An Innocence Restored

Thank you to anyone who read the previous chapter. It really means a lot! I hope you all enjoy this one! Please drop a review off on your way out.

Lyrics: Now I believe in more than I can see. Now I can breathe again and I don't need a map to know the way. I don't need a map. You always light the path.

Chapter Six

Hermione still wasn't talking to Ron. Harry was being a lot nicer to her, but Ron was still in the stages of anger where he would leave a room if she was to enter. It was different this time, though. She would normally be very annoyed by his ignorance, but it didn't matter much to her this time. She had tried and tried to figure out why it was so, but nothing came to her mind.

Perhaps it was just because he had acted like this so many other times that it was no longer a worry to her. It was quite obvious that after perhaps a week, he would reluctantly apologise and all would go back to how it used to be until next time. He would just have to learn to respect her possible friendship with Draco.

Well, it didn't seem like that was going to actually happen anytime soon.

It had been a few days since her breakfast with Draco. He had not harassed her since then. It almost felt weird not to have her daily awkward conversation with him. Hermione was beginning to think that everything he had told her had been a lie. That hurt a hell of a lot more than anything that Ron was doing to her.

When Hermione woke up that Saturday morning, she set about her usual routine. Well, her usual routine now that she wasn't speaking to Ron. She'd simply go down to the library and get some hard work put in until Ron grew up and started speaking to her again. That didn't sound like anything too difficult to do.

Oh, but it was. She had barely been in the library for five minutes when Draco shuffled into the seat next to her. For once, she was glad to see his face. She had been beginning to think that he wouldn't show up again. She was so going to hell for enjoying her conversations with the boy who had lived to make her life hell.

"Hello, stranger" She grinned. This had been the first time that she instigated the conversation. It felt rather liberating if she did say so herself.

"Good morning, Hermione" He smiled back, peering over to see which book she was reading. "Hmm, real page turner you have there." Sarcastic Draco was often the most interesting.

"You don't have to be so judgemental just because it's not your cup of tea" Hermione noted with a raise of her eyebrows.

"This is true" Draco agreed. Wow, were they making progress? This must be the first time the unlikely pair had ever actually agreed on anything. "So, have you decided yet?"

"Decided on what?" Hermione asked as she skimmed the pages of her heavy book. She had to credit Draco, this really was quite a boring book.

"Decided on coming to hang out with me" Draco replied, fixing her with a raise of his own eyebrows. She didn't like it when the tables were turned. She had completely forgotten about the invitation she had received at breakfast the other morning. Oh, she hadn't had time to think about this and prepare her answer! Why does Draco Malfoy always insist on asking her these questions at the most awkward of times? She abruptly stopped reading and sat frigid in her seat as she tried to come up with an answer. He was hardly going to let her get away without giving him an answer this time.

"Yes, I'll go" Hermione blurted. "Come along, we can go for a walk down to the black lake." Well, she was beginning to feel rather rebellious now that Ron wasn't talking to her. It's not like he's her boss! He can't expect to tell her who she can and can't be friends with. It just doesn't work like that.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that" Draco chuckled as they set off. Like a gentleman, Draco continuously grabbed her arm when she slipped on the wet mud.

The walk down to the black lake wasn't a very long one, but it was a cold one. The bitter weather was really starting to settle in around Hogwarts, but Draco never noticed her teeth chattering away as they walked.

"So, I see you're not talking to Ron" Draco noted as they stood at the edge of the lake. Hermione could barely register what he was saying. After all, she was too busy watching him. This was simply just so shocking for her. She had never pinned Draco as the kind of boy to be content with watching a lake with a friend who he had hated the previous year. This realisation was enough to make her head spin to the point where she believed that she was going to have to sit down. Oh, this was all just so surreal.

"No, I'm not." She finally sighed, digging her hands deep into her pockets in a feeble attempt to keep warm.

"Is it because of me?" He asked. What could Hermione possibly say to this? If it was true that Draco was really changing, he wouldn't want to cause a problem between her and Ron, would he? Should she tell him the truth and tell him that it was his fault. Would that just make him relapse? That was quite possibly the last thing that she wanted right now. She didn't want to add any more confusion to the mix that was her life.

