Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

Hi, this is my first fanfic so all reviews are welcome. If it goes down well I'll add the next section I have planned. I do not own any of the characters used in this story, Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling and the lyrics used for the songs belong to the talented Tom Felton. No profit is being made from this.

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><p>If anyone asked, Blaise would have said he was enjoying his Christmas break, lounging around in front of the glowing green fireplace of the Slytherin common room, in his favourite armchair, painting pieces from his new "create your own wizards Chess set", which he'd opened early. He was using a muggle paintbrush and paint as he felt it made the finished product seem more personal, as opposed to just flicking his wand and having the whole thing completed in a matter of minutes, leaving him bored for the remainder of the holiday. Hogwarts was practically deserted, with most students wanting to spend the holiday with their families. The few remaining were himself and Draco - both of them needing protection after refusing to join the Death Eaters, a few Ravenclaws, Potter and Granger. They were here because they had nowhere else to go. Any other Christmas they would have spent with the Weasleys, but this year they'd gone away to visit Charlie. So far, everyone had stayed within their separate groups, so all was quiet. Blaise loved the quiet. The only thing bringing his mood down at the moment was Draco. His best friend was acting weird and Blaise was pretty sure he knew why.<p>

Draco was hunched over on the corner of the couch, scribbling away furiously in a small black book which he'd been carrying around everywhere lately. One night, maybe three weeks ago, Blaise had waited for Draco to fall asleep and then made his way silently towards his friend's bed. He reached under the pillow where he'd seen Draco hide the book, and pulled it from its resting place, careful not to wake its owner. He then went to his own bed and drew the curtains to avoid the light from his wand disturbing Draco. Once secure, Blaise began reading the contents and was surprised at what he found. There, on the first page, was a single word. 'Songs'. Blaise had flicked through some of the pages of the book, seeing both lyrics and music and some of the words had jumped out at him. Words he'd never have expected Draco to write. Things like "We belong together" and "I've been falling in love". Blaise quickly shut the book and carefully placed it back under Draco's pillow, thinking perhaps he'd ask his friend about the book later. And here was his chance.

"What are you scribbling about so furiously Draco?"

"I'm not scribbling Blaise", he didn't even look up from his book.

"What are you doing then? You've been carrying that book around all week and constantly have a quill at hand. You hardly pay attention when I talk to you and I want to know why" Blaise sighed after his outburst, he hadn't meant to sound so demanding.

"Sorry Draco," he said "you don't have to tell me, it's your business".

Draco looked up at him then and smiled. "It's cool, I'm just writing music". Blaise nodded then Draco let out a sigh, as his smile fell from his face to be replaced with his usual frown. He then rose from his seat. "I'll be back later," was all he said as he left the room, taking his book with him.

Blaise had no clue what or who was affecting his friend so much, but he figured if Draco wanted to talk, he would, so he went back to his painting.

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><p>Hermione was in the Gryffindor common room, pacing. She couldn't sit, she couldn't sleep. Thoughts were firing through her mind so fast she couldn't concentrate on any of them long enough to come up with any sort of solutions to her problems. She was worrying mostly - her parents were obliviated and somewhere in Australia, doing Merlin only knows what, without a care in the world. Having no clue they even had a<p>

daughter, let alone that they might be in serious danger if the Death Eaters found out where they were. Harry wasn't even around to distract or comfort her. Dumbledore had called him to his office for a meeting of some sort, leaving Hermione with her endless thoughts and pacing.

'I shouldn't have obliviated them! They're going to hate me when I reverse the memory charm!,' Hermione's thoughts were becoming panicked now. She'd always been really close with her parents and hated the thought that their relationship would be so dramatically altered by one small decision that, at the time, had seemed like the best and only possible solution. 'If I'd just explained what was happening I could have hidden them myself - protected them myself. They're defenceless now.' Hermione's pacing increased in speed as her thoughts circled, 'the wizards and

witches in the Order could have helped protect them! What on Earth was I thinking?'. As quickly as that thought began, another was soon replacing it, providing the opposing argument and locking her in her seemingly endless turmoil. 'Keeping them here would have placed them in more danger. I would have worried and acted rashly and increased the risk to their lives dramatically, no matter how many people I had helping me keep them safe.'

