CHAPTER 12- The Darkness Of Draco

Draco Malfoy was young, rich and in love. So why was he sulking in the Room of Requirement instead of making passionate love to his wife.

He couldn't understand it. He had everything he could possibly want and more. He had Pansy the love of his life, the best friend a Slytherin could ask for, a home with a mother that loved him. He even had the most wonderful estranged sister he could want.

At first he had been a little wary about the whole thing. He and Granger had never seen eye to eye on anything. Not once. But after seeing how sad and scared she was, he knew he couldn't kick her when she was already down. But he still didn't think they would be as close as they were now. He figured they'd just tolerate each other but for the most part stay out of each other's way. Boy was he wrong.

He should have known that whatever Granger did she did it to the fullest. And he couldn't help but fall under her spell. She had them all under it, Blaise more than anyone. Now he understood why Potter and Weasley were always so protective of her. He could always get a rise out of them if he used her as bait. She was the kind of person you couldn't help but like and to want to protect the innocence that shined so clearly in her.

Hermione had become the best friend that Pansy had never had. Pansy. He sighed. He loved Pansy more than live itself and after hearing what the Dark Lord planned to do, they had snuck off the get married the day after Christmas.

Blaise of course was angry that they hadn't included him. But they hadn't wanted to take the chance of someone noticing and it getting back to the dark lord. Even now they had to keep everything hushed up. Pansy was wearing her ring on her necklace to keep anyone from getting suspicious.

All that lead him back to why he was here now. Lucius. His father had beat and tormented him his entire life and he was still doing so in death.

A Knock on the door caused him to jump and pull out his wand. With his wand at ready he slowly opened the door with his foot.

" What are you doing here?" She asked walking in the room and looking around.

OOo

Hermione had walked passed the wall where the room of Requirement was supposed to be for the tenth time but the door still wouldn't appear. She sighed and then knocked on the wall twice before waiting.

It was obvious someone was in there right now but she didn't care. They would just have to share. The door opened to reveal Draco.

" What are you doing here?" She asked walking in the room and looking around. She looked around to see the room transformed into a beach. She walked through the sand followed closely by Draco until she reached a small bomb fire. Sitting down she turned to him." So what's up, I'm surprised to see you not attached to Pansy's hip." She looked around. "She not here right?"

Draco laughed. "No I came here to think. You know that thing you do that involves a brain." He shot back

"I know what thinking is that's why I'm here. I've been coming here since when got back because my dearest brother keeps shagging his wife senseless."

"Jealous?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Not eve a little bit."

" You wouldn't be saying that if Blaise was here"

"For the last time I don't like Blaise, gosh" She shouted.

"Yeah, that's why you're always wearing that necklace."

"How about we change the subject."

" What ever you say Hermione." He laughed.

"So what were you thinking about?" She laid on her back and watched the Stars watch her.

Draco was silent for a long time and when she turned to look at him he was also lying on his back, hands behind his head.

"Lucius." He turned to look at her. "Have I ever thanked you for every thing you've done?"

Hermione shook her head no. "I never understood how you and your mom could be so nice to me. I know you hated that you dad was a deatheater but he was still your dad you know, he loved you."

Draco shook his head. "My dad didn't love anybody but himself and his precious dark lord."

"I don't get it." She shook her head again

"You wouldn't." He sighed. "It's complicated.

"Than speak slowly and don't use big words." She teased

There was a heavy silence in the air before he started " When I got my letter from Hogwarts, Lucius took me out to 'celebrate' as he called it. I wasn't sure what we were doing, or what he had in mind. I thought celebrating might be him taking me out to get my first real broom or something like that." He chuckled sadly. " I was so stupid."

" We ended up in Muggle London, at a bar. We followed this couple around and he told me muggle's were good for nothing but target practice. He stunned them before they knew what happened, then he bragged them into a alley. First he revived the guy and put him in a full body bound and then he did the girl." He looked away from her; But Hermione could see the tears in his eyes.

"He made me and the guy watch as he raped her. She would scream and try to fight but he just laughed in her face. When she was struggling she scratched him in the face. That just served to piss him off and he put her under the crudious curse (a/n: I know I spelled it wrong sorry) Sometimes I have nightmares about that night." He shivered.

" I can still her earth quaking screams, 'please don't, stop, Terry help me. The guy, Terry, couldn't even turn away because the body bind, he had to watch the love of his life be tortured, he cried too. Then she was bleeding, and Terry was really going crazy; he screamed and shouted. It was like he was going insane right there. But Lucius never stopped. My stomach started twisting and I felt sick but I couldn't turn away, I couldn't help her. I felt like it was me being tortures, I felt just as helpless as she had. " His voice got quite." I felt like I died with her that night. He killed Terry afterward and she, Sarah, bleed to death. Went I got home I was sick. I throw up and wouldn't come out my room for a week. Lucius saw it as weakness. That's when the beating started. He would pratice his curses on my mom and me because she 'babied me to much'. After that night, life with him was hell on earth."

Hermione stared at him shocked. She could picture a young Draco watching that scene unfold. Why hadn't she noticed the hunted look in his eyes before? It was so clear now. She was ashamed of ever thinking bad of him. He deserved to be angry he deserved to hate. Most of all he deserved to be forgiven.

"I read in a paper that they were engaged. That night, they were coming from their wedding rehearsal. They never got to make their love final."

Hermione didn't know what to say.

"I want to thank you Hermione, you saved me and my mom. You set us free." Draco smiled at her.

She smiled back. "Anytime big bro."