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Peace in the Darkness	By : UpTheHill Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 19334 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own any of the characters nor the setting from the Harry Potter world. There are plot details that are not mine either. I make no profit out of this story in any way as I am writing for my personal enjoyment.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
So this is my first fan fiction ever. It’s not going to be very straightforward (cause, you know, gotta build some tension first), but I’m still trying to keep it rather simple. It's not dark, but it's not entirely fluffy either.
My story basically follows the storyline of The Half-Blood Prince (book and movie mashup) from mostly Hermione’s perspective, but with the Dramione thing going on. So you get Dramione but in the original HBP circumstances, and there won't be any major twists because we all know what happens in the actual story. I like to assume this makes it more realistic.
P.S. I am not a native English speaker, so my language and vocabulary might not be very colourful and smart. However, I gladly accept any comments, revisions and advice on my language, grammar and punctuation. I am writing this fiction partly to improve my English, so you’re more than welcome to help!
P.P.S. I personally don't really like my first chapter, so I feel confident telling you that the story will get better as it progresses. :)
And please let me know what you think!

Chapter 1: Filthy Mudblood
Hermione was sitting on the late September grass leaning against a tree in the Middle Courtyard. She was spending her rare free time between her classes reading a couple of chapters in her textbook for History of Magic lesson that she will be heading to in an hour. The reading was one of the homework Professor Binns assigned, and although Hermione had already read it yesterday, once was never enough for her, and everyone around was well familiar with Hermione's bookish nature.
The air was getting windier each day and it wasn't warm anymore, but today was exceptionally sunny, therefore many students used the opportunity to hang around outside and enjoy the last bits of sunshine before acknowledging that the inevitable autumn has come.
Because of the wind, Hermione was forced to constantly keep brushing her curls out of her eyes to remain able to read, although she stopped caring about her hair being stuck on her lips. Obviously, she was used to, well, "her hair being her hair," and she began ignoring this distinctive feature of hers (which some students enjoy making fun of) long ago.
Hermione was comfortable with herself, at least that's what she forced herself to think. She knew she was different and she tried to embrace it. She quite enjoyed the fact that her peers were often unable to understand her. Sometimes, when she had the energy, she tried explaining herself, making a point on the importance of being curious and hard-working like her. It rarely worked, but, nevertheless, it's not like she had to prove anything to anyone…
Hermione once again tucked a thick curl behind her ear, gently licked her index finger and turned to the next page.
Although Hermione was surrounded by chatting and noise of students in the courtyard, nothing distracted her from doing her thing. She knew how to focus and isolate herself from the surroundings. Having to work in the crowded Gryffindor Common room due to the lack of time really contributed to improving her skill to concentrate.
At that moment, however, Hermione suddenly but unconsciously sensed a change in the noise around her. She lifted her eyes over the book to meet the sight of Draco Malfoy.
The infamous Slytherin gang was loudly moving across the courtyard and Hermione became aware of Pansy Parkinson's annoying voice, "I was almost sure it was a bush before I noticed it holding a book!" The loud remark was followed by Goyle's "I know, right?" and Crabbe's snorting and piggish giggling. Hermione was about to get back to her book before her concentration faded away completely when she caught one more glimpse of Draco and noticed his unenthusiastic smirk as he glanced at Hermione.
Hermione, who was used to hearing mocks from Malfoy, did notice the evident lack of them this year. Draco appeared to have become rather detached and slightly anxious, even though he was trying to hide it. He thought he was hiding it, but it wasn't fooling Harry. He, Ron and Hermione have already discussed the changes in Malfoy's behavior. Harry was being very suspicious about Draco and seemed to be quietly investigating him, but, although it didn't ease Hermione's stress (caused by schoolwork overload and, of course, the existence of Dark Wizards and Witches), Harry's arguments were not enough to convince her to recognize Draco as a real threat.
Hermione stared at Draco's back for a few more seconds, watching it move further in the distance until his white head disappeared in the hallway.
It did feel different now, being in the presence of Draco. No, not more pleasant, perhaps even the opposite; she couldn't ignore the feeling of uneasiness caused by Draco's indifference and absence of things he used to love to do: bullying, mocking and annoying others immaturely. She was certainly not missing all of that, especially because she was still nonetheless hearing the occasional "Mudblood" remarks in addition to other Slytherins continuing being jerks. However, even though a lot changes at Hogwarts each year, Malfoy always remained the same dumb arse. But now he was a little different and it definitely added up to her worries.
