Darkness Falls

Eighteen

1993 - Second Year

Hermione stood still, staring up at the dragon statue in front of her. Once she spotted Draco making his way out of the great hall, she waited a moment before she excused herself from the Gryffindor table and made her way after him. Although she had no idea where he had gone, Hermione could only guess he was heading to the same place she wanted to go too - his family's secret room - their old room.

She waited for nearly fifteen minutes outside of the room, staring into the eyes of the statue. Her heart pounded against her chest, it had been months since she stepped foot into the room in front of her and she wasn't even sure if she still could. Another minute went by as she tried to build up the courage to step forward and she inhaled deeply. Before she could slowly exhale she was quickly made aware of the burning inside her pocket, something she hadn't felt for a while. Reaching in, she pulled out a note, scrawled in Draco familiar handwriting. It read, 'Meet me in our room, we need to talk.' 

Hermione inhaled once more as she stepped forward and pushed past the veil and into the room. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the dim light but once they did,  she spotted Draco from across the room. He sat on the armchair next to the fire, his body leant forward, elbows resting on his knees as he stared into the flames. She soon realised that her presence had gone unnoticed as she moved further into the room and her eyes remained on the Slytherin in front of her.

She cleared her throat, causing his head to spin in her direction and his eyes glued to hers as he rose from his seat.

"That was quick." He said.

Hermione breathed a small laugh through her nose. She could not only feel but see the awkwardness emitting from him, he looked as uncomfortable as she felt.

"I was already outside when you sent the note," She told him, trying to maintain a serious tone.

"Ah, right," he said lamely. She watched as his arm went up to the back of his head, his hand resting at the top of his neck whilst his other hand slid into his pocket as he awkwardly fidgeted on the spot.

"So... you asked me to come here?" Hermione went on. She knew why he had asked her there, of course, but she wanted to make him squirm just a little while longer. He looked back up at her and removed his hand from the back of his head, placing it in his other pocket.

"Yes.. erm... Well, I needed to speak to you," He started, the faintest sign of a blush appeared on his cheeks. "I wanted to apologise, I wanted to -"

"You're a complete ass, Draco Malfoy." Hermione interrupted, causing Draco to inhale sharply and stare wide-eyed at her. A small smile started to grow on her lips before it turned into a grin.

"You - you heard me?" Draco asked frantically, moving closer to her whilst she nodded, "How?!"

"It's hard to explain. At first, I thought it was a dream but then, in the great hall, the way you looked at me. You haven't looked at me like that since the start of the year. So I thought I'd follow you here to confront you, to see if it really happened," she told him. His mouth still hung open as she continued, "I can remember the conversations that happened around me but I don't remember the faces. I didn't see anything."

Draco finally closed his mouth and shook his head before he made his way over to the window seat, sitting down with his body turned to Hermione.

"So, did you mean it?" She asked, joining him at the window, "What you said to me in the hospital?"

"I meant all of it,"  he told her and she blushed as she looked down towards her now fidgeting hands. "I really am sorry, for everything."

"I know. You don't have to say it again, I know how uncomfortable apologising makes you feel," she chuckled.