Set After the Battle at Hogwarts.
EXCERPT:
"You were lonely," Hermione realized. When she said, Draco's shoulders slumped, as if he carried a great weight on them.
"Yes," he said in resignation. "It is incredibly lonely to be Draco Malfoy, and it is your...closeness, your friendship, that I shall always be jealous of."
Hermione edged closer to him, "We're friends now," she said. Were they? Hermione didn't know what they were. Two people bound together by a mutual restlessness.
"Is that what we are?" Draco inquired with amusement.
"We're having a civil conversation so I assume that's what we are.
Draco studied her. His expression no longer held its death-like blankness. He looked thoughtful. Then he stuck a pale hand out, "Hello, my name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Hermione laughed, "Hermione Granger," she said, taking his hand. Draco folded his hand around his hers and shook it. Hermione stared at their clasped hands, "What is this, Draco?" she asked.
Draco met her eyes, "A fresh start."
"Finally, leaving, Potter?" Draco sneers, taking another step forward.
"Drop it!" says Hermione, also taking a step forward to the eying duo. Draco's gaze turns to Hermione. His sneer got uglier. He starts to walk over to her, his hand reaching in his pocket to take out his wand.
He lifted the wand to face the girl, but she already had hers out. Before Draco could yell a spell, Hermione does it for him.
"Depulso!"
He grunts and stumbles back abruptly. But not just abruptly. He grunts and stumbles back into Harry, the sneer on his face becoming wider but then curious to know who he bumped into. He immediately turned around, and the position they were in made Ron snigger even more.
Both of the Slytherin's hands were on the bookshelf on either side of Harry, basically trapping him against it. Harry's hands were down to his sides, gripping a part of the lower shelf. Both of their eyes were wide, staring at each other in heavy pants and shocked faces.