Deciding enough was enough, she grabbed her wand from the table and put it in the back pocket of her jeans. She was wearing her favourite outfit today, her best jeans, which were both comfortable and figure-hugging, and a pretty, patterned, fitted top her parents had gotten her for her last birthday - the last gift she received from them before she wiped away all the evidence of her existence, sacrificing their knowledge of her, for their safety and the hope that one day, when the war was over, she'd still have her family, even if they were mad at her for obliviating them. Pushing away those thoughts to avoid an emotional outburst, Hermione made her way to the portrait hole. She walked the corridors aimlessly, hoping to find something to take her mind off of her parents. As she wandered down numerous halls and passage ways, she paid little attention to her surroundings, trying to order her thoughts, which seemed so loud and hectic in the eerie silence of the castle. Broken from her rumination suddenly, Hermione took in her surroundings, shocked to find herself on the 7th floor. As she glanced around herself, trying to locate the source of the sound that had startled her, she realised there was a set of huge doors at the end of the corridor and music could be heard beyond.

Curious, Hermione crept towards the doors, eager to learn who was responsible for the beautiful music being played. While she listened, she wracked her brain, trying to remember everything she'd read about the school in 'Hogwarts, A History', and what rooms were located on the 7th floor. Not many. Especially no music rooms of any kind. 'Odd' she thought. Then it hit her. The Room of Requirement! It transformed into whatever you needed, so if an individual needed to practice music, instruments would appear. As she drew nearer, it occurred to her that the doors should have disappeared once the occupant was inside and the doors closed. Upon closer inspection, she realised the door had not been shut properly. She peered through the gap hesitantly, unsure of what to expect. From this angle, all she could see was the side of a piano and the hands that were moving confidently and graciously across the keys. Since the music hadn't stopped, Hermione was sure they didn't know she was there and hadn't heard her approaching when she'd been lost in thought, so leant against the door frame to hear the rest of the song more clearly. What she heard shocked her. The most beautiful song she'd ever heard, full of passion and love. Their voice was quiet, but had a quality that made you want to stop and listen.

"We belong in a song that I've written, about you and I at the best of times, I've been falling in love, I'd run you a bath or two, 'Cause we belong in the centre of the sky, were the only guests allowed, are you and I, 'Cause I found what I need to get through, It's all in the shape of you, and in the words of my song, that's where we belong."

Hermione pushed the door open a bit more to get a better view of the person in the room, and as she did she was dumbfounded. Sat at the piano, playing the loveliest song Hermione had ever heard, was none other than Draco Malfoy. Yet she felt oddly intrigued to hear the rest of the song. So she stayed where she was, and she listened.

"Oh no, I won't look forward to tomorrow, 'Cause time without you girl, seems unbelievably hollow. And yet you are the reason why, I won't be sleeping tonight, yet you are the reason why, I even feel alive..." Hermione couldn't believe her ears. This couldn't be the same Draco Malfoy she'd known since first year. He was cold, heartless and unfeeling, he couldn't possibly be capable of writing and singing songs like this one. But as she continued to listen, the sincerity of the words and his tone of voice made her think that maybe, just maybe, he had a heart after all, and it was being seriously affected by someone. He clearly meant what he was singing, and this was the only way he could express his true emotions. When no one was around to hear.

"Cause we belong in a song that I'm singing, 'Cause I'm not interested in being with other women, 'Cause I've found my girl, She's all my world, 'Cause we belong, yeah, We belong, oh, We belong together, In my arms you will stay, Girl I'll never let you get away from me. 'Cause we belong in the centre of the sky, and the only guests allowed are you and I, 'Cause I found what I need to get through, It's all in the shape of you, In the words of my song, That's where you belong."

As the song ended, Hermione watched as Draco slumped on the piano stool, his usually perfect posture gone as his shoulders and back hunched.

He sighed, a deep sigh that made it seem like he held the weight of the world on his shoulders. And then, into the silence, one word was whispered.

So quiet that she almost missed it, but still it was disconcerting and made her gasp. Realising he'd heard her when he spun around, she fled.

Throwing herself into the alcove by the door and casting a disillusionment charm to hide her from his notice. She held her breath as she watched him run from the room and disappear down the corridor.

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><p>Draco had just finished playing his newest song, 'We belong' when he allowed all his grief and doubt to consume him. He slumped on his stool and heaved a sigh, releasing all the stress and tension from his body. As he did this, he whispered her name. The name of the girl who inspired in him, a romantic, a writer, and mostly, a good guy. Someone she'd be proud of, not a coward, or a Death Eater, but a guy who she could trust and rely on to keep her safe, a guy she'd willingly call her friend, or, as he wished, something more. The guy Draco most wanted to be.<p>

"Hermione."

Even whispering her name had the ability to make him feel better, the thought that she may one day realise that everything he had done in the last year was all for her. Defying his parents and staying at Hogwarts to avoid the dark mark, secretly helping Dumbledore with his plans, that were, in turn, helping the Golden Trio, and learning to control his temper, especially with her friends so he didn't upset her again, all to make and keep her happy. If anyone deserved happiness, it was her.