"Well, you know what Ron's like." She answered evasively. Technically she wasn't actually lying. All she was doing was missing parts out. That wasn't too bad, was it? Well, she would take the consequences for the later. "He's always overreacting about something."

"Hermione, you don't have to sugar coat it for me" Draco laughed. A hearty laugh that would make most girls fall in love with him in a second. "I can handle whatever it is that Weasley thinks of me. If he was just overreacting, you wouldn't have gotten so upset over it the other day."

"I don't know why I got upset over it" Hermione sighed truthfully. "It wasn't important. Ron's just being stupid as usual."

"Please tell me what happened" Draco pleaded, sounding rather frustrated in the process.

"Oh, it's a waste of time telling you" She grumbled, although she knew that Draco wasn't going to let it go until he knew exactly what had happened. "It's quite simple really. Ron just doesn't like the thought of us being friends. He thinks you're lying about wanting to change."

"Yes, you're right" Draco answered. "He is being stupid, but he's only doing it because he cares about you. He really does only want to keep you safe. If he sees me as a threat to you, he will want me out of the picture. Don't be too hard on him. After all, you're still not sure if I'm lying."

At that moment, Hermione believe him for the first time. If he could say those nice things about Ron, he must have changed. She hadn't felt this happy in a very long time. Especially not with the way Ron and Harry were constantly looking down their noses at her. Was what she was doing honestly that bad?

"I believe you, Draco" She finally mumbled. She had never been particularly good at talking about her feelings. It had just never come naturally to her. "I don't think you're lying about wanting to change. I don't think you're lying at all."

"Thank you, Hermione" Draco smiled. It was that smile that was ever so similar to his laugh. You know, the kind of smile that made every girl within a 10 mile radius swoon. "You have no idea how much that means to me. Come on, we should head back. It's growing even colder and your teeth are chattering like crazy."

…

As they walked back up to the castle, Draco felt a surge of satisfaction over how the walk had turned out. He had succeeded in forcing Weasley and Hermione into an awkward situation. It was one that seemed to be driving them apart rather effectively. Now Hermione finally believed that he was changing and that he wasn't just lying about it. He couldn't wait to see the look on Blaise's face when he found out how much of a success this bet was turning out to be for him.

Once they reached the main doors of the castle, Draco found his window of opportunity. It seemed that things were only going to get better from here. It was his chance to make a real difference to their new friendship.

"So, now that you finally believe that I'm changing out of the good of my heart" Draco grinned revelling in the fact that he could now tease her without fear of getting punched in the face. Her eye roll was also rather cute and endearing. Oh God, what was he saying!? It's safe to say that he wouldn't be telling Blaise about his little slip up. "Perhaps you would be interested in coming to Hogsmeade with me. There's a trip next Saturday."

He could tell straight away that he may have pushed his luck with this one. The shock that registered on her face was completely unmistakable. The only thing for it now was to flash her his ever so famous smile and hope that his charm would lure her into saying yes.

"Oh, are you sure you don't want to go with Blaise?" Hermione asked as she fiddled with her fingers. He could tell then that she wasn't used to being asked out on a date. It was almost adorable that she didn't know how to react. Stop it, Draco! "I'm sure he won't be very happy if you don't go with him."

"No, he'll be fine with it" Draco answered with a wave of his hand to show it was no big deal. Maybe if he just played the guilt card, she would say yes. "If you don't want to go with me, Hermione it's fine. I'll just stay in the castle next week."

"Oh no! I don't want you to do that just because I said no" She blurted. Yes, it seemed as though his plan was working now. She could never say no to him now. Well, if she did all he would have to do was mention his dad and she would say yes right away. Oh, this bet was ruining him. "Draco, if it means that much to you, I'll go."

"Thank you, Hermione" Draco smiled. "We'll talk more about it in the library some time. I'll see you later." Before she could even say anything back to him, he had walked through the doors and hurried through the hallways in search of Blaise. "I am so winning this bet" Draco muttered under his breath.

Aha, I finally managed to get a chapter up quickly! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter even though I don't think it's that good ;) please leave a review! Thanks for reading.