A Turn For The Better (Completed)

Part 13

At 8am I decided to get up and get ready. I had spent the rest of the night thinking of strategies on how to bring Draco into a conversation. Well, one that didn't involve the fact that he was an ex death eater. I decided that it would be best until we were at Hogwarts, when we would actually see Draco. I didn't want the boys to think or rather know that I had been seeing him. This way they would think that it started at Hogwarts.

I went down to breakfast, only managing a slice of toast with marmalade. Ginny had already eaten and was in the shower, and the boys were eating cereal. When Ginny was finished in the bathroom I went in after her. As I showered I thought about what lay ahead today. I was nervous about more than one thing. I was going back to Hogwarts after a whole year off. I was going to be seeing the place where so many people had lost their lives. Not to mention that last nights dream had shaken me, and the fact that I needed to put things in motion and soon enough.

I dressed myself and double checked that I had everything I needed and went down to load my trunk into the Ford Mondeo. Mr Weasley always took the day off of work to drive his children and myself and Harry to the train, with Mrs Weasley coming along to say goodbye. Ron was also loading his trunk into the car and lifted mine for me. "Thanks Ronald". "No problem. Er Hermione?" "Yes?" "Why have you always called me by my full name? Everyone else just calls me Ron!" "I don't know, maybe its because it suits you. I've just always had the instinct to call you Ronald." He looked puzzled, "Okay".

At 10am we set off for Kings Cross Station. George had come along with us as he was getting dropped back at the shop once we left for Hogwarts. He used to live above the shop with Fred, but ever since Fred died he had only been in once to pick something up. Today was the day when he would resume his life.

We arrived at the station at 10:45. We all went through to platform 9 3/4, and the three of us found a compartment and loaded our luggage into it. As I was leaving the compartment, I saw a familiar figure climb onto the train. Draco. I couldn't help but smile, but as I was with Harry and Ron I couldn't stay to chat. We came back out to give Mr and Mrs Weasley and George hugs and say goodbye to them. They told me that they would like to have Harry, myself and my parents go The Burrow for Christmas this year if we were up for it. We said goodbye and boarded the train once more.

It was exactly 11am as usual when the train pulled away from the station. All the parents and family members of students could be seen waving and blowing kisses, growing fainter and fainter. I decided I'd best come up for an excuse to leave our compartment. It was 11:10 and I was quite eager to speak with Draco, I needed him to help me with getting around the guys. "Guys I've got to go to the ladies, and then I need to see Luna. She asked me to find her when we got on the train." "Yeah, sure!" said Harry.

I got up and left the compartment, making my way along the train, hoping that I would bump into Malfoy. Luckily there was a girls bathroom this way so nobody would suspect a thing. As I was walking past a compartment, I spotted Luna. I poked my head in through the door, she was talking to Neville. "Hey Neville, hey Luna." "Hiya!" they both replied. "Could you do me a favor? I told Harry I was on my way to see you, and I was, but I'm feeling a little ill, so if anyone comes looking will you just let them know that I'm in the bathroom?" "Yeah sure," said Luna, "hope you feel better soon!" "Thank you!"

Feeling victorious I pushed my way through packed corridors and on to the last carriage. I thought that if I was to find Draco wandering around anywhere on the train it would be here,as this i a place that he had been spotted many times before. I opened the door and stepped inside. "Lumos". I heard a familiar voice. The cabin lit up and there was Draco Malfoy, standing with the biggest grin on his face. "I thought you might come looking." he said to me. "Well, we have a few things to discuss before we reach Hogwarts." I replied. "Come sit here, there's a few crates over here." he said. I sat where he indicated.

"So, how have you been?" he asked. "I've been good, but I really think we need to figure out a way of getting around Harry and Ron soon. I can't lie to them and I can't sneak around behind their backs. It's not fair to them. They have been through too much." "I agree with you, I have already told you, I will do whatever I can. You just need to name it."

I wondered whether or not I should tell him about my dream. I didn't want to scare him off, we had only just started to explore whatever this was, but I wanted to reassure him that I was going to talk to the others as well as make sure that he respected them. "Draco?" "Yes, Hermione?" "I want you to know that I am going to do my best to make the others come round. Its going to be hard, but I need to know that you won't give up on me?" "How could I ever give up on you Hermione? I know it may take a while to get through to them, but I am not going anywhere." I felt reassured and decided I needn't mention my dream.

We sat on the old crates for a while, talking. "How are we going to be able to meet up? For you to confide, or talk about things?" I pondered aloud. "There are so many eyes at Hogwarts, it'll be near impossible!" "No it won't." He replied. "There is a place. A few places I'm sure." "Where are these places then?" I asked. "Well, the most definite one would be the room of requirement. All we'd have to do is think of it, what we need, and there it is." "Why didn't I think of that?" I asked myself. "You aren't the only one who has been thinking ahead, Granger. "Well, I am glad you are thinking straight. This is giving me faith that you are committed to doing this." 
"I truly am one hundred per cent committed. I want to do this, I want to be a better person. And you are the one that can help me." "Well, then I wish you the best of luck Draco, you don't see how far you've already come, I admire you, for looking for the help." "Thanks Granger, but I don't think I could continue it alone, or without you."

We sat for another while, I wanted to ask him a question, but I was quite a bit embarrassed about it. So I sat for a bit, biting my lip, trying to figure out how best to phrase this question, not noticing that he was studying me. "You want to know why I kissed you back in Eeylops, don't you?" I looked up, shocked and of course embarrassed. I nodded, blushing furiously. "Well, I've already told you that I care about you, that I have for a while. But of course, I never mentioned just how much I care. When I saw you, defending the people you love, back at Hogwarts during the battle, it was then that I realized what a special human being you are. That I have been wrong my whole life.  It was then that I realized that what I wanted most, was for you to see me as a person. Not a death eater. It has been playing on my mind for months now. So when I saw you last week, I couldn't help it, I took my chance, it felt like it was meant to happen."

That was quite a lot to take in. I noticed that I was blushing even more furiously now. He was a changed man, and I liked it. So I took my own chance and kissed him.