As soon as her name left his mouth, he heard a gasp from behind him. He spun round in his seat, searching for a face, anything that might identify the intruder. The person that now knew his secret. The secret he'd been keeping for years. He saw no one, but noticed, to his dismay, the door was ajar and anyone could have heard him. While he was busy trying to make the music right for his newest song, he'd become careless and forgotten to check the door was fully shut behind him, stupidly thinking no one would have a reason to wander up here so there was no chance of discovery. How wrong he was. Before he'd really thought about his actions, Draco ran from the room leaving the door wide open and all his belongings behind, never once looking behind him, too scared of who he might see.

As Draco sprinted down the corridors, he remembered his book, propped up against the piano where he'd left it. He wanted to go back for it, it contained all his secrets, and Hermione's name quite a few times. If they hadn't heard him whisper her name and guessed how he felt, that would certainly give it away. But it was too late now, he'd deal with it later, right now, all he wanted was to get back to his common room and hide.

When he rounded the last corner and reached the entrance to the common room, he was panting heavily. He'd not run that fast, that far, for a long time. He mumbled the password and walked quickly into the room, slowly getting his breathing back to normal. Blaise looked up when he heard the door opening, and upon seeing Draco's face and the worried expression on it, he stood and approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"What happened? Why do you look like you've just had to fight off 6 dementors?" Draco looked at him, a slight smile momentarily gracing his elegant features.

"Trust me Blaise" he muttered, "dementors might be preferable right now." The look of shock that passed over Blaise's face at that comment was enough to make Draco forget his worries briefly and chuckle.

"I know, shocking right?" He smiled but it soon vanished again as he continued, "but I think someone heard me singing, and err...maybe heard me whispering her name." Blaise looked confused so Draco, heaving a sigh, began to explain.

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><p>Hermione counted to 20 before peering out from the alcove to check he was definitely gone. Seeing the corridor once again deserted, she removed the disillusionment charm and stepped from the shadows. She glanced in the direction the doors had been and was surprised to see the Room of Requirement still there, door wide open. She suspected the room would stay there until the door was closed showing the room was no longer needed. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself for whatever she may find, she stepped into the room and looked around. It was almost empty. A piano, and the stool. Nothing else.<p>

Hermione approached the piano slowly, remembering the melody of the song she'd heard. As she sat herself on the stool, which was still warm from Draco's visit, she noticed a book propped against the back of the piano. She reached for it hesitantly, not knowing what to expect and flicked through the pages, not taking much of it in until she saw her name.

'Why on earth was her name in this book? Why had Draco Malfoy, the boy who had teased her mercilessly for years, whispered her name after singing a song about love?'. As she opened the book to the page she'd seen her name on, she saw that it was another song, which Draco himself had written. That thought alone was strange for Hermione to try and accept. But as she read the lyrics, she couldn't help but be surprised by what she'd found.

"Your lips, your skin, your eyes, your hair, you don't need no touching up, I don't really care for anything that covers up your beauty, 'cause what God gave you gorgeous girl, is what would suit me, and no diamond rings, necklaces or bangles, don't look twice in the mirror girl, you're great from all angles, and when the angels take me from this world that I was born in, I'll say 'none of you look half as good as Hermione in the morning', and when angels come to take me from this world, I'll say 'none of you look half as good, as that girl'."

Hermione sat there for a while, taking in the lyrics from the first verse and chorus, unable to comprehend what it meant. In all the years she'd known Malfoy, he'd always made fun of her appearance, her bushy nest of hair and her beaver teeth. So why was he writing songs about her being pretty? It made no sense. Confused, yet still intrigued, she read on.

"So wake up my sweetness you know that it's true, makeup was designed for other girls to try and look like you, for my gorgeous, my words no longer cautious, you are like a bottomless pit, completely flawless," At this, Hermione let out a chuckle. Only a guy would be able to say something that crazy and turn it into an almost sweet compliment. Smiling she read on. "So watch me free falling head over heart, without doubt, the most beautiful piece of art, and when my days are through, I can say it was all for you. And when the angels take me from this world that I was born in, I'll say 'none of you look half as good as Hermione in the morning', and when angels come to take me from this world, I'll say 'none of you look half as good as that girl', and when the angels rip my face from this planet, they'll ask me where my heart is and I'll say 'she has it'."

