I slowly stepped forward. Snape had told me to do the most embarrassing thing ever. Smell the Amortentia in front of the whole class. It was embarrassing because you smelt what you are attracted to. I pushed past the people in front of me not that there were many. I got to the cauldron and looked at Snape than the potion then back to Snape.
"Well, Miss. Granger, what do you smell?" he said sternly.
I sighed and started smelling it, "I smell, old parchment, green apples, and I think, um, peppermint?" I looked up at Snape and then the realization hit me. I looked at Draco, and he was looking at me. I blushed and fixed my robe and backed away burying myself into the rest of the students realizing they made the connection too. I looked back and forth from Harry to Ron.
"Green apples, peppermint, and old parchment? Mione?" Ron said quietly.
"Yes, what about it?" I snapped.
"Who smells like that?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," I looked down knowing very well who that smells like looking at Draco who was still looking at me with an almost dumbfounded look on his face.
Once class was over I quickly gathered my stuff and pushed past everyone not waiting for Harry or Ron like I normally do.
"Hermione wait!" I heard Ron yell. I couldn't wait. I just had to get out of there. I didn't wait, I didn't slow down, I just kept moving. Weaving in and out of kids working my way through the halls at an impressive speed. Some of them looked at me weird for my rushed behavior.
"Granger!" Oh no, no, no I couldn't face him right now. Anyone but him. "Granger! Wait!" he still shouted. I could feel his stare in the back of my head but I wouldn't turn around I wouldn't stop. I just needed to get to my dorm. I was almost there when I felt a hand on my shoulder stopping me. "Gr-Hermione please," he said quietly. I whipped around turning to face him.
"What Malfoy! What could you possibly want!" I yelled startlingly him along with me. "I am sorry I didn't mean to yell at you," I whispered.
"It is fine," he blushed a little. Was Draco Malfoy nervous? "Just, can we meet later? In the Astronomy Tower, alone?"
"You're surely going metal if you think I will ever meet with you, alone!" I exclaimed.
"Hermione, please. This is not a trap. It isn't a trick. I just want to speak with you," he said looking at the ground.
"And, I'm supposed to take your word for it huh? Just trust you? You have done nothing but hurt me and my friends for as long as we've known you, and you just expect me to trust you? Either way, we are talking right now anything you want to say to me just say it here," I said speaking really fast, anger and annoyance clear in my voice. Yet he seemed to stay calm. Where his face would give away his anger or his natural hot-headedness was just calm, he was just calm. His face was relaxed not in a cocky way as I expected but in a, I'm sorry type of way. But Draco is never sorry, cause he is Draco Malfoy and he is always right.
"Look I am sorry, I know you have no reason to trust me I completely understand, but it isn't just something I can say in the hallway. Just give me a chance and trust me. I will be up in the Astronomy Tower tonight. If you change your mind," he sighed looking down, he didn't look relived in the slightest though he just looked disappointed, but not at me, at, himself? He started walking away but stopped mid tracks a few feet away from me, and he slightly turned his head so I could only see the side of his face. "I really am sorry Hermione," and with that, he turned and walked away.
I just stood there confused. Did Draco Malfoy just say he was sorry, twice?
"Hermione, there you are," Harry's voice broke me out of my confusion and my stare went from staring down the Hall to looking at Harry.
"Yup here I am," I sighed. Harry turned and waved Ron down.
"What was that all about, Mione," Ron asked pointing down the hall, had he seen Draco and I talking?
"Oh, nothing I just forgot something in my dorm room," I continued to walk to the painting. They followed very closely behind.
"What is the password Deary," the Fat lady in the painting asked.
"Dilligrout," I said confidently. She nodded and the painting opened. I had Harry and Ron right behind me so I had to quickly think of something that I could play off as something I forgot. Some of my hair started to fall in front of my face and I was getting annoyed at it. Then it hit me. I smiled walking over to my dresser pulling out a hair tie.
"Got what I was looking for boys," I said, putting my stuff down, flipping my hair over my face, tying my hair up into a quick bun. I smiled at Ron, picking up my stuff, and walked with them to our next class still thinking about what Draco had said to me.
-Fast forward a few hours-
I plopped down onto my bed contemplating. I could go to Draco or I could stay here and wonder what he wanted to say. I sat for a second rolling over actually contemplating just staying in my dorm ignoring what he had said. Nope, I couldn't do it. I couldn't just let my mind wander. I got up and put on a jacket because it was late and probably cold. I started to walk to the Astronomy Tower. I can't believe I am doing this. It is probably a prank and it will most likely end horribly for the girl who stupidly believed Malfoy. But part of my mind just kept going back to that one moment when he could've just walked away, he had stopped and in the sincerest way I had ever seen Draco, he said he was sorry. I couldn't get that look on his face out of my mind. His head down showing the right side of his face. His eyes staring at the floor almost as if he was afraid to look at me. And he hadn't looked back at me, he had only looked at the ground and said I'm sorry. It was mind-boggling to me. Draco, who had never been sincere in his entire life, had shown sincerity and empathy. I just couldn't wrap my very capable mind around it.
