A/N: Hey everyone, I re-edited this story to post on HPFF, but I figured why should I not post it on my first home :). To those of you who have been faithful readers, I hope to be back within the next 2 months. I'm working on a novel-length HP story. Anyways, I hope you enjoy and please check out the song. It was featured on the Almost Alice soundtrack.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the wonderful world J. K. Rowling created or "Strange" by Tokio Hotel, feat. Kerli.

A freak of nature

Stuck in reality

I don't fit the picture

I'm not what you want me to be – sorry

Draco's POV

The cold air drifting through the Astronomy Tower snapped at me as it sent shivers down my spine. Even the air seemed to scold me for being a coward. The weight of my task loomed down on me, and the sobs I had been controlling for weeks came rushing out. I couldn't breathe. The mere thought of the monumental task I had been assigned crushed every shaky breath. The reality of my situation was that I couldn't fail. I couldn't. I wanted to live, and for a boy who had been given everything, life seemed the most mundane of things to keep from me.

"Why did He choose me?" I called into the dark wintry sky. My question died among the bitter winds whipping around the castle.

I wasn't a cold, heartless killer like that possessed beast Grayback or even nutters like Aunt Bella. In a sect of freaks, I was the one left to feel out of place and strange, but this reality wasn't about to change anytime soon.

Our situation was set. Father was locked away in Azkaban while Mother was forced to endure the cruelties of those lunatics by herself. We were all going to die if I didn't complete my tasks for the Dark Lord. I pulled back the sleeve of my jacket to reveal the ugly stain now polluting my inner wrist. My stomach rolled at the sight, forcing me to slide the fabric back over it quickly.

Father had been proud of me for taking the Dark Mark, but I had watched Mother cry silent tears when He branded me. Pureblood beliefs had been whispered in my ear since I was a child that I had wholeheartedly believed without any question. As a child, I never had reason to doubt that those not born from Wizarding families didn't deserve magic, but I had never truly believed that they deserved to die for it.

Was I better because I was a Pureblood?

Certainly.

Did Mudbloods deserve to die because they weren't?

No.

It shamed me to think that my father believed the Dark Lord's bullshit so willingly. A Wizarding bigot through and through. He might be proud of me for following in his footsteps, continuing the Malfoy hatred into the next age, but after so many years filled with violence, disgust, and anger, I was sick of it. I just didn't want that kind of life for myself. I wasn't a Death Eater, and it wasn't who I wanted to be.

Under the radar

Out of the system

Caught in the spotlight

That's my existence

Pounding my fists against the cold stone, I tried to figure out how I gotten into this situation. I had avoided the Death Eaters and their dealings all my life, but suddenly, with the arrest of Father, I was their prime target. No longer was I able to hide in the shadows. Someone had thrown me into their spotlight, and I knew exactly who the guilty bastard was.

It was all Saint Potter's fault. The bloody Chosen One. He and his stupid friends weren't supposed to fight back. If they would've just given up, Father could have retrieved the prophecy, and I might still be safe.

Now, I existed in the fragile balance of needing to be inconspicuous to everyone including the knowing, watchful eyes of Dumbledore but at the same time feeling a spotlight beaming directly at me. It was a hellish existence I wasn't prepared for.

I had no choice. I was trapped in a reality I wanted nothing to do with, and there was no way I could escape. I needed to protect my family because nothing else mattered without them. Despite the fact that everyone thought I was some sadistic bastard, I cared more about my family than they could ever imagine. Right now, they were all I had, and that wasn't much.

Friends were a foreign concept for me. Sure, I had a couple of mates, but I wouldn't label them as friends. I couldn't confide my secret to Blaise or Pansy, any of the Slytherin lot. I was on my own to carry the weight of this burden.

