As the weeks of their first term passed, the leaves slowly began to change. October was upon them and the leaves were brilliant red, yellows and oranges. Green still colored some things, as if holding on to what life it had left. Refusing to die. But as the fading leaves turned their shades of brown, the land around the castle seemed rather dead. Draco knew everything would be completely dead by November. He took note of this as he sat up in the Astronomy Tower, looking below at the colored trees. He felt almost calmed by the dark colors. With everything slowly dying he felt not so alone. For he too was slowly dying as well, everyone was. He couldn't understand why... but the thought made him feel better about things.

But Hermione had a different take on the whole idea of autumn. "Change. Recycle. New life. A new start. A new beginning! For once they die off, in the spring new leaves will grow and the circle begins again! Rather beautiful if you ask me!" The bushy haired girl spoke with fascination in her voice. She was smiling up at the sky as colored leaves fell from the old trees. Herself, Ron and Harry were out in the courtyard, working on homework and spending time together.

"You're too deep 'Mione." Ron said with a chuckle, "It's just autumn. Leaves fall. End of story. Not everything needs some deep metaphoric meaning." Hermione rolled her eyes at his comment and shook her head. Going back to her book with a frustrated huff.

"Not everyone needs to be so shallow minded like you, Ronald." She muttered with an edge to her voice as she began her reading again. Harry raised an eyebrow at the duo but did not speak, not wanting to choose sides in the matter... even though he felt Ron was being difficult. But he knew to keep his mouth shut, because later on he'd get a mouthful from one of them if he didn't.

"I'm not shallow minded!" Ron looked at her, now becoming defensive.

"Right... Says the boy with the emotional range of a teaspoon."

"You've used that one before."

"Never gets old because it's true!"

"Merlin, Hermione, you can be such a-"

"ENOUGH!" Harry stood up and finally yelled at his two best friends. "Enough! I am done with you two arguing all the time. Ever since you two split things off you can't be in the same room without bloody strangling each other." Harry face and posture remained calm through his discourse, but his words were strong.

Hermione rose from her seat as well. "You're right Harry." She nodded, "I'm sorry for my unpleasant attitude." She placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. He had always been a brother to her. A protective, loving best friend whom she was thankful for. She did not like making him upset, but it was so hard to not to when he was annoyed by there arguing... not that she could blame him.

Ron had once been her crush, for most of her time at Hogwarts. But after the war, things crumbled apart. Ron became bitter from the death of his brother and other friends. Which, of course, is not abnormal... But he also pushed Hermione away. Even though they had started a relationship after what had happened in the Chamber of Secrets between them... they shortly ended things when Ron turned cold and picked fights. Hermione, being the strong willed person she was, would rebuttal. The fights would escalate... and their Golden Trio was slowly falling apart because of it.

Ron scoffed loudly, "Whatever... I'm gonna' head back to the Common Room." He began picking up his things, "Ill see you for Quitich later Harry." He mumbles and then stomped off towards the nearest entrance to the castle.

"He'll come around..." Harry said, optimism in his voice.

"I hope so." Hermione sighed. They both sat back down on the grass and continued with their studying. But Hermione could no longer focus on her work. Ron and she had been friends for so long, yet now they argued more than ever. Hermione wished that they could have simply continued a healthy relationship instead of stuck where they were now. Practically at each other's throats. She was simply doing homework for next week, to be prepared. So she decided, maybe that was enough for today. She made an excuse to Harry and headed on her way with sad eyes and a heavy heart.

She headed down the corridor, not fully knowing where she was headed. She was going somewhere, but her feet hadn't told her mind where yet. The castle halls were dimly lit, but she knew the place like the back of her hand. Between living here for the last six years and reading Hogwarts A History over two dozen times, Hermione was very familiar with most every hall and room. She strode up the moving staircases, only stopping to wait for the staircases to come to a halt. Continuing on her way, she moved quietly with her head down and her mind someplace else. But being so oblivious to her surroundings, she headed right into an off limits area. She was just going to the first place she thought of... It wasn't her fault she completely spaced it.

Draco sat quietly up in the Astronomy tower, in the far corner of the room. His hands rested on his knees which were lazily bent. He sat on the cold stone floor with his back against the wall. The coolness of both the floor and wall soothed him. He felt tears stinging behind his eyes but he willed himself not to cry. He tightly shut his eyes and put his head back. He would not cry, he was better than that. No he wasn't, who was he kidding, he was pathetic. He was worthless rubbish, he was cowardly. He was a monster. He was a Death Eater.

The words that his fellow students had said to him only mere minutes ago flooded his head. "What does he think he's doing back? He was on Voldemort's side!" One fifth year Ravenclaw whispered to a fellow house member. "McGonagall must be getting daft in her old age..." Another said. "Oi! Death Eater! You better not have any more plans to get anyone killed! You're a dead man!" Draco's stomach churned at the boys words. So he headed to the one place no one would go. When the Weasel's words got to him on the first night back, he had escaped to the same place. He continued using the location whenever he wanted to escape. It was his quiet place. A place that held the darkest of times. The Astronomy Tower.

For years this old tower had been a class room which was used for late night classes in Astronomy and Greek Mythology. But after Dumbledore lost his life up in the room, Head Mistress McGonagall decided to make the area "Off Limits". They put no spells up, for there was no real reason to do so. But Draco no longer cared if he got detention for being in a forbidden part of the castle. It wasn't like he had much to lose. He knew no one would come up here... and so he sat alone up in the tower. His thoughts providing his only company. The room was silent aside from the wind blowing and Draco's unsteady breathing.

Silent. At least it was, until footsteps could be heard walking up the spiral staircase below. Draco's breath hitched as he heard the sudden noise. His previously relaxed posture suddenly became stiff as a board. He remained in the shadows, hoping he could stay hidden and that it wouldn't be Filtch coming to make him clean the bathrooms. But as the old wooden door slowly creaked open, it was most definitely not Filtch.

The silhouette of bushy long hair and oversized flowing school robes could be seen. He could just barely make out her face in the moonlight, but he knew exactly who it was. Of all people, it just had to be her. The girl who he tormented without pity. The war heroin who showed him mercy. The girl who had shot him a look of sympathy. The one and only, muggleborn bookworm, Hermione bloody Granger.