I raped her, I raped Hermione, I raped my best friend.

The words echoed painfully in Ron's head, as he sat alone in his dormitory, the curtains of the window nearest him ripped open to reveal a magnificent sunrise. He watched the shadows of night disappear under the objects that had created them, as the red sun cast its light over the grounds.

He had felt such power, such control over her.

"Please, just leave," she had pleaded.

"No thanks, I'd rather stay." He could remember leaning up against the wall, and leering at her.

"Ron, you're scaring me!" she had shrieked.

"Good." He pushed her firmly against the wall. "Kiss me," he ordered.

"No."

"Do it!"

"Why didn't I just go? Why didn't I just do what she asked?" he whispered to himself.

"Please Ron, leave," she pleaded. "I won't say a thing, I'm sorry I hurt you, but leave."

"Damn right you won't say anything. You will keep your mouth shut, or I will hurt you. I can make it look like an accident, understand?"

"I threatened to kill her, I threatened to kill my best friend."

He spread apart her legs and thrust into her. "You… bitch…" he said, as he moved in and out forcefully.

He forced his way into her again and again, until her body finally went limp. He looked her over, she was beaten, bloody, and bruised.

"I did that," he said, horrified. "I raped my best friend."

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Late morning sunlight poured into Hermione's room, causing the girl to wake. She rolled over, expecting to see Draco lying next to her. To her surprise, the bed was empty.

"Draco?" she asked, bolting up. No one answered.

"Draco!" she said again, quite frantically. She did not want to be alone, especially after what had happened the last time she was.

She threw her head back down, hoping to smother her fears in her pillow,and she heard a strange crinkling from under her head. She lifted her head up and saw a note, in Draco's handwriting, lying next to her. It was quite wrinkled from her laying on it, but the message was still legible.

Hermione,

I went to class. I will be back at lunch with food for you. Stay in bed and rest.

Love, Draco

She buried her head in her pillow and cried.

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The second class got out, Draco headed to the Great Hall, hoping to get in and out before it was packed with students. He grabbed a plate, and filled it with different things, knowing he was going to have to make Hermione eat something, even if it wasn't much.

He finished filling the plate and exited the hall, ignoring the strange look he received from Pansy.

"Hermione," he called out, as he entered the common room. She was seated on the couch furthest from the door, and she looked up fearfully when he entered.

"It's only me," he said, in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. "Relax."

If only… She glanced at the plate in his hands. Her stomach was empty, as it had been for many hours before. Draco saw her looking and brought it over and set it down on the table before her. "Hungry?" he asked.

"A little." She picked at the food on the plate, finally deciding to grab a peach. She bit into it, the juicy flesh of the fruit filling both her mouth and her awaiting stomach. It had been a while since she had eaten anything, and doing so made her feel just that much better.

"I talked to the teachers," Draco said. "I told them you weren't feeling well, and that if you felt up to doing them, I'd be along later to collect your assignments. I wasn't sure whether you would want them or not."

"Thanks Draco, and if you could get them, that'd be great," Hermione said.

"Then, I'll get them when I go to Charms after lunch," Draco answered. "Which," he glanced at his wristwatch, "Is in about ten minutes."

"You're leaving again?" Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice even. "But, you only just got here."

"I know, but I have to go to class. If I fail a class, I have to deal with my father, and that's never a good thing. But, it's not as if I'll have to worry about that anytime soon."

"What do you mean?"

"He's on trial at the Ministry, so at the moment, they are holding him in Azkaban until they reach a verdict. I thought you would have heard, being friends with Potter and all."

"When will they finish his trial?" Hermione asked.

Draco shrugged. "Sometime in December, I imagine. And then its either Azkaban for life, or he's cleared of all charges."

"If he's cleared, what happens?"

"He gets to come home. Most likely he will pull me out of the school to continue training me for Volde-… er… his work," Draco finished, mentally kicking himself for that slip.

"Draco, can I ask you something?" Hermione said as she took a breath and another bite of the peach. She was about to tread in what she was sure was dark water, but she was taking the plunge anyhow.

He shrugged at her. "Go ahead."

"Are you a Death Eater?" She almost crossed her fingers in hope that this wouldn't anger him.

Draco sat still for a while, mot moving and silent. "No," he answered. "I'm not, and if I could choose, I wouldn't become one."

"Really?" she asked. She was glad to hear it, but was always convinced, and for good reason, that he would be overjoyed to follow in his fathers footsteps.

"The idea of torturing innocent men, raping defenseless women, and murdering children and infants never quite gave me the thrill it gave my father."

