"I'll b-be o-kay," Draco said, sniffling. 
                              
"I don't think you should be alone," Blaise said, but they heard students starting to walk the halls. Any second and the Charms door would open.
                              
"I p-promise. I'll b-be okay," Draco said and looked up into Blaise's concerned eyes. 
                              
Blaise gently touched his cheek. "Don't lie to me... please... not about anything like that. If you are hurting... if you want to hurt yourself. Just talk to me. Please don't...."
                              
Draco nodded. "I will.... I m-mean I w-won't... d-do anything. I'll t-tell you if...."
                              
The door opened and Theo blocked the doorway, so Daphne could get through. The four of them walked to his Arithmancy class. Blaise handed him his bag and straightened his robes for him like he was his mother.
                              
"You're going to be alright," Blaise said, trying to be reassuring, but failing. He even sounded nervous.
                              
"Hey guys... Draco..." Hermione said, coming up, this time without her boyfriend. "I can walk Draco to the Great Hall after class."
                              
"That okay, Dray-co?" Blaise asked, adding the last syllable of his name on in front of Granger.
                              
Draco nodded. He wouldn't look at any of them. He didn't even say goodbye as he drifted into class and sat down. Granger took the seat next to him. He buried his thoughts into the comforting certainty of hard, solid numbers. He didn't participate at all. When Professor Vector called on him, he kept his mouth closed even though he knew the answer. Apparently, the intense look of fear on his face was enough to make her grudgingly call on someone else.
                              
But, at the end of class, the professor assigned the homework based out of chapter four. It was a chapter he did not have in his tenth-hand book. He grimaced when he realized that would have to ask Hermione. He shut down, not ready to make that step. Hermione had to prompt him twice that class had ended, before he started moving. 
                              
"All set then?" she said, nicely, like a good Gryffindor, who was dirtying herself by walking him to the cafeteria. 
                              
He nodded and got up. He kept his head down and let Granger deal with any threats. She was talking to him, but he didn't answer. Draco shook when he decided to speak to her. 
                              
"H-H-Her..." he stammered, his nerves taunt. She stopped to listen to him. "Her... G-Granger?"
                              
"Yes?" she said, now looking very concerned by his inability to speak.
                              
"I-I w-was won-wondering... if I c-c-could b-borrow..." he stopped, realizing how badly he speaking. He flushed embarrassed by that and his request.
                              
"Draco? What's wrong?" she asked, more worried.
                              
He swallowed and tried again. "My b-book... it d-doesn't h-have... c-chapter four... c-could I...."
                              
"Borrow mine? Is that what you're getting at?" she said, almost relieved and put her hand on his arm. He didn't pull away.
                              
"Y-Yes... y-you d-don't h-have to... I...."
                              
"No, you can borrow it anytime, Draco! Here, take it, I already read that chapter. Take it for the weekend!" she said, pulling it out of her bag and handing it to him without hesitation.
                              
Draco could barely grip it and looked up at her. "T-Thank you. I r-really appreciate it."
                              
It's not a problem. You can borrow it whenever you need to," Hermione said, easily.
                              
Draco's eyes watered. "I'm sorry... for c-calling you... a m-mud...."
                              
"Don't... Draco. I accept your apology. I know why... I heard you at the trial. Your father..." Draco winced. "...he hurt you because of me."