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Struggling Through New Beginnings	By : HarryGinny4eva Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 31236 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Spoilers - I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 29
- 30
- 31
Chapter 32

By midweek Draco was pretty sure nothing had been said to Hermione, or anyone
else, about Blaise�s breakdown. And, after a talk with Theo when he�d made it
back to his room later that night, they two had come to realize that Ginny had
had a point. After filling Greg in on everything the next morning, each decided
to make an effort, in his own way, to include Blaise more and show him they
were still his friends.

Draco hurried through dinner on Friday night so he could meet up with Blaise.
They�d planned to spend the evening practicing quidditch and just relaxing
together. Dinner had been uneventful, except for the chatter of students making
weekend plans and bemoaning the homework that had to get done by Monday. As he
was not included in the conversations around him, it was relatively easy to eat
quickly. He heard Ron talking about a party in Gryffindor tower and wondered
what Hermione would be like at a normal house party. Laughing at his inability
to think about much else but her, he gathered his things and made his way out
of the hall.

�Wotcher, Cous!�

Draco jerked to a halt mid-step and turned to see his cousin with her hair her
favorite shade of blue. He glanced around the hallway and saw they were alone
and straightened defensively.

�Nymphadora,� he nodded stiffly, but politely.

She laughed, �You�ve sure got the Black family haughtiness down.� When he
raised an eyebrow, she continued, �Relax. Walk with me.�

He glanced back at the doorway to the Great Hall and hoped someone, anyone,
would come out to give him an excuse to say no. When no one did, he nodded and
followed her down the hall and out of the doors leading to the courtyard. She
remained quiet as they walked, but her eyes darted around vigilantly and her
wand rested in her hand. Draco wondered if she realized how tense she looked.

When they reached the wall of the courtyard she spun around and jumped onto the
low wall. Pulling her legs up under her, she smiled, �Cop a squat.�

�Uh, what?� he asked.

�It means sit down,� she laughed at his confusion.

He sat, but continued to stare at her in silence as he wondered what she wanted
to say to him.

�So, what�s up?� she asked finally.

�Huh?�

�I asked, wha��

Draco rolled his eyes, �I know what you said. I meant, why?�

Tonks shrugged her shoulders, �Seemed like the time. We�ve been sidestepping
each other since school started.�

Draco waited for her continue and when she didn�t he cleared his throat
nervously, �Uh, did you have something you wanted to say to me?�

�No,� she shook her head and then looked off in the distance as she continued,
�I just, well, I�ve seen you, watched you. Remus keeps telling me to leave you
be, but I never could leave well enough alone. Darn! He�s right,
Teddy does get it from me. Anyway, I wanted to see how you�re doing?�

Draco looked at her contemplatively for a long while before he asked, �Why?�

�Because I�m your teacher?�

When he lifted an eyebrow at her, she laughed, �Fine. Because
your mother wanted to know.�

�My moth�huh? Why would she ask you?� he asked.

Again she shrugged, �Well, she didn�t, not directly. She was talking to Mama
and she��

�Mama?� Draco asked before he could stop himself.

�My mother. You know, your mother�s sister?� Tonks
laughed. �Anyway, they were talking and Mama said she, your mother, seemed to
really miss you and kept wondering if you were doing alright. So, she, my
mother, asked me. And, when I said I really didn�t know I thought she would hit
the roof.�

He couldn�t stop his immediate teasing retort, �Afraid of your mommy?�

Tonks smiled at him a little as she leaned in, �Imagine your mother�s, uh,
sternness mixed with dear Auntie Bella�s temper.�

Draco swallowed and nodded, �Gotcha. And, uh, just tell her I�m fine.�

�You could write her,� Tonks suggested.

Draco nodded, but didn�t comment as a little boy toddled out into the courtyard
yelling, �Mama Mama Mama�, as Professor Lupin hurried
after him.

�Theodore, get back here!�

�Mama!�

Draco almost laughed when the toddler fell face first on the ground and then
got up and looked around as if to see who had pushed him.

�Oh, Teddy,� Tonks said as she rushed to him and picked him up in a tight hug.
When he felt his mother�s arms around him, Teddy smiled and ducked his head
into her neck, as Remus Lupin limped up to them.

