A Turn For The Better (Completed)

Part 21

During transfiguration, I sat with the Patil twins. I couldn't bear to be near Harry or Ron right now. It made me so mad that they could even think that I would let someone hurt them. Malfoy was in the row behind me today. As much as I hated it, I couldn't pay him any attention. Now that the boys knew I wanted to help him, they were angry. If they knew I was actually his girlfriend, they would hate me. I had no idea how I was going to get out of this mess. To make things worse, I would still have to tell Draco about this mornings argument. He deserved to know where he stood with them.

When class ended I gathered my things at speed and almost ran out the door. Harry and Ron weren't in my next class, so I would be free of them for at least an hour. I hated avoiding them but they made me so mad. They could be so selfish sometimes. As I took my Ancient Runes textbook from my bag, someone dropped a piece of parchment beside me. I looked behind me and saw Draco there. I didn't know he took Ancient Runes. Professor Babbling wasn't there yet, so I had time to look at the note.

Hermione,

Are you okay? You look upset, has something happened?

Draco

I sighed. Why can't things be civil?

Draco,

I'm fine. Well, not completely fine. I'll talk to you about it later.

Hermione

P.S Since when do you take Ancient Runes?

There was only a handful of people in the classroom so I was able to roll the rolled up parchment behind me.A moment later there was another note at my foot.

Since I found out that you do. I was allowed to take up an another class, to make up for grades.

 I read the note and smiled. I was also happy to see that he would abide by my rules and keep up his work. And then Professor Babbling walked in and started class.

The class dragged, and I still had another class with the other two before Draco and I could be alone. I was surprised at just how often we got to be alone. We only got an hour at a time, but I wasn't expecting to be seeing him everyday. Though of course I knew it wouldn't always be everyday. When the class finally ended, I gathered my things, and went to my next class.

My frustration returned when Harry and Ron walked into the next class. I was already sat with Ginny so I could avoid them for a little while longer. The two of them looked like lost sheep. I felt a twinge of guilt, but shook it off. If they hadn't jumped down my throat and just heard me out, then we wouldn't be faced with this problem now.

"Whats up with them two?" asked Ginny. "We've had a bit of a row. I told them about something I want to do and of course, they don't approve. They wont even think about what I said." "Men can be so pigheaded at times. I can talk to Harry if you like. He can be hard to get around, which of course you've already noticed." "Thanks Ginny, but I don't think anyone or anything will change his view on this. And I'm just afraid to tell anybody else. So I don't really want to talk about it right now. Not that I don't trust you, I do. But they have made me a bit angry." "No I completely understand. But don't worry, no matter how bad it is, or that they think it is, I won't judge you." "Thanks."I smiled at her. I knew I could always count on Ginny, but I really didn't want to chance talking about it again.

The rest of the class was dull, history always was. But it was worse when I just wanted out of here. Away from those two. So once again, when class was finished, I said goodbye to Ginny and left before they could get near me. It was 12.50, I would barely have enough time to throw my stuff back in the common room and meet Draco. But I also wanted to change. I almost ran up to Gryffindor common room. "Becotide" I said to the fat lady and I ran inside. There wasn't anybody back yet. I ran up to the dormitory and threw my bag on my bed. I grabbed my handbag that contained my purse, lip balm and a few other bits. I looked for a nice, but not too noticeable outfit. In the end I just I settled with three quarter length blue denim jeans, purple converse trainers and a purple fitted t-shirt. I tied my hair back in a ponytail. I grabbed my bag and ran to the common room and out the portrait hole. Harry and Ron had just reached the landing when I emerged from the portrait hole. "Hermione, can we_" "I can't, I'm busy. Besides I don't want to do this right now." I hurried past them and down the staircase. I made my way along the third floor corridor and found the one eyed witch statue that Draco told me about. I had just arrived, when he did. He managed to change in to a light blue polo shirt, with a white collar and a pair of blue jeans. "Don't you look dashing!" I said to him as he came closer to me. "As do you, " he said as he came closer to me.

"Dissendium." He said and the passage opened. We stepped inside and immediately torches lit up a dark tunnel. "Now, I  have you!" he said, and he kissed me briefly. "Shall we go then?" he asked me after a moment. I nodded, smiling.

He grabbed my hand, pulling me along the passageway. It took ten minutes to get to the end of the passage. We emerged into the basement of a shop, but there was a back door that we could leave through. When we got outside, he grabbed hold of my hand again, and we hurried through the outskirts of Hogsmeade. He brought me to what looked like the place that we met near The Burrow. But it was even more beautiful. There was a pond, and trees all around to give cover. The grass was almost knee length, giving the impression that nobody ever came here.

He led me over to a spot by the lake. I hadn't noticed that he'd brought a bag with him. The bag contained a blanket, bigger than the one I'd brought last time, and cushions. He laid out the blanket and cushions. It was a beautiful sunny day, the perfect day.

Draco took out some food. "Are you hungry Miss Granger?" he asked me. "Famished!" I replied. He pulled out bread and butter, meat, different salads, butterbeer and desert for afterwards. "Seems like I have been brushing off on someone!" I exclaimed with a laugh. "You've certainly done something to me anyway!" he replied with a grin. We ate lunch together and laughed. It felt good to laugh. It seemed the only time I laughed lately was when I was with him.

When the food was tucked away, we sat down again with bottles of butterbeer. "So are you going to tell me what happened today then?" he asked. I had forgotten all about this morning. "I told Harry and Ron, about you wanting my help. I had to, everyone said they could see something was up. Anyway, I told them that we met in Diagon Alley and that you approached me looking for my help. I didn't tell them about us though. Anyway, I said that I was considering accepting your request, and told them that I did believe that you want to redeem yourself. But they got mad at me. They are annoyed because I am helping you." He looked at me, sadly. "I'm sorry, Hermione. Its my fault they are mad. I shouldn't have just put this on you, I don't want you falling out with them over me." "Don't be stupid Draco. Even if you didn't ask for my help, who's to say we wouldn't have still ended up together? I want to help you, it's my decision, not theirs. I care about them, a lot, but they cannot tell me who I can and can't be friends with. I'm doing this because I care about you too. They will just have to get over themselves." He smiled at me. "I know, I just wish I had never been the way I was. I am so ashamed of it." I took his hand. "Draco, don't ever be ashamed of yourself. You are a brave man, it's not easy to go and ask someone for help. But you did. They will come round, we've had worse fights." He grabbed me and pulled me over to him so that he could hug me. "I don't know what I would do without you Granger. I don't think I'd last in this place without you." I smiled into his chest. "Likewise." I replied smiling.