In Spite Of It All: Chapter 1
By: MarauderPrincess
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. J.K does.
WARNING: IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE SIXTH HARRY POTTER BOOK YET, DON'T READ THIS. SPOILERS
Hey! Aren't you surprised to see me again? Haha I'm attempting another story. Its not Lily/James! (audience gasps) Its Draco/Hermione. I know, I know. Some people don't like that pairing. So if you don't like it, then turn back now. I don't appreciate flames…they get deleted and I don't pay them any attention. This is probably one of the few stories I'll ever write that will actually be about Harry's time. Lol…the other ones are all about the Marauders. Isn't it funny how I like the Marauders more than Harry? (audience gasps again). Enough blabbing…tell me what you think, and if I should continue it.
Summary:
Hermione is Head Girl, Draco Head Boy. When Draco's parents get killed by Voldemort, he loses everything. The money, the house, the friends...the social status. All of his old friends redeem him as worthy-no-longer. There is only 1 person he still has contact with, one person that will even bother to look at him. Hermione, who's now living alone in an apartment in Godric's Hollow. What happens when he asks her to take him in, and she accepts?
Draco glared at the door. It wasn't making this situation any better. Here he was, on Hermione Granger's doorstep, ready to ask her if he could live with her. He smirked.
Wait a minute…I've hated her, and she's hated me. What's makes me think she's going to accept? And this is the Mudblood! Or she could think I have the wrong intentions and dump me somewhere, to let me rot the rest of my life away.
The smirk quickly fell off his face. His hands were clammy. Why was he scared? He was Draco Malfoy, and no girl had rejected him yet. His pale blond hair, that was no longer slicked back, his grey eyes, and muscular Quidditch body. What was there of him left to reject? But after what had happened in 6th Year, with Dumbledore, Draco wouldn't be surprised if she hated him. Well, didn't she know that it was Snape who had killed him?
Voldemort had eventually found out and killed Draco's family. If Gra---Hermione rejected him, this was going to be big on his dignity.
xxxxx
Hermione groaned. The doorbell was ringing urgently, again and again. She grabbed a big, fluffy white towel and wrapped herself with it. Whoever was at the door could handle to see her like this…what did they expect at this time in the morning? She dried her long hair, and it clung to her, and it dripped down her sides. Hermione stepped out of the shower.
She walked slowly to the door, rolling her eyes. She sighed deeply before opening it. What she saw surprised her so much, she almost lost her grip on her towel and almost dropped it.
Luckily, she didn't.
xxxxx
"I've been average my whole life. Before Hogwarts, anyway. Brown eyes, brown hair. Not too tall, not too short. Not fat, not skinny. It was at Hogwarts where I finally got to stand out. My smartness. But it wasn't a good thing, with some people. Like Malfoy. I was either Nerd, or Mudblood. Personally, I prefer the first one. I mean, whatever happened to good old 'Hermione'?"
xxxxx
Draco gaped at her. This was the Mudblood he had known for half his life! Wow…
He whistled.
Hermione scowled and slammed the door in his face, without asking him what he came for.
She ran back to her room, and quickly got dressed. Jeans and a t-shirt. She stuffed her hair into a baseball cap. It felt like it was going to be a rough day, and Hermione needed to dress for it. She sat down in front of her T.V.
Hermione was settling into the show, when she heard a knock at the door. Who was it now?
She heaved herself out of the chair, and walked over to her door. Her eyebrows shot up into her hairline…she was surprised. Why was he still here?
"Draco Malfoy?"
"Granger", he replied coolly.
"What do you want?"
He lowered his eyes. He didn't no how to tell it to her. Draco took a deep breath, and started talking.
"My dad died last month. Since then, I've lost everything. Both my parents are dead now, so the Ministry has taken control of our house. Voldemort killed my parents. After 6th year. He found out it was Snape…and not me, that killed Dumbledore. My friends have abandoned me…because to them its all about money."
Hermione resisted the urge to tell him he was the same type of money-loving jerk.
