AN: Hey! Thanks for continuing to read! I guess after rereading my last chapter it wasn't that dark, but I hope you enjoyed anyways! Please read and review! Also i dont own the characters!

...

Hermione sqweezed Draco's hand and let a small smile appear on her face. They sat in the darkness of the room for a while. She wanted to ask Draco so many things and she could tell he wanted to say something as well, but for a while it was nice to just enjoy the company.

"What are your dreams about?" Hermione asked after some time.

"The war...my father..." Draco said sounding as broken as he was. She grabbed his hand a bit tighter and he sighed. It was finally clear that she was the safest person he had been around in a long time. He knew that he needed to open up to someone, even if that someone was a beautiful, meddlesome mudblood. "...sometimes," he started with a shaking voice, "sometimes I dream about Azkaban...it really was aweful there...other times I dream that the war isn't over and...and my father wants me to..." He suddenly found a single tear rolling down his cheek. To Draco's surprise and pleasure he also found a warm hug embracing him. He leaned into Hermione and embraced her back. "...I...I dream about you as well..." he said quietly. "I should have stopped her...I should have done something...I should have-"

"Draco," Hermione said gently but forcefully as she grabbed his face. "You couldn't have done anything. If you even attempted to stop her...just imagine what 'he' would have done to you!" She grabbed him into her arms once again. "No one blames you, I promise, Draco." The Slytherin held tighter then he would ever admit to the small girl. "Draco," she said quietly, "can I see it?"

"See what?"
"The dark mark."

"Oh." Slowly he pulled away from her and rolled up his sleeve. The mark had yet to fade. It looked even blacker in comparison to his pale skin. Gently, Hermione ran her fingers over the mark. "Can I see yours?" Draco asked so quiet she could hardly hear him.

"Umm, yeah," Hermione rolled up her sleeve to reveal the scars. Draco gently ran his fingers a long the scars. She instantly noticed a few tears roll down his face and broght him into a warm embrace.

They sat in each others arms for a long time. Hermione held the former death eater tight against her as if she was afraid he would slither out of her arms. She was done asking questions and he had nothing more to say. It was a perfect mix of exceptance and serenity that fell into the room.

Draco was the first to pull away from the long-lasting embrace. Hermione didn't mind though but she didn't want to be the first one to pull away. Without saying a word the curly-haired girl stood up and walked over to the windows. With a simple flick of her wand and a quiet word the old wood fell off the windows.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked walking up to her.

"I though you needed a little more light." She reached for his hand and he squeezed hers back.

...

"So, what's the paper about? Is it a letter to someone?" Hermione asked gesturing back to Draco's bed where he had left the paper and quill.

"Yeah," he paused and looked down at the girl looking staight up to him. "Umm...it's to a witch..."

"A witch!" She exlaimed in surprise trying to make the words seem happy.

"Yeah, she...uhh...I guess I just have been thinking about her a lot lately and I sorta wanted to tell you." He sighed and scratched his head.

"Well, you know, I could help you write it if you'd like...I mean I am a girl so..."

"That'd be brilliant! Thank you," he said. Hermione smiled and hoped that it looked genuine. She found it strange to realize how jealous this made her. At first she told herself that she was only jealous because he was going to have a relationship and she wasn't. But as she looked at the slytherin before her she realized a small sinking feeling in her stomach. In a way she had always found him attractive, even when he annoyed her. Now, all those years later, she cared even more for him. It was hard for her to just forget the way he opened up and embraced her. Embraced her! Harry and even Ron had hugged Hermione hundreds of times, but this was different. He seemed to need her in those few moments more than anyone has ever needed her.

"Hermione?" Draco said intruding on her thoughts once again.

"Sorry," she said quietly.

"But would you mind helping me?"

"Not at all."

...

Ahhh! Don't worry, Draco's mystery woman will come up in the next few chapters!