Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the twist to the great JKR's characters.

Thank you for you great reviews. I'm glad you enjoyed the twist! I thought of adding a twist, my sister gave me a different idea for what I was going to put in.

Thanks YOU Sis! I would get blocked if it weren't for you.

And I did cuz she's been busy. Blame her for the week between updates. Lol

Chapter 6:

Avoidance and Conversations


Draco avoided everyone for a week. He didn't patrol when he was supposed to. Hermoine had to cover for him on more than one occasion with Headmistress McGonagall. She had tried several times to speak with him, even for a few moments and he would just blow her off.

Things were looking up for others around school though. It seemed Ron had gotten over the initial shock of having Pansy for a match and decided to start getting along. She didn't hang on him like Lavender did, but she did ask alot of questions, but Harry helped Ron to realize she was just trying to get to know him. Padma was quite shocked that Neville wasn't quite the shy, do-as-he-was-told type anymore. Since helping Harry with killing Voldemort, he was actually quite strong about things. But this pleased her, she secretly liked being dominated.

In the Slytherin aspect of things, Gregory Goyle and Millicent Bulstrode we getting along swimmingly. She told him what to do and he did it. Crabbe was the opposite, he thought he would dominate Eloise Miggen, but he got quite the shock when she said she would not be dominated. However, she didn't mind talking things over and deciding together. This he agreed to.

Theodore Nott and Pavarti Patil, haha. They argued just so they could kiss and make up. It was quite rediculous.

Ginny was still pestering Hermione to speak with Draco about Blaise, because she hadn't spoken to him since that day over a week ago.


"Hermione! Please. I need to know what the hell I'm supposed to do if I can't even get my so-called 'mate' to talk to me" Ginny pleaded.

Hermione was getting fed up, and responded as such, "Look Ginny, you know I love you. You are the sister I never had, but I am having difficulties with my own bethrothed speaking to me at the moment."

Ginny just huffed and got up from the table they were occupying in the Library.

Hermione shook her head at the girls departcher. What the heck am I going to do? She thought to herself.

Draco had just entered said Library as the youngest Weasley was leaving. "I don't know what the hell your problem is Malfoy, but you'd better get it under control. Hermione is being -- well she's just .. UGH! Just talk to her or blimey anyone for that matter."

Draco just stared at her like she'd went nutters and she got even more angry and stomped off. She didn't know he was actually seeking Hermione out. He needed to talk and for some unknown reason to him, he knew he could trust her.

She saw him approaching and tried to look busy in her book, while watching him approach out of her peripheral vision.

He took the seat Ginny had been occupying. He didn't say anything. Hermoine looked up at him as he sat, and when he didn't greet her, she went back to her book.

They sat this way for several minutes before he finally said anything. And when he spoke it shocked Hermoine.

"Um, Granger. Do you think that maybe later we could talk?" He sat looking at her with a sincerely troubled scowl.

Hermoine having that second sense about others feeling knew he wasn't scowling at her. Just his thoughts.

"Um, sure. When did you want to hold the conversation?" She was trying to be understanding. But it was difficult when she had been hating him for years.

He looked at her oddly for a moment, "Well, after dinner, I suppose. That is if you aren't busy or anything."

She just nodded, "That's fine. I'll meet you at the entrance to the Great Hall and we can go for a walk on the grounds or something. That alright?"

He nodded. He opened his mouth, Hermione thought he was going to say something. He just closed it, nodded again, and got up and left her sitting there alone.


Hermione of course was seated at her table with her fellow Gryffindors at dinner, joined by a few others. Mates and such. Luna had taken to sitting with Harry at meals. Ron sometimes had Pansy flanking his side, and sometimes she sat with her Slytherin friends. She was with said friends this evening. So it was Harry with Luna on his right and Ron on his left. Hermione across from Harry, Ginny on her right, and Neville to her left, flanked by Padma. Harry and Ron were of course discussing Quidditch. Luna daze around the room, occasionally taking a bite of her pudding. Neville and Padma were in a discussion about herbs, and Ginny was glowering at her pie. Hermione looked around at her friends and decided somethings had definately changed but what could you do?

She had finished her meal and was about to get up when Ginny leaned toward her. "I'm sorry I've been harping at you to help with Zabini. I just don't know what to do. If he won't speak to me, I can't very well make him."

Hermione looked at her friend with sympathy. "I know Ginny. I understand why you are so upset. But let me get Malfoy talking to people again, and I'll see what I can do."

