Chapter Text
Hermione Granger was not having a good day.
It was the second week of the year and she felt already being on the verge of collapsing. The amount of work was huge in the seventh year. Of course she had been prepared for nothing less; she remained as one of the most well-organized students in the history of British wizardry schooling. Few pop quizzes and double assignments were not going to bother her, certainly.
But the truth was brutal. As much as she had liked travelling side by side with Ron and Harry, destroying the evil Dark Lord’s soul, it may have made her forget how tough the schoolwork actually was. She had to keep up to earn her final grades and graduate. The evenings were long and filled with tea, books, and more tea and books. She wished to spend more time with Ron, just the two of them and perhaps flickers of nice and warm flames in the fireplace… But her time was always engaged to her studies.
Which was why she found herself so abnormally pissed of, as one certain blond was taking forever with his own studying material.
Draco Malfoy had come to the library probably for the same reason as everyone else; to get books. That could be extremely close to accurate, actually. It was just that Hermione had five essays waiting to be written and ten extremely advanced charms demanding to be mastered before the end of the course. Ron had asked her to come to the Burrow with him in the next weekend – as they were now adult students and could officially leave the schoolgrounds during their studies – but Hermione knew she’d have to read until she got sick of it, and thus they wouldn’t have any time for themselves. Ron would of course try to pull her out of her shell for a snog or two, but Hermione had to focus solely on her studies. She wanted to work in the Ministry. The access was ruthless, she didn’t have time for slacking! She yearned to continue with her equality project. Someday, The Elven Rights Council was going to become a real thing.
So of course, in theory, Hermione understood Malfoy’s purpose to be in a library in a first place. And the reason he was taking forever with his enormous pile of books. But Hermione had all kind of topics on the top of her head. And to be honest, she was just a little pissed off that it was Malfoy who was currently taking her studying time.
”Care to adjourn?” she drawled. ”A strenuous Mudblood in the line.”
Malfoy twirled around, a somewhat alarming look in his steely eyes. Hermione wondered briefly if this was how he had looked the day Harry had slain him in the bathroom.
”Granger”, said Malfoy flatly.
Hermione huffed. ”Yes, Malfoy, great observation skills right there. You’ve blown me away. Can you get a move on? There are other people too who want to borrow books, which are, you know, meant equally for everyone to have, I’m not certain whether you’re familiar with the concept…?”
Malfoy shifted a little, a displeased frown forming between blond brows, but Hermione noticed that there wasn’t the usual mock or annoyance on display. Malfoy looked almost… Embarrassed.
How weird.
”I didn’t realise you were behind me. I have many books, so naturally the reservation was taking its time. You know, the amount of seconds one has to bear before they can adjourn from their ungodly function. I’m positive you’re familiar with the concept.”
Hermione blinked. She wasn’t sure she liked to be around Malfoy when he was being decent. It was odd, unnatural, and it made her feel left out. And Hermione Granger hated almost nothing more than feeling left out. This extraordinary version of Malfoy was being not only civil towards her, but almost… Playful?
What in the bloody name of actual Merlin himself?
”Granger?” Malfoy’s nasal tone pulled her back to the situation and made her cringe a little. She had never liked his voice. Mostly because it had always been spewing slurs at her, but also because of the weird, squeaky thing it did. It was not attractive at all.
”Yes, Your Majesty? Are you done with your books? I have essays to write and a talk to prepare and a boyfriend to cuddle with, I don’t have the whole evening.”
Malfoy sniffed, and it made his pointy nose look amusing. His whole face was weird. How he had ever managed to have anything going on with that Parkinson girl was beyond Hermione.
”Good Salazar, spare me the details. I don’t need to hear about…” Malfoy looked almost ready to say something particularly nasty and Hermione stiffed, ready to jump into Ron’s defence. But he exhaled and said only: ”You and Weasley.”
Weird again.
Malfoy turned and performed a levitating charm with intense focus. Then he stepped aside, letting Hermione finally come to the desk to make her reservation.
”Granger”, said Malfoy, quieter this time. His tone held something Hermione had never heard in it before. So she turned to him and found the most complex expression on his face. It made her stop in her tracks. Malfoy gave his lips a faint lick and spoke softly:
”I am sorry about the whole Mu– Muggle-born thing. I was ignorant.”
Hermione blinked.
”I said a lot of stupid things during our years here. The most stupid ones were addressed to Potter, Weasley and you.” Malfoy guided his books onto the nearest table and lowered his wand. ”I believed sincerely the thoughts my father shared with me during my childhood and youth. That Muggles were lower citizens, that they ought to be put in their place because they had once been prejudiced towards our magical abilities. I think… I don’t think I would find much in common with a non-magical person, but that doesn’t make them any less worthy than my kind, I’ve realised.”
