Warnings: For once I don't have any specific warnings. Alcohol content. Chapter edited 10/26/2018.
Hermione found her eyes wandering the Great Hall that afternoon. Ron failed to show up breakfast, and now lunch was almost over and she hadn't seen him at all. He could be back in Hogsmeade, withering away beneath his addiction and going broke. She doubted he'd go back so fast though; he'd taken a lot of her money. He had to have enough to last a few days.
She really didn't like everything she'd heard this morning from her friends; first about Ginny, then about Ron's horrible appearance this morning and the fact that Lavender Brown stumbled in not long after him. She knew where Ron was last night – beating her. No way Lavender had any part in that. Still, it made her stomach knot.
"And you're sure he's alright?" she asked Harry for the fifth time. Harry sighed, turning tiredly to face her.
"I don't know. I think so. He didn't stumble back into the dorm until early this morning. Woke the lot of us up too. Then he disappeared before breakfast and I haven't seen him since. I think he's having a hard time with Ginny and all."
She cringed, feeling bad for bringing it up. Ginny was having night terrors again. She couldn't even bare to think about it, it completely broke her heart. Poor Gin couldn't even make it through the night without screaming. Her dorm mates were worried sick.
"Is she any better?" she asked, hoping to change the topic. Obviously Harry was worried about his girlfriend, and she hadn't even been to see her yet. She'd only learned about it a few minutes ago, and Harry couldn't care less where Ron was. His attention was diverted.
"She's resting right now," he said, running fingers through his dark hair. "She's losing weight; I can't get her to eat much. I even took her to her favorite restaurant in Hogsmeade late last night. She nibbled at it and got sick. She can't keep things down."
"And her sleep habits haven't gotten better either?"
Harry shook his head. "You know they won't Hermione. They all watched the testimony. They all saw him die again in the eyes of the witness." He shook his head. "They shouldn't have gone into his memories. Veritaserum should've been enough. The memory haunts them all. Unfortunately, it's all Ginny can see when she closes her eyes."
Hermione nodded, watching Harry place a roll and some jam into a napkin and fold it over. He'd try to make Ginny eat it later, she was sure. "Have Molly and Arthur been alerted it's worse?"
Scowling, he shook his head. "She doesn't want to mention it. Sometimes it's better and that's what she's hinging on. Her mum is so heartbroken, she doesn't want to make it worse." Chewing his lip, he stared at the far wall, apparently thinking things over. "What about Ron?"
She blanched, hands clenching her silverware tightly. Why did he always have to ask that? "Ron? He's doing okay, a bit moody you know."
"But he was late this morning," Harry commented, bringing back their conversation from earlier. "Hermione, you're sure there's nothing going on with him?"
She shrugged, trying to mask the worry in her eyes. "Nothing more than usual. He's coping, like Ginny."
"Neither of them are coping," he huffed. "You know, Ron reeked of alcohol this morning. I don't fancy you much of a drinker Hermione. Was he drinking with you?"
Damn, she'd forgotten he'd been drunk and high last night, not just the latter. Smiling, she patted his hand. He didn't really need to know the truth. "Honestly Harry, could you imagine me smashed? Ron wanted to have a drink or two, and we talked in the dorm. That's it. We talked into the morning and then he left, saying he'd be okay getting back to his dorm. That's why I was so worried; I haven't seen him and want to know he's alright."
Harry frowned at her, and she knew he didn't believe an ounce of her lie. An ache rose in her heart, and she pressed her lips together to keep from saying anything about Ron that she'd regret. He obviously had more than enough on his plate right now with Ginny; stressing him over Ron too wouldn't help.
Besides, now she had more of Malfoy's support on her side. And Ron knew it too. Maybe he'd lay off for a while.
She decided to leave before he could ask anything more, and she quickly stood from the table, wiping crumbs from her clothes. "I really should get back to my dorm, I have the schedules to make for patrols this week." She smiled, squeezing Harry's shoulder. "I'll come check on Ginny a little later, give you some time together."
