Hermione's eyes popped open shortly after dawn. Normally the echoes of her nightmares would still be present in her mind, leaving her unsettled and groggy. This morning however she felt rested and her thoughts began with her wondering what she would have for breakfast. It was the first time since coming back to school that she found herself looking forward to joining the rest of the students for a meal in the Great Hall.

Maybe I'm finally finding my feet in this mess.

The thought lingered as she got dressed and made her way downstairs. Before she got to the enormous doors and a safe seat next to Ginny another thought followed.

I wonder if Draco is in there too? Imagine the fuss if I sat next to him.

A humorless chuckle escaped her and she shook her head.

It frustrated her that the some of the students still hung onto the prejudices from before the war. Whether it was about blood purity or about who had had connections to death eaters it didn't matter any more. If the wizarding world was going to move forward everyone had to move past the old ideals and work together to create a safe and peaceful world again.

When she entered the hall her frustration faded slightly as she saw that students were mingling. She could see Neville at the Hufflepuff table enjoying toast with students from that house plus Luna with her usual dreamy expression. She noted a couple of Gryffindor's were at the Ravenclaw table though she doubted their intentions were as pure as Neville's were.

The table that looked least changed was the Slytherin table.

No surprises there.

Admittedly she could see a couple of flashes of blue and even red here and there so it wasn't really as bad as all that. It was progress at least.

Hermione slid onto the bench beside Ginny and began assembling her breakfast; toast with butter and strawberry jam and a cup of tea.

She was so preoccupied that it took her a moment to realise how quiet her friend was being. She glanced at Ginny and saw that instead of the hearty appetite she usually exhibited she was toying with the corner of a half eaten piece of dry toast. She thought it might just be that the redhead was missing Harry but it seemed odd enough to warrant a question.

"Are you okay Ginny? You seem a bit subdued this morning….."

Her friend turned to her reluctantly and seemed to be holding back tears. Hermione's mind automatically jumped to the worst possible thing.

"Well, yeah. I….ah."

She took a deep breath and spoke in a quiet voice.

"Ron's in the hospital wing. Seamus found him this morning; you know they come down to breakfast together. He managed to get Ron to Madame Pomfrey just in time."

Hermione's face lost all colour as she thought over the implications of her friends words.

"Are you saying he….tried to take his own life?"

Ginny nodded tearfully.

The brunette was lost for words. A small part of her brain was cursing at the emotional situation she was in right now. She had never been very good at offering the right sort of comfort to someone and her overly analytical brain often provided her with the most inappropriate things to say. Once a childhood friend's pet dog had died and her first thought was, Well you can always get another one you know.

Managing to bite back any unhelpful words, Hermione awkwardly patted her friend's arm as she watched her try and hold back the tears.

"Have you been to visit him yet? I'm sure you could go now and get a note for missing classes from Madame Pomphrey. Maybe even take the whole day."

Ginny shook her head.

"No, I don't want him to see me like this. I'm sure he's asleep anyway. I'll go after lunch."

She hunched over and focused on her toast. Hermione took that as the close to the conversation and turned her attention to her own food.

It wasn't long before she was finished and decided to make her way to class. Ginny had quietly left shortly after their conversation had ended.

However it seemed her feet had a mind of their own. As she walked the corridors lost in her own thoughts she found her destination wasn't ancient runes after all.

Hermione found herself outside the door that led into the hospital wing.

It hadn't been her intention to visit Ron. To tell the truth she felt awkward around him without Harry there too. And the fact that their romance had been nothing more than a brief firework show didn't help. The passionate kiss during the final battle hadn't really led to anything more except a disastrous date where he was thirty minutes late, was wearing crumpled clothes and mismatched socks and had only brought wizarding money when he knew they'd be going to a muggle restaurant.

Looking back on it she could laugh. It had been a comedy of errors really and that was when she realised Ron wasn't the man for her.

