From Malfoy to Draco

A Decision Was Made

It was a Saturday, the morning of the Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw game. Harry had gotten detention every Saturday for the rest of term and was unable to make it. Hermione didn't care, of course, it was a lot better than what she had planned for him. Ginny was up before Hermione and was getting changed into a tracksuit. The weather seemed to be getting warmer now, she was thankful, the cold weather never agreed with Hermione.

"How do you think you'll do?" she asked Ginny, stifling a yawn.

"Don't Hermione, I'm nervous as it is with Harry not playing. I don't know if I'll be any good at playing Seeker," she said whilst fussing over her hair.

"Isn't Cho Chang the Seeker for Ravenclaw?"

"Yeah," now Ginny was smirking. "If we win I'll be happy but if we win and I catch the snitch..." she couldn't even finish her sentence marvelling in her fantasy. Hermione chuckled.

She had thought about skipping the Quidditch match to check on Draco but Ginny had insisted she go. She and Harry had scarcely made up when he told her that the book was in the Room of Requirement, but Hermione and Ron had since become fast friends again when his break up with Lavender Brown happened. Ron had attempted to talk to her about all of it but she waved it away. She had told him 'I don't want to ruin anything', and it was accurate, but not for the reasons he thought. The feelings he had for Hermione became more obvious now, more so that she couldn't ignore them. Before she would have been elated at this revelation but now she felt awkward, her affection for Draco grew every day. She allowed herself a few minutes in her class when she was ahead, a few minutes during her breaks of homework and every other time she was free, to think about him.

She thought about him as she walked to the Quidditch Grounds. His grey eyes sparkled in the candlelight, it was the perfect contrast of hot and cold. Platinum blonde hair falling over his forehead, she liked it better when he didn't sleek it back. Broad shoulders and a razor-sharp jawline were his defining features, and his robes, always perfect. But as time went by, his eyes grew paler, his hair was dishevelled, his skin became tighter, his robes were unkempt and creased, and never leaving him were his dark circles. Before Hermione realised there was a roar erupting around her, Ginny had caught the snitch and Gryffindor won! Clapping as loud as she could, Hermione tried to make it out like she hadn't missed the whole Quidditch game but no one would be asking her questions anyway.

"Well done, Ginny!" Hermione shouted over all the noise in the Gryffindor common room.

"Suck it, Cho!" she laughed.

Just then Harry had entered the room, relief and excitement all over his face. Ginny rushed over to him, hugging him tightly and then something happened that made Hermione scream 'finally' inside her head. Harry had kissed Ginny. Hermione beamed at them both, she was so happy for them that she forgot she was mad at Harry. The scene had made her think about all the times she and Draco kissed, her impulse acted before her brain and she was sprinting out of the common room. The atmosphere must be contagious because Hermione felt as if she was on top of the world and was rushing to find the only person she wanted to spend this moment with.

She was pulled back by her wrist as she ran down the corridor, excitement filled her up then she deflated. Ron was staring at her, he must have had the same thought as she did.

"Hey 'Mione," he said.

"Hey Ron, look I-" but he interrupted her.

"I'm sorry, I was a prat when I was with Lavender, but we're not together anymore," he obviously didn't plan this because he paused to think of what to say next. "I thought maybe..." he trailed off, Hermione was getting impatient now.

"Ron, I forgive you, OK? I have to go, I, erm, have something to look up in the library!" she lied with great effort.

"Oh, OK then," he said bluntly but before he could say another word she turned and walked off.

The noise slowly faded as she walked further and further and her guilt was rising with each step. That was her house, her friends, her family and she was leaving them for their enemy, a Slytherin, Draco Malfoy. Reaching their room, she turned the doorknob and found no one in there. They hadn't planned to meet so she grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote:

Astronomy Tower

Now

Pulling up a chair, she sat in front of the fireplace and waited. One hour. Two hours. Three hours. As each hour went by the contagious feeling of happiness slipped away, he hadn't come. Hurt seeped through every memory of them together. Has he tired of me yet? Am I just deluding myself? Was I just a pass time? She wondered. Hot tears spilt down her cheeks, her anger boiling inside. Why hasn't he come? Why hadn't he told me about the Room of Requirement? Walking back to her dorm, all the reasons she could think of his absence were flying through her mind. Pain spread from behind her eyes to her forehead and she rubbed them with the heel of her hand. Was he still meeting Pansy? Or is this something else? When I next see him, I'm going to confront him about it.

*DRACO POV*

He had killed something. A precious, innocent, harmless little bird. Draco had seen dead birds before but not one by his own hand, he couldn't shake the image out of his head. Would that be what it looked like? Would this be how it felt? Revulsion pierced through his body every time he tried to convince himself that it was for his family. He had to leave the Room of Requirement to get some fresh air. Opening the door, he saw Crabbe and Goyle standing guard along the corridor, they walked up to him clearly annoyed. Draco had made them take the Polyjuice Potion he had stolen from Slughorn in their first lesson, they were not happy when they found out they had to change into two Ravenclaw second years.

"What are you even doing in there? How much longer?" Crabbe asked, normally his voice was low and gruff but the young girl sounded like a mouse.

"Doesn't matter, you agreed to stay here for another hour," Draco said glaring at them both.

"I'm tired mate, and you won't even tell us what you're doing," Goyle began cursing. "I'm going to bed, I'm not doing this anymore tonight."

"I don't think so," Draco had always seemed to have more authority over Crabbe and Goyle when his father was the Dark Lord's right hand but since he had been cast aside, the two boys were growing more confident with the Malfoy's new position. "You're both staying here."

They looked at each other, shrugged and walked off. "Piss off then!" he shouted after them.

As soon as they disappeared around the corner Draco was assaulted by a piece of parchment.

Astronomy Tower

Now

A little heart was drawn into the corner, which made his sink. He stood there debating whether to go or send her a message telling her that he was busy when the dead bird pushed to the front of his mind. Then the image turned into Hermione, she was laying rigid looking as pure and innocent as the bird had. This is what will happen if you carry on seeing her, you know it, don't even try to deny it. It's either your family or her. A voice in his head said.

That's not true! I only want to protect her now, I care about her. He countered.

What will your family think when they find out you betrayed them for her?

They can protect themselves!

They have no one to protect them, she has Saint Potter and Weasley and all the other good ones.

But what if I tell her, she could help me? Or Dumbledore?

No one will believe you! This is what you have to do, don't let yourself get distracted.

He had been having this argument with himself since he had seen her cry, but there was something different now. Time had been going too quickly and Draco still hadn't finished his first task, the school year was drawing to a close and so was his deadline, it was now or never. On that thought he had decided, he would avoid her and ignore her, he would do whatever it took because this way he was protecting her. He turned to face the door and walked in.