A/N: So last night I finally got 1000 views, in celebration I thought I would post the next chapter even though I only posted Chapter 5 3 days ago. After this chapter things are going to start to get a little more important and intense and Draco and hermione are going to grow closer. thanks for letting me reach so many views guys, I know most people get more but this is my first Harry potter story so it really means a lot to me. As well as all the people who Favourtied and Followed the story recently c:


Chapter 6

Wednesday October 2nd 1997

The next two weeks passed slowly. Nothing really changed for either Draco or Hermione. A few times she had tried to stay by herself at night but the pain and scared feeling that always came with being alone with only Hayley always pulled Hermione back in the direction of Draco's bed.

They didn't talk about it, Hermione would just crawl into the bed after studying as long as she could to ignore Hayley's voice and she would cuddle up to Draco's hard muscular body. The only time they ever really interacted was either when the pain got so bad that Hermione would start crying or When Draco would occasionally get nightmares.

Both these things rarely happened anymore but every time they did, they would hold each other, soothing the other with sweet nothings until they both fell asleep again and were awoken by Hermione's wand the next morning.

Draco had gone to the Headmaster again asking if he knew why Hermione heard Hayley, knowing full well he recognised the look of guilt on the Headmasters face when she wasn't watching. Every time Draco asked Dumbledore denied his accusations and Draco would leave more aggravated then the last time.

Every second night Draco and Hermione sat down and worked on her Occlumency skills but even that wasn't helping. The girl had mastered the ability but still Hayley's voice was getting louder every day.

On Wednesday Draco rolled out of the bed and made a bee line for the bathroom not even looking back at Hermione just like most mornings. They never acknowledged the others in the mornings, only during the night when the comfort of another person was needed.

When he came back out into the Common Room, Hermione was nowhere to be seen. Her breakfast was still on the table almost uneaten and next to it sat her copy of the Daily Prophet. Draco had been trying hard to encourage her to eat properly in the mornings when they sat together but often it never helped, she was still skinny and pale, never eating more than a few mouthfuls.

He never showed her how much it really scared him, just casually told her she needed to eat more. Though it only seemed to be getting worse. He told himself he had to try harder as he sat down at the table and snatched up the paper as his breakfast appeared before him and then froze in shock looking at the headline.

Hastings Set for Early Release

Many people are outraged to hear that Christopher Hastings has been informed of his release. The minister of magic says he has spoken personally with Hastings and that he is of no threat to the public and deserves to be released.

Mostly people finding the Ministers old friendship with the man the only reason he is being released this coming Monday

Draco growled at the moving picture of Christopher Hastings before he was put in Azkaban, in his neat and tailored suit smirking triumphantly at the camera.

Hermione had told him one of their nights how unnerved Hayley had gotten after finding out Hastings was due to be released from his prison and how much louder and most insistent she had become since then.

The entire Hayley thing was insane but he was learning not to ignore anything that Hermione said about it, hoping for any kind of clue that would show him what was wrong with her mind. He would do anything to help his brunette bed mate.

Would Hermione still come to his bed once she was better though? Most unlikely he guessed, knowing he would be back to his nightmare by himself if it ever happened but his usual selfish Slytherin trait had been pushed aside, only wanting to help her.

Draco sighed and finished his breakfast before making his way down to potions, hoping to see Hermione there and looking okay. Indeed she was there, sitting between her bodyguards like any other day but she looked deathly pale, her eyes were glazed and unfocused but he didn't miss the occasion flinch showing him Hayley was bothering her a lot this morning.

Of course Pothead and Weasel noticed none of these things and continued on with their class like nothing was wrong but Draco continued to watch Hermione, hoping she wouldn't break down in class in front of everyone.

Hermione could feel her body shaking, she didn't know if it was her fear she was feeling or the fear gushing from Hayley. Though it wasn't possible for Hayley to fear someone so she knew it was obviously her.

"Hermione, I'm scared. He can't come near us. Don't let him near us, he's evil! I can't remember what happened but something did. Please, Hermione keep him away!"

Hayley hadn't stopped begging and yelling at Hermione since the second she read the article in the Daily Prophet that morning and Hermione's head felt like it was about to split in two.

Hermione found herself glancing at the clock every few seconds and only just half way through the class she couldn't take it anymore and her shaking hand shot in the air.

"Professor, could I please be excused?" she heard the desperation in her own voice but obviously Slughorn hadn't as he refused her quickly demanding she wait until his lecture was over. "Please Professor" she begged and when he still denied her she grumbled putting her things in her bag and sprinting out of the room in a rush.

