Roses Bloom Among Thorns

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"Are ya sure you'll be okay walkin' back by yer self Hermione? It's pretty dark out there."

"I'll be fine thanks Hagrid." I said as I walked out of his hut back toward the castle.

"Tell Harry and Ron that I hope they feel better." Hagrid shouted waving good bye from his hut. I returned to the castle to the pretty much empty hallways. It was very quiet and curfew was soon.

I was walking up the stairs to the Gryffindor dormitories and I had just got onto the landing to get to the fat lady portrait when I tripped. I knew for sure that I was going to at least break some of my bones. I tried to regain my balance, reaching out to grab anything, but I was falling. Suddenly a hand grabbed mine and pulled me up to them. Their hand was quite cold like they spent all day in the dungeon, but I knew by how small their hand was it wasn't Snape. I looked up to see Draco Malfoy and I don't think I've ever been more shocked. I can't believe he caught me, but what I was more wondering was why he was so close to the Gryffindor dormitories so close to curfew.

"Thanks" I said regaining my balance and straightening out my robes

"Yeah" said Draco coldly ripping his hand away and wiping it on his robes as if I had the plauge.

"What are you doing here with how close it is to curfew?" I asked

"My father told me I needed to raise my grades so he's forcing me to get a tutor. Professor Snape told me that it was either you or you because nobody else wanted to be my tutor so I'm stuck with you." He said with a look of disgust on his face.

"You want my help? I thought you hated "mudbloods". That's what you call me right?" I said back with a tone.

"I don't want tutoring, but I'm being forced to take it. It's not really an option for me to choose anyone else." He said unhappily giving me a scowl.

"Well if you don't want my help then you can just wing it because I don't help people who waste my time." I said back coldly. Walking away from him, but he yelled for me to stop. I turned around and said "What now Malfoy?"

"I want your help." he said bitterly like it hurt him to say it.

"Now that wasn't so hard was it." I said with a victory smile. "Let's meet tomorrow at the library after classes are over, just go straight to the library. I'll be waiting."

"Fine but don't bring anyone. It's hard to concentrate with Potty and Weasleby gossiping to you so I don't like it." He said.

"And I don't like it when people insult my friends." I said and preformed a tickling hex on him. He couldn't stop laughing but as he was laughing he was yelling to stop. I made it stop once I heard footsteps.

"I didn't think they'd vomit that bad." said the voice of Fred Weasley. He was more than likely speaking of the hex they placed on Harry and Ron earlier.

"We'll need to work on getting that to stop." Said George's voice. Then they rounded the corner to see Draco heaving in breaths and I was just standing there smiling at them.

"Tickling Hex?" Fred asked.

"Yup" I said with an even bigger smile.

"Serves him right that does, always mocking people." said George

"Well we can't really go in anywhere till he's gone." I said as Draco stood up scowling at her again trying to control his breathing.

"That wasn't funny you little mudblood." He growled at her, wiping off his cloak.

"Really cause you were laughing pretty hard. Mister Draco Malfoy's ticklish, very ticklish at that." I said with a small laugh.

"Oh so that's the shrieking we heard." Fred and George said at the same time.

"This is not over Granger." He said as he walked away down the stairs.

"No it's not, I've only just started." I said to him, glancing at him from the side of my eyes.