AN: Hi there! This is kinda sorta my first Dramione story. I have a coupe more chapters written, but read it first and let me know what you think?

Cheers! ~Bambi

Hermione:

Hermione's mouth was just about to hit the floor, she couldn't do this... "But professor, isn't there ANY one else? Someone in his house perhaps? They'd get along better I'm sure!" cried Hermione. What with exams coming up in a couple months, she was never going to be able to study…..and tutor the ferret.

"Ms. Granger, I apologize, but Professor Flitwick insists that you be the one to tutor him. I've asked Madam Pince to give you a sufficient amount of space in the library so you aren't disturbed by the other students. You will begin this coming Monday. I suggest you gather your materials together and come up with a plan on how you are going to attack this task. I have great faith in you Ms. Granger. We must make sure to keep this school year as pleasant as possible. We mustn't let the students worry. I'm sure you won't disappoint me," said Professor McGonagall. "Now send in the next person, on your way out, my dear."

Hermione forced a smile at her former Transfiguration professor. McGonagall had taken over the position of Headmistress since the death of Severus Snape. Walking out the door, she wasn't all that surprised to find the cause of all her troubles.

"Okay there, Granger?" asked Malfoy who had his traditional smirk plastered across his face. "Weasley didn't have another accident did he?"

Hermione's face reddened. Two weeks previously, Hermione had caught Ron and Pansy Parkinson of all people going at in a broom cupboard. Within a day, the entire school knew of the lecture Hermione had given Ron and of course his misdeed. The two still weren't talking and it was beginning to take a toll on Harry who had found out via owl from a very angry Hermione. Draco needn't know that. "Ron and I aren't on speaking terms, not like you care. Anyways, you best be going in, McGonagall has loads to tell you," said Hermione with a smirk of her own. She left a confused looking Malfoy as she skipped to the Gryffindor Common Room, not all too happy about her predicament. But she would have to make the best of it, maybe learn something about the white faced ferret. "Pristine Fuego" she murmured to the Fat Lady who swung to let her in. Upon entering, she smiled as she saw Ginny waving at her and she went over to sit with her. Ron was currently glaring at her from his position across the room and most of Gryffindor house now hated the red head. Ginny refused to talk to him and Gred and Forge ignored the situation completely. Once the two girls started talking amicably, Hermione decided to let her best friend know. "I'm tutoring Malfoy," she said simply. "Not by choice obviously, but Flitwick wants him to get some help. I tried persuading him to find a Hufflepuff or some other Slytherin but apparently he had a specific request for me."

"Wait a second. Stop. You're tutoring Malfoy?" screeched Ginny. The chatter in the common room ceased. A couple people's heads turned, their mouths agape. Although interhouse unity was being promoted, Slytherins mingling with Gryffindors was still unheard of. Pansy and Ron had been the first but since he had cheated on Hermione, there wasn't much support from either house. Soon, the voices began rising and a couple people asked Hermione how she was going to survive. Malfoy had a reputation for trying to break into girl's knickers and this just wasn't going to sit well with the Gryffindors. They didn't want their Golden Girl torn and tattered. Everyone was a bit unsettled, but after Hermione explained that they would be closely looked over and that nothing could ever happen. The room eased into easy chatter once more until the peace was lost again, disturbed by one particular redhead. She hadn't heard from him at all recently and she had chosen to avoid him at whatever cost. He too, didn't speak but apparently this situation was way too worthy to pass up.

"I heard just now you're tutoring the Ferret. What did you have to do? Sleep with him?" asked Ron whose face was impassive. He had taken on this demeanor after he had first hooked up with Pug-faced Parkinson.

"Why should you care? It's an assignment given to me by McGonagall. Do you really think I'd enjoy this? Again, what is your business here? We aren't on speaking terms, remember," Hermione shot back grabbing her things to head along back to her dormitory. She shouldn't have to deal with this.

"You never denied not sleeping with him" mumbled Ronald under his breath but Hermione had superb hearing.

"How dare you? Do you honestly think I would have slept with him? The nerve you have AFTER breaking up with me for a Pug-Faced bitch. Don't you ever come near me again or I swear I will hex your bits off and feed them to Crookshanks."

Shaking and shoulders heaving she stomped up the stairs and threw her bag down on her bed. Was there any way to ever make amends with that child? She didn't know. But she did know that she was not a whore and she wasn't going to let Ronald Weasley get her down. She would walk with her head held high, tomorrow. If Malfoy noticed her down, he would do anything to break her in two. But for now, she would silently cry until the dawn. If she managed to pull this off she should be given an award.