Before she lost her nerve she entered the large room. There didn't seem to be anyone but Ron in residence but she couldn't actually see him. He was hidden by opaque partitions further down the room.

Tentative steps brought her up to the point where one more would bring him into view. Her hesitation prompted a voice to growl, "I know you're there Hermione. I can smell your perfume."

Her shoulders drooped. I knew this was a bad idea!

She stepped around and stood at the bottom of the bed.

For lack of something to say she blurted," Ginny told me you were here. And…...kind of what happened."

Ron looked up at her through slightly bloodshot eyes. The dark smudges underneath spoke volumes and the bandaged wrists on top of the bed sheet confirmed what Ginny had told her.

Before she could say anything else he spoke.

"I don't want your damn pity. At least Ginny has the sense to not visit before she's pulled herself together. I feel bad enough without having to take on your emotions too."

An image came to Hermione's mind from just the day before in transfiguration class.

Ron had sat next to Lavender and he'd actually smiled and even laughed a little. She had been surprised. It was the first time since Fred's death that she had seen him enjoy himself even the slightest. She had thought a frown would forever be frozen on his face. It had given her hope that he had begun to heal and in doing so maybe he would help Lavender to heal too.

"But I thought you were happier Ron. You seemed to be yesterday in class with Lavender. You both looked so happy together."

He seemed to snap at her words and sat up straighter in the bed. She was sure that if he had had the strength he would have jumped off of the mattress to physically confront her. His voice got lower and a sneer worthy of Malfoy marked his mouth.

"Oh yes. Wouldn't that be just nice and neat for you. Then you wouldn't have to feel so guilty about fucking a death eater!"

Hermione gasped, her mouth hanging open. He pointed his finger at her accusingly.

"I saw you Hermione! Last night. I couldn't sleep so I was sitting by the window when I saw you walk into the Forbidden Forest. I thought that was odd but when I saw the Ferret follow not five minutes later I knew what was going on."

His face was red with anger and malice. Hermione was too shocked to defend herself with the truth. She wasn't even sure she could. What would she even call Malfoy? Friend? Acquaintance? Nearly-friend?

"I was so angry that you of all people would betray me like that. And with him. Someone worse than scum. So I waited. And I wasn't disappointed. You both walked back and I just knew."

"Ron. Stop. Please."

He shook his head violently.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS! HE KILLED FRED!"

He stopped yelling and looked to be struggling for control. He found it and continued in a tone dripping with hatred. He held his wrists up.

"You drove me to this. You were meant to be the one good thing to be mine after the war. But it didn't happen. And I could accept that you didn't feel that way about me any more, that friends was the only way to keep you in my life. But now I can see it was all a ruse. You were probably already sleeping with him then. Now you're dirty and no one will want you after everyone knows what I saw."

Hermione stared at him as he settled back down onto the mattress. Her thoughts were a mess but she knew she had to say something, anything to defend herself. Her voice came out at barely a whisper.

"Ron, you don't understand. Malfoy and I….we aren't together. Not in that way. Some…..sometimes we got out to the forest to just sit but that's all. We barely speak to one another. I don't even know if I can call him a friend really but-"

"Just go away Hermione. You're wasting your time."

He closed his eyes against her and she had no choice but to go.

She ran into Madame Pomphrey in the hall just outside the doors before she could school her expression into anything that would pass for normal. The kindly witch motioned for her to wait a moment before she went into her office. She came back with a piece of parchment excusing Hermione from class for the day.

"I'll make sure the headmistress receives this so she can notify the other staff members."

Her small smile prompted a nod from Hermione before she began to head back to her room. But when she stood outside her door she realised the last thing she needed right now was to be alone. All the things Ron had said were a huge shock. The common room for the eighth years seemed to be the smartest place to go. Most of the students would be in class but there would be one or two that had a free period, just enough to give her some company while also allowing space.

