Everything was quiet after the Yule Ball. Harry and Ron returned to be friends, almost as if they had forgotten about hurting Hermione's feelings. The two had no idea what happened after, and she chose to keep it that way. Malfoy had kept his space from her, barely even looking at her in classes. She kept with Ron and Harry, but would often times split from the group and go to the library. She would often glance up when she would find him walking around appearing to collect new books close by. She often knew he was nearby when she smelled spearmint.

There was a clash of thunder that echoed in the corridor of the basement as students started to get ready to leave for the evening. Hermione looked up as she placed her potion's book into her bag. Ron shrugged his shoulders. "I don't remember anyone talking about a storm tonight."

"It's been storming on and off, you can't act like it's a surprise," Harry responded.

Hermione frowned as she stood from the desk and took a step back bumping back into someone. "Watch it mudblood." A stern voice spoke above a whisper loud enough for Crabbe and Goyle to start snickering in the corner of their desk. Ron looked back when he heard the two start to chuckle. Malfoy took a step forward as Hermione stepped back.

Ron moved in front of her. "Watch it Malfoy." He spoke back.
Malfoy just sneered at him. "Look at you protecting her."

"Shut up Malfoy." Harry spoke as he looked at the others now.

"Why? You seem to pick and choose when you do. You didn't at the Yule Ball, if I remember right you picked on her for having a good time." He smirked. "Left her crying at the bottom of the steps as you two ran off to your dorm."

"You have no idea what was going." Ron snapped back again at him.

Hermione just stepped away. "Don't bother with Malfoy, he's not worth the time, I want to go before the halls get crowded." She stepped around Ron and Harry.

Professor Snape was already there before she could leave the classroom. Snape looked at the three boys. "Is there a problem?" His face was emotionless as he spoke.

Malfoy looked at Professor Snape before he spoke up again. "Some people just need to pay attention."

"You called her something Malfoy, what did you call Hermione." Ron spoke as his cheeks turned red from anger. "You called her that nasty name again didn't you?"
"What's it to you Weasley." He growled back.

"If this bickering continues, I will take 10 points away from each one of you. This ends now." Professor Snape spoke as he stood near the three. Harry grabbed Ron by his right shoulder and headed for the door where Hermione stood. All three walked away down the hallway. Hermione listened to Ron and Harry as they started to bicker about Malfoy and his behavior.

The sad thing though Malfoy wasn't wrong about their behavior at the Yule Ball. The thunder once more echoed in the hallways as they made their journey up the spiral staircase and into the main entrance. Lightening flickered in the moving windowpane glass, the figures seemed to jump at the light. Hermione stopped at the top of the first flight. "I'm just going to go to the library for a little bit."

"It's the weekend. Why don't you just hang out with us in the common room." Harry spoke as he placed his left hand on the stone staircase. "You don't have to keep hanging out there. Krum has left you alone now hasn't he?"

"You know Krum was never the reason I went to the library. You shouldn't be bothered if he was still hanging around with me." Hermione spoke as she furrowed her brows. "I'm taking an extra class remember? I take my studies seriously, unlike you two."

"Hermione it's the last weekend before the next challenge we should do something," Harry spoke. "I don't understand why you've been acting like this."

"Shouldn't you still focus on the riddle that the mermaids said?" Hermione spoke in a concerned tone. "Acting like this? Because I want to focus on something? Obviously you aren't."
"Hermione I have it, it's nothing to worry about." He replied back. "You've been acting so distant lately."

"It feels like you've been hanging out more in the library than you usually do, that's all." Ron finally spoke up. "What was that earlier with Malfoy you usually speak up for yourself, but you just seemed like you wanted to leave and you acted like you didn't care."

"Because I don't, what is the point he's obviously going to keep doing what he's going to do." She shrugged her shoulders as she started to walk up the stairs to head towards the hall towards the library.

Ron reached out and took her by her left shoulder trying to get her to stop. "Bloody hell what did he even say to you?"

Hermione pulled her arm away from him. "I said it doesn't matter now drop it." She took a couple of steps back. "I'm going to go the library don't wait up." She waved her hand in the air as she walked away from Ron and Harry, both watched her a bit confused as she walked away. She was distancing herself from her friend group, and things were changing, after that night she felt hurt and abandoned by them, but she still tried to keep the peace by tagging along. She was starting to feel like she was just a useful tool when they needed a problem solved. They had no idea the inner turmoil they started the night of the dance.

She found her way to the library and entered without a sound. She hurried off into the little area she liked to study in close to the window looking out over the lake. Digging in her bag she pulled out her book but stopped when she noticed something fall. A small paper crane. "I don't remember making this." She whispered.

The rain was hitting the glass heavily as the storm seemed to pick up a little bit more, the sound of thunder ringing through the library's tall walls. The books she thought would have muffled the sound, but it still echoed through. She unfolded the bird carefully and she noticed a little bit of writing. 'You don't talk much to your friends now, do you? They seem to leave you out of the conversations even in class.' The note read. She realized then when she bumped into Malfoy, he had slipped something into her bag. A small note. Had Malfoy been watching her interaction with Harry and Ron after the fight at the dance, but now was it obvious that their little friend group had been fractured? A frown formed on her lips as she refolded the crane back into its beautiful form.

Malfoy noticed the shift within her friend group, and how she was starting to feel isolated. She paused for a brief moment, 'spearmint' she whispered.

