Beneath the Covers / DRAMIONE (COMPLETE)

Together

"You spoke to Severus then?" It was a rhetorical question and they both knew it. Hermione had been avoiding her house since she'd seen the horrible memory two nights ago and she'd finally plucked up the courage to speak to Draco again. "He went through a lot, both before, during and after Hogwarts. He doesn't associate many happy memories with this place." Draco looked around at the walls pensively.

"Why does he stay?" Asked Hermione. She'd wondered, ever since she'd first had a lesson with the grumpy Potions Master, why he taught at a school he clearly loathed. "He could be so much more than a schoolteacher."

"I know," replied Draco. "I've often questioned him. There's a very important reason why, but I've never found out what it is."

The two sat in contemplative silence for a bit. Then Draco spoke.

"You know, I've never understood why everyone hates him. I know he's bitter. I know he's cruel. But if he wasn't, no-one would ever get anything done around here. He taught Potter Expelliarmus at the Duelling Club, which is now his signature move. He cured those Petrified by the basilisk, including you, spending many nights sleeplessly attending to cauldrons of bubbling liquids. He makes thousands of draughts and vials for the Hospital Wing every year and no-one has ever been poisoned under his watch. His class gets the highest grades, without fail. He does everything around here."

Hermione looked at the Slytherin thoughtfully. "What the wizarding world needs is psychiatrists," she said. "They could tell you that his moodiness reflects bitterness of the lot he's been given in life. They could tell you that he's remorseful, regretful. They could tell you that he's experienced a horrific past. They could tell you many things. But the Hogwarts students can't read past the cover. They pause, on the sour, gloomy face. They rove over the dark, hating eyes, the thin, tightly-pressed lips, the sallow face. They see an image, and they look to the stereotype that accompanies it. This school doesn't teach humanity, or kindness. It breeds hate, fear and anger. And we need to stop that."

"Yes," Draco agreed. "We do need to stop it. It might be too late for my godfather; too many people have renounced him and repudiated him. But we can still save those that have yet to turn to the darkness. We have a chance to change this."

"We will," Hermione said forcefully. "We'll make it right again."

"We'll end it," added Draco. "How we started it. Together."

*****

A.N. It's been too long since I've last updated, and it's a short one, I'm afraid. However, I think, and I hope you do as well, that it's a worthwhile one. Draco and Hermione combine forces to fight against the hatred of Hogwarts school.

Does the last line bring back memories of the Deathly Hallows movie trailer? It does for me. 

Thank you for reading!