She made her way towards the Common Room but only got so far before she couldn't pull herself any further and collapsed on the ground and shuddering mess with her head buried in her knees.

"Well that was rude" Slughorn grumbled watching Hermione rush from the potions lab. It was so much worse that Draco had feared if she had already rushed out of class. Hermione loved class.

"Sir, may I go check on Hermione?" Draco heard Pothead ask from the front row where Hermione had just been.

"No, who knows if you just want to go meet up with her and skip class" He mutter scanning the rest of the class before his gaze fell on Draco. "Draco, my boy, you must know what's wrong with our young Miss Granger, why don't you go check on her?"

Draco heard the protests of her friends while he simply nodded, gathered his things and rushed from the room almost as fast as Hermione had heading straight for their Common Room.

He hadn't even been halfway there when he turned the corner and found Hermione in a ball on the floor sobbing in pain. He rushed to her side and pried her hands from her head and turned her attention to him.

"What's wrong, why are you still here?" He asked looking over her checking to see if she was okay.

"Everything hurts Draco, It all aches and she's so loud today. I need more potions, I already had a whole vial before class though and I just can't move. Please Drake, help" She sobbed her eyes never leaving his.

Draco lifted her into his arms, bridal style letting her settle against his chest and allowing her to hide like she often did when Hayley was troubling her more. He rushed out of the corridor as he spoke soothing words to Hermione, not even noticing the bright red head staring in shock.

After muttering the password 'Spirit' Draco carried Hermione through the Common Room straight to her bed placing her down carefully before walking to her side table pulling out he dwindling amount of potions and picking one out of the box and climbing onto the bed next to Hermione gathering her in his arms and placing the vial in her hands.

She wasted no time downing the whole thing and cuddling into Draco chest as he leaned against the headboard running his hands through her hair soothingly. She calmed down considerably, finally having Hayley's voice quieten a bit.

Hermione focused on Draco's comforts instead of her voice and felt at ease for the first time all morning.

"Better now?" Draco asked placing a kiss on her head as he continued to run his fingers through the silky strands.

"Yes, thank you"

After half an hour of silent comfort they both gathered their things again and walked down to their Defence Against The Dark Arts together were as usual she chose to sit between her friends while Draco was left to sit by himself down the back where everyone tried their hardest to stay away from him. Hermione looked back at him once with a sad smile before turning her attention to the class.

Draco saw her rub her head, knowing full well Hayley hadn't shut up but had merely been dulled by the potion. He would have to go to the hospital wing later and get her some more potions.

Draco watched as their new DADA teacher, Mr Bines strolled in,

"Now class today we will be talking about wizard bonding. There are many different bonds wizards can perform such as marriage that will join people together forever but there are older forms of bonding. Today we will talk about the Menti Bonding."

The entire class looked around glumly knowing the class would not be all that interesting.

"Now the basic form of Menti Bonding bonds two people in a way that only death can break. This bond only ever works for soul mates whom have needed an extra power. The bond helps the other share their magic as well as be able to know where the bond mate is at all times and also hear them, their mind, see their memories and so forth"

From across the room one of the Ravenclaw's in the class raised their hand earning a groan from a few class mates. "Sir, isn't that much like Fusing?" he asked and most of the class chose this point to zone out and ignore the class but not Draco, he wanted to know about different types of bonding, was it possible that was what was wrong with Hermione and she didn't even know it?

"No, Mr Claton, Fusing is when two people become one, sharing mind, body and soul and that particular spell only lasts up to 2 weeks if their good at it. Fusing is often used by couples engaged to see if the two can really put up with each other constantly. Though now I'm getting off track sorry class"

And then the teacher went back to what he was originally talking about much to Draco's dismay. Fusing had sounded somewhat promising until Bines had said it only lasted two weeks.

"There have been many different forms of Menti Bonding created over the last few generations of both light and dark magic" Bines said, as if his lecture had never been interrupted.

"Is what Hasting's used to do a form of Menti Bonding?" Weasel asked bringing Draco's attention back to class, he saw Hermione's body stiffen at the mention of the dark wizard but the teacher answered his question none the less.

"Yes, it is Mr Weasley. Though unlike Menti Bonding, that particular dark spell didn't go both ways and also gave the used control over ones thoughts and body"

Draco had thought that damn class would never end, after Weasel brought up that dark spell it was all anyone wanted to talk about and he could see Hermione was getting uncomfortable. He sighed when she walked off to lunch with her friends. Draco instead made his way to the hospital wing hoping to have a quick talk with Madam Pomfrey.

