A/N: First of all, I am so sorry that it's taken me about a year to update. Life got in the way and prevented me from writing and I honestly lost so much inspiration to write it. I honestly didn't know how I was going to continue the story and I still don't know. This is mostly a filler chapter as I wanted to get something up to see if anyone is still following this story. I'll try to write a little bit more and see where it goes.

Chapter 29

~Recap~

It wasn't the fact that she was so comfortable with him that she didn't even feel him probing her mind, but rather at the silly fact that he had called her "love". Did he actually love her? "Don't be so stupid, he can't possibly love you." Her subconscious told her. But still, there was that little flame of hope that maybe he did, but she couldn't figure out why it was there or why she was secretly hoping that he meant it. She gave a deep sigh and left the room, heading back to Gryffindor tower to get some sleep.

Draco stopped dead in his tracks a few floors down, just realizing what he had called Hermione before leaving. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, Merlin's sweaty balls!" he chanted to himself. "How could I be so stupid? Ugh, how am I going to fix this?!" But he couldn't focus on that right now, what he needed to do now was bash in Theo's skull.

"Don't do it, Dray." He heard a voice in his head.

"Damn it, Blaise. Stay out of this. This doesn't concern you."

"Yes it does. You need to learn how to control your emotions better so that you don't open this connection between us and Theo is also one of my friends."

"Oh so you're on his side?" Draco asked, anger and jealousy flaring up inside him.

"I didn't say he was my best friend. Listen, why don't you just sleep on it and we'll talk this out tomorrow." Blaise replied.

"Okay, fine." Draco succumbed as he continued walking the few steps to the room he was staying in with Blaise and Theo.

"And no, you can't kick him in his sleep." Blaise said, as Draco began to get undressed.

"Okay, okay, I won't. Now get out of my head!"

"Goodnight, Draco." Blaise said, chuckling quietly from his bed. Draco grinned.

"Goodnight, Blaise." And with that, Draco fell asleep thinking of ways that he was going to fix his current problems. His first order of business was to get Theo to back off. Then, he would take care of his calling Hermione "love". Maybe she didn't realize it or hadn't heard him. "Yes, that would be good. Maybe she hadn't realized it." But did he really want her to forget that he said it?

~End Recap~

"Sleep on it, he said. Sleep on it my arse. He's such a bloody wanker! Look at him, just strutting about the castle like he's the fucking savior of the wizarding world." Draco thought to himself. Sleeping on the possibility of kicking Theo's arse didn't help him one bit. He still wanted to do it. Always wanted to in fact. Ever since he first met Theo he thought he was a prat. Always talking about the high marks he got and how good he was in every subject, his pureblood family, etc. Sure, Draco bragged as well, but this guy really got on his nerves.

"You're just jealous because he has nicer hair than you, and he's not as pale." Came Blaise's voice, interrupting his thoughts once again.

"For the last time, Zabini: Stay. Out. Of. This."

"Aw, but Drakie, it's so much fun riling you up!" Blaise said, taking a seta next to him in the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Really not in the mood, Blaise." Draco said, stabbing his sausage rather harshly with the tip of his fork.

"Look, whatever he did to you, it probably wasn't that bad. No need to get your knickers in a twist."

"It wasn't what he did to me." He said glumly.

"Ah, it was what he did to Hermione!" Blaise said, realization dawning on his face. When Draco didn't say anything, Blaise confirmed his theory even more. "What did he do now?" he asked, trying to coax something out of Draco.

"He's a prick." Draco answered.

"Yes, we've known that for years. But what did he do to Hermione to create this jealousy in you?"

"Jealous- jealousy?!" Draco sputtered. "Me? Jealous of Theodore Nott? Please! I'm far more superior than that – that… worthless piece of scum!"

"Who's a worthless piece of scum?" Theodore asked, sitting down across from the two boys.

"No one." Draco answered, the same time that Blaise responded with, "Voldemort." Theo looked between the two boys, amused.

"Well… that's convincing," he laughed. "You know what, I don't want to know."

Draco breathed a sigh of relief while stomping on Blaise's foot under the table.

"So," Theodore started. "Are you ready to get back to work today?"

"Sure, if you enjoy using your magic until you feel physically and mentally drained." Draco drawled in a bored voice.

"You alright there, Drake?"

"Peachy." He said, smiling sarcastically at Theo before getting up and exiting the Great Hall.

"What bug crawled up his arse in the middle of the night?" Theo asked Blaise.

"He just has a lot on his mind since the trials. Listen, I'll catch up with you later, yeah?"

"Sure, sounds good. Hopefully Drake is in a better mood then."

"Doubt it." Blaise mumbled under his breath, walking out of the Great Hall in search of his best friend.