�Sorry, he slipped away from the table and I didn�t realize it until I saw him
at the doorway,� he explained as he leaned in to kiss his wife.

�No worries,� she answered with a smile. �Besides, I think he needs to meet
someone.�

Draco glanced around to see who she might be referring to before he realized
that he was that someone. His stomach dropped a little as the small family
turned to face him. Before he could run away as was his first instinct, they
were in front of him and Tonks had turned the little dark-haired boy toward
him.

�Teddy, this is your cousin, Draco. Draco, meet Teddy,� she smiled proudly at
her son.

�Hello,� Draco said awkwardly to the little boy.

Tonks continued to smile at her son, �Can you say hello to Draco?�

Teddy looked at him and shouted, �DWAKE!� and then laughed and clapped for
himself.

Remus and Tonks laughed with him, and even Draco couldn�t suppress a small
smile at the child�s antics. Then Teddy launched himself at Draco, who froze in
shock when he caught him. He saw the werewolf take a half step towards them,
but his attention was on the small laughing body he held in his arms. When
Teddy squealed happily and slapped his small hands against Draco�s cheeks, as
he chanted, �Dwake, Dwake, Dwake,� Draco didn�t notice his body relaxing. He didn�t
feel the smile that lit his face. He didn�t feel the look of awe on his face.
And, he didn�t think of letting go of the child.

No, as he looked down into the happy, accepting face of his youngest cousin,
all he could think was �He just came right to me like I was a normal person. Children are
supposed to be able to tell bad people right off, right? Maybe I�m not so bad,
after all. Maybe there is hope for me.�

xxxxx

�so, we sat there and talked for a while longer. I know many people came
out and wondered what was going on, me being with them, and Teddy being on my
lap and all, but whatever. No one interrupted us. And, you know what I
realized, Mother? I didn�t care. It felt so�right. Does that make any sense? I
mean, after all these years, it was like things just felt right. Of course, it
wasn�t all easy the whole time, her husband, the werewo
Professor Lupin, didn�t say much. And, he watched me and Teddy like I was going
to do something to the boy for the first little while. But, we stayed there for
almost an hour and it was so, I don�t want to hurt your feelings in any way when
I say this, but comfortable by the end. Tonks even gave me a quick hug before
she picked up Teddy and they left. Mother, it was so� Never mind. I just hope
you are getting the same feelings when your sister Aunt Andromeda comes
by to visit. I think I would like to meet her properly. Maybe over Christmas
break?

Anyway, no one said much about it later. Except, I did hear from Pansy that
some of her friends thought I looked pretty good holding Teddy. And, there has
been one girl that I have noticed smiling at me a bit more. So, maybe�

Oh gosh, I am sorry, I didn�t mean for this letter to get so long, three feet,
wow. I guess I really did have a bit to tell you and I apologize again for
taking so long to do so. I will now let you go back to whatever you were doing.
And, I hope you write soon. I have to get down to dinner. We re-sort our seats
tonight and I finally get away from Weasley!

I miss you, too, Mother.

Yours with great affection,

Draco

Getting off of his bed, Draco carefully rolled up
the parchment as he walked over to his desk and sealed it with the Malfoy
crest. Then he called his eagle owl from the window, where it rested with its
beak tucked in its wing. Just as he was about to tie it to the bird�s leg, he
was seized with a sudden impulse. Deciding to go with it, he smiled softly as
he once again took up his quill. When he finished writing along the edge of the
letter�s seam he tied it to the bird�s leg and went to the window to send it
out before he changed his mind.

As the bird�s wings spread the words I
love you glittered back at him and he smiled as the bird took off.

xxxxx

At the opposite end of the castle Hermione sat in
the common room she shared with Parvati and pulled out her beloved journal and
a pen. She was alone and knew she would be until dinner, as Parvati and Theo
normally stayed in the all-house common room together until the last possible
minute before dinner. She smiled as she thought of them and flipped to the last
entry in her book. Her eyes popped open wide as she realized it had been days
since she had written anything. So many things had happened that she didn�t
want to forget that she shook her head in wonder that she hadn�t written any of
it.

