Everything Changes (A Dramione fanfic)

Chapter Eleven

Hermione looked out the window the next morning with a smile on her face. Hermione loved waking up early, and preparing for another day of classes. She fixed her tie, and smoothed down her skirt. Mornings were always Hermione's favorite part of the day, and today, for an unknown reason, she was more happy than usual.

Hermione made her way downstairs, to the Gryffindor common room, book in hand, prepared to read by the sunlight in one of the plush sofas. She sat herself down and was surprised to see Harry making his way down the stairs, already dressed and ready for class. "Good morning," she said "surprised to see you so early." she added. "I slept really well last night." he admitted, sitting down in front of her. "What Malfoy did for us...I mean, we are, for once, ahead of Voldemort. I kept thinking...maybe we shouldn't trust him, but I just can't convince myself that he's lying. I just have this feeling, and it's ridiculous but it's almost like-" "Like we have something to hope for," Hermione said, "I know what you mean, I've been thinking, for a while now, if someone like Malfoy could change, then maybe others can too. Maybe we can win this war." she said. Harry nodded, a small smile showing at the corner of his mouth. "We should be careful, though. I want to believe Malfoy, but just in case." he said. "Yeah." she replied. "I owe you an apology Hermione, Ron and I were being rude to you yesterday, we weren't listening, and I..." Hermione shook her head, and smiled. "It's okay, Harry. I'm glad you came anyway." she said. Harry nodded, looking down at his shoes. Just then, Ron came down stairs. Hermione glanced at the clock, two minutes till breakfast. "Morning'," he mumbled. "I'm starving! Let's go eat." Hermione couldn't help but smile. She picked up her book bag, and together, they went to the Great Hall.

...

Draco straightened his tie as he made his way to the Great Hall, for breakfast. He wanted to smile, but that would look quite strange on Draco Malfoy. He wasn't the type of person usually seen with a bright smile on his face, so he allowed a smirk. Today was a new day, things would never be the same, and he felt like a changed person. He knew that what he did last night was a huge risk, and he knew how dangerous it would be, but he knew he had done the right thing so he didn't regret it for a second.

...

Potions was almost perfect, but Harry kept making the best brew with that bloody book. Hermione did her best to focus on her own boiling cauldron. The bubbling mix was not even close to being done, and she stirred wildly in counter clockwise, just as her copy of Advanced Potion Making instructed. Suddenly, individual letters began to show themselves in the twirling liquid. Hermione stopped stirring and stared in amazement at the brew. A blue mist began to rise from the potion, and the jumbled up letters began to form words. Meet me tomorrow evening in the Room of Requirement. Hermione looked up, and glanced around the classroom. Harry's and Ron's potion were also bubbling and producing blue mists. They met each others gazes and nodded. The message vanished. How did Draco do that?

Just then, Draco walked into the room. "You're late, Mr. Malfoy." said Professor Slughorn, upon his arrival. "Right...I had something to take care of ." he said and Hermione looked over to Harry and Ron with amusment. "Oh, I suppose it's alright, just don't make a habit of it," Slughorn said pointing his finger. "Do take a seat, your assignment is on the board." There was an empty seat by Hermione, but she knew he wouldn't take it. Draco still had to be Malfoy outside of the Room of Requirement, and yet a part of her still hoped he might, though she didn't understand why.

...

The next day, Draco found himself waiting for class to be dissmissed the moment he arrived. Draco couldn't wait to get to the Room of Requirement that evening. He couldn't wait to have another taste of what it felt like to do something right, something good. Finally, what seemed like an eternity later, his last class was over. He rushed over to the Slytherin common room, to drop off his bag for class, and the extra textbooks he held in his arms. Draco went into the boys dormitries and threw his book bag onto his bed quickly, nodding to a few Slytherins on the way out. Everyone pretty much knew at this point to not question Draco when he was headed out in a rush.

He arrived, but to his surprise he wasn't the first one there. Hermione sat on a sofa, reading. She seemed so lost in the book that she hadn't heard Draco come in. "Every time I see you, outside of class, you've got your nose stuck in a book." he said, causing Hermione to jump, and Draco found himself smirking. "Didn't see you." she said. "I didn't expect to see you here early." he replied. "I'm pretty much early for everything." she said, closing her book and setting it down beside her. "Er...are Ron and Pott-Harry coming?" he asked, he felt nervous suddenly, there was something quite strange about being completely alone with Hermione when she didn't look at him with hate. "Yes they've just gone to the great hall to try and sneak food over." she replied. "Wish I had thought of that." Draco said, thinking of going to sleep with an empty stomach. "They're going to bring some for you too! Do you honestly think we would just sit here and eat infront of you?" she asked. Draco shrugged, "I can't say I really deserve the kindness, what I'm doing now doesn't exactly erase how cruel I was in the past." he said. "No, it doesn't erase anything," Hermione agreed. "But it changes everything, things could have been better between us all, but you're helping us now, better late than never." "You don't know how great it is to hear something like that," he replied. "Thank you." Hermione looked down to her book, she began to trace the lettering on her book cover with her finger. "And you know," Hermione began " if you ever feel like you haven't paid for what you've done, there's always that punch from third year." she said, and although she was looking down, he could almost hear her smile. Draco fell into a sofa, and said "Right. How could I forget that?" he said, his hand rising up to his face. "You can bet you left your mark, Hermione Granger. I didn't see that one coming." Hermione looked over to him, her lips pursed, but she couldn't hold in her laughter very long. Soon Hermione was laughing so hard she was tearing up, and Draco surprised himself with his own laughter. "I can't believe I did that!" she exclaimed. Just then, Harry and Ron walked arrived with a pouch he assumed was full of food. Harry and Ron both looked a bit confused, and he was sure no matter how much time passed, Hermione and him laughing together would be a strange sight. "We...got the food.." Ron said. Draco straightened in his chair, the atmosphere was suddenly awkward. "Shall we begin?"

Thanks for reading, leave a comment letting me know what you think! Thanks! -jazzyjstar*