"Silencio! Muffliato!" Draco yelled, waving his wand around the room, casting all necessary silencing spells before turning to face Hermione. "What were you thinking?" Draco shouted as he advanced on her. He viciously grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her violently as if she was a doll, but she just stayed quiet even if he noticed she was already shaking badly. "Do you know what you have just done? Do you realize the danger you are now in?"

"Let me go, Malfoy," Hermione said sternly but her vice was soft, trying to push him away, but his grip was firm.

"Those memories were fake! They never happened! I know they never happened! I was catching glimpses of what you were showing the Dark Lord and I know for a fact that those things never happened!"

"Please... Let go..."

Draco shook her again, attempting to put some sense into her. "Are you stupid, Granger? Do you really wish your death? Do you want me to kill you know? Talk, Granger! That's what you're good at! Tell me what your idiotic mind was thinking!"

"Let go! Please!" Hermione cried, tears now falling down her face. She couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't pretend anymore. There was no use pretending anymore. She fell limp in Draco's hands. "Please... Just let me go..."

Draco was surprised, more of himself than of Hermione's reaction. He gently lowered her to the floor into a sitting position, letting her lean at the foot of her bed before letting go of her badly shaking body. "I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me..." he said softly, his hand resting on her shoulder.

Hermione winced as she felt a softer pressure on her shoulders, as if it was new. She looked up, eyes already red and puffy, tears steadily flowing down. "You have to help me..." she pleaded. "I - I don't know w-what to do!"

"I'll help you."

"Please," Hermione pleaded again, grabbing the front of his robes. "I-I can't do it! I don't know what to do! I can't face him! He'll kill me! I d-don't know w-what I-I was thinking... I had to do it. My family... He'll kill me, my family and my friends! I- I can't let hat happen!"

"He won't Hermione, I promise." Draco said softly. He wrapped his arms around her shaking body, trying to give her a reassuring hug, letting her cry freely onto his chest. "I'll help. You have to rest. You have to save your strength. We'll talk tomorrow."

"B-but--"

"Tomorrow," Draco stated firmly and let go. "We'll talk tomorrow when we're both calm and collected. There's no use tying to talk in these conditions. Sleep. It'll do you some good. I will ask them not to disturb you tomorrow."

****

Hermione woke up the next feeling dazed and disoriented. It took a while for everything to sink in. Images of last night flashed before her eyes. A very foolish move. No, not foolish. She did it to save her own skin. She did it out of relief that her parents were set free. Last night could possibly be the worst night of her life. She looked at the glove on her hand with hate and disdain, wanting to burn it in the fireplace. But she couldn't. She wouldn't. It was the only thing that could actually save her life.

The she remembered Draco... Draco who was extremely frightening as he advanced on her, but held her so gently when she broke down. No one had held her like that before. Not Ron, not Harry... Not even Viktor who was her boyfriend. He even called her by her first name. It was like he knew what she as going through. How can he when his parents had joined Voldemort during his first reign? Draco said they can talk. He promised that they could talk. And she needed to talk.

She made sure that she was presentable before she went out of her room. The Malfoy manor was deserted. Even more deserted than it usually was. her footsteps echoed in the empty hallways. She looked in the library, but even the elves weren't there. She decided to go to the garde where she was sure to see at least one person. As expected, Narcissa was tending her roses, still blooming even under the already cold wind. Narcissa looked up at the sound the sound of the gravel crunching under Hermione's feet, a small smile on the woman's pale face.

"You're awake, " Narcissa stated.

"Is your son around?" Hermione asked softly, trying not to sound demanding.

"He is. He was waiting actually waiting for you to wake. Shall I tell the elves to prepare lunch or would you like to talk to Draco first?"

"I think I should talk to him first. Narcissa... Has he told you anything?"

"Nothing. I think I deserve to know, but your business is not mine. He is at the back of the manor. I think he is flying his broom."

"Thank you, Narcissa," Hermione sighed before turning on he heels and making her way back inside to go to the back.

Draco savored the cold wind that hit his bare chest. He tried ridding himself of all emotion, but the memories of last night were just too vivid. He didn't know what got over him. It was like he was a whole other person. The way Hermione broke down before him... It was not like Hermione. He had thought she was tougher than she looked. After all that she did in school. Going against Umbridge, fighting off Deatheaters in the Ministry and when they invaded Hogwarts. She did so many things that even adult wizards wouldn't do.

