrapping their arms around each other like they were the only lifeline they had ever needed. And in that moment, Hermione forgot all about Ron, and Harry, and Gryffindor house—she forgot all about the prejudice and the hatred and Veronica.

In that moment, Hermione could be herself.

They laughed down there, laughing like no one could hear, letting the hallways carry the sound as far as they wished. They laughed, even though they had been through hell and back, fought the dead in their dreams and watched their loved ones die. They had been through one of the bloodiest wars in wizarding history, and they could still laugh.

And it was a beautiful sound.

Hey guys! Sorry this chapter was a little short. Also, I apologize for the wait between the two chapters. I know I have only a few followers, and that most people don't approve of Dramione, but I'm still gonna post this. Also, if you dont like Dramione but want to see more of this series/more of my writing, dont worry! The next chapter of "We're Not Canon" will be a Luna x Nevil story, and their struggle to fix themselves after the war. Those who approve of my Dramione, dont you worry either. I'll still write more of this couple!

See you at Hogwarts!

-LucieLuck