Draco:

Tutoring! What is this madness? He didn't need it surely, least of all from a damned mudblood. He was going to kill that tufty haired wizard. It wasn't his fault that Charms was the worst subject in existence. It was the only one he wasn't neck in neck with Granger for top of the class. And now she had to tutor him? His mates were going to laugh at him for this. But that wasn't what he was most worried about. They could laugh for all he cared. It was her presence there and what it was going to do with him. She seemed so… normal at the start of this school year. As if nothing had ever happened. But that wasn't his fault. He made it that way. The problem however was, he couldn't easily forget her screams when she was writhing on the floor in his home, alone. What was worse is that the bloody war wasn't even over. The Boy Who Refused to Die was out there somewhere without his best friends, probably searching for some unknown object that still wasn't going to save them. He still had no idea what she had been doing there anyways:

Chilling. A sense of fear had been brought over him as he saw that bastard of a werewolf bring her in. Is that her? Without the other two? What was she doing? Did she know how dangerous it was to be walking outside right now? He felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice on him, despite the fact that the summer heat was in full swing. Watched as they brought the girl in, a triumphant look set upon her face. They were going to defile her in any way possible; she was never going to make it out of here alive and well. He had seen what they had done to captives. They had faces yes, but none he recognized. Sympathy must not be felt for the ones who taint our world with their blood.

"A mudblood! Potter's mudblood no less! Come to tell us something dear?" screeched Bellatrix. Come to join the Death Eaters have you? I'm sorry; we don't accept mudbloods who deserve to be on the floor scrubbing our feet. Now what do you have to tell us. There must be a reason you're here.

"We found her in the woods, Miss. She was bathing in a lake you see, but she wasn't alone. We found one of her Muggle friends in a tent, but we disposed of that one we did. Never saw it coming. Was quite a shock to the mudblood here when she went back."

"Camping were you? Are you not aware that the Dark Lord is on the rise? Silly mudblood. You wanted to get caught. Crucio!"

Draco watched as Hermione crumpled to the ground and her wand dropped to the floor. She was pressing her lips together in an effort not to scream.

"Did you think a bath would save you from the mud that taints your blood?" cackled Bella as she pressed on with the dreaded curse. "Spill something about the boy and maybe I'll let you walk out with your life." She released the curse to allow the girl to speak.

"Never," bit out Hermione whose tears were running down her face. Draco assumed that it was both from the pain her body had sustained, and the loss of her friend.

"Then we'll just have to kill you, wont we Draco?" His aunt handed him a knife. "Come now, let's shatter her. Carve it into her arm, my dear nephew. Show her how lowly she is. DO IT."

Draco came to terms with what his aunt wanted him to do. He had seen it done on other prisoners and had decided he'd rather Avada himself then have to perform it on another. Kill himself. He loved life too much. No matter how awful and sick it was. Gripping the knife in his hand, he grabbed Granger's arm and slowly carved a perfectly script M, followed by a U and so forth. Her eyes, gazed at him the entire time, they weren't entirely angry but they held a sense of pity. Toward herself, or to him, he didn't know but it made him uncomfortable. He watched as her blood seeped through the wound, it wasn't dirty, no. But a beautiful crimson red. When he finished, Malfoy had the urge to cleanse those wounds and put her on her way. But that wasn't possible. Not this time. Not ever.

"Such wonderful writing, Draco," cooed his aunt. "And with a knife no less. Maybe she'll bleed out. Should we guarantee she doesn't wake up? I'd let you do the honors; the Dark Lord would be proud, so proud. It would kill Potter."

"No. Not that. Hit her with the Cruciatus a couple more times then I'll take her outside and leave her with the garbage, where she belongs," said Malfoy indifferently although that was the last thing he planned on doing.

"Excellent idea, my dear child." Bellatrix raised her wand and with a loud bang, Hermione was writhing on the floor once more, this time, her screams were inhibited. They rang through the halls of the Manor and they pierced Draco's ears. There was no way he was going to be able to take any more of this. It would kill him and the little bit of soul he had left. After what seemed like hours, Draco said gruffly, "That's enough Bella. She's had enough. Give her some sort of restless peace. I can dump her outside now."

"As you wish, Draco," said Bellatrix who now was playing with her unruly mane of hair, as if bored. Picking up Granger as gingerly as he could, he walked slowly out of the Manor and out of sight. Conjuring a blanket he called his owl and wrote a quick note.

'Get her out of here as fast as you possibly can and feed her some story of why she has the mark on her arm. I've wiped her memories of tonight. I'll tell you what happened when I see you next.

~DM

"I better do this correctly or she'll be fucked up forever. This is for your own good. Obliviate," he whispered, wrapping her up in a blanket and partially healing her wounds. "They'll come for you. You'll be alright again.

Coming out of his reverie, he realized that spending seven days a week with Granger in a small vicinity was not going to help him. Neither was the memory. Most people would just tell him to sleep it off, but in his dreams, it was more vivid. The pain he felt, more excruciating. The rest of this year was going to kill him.