Harry nodded gratefully, standing as well. They walked out of the Great Hall together, and it almost felt like old times. Parting ways, she headed towards her dorm room. The walk was usually bleak and boring, and unless Ron developed the unhealthy habit of waiting in the alcoves she knew it'd be uneventful. At the third floor however she stopped, spotting a figure sprinting away in the distance. Even that far away, she'd know the blasted girl anywhere.
Lavender.
She was going back downstairs. Hermione considered it a moment, and realized she hadn't seen Ron's former girlfriend this morning at all. Suddenly suspicious she took off after the girl, following as quietly as she could. Thank Merlin she didn't have her bag with her today.
Lavender took the back way out, ignoring the staircases all together. It took a lot longer, and Hermione wondered why the hell she bothered. There was a huge chance she was going off to meet a boy completely different from Ron, or something else completely unrelated, and she was following along for no reason. But Hermione could never quite bring herself to trust Lavender, and the past few months made her suspicious of almost everything. Finally she ducked out of the castle, skipping along the grounds.
She definitely wasn't going to Hogsmeade. Instead she checked over her shoulder once, nearly catching Hermione in the process, and skipped into the woods.
It was a terrible idea to follow her. If this was unrelated to Ron she'd just look creepy, but maybe she knew where he was. She might not live in the Gryffindor dorms any longer, but she heard about what went on. Lavender talked to Ron all the time, though she never seemed interested when Hermione was around. Just as well, that might put more of a rift in their relationship than there already was.
Ron wouldn't approve of her sneaking around trying to figure out where he was. Maybe he was already back in his dorm, passed out and potentially high. Or maybe he was off in the woods, gallivanting with his old girlfriend.
Speculation would do her no good. The worst thing that could happen was Lavender might notice her. Surely Ron wasn't out there, no way. Nonetheless she found herself slipping into the shady trees, walking as quietly as she could behind Lavender. Her interest outweighed the consequences.
They walked for nearly ten minutes until Lavender reached a clearing, breaking into a fit of giggles as she crossed the empty space. Hermione detached herself from the path and slipped into a tree, barely a foot from the ground in her hiding place. From here she was perfectly concealed and able to see what was going on without being obvious. Standing there on her perch, she almost wished she couldn't see anything.
Ron was there, laughing animatedly beside Lavender as she hopped into his arms. They twirled around once before Ron lost his footing, sending them sprawling across the weeds. He was grinning like a fool, his eyes dilated and distant. Her heart clenched.
How could he be nice to Lavender, and so cruel to her? Her heartbeat picked up watching them, and in her mind she imagined it breaking the silence. It might just escape her chest.
"What took you so long?" he asked, his gruff tone taking away from the softness in his movements. She shrugged absentmindedly, apparently unaffected by his tone of voice.
"Parvati of course. We had plans, I couldn't just abandon her." She wiggled her eyebrows, using her wand to make a blanket appear. She scooted onto the fabric, lying back and closing her eyes. "You know how she is. She'd ask too many questions if I didn't show, and we can't have that can we Won Won?"
She cringed at the age old nickname, gripping tighter to her wand. It would be ever so easy to give the witch a good jinx while she was unaware, perhaps causing all her hair to fall out or something… Ron was vain. He wouldn't hang around if she suddenly became bald.
"We had plans," he snapped, the friendliness in his eyes disappearing, the dilation of his pupils becoming more and more apparent. "And you need to follow those first."
Lavender scowled, pulling at the small purse around her shoulder instead of replying. Her wand sat idly by, and she didn't seem to be in any hurry to use it. Didn't she know that she needed to be on her guard around Ron? He could snap at any moment, especially when high.
Her eyes enlarged as a small bottle appeared, an exact replica of all the ones she stole from Ron weekly. Lavender pulled it out along with a needle, and Hermione shrank back. She'd never thought of how people took the crap. She always thought one swallowed it or magic was used, but it appeared to work like a muggle injection.
"I didn't mention needles," Ron grunted, crossing his arms. He remained on the weeds, out of reach of Lavender and the blanket. She kept scooting the drugs closer, as though trying to entice him.