Hermione was bothered by how ironic it sounded. Finally Draco was paying less attention to her, something she always wished for, but now, when she kind of got what she wanted, it made her a little anxious.
Hermione returned to her book. She had lost the sentence at which she was distracted, and the focus had vanished as well. She kept blankly staring at her book. Maybe, just maybe Harry was right. Perhaps not particularly about Malfoy being a Death Eater with a mission… but Malfoy was acting weird. She wasn't able to predict his actions anymore and she was forced to acknowledge that it could be dangerous. He is a son of two infamous followers of the Dark Lord after all. Maybe there is something serious going on. Or maybe not. Who on earth would trust Draco to do something important?

* * *
When Sunday came, Hermione was trying to keep herself busy studying in the Common room, but she was unable to get that sad Hagrid's face she saw yesterday out of her mind. After Quidditch tryouts, Harry, Ron and she went to visit him, which is something they haven't done since the classes started. Because all three of them dropped out of Care of Magical Creatures that Hagrid teaches, the half-giant was avoiding them. The man was very sensitive and emotional, but he really cared about Harry, Ron and Hermione and was always ready to help. That's why Hermione was feeling bad about not giving the attention Hagrid deserved.
As Hermione looked outside the window at the cloudy sky, she slammed her textbooks shut, cleared the table, got to her feet, put on her cloak and climbed out through the portrait hole into the hall. She left the castle and was heading towards the Wooden Bridge, looking at Hagrid's hut in the distance.
Hermione wanted to surprise Hagrid with her visit which she was sure would make the half-giant happy. She was the one that went to see Hagrid most frequently because of being more compassionate compared to her other two best friends. Hermione remembered when she helped Hagrid to find a legal way to avoid the execution of Buckbeak (or Witherwings) the hippogriff and how grateful Hagrid looked with his watery eyes every time she left his hut after their meeting.
As Hermione was passing the bridge, she saw a tall, dark silhouette at the end of it heading towards her. She almost slowed down as the appearance of Draco Malfoy distracted her from her thoughts and interrupted her relaxing solitude. Both of them were drawing nearer each other until their eyes made a contact. The next second, Draco turned his eyes downwards, and Hermione assumed her presence caused Draco to feel discomfort.
She felt pity looking at him like that. He was paler than ever and looked as he just saw a ghost, as Muggles like to say. There had to be something going on, but Hermione didn't find as much interest in what was up with Draco as Harry did.
Malfoy was getting closer and closer. He seemed to be rather rushing, treading loudly to the wooden floor with the heels of his shoes. As he was less than 30 feet away, he caught Hermione's eyes again.
"Filthy mudblood," he gritted through his teeth and scowled in his traditional fashion.
Hermione would have merely ignored Draco as always if he didn't almost trip over the uneven wooden ground, quietly swearing under his nose. She was pretty sure that her fixed gaze on Malfoy disturbed him as he again appeared feeling uncomfortable and anxious, and Hermione found it hard to keep a straight face.
"At least I have no problems walking," she gave a little grin at Draco, but didn't keep it for long as she quickly realized she subtly snapped back at him. It was something she did very rarely, being the one who rather chooses to ignore and step back. However, the memory of her slapping Draco suddenly came across her mind and she couldn't help but grin again.
"Ha-ha, very funny, Granger. Becoming a bully, aren't you?" he nastily smirked back as he was passing her and then disappeared behind Hermione's back.
Hermione halted. She spun around and stared at Draco's back. Her mouth opened up slightly as if she was about to say something, but she had nothing to say, so she simply kept standing there, awkwardly pressing her arms to her sides.
She was not a bully and she will never become one.
Draco kept walking but, becoming aware of Hermione watching him, turned his head to look at her.
"What's your problem?" he frowned and almost tripped again as he was walking without looking ahead. He paused for a second. "Stop asking for trouble and enjoy this bloody place while you can," he added, which to Hermione sounded like a threat. Then he turned away and scooted off towards the castle.
Hermione kept standing in the same spot, following Draco with her eyes.
She wasn't frightened by Malfoy at all; instead, she still felt that same pity for him. She could barely recognize the young Slytherin. It seemed like he didn't want to come face to face with Hermione at all and was thus disturbed by her unexpected presence. He didn't even seem to genuinely enjoy being harsh to her as he used to.
