The Right Choice

Chapter Five

Over the next couple of weeks, the two had been paired up on a regular basis in Arithmancy and now Ancient Runes as well. They found it to be remarkably peaceful, while they weren't friends, not even close, they both were content with having a partner on the same intellectual level. Both were top of their year in their marks, even if Draco didn't have the best record of behavior. It became an unspoken agreement between them that they work together.

Draco found he could have a civilized conversation with Hermione, as long as it was about a school subject. They were careful to avoid the subject of the inevitable war, both knew they were fighting for opposite causes, and it wouldn't do to start an argument now that they were somewhat peaceful. Hermione still had no idea just how deep Draco had gotten himself.

The next time either of them brought up what had been buried deep for a few weeks, it was during Ancient Runes. Hermione was mid-translation, and she thought it had been enough time, that maybe Draco would be more comfortable about the subject now.

"Draco, will you listen if I ask you about the...incident? Please don't shut it out." she added the last part in a hurry.

Draco stopped his work and closed his eyes for a moment, sighing. "Granger, we need to finish this today, I don't want any extra homework. It's quidditch this weekend." And he continued writing.

Hermione could practically see the wall spring up in his head.

"I just want to help you. Whatever it is, I won't judge you. You're still only a boy, we're only teenagers Draco."

Draco silently laughed at her statement. If she knew what he had planned, she would be the first to judge him.

"I was just under pressure from my parents, alright? My father expects a lot out of me, and I'm nearing the end of my schooling. I am the heir to quite a fortune and name, you know. I'm expected to uphold it."

Draco's lie seemed to convince her, for now. She frowned and went back to her work, and they talked only when one of them had a particularly difficult time with a rune.

The next day was a quidditch match. Draco didn't care much to go, instead he worked on repairing the vanishing cabinet. After he heard the rustling of the students heading to dinner, he decided he had done enough for the day and waited for silence so he could leave.

Later that night, after dinner and the celebrations of the match, Draco was alone in a corridor, on his way from the Room of Requirement where he had once again been working on the cabinet when he heard sobbing. Normally he wouldn't concern himself with it. In fact, he might even mock someone for it. But he thought the sobbing sounded familiar.

He rounded a corner and found Hermione on a stair case, her knees folded to her chest and her head resting on them. For some reason, she had little birds flitting about her head. No wonder he recognized the sound, he had caused it for five years. He sighed and considered going back to his bed, but instead walked silently toward Hermione.

"Granger, are you alright?" he asked timidly. This wasn't something he normally did, he was certain he would die if anyone caught him.

The sobbing stopped and Hermione looked up at his voice, she didn't believe it was him until she saw it for herself.

"What do you want?" she asked rather bluntly. Something was clearly bothering her, she had been very polite with Draco lately. Now she sounded as if he could drop dead and she wouldn't care. It reminded Draco of their arguments over their school years.

He actually smiled. "Just making sure my Ancient Runes partner is up to scratch."

He sat down next to her. He didn't know what to say, the only person who had ever offered him comfort was his mother, and he certainly wasn't going to act maternal toward Hermione. Pansy had come to him in his time of need as well, but in a way that he would never dream of with Hermione.

Well, maybe just a little.

He shook his head at the idea. He must have been tired, and he was a bit stressed from trying to repair the Vanishing Cabinet.

He heard a girl giggling and suddenly Weasel and a ditzy blonde girl appeared before them. They were clearly searching for a place to be alone, but this wouldn't be it. Weasel must have still been high on his sudden quidditch success.

The girl spoke up as soon as she saw Hermione and Draco together. "Oops! I think this room is taken." she said, running off, probably expecting the Weasel to follow. But he was standing stock still, staring at Hermione as if she had gone mad.

"Why are you sitting with him, Hermione?" he demanded of her. Apparently, it was a mistake on his part.

Hermione stood straight up and ceased her crying. She mumbled a spell and the yellow birds shot like bullets and the Weasel. He ran like hell from them and only stopped to shoot an astonished look at Hermione after the birds had smashed to bits against a wall.

As soon as he was out of sight, Hermione began to cry again. Draco knew what had been bothering her, he suspected that she would eventually take up interest in one of her closest friends. It was only natural with how much the three of them were around each other. He just thought she would have the sense to pick Potter.

He realized she was now sobbing heavily. He must have done something to upset her besides finally gain the affections of a girl that wasn't Hermione. It wouldn't have surprised Draco if he had been ignorant to the signs Hermione was giving him, even though they were around each other constantly. He decided he should do more than simply sit and watch. He put a hand to her back like his mother would do for him when he was little and hurting. He moved closer to her, and suddenly she leaned onto his shoulder. He was taken by surprise but he tried not to show it. He didn't really mind, he found he was okay with offering her some comfort. After all, she had tried to do the same with him a few weeks ago, but he hadn't accepted it. She was a bit more vulnerable, however.

Draco lost track of the amount of time he sat with her. Eventually, he had wrapped his arm entirely around her shoulders. When she finally calmed, she sat herself back up and apologized.

"What for?" Draco asked, confused.

"I didn't mean to trap you here." she said, still not looking at him and wiping the tears from her face.

"It's alright, really. It's plain that you are upset. Shame Weasel couldn't tell, he was too busy frolicking off with a girl who dresses distinctly like Umbridge did." Draco said, attempting a joke.

She smiled a laughed a bit. "I know we're not the best of friends, more acquaintances really. Thank you."

Draco understood what she was thanking him for without having to be prompted. "You tried to do the same with me, remember?"

She stared at the ground for a moment, then looked at Draco and smiled.

He didn't know why he said it, a moment of weakness he supposed. Or he was just trying to make Hermione feel better. Anything really, to make her smile considering the time she spent on his shoulder.

"Weasel is an idiot. You really shouldn't let yourself get this upset over him."

Hermione looked surprised at this, but talking about it seemed to help her mood.

"He is quite ignorant, isn't he? I've been uneasy about it for weeks, but I think I should move on. It wouldn't due to pursue a relationship with him. We fight enough as just friends, if we were to have a fallout it might be bad for what's to come."

They were both awkwardly silent. Hermione had brought up the oncoming war. She decided to break it by declaring her freedom from her infatuation with Ron.

"I don't need, nor deserve, to be waiting around for someone that can't open his eyes. Ronald and I are good friends, and I think we had best stay that way."

Draco nodded and stood up, offering a hand to her. She took it and allowed him to help her up. She stood still for a moment, unsure of what to say or do.

She finally spoke. "Thank you again." she said with a smile.

"See you in class, Granger." he replied. And with that, they went to their separate common rooms.