Hermione sat in a stunned silence. She wasn't sure how long she sat there, even more confused than before, but she couldn't bring herself to move just yet. She needed to think. As she thought about the year so far, and last year as well for that matter, she realised Draco hadn't made fun of her once. She'd been too busy enjoying school to realise until now. But he'd been nice to her whenever they had been together. Whether it was being made to pair up in class, or working civilly in the library together doing homework. Though thinking about it now, she'd caught him staring at her a few times when they were in the library. He was good, very subtle, she'd have missed it if she hadn't been watching him out of the corner of her eye, wary of whether or not he'd been plotting against her and her friends, but he'd definitely been looking.

As she thought about it, she looked at the page to see if there was any indication of the time he'd written the song. Was it recent? The whole school knew about him turning his back on Voldemort and his family, but no one knew why. Since most of Slytherin were followers of Voldemort, this meant Malfoy was getting a lot of grief off of a lot of people. Blaise Zabini seemed to be on his side however, but his family had all rejected The Dark Lord too, and this meant they needed to look out for each other. But two against a whole house was still really bad odds, even with the teachers keeping a close eye on them. Hermione continued looking through the small book in her hands as she was really enjoying the lyrics.

They weren't the best, but they were sweet none the less. If she forgot who'd written them.

Skimming through, she found a song near the beginning of the book. It was about his father. The line that really jumped out at her was, "Right now, I need your advice, guidance with my life". It was also known throughout the school that Lucius Malfoy had disowned his son when he'd turned his back on the family's beliefs and values, also preventing his mother from contacting him, which would make anyone depressed, and Draco was no exception. Hermione knew this book contained a lot of secrets about Draco and his feelings so, as she was such a curious person, she pushed aside her guilt and continued flicking through, reading random passages to see if he was coping any better with the 'loss' of his parents. She then came across a song called 'Under Stars', and as she read the lyrics, she really began to wonder about Malfoy.

"I wish I knew, everything there is to know about you, and I want you to see, just exactly what you mean to me, and you, you think you know me, I guarantee there's a lot more to see"... 'That much is obvious from this book, I mean who'd have guessed Draco Malfoy wrote songs' thought Hermione. "And I want you to be, everything that you deserve to be, If I close my eyes then I can see you perfectly, and I, I don't know where to go, I wrote a song just to let you know that we, we could be together, I'll hold you forever... And I wish that I could hold your hand, feet beneath the sand, I wish that I could feel your touch, I think about you so much". When she'd read the entire song, Hermione closed the book, and began spinning it in her restless hands as she contemplated this new found knowledge.

Hermione didn't know what to make of the ideas and thoughts that were whizzing through her mind at top speed. Apparently, Draco Malfoy had a lot more to him but was only willing to show certain people. She wondered what, and how much, he kept hidden from the world. And this book seemed to hold the answers she craved. She did find it odd that, despite what appeared to be obvious feelings towards her, she still hardly knew him, and he clearly wasn't ready to unveil himself to her. As she continued her musings of Draco Malfoy, his reaction to her reading his songs never even occurred to her.

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><p>Draco sat in a chair and began telling the tale for Blaise. Starting with seeing Hermione at the Yule Ball in fourth year and how she'd looked so beautiful and carefree. He'd accepted his crush on her then, it had seemed more normal since she looked amazing that night, but then he'd started thinking about how smart she was, and how, even though she was a muggle born and had never even heard of Hogwarts before her eleventh birthday, she still managed to beat him in every class. It drove him nuts, but was the reason he began doubting everything he'd ever been taught by his father about the lower classes. After all, Longbottom was a pureblood and he was useless, which just didn't match what his father said. As time went on, Draco's prejudices disappeared and his beliefs began to change. His feelings for Hermione kept building and he eventually found the courage to refuse to get the Dark Mark.<p>

Blaise sat opposite Draco, listening intently to what he was being told. What he was saying made sense.

"I was brought up with the same prejudices and beliefs as you, but not to the same extent. Difference is, I refused the Dark Mark for other reasons."

Draco looked confused at Blaise's comment so he explained.

"I don't like the Dark Mark. It's ugly and if I'm going to get a tattoo, it has to be something cool that I wouldn't mind having on my skin for the rest of my life." Blaise shot Draco a grin and then became serious, "Also, I just really don't think I could kill anyone. In order to cast the unforgivables, you have to really mean the person harm, and I have to admit, I'm just too indifferent to most people, so there's no way I hate anyone enough to cast an unforgivable on them."

Draco nodded his agreement at Blaise's reasons. They were typical of him and it made him smile slightly. It was nice to have someone to talk to who wouldn't judge and doesn't really care why you've done something as long as you're happy with your choices. That was the great thing about Blaise. If his friends were happy, he was happy.