You want me to change

But all I feel is

Strange, strange

In your perfect world

So strange, strange

I feel so absurd in this life

Don't come closer

In my arms forever you'll be

Strange, strange

I leaned further out over the window. The base of the castle was invisible, hidden by foggy, snow-riddled clouds. The unclear abyss looked so peaceful, and I found myself edging further out towards it. It would seem Fate had different plans in mind for me, and I suddenly heard a new round of sobbing. This new sobber was hurrying up the stairs at a quick, frantic pace, and I had just enough time to stow myself away in a darkened corner before whoever it was burst into the room. I carefully pulled my wand out, training it on the intruder. I felt a smirk widen on my face as a slender Gryffindor stumbled into the moonlight, her hands covering her face. She was still wearing her House colors from the Quidditch match earlier that afternoon. She would make for an easy target. Surely, a good dose of torture would cheer me up.

The pettiness of possible bullying still refused to chase away my misery. Instead, it resigned me deeper into my self-pity. It figures. She had spent her afternoon being normal, and I had spent mine working on that stupid Vanishing Cabinet. She moved towards the window, standing in the same place I had occupied only moments ago. Letting out another heavy sob, she turned and slid to the floor. Finally, I saw her face.

Granger.

Of course, the Mudblood would come to ruin my self-pitying. Even when she didn't try, she had be a Gryfindor savior, just like the Scarhead she was friends with. At least, it would be easier to kick her when she was down, but something stirred inside me, resenting the thought. Her sorrow was insignificant compared to what I was going through. She lived in her perfect little world where Voldemort was only a distant nightmare, not even close to the hell that I was living in.

"What are you doing here, Granger?" I asked venomously from the shadows, almost afraid to reveal myself.

Her head snapped in my direction, revealing murderous, tear-stained eyes. "Go away, Malfoy. You arrogant prat. I don't need your help feeling sorry for myself," she retorted.

I could feel her anger rippling across each word, and it only offered a better challenge. Maybe, making her feel even worse just might help. It was worth a go.

"Oh but you do. Crying over Weasel-bee or Saint Potter this time?" I challenged.

Whether she realized it or not, her growing affection for the bumbling Gryffindor idiots hadn't gone unnoticed by the rest of Hogwarts, especially a gossiping lot like the Slytherins.

"Not your problem." She didn't look at me, but with a wave of her wand, yellow birds appeared out of nowhere chirping and hovering around her head.

"See, that's where you're wrong. It's exceedingly difficult to torture you for unrequited love if I don't know which wanker to insult."

I remained hidden in shadow, not too keen on the idea of her hitting me with whatever curse she had in mind, and when her eyes once more turned violent, it confirmed my theory. "Oppugno," she chanted, pointing the wand in my direction.

The yellow birds went diving fast at my head, but I was able to easily avoid them as they crashed and dissipated into the wooden shafts lining the walls of the Astronomy Tower. Finally, I stepped out of hiding into a beam of moonlight.

Her eyes slowly roved my appearance, like she was checking off and inspecting ingredients for her next Potions assignment. I watched as she noted my all black suit complete with the Slytherin tie, but the Mudblood was more observant than anyone gave her credit for. Her teary brown eyes grasped the details few seemed to pay attention to. She noticed the jeweled tie clip that Mother had given me on behalf of my father, my Father's ring too big for my finger, and my own red-rimmed eyes.

"You've changed," she commented with a lingering taste of almost sympathy.

Little did she know, her simple assessment spoke volumes.

If you want to fix me

Push me into your fantasy

If you try to get me

Sell me your personality

Hermione's POV

The high and mighty Pureblood himself stood in front of me. The same boy who had insulted my Muggle-born birth at every turn, the very same that bullied and tortured anyone he deemed unworthy of life. Despite all the cruelty I knew he was capable of, I felt myself overwhelmed with sympathy for my tormentor of the past five years. He truly looked like the shell of the Draco I had once loathed. Now, he was almost pitiable. Deep bags from apparent lack of sleep resided beneath his cold, gray eyes, but his eyes were sad and glistened from freshly fallen tears. The detestable Malfoy I knew never cried. He lived to see me cry, and for the past two years I had done a bang up job of avoiding that from happening.