She sighed, took a sip of her tea, and pushed her hair back.

�What to write about first,� she mused aloud. �Oh yeah!�

Today is the last day of September and so
much has happened since I last wrote. Harry and Ginny are still going strong and
they are so much better than before. He�s relaxed a lot. It�s like he was
always on guard, just waiting for the next �thing� to happen. And, since it
hasn�t, he�s gotten to just be Harry again. I think it helped that Ginny got
really busy with all her Head duties and planning for the Halloween Ball. He
hasn�t been able to hover so much. And, since they couldn�t be together all the
time, they started scheduling time together, kind of like dating on a schedule.
J Weird, but it is working
for them. I�ve never seen Ginny happier.

And, Ron and I are still doing fine and are actually closer than ever. I know
it�s weird, but I don�t even miss being with him that way. I am glad we never
went all the way. I think that would have made things too strange afterward. But,
as we didn�t, it�s almost like we can ignore the five months we were a couple.
I should probably be more upset about my first real relationship ending with
little to no fanfare, but I have come to realize that some things are just not
meant to be.

And, it seems Ron has finally noticed Pansy! He hasn�t realized how strong her
feelings for him are, but at least he�s started talking to her and stuff in the
halls and all-house common room. They got paired in Charms yesterday, so we
shall see. It�s funny to see how nervous she is around him all the time and he
pretends to take no notice. I wonder if that�s how we looked to people? Hmmm

Charms class is actually the reason I am writing tonight, I guess. The
partnering of everyone was done by Prof. Flitwick and
I don�t know what he was thinking with some of the matches, I mean Millicent
and Blaise? Really? She�s almost a squib when it comes
to Charms. He is going to have to do all the work there. But, anyway, Harry and
Ginny were paired, as usual. Luna was put with Greg (their practices should be
funny), Parvati and Theo (who are still going strong, by the way) (note to self
� write about their first date to Hogsmeade!!), and I
got (sigh) Draco Malfoy. Again. First,
Potions and now Charms.

Why? Why? Why? I mean, we�ve been more friendly to one
another since the party. He tries to strike up conversations now and then about
stuff not class-related. And, would you believe I, the braniac,
the calm, level-headed one, am usually so flustered I can barely speak to him.
Sigh again! This crush, or feelings, or whatever I have for him at getting in
the way of my school work! I find myself not paying attention in the classes
he�s not in, as I get lost in thoughts of him and what he might be doing or
thinking.

Still, Potions has actually gone amazingly well. He pulls his own weight and is
a really good partner, although we don�t talk much during class. I have caught
him staring at me quite a bit and Pansy says he�s still interested, but since
the flower, nothing�DARN ALL THIS SILLY SIGHING! I
feel so stupidly girly around him all of a sudden. I mean, he�s Draco Malfoy
for crying out loud! What is wrong with me this year?! I can�t stop it. A few
weeks ago I didn�t know what I was feeling or thinking about him, and I was mostly
okay with letting it go. But, then he acted so different at the dance at my
house. And, the way he looked at me�

As each day passes I see more and more of a guy I never knew was there. He can
be so sweet and funny. He�s loyal to his friends and honest to a fault. It�s
strange that someone so perfectly Slytherin can also be so�well, not
Slytherin-like. It doesn�t hurt that he�s, to use Vati�s
term �hot as sin.� He�s also really smart. If he had used his
brains for our side during the war�

Oh! Speaking of smart, I just found out that Greg has a photographic memory!
Who knew?!

Anyway, all this is not to say that Draco (yes, I�ve even stopped stuttering
over his name) doesn�t still have his faults. He most certainly does. He�s
still arrogant, can be rude, and seems to delight in pushing Harry and Ron�s
buttons. But, he no longer attacks them outright really. Today, he even kind of
defended me. We were in Transfiguration and Blaise, who has actually been loads
better lately, must have been having a bad day. He kept changing ink pools into
small pools of mud. All the while he was going on and on about the importance
of keeping wizarding history correct and how the pureblood families should be
in charge of it because they�ve been around the longest and have kept the best
records. Blah blah blah. It was ridiculous and everyone had had enough
after a while. Even Theo, normally the last one to react to anything, was
rolling his eyes at Blaise.

