Stylistic Harmony

*****is dreaming....*****

Chapter One
It had been a long, tedious and emotional summer. Since the end of school, she had had to do everything in her power to stop everyone from slipping away, especially Harry. After witnessing Dumbledore's death at the hands of Snape atop the Astronomy Tower, he had been withdrawn, appearing only for meals and Order meetings. He didn't speak to anyone about what he saw, what was said, he only broke his silence for private meetings with her and Ron to discuss potential Horcruxes. Ron on the other hand was trying to be the leader, helping everyone, filling the place which Harry normally took, only revealing himself as the scared boy he always was in front of her. She just hadn't stopped all summer, whether it be comforting Harry, discussing tactics with Lupin & Tonks, girlie chats with Ginny or attempting to be the perfect girlfriend for Ron. Yes, she and Ron were together finally, although she still felt that there was something missing. Sure, she loved him, and he most definitely loved her but there was that nagging feeling that the passion and intensity of first love was nowhere to be found. But this was the least of her worries, for the night before school started they received news that would certainly spark off the new year with a bang.

Firstly, she had been made Head Girl, she had wanted it for so long and everyone was so proud of her, even Harry managed a weak smile. Secondly the Order had received news via contacts at the Ministry that Draco Malfoy had turned himself in, been interrogated and found completely innocent of any charge against him. She was actually quietly pleased about this as it had actually elicited a reaction in Harry, on hearing the news , he had put his fist through the nearest wall and shouted,
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY THINKING? HE'S A DEATH EATER! HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTACK ON THE SCHOOL. HOW CAN THEY HAVE IGNORED MY EVIDENCE?"
"Harry, please calm down." She had said. It frightened her to see him like that. In their eyes Malfoy was and always would be the evil little shit he always had been. Lupin had stepped in to stop Harry destroying the place,
"Harry, please. I know you're angry and upset but you can't bottle it up, that just leads to pain and despair that you don't want."
"You think I don't know that? You think I like feeling like this? I hate it, I hate that this falls on my shoulders, I hate that everyone close to me, everyone I ever look up to is killed because of Voldemort and his bullshit. And yeah, I am angry that Malfoy walked from this. So leave me be okay?" With that he had stalked off back upstairs, leaving them all gaping in his wake. It was Ron who broke the silence,
"Well, at least he's talking now, eh?"

They had decided, with the advice of McGonagall, Mr. Weasley, Lupin and Moody, to return to school, feeling it best that they were aided in whatever it was they were trying to do. Harry had sworn her and Ron not to break his or Dumbledore's trust by telling anyone else about the Horcruxes and they had held to that. In the end, they had submitted to the relentless advice and decided that returning to Hogwarts was the best plan of action. Ginny, of course, was ecstatic at the prospect of them returning. Although Harry had broken up with her, she was still hopeful that he would eventually realize the mistake and trust that she could take care of herself.

