To live past 19 #The2017Awards

Apologize to me

Hermione had only been with them for a couple hours and she already felt tired. When Hermione started to feel nauseous she decided it was time to get out of there. Grabbing her small bag with her belongings, leaving her trunk in the compartment, she uses the excuse to use the bathroom to leave. They let her leave without complaint.

Hermione rushes to the bathroom feeling the sickness increasing. Rushing past compartments and other students held up in the narrow hallway. Hermione thankfully made it to the bathroom before she was sick. Trying really hard not to touch anything, feeling the increase of disgust as she let it all out in the public bathroom. She breathes heavily while leaning against the sink with the arms stretched in front of her with her head lowered. She hated this and she hated this even more now because she had to hide it. She knew this would be hard but she didn't know how hard it would be. She rinses her mouth for a long time and sticks a mint gum in her mouth to cleanse it from the vile taste. Though also that people wouldn't smell it on her. Before she leaves the bathroom she cast a charm to rid it of the smell, She had tried to do that on herself but it had left an even more disgusting taste in her mouth and vowed never to do that again. Hermione decided against going back to the others, feeling the need to compose herself properly, but mostly because she couldn't handle it. So instead she walks the other direction down the hall until she reaches the end compartment, believing no one would have taken the ones at the back. But when she peeked in she was greeted with the sight of Draco Malfoy sitting alone.

It had taken only a few moments for him to notice a presence at his door. He was slightly annoyed at the though of someone prying, he took this compartment to avoid the other students. He was just about to sneer at that person to scare them off when he realized that it was Hermione Granger. He couldn't manage to sneer or glare at her as he remembered her change of aura he had encountered at the station. This time Draco saw her hair for the first time and couldn't muster up any logical thoughts to her hair. Her short hair made her look thinner and more mature. It made her look older, though that could also have been the haunted look in her eyes. Hermione only held his own curious gaze before she looked down the empty hallway to see if anyone was watching her. When she looks back to him his eyes flicker down then back up to her. Surprising her that he wasn't holding a glare battle with her and surprising her even more when he beckoned her in.

When Hermione looked away again from the compartment back to the hallway he was slightly afraid that she wouldn't come in. Somehow he wanted her to join him. She was portraying a calm aura, which he wanted around him. It was an aura that matched his and he couldn't help but feel comfort around her. He almost hated himself for that. They had been, and probably still are, enemies for seven years straight. She hated him for all he knew, but he had stopped hating her since the year she had hit him and really started standing up to him.

Hermione watches his slightly shocked but pleased expression when she slides the door open. Draco could see clearly what she wore, her small form in black shorts and a black shirt with a white t-rex printed on it, and her hoodie wrapped around her waist. She sat down opposite Draco and studied him back. She could see a small tan and his hair was darker and longer. She admitted that it suited him, his clothing was still as dark as it was before but it had more of a casual touch to it. Hermione imagined trying to get him to wear jeans and a simple coloured shirt. The though made her smile, making it look like she was smiling directly at Draco. Her smile subconsciously broadened when he awkwardly tried to smile back.

After their small exchange they didn't speak nor did they hold direct eye contact with each other. It was mostly them sneaking glances at the other or doing their own thing. Draco mostly stared out to the rainy scenery or watched Hermione. She laid down with her eyes closed across the seats with her legs stretched out above her leaning against the windows with her headphones in. Draco had no idea what they where but if he tried hard enough he could hear music coming from them. He was fascinated and oddly wanted a pair for himself. Hermione wished she could say that it was awkward but it wasn't. She couldn't help but feel a mixture of gratefulness and annoyance at that. Draco was just happy to have company, even if that company wasn't speaking to him. He was just grateful that she wasn't hissing angry words of threats at him. He spent the last few months dealing with people like that and it was hard for him to find peace in those times. Even when he got home their words would replay over and over in his head and haunt him daily.