A/N: I want to start uploading a new chapter at least once a week, but I have family down visiting this week so it has been hard to work on anything. Hopefully I can get my life together and I can start uploading every Saturday. I know I always say this, but thank you so much for everyone who is reading and reviewing. Seeing that people are actually enjoying my stories is why I post what I do and it makes me so happy that people are enjoying what I am doing. I hope you like this chapter because you get to see a version of Draco that I don't really see a lot in fanfictions and I honestly love writing it.
What are your favorite versions of Draco? How about Ron and Hermione? I would love to hear it so let me know in the reviews.
Hermione glanced at Harry nervously as they walked into the great hall together. It reminded her of her first year of Hogwarts when it seemed like she would never make a friend. Now she was afraid she was going to lose those friends that she made because of a boy she had feelings for. Harry smiled back at her and nudged her shoulder gently as they sat down at the table, leaving a space between them for Draco to sit. She smiled back at him, thankful that she had Harry as a friend. The food arrived and Hermione glanced over at the Slytherin table, happy to see that he was at least really late for dinner and not just choosing to not sit with her. She let out a small breath and concentrated on her nerves. Hermione stared down at her plate and was caught off guard when Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her closer before whispering in her ear.
"Is THAT Draco Malfoy?" he whispered incredulously as he pointed at the door to the great hall. Harry had to hold back laughter as he looked at the usually impeccably dressed boy. Hermione smiled at Draco's sudden change. He had on a dark brown sweater and a pair of black dress pants, his bangs hung down over his forehead making him look younger and giving him a soft look about him. Hermione has to blush at his sudden change of attire, knowing that he was doing it so that he could blend in a bit more with the casually dressed Gryffindors. Hermione forced down a giggle when she saw the reaction given by the Slytherin table, Pansy's jaw had dropped down to nearly hit the table while Crab and Goyle scrunched up their nose and look like they were trying to solve an intricate puzzle. Draco's entire face was pink as he noticed the way people were staring at him. He locked eyes with Hermione and made his way over to her, sitting down between her and Harry.
"Hey Malfoy" Harry said, forcing his voice to sound overly friendly and giving Draco a smile.
"Potter" Draco replied, giving Harry the smallest of smiles and moving his pinky finger so that it brushed up against Hermione's. "How are you Hermione?" he questioned quietly, highly aware over the stunned silence that has fallen over most of the hall. Draco was used to making himself the center of attention, but that was usually because he acted like a bully and he was the instigator of the whole situation. He did not appreciate eyes all over him when he really hadn't done anything to get people's attention. He felt a pang of sympathy for the boy sitting next to him and wished he could take back all the times he made Harry the butt of the joke.
"I'm great" Hermione replied happily, it eased her to have Draco so near to her rather than all the way across the hall. It was nice to be able to talk to him rather than just making eye contacts with one another. "I like your outfit it's very… soft" she commented, reaching for his arm to run her fingers over the fabric. Draco let out an uncharacteristic giggle and Harry bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. Hermione and Draco clearly did something to one another to make them behave this way.
"Thanks, I thought about what you said earlier and I thought it might be nice to just be… comfy for once" he replied thoughtfully. He was really self-conscious about his outfit and it helped that Hermione liked it. Although he did not feel like he looked intimidating or powerful, but he didn't feel like he needed that when he was with her.
"I like it Malfoy, it makes you look more like a teenager" Harry interjected, hoping he could create at least a semblance of a decent relationship with Malfoy. Ron stood up from the table quickly and stormed out of the hall. Draco bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from making a bitter remark about the actions of Hermione's friend. Ron may be a complete ass to her at times, but for some reason she really cared about him and wanted to continue their friendship.
"Just ignore him, he hasn't been in a very good mood lately" Harry said quickly in an attempt to smooth everything over. People were still staring at Draco like he was a bomb about to go off at any moment.
"Shame, dinner looks great tonight. You ought to bring him a plate after dinner is over" Draco replied keeping his composure and wanting to be friendly even though he wanted nothing more than to go after the ginger and confront him about what he was doing to Hermione. Slowly people began to start eating and they turned back to their own conversations while still keeping half an eye out to see what Draco would do. He noticed and did his best to perform his role perfectly. Dinner continued from that point almost normally, Nevil even chimed into the conversation every once in a while to nervously spout out a fact that he had learned or something funny that had happened to him. Draco enjoyed being at the Gryffindor table and found that it was honestly even a little bit relaxing to be sitting and talking with them. He was delighted to find out that Harry was rather intelligent and could carry on a good conversation. He also learned that Harry and Hermione were very close and that Harry was very protective over her.
Dinner came to a close and people began to drift out of the hall and back to their respective dormitories. Pansy an a few other of Draco's friends remained rooted in their seats watching Draco like a hawk as if they were ready to swoop in at any moment to rescue him.
"Hey Hermione, why don't you and I leave together and go back to the tower, it looks like Draco is going to get stuck having to have a very awkward conversation with his friends" Harry interrupted, gesturing to the Slytherin table.
"Harry is right, it would probably be best if you avoided that for now" Draco agreed looking down at her sympathetically. Hermione scrunched up her nose, she hated being told what to do, even when it was in her best interest.
"Yeah I suppose so, but since I won't get to be here for it, I might as well stir things up" she replied taking Draco's face between her hands and placing a kiss directly on his lips before standing up. "Tomorrow we will shake things up at your table" she promised and left the hall with Harry close behind her.