"Ahh, Mr Malfoy, what can I help you with?" the aging healer asked with a gentle smile gracing her lips as Draco made his way in.

"Madam P, I was wondering if Granger's potions have any side effects, she's been taking a lot. Today she's been particularly bad and it took 2 whole potions to even help her a little bit"

The old Healer look slightly worried as he said this and he grimaced.

"Yes, it's true if she has too much, too often she could have some significant long term brain injuries. One can only close off their mind for so long as it is a liquid form of Occlumency basically. Draco dear, if I gave you the potions would you make certain she only takes one daily, half in the morning half at night, any more than that and I don't really know what could happen."

Draco grimly nodded his head before the healer walked into her office coming out with another full box of potions, telling him to make them last just before Dumbledore walked in.

"There you are Draco, I wanted to ask you if Hermione was okay, I heard about her exit from potions this morning" The old man's face had that horrible guilty look again that made Draco want to hit him, yes he had grown to respect the man but he was acting like a fool.

"After reading the Prophet this morning the protests got to the point that her whole body ached and she couldn't move. I had to carry her to our dorms."

"Oh dear, Draco would you find her after lunch, tell her she needs to rest her body and I am ordering her to take the rest of the day off, you may stay with her, dinner will be sent you your room"

And with that the Headmaster was gone again.

The entire time Hermione was eating lunch she could feel Ginny's eyes watching her so closely, she felt like she was going to combusted under her gaze. Finally the red head stood up and asked Hermione if they could talk. Hermione sighed and nodded following the girl out of the Great Hall and down into an empty corridor.

"What's going on between you and Malfoy?" Ginny asked the second they stopped, surprising Hermione.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't act all innocent, I saw you this morning, in the hallway, you were crying, by the way why were you crying? And then he just scooped you up and carried you away! Tell me what's happened!"

Hermione sighed and looked down, thanking Merlin that Ginny hadn't heard what was wrong or there would be even more questions.

"Look Gin, he and I have kind of got in the habit of comforting each other, most nights he wakes up screaming…" Hermione trailed off not wanting to tell the red head what woke her up at night.

"And you can't sleep still can you. What is it Hermione, you still won't tell me but I know it's not nightmares that keep you up. And don't think I haven't noticed how much of a better mood you've been in since you moved into your dorms, you look like your sleeping better and I thought you were better and then I saw you this morning"

"You're not angry that Malfoy and I are kind of friends?" Hermione asked looking up at her friend with hope filled eyes, she needed someone to talk about what was happening between them.

"No I don't care that you and Malfoy are friends. It's great really, I think. I'm just worried about you"

"So we're friends now huh Granger" Said Malfoy's cool, public voice from her left. Hermione had gotten so used to only hearing him talk to her soothingly and warm that to hear his cold, sneering voice scared her.

"What is it, Malfoy?" Hermione asked eyeing him carefully, he never approached her in public, he barely approached her in the dorms.

"Dumbledore has some jobs for us again" he said, using their usual excuse for missing classes and Hermione raised a curious eyebrow but he gave her a hard look warning her not to fight with him about going back to the dorms.

"Okay, well I'll see you later Hermione but we haven't finished this conversation" Ginny said hugging Hermione tightly.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow" Hermione sighed as she followed Malfoy down the corridor.

"Dumbledore wants you to rest after this morning" Draco explained knowing she would ask anyway, Hermione simply nodded and stayed silent, her mind was elsewhere, "Are you going to tell her about everything then?"

Hermione looked up at Draco for a moment before quietly saying "I think I will" and following him into the dorms straight to his room where he proceeded to strip to his boxers like most nights as she grabbed one of his button up shirts and climbed into his bed in that and her underwear.

"If you need me when you're telling her, just ask, you know I'll be there for you Mia" He muttered kissing her shoulder once and watching as she slowly drifted off to sleep in his arms.


Big thanks to CourtsxBatFan who reviews after every single chapter, I love your reviews so much love c: And Sophie, I'm glad you're looking forward to the new story I'm writing, I should post it soonish and thanks you for your comments they mean a lot to me babe.I think You'll really enjoy the story when Hayley comes into it more (opps spoiler alert :p).

Cheers guys!

Anyways thanks for reading guys!

Love Emiily xox