Author's Note: Sorry guys! That was one hell of a long wait and I deeply apologize. Along with the holidays, I had gotten sick. But I am now better and have got a new chapter for you for the New Years. I know it might seem rushed, but, i've been wanting to get this chapter out for sometime. =) I hope you like it and I appreciate all of the reviews for the last chapter!

Chapter 10

September 10th, 1996

Her arms wrapped around her body, her own footsteps echoing in her ears. She was led down multiply corridors. Twists and turns, upstairs downstairs. She wasn't sure if it was deliberate or not, but she did know that she hoped to take a shower soon. She felt dirty and sick. Gray eyes were the only thing that was keeping her sane. They were the one thing she could think about that made the situation better. Her saviors eyes.

Professor McGonagall's voice spoke in a whisper, but loud enough for her to here clearly.

"Marshmallows."

The password was odd, and Hermione almost expected her Head of House to frown or roll her eyes. But she seemed to be reasonably angry. Hermione also noticed, the anger was not aimed at her.

She was ushered through the door, and she looked around with little interest. It looked very much like the Gryffindor common room, only it was smaller and it didn't have stairs.

"The staff have been thinking for some time that it might be better for you to have your own room, Miss Granger," McGonagall spoke, with the uncharacteristic gesture of wringing her hands. "But, we never thought that our students were capable of this cruelty."

Hermione looked to one of her mentors and saw that the older woman had tears in her eyes.

Stepping forward she hugged the professor. "It's okay, Professor."

There was a moment before she felt her embrace being reciprocated, with a humorless laugh. "It's not," McGonagall pulled back and looked down at her best pupil. "No one deserves the things you have gone through."

Hermione let her hands falls back to her sides and nodded. "Well, they've happened. No need to think of the what if's. I've changed so much over the summer. Cormac and everyone have a right to think differently of me."

McGonagall shook her head in disgust. "No. No one has the right to act in such ways without knowledge of the facts," she said, with a tone that said that was final. She cleared her throat and stood straighter, although still looked very much un-Professor-like, what with her being in a lilac robe and her hair in a matching bonnet. "Your bedroom is in through that door and the bathroom right there," she said pointing to each door.

Hermione nodded in understanding and they looked at each other for a moment.

"Goodnight, Miss Granger."

"Goodnight, Professor."

And the older woman was gone.

Hermione let out a shuddering breath when she was alone.

/-/-/-/

September 11th, 1996

He had made sure to wake up early the next morning. It was still dark out. Early enough for the professor to still be sleeping and the aurors yet to show up to take the culprit away. He pulled his jacket up on his shoulders and pulled it close to his chest. Looking over the other sleeping forms briefly, before he escaped into the common room.

It didn't take long to get up to the Hospital Wing. He made his presence known in the medi-witch's office, finding her gone. In bed still, thank God.

He walked along the single aisle, white linen wrapped beds lined up on either side of him. The last bed in the right corner though, was closed off with a white curtain-like room divider. His footsteps came more steadier now, with a purpose as he walked up to it, and peeked behind the divider.

He sneered at the sight.

How could someone condemned to Azkaban sleep like a baby?

As he got closer, he noticed the magic that held him securely to the bed. That, at least, made him feel better. He wasn't scared, he came here for a reason. But, then there was a hand on his shoulder and he jumped with a sharp look behind him. His eyes resizing three times larger.

Professor Snape was a man of stealth. Surely from all the years of his being a double agent.

The tall bat of a man only nodded after a long, hard stare. And left with a small squeeze of his hand to Draco's shoulder.

He understood.

Draco listened to the footsteps of his retreating head of house and the noise of the door closing softly. Only then did he look back to Cormac.

He stepped closer to the bed, his mind full of Unforgivables. But he knew the consequences for using those and he didn't dare. No. Even though Cormac deserved it. He wouldn't. It wasn't his place to take his life. That was in the hands of the Azkaban officials.

His fingers slowly curled into the boys shirt collar and lifted him up slowly to test just what magic was keeping him harnessed. Draco found he could maneuver the boy just enough to shake him awake. And he did so, viciously.

Cormac's blue eyes flickered open drowsily, but soon formed into frightened panic at the sight of the person who woke him. Draco didn't think such a sight could ever please him more. This was the stuff his father enjoyed.. No! His father hurt the innocent, just like Cormac did. Lucius and Cormac were just alike. Not him and Lucius. He would never be like his father. Never.

