[six]

"Sorry?" Hermione echoed as she placed her attention on the blond wizard in front of her instead of the scenery passing by. 

"I know that the things I've done are unforgivable." Draco said quietly, his grey eyes storming with so much anguish that made Hermione's heart twitch "Hell, I know I don't deserve your forgiveness." He laughed humorlessly before looking up at her 

"I'm not heartless, Malfoy." Hermione answered, her voice equally quiet. She wont lie by saying that Draco Malfoy had nothing to do with the frequent nightmares that graced her sleep, or the sudden insecurities that would sometimes hit her when she looked at mirrors, but she knew that the war had pained him too. After all the pain that all of them have been through, especially her, would she want more grudges to hold? "Though, I don't think an apology will cut it. You were quite ruthless these past years. Not to mention that tattoo on your arm proves that you genuinely hate people like me." 

", I know." Draco said as his fingers clenched around the apple in his hand "I know my upbringing cannot take all the blame, but hell, Granger, believe me when I say I've felt the repercussions of my actions and I'm damn sorry. My father's lined up for the bloody kiss, my mother is a disgrace to society, I'm seen as a fucking murderer. I ." 

Hermione slightly pitied him. It was hard not to. He genuinely looked like he regrets everything he did, and if Hermione didn't know better, Draco Malfoy looked like he regrets his whole life. "I just need to see you've changed, Malfoy. Not everyone in this world will be as harsh as the others." Hermione said "For the record, I can already see some progress." 

Draco looked up at her again, he grey eyes filled with pain but tinged with hope "I really am sorry." 

"I know." Hermione nodded, looking away from his intense stare and choosing to pick at the lint on her jumper "I can see, Malfoy." 

"Would it be too much if I asked for a do-over?" He asked with a humorless chuckle knowing full well that Hermione Granger would never agree. He'd fucked her up too much, his has fucked them all up too much, to merit such a thing as her forgiveness. Hell, she was Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of their age and a war hero. She was beautiful, smart, and kind. Hermione Granger could go on happily with her life without a second glance at Draco Malfoy. 

"No, actually, it wouldn't be." Hermione said after a while as she pulled her eyes away from the passing views once again "I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?" 

Her sudden agreement stunned Draco. He looked at her outstretched hand with surprise "Or is touching mudbloods still against your principles?" Hermione asked, slightly pulling away. However, before she could fully retract her hand, Draco grabbed it and shook it tightly "I'm Draco Malfoy, and I wholeheartedly hope you never call yourself that again." 

Certainly someone who could give him a second chance after all those years of torment wasn't supposed to be called filth. If anything, she should be called the purest of all for having such a heart of gold. The minute Draco had stepped onto Kings' Cross station, he had received several angry stares and snarky remarks from people. Now, here was Hermione Granger, one of the people he has hurt the most, ready to give him another chance. Hermione shook his hand with a slight smile "This isn't forgiveness, Malfoy, but it's a start." 

"I'll settle for what i can get." Draco nodded, leaning against the seat.

"Your friends.... Do they share the same views as you do?" Hermione asked "I just need to know if I have to constantly watch my back for hexes." 

"They do, though I'm sure they don't feel as much regret as I do." Draco said and bit into his apple "None of them were really blackmailed by the Dark Lord, you see." 

"That must have been horrible. I'm sorry." Hermione said genuinely 

"It's nothing but a couple more nightmares now." Draco said, lightly brushing it off, though Hermione knew it was more than just 'a couple more nightmares'. The rest of the ride was comfortably quiet, which Hermione was grateful for. She didn't really want to converse with Draco anymore than she had to today, but she didn't want things to be awkward either. Rooms filled with tension make it hard for her to breathe. Sooner than they both expected, they were nearing the castle. 

It took a while for both of them to change into their robes and when the time for them to unboard the train came, they were arguing about who carries what. "I thought I was the gentleman here, Granger." Draco said exasperatedly as he took her trunk from her "You really wanted to carry this all the way to the carriages? It's bloody heavy!" 

"I can carry it, Malfoy." Hermione groaned "Take your owl, I don't need your help and you certainly don't need mine." 

"I want your help, and you need mine" Draco sighed, leaving Hermione behind "I'm carrying this whether you like it or not, Granger. Just think of it as 'progress'."

"Progress." Hermione scoffed and followed after him outside the train, where she found both their sets of friends waiting. Ron looked rather red in the face when he saw that Draco was carrying Hermione's trunk, spotting the H.G. printed on it "Malfoy, let go of her trunk right now!" he demanded 

Draco glared at him "I will do that only when Granger asks me to." He snapped before looking at Hermione "Are you able to carry your trunk now?" 

"Yes, thank you." She said, throwing Ron another glare "Here's your owl." 

"Thank you." Draco returned 

"How are you so sure he didn't just hex your trunk, Hermione?" Ron asked condescendingly 

"It was a twenty-second walk, Ronald." Hermione pointed out "I know, and believe, that he didn't put a hex on my trunk because he was walking in front of me the whole time." 

"You don't know what dark magic this little Death Eater knows" Ron snapped. Hermione knew that this had hit Draco where it hurt most because he visibly flinched. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't only Hermione who noticed.

"Weasley I think you've gone a bit too far." Pansy Parkinson warned, her wand tightly in her hand 

"Ron, come on, let's get a carriage." Harry muttered, tugging at Ron's arm 

"Not until I know Hermione's okay." Ron snapped and turned to Pansy "Too far? Too far is people, Parkinson, like what your little--"

"Ron, ." Ginny hissed, almost dragging her brother away 

"His kind our brother, Ginny! Our !" Ron yelled 

"Ron, ten points from Gryffindor for starting a fight!" Hermione exclaimed, avoiding the pained look in Ginny's face at the mention of Fred "You better walk your arse right now before I take any more points from our house." 

"I dont care about th--" 

"Ron, let's ." Harry snapped, dragging Ron and his outburst away

"I'm sorry." Ginny said apologetically, looking at Draco 

"He didn't say anything that wasn't true." Draco said tightly, before looking at Hermione "Minus the hex on your trunk. I didn't do anything, by the way." 

"I know." Hermione said, smiling sadly at Draco "I'll see you in McGonagall's office." 

She and Ginny were about to walk towards the direction where Harry had dragged Ron when someone caught Hermione's wrist "Thanks." Theodore Nott said quietly