Broken But Beautiful~Dramione

Chapter ten

As soon as Hermione and Draco got back to their dorm, they walked over to the seats by the fireplace and sat down. At this point Draco's heart was racing as his mind came up with multiple situations as to how the conversation would end up going. Most of them were bad.

"So." Draco said awkwardly.

"There are a few things I wanted to talk about." Hermione took out a folded piece of paper from her pocket and scanned it. "1. How we will proceed in our interactions for the year."

"Well I was thinking-"

"2. How we will take turns with the bathroom in the mornings and at night." Hermione continued on as if there had been no interruption. "And 3. we need to organize patrols. We'll start with number one." Hermione decided.

"What do you mean by interactions?"

"Would you prefer both of us to suffer through the year despising each other, or work it out so we can be on moderate terms?" Hermione snapped.

"Fine. What do you want to talk to me about because I can't think of anything to say about you."

"You certainly had a lot to say about me the past what, seven years?" Hermione snorted.

"All I did was call you a-"

"Don't finish that sentence. Do you know how much you hurt me? How pathetic and worthless I felt because of you? Not even just through your words but the way you looked down on me. You made me feel like a nobody."

"It's not my fault I was raised like that." Draco said defensively.

"Does your upbringing give you any right to call me that? I bet you were loved to death and spoiled by your parents, had elves waiting to serve you, and were happy that you were above other people." Hermione said fiercely.

"Well I didn't exactly know it was wrong. And you don't know how I was raised."

Draco was withholding some dark truths because he knew he hurt her and didn't want to make her feel bad for him. For example the fact he'd get beaten when he was younger whenever he was kind to someone of a lower status than his family. Thankfully the full out beatings hadn't started until before his sixth year at Hogwarts when he began to question Voldemort, but Hermione didn't need to know any of that.

"I can come up with a pretty good picture." Hermione snorted.

"Don't press me on this." Draco warned. More memories of his childhood that he wished to forget flooded back into his thoughts.

"Was it worth it to call me that name? Did it make you feel happy?"

"No, but you know what, forget it. You won't listen to anything I have to say anyways." Draco crossed his arms and laid back in the chair.

"Try me." Hermione raised an eyebrow.

Draco contemplated what to say. This if any seemed like the perfect time to set the tone for the year and try to become friends and start anew, but the defensive layers he placed on his heart to protect him were resistant to vulnerability. Telling her the truth could either be one of the best or worst things he'd ever do.

"I never truly hated muggleborns, and I had a miserable childhood," said Draco slowly, testing the waters.

"I don't believe you because I know that's not true." Hermione said matter of factly.

"How can you be so sure? Do you have any evidence?"

"I see how your father treats you. You're his pride and joy."

"This is exactly what I'm talking about. You won't listen to me. Look, I'm sorry about all the times I called you that. I truly am, and if I could take it back I would. But you can't blame me for everything. My father..." Draco trailed off. There was a war raging in his heart on whether or not to share one of his deepest secrets. "I just - I'm sorry." He concluded, chickening out of being fully honest.