CHAPTER 15

A/N: A huge shout out to all my reviewer! You guys keep me going! Hope this chapter is okay for you. I have the next couple of chapters almost fully edited, so they will be posted in the next for days.

The next morning, Hermione got a nice late start to the day. She was feeling sluggish and had to perform a few extra charms to lessen her puffy eyes and the dark circles under her eyes. She was confused over what had happened the night before, and she needed someone to talk to. Harry would normally be her first choice, but for some reason she felt strange talking to him about it. Ginny was the obvious choice, and she sent out an owl asking her if she could meet for lunch.

Normally, she would be getting ready for work, but because she had been given time off, she was looking for things to do until lunch. She received an owl from her boss excusing her from work, and telling her to let him know if she needed anything. So far, no one else knew what was going on, and Hermione felt happy for it. The last thing she needed was a mass of people trying to make her feel better. She had always been better at dealing by herself. Plus, she had too many thoughts to sort out to be dealing with other people.

After her apartment was cleaned spotless, her books all organized, and her paperwork finished. Hermione was glad to see she could leave to meet with Ginny. She really needed to talk to someone about what had happened last night. It was the only thing she wasn't able to work out on her own. Her parents? No problem, she could deal with that privately, but this Draco thing? Beyond her.

She arrived at the little café that they frequented only moments before Ginny. The two women took their seats after hugging hello and exchanging pleasantries.

"Okay, now tell me what is really going on? I can tell something is up; I could see that charm on your eyes from a mile away!"

Hermione raised a hand to her eyes self-consciously. "That bad?" Hermione asked.

"No, I just know you well enough. I can see the signs. Don't worry, nobody who doesn't know you would ever know." She smiled kindly at Hermione and asked their waiter for water.

Hermione ordered water also, but felt like she might need something a bit stronger to get through the conversation she needed to have with Ginny.

"So what's going on?"

"My parents are dead." Hermione didn't see any reason to ease into the situation, but felt it would be more productive to just get the facts out in the open. She blinked quickly to try and stop the tears that sprang to her eyes. All day long, she had been trying to fight back tears.

"Merlin, Hermione! I am so sorry! What happened?" Ginny grasped for Hermione's hand that lay on the table. She shooed away the waiter who had popped up and turned to her friend with a concerned look on her face.

"It was a car accident. You know, a muggle car?" At Ginny's nod, Hermione continued, "I don't know all the details yet. I haven't worked up the courage to find out. All I know is that they are really gone. I just can't wrap my mind around it. I mean, I know that I had lost them, but they were still alive at least! I don't know what to do!"

"Well I think it is important that you deal with your grief and don't let it consume you. Have you cried about it yet?" Ginny had wrapped both her hands about Hermione's one hand and she was holding on tight.

"That is actually the real reason that I wanted to meet with you," Hermione admitted.

"Because you really wanted to have a good cry in your favorite café?"

"Ummm, no. I kind of cried all over someone last night."

Ginny's eyebrows shot up. "Well I know it wasn't Harry because he was with me last night. I know it wasn't Ron because the two of you hardly ever talk anymore, so who was it?"

Hermione sighed, "That's what I need to talk to you about. I am very confused, and you know I don't get confused very often."

Ginny nodded in agreement and motioned for Hermione to continue.

"It was Draco."

"Draco Malfoy!?"

"Yes. I am honestly not sure how it even happened! One minute I was crying on the ground and the next he was sitting next to me. Then I was just sobbing into his chest. He just sat there and held me while I cried. He knew exactly what to say to make me feel better and it did! And it made me feel better!"

Ginny looked startled at this all. "Harry mentioned that he seemed different the two times that he has seen him, but that is interesting. He actually touched you? Willingly? And we are sure this is Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes! That was my thought too. He seemed so sincere. So honest. I mean, do people really change that much, Ginny?" Hermione asked the most important question in her mind. It was a question that had been bouncing about in there all day. Did people change? Could they?

"I don't know. I just can't think of an anterior motive for holding you while you cried. I mean, what could he have possibly gotten out of that other than honestly being worried about you. That day that you saw him at the restaurant Harry never told me exactly what happened."

"He touched me then too, put his hand on my arm, and then he shook my hand. He thanked me for standing up for him at his trial. I'm sure you know about that. He also apologized for everything he had ever done to me. I mean he seemed so sincere. He seemed so open, like a completely different person. He didn't have that tight mask that he always used to wear. I could see actual emotions on his face. It was…strange."