~Flashback~

She was stunning…absolutely stunning. Never had he ever imagined that something, or rather someone, could surpass the beauty of the entire galaxy; and yet there she stood. He was mesmerized by her sheer beauty. The way her dress clung to her body, accentuating all of her best assets, her hair pulled back to reveal her shapely neck and heart shaped face, and the subtle hints of makeup that brought out her sharp cheekbones, the plump pinkness of her lips, but most especially her honey brown eyes that seemed to sparkle, even in the dim lighting of the Entrance Hall.

"Well," started Blaise. "Granger sure cleans up nicely, doesn't she?"

"Yeah…" said Draco, gazing at her. "She does."

Never before had he seen anything or anyone that beautiful. Not any classmates, nor any pureblood with that his parents had tried to set him up with.

"I think I may ask her for a dance later." Blaise said, watching Draco closely for his reaction, but he was still enamored just looking at the girl. He knew how Draco felt. He had seen the way Draco looked at the witch since she had punched him in third year. It was different. No one, no girl nor boy, had ever stood up to the Draco Malfoy… but she had, and that's what separated her from the rest. Blaise knew that that was the defining moment. It was the moment when Draco had fallen in love with a girl that he could never have, and it pained Blaise to see his friend so happy, knowing that one day it would all end in heartbreak.

~End Flashback~

Hermione was confused. Since when did she actually start liking Draco Malfoy? I mean, it was Malfoy! Sure he had been through some traumatic stuff and that sure does change a person, but the way that she saw him last night, she never knew that he could be…what was the word? Fun? Draco Malfoy was fun? Hermione never thought she would actually enjoy time being in the ferret's presence but their little game had actually gone pretty well. She learned some things about him and he learned some things about her and she could sense a friendship growing. But did she just want to be friends? Hence where she stood now… confused.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Ginny asked, taking a seat next to the girl at the breakfast table in the Great Hall. Harry and Ron were still sleeping and Ginny saw the far off look in the girl's eyes and decided it was best to ask her now before the boys got there.

"What?" she asked. "Yeah, why?"

"You're a terrible liar, Hermione." Ginny giggled. "You know you can tell me anything right?"

"Yes, I know." Hermione answered with a sigh, but Ginny continued to look at her, waiting for an answer. "Look, Gin, I just have a lot on my mind that I need to sort out by myself first, okay?"

"Ginny slumped down in her seat, "Ok, ok," she grumbled. "Well, when you're ready to talk, I'm here."

Hermione smiled gratefully at the girl as she bit into a piece of toast, though she wasn't particularly hungry. Her eyes roamed the hall once more, looking at all of the survivors of the biggest war the Wizarding world had ever seen. She looked around at all of her classmates and their families until her eyes focused on a pale blonde head of hair leaving the Great Hall. She got up from her seat and mumbled something to Ginny about going to see if the boys were up yet and followed after the blonde, until to run into yet another Slytherin…Blaise Zabini.

"Oomph," Hermione said as she stumbled backward.

"Are you alright?" Blaise asked, steadying the girl. "I'm sorry, I should've been more careful."

"Oh, nonsense," She muttered. "It was my fault anyway." She peeked around Blaise trying to see if she caught sight of the other Slytherin but he stepped back into her line of vision.

"Listen," Blaise said softly. "Now's not exactly the best time to go after him." Hermione looked at her, her face going pale as her eyes widened.

"Wh- I don't know what you're on about." Hermione said quickly before side stepping him and heading up the staircase.

She didn't really have a destination in mind but she found herself in front of the Hospital Wing. She slowly crept inside, trying to see if anyone was there.

"Well come in, girl. No use dawdling in the doorway." Came a drawling voice from one of the beds.

"Professor," Hermione started. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were still here."

"Well neither did I but no matter, I'm being released today." He said, drawing back the curtains to his bed. He was dressed in his usual black teacher's robes, the many buttons tightly fastened up to the top, but Hermione could still see a bit of gauze peeking out of the top on his neck.

"How- how are you wounds healing?" Hermione asked softly.

"Very well. Thank you. Have you been remembering to take your blood replenishing potion?" Snape asked.

"Yes. I actually came back to get a refill." Hermione said, suddenly remembering that she was running low on her supply.

"And how is the scarring?" He asked her, reaching out his arm for hers. She didn't reply, but simply rolled back her sleeve and placed her arm in his. He slowly began to undo the bandages, taking care as to not do it too fast to avoid reopening the scab. The wound was closing up as expected and the bleeding had slowed. There was a greenish color that had started to ooze out and he saw the look of horror and disgust on the girls face. He almost laughed…almost. "Nothing to worry about Miss Granger. It just means that the venom is leaving your system and should be almost gone within the next few days. Quite a lot has already been released." He said, wiping up any ooze and blood with a washcloth he found nearby. The strange thing he found was the letters on her arm didn't seem to look any better.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked worriedly, staring at the look of confusion on her professor's face.

