Welcome back:) Sorry I didn't update last weekend. I was pretty busy.

Anyway, here we go!

(Hermione POV)

Zabini's and Neville's words had been too much. Way too much.

I felt anger at the blonde for not telling me the truth, but at the same time, I understood why he didn't, causing me both sympathy and fear for him.

Oh, it made me sick. I had thrown up when they left. Just the image of Draco…

I wasn't entirely sure how to approach the subject.

Do I leave it alone?

Do I ask him about it?

Do I just go kill Montague and get it over with?

I was scared on top of that confusion.

What if Montague grew angry, thinking that I told them about his constant abuse? What if he did… that again?

Sure, this wasn't my body, but it is my mind. It would be traumatizing, life-altering.

How does Draco deal with it?

I shook the thought.

I had people keeping an eye on me. I was safe. I knew I would be safe.

(Harry POV)

I sat still, holding Draco to me.

He had stopped crying, but his breaths were uneven. He was whimpering slightly.

"Blaise'll be mad at me." He was saying. "'Cause I lied. I lied to him.

"Daphne's gonna be mad. We tell each other everything.

"Graham'll be mad. Oh, Merlin. Graham'll be mad."

Suddenly his eyes went wide and he shot up, looking me straight in the eye.

"Graham'll be mad! He's gonna hurt her!"

He jumped to his feet, but I quickly grabbed hold of one of Hermione's familiar hands and made him sit back down.

"Hermione will be fine. You think your friends are going to find something like that out and then just leave you by yourself with no one to keep an eye on you?"

"You're right." He sniffed. "I'm just… she's been so kind. And she's already had to deal with so much."

"Well, I'm glad to know you genuinely care."

"I'm not that much of an asshole."

I laughed lightly at him, drawing a smile from the brunette.

"Come on." I said standing and offering him a hand. "Let's go back to the common room. You need to talk yourself up a little more for Neville."

"I do not talk myself up!" he exclaimed. "I just tell him little things about me."

"Yeah. And he's more in love than ever."

Pink spread across his cheeks. "Shut up. It's none of your business."

His tone was playful.

"Come on." I laughed.

(Draco POV)

"Hermione?"

I looked up at the door of the girl's dormitory and immediately felt hear rise to my cheeks.

"Hi, Neville."

"Is it okay if I come in?"

"Sure."

Hands in his pockets, he crossed the room, sitting next to me on the edge of the bed.

And just stayed silent, his head ducked.

I laughed lightly. "Do you need something?"

"I was just wondering…" He scratched the back of his neck, clearing his throat. "Um… whatelsedoyouknowaboutdraco."

I laughed harder. "English, please."

"Sorry." He grumbled. "I'm just… a little embarrassed. I've never… felt this way before. I was just wondering if you knew anything else about Draco?"

My cheeks grew warmer. "Like what?"

"Something that would really impress him. I want to ask him to the dance."

My heart skipped a beat. "Really?"

His eyes widened at the excitement in my voice, but he laughed nonetheless. "Really."

"Umm…" I searched my brain for something that I would love. How did I want him to ask me?

Finally, I smiled at him. "Just ask him.

"Really? Just ask?"

I nodded. "With how shy and hesitant you are, he'll be a total sucker for it."

"How do you know that?"

"He thinks the fact that you're shy is really cute. He likes it."

Neville's face turned red. "Wh-what else does he like about me?"

I thought for a second. "How brave you are. How humble. How kind." I smiled. "Your eyes. Your arms."

"My arms?"

I nodded. "He loves them. Just the right amount of muscle tone. Not lean, but not huge." I giggled. "Perfect for cuddling, right?"

His face burned darker. His smile stretched from ear to ear.

"What else?" He pressed.

"Your clumsiness. The fact that you're scared of Snape."

He looked embarrassed at that one.

"He likes that you're way taller than him. He likes that you're a dominant figure, but kind about it. He likes that you're protective." My eyes landed on his face. "He likes your lips."

"M-my lips?"

His face was right near purple.

I swallowed thickly and nodded. "He really likes your lips. He's said he wonders what it would be like to kiss you."

