"Well, I wanted to make sure that Hermione was alright, since she left the Hall of a sudden, sir. Thought it would be nice to, erm.... sort of just help her out?"

Hermione stood there, silent, gaping at Draco, not moving. Draco gave her a smirk. "Again, Granger? Really, I must be too attractive for girls to be staring at me all the time," he joked. Hagrid then smiled at him. "Ye seem ter have changed. No more a Death Eater, eh? Took the good side, have ye?" he said. Draco smiled slightly at him and walked over to the man.

Hermione slid her wand out in case he tried anything. Was she ever shock when Draco dropped to his knees in front of Hagrid and bowed his head a little. She dropped her wand and sat down, watching, as Draco began his would-be "speech".

"Sir, I'm sorry for all the times I've made fun of you and your job. I'm sure your past was difficult and I'm sorry about your parents. I'm sorry I ever insult your hippogriff. I know how much you care for animals and your students as well. I knew you probably didn't care for me or any Slytherin students because we were so harsh toward you. I'm sorry for all the times I got you in trouble. You were just protecting the ones you care for and love. So, you won't forgive me probably, but, sir.... I just want to say that.... I'm sorry, very very sorry for everything I did and more."

Just as he finished talking, the door creaked open again slightly and another guy stepped in, closing the door after he walked in. "Blaise," Hermione breathed, looking over. Blaise nodded at her and walked over to where Hagrid stood, the man's jaw dropped open and staring down at the two of them. "No, no, Malfoy, Zabini," he finally said. Blaise and Draco both shook their head firmly. "I have to do this," Draco said, "Don't you understand?"

Hermione remembered the same words that had been spoken two years ago at the Astronomy Tower. He had said, "I have to do this. Don't you understand?" And now here it is, spoken again, in a pleading voice. Hermioen watched as Zabini, too, dropped gently to his knees in front of Hagrid. Never, in her seventeen-turning-eighteen years of life, had she ever expected the two Slytherin princes, especially Draco, to be doing this now.

"Sir, I'm sorry for all the things I've done in the past. I've threatened people you love and care for, and it was wrong of me. Very wrong of me. I should never have done so. I'm sorry we made fun of you. I'm sorry of all the hard times you've gone through. If I had a Time-Turner, I would go back in time and fixed all my mistakes. Again, I'm sorry for everything... and hope you could forgive me. If you can't.... I understand. But, I just have to say... I'm sorry."

They kept their eyes down. Hermione's lower lip began to tremble. She started crying freely and threw herself on the two boys, wrapping her arms tightly around them, the tears streaming down her cheeks. "You two!" she shrieked. Hagrid looked at them, his own crystal tears forming and starting to rain down from his eyes. In a gruff voice, he told them, "'Course I forgive you. Ye did those things fer a reason, but 'course I forgive ye. Just please don't do those things ever again."

Draco and Blaise nodded, tightly held in Hermione's strong arms. Small tears slid down Draco's tears silently as Blaise 's body started shaking, crying quietly. Never had Hagrid thought those two boys would've shed a tear, but here they are now, crying in 'Mione's arms, not even attempting to move. This has to be one of the saddest, and yet happiest times of his life, he though to himself. Draco beckoned Hagrid to join in the hug. With a slight chuckle, he walked over to them in a few steps and wrapped his arms around all of them, enfolding them in a mass of darkness.

They half stood, half crouched there, folded messily in each others' arms, crying silently, the badness gone, replaced with the happiness and goodness.