Hurt

"You foolish girl! Do you have any idea what you have done," Snape bellowed at the currently cowering Gryffindor girl that was sitting in the Headmaster's office. McGonagall made no move to stop him, allowing for him to yell at Lavender Brown all he wanted.

"I didn't mean to," Lavender cried, her bottom lip moving in and out of her mouth as she sobbed.

"You didn't mean to? So you just accidently told the entire school what had happened to Hermione Granger! You just accidently overheard what we were saying in the hospital wing," Snape stopped yelling, moving in close to her face, "Why, pray tell Ms. Brown, did you tell the whole school that Ms. Granger had been lying about being raped in the first place?"

"She kept flirting with Ron Weasley and Cormac McLaggen. I wanted to teach her a lesson," she cried out, large tears falling down her face like a water fall. Snape sneered at the girl, a snarl escaping his lips.

"Severus, that is enough," Dumbledore said in his usual tone, even though his face was grim, "Unfortunately, I am inclined to agree with Professor Snape. What you have done was incredibly selfish and foolish, and put the life of Ms. Granger in danger unnecessarily. I do not believe that taking away house points and a month's detention is a severe enough punishment for your actions. I will leave your punishment to your head of house. Do you understand?"

Lavender nodded, her body racking with sobs. Huge tears feel down her face, and she continued to sniffle, trying to keep everything in. She looked up at her head of house, who looked back at her with angry, cold eyes. She had never seen such a look come from McGonagall before, and felt how alone she was in this.

"The only punishment that I can think that is severe enough is expulsion," McGonagall said in a cold, clipped tone making Lavender flinch before she continued, "But, you are to serve detention everyday with me for five months. No words can even begin to describe the disappointment I feel at this moment Ms. Brown. You may go." Lavender jumped out of the chair, her shoulders shaking as she ran out of the room. McGonagall sighed, a sad look coming over her face.

"Do we know why she would do this," Dumbledore sighed out, even though his face told the two professors that he already knew the answer. McGonagall sighed as well, sitting in the chair across from him, Snape leaning against the edge of Dumbledore's desk.

"It seems to me to be just petty jealously. No doubt that whoever did this knows that the rape got out," Snape commented, turning to McGonagall, "Has she said who has done it yet?" McGonagall shook her head, sighing again.

"No, she hasn't, but I suspect that she has finally told Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley what has happened. It did not escape my notice how Mr. Malfoy disappeared so suddenly after that painful scene in the hall," she stated, giving the Potions Master a pointed look. It still amazed her at times how much things had changed since his days in school. They felt like eons ago.

"He is developing feelings for her," Snape told them, nodding slightly, "More feelings for her anyway. She gives him a purpose."

"Good," Dumbledore said, his voice becoming full of feeling again, his twinkle coming back, "He will help her, and in the end, she will help him."

"I am worried about him. He will get hurt if the Dark Lord gets wind of what is happening between him and the girl," Snape said, his empty voice telling Dumbledore that he was worried for both of their well beings.

"We will worry about crossing that bridge when we come to it Severus," the old wizard said as he slowly stood up, "For now, we will worry about Ms. Granger's well-being and her mental state. Everything else will fall into place as it was meant to. Please forgive me, it has been a long day and I am very tired. Please help yourselves to some lemon drops. Good night," he said as he nodded to them then slowly turned and walked away to his private quarters. McGonagall stood then and followed Snape out of the office, both feeling extremely tired as well.

"Is it just me or does he seem a bit too hopeful about Draco and Ms. Granger," Snape asked, his brow furrowed in question.

"So you noticed that as well," McGonagall confirmed as they walked the dark corridor together, "I just hope that everything will go as they should. Well, as he hopes they do."

"This isn't going to end well. Once You-Know-Who hears of what his happening, he will try to hurt Draco, in some way," Snape told her, slight worry slipping into his voice.

"Well, let's hope that he doesn't hear of it then," McGonagall commented, giving Snape a pointed look before turning around and heading in the opposite direction down another hall, "Good night Severus."

"Good Night Minerva."

~0~0~

Hermione was still up, even though it was nearly two in the morning. She didn't want to be overrun with the dreams that had been plaguing her. It wasn't just of that night, but of all of the horrific things she has seen on her adventures with Harry, most recently Sirius' death. The older man's face was held in the forefront of her mind for whatever reason for the past few nights, trying to communicate something to her, but she just wanted blissful sleep. She began to long for the nights that she could sleep normally, which hasn't happened for months now, and now the rape made them worse.

She had been lying on her stomach when she heard the soft thumps of feet walk closer to her door. She recognized them as Draco's, becoming accustomed to the sound of his gait whenever he would quickly come and check on her. She turned her face to the door, watching it as he slowly opened it. She saw his surprised look at the sight of her eyes open.

