Broken Smile.

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Harry Potter.

Authors Note: Heya Guys! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in ages – I have no excuse, other than the fact that work, both educational and financial have been so sky high recently I have barely been granted the guideline amount of sleep for the average person.

Thanks every one for your persistent reviews! I'm on 97 now – I am so hoping that this chapter will boost it up to triple figures. How exciting… plans?

I have a few…

A Possible Sequel to Broken Smile, however this completely depends on the outcome of this… I could do a prequel. Any way – this fic is almost over… I will do about 2 or 3 more chapters and then that's it.

How Do You Feel About That? Is going to have a sequel called 'Fixtures Of Therapy.' This should be fun – any one who believes Hermione and Draco are moving to fast – think again.

We're in heaven – It's on its way!

Chapter 10

"Shit!" He cursed getting up from the sofa. He paced the room briefly and gathered his thought then grabbed some loose paper and a pen. Just as he was about to leave the door her checked the time. 11.15 pm. She'd freeze.

'Wait' he thought, 'maybe she's in bed.'

Draco could almost kick himself at that time, about to go out looking for someone past curfew if they were already tucked nicely in bed. He made his way down the mini corridor and knocked the door. No answer. He opened the door to see an empty bed in an empty room with no light and the curtains left open.

'Of course she isn't here! Granger couldn't be quiet even if she tried' He told himself while making his way to the exit of their shared dorm.

Walking down the corridor at a pace more often known as jogging he turned his head round every corner for two reasons, one to look for a lost Hermione and two to check no teacher was around patrolling. Not that it would matter if a teacher were out doing rounds because Draco had thought about that and brought out the reporting slips as an alibi.

He was beginning to get worried. Hermione was somewhere around here and either sleeping or in danger because unless by a few minutes Hermione is never late, and two and a half hours late definitely isn't her thing.

The thing that dreaded Draco most was the thought of going outside in the bitter cold, but by the way things were going for him it looked as though he was going to have to. She was no where inside the building and the thought of the ice cold air hitting his bare face was no threatening him more and more. He wished he didn't care about her as much as he did, he hoped that as he opened the door she's be there standing freezing so that he didn't have to go out, risking his life to find her lying on the ground dead with her guts hanging from a tree and some random mystical creature gnawing and the remains of her bones. But as he opened the door, the only thing that met him, face-to-face was the freezing wind. He pulled his coat around his neck and proceeded into darkness.

His best bet was the astronomy tower, up the icy stairs risking breaking his own neck.

'She had better appreciate this.' He shivered as he thought.

Just around the corner was the astronomy tower, snow on the roof and unmistakably the coldest place to be in weather like this. The stone was cold on a thirty degree summer day so just imagining the bricks now were unbearable. He began to climb the icy steps, clinging onto the stone ledge for support, with no gloves on his hands were numb and red raw. As he reached the top he looked out of the nearest window and saw the figure he saw earlier except now the figure was longer. As fast as his legs could carry him he jumped down several steps at a time and ran to the place, and then he stopped.

To get to where the figure was meant going into the forbidden forest, at past midnight – alone and even if he did at the end of it he could come face to face to some random flesh eating creature lurking in the shadows near the water. He gave him self a little slap – which hurt a lot more due to the cold and made his way cautiously into the forest.

Every snap of a twig made him jerk. He stopped, and he continued to hear branches snap.

He wasn't alone…

'This is it,' He thought, 'I'm doing the courageous thing and I am about to die, get swept of my feet and eaten.' He held his breath, hoping this thing would just pass him by.

The snapping stopped – which meant only two things. 1. the snapping hadn't really stopped but it was out of his hearing path and 2. The thing that was causing the snappings had saw him or was right next to him.

He opened his eyes.

"Boo!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Draco screamed and lashed out, to find his arm being caught by what ever that thing was that was right up in his face.

"Mr. Malfoy."

'It knows my name.'

"Draco!" He cleared his throat, "What in Merlin's name do you think you are doing in the forbidden forest."

"Are you a teacher here?"

"Of course I am. I'm Mr. Moody! Now answer my question."

"What are YOU doing here more like?"

Draco gained his confidence back once he realised that he had the Defence against the dark arts teacher standing somewhere near him.

"I am here under instruction from Dumbledore to ensure no student goes into these forests."

"That's the biggest load of bull I have ever heard! Dumbledore wouldn't instruct anyone to patrol this forest in the dead of night and even if he did he most certainly wouldn't have you doing it alone. Oh, and also – if you had been patrolling this forest then how come that someone – or thing is sitting near the lake with candle light?"

Mr. Moody ignored the first it of what Draco had to say. "Do you think that person could be a student?"

"I think that thing is Granger."

"Hermione?"

"No the other Granger."

Moody looked puzzled.

"Yes Hermione Granger! But she could be dead now that I have stood here for Merlin knows how long listening to your complete load of shit!"

"Language…" was the reply.

"Fucking English, now move you idiot!" Draco shoved him out of the way and ran towards the opening to find Hermione laying with a book on her chest and a dying candle by her feet.

She was completely unharmed, and other than her slight blue lips from the cold she was fine.

Draco gently rocked her to wake her up and helped her back to their room – where Draco brang her a nice cup of hot tea.

"Sorry if I panicked you." Hermione said in between sips.

"It's okay – im just glad your safe." Draco's face immediately dropped. He just made it blatantly obvious he liked her. "Anyway – your Granger, I knew nothing would come close, I mean you managed to punch this beautiful face so I am sure you'd have no trouble beating the crap out of some ugly, random stranger."

Hermione laughed and finished her drink.

"Night Draco." She smiled, "And thanks."

"For what?"

"Making me smile again."

And then Hermione went into her room and almost silently shut the door leaving Draco in the sitting area drinking his cup of tea, with a smile – of accomplishment on his face.

Authors Note;

I am sooooooo sorry for leaving you this long for the next chapter… there is an explanation if you wanna know leave me reviews and I'll get back to you!

Please review… next chapter in about 2 or 3 days… I hope!

Luv You all…

Karla-James!

xXx