Chapter1- first encounter

"Hello is anyone there," her voice was shaking fiercely as she squinted into the dark hallway. She wasn't sure what she had heard, but something had made a noise, "Hello?"

"Oh shut up filthy MUDBLOOD!" his words cut through the silence of the night. "Why don't you take your disgusting waste of human flesh somewhere else?" he spat at her.

"Oh shut it Malfoy. I don't need to hear your crap tonight." She tried to continue on her way, but her enemy was standing right in her path. "Now excuse me, I need to get by you." She tried to get around his muscular body, but he stepped in her way. He was blocking the small entrance to the hallway. She shutter uncontrollably. There was something about his presence that made her shiver. She thought it was her total loath for him that made her shiver so much. Draco noticed that she had shivered.

"What's wrong Granger? Your scared of the dark, aren't you?" He smirked as she shuttered again. "Don't worry Granger, I'll walk you to your destination." He snickered. He was up to something and Hermione knew it. All she wanted to do was be on her way and get as far away from him as she could.

"Fuck off Malfoy! I just want to get by." She tried again to get around him. He only stepped in her way again. Hermione began to get worried and mad.

"Why are you in such a hurry Granger? I was only trying to help." He smiled evilly at her. The way he looked at her told her that he was not going to leave her alone no matter what she did.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screamed at him. He didn't seem to notice that she even spoke. He was in his own world contemplating what to do next.

"Well, if your not going to be nice I will just have to drag you." He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the dark hallway. "There. Now, where are you headed tonight?"

"Leave me alone." She tried to pull her arm away from his grip, but he only tightened his grip. As his grip tightened on her arm tears started to stream from her brown eyes. He held her arm tighter. "That hurts. Let go." She wined. She could feel the bruises already forming on her wrists.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." He said unconsciously. She was surprised. Malfoy was never nice especially to her. He let up his grip on her arm slightly.

"What did you just say to me?" She looked at him for some sort of answer. She didn't think he meant it. She looked at him for a moment. Then he came out of his trance.

"Huh? Oh, um I don't know. Why do you have to ask so many stupid questions Granger?" he looked at the floor, not knowing why he said sorry to her. He just let it slip out. Why would he say that? He knew why. His mother had always taught him to be respectful of women no matter what. Though he never found the need to follow her advice. He had always listened to his father. He had always told Draco not to treat a woman any different then the dirt under your feet and Draco had always done so.

"You said you were sorry. What's the deal Malfoy?" Hermione could see her words were stabbing into him. She could see that she was making him uncomfortable. She liked the feeling of having something on him.

"Shut up about that and tell me where we are going?" she could see that he was starting to get mad at her.

"Well, I am not sure where you are going Malfoy, but I know quite well where I am going. If you would let go of my arm I would be on my way." She said trying to keep the upper hand in the discussion. She tried to free her arm yet again from his grip. He only tightened his grip.

"NO one said you could go. I will take you where you are going." He was angry now and he squeezed her arm tighter and tighter until tears started to run down her cheeks again.

"Please stop. Please! You're hurting me. Please let go of my arm… It hurts." She cried and begged him. He turned to look at her not letting up his grip on her arm. His icy eyes had a warmth for her hidden far away. She couldn't help noticed that he had grown into a handsome young man in the past years. His blond hair fell loosely around his face framing it perfectly.

"Tell me where you are going and I will let go of your arm." He gave her a sinister smile. Then quickly he straightened his face and sternly looked at her.

"I am going to… the owlry and then… my common room." She whispered as she choked back her tears. Draco loosened his grip, but kept hold of her arm. He led her gently to the owlry. She followed silently behind him. She was too confused to talk.

Hermione's thoughts

Why is he doing this? Why did he want to take me to where I wanted to go? What is wrong with him? Why does he get so mad, but look so nice? Merlin what is wrong with me? I am going in to question mode. That is bad. But I don't understand him. He hates me. But yet he seems to be nice to me. Then again, he did try to rip my arm off. I don't know maybe he just doesn't know his own strength. He did apologize once. What am I thinking? He hates me and he meant to hurt me. Still, he did have a look of concern on his face. Yeah but maybe it was because I wasn't falling into his evil plans. Oh shut up me and ask him!

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she bravely asked him. He didn't stop walking he just briefly glanced back at her. She stopped so suddenly he almost lost his grip on her arm. "Hey I asked you a question. What is wrong with you?" she looked at him persistently. He sighed and was about to speak when Harry came around the corner.

"Hey! What is going on here?" he yelled a Draco, who at that moment let go of Hermione's arm. She rubbed her arm gently and looked back and forth from Draco and Harry as the fought with each other.

"Why is it any of your business Potter? This is between Granger and me. Not you! Besides it wasn't anything." Draco snarled at Harry.

"It is all my business. Hermione is my friend and I care about her. She doesn't need a dirty scumbag like you anywhere near her. So fuck off Malfoy!" While Harry was screaming at Draco, Hermione thought he was being a little mean. She didn't know how she could think nice thoughts about Draco, but she was. "Get lost Malfoy!"

"Alright, alright. I'm leaving. Relax Potty I'll leave your girlfriend alone." He walked away. He brushed his hand against Hermione's as he walked by her. The feel of his skin against hers made a shiver run down her spin. Draco saw her shiver out of the corner of his eye and as he walked off he smirked.