It had been a week since the encounter between Hermione and Draco.

These days she couldn't help but watch him, during class, during meal times. He was steadily looking worse and worse.

She had to admit, she feared for him, and she was going to try and talk to him again.

They were in Transfiguration. Draco sat across the aisle from her. Every few minutes she would steal a glance at him. She wondered what was causing him so much pain and distress. She wanted so badly to help him.

"Hermione, why are you staring at Malfoy?" Ron's annoying voice broke through her thoughts.

She jumped out of her stupor. As if he heard Ron's whispers, Draco looked across the aisle and made eye contact with her.

"I'm not, Ron. I was just daydreaming," she told him, and to her utter amazement, Ron believed her.

She looked back at Draco. He was still watching her. He smirked before looking away. And at that moment, she knew what she was going to do.

She took a piece of parchment and dipped her quill in ink. On the parchment she wrote:

Room of Requirement, 7:30. No excuses.

She then tapped the parchment with her wand and it disappeared off of her desk. When she looked over at Draco, he was reading her note. He looked at her and gave her the slightest nod before stuffing the note in his pocket.

For some odd reason, her heart was racing in her chest. She stole one more glance at him before finally paying attention to Professor McGonagall's lecture.

7:30 couldn't have come any faster.

Before she knew it, Hermione was excusing herself from the Gryffindor table saying she had studying to do in the library.

She looked over at the Slytherin table. Draco was watching her. She casually raised her hand signaling five minutes before running her hand through her hair. He understood and nodded.

Hermione made her way to the Room of Requirement. 'I need a place to talk secretly. I need a place to talk secretly. I need a place to talk secretly,' she thought. When she opened her eyes, she saw a door in front of her.

She heard footsteps behind her and she knew without looking that it was Draco. Slowly and nervously, she grasped the door handle and opened the door.

The Room of Requirement was very cozy. There was a fire blazing with two couches and two armchairs around it. Hermione picked the couch and settled into it. Draco went and shut the door before settling into the chair across from her.

"So, what's this secret meeting all about?" he asked, with a bemused tone of voice. "It's about you," she told him. Draco became tense. "What about me?" he questioned.

"You're tired all the time, you look sick, you're so thin, you don't strut around the school anymore and you haven't insulted anyone all year. What's going on?" she asked. She figured it was best to just come out with it.

Draco stood up and made his way towards the door. With a quick flash of her wand, the door disappeared. Draco sighed. Without turning around he said, "That's not fair, Granger."

Hermione stood up. "Draco, I am scared for you. I am truly scared for you. I don't want anything bad to happen to you," she told him truthfully.

"Something bad has happened to me, and more bad things are meant to come." His voice shook and he fell to his knees on the floor, his body wracking with sobs.

Hermione was at a loss for words. This was the second time she had seen Draco Malfoy cry, and she didn't know what to do.

She quickly rushed to his side and dropped to her knees in front of him. She rested her hands on his knees. "Draco, please talk to me. Please. I can help you," she said.

He shook his head. "No one can help me," he cried. "Then at least let Dumbledore-" "Hermione, no one can help me. Especially not Dumbledore. He'll kill me Hermione!" he said, finally bringing his eyes up to meet her. "Who will?

In response, Draco pulled the sleeve of his white oxford up around his elbow. Hermione looked in horror at the Dark Mark upon his arm. "Go ahead, run away. That's what everyone else does," he whispered. "I wouldn't blame you if you did."

Hermione took a deep breath before taking Draco's left hand in hers. She traced the Dark Mark lightly with the fingers of her other hand. "I'm not running away. I'm staying right here," she told him.