A Turn For The Better (Completed)

Part 17

The next morning I awoke at 6am. I decided I'd had enough sleep, so I got up and showered and got dressed. By 6.45 I was finished getting ready so I decided to take a stroll down to the great hall. I went down the stairs to the common room, it seemed that nobody else was up yet. I left a note for Harry and Ron so that they would know where to find me.

Harry, Ron,

I couldn't sleep any longer so I've been up for a while. I've just gone down to the great hall to see if there's anyone there to talk to. Perhaps see if Professor McGonagall will give me our timetable, I really want to map out my studies.

If you want me, I'll be somewhere between the great hall and the lake!

Hermione

I put the note on the cabinet next to the staircase leading to the dormitories and left the common room through the portrait, taking the note for Draco with me, on the off chance that I should run into him. The corridors were very quiet, not many people were even awake yet. It wasn't odd that I would be roaming the castle this early. I had done so many times before. First I headed for the great hall. There were only a handful of students here, most of which were nervous looking first years. I scanned the hall, hoping to see Draco, but there was no sign of him, so I sat at the Gryffindor table and helped myself to a piece of toast. The early owls had already delivered the Daily Prophet, so I took a copy and began reading.

As I turned the page over onto the next, I noticed a familiar face. It was Draco's father. There was also a single column underneath the picture titled, "The Leaves Are Turning". I started to read the piece about Mr. Malfoy.

Lucius Malfoy, once a server of the dark lord, has today informed the Daily Prophet that he and his family have decided to change their ways. He stated that he, his wife Narcissa and their son Draco, who has just returned to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, have spent the months after the downfall of Voldemort learning about muggles.

"We were under the influence of Voldemort" says Mr Malfoy, "as well as others. We were all Slytherins during our own time at Hogwarts and it was very difficult not to get involved when all your classmates did. We took the wrong turn and we deeply regret it."

He went on to say that he hopes they can be forgiven, and that he offers his sincerest apologies and condolences to the people who lost family members and friends.

I had already believed Draco when he said he wanted to change, but now I had proof. Though I wasn't so sure that I really trusted his father. He had served Voldemort a lot Longer than Draco had.  I stashed the Daily Prophet into my bag, to show the others later. Just as I decided to leave, I saw Professor McGonagall enter the hall. "Professor!" I called. She turned her attention to me. "Miss Granger, I am very happy to see that you and your friends decided to return this year." "We are too professor, it wouldn't be right, not finishing when we have the opportunity. Lord knows many of the students that gave their lives would have liked to have the opportunity." "Wise words as always miss Granger. Was there something you wanted?" "Yes, I was just wondering if I could get my timetable? I really want to start mapping out my studies for the year. I need to." "Very well, here you go, I know you will do well this year miss Granger, as always." she said with a smile and strode off to the teachers table.

I left the great hall, and was starting towards the door that lead outside when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned to see Draco, he was alone, and there was nobody else in the hall. "Hello beautiful," he said so only I would hear him, "where are you going?" "Hello Draco, I am heading to the lake. I've just gotten my timetable, maybe you could grab yours and meet me under the tree at the lake?" "Perfect, see you soon." He kissed me on the cheek and entered the great hall. I smiled to myself and left the entrance hall out into the school grounds.

It was a sunny morning, as it usually was in September. I rambled down to the lake, with my sights set on the big oak tree that sat next to it. If we were quiet enough, nobody would see us there. It was only 8.10. We still had fifty minutes until our first lesson. Five minutes after I sat under the tree, Draco arrived. He carried toast and his own timetable. "Hello there. " I said as he sat down next to me. He smiled at me.

After a few minutes of catching up about summer and deciding to return to Hogwarts, he decided he was hungry and started eating his now cold toast. "Oh, I've gotten my timetable." he said through a mouthful of toast. "Let me see then," I asked, "I think we can arrange to meet during free periods, if they match up that is." He handed me his timetable and I compared it to mine. I was quite glad to see that we would still have classes together. This morning we had Transfiguration first thing together. "Right, well you have a free period after lunch on Mondays, mine is before lunch. Tuesdays however most of our classes are the same, we both have a free period at twelve. I have a free period at eleven today, but you don't. Thursdays are the same as Tuesdays and Fridays we have half days, that's new isn't it? So it looks like we might be able to work this!" He smiled at me and said, "Not to mention we have weekends off, and we have the chance to visit Hogsmeade outside of class times as we are 7th years." "That sounds good!" I smiled.

I finished comparing the timetables and decided to ask how being here, having everyone talk about his past was going for him. "Well, I heard a couple of Slytherin's talk about my father. But I haven't really paid any attention. I don't care what any of them think." I smiled at him, glad to know that he was doing well.  "So tomorrow then, we meet on the seventh floor during our free period?" I asked. "Of course, I wouldn't miss it." he replied. "Can we come up with some sort of plan to introduce the idea of you and I being friends Harry and the others then? I don't really think I could spend the whole school year sneaking around!" "Sounds like a good idea", he replied. We sat for a further half an hour, talking about the most random things. I came to realize that, Draco was very much like my friends and I, he just never had the time to enjoy being young. Being able to explore things that teenage boys liked to. He didn't get to have a normal upbringing. I knew he loved his mother very much, he would go to the ends of the earth for her. But I wasn't so sure he felt the same about his father.

"What time is it?" I asked after a while. "8.45" he replied. "We'd best be going, Harry and Ron will be waiting for me in the great hall." "Wish we didn't have to, I could stay for hours just talking with you." he said with a sad kind of smile. "Well, we have plenty of time for that, and I look forward to it Draco." We stood up and he hugged me, rather tightly. I hugged him back and enjoyed breathing in his scent. "Bye Granger, miss you already!" he said as he turned to leave. "I miss you too." I replied with a sad smile. He blew me a kiss and walked away. I left three minutes after him, making my way up the steps and into the castle. Harry and Ron had just left the great hall and were heading back towards the grand staircase. I joined them and we went to collect our things for transfiguration. I got a tad bit excited when I remembered that we shared that class with Draco Malfoy!