Ginny nodded her head, thinking it over. "I don't know what to tell you, Hermione. I will be the first person to tell you that he used to be a complete prat, but I also believe that people can change. Maybe he did. Maybe he realized the wrongness of what he had done? I mean he must have proven to the Ministry that he was reformed or he wouldn't have been let out of his probation. Right?"

Hermione thought about it for a minute. He had been on magical probation for two years. She had no idea what he had done in those two years. Maybe he really had changed? Harry had told her that McGonagall said he had helped at the Castle and that he had become friends with Hagrid. Maybe it was time to find out just what Draco had done on his probation.

"Thanks for being honest. I am just confused by the whole situation and needed someone to talk to."

"You know you can talk to me any time, Hermione," Ginny gave Hermione's hand one last squeeze and let it go. The two of them chatted for some time about mundane topics, and Hermione was glad. Ginny understood that Hermione was done with the topic and would bring it up later when the witch had more time to process the situation. As for the death of her parents, Ginny was positive that Hermione did not want to talk anymore about it. She was sure that eventually Harry would let her know how Hermione was doing. It seemed like the only person Hermione felt comfortable talking to about things like that was Harry. Ginny had often wondered if this should make her feel jealous, but in the end she was just happy that Hermione had someone to talk to. Ginny knew how good of a listener Harry could be, and she was sure that Harry was not keeping things from her.

The two finished lunch and headed their separate ways.

Ginny pushed open the door to the little home that she and Harry shared. Harry should be home because he had the day off, and sure enough, she found him sitting in the kitchen drinking tea.

"How was lunch?" Harry asked, a pleasant smile lighting up his features. Ginny let out a long sigh, she kissed him softly, and took a seat at the table next to him.

Harry watched as she lowered her head gently to the table, her red hair splaying out around her.

"What happened?"

Ginny wasn't sure where to start. "Hermione found out last night that he mum and dad died."

Harry jerked in the chair next to her, his hand automatically falling to her back and rubbing comforting circles. "Bloody hell. How is she handling it?"

"In her own way. You know Hermione…always dealing with things on her own, on her own terms. Honestly, I was surprised that she told me and not you, but I think the only reason she did was because of the second thing that happened."

"Something else happened?" Harry asked, his hand had moved to brush her hair just how he knew she liked it.

"Oh yes, something very strange. Strange enough that it had her all confused and tied in knots." Ginny raised her head, wanting to meet his eyes when she told him. "After she found out, there was someone there to comfort her."

"Sam?" Harry asked. They had heard nothing about Sam in the last while, and both were slightly glad for the fact. The werewolf had a bad temper, and neither wanted Hermione in the cross fire.

"Umm, no. Not Sam. This guy sat with her, held her while she cried, and comforted her with perfect words."

"Ok this sounds like no body I am aware of in her life. This wasn't a stranger was it? Because it should have been one of us with her."

Ginny reached out and grabbed hold of Harry's arm, stilling his hand on her head. "Oh it is someone we know, but not someone you would ever suspect."

"Ginny, just tell me."

"It was Malfoy."

"I'm sorry, I think I miss heard you, because I could swear that you just informed me that Malfoy comforted Hermione?"

Ginny grinned, her eyes twinkling. "No, you didn't hear wrong. Draco Malfoy, held a crying Hermione at night, in a park. Draco Malfoy comforted her when she was at her lowest. He actually made her feel better."

Harry was floored, he couldn't think of a response. Sure he had seen the change that Draco had obviously gone through, but to willing hold a crying Hermione Granger? A girl that he had called Mudblood all through school? A girl that he had sneer and jeered at for years? That just seemed like too much.

"She's all tied in knots. Asking me if people can really change. If Draco can really change. I think she felt something."

"Don't be ridiculous, Gin. This is Malfoy we are talking about. Hermione would never feel anything for a prat like him. I don't care if he is reformed; how could she ever fully forgive him for the things that he did to her?"

Ginny hummed softly, standing and wrapping her arms around his neck. "People change, Harry. I've changed, you've changed. Anyway, I'm sure that she is just upset, sad, and confused. I am sure that I just misread her. Don't you worry your pretty little head. You are not going to lose her to Malfoy."

A/N: You have reached the end of yet another chapter. Hope you enjoyed! Please drop me a review and let me know what you thought!