"Answer my question, Mudblood," he demanded, calling me that filthy slur, taunting me to fight him. I picked myself up off the floor, straightening my back, begging for some of that Gryffindor courage to return.

"Answer mine," I returned, refusing to back down. The hateful prat simply walked over to me, focusing on the mountains beyond the open window, his wand hanging useless in his hand.

"Because, Granger, that's why."

His body seemed to be unable to bear his own weight as he slouched deeply against the window, needing to lean on his elbows for support. As I turned my body to stare out the window, I found myself noticing how easily he towered over me. His height surprised me, and I felt at the disadvantage. I never felt short around Ron or Harry, so Malfoy must tower over them. With the thought of Ron, I tried to fight back the sob but failed miserably. His quicksilver eyes immediately focused in on me. Desperately, I tried to back away from the window, but his hand clamped down gently on my arm, turning me to face him.

"It was one of them, wasn't it?" His eyes danced with glee but there was something else. I couldn't say for sure, but I would almost swear by Godric it was anger. It brought down my walls enough for me to not think about how I should answer.

"Ron. He was snogging that…that…"

"Slag?" He offered with a smirk.

"I was going to say tart, but slag is more appropriate. I just couldn't take it. Harry found me crying in a stairway, and I was starting to feel better when Ron and that slag, Lavender, came in." I gulped, attempting to calm my breathing.

The words continue to come rushing out in my anger, "He acted like everything was fine. Bloody Hell! I've loved him for four years, and the idiot doesn't have the slightest idea of it."

Draco regarded my confession momentarily. He didn't start in on his taunts, shocking me thoroughly. Pondering only for a moment, he replied calmly, "Seems he was trying to have his cake and eat it, too. Maybe you need to stop trying to fit into this fantasy of yours."

"I'm not. Maybe that's you. Trying to fulfill the Malfoy stereotype, right?" I threw back bitterly, ripping my arm from his grasp.

"Don't even begin to think you know who I am," he threatened.

"I don't know why I even bothered. Weasel's a git anyway. If you want to wait around for him to realize you exist, be my guest. I have bigger problems to deal with than your abhorrent love life, or lack thereof," he taunted, returning his gaze to the wintry landscape.

"Why are you always like this? Do you have to be this arrogant, self-centered arse? Your cruelty is an infectious disease that you make sure spreads to everyone you come in contact with. Do you think I used to be this angry? Since I met you First Year, I've become someone who traded cruelty with her tormentor because I had to if I wanted to make it through a bloody day. Keep your personality, Malfoy. I don't want it," I thundered, knowing I was starting a fight I didn't know if I could win.

You try to lift me

I don't get better

What's making you happy

Is making me sadder

"So I'm responsible for you developing a backbone? Well, I will take great pleasure in that. Now why don't you go use it to tell Weasel where to go." He threw his comment back at me, not even bothering to see if it affected me.

"I did," I mumbled, quickly turning my eyes downward in hopes of avoiding his gaze.

His light gray eyes now held amusement as they looked at me. "What?"

"I sent those incorrigible birds at him, too. He barely avoided them," I admitted sheepishly, deciding to focus on the aged cracks in the floor rather than the searing stare of the Slytherin Prince in front of me.

"You should've hexed him," he teased with a cold, throaty laugh.

That did it. I drew out my wand and charged over, pointing it at his throat as I had done in our Third Year.

"I already told you. I don't want to be like you, Malfoy!" I shouted bitterly.

He looked at me calmly, not registering fear. His eyes betrayed no emotion. It was like looking at the glassy lifeless eyes of a china doll. I felt a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something had profoundly changed him and not for the good.

"But you do." He stepped closer, letting my wand press tighter against his throat.

My wand seemed to tremble against his neck. The part of me that wanted revenge held my hand firm, but the side that felt pity for him was desperately screaming for me to stop. His eyes burned with hatred when I began to move my hand away. He suddenly stepped forward, jamming the wand back into place.

