Chapter 5

Hagrid and Ginny didn't want Draco's apology, so Draco couldn't tell them what she prepared, but when Ginny Weasley arranged for everyone to meet her in an abandoned classroom the next afternoon, Draco was ready to say the words.

At first, Ginny wanted to stay too, but Hermione found it strange, so she asked her.

"Are you making Malfoy do this?"

"No, she started this on her own. I was just thinking you'd be more comfortable if I was here," Ginny said.

"I'm not afraid of Malfoy," Hermione told her. "So maybe you could leave?"

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked from the door.

"If Ghostface suddenly appears, avenge me, but otherwise it's okay," Hermione said.

"What-- I'm sorry I mean... who is that?" Ginny seemed as clueless as Draco, thank Merlin.

"It's just… it was supposed to be a joke," Hermione said. "Indicating that whatever happens, I'll be fine."

It was better when Ginny left, because that way Hermione could know Draco meant every word she was going to say, but also something Draco wasn't used to.

She wasn't sure her legs will support her, but didn't want to sit if Hermione stood. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears, her mouth was dry as a parchment, and suddenly she felt as if her life was in danger.

She supposed it was close because, for Malfoys or Slytherins, never showing weakness, saving face, and the reputation of the family name were everything.

But then again, she knew where that road led, and how it wasn't anywhere near she wanted to be, so she cleared her throat and forced herself to speak up clearly.

"I'm such a troll," she said, and despite how it wasn't the best opening line, she stuck with it. "I wanted to speak with you to apologize for everything, and I'm still only thinking about myself."

Hermione didn't negate or acknowledge that part, so she went on.

"I wanted to say I was sorry. I mean… I AM sorry. I was horrible towards you. For years. I attacked you with spells as well as verbally while fully aware that my behavior was destructive and harmful..."

"Did you write this beforehand? Are you reading this back?" she interjected before Draco could take the next breath to launch into the next part.

"I got it memorized I read it so many times. But only because I don't want to accidentally make things worse," Draco admitted.

"I think I'd be able to appreciate an imperfect apology a bit better if just you sounded... sincere," Hermione told her. "If you just talked to me, you know, as a real person."

"I understand," Draco was lost for a bit, before she dumped her previously written speech, taking her advice. "I'm sorry for bullying you, Hermione. You didn't deserve any of that. Not that anyone does. I think… I did it because you're great. All my life I was told that connections, education, and money were supposed to make you successful, and I had all these things, but I was miserable. While you started with literary nothing and still managed to make better friends, get better grades, and be genuine. So I was horrible to you to bring you down... Even if it's not an excuse. I'm telling you so you don't ever doubt yourself because of me."

"I'm not," Hermione said, but she looked miserable, so Draco rushed on.

"And I want you to know it won't happen again because I'm learning to do better, even if it might take time until I get it right. Like... I invented a potion to heal the scars the Dark Mark left, but it only occurred to me this morning that I can't use it," Draco took a deep breath. "It's a reminder, and I don't get to just conveniently remove it when the scars I left of people won't just magically disappear either."

There was a fine line between reassuring Hermione that she doesn't have to be on edge all the time because of her, and Draco talking about herself instead of making an apology, so she quickly steered the topic back.

"So, I'm truly sorry. And you don't have to say anything, but I owe it to you to say the words. And I mean it, too. And for the record, once the potion is ready, I'll give it to you. I don't expect you to use it, either, but… I want you to have it. Just in case."

"My scars are a reminder for me as well," Hermione finally said. "And I'd like to say I forgive you, Malfoy. I think I needed to hear what you've said… But given our past, I can't help but reexamine every word for some hidden agenda, so… maybe give me some time. I don't want you to get bullied, but I'm also not ready to pretend I still don't get nightmares after what happened in the Manor."

"I understand," Draco said.

"And for the record, apologies seem like the right thing to do in your shoes, but… I think if this whole thing isn't just a grand act, you'd only help people truly get over the past if in the future you showed them you meant it, not just talked about it."

"I will," Draco promised, and she only looked up when she thought Hermione left the room, but the bushy-haired witch was looking at her intently.

"On an unrelated note… do you happen to know whether Parkinson's owl was hijacked or stolen or something?"

"She sent you a letter?" Draco dreaded what Pansy could have said. Pansy was very open about her opinions, even when she meant no harm.

"More like a dozen," Hermione nodded. "The first one could even be legitimately from her because it contained a long apology, and I doubt anyone else would have such detailed information. But sometime around the fifth letter, she started rambling about some Muggle TV stars who were hot, and she seemed more well-versed in the topic than I ever could be."

