Hi guys! Sorry for not updating for a while... I've had A LOT of homework. So I hope you like this chapter! Please tell me how I could do better and give me some of your ideas!
Draco's POV
The moment that Hermione said yes, I knew I had to everything I could to get her to believe that I've changed. I just can't let Crabbe or Goyle see me go soft, I can't imagine the things they will do to me if they found out that I was even nice to anyone in Gryffindor. When I walked into the library, Hermione was already there. She was reading a foot thick book. I walked over to her, she looked up, she must have heard my rapid heart beating.
"Okay, lets do this," she sighed. She stood up and took out a pencil. I took a step forward but froze, I got a feeling of regret. Nothing I could would make her forgive me. It's a dumb idea to try.
"Okay sure," I said. She held up a pencil and started to wave it.
"Expecto-"
"Maybe we should practice somewhere else," I interrupted, "I mean, we look pretty weird waving pencils around."
I stood up and started to walk toward the exit. I noticed Hermione was still standing there, she hadn't moved an inch. Maybe she doesn't want
"Come on! Aren't you gonna come?" I held out my hand.
"Sure," she said. She took my hand and felt a bolt of electricity. It tore all of my doubt to shreds. I pulled me her of the library and turned a corner.
We were weaving past the crowds of student, ignoring the stares and whispers.
"Is that Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy?" I heard someone whisper. I immediately let go of her hand, I don't want to give anyone suspicions. Hermione didn't seem to notice, she just kept on following me. We were walking for what seemed like forever.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"You'll see," I said with a smirk.
Hermione's POV
Draco lead me outside the castle. The afternoon sun was trying to escape the clutches of the gloomy clouds.
"What are we doing here Draco?" I asked. He turned around and smiled at me.
"We're already here," he said with a smirk. I looked around, we were about a half mile away from the castle, we could barely see Hagrid's hut.
"Why are we here?" I asked with an annoying tone. We've been walking for an hour, I deserved an explanation.
"To practice," he said mysteriously. "Expecto Patronum!" he said and a white light swirled out of his wand and a serpent slithered out it, opening its mouth and letting out a low hiss.
"What are you doing?" I failed to say angrily, I was mesmerized by Draco's patronus.
"Come on. Do you really think that waving pencils around will help us master a spell?" Draco said. It made sense, Professor Umbridge's teaching style was very lousy, we weren't going to learn how to do a spell properly by waving a pencil in the air.
"But it's against the rules to use Defense Against the Dark Arts!" I said, "We'll get kicked out!"
"Hermione you are a great witch, probably the best in the world," I turned my burning red face away, "but you can be extremely uptight." he said.
"You know what fine!" I said bitterly. I yanked my wand out of my pocket, pointing it in the air. "Expecto Patronum!" I screamed. An otter climbed out of my wand, crawling, trying to show its light and power, but after many attempts, dispersing. Wow. I, Hermione Granger couldn't do a spell. I looked at Draco in embarrassment. He had a surprised look on his face and stared at me. I swiftly turned my head away.
"Uh... Good job Hermione," whispered Draco.
" Yeah, yeah you don't have to be nice Draco, I know I couldn't do the spell," I said annoyingly.
"Do you know... want me to help you?" He said slowly, as if he was thinking of the exact right words to say. I didn't know what to say. I've never needed help before and getting it from Draco, well that's just a whole other thing.
On the other hand he does seem like he's changed and I do want to learn how to do the spell correctly.
"Yes, Please!" I said. I didn't realize the plea in my voice until now, maybe Draco was right, I am uptight. Draco, thankfully, didn't notice. His eyes filled with light, but not like the light I usually see with Draco, a dark, hatred, revenge-like light but more like a happy, cheerful, meaningful light dancing in his pale blue eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the loud voices of third-years coming out of the castle.
"Lets go!" said Draco. He took my hand and pulled me to the back of the castle. He pushed me against the wall of the miraculous building and put a finger to his mouth. I watched the third years pass us, too into their own conversations to notice Draco's blonde hair just slipping out of their sight. After waiting there for an eternity, they were all finally gone. I realized that I was still holding Draco's hand and quickly let go of it. I turned my head to hide my embarrassment but just in time to see Draco's cringe when I released my grasp.
Draco's POV:
When Hermione let go of my hand, I was hurt. I knew that she would, thinking I was a monster, but I just wanted to savor the moment one last second. When those kids came out of Hogwarts I knew this would be my only chance, and I took it, even though it was just a touch, and nothing more. We walked back to the castle's entrance the long way after she let go of my hand. We walked for 5 minutes in silence.