"Miss Granger…have you been applying the salve to your arm and changing the bandages every night?"

"Yes, why?" She asked, now even more worried. "Tell me what's wrong."

The professor looked up into the girl's eyes, hearing the distress in her voice. "Nothing particularly wrong," he said, his gaze returning to her arm, turning it this way and that.

"Then what is it?"

"The scars should be receding, but they don't seem to look any different." He replied bluntly. "It's better to just rip the bandage off fast, right?" he said to himself.

"What do you mean? I've been following all of the instructions you've given me." Hermione said, drawing her arm back and looking at her scars once more.

"Which is why I am so confused." Snape replied, his brows drawn together. Perhaps Bellatrix had used another curse with her wand? One that prevented the victim from completely removing any scars left by it? Yes, that had to be it. It seemed like something Bellatrix would do, especially to the girl in front of him. Bellatrix would want the girl to remember and feel pain; she wanted Hermione Granger to remember and never forget that she was and always would be a "mudblood". He sighed, feeling bad for the girl. He knew that pain that one word caused, and immediately thought of the memory he still held onto until this very day of his 15-year-old self uttering that same word to the woman he loved. "Miss Granger, it hurts me to say that these scars may never diminish." He said in a low voice, but he couldn't bring himself to look into her eyes.

"What do you mean her scars will never go away?" Asked a shocked voice from the doorway. Snape looked up as Hermione spun around to see who had eaves dropped on their conversation.

"Ah, Draco," Snape drawled. "How nice of you to listen in on us. What a very Slytherin thing to do." He said, knowing that those words would irk the boy.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Hermione asked, cradling her arm, looking around for some clean gauze and salve so that she may cover up her arm and be on her way.

"I came to visit my godfather, since he's being released today. I thought I'd show him to his new chambers." Draco said, staring at the girl, slowly taking small steps towards her.

Snape couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face. He could tell that the boy was absolutely smitten with the girl and would do absolutely anything for her. This boy, a pureblood Slytherin, had fallen for the muggleborn Gryffindor. Oh, had the times changed.

At the time, Hermione had found some clean gauze and a tube of salve on the bedside table next to her Potion professor and began to try to re-dress her arm.

"Here," Draco said. "Let me help." He stepped closer to Hermione, taking the salve from her hand and applying it onto a clean cotton swab, rubbing it gently over her arm. "Let me know if I hurt you or rub too hard." He said, looking up into her eyes. She stared back, nodding her head softly.

The light from the windows bounced off his hair like bright beacons of light, illuminating the space around him, making it seem like he was glowing. She was astounded by the perfection of him. His brilliant hair, the sharp angles and symmetry of his face, his brilliant gray eyes, staring with such concentration on what he was doing, now slowly re-dressing her arm in gauze, his broad shoulders that she wished to cling on to…wait what? Hermione shook her head of her thoughts and looked around the room noticing that Professor Snape was gone. She looked towards the Mediwitch's office and caught sight of a black cloak swishing off into the supply closet.

"Is it too taught?" Called a voice directly in front of her. "Hermione?" He asked again. "Have I wrapped it too tight?"

She drew her mind back into the present and looked down at her arm, noticing that he was done and moved it around, testing it out. "No, it's fine. Thank you, Malfoy." She said.

"Please, call me Draco." He replied. "After all, we do know each other a little better now, don't we?" He asked, chuckling softly.

"Yes, I suppose you're right." She said, chuckling as well.

"Here is your new supply, Miss Granger." Snape interrupted them, handing her a small pouch filled with nearly 10 vials of blood replenishing potion. "Make sure you continue to do as you were told and come see me in a week so I can inspect your scar."

"Thank you Professor." Hermione said.

"Now, I believe you two have some work to do around the castle, best be on your way." He said, ushering them out the door.

"But, Professor, I was supposed to show you to your-" Draco started.

"Nonsense, I can find my own way. I need to speak to Minerva anyway, I'm sure she can help me if I am incapable of finding my way." Snape said, watching the two walk away, conversing in low voices. He smiled to himself.

"What is it you are doing, Severus?" Came a voice from behind him.

"I'm sorry, Poppy. It's the least I could do. I screwed up my own chance at love once. I just want to see him happy, and if she makes him happy then I want to make sure he sees that and that she sees it as well." He said, smiling back at Madam Pomfrey before leaving the infirmary in search of Professor McGonagall.

A/N: So there it is. I know it's probably horrible and it definitely isn't up to my usual standards but I wanted to post something for you guys to read. I'm not abandoning it but it will take a bit of time for me to post another chapter so just bear with me guys.

If anyone had any song suggestions for this chapter let me know!

~ToriLynn xoxo