The night was perfectly clear and the stars shone brightly. One would never be inclined to believe something bad was coming. Draco closed the curtain on his window; disgusted with the sense of peace the night could inflict. He was anything but peaceful and he paced back and forth across his room. He was bothered by the fact that regardless of what he chose to do now, lives would be lost. Draco didn't know if he could handle it. He'd grown up with everything, or so he thought. His parents had never given him responsibilities. He'd certainly never been responsible for someone else's life. Draco was cursing under his breath when there was a knock at his door.

"Come in." called Draco, quickly throwing on a sweatshirt.

Blaise came through and shut the door behind him. Draco eyed his friend cautiously. He didn't feel like answering questions but supposed he may as well get them over with. Blaise didn't look uneasy at all. He looked nonchalant, like Draco hadn't just spent all day in his room with no explanation or made threats at whoever tried to see him.

"Hungry?" Blaise grinned throwing a bag at Draco.

"Yeah, what's in here?" Draco asked as he caught it.

"The four food groups. Chocolate, pudding, sour candy and oh yeah, most important, firewhiskey." Blaise smiled triumphantly.

"I'll try to ignore the fact that as a student, possession of alcohol isn't allowed." Draco smirked.

"Dumb rule isn't it? I mean we are seventeen aren't we? We can finally do magic outside school but what's the point if we can't summon anything good?" complained Blaise.

"You can summon it but if you do it here McGonagall will have your head." corrected Draco.

"Right." Blaise amended, "So, mister Head Boy…finally willing to see the little people, are you?"

Draco set the bag on his bed. "What are you talking about?"

"Did you forget the part where you threatened to curse Crabbe and Goyle this morning?" asked Blaise skeptically.

"Oh that. Well with those two, I figure a curse will do them more good than harm." responded Draco.

"And what about me? You can't possibly have had my best interests at heart." Blaise said seriously.

"No, I definitely wanted to hurt you. But only if you managed to get in here." said Draco.

"Why? What were you hiding?" When he was curious, Draco thought Blaise looked about five years old.

"Nothing." Draco lied.

"You really aren't going to tell me?" asked Blaise in disbelief.

"Really Blaise, you wouldn't have wanted to see it, I can promise you that!" declared Draco.

Blaise looked annoyed. "But I thought we were friends."

"Why does it matter?" Draco was annoyed now too, "I didn't realize being friends meant you sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!"

"No, it means helping you when you clearly need it!" snapped Blaise.

"In case you didn't notice, I never asked for your help!" Draco shot back.

"You don't deserve it anyway!" Blaise retorted.

Draco was a little taken aback. He stared at Blaise who looked irritated beyond reason and said in a calmer voice. "Just go Blaise. Before I really do curse you."

"Fine." said Blaise and he left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Draco sat down on his bed, reeling from the confrontation. Why couldn't people mind their own business? What right did Blaise have to be angry anyway? It wasn't as if Draco did anything to him. Sorry for not letting you in while I was bleeding all over the place. he thought sarcastically. Draco stood up and went over to his fireplace where he leaned on the mantel. He was still hoping last night was a dream. Wishful thinking on his part, he knew, but he couldn't help it. His anger was slowly subsiding when a rush of green flames assaulted his fireplace. Draco took a step back to avoid getting burned.

"Who the hell is flooing here at one in the morning?" Draco was afraid Snape would be back with a lecture about how making friends with Harry Potter's lot was obviously the worst thing he could've done.

It wasn't Snape. But the person in his place wasn't any better. Draco wondered if it was too late to take the lecture. Hermione stepped through the fireplace looking both tired and worried. Draco stood there in shock. He had never realized the Heads' rooms had a floo connection.

Hermione's worry disappeared at the sight of Draco and she immediately went up to hug him.

"Are you okay? Where have you been? I thought…I thought…" Hermione noticed Draco wincing in pain. She pulled away. "What's wrong?"

"What are you doing here?" Draco's voice was filled with contempt.

"I was worried! I mean you told me about, well, you know and then today you weren't anywhere! I wanted to see you." answered Hermione.

Draco really couldn't take it. Why did she have to care so damn much? He didn't say anything and Hermione continued.

"Well I had to see you! Especially after…" Hermione trailed off.

"After what?" asked Draco.

"After apparently Lavender saw us kissing in the library." Hermione said softly. "You can't imagine how it looked to Ron. You being absent today. He thinks you're embarrassed. That you're still a bad guy."

"I am a bad guy, Granger. I guess Weasley isn't as dumb as he looks after all." scoffed Draco.

"No you're not. I knew there had to be another reason for why you didn't come to classes today, especially after Blaise said you wouldn't come out of your room!" insisted Hermione.

"Blaise told you I wouldn't leave my room?"

"Well not me exactly. Snape took roll call in Potions and he said you were sick or something. It didn't make sense." answered Hermione.

"Well you're off this time, Granger. Perhaps you should listen to Weasley once in awhile. You don't actually think I like you, do you? When it got around that we kissed I knew I had to lay low. Mudbloods like you shouldn't even be in my presence!" sneered Draco.

"I don't believe you!" Hermione persisted.

"I guess I'm too good of an actor for my own good! I really had you going didn't I? Well the joke's over, Granger. Do me a favour and try not to cry on the way out!" retorted Draco.

Sure enough, Draco could see tears welling up in Hermione's eyes but she blinked several times and controlled herself.

"What happened to you?" asked Hermione sadly.

"What?" Draco asked.

"It hurt you for me to hug you." shrugged Hermione.