"You're still awake," he commented, making her snort as she stood up to look at him better. He stepped closer to her, leaving the door cracked a bit. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder, leading her back to the bed. He kept his hand there as he kneeled to the ground, their faces merely inches apart.

"I keep seeing Sirius in my dreams, as if he were trying to tell me something," she whispered to him. His eyes went wide a bit at the name, but quickly softened again. They were quiet, Hermione questioning whether she should have said anything. She saw the sad look on his face, and gently placed a hand on his cheek.

"What was he like," Draco whispered finally, not wanting to break the calm quiet that had fallen over them. She smiled gently, tears welling in her eyes as memories filled her head. Their arguments that they had in Grimmauld place, the times he made them all laugh along with the twins, giving them a chance to forget that there was a war going on for those few precious moments.

"He was kind, brave, funny, and one of the most infuriating men that I have ever met. He had a complete disregard for the rules, and acted like a high strung teen most of the time. But he loved Harry, and gave him a piece of the family that he had been longing for. It was hard on all of us when he died, especially on Harry. He had finally gotten the family that he deserved, but it was snatched away from him once again," Hermione told him, not seeing his contemplative face as she wiped away the stray tears that had fallen. Draco could tell that her feelings were a lot deeper than she was making them seem, feeling a little twinge of jealousy, but bit it away.

"He has you," Draco commented, making Hermione smile.

"He has me, and Ron, and the Weasley's, and Remus and Tonks and everyone else. But Sirius was his main connection to his father. It was very hard on him. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to bring him out of the depression that had fallen over him," Hermione explained to him, but all he did was nod. They fell quiet again, but it was soothing, not oppressive.

"I wish I had met him," Draco finally said, laying his head on the edge of the bed as he looked at her, "I think I would have liked him a lot."

"I think you would have as well. Draco," she said his name tentatively. He looked up at her, his face asking the question. She took a deep breath before speaking again, "Can you stay with me tonight?"

Although Draco was mildly surprised, he didn't hesitate when he said, "Of course, budge over a little bit." Hermione complied, pressing up against the wall so that he had plenty of room. She lifted the covers up, allowing for him to slip under. He could see that she didn't know what to do next and placed his arm over her waist and pulled her close to him. He smiled when he heard her small gasp of surprise, but felt her relax against him. He held her close to him, lightly running his hand down her hair then traced designs in her back. He could hear her breathing become deeper, allowing for his own eyes to close, enjoying the feeling of her breath on his chest, and her body against his. Hermione allowed herself to relax against him, her eyes closing and allowing herself to be drifted off into her dreams.

When Hermione awoke again she was in a solid white room. There were no windows and no doors, nor were there any furnishings. All that there was in the room was her and one Sirius Black. She jumped a little at the sight of him, looking as handsome as ever. He looked fresher, younger. His wavy hair long and gleaming, his skin full of color unlike before he died. His clothes were tailored perfectly to his body, even though they were leather pants and a dress shirt. He had a bright smile on his face, and Hermione couldn't help but swoon a bit at the sight.

"Hello Hermione," he said, his deep voice ringing out in the room. She quickly ran to him, wrapping him tightly in her arms, never wanting to let go. She felt more than heard his chuckle as he hugged her back, "You're going to break a man's back doing that one day love."

"We missed," she began than she shook her head as she pulled back a bit to look up at him, "No, I missed you so much. What are you doing here? Where are we? Have you seen Harry?" She stopped when he laughed loudly, his head tilting back a bit. How she had missed that sound.

"Always full of questions as ever I see," he commented before pulling back even more, "No, I have not seen Harry. I am here for you and only you. As for where we are, we are currently in your head."

"So this is just dream," she said sadly, pulling away fully, but Sirius pulled her back and sighed, shaking his head.

"No love, I am real, you have to believe that," he told her, his chin resting on her head as he held her.

"But why are you seeing me, Harry needs you more," she told him, making him sigh again.

"You need me more love, so stop fighting it and listen to what I have to say. Are you listening" he asked, looking down to see if she nodded, when she did he continued, "You have to tell them who did this to you Hermione."

"No," she said simply as she pulled away from him, shaking her head. He grabbed her arms, making her look him in the eye.

"He is going to drag you through the mud now that everything has gotten out. The only way to protect yourself is to tell them so that he can get expelled," Sirius explained, but she still shook her head.

"No! I can't tell anyone! He'll hurt me again if I tell. I couldn't fight him the first time, I won't be able to do it again," she yelled and tried to pull out of his grasp, but he kept a firm hold on her.

