Ron wished he could explain the chain of events that led to him dating Lavender. He honestly couldn't. One day he was completely single and the next he was snogging Lavender Brown. And that's all they seemed to have done since.
It wasn't that he disliked Lavender, it was more that he just didn't want to be around her. For Christmas, she had given him a necklace that said, "My Sweetheart." In what world would he want a necklace like that? Fred and George had found the necklace to be the funniest thing in the world and they tormented him relentlessly about it.
He just didn't know how to break up with her.
He had been with her for months and all they did was snog. He honestly didn't know anything about her.
He thought about asking Hermione to talk to Lavender for him, help him end it and all. But he knew what she would say. She would tell him that he got himself into this mess, he'd have to get himself out. His current plan included avoiding Lavender Brown until she'd forget they were dating.
It wasn't working.
He wasn't sure how to break up with her. He did like her company sometimes. But on the other hand, he despises being around her most of the time. Honestly, how did Ginny break up with her boyfriends? What did she say?
He knew he needed to end it with her. But it just seemed easier to ignore the situation completely. But ignoring the situation was nearly impossible. Somehow she always knew where he was.
It was a Monday morning when he spotted Lavender in the Great Hall. She was waiting for him. He considered for a moment if sitting next to her would be worth it. He was a little hungry, but he could always ask Harry to bring him some food. Or tell Lavender he was in the Hospital Wing. She'd leave and he could sneak in for some food. It was perfect.
As he was turning to leave, he promptly collided with another human being. "Sorry," he said quickly, rapidly collecting the books that scattered around the corridor.
"Watch where you're going Weasel!" shrieked the familiar, hateful voice. Glaring, he handed Pansy Parkinson her books. "You nearly hit me in the face!"
"Just trying to improve your looks," he said without thinking. Without hesitation, she slapped him across the face. Stuffing her books into her bag, she stomped away, leaving Ron to rub his cheek.
-----
Hermione paced back and forth in front of McGonagall's office door. She didn't understand the conflicted feelings she had all of a sudden. Malfoy was a disgusting ferret boy. Why should she help him.? He had been looking paler recently and his conversation with Snape had her worried. Harry's Malfoy-Is-a-Death-Eater Theory wasn't sounding so crazy anymore.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione knocked on the door softly. "Enter," came a voice. Professor McGonagall was sitting in a dignified manner behind her desk. At the sight of Hermione, McGonagall sighed. "What has Mr. Potter done this time?" Hermione shook her head.
"It's not that, Professor."
"Well, Miss Granger?"
"Professor," she said hesitantly, "I'm w-worried for Malfoy." Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"And why is that?"
"He's been paler the past few months and-and he was always second in our class and you said it yourself he hasn't been doing his school work. And before Christmas break, I overheard-"
"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall interrupted, "I would have expected more from you than to agree with Mr. Potter."
"I don't think he's a Death Eater," Hermione said hastily. "But I do think there's something going on with him. And I do want to find out what that is."
Professor McGonagall studied Hermione for a moment. Malfoy's actions were troublesome. And the fact that Hermione Granger wanted to help Draco Malfoy did worry the woman. If Granger had seen it, perhaps there really was something there.
What could McGonagall do, though? He would never listen to her apart from academics. The only professor he ever really listened to was Snape. But Severus had informed her Malfoy wasn't listening to him much anymore either. He was determined to isolate himself, show that he didn't need anyone. Especially his professors.
But maybe he didn't need professors talking at him, McGonagall realized. Perhaps, he needed a peer, someone his own age that cared about his well-being. It couldn't be anyone he was used to spending time around, they would only bring him down further. But then, who could it be? McGonagall's eyes met Hermione's for a moment and an idea sprung in her mind. Malfoy just needed someone to talk to. And this was the best way to do that.
"I agree with you, Miss Granger. Mr. Malfoy is currently failing this course along with his other studies. Perhaps, he needs a tutor."
"A tutor?" Hermione repeated.
"Yes, from someone qualified. Perhaps the top of the class?" Hermione shook her head quickly. She was not going to tutor Malfoy. He would never listen to her and would spend the whole time mocking her and calling her a Mudblood. She couldn't tutor Malfoy. "Would you rather he failed?"
"He'll never listen to me," Hermione said. "He hates me."
