UnBroken Bet

Chapter 4: Head Common Room

Hermoine's Pov:
I sit there in the head common room going over the conversation I had with Malfoy in the library he had every chance to pull away, every chance to call her a mudblood but why? What was his end goal?, my eyes narrowed at the fire in thought as I questioned myself what the hell was going on.

I stared up at the ceiling my gut was telling me something clearly wasn't right she and Ron only ever fought about his drinking and sex, how the hell did he find out I was tending to him that week unless someone else knew because I couldn't see Malfoy telling anyone.

While I was lost in thought I hadn't even heard Malfoy come in and sit on the lounge after he had finished rounds seeing as I didn't attend.

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed me yet" he stated while I looked at him quickly finally noticing his Slytherin presence.

"Not everyone is interested in looking at you Malfoy" I stated annoyed at him

"Oh come now Hermione your not being very truthful" he replied smirking

I gritted my teeth there it was again him calling me by my first name why did it stir butterflies in my stomach it shouldn't...

"Why?" I started

"Why what?" He questioned

"Why are you calling me by my first name?" I replied

"That's your name isn't it?" He asked knowingly he was confusing me mentally

"Malfoy all you've ever called me was Granger or....mudblood what changed" I questioned

His smirk was gone but what lay there was something I couldn't decipher something I couldn't quite put my finger on was it remorse? Guilt?.

"I do regret calling you that slur, it wasn't right I'm sorry" He replied with a look of guilt

I was going to sass him back but nothing was coming from my lips here was Draco Malfoy laying his emotions down on the table in front of me I looked at him for a decent amount of time in silence.

"I can forgive you but I can't forget it" I replied he stood up from the couch and sat beside, me surprised wondering what he was going to do next.

"Can I?" He questioned looking at my arm I swallowed and slowly rolled up the sleeve to see the mudblood slur there he gently grabbed my arm and I flinched for a second.

He stared at it for a while, while I sat still but then I went towards his sleeve he saw what I was doing but didn't stop me I rolled up the sleeve to see the dark mark that had slightly faded but was still visible he sighed out loud as he put both of our arms side by side.

"We're not different Hermione, your blood status doesn't matter" He replied shaking his head.

My eyes widened a bit at that I had always felt like I had to prove myself that I had to show Draco Malfoy I was better, that my blood meant nothing that I could rise to the occasion and beat him, and now when he said where not different and blood status doesn't matter this was something I had hoped I'd hear and Draco Malfoy was laying bare here in front of me and I wasn't going to let this chance go to waste.

"Why did you protect Harry that night?" I asked

"Because I wanted Harry to win to beat Voldemort I didn't want to imagine a world where he reigned," he said as he still looked at my arm

"I wanted to help you, you had no idea how much I wanted to" He finished

"I knew," I said back

"I looked at you, you were behind the pillar and your mother was holding you back I could see the guilt in your eyes that day, you tried warning us subtly on many occasions especially when I was petrified" I replied he looked up into my eyes.

"How did you know?" He questioned

"When Harry and I spoke over the holidays before the third year he told me a piece of paper was in my hand but I wouldn't rip a piece of paper out of a book he never knew that though so I went along with it until I looked back and remembered in the book store you tore out a page I figured it out that way" I replied with a strained smile.

"I never could get anything past you," He said shaking his head a little.

"Anyway....We better get some sleep, we have double potions tomorrow" I said my emotions were running high and I needed to get away before I myself let my emotions get out of hand.

He nodded letting go of my arm and I went upstairs bidding him Goodnight shutting my door and leaning against it something shifted between us tonight but I couldn't decipher what it was.

Draco's Pov:

I lay back on my bed and began thinking back to that night when I found out she was petrified and how scared I actually was for her.

Second Year:
"Did you hear?" Crabbe said

"Hear what?" I questioned annoyed

"Granger got petrified" Goyle replied

My mind went to the most dark place,  I shrugged my shoulders as an answer getting up and heading out of the common room while Blaise watched me inquisitively.

I walked into the hospital bay walking near her bed to the end I sat down in the chair beside her she looked almost like a wax figure.

I swallowed deeply moving to sit on the bed beside her grabbing the page out of my pocket and putting it in her hand.

"I'm sorry Granger, hopefully, Scarhead and Weaslebee can figure this out so I can see your bushy head walking around" I stated with a pained laugh.

"If only you knew how much I like you I honestly think you'd be repulsed after how I've been to you these past couple of days" I stated sadly.

"Knew you would come here..." I heard from behind me seeing Blaise there as he walked closer eyes widened at Granger's state.

"Shit It's scary seeing her like that, I hope she's not in pain" he stated with a look of worry and sadness.

I swallowed looking at her face "Why can't my father give up on this crusade of bringing You Know Who back, I honestly wish I wasn't a pureblood" I replied out loud looking at Granger's face.

"I couldn't answer that Draco" He replied

"You really like her don't you?" He asked in question

"I've already destroyed even a friendship with her Blaise after calling her a mudblood" I stated

"You never know in the future things might be different" Blaise replied furrowing his brows himself in his own predicament with the she weasel.

"Maybe," I said imagining what it would be like to be friends with her at the very least.

"Come on we better get back to the common room before Madam Pomfrey gets back," He said as I reluctantly left her.

Present:

I lay there in thought before slowly shutting my eyes letting sleep overtake me where my nightmares awaited.