"You don't have to do this alone Hermione," he said gently, "This will eat away at you unless you tell. I don't want you joining me too soon. You're supposed to live a full happy life, fall in love, and have kids, all of it. You can't let him break you."

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are Hermione," he gently shook her to get his point across, "You're dreaming of dead men!"

"Because I loved you. I still love you! And you left me alone," she cried out, tears falling down her face. Sirius pulled her to him as the tears fell down her face, holding her tightly.

"I know love," he said quietly, "And if it weren't for the fact that you were barely 16 and I wasn't old enough to be your father, I would have jumped at the chance to be with you."

"You're sounding like Remus," Hermione told him, making him chuckle slightly.

"No, Remus was being a stupid git, I am being a smart, logical man."

"Can I come with you," she asked, her voice sounding so broken, "Please? I don't want to be here anymore."

"No, you can't come with me. Harry is going to need you, as will Ron. You are too beautiful to be taken away from the world. You have got to stay and make the world just as beautiful as you. I can't be selfish. Besides, what about Draco," Sirius asked, making Hermione blush.

"What about him," she pretended ignorance, but she knew that he could see through it.

"He needs you too. You're the only one that can save him from the road that he is on right now." They fell quiet, just holding each other. Hermione tried to remember everything about this moment. The way he felt against her, the way he smelled, the sound of his voice. "I have to go love," he told her quietly, making Hermione break away from his arms again. Panic over took her as she saw him begin to fade away, a sweet smile on his face. He lifted his hand and gently placed it on her cheek. She grasped is desperately, not wanting him to leave.

"No! Don't leave me! Please, I need you! Don't go," she cried out over and over again as his body became vaguer, and the hand that was holding her cheek became lighter, the planes and ridges quickly fading.

"I'll always be watching over you love, never forget that. I love you," he said, and soon he totally faded out, leaving Hermione alone in the bright white room. She fell to her knees, her face in her hands as the tears streamed through. The hurt in her heart was deeper than she had ever felt before. She had lost him again. She looked up and noticed the room fading away as well, and a voice breaking through the sad silence that had fallen over her.

"Hermione, wake up," Draco's voice said as the room continued to fade to black. Hermione tried to stay there, tried to stay in the last place she was in with Sirius, but Draco's voice was getting louder and louder, breaking through her dream.

Hermione opened her eyes, grey eyes immediately coming into view. She lifted her body up, almost crashing her head against Draco's, her room reminding her of where she really was. Tears began to well in her eyes and she slowly let her head fall into her hands. Draco said nothing as he wrapped his arms around the crying girl. He remained silent, knowing that she would speak of it when she was ready. Soon she began to stop crying, taking deep breaths to calm down.

"I had another dream about Sirius," she said softly. Draco still remained quiet as he waited for her to continue. When she said nothing and looked blankly at the wall he finally spoke.

"What was the dream about," he asked just as softly.

"He was telling me that I should say who raped me," she told him. Hermione turned slightly to look at him, "He was telling me that I had to stay here, for Harry, for Ron," fell silent again as she looked into his grey eyes, "And you."

"Me? Why me," he asked, wondering how he could have come up at all.

"He said that you were going down a dark road, and that I could help you. Are you a Death Eater," she asked quietly, as if it were an unspoken word. She gently grabbed his left arm, grasping his wrist and pushing his sleeve up. He didn't pull his arm away as the inky black mark was revealed slowly inch by inch, his pale skin making it stand out even more. She didn't gasp; she didn't look at it with disgust. The serpent moved slightly as she grazed her fingertips over the dark mark.

"You shouldn't touch it," he said, grasping her hand and moving it away from the mark, the blackness seemingly radiating off of it, "You're too pure for it."

"I'm not pure any longer," she said quietly, looking intently at the dark mark. Draco raised his other hand and gently held her chin, making her look at him.

"You are one of the purest, kindest, gentlest, toughest people I know. Don't ever think or believe different," he told her before moving to pull down the sleeve. She quickly placed her hand over his, stopping him.

"You don't have to hide from me," she told him. He stopped pulling the sleeve down and grabbed both her hands in his. He couldn't help but notice how perfect they felt in his. They were soft and small, and he could imagine layering them in kisses and nips. He fought that thought as he looked back into her chocolate brown eyes that were still missing the spark they usually held.

"You don't have to hide from me either," he whispered to her. They just continued to sit there on her bed, never speaking, just letting the silence soothe them. Draco never pulled down his sleeve after that.

A/N: Sorry this took me so long, been a bit busy. I have a poll up on Hermione and speculation on which house the rapist might be from, hope I get some participants. Just go to my profile! Review! Thanks loves!