Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. Boo :(

Chapter 2: Oxygen

It was impossible. It was inconceivable. Yet here she was, Hermione Granger sitting at a Paris café across from…Draco Malfoy. The two sat arms folded on opposite sides of the table. Neither had said a word the entire walk to the café. They both walked six paces apart, as if they were strangers. Hermione led the way.

Now here they sat at Hermione's favorite restaurant in a section of Paris. Hermione had ordered a raspberry macaroon and Draco a latte.

"Well?" Hermione finally said after a good twenty minutes of silence.

"Well what Granger?"

"Are you serious? You said yourself you wanted to explain something to me. Now explain. When this macaroon is gone, your time is up." She said, already halfway through the pink dessert.

"This is stupid. I'm leaving" he said as he started to get up.

"No, you're not going anywhere until you tell me what you dragged me here to say!"

"And what are you going to do about it Granger? Hex me in front of all these people? I'm sure the Daily Prophet would love that. The Gryffindor Princess blasts bad boy Draco Malfoy in front of hundreds of muggles."

"No, but I bet the Daily Prophet wouldn't mind if I punched you again like I did in third year."

Draco seemed to be chewing this over. Not only had that been incredibly embarrassing, but it also had broken his nose. Sure it could be fixed by magic in a heartbeat, but it still was rather painful. Finally he sat back down.

"Ok, fine. Let's get this over with. I feel as if I should explain some things. But let me make this clear Granger, I don't owe you anything."

She rolled her eyes.

"As you well know, my father has done some unspeakable things. Most of which included him attempting to pull me over to the dark side with him. After the war I was able to put him away where he belongs."

"Malfoy, why are you telling me this?"

"Because, I've said and done some things that were pretty awful. I wanted you to know that isn't completely me." He said, his expression softening.

"Is this your way of apologizing? Do you have any idea what you put me through last year alone?" her voice raising.

"Apologizing? Let's get one thing straight Granger, I do not apologize to mudbloods." His eye twitched. He knew he crossed the line.

Her face was surprisingly unchanging though.

"Malfoy, it's almost been eight years. Do you honestly still believe that word effects me the same way?"

There was that same expression. That look of defeat. They sat in silence for a while. Draco chewed over ways to explain things to this girl in his head. Nothing made much sense.

"Your time is up Malfoy. I'm going home." she concluded.

"Wait! Granger sit down. I'm not done!"

"We've sat in silence long enough, your wasting my time." Hermione said as she stood and began walking away in defiance. She was not about to let Draco Malfoy toy with her already vulnerable mind. She had had enough of Paris. She headed into a nearby alleyway so that she could apparate away, though she could still hear Draco calling her.

Just as she was about to turn the corner, she heard the familiar click of a camera followed by a colossal flash. Her heart beat sped up to a million a minute. The whole summer Hermione had been able to avoid the wizard paparazzi. The number one benefit of having been in another country the last two months, was that not many people knew where to find her, apart from the select few she had cared enough to tell.

Hermione didn't have time to think. The second she turned around, she was bombarded by a swarm of photographers screaming her name and snapping her picture. Even a few muggle tourists who clearly had no idea who she was began to snap her picture, thinking that she must be a famous Parisian celebrity.

"Miss Granger! Where are Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley?"

"Is it true that you are no longer speaking to your best friends?"

"Why did you run away to Paris?"

"Will you be returning to school with the other students?"

"Do you have any comment on Ronald Weasley's recent escapades?"

There were too many questions to answer even if she wanted too. Before she knew what was happening she was surrounded by hundreds of people firing off questions and flashing cameras in her face. She was alone with no one to help her. Hermione began to panic. Since the war she had developed quite an anxiety issue. Being in the situation she was in, her anxiety began to sky rocket.

"Please! I can't breathe. Back away!" she started to yell though her voice was growing weak.

The crowd did not clear. On the contrary it looked to germinate. The entire alleyway was filled with paparazzi. Hermione tried to shove and push the hounding cameramen away, but to no avail. She needed to get away.

