Hey everyone! Please enjoy the story!

Something's up with Malfoy. He has changed ever since she saved him from the Black Lake. His skin is super pale, he seems to always be dripping wet, his diet is now…questionable, and people are suddenly disappearing. What's worse, all his attention has now shifted to a certain brown-haired muggle-born girl.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter One: Scales, Water, and Carrot Cake

"Psst, Hermione, he is staring at you again."

Hermione stiffened and looked at her red-haired friend. "Are you certain, Ginny?"

Hermione saw Ginny shift her eyes over her shoulder and back to her giving a nod in affirmative. Hermione licked her lips trying to calm her breathing down. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply trying to clear her frustration. This has been happening way too frequently lately and Hermione has just about had it with his peculiar behavior. Hermione stood up as she began packing her things in haste.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to the common room," Hermione responded rather quickly. "Anything to get me out of this room."

"But what about dinner," Ginny inquired.

"I'm not hungry." Just as this was said, food started to appear onto the empty plates of the long wooden dining table. As an afterthought, she took a napkin and packed a blueberry muffin as well as some berries.

Ginny raised a brow at her. "Hermione, that isn't enough to eat. Go ahead back to the common room and I'll bring some stuff later."

Hermione smiled at her friend in gratefulness. "Thanks Ginny."

Ginny waved her off. "Oh, don't forget the boys will be back late. They got detention with Professor Snape again."

Hermione prevented herself from rolling her eyes. Those boys will just never learn. "Will you be okay walking back by yourself?"

Hermione smiled again at her friend's concern. "Don't worry; I've got my wand with me." The brown-haired girl walked her way out of the dining room and shivered. She could feel his eyes staring into her back as she left. She was thankful when she rounded the stairs and into the hallway so that she was out of his penetrating gaze.

She gave a long sigh and stared at the stone floor as she walked with her arms around her stuff. This has been happening for the past month now, this odd behavior that has been coming from him. Ever since she…saved him from the Black Lake just outside of Hogwarts, he has been acting…odd. His skin is super pale now, almost sickly. He barely eats anymore and when he does the food is always meat, and rare, very rare. Even his body went through some changes. He had gained some muscles in his arms and legs. He seemed lean back then but now there was no mistaking how fit he was. Did he grow a few inches as well? However, what has her most unsettled is the way he has been staring her down ever sense then. Whenever she turns around he is there. What in Merlin has gotten into him?

She tried to think back if she had insulted him or offended him in some way but nothing came to mind. Malfoy, before she helped him, he had been cordial. Not only was he semi pleasant with her but with Harry and Ron as well. He seemed to hold less resentment towards them and even asked on occasion how they were doing. None the less it was still awkward without the usual insults here and there.

Hermione shook her head trying to rid herself of these thoughts. She was working on a potions project. She was collecting some ingredients right outside of the castle when she saw him. He was lying face down in the water and she didn't even think about what to do next. She ran toward him shouting his name. She called his name from the edge of the water and wasn't given a response. She immediately, on impulse, jumped into the cold dark depths of the water. She retrieved him and with all her energy swam them both back to shore. Hagrid heard all the commotion and ran down for assistance and Malfoy was taken to the infirmary. He was out for a week until he finally woke up.

'But,' she thought 'he isn't the same now.'

She was just about at the portrait for Gryffindor but stopped at the scene in front of her. She bit her lip in frustration at what or who she saw standing in front of her path.

Malfoy was there blocking her way. 'But how did he get here before her. Was she really that distracted she didn't hear or see him pass her?'

"Malfoy?" she questioned him. She was surprised that her voice was so steady considering it was just them upon the staircase. Hermione wasn't going to lie to herself. She was nervous around him and here they were just the two of them. At the sound of her voice his eyes moved over her form which made Hermione extremely uncomfortable as she held her things tighter to her body.

"Malfoy." She tried to get his attention once more. "Is everything alright?"

Another minute must have passed when he finally spoke. "Why did you leave?"

Hermione almost jumped. Did she happen to mention that Malfoy rarely talked anymore?

"Excuse me?"

"I didn't give you permission to leave my sight." He sounded annoyed.

Hermione quirked a brow at his statement. Who does he think he is? Since when did she need someone's permission to leave the dining room, least of all his?

She made way to push past him but he placed his arm in front of her blocking her way. "Malfoy, please move." She didn't sound as angry she wanted. If anything she sounded tired and she was.

She looked down at his arm, her eyes widening at the sight. He wasn't wearing his traditional robes. He was wearing a nice black button up shirt with the selves rolled up to his forearms and nice black slacks. Hermione continued to stare upon his arm. Were those scales? There were barely there but she was positive there were scales etched into his skin similar to those of a snake. She then ran her eyes down until she reached his shoes. Hermione noticed that a puddle of water was around him from the ends of his slacks dripping onto the ground.

She then looked at his face and gasped at how close he got. He was inches from her and his steel gray eyes were boring into hers. "Malfoy," she whispered. "Are you ill? Do you need to go to the infirmary? Maybe see Madam Pomfrey?"

Malfoy ignored her and leaned closer. "Why did you leave without eating dinner?"

"I wasn't hungry." She didn't know why she answered him but continued to do so. "Look, Malfoy, I'm really tired so if you don't mind I'm going to my room. If you will excuse me." She tried once more to push past him but he blocked her way.

"Malfoy, move," she said angrily.

Malfoy gripped her chin tightly before she could blink and brought her face closer. For some reason Hermione couldn't move. She was staring to his eyes and it was like she was frozen or paralyzed. Hermione tried with all her might to move but her body wouldn't listen to her. What's happening? Hermione was trapped as she saw him come closer and run his nose from her shoulder to her neck all the while inhaling her scent.

He then brought his lips to her forehead between her brows and what he did next made her tremble in disgust. He placed his tongue where his lips were and ran the organ up her forehead to her hairline. He then repeated the process one more time before he placed his forehead on hers.

"Malfoy," she whispered, "What are you doing?" She didn't realize that she held her breath through that.

He then pulled back still gripping her chin as he licked his lips tasting her. His lips were pulled into an angry frown as his eyes bore into hers. "You're getting sick," he said this rather nastily, his mouth pulling back in revulsion. "I will retrieve something that will relieve you of the sickness."

Hermione was about to say something when she heard her name being called. It was Ginny and she looked rather surprised to see her.

"I thought you were going to the common room."

"I…I was. But Malfoy refuses to move." She stopped her explanation at the look on her friend's face. She looked at her like she had gone mental.

"Um Hermione, are you sure you didn't hit your head on your way back."

Confused, Hermione turned back to Malfoy only to find that he was gone. But how? He was just there. And you can't apparate inside of Hogwarts. Was this all, an illusion. No, she felt…everything. She felt his grip, his, she shivered at the thought once more as his tongue ran over her skin. Hermione groaned as she felt a headache coming.

Ginny put her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Come on Hermione." She brought a brown paper bag towards her. "I saved some carrot cake for you. Let's eat some together and put you to bed," she giggled. "You must really need some sleep if you're hallucinating about Malfoy." She laughed at this as she recited the password and walked through the hole in the wall.

Hermione was still in shock. This didn't make sense and Hermione was all about things making sense. As Hermione went to follow her friend she heard a splash. She glanced down and lifted her foot as she did a double take. Her eyes widened. There was a puddle of water on the floor right where Malfoy had been standing. She felt herself panicking as she ran into the safety of the Gryffindor common room and slamming the portrait closed.

Hope you readers enjoyed. Please read and review! I would really appreciate some feedback so I know whether to continue the story or just give up on the idea. And please helpful criticism is gratefully appreciated.

I'veGoneMad.