She tapped the bottle, grinning widely. "Come now, we both know it's a better high. I've even been practicing how to apply the needle. Technically, you can inject anything into your body if you know how to do it. It's more effective than the potion alone."
Hermione was pretty sure she was going to be sick.
Ron shrugged, as though this was normal conversation. He leaned over and snatched the needle and potion from Lavender's hands, setting up the system better than Hermione imagined possible. He was accustomed to this?
The potion went in easily, slipping through the thin plastic tube and depositing some of the bottle into his veins. Ron breathed deeply, cracked his neck, and took a bit more. By the time he returned the bottle to Lavender it was more than half gone.
She frowned as she took it back, using her wand to sterilize the needle again, though Hermione wasn't really sure that counted. "You took too much."
Ron grinned from his place on the ground, reaching out to stroke her hand. "I'll get you back, next time. Besides, you owe me from yesterday."
Yesterday.
Hermione's fingers were white against her wand, her breath coming too quickly. They were going to notice her at this rate, and she didn't much care anymore. Was that why it took until three for Ron to make an appearance? He could've been off getting drunk with Lavender, and then turned his anger back on her when they finished.
A heavy feeling settled in her stomach as she watched Lavender inject the remainder of the potion into her veins. She laughed when the bottle was drained, tossing it behind her to break on the uneven earth. She stretched her arms above her, a manic smile dragging across her features. She had the same dilated, possessed look Ron had when he was over the moon.
"I can't believe Hermione's trying to wean you off this stuff," she pouted, batting her eyes at him. "I wouldn't ask you to do something you didn't want Won Won."
He grinned, losing his balance on his hands and falling back on the ground. He reached out and stroked her skin again, his eyes closed. "She wants me to quit; says it's bad for me."
"She's crazy."
"I know she is," he laughed, clapping his hands together. "She won't listen to me, won't let me do it alone. She has to be miss perfect and fix my problem. But I don't have a problem, do I?"
It wasn't a question; Ron expected a certain answer from Lavender. He turned his head, grinning up at her. She returned the look.
"You don't have any problems," she agreed, leaning closer to his face. "She has the problem. You can handle it yourself; you don't need her spoiling all the fun."
"I know!"
Hermione had half a mind to march out there and deck Ron in the head. How dare he make her into the villain? She was trying to help! All Lavender seemed to be doing was feeding his addiction. Did she even know Ron was beating her? Did Lavender know the same fate might await her if she let down her guard?
She seriously doubted it.
Besides, confronting Ron right now would be suicide. She knew enough after yesterday – and all their other terrible encounters – that she couldn't win anything with him in this state of mind. He couldn't focus on anything but himself and it didn't matter who he was hurting. Trying to get in his face while he was drunk and unpredictable was ridiculous. And on top of that he had Lavender to side with him. She really didn't need two high maniacs going after her.
"We won't tell, will we?" Lavender cooed, leaning closer to Ron's face. She stuck out her tongue, dragging it along his jaw and lips. She had to resist the urge to hex the bint right there. "We won't tell Granger." This time she said her name with hate. "Not yet anyway. Harry's suspicious that something's wrong; he'll only be nosier if you two suddenly break up. And we wouldn't want him prying; if he finds out about the drugs you'll go to rehab for sure."
Ron frowned. "You would too."
"Are you saying you're going to drag me down with you?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "That's not very gentlemanly of you Won Won."
He shrugged, and Hermione realized how much higher he was than her. Maybe Lavender meant for him to take more than his share; that's why he got to take his hits first. She had less in her system and wasn't high when she arrived. Ron had to be twice as gone as she was.
He muttered something she couldn't quite hear, but it made Lavender grin and her blood boil. "Don't worry Won Won, you won't have to tolerate her much… much longer."
Lavender was catching up to Ron rapidly. Maybe her tolerance was lower than Ron's. At any rate it didn't matter, not as she dropped her head lazily and kissed Ron, not when his hands came up and gripped her tight to keep her in place.