Hermione turned to try and run towards the other end of the passageway. Running was not an option. Walking was hardly an option. In all the commotion Hermione wasn't able to dig through her bag quickly enough to gather her wand. Magic wasn't an option. There was clearly not enough room for her to apparate away. She could hardly turn on the spot. Apparating was not an option.

Someone behind her had stepped on the back of her blasted sandal and down she fell. She feared she would be swallowed whole by the crowd and suffocated.

"Please!" she tried.

Suddenly she felt someone grab her arm and begin to pull her away from the crowd towards the end of the passageway. Something inside of Hermione screamed danger, but she was running out of options and oxygen. Chancing a glance behind her she saw that they were almost away from the cluster of photographers.

It was then that she felt the familiar tug of apparating.

Hermione awoke with a start. She had no idea where she was, or how long she had been sleeping. Most importantly, Hermione could not remember falling asleep. Last she knew she was in Paris.

Cameras

Flashing lights

Panic

Someone grabbing her arm

Bits and pieces of her memory came rushing back to her aching head. Where the hell was she?

More importantly, where the hell was her wand? She glanced around the room she was in. It appeared to be a bedroom, with deep green comforters and curtains. The walls were painted black. Aside from one or two bookshelves and dressers, the room was otherwise empty. No pictures on the wall to indicate whose home she was in.

Panic began to well up inside of the Gryffindor once again. So much for bravery. She needed to find her bag. Once she had her wand, she could get out of here and go home.

Carefully she got out of the bed and walked to the door. Nobody appeared to be in the other room. Just then she noticed a head sticking out from the top of the couch.

From the spot she stood she didn't recognize who it was. It was then she noticed her bag straight across from her. She glanced another look at her supposed 'savior' and began to tip toe over to the table.

"Why don't you just make a break for it Granger?" came the voice from the couch.

"Malfoy?"

The head turned around. Indeed, Draco Malfoy had been her savior. He stood and walked toward her. Hermione felt herself back away.

"Seriously Granger? You think I'm going to hurt you?"

"I don't know what to think? But maybe you can help me. What happened?" she asked.

"Those fucking paparazzi were trying to suffocate you. I thought you looked like you needed some help." He said nonchalantly as he leaned against the wall biting into an apple.

"Why would you help me?" confusion clear on her face.

He sighed. "Must I explain every fucking thing to you? I figured we're even now. I helped you; you forget the shit I've done to you."

Seriously? Did he really think it was that easy?

"You're joking right?"

"Obviously not. You're not laughing."

"Malfoy it's not that simple. Just forget it."

"You know a simple thank you would do"

Hermione grabbed her bag and began to search through it for her wand.

Draco just watched.

"Damn. Where is it?"

"Where's what?" he toyed.

"My wand! You have it don't you?" she tossed her bag aside and pursued him.

"You mean it isn't in there?" his voice drenched in sarcasm.

"Cut the crap Malfoy, I know you have it. The faster you give it back, the faster I can get out of your hair."

"Why, I have no idea what you mean."

Hermione spotted her wand poking out from his pocket. It was tucked underneath his blue jumper. He must have noticed she saw it, because he defensively placed his hand over the wand.

"Malfoy, hand it over." she said carefully. Slowly she began to walk towards him, backing him into the nearby wall, fists clenched at her sides.

"You have to promise to sit and listen to what I have to say. It won't take long. You'll get your wand back and you can leave." Draco said.

Exasperated, Hermione sighed. Whatever Draco wanted to tell her must be important enough for him to bring her to his apartment.

"Fine, I actually have some questions for you too. I'll listen to you, if you listen to me. Got it?"

"You drive a hard bargain Granger. Bloody hell, why not? I've come this far as to let you see where I live."

The two sat down on opposite sides of the couch. Draco sat on the arm of the furthest side, while Hermione placed herself gracefully on the seat.

"Go ahead…" she said impatiently.