I didn't realize how easy it was for me to get around the grounds now because I was surprisingly already at the base steps of the Astronomy Tower. I looked up and took a deep breath. This was my one and only time to step back and run to my safe warm bed and forget all about that stupid potions class. But even with the doubt in my mind, I took the first step. I slowly walked up the stairs grabbing the smooth wood of the railing and took step after step. I had only slippers on so I could feel the cold concrete, it made me shiver. It was a lot colder than I thought it was going to be, yet I still continued up the stairs making no sound. I had my wand in my pocket because I was not taking any chances. I continued up the stairs just looking up, my heart beating faster and faster as I got further and further up. I stopped when I saw the top floor of the Astronomy Tower. I took one last deep breath, breathing in and out, in-out, and I did that one more time as I continued up the stairs.
I stood silently seeing Draco hunched over the edge, his hands apart just beyond the width of his shoulders. My breath hitched as I saw him in his all-black silk pajamas shining from the moonlight. I grabbed the railing and the metal holding the wood onto the cold rock squeaked causing Draco to shoot up and whip his head around to facing me. His messy hair falling in front of his face. His eyes lit up at the sight of me.
"You came!" He spoke excitedly. He caught himself in his excitement and straightened up.
"Ya, I did Malfoy. Now, what did you want? I would love to get back to studying for my potions quiz," I straightened up composing myself, and sighed.
"The potions quiz isn't till next month?" He said tilting his head in confusion.
"Ya well, it's never too early to prepare," I said slightly offended at his questioning. "Now I am sure you didn't call me here to judge me for my studying habits. So, what exactly do you want?"
"I wanted to talk about what happened in funny enough, Potions," He said and I blushed.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean?" I responded shaking my head looking down no longer being able to look him in the eye. I have been able to before, when I stood up to him I punched while looking dead in his eyes why was it so hard for me to do that now.
"You know exactly what I am talking about," He didn't say it in a harsh way it sounded almost desperate, "You smelt me in the potion. I know you did," He looked down. I looked at him in disbelief he couldn't have known, was it that obvious. I knew everyone knew he smelt of mint but everything else is too dispersed and random for him to think it was him right?
"I- I you don't know what you are talking about," I responded with an obvious stutter in my voice. I am nervous and he could tell.
"Please, I just need to know, I need to hear you say you smelt me in the potion," He said almost pleadingly.
"Why do you need me to say it. If you already know it, why do you need me to say it." I ask. He looked up at me, his grey eyes more piercing than ever. I am frozen looking into his eyes, he has this look, I can't describe it. He looks sad but like he has been waiting for something forever. "I cannot just say it. You know what that would be admitting." I sighed looking down. I can't admit that. He has always been our enemy, my enemy. Always trying to outdo me in classes. His father is one of the worst Death eaters known. But then again I judge him on his father and his family. He should only be judged on his actions to which I am and he still can't be trusted. "I can't. I just can't do anything with you. I can't trust you let alone admit anything to you. I don't even know why I came," I turned around and started to walk. I felt my cheeks redden and my eyes started to water. I don't even know why I came to this tower to meet him. I felt my arm being pulled back. I stopped in my tracks but didn't turn around fearing that if I looked at him I might break down crying and I can't let him see my weakness.
"Please I just," He sighed and continued. "I know you can't trust me. I understand that, but I thought you should know what I smelt today in potions." He sighed then continued. "I smelt lavender, with a bit of parchment-like that new book smell that I love so much, with a small scent of lemon. I know who I smelt, and I know you know and I just wanted to talk about it. This was never a trick. I just wanted you to know, but I get it you can't trust me and you never will just please, I, nevermind forget I said anything," He let go of my arm and I just stood there. He didn't move. I felt his gaze on me and I didn't know what to do. I just stood there a silent tear rolling down my face. I couldn't breathe. I don't know why I was panicking. I was just confused and needed to get out of there but I couldn't move. I slowly put the pieces together. The lavender was my shampoo that Ron and Harry were always complaining about because it was too strong. The book smell is a bit obvious. I am always around books. But then the lemon, I always carry my lemon hand sanitizer. It is a muggle thing but I could never get rid of it seeing how my mother always smelt of lemon and it made me feel closer to her. He just admitted he smelt me in the potion. That he was attracted to me. My rival in everything. Harry may hate him but, I am his competition in school, with work, with anything. We never had a reason to hate each other, it just seemed like a thing we had to do. I was a muggle-born, a mudblood, he was a pure born, a pureblood. We are different in so many ways. I can't even imagine what it would be like to like him. Or even try to understand him. He willingly follows his father, Voldemort of all people. How can I like him if he follows them? How can I like him? Can I like him? Do I like him? Maybe I do. I turned to face him and I saw he was looking at me with confusion. I was crying. I shouldn't be crying.
"Draco." I looked down. I can't believe I am about to say this. "Draco, I smelt you in the potion." I looked down somehow afraid of what he was going to say and how he was going to react.
"I-" He started to speak but I cut him off, not by talking to him. No, I gave him the one thing he was deprived of touch. I hugged him. I hugged Draco Lucius Malfoy, and he hugged me back.
We stood there for a while not really knowing what to do. I let go first, much to Draco's disagreement. I sat down on the ledge of the tower. The moon was out tonight. It was beautiful. I got lost in it, the stars shining so bright you forget it is nighttime. Then the moon. It was almost full. It is blinding. It had its imperfections. But that is what made it fascinating, so beautiful. I looked back at Draco the same way I had looked at the moon. He was bright, his pale skin reflecting the light of the moon, his grey eyes reminding me of those imperfections that I found so fascinating. He slowly walked over to me and sat down. I looked back out at the sky.
"Beautiful isn't it?" I asked, "I mean, the moon and the stars."
"Yes, yes it is." I looked back at Draco to see his eyes had never left me, and I blushed.