Then Blaise reached out and knocked over my ink pot, spilling it all over the
desk and me. Before I could clean it up, he turned it into mud and laughed,
�Inside, outside, who can tell the difference.� I was outraged, but before I
could sputter a word it was gone, vanished by Draco. I was in shock, but he
didn�t even notice as he got in Blaise�s face. �That�s enough, dammit. Leave her alone and grow the hell up!� I wasn�t
sure whether to thank him and/or applaud, and you could see by the looks on
everyone else�s faces that they didn�t know what to do either. But, before
anyone could do anything, Tonks stepped in. Draco wouldn�t look at me after
that, and hasn�t spoken to me since.

I just don�t get men! I didn�t do anything. I didn�t make him defend me! Sheesh!

And, now I have to partner with him in Charms tomorrow. Ginny, Vati and I
talked about it a little after class, and they said it�s because he�s
embarrassed. But, I have no idea why he would be. Oh crap! Dinner! I have to
go. We�re changing tables tonight. YEAH!!! No more Blaise giving me heartburn! J

Oh yeah, I almost forgot�Parvati and Theo. It was so cute!!! We had our first Hogsmeade trip the weekend before last and were in the
Three Broomsticks having drinks and lunch. They were sitting together at the
end of the table sharing a plate of chips and some ketchup dripped on her
shirt. Theo, obviously not thinking, reached over to try and help her clean it
up. It was quite humorous. But, then Greg joked that Theo should make an honest
woman of Vati if he was going to be groping her in public and they both froze.
They were sitting staring at each other and the rest of us got really quiet,
kind of embarrassed for both of them, I guess. Then, Theo just blurted out, �Be
my girlfriend.� Before I could blink Vati was nodding and hugging him and they
were smiling and kissing and we were all cheering. It was quite silly, but so
sweet. They were never far apart before, but now they�re basically inseparable.
They�re so happily in love.

I want that.

With yet another sigh, Hermione closed her book, magicked it back up to her room and stood to go to dinner.
She nodded at herself in the mirror and turned back to grab her lip gloss from
her bag. Thanks to Parvati�s lessons her hair was more manageable now and fell
in softer waves down her back. She still had a full head of curls, but with a
simple spell, it became softer and smoother, and she didn�t get tangles nearly
as often. Parvati had tried to get her to wear a lot more makeup, but she
simply couldn�t be bothered to take the time, regardless of the amount of
attention she got from several of her male classmates. Lip gloss and her hair
were all she had the patience to handle each day.

After applying the sheer reddish color, she took one final glance at herself,
adjusted the bow holding back her hair and left. When she arrived at the Great
Hall the site that greeted her reminded her immediately of their first night
back at school. All the students stood along the walls and all the teachers
along the front. She saw Ginny, Harry and Pansy standing close by and headed in
their direction with a wave.

xxxxx

Draco turned to watch her cross the room. He
admitted to himself that he had been looking for her; waiting for her to
appear. Most of his day, even in his embarrassment from the Charms debacle, had
been spent watching her hair sway under the little green bow she wore in it or
looking for the bow in the halls between classes. Part of him wondered if, and
partially hoped, it was some kind of sign from her to him. But, since he�d seen
her wear every other color in her hair, too, recently, he shrugged the thought
away.

When she smiled and waved in the other direction he looked across the hall to
see Ginny, Potter and Pansy waving back.

�What are you staring at?!� Millicent�s voice barked beside him.

Draco flinched and looked down at her, but breathed a silent sigh of relief
when he saw her staring up at Greg.

�Nothing, Millie. Nothing. I was just looking around,�
Greg answered.

Draco held back his nod of agreement when she said, �Yeah, right, Goyle! I saw
you watching her again. When are you going to get over her?�

�Shut it,� Greg said as he looked away. �I�m over her. We�re just
friends. And, why do you care?�

Draco looked over at Greg with raised eyebrows. Everyone it seemed, except
Greg, could see Millicent Bulstrode was interested in him. She had even started
wearing lipstick, even though it was far too bright for her fair skin.

