Hermione Granger froze on her way to Charms, just outside a bathroom. She glanced around the corridor, checking nobody was around, and tiptoed towards the door quietly. Someone was crying! A boy, by the sound of it. Perhaps it was a young First year, therefore it was her duty as a Prefect to see if she could help. But…this was obviously a boys bathroom. She gritted her teeth. The boy was obviously distressed, so she mumbled incoherently to herself and silently pushed the door open, slipping in the room and letting the door shut behind her. Looking around, she couldn't help but notice this wasn't a boys bathroom, but, judging by the sizeable puddles on the floor, Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

Hermione glanced towards the source of the noise and had to muffle a gasp.

Draco Malfoy was standing with his back to the door, his hands clutching either side of the sink, his white-blond head bowed.

Hermione quickly, and quietly, concealed herself behind a cubicle and listened closely.

Moaning Myrtle's voice crooned out from a nearby cubicle "Don't. Don't…. tell me what's wrong…. I can help you…"

'No one can help me," said Malfoy. Hermione chanced a peek from behind the cubicle, and was surprised to see his whole body was shaking with tears. "I can't do it…I can't…it won't work….and unless I do it soon….he says he'll kill me…"

Hermione stepped forward slowly, the sight of Malfoy breaking down had shocked her. It was odd to thing of him as a human, one that was capable of emotion.

Moaning Myrtle seemed to realise she was doing no good, and rose into the air above her cubicle before diving head first into the toilet. Hermione could hear the gurgling for a few moments before all was silent except for Malfoy.

Hermione tilted her head slightly, her chocolate brown eyes softening at the sight of him. It was unbelievable she could feel pity for him, after all he'd done, after all he said he would do.

Malfoy gasped and gulped and then, with a great shudder, looked up into the cracked mirror and saw Hermione staring at him over his shoulder.

"Granger?!" he exclaimed, wheeling around to face her, whipping his wand out angrily.

She gasped, surprised, and her hand instantly reached for her wand in her pocket, pulling it out and pointing it at Malfoy, while backing quickly towards the door. Malfoy realised what she was doing, and advanced quickly, disarming her and catching her wand before she knew what happened.

Meanwhile, Hermione had reached the door and was desperately trying to find the doorknob behind her while keeping her eyes on Malfoy, who looked positively murderous.

He glared at her, and hissed "Colloportus!" effectively locking the door. She whimpered and backed herself completely against the door, ready to defend herself physically if necessary.

Malfoy got close enough to forcefully grab her wrists, and hold them at her sides, keeping her from slipping away. His and Hermione's wands were both still in his right hand, causing harmless red sparks to shower onto the floor and into a puddle.

"How much did you hear?!" he demanded, his voice shaking with fear.

Hermione winced, purposely slipping down the door, her knees landing painfully in the puddle. Malfoy was forced into a bowing position, holding her arms above her head. "Malfoy, I swear if you don't let go-" she threatened, sounding much braver than she felt.

"Granger, how much did you hear!?" he repeated loudly, shaking her wrists for good measure. The wands in his grasp let out more angry red sparks.

"Alright, alright!" she yelled back, quite scared now. This Malfoy was different.

Sure, the usual Malfoy was an ass, but this Malfoy..

He seemed out of control, and all he cared about was if she had heard something..

"You were talking to Myrtle…you said nobody could help you, and someone was going to kill you if you didn't do something soon." she told him, intent on calming him down.

Hermione looked up at him from her painful position, he looked positively terrified, his face was drawn and pale, contrasting horribly with his blond hair. His grey eyes were wide and fearful, but with not-so-subtle hints of anger.

She then felt the grasp on her wrists relax, and he let her go.

Hermione sighed in relief, maybe she could get out of this soon.. Get to Harry, or Dumbledore.

But as she looked up again, rubbing her wrist, she was shocked to see Malfoy had dropped to his knees in front of her, a look of surprise on his face as he stared at something over her shoulder.

Hesitantly, Hermione pushed herself to her feet, watching him the whole time. He didn't move.

Water had soaked through her tights, skirt, and book bag. Great..

"Don't tell anybody about this." he said quite suddenly.

She gave him a sour look, but he didn't see. So, she made a non-committal noise, and tried to wring most of the moisture out of her skirt.

"Malfoy… you know, you don't have to do this…" she whispered, watching him fearfully.

"Shut up," he said instantly, "You don't know anything, all right Granger?"

"Fine," she hissed in return. "Fine. Unlock the door, and we'll just pretend this didn't happen, shall we?"

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Harry tilted his head as he listened to Professor Flitwick, not really taking in what was being taught. Him and Ron were both slightly worried. Hermione hadn't shown up for Charms, and class was almost over. Right, he thought to himself, when Charms is over, he was going up to Gryffindor tower to look for her, it didn't matter if he was late for Transfiguration. This was one of his best friends they were talking about. A few years ago, this wouldn't have worried him. She could have fallen asleep, like in there 3rd year. But now.. Now there were Death Eaters everywhere, even in the school… and his thoughts strayed to Malfoy, who was also absent from Charms. Probably in the room again, doing whatever it was he's doing..

Just as Harry's thoughts wandered to what Draco Malfoy could possibly be up to, the door opened quietly, hidden by the noise of screeching owls and lizards they were meant to be charming.

Harry was forced out of his reverie by a tap on the shoulder. It was Hermione!

And she was.. Soaking wet…

"Hermione, where were you? Class is almost over! And why are you wet?" he asked, glancing down at her sodden uniform. Luckily they were in the back of the class, nobody had noticed her slip in.

Hermione was about to reply, when the door behind them opened a second time, and Draco Malfoy skulked in, looking sullen, and sat beside Pansy Parkinson without a glance at Harry.

Hermione swallowed loudly, and shook her head. "Talk later. Can I borrow your wand? Mine's….gone."

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Editors note:

Okay, this is the first fic I've written in three years, so this is just practice. ^^ Please, feel welcome to give me contructive critisism, but don't shred my story to bits. I write based on what I would like to read, so I hope you enjoy yourself too! ^^

In this fic, Draco is going a bit funny with fear of Voldemort, and who better to comfort him than our favourite bushy haired witch? :D

Harry Potter and all other characters belong to JK Rowling, I just put them in compromising positions ;)

If anybody at all is interested in this fic I will upload the next chapter. :)