"Alright, here it is. As you know before the war I wasn't exactly…what's the word-

"Pleasant to be around?"

"…..yes thank you. Yes, I suppose I wasn't very pleasant. My father always wanted me to grow up and take over as head of the household. Obviously I took the responsibility with pride. Unfortunately he wanted me to take over more than just the family name. My father wanted me to behave just like him. He tried to pass most of his beliefs onto me. Including what he believed about blood purity." He could see Hermione's face flinch at the topic. Indeed she had been the punchline to most of his jokes regarding mudbloods throughout school.

"I admit I never really gave what he told me much thought. It took me seven years to truly understand, but I think I do now. Am I making sense?"

Hermione nodded

"I just want you to know that…I'm trying to change." He finished. Draco was very clearly uneasy, and the silence that followed didn't help.

"And not just you. Everybody. It's kind of hard though with the newspapers writing the things they do. After I testified against my father, I had to sort of go into hiding. Temporarily you know. The Golden Trio aren't the only ones being hounded you know. Some people don't take well to going against your family. Regardless, I'll probably always be slime to people who know me. I don't expect you to forget the things I've said to you in the past."

"I wouldn't expect much. But I'm…glad you wanted to tell me." She said with a small smile. As quickly as she gave it, she snapped it right back.

"Alright, I'm done. Your turn." He said uncomfortably.

"Right, well first of all….what happened to your hair?" This produced a smirk from the former blonde. He instinctively reached up and ran his fingers through his hair. Hermione felt an unexpected shiver go up her spine.

'It must be colder in here than I thought' she thought to herself.

"Yeah the hair, well I said I went into hiding didn't I? The cameras wouldn't leave me alone so I had to do something. I changed my hair and decided to wonder around Paris for a few days. Looks like you needed an escape too."

"Yeah, but not from the cameras. From being bored."

Draco scoffed, "What, Potter and Weasley aren't keeping you entertained?"

She rolled her eyes. She was not about to explain to Draco how her friends had abandoned her to pursue better activities this summer.

"I just needed a break from them." She lied. Hermione could tell by the expression on Draco's face that he wasn't buying it. But he wasn't saying anything. Instead he just nodded.

"I have another question for you."

"Bloody hell" he muttered under his breath.

"Why did you help me escape those photographers?" she asked meaningfully. Her expression softened. Draco avoided looking her in the eye. He chose the words carefully in his head. Honestly he didn't know the answer to Granger's question. Why the bloody hell did he help her? Certainly he was trying to be a better person, but it was still Granger.

"I figure we're even now," he answered finally.

"I wouldn't say that. We're still enemies right?" she said as she held her hand out. "May I have my wand back now."

"A deal is a deal Granger. I'm always good to my word."

Hermione doubted that. The one thing Draco Malfoy was good at, was being an arse.

He stood and walked over to the writing desk in the corner. Pulling her want out of the top drawer he tossed it over.

She immediately turned around and grabbed her bag readying to leave. Just as she was about to turn on the spot and apparate back to Greece Malfoy stopped her.

"Granger wait!"

She turned around just in time to catch a book Malfoy threw at her. Hermione turned the book over in her hand to glance at the cover. Pride and Prejudice.

"Are we even now?" he asked.

He could have sworn that she smiled just before she apparated away.

A/N: I know that the update took a little longer than I expected, but I was making sure I included everything I wanted to. Chapter three is on the way. Hope everyone likes this one! R&R :)

A/N: Ok so I had to go back and edit the chapter because of a few mistakes that I meant to fix before uploading but seemed to have forgotten. That is why it was re-uploaded. Sorry if some of you are confused. There was some confusion to the story, when Hermione states that its been almost eight years. I meant that it has been almost eight years since they met, and since he first began taunting Hermione. Not since he first called her mudblood. They are going into their eighth year of school, therefore they have known each other about that long. Hope that clears things up. Thanks!

PS. I'm loving the reviews and reactions to the story. You guys rock :)