A/N: I haven't wrote in a while, but thought what better way to begin again and be able to get reviews from others to help improve my writing. I will leave my if you like it, please review and I will continue on with the next chapter!

I do not own Harry Potter. Just this story line.

Chapter Three.

It didn't take Ginny long before she was turning to Hermione for answers.

"Explain! What was that about?" Asked Ginny, shutting the dormitory door and seeing that none of the others girls were in.

"Explain what?" Asked Hermione, once she placed her books in her trunk and acting as if for once, she didn't know what someone was talking about.

"What do you mean, what? You know what I'm talking about. You were gone the afternoon and I knew the boys were looking for you. I saw you in the courtyard with him. Malfoy. What were you doing?"

"Ginny, I was only having a conversation with him. Why does it matter?" Ginny looked flabbergasted that Hermione was brushing it off.

"Why does it matter? It's the ferret of all people. He has a twisted soul, he has hurt you numerous times. What insult did he have to throw out this time?"

"He never insulted me today." She stood from her bed, peeked out the dormitory door and shut it. "Ginny, please promise me that you will not tell the boys what I'm going to tell you."

She hesitated, "I can't lie to Harry."

"I'm not asking you to lie to him. I will tell Harry and Ron soon enough, I just need to figure out what this means. I went for a walk before dinner as you know. I went to the Black Lake and Malfoy was there. We talked for a bit before we walked back to the castle - to the courtyard. He asked if I would be his friend. He said he wanted to change, and he was working on it."

"Excuse me?"

"My thoughts exactly. I thought he may have been playing some sort of joke, but he promises he isn't. He told me he wanted to change, he didn't want to be the man that his dad made him believe he had to be."

Ginny stared at Hermione for a moment, as if she couldn't process the information that was just thrown at her.

"Well, I always thought he was good looking wizard, but he was such a foul git that I couldn't get passed it."

"Ginny!" exclaimed Hermione, "Of what I just told you-"

Ginny waved her hand and cut Hermione off, "Well, what did you tell him? He basically gave you a friendship proposal."

"Please don't say it like that." Winced Hermione. "I ended up accepting it. We talked about the past some. I think we still have a lot to discuss, but some things were mentioned, and I finally accepted. Maybe I can help him become a better person. If not, there is always punching him in the face again."

"After all the times he has called you and you know what though?" she shuddered. "I don't even like saying the word because its so vile."

"Yes, and I mentioned that. He told me I should be proud to be a muggle-born because of how successful I have been."

Ginny gaped. "Hermione, are you sure you were speaking to Draco Malfoy? This doesn't sound like him at all."

They sat in silence for a moment, before Ginny broke the silence again. "What about Ron?"

"What about Ron?" asked Hermione, confused.

"He likes you Hermione. Then what In Merlin is Harry going to say about this?" Ginny sat wide eyed, thinking of it all in her mind.

"Ron likes me, I know. We spoke before dinner too and I told him I didn't think it Why does that matter? Draco has nothing to do with it."

"Oh, it's Draco now? Are you sure he doesn't have anything to do with it?"

"I just had this conversation with him! If we are friends, of course we are going to be on a first name basis. I haven't had feelings like that for Ron for a while now!"

Just then a tap came on the window of the dormitory tower, Ginny glanced to Hermione before going to the owl that was now sitting at the ledge of the window waiting for one of them to open it to let it in.

"What is it?" asked Hermione, once Ginny took the letter from the owl as the girl looked at the letter.

"It's for you." Said Ginny, handing her the envelope. Hermione glanced at the front of the envelope that was address to Hermione. By a handwriting that she wasn't familiar with. Going back to her bed and shooing for Ginny to back away from her so she wasn't breathing down her neck, Hermione tore open the letter.

"Who is it from?" Asked Ginny impatiently, wanting to get back to her conversation they were having moments before. Hermione took in a breath before looking up to Ginny.

"It's from Malfoy." Ginny said, jumping back up from her bed at once. "Ginny, stop it!" as the girl had rushed over to try to read the letter.

Hermione,

Hi. I' not used to writing letters, so this is strange for me. I noticed at

dinner you came in late and was with Weasley. Things didn't look to

good so I hope you're all right. I am only writing this like I said before

we departed earlier. Would you like to meet for a bit this evening? We

don't even have to speak to each other, we can just study. Meet me in

the library if you would like. I am headed there now.

-D

"Yes, so what exactly happened before dinner?" asked Ginny, reading the letter once Hermione had finished reading it. Hermione almost didn't hear her as her heart was suddenly racing.

"Oh-yes.. Well, he pulled me to the side and confessed that he had feelings for me and he wanted to move forward." Said Hermione frowning, "I feel awful."

"Oh, he will be fine. It's his own fault for waiting too long." said Ginny, unsure of what else she could say about her brother. She loved him dearly, but boy could he be thick sometimes. "Well, what are you going to do? Are you going to go to the library?"

