The Eighth Year - Under Major Reconstruction

4 - Breakfast

Walking out of the common room, Hermione slowly walks to breakfast. She was dreading sitting with everyone. She wanted to be alone. She did not want to be around anyone who would ask her how her night was with Draco. She didn't even want to be around her boyfriend, but rather her ex-boyfriend now. She couldn't face him.

Hermione knew everyone was wondering how on earth she got sorted with Draco Malfoy, a former death eater, hell, she was even wondering. She also knew she would be bombarded with questions everywhere she went.

"How did you and Draco get sorted together?"

"Are you actually going to marry him?"

"Do you fancy him?"

"What's going to happen to you and Ron?"

All these questions and more were coming and she didn't know if she was ready to answer any of them.

Finally deciding she needed to go into the Great Hall for breakfast, she opens the doors and walks in. All eyes have landed on her and everyone had stopped talking. No one was moving, no one was eating. The air was deathly still and she decided she would hold her head high and walk over to her spot next to Harry, Ron, and Ginny.

Hermione did not meet Ron's eyes, nor Harry's or Ginny's. She grabbed some food and put it on her plate and began eating silently avoiding their stares.

"Hey 'Mione. How are you this morning?" Ginny asks the silent girl

Hermione just shrugs and takes a bite of her toast. She didn't want to talk. Did they not understand that?

"Hermione, please talk to us. We know you don't want to. I know it's gonna be weird from now on, but we're just gonna have to get used to it." Harry says trying to make her feel better

"What do you want me to say, Harry? Oh yeah, just love the fact that my boyfriend is marrying another girl! That I just love the fact that I am marrying a guy we used to hate? That I'm glad we aren't having the normal year I had hoped for. What do you want me to say?" Hermione yelled getting louder with each question

"I'm leaving. I don't want to talk about this." Hermione says and storms out of the Great Hall, all eyes on her for the second time that morning. Everyone was silent again. No one moved. Well, except for one person to go after her.

It wasn't Harry. It wasn't Ginny. It wasn't Ron or Luna or anyone she had expected. It was her future husband, Draco Malfoy who had come to comfort her.

"Why don't we go back to our room and sit?" He suggests rubbing her back.

She was crying now, she didn't want anyone to see her so she agreed and let him lead her to their common room.

"Hermione...I know you don't want to talk, but I have a question...When you went off on Harry, You said used to hate. As in past tense..." He says awkwardly

He expected silence and no reply, "Yes. That's what I said. We don't hate you anymore Draco. At least I don't. That all changed last year, and when you came to apologize to me on the train. You've changed, you've become a better man. I still don't know you too well but I can say for sure that I do not hate you. I think that we could become friends soon. I really do. I don't know about lovers, but friends I'm sure is possible...Thank you for running after me when no one else did." She smiled, wiping her face of the tears that had slowed.

"Well, I felt like I had to. I caused all of this pain, I should be the one to fix it." Draco smiles  awkwardly

"I'm going to go and head to class...I don't think I could go back in there right now. You are welcome to join me." She offered, turning in the direction of the Potions classroom

"Why not. I was done eating anyway." Draco shrugs and starts walking with her

On their way to the potions classroom, Hermione bursts out tons of questions, which Draco answered with reluctance.

"Okay...Favorite spell? Mine is Accio. It's really nice to not have to get up to get something." She laughs waiting for Draco to respond

"That's honestly a really hard one for me. On the one hand, I want to say Obliviate...But on the other, I want to say Lumos." He tells her

"Why those spells?" She asks trying not to pry

"Well... I would like to forget a lot of the things that I have done and that my parents have done... I guess I would just like to forget that anyone close to me or my family were all terrible people. Lumos because I love the light, I spent a lot of time in the dark and the dark arts the last few years, and the only comfort I had was the spell. It brought me a great deal of comfort." He admits

"Wow, Draco. Who knew you were so deep? I'm sorry you have had such a hard few years. Are you comfortable sleeping in our room when it's completely dark? I would be happy to have a light in the room?" Hermione smiles stopping in the hallway and holding out her hand to him.

He doesn't answer as he stares at her outstretched hand

"I don't have cooties and I'm not asking to hold hands Draco. I just want a proper handshake if you don't mind." She sighs as Draco slowly reaches his hand up to meet hers, slowly shaking them up and down.

"Might as well make the best of this situation. I'd like to set up some rules and stuff tonight. I wouldn't mind a bit of light in the room though. Thank you for offering." Draco says as they start walking towards the potions classroom again.

"That sounds good to me, I was wanting to do that too. I'm also not a huge fan of the dark. " She says to him

The rest of the walk to the Potions classroom was silent and neither of them were objecting to this, they still didn't have much to talk about together.

At least they now knew they both weren't big fans of the dark.

\\~//

I tried to make them have a bit more of a close moment but idk how I feel about it.
I have gotten three hours of sleep and I just drove for four hours so I'm sorry if this is crappy.
I had a weekend trip and it absolutely KILLED me
Thanks for reading!

Xx Shelby