Hermione stared at him, stunned. Malfoy got even more uncomfortable.
”And that leads to my next point, which is how poorly I treated you and other of your status. I always thought Muggles were stupid and useless because they couldn’t do magic… But then they can get children who can. And I guess I was always hugely jealous that someone like that could do magic better than me. That… you could do it better than me. And that’s partly why I was so vicious. The other reason was that you were always around H– Potter. Pissed me off, that one.” Malfoy was now scrubbing the hem of his shirt, awfully interested in it.
Hermione could still not say anything. The whole deal was too absurd. Malfoy got visibly anxious and let his arms fall against his sides.
”What I’m trying to do is apologize. I am sorry, Granger. I was ill-mannered.”
The silence came down and Hermione found a hand in her hair. It belonged to her. She had a manner of scrubbing her curls when things got particularly intricate.
Clearly Malfoy was waiting for some kind of a response. But what should she say? ’It’s alright’? ’We all did stupid things back then’? ’I can see you’ve matured’? ’Even if I still can’t quite stand the sight of you, you are okay nowadays’? ’You’re being odd, stop weirding me out’? ’It’s great that you’ve grown, but I can’t just forgive such a thing just like that’?
But then, could she? She had almost no doubt that Malfoy was being sincere. Draco Malfoy wouldn’t just come to her and act pleasantly for his own pleasure. In the past he hadn’t wanted Hermione to touch his belongings because of her blood status. Asking for her forgiveness was not something he would do too willingly.
”Thank you, I suppose. It’s… Decent of you.”
Malfoy’s eyes widened, and his posture straightened. He looked extremely pleased with himself, a little flushed as well.
”Yes, Granger… I appreciate it. I… I am going to talk with the Weasleys as well. Ronald and Ginevra.”
Hermione raised her bushy eyebrow. What an interesting statement.
”But not Harry?”
Malfoy looked caught of guard. He licked his lips again. They dried quite fast, Hermione noted.
”Yes. I mean, no I am. I am going to talk with him. It’s just… He’s going to be the hardest.”
Hermione thought they had already broken every single unwritten rule between them, so why the hell should she restrain herself from asking valid questions. ”Do you mean because of all the times you insulted Lily Evans who died in the hands of Voldemort?”
Malfoy actually flinched. His eyes had a haunted look in them. There was something weird about it. He reminded Hermione of some caged animal that wants to escape, but is too firmly attached into an iron trap. When he spoke, his voice was almost too small to be heard. ”Yeah.”
Weird indeed.
Hermione was not entirely sure what was it about the whole situation that made her say what she said next. Perhaps it was the fact that Malfoy had been not only decent but kind to her for the first time in their life. Perhaps it was that she was about to start an equality movement as soon as she got into working from school, and burying prejudices and grudges seemed like a good way to start. Perhaps it was because she wanted to believe Malfoy was sincere. Perhaps because she wanted to end the war for good. Or perhaps it was because she saw the hopeless longing in the grey eyes in the instant moment she had mentioned Harry, and that brought back all her memories of Ron being with Lavender, Ron being oblivious and Ron being away from their Horcrux hunt… And her being heartbroken.
”I think the war matured us all. You, especially. I can see you stand behind your words. I am glad you’ve grown out of your prejudices. I’m sure Harry will see that as well.”
Malfoy’s gaze snapped to her in an instant. Hermione bit the corner of her mouth to keep herself from smiling.
”I – you think?”
Suddenly she recalled all the obsessing comments about Malfoy this and Malfoy that back in their sixth year. Harry had seldom spoken of anything beside that. ’Guys, Malfoy is up to something, I swear, it’s something fishy, I know, why don’t any of you guys see that?' She knew the whole deal was about to become topical again, as soon as the knowledge of Malfoy’s apology spread into Harry’s ears, and she suppressed a sigh.
”Yes, I think.”
Something happened on Malfoy’s face. Perhaps it was the break of the day, Hermione wasn’t sure anymore. She was sure of one thing only; that she had eaten something dubious for breakfast. She felt so clueless all of sudden. Did the new Malfoy come with a manual? It would help her a great deal to prevent any surprises in the future.
”I’ll go. Thank you, Granger.” Malfoy performed his charm again - clearly with effortless grace, the devil - and left the library with prompt steps. And Hermione could’ve sworn she heard him hum a little.
She wasn’t sure what the world was coming to, but she didn’t dislike the change.