A/N: I honestly don't think any of my fanfics have gotten so many reviews in one chapter! I'm very flattered. Thank you, you guys! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.

I won't keep you waiting any longer. Enjoy!

Chapter Two: Thy Enemy, Thy Friend

. . .

During History of Magic class, Hermione only half paid attention to Professor Binns as he started lecturing about the giant wars that occurred during the seventeenth century. For most of the class, she was focused on Draco and her feeling of being torn apart. A part of her knew that he was trying to be nice to her and he genuinely wanted to try and be friends. This part of her knew that she might actually enjoy spending time with him, but the other part of her knew better and was tired of being Ron's punching bag.

She sighed to herself, feeling frustrated she couldn't concentrate on the lesson, knowing it was going to eventually be on an exam, when she saw a small piece of parchment in the shape of a bird fly onto her lap. Hermione glanced up and realized that Professor Binns hadn't seen this act and quickly unfolded it under the desk.

Please come to Hogsmeade?

Hermione bit her lip, staring at the writing she recognized as Draco's without even having to look over. She placed the parchment on her leg and, making sure she wasn't going to get caught, starting writing:

I wish I could. I don't know Ron's schedule though. He might have a break and if he's in Hogsmeade when we go…

She paused. Draco knew what she was going through with Ron. He could deduce things from there. She decided to leave her sentence there and waved her wand before she turned it into the shape of a turtle and set it on the ground, watching as it slowly started to walk towards Draco's desk.

Hermione saw him pick it up and read it and then looked disappointed. She looked down at her own parchment, not expecting him to answer back, and at this point, didn't really care; she had more important things to worry about. When the bell rang, she started to pack up and then saw Draco walking towards her. She didn't look up as she packed up her bottle of ink.

"If you're worried about him, I'll protect you. You don't belong to anyone. You're your own person. You're not anyone's property."

Hermione smiled weakly and shook her head. "No, you're wrong. I'm his… I'm his property," she said softly. "I… belong to him. I'm sorry, Draco. I can't go to Hogsmeade with you."

Draco tongued his cheek half angrily now and just nodded. "Fine, but don't forget that you're stronger than this."

Hermione was about to deny this but when she looked up, Draco had already vanished from the classroom. She ran her hand through her hair and then started to walk towards the library, deciding to skip lunch. When she arrived in there, she let out a breath of relief. Ron wouldn't be able to find her through the thousands upon thousands of bookshelves here. This was the only place she would be safe.

She worked on homework for at least three hours before she looked at the clock and saw it was four in the afternoon. Hermione knew that Ron would be upset if he couldn't find her so she packed up her books and parchment and started out, a sense of dread overwhelming her. She walked towards the common room and saw Ron sitting beside Harry on the comfy sofa near the fireplace.

"Here she comes," she heard Harry speak.

Ron looked over and zoned in on her suspiciously. "I thought you had Arithmancy until six?"

"It doesn't start for half an hour," Hermione lied. She searched his suddenly cold eyes and then felt a sickening feeling in her stomach as Ron placed his hands on her hips and started to kiss her neck.

"Well that gives us at least twenty minutes…" Ron trailed off suggestively. "Come on, let's go to my dormitory. We could have a little fun before your class."

Hermione felt sicker as he kissed her skin, pretending to suddenly be gentle with her. "I don't want to. I'm really tired," she complained truthfully. She went to move away from her and then felt a hard tug on her arm and then warm breath on her neck as he leaned in closer.

"I don't care how you're feeling. I want you right now. You won't even have to do anything. You can just lie on your back and I'll do all the work. Let's go, now." Ron ordered darkly, tugging her towards the boys' dormitory.

Hermione didn't try to stop him until they were upstairs by his bed. She found herself suddenly feeling partly grateful that no one else was up there to see this. She looked at him coldly, honestly just wanting to go to sleep.

"You're a pig! You're such a coward…"

SLAP!

Pain seared her face now and she could feel her face grow hot from it. Before she knew what was happening, she felt her hair be grabbed again and then felt him throw her against the front of the bed, her head hitting his trunk hard and a wave of dizziness swept over her.

"No… s-stop…" she murmured pleadingly, her vision blurring for a few moments.

"You want me to stop? Not when you call me names, you ungrateful bitch. You're the pig, Hermione! Look at you! You think that I can't do better than you? I'm sure I could find someone prettier and skinnier than you!"

Ron slapped her again and this time, it was harder. Hermione could taste blood as he added insult to injury. She knew that she wasn't a heavy girl, but she knew, of course that she could due to lose a couple pounds and then knew that Ron was playing mind games with her. Hermione felt angry and hurt and confused all at once as he continued to grab and throw her around.

"Then why don't you? Why don't you find someone else?" Hermione screamed at him.

"Because then I couldn't do these things to you anymore. Don't you see, Hermione? Don't you see how special you are to me?"

Hermione sniffed and looked up at him as if he was absolutely insane, and she was well aware that he was. The room was spinning, perhaps from her head being hit one too many times, and she tried to regain focus in her spout of dizziness.

"Stop hurting me!" Hermione cried, still screaming at him. "Please! Please just break up with me already, you fucking bastard!"

