Authors Note: This is my first story, so any feedback good or bad will be appreciated. this story is written by both me and my cousin who is currently writing a novel, so thanks to her. And thanks to you guys for reading!

Disclamer: I do not own Harry Potter, J.K Rowling does. I don't own any characters in this fanfiction, I do own the plot.

The past couple of weeks didn't exactly fly by. I hadn't spoken another word with Malfoy since we were on the train, and having to share a common room and bathroom with him was worse than ever. I lived in constant fear that he was going to see my scars so I tried to avoid him as frequently as possible. Lessons just wizzed past me in a blur of colours and sounds, and I found myself sat out near the lake a lot more, book resting on my stomach where I had last read and my mind jelling over everything that had happened at home and how terrible I felt about both myself and the actions of my father. It was awful. I don't really eat anymore, just pick at meals to stop Harry and Ron nagging at me, I mean what better way to stop my fathers hateful comments when I return home at Christmas?

It was a Friday and all my lessons were finished for the day, so I packed up my things and headed for my room. I decided a hot shower was the best way to calm my aching head. I soon arrived at the portrait hole and muttered the password before clambering through. I walked up the stairs to my typically red and gold bedroom and stripped down to my underwear. Malfoy was at Quidditch practice so I could roam the common room naked if I had the urge to. I didn't, and so kept my bra and knickers firmly in place.

I opened the door and walked across to the bathroom, I still wasn't quite comfortable and kept my hands covering my lower abdomen. In the bathroom I turned on the shower with a flick of my wand and stripped off the remaining pieces of cloths which were hugging my figure. I suddenly felt incredibly exposed. I stepped into the shower and allowed the hot water to slam against my bruised skin attempting to wash away all the horrible thoughts and memories for the few minutes I had. I don't exactly know how long I was in the shower for, but when I finally decided to step out of the steam filled cubicle, my hands and feet resembled prunes. I had forgotten to check if there were any towels in the bathroom before getting into the shower, so I had to quickly jog down the stone stairs, into the common room where I was sure there was a pile of towels on an armchair.

I got to the bottom of the stairs and let a out a squeal: Malfoy was sat on one of the sofas with his Potions homework lay out in front of him... He looked up at the sound and his eyes widened. My first instinct was to cover my lower region, but then I remembered the words carved into my abdomen and my hands quickly spread themselves across the letters as well as my bending over to try and add a little more coverage. It was too late... He had already seen it. Tears formed in my eyes and I shot back up the stairs, not caring that water was still dripping from my naked body. I collapsed into my room and fell onto the bed sobbing into the pillow. I pulled the covers over myself and cried myself to sleep.

What. The. Fuck. Yes, it was a shock seeing GRANGER naked in front of me, but what I saw on her stomach cancelled out the embarrassment I felt for her being starkers. I didn't move for a couple of seconds, trying to calculate the image I had just seen... Surely SHE couldn't have put those words of self deprecation on her body... Could she? This did sum up what I had heard her saying in the bathroom the other day... sort of... She couldn't really feel that strongly about herself... I refused to believe it, and came to the conclusion that someone else had done this to her. Some evil soul had hurt her in this way, to cause her to be so damaged, both mentally and physically. I gathered myself and gained the courage to go up the stairs and confront her about what I had just witnessed. Standing outside of her room, I could hear her muffled sobs and presumed she wanted into be alone. I could understand that, but I wasn't letting this issue slide. I would just wait until tomorrow.

- THE FOLLOWING DAY -

I rose from my bed slowly, remembering what I had seen yesterday and the horror of it slowly came rushing back to me. I shrugged on my robes and ran a comb through my already tangle free hair. I decided I needed to talk to Hermione as soon as possible so I walked from my room to Hermione's door,

"Hermione...are you in there?" I knocked on her door lightly as to not wake her up if she was still sleeping.

I heard movement from inside the door followed by shuffling of feet across a cold stone floor. From the outside of the door, I heard her undo the locks which she had set in place later on that night and then slowly open the door, the look in her eyes scared me a little. It could cut diamond. I decided to go for it and glared back.

"Hermione, tell me who did that to you!" I demanded.

The colour drained from her face and she replied, "Maybe I did,"

"No, I know you didn't, you wouldn't!" I insisted.

Suddenly her defeatist ways were back and she sunk to the floor, she curled into the foetal position and started shaking and whimpering like an injured animal. It was pitiful.

"Hermione...tell what's wrong...who did this to you?" I repeated hoping for a truthful answer. I slumped down to the floor next to the now sobbing girl and wrapped my arms around her in a comforting embrace.

"Please Hermione...who was it?"

She took a deep breath and turned to look at me, locking brown eyes with grey.

"I-I... Malfoy I just c-cant!" She sobbed, turning her face away from mine so I was not able to see the pain which I presumed she was feeling about the scars.

I placed my hands on her shoulder and turned her around to face me. I couldn't stand to see her eyes so red, so full of fear and worry. I pulled her head towards my chest and rested it there, leaning back slightly as to make it more comfortable for her. It lasted a while, her sobbing into my shirt causing it to gradually become wetter and wetter and her wailing over and over again the same panic stricken words: "I can't! I just can't!"

After half an hour or so, she finally lifted her head off of my soaked shirt and wiped her tears away, taking a deep breath and saying "I'm fine, I'm fine. Sorry". She stood up and straightened out her crumpled clothes and noticing my wet shirt, wiped that down as if it would rid it of the liquid, looking into my eyes apologetically.

I stood up with her, and walked towards her but she retreated away from me slowly as well. I carried on until her back was against the wall and her eyes had widened. I could see all the white which surrounded her irises. The panic still hadn't left her eyes and I wish I could calm her from it but I know it isn't that easy, even for me...

What was he doing?! He had slowly started to make his way towards me... I didn't like it. I moved backwards to try and get further away from him but he just carried on advancing towards me ... slowly, not loosing eye contact. My back met the cold castle wall and I froze where I was stood. I could feel my eyes getting wider and the pity that was displayed in his eyes made me uncomfortable for some reason. He was going to do what my father had done so many weeks ago... I couldn't go through that again... Everyone thinking that I was ok to be used when I absolutely wasn't. One time and one person was bad enough, I couldn't have MALFOY doing it as well! The same words were spinning around and around my mind: not again. Please not again.

"What?" Malfoy asked

Oh no... I had accidentally spoken what my mind was screaming and I felt the blood rush to my face in embarrassment.

"Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you" he spoke to me softly, still moving closer and closer even though I was unable to retreat anymore. His right hand slowly moved up to my face and cupped my cheek and my head automatically leant into it, seeking the comfort.

"Please tell me what happened to you 'Mione... Please" he begged, still looking into my eyes.

I looked down and shook my head and heard him sigh softly. His other hand made its way to the other side of my face as he lifted my head to meet his gaze. We stood like that for a few seconds before his lips were on mine, gentle at first but I could feel the emotion behind it. I panicked... Thinking it was all happening again, but unlike my father, he was gentle and didn't rush. His lips moved slowly at first, trying to encourage mine to do the same until finally I gave in and opened my mouth slightly. I felt his tongue tenderly slide in, as if waiting for my approval. My heart skipped as I realised what was happening. I WAS KISSING FERRET BOY! I gasped into the kiss and pushed him away.

"Erm... I better... Erm yeah... I've got things to be doing... Yeah that's it... Erm..." I foolishly walked away, out of the common room door and into the hustle and bustle of the castle grounds.