Hermione wasn't quite sure how it happened; one moment she was watching her world crumble into an abyss of drugs and the next her wand was out, causing a tree limb to fall several feet from the couple and startle them. She should've dropped it on them.
It didn't matter; she was already running away.
She didn't go back to her room until late. She spent the majority of her day in the library burying herself in books. Once she went to see Ginny, but after an hour of talking to her sleeping form she left to give the girl some space. The sleep draught really did the trick. Finally she trudged into the common room, trying desperately to ignore the way Malfoy's eyebrows shot up at her appearance. She looked a mess after banging her head against the table three or four times in frustration and crying over books for most of the day,
How bloody pathetic.
What was she even supposed to say to him? This morning he helped her out again, helped her get Ron out and mended her bruises. Her shoulder was screaming in pain again from hanging out in the tree and shouldering books around the library.
Besides, yesterday she'd used his proper name and caused an unnecessary amount of tension between them. Honestly, was she required to call him Draco every time they spoke now? It was a heat of the moment thing, and she didn't think she could. That would make things weirder.
Shaking her head she slouched down beside him on the couch, ignoring his curious looks and the way he set aside his book. Glancing around the table she noted the bottle and the glass and silently cursed. Did the prick live off alcohol?
"Rough day?" he asked, breaking the silence. He grabbed the glass, lifting it to his lips as he waited her response. Hermione eyed the glass, thinking how much more relaxed everyone seemed when they had a device to cope with. She reached out and snatched the drink from his hand, ignoring the way he gaped openly at the empty space. She wasted no time chugging the glass.
Nobody else thought when they took their device, why did she have to? It helped Malfoy cope, and he wasn't a nut job anymore. This seemed safest. And anyway, she knew alcohol took the edge off people.
She sputtered after the first gulp, the second portion ending up on her knees as the drink burned her throat. She didn't drink alcohol; didn't see much of a point smuggling it into school and didn't dare drink anything heavy when she was in Hogsmeade and had to trek back up the hill. This was strong and lucid and horrible tasting. She hadn't expected the git to drink something so horrifically foul.
He snatched his drink back as she coughed, her fingers remaining in open air as the other hand came to press over her chest. It took a moment to regain her composure, and even then it was hard with Malfoy sitting right there. When she could finally manage to turn to the git she realized he had the audacity to smirk at her while she struggled.
"You don't drink much do you?" he asked, the expression on his face widening as he magicked another glass. She scowled and looked away, refusing to answer him. As if he needed her confirmation. "I'll take that as a no."
"You're drink is terrible."
"It's strong," he agreed, the gleam in his eyes never leaving. He'd picked up the bottle again, pouring a much small drink for her. He made a smaller bottle appear as well, and she realized it was some sort of soda. Probably chaser – come on, she wasn't oblivious.
He filled her drink the remainder of the way with the second bottle, handing her the glass. "Maybe you won't choke on that one."
Ignoring his jab she took the glass, drinking slower this time. It didn't taste much better, but at least this time it wasn't like a lake of hellish fire down her throat. She gulped twice, taking in the harsh liquid as her head grew fuzzy. Malfoy snatched the glass away before she could take more.
"You really don't want to guzzle that," he said, setting it out of reach. "You don't drink?" She shook her head, confirming his earlier question. Her head felt funny, warm and fuzzy. She thought she remembered reading that was normal. "Why are you then?"
Hermione threw one of hers hands at him, waving him off as she used the other to rub her eyes. Her cheeks were still wet from crying. Obviously, he was going to use her lack of guards to his advantage and find out what happened. He was always poking his nose in her business these days. "Ron."
"The usual then," Draco huffed, picking up his drink. Distantly, she wondered why he was drinking tonight. "That mean I need to heal you again Granger?"
"No," she muttered, rubbing her head. It really was starting to get warm up there. "Ron didn't see me."
"What?"
She directed her attention to him then, facing her body towards his. She crossed her legs on the sofa, leaning sideways against the back of the couch so she could look at him. Re-accounting the story hurt just as badly was witnessing it, and when she finished he handed her back her drink without question, his eyes much darker than before.