Hermione involuntarily shuddered at the terrible things he mentioned. "How could anyone get a thrill from that?" she asked.

"Power. Something about killing and various degrees of torture make people like my fatherfeel powerful, like they have control over something," he said. "In reality, it's the Dark Lord who has the power, he controls his followers, and either threatens or convinces them that what he thinks is right."

"But, don't they feel wrong about doing those things, or something?"

"That doesn't matter. You do what the Dark Lord orders, or you watch everyone you care for die, and then you are killed yourself. Many do it out of fear. Othertimes they are brought up that way, their parents being Death Eaters, and their initiation is just the first step to becoming what they were raised to be."

"Initiation?"

"Every Death Eater has one. It is a task the Dark Lord sets, and when it is completed they receive the Dark Mark. If you fail, you die. It's as simple as that. You don't fail the Dark Lord, you don't deceive the Dark Lord; if you do, the last words you hear are Avada Kedavra."

"Are you being initiated?"

Draco didn't answer, he only glanced at his watch. "Listen, its been past ten minutes," he said. "I have to go. I'll be back after class." He kissed Hermione and then exited the portrait.

"He's being initiated," Hermione said aloud. "He's being initiated into the Death Eaters. Draco will be a Death Eater." She remembered the Quidditch World Cup, seeing Muggles being hoisted into the air by a group of masked people, being twirled and tortured, a husband, a wife, and their two children.

Her boyfriend was going to join the group of people in those masks.

The idea of torturing innocent men, raping defenseless women, and murdering children and infants never quite gave me the thrill it gave my father…

He was going to join, out of fear, but none the less, he was becoming a Death Eater.

Didn't he say something about his father taking him out of school? To continue training him...

She couldn't let him do that, but how could she challenge one of the most powerful wizard there had ever been? She couldn't, and if he didn't do what he was told, he could die.

It amazed her that the one person she used to hate wih all her might and willpower, was now one of the people she cared most about.

Now that she thought about it, itfrightened her that Ron, one of the people she used to care about more than anything else, was nowa person who had hurt her in a way she had never imagined.

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Draco wanted to strangle himself. He should have never said that much, given that much information away so freely. If anything, it would scare her. She did ask though…

So, if she asked you to drown yourself in the lake, you would?

At this point? Most likely.

He turned down the Charms corridor. Class hadn't yet started, something he was vaguely surprised about. He leaned casually against the wall, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Draco? You're here early," Pansy said as she walked down the corridor. She stood next to him. "We haven't seen you in the Common room lately."

"I have my own common now, Pansy. I usually hang out in there."

"With that Granger girl?" Pansy said. "You should hear the rumors that are flying through the castle."

"Oh, do fill me in," Draco said sarcastically. He pretended to listen while Pansy started in on the latest Draco/Hermione gossip. In reality, he was thinking about the look on Hermione's face when he said those things about the Death Eaters, most importantly his initiation. More like, what I didn't say.

"And then," Pansy paused to laugh, "Millicent tried to convince me that the two of you were dating."

"And…?"

"Well, it isn't true. Right?" she asked when he didn't say anything. "Draco?"

"What would you do if it were?"

"Scream."

"I'll get my earplugs then."

"Are you serious!" Pansy shrieked. "You're dating the mudblood?" Draco glared at her. "Muggleborn?" she tried, more quietly. "How in hell did that happen?"

"I'm not sure," Draco said truthfully. "It just all sorta fell into place."

"Does your father know?"

"Not at the moment."

"You don't think you should tell him?" Pansy asked. "He will kill you if he finds out from someone else."

"Pansy, he'll kill me anyhow."

"You still should say something," Pansy argued. "Your father is in jail, but that doesn't mean he's there forever. He will find out, look at how many Death Eaters kids are here. One word to their parents, and your done for."

"No one is going to say anything," Draco said, acting too sure of himself as always.

"And why is that?"

"Because I'll bash their bloody head in if they do." Pansy laughed, just as the rest of the Slytherins came around the corner.

"Do what you want," she said. "But when your father blows up, I warned you."

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Okay, so I know this last part was wayyy different than my other story. I sortahave alwaysliked Pansys character, and the Draco hating Pansy thing is done on many stories, so I am doing a little something to make my story different. Be sure and tell me whether you liked it or not.

Same with the Death Eater bit. If it were me dating Draco (lol, seriously only in my dreams), I would be a little interested in the whole ordeal of the initiation and what those people really get up to. Besides, Hermione likes to learn, and what's better than learning about the fate of her loverly boyfriend?

Thanks for all the Reviews! Do the same for this one, okay?

Hugs,
Emma