REMEMBER I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS (APART FROM A FEW) OR THIS WORLD JK ROWLING DOES.

They made their way to the heads compartment in complete silence. They went in, Hermione put her stuff down, got her book out and went over to one of the couches and lay down. 'What are you doing?' Draco asked, he didn't call her a mudblood or anything, he really had changed. 'What?' she asked sitting up. 'I said, what are you doing?' Draco said as he put his things down and sat down on the other couch. 'I'm reading then I'm going to try to get some sleep. Is there a problem with that?' she asked him. 'Yes we need to discuss what McGonagall told us then we have to go talk to the prefects.' He told her. She looked at him confused. 'What, why are you looking at me like that?' he asked her. 'Sorry, you just haven't called me a mudblood once, you seem different.' she said honestly. 'That's because I have changed, Granger. I don't like who I used to be. I was an arrogant child who used his wealth to bring others down and get what he wanted. I know now that it was wrong and I don't want to be that person anymore. During the war I was forced to do things I didn't want to do by my father and the dark lord. I knew I was on the wrong side, I never wanted to be a death eater and I'm trying to put this all behind me, I really am. But people don't forgive very easily and I can't say that I blame them. My father was on of his most faithful servants so why would people want to trust me? Just as well my father is in Azkaban where he can rot until his trial, its more than he deserves.' Draco finished his rant with a small sigh. 'I'm sorry Malfoy. Why are you telling me all of this anyway?' Hermione asked she couldn't understand why he would open up to her about all of this. 'I don't really know, but it felt good to get it all off of my chest. I just want a second chance is that too much to ask for?' he said. 'No it's not too much Malfoy. You can have your second chance from me.' Hermione said. 'Really? you would give me a chance even after everything I put you through?' he asked. 'Yes Malfoy even after everything you put me through. Everyone deserves a second chance. So I'm giving you yours just don't blow it.' Hermione told him. 'I won't. Thanks Granger.' he said. 'No problem, Malfoy. So what was it we were to discuss. I wasn't really listening to McGonagall?' she asked trying to get off the subject. 'You mean you, Hermione Granger, wasn't listening to a teacher when they were giving you instructions?' he said jokingly. 'Yes, I was distracted.' she said. 'May I ask what by?' he said with a hint of a smile. 'You.' Hermione said blushing. He laughed a little then said 'what about me was it that you were thinking about?' he said smirking. 'The fact that you looked different. Now can you please just tell me what McGonagall said?' she insisted. 'No we need to go to the prefects compartment and tell them.' he said standing up and walking to the door. 'What? But I don't know what to tell them.' she said following him to the door. 'Then I'll do the talking and you can stand beside me and smile and nod, okay?' he said leading er to the prefects compartment. 'Okay, thanks Malfoy.'

The rest of the journey was quite uneventful. When the arrived at the castle, Draco and Hermione had to wait until they were sure that everyone was off of the train and that they had everything before they got into their carriage to go up to the school. Hermione could see the thestrals now, they wee really creepy horse like things, she was pretty sure that everyone in hr year could see them now. Thy made their way up to the castle talking about nothing in particular. Once they got to the entrance of the great hall the separated Draco headed towards the Slytherin  table whereas Hermione went to the Gryffindor table. She sat down next to Ginny. 'So who's head boy then?' Ginny asked her as soon as she sat down. 'Malfoy.' she said she knew what was about to come. 'Malfoy?' Ginny, Harry and Ron said in unison. 'Tell me your kidding, he's a death eater.' Ron blurted out. 'No Ronald I am not kidding, and he's an ex-death eater, not that he wanted to be in the first place.' she said. 'Why the bloody hell are you sticking up for that ferret?' Ron said angrily. 'Because he didn't want any of what happened to happen, like a lot of people in the war he did what he did out of fear.' she said casually. Ron opened his mouth to talk but the sorting ceremony had just finished and McGonagall was doing her speech. Ron got over the Malfoy thing when the food appeared. But Harry didn't. 'I don't think you should stay in the head prefects common room, ask McGonagall if you can stay in Gryffindor tower with us?' Harry said. 'I can't Harry, I promised McGonagall that we would act civil and me living in a different common room is breaking that promise. ' she said for the third time. 'It's really not gonna be the same in the common room without you there.' Ginny said looking down sadly. 'I can still come into the common room I just won't be living in the dorms anymore.' Hermione told her. She seemed happy about that but Hermione knew she was not.

After dinner Hermione made her way to the staff table at the front of the hall to meet McGonagall so that they could go to their common room. All Hermione wanted right now was to sit down by the fire reading her muggle book 'Romeo and Juliet', a tragic love story. She had already read it but she loved it. McGonagall lead them up the stairs to the seventh floor corridor where there was a new portrait. It was Snape. 'The password is Doxie' Hermione said the password and Snapes portrait opened to reveal a huge room with 3 doors leading out of it.'I'll leave you to it then.' and with that McGonagall left.