"He needs a tutor." Hermione thought for a moment. Malfoy would never listen to her, she knew that. And he would spend their entire tutoring sessions mocking her and her family. "I shall speak with Mr. Malfoy. Thank you, Miss Granger." With that, McGonagall returned to her work, ending the conversation. Hermione left, wondering when she had actually agreed to tutoring Malfoy.
-----
"You're tutoring Malfoy?" Fred repeated for the third time. He was glad he had gotten Hermione the mirrors for Christmas. He felt like he could actually talk to her again. She rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"Yes, Fred, I'm tutoring Malfoy. Can we please talk about something else?"
"Sorry. But do you reckon it's a good idea? You know how he is. It's his fault George, Harry, and me couldn't play Quidditch last year."
"Are you ever going to let that go?" Hermione asked. Fred shrugged and looked down, away from Hermione for a moment. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell her what was on his mind. They had agreed to be honest with each other, but he knew how she would react.
"Granger," Fred began, "another Muggle-born's family was attacked last night." She stilled and was quiet for a moment. She had told Fred before of her worries she had for her family. They knew so much about Harry Potter and they were Muggles...Well, it was only natural for Death Eaters to after them.
"How many died?" she murmured quietly.
"All of them. Including the Muggle-born." Through the mirror, Fred could see her eyes glistening with tears. These people were dying for being who they were. Muggles couldn't help being Muggles any more than Fred could help being a wizard. "I'm sorry, Hermione," was all he could say.
"Will you watch over my parents?" she asked him. "Make sure they're okay?" He nodded.
"Of course. Everything's going to be okay." But even Fred didn't believe it.
-----
Hermione was early to meeting Malfoy. The tutor sessions would be conducted in McGonagall's classroom every Monday and Thursday night at seven o'clock. Part of Hermione hoped that Malfoy wouldn't show up to the session. She would be able to say she tried, but Malfoy wasn't cooperating. Tutoring Malfoy would become all but a distant memory.
Ron and Harry were both astonished to learn that Hermione was going to be tutoring Malfoy. Ron was confused as to why Hermione was wasting her time with Malfoy when she could have been helping them with their homework. Harry just saw this as an opportunity for Hermione to find out if Malfoy was a Death Eater. Neither reaction was particularly helpful.
Malfoy slumped into the classroom thirty minutes after seven. At the sight of Hermione he groaned. "Thought you'd be gone by now."
"I was just leaving. You're late."
"I don't need help," he stated. Clearly he did, Hermione determined. His skin was paler than she had ever seen and there was a distinct reddened scar on his neck that surprised Hermione. What had happened to him over Christmas break. She probably would have asked him about it if he wasn't glaring at her like she the scum of the earth.
"I thought we would begin with Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall taught us this morning-"
"I know how to transform a desk into a chair. We've been doing that since second year."
"Yes, but not wordlessly. Now-" Without hesitation, Malfoy pointed his wand at a desk. Non-verbally, it transformed into a wooden chair.
"I don't need your help, Mudblood." Anger surged through Hermione immediately. It wasn't as if she even wanted to do this. She was being kind and helping someone who needed it. She didn't have to be here.
"If you don't need my help, then why are failing your classes?"
"My life is none of your business! You're only doing this so you can report back to Potter!"
"This has nothing to do with Harry," Hermione refuted, wondering slightly how long Malfoy had known that Harry was suspicious of him. "We're here because Professor McGonagall asked me to help you!"
"I don't need your help," Malfoy shouted.
"Fine!" Hermione yelled back. She began shoving her books into her bag. "Fail!" Grabbing her bag, she raced out of the classroom. Malfoy didn't want her help, she didn't need to give it.
-----
Remus Lupin was grateful to be back at the Order for a time being. He had really hated working alone for three and a half months. It was lonely and he didn't feel like he was making any progress with the other werewolves. He was the only one who could do this job, but the isolation was terrible. He missed the friends he had at the Order, even Mad-Eye.
He also really missed Tonks, more than he thought he would. The moment he saw her the Order meeting following Christmas, all of the feelings he had towards her came flooding back to him. And Molly wasn't making it any easier. She kept glancing between him and Tonks. He didn't need that.