"Erm, she got what's called a 'mobile phone'," Draco hoped she remembered the name of the device correctly. "So it might be her. If any of those actors are in her favorite romantic dramas, she's quite... obsessed."

"I see," Hermione seemed deep in thought, then unexpectedly chuckled. "I mean… I thought it was someone else, and might have tried to troll them back by going into painstaking detail about why I thought Ron was hot and I was so much in love with him, but… she still wrote back every time, and didn't try to insult me by saying he wasn't, even when I was deliberately keen on him, so I suppose that's okay."

Draco could only smile a little hearing that, just imagining how perhaps Hermione meant it as a prank, but Pansy mistook it for getting close with Hermione, mutually talking about boys they liked.

Draco felt drained with so many people to talk to, but she tried to live up to her promise to Hermione, and do her best with everyone else too. She even got a hug she wasn't expecting and was not entirely sure how to feel about.

Luna just threw her arms around her before Draco could say that wasn't necessary, even if in the end, as far as hugs went, it wasn't completely vile. (Fine, it was nice, but since it was the Dark Lord who attempted something similar last, Draco just hoped Luna didn't take it personally when Draco unintentionally flinched upon the unexpected contact.)

And just when Draco thought Ginny came to tell her they should wrap it up because it was getting late, the youngest Weasley announced.

"You just have one more. But we'll grab some food first, healer's orders."

"Not to complain, because I'm grateful for your help…" Draco started, and she wouldn't let her finish.

"Then don't."

"But I thought you said I'll only talk with your closest friends today, and I've met everyone."

Ginny just gave her a look. "Aren't you forgetting somebody?"

"Am I?" Draco was pretty sure she didn't, but also, it wasn't her main current concern to keep track.

"Please tell me you aren't being a giant pain in the arse on purpose," she warned, and Draco only seconds later realized.

"Your boyfriend! I'm so sorry, my brain's a mush." It was ridiculous because who could forget Harry Potter, but for once, Draco honestly did.

"He isn't my boyfriend," Ginny said.

"I mean, yes, he has a name. Harry," Draco quickly corrected. "And I wasn't trying to be mean, I just--"

"No, I mean he isn't my boyfriend. We broke up last year. I'm just usually not in a habit of correcting people who assume we're still together because they might be looking for gossip, and I think Harry's the same."

"Oh," Draco kept her opinion to herself. As far as she could tell, Potter didn't correct people because he wanted Ginny back, but it's not like Draco had an advice column on relationships in the Prophet, so...

"I assumed you'd need maybe a little more time with Harry, so that's why he's last. This classroom isn't on the usual routes Flitch likes to walk, so you can stay here as long as you want."

"Yeah, like we'd talk into the night," Draco couldn't possibly imagine it.

"Whether you talk or curse each other near death before coming to some unspoken understanding doesn't concern me. I told Harry to meet you after dinner, and just hope you won't mess it up after you seemed to be doing fine with everyone else."

"Why do you think I would?" Draco asked, making Ginny give her another stare.

"It's not just you, it's also him," she finally said, instead of giving the reason. "But you're adults now, so I can only hope both of you will survive the night."

"If the Faceghost appears, I promise to run screaming for my life so loud that it will forget all about Harry… and if we're lucky, all the Professors will be alerted to our location too, in no time," Draco said.

"I'm not sure what Hermione meant by that joke, but I'm positive you just used it wrong," Ginny was laughing.

"Probably," Draco admitted. "But you can't tell, either."

"We should have taken Muggle Studies."

"It's not like Faceghost ever came up," Draco said, and only realized she outed herself by knowing that, so she decided to own it. "I sat in on a few lectures this year, in the back row, and the new Professor didn't throw me out, even if I wasn't supposed to be there. So far."

"Why not just take the class?" Ginny asked, and Draco didn't necessarily want to admit it, but finally, she did.

"If I do, and it shows up on my record, my father can still wreck my life."

"I'll join you to keep you company. Maybe persuade Neville to come too," Ginny didn't baby Draco, not even hearing that, so it was a relief. "And on some fateful day, we could even ask the Prof to unravel the mystery of this ghost and why it's obsessed with faces, and surprise Hermione by becoming experts of Muggle pop culture."

It was Draco's turn to laugh. "Experts"... Right. She even struggled to remember the correct name of a mobile phone mere hours ago, and this was something she saw Pansy use, so it was supposed to be more memorable than most.