Bad Blood

Black Feather

Black Feather

We're too young to be this damaged.

Later that afternoon Hermione found herself out on the Quidditch pitch, watching two Slytherin boys teach the rest of them how to play Quidditch. Maybe it was because she was muggleborn, but Hermione never really understood the whole quidditch-hype. It was the magical equivalent of football, everyone followed it and everyone enjoyed playing it. Hermione hated brooms, the last time she was on a broom was when Crabbe and Goyle set the Room of Requirement on fire and she wasn't in a hurry to get back on one. It was a lovely day to be outside and to play Quidditch, the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly. It was such a nice day that Hermione simply had to go out and walk about the grounds. It had been an eventful first day of school, the first years enjoyed their first Charms lesson and as usual Hermione had to tell the older students all about the Wizarding War. It was a hot topic on the first day of school, especially for the older students who understood what the war meant, and who knew they were being taught by a war hero. It was the same for Neville and she guessed it would have been the same for Malfoy.

The latter was currently standing next to her, shouting words of encouragement out to the students. Hermione bumped into him on the way out of the castle. He gave her the same coy smirk he always did before inviting her down to the Quidditch pitch. Hermione was reluctant to accept his invitation, the previous night was still fresh in her mind. If she was going to figure out what kind of game he was playing she might as well play along for the time being. They wouldn't be alone on the Quidditch pitch, she didn't think that Malfoy would try anything in front of the students. On their way down he was unusually talkative, telling her about how he was going to restore Slytherin's reputation and how the students were going to help him do it. She was surprised that he cared so much, ten years in Azkaban certainly changed him for the better. He was still the old Malfoy, the arrogant, cocky pureblood that used to think he was better than everyone else, but now there was more to him. She was starting to see the caring and compassionate side of him. It suited him well.

Hermione watched as the Slytherin's rose up in the air on their brooms, some of them a little shaky. The started passing a quaffle between them and as soon as they were out of earshot Malfoy turned to her. She could hear him take a deep breath and he suddenly seemed anxious and uneasy. "I need your help, Granger."

Hermione was dumbstruck. Never in her life did she imagine those words coming out of Draco Malfoy's mouth. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. You could have knocked her over with a feather. Malfoy rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. His unease was gone, replaced by irritation. Hermione couldn't help but notice how well built he was. They were both wearing ordinary muggle clothes and she realized that this was the first time she had seen him in something other than robes.

"Yes, my father is probably turning over in his grave as we speak. Me asking a muggleborn for help."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. He didn't call her a mudblood this time, but she knew that's what he meant. Even after all this time he still cared about blood status. Her temper flared and she shook her head. "You can shove it up your pureblood ass, Malfoy."

She turned on her heel, about to walk away from him. It was a mistake coming down her with him. Yes he had changed in some ways, but the bad blood between them was still there. It would always be there and there was nothing she could do about it. No matter how compassionate and caring he had become, he still cared about the wrong things. She felt a strong hand wrap around her arm, pulling her back toward its owner. Malfoy turned her back around to face him before letting her go.

"I apologize Granger, I didn't mean it like that."

Another first, Malfoy apologizing to her. This day certainly was full of surprises.