Draco's POV
I struggled to get the remainder of my classes that day, struggling to concentrate. I needed to find a way to "prove myself". Whatever that meant. Hermione was one of the most complicated girls in this school. She didn't care about frilly dresses or the cute boy she sat beside in potions. She cared about her grades and her future. She was sensible. I was hooked on getting her to go to the dance with me. I had to show her I wasn't joking. That I sincerely wanted her to go with me.
I picked up my books off of my desk, and left my last class of the day trying to work out how I could show Hermione that I wanted her to go to the dance with me. I could give her
petty little gifts, but that's not her. I'd have to start being nicer. To her, to everybody I guess. No more harsh names, or rude gestures to her friends. Rather I had to work at being nice, which from what I had noticed about myself, wasn't in my nature. It was going to be hard to convince her I could be a nice guy. I wasn't so sure it was possible myself, but I had to try. For Hermione. For myself.
I saw Hermione and her friends laughing in the corridor, but I knew I couldn't start directly with her. That wouldn't prove anything. Instead I started toward Longbottom who stood by himself looking rather lonely. I had taken his remembrall from him a while back. I could return it as a start. I had it in my cloak pocket and pulled it out as I walked towards him.
"Neville..." I started, "I think this is yours. I've had it for too long. Sorry for taking it in the first place."
I put it in his hand and walked down the corridor to get to the Slytherin common room, ignoring the hushed whispers around me. I didn't look back to see Hermione's astonished face.
Hermione's POV
Draco walked straight down the hallway passed me. I almost wished he would come and talk to me, but I wanted to avoid the questions as long as possible. I saw him take something out of his cloak and hand it to Neville. His remembrall. Draco walked away, not looking back to see my reaction. Trying to hide my smile, I jumped back into the conversation with Harry and Ron.
