I will always be there to catch you if you fall

Summary

Hermione is the subject of abuse and with no one to help her but Draco Malfoy,who has now left home and has requited the dark ways finds himself uncover feelings for Hermione, that were always there but feelings that he could never bring to the surface. As romance blossoms between the two Hermione is about to relive her worst nightmare.

SECRETS REVEALED

Three Days Later

It was a cold afternoon and I had not been concentrating all day, just going over and over in my mind who was the person responsible for Hermione's bruises.

Ugh! The day had been do extremely boring and exhausting. I had had double quiditch practice and countless exams because it was test week.

I was plodding down the dark hallway through the Dungeons and I paused because I had heard something drop behind me. I turned to see my wand lying on the floor and I bent down to pick it up. I heard Professor Snape's classroom door open and to my astonishment a tear stricken Hermione fleeing the room and running down the hall in the oposite direction.

Snape had been the one responsible and this made me even more angry, because he was a teacher and was supposed to be trusted and have some sort of moral conscience.

Then the voice of reason returned to my hipothesis, I couldn't base all of this just on the fact that I had seen Hermione coming out of his classroom crying, I needed more than that. But it was enough evidence to suspect Snape.

I decided to make my way up to the Great Hall, to Dinner where I knew Hermione would be. I made my way through the large doors and slowly approahed the Slytherin table, trying to find Hermione in the crowd of Gryfindor heads that lay before me.

I saw her then sitting next to Neville Longbottom. Her hair was more messy than usual and she was trying to tame it with a band that had been wound around her wrist several times.

I sat down next to Blaise Zabini, luckily who was sat in a seat that was facing Hermione. Then I saw the proof I needed, There was blood running down her leg and a fresh set of bruises that had not been there, before she had been in Snape's classroom, because I had been sat behind her in the class before and they were not there then.

She had realised the blood running down her leg and quickly wiped it away with a piece of tissue, and noticed me watching her. She caught my eye and her eyes seemed to say stop watching me it's nothing. But I knew it was something, I just needed to find out exactly what and why.

I knew all the evidence pointed it to being Snape, but I still needed to prove it,by witnessing what was going on, if there was anything going on, myself.

Hermione left the Great Hall after hadrdly eating anything at all. I could not understand why no one else had noticed how sad and almost scared she looked, I mean in all fairness they new her a lot better than I did, but it was oblivious to them.

I watched Hermione as she walked out and saw Snape capturing her in his penetrating glare. It was almost pertifying the way he watched her but she did not see it as her back was turned to him.

I finished my food and decided to make my way back up to my common room aswell. When I arrived back I pulled several books from my leather bag and layed them down on a nearby desk, that had one of the green study lights already on. I pulled out my quil and started on my Charms essay.

Two hours I had been pouring over these boring pages and skiming through everything. I finally finished after what felt like two years more than two hours. I gathered the eight pages I had written and folded them into my text book, put everything back in my bag and made my way to my dorm.

I quietly walked into my dorm being careful not to wake the rest of Slytherin. I relaxed into the comfort of my bed and suddenly everything about Hermione and Snape flooded my mind once again.

I lay there for what felt like an eternity, going over and over in my mind why Snape would do something like that, until I finally fell asleep and lost all concept on the matter... until morning.

I awoke to find the common room practically empty, with only Zabini still present, rushing to finish his charms essay that I had done last night. I went back into my dorm and stretched out across the bed and slowly strode over to where my school uniform was.

I then went out to the balcony that looked over the common room again.

"What's the time Blaise?"

"It's about 5 minutes to nine"

I suddenly jumped to attention in shock

"Are you bloody kidding me Blaise? Are you unaware of the fact that lessons start at nine? Your not even dressed yet!"

He looked up at me casually as if he didn't even care and carried on with his delayed homework. I pulled on my school uniform grabbed my bag left the common room and rushed down the staircase being careful not to trip as the stairs were almost vertical and not forgetting they could move at any given moment.

I stormed into the classroom panting and completeley exhausted. despite my best efforts I was still 5 minutes late.

"How kind of you to join us Mr. Malfoy, please talk a seat!"

McGonagall was covering the Charms classes for the first two weeks of term and she was not in a good mood. I felt sorry for Zabini because he still wasn't here and had not done the homework.

"I trust you have homework for me Mr Malfoy?"

I grabbed the eight pages that were folded off centre and handed them to her in a careless sort of manner. Knowing I had done more work that necessary, so she couldn't start having a go at me now.

"Thank you"

Her voice was still cold and displeased but at least I wasn't going to get a detention for being late.

We were half way through the lesson and Zabini still hadn't made an appearence, he was in for it.

Then the door opened quietly and I saw him sneak in, trying not to be noticed and I think I only saw him because I was sat at the back. He took the seat next to me and gathered his books from his bag and set them down on the desk, then he leaned over to see what page we were on.

I couldn't believe he was going to get away with this, he could be truely brilliant when he wanted to be. But my admiration for him didn't last long when from the back of the classroom I heard her voice echo towards him

"Blaise Zabini you are more than half an hour late, do you think it is acceptable for you to wonder into my lesson when it is simply convenient for you?"

"Bloody hell she had her back turned to the door the whole time, how did she see me?"

Blaise muttered to me under his breathe.

"No Professor"

"Good, because if it happens again I will be speaking to your head of house... Homework?"

