Okay, so I think I made a few mistakes when I wrote the prologue. Don't worry, I'm fixing them. And they aren't like spelling or grammer mistakes. They are plot mistakes. Don't worry. I'm fine.

Chapter One

Hermione Granger sat in the library, her nose in a book. Her life was peaceful. N.E.W.T.S were long over and she could relax now. Homework was getting harder to complete. Some days she got so tired of working on being the best student.

She was aware of someone seating themselves next at her table, but she didn't look up. Whoever was sitting there must be studying for a test or something.

"Granger." A voice hissed quietly. Hermione stiffened. Anyone who called her by her last name couldn't be someone she was well acquainted with. "Granger, I know you can hear me." The voice was familiar somehow, but it couldn't be who she thought it was.

"Please, Granger, just listen." The person was now pleading with her. Hermione couldn't resist any longer. She looked up into the tired, worried face of Draco Malfoy.

"What do you need, Malfoy?" She asked, keeping her tone uninterested.

"Help." The plea was quiet. Malfoy looked like he was about to faint for loss or pain of something.

"What kind of help? Medical?" Hermione studied him. He looked fine besides the dark lines under his eyes.

"Come with me." Malfoy stood, and walked out of the library, not bothering to see if she followed him. He seemed to know she would. Hermione gathered her things and hurried out of the room. After glancing around, she saw Malfoy disappearing down the corridor to her left.

She managed to keep her eye on him as she followed him. At last, he went into an empty classroom and she entered after looking to around to make sure no one was watching her. Malfoy was facing her when she entered. There was no sneer, no smirk, just plain desperation on his face. He held out his hand to her, palm up and open. She instinctively drew back into the door and stopped.

"Malfoy, what-?" He was pulling up his sleeve. Hermione gasped. The dark mark stood out against his pale skin.

"Get it off." He whispered listlessly. "Voldemort is gone. My name has been cleared and it is just on me, mocking me."

Hermione felt pity for her old enemy. Malfoy was tormented by this tattoo. The image must make him sick.

"Malfoy," she started. "I don't think it can come off. There are no books about it. Nothing."

"It has to!" He insisted. "He's dead! It doesn't work, it just sits there, slapping me in the face every time I see it."

Hermione cautiously took his outstretched hand into her own and led him over to a chair. She pulled another one for herself and sat next to him.

"Why me, Draco?" She spoke his name softly, gently.

"Because you're you. The smartest girl in the whole school. You can do it." Malfoy wasn't looking at her; his face was fixed on the dark mark.

Hermione knew his words had hit home. Why shouldn't she try to get rid of it? She could experiment, surely. Research would make it all the easier, even if there wasn't anything on dark marks.

She cover the mark with her other hand and Malfoy looked up at her.

"I can try."

Relief eased into Malfoy's face. His shoulders slumped from their stiff pose and a small smile graced his features. "Thank you."

So chapter one is done! Please review!