"Go ahead. Hex me, curse me, kill me for all I care. Better you than Him." His words rang in my ear, the words of someone who had simply just given up, but what frightened me more was Harry must be right. Draco had joined the Death Eaters.

"Why did you do it?" I questioned, dropping my wand from his throat.

He chuckled lightly at the prospect of his own death as he answered, "Join or die as they say."

"I'm so sorry, Draco."

His face blazed with rage at my pity. I should have known better than to think Malfoy would ever accept someone's sympathy.

"Look, I don't need you or the rest of your lot feeling sorry for me. He chose me, so you and the rest of the Potter Fan Club can go back to stalking someone else," he ordered.

I felt stunned that he had noticed our suspicions. I thought Harry had been careful not to test Draco, but I guess I was wrong. Draco's eyes were murderous when he looked at me.

"Yes, Granger, I'm not stupid. I do pay attention, so be sure to tell Potter that if I catch him following me one more time, it will be his last." His voice was angry and violent as he turned to storm out of the room, but it seemed to be a well-staged act. The past few minutes had shown the cracks in his mask, and I could tell he was almost relieved that someone finally knew his burden.

"Draco, you need to go to the Headmaster." My voice was shaky, but Dumbledore was the only person who could save him.

"Don't you understand? I can't. He's in my head." He brushed back his sleeve, revealing the squirming black Dark Mark. I shuddered at the sight of the hideous stain.

In your golden cage

All I feel is strange

Strange

In your perfect world

So strange, strange

I feel so absurd in this life

Don't come closer

In my arms forever you'll be

Strange, strange

Like me!

Draco's POV

I saw the look on her face and felt the inward shame I had been carrying tumble down on top of me. I expected her to run, desperate to tell Potter my little secret, but she didn't waver. She just looked at me with determined eyes.

"There must be a way to save you." Her words were resolute and unflinching.

I stared at her, unable to speak. I had tormented her for so many years, and after a few minutes, she was willing to help me fix my mistakes. That was an act of trust I had never been accustomed to. The beliefs of never trusting anyone and love being a sign of weakness were boldly tattooed across my conscious, but the relief of sharing my burden was too tempting for my weary mind to resist.

"This isn't something you can just find in one of your books, Granger," I commented. "Welcome to my personal hell. I can't escape this ever. This will always be here. Always. To remind me of my stupid beliefs."

She regarded me calmly, waiting for me to finish my tirade. I took a deep breath, steadying myself before I continued.

"I spend all my time, trying to keep Him out of my head, but I'm so tired. I'm so tired of fighting for this cause I don't believe in, but if I don't, he won't just kill me. Do you know how it feels to have the lives of everyone you care about held over your head?" I confessed, falling to my knees in front of her.

Granger finally had her tormentor at her feet. I waited for whatever cruelty she had in store for me, but it never came.

She knelt down next to me, her chocolate eyes staring into mine. Unexpectedly, her arms wrapped around me. The evil lurking beneath my skin wanted to hiss in revulsion at the thought of a Mudblood touching me, but I needed the human contact too much. I desperately clung to her, feeling protected by that damned goodness of hers. She gently pushed my hair out of my face. Her hands were so warm and soft on my frozen skin, and despite everything between us, her touch was gentle and tender.

"How can you even stand to touch me? I'm a monster," I questioned harshly, stumbling out of her hold only to fall on my back.

"Because you're human. You're flesh and blood, and regardless of what you might think, you weren't deprived of that humanity just because you joined the Death Eaters. You listened to me complain about my pathetic schoolgirl crush when you have demons running around in your head. You're not evil, Draco," she insisted, picking herself off the ground. She held out her small hand to me, but I refused.

I defended my earlier actions, "How do you know I wasn't going to use what you said against you?"

"Then why haven't you?"