Hermione stretched out on her bed and thought of the summer past, and of the revelations of the past few days. The summer had been so hectic she hadn't had time to spare a thought for Malfoy and what may or may not have transpired on his return to Voldemort. She yawned and turned over, she had always found the blonde boy a mystery, yes, he had bullied her and her friends relentlessly for six years, and yes, he was undoubtedly evil but for one moment last year she saw something else in him, something so unexpected she hadn't had the guts to mention it to anyone else.
It was late one afternoon, she was studying under the tree by the lake. She was alone, Harry & Ron were at Quidditch practice. She had been so engrossed in her Advanced Transfiguration book she had hardly noticed that there was someone standing across to her left. She looked up, it was Draco Malfoy, he made no indication that he had seen her. Hermione couldn't help but stare at him, her views about him were conflicted, he was the bane of her life, always calling her Mudblood and taunting her, he was the worst kind of bully and yet there was something that she just couldn't place, he had changed and she wasn't sure what he had changed into. Harry was convinced that he had taken his Father's place in the Dark Lord's ranks. She was skeptical, she just couldn't see him as having the, well, balls to face Voldemort, let alone join him.
"You know Granger, that vacant expression really doesn't go with your Mudblood know it all persona." Apparently lost in her thoughts she had not seen him turn to face her. It took her by surprise, "And the gaping mouth just sets it off."
"Why thanks Malfoy, coming from a ferret that really means a lot to me. Now get lost." She looked back down at her book, fully aware that he hadn't moved and was staring down at her. He wasn't angry or smirking as usual, in fact he looked almost sad,
"How do you do that Granger?"
"Wow you're still here. Do what Malfoy?" She looked up at him, his eyes were unusually dark, instead of the normal silver grey they were,
"Be like you are."
"Christ Malfoy, this crypticness really does not suit you. You have to have some form of intelligence for that. Be like how?" Now his eyes were filled with loneliness and intrigue, she really wanted to leave, this situation was beginning to make her nervous. He was staring at her again, intensely,
"You aren't frightened, nothing seems to phase you. I insult you, you ignore it, or comeback with something equally scathing. Its like you can't be touched."
"Insightful Malfoy. What happened, did you suddenly grow a pair? I HAVE never been scared of you or intimidated by your pureblood bullshit. You know why? Because I know all you are, is a frightened, insecure little Daddy's boy, who needs attention and the only way you can get it is by isolating yourself from everyone around you and pretending to be the 'Big Bad'." He moved so fast toward her she didn't have time to stop him wrapping his fingers round her throat and ramming her against the tree,
"You don't know anything about me Granger. You understand nothing. You think what you see everyday is the real me? You're wrong. You have no idea what I am capable of, Mudblood.." With that he let go of her and stalked off back to the castle. She stood gasping for breath, he had never shown violence like that, he always seemed in control of his emotions. What had she said that had made him lose it like that? Was Draco Malfoy's carefully constructed world falling apart?
"Maybe Harry's right, maybe he is a Death Eater," she thought to herself. With that she settled back down against the tree, more troubled by Malfoy's outburst then she was scared that he had almost choked her to death, and the look in his eyes, fear? anger? frustration? She didn't know.
Whatever the hell it was she had seen in him that day, it still rocked her to her core. She actually pitied him, for like two seconds. She could still feel the warmth of his hands wrapped round her throat. She had wondered for the last few days whether she should have mentioned it to Harry, it may have held the key to stopping him from doing what he was tasked to do. After that incident he hadn't said two words to her, he didn't even sneer or smirk at her when Pansy Parkinson insulted her in potions, or Crabbe tripped her in the corridor. The thought of seeing him tomorrow unnerved her, as she settled down to a disturbed nights sleep.

******She woke up in the middle of a vast open plain. She got up wearily, her white dress clinging to her legs. She looked around her, the ground was covered with dead flowers. Hogwarts castle stood in ruin on the horizon. She started towards it. In the distance she could make out the outline of four people. As she got closer she realized who they were. Ron. Harry. Ginny and Malfoy. Harry and Ginny were standing together clinging to each other. Ron was looking over her head into the distance, and Malfoy was looking directly at her.
"Ron, Harry, Gin? What's going on?" They didn't reply, just stayed in the positions they were in. She turned to look at Malfoy. He spoke,
"They can't hear you Hermione. Not since....." He motioned at the castle.
"Since what Malfoy? And when did you have the right to call me by name?" She spat back.
"I have always called you by name, Hermione." He came to stand in front of her. "The battle. It all came down to us. Me and you. They couldn't save you." He spoke with great sadness.
"Am I dead? Did I die? How did it come to this. Tell me Draco." She stared up at him, tears beginning to form.
"The Death Eaters came. The teachers and the students tried to fight back, but they were overpowered. Dementors swooped down, they killed the weaker ones. Then came Voldemort. He was relentless, with the Death Eaters behind him, the school was overrun. Those with any sense fled. Harry, Ron and Ginny, they led the students out, saved the vast majority of them. You went with them, but you left something behind." Draco began to lead her away from Harry, Ron and Ginny. She took a moment to take him in, he looked so beautiful, so tragic, dressed in a black shirt, black jeans. She felt something other then burning hatred. What had happened to her? How had it come to this? He had led her to the tree beside the lake.
"Don't you remember, this is where we first felt it. That spark, the potential for something else. I'm what you left behind Hermione. We couldn't survive without each other."
"I don't believe you. I would never leave my friends especially for you." She turned, tried to run, but he grabbed her arm. "Get off me ferret. I would never ever lower myself to be with you." he spun her round and kissed her passionately. She subsided, thats when she felt it. The missing part of her. It was him.******

Hermione woke with a start. She was dripping with sweat and her face was stained with tears. She wasn't sure whether that was a dream, or the grim reality of her future. She knew for a fact that whatever it was would never happen. She would never feel anything but spite, disgust and utter hatred for Draco Malfoy.