Author's Note: Hope you all got the replies! And I hope you enjoy this chapter. I only come with them so quickly because your reviews give me the encouragement to get another chapter out.

Chapter 4

August 22nd, 1996

Hermione waited patiently in the library after lunch. She hadn't spoken to Nott since he approached her yesterday, although she had seen him sitting with Malfoy during meals. For once, starting at breakfast she had joined in, in Blaise and Pansy's small talk, much to their surprise. And once again she spoke with them at lunch. It wasn't some big amazing feat. She just commented on a couple things, and when questions involved school she answered them. The exchanged smile of Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore went unnoticed to her, because she was too focused on how Pansy was suddenly very distant, her greeting smiles more half-hearted then they had been.

After lunch she had hurried to get to the library early so she could hand pick some of the books they needed to go through, depicting on what Nott's Transfiguration essay was on. She, at least, made sure she had a wide selection. Hermione was usually a patient person, Harry and Ron were her best friends after all, but looking down at her watch and seeing that it was almost three. Three in the afternoon? She'd been there for almost an hour. Lunch had been over at two and she'd been waiting for that little ponce of a Slytherin. Did he have no recollection of talking with her and setting a meeting to help his miserably happy arse with Transfiguration's?

She crossed her arms. She'd managed to think differently of both Pansy and Blaise. They no longer deemed to be threatening. She still wanted some answers, but she more or less trusted them. Maybe she was in between on the trusting, she wasn't sure, yet. So, maybe she should give Nott the same treatment. Maybe he got stuck doing something and was desperately trying to get away... Maybe the stairs changed on him and he was stuck on one of the floors... Maybe he forgot, took a nap, and was rushing to the library with realizing he's been a right dunderhead right at that very moment. Or maybe, he was outside laughing and playing in the lake?

Hermione had stood while she made excuses for him being so late, looking out one of the windows and spotting four figures. Three in the lake, one sitting out just beyond the sand on the grass. The blond hair distracted her for a moment, but then she saw that lanky form splashing Pansy and Blaise and she glared through the glass. If looks could kill, Nott would be ready to be placed six feet under in a pine box. She grabbed her Transfiguration text heatedly and stormed out of the library.

/-/-/-/

Draco once again sat near the lakes shores watching his friends with a guarded smile as they splashed each other. They had once again tried to get him to come in, but truth be told, he wasn't much of a swimmer. Didn't really like being wet, maybe because it brought back memories of his father holding him under the water of a bathtub when he was younger. Childhood trauma, it was called, or something like that. Anyway, he was just fine watching his friends, they enjoyed themselves without him actually joining in.

His head turned slightly when he saw something out of the corner of his eyes moving swiftly towards them. Like a bull charging, the girl's face was red with frustrated anger, and her arms swung at her sides as she hurried towards the lake, the book in her hand looking like it would be handled like a weapon instead of reading material.

She then paused, ten or so feet away from him, and his show of surprise at seeing her like this was quickly masked when he followed her gaze to the three in the lake. Looking back to her he noticed the color fading her cheeks, and her shoulders slowly relax. He had to wonder what she was thinking. She'd been such an emotionless wreck, and it seemed she was slowly coming out of her cocoon of misery as he saw her interacting with Pansy and Blaise that morning and then again at lunch. She hadn't smiled, but their was a spark in her eyes when she had spoken to his friends. Maybe hope of getting past whatever it had been she'd been through.

He got a sudden flash of seeing her bloody body in Professor Snape's arms. Of him rushing her to Madam Pomfrey and then getting kicked out. He'd been to the hospital wing every day until she woke up and he heard her gut wrenching sobs. Then the medi-witch had told him she'd be fine, but seeing her afterward, he knew she was everything but fine. She had such fire before that summer, even though he had been under the Imperius he could see it and remember it to this day. And it seemed that raging fire was now only a flickering flame. But, he did see a flash of it in that moment she came storming towards the lake.

Now, she seemed almost wistful. Maybe she wished she could be so carefree as the ones who played in the water. Maybe, like himself, she'd been through too much that she needed to guard herself from ever getting hurt again... Maybe, he mentally scoffed.