She didn't wait for my answer. This time she grabbed my hand in hers, trying to drag me to my feet. I couldn't convince myself to answer her.

"Harry has thought you were a Death Eater this entire time, but I didn't. I knew that even though you had tortured me all these years that you weren't really evil. Were you a cruel, vile cockroach most of the time? Yes, but I didn't think you wanted to be like that. It's rather obvious that you simply want to fulfill people's expectations of you and your family. To be a Death Eater isn't what you want, is it?" Her voice was so insistent but shaky by nerves. Was she pleading with me or the devil inside?

"No," I answered determinedly, grasping her hand for strength.

She was so small in stature, fragile even, but she was strong. In my own way, I had envied her all these years for that. No matter how many times I tore her down, she stood back up. She had strength and courage that I wished I possessed even a fraction of. I looked at her eyes again, noticing her eyes seemed to burn with such fierce determination. As I glanced at her face, I noticed her cheeks were still wet from her earlier tears. Slowly, I moved my hand up to her face and gently wiped them away with my thumb.

"You are one strange girl, Granger," I teased, proceeding to clean her other cheek.

"Same to you, Malfoy," she responded, her mouth pulling into a smile against my thumb.

I had never seen her smile because of me, and I wanted nothing more than to keep it. Desperately, I felt the need to kiss her, but I couldn't answer why. To thank her? To show her what she was missing with Weasel? To fulfill my own selfish needs? Whatever the reason I felt my head bending towards hers as her eyes closed lazily. Her body leaned into mine as my free arm snaked around her waist balancing her. Cupping her cheek, I brushed my lips gently against hers. I expected her to revolt to my action, but she didn't break apart from the touch. Her hands gingerly wrapped around my neck, pulling me to her and cautiously kissing me back.

"Hermione?"

The voice came from the stairwell. It sounded like Weasel-bee, and I knew I should let go before he saw us. There was nothing really between her and I. Commiserating over our own sorrows had stirred something in us, but it wasn't a lasting kind of feeling. Still, she wouldn't let go. She seemed to need me as much as I needed her. Even as I heard his footsteps coming up the stairwell, I couldn't bring myself to let go. I just kept thinking, "You've had her for five years and never knew how amazing she is, you idiot."

"Malfoy. Get off her, you bloody wanker," Weasley screamed violently. His hands suddenly ripped us apart.

I turned to face him, wand pointed and ready, but Hermione stopped me, placing her hand on my chest over top my heart. Her eyes comforted me, allowing me to relax.

"Ron, this is not your problem. Get back to Lavender. You have no business with either Malfoy or I. I swear to Merlin, if you say anything to me, I will make sure there is nothing for her to snog," she commanded, pointing her own withdrawn wand at him.

He looked at her with angry, hurtful eyes but turned and left. I had expected him to explode in typical Weasley fashion, but he had backed down. Surpisingly, Granger didn't break down in a pile of tears. She practically beamed with pride for finally telling him off.

"Thanks, Draco. I'm sure that will have him right pissed for a long while." She smiled at me, stuffing her wand back into her pocket.

"Don't mention it, Granger. Seriously, don't mention it. I do have a reputation to uphold, but thanks for everything," I said almost cheerfully as I headed towards the same stairs.

"Draco, wait," she called.

I turned to face her and was taken aback when she kissed me gently on the cheek. She spoke slowly, deliberating over her words, "I won't tell Harry what you told me, but if you need someone, you know how to find me."

I smirked, finding her offer almost ridiculous. I would love nothing more than to take her up on it, but I couldn't risk her knowing more than she already did or any of the Slytherins finding out about her. Returning her kiss with one on her lips, I departed from the Astronomy Tower back to the Dungeons without another word.

In my dreams together we'll be

Strange

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. The characters may have been a little OOC, but I needed to get that song out of my system and Draco and Hermione seemed to be the perfect fit. Please review if you enjoyed it or have any comments

Thanks y'all,

hecate's apprentice