Blaise pulled out the meager two pages he had managed to scribble down in very large writing to fill up the room. He handed it to her and she looked back at him like it was some sort of joke.

"So where is the rest of it?"

he shuffled uneasily under her leathal gaze.

"That's it"

She pursed her thin lips into a sharp line and looked at him like he was a piece of dirt.

"Well I am sure you will be eager to re - do it on Saturday morning in detention. 15 pages at the least!"

Blaise groaned and kicked the desk infront of him, accidentily missing the wooden frame and hitting the girl infront. It was Hermione and she jerked round in pain and he had kicked her in a place where she had a bandage wrapped around her leg.

Blaise didn't apologized, he didn't even notice or care.

Hermione didn't look at either of us, not expecting an apology in the first place.

It had been such a boring day and potions was our very last lesson and I was going to see if I could find anything out about Snape. If I found out he was abusing her it would take every bone in my body to prevent me from ripping him to shreds.

We were all seated and then Snape entered the dungeon, a gush of wind flew in as he oppened the doors but he quikly slammed the doors behind him.

He strode up to the front and perched on the seat behind his desk and got our an old,battered text book.

"Turn to page 125!"

There was a rattling of papers as everyone fumbled around getting their books out of their bags and then finding the right page. Hermione was sat across the classroom from me I could see her easily. She already had all her books out, flicking through to find the page.

Snape droned on and on about something or other, to be honest it was so dreadfully boring I lost interest all together. I was just about to drop off when the bell rang, awakening me from my sleepy stance.

Snape was mid way through a sentence but no one cared, as soon as they had heard that bell they were out of their, not wanting to be in his boring presence for a moment longer. Then Snape slammed the doors shut with his wand making some people jump in shock.

"Miss Granger would you stay behind please? There is something I wish to discuss with you."

I saw fear invade all of her features as she tried to think of an excuse.

"I.. I have already agreed to speak to Professor McGonalgal at quarter past four"

Her voice was shaking and it was evident to me but no one else was listening, they were just talking amongst themselves.

"Well it won't take that long and I am sure you will still be there on time for professor McGonagall."

Hermione desperatley tried to think of something to avoid it but she couldn't think of anything and she couldn't just leave because there were about 35 other students blocking the doorway.

"Good"

Snape's voice sounded pleased but there was an heir of malice in his voice as he said it.

I was going to find out what was going on now, no matter what I had to do. I glared viciously at Snape but he didn't notice.

He waved his wand and the doors re-opened once again and everyone stampeeded out the doors. I must have been the last one to leave and before I left I saw Hermione slowly approaching Snape.

I left the room and I just heard Snape slam the doors shut behind me with his wand and then silence fell.

I hid in a small stoney alcove for just a moment and then crept back up to the door and heard Snape uttering spells under his breath. I pulled out my wand from my bag and made a spell that allowed me to see through solid objects without anyone else seeing me.

"Contartum preludion"

Suddenly it was like a mirage was being born right in front of my eyes. I could see everything that was going on, on the other side of the door.

I could see Hermione standing right up by Snape, at his large wooden desk.

"What did you want Professor?"

He laughed sounding cruel and malicious.

"I think you know what you are here for"

Hermione quickly turned and began to run towards the door and I leapt back in anticipation of her coming out of the door at any moment but then I heard Snape utter another spell, a spell only used to inflict pain.

"Crucio!"

Hermione fell to the ground and hit her head on the cold stone floor and she began to writhe in agony.

I slammed my whole body against the doors in an effort to save her from Snape. But It was like the door had turned to stone. My efforts were'nt noticed by Snape or Hermione.

There was absolutely nothing I could do to prevent Snape from doing whatever he had planned for Hermione.

It was now more clear than ever that my true feelings were coming to the surface. I had loved Hermione since third year. It wasn't of my choosing to be so viscious to her all these years and now there was nothing I could do to help her.

It broke my heart to know that she would probably never return my feelings for her, due to my previous behavior.

All I could do was to continue watching. Snape was standing over Hermione and kicking her in the stomach. Her head was now bleeding due to her fall.

Why was he doing this to her? I was once again banging on the door but to no avail. There was nothing I could do to stop it.

Then Snape picked Hermione up and carried her over to his desk. She was struggling to break free from his iron grasp. He slammed her down on the desk and pinned her arms behind her slender back.

What happened next was the most horrific thing I think I havr ever witnessed. Hermione was still tossing beneath him trying with all her might to break free.

Snape pushed her grey skirt to up around her waist.

I didn't want to believe it but I knew what was going to happen. He then ripped her blouse open. I couldn't watch it was to fowel and disgusting.

I turned away with my hands over my ears trying to prevent the sounds from inside the classroom from reaching me. I must have been standing there for about 5 minutes before I reluctantly returned my gaze to the classroom.

I saw Snape zip up his fly and then shove Hermione off his desk and she crashed down on the stone floor. He then kicked her once more but she didn't move at all, she just lay there.

Snape made his way to the door and I backed away but then he paused and turned around.

"remember what will happen if you even think to breathe a word of this to anyone"

I saw Hermione close her eyes and a single tear run down her face. I backed away from the door and waited around the corner until Snape had left.

Hermione soon followed, her hair a mess, eyes still drowning in tears and blood dripping from her forehead.

I didn't think she should find out that I knew what was going on like this, she would be ashamed. I felt sickened to my very soul that anyone could hurt her. She may not know it yet but I was in love with her, and Snape would pay dearly for the scars he left.