Library visits

Chapter 10

He wanted to disagree, but in a way he knew she was right about them, but that was in the past. He'd changed, and he thought she knew that.

"And let's not forget Pansy. She likes your money, and she likes your name. Sure she thinks your attractive, but she'd still be chasing after that money of yours even if you weren't handsome. And you said yourself that you didn't care about her. Blaise and Theo might be the only two people you care about, and I don't know if that's out of convenience or because you actually enjoy their company."

Draco had to physically stop himself from completely blowing up, "I've fucking changed Granger. I thought you of all people knew that. Blaise and Theo are my friends because they're my friends, not because it was fucking convenient."

Hermione felt bad for what she'd said, but it wasn't fair for her to judge her relationship with Ron, when he'd never been as close to somebody like that.

"As far as Pansy goes, we used to be friends, best friends, but things changed. I still care about her, but I don't want anything to do with her right now, because she has some growing up to do just like I had growing up to do-hell I still have growing up to do." he said.

"I'm sorry," she said after a while. "I shouldn't have said that. It's just that you don't understand, because the relationships you have with Blaise and Theo and Pansy aren't the same as the relationships I have with Ron and Harry and Ginny. I can't just tell on him, because somewhere underneath all that anger, is my best friend."

"Your best friend who raped you." he muttered, losing patience with a witch who was supposed to be the brightest of her time. "He's not worth the ground you walk on, but you want to talk about how he's your best friend."

"Was," she said softly, "Was my best friend. I'm not having any fantasies about having our relationship back to the way it was, but I do want my friend back."

Draco sighed, "Granger, friends don't do that to each other."

"I know!" she shouted. "I know they don't! But I don't want him to get in trouble. I don't want him to blame me fo-"

"He can't blame you for anything, Granger." he said, stepping forward, and holding her so he could still look down at her face.

Hermione rested her head against his chest, too tired to continue the conversation. Aside from that, Ginny was probably waiting.

"We should go. They're probably waiting."

He sighed, but kissed the top of her head. He didn't want to argue with her. Not with everything else that was going on.

"Alright."

When Draco and Hermione walked into the Great Hall hand in hand, they both noticed that Ginny was sitting by Harry, but Ron wasn't there.

In fact Ron wasn't anywhere in the Great Hall.

Hermione immediately got a sinking feeling in her stomach. What if Ginny had told the Headmaster? Draco squeezed her hand and whispered, "It'll be okay."

She took a deep breath and they walked over to Ginny.

For a moment they just stared at each other, but then Ginny stood up and pulled Hermione into a fierce hug, "I'm so sorry."

Draco and Harry looked at each other while Hermione and Ginny hugged. Hermione pulled back, and took Draco's hand again.

"It's okay Ginny. You didn't know."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked as they all sat down.

Hermione shrugged, "We just agreed not to."