Second Time Around

Writing on the wall

"And I just wanted to say I'm sorry

Every single day I think about

How we came all this way

The sleepless nights

And the tears you cried

It's never too late, to make it right"—Im sorry, Buckcherry

He found her at Hagrid's. Draco spent ages looking for her after the incident, desperate for the chance to apologise, and found nothing. That is till Draco accidentally stumbled across her bidding her friends a happy detention on the field outside Hagrid's hut. If he'd known she was at Hagrid in the first place, he would have gone charging in, Hagrid and Potter be damned. Draco didn't care for any of that now.

Reputation? Prestige? It all meant toffee without Hermione. How could he have forgotten that?

The second he saw her, he came charging down the hill calling out, "Hermione!"

She looked up and saw him. He couldn't read her face from where she was standing but he could only imagine. At first she tensed up, and looked like she was about to run away. Then she straightened up and began walking steadily towards him. When they finally met in the middle she swiftly walked past him without so much as a glance, as if he just wasn't there. Draco ran after her, calling her name, but she just ignored him. So he caught up and grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him, "Hermione".

Even her face was ignoring him. Her face a complete neutral, she wasn't even looking at him. His other hand went to turn her face to his, "Hermione listen to me—"

She slapped him. Right around the face. Draco was taken aback for a moment. Wizards used magic, they rarely needed to come to blows, so Draco wasn't used to being hit.

Then he saw her face and felt horrible.

She wasn't crying, his Hermione was too proud for that - too proud to let anyone see her cry, especially the person who hurt her. But she was hurt. So completely hurt that it was showing so clearly in her eyes though her face was composed so calmly. She was looking at him the way she looked at other people, at other Slytherins who hurt her. Draco used to hate those people for giving her this look. Now it was his fault. And his insult had been worse than anyone else's had ever been.

How was he ever going to fix this? Could he even fix this?

He had to try. Draco simply couldn't imagine things without her. He knew, somewhere in his subconscious, that if he didn't get her forgiveness now, save their friendship, then it would be lost forever.

"Go away, Malfoy! I don't want to see you!"

"Hermione, I'm begging you, if our friendship ever meant anything, please listen to me!"

She gaped, her hurt melting into anger. "How dare you! How dare you say that to me? After you called me a...Mudblood. And yes Draco, I know what it means. I told Harry and Ron I didn't to spare them, but I know. And how could you!"

"Hermione, it was an accident, I swear! It's just you said that, and then Flint and the others..."

"I don't care. I know you had to say something, but filthy little Mudblood, Draco? Why that?"

"I don't know!" he said, honestly. "I was just thinking what my father might say and... Hermione, please! I'm sorry, I so sorry. I never meant to hurt you!"

She sniffed, "Well you did. And I...I just don't know what to say to you anymore. After what happened earlier this week and then this. I'm so fed up, Draco! Just. Stay away from me. We're finished. I never want to see you again!"