"Anyway, after I refused the Dark Mark, father disowned me and forbid my mother to contact me. Said if I wanted to work against the Lord that would give me what I was entitled to, and what they had been fighting to get me, I should leave, never return and hope he never saw me again." Draco sighed. What his father said had hurt. As did the blow from his cane that came with it.

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><p>After what seemed like a lifetime of deliberation, but was in actuality only about an hour, Hermione had made a decision. She was going to go to the Slytherin common room and return the book to Draco. A brave move perhaps, or a stupid one, but many considered those to be interlinked when talking about Gryffindors so what did it matter. If he questioned her, she'd be honest, and if he understandably swore her to secrecy, she'd probably agree. With that final thought on the matter, Hermione set off.<p>

She descended the stairs quickly, not wanting to give herself time to consider how Draco would react to the knowledge that it was her, Hermione Granger, Know-it-all bookworm, the one in his songs, who had heard him singing. As she approached the entrance to the Slytherin's lair, a small bubble of nervousness started growing in her stomach. Shoving all other thoughts aside, Hermione debated how to gain entrance without the password. She settled for sending a patronous to him to ask him to meet her outside the common room. Summoning all her happy memories together, she cast the spell and smiled as her otter patronous appeared from her wand. After relaying her message, she watched it bounce away and took deep breaths to calm herself in preparation for his appearance.

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><p>Draco and Blaise had just settled into their chairs to have a more light-hearted conversation when a bright light suddenly appeared in the room.<p>

Turning his head to investigate, Draco was surprised to see a small ball of light bounding towards him across the common room. As it got closer, he could distinguish its shape - an otter. He racked his brains, thinking back to DADA lessons when they had practiced the spell, to see if he could recall whose patronous this was. Before he'd hit on an answer, the otter stopped in front of him and relayed its message.

"Meet me outside your common room. It's important... I have your book". The message, while unnerving, wasn't wholly unexpected. What was a shock to Draco though, was the clear voice of Hermione Granger delivering it. 'Surely it wasn't her, of all people left in the school this holiday, why did it have to be her that heard and found it?!' Draco's mental thought process was scattered by Blaise.

"Go on then! What are you waiting for?" he asked from his position to the left of Draco. His face showed the slightest signs of a smirk, waiting to spread across his face at the predicament his friend had found himself in. 'Typical Slytherin' thought Draco. With a shake of his head and a heavy sigh, Draco lifted himself from his chair and began to grudgingly make his way to the door.

"Best to just get it over with, right?" he said. More to convince himself than actually ask Blaise, but he got an answer anyway.

"It's not like she'll kill you or anything Draco," he chuckled, "She's not the type. The worst she could do is punch you again."

"Great. Thanks for your support".

When Draco left the common room, he was confronted by an empty hall. 'Great' he thought, 'She isn't here'. A throat cleared close behind him, startling him and causing him to spin around. There she was, leaning casually against the wall, his book clutched in her arms where they were crossed over her chest. He gulped and took a deep breath, readying himself for the onslaught of her questions and expected outrage.

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><p>Hermione stayed leaning against the wall as she looked him over. He looked worried, and surprisingly vulnerable. She found it was an almost pleasant surprise since she'd been expecting his usual tough, arrogant pureblood demeanour. She silently handed him his book and waited patiently for his questions, demands or insults. When nothing was forthcoming she decided to break the awkwardness with a compliment she wasn't sure he would take well.<p>

"Your songs are good." She watched the shock overcome his face and chuckled. "I can give a compliment as well as anyone else Draco. Don't look so surprised"

He swallowed visibly and then asked in a small voice that showed his uncertainty, "you read them? And… liked them?"

Hermione allowed a small smile to grace her features while she remembered some of the sweeter lyrics she'd read.

"Yes, I liked them. Some of them were incredibly sweet and moving. If I didn't know they were yours I wouldn't believe it. But, why me? ... Of all the girls you could have written songs about, why me?" She looked at him and showed her bewilderment clearly in her eyes. Draco began to fidget and looked to the ground before taking a deep breath.

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><p>'That was the question wasn't it? The first one she'd thrown out and the last one I want to answer, especially to her. But that was typical of Hermione Granger wasn't it? She always seemed to know which questions to ask no matter what the subject was. Even when it was why her supposed enemy was writing songs about her, she just takes it and questions it as casually as she would a potions lecture.' Draco's mind was ranting at the unfairness of the situation when he realised he still needed to find a way to answer her question.<p>

"I don't have to justify myself to you Granger. Besides who says I was even talking about you, hmm? Maybe I know another Hermione!" When Draco registered the lack of shock on her face at his outburst, he figured she had expected him to get defensive and probably wasn't expecting an answer. It was then he learned that he actually wanted to answer her question. To tell her and get it off his chest. He'd already lost his family and it wasn't exactly like he even had her to lose at the moment so what did it matter if she knew or not? If she still hated him then there'd be no difference to what he had now, and he had no doubt that her sense of Gryffindor loyalty would stop her blabbing it around the school.