"And they've kicked me out of my home, taken all my money, my status is gone…"
"So? Why are you here?"
Draco sighed. "I'm no longer under the pressure of my father. Money is nothing to me anymore"
"Well yeah…you have none of it now. So why are you here?"
"Umm. Before I tell you…answer me one thing. Do you live here alone?"
Hermione mutely nodded, waiting for him to continue.
"Can I live here with you?"
Hermione's jaw hit the floor. Not really. But she was surprised. Her hand went up to slap him…the nerve!
Draco caught her hand in mid-air. "Please consider this. I remember you used to help the house elves…am I any different?"
"Yes, Malfoy you are different. You're Malfoy. I'm not about to forget everything you said to me last year. Its only been 6 months since we finished school. How did you manage to lose everything in your life? And after all you said and did to me, you expect me to let you live in my house!" She was astonished he had actually said 'please'.
"Hermione please listen." There was that word again. "I need a place to live. And I've lost contact with everyone else. I'm serious. No one wants me. That hurts. And since I knew that you were such a good person, I decided that maybe you would let me live with you. C'mon…you can trust me. I've changed. But I guess nobody wants me. Oh well. I'll just live in Knockturn Alley for a while, till I can get enough cash to afford a room somewhere."
"Oh wait! Draco…since you really need a home that bad…" Oh wait! God, who am I kidding? " Maybe you could stay here for a while…if you promised not to do anything."
Draco smirked. The good ol' Malfoy charm. He was an ex-Slytherin…he couldn't promise anything. But for now, all he needed was a home. And Granger could give him that…and a whole lot more. No! Don't think like that, Draco. You're changed. You're a better person now.
Hermione had a good heart. She couldn't turn anyone down, even if it was Malfoy, the one person she hated most. She sighed, and took off her cap. Her long brown hair fell down, past her shoulders. It was a rich brown, with a gold tint that only showed when there was sunshine. Her brown eyes had flecks of gold in them, matching her hair.
"Malfoy, this is a small apartment. There is only one room, and its mine. Stay out. You want a place to crash for a couple of weeks, you get the couch. Don't expect sympathy from me.", and with that, she stalked into her bedroom, shutting the door loudly behind her., her long brown hair flowing.
xxxxx
Draco looked around. It was small. Small kitchen that connected with her living room, one room, hallway, and a bathroom. A storage closet was beside the washroom. And that was it.
Well, he thought, Granger lives here alone. I guess that's why its so small. Of course, I'll move out as soon as I can. Way too small for a Malfoy. Wait a minute…I gotta stop thinking like that. My parents are both dead. I'm turning 18 next week. I'm living with a 17-year old version of Beavis. No. Hermione. I have to be nice to her. She's given me a home. But I'm a Malfoy. Its in my blood. Then again, I should prove to her that I'm not such a jerk. It was only before when she hung out with Potter and Weasley. Although I'm sure they'll be around sometime. Should I be nice to them too? They'll probably make Granger kick me out…
And that's how Draco fell asleep. His thoughts were wrestling in his mind, confusing him to sleep. (A/N: that sounds funny)
Hermione walked in. She was confused. It was 9 in the morning, and there was Draco, asleep on the couch. He didn't look so bad when he was asleep. Almost nice.
It was snowing outside, Draco was shivering. Hermione sighed. What had she gotten herself into? She quickly went to her room, got her special blanket with the Gryffindor colours on it. She laid it over Draco, and he stopped shivering, a smile on his face.
Hermione smiled too, in spite of herself. Except her smile was a mischievous smirk. Imagine the look on Draco's face, when he woke up draped in the Gryffindor colours. Hermione had to run to her room and bury her face in her pillow, just to stifle her giggles.
That's it guys! How'd you like it? Review please…pretty please? I really want to know how I'm doing, and if I don't get any reviews, I'm not continuing with my next chapter. Hmph. Well, tell me how it was!
-- Jessica. xxx. a.k.a MarauderPrincess