"Well I guess mudbloods have that effect on me." Draco said cruelly.

"Don't lie, Malfoy! You're in real physical pain!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Are you worried, Granger? Well don't be. It's not your problem." snapped Draco.

"Look, even if you really do hate me, it is my problem. You made it my problem when you showed me the Dark Mark on your arm." said Hermione.

"Get out, Mudblood!"

"Why are you doing this?" Draco could tell she was really fighting the urge to cry now.

"Haven't I already told you? This is how I am. I hate you! I would never associate with the likes of you except as a joke. Stop trying to make me into a better person than I am!" demanded Draco.

"I really thought you had changed! How could I be so stupid?" asked Hermione.

"So much for being the brightest witch in the year." agreed Draco sardonically.

"I'm leaving." Hermione announced angrily.

"It's about time!" said Draco.

"Shut up, Malfoy, I'm sorely tempted to punch you in the face." retorted Hermione.

"Having a flashback to third year, are we? Well Weasley beat you to it. You can go now." Draco dismissed.

Hermione gave him what was quite possibly the best death glare Draco had ever seen. Draco stared right back at her, his face cold and expressionless. Hermione snatched a handful of floo powder and went back to her own room. Draco, who was already having a hard enough time believing how his evening was turning out, was furious at the sound of someone knocking on his door. Again.

"What?" he snapped, flinging the door open.

There stood Blaise for the second time. He stumbled in and plopped on Draco's bed. Draco noticed far too easily the smell of alcohol on his friend's breath as he passed.

"Blaise, what are you doing back here?" asked Draco.

"Party, mate! Well not yet, really. I mean, I guess I started without everyone." Blaise hiccupped, "I came to get you before I remembered…remembered…"

"We had a fight." Draco finished for him. He should've known Blaise had more firewhiskey stashed somewhere. What he never guessed was that Blaise was such a lightweight.

"Exactly!" Blaise jumped up. The action caused him to become dizzy. He sat back down on Draco's bed and then laid down completely.

Draco thought he may have passed out when he asked, "Why'd you yell at her, mate?"

"Who?" Draco didn't like where this was going.

"Granger. I know she isn't a pureblood and all but –hic- I thought you liked her." Blaise directed his gaze at Draco.

"Why would you think that?" Draco asked irritably.

"Because!" Blaise paused for a minute as if he thought that explained everything.

"Because?" Draco prompted.

"I forgot you didn't go to class today!" Blaise paused again, "Everyone's saying you two snogged in the library."

"Yes, I've heard." Draco sighed sitting beside Blaise.

"So why'd you yell at her?" Blaise seemed to remember his original question.

"Isn't it obvious?" Draco answered himself, "So she would stay away from me."

"Don't tell me you're embarrassed that you were seen kissing?" Blaise looked genuinely shocked.

"For a drunk, you're awfully perceptive." said Draco.

"I am NOT –hic- drunk!!" Blaise insisted as he sat up.

"Whatever. Lucky for you I don't feel like taking house points." said Draco.

Blaise just laughed. "God you're funny! I know you wouldn't really take points from your own house Draco!"

Draco watched in horror as his friend started to giggle uncontrollably. This had to stop. Now. Draco grabbed Blaise by the shoulders. "Blaise! Blaise! You're mad at me, remember? Because I wouldn't tell you my secret?"

Blaise stopped immediately and glared at Draco. "That's right! I haven't forgiven you, you know! I honestly don't know why I bother! You are so ungrateful sometimes!"

"Can you make it to bed?" was Draco's only response.

"Hah! As if I need your help!" Blaise stood up but he didn't leave.

"Are you forgetting something?" Draco asked.

"You know what I think?" Blaise said this as though he was about to bestow some great wisdom on his listener.

"No, but I bet you're going to tell me." answered Draco.

"I think you're scared!" Blaise announced.

"Excuse me?"

"That's right, scared! Girls are always chasing after the great Draco Malfoy and all of a sudden it's the other way around! You're scared because she's not pureblood and you're scared because you think she may not like you as much as you like her! So you pushed her away before she could hurt you first!" Blaise declared.

"Goodnight, Blaise." Draco shoved him out of his room and shut the door behind him.

Draco turned off the lights and got into bed. This was probably the worst night of his life, even worse than being put through the Cruciatus curse. He really couldn't handle the hurt in Hermione's eyes as he ripped her apart. But it was better this way. Because when push came to shove Draco Malfoy was as self preserving as any Slytherin would be. He wasn't going to die as the Dark Lord's puppet to get back at his father. And he wasn't going to die for anyone else. When the time came for him to kill Hermione, she wouldn't be surprised. The lines would be drawn. She would expect him to be on the other side of battle just like everyone else. They had always been on opposite sides. Him on one, Saint bloody Potter on the other. Hermione picked Potter's side before and Draco knew she would do it again. Brave and loyal to her friends as any Gryffindor would be.

Damn, perfect Gryffindors. They all thought they were so noble. None of them knew how it felt to have their lives planned out for them. They would never know the shame Draco felt in giving up the one good thing in his life just so he and his family might live longer. They would never care. Draco didn't understand how such 'brave and noble' people could be so prejudiced. He was just as prejudiced sure, but at least he didn't pretend he was above it all. Draco rolled on his side and stared blankly into the darkness, knowing he was alone in this. He was really going to do it. He was really going to kill Hermione Granger. He felt sort of numb. Draco sighed. He really couldn't imagine being able to kill anyone otherwise.