10

Edited: 23/5/2014

Hermione’s eyes stung when she woke and her mouth was dry and parched. She had a slight pain in her head and her shoulder felt sore.

‘Are you finally awake?’ someone asked.

‘Draco?’ she replied.

‘Yes’ replied a new voice – Madame Pomfrey – ‘I tried to get him to leave but Mr. Malfoy is a stubborn young man!’ huffed Madam Pomfrey as she busied around Hermione making sure everything was in order before leaving the room.

‘What happened?’ groaned Hermione.

‘You don’t remember? You worried a lot of people’ said Draco.

‘I remember the challenge’ she muttered.

‘Yeah, you came out of it with blood coming down your face’ muttered Draco.

‘Were your challenges muggle based?’ she asked.

‘Some of them were, why?’ he asked.

‘I think I chose the wrong door. Most of mine were muggle based and most of them were extreme’ she said.

‘How so?’ he asked.

‘They were violent, I remember something hitting my shoulder hard early on and I cut my head in the last task’ she frowned.

‘The challenges aren’t supposed to be that extreme. McGonagall was furious when she saw the state of you and others were injured as well. I saw her shouting at Professor Shepard about how she’d gone out on a limb for him and how disappointed she was. If looks could kill I reckon Professor Shepard would have killed her right then’ said Draco seriously.

‘I’m sorry I made everyone worry. Is everyone else alright?’

‘Yes, some students suffered minor injuries but nothing major. You gave Lavender and Luna a fright, Luna was crying in hysterics and the boys were just as bad!’

‘I feel so guilty, I didn’t mean to upset anyone’ she muttered.

‘Relax Granger no one blames you’.

‘Why do you still call me Granger?’ she asked.

‘Force of habit I guess…Hermione’ he shivered, ‘see that was weird’.

Hermione smiled, ‘I like it when you call me by my name’ she said.

The conversation dropped into silence.

‘Why did you forgive me?’ he asked.

‘Haven’t we already been through this?’ she asked.

‘I know, just can you please tell me again’ he muttered.

Hermione sighed, ‘I forgave you because your intentions were good. Ignoring your arrogant behaviour and all the insults you threw at me, you were just as scared as I was, more so even because you were stuck in the dark. I saw you sixth year, that wasn’t you. You seemed so small and vulnerable and I knew you were fighting your task with everything you had but you were also afraid for your Mother and were trying desperately to keep her safe. Then that horrible night at your Manor, I saw the pain and anguish in your eyes, and I saw your hand twitch like you desperately wanted to pull out the wand that wasn’t there and help’.

‘I won’t pretend I know you Draco, but I know what I saw, you deserved a second chance as much as anyone else’ she said.

‘Thank you’ he murmured.

‘You’re still a git though’ she said while smiling.

‘Well you’re still a know-it-all bookworm’ he replied.

‘Touché’ she said.

There was a short amicable silence.

‘She changed me you know’ he muttered.

‘Who?’ she asked.

‘This girl, without her I’d probably still be of the same mind-set’.

Hermione frowned and tried to squash the jealousy she felt while waiting for Draco to continue.

‘My scumbag Father sent me out on a mission. I didn’t want to go but I needed to keep up appearances. It was a raid on a muggle town yet she was stuck in the middle of it. Straight jet black hair with vibrant green eyes, she just stood in the middle of it all. Never crying just looking blankly around her like she didn’t even realise what was going on. It wasn’t until later that I realised she was magical, just looking at her with all the chaos going around I knew I couldn’t just stand there and not do anything. I knew I was tempting fate that I was probably putting a price on both our heads but I couldn’t help myself, I took the small child away from the violence, away from the torment and the bloodshed and took her to the manor. I know it was stupid with him taking up residence within the home but I couldn’t just leave her there. I didn’t even tell my Mother at first, I just took her to the house elves and pleaded with them to look after her and make sure she had everything she needed and was not discovered’.

‘I’d never pleaded with a house elf before but Dotty seemed to understand my urgency and took her job very seriously, my Mother only found out about the girls existence a mere couple of days before the end of the war. She was understandably angry at what I had done for it could destroy us if it was ever found out but she was always proud and pleased. To her my actions were conformation that I was nothing like my Father and I think that relieved her to know. I just couldn’t bear to see the look on the face of the little girl I wanted somehow to make it better’.

‘Is she better?’ asked Hermione timidly.

‘No, not by a long shot but she is getting better. She used to just sit there staring blankly, not making a sound and not moving at all. Then the other day when Dotty dragged me out it was because she’d spoken, actually spoken out loud. It was a breakthrough and Dotty wanted me to be there, it wasn’t a sentence or a lengthy conversation, she’d merely turned to my Mother and said thank you but it was a start, like finally I’d done something right’ said Draco, a desperate lilt to his tone.

‘That’s wonderful Draco’ praised Hermione.

‘Is it? Really? I wasn’t sure. I know my deeds from the past were wrong and the Ministry had every right to lock me up if they so choose, I’m under no illusion that the name Malfoy means anything anymore, and frankly I’m not sure it should be known for what it is, but I thought – selfishly though I’ll admit – that if I helped at least one person it would help me feel like a better person, that I could change and become something other than my Father’s son, and you know I think it’s working. I can’t get rid of the git that you know but I think I can make him more tame’ said Draco.

‘I think that’s wonderful. Change is hard at the best of times but the fact that you’re willing to change, to become a better person and forget all of your childhood teachings shows great courage and dedication. I think you were right to return to Hogwarts this year, it seems the right thing for you’ said Hermione sleepily.

‘Am I keeping you up?’ asked Draco with a smirk.

‘No, no’ Hermione paused to yawn, ‘I’m not sleepy’ she added defiantly.

‘Go to sleep Hermione’ said Draco.

‘I don’t want to’ she pouted like a child.

‘Do I have to call Madame Pomfrey in here or are you going to go to sleep like a good girl’ said Draco smirking.

‘I never said I was a good girl’ said Hermione smiling slyly before falling asleep.