A/N: I feel so disconnected from my readers. I'm ashamed. *hides*

Disclaimer: You know the delio.

"Why won't the portrait hole open for me?" Hermione questioned Malfoy as soon as he made his way downstairs. He shot her a glare and walked towards the couches, flouncing down on the first one he came to. "And why did that terrible alarm sound as soon as I touched it?"

"Hanging around the weasel all these years has really done a number on your intelligence, hasn't it?," he said. "Do you really think the headmaster would let you roam free and alone just days after you try and off yourself?"

"I didn't try and 'off myself' as you so elegantly put it," she replied. Turning around she made her way back to the portrait hole. To her surprise, there wasn't a door facing her anymore, but the portrait from the other side. "What is going on?"

"We were told not to let you out alone under any circumstances," the girl said. She giggled at the look on Hermione's face and turned back to the boy in the frame.

"This is ridiculous!" Hermione shouted. "I'm starving!"

"Call a house elf, as head girl you have that privilege," Draco said.

"Are you serious?" she said. "Those poor elves have to work their entire lives here in this place as slaves! I won't subject them to any unnecessary work."

Draco looked at her with an amused expression.

"What?"

"I can't believe that I know something the Gryffindor bookworm doesn't," he said with a laugh.

"What are you going on about Malfoy?" she said, getting frustrated.

"Miss S.P.E.W. has no idea!"

"Malfoy!"

"Granger, the house elves here at Hogwarts are not enslaved. They serve here by their own free will," he told her. "Dumbledore granted them their freedom years ago. Any elf that wishes to be free need only come to Hogwarts. They are so bloody grateful they spend their entire lives trying to make it up to him."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again. This happened twice before Draco decided to interrupt.

"As priceless as this moment is, your talk of food has made me hungry myself," he said as he stood up from the couch. He snapped his fingers and shouted "Daisy."

A loud crack echoed throughout the room and a small elf appeared by his side. "Yes master head boy?"

"Would you mind bringing Granger and me something to snack on, a nice fruit tray perhaps?"

"Of course master Draco," she said with a bow. With another crack she disappeared and there was an array of sliced fruit on the coffee table by the fire. Malfoy sat back down on the couch and propped his legs up against the arm. Popping a grape into his mouth he looked over at Hermione, still standing by the doorway.

"You're not leaving," he said. "So you might as well come have a snack."

She seemed to debate her options for a moment before throwing her hands in the air with a loud huff. "Oh fine you miserable prat."

Draco simply smiled to himself and ate another grape. "So, if you weren't trying to off yourself, then would you mind explaining to me exactly what you were doing out there?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Malfoy," she said, not looking at him but nibbling on a strawberry while looking into the fireplace.

"Fine," he said. There was a short silence before he decided to start up a new conversation. "My birthday's coming up, did you know?"

"No, I didn't."

"The Friday after next," he said. "I'll finally be seventeen and I won't have to be stuck at home anymore. The place is miserable. The only good thing is the fact that the manor is so large I hardly ever see my parents."

"Are you going to move out?" she questioned him.

"Yes," he told her. "I'll finally be of age to receive the inheritance my grandfather left me and I'll be able to use magic on my own, free of restrictions."

"Most restrictions," she reminded him.

"Of course," he said.

"I thought you loved your life," she admitted. "The pictures perfect pureblood family and what not."

"Ha! Shows what you know, Granger. Most "picture perfect" families are anything but," he told her. "I hate my father," he added in a whisper.

"Do you remember what I said to you after you found me, in the hospital wing?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, thinking back to just a few days ago. "You said you didn't want to feel anything."

She nodded her head. "I just wanted everything to stop. I can't even look my friend's in the eyes anymore because I'm so ashamed of what happened. I can't touch people, not even Harry or Ron. At first I could, but not now. Every little movement makes me jump, I barely sleep and I feel like I'm going crazy."

There was a lingering silence. Then Draco hopped up onto his feet and crossed the sitting area to sit next to Hermione on the couch she was currently resting on.

"I think I've come to a conclusion, Granger." He said.

"Oh?" she replied. "And what conclusion would that be?"

"Here's how I figure it, every form of contact you've had since this whole mess as started has been harmful. Your mind needs to be reintroduced to the idea that not every single touch is meant to hurt you."

Hermione seemed skeptical. "And how to you plan on accomplishing this, Malfoy?"

"Like this," he said. He grabbed her hand in his and noticed how cold it was. He began to rub circles into it with his thumb. "We start small, holding your hand for as long as you are comfortable. Each time try and push through the discomfort."

"It's different with you," she said quietly. "I don't know why, but you feel different than the rest of them. Even just looking at me, I don't feel the invisible spiders crawling all over my skin that I get with everyone else."

This puzzled Draco. "Then Potter and Weasleby will have to assist us then. They'll already be constantly by your side anyway. Come on then, let's go find them."

"Wait! Malfoy, why are you helping me?" she questioned him.

This stopped Draco Malfoy in his tracks. He scratched his head for a moment and Hermione couldn't help but laugh lightly at the sight.

"I'm not sure, actually." He told her. "That's a very good question, and I have no idea. But since I'm being generous you might as well accept it, who knows when this will happen again in this lifetime."

Hermione laughed loudly this time. "You know, you're right, let's go find Harry."

Draco just shook his head as she stood up and followed him out of the portrait hole.

A/N: So there's my update! lol I hope yall don't hate me too much. Tonight was pretty eventful though, not only did I post my first update in who knows how long, but there was a shooting two houses down from me! It was insane! Anyway, already working on the next chapter, so keep your fingers crossed for an update within the next week. I'll definitely post before I go on summer vacation! I got a job in Tennessee for summer break! Woo!

P.s. I seriously think I need a beta. That might even motivate me to write more. haha!

The Wolfenator