He looked up slowly and met her gaze. With his eyes locked on hers, he began talking as clearly as he could so he wouldn't have to repeat anything.

"I've liked you since fourth year. That night at the yule ball, you looked so beautiful I could hardly believe my eyes. It went against everything my father had ever taught me, but then again you always have. I mean, he said muggleborns were stupid, ugly and unworthy of magic, but you prove all that wrong and that night I finally realised it."

She stood there, unmoving for a moment, clearly thinking about what he had said before slowly nodding her head. Not sure what that meant for him, he just continued looking at her, waiting for a potential outburst. When none was forthcoming, a rather uncomfortable silence descended upon them. Draco couldn't take it any longer, the uncertainty, the worrying, so he sighed and turned to leave, expecting her to let him go. After all, she was probably just trying to come up with a nice way of letting him down and it would be easier on them both if he just left and saved them both the embarrassment. However, it seemed Hermione, yet again, had her own ideas that she was determined to see through.

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><p>Hermione's thoughts were going haywire. 'He likes me?! He actually likes me?! And he has for a long time? I did not see that coming?! But how could I?' as her thoughts began circling the same questions, she heard him sigh, snapping her out of her thoughts. As she focussed back on her surroundings, she saw Draco turning away from her.<p>

"Where are you going?" she asked, wondering why he'd drop a bombshell like that and then just leave. Surely he should be swearing her to secrecy or something?

Without turning around, Draco replied,

"Back to my common room. It's easier on both of us if we just forget this ever happened." He sounded tired. Maybe the stress of the evening had gotten to him or he was upset at the potential rejection she could throw at him.

"But I thought-"

"Thought what, Granger?" he spun round and snapped, "that I'd beg you to keep my secret? There's no need, you're too nice to tell people. Or maybe you thought I'd threaten you, hmm? Turn into my father and threaten you with unmentionable things so you wouldn't even look at me from a distance ever again. That would solve my problems wouldn't it?" he shook his head and began walking away slowly, shoulders slumped and head down, looking worn out.

At his outburst, Hermione took a step back, before realising there was no need. He hadn't moved any closer and his face, while showing his anger, just looked tired and sad.

When he started walking away, Hermione quickly followed him and grabbed his arm before he could get too far. When he only half turned and refused to look at her, she took a deep breath and let her mouth run away with her brain.

"Draco wait. I wasn't expecting either of those things from you. True, I thought you'd swear me to secrecy but you're right, I wouldn't tell anyone anyway so why bother? But don't you think we need to talk about this and sort it out? If you like me…" she paused, unsure what she was originally going to say next as she got distracted when he'd raised his head and his eyes had looked slightly glassy.

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><p>Draco wasn't sure what he'd expected her to say when she'd grabbed him, but this manic flow of words wasn't it. 'Of course she expected him to want secrecy,' he thought to himself as he listened, 'it's what he'd have done before… before everything with his family had gone wrong, they wouldn't care now, he was dead to them.' When he heard her say she wanted to talk about it, his head whipped up to look at her so suddenly it cut her off midsentence. Their eyes met and then he began to talk.<p>

"It makes no difference Hermione," he said quietly, "whether we talk or not the answer will be the same. You have no reason to return my affections. I was a tool for years and treated you horribly and I have to deal with the consequences now. Don't worry about it. Really. It's no different to when you didn't know." He looked down then, away from her chocolate brown eyes and suddenly felt her hand squeeze his wrist. When he looked back at her, she was leaning closer to him.

Hermione didn't know what came over her, but in that moment, with Draco looking so sad and lonely, all she'd wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and tell him everything would be okay. Since she knew that wouldn't go down very well, she did the next best thing she could think of.

Keeping hold of his wrist so he couldn't leave, she leaned forward and gently pressed her lips to his cheek. When she straightened the look on his face showed his shock and confusion at what had happened.

She chuckled softly while thinking to herself that he wasn't so horrid after all.

"Don't write me off just yet Draco." She told him softly, "maybe we can spend the remainder of the holidays getting to know each other better?" she smiled at him and then began to make her way out of the dungeons, leaving a very confused Draco Malfoy behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**

So here's chapter 2. Thank you for the reviews and the favourites and follows I received. They were a confidence boost for sure. Same things apply as before, I still don't own Harry Potter and make no profit blah blah blah.

