Draco Malfoy

Hermione's mouth drops open in shock. Obviously, that was the last thing she expected me to say. "Draco, I....." She was speechless. I consider rendering Hermione Granger speechless to be quite an accomplishment. I realize I've backed into my room, and she's advancing on me. She doesn't look very happy. 

Luckily for me, Professor Dumbledore walks into the room before she can attack.  "Is this a bad time?" He asks, "I can come back later....." We stand in awkward silence until Hermione speaks up. 

"It's perfectly Fine, Professor. I was actually just leaving." Her voice is cold.

He smiles and retreats to the hallway. Hermione turns toward the door, but I grab her arm. "Please," I beg, "Just give me a chance!"

She pulls away from me like I'm a piece of garbage she doesn't want to touch. "You had six years of chances, Draco Malfoy, and you didn't take them. You and your little band of followers treating me like trash and calling me a mudblood. I haven't forgotten that, Draco, and I most certainly haven't forgiven you. I don't know if I ever will."

Then she's gone. I suppose she disapparated. I could go find her, but that wouldn't be very smart. She'd just blow up at me again. I heard the bitterness in Hermione's tone, and I get the feeling she's been holding it in for a long time. But that's no one's fault but mine. I was terrible to her, and I deserve this misery.

I sink down onto the bed, struggling to hold back tears. Draco Malfoy does not cry. I refuse to cry because of a girl. But my resolve doesn't hold for long. I feel tears running down my face, and wipe them away. That doesn't do any good though, because they just keep coming. 

"I get the feeling your love confession didn't go as well as you'd hoped?" 

My head jerks up at the sound of Dumbledore's voice. "Were you eavesdropping, or did you already know?"

His bright blue eyes twinkle merrily. "Oh, I've suspected for years. But yes, I was listening in."

"I never expected her to be overjoyed, but I didn't think she'd downright reject me either." But now that I think about it, why should I have expected her to react any differently than she did? I had never been anything but evil in her eyes.

He smiles sympathetically. "Women are complicated beings, Hermione in particular. She's  confused, Draco. She needs some time to figure out how she feels. Suddenly, her entire love life feels like a lie. She wonders if Ron really loved her. Despite what you may think, they did have something."

Hermione's not the only one who's confused. "At the time, I thought getting her to break up with Ron was my best chance. Now, I don't know what to think. I want her to be happy, but I also want her to be with me. What do I do?"

"You need to redeem yourself in her eyes. She hates you because, no offense, you treated her terribly at Hogwarts. She doesn't understand why you would be any different now. You need to prove to her that you've changed. But give her a few days to sort out her feelings. That's really all you can do."

I sigh. "I guess you're right. I'll try to give her space. The last thing I want to do is make her hate me more than she already does." But how can I give her a few days when we've only got a few left? If I know one thing for certain, it's that I want time with her before we die.

Dumbledore starts to leave the room, but pauses in the doorway. "Oh, I forgot. I was to inform you that supper will be served shortly." Then he walks out the door and disapparates.

I wander through the train cars in search of the dining room. I find it after about twenty minutes of searching. Hermione is already seated, along with Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. There's one seat left, next to Hermione. I get the feeling this isn't a coincidence. 

I sit down, and we start eating. Both Professors attempt to make small talk, but Hermione and I stay quiet. When Hermione is done eating, she stands up abruptly. "I'm going to bed."

I smile slyly. Don't blow this, Draco, I think. But I just can't help it. "Mind if I...... Slytherin?" She stalks out of the room without so much as a glance in my direction. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dumbledore shake his head. 

"I hardly call offering to sleep with Miss Granger giving her space, Mr. Malfoy."

I stare at him, and I'm sure he can see the exasperation on my face. "Can't you see that I don't care? I love her, professor, with all my heart. We're being sent into a bloody arena to die! Don't you have any idea how that feels? Knowing that you've only got a few weeks left to live, and you can't spend them with the person you love?"

He only sighs. "I do, Draco. I really do. But you can't force yourself on her. Instead of pursuing her, maybe you should spend some time thinking about how you can prove to her that you've changed. I think that will be a better use of your time, and you will get better results."

He doesn't think I can make her like me. Well, I guess I'll just have to prove him wrong. I stand up and walk out the door. Why was I such a douche bag in school? It's not like it would have been that hard to leave Potter and his friends alone. 

The real reason was Potter, though. He was famous. He was "the boy who lived". Not only did everyone adore him, but he had good friends and a family that cared for him. I had Crabbe, Goyle, and an abusive father. My mother may have cared, but she never tried to stop my father. No one cared about my happiness. 

My parents only cared about one thing. They wanted to make sure I turned out just like them. I think they almost suceeded, too. If I hadn't loved Hermione, if I had married Astoria, I would have been just like them. Heartless muggle-haters who only cared about themselves. That was another good thing about Hermione. She was muggle-born. 

If only my parents could see me now, I think. Imagine what they would say...... Then I realize the answer to all my problems has been staring me in the face this whole time. I know how to prove myself to Hermione.