Ron suddenly knelt down and pressed a hand against her mouth roughly before he took his other hand and grabbed her throat, pinning her against the wall with his strength. "Are you going to stop fucking screaming now? We don't want the whole damned school in here..."

As he did this she was finding it harder and harder to breathe. She struggled against him, tears running down her face now. She nodded weakly and when he did let her go, she began coughing as she attempted to regain her breath again.

"Good. And it'd make you too happy if I broke up with you, so I don't want to do that. And I know that you wouldn't break up with me because… then I'd have to kill ya!"

Hermione felt herself become cold with fear when he started laughing but when she looked up into his face, she knew he was serious, and that scared her the most. She whimpered in pain as she tried to stand up, gripping the bedpost in her attempt.

"You should get to your class now, Hermione. I'll see you later." Ron winked at her before he walked out of the dormitory and only then Hermione let out the breath she was holding.

She realized she was trembling now and her mind raced. She couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't keep this secret now that Ron had admitted that he would kill her if she tried to break up with him. This was something that was bigger than herself and she couldn't deal with this alone. She glimpsed at the schedule he had, she supposed, thrown on the bed and saw that he had classes until seven, so she wouldn't have to see him at dinner. Hermione started crying softly as she headed out of the common room, her mind spinning and racing as she thought about where she could go, where she would be safe, and who she could talk to. She took small steps as she walked about the castle, her heart racing with fear and feeling more alone than ever, until she saw a familiar face.

Hermione saw Draco starting up the stairs to a classroom but he had seen her, and then came back down before he ran over to her and his eyes became worried.

"Oh my god… D-Did he do this?"

Hermione nodded silently and then looked down, which she realized was an instant mistake. She heard him gasp and then gently took her face in his hands to look at the side of her head that had hit Ron's trunk and started bleeding.

"Come on, we're going to go up to the hospital wing…"

Terror rose in her now and she shook her head. "N-No, no… please…we c-can't tell her… we can't tell Madam Pomfrey about this…"

"She's going to ask, Hermione. It'll be okay. I'll be with you, and we're going to put a stop to this. He can't keep doing this to you, he just can't. You're going to end up dead. Please, stop being stubborn, and let me take you upstairs to get healed."

Hermione swallowed hard and looked around, feeling paranoid as if Ron was watching them. She started walking with Draco now but didn't stop trembling. She took a deep breath to help calm her down so she didn't appear so helpless in front of him. It was a silent walk up to the hospital wing and as they entered, Madam Pomfrey rushed over to them, guiding Hermione to a bed and helped her sit.

"My dears, what on earth happened?"

Draco looked at Hermione who looked at him, and then down at her lap, the fear never going away inside her. "She's not quite ready to say yet, but… I believe it has something to do with Ron Weasley."

The Hogswarts nurse looked alarmed now as she started to magically stitch up the side of Hermione head where she was still bleeding from. "And what makes you believe that, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I've seen him acting… aggressively towards her in the corridors. I have a feeling he might even be the one abusing her like this."

Hermione was grateful that Draco was here and talking to the nurse because she honestly didn't think she could find her voice right now. She winced slightly as Madam Pomfrey finished healing her head and then started on her lip that was also bleeding.

"Is that so? I believe I might have to pass this information on to Professor McGonagall so she can do what's appropriate as Head of House. Violence between students is not tolerated at this school," she said matter-of-factly.

Draco nodded in understanding and then looked at Hermione who was still looking fearful. He sat down beside her and then grabbed her hand in his, an act which surprised Hermione greatly. It was a simple gesture, but she had started to instantly feel safer and gave his hand a grateful squeeze.

"I don't want you to go back to him," Draco whispered after Madam Pomfrey had left Hermione side to go into her office. "I think it'd be better if you stayed with me in my dormitory. As a Prefect, I have my own so… you wouldn't have to deal with anyone giving you trouble. I'll always be around."

Hermione searched his silver eyes and then looked hesitant. "Shouldn't I sit with my House though? I mean, no one sits with other Houses. Is it even… allowed?" She asked timidly.

"I'll talk to Professor McGonagall and I'm sure she might make an exception in this situation. Don't worry, Hermione. I'm going to take care of you."

Hermione felt appreciative but she was also afraid that he had the wrong idea about them, and this was something she head to clear up right now before it was too late. "Umm… I-I… we… a-aren't going out or anything, right? I-I mean, I l-like you but… as a friend."

Draco nodded again in understanding and he began to casually stroke her back gently in a comforting way. "I know. I'm not going to… try anything I shouldn't. I know we're just friends, but… friends look out for each other and I don't want you to get hurt anymore. You deserve to be happy."

Hermione smiled sadly at him but nodded. "Thanks, Draco… for doing this. For helping me even though… we haven't gotten along in the past. I-I didn't know who to turn to. I-I'm… really scared."

He wrapped his arm around her and even though he had unknowingly rested it on a few of her bruises that she had gotten from Ron, Hermione didn't mind so much because she knew that this was the person who was going to help her, even if it was the most unlikely person to help her. It was still someone, and someone was better than no one.

I apologize this wasn't as long as the previous chapter but if I had gone on, it would have been too long.

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