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><p>Over the next two weeks, Draco made it his mission to avoid Hermione. He wasn't sure why, since she hadn't reacted how he'd expected. In fact, she seemed to be taking the whole thing very well. She even seemed to be seeking him out. It would appear she was serious when she'd told him she wanted to get to know him.<p>

Every time he went somewhere, Draco made sure to take the long and complex routes so he wouldn't accidentally run into her, and yet still, by some irritating miracle, she still found him every time. He had no idea how she was doing it but he wished she would stop. He never knew what to say to her so it just became uncomfortable when she was filling his silences with more chatter. And yet, no matter how uncomfortable he may have felt, he could never seem to make himself leave. He sat, listening to her talking, wondering why on Earth she was doing this.

Over the past two weeks, Draco had learnt that he and Hermione had a lot in common, even if she didn't know that yet. He now knew that her favourite colour was green, and she hated that she couldn't wear it more often because her house mates would look at her funny. He knew that she enjoyed listening to music and as a child she had taken music lessons to learn both the piano and the violin, though she didn't practice as often anymore, just the odd opportunity for her when she was at home for the summer. She had told him she liked to sing when she was alone, but never in public because she didn't think she was very good. She told him about her future career aspirations and her worries for her parents now the war had escalated.

While she chatted, Draco listened, waiting for her to realise how vulnerable she was making herself by telling him all her secrets. Waiting for her to realise who she was talking to and run away, but it never came. Each day she would find him and pick up where she left off the day before, just telling him more about her, and when she couldn't think of anything else, she would just sit with him for a while longer, maybe waiting for him to say something…, anything, before saying it was nice seeing him and leaving to do some other task. But today, Draco had finally thought of something he wanted to say, today the routine would change.

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><p>Hermione wasn't sure why he was still allowing her to talk his ears off every day without saying anything to her. But until he actually told her to leave, Hermione was determined to keep meeting Draco. After all, he needed all the friends he could get at the moment and she was determined to become one of his. Who knew, maybe she'd see another side of him in the process and his feelings for her wouldn't seem like such a strange concept.<p>

Once again, Hermione took herself up to Harry's dorm and to his bedside table, where she knew he kept the Marauder's map. He'd been absent a lot recently, spending most of the holidays in Dumbledore's office, discussing who knows what, which meant she could easily gather the information she needed without having to explain herself to him.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Muttering the well-known phrase, Hermione scanned the map quickly as it developed, searching for Draco's name and location. She spotted Harry pacing in Dumbledore's office while the Headmaster's name stayed stationary, probably behind his desk sucking Lemon Drops. Shaking her head she continued searching for Draco. She found him outside today, sat on the main steps of the entrance to the castle. She also spotted Blaise Zabini's name by the lake but figured, since he and Draco were friends, there'd be no problems if he saw them chatting, or rather, saw Hermione talking at Draco.

She quickly whispered "Mischief Managed" and put the map back in its place before descending the stairs, grabbing her coat and leaving the Gryffindor common room. As she made her way to the front doors, she wondered if today would be the day he finally told her to leave him alone.

Opening the door, she saw him sat a few steps down, head hanging and shoulders slumped, perhaps from the cold. Then the door creaked slightly and she saw him stiffen. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards him and sat beside him on the snow covered steps.

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><p>Draco was sat on the steps contemplating how he could actually ask Hermione what had been on his mind for the past two weeks when he heard the main door creak open behind him. He felt his spine stiffen, knowing it must be her as no one else would be brave enough to venture outside in this snow storm, except maybe Blaise who loved the blissful quiet of the snow as it fell.<p>

He saw her sit beside him from the corner of his eye and took a few deep calming breaths, preparing himself. After a moment, he slowly turned to her, taking in her flushed cheeks and slightly shivering form.

"It's snowing Granger, in case you didn't notice." He said with a small smile gracing his features. She looked cute with snow in her hair and her nose and cheeks bright pink. Her eyes widened slightly in shock at him actually talking to her but when she saw his smile she relaxed and smiled back, letting out a small giggle. When she started rubbing her hands together to generate some heat, he did the gentlemanly thing and removed his gloves, handing them to her silently.

She cautiously reached between them and when he still held them out for her, she took them and pulled them quickly over her cold hands, sending a grateful smile his way.

"Thank you," she said "but what about you? I can go grab my own gloves, it's no problem. I didn't realise it was snowing or I'd have dressed better." She then zipped her coat up further so her neck was covered and protected from the chilly winds that sent the snowflakes spiralling through the sky.

"Don't worry about it Hermione," he sighed. Then he took another deep breath before continuing, "Look, there's something I've been wanting to ask you."