He looked down at the dirty blonde with utter distaste, remembering the way he'd found Hermione.

"You're going to die," he spat at the boy. "Do you here me. I will do everything in my power to make sure your sentence will end in death."

Before Cormac could respond, Draco allowed himself to vent his anger. His happy fist meeting Cormac's face once again. "You will tell the truth when you meet with the bloody Wizengamot. If you don't and I find out, I will be sure to get you another hearing with you under Vertiserum. Do you understand me?"

When Cormac only whimpered at his now bloody lip, Draco raised his fist again, his knuckles shattering the blonde boys eyebrow. "Yes!" Cormac yelled, nodding his head vigorously as he started to weep from the pain in his face.

"You disgust me. You can take pleasure in rape, but you cry like a baby when met with a fist," Draco wrenched his hand away from Cormac as if touching him for too long would contaminate him.

He stepped back and looked at the blood trailing down from Cormac's busted lip and eyebrow, tears coming from his blue eyes and mixing with the red.

Draco shook his head, spitting on the floor before he left the cubicle and headed back to the dungeons for a couple more hours of sleep, before breakfast.

/-/-/-/

Hermione was confused when she woke up the next morning. Looking about herself and finding herself in a single room that she hadn't ever been in before. It took a couple moment before the memories of last night came back to her. Cormac and his needs. She shuddered and brought her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs close and trying to find comfort.

But, someone had saved her before the unthinkable could happen.

Malfoy.

The safety she felt when he had arrived had been earth shattering. He had made her feel whole in that moment. She thought her sudden feelings – or more like acceptance of his person – was scary. But, she hadn't felt whole since before summer. He'd made that happen by protecting her.

She got up and tip-toed into the next room that was decorated much like any common room. Finding the bathroom, next. She took the best shower she'd had, scrubbing off Cormac's wandering touch and remembering Malfoy righting her clothes.

When she was dressed she went down stairs for breakfast. It had to be early because very little people were up. Some of the staff, a couple Ravenclaw's. Even her Slytherin's weren't up, yet.

She slumped into a stool and then felt a touch to her shoulder. Her head snapping back to see a pale hand, and her gaze followed up the arm to find Snape's face. "P-Professor?" she asked, unsure.

The man's face was as stoic as ever. Devoid of any emotion. "Mr. McLaggen has just been escorted to Azkaban," he told her with a dip of his head.

Her face went lax and she watched as his hand fell away from her. His robes billowing as he turned on his heel.

"Professor Snape," she called after him, sitting up a little more.

He turned slowly, his eyebrow delicately inching upwards.

"Thank you," she said, her voice getting quieter with the end of her words, her eyes wide with the gratitude she felt towards him. Her words had a deeper meaning, and she saw the effect they had on him when his face turned in shock.

He nodded once, diverting his gaze, before he turned back towards the staff table and she watched him until he took his seat.

Hermione's breakfast had been a silent one. Malfoy had shown up first, only a few minutes after she had spoken to Snape. Then people gradually filled the empty benches in the Great Hall.

She heard whispers and felt the stares, obviously word had gotten around. And it was only breakfast. Pansy asked her if she was alright.

"Yeah, Malfoy showed up just before..." she looked to the blonde boy and he was staring at his plate with a frown. "But, I'll be fine."

"Yes, thank god I showed up," Malfoy sneered, looking around at all his friends.

Hermione found her lap quite interesting in that moment, frowning. He had been so considerate, and now he was back to being an arse. She heard Pansy and Theo getting onto him. And then Ginny came around and sat down, interrupting the fight that would have only gotten worse.

After breakfast, she went through the normal school routine, only in every class she was given the most sincere apologies. Parvati even cried through hers in Potions, which cost her some points. Of course, Hermione earned those back.

When her last class ended, she gave Seamus a small smile in understanding. Although she felt that if any other rumor was brought up about her, every single person who doubted her would just do the same as they did. Blame her, then shun her.

Turning around she sighed, just wanting to get back to her new rooms. She just wanted to get away from everything and fall onto her bed and sleep, perhaps with a dreamless sleep potion. So, she definitely needed to make a pit stop at the hospital wing.

"Hermione!" her name was shouted and she pivoted around to see two boys running. Their feet clambering down the hall towards her, and making unnecessary noise. Her heart immediately started to beat harder in her chest when she saw those familiar glasses and then those freckles she once thought were so adorable.