Hermione glanced once more to the letter still clenched in her hands. "Yes, I think I am. Just to see what else he has to say or do." she gathered her bag and stood up.

"You're not seriously going to go to study are you?" asked Ginny wide eyed, "Come on!"

"What?! We are meeting in the library, what do you expect?"

"Good grief woman, the library closes in 45 minutes for the night. I'm sure you aren't going to stay in the library the entire time." she winked, hoping Hermione understand what else she was trying to insinuate.

Hermione groaned, "Ginny do you not know that the library is opened longer for 7th years?" Ginny didn't have time to say anything as Hermione was leaving the dormitory. "Bye!" she said quickly before disappearing down the stairs.

When Hermione entered the library, it was quieter than usual. Very few students, lingered around the shelves as most didn't want to be in this late in the evening. Hermione continued to walk around, trying to find the blonde boy. She walked around for nearly ten minutes, unsure if Draco had even made it to the library or if he decided not to come after he wrote the letter.

"Pst." She heard from behind her. She turned on her heel, looking to where the noise had come from. Draco leaned against a bookshelf at the end of the aisle Hermione had just walked through.

"Iv'e been looking everywhere for you." He smirked, motioning for her to follow.

"That is because I'm in the furthest part of the library. I don't think other students come back this far, or even realize what is back here." Said Draco as he led the way. Hermione frowned, knowing where they were going. Of course she knew.

"You've known this was back here? I've been back here often after finding it in our third year and I've never seen you."

"I only found it in our 6th year. When I was-" he stopped talking, not wanting to recap that year and the things that he had personally gone through. The torture from Voldemort, the lurking of Snape, the talks from his parents and how his father was so displeased of the failures he had with Dumbledore.

"It's alright, I understand." They made it to where Draco had wanted to bring her and let Hermione walk through first. An archway that was made to be a bookcase, that lead up to its own room of the library. The fireplace was roaring, giving the room plenty of warmth, sofa, chairs and tables along the room giving any student anything they made need for a study session.

"Draco, I'm sorry for all that happened that year." He didn't say anything.

"I don't want to talk about that." He snapped, causing Hermione to flinch. He sighed, realizing he snapped too hard. "Are we going to study or would you like to do something else?" Hermione had an alarm at once go off in her head and she thought of Ginny's words. She was going to hurt that girl when she got back to her dormitory. Draco stood there looking as if he didn't mean anything in particular but Hermione couldn't help but blush.

"Uhh-No- Lets study."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes! Let's just work. Our history of magic essay I need to finish it."

"That is due in a week."

"Yes?"

he rolled his eyes. "You truly are a know-it-all."

They sat together at a table, Hermione now unsure of having the sofa and cushions in the room. Her mind was running a thousand thoughts a second after their conversation. She stared at Draco, knowing he had always been attractive, his blond hair falling down on his face, his piercing grey eyes, focused on the book he had pulled out in front of him. She could see his broad muscular shoulders through the white button up shirt he wore. His head was resting on the palm of his hand as he read, which stretched his neck out and Hermione couldn't help but to stare as she suddenly wanted to brush the hair out of his face.

"You're staring." said Draco suddenly, catching Hermione as she didn't realize he had glanced up. She jumped, causing her to drop her book off the table and her gaze suddenly leaving him. The book landed with a thud and they both went down at the same time to reach for it and their hands brushed together. Hermione jolted her hand back up to the table, but it didn't seem to bother Draco as he grabbed the book and handed it back to Hermione.

"Why were you just staring?" asked Draco.

"I didn't mean too, I was just lost in thought." mumbled Hermione, not wanting to return the gaze to him. Why was she suddenly nervous? This time a year ago, he was looking she wasn't hexing him. Now they sat together at a table, talking to each other.

"About?"

"If we are friends.. we barely know each other."

"Well yes, because we despised each other growing up." Hermione narrowed her eyes. "I was a pompous jerk. Is that any better?" he rolled his sleeves up, and Hermione couldn't help as her view went straight for the faded scar that was on his left forearm. He saw Hermione look and quickly covered it back up. "Granger. Do I need to leave?"

"No! It's fine, It's just a scar now?" asked Hermione, trying to not look back at his arm as he pushed his sleeve back down.

"When he fell, my arm hurt for a few weeks after. Every day it seemed to fade more and more which I was very happy about; hoping that it would fade completely. Unfortunately I wasn't so lucky. Now it looks like this hideous mess."

"It's not that bad. Maybe within time it will fade more as you get older."

"Doubtful, so do you want to actually get to know me? The boy that made fun of you and called you mudblood for all those years?"

Hermione flinched, which Draco caught and he immediately was cursing under his breath.

"Damn it. I didn't mean it as if I was calling you that, I'm just saying as in the past."