Thinking of Hermione... Draco looked down and saw Hermione walking to his direction. He swooped down to where his clothes were and jumped off his broom. Hermione's eyes were on his bare chest, eyes slightly wide in shock. "Do you like what you see?" she sneered as he bent down to pick up his shirt.

"What?"

Draco pointed to the long across his chest. "Your friend, Potter, gave me this. Do you like it? It's a wonderful remembrance, don't you think so?"

"Of course not! Harry never meant to do that!" Hermione gasped, actually surprised that Draco would think that she would enjoy such a thing. "Harry never meant to do it. He was sorry he did it. He told me himself-"

"So you lied to the Dark Lord," Draco said as he pulled his shirt on. "I knew you were lying, Granger. Potter and the others never ignored you. I was with school with you, remember? The memories you were showing him were all fake. I was performing Legilimency from afar, ready to assist if the Dark Lord goes to far. But I should've known that you could handle him yourself. I should be proud of you. You finally mastered Occlumency. You do know that showing him all those false memories was, by far, the most idiotic act you have ever done."

"I had to lie, Malfoy. I had to lie to protect my friends and my parents," Hermione said in a near whisper, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Not here!" Draco hissed. Leaving his broom on the grass, he took Hermione's arm and dragged her to a more secluded part of the back of Malfoy manor where trees were almost as big as the ones in the Forbidden forest. "Don't try apparating. We still own these lands and you'll only splinch yourself in the process."

But Hermione wasn't really planning on escaping. She sat down and leaned against the tree's trunk, Draco sitting in front of her. "I'm sorry, Malfoy. I didn't know what to do. He was there. It was unexpected. I had to show him something!" Hermione groaned, trying to wipe her tears away with her hands. "I don't want to cry, and I'm sorry I'm crying in front of you. I know you already hate me without having to comfort me. You just don't know how I feel right now."

"That's what you think," Draco mumbled.

Hermione looked up, staring at Draco like she had never seen him before. "You never wanted to join, did you?"

"I'd rather not talk about my situation," Draco snapped, not meeting Hermione's eyes.

"Who's side are you on?" she pressed on, wanting to get answers.

"No one's. I am neither on the Dark Lord's nor on Potter's side. I side on where my family and I can be safe."

"Then you were forced, just like I was. How did Vol-"

"Don't!" Draco hissed again, harshly clasping his hand over Hermione's mouth. "The name's tabooed. Mention his Deatheaters appear even with barriers protecting the area."

Hermione nodded and Draco let go. "I understand. It's his way of finding Dumbledore's supporters. I still don't know what to do..."

"You have to continue what you have already started. It is to keep everyone else you love safe."

Hermione sighed again. "I guess. I'm relieved he already spared my parents. What?" she asked, seeing the confused look on his face. "Did anything happen?"

"Is that what he told you?"

"Yes. He told me he called off Nagini as a reward for my good behavior. Why? What happened? Malfoy?"

"Granger... They're dead. The other came to your home a month and a half after your capture and tried to save your parents. They figured out that they were hostages. Spells were flying everywhere... Your parents got hit. Aunt Bellatrix told me. She was there. He warned us not to tell you."

"What?" Hermione gasped. "No... No! He told me they're alive! He told me they were safe! He- He... No!"

Out of impulse, Draco took Hermione's trembling body, wrapping his arms around her.

"How can that happen?" she cried. "He told me they were safe! He told me t-that they were free. H-he promised they's be safe!"

"He said it to make sure that you stay on his side. I'm sorry, Hermione... There was nothing I could do."

"I should've died with them! It should've been me, not them!"

"Don't say that! You're here for a reason!" Draco said, inching away from her, making her look up at him. "They're dead, more of a reason for you to keep on fighting. Listen to me-- you have to keep on moving. People are dying everywhere, every minute. if you give up just like that, what's the point of fighting. You'd put Potter to shame."

"My parents..."

"Will be proud if you get through this ordeal. I'll help you, Hermione. I promise I will."

"Thank you, Draco..." Hermione cried, wrapping her arms around him, completely breaking down. "Thank you..."

A/n:

And Chapter 14 is done! Love it? Hate it? Confused? Good! If you guys read the very very first chapter (summary) I noted that this story follows all the books. From the Sorcerer's stone till the Half Blood Prince. The only thing I'm changing is the Deathly Hallows. If you guys got it, good for you! if you guys got confused, good for you!

I don't know how long it will take before I can put up chapter 16. But thank you for all those who gave me such wonderful reviews! i don't know if you guys will be satisfied with this chapter, but this one is one of the most important parts.

reviews are much appreciated!

_patz_