Chapter 10: Melting

Hermione's POV

I slowly opened my eyes to the brightly-lit Common Room and yawned as I stretched my arms above my head, causing my back to make a sickening cracking noise.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to sleep on the couch.

I was about to get up when I realized something.

There was a black coat draped over me.

Funny, I don't remember having this last night.

I pulled the cloak closer to examine it, and instantly smiled widely.

It smelled divine.

It was a blend of peppermint and rain, and I nearly went into euphoria as I held it near my face and breathed it in.

But then I noticed something stitched onto the hem of the cloak.

I looked closer and I was able to make out what it was.

Two cursive letters stitched in silver.

D.M.

My smile immediately disappeared and was replaced with a frown.

Only one person I knew had those initials.

As I stared confusedly at the cloak, the person in question stepped out of his room, seeing me immediately and stopped dead in his tracks.

Malfoy was only in his low-lying pajama bottoms and his hair was disheveled. My gaze immediately fell to his bare chest, which had a slight glow in the morning sunrays which flowed through the windows of the Common Room.

He looked like a freaking God.

I shook my head to clear those absurd thoughts when I noticed he was staring at me in horror and shock as he realized I was holding up his cloak, examining his sewn-in initials.

"Um. I-Is this y-yours?" I stuttered as I raised the cloak slightly.

I felt a blush make its way to my cheeks as he walked up to me and slowly pulled the cloak from my hands, nodding almost guiltily.

That was a stupid question to ask.

Of course it's him.

D.M. for Draco Malfoy.

Duh.

"Why?" I cautiously asked as he held his cloak and stood before me. I struggled to keep my gaze locked on his face instead of his beautifully sculptured body.

Focus, Hermione.

This is Malfoy we're talking about.

The twitchy little ferret git.

He probably poisoned the cloak or something.

"Well, you were cold. So…" he trailed off and I almost gasped at his civil, soft tone. He looked almost sweet for a moment before his hard exterior was back up.

"Honestly, Granger. And they call you the brightest witch of your age!" he scoffed.

I knew he was trying to insult me, but I couldn't help but notice a small genuine smile tug at his lips.

"It's alright to do something nice once in a while." I replied calmly, knowing he must have been completely embarrassed by the entire situation.

"Nice? I was not being nice!" I retorted, as if I had just insulted him.

"Fine, fine. But whatever you call it, you did do a nice thing. So thank you." I hesitatingly said the last line.

This was weird.

Me thanking Draco Malfoy.

"Whatever…" he mumbled with a look of annoyance on his face before his eyes snapped to the book in my lap.

"Tuck Everlasting?" he exclaimed happily and in surprise.

"Um…yes. It's a Muggle book, Malfoy." I informed him.

Oh no, now he's probably going to start insulting Muggles again.

"I know. It's one of my favorites!" He exclaimed as he took the book and sat on the edge of the coffee table before me. He skimmed through the pages excitedly, almost looking like a little boy who had just been given some candy.

Ohhh Kayyy…

"You've read Tuck Everlasting?" I asked in shock.

Malfoy?

Reading a Muggle Book?

"Of course! It's a brilliant story. So original and refreshing. The story is so innocent and pure, yet it portrays the dark sides of the human being as well." He replied enthusiastically.

Who is this guy?

"Wow Malfoy. I never thought you would be the type who would read Muggle books!" I laughed, happy to see him like this for once, instead of his usual cold state.

"Well, sometimes Muggles can actually be good at things. Writing fantastic books is one of them." He answered, continuing to look through the book.

I almost took his answer as an insult, but I didn't want to snap back and ruin this once-in-a-lifetime moment of him actually being civil with me. So I let it pass.

"The ending is horrible though." He murmured with an angry frown on his face.

"Really, you think so too?" I asked almost too excitedly.

So far, I was the only person to think that.

"Of course! Why would you give that water to a stupid frog? She should have drunk it herself. If you were given the chance to spend eternity with the one you love the most, why wouldn't you take it?" he asked bewildered.

"That's exactly what I thought!" I exclaimed with a small laugh.

"Do you read any other Muggle books?" I curiously asked.

"Well, I have read Lord of the Rings. Those are nice books."

He liked them too?

"Really? I like them as well. Except for the language Tolkien sometimes uses. At times it could just be so…"

"Long-winded and complex?"

"Exactly!"

We both laughed out loud and hard for some time. When we finally calmed down, we looked at each other with goofy grins on our faces.

Who knew Draco Malfoy and I would be in a situation like this?

To think I was actually…enjoying his company.

I watched his face slowly transform from happy to shocked when his smile disappeared and his eyes widened as realization struck him at how we had just casually conversed.

Clearing his throat, he stood up, put my book on the coffee table and began walking away.

"Malfoy." I called out before I could stop myself.

He stopped for a moment and seemed to hesitate for a bit before finally turning around with the same old steely, emotionless look on his face.

"Thanks." I spoke softly.

I was not really sure if I was referring to the cloak again or to him talking to me civilly, but either way I did mean what I said.

Malfoy simply nodded curtly with the smallest of smiles before heading into the bathroom.

I sat there for a while…

Letting everything sink in.

That was the first time I had ever talked normally to Malfoy.

And it seemed really nice.

For those few minutes…it was almost like we were…friends!

I was only that care-free and comfortable with Ginny, Harry and Ron.

It was like it wasn't even Malfoy.

He seemed so relaxed, casual, happy and…accepting.

Like it didn't bother him that he was actually conversing with a Mudblood.

I smiled slightly as I recalled how much he shared in common with me regarding books.

I would have never guessed Malfoy would even like Muggle books, nonetheless the books I too liked.

What surprised me even more was the whole cloak incident.

That Malfoy would actually use his cloak to keep me warm.

He actually bothered that I was cold.

That was probably the nicest gesture of him yet…

Was it possible that this cold Slytherin prince with a heart of ice…

Was actually melting?