"You know everyone is off celebrating getting ready for the next challenge in the Triwizard Tournament. I thought you would be off with Potter and Weasley, but from the looks of it you broke away." His voice was low.

Hermione turned around and looked up to see Malfoy near a bookshelf. The book he held was open as he appeared to read and not make eye contact. "I figured you would be off making wages about Harry's demise." She picked up a book next to him on the second shelf.

"I'm not always so tasteless." He chuckled.

She frowned as she glanced up at him. "You are when you call me a mudblood."

Malfoy slammed the book shut as he looked down at her after she jumped. "I have to do my part to hide this. Do you have a better idea of how we can communicate or even interact?"

She kept her eyes on the book as she flipped through the pages. "Do you mean the way you slipped me the note? Was that the only way you think you can communicate?"

"I can't talk to you with people around. This is the first time I've been able to talk to you since the dance." He smirked. "Those two can talk to you whenever they want, but they don't seem to care to involve you, except tonight, it felt like they were trying to get you to hang out, but you chose to come to the library instead. How come?"

Hermione looked up to him sadly. "Do you really care to know the answer?"

Malfoy shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't matter Granger, unless it means something to you."

She closed the book and placed the book back into place. "I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you, to be honest. I was hoping for a quiet moment so we could speak again. We didn't plan on how to proceed after the dance."

"So you want to come up with a spot where we can talk in private?" A light flashed once more as the thunder rolled a few seconds later. The sound from the clashing clouds was getting louder and the library seemed to roar within the columns of books.

"I think it would be wise, I don't want to be treated like that again." She paused for a moment. "Maybe somewhere people don't normally go."

"Like the astronomy tower when no one is taking classes? It's quiet up there." He murmured.

"You aren't wrong, I've noticed many students walk right by the staircase and not bother to go upstairs." She looked at him with a faint smile. "Will that be our safe spot so we can talk?"
"For the time being." He glanced over to the window as another flash streaked across.

"Til the time comes when we are forced to cut ties." She whispered back as the thunder growled again. The library was silent, there wasn't a soul around. Many were too busy celebrating the next event in the tournament. This was another moment when they could be together and not be bothered by anyone.

Malfoy nodded as he looked back down to her. "Until that moment comes, we will try to make things work."

She nodded before she whispered out. "Do you remember the first day we met?"

"When you walked into the meadow and you were playing with the dandelions, making the seeds dance around you like a symphony." He chuckled. "You didn't even see me sitting up in the tree reading."

"It wasn't until I fell in a gopher hole that you revealed yourself after." She spoke feeling a little embarrassed remembering that day. "You were laughing so hard you almost fell out of the tree."

"Yeah, but sometimes you have to make a grand entrance, yours was falling and almost twisting your ankle." He chuckled again.

"It's been a minute since you've laughed like this hasn't it? You are always so quiet or when you do you just smirking." She frowned as she watched his smile fade. "You always have to keep up some kind of facade when you are around others."

"You do what you have to survive right?" He took a step back. "You know it's going to happen soon, you need to learn how to survive now."

"Because of Voldemort?" Hermione whispered.

Malfoy nodded. "Like I said he's back."

Hermione frowned. "There is no way he can get into the school."

"That old fool won't be able to protect this castle, he's getting old and slow." He took a step away.

Hermione followed after as she shook her head. "If Voldemort could get in he would have done it already without help."

"He has and so have others." He sat in the corner of the library in an old chair near the window.

Hermione sat across from him next to the window, a table rested between them. "How do you know this?"

Malfoy was silent as he looked at her sadly. "If I tell you things, I need you to promise to not question what I say or repeat what I say if you want to keep both of us safe."

Hermione nodded as she looked back at him. "This friendship isn't going to last long is it?"

Malfoy shook his head as he looked away. "No."

"You plan on following in your father's footsteps don't you?" Her voice was soft as the rain started to patter against the window once more.

"You think you can stop tradition mudblood?" His voice was cold, but he didn't look at her. "Do you think those that stood against Voldemort really thought they would win? Look at Potter's parents. A mudblood and a pureblood were murdered because they decided to fight against him."

"They made a choice Malfoy. I think that's your choice to break the cycle Malfoy and stand against this." She watched him carefully. He was going back into one of his moods, he was getting upset with her. She could tell when he would call her dreadful names and now he was dragging the dead into the conversation.

"You can't change destiny Granger." Malfoy shook his head.

"Us hanging out, you don't think that's not changing destiny?" She spoke carefully now trying to not aggravate him further.

"Just like Potter and Voldemort will have to fight until the other is no longer alive?" He replied looking back at her. "I plan on being on the winning side."

"I'm on the losing side then?" She stood up and started to walk away. She was upset now. Did he truly think that choosing the winning side would ensure his safety? That it meant that he would survive just by following his family to the dark side of the wizarding world.

Malfoy stood quickly and reached over taking her left hand into his. "Stop."

Hermione turned around when she felt him take her hand. "You might survive, but do you really think that's really living?"

Malfoy fell silent at her words. "Do you think I'm really living now?"

Hermione frowned as she shook her head. "No, but I think you reaching out to me like when we were little shows that you are trying."

Faint sounds of voices could be heard from a few aisles away. Malfoy let go of her hand and walked away as Hermione went back to looking for a new book on the shelf they were in front of. She was trying to look busy as Malfoy hurried off. They had a moment where she could try to reach him, and he could continue to give her warnings. They had a place where they could hide and talk more when they could. For now, their conversation had to end. They had to leave the conversation on the back burner until they could see each other again.