Hermione didn't have to explain the talking thing to Ginny, everyone had noticed Malfoy's sudden seclusion of himself. He sat with his friends and said nothing. He hardly ate. He missed all his patrols. Didn't pay attention in class, and had secluded himself in his room when he wasn't pretending to eat or attend class.

Remembering she was supposed to meet him after this meal, Hermoine looked to the Slytherin table. Draco had been watching her for a few minutes and when she looked at him, he motioned to the doors.

She nodded in responce, and got up. Harry asked her where she was going off to so soon.

"Well, it seems my mate would like a word, so I'm going to see what's up. See you all later." She smiled and turned to leave.


They had been walking in silence for half an hour when Draco finally spoke.

"Hermoine" Shocked at hearing her name she looked up at him. They had both stopped. "I've been doing some thinking this past week and I owe you an apology."

She stayed silent. He continued, "You see, all these years I've had put you down for your blood-status, and here I myself am not a pure-blood."

Hermione started to interrupt him, but he held a hand up. Silencing her. He wanted to get this out.

"I know I have been horrible to you. And I'm truly sorry. I realize now more than ever, what a liar my fath- well the man I thought was my father- really is. He had brain washed me from birth to think I was better than others just because of my blood and here none of it was true." He hung his head. Draco Malfoy truly looked defeated.

Hermione placed a hand on his arm and turned him slightly so he would look at her. "Listen Draco, I know all of this must be really hard for you. I thank you for apologizing. I know that must be difficult. But you cannot help that your mother and father kept this a secret. You should feel no shame about it. You are still one of the smartest students at Hogwarts. You are a talented wizard. No amount of pure-blood or lack there of can change that. Take me for example, I'm muggle-born and I have the highest marks in the class."

Draco nodded but responded, "Its not just about being a great wizard Hermione. My whole life has been a lie. I keep thinking if my fath- if he was still living. I never would know. I would still think I was above everyone. I would still look down on others-"

She cut him off, "Listen here, I understand you feel betrayed. And by your parents at that. But you cannot wallow in self-pity forever. If not by blood, then by nature and up-bringing you are a Malfoy. You must continue to act like one. People here think someone died. Are you planning to tell everyone the truth? If not you'd better get back to sneering and scaring first years."

This got a laugh from Draco, which she was aiming for. He looked at her in a different light at that moment. Maybe the Ministry knew what they were doing after all. If it hadn't been for them, he wouldn't be standing here with this witch, who had no reason at all to want to, but she was making him laugh. And smiled when she did it.

"Your right. I had decided I don't want anyone to know yet. Lots of questions and I don't really have any answers, you know. I'm going to try to continue like nothings changed but between you and me. It has. It has already. But thank you for talking to me and reminding me I am what I am. And thats a Malfoy, even if its in name only. You could be a real good friend Hermione. That is if you could get some real friends and stop hanging with Potty and Weaselby." He laughed at his own joke.

Hermoine just shook her head. There's the Malfoy they all know. Then him speaking of friends reminded her about Ginny.

"Draco, do you think you could do me a small favor?" She asked shyly.

He just nodded like regardless of what she asked he would do it. "Well you see Ginny's been upset. It seems she tried to talk to Blaise a week ago and he was really quite rude to her. Do you think you could find out why?"

Draco started laughing. Hermione didn't see the humor and let him know it, "Well I really don't see what's funny, but if you don't want to do it that's fine."

He tried to settle his laughter, and was shaking his head.

"No, it's not I don't want to. I can tell you already. He's afraid of her. He's seen what she can do, and how she treats her brothers, and well he's afraid if he lets his guard down, and he does something unfortunate, like making her mad. Well lets just say he doesn't want to be on the receiving end of one of her hexes." Draco finally got it out, in between chuckles.

And when he finished Hermione had joined him in laughing. "Well tell him I will let her know she hasn't done anything and that he's just shy. Yes we'll say he's shy and was taken aback at not knowing what to say. Shall we try to set up a meeting between them. Maybe with us there for intervention if he does say something to cross her?"

Draco nodded. "Sounds like a plan my dear Gryffindor. Sounds like a plan."

And with that they set off in different directions. Hermoine to talk to Ginny and let her know and Malfoy to talk to his best friend he has avoided for a week.

Neither had realized they were using each others first names.

Maybe the Ministry knew what they were doing after all.


Thank you all for reading. This will continue shortly i hope.

Please review. Got stuck. Not sure what's going to happen next, and my help (that means u sis) has been busy.

Hugs to every1. ;)