This chapter is dedicated to pgoodrichboggs! Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews and words of encouragement! I don't think you know how much your words inspired me to bang out this chapter in one night. You are amazeballs!

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"I hope not." Hermione said, her voice cracking at the end. She had wanted it to come across as a joke but their past would not permit that kind of nonchalance to be used. As they made the turn at the closest corner she glanced up to take in his profile .

Malfoy expelled a deep breath before meeting her gaze. His eyebrow arched up as an unsure grin crossed his lips. "But, I am a hero tonight Granger! And the Hero Guide clearly states I cannot wound, maim, mutilate or otherwise cause any bodily harm to a maiden. Which you would qualify as... Right?"

She felt the blush creep up her neck and into her cheeks. She quickly looked down to the ground, choosing to ignore the primary implication of his question and instead concentrated on the path in front of them. "Yes. I am still very much female..."

"Lucky for you. If you weren't such a pretty little thing I probably would have left you to rot." He said simply. She felt his whole body stiffen against hers as what he said registered to them both. Draco Malfoy had just called her pretty... When had Hermione jumped into the freaking Twilight Zone? Was he that drunk?! He had to be... Nothing else would be able to explain his behavior. She could hear him swallowing loudly as if he was just as dumbstruck by his admission as she had been.

Slowly the rest of his confession registered and she grimaced against the words at the end of his sentence. He would have left her to die if she wasn't pretty? Like her only redeeming attribute was her looks... Of course, considering who she was talking with, it might have simply been a backhanded compliment. She was just a Mudblood to him. The lowest of the low. Lower than the revolting Muggles. According to the way he had been brought up he should have killed her in that room and like he said- left her body to rot... But he had found one redeeming quality in her worthy enough to save. She should be grateful, not offended that there was a reason. Even if it was such a superficial one.

"Th... Thanks. I think..." She whispered, offering him an olive branch. He hadn't meant to be so morbid. Or say what he had about her looks... She could feel that from the tension rolling off of him. That was probably how Death Eaters and, subsequently, their families talked. When you were surrounded by death the psyche tended to do some twisted things to protect the mind, like making jokes out of it. She could only imagine the invisible scars left on the boy who was helping her.

Draco snorted in her ear and shook his head. He didn't make any indication that he wanted to continue their conversation so Hermione let it drop. She didn't want to push and cause something in him to snap, when it came to a Malfoy that mistake could prove to be quite destructive. Especially for someone with her blood status and antagonistic past with him. Even with her DA training she didn't think she was in good enough shape to take him on if he decided to try to use magic against her. Hell... A fly could probably topple her in her current state…

In silence they made decent progress. They didn't encounter anyone on the way which was a small blessing in this evening full of nightmares. Her mind ruminated over everything that had been said between the two of them over the course of the night. Each heavy stare or quick glance. Each time her stomach had flipped as if a chocolate frog was jumping around inside of it when his strong fingers rubbed involuntarily against her hip as he helped her. She still could not wrap her head around any of it. Why had he helped her? That specific question kept tickling in the back of her mind obsessively. It was as if by getting his answer this whole night would somehow start to make sense.

Finally, they were getting close to the portrait of the Fat Lady. She didn't have much time left with the fledgling man who was graciously helping her. The wizard she had interacted with almost daily for the past six years was proving to essentially be a stranger. She highly doubted this tense repertoire would be open tomorrow. If by some miracle Malfoy didn't turn back into the bullying ogre he had been... She could never reciprocate anything. Not when that would betray Harry. Tonight was the only night for any answers she needed…

"If I asked you a question, would you answer honestly?" She was hesitant in her inquiry. Hermione stopped their progression before placing her hand against the wall and testing if she would be able to hold all of her weight or not. Draco's hand automatically slid from her hip and the skin that was underneath suddenly felt cold from the loss of contact. She leaned back against the wall so she could reserve her strength.

"Maybe..." He hedged. The same look of curiosity from earlier settled on his features. He was intrigued but didn't trust her. She couldn't blame him, she did not trust him either…

"Why did you really help me? Not that I am ungrateful... I just can't figure it out and it will bug me until I do." She rambled, regretting her choice to ask. She watched as his eyes switched between cold ice and raging storm at an alarmingly fast rate. If she hadn't been leaning against the wall she probably would have taken a step away from him. Her mind screamed danger as the lethal snake fought for control of the boy, a twisted real-life version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde played out right in front of her.