She hugged her books close to her chest as she stared at them, warily. She'd gotten so many apologies and excuses today, she was nervous about what they had to say to her.

"'Mione," Harry breathed out heavily, trying to catch his breath, while Ron was bent over, his hands on his hips as he breathed hard with a stupid smile on his face. "We're so sorry."

Hermione's eyes grew at that, every 'sorry' she'd gotten hadn't meant as much. But hearing Harry say it, made her want to throw her arms around him.

"Yeah, we've been bloody idiots," Ron said through a gush of air. "I mean, maybe not all of the Slytherin's are Death Eaters and..."

"Ron," Harry shook his head at his red headed friend with a frown. "Shut up." Hermione's lips quirked at that and she looked at them both, before her gaze settled on Harry, as he started to talk. "We've just been incredibly stupid, we should have trusted you. If Cormac can do... what he did, then the Slytherin's have got to have a good bone in them. Not all of them, but maybe a few- umph!" Hermione threw her arms around him and squeezed him tight. Waving a hand for Ron to join and as he moved closer she hugged them both to her and started to cry.

"Aw, 'Mione..." Ron said, getting uncomfortable with her tears, but they continued to hold her until her tears stopped.

She had her friends. They were back, they accepted things...

God, she hoped nothing would come along to ruin this.

/-/-/-/

September 15th, 1996

It was Sunday and Hermione's life finally started getting back to normal. Or as normal as it could get. Harry and Ron were a little hesitant about cohorting with any of the Slytherin's. But, she saw that they were keeping control of their true feelings, and slowing seeing that Theo, Pansy, Blaise, and Malfoy were all good. Even though Malfoy was still an arse.

She wanted some time to herself, and for that she went down to the lake just before dinner and sat down on the grass. The cold weather making her chill, but she liked snuggling inside her coat.

Some noise off to her right had her looking over.

Malfoy.

She watched as he slowly walked over and then sat down next to her. Leaning back on the palm's of his hands with his legs stretched out before him.

The silence between them went on for what seemed like hours and Hermione was back to looking out towards the lake, watching the Giant Squid hunting for food. Taking in calm breathes, loving how his presence made her feel whole. Like nothing was wrong.

"Thank you," she spoke quietly.

She could see him looking at her out of her peripheral vision, and she knew without even looking that his elegant eyebrow was high on his forehead in question. Hermione looked at him, the slightest of smiles on her face as she took in his pale features. "For saving-" at the frown on his face, she decided a change of word was best. "Okay, helping me. Thank you."

He turned his face back towards the lake, giving her sight of his handsome profile. "It was nothing."

Hermione shook her head. "It was everything," she spoke in a whisper and she ducked her head down when he looked back at her with a look of shock written all over his face.

/-/-/-/

September 16th, 1996

After all of her classes, Hermione had the most horrible headache, and before dinner she knew she needed to go to the hospital wing. Otherwise, it would only get worst.

Stepping into Madam Pomfrey's office, she cleared her throat and watched the older woman looking up, a small smile coming onto her face. "Well, I was getting worried about you. I haven't seen you around for some time, Miss Granger."

Hermione smiled a little, which was a huge improvement from a few weeks ago. "I just came by to get something for a headache, and maybe some more Dreamless Sleep?"

"Oh," Madam Pomfrey frowned a little and stood up from her desk, hurrying over towards a shelf of potions. "I thought you were coming for the Menstrual potion," she said turning back towards Hermione and handing her the potions she requested.

Hermione was confused for only a second, before her eyes widened. "Th-thank you, Madam-" she couldn't get much more out, before she was running out of the hospital wing, ignoring the call of her name. She clutched the potions to her chest as she ran down corridor after corridor. Passing students and faculty.

She entered Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, dropping the potions on the ground, listening to the vials break, but not caring. She closed herself inside a stall. Pulling her skirt and underwear down, only to find her panties clean. Not a speck of blood. It was the 16th, she should have been on her monthly by now..

Oh god...

The tears came before she could comprehend them, large sobs escaping her as she covered her face with her hands. No, this wasn't happening. She wiped at her eyes after a couple moment, trying to get rid of the dampness. Uh-huh. Nothing was wrong, she would give it a couple more days and she'd be fine.

Nothing was wrong.

Nothing at all...