In Ruins (Dramione FF)

The Arrival

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Draco had nothing to say to that. He had no smart comments anymore; the battle had weeded all of that out of him.

"Goyle's right." She mumbled, after a few moments of dragged out silence. "What is wrong with you."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"We've been in here a full..." Her eyes moved quickly to check her watch and Draco couldn't help but smile at that. Some things never changed. Typical Granger, always needing facts to back up her arguments. "20 minutes and you haven't insulted me or called me mudblood once."

His stomach churned at her revelation. That was what he was known for after all. He was known as the bully, as the one who gave insults as often as he ate an apple. Rather than arguing, or even defending himself, Draco turned his gaze to the window, casting it out into the distance. He deserved that. In fact he deserved everything that Granger had said. After all of the years he'd tortured her, she deserved so many more to bring the pain back on him.

It was only as he saw the silhouettes of houses rising up out of the darkness that Draco realised that he was being given a chance to escape. He almost regretted it. Staying here and hearing all of the terrible things that Granger thought about him was all the punishment he deserved, yet here he was slipping away again before she could say anything bad.

"I told you that I had changed." He said, turning back to the compartment and grabbing his satchel from the floor. "Now I believe we've arrived."

Granger straightened up, a strange expression crossing her features as she set her sights on the village drawing nearer. She got to her feet quickly though, almost eagerly Draco noted with a sting in his chest, grabbing her things as she did.

"Time to go." She said and if there was cheer in her tones then Draco tried not to pay heed to it.

He did however pause at the door before he left, turning back to offer her what he hoped could be counted as a sincere smile. "By the way Granger, you need to change."

She took half a second to glance down in dismay at her muggle attire before she was letting out a cry of alarm.

"Oh no I was too busy-" She glanced at him, panicked and Draco could tell almost immediately what her alarm was for. If it had been Harry or Ron here then she surely wouldn't have paid any note for despair.

"Don't worry I'll wait outside." He offered.

"No peeking."

"Don't worry I'm a gentleman now." He grinned and the grin felt right sitting on his lips. Brighter than it had been in years.

"I swear if you peek I-I'll punch you. I'm quite strong for a girl."

"I remember." And the smile that she let out after those words were worth the mental trauma that that event had caused. He was fairly certain that his nose had never healed from the punch that Granger had thrown at it and he knew without a doubt that his pride was still in shamble. But after the battle, he doubted he had any pride left to be in shambles. With the fall of his family and his placement on the opposing team, Draco was surprised that he'd even been allowed to readmit at Hogwarts rather than being sent to Durmstrang or somewhere like.

It was nice seeing Granger smiling though, and it filled him with relief that he could still do that. That he could still make people smile, even if it was at his own expense. And if Granger could still respond positively to him after all that he had done to her in the past then there was still a chance. There was still a chance for him to redeem himself.

The funny thing was, that he couldn't even remember why she had punched him that day; it had been something about that gamekeeper.

True to his word, Draco waited patiently outside for Granger to change. He watched as students began to filter into the hallways and he watched as each one shot him a look of disdain and Draco just took them, because he deserved them. But he was trying to do better.