"Shoot," she replied, turning to face him on the step.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you making so much effort for me? All I've ever done is be awful to you and yet now…" he sighed and bowed his head, "now you what, want to be friends?"

He lifted his gaze to see her studying him with a frown marring her features.

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><p>Hermione couldn't understand it. How could he be so harsh on himself? After everything he'd been through recently, everything he'd done to try and better himself, to distance himself from the tarnished name of his family, and he still didn't understand. She studied his face, so open she could actually see the confusion in his eyes and frowned. He must feel so lost and alone right now, which only made her more determined to keep trying.<p>

"You deserve so much better Draco," she whispered softly, meeting his eyes and trying to convey how much she meant it through that one look. When he didn't respond and still looked confused she continued,

"I know we haven't exactly had the best start," at his raised eyebrow she giggled and said, "okay, so maybe that's an understatement. But the point is, you've changed Draco. You've stood up for what _you_ believe in, not your father, and you've shown a strength and bravery I never knew you possessed. I know it can't have been easy for you, and I know being stuck here for the holidays isn't what anyone wants at Christmas, but if there's even anything I can do to try and make it slightly better for you, it's being a friend to you and giving you some much needed support so you at least don't feel so alone. No one should feel alone at Christmas. Even you Draco." She smiled at him then and squeezed his hand quickly.

"And besides," she continued quickly, giving him a cheeky grin, "if we don't become friends, I might never hear you sing again and that would be a terrible loss as I found your lyrics… beautiful. Amusing, but beautiful all the same."

Draco finally relaxed then and smiled, looking down and shaking his head as he let out the first proper laugh he'd had in a while.

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><p>He laughed, he couldn't help it. The way she'd said it, as if his feelings for her and his songs about her didn't disgust her, made his heart feel light and he just wanted to hug her for wanting to be his friend and for making him feel like he was worthy of friendship, of <em>her<em> friendship. She would never know how much this meant to him.

He didn't see the happy smile on her face as she watched him laugh, nor did he see Blaise stop mid stride on his way back from the lake. When his laughter subsided he looked back up at her and finally returned the trust she had bestowed on him weeks ago.

"I'm writing another song," he told her casually, hoping she would understand how important this moment of sharing was for him.

"Is it about me?" she asked, giving him another of her cheeky grins.

"Yes," he said after a brief hesitation, glad she'd kept the conversation light hearted and not making a big deal about him finally talking to her. He worried briefly if she'd ask to hear it, still not sure how she felt about his feelings towards her. She'd made it clear she wanted to be friends but given no signs at all that she could potentially be interested in anything else, granted it was still early days but he didn't want to scare her off when he was only just getting to know her.

"I'd like to hear it… when it's finished of course," she said quietly, glancing away from him briefly.

"Maybe," he answered.

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><p>She couldn't deny it. Spending time with Draco on the steps had been pleasant. They'd had a nice conversation, despite the cold and he'd actually smiled and relaxed around her. They hadn't stayed out much longer after he'd potentially agreed to share his new song with her, but the time they'd shared had shown her once and for all that he really had changed. They had agreed to meet the day after in the library, and she'd see how things would progress now he seemed open to the idea of friendship. She went to bed that night with a smile on her face and a sense of fulfilment.<p>

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><p>When Draco returned to the common room after leaving Hermione, he made his way to the armchair by the fireplace, wanting to warm himself.<p>

"So, it's working out okay between you and Granger then? " Draco jumped at the unexpected voice and spun around to see Blaise leaning against the door frame leading to the dorms. He had a smug smile on his face as he made his way over to the other armchair.

"How do you know about that?" Draco asked as he watched his friend make himself comfortable.

"I was out by the lake earlier, enjoying the snow, and on my way back I saw you both sat on the steps," He smiled at Draco then, a really smug smile. "You were _smiling_," he said with a chuckle, "and _laughing_! Never did I think I'd see you laughing with Granger, but she seems to be a good influence on you. You seemed happier today than I think I've ever seen you."

Draco thought about that before answering his friend. He was right. Today he had realised just how amazing Hermione was. She was so forgiving and charming, and open. It was enough to make anyone happy, having a friend like that.

"I just…" he began, struggling to put into words what he wanted to say, "she's so forgiving Blaise, she looks at me like she looks at Potter, even after everything. And she wants to know me. Wants to be my friend. It's more than I could have hoped for, I mean, I was expecting her to avoid me like the plague for the rest of my life, especially after she found out I liked her. But none of that seems to matter."

Blaise just smiled at his friend before sloping off to bed, leaving Draco smiling behind him after his parting comment.

"I'm glad you're happy Draco. I think she's good for you."


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