Complicating Differences

Chapter One: The Light

The moon outside sparkled, however, inside the castle it was dark as night. Hermione pulled open the shades inside her room to let in some light. It was her seventh and final year at Hogwarts, much to her regret. She would most definitely miss this school. Not to mention she wasn´t sure where she was going with her life.

Harry, on the other hand, knew exactly what he was going to do. He was going to become an Auror. He was already so strong, and had defeated Lord Voldemort numerous times. Yes, fighting the Dark Arts and Death Eaters was something he was meant to do.

Hermione sighed. She missed Harry. They had been dating since last year. He was away for a few months, taking some Auror classes to learn more about the occupation. Ron and she had not been getting along lately. He had a Ravenclaw girlfriend, one Hermione despised. She was so stuck on herself. Without Harry, and with she and Ron constantly arguing, Hermione was spending more time with Ginny.

Hermione and Ginny talked and spent time together, not to be mistaken, but she´s not one to share deep, dark secrets with. Ginny had a tendency to blab. Without thinking, things escape from her mouth. Hermione wanted someone to talk to. Talk about how hopeless she feels. Hopeless and lonely. Hopeless about her future and lonely without her Harry.

He had been gone only three days, and she was already miserable. She roamed the halls at night, trying to think of a book she hadn´t yet read, or extra credit she hadn´t yet done. She had too much spare time, what without any social contact.

Feeling unable to sleep, Hermione swung out of bed at half past two in the morning to go for a little walk. She was Head Girl, after all, so any questioning teachers could be convinced with a simple 'I thought I heard a noise...just went to check it out.'

Walking down a long corridor, she stopped to gaze out a window. It was so beautiful outside, she couldn´t break her gaze. There was fog hovering over the fresh, green grass. Hagrid´s hut somehow made the scenic view look more magical. Could be cause this is a magical castle, couldn´t it?

For several weeks, she hadn´t felt like herself. No matter what, she always had things done. No homework to do until the wee hours of the morning, no evil Voldemort to fight along side her two best friends, no Malfoy to poke fun at her being a Muggle-born.

Hermione broke her gaze from the window. Malfoy, where has that bloody git been lately? Haven´t seen him harassing any innocent first years. She almost laughed thinking about the fit she´d had her second year when he´d relentlessly called her a mudblood. Of course she´d cried then, but now it was almost funny. No, she didn´t let things get to her like that anymore. She was growing quite strong as a witch, her grades had gotten higher than ever, so had her clever wit. She wished Malfoy were here now, she could try it out on him...

As if answering her thoughts, she heard a deep, yet sharp voice break out behind her. "Sleepwalking, Granger?" he asked.

"Actually, couldn´t sleep. Decided I´d scout the halls for prats, and bloody hell, I think I found one!" she chimed.

"Blow me, Granger. You think, just because you´re Head Girl, you can turn me in for every bloody thing? It doesn´t work that way, woman," he answered, defensively. Good, if I keep going I´ll piss him off. This is too much fun.

"So, what exactly are you doing here, Malfoy? Meeting someone, perhaps? Or just thought you´d go for a stroll at half past two?" she wondered, although adding a hint of sarcasm in her voice while speaking.

"Meeting someone, and they can´t wait. You´re in our meeting spot, by the way. You´re gonna have to leave. Or, I´m gonna have to make you," he threatened.

"Ooh, you´re so scary. I´m shaking, see?" she mocked him. "I´m not going anywhere, Malfoy. If you´re going to be wandering around in the dead of the night, no reason I can´t."

"There is reason for you to let me and Ginny alone, though, while we´re at it. We deserve some privacy," he said and smirked at Hermione´s puzzled face.

As if to confirm her predictions, Ginny rounded the corner, humming to herself. She seemed much too happy when she spotted Draco. When he moved aside to reveal Hermione, however, she panicked.

"What are you two doing here?" she said and glanced from Draco to Hermione.

"Well, I´m meeting you here. But you knew that already, didn´t you Ginny?" he smirked at her. Ginny stood and looked horror-struck. So did Hermione.

"Ginny, tell me you´re not seeing Draco," she wondered.

Ginny shuffled her feet. "If you´re asking if I have before tonight, then no. But tonight...yes. He knows I have a little, well, crush on him. He asked me to meet him here. I just wanted him to know how I felt, Hermione, I didn´t want anything to actually happen," Ginny scrambled for the right words.

