Chapter Three

Ron's POV

At lunch I sat down and started to eat. Hermione walked in and grabbed a seat nearby.

"Hermione, can we go somewhere we can talk?" I asked her.

Hermione replied "No if you have something to say then say it now."

"Hermione please." I begged.

"I am listening so if you want to talk then I suggest you start now."

"I am sorry Hermione. Lavender came onto me."

"Don't try and make excuses. Either way I don't really care. You hurt me and this isn't the first time. I have had enough."

"Hermione please just give me another chance."

"Ron I have given you too many chances already. It is over for good."

Hermione got up and walked out of the hall, taking her bag with her. I signed, and glanced back at my food.

Hermione's POV

I left the Great Hall, leaving Ron sitting there after his poor attempt at trying to win me back. If we wanted me back then he was going to have try harder.

I went back to the common room. I had a few free periods before I any classes and I wanted to get ahead. I placed all my things out on the small table and duplicated the table as I know we would be needing both of them. Draco walked in.

"Hey Hermione."

"Hi Draco."

"What are you doing?"

"Getting ahead on my work."

"Ok. I was going to do the same. Wait I swear we only had one table?"

"We did but I duplicated it because I thought you would need one."

"Oh. Thanks."

"No problem."

Draco sat down next to me and spread out all of his things and started to work. We both spend half of the afternoon, working away. Only moving to get books from the shelves. I glanced at the clock and saw I had 10 minutes until my next class. I waved my wand and everything went into a nice pile and onto the bookcase. I grabbed the textbooks I needed and placed them into my bag.

"Draco. We have class in 10 minutes."

"Oh. What class?"

"Charms."

"Ok, wait for me, I just need to get my books and some new parchment from my trunk."

"Ok, sure but you need to hurry. I don't want to be late."

Draco quickly ran to his dormitory. He came out and put everything into his bag, put it over his shoulder and joined me by the exit.

"Ladies first."

I chuckled, "Thank you."

We both started to walk to Charms, when Draco tripped down the stairs. I burst out laughing and had to grip onto the staircase. He looked up at me his face red with embarrassment.

"That wasn't funny."

"Yes it was."

"Let's go to Charms before we are late."

Draco picked up his bag and we continued to walk to Charms. I giggled as we went on our way.

We got to class a few minutes late.

"Malfoy, Granger may I ask why you are late?"

"Draco had a slight accident on the way here." I answered. McGonagall nodded and we took our seats at the front.

"Nice way to embarrass me."

"What else was I meant to say?"

"That we were shagging somewhere."

I slapped him on the arm.

"Ouch. I was only joking."

"Next time keep your dirty mind to yourself."

Draco's POV

"Nice way to embarrass me."

"What else was I meant to say?"

"That we were shagging somewhere."

I slapped him on the arm.

"Ouch. I was only joking."

"Next time keep your dirty mind to yourself."

I chuckled to myself and glanced at Hermione. She was laughing and smiling with her hair falling out her face. Her cheeks were slightly flustered from my comment. She looked extremely attractive.

The class started and I couldn't get the image of Hermione laughing out of my head. Class finished and we got another long essay to complete. This year was going to be a lot harder than I thought. We had NEWTs and all the Head boy duties I had on top.

Me and Hermione went back to the common room and resumed our work. When the clock strikes 7pm.

"Hermione, it is dinner time."

"Let me just finish this."

I stood there patiently waiting for her to finish. She placed her quill down and put the top on the bottle of the ink. I let her leave first then followed her. Talking to her along the way. A friendship was beginning to be formed between the two of us. We entered the Great Hall and went our separate ways. She sat down next to Ginny and sat talking to her. I watched her conversing with her friends.

She always looked so pretty laughing and joking with her friends. I watched her throughout my dinner and left once I had finished. I saw Harry leaving at the same time as me.

"Malfoy" I heard Harry shout at me.

I turned around. "Potter how may I help you?"

"Don't hurt Hermione. It is clear how much she means to you in the short period of time you have been friends. I just don't want her to get hurt again. She has been through enough already this year."

"I have no intention of hurting her, she deserves someone who will not do that. Unfortunately I am not that person."

"She cares for you even though she doesn't admit it. She understands you in more ways than one and I know she is trying to hide her feelings but try and get her to open up. She has nightmares and cries herself to sleep, although she will never admit it. Help her Draco, Hermione trusts you."

I nodded and replied "I will try Harry. And let's call a truce for Hermione."

"Ok Draco."

Harry walked away and so did I. I went to the library and borrowed a few books to use for the essays we had to complete. I then proceeded to go back to the Common Room. I sat down and continued with my essays before I dozed off.

Hermione's POV

I left the Great Hall and went back to the common room where I found Draco had dozed off on the couch. I chuckled and started to work on my essays. Once I had finished it was time for our rounds. I moved over to Draco. I shook his arm gently and whispered "Draco, wake up. It is time to go on our rounds." He murmured. I whispered again "Draco wake up before I slap you." He jolted up and said "You would not slap me."

I chuckled. "Come on we have our rounds to make. Did you have a nice nap?"

"Yes thank you. Let us be going."

We wandered around the castle checking each common room as we went. After we had finished we went back to the common room.

"I spoke to Harry today." Draco said to me.

"You did. What about?"

"You."

"What did he say?"

"You had nightmares."

"Uhm. Yeh."

"It is okay. I have them too. If you even want to talk I am here."

"Thanks Draco, but I will be fine."

"If you ever need to talk to someone then I am here for you."

"I know. I am going to go to bed if you don't mind."

I walked into my room and pulled on my pjs. I slipped into the bed and pulled the duvet over me resting my head on the pillow I signed.

Draco's POV

I decided to go to bed after Hermione left. I slept. I woke in the bed of the night, hearing Hermione scream. I ran into her room and she was thrashing about, screaming and crying in her sleep. I walked over and held her tightly, and whispered until she calmed down.

"Draco" She croaked.

"Shhh. It is alright. Your save."

I pulled her closer to me, her head resting against my chest. I pulled the duvet over us. "Go to sleep Hermione, you are safe now." She went back to sleep, her head covering my bare chest. I stroked her hair and wiped away her tears from her face. I soon dozed off too.