Hermione came back to her senses, turned around and slowly continued walking to Hagrid's hut. The sounds of Hagrid's hippogriff hopping around in his spot were echoing towards Hermione but didn't catch her attention. Hermione was thinking. She recognized a modest desire to know Draco, to find out what was happening in his white head. If only there was a book…

* * *
"Harry, why do you assume it is a he?" Hermione asked as she, Ron and Harry were sitting in the Common room at the fireplace. Harry was again reading his Potions textbook (or rather the notes scribbled all over it) and boasting.
"Well, it doesn't say 'The Half-Blood Princess,' does it?" Harry snarled out and got back to his book.
Hermione scowled a little, "It could be just a pseudonym or it could mean something else than the title of being royal. Right, Ron?" she aggressively raised her eyebrows at her ginger friend who awkwardly quailed and shrugged, mumbling something under his breath. Hermione kept her eyes fixed at Ron (not that she expected him to say something decent), but then squinted a little and began getting up.
"Actually, I have a really strong feeling your assumptions are wrong, Harry. And I'll prove that to you." Hermione put her books into her briefcase and rushed out of the Common room, feeling Harry and Ron's eyes follow her.
Hermione was heading to the library. She was annoyed that Harry was doing better in Potions than her, but he wasn't being fair, he was cheating, using extra help instead of just following the instructions in the textbook and doing his best. The only thing that made her feel better was the idea that Harry was wrong thinking that The Half-Blood Prince, the previous owner of Advanced Potion-Making, could only be a male. It wasn't too big of a deal, but it would be satisfying to teach Harry a little lesson. Why the Prince couldn't be a girl? No one should assume that great things can only be expected from a male. Not that she admired The Half-Blood Prince.
Hermione was climbing the stairs to the third floor when she came back to reality to make sure she was going the right way. At that moment she noticed a white head and black robes climbing further up with two unfamiliar girls following.
He is definitely up to something evil, Hermione remembered Harry saying.
Perhaps out of sheer curiosity or desire to once again prove Harry wrong, Hermione didn't stop on the third floor for the library and instead followed Draco. The Slytherin continued climbing the stairs, he seemed not to be aware of a quiet bushy-haired follower. Hermione was surprised that Draco passed both the fourth floor and the fifth floor.
However, Draco suddenly stopped as they reached the sixth floor. Together with him, Hermione and the two girls behind Draco paused as well. It was only a split second as Malfoy stood still and Hermione's heart began pounding, and then he immediately proceeded to the empty sixth floor corridor. The girls behind Draco looked at each other, one of them shrugged, but they quickly caught up with him. Hermione waited a moment before continuing to follow the white-head. She was getting more and more intrigued, but she wanted to keep a safe distance.
Malfoy was walking confidently. She listened to the tread of his shoes, echoing in the dim empty corridor. Hermione put a lot of effort to stay as silent and invisible as she could, but it might have been getting harder in such a quiet hallway. Who are those girls though? Where are they going? To see Professor Slughorn, perhaps?
The sound of Draco's footsteps stopped. Hermione rooted to her spot and held her breath. The back of the white head disappeared and she found herself staring at Draco's scowled face directed at her. It was too late to pretend she was just minding her own business because Draco noticed she was startled. A casually walking person wouldn't look as alarmed as she did.
Malfoy kept his eyes on Hermione as he made a gesture to wave the little girls aside. The girls listened and turned the corner at a trot, vanishing from view.
Draco turned to face Hermione completely. They were looking at each other for several long seconds with intense silence humming in their ears. The large empty space between Draco and Hermione felt infinite, but she was almost able to make out the cold shade of grey filling his harshly narrowed eyes. The emptiness was disrupted by a low, intimidating Malfoy's voice.
"What do you want?"
Hermione raised her eyebrows a little in shock for not hearing something insulting. She was ready to be called names, but it didn't happen. Of course, Draco was not in the slightest being nice.
"What's wrong with you?" Draco frowned when he didn't hear a response from Hermione, who was definitely looking silly standing there stuck to the floor.
Draco made one step forward and Hermione quivered. She was unable to understand what was happening. She wanted to simply turn around and head back to the library, but couldn't. She felt the pressure to say something, but didn't know what.
"Sorry," she mumbled and her cheeks flushed as she realized what a stupid word came out of her lips. Hermione wasn't being herself and she recognized that.
Trying to get self-control back by compressing her confusion and discomfort caused by Draco's intimidating stare, Hermione suddenly began moving forward.
"I mean, it's none of your business," she said with more confidence and directed her gaze elsewhere.
Malfoy, however, kept frowning at her, she felt.
"You were following me. Gotta say something?"
Hermione ignored and kept walking as she usually did when confronting her bullies.