"Oh, God, Ginny. What do you see in this creep? He wasn´t going to sweep you off your feet tonight. He wasn´t going to try and win your heart. Ginny, he just wanted to take advantage of you while your vulnerable. Get in a good snog, maybe, then lose you. You´re better than that!" Hermione was furious, but careful as not to scold Ginny. It was her decision, after all.

"She´s right, you know," Draco boldly stated.

"Bloody hell, Malfoy, stay out of this! You are trying to take advantage of her! She tells you she has feelings for you so you find her vulnerable enough for a one night stand, am I right? Well Ginny´s smarter than that. And so am I. So forget any plans you had for tonight and go back to bed, or I will inform the Headmaster of your misbehaving. And don´t think for a minute that I wont," she threatened.

Draco raised his hands in the air, much like a surrender. "Fine, Granger, you win. I´ll leave the poor girl alone. I meant that literally, you know," he added, "but don´t you think that I´m letting you off easy. You ruined my fun filled evening, and I don´t go light on punishment when someone pisses me off," he threatened. There was something about his penetrating gray eyes that made shivers up and down her spine. She couldn´t quite tell if this was a good, or a bad thing.

"Malfoy, leave. Now, because you´re pushing it," she warned.

He scowled and swished his cloak and turned sharply around the corner, leaving the scene of the crime. Hermione turned to Ginny, not quite knowing what to do about the situation. There was a minute of silence, Hermione stood there with her arms crossed and looked concerned and Ginny stared at her feet and looked almost ashamed.

"Hermione, please don´t tell Ron or Harry, please," Ginny broke the silence.

"I wouldn´t do that, Gin. You know me better than that. Your secrets are always safe with me. But tell me, why?" she finally asked the question she was dying to know.

"Really, Hermione, I can´t tell you. There´s something about him, he´s mysterious. He´s dreamy in his own way," at this, Hermione shuddered, "and he can be caring. Hardly ever, but I´m sure there´s some love deep, deep in there."

"I hate to say this, but it´ll never work. Ginny, it´s Draco Malfoy. He´s been picking on me since my first year here. He hates you´re brother, he hates you´re family. You need to move on."

"I know, I really do. And there´s nothing to really move on from. It´s just a crush, right?" she questioned herself, unsure.

"Only you can answer that, but God I sure hope so," Hermione answered. She shivered just thinking about Malfoy and Ginny together. I don´t' think I could stand it. "Let me walk you back," Hermione suggested.

So Ginny and Hermione walked back to the common room. "I´m going to bed, are you coming?"

"Nah, I think I´m going to stay up awhile. Maybe read. I can´t sleep anymore lately. Sweet dreams," she said,

As soon as Ginny disappeared up the stairs, Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. She began to write.

After writing it, she tucked it inside an envelope and enclosed it inside her Arithmancy book, hoping she´d remember to send it tomorrow. With that, she headed off to bed, for what she thought would be a good night´s sleep, or, in this case, morning. Was she ever wrong.

Hermione shot up, sitting in bed. There were tears running down her face. It was only a dream. But the pain, it felt so real. Panicking, she reached for her covers. She had thrown them to the floor, probably acting out her dream. She glanced to her right. There was a small puddle of blood staining her sheets. Hermione immediately touched her mouth, feeling for any sign of stickiness. No blood.

Then, a fresh drop landed on the outstretched finger she was holding to her mouth. A nosebleed, I had a nosebleed. Jumping out of bed, she grabbed her wand, muttering Lumos to light the darkened stairway down to the even more darkened common room. She glanced at a clock. It was almost four o`clock. It hadn´t been that long, and she was once again not able to sleep.

Simultaneously, Draco was awakened suddenly by an all too familiar dream. Bloody hell, not the Cruciatus Curse dream again. There were some things no one knew about Draco Malfoy. Some things people couldn´t begin to comprehend. For ever since his father had not found him to be good enough, and not worthy of his love, Draco suffered everyday of his life inside the Malfoy Manor. Several times, in fact, Draco had unfortunately experienced the pain of the Cruciatus Curse, and other illegal ones, too. No one could ever begin to understand that kind of pain. With that, he tucked back underneath the covers, shivering, and forcing himself not to shed a tear.