Don't blame yourself for anything- Dramione Love Story

[    AUTHOR'S NOTE: This whole story is dedicated to the lovely admins and likers over on my facebook page 'Umbridge is the reason I hate the color Pink'. I love you guys :)   ]

"Bye mum!" 

"Bye dad!"  

I gave them each a long hug and a kiss on the cheek as I skipped over to the hogwarts express and found my familiar seat next the the bodies that were Ron weasley and Harry potter. They were sharing a box of Bertie Botts every flavor beans and comparing their collection of famous witch or wizard cards. (from chocolate frog packages) I sat down next to Harry, as it would be a bit uncomfortable sitting next to Ron... Not to mention awkward. 

I hope that this year at Hogwarts there wouldn't be any exciting troubles, I just wanted a quiet year this time and to experience what Hogwarts would be like without all the extra things. Although that probably wouldn't happen, with Harry around there was always something going on. It doesn't really matter though I guess, Hogwarts is still fun! I really have to focus on my grades though... I need to get that last Outstanding. 

"Hey, Hermione!" Ron's voice, with his mouth full of pumpkin pasty, interrupted my thoughts and shook me back to life. 

"Yes, Ronald?" 

"So me and Harry have been thinking about something and we want your opinion." 

"That would be Harry and I, Ron, and since when have you cared about my opinion?" 

Apparently this was awkward for Ron to answer. He quickly came up with the excuse that 'Harry insisted on asking you.'  

"Uh yeah. How mean do you think Malfoy is on a scale of 1 to you-kno- I mean... Voldemort?"

I chuckled a little bit. "Maybe around 7 or 8? He's not that bad you know."

This made Ronald angry. "Hermione he called you a mudblood! In only 2nd year!"

"Well you have to think about it! He was raised by a death eater... How did you expect him to turn out?"

Wow what am I doing! Defending... Malfoy? The name is like dirt on my silent lips. 

"I mean... Sorry I don't know what I was thinking." 

As soon as I said that I heard a scoff outside the compartment door. Malfoy. He must have been eavesdropping! Typical Malfoy. 

I slid the door open with ease, but it slammed when it was finished opening. I must have been really mad.  

"eavesdropping, malfoy?"  

"wouldn't expect you to know anything about it Granger. Being the goody two shoes you are." 

Harry stepped in now, "Hermione why don't I take care of this. . ." the next sentence was for Malfoy. "Malfoy you just leave her alo-" I cut him off.  

"Harry it's okay, I can take care of it." 

Harry almost snarled at Malfoy, and they exchanged hateful glares as Harry stepped back into the compartment. 

"Look, why don't you just go back to your sea-" 

Whoa. This is the first time I really noticed his eyes. They're a steel gray that silences anyone who dares to look at them, though they pierce me with hate... But I see a little ... Sincerity in his expression. Like as if to say sorry. 

Wait. No way, this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about here.  

"Yeah, Granger? Go back to what?"  

This time his voice wasn't a mean one, it was almost normal.  

"Your. . . Your seat. And leave us alone." 

"Fine. Mudblood." 

Draco, I mean Malfoy, stalked back to his Slytherin compartment and as soon as I got back and comfortable in mine I clarified, "change my answer to Voldemort." Through laughs I shared with Ron and Harry, we had arrived at Hogwarts quickly and I had forgotten all about Malfoy. 

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When we got off the train I watched the cute little first years wandering around wondering where to go, and I flashed back to my first year. The troll in the dungeon, the Sorcerer's Stone, and how I was saved from the troll by my two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley...

"Whoa!" Ugh, I tripped . . . into a big mud puddle. . . A pale hand reached down to help me up, and I realized it was Malfoy, with his pleading gray eyes signaling he wasn't going to push me back down, but really help me up. I took his hand and he pulled me back up swiftly. I fixed my hair and wiped off all the mud I could, I managed to look almost the same as before with Malfoy's help, you could barely tell I had just fallen in a mud puddle. 

Then I barely managed out a weak "Thanks" before I hurried off to catch a thestral carriage with Ron and Harry, but I missed it and was forced to take the next one. 

Sure enough, Malfoy was in the next one too. And without his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

So Malfoy and I were forced to ride alone together in a Thestral carriage to Hogwarts. Great. As if things weren't weird enough between us. I found Malfoy opening the door to the carriage, for me, like a gentleman. Wow! What's up with him? 

I again squeaked "Thanks" in a quiet, shocked voice. He seemed to have heard it though because he replied with a "You're welcome."

So we sat there in an awkward silence in the carriage. I sneaked a peek at his stone eyes, to find some warmth in them. And of course now I was hooked on them, and couldn't help staring. I tried to force myself to look away but I couldn't call myself off for the life of me. 

Malfoy laughed.

"What's so funny now?" I said, I tried to hide the fact that I knew why he had laughed. He laughed because he noticed my staring, and my apparently dazed facial expression, nothing I can do about that I guess . . .

"Nothing" he responded, with one last chuckle. 

I averted my eyes from him and forced myself to look at the forest on either side of us. With a little awkwardness, no wait, a LOT of awkwardness, I  survived the ride until we got to Hogwarts Entrance.  When we got to the school, I had to deal with more of this Malfoy stuff when he opened the door to the carriage for me, and helped me out. Okay, what was up with this? 

Maybe he's sick or something. Yeah, that's it. Sick. Only explanation.