Not like Hermione�s. Hers enhances her
lips perfectly and makes me want to�

Draco�s thoughts were interrupted as the doors closed with a small thud and the
room of people got quiet.

�Thank you all for your promptness,� Professor McGonagall began. �And, thank
you for helping make this meal experience a success to date. Your
open-mindedness and willingness to try are a testament to your maturity and
growth. Now, as you were told at the beginning of the year, we will change
seats each month until the winter holidays. Tonight marks that first change.
Now, to add some frivolity to the proceedings we have changed the way things
will be done. Peyton, er, Professor Mills if you will
come forward to explain.�

�Thank you, Headmistress. Good evening, everyone. Those of you who have my
class know I like to incorporate fun muggle activities where possible. So, I
came up with an idea that some of you may recognize. It�s a form of a muggle
children�s game called musical chairs.�

About half of the students started laughing and talking, telling those near them who didn�t understand about the game, but
Professor Mills called them back to attention.

�Okay, I would like all the first and second years to move forward and stand in
the rows between the tables. Your Prefects will help you. Come on everyone.�

Draco, Blaise, Millicent and Greg watched in confusion as many of the younger
students laughingly ran forward to take places around the room. The Prefects
moved people around until they formed two circles, one more inside the tables,
the other on the outside.

When everyone was in place, Professor Mills stepped forward again, �Okay,
normally this game is played in one circle, and there is one less chair than
people playing, but as we are all trying to get to dinner, we thought we�d
change some of the rules.�

The muggleborns and halfbloods
who�d played before laughed with her, while the purebloods looked around in
confusion.

She continued, �Now, the inner circle is going to go clockwise, while the outer
circle goes counterclockwise. As you walk you will hear music. When the music
stops you are to claim a chair as quickly as possible. You must sit all the way
in the seat to claim it and there can only be three of you at each table, so
you may have to run for it. Any questions?�

No one raised a hand and she signaled for the music to begin. As the music
played the older students began to laugh and shout along with the younger ones
as they volleyed for positions near chairs they wanted to claim should the
music stop. Before too long the music stopped and they ran screaming for seats
at the closest tables, some pulling friends along with
them, others pushing people off of chairs to claim them. Squeals, cries, and
shouts were heard all over as they each eventually found seats, with the older
students helpfully shouting out directions to them from all around the room.

�That was fantastic!� Professor Mills clapped and the other teachers nodded and
laughed. �You guys were great! Now, let�s see, which year should go next?�

Most of the students started yelling out there year in hopes of joining in the
fun. Even Draco found himself laughing out loud as Millie jumped up and down
beside him. �Pick the bloody sevenths! We always have to go last!�

�Okay,� she said over the crowd, �sixth and seventh years next.�

Cheers and �aws� were heard around the hall as the
selected students got into place. Draco sauntered into place, not overly joyful
about running around the hall in a silly game, but as a competitive person,
ready to go for it. He no longer cared who he sat with, but he knew he wanted
to stay in the back of the Hall, so he began planning how to ensure he was
there when the music stopped.

�Remember, only three of you to a table. Ready?�

�Ready!� they called as one.

The music began and the students started to move.

�Stick close and we�ll end up together,� Blaise said over his shoulder.

�But, if there can only be three of us, then�� Greg began only to stop when the
music suddenly stopped.

Faster than they could blink the seats on both sides of them filled and they
had to run for another table. Millicent slid into a chair and pulled Greg down
with her. His bulk knocked the sixth year who had been about to sit there on
the floor and he apologized as he helped the girl off the floor. She smiled �No
worries!� and ran off to find a seat.

Blaise and Draco had taken off for the back of the hall and wasted precious
time. The noise from the laughter and all the students shouting out locations
was deafening when Draco spotted the chair he wanted.