After entering the common room, Hermione nodded to the Patil twins and headed over to a window seat. Once she was settled with a book on her knee she sighed. Her mind had calmed a little and now she began to feel the emotions that had hidden under the numbness that Ron's onslaught of words had invoked. A spark of anger was trying to override the sorrow she felt about the whole situation but Hermione was determined to not let it take over. She had to remember that Ron was obviously not coping well and that he might say things that he wouldn't normally say. Usually he would say things without speaking but there was some semblance of a filter at times that would stop him from saying anything truly awful. Now it looked like that filter was gone altogether and his emotions were running riot.

"What's this? Hermione Granger sitting idle? It can't be so."

Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin she was so startled by the sudden voice near her ear.

"Shit!."

All heads turned their way as Draco shifted into view to sit facing her on the cushioned bench seat. She watched as he settled his back against the wall and noted how his shoulder moved a little, trying to find a comfortable spot against the stone. He had a grin on his face and looked pleased with himself.

She scowled at him.

"If you sneak up on me like that again I'll hex you till your beloved hair falls out."

He laughed aloud at that. Hermione glanced around the room and found everyone was still watching them closely; the Patil twins whispering behind their hands. She focused on the blonde.

"You do know that everyone will know about us having a chat in the common room by lunch time. Won't that isolate you even more from your fellow Slytherins?"

It was rather a silly thing to say. Hermione knew that only a handful of Slytherin's had returned to become eighth years. Quite a few of them had either moved out of the country or gone straight to work. The Ministry had charged many of the old pureblood families a fine of sorts. It was weighted on what their involvement with Voldemort had been but for some it had been enough to almost send them to the poor house.

Hermione had only seen Blaise and Pansy so far.

It wasn't surprising that Pansy appeared to be keeping to herself mostly. If there was one student, besides Malfoy, that wasn't going to assimilate and attempt to befriend other houses it would be her. Her behaviour during the final battle had further soured the other students' opinion of her.

Blaise seemed like his old self; disdainful and self-assured. He avoided most of the other students but then again, he always had.

"How much more isolated can I get? So far I've spoken to Pansy, Blaise and a fourth year who thought it would do him good to sit in my spot at breakfast this morning."

After a pause he said," And you of course. I've probably spent more time talking with you than anyone. Fancy that."

They spent the next moments in silence until Draco asked,"Wait, aren't you meant to be in class? Knowing you, you're taking all classes except divination."

Hermione grimaced at the mention of her least favourite subject.

"I'm not taking muggle studies either. I was counselled to give it up as my timetable was deemed too full. And since I don't have a time-turner this year I won't be taking as many classes as I'd like."

Draco cocked an eyebrow at the word 'time-turner' but let it pass. No wonder she was so volatile in third year.

"That doesn't answer my question though. Why aren't you in class?"

Hermione sighed and squirmed a little in her seat. Her gaze drifted to the window as she explained.

"Ron's in the hospital wing. He tried to kill himself early this morning. And he blames me for it."

Draco was speechless. He waited, knowing there was more to it than that.

"It's selfish of me to think this but it feels so unfair. He's having a hard time recovering after the war, I know that but so is everyone else. He could have asked anyone around him for help but he chose to build it all up inside until he finally exploded."

"But why does he blame you?" Draco reached out to put his hand on her leg in comfort. It was odd, that he felt comfortable enough to do so but Hermione thought it was more of an unconscious gesture than anything else and chose not to read anything into it.

Hermione took a deep breath and repeated what Ron had told her.

Draco snatched his hand back and looked like he was going to jump up from his seat to go and do goodness knew what but in the last second he composed himself enough to settle for sitting rigidly against the wall.

Hermione watched anger and disappointment pass over his face until the Malfoy mask settled in place again. She had expected the anger but the disappointment puzzled her. She herself had felt disappointment when she realised once she told Draco about Ron and what he thought she would most likely lose the tenuous companionship they had begun to share.

There was no one else at Hogwarts that she felt she could just be around. Everyone else expected something from her and it was exhausting. It was a perk of making a friend of a past enemy. They had a clean slate with one another as friends and it was refreshing.

