Four weeks past, yes, four weeks. McGonagall's request long forgotten. Hermione hadn't talked to the Slytherin boy since the night they sat together under the stars. It wasn't long that he stayed. In fact he left rather quickly after she asked him why he had pushed her away. His only reply was,

"Because, people like us aren't friends."

And then he left.

So she kept her distance and tried to move past the hurtful feelings. And he clearly had no objections. But now Holiday Break was right around the corner. The trains left tomorrow and Hermione sat on her bed watching Ginny pack; and listen to her complaints.

"I can't believe you're not coming back to the burrow with us Mione!" Ginny pouted as she put her sweaters messily in her trunk.

"I know, I know. I just want some time alone though Gin." Hermione absentmindedly traced the stitches on her comforter.

"No one wants alone time on Christmas." The red head raised an eyebrow.

"Without my parents, Christmas just doesn't sound... fun anymore. They don't know me Ginny, and all holidays or birthdays do now is make me sad. Plus Ron and I would fight constantly. I'd rather stay here and not make a big deal out of it all." Hermione sighed and pulled her knees to her chest.

"I understand," Ginny walked over to her bed and sat down by her, hugging her, "I'm just gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you too."

-*-

Hermione waved to Ginny and Harry from the platform. She smiled brightly at them as the train departed and slowly pulled away from the station. Hermione's smile dropped as she shivered. She pulled her coat around her tightly and began walking back to the castle as it began to snow.

She got to the castle doors and once inside, happily welcomed the warmth that embraced her cold body. She removed her hat and gloves and carried them with her on her way back to Gryffindor Tower.

As she rounded the corner to her common room she sighed as she past McGongall's office, a small pang in her stomach. It had been a month, she should be past this. There was nothing between them so why did it feel as though she was getting over some kind of break up? She shook her head and muttered the password, entering the common room.

Hermione tossed her hat, mittens and scarf on her trunk and hung her jacket on a nearby chair. She sat down on her bed and yelped as she realized she sat on something. She quickly moved and looked at the rolled up letter. She carefully opened it and furrowed her eyebrows.

I assume you've left for the Holidays. So when you return you'll see this...

I just wanted to say, Merry Christmas.

I'm sorry Granger.

D.M.

Hermione felt her heart rate pick up, why did he have an effect on her? She mentally cursed herself. She gently set the letter on her bedside table after rereading it. She thought it would be best to wait to send a reply since he undoubtedly left for the Holidays. Her stomach growled and she decided she would figure out whether to reply or not after dinner.

-*-

Hermione wiped her face with her napkin and stood from her seat at the table. The Great Hall was empty. Hermione had never seen it so unbelievably empty. She had never stayed at Hogwarts for the Holidays, so she assumed it was always like this. But there were maybe ten Gryffindors at the table. It seemed very strange for there only to be about thirty students in the Great Hall at dinner time.

The bushy haired girl headed for the door and heard someone call her name.

"Oh, Penelope, hi." Hermione smiled at the Ravenclaw.

"I just wanted to say Merry Christmas before I left. I'm taking the night train tonight." The blonde haired girl said.

"There's another train?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, not as many people go on that one though." The girl nodded.

"Oh, well Happy Holidays!" Hermione waved, looking at the girl as she opened the door to leave. She didn't even look where she was going as she closed the door and ran right into something. She almost fell onto her arse, but a hand reached out and caught her arm.

Hermione looked up at her savior in confusion, but that was quickly replaced with a indeterminable emotion. "Malfoy?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Granger!" He seemed very shocked when he saw the girl. "I thought you had left..." He said quietly, not noticing he still held her arm.

She gently pulled it away from him. "No I'm staying for the Holidays. I figured you had left." Her voice wasn't exactly friendly. She couldn't help the hurt that swirled in her stomach. I mean honestly, why did she even care?!

"I'm staying too." His voice was quiet and nervous.

"Really?"

"There's nothing to go back to." He said simply.

Hermione looked at her shoes, "well I guess I'll leave you be. Wouldn't want you to be seen with some Muggleborn." She spat at him and pushed past him.

"C'mon Granger." He caught her arm again, but she yanked it away.

"Why? You said it yourself. We're not friends." She snapped. And with that she was gone. Bounding down the hallway, away from him. He sighed. It was for the better, some pain now would save her from even more of it. It was for the better. It was easier this way.

But then he heard something. A loud, unladylike huff. He turned and looked at the girl, stopped in the middle of the hallway with a hand on her head. He raised a curious eyebrow, but became extremely nervous when he saw her walking right back towards him.

"You're a misleading git, do you know that?" She said firmly. "I know what happened was all in the middle of a battle and our lives were in the balance. But you can't just make someone care about you and then walk out on them you know?" Her face was red and angry. Draco just stood there dumbfounded.

She cared about him? She must to stand up to him like that. He ran a hand through his platinum blonde hair, sighing deeply. "You don't understand..." Draco was quiet and begged himself not to break down in front of her.

"No I get it. You'd never want to be friends with some Mudblood." She hissed at him like poison.

"Don't assume what you don't know Granger. That's not it in the slightest!" His voice raised now, he was angry.

"Then explain it to me!" She yelled right back.

"I am dangerous, Granger! I've done horrible things, I have a horrible past and family. I have baggage. I'm broken and messed up and you being my friend would pull you right into it. And I am not doing that dammit!" He wasn't yelling. He was whispering, but it felt like yelling to her. He was angry and upset. He looked like he was ready to cry but never shed one tear.

Hermione could have sworn she felt her heart break right then and there. It was like someone knocked the air right out of her. As if her lungs couldn't work anymore. Why did that hurt so much to hear? Why did it effect her so much? She shouldn't care about him. She shouldn't want to be his friend. But she did, and she had no clue why.

"Draco..." She whispered.

"Don't call me that." He snapped at her. He could not let her in.

She sighed, "Malfoy... We all have baggage and regrets. I have my own share, trust me. But it's what we do from here that matters." She her best to ignore his bitterness and get through to the boy she knew, if she only had met him for a night.

"No..." He shook his head. "I'm not doing that to you. Stay away from me. Please, it's for your own good." He realized that this was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do. Even in the war, he hadn't felt this kind of pain many times. He wanted to let her in so badly. But he couldn't hurt her. He had to choose the difficult but right path, just once. "Just... stay away...I'm too dangerous." His voice broke and he ran off, back towards the dungouns.

Hermione felt as if her heart broken into tiny pieces. She stood there, wondering if she should listen to him, or her own head. She wondered if she should go after him, or leave him be as he said. But most importantly, why did she want to go after him. He was just some boy, who bullied her for five years of her life.

So why did he feel like so much more in such a short time?