After the meeting, Arthur spent an hour talking to him about Tonks, a conversation Lupin was certain Tonks had orchestrated. He was too old for the woman, too poor, and definitely too dangerous.
But his resolve nearly broke every time his eyes met hers. It was infuriating. Two nights before he would return to the werewolf colonies, he was sitting in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, drinking tea and thinking of Sirius. It wasn't long before Tonks entered the room. She looked tired and her hair, the silly, lovable pink he was accustomed to, was a dirt brown color similar to his own.
She didn't say anything to him. And he couldn't think of anything to say to her, either. He wasn't sure he had ever been so lost for words.
Quietly, she raised her wand and murmured the words, "Expecto Patronum." The image of a wolf appeared from the tip of her wand and danced around the room. He was confused for a moment. Why was she showing him this?
But then he realized. Her patronus was a jack rabbit. He had seen it a dozen times before. But it was different now. It was a wolf. Just like his.
"Tonks-" he started. But she just shrugged and left the room. And he was left dumbfounded, uncertain what to do.
-----
Malfoy was late again on Thursday. He had spent the majority of his time these days in the Room of Hidden Things. Christmas had been brutal for him. The Dark Lord threatened his life again and the life of his mother as well. He had to complete this task and these stupid sessions with granger were unhelpful. A giant waste of his time.
Earlier that day, he had overheard Snape talking to Granger about the sessions. He was uncharacteristically kind to the Mudblood. He told Granger to persevere with Draco. Persevere? He didn't need Granger or even Snape. He could do this one his own. He had to.
Granger was reading her Transfiguration book when he entered. She glanced up at him before returning to her book. She didn't say anything as he sat down and drew his Transfiguration book from his bag.
It was half an hour before Draco broke the silence. "Do you have an extra quill?" he asked. She handed him the extra quill that she always kept in her bag before promptly returning to her homework.
Draco didn't know much about tutoring, as he had never needed it before, but he assumed the tutor would be required to speak during the session. But Granger didn't speak. Instead, she did her homework in silence, as though Draco wasn't even there. He supposed the only way they could carry on a conversation, without irritating each other, would be through complete silence.
It was nearly curfew when Granger finally spoke. "I'm not here because Harry suspects you of being a Death Eater." Draco's heart hammered in his chest. How had Potter figured it out before Granger? Was that Potter was always following him around? "I'm here because McGonagall said you needed help." Carefully, she placed her books in her bag, and without further discussion, left the room.
-----
January slowly blended into February. Hermione and Draco found a rhythm to the tutoring sessions. Neither of them ever regarded those times as tutoring aloud. Draco completely rejected the idea of needing remedial classes. Neither of them mentioned their friends or Houses. And Draco had to control his use of "Mudblood" around her.
Generally, they spoke only of their homework. Sometimes, they would venture asking each other questions. For instance, Hermione learned that Malfoy favored green apples. Meanwhile, Malfoy learned that Hermione's favorite book was Hogwarts, A History.
On Mondays and Thursdays, the world seemed to fall away for a few hours for Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger to be friends.
Hermione knew she made the right choice by not speaking to Malfoy during the second session. And the sessions following proved Hermione's theory. Draco didn't need a tutor. He needed a friend.
Sometime during their time together, Hermione realized how thin and sickly Malfoy was becoming. "I think he's starving himself," she told Fred at the beginning of February.
"You said you heard him talking about a task he was given, right?" Fred recalled. "Maybe whatever this job is has him worried. Reckon he doesn't realize he's starving himself."
After this, Hermione started bringing food with her from the kitchens. At first, Malfoy would absentmindedly pick at the food. He didn't seem to understand his own need to eat.
February melted away to March. On March 1st, Hermione was walking around the library, looking for the right book. She was surprised to find Malfoy looking through the shelves for the same book. Neither of them spoke, just looked together for the book.
Suddenly, Ginny Weasley came running up to Hermione, tears streaming down her face. "Ron's been poisoned!" she exclaimed.
"What?" Hermione said, not fully understanding what she had heard. Why would anyone poison Ron?
"He was with Harry in Slughorn's office and Slughorn gave them something to drink-and-and he's in the Hospital Wing-"
"Let's go," Hermione replied immediately, completely forgetting the task at hand. But perhaps, if she had remembered, she would have seen the guilty and scared look on Malfoy's face.