Neville looked amazed, eyes wide. "I… wow. Wow. I can't believe..." He threw himself back on the bed. "He wants to kiss me. He wants to kiss me." He shook his head. "Why?"

"What do you mean why?" I demanded, growing slightly defensive.

"He's so beautiful." He sighed. "That hair, and those eyes, and his features are so delicate, but like… regal. His body's amazing. I know I shouldn't admit this, especially with what I just found out, but I just can't help but stare at his bum sometimes. I can't. It's like… perfect."

It was my turn to blush.

"And he's intelligent. And kind. Even if other people don't think so. And I… I don't know. I just want to kiss him. To hold him. To try to give him back a little bit of the love he deserves. I mean… between Montague and his parents, he's had to face some pretty bad stuff."

I turned away from him, suddenly not feeling so jittery or giddy. "He has." I said quietly.

"You're strong, Dragon. Stronger than anyone I know. You got that from your mother."

"Hermione."

"I love you, Daddy."

"Hermione?"

"I love you too, Draco. So much. Too much."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at Neville.

"What's wrong?"

I realized I was crying. "Nothing," I said quickly, wiping the tears from my cheeks. "Just thinking about some of the stuff he told me about his father."

"Oh," Neville said sadly. "Were they close?"

I nodded. "But let's not talk about it. Everything's getting better for him. Montague's out of the picture." I smiled, gently touching his hand. "And now he'll get you."

(Blaise POV)

I couldn't get it out of my head.

I should be happy. I had beaten Montague to a bloody pulp.

But I wasn't. I wasn't satisfied.

(Flashback)

I had never enjoyed sitting home alone. It was too quiet. Every noise caused me to jump out of my skin.

So when, suddenly, green flames flew from the fireplace in a deafening roar, I think it's understandable as to why I nearly jumped out of my skin.

Turning, reaching for my wand, was when I saw him.

Draco.

There was blood. So much blood. In his hair, on his face, on his shirt, down one of his arms. He was cradling one arm to his chest with the other.

"Draco?" I rushed over to him, grabbing his shoulders. "What the fuck happened to you?"

He didn't respond.

I looked at his arm and felt my stomach lurch.

White bone was visible, protruding from the bloodied flesh.

I looked back and Draco and his appearance – the look in his eyes – made me freeze. His eyes were glassy and far-away. His lips were parted slightly.

"Draco."

No response.

I shoke his shoulders roughly. "Draco!"

His dull eyes were looking right past me.

"DRACO!"

"Blaise." He had whispered. "Need Blaise. Need Blaise. Have to get to Blaise."

(End flashback)

That had been the first time in years that I had cried.

Taking him to St. Mungo's, I had seen the dark blood on the seat of his pants.

The second they took him to a room, I had retched in the floor.

It had been too much. It was still too much.

He had stayed in that trance-like state for almost a week, continuously muttering, "Blaise. Have to get to Blaise. Blaise, please. Blaise. Need Blaise."

At one point the words, "Help me, Blaise. Please." Had left his lips and all of us – Me, Daphne, Pans, Greg, Vince, Theo, Lucius, and Narcissa – had been in tears.

Had those words left his mouth when this was happening to him?

We all thought he was going to stay that way – forever muttering to himself, eyes dull and glassy, cradling a now-healed arm to his chest – forever. But about six days after he had come to my house, he was back.

He had looked at me, mid-mutter, eyes suddenly bright, clear, and looked worried. "Blaise? What's wrong? Why do you look upset?"

I had near-literally thrown myself at the tiny blonde, hugging him tightly, allowing the tears to fall again.

Seeing him in that state, I had vowed to kill whoever did that to him.

And that person was Montague.

And I'll be damned if I don't fucking kill him.

"Blaise." Pansy said quietly, gently kissing my jaw. "Please promise me you won't do anything to get thrown in Azkaban. We're all pretty upset about it right now, but Draco needs you to protect him."

I nodded. "I won't get thrown in Azkaban." I smiled at her, kissing the tip of her nose. "And I won't ever leave you."

(Draco POV)

I had sent Granger an owl and told her that I didn't feel much up to talking Saturday night, so the next time I saw here was breakfast the next morning.