When a couple minutes passed, Draco finally spoke. "Are you going to sit, or keep staring stupidly out at them?"she asked, wishing maybe he could have thought of his words before he spoke them. Oh, yes, Draco, way to go.

She jumped at the sound of his voice and looked to him as if she'd just then noticed he was sitting there. Any emotion on her face quickly dissolving. She didn't utter a single word, just looked away from him, putting up extra walls. Most likely because it was him. Draco Malfoy, the boy who'd bullied her throughout school non-stop. Could he really apologize, explain that it hadn't really been him saying all those things? That it was his father controlling every move he made? That fucking son of a prejudice bitch... His hands fisted tightly, his nails piercing the palms of his pale hands at the very thought of his murderous father.

He had to look away from the Granger girl because he knew he was all but glaring now, and she didn't deserve such a look. Because even though he was free with his mind and body, she was still a better person than him. He was still a dick. His friends even told him so, and what kind of friends would they be if they weren't truthful?

"Nott was supposed to meet me in the library," she spoke, her voice as thin and to the point, she would have made Snape proud, had the git been around.

"Oh?" Draco asked, his surprise at her actually talking to him expertly masked. "I'm surprised he didn't meet you, he's needed to get laid."

He heard her incredulous gasp and turned his head to look at her, his glare gone and his face aloof. He noticed her cheeks flushing in rage and the fire behind her eyes flickered dangerously. "We were not... I would never... I was going to help him with his Transfiguration summer work, y-you insufferable prat!" she spat and got to her feet before storming back towards the castle. He looked after her and his surprise at seeing her so alive in that moment was hard to hide. His lips slowly turning into an amused smirk.

/-/-/-/

Hermione had gone straight to Gryffindor tower after she'd stormed away from Malfoy, that little ponce. He deserved a right kick in the arse, he did! She couldn't believe the nerve he had to assume such a thing. That she would be like that, especially not after she'd been... Her pacing stopped and she looked towards the flame-less fireplace. Slowly she sat into the plush couch and stared into the dark ash. Hands resting on her knees, her nails digging through her jeans and into her flesh. Her body rocked as she closed her eyes and tried to forget. Oh, how she wished she could. But his body and his touch was still so fresh in her mind. The pain... God, the pain and humiliation. She hadn't left her burnt house with any dignity at all. Parents dead, and her innocence gone. He wanted her to scream for help, and she had screamed. He wanted her to beg for mercy, she did that too but he only laughed and got rougher.

She jumped to her feet. No, she was going to stop it right there. She wasn't going to sink into the darkness of her mind, because that was nearly what could have happened. She needed to get stronger, she needed her courage back. She needed her life back, for Godric's sake.

She moved down to dinner with a determined force in her step. But, then her body slowed as her mind hesitated on just what she was going to do. She was scared, but she needed to be brave. She took a deep breath and entered the Great Hall seeing Pansy there at their spot and all the boys over where they usually sat. She slowly came up to Pansy, and the girl threw her a half-hearted smile. Hermione just sat down and watched as a plate of food appeared. Pansy was lost in her book and it took a moment for Hermione to gather her courage.

"Pansy," she began and looked to the other girl. The raven haired Slytherin look at her, brows raised at being addressed and that usual surprise she saw whenever she spoke to someone. "I wanted to apologize..." she said quietly, she had the distinct urge to duck her head and fork her food around the plate, but she kept her eyes on Pansy. Courage, Hermione, courage. "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I'm just not used to such change, and I really don't mean to be... well, mean..." she said and she hoped she looked and sounded sincere, because in her heart she was.

Pansy was quiet for a moment, her lips parted as if to say something, but too shock to find the words. At this, Hermione did duck her head and began pushing her food around her plate nervously. "I accept your apology." Hermione looked up quickly and saw Pansy smiling at her, and instinctively... she smile back.

But the friendly moment was interrupted when Theodore Nott sat down heavily next to her and Hermione scooted away a little and looked at him with a small glare. "Oh, my god, Granger, I completely forgot about our study session! I'm such a ponce!" he said with wide eyes and began to babble about how he got distracted.

Hermione looked to Pansy, and both girls shook their head at each other, their lips gently curved in understanding of each other.