"Stupid mudblood," Draco spat in an even lower, thicker voice. "Classic know-it-all, pretending to be the cleverest, pretending to know everyone. Just look at yourself. Stop being such an easy laughingstock," he paused. Hermione was passing Draco and almost touched his shoulder with hers when he added, "Or maybe that's the Muggle blood in you that doomed you. Disgusting."
Hermione stopped again and frowned. Draco's words felt quite… offensive. He wasn't really making his classic jokes. He meant that, or at least tried to sound like he did, didn't he? Perhaps it was also the first time Hermione heard such an honest insult from him without his stupid friends laughing by his sides.
Hermione turned to face Malfoy, feeling her anger grasp her throat.
"How does it feel, Malfoy, when a 'Mudblood' is beating you in every subject?" she erupted. "Is your father happy, eh? Is he proud? I bet he's clapping his hands out of joy, sitting there in a filthy Azkaban cell."
Hermione held her breath for a moment as Draco immediately drew closer to her until less than a feet of distance was separating them. She felt his rapid breaths scraping her face, and her stomach stirred with a swooping sensation. She realized how tall Draco was, having to roll her eyeballs up to keep his glare in sight. Cold grey eyes indeed, he had.
"If I were you, I would carefully watch my words, Granger," he breathed out through gritted teeth, causing every inch of her skin break out in goose bumps and her stomach to sink with weight. "Today the world is a dangerous place for a Muggle-born girl who isn't minding her language when talking to…"
Hermione noticed a shadow of fear flash in Draco's frowned eyes. She immediately reacted.
"To what, Malfoy?" she spoke, flapping her tongue in her dry mouth.
And once again they were glaring at each other, both trembling with anger and adrenaline, Draco's eyes rapidly jumping from one Hermione's eye to another. His face was very close to hers, staring from further above. Hermione's cheeks began burning as the warm air escaping Draco's lips brushed against her face. Her heart was galloping in feelings she had never experienced before, and it was scary.
Hermione saw Draco's eyeballs move and felt his gaze on her lips. For a second, Draco stopped breathing, but her face still burned. Malfoy's presence burned her flesh. His sharp jaw clenched and she swallowed heavily. He looked back at her.
"Stay away," he said weakly, turned and walked away at a swift pace.

* * *
After Hermione returned to the third floor, she researched The Half-Blood Prince in the library, or at least tried to, but instead all she could concentrate on was the memory of Draco's grey eyes gazing at her lips. Her stomach still strangely ached and she couldn't stop herself from constantly shivering at the thought of Draco's face so close to hers.
The confrontation with Malfoy had a great effect on Hermione. She never thought about him before, never felt anything more than hate, disgust and pity for him. But now there was something else. Intrigue, perhaps? Interest? What kind of interest? It almost seemed as if she was slowly losing her mind, so she felt mad at herself, arguing with voices inside her head and trying very hard to forget the white-haired Slytherin gazing at her.
She left the library without having made any progress in the Prince matter. It surprised her a little as she honestly didn't manage to find any useful information to make an argument against Harry's. Although she blamed it on her absence of mind and was willing to try again next time.
Hermione was now lying in her bed, thinking. She remembered the warm, quiet Malfoy's panting on her face, and it made her body hair bristle again. It wasn't uncomfortable, however. She did endure light waves of sickness washing over her when she visualized Draco's classic frown, but at the same time she felt…
Okay, so Hermione wasn't sure what exactly she was feeling. The sensations were unfamiliar to her, so she had difficulty with identifying them. Obviously she didn't want to admit that Draco's close proximity was pleasant because it was. She enjoyed it, she was tempted to see the young Slytherin again, and it was frightening.
Hermione Granger, you fool, allowing that evil disrupt your mind. Goosebumps? Butterflies? Seriously? I think I'm gonna vomit…
The bushy-haired Gryffindor kept lying still in her bed with eyes wide open, staring into the darkness of the ceiling of her bunk and stroking Crookshanks' soft fur. The night was quiet, only light, even snorts of Lavender Brown and owl hoots were gliding through the silent, soothingly cool air. Hermione was slowly falling into sleep when again she saw Draco's face in front of her. He was so near… she could smell his mild cologne. A white wisp of hair was resting on Draco's right eye's lashes, and inside Hermione was fighting the urge to raise her fingers and move the hair out of his eyes. She was also fighting the desire to lean closer so she could smell him better, feel him better. It was a serious battle and she almost lost it.
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Peace in the Darkness