I.

          Draco Malfoy sat in an abandoned hallway, alone. Classes were going on, but he didn't care. He was Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Prince. No one told him where to be at a specific time. He set his own rules.

Who am I kidding, he thought. He was a coward. Now in his 7th year, he hid his Dark Mark in fear of judgement and still shuddered at Voldemort's name. He didn't even have the guts to kill any filthy Mudbloods. The simplest of the tasks the Dark Lord had ever asked him to do, and he had chickened out of it.

 

       Draco Malfoy pointed his wand at the writhing body on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding her head, her face nearly meeting the concrete. She breathed hard and shook furociously, awaiting her death.

"Kill her." his aunt simply said, the signature Slytherin smirk on her crooked face. He opened his mouth to shout the Killing Curse, but hesitated. He saw his aunt tense up, and could picture the grimace on her face.

"Kill her, Draco!" she snarled. He heard her hiss slightly. Draco closed his eyes as he felt tears form. His lips quivered as Bellatrix stepped closer to him. He whimpered as she put her hands on his shoulders as she stepped behind him.

"Do it, for the Dark Lord! He has commanded you and you must obey! Otherwise, you are a traitor! You have decieved us all, Draco Malfoy!" 

Draco continued to stand there, wand pointed and shaking. A tear rolled down his cheek, slowly.

"Lucius! Tell him!" she screeched. Lucius Malfoy just stood there, disapproving of his only child, standing hesitant infront of him. He said nothing, but Draco could feel his cold eyes on the side of his face. Bellatrix snarled and screeched again, "KILL HER!"

The Mudblood sitting on her knees, hunched over, had stopped shaking as much, but still breathed heavy. He could sense her fear and agony from miles away. Draco closed his eyes once more, and even more tears ran down his cheeks.

"KILL HER!" Bellatrix bellowed. Draco dropped to his knees, crying.

"I CAN'T! I"M SORRY!" he screamed into his hands. Bellatrix sat infront of him and shook him by his shoulders.

"You coward! You have failed us all! The Dark Lord will make you pay for this." She got up and kicked him as hard as she could, hitting his nose directly. He flew onto his side, blood and tears now mixing together and seeping through the cracks in his bony fingers.

Once he had calmed down slightly, he dropped his hands, blood still slightly trickling down his lips. He crawled over to the Mudblood laying on the floor.

"Granger," he whispered. He could hear her breathing and suddenly heard her whimpering, "Granger, look at me."

Hermione Granger lifted her head. He immedietly started crying once again. Blood crusted her lips and chin and stained her robes. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, dried tears down her cheeks. Her hands were covered in the blood that had falled from her mouth. He had done this to her. He couldn't forgive himself.

 

          Draco sighed. He still hadn't forgiven himself. Hermione had, but the way he'd tortured her was beyond words, and was unforgiveable in his eyes. The war was over but Draco's memories were carved into his brain, unable to be forgotten. They had become friends after the war, but Draco was unsure where they stood. He knew they trusted each other, and that was all Draco asked of her.

"Draco?" a small voice said. Draco jumped and looked down the hall. Hermione Granger stood there, her normal awkard self. Pretty, nonetheless, Draco reminded himself. He smiled, weakly at her as she sat herself down to his left. She looked at him for a long time as he stared at his hands.

He smirked suddenly when he realized she was looking at him.

"What?"

She shook her head, sighing.

"Why aren't you in class?"

"I could ask the same thing about you. Hermione Granger, skipping classes? Now that I could get into." He smirked. She punched his arm, playfully.

"I don't think I want you to get into anything, Malfoy. You know me too well as it is." She chuckled and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the stone wall. He smiled and placed his hand on her knee. He put on a straight face.

"Hermione, can I ask you something?"

"Mhmm."

He waited. He was curious, but at the same time, didn't want to make things awkward.

"How close do you think we are?"

Hermione waited, too. She put her hand on Draco's.

"Quite close. Best friends. Why?"

Draco smirked. He kissed her hand, lightly.

"Just wondering. I like to be here for you. And you're my someone to lean on, as odd and corny as that sounds." Hermione didn't say anthing, so Draco assumed he should explain himself further, "I like having you around to talk to. Weasel and Scarhead are lucky to have you around. You're amazing, Hermione."

Draco saw Hermione smile out of the corner of his eye, and he sighed, happily. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"As are you, Draco. You're my safety net when needed. You're brave and strong, and deserve nothing less than love. You know what I've gone through and understand what I'm feeling when I reminisce."

Draco gulped. He knew all too well what memories she remembered the most. Hermione saw how sad he had gotten.

"You can forgive yourself. I did." Draco shook his head at what she said.

"No I can't, Hermione. I feel awful, even if you've forgiven me. I don't deserve it."

They locked eyes, and she faced him fully. She took both of his hands in hers.

"Draco, I have completely forgiven you. You were under the control of a murderous ruler who you feared. You didn't have a choice. And you finally stood up to his commands by not killing me. That's why I forgave you. Because you were brave enough to rebel. You don't know how much that means to me." Hermione's eyes had slightly glossed over from tears, but Draco held his back. The last time she'd seen him cry was the night he had tortured her.

She looked annoyed, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I'll forgive myself with time. You know that. We all need time."

Hermione relaxed and nodded. She looked at her watch and stood up.

"Where are you going?" He didn't want her to leave. He liked her presence.

"Do you want to get caught not being in class?" she asked, and Draco shook his head, "Here." She offered her hand out to him and helped him up. He pulled her into a hug before she pulled her hand away. Surprisingly, she hugged him back.

"Thank you." He said into her hair. He felt Hermione smile into his shoulder.

 

Lean on Me - Bill Withers