When All You Know Is Wrong

Hermione woke up in her bed. She just lay there for a minute, praying to anyone that would listen that last night was a dream. Hell, if she was going to wish bad things away, she may as well wish away everything since summer started.

Groaning, she got out of bed and moved to get dressed, her mind on the events of the night before. Draco, no Malfoy had actually been human, he hadn't made fun of her or made her feel worse than she already did. He held her while she cried and he seemed angry with Ron for what he had done to her. But that couldn'et be right. Malfoy hated her almost as much as Harry, didn't he? And yet, even knowing this, she had felt safe in his arms.

Hermione wanted to laugh at herself. Safe in the arms of her best friend's enemy. It would have been ridiculously funny if it hadn't been true. Somehow he had managed to make her feel like nothing could harm her, like she was precious. The fact that Malfoy had made her feel those things scared her, because if she accepted it, then she would have to admit that it was possible that Malfoy had grown up and changed, which would make it alright to talk to him like an equal and not an annoyance. And that was only the beginning. If she felt safe with him now knowing only how he was in previous years, what might she feel if she really beganto know the growing man he may become? If he really was a changed person, she could eventually grow to have intimate feelings for him. It was just too confusing to even think about. Shaking away these thoughts before she became too engrossed in them, Hermione went into the bathroom to brush her hair and teeth before going down to breakfast.

Stepping into the common room, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief at seeing it empty and headed toward the door. She had almost left when she heard a tapping at the window and turned to see a brilliant falcon with a note waiting to be let in. Obviously, she didn't recognize it, but she instinctively knew the bird was Malfoy's for he always went for the extravagent things.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione up to his bedroom door and raised a shaky hand to knock.
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Draco paced the length of his room. After leaving Hermione (yes, Hermione, to help her, he must think of her as a person) the night before, his brain had been restless.He had gotten maybe an hour's worth of sleep waiting for his mother to return an answer to his letter. Yet, it was more than that which had kept him from slumber. The feel of that witch in his arms, the tantalising scent that smelled faintly of lilacs entering his body in deep breaths and causing a reaction inside every part of him. His father was gone and last night, she ceased to be Bookworm Know-it-all Granger and became the woman Hermione. But he was supposed to help her with Ron and he feared showing her his newfound attraction would scare her away before he even had a chance to show her how different he was. All this and more he put in the letter to his mother and she had yet to return anything.

A knock sounded on the door and he went to pull it open, seeing Hermione standing on the other side.

"There's a falcon at the windown and I'm guessing it's for you," she said in a quiet voice.

Draco strode over to the window and pulled it open, allowing the majestic bird inside. He took the letter from its lef and turned just in time to stop his counterpart in the school system from leaving.

"Hermione," he said. Just hearing her given name from his lips was enough to make her freeze. "Please wiat for me, the halls may not be safe for you to travel alone."

She turned and looked up at him, fear in her eyes. Fear of what, he didn't know.

"I-I can't. Ron's already going to be upset about last night and if I'm late for breakfast, who knows what he might do...and you don't deserve to be hurt for helping me."

With that said, she turned back around and ran out the door before he could reply. As the door closed, Draco slammed his fist down on the table. Her fear of what could happen to other people as a result of her actions kept the courage to make herself happy at bay.

He looked down at the note from his mother, temporarily forgotten, and began to read:

'My darling boy,
I would have you know that I am proud of you for trying to help another in such dire need regardless
of their blood, ti shos that your father failed in turning you into a mosnter. However, in a situation
such as this, all you can do is try and protect her when in the same vicinity, listen when she talks,
and show her kindness, treat he like a human being. As to these stirring feelings, take care, my son,
and know that I wish you luck and joy, whoever you may find it with.
Mother'

Using these words as encouragement, Draco prepred to begin his tasks: protect Hermione, get rid of the Weasel, and try to get Hermione to see him as a new man, one worthy of love.

With determination to get his way or die trying, Draco left the common room for breakfast and went over everything he knew in his head.

He stopped for a second at the doors of the Great Hall to straighten his robes and then walked in, thinking in his head that today would be an interesting day in class with a few Gryffindors.
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Well, that's it. Chapter 5 is finally up and running. Hope you all enjoyed and thanks for the great comments I've recieved. Keep 'em coming cuz i love to hear what you think good, bad, or advice. Luv ya all for everything from the support to the entertainment.

~donovanwitch