Abruptly he closed his eyes and gave a quick shake of his head before opening them again. They were, thankfully, the stormy gray she had come to recognize as what she hoped was the real Draco. The hard frozen version of him was easy enough to believe and she had been wrong to think that was all there was. This was a revelation that surprised her more than she cared to admit. How had she missed this whole other person? Buried underneath all of the instilled hatred and bigotry was a sarcastically funny, caring and shy individual. Oh yes, and good looking... He was definitely handsome when his face wasn't contorted in a nasty sneer.

"What if I am sick of being the villain, Kitten?" Malfoy answered her question with one of his own, testing her.

She raised her eyebrow at the new pet name. It was the second time he had called her that since finding her in the Room of Requirement and Hermione wasn't exactly sure how she felt about it. On one hand there was the reminder of the reason for Sue's vicious assault, but on the other… The way such an innocuous word sounded on his lips sent an odd shiver of pleasure down her spine.

"What if I wanted to be the hero? What if... What if I was cast wrong in this little story? Could you understand that?" He continued, once again resorting to throwing out question after question. She noticed that this had to be his nervous habit. His very own "tick" that he did when he was agitated by something.

His words caused her to stop for a second. She expected another bullshit excuse. But this... This gave her pause.

She could understand that. Wasn't that exactly what tonight was supposed to be about for her? Being able to be someone different than her normal old boring self. And he posed a very good question, what if he had been cast wrong? What if the casting mistakes didn't stop there? What if she wasn't just the supportive bookworm friend?

She had never really thought of it that way... Could she be the heroine of her own story? Not just a side role in Harry's? That was what it had felt like after all of these years... Like she had been swept up in Harry's story.

Hermione chuckled softly and shook her head before staring him right in the eye. Knowing seeing the truth on his own was the only way he was going to believe her. "Actually... I could."

Draco searched her gaze unrelentingly. He took a slow step towards her, leaving enough room between their bodies that she could easily slip away if she chose to. The smell of peppermint once again engulfed her and she closed her eyes so she didn't get swept back up in him. She had always loved the fragrance. It reminded her of Christmas and hot cocoa by the fire with her parents. It reminded her of home…

"I suppose you would." He whispered in her ear and she was startled at how close he had ended up leaning in. She could feel his hot breath on the tender skin of her neck and ear lobe. Hermione bit her lip but then winced at the sudden pain, having forgotten how she had drawn blood earlier in the night. Instead of moaning, like she desperately wanted to, her breath left her in a shuddering rush and she knew he could hear the hitch.

"Look at me, Granger." He demanded in another hushed tone. She instantly obeyed and he sighed for her again. "Your eyes are so beautiful. I've wanted to tell you that for years. Ever since they lit up when you decked me in Third Year."

She laughed breathlessly at the memory. It gave her a moment to try to come up with something to say. Once again she was thrown out of her element. This sort of thing was why she had decided to have her first romantic moments and subsequent kiss with Viktor. Being more of the strong and silent type there hadn't been much need for this kind of back and forth…

"That was... very sweet?" She asked timidly.

The spell was broken as Draco laughed. He stepped away from her and looked down at the ground for a moment. When he looked back up he was more restrained. Not the iceman, but not the wizard who had just told her that her eyes were beautiful either. "A hero wouldn't let a maiden dawdle in a hallway with a dragon. Let's keep going. Do you still need my help?"

Her heart beat even harder at his reminder. He was dangerous. There was no doubt about that! And yet he was also kind. He had a wickedly hurtful tongue, but he had a quick sense of humor. He was savage, but he could also be gentle. Zabini looked like a forty-piece jigsaw puzzle compared to the paradox Draco presented her with.

"I think I've got it. Do... Do you think you could finish the walk with me? Just in case I fall again?" She blushed at the acknowledgment of being vulnerable.

He nodded agreeably and they continued on their journey. He stayed close to her, ready to reach out if she tripped, but she was steady on her feet now. When they got to the corner that led to the entrance of her common room she stopped. She didn't want the Fat Lady to see their goodbyes, they would be the topic of painting gossip for days. If they weren't already she realized, thinking of how many portraits they had passed on their way. Most had been "sleeping" but who knew for sure…

"Thank you, Draco. Truly. I don't know what would have happened to me if you had not come along." She told him, hoping her demure tone conveyed how much she meant her words.

"That is what heroes do, Kitten. No need to thank me. Though if you wanted to sincerely show your appreciation I've heard the going rate is a kiss..." His eyes twinkled with a playfulness she had never seen. Not even with Blaise earlier that night. Hermione knew he must be joking with her but her gut still clenched at the offer.

How could she possibly ask him for a kiss?