"I'll understand if I don't see you any more. Once everyone hears one version or another it'll be just like the old days of being gossiped about and being ignored at the same time."

Hermione focused on her hands, not wanting him to see the unhappiness that was etched across her face.

Draco watched her for a moment before clearing his throat.

"Granger, don't be silly. Why would a rumour or two stop me from doing what I want? It'd take much more than that to deter me. In fact, it might even make it all the more enjoyable. Don't you want to see what nonsense they come up with?"

Hermione looked up to find Draco looking at her with a half smile on lips. It coaxed a similar expression from her.

"Has hell frozen over?"

The pair looked up to see Blaise standing over them with his arms crossed over his chest.

Hermione thought it might be the first time she had ever been addressed by him.

For a moment it had felt like Draco and her were the only two people in the room but with Blaise's interruption it occurred to her that the common room had filled up a bit more since she had first come in.

"What do you want Zabini? Lost your nail file again?"

It was said in good humour, even though a sneer accompanied the words. Blaise seemed unruffled as he returned,"I would never lose such a thing Malfoy. I, unlike you, recognise the need for proper grooming."

He turned around to pull up a nearby chair.

"I simply wondered at the two of you sitting here so nicely. And not a scratch or bruise to be seen."

He grinned at that and Hermione was amazed by the whiteness of his perfectly straight teeth. Her parents would approve.

The dentist's daughter strikes again, she thought.

When no answer was forthcoming he turned to Hermione.

"You know, your hair looks rather nice today. Have you been using a new potion?"

She eyed him with distrust, expecting a punchline after she replied,"No, it seems my hair has gone through a bit of a change recently and isn't quite so bushy and unmanageable any more."

She touched the long ringlets.

"Thank you Blaise. For the compliment."

There wasn't much more she could say. It still felt disconcerting to be talked to, let alone complemented, by the conceited Slytherin. Everyone knew his mother's history and her aspiration for him to marry well. Which meant he was to marry money and beauty.

Hermione wasn't stupid enough to think he might be interested in her but his attention to her right now was just strange.

"Are you done Zabini? You walked into a private conversation and now you can walk on out of it."

Blaise's gaze remained on Hermione for a second more before it drifted over to Draco. His eyes narrows slightly, as if he was trying to puzzle something out about his fellow Slytherin but before she could really think about it he suddenly stood from the chair in one smooth quick movement.

"Suit yourself Malfoy. I was only trying to be friendly."

He nodded to Hermione.

"I reckon I'll see the both of you around."

They watched him walk through the common room and out the door before turning to one another again. A couple other students followed, making Hermione realise what the time must be.

"It must be about time for you to go to class."

Draco shrugged noncommittally.

"Go. I'll most likely be here when you get back."

He looked like he was going to argue but then decided against it. It wasn't worth the effort and he'd lose anyway. Plus, getting detention for missing class wasn't really all that appealing as it would take away the small amount of free time he already had.

Draco got up to go but paused, looking down at the witch. He ran a hand over his face.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this," he said, looking as if the words were escaping his mouth against his will, "but I know what it's like to feel as if you've hit rock bottom and you're still falling into the darkness below. It's tough."

He took a breath.

"Weasley is probably my least favourite person, next to Potter but don't be too hard on him. You're over analysing the whole situation; shutting off your emotions about it all. Just feel. Take a deep breath and feel."

Hermione's mouth almost dropped open in disbelief.

"Did you just defend Ron? I think I just witnessed a miracle. But jokes aside you're right, I guess. My mind just gets in the way of all the emotional stuff. I've got to try and get better at it all for Ginny's sake right now."

She smiled at Draco.

"Thanks for the advice but now off you go. No amount of talking is going to make me forget that you're meant to be in class just about right now."

He smirked at her and left the room, leaving Hermione to gazing out the window with a small frown on her face as she thought things over.