A/N: Finally updated! Read and then I'll talk at the end :-)


Stumbling into the dungeons, Draco attempted to mentally erase his bewilderment. The last thing he needed was another trait that labeled him as a freak. He did not want to add a Death-Eater-obliterating, chest-oriented light to the ever-growing list along with failing to kill Albus Dumbledore and retching at the very thought of torture.

Fury and terror ripped through Draco as he rounded the corner and came within sight of the Mudblood.

"This is all your fault!" he accused, clutching at his chest. She jumped at his sudden appearance.

The angry blonde then proceeded to yell at her. He lost track of how long his tirade lasted or what terrible names he was calling her. He was sure "Mudblood" was slipping out most often, but he didn't care. She had no clue. Locked away in the dungeon, she had no idea the irrepressible war going on in his mind that was infinitely more tortuous than the Dark Lord's war. She didn't know what it was like to torture people she had known since her childhood. She didn't know how it felt when the only thing to hold on to, the only thing that made sense, was the hatred instilled in her since birth.

She didn't know any of that, but Draco knew all too well.

Granger didn't know the influence she held over him, both magical and circumstantial. She didn't know how constant contact with her and no one else was slowly driving him mad, slowly warping his perception.

She didn't know any of that, but Draco did, and he'd be damned if he didn't make her pay for her ignorance.

After several minutes of ranting, he ran out of steam and faltered into silence. He truly looked at her for the first time since stormed into the dungeon. Granger's hair was flatter on one side, as if she had been laying on it. She was obviously surprised by his outburst, but she wore an expression of patience like one of a teacher weathering another naughty child's tantrum. That irked him to no end.

"You amaze me," Hermione whispered, then clamped her hands over her mouth. She didn't mean to say it out loud.

"What?" Draco whipped his head back around to look at her.

His sudden response startled her, but his insolent expression summoned a strange confidence that she often felt before answering a question in class.

"You're so scared of losing your parents, the only people who have shown you any compassion whatsoever, that you reject and torture the only people that would actually give you a decent chance at saving them!"

"Thank you very much for that wonderful psychoanalysis—"

"There you go again! Take a look around, Malfoy! We're the only ones down here. Like it or not, we're all the other has at the moment, and you would throw away the only real human interaction you can get!"

"Human?" Draco maintained his sarcastic air. "In case you have forgotten from the thousand times I've reminded you, your breed is called Mud-"

"I know!" Hermione yelled, throwing her hands up. Any pity she had for Draco dissolved into frustration for the moment. She had been angry at him before, enough to punch him even, but she had never harbored this numb fury. She had never truly thought of him as a Death Eater until this moment. "I'm scum to you! I'm a blubbering idiot that happens to get better marks than you in every single subject. And it only makes it worse that I have a sense of loyalty and morality. It only makes it worse that I find torturing people barbaric and that I have the capacity to love!"

"You think I enjoy this bullshit?" Hermione flinched at his crude language. Sure, he had been nothing but insulting to her for the past six years, but he had never stooped so low as to resort to foul language. "You think I enjoy being down here with your…"

"My what?" Hermione said, incensed. "My filth?"

Draco felt the blood rushing in his ears. His heartbeat had skyrocketed during the excitement of the fight, but now the pressure and heat he felt in his entire body focused in at his chest.

"Fuck, not again."

From his core exploded a blinding light that washed out the dungeon. His last focus before his surroundings were lost around him was Granger's fear-stricken, bright eyes.

After what seemed like ages, the light imploded back into Draco's chest. Blinking through the spots in his vision, he sought Granger's face. She was scared. Good.

He knew exactly what he was doing as he stepped toward her. She didn't retreat, placing her faith in the jinx holding her in her cell. So when Draco crossed into her prison without consequence, his ears received her gasp of shock with grim satisfaction. He backed her into a corner and stopped with his body mere centimeters from hers. He swallowed down how glorious it felt, being this close to her. His body sang as the bond was satisfied, but he had to ignore that to convey his next sentiment.

"Don't you dare accuse me of disloyalty."

"Loyalty to a mass murderer doesn't count."

"You have no idea—"

"Of what? The consequences if you don't come through? Tell me, Draco, what is it that's worth torturing for? Your family? They'll never be safe as long as he is in power."

"At least now they're on the winning side. Better alive than obliterated."

"Yeah, maybe I will be obliterated. But, even if we do lose this war, I wouldn't want to live in the world he's created. Neither do you, because you hate it. You're scared, and you hate that too. At least I'll die knowing I fought for my loved ones' lives instead of conceding defeat so that they can have a shadow of a life."

Even though he wasn't touching her, he could feel Granger's body soften from the tense position it was in as she said her piece. He felt his own body blissfully relax in response.

Bloody hell, if this is what it feels like being close to her, if I just closed the distance…

Her brown eyes widened as he pressed his body up against hers. He couldn't help himself. He let out a sigh of bliss. This was euphoria. Paradise. All the thoughts of their row dissolved into utter happiness as he held onto her. There weren't words to describe the sensation coursing through his veins, but he knew that this was the best he could ever remember feeling physically. His headache from shouting vanished, and his bones felt like jelly.

Merlin, this is better than an orgasm, he admitted to himself sheepishly. I wonder…

Before he could entertain any sexual thoughts about Granger, she shoved him away from her with sudden strength.

"What do you think you're doing?" She said, voice trembling. "I won't let you touch me like that! Get away from me!"

Realizing that she must have thought he was trying to cop a feel, he left the alcove, recast the Impedimenta Jinx, and retreated down the hall, cursing himself for even thinking of Granger in that way. All intention of carrying on the fight dissolved when he saw the horror on her face.

And yet, Draco was already planning on how to convince Granger to let him touch her again.


A/N: Soooooo, how was it? In case youhaven't caught on, I use the line separations to distinguish between Hermione and Draco's POV, but, as you can see in this chapter, I sort of mushed it all together. I know that's not very professional, but it was just how it came out of my mind and onto the page (or Microsoft Word).

Anyway, many apologies for not updating last week. It's been pretty stressful around here. Went through finals' week, packed and came home, my sister-in-law had her baby on Monday, and there have been complications every day since. So basically, I've been at the hospital all this week supporting her and my brother. So please keep them and my baby niece in your thoughts and prayers.

As always, review! It takes two seconds and leaves me happy for a long time. Also, thank you to behindblueeyesxo and RichelleBrinkley for adding this story to your favorites, and thank you to yesterdays-dragon and Zillawisp for adding this story to your alerts! Much love to you all!