�This way!� he called to Blaise as he ran. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw
Harry and Ron aiming for it from their side of the hall. �Move it, Zabini!�

About three tables away from his destination Hermione�s bow once again caught
his attention from across a table. He turned his head toward her just as she
tripped and went down hard. He didn�t think as he instinctively hurried around
the table to make sure she was okay and allowed Blaise to go on past him. He
got to her just as she reached up to grab the back of a chair to pull herself
up. Instead he grabbed her waist and pulled her up and out of the line of
running students.

�Hermione! Are you all right?� he asked quickly.

�Thanks, I�m fine. I slipped and�Draco?!� she gasped when she finally looked
up.

�Um, yeah, I, uh��

Both stared for a minute before dropping into the chairs beside them. Neither
realized what they were doing as they claimed their seats. Draco was still in
shock at his own actions and Hermione was trying to figure out where he�d come
from so suddenly.

�Wonderful!� Professor Mills� voice rang out, startling them both. �Now the third through fifth years.�

The realization that they would be sitting with one another for the next month
seemed to finally dawn on them as Hermione�s eyes widened, her face lost color,
and her mouth dropped open. Draco saw her face and mistook it for the fear he
often thought he saw in her eyes when she looked at him.

Neither noticed the music starting up or the other students running around as
Draco crossed his arms, leaned back and growled, �I have yet to stab any of my
dinner companions with the cutlery, so stop looking so horrified!�

Hermione flinched at his tone, but shook her head, �No, I��

Her flinch set him off and he hissed, �What is it, dammit?
Why are you so scared of me all of a sudden this year? You never backed down
before. Hell, you hit me third year!�

He watched her mouth open and close, but nothing came out. In utter defeat he
sat forward and ran his hands through his hair before settling his elbows on
the table and resting his forehead on his fists. He didn�t look at her as he
finally confessed, �Look, I know we haven�t had the best history, and I know
you still think about last year, and what I did and didn�t do, but Merlin
Hermione, I�m trying here. What do I have to do to make you stop being so
afraid of me? I need you to forgive me, but I can�t have that if you can�t even
stand to be in the same space as me. All those newspaper articles talk about
your years of bravery, but where is it with me? Why are you so damned scared
with me?�

He barely heard her answer over the screams of the running students, �I�m not
afraid of you, Draco.�

He turned his head to look at her and saw her smiling a little at him. As he
stared into her expressive brown eyes, and smelled her unique scent, he found
the courage to say, �I am sorry. I never said it before, but I am. For everything. I know it�s not enough after all these
years, all you�ve been through, all I put you through, but there it is. I�m
sorry, Hermione, for every pain I ever caused you. You didn�t deserve it. And,
I am deeply ashamed of my words and actions.�

She stared at him for a long moment, and then nodded. �Thank you.�

He looked away from her as he asked, �So, uh, am I forgiven, at least a
little?�

Her small laugh brought his eyes back to hers as she answered, �Yes, of course;
a while ago actually. But, thank you for saying it. I wouldn�t have been able
to work with you all this time, if I still felt the same way about you now as I
did before.�

He laughed a little, �Well, you hated me before, so it could only go up from
there.�

She giggled and he smiled. Then she looked away and started biting her lower
lip; a habit he recognized as nerves. �So, if you no longer hate me and you
aren�t scared of me, what are you nervous about?�

Her eyes flew to his and she flushed as she stammered, �No. I�well, we�uh, I
mean, um��

She was saved from answering as the hall quieted and Professor McGonagall once
again stepped forward. �Thank you, Professor Mills. That was fun for us
teachers to watch. How about all of you?�

The students cheered and clapped in appreciation for a minute before the
Headmistress raised her hand for silence once more. �Thank you all for playing
along. Enjoy your dinner as you get to know the members of your new table.�

The hall once again filled with noise as the food appeared and everyone settled
down to eat and talk. Draco watched Hermione avoid looking at him as she looked
around for her friends. To give her time to relax he did the same.

Turning his head away he looked to the table he had originally aimed for and
saw Blaise sitting with Potter. Neither looked happy with the arrangement and
Draco wondered what had happened to Weasley. Looking for the telltale hair he
first found Ginny sitting with Luna and Pansy. They were all smiling and
chatting happily with the others at their table. Before he could look away,
Ginny looked over and saw him. He saw her eyes widen when she noticed Hermione
next to him and then watched her get the attention of the other two women. When
all three sets of eyes fixed on him and Hermione he wondered what they would
do. He laughed to himself when they all turned to one another, grinned, and
then leaned in to start talking over each other.