She – or I, I suppose – looked exhausted.

I knew the feeling. I hadn't been able to sleep for a solid month after it happened.

People around me were whispering, staring at Granger. Well, me. My body.

Why were they-

My heart froze.

No.

"But wasn't he-,"

"His boyfriend? Yeah."

No, no, no.

"I'll bet it's just a ploy for him to get attention."

A snort. "Like anybody would wanna touch him anyway."

Oh, Merlin. I was going to throw up.

"Why would he rape him? I'm sure Malfoy would've been desperate enough to take anything. As long as they're Pureblood that is."

Laughter.

I couldn't breathe.

Potter and Weasley hadn't noticed. But, Salazar, Neville had.

"What kind of fucking people are you?" He suddenly screeched at the Gryffindors beside us.

They looked shocked.

"You don't know what he went through, so shut the fuck up!"

Everyone knows. Everyone knows. Oh, Merlin, everyone knows.

The girls just rolled their eyes.

"Ya know," Seamus Finnegan suddenly piped in. "There was a rumor not to long ago that Malfoy learned everything he knew from his father. Maybe he decided he'd turn it in to 'he got raped' to make himself not seem like such a fuckin' twisted slut."

Potter looked at me with wide eyes. I shook my head. That wasn't true. Not in the slightest bit.

"You don't know anything about him, Seamus!" Neville snapped.

"Neither do you. Are you hoping that maybe he'll suck your dick too?"

Everyone laughed. Neville furious.

"Shut your goddamn mouth, Seamus! I can't believe that you're sitting here laughing because someone got raped! Do you not understand what that means? He was held down against his will and had his virginity, something so delicate and intimate, ripped away from him. He's going to have to live with that and probably relive that every day of his life. And you're laughing!"

Finnegan and the others looked away from him but didn't say anything.

"I… I think I'm gonna ask him." Neville suddenly said a few moments later.

"Now?"

"Now."

I smiled at him. "Go for it."

The boy looked nervous, but stood nonetheless and made his way on shaky legs to where Granger sat between Greg and Blaise.

I watched as he blushed and obviously stuttered through his words.

Once he had actually asked, Granger turned and looked at me. She knew I knew what he was asking, and she wanted an answer.

She already knew what I was going to say.

I snuck a peek at Neville. He looked pale, his eyes full of worry and hope.

My heart swelled.

I… I really think I love him.

I nodded.

She turned back and looked at Neville, smiling.

My lips shaped, 'I'd love to.'

A huge grin appeared on Neville's handsome face and he did something that I didn't think I'd see him do (well right now anyway) – he threw him arms around me tightly, gently kissing my cheek.

"We'll have a great time." I heard his voice above the know shocked murmurs of the crowded dining hall. "I promise. You won't regret it."

(Page break)

Dreams.

I had always loved them. Especially now when they were full of gentle hands, strong arms, and soft pink lips; whispers of "you're beautiful", "nothing will ever harm you", "all mine".

Never anything perverted. Just comfort and gentle kisses.

It was perfect.

I was ripped out of my peaceful state suddenly and was immediately confused as to what had happened to wake me so suddenly.

Until my eyes adjusted.

I felt my heart begin to pound. I felt my stomach lurch. My eyes were wide, my blood ran cold. I had gooseflesh.

"Morning, baby. You sleep well?"

His knees were on either side of my hips, one hand holding both of mine down, one hand over my mouth.

My cheek stung. He had slapped me to wake me up.

"You look scared. Did you have a nightmare?"

He laughed.

"Probably a wet dream about Longbottom. Now that would be scary. Why would you pick him when you could have me?"

I was losing breath. I couldn't make my lungs work.

"Ya know, you really are just a little slut. Everyone's saying so."

He laughed harder.

"If they only knew the truth, I guess you'd been the sweet, innocent victim. But, no. You're just the fucking cum-burping slut of the school now.

"You still look scared. And surprised. Ya know,"

Graham smiled.

"You never were good at keeping secrets, Draco."

(Page break)

Okay, so, this chapter kinda sucks, but whatever. I like it alright, I guess.

Hope you guys like it.

Reviews are Love!