"Draco, what did I do wrong on the Patronus?" Hermione said, breaking the wall of stillness.
"Um... I don't know Hermione," I said cluelessly.
"In the text book, it said that you should think of your happiest memory," said Hermione.
"What memory did you think about?" I asked.
"The first time I got an A!" she said. Of course.
"Hermione, you need something that gives you so much happiness you're overwhelmed with it. The dementor is supposed to give you the unimaginable feeling of misery and sadness, you're happy memory is supposed to fight the grim and fill the void. Did that memory do that at all?"
Hermione was looking at me like she was, well, impressed. She was staring into my eyes and I stared into hers. She broke the gaze, and answered my previous question.
"No, it didn't," she sighed, "but I have no other memories that give me happiness, what did you think about while doing your Patronus, I mean it came out beautifully, it should have been a very happy memory.
If I told her my happiest memory, she would think I was the freakiest, oddest, lunatic in the world.
"Oh," I said uneasily, "It's a memory I had about my father." This was kind of true, when casting the charm, this was one of the memories that I thought of.
"What was it?" asked Hermione curiously.
"When I was little my family would take these trips to Bournemouth in the summer. We had our own beach house right in front of the ocean, I remember waking up to the magnificent sunrise in the morning. We were totally isolated to any other civilization, it was just my mum, dad and I. Everyday I would go out to the beach, sit next to the water and just think. I didn't know it but my dad was having a hard time with stress and pressure from his job and, I think, just broke. He came out of the house and walked onto the beach towards me. Every footstep he took, it was like the ground was shaking. I could only imagine why he would want to talk to me. He sat next to me and turned his head. He stared at me for a while, watching me. He asked me how I was, and I said fine. He told me to never make the mistake he made and always put the people you love first. I asked him what he did, but he never told me. He just stared into the setting sun. He handed a snake head made out of silver with glowing green emerald eyes, it was the top of his cane. He told me that he wanted me to have it, to remind me to never give up on family and friends. He told me he was proud of me and well, that was the best part. My dad, proud of me, that was the biggest thing I could ask for."
"Wow, that's a really beautiful story Draco," said Hermione softly.I smiled at her, and she smiled, freely back at me.
"Password?" said a highly pitched voice. We had reached the Gryffindor entrance.
"Well I better go, lets do this again, it was... fun," said Hermione. She whispered the password and quickly slipped into the common room. I walked to the dungeons and went to my room. Crabbe and Goyle were already there.
"Where were you all day?" asked Crabbe.
"You know, the usually places, nowhere special," I tried to say as unsuspiciously as possible. I got into bed but couldn't fall asleep. All I could think about was about today, especially the end. I've never told that story about my dad to anyone, and sharing it to her was so... easy. If only she would feel the same way.
Draco's dream
I was standing in King's Cross Station, in front of the portal to 9 and three quarters. I was scared and nervous. It wasn't just first day jitters, but it was also the pressure, stress, and pain that I knew was going to come from my father.
"Come on Draco, hurry up!" yelled my father annoyingly. I followed my father's orders and quickly walked into the column of stone. Instead of hitting the stone, I passed through it, and entering a magnificent station. There were so many people hustling not wanting to miss the train, fathers and mother crying farewell to their children for the year, and even a kid on the ground saying: "Have you seen my toad Trevor? He should be here somewhere..."
"Now Draco, when you get into Hogwarts, know, as soon as that Sorting Hat touches one hair on your head, it will scream Slytherin. Know, you will become the leader of Slytherin, can you take that responsibility?" he asked. I nodded, said my goodbye and walked onto the train. There was a girl in front of me with brown hair trying to find a compartment. When she turned around, I saw this beautiful girl with sparkling brown eyes and an anxious smile.
"Do you need a compartment?" she asked, "All of the others are full."
I nodded, still starstruck from her beauty.
"What's your name?" she asked enthusiastically, "I'm Hermione." She held out her hand.
"I'm Draco," I said and shook her hand.
"I'm so excited for Hogwarts, aren't you? I don't have any magical parents so it was a surprise when I got my letter," Hermione said. She's a mud blood Well father wouldn't mind, she does seem really cool, and he's not going to find out that I was talking to her.
I was glad I didn't let my father's expectation get in the way of my judgement that day. I met a really nice girl that day and got to know her. She was the first friend I made since I was always shielded by my parents. We've never talked about that day, hell, I don't even think she remembers my happiest memory.