Chapter 9

Hermione was a little worried when Theo didn't return, but she kept her mind occupied with Draco's dark magic book.

A few minutes before noon Theo came back.

"Where have you been?",she asked sharply, "I've been worried sick!"

Theo held up his hands in surrender, showing he was holding a bottle.

"Is that Firewhisky?",she hissed snapping her book shut.

"Shit", Theo cursed, "I mean yes, yes it is. Snape gave it to me for helping him move his stuff to the Headmasters Quarters."

"Hand it over."

Theo groaned, but handed her the bottle without a fight.

"Listen, don't tell I was late", Theo pleaded, "Draco will have my arse..."

"What did you do?", Draco asked sharply, standing in the doorway with the others following behind him.

Theo paled and walked backwards as Draco advanced on him.

"He came in right before you", Hermione interfered while boldly stepping in between them. "He couldn't help it. Snape got him move his stuff, he got this bottle as a reward."

Everyone's eyes snapped to the bottle in her hand.

"Firewhisky!", Blaise cheered, making a grab at the bottle.

"Which", Hermione said stopping him, "I will be keeping safe until we're sure that's all it is. We don't know if Snape can be trusted."

They all groaned, but nobody objected.

"Draco", she continued, "I'm going to need my stuff. I assume it's still in my dorm."

"And just how am I supposed to do that?"

"You are going to find out the password to the Gryffindor Tower. Then, you're going to take your broom, fly up the right staircase and enter the third room on your left. My bed is the first one on the left."

"You're making it sound so easy Granger", Draco said sarcastically.

"Oh it won't be", Hermione said sweetly, "You're going to enter the lion's lair, bravest House of the school. But you're the Slytherin Prince, I'm sure you'll manage."

"Granger I'm impressed!", Blaise exclaimed. "That's a very cunning way of giving Draco no other option than doing it or losing his face."

"I guess you're rubbing off on me", Hermione shrugged. "Now please take me to the bathroom and then off to lunch, bring me back something."

Draco grabbed her arm as she tried to walk past him. She inhaled his apple scent and goosebumps broke out on her skin by his sudden proximity.

"We'll talk about this later", he whispered in her ear before she could follow the others out. He pulled her with him. When they arrived he quickly checked the bathroom and left her to it.

"Oh shit...", Blaise mumbled when they were almost back at their room.

Pansy pushed through their group until she came face to face with Hermione.

"You vile little bitch", she hissed in Hermione's face. "I know you think you got the main prize sleeping in his bed. But me, I know, that in the end, you're nothing but a pathetic mudblood whore."

"Pansy that's enough", Draco interfered, pulling Hermione backwards against his chest. He was getting quite fed up with Pansy's behaviour.

"It's alright Malfoy", Hermione said. "She's obviously hurting. If it makes her feel better, just let her rant."

"No", Draco said, his voice deathly soft. "You're mine now Pet and I protect what is mine. Pansy, I don't want to see you in this corridor ever again. Leave."

She felt a slight quiver running down her back. Draco, like the others, had his wand loosely in his hand. Pansy looked around for support, but when she couldn't find it, she turned around and left.

--

Draco was seething. How dare she defy me in front of Pansy, didn't she know how dangerous that was? She risked all of their lives and she didn't even have a clue!

He didn't go back to his room until late in the evening. He had Theo and Blaise bringing her lunch and dinner.

When Crabbe and Goyle returned from their guard duty he knew he had no choice but to go in. His mood however hadn't improved much.

"Draco!", Hermione said relieved, walking up to him.

He completely ignored her and put his books in his trunk. Hermione frowned and looked at the others, but nobody dared to meet her eye.

"Status updates", Draco said while sitting down on Blaise's bed. "Greg?"

"We went to the cells", Goyle said. "They're questioning students who's heritage isn't clear. As far as I know they'll all be fine, only halfbloods and a few muggleborns with good forgeries."

Hermione released her breath, she hadn't even realised she was holding it.

"Anyone else?", Draco asked.

"There's a rumour Fitwick fled with most of the muggleborns", Theo said. "McGonagall was the one who got Potter and the others out. Snape left his notes open when I was helping him move."

"Good", Draco said, "So she did heed our message. We'll find out what to do, in the meantime, keep your eyes and ears open and watch your back. Now, everybody get some sleep."

His eyes met Hermione's for the first time. She'd never seen them so cold and distant before. She crawled back onto the bed and closed the curtains, waiting for Draco to join her. She wondered what his problem was.

Draco changed into his pyjamas. He sighed and rolled his shoulders, trying to find the resolve for what he had to do.

"Oh shit", Blaise murmured when he saw Draco take out his belt, "She's going to kill him..."

Draco climbed on his bed and cast a silencing charm on the curtains.

"What's wrong?", Hermione asked totally oblivious.

"What's wrong", Draco answered sternly, "Is that you put everything at risk and you don't even realise it."

"How did I manage to do that?", she asked totally baffled.

"You defied me Hermione, again. You went against me in front of Rabastan and now with Pansy. With Rabastan I could let it go, because you did it to defend yourself and protect me in the process, but with Pansy, I can't."

"I don't understand..."

"I know you don't. You're in my world now Hermione, you're supposed to be mine. You put all of our lives in danger, including your own."

"Alright, I'm sorry", Hermione said defensively. "It won't happen again... What are you doing?"

Hermione eyed the leather belt in his hand.

"You tell me that, but there's a difference between saying and feeling. I have to make sure... The only way I know how."

Hermione paled a bit when he advanced on her.

"If you really understand Hermione, turn around and lift up your robes. Six strikes for six lives you recklessly endangered."

"No... No way in hell will I let you hit me Draco Malfoy!"

She attempted to flee from him, but he was too fast. He flipped her onto her belly and held her down while baring her arse. She fought and screamed every step of the way, effectively giving him a few bruises of his own. When it was done, he let her go, both panting with exhaustion.

When Draco looked in her eyes and saw the pain and betrayal in them, every satisfaction he'd felt went down the drain.

"Leave!", Hermione spat at him.

"You had to feel it", he told her unconvincingly. He dropped the belt on the floor, took a spare blanket and left.

The moment he was gone she started to cry into her pillow. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid to trust him. She had even started to believe he actually cared for her, like she had started to care for him.

Theo followed Draco out and found him on one of the couches in the common room.

"You've really done it know Draco", Theo told him. "She'll have a hard time forgiving you for this."

Oh sweet Salazar, what have I done...

--

Author note: This last bit seems to stir emotions a bit. I put it in to show two things:

1) Draco is brought up with archaic beliefs and habits, including the way one should bring up/punish a person.

2) Family and families safety goes above ANYTHING and should be protected whatever it takes. The Order is as much family to Draco as his parents are.

And yes it's true, it does resemble that scene from Outlander. :-)