You've Changed, Draco

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys! I really appreciate it.

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The next few weeks went by in a haze for Hermione. All of her new classes were enjoyable enough, but Dumbledore was forced to lay new restrictions for the students, which kept her and Malfoy busy during most of their free time. She would see Malfoy in their common room from time to time, but they rarely acknowledged each others’ presence. Occasionally, Crabbe and Goyle would be with him, but they now ignored her. Hermione was surprised that Malfoy didn’t spend much time actually talking to his friends when they were around, and when they were not around, and he had a free moment from school work or patrolling halls, she could usually find him reading in front of the fireplace.

Hermione mentioned all of his odd behavior to Harry and Ron. Ron immediately blew it off. “Maybe he’s just tired from sneaking out every night to do the Dark Lord’s bidding,” he suggested. However, Harry seemed curious about Malfoy’s sudden change of character. Not to say that he was a nice guy now, but Harry did notice that Malfoy no longer tried to provoke him or Ron with nasty remarks during classes. Also, if Hermione brought her friends back to her common room with her, Malfoy would simply get up and lock himself in his room.

One night, Hermione and Draco were walking down the corridor outside of their rooms, about to split up to do each of their normal nighttime rounds.

“Why did you quit the Slytherin Quidditch team?”

His head quickly snapped up to look in her direction. He seemed surprised that she had spoken. “What?”

“I thought you liked playing Quidditch,” her voice trembled slightly. She was a bit nervous that he would just reply with some sardonic, irritated remark that would insult her intelligence. “Why would you quit the team?”

He looked down at his moving feet and sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it, Granger.” Surprisingly, he did not sound irritated. His answer came out flat and serious instead of snide and as if he was annoyed by her nosiness.

Then, the Head Boy and Head Girl turned in different directions to patrol different parts of the castle.

*****

“You gonna eat those, Hermione?” Ron asked while pointing with his fork at the last two slices of bacon on her plate. But Hermione was staring off into space and not paying any attention. “Hermione,” he said a bit more loudly than he needed to.

“Oh, what?” He pointed at her bacon again with his eyebrows raised. “Oh, sure, go ahead.”

Ginny was concerned. It seemed her friend’s mind was elsewhere lately. “Are you alright, Hermione? You seem so distracted lately.”

Hermione smiled. “Of course, Ginny. I just think it’s so strange...”

Harry raised his eyebrows. “Malfoy?”

Ginny shot a mischievous look at Hermione. “So that’s why you’ve been distracted? You can’t stop thinking about Malfoy? I think Hermione’s got a crush.”

Ron choked on his toast. Ginny laughed at her brother’s reaction. “I was only kidding, Ron.”

Harry chuckled. “He is still acting odd though.”

Ron rolled his eyes. “Haven’t we already had this conversation?” he asked with a large bite of food in his mouth.

Hermione ignored him. “Don’t you think it’s strange that he quit the Quidditch team?”

Her question was meant for Harry, but Ron answered, “Who cares?”

“Know thy enemy, Ron,” Ginny advised.

“Are we really sure he’s still an enemy?” asked Hermione.

“What?” the other three asked her in unison. Ron sounded outraged while Harry and Ginny seemed interested at what she had to say.

“Think about it. Dumbledore—”

“What’s there to think about, ‘Mione? This is Draco Malfoy we’re talking about.”

“Ron, I was only suggesting it as a theory. There must be something behind Dumbledore’s opinion that we aren’t aware of. Now, I’m not saying I trust him or am completely convinced just yet, but maybe it’s something we should be looking into.”

“There’s nothing to look into. A Malfoy is a Malfoy.”

Hermione shrugged, unsure. The four finished their breakfasts and headed to their morning classes.

*****

One afternoon, in mid-October, Hermione was sitting at her desk, finishing up the last of her Potions essay. She leaned back in her chair and stretched. Crookshanks leaped up into her lap. She smiled and stroked his orange fur. Suddenly, through her closed bedroom door, she heard angry shouting coming from the common room. Placing the cat on the ground, Hermione crossed to the door and put her ear against it. It was Draco and Crabbe arguing.

“Don’t be daft, Crabbe.”

“You’ve changed, Draco, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed!”

“You don’t even know what you’re on about!”

“You quit the Quidditch team, you never join us when Goyle and I meet our fathers in Hogsmeade for updates, and you’re constantly moping around like a bloody Hufflepuff!” The common room became silent. What kind of updates? Hermione wondered. “Your father would be disgusted if he knew this.”

She heard some scuffling and Malfoy yell at his friend to get out. Hermione waited until she heard the portrait swing shut before she left her bedroom. Malfoy was squatting in front of the fire, staring into it.

Hermione approached him slowly and cautiously. “Those friends of yours can be quite thickheaded.”

He looked quickly over his shoulder at her. Then he stood slowly and turned around to face her fully. “What would you know about it?” his voice was filled with malice.

“It doesn’t take a genius to notice when something is wrong.”

“Bloody Gryffindor.” He pushed past her on his way to his own room. “Just leave me the hell alone.”

*****

At dinner, Hermione noticed that Malfoy never showed up. She was unaware of this, but Snape and Dumbledore noticed Draco’s absence as well and were a little worried. Back in the common room, Hermione could hear a low mumbling coming from the Head Boy’s room. Worried, Hermione took a deep breath and knocked on his door. When there was no answer, she slowly opened the door and peeked inside.

He was sitting on the edge of his bed looking distraught and tired. He didn’t notice her until she gasped and pulled out her wand. Hermione suddenly felt angry for being worried about him. Ron had been right, a Malfoy is a Malfoy. Draco was holding a Death Eater communicator amulet. It looked identical to the one that Snape had showed the Order of the Phoenix. A silver framed emerald hanging from a silver chain.

“Granger, wh—”

“Stupefy!”

His knees buckled, and he fell stiffly to the floor. Although he was unconscious, Hermione kept her wand pointed at him. Then she noticed his face. Malfoy’s eyes were rimmed in red and his cheeks were tear-stained. He hadn’t been mumbling or talking to anyone. He had been crying.

Hermione rushed to the fireplace and immediately threw some Floo Powder in. She called for Dumbledore.

TBC