"So Weasley's cheating on you?" It wasn't so much a question as a statement. Maybe it was the alcohol, but she thought she heard anger in his voice.
Hermione nodded glumly, swigging more of the drink. She was better at it now, and didn't even sputter as it burned down her throat. It also helped detach her from the present, which made it much easier to discuss Ron's stupid arse. "Yep."
That was a stupid response on her part. She spent most of the day crying, wondering what the hell she should do. Now all she could say was a one word response? Maybe the alcohol was dulling her senses too much.
"You aren't honestly going to keep dating his sorry arse are you?"
She shook her head, thinking back to what Lavender said. The girl seemed to have her own agenda planned out didn't she? Besides, she was angry at Ron for too many reasons. She leaned further into the sofa, rubbing it with one hand. "He's nice to her," she whined. "He's not nice to me."
He scoffed. "How anyone can be nice to that bint is beyond me."
Nodding, she attempted to take another. It was empty and Malfoy hadn't refilled it. Pity. "Why doesn't he love me though?"
"He loves what he can get out of you," Malfoy reminded, patting her hand. She assumed she probably looked pathetic, lying there on the sofa so she could interrupt his night and complain. "You want someone who's going to love you for you Granger; someone much better than Weasley."
"But what if no one is better than Ron?" she asked, pouting. It seemed impossible. Shoving her empty glass towards him, she tilted her head. "Ron's loved me forever."
"He also probably plans on beating you forever," Draco spat, the venom in his tone bothering her, Why did he seem so much angrier tonight?
"Well, not forever," she sneered, her face unconsciously breaking into a grin immediately after. Was she agreeing with him? "If he can love Lavender then he's gotta love me way more! He'd learn how."
"It's not exactly something you learn."
"Right." She frowned, worrying her lip. He'd taken her drink by now, and it sat empty on the table. She leaned forward to grab it, missed, and watched the glass shatter on the floor. Malfoy grumbled something she couldn't understand, used a quick spell to magic it away, and replaced it with another. Simple fix.
It was so simple.
Ron thought he was getting away with so much by stringing her along and keeping Lavender on the side. He was beating her, and Lavender got everything good. Hell, he'd left her alone and hurt in a tent so he could go get high.
Maybe he didn't care so much for her after all. He could keep beating her until she broke, just like the glass. And then she'd be replaced, so very easily, by Lavender.
Hermione squared her shoulders. "I must break up with Ron."
Draco paused mid sip, the liquid tilting in his glass. His eyes moved over to her as he lowered the glass in his hand, his expression serious. "What?"
She nodded her head, already going along with her plan. "I need to break up with Ron."
"Granger, I've been saying that for weeks. But handling it while you're drunk is a shit idea."
Shaking her head she stood, wobbling slightly for a moment before grabbing the bottle. He didn't stop her this time, smirking a little as she took a drink from the bottle, clenching her eyes shut again at the terrible taste.
Slamming the bottle back on the table she grinned at him, eyes wide and lively. "No, now is perfect. Now while I have liquid courage!"
"It is the best courage," he replied sarcastically. She nodded again, turning from him towards the door. If he expected her to back down, he was sorely mistaken. Ron always confronted her when he had courage on his side, right? Why couldn't she?
Maybe that was the alcohol talking.
She was out the door before she noticed he was following, and she turned around to study him, stumbling only once as she walked. "What're you doing?"
"You didn't think I'd seriously let you go alone did you? That's an even worse idea than this."
"I don't need you," Hermione argued, though her voice sounded whinier than she meant to.
"Oh, you may not need me but I'm coming along anyway." He smirked at her, and that only bothered her more. Why did he think she wanted him to come along?
Why wouldn't she want him to come along? Shaking her head, she continued down the hall. Alcohol gave her liquid courage. Maybe Malfoy could give her real strength.
A/n: I updated early this week since there was a lovely response to the last chapter and I thought it would do some good! Next week's chapter probably won't come out until later in the week, but until then let me know what you think.