With a shake of his head he looked back toward the front of the hall and saw
Greg and Millie at a table with a bunch of people he didn�t recognize. He felt
a bit sorry for the table of non-Slytherins who would have to get used to
Millie�s acerbic tongue. Next, he found Theo sitting only a table away with his
girlfriend and briefly wondered how they�d gotten to that side of the room so
quickly, when they�d started at the other side.

Draco felt someone staring at him from behind and finally turned to see Weasley
at a table two over from them. He and Ron held their stare for a long moment
and Draco wondered what was going through Ron�s mind, as for the first time in
Draco�s recollection, Ron�s face was blank.

�Draco,� Hermione�s voice brought him back to their table. He turned to look at
her and was met with the expectant faces of the other people at their table. He
looked to Hermione for why. �We�re introducing ourselves,� she prompted.

�Oh, uh, yeah. Draco Malfoy. Slytherin.
Seventh year, quidditch captain and seeker.�

�And, what�s your favorite subject, hobby, food and color?� a Ravenclaw
boy whose voice was obviously changing squeaked at him.

�My fav�what?� he asked in confusion.

�I just told them mine. We�re going in age order,� Hermione offered helpfully.

�Oh, okay,� he said to her. Then he looked at the others and answered,
�Subject, potions. I guess flying would be my favorite hobby. And, uh, chicken
cordon bleu would be my favorite food.�

�And, your favorite color?� she asked softly beside him.

He turned his head to look at her and smiled a little as his eyes travelled
from hers to her hair, �The many shades of brown.�

He smirked when Hermione looked shocked, but pleased and blushed slightly.
Draco turned to the boy to his left. �And, you are?�

xxxxxx

Author�s Responses: Thank you all so
very much!

kazfeist:Thank you again, my
dear! And, while Blaise may begin to heal, prejudice doesn�t just go away, does
it? lol And, THANK YOU for telling me your thoughts on
Ginny. I really appreciate them.

marie: Thank you. More
Draco/Hermione coming up!

Losername: I am really glad
I was able to pull out that kind of emotion from you with Blaise. He was
drowning in his hatred and anger. Now, he can begin the swim to the surface. I
don�t know where the rose thing came from in the recesses of my brain, but I am
so glad you liked it. I know most women like bouquets, but there�s just
something so lovely about one perfect flower, don�t� you think? And,
Molly�isn�t she fun? lol In many ways she reminds me of my mother, who went to
her grave still disliking a girl that called me names in 2^nd grade,
even though the girl and I are fine friends to this day. Mothers never forget
and rarely forgive when it come to their babies.� Thank you so much!!

Jullsy: I am sorry I am
not fulfilling your romantic nature, yet. Would it help if I say they will have
sex before the end of the story? Thanks, hon.

margaritama:
Well, don�t all mothers have it in a sense? Being able to do 7 things, while
talking on the phone to a friend, penning your memoirs, and washing the dog,
can�t be normal! lol I loved your understanding and
analysis of Poor Pansy. But, don�t be too harsh on Molly when it comes to
Draco. Remember, there is a long history of dislike on both sides of that
fence. lol And, as far I am concerned, yes the same can be said of Percy�I,
personally, will never forgive him, which is why I killed him off in this
story. ;-) Draco will get to have a bit more action now. I am so glad you liked
the rose. Blaise needed an explosion so badly. He would have soon gone insane
otherwise. I loved loved loved
that you enjoyed Ginny, because I love the fact that everyone seems to like
Ginny as Head Girl, and that I have written her in a way that makes it make
sense. �But, Ginny and
Blaise�no. These are my realistic twists to the story; not everyone gets
their �someone� right off the bat and prejudice that deep can be dimmed, but
never really goes away. Draco only had one more hurdle to conquer before he
could fast forward things, Hermione herself. Now that that�s taken care
of�buckle up! Thank you!!
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Struggling Through New Beginnings