"I know you say you want to change. You want me to be your friend and help you, but we need to get one thing straight, like I said earlier. I don't want to ever hear that word come from you again, or no friendship"

"You really can be feisty. I should have known that when you punched me in the face." he grinned, as he saw her get redder in the face with the sudden irritation.

"Deal?!"

"Yes! Fuck- We have a deal. I won't say the word again."

They sat there for a while silent, looking at their books they had brought to study but found they both were unable to even concentrate in the presence of one another. Then finally, breaking the silence they began talking to one another again. Getting to know one another, Hermione talking about her muggle parents and how life was before she had received her Hogwarts letter. How Draco of course, grew up in a pure blooded family. Being able to fly around his home on his broom, but always being alone. His father not being home to often, and when he was home, often criticizing Draco for anything he did.

"I hate the man. I hope that I never have to see him again in my life time." he sighed, having some relief of saying that of his father. The amount of effort Draco ever did for him, was never enough.

"Did you ever truly follow his motive?" asked Hermione quietly, almost afraid to ask the question. Draco looked at her for a moment, unsure at first.

"I followed them because they were my parents. I thought they knew best and when I made questions and disagreed with them, I was punished. My father liked to punish me cruelly. Which is another reason why I was such a prat, I know I still am," he chuckled, making fun of himself. "but part of the reason was because he had spies everywhere. I was afraid of him learning about anything. I was only watching out for myself."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You are trying now and that is what matters. It is better late than never, right?"

He glanced at his watch and wide eyed it as he double checked it again. "Shit! We better go! It's midnight!"

They quickly gathered their books together, as if there had been any point of them bringing them in the first place because no studying had been done this evening. Once they gathered their bags together, they walked through the library very quietly. No one else had obviously been in the library, but the last thing they wanted to do was find Madam Pince lurking through the bookshelves and see them wondering.

"I guess I will see you tomorrow?" whispered Hermione, once they made it out of the library.

Draco shook his head, "I can walk you to your tower."

"It's on the seventh floor! You go the dungeons, you don't need to walk me up there and all the way back down. Thats to much of a risk this late at night, you'll get caught."

"I don't sleep in the dungeons." he began to walk, gesturing for Hermione to follow him.

"What do you mean? Where do you sleep then?" asked Hermione as she began to follow him up the stairs.

"Blaise and I aren't exactly welcomed anymore in Slytherin. Some of them still hold it against us that we were actually pretty thrilled that the Dark Lord was defeated by Potter. We found a place that we were able to make our own dormitory."

"Oh! Wow, where is this at?"

"It's actually on the seventh floor."

"You mean the room of requirement?"

he shook his head as they neared the fifth floor. "No, but its near that room. It's just like a dormitory. We have a portrait we need to know the password too, once you're inside we have a common room, bathroom and we have our own room. It's actually pretty large and it's nice to be away from the others."

"On my floor? How have I never known of this or I can't believe Harry doesn't know of it either!" her mind raced, thinking of looking at the map of Harry's to see if she would be able to find it on there.

"I don't think anyone really knows of it, since its just the two of us there. Professor McGonagall helped us with it."

They were now on the seventh floor, walking down the corridor to the Gryffindor tower. Hermione frowned, unsure if she wanted the night to actually end and Draco seem to think the same way as his walking pace slowed down.

"Thanks for meeting me this evening." said Draco shyly, looking at her as they had stopped half way down the corridor so they couldn't hear the snores of the Fat Lady.

"Yes, of course. Anytime, maybe one day we will actually study together." she said smiling, and he smirked once more.

"Doubtful." she was starting to like that smirk of his more, but eventually she would get a smile out of him. A real genuine smile from Draco Malfoy. She wanted to make him feel happy that he could take on the world, and not feel so broken from the fault of his parents.

"Did you have a nice time? Would you like to meet again?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, I did. Who would've thought that I may have actually enjoyed your company?" he asked, jokingly with her. "I'm free when ever you want to meet. Remember, I asked for you to be my friend and you accepted it so I want to take advantage of it before you toss me away because you find that you really do hate me."

"What? Would you think that? Most of the night was good."

He tilted his head as he clicked his tongue. "There. You said most of the night. I still messed up once or twice."

"Don't talk down on yourself so much like that."

"Goodnight, Hermione. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Of course, goodnight." he hesitated once again, just as he had done so in the courtyard after their Black Lake talk. Hermione didn't move as she waited for him to leave her in the corridor. He looked down at her and Hermione looked up to him. Just as he came down to her to kiss her cheek, Hermione moved her head ever so slightly where his lips landed on the corner of her mouth but it didn't stop him from leaving a kiss behind.

As they both blushed profusely, they both stared at one another before quickly leaving each other walking in different directions. The only thing they didn't know was as they walked away from one another, they both had grins on their faces.