Author's Note: Hey, I know this chapter isn't very long, but I wanted to post this up ASAP because the next one might take some doing. I have to warn you that Draco's reverting back to his old self quite a bit in this chapter so watch out.

Hayley: I look forward to more of your reviews! I just loved them, they made me so happy.

Buywhyisdrumgone: I have to start working on that dress. Thanks for the review.

Xakinera: I couldn't agree with you more. I do wish Delilah would just crawl in a hole and die. However, since I am the author and I know her purpose, my feelings are not as strong as you, the reader. Oh, me too, I just LOVE poetry but I prefer the sentimental poetry if you know what I mean.

Desidreams19: Thanks so much. I'm glad to know you enjoy my story! )

Lil pink pixie: Hopefully, they won't be fighting for much longer. I can actually assure you of that.

I r e n ii: Yes, I know. Poor Draco, but he just can't seem to swallow his pride can he? Sadly, there are only perhaps 4 more chapters.

CelebrytieForaire: Thank you and trust me, I do update as much as possible

Isadora120: Here's your update!

Miseryluvsdeath: Well, in a sense, Hermione is doing the same thing as Draco. Not knowingly though. Plus, Draco is being kind of difficult right now, isn't he. I don't really blame her too much. Your name reminds me of a line from FOB's Dance Dance

The levitating silver ball looked so inviting. I wondered, if I would be able to touch it today. I wondered if it would disappear again. I remembered seeing it many times while meditating. I would forget when I roused, though. I went forward into the blackness and reached out. The color wavered slightly. No, I begged, don't! I lunged forward and grabbed for it. Miraculously, I touched it. The coldness that gripped me was paralyzing. I wanted to let go. I tried to let go. But the thick veins of the silver ball were wrapping around my arm. Slowly advancing upward. I couldn't move. I had to stand still, in suffocating agony, as it covered me. The thin light wisps and thick veins wrapped around my neck, curling. Panic overtook me. I knew that this was all going to end here. This was my death…

I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was Delilah's overjoyed face. She threw her arms around me, but it was slightly awkward to my supine form. I realized that I was shaking wildly. I stopped. My body felt…energized. Adrenaline pumped through me as though something had just chased a mile. I'd done it!

Hermione looked at me concerned from her seated position but she turned away when Delilah kissed my cheek lightly. I didn't bother to reprimand her.

"Oh, Draco! You did it! So quickly, too!" She praised. "You touched your inner energy."

DMDMDM«§§§§§»DMDMD

"Alright then, just focus. Grab a hold of your energy. Do you have it?"

I nodded, keeping the threads of silver light at bay.

"Tie them to your hands. Then reach out and part the web." Delilah stated.

I scratched my head. How would I tie them to my hands? I experimented for a few seconds until I thought I was ready to try. I reached out…and felt pain. I hissed and withdrew quickly.

"Are you alright?" Delilah expressed her concern. She wasted no time in getting back to the task when I confirmed. "Well then, try again. Try tying them another way this time. They weren't secure."

I once again grabbed hold of the threads that were part of my inner self and wrapped them virtually around my arms, which were still vibrating. It was easier, now that I had touched my inner energy. I had only to think of it, and it would be there. No meditating or wandering helplessly though the culverts of my mind. It was still shockingly cold, but I had grown to be sure of it. When I had asked Delilah why it was so cold, she said that it wasn't like that for everyone. The coldness came from me. It had been with me since birth, existing in the dark recedes of my mind. That was why it was so familiar.

I proceeded to part the deception web between the trees. This time, when the ripples appeared, they flowed fluidly with my hands instead of rippling alarmingly in all directions. The web parted and I was able to step through, to my immense pride. The web closed behind me. I was standing in the cozy little rounding that we first entered before coming to the web. The bright sunlight filtered through the tops of the trees. I was aware of the singing birds and blowing winds. I had almost forgotten what the real world was like, having been stuck in the ominous vicinity of Haaden's house. The consequence reminded me greatly of what would happen upon spending too much time inside the manor. Everything was so gloomy and dark in there that too much time spent and you would forget what the sun looked like. I stepped back through the web, knowing well that a hug was coming my way, and I did nothing to avoid it.

"I never get tired of looking at your spectral aura," Delilah sighed dramatically and clutched her heart.

"What's that?" I asked questions with ease now; seeing how profitable it was to question Delilah.

"When you used your energy, I can see the glow around your body. It's different for everyone. Yours is chilling to look at. Don't worry, Hermione," Delilah turned to my wife. "You'll be able to do it soon enough."

Hermione shot her a sour smile, but Delilah didn't seem to notice or care, as usual.

Hermione stayed out to work with Delilah, as she still hadn't been able to touch her inner energy. Later, she went and sat on the little rock again. The one where we had fought. I watched her carefully. Every time she brushed her hair from her eyes. Every time her lips parted. And I wondered what she was thinking of. Or perhaps, who she was thinking of. When she decided to come back in, I was waiting for her. She didn't notice me standing in the shadows by the side of the house, so when I grabbed her, she screamed. Immediately, I covered her mouth and dragged her to me.

"Malfoy, what the hell do you think you're-" Then, I pressed her against the wall and kissed her. She squirmed and protested, so I kissed her harder, forcefully. She stopped struggling, and I thought she was responding. Until I realized that she was actually trying to get her knee up between my legs. I pulled away. Her lips were indeed bruised and swollen. Her face was red and she looked breathless. She shoved me away as hard as she could and pushed past my form. I couldn't tell; I thought she was crying, but I knew I had, once again, made a mistake. Dimitrian- one, Draco- none.

I leaned against the wall in defeat. The rendition of our first kiss left much to be desired. Molest was not one of the things. But the point was it had failed its purpose. The kiss of desperation had done more damage than repair. More than likely: more damage than repairable. My lips felt sinned. I had practically attacked her. She had left crying. And she stillremained in the clutches of Dimitrian...

HGHGHG«§§§§§»HGHGHG

How is it even possible that I thought that bastard had changed? He was the same old Malfoy, except more possessive than before. Well, now had his precious Delilah. Why would he be jealous of Dimitrian?

How could I have been so stupid as to believe him when he told me he loved me…?

I was trying hard to hold back the tears, but they just kept flowing. My vision was blurred by tears and my fingers, trying to wipe the tears. I bumped into Dimitrian and before I could even think of pretending to be fine, he started.

"Hermione! What happened?" He caught my hands in his. I shook my head, not wanting to tell him. But I didn't know why.

"Draco?" He had guessed it well and it piqued his anger. "Why is it that this husband of yours causes you so much grief when he claims to love you?"

"Dimitrian, please don't interfere," I begged, knowing that if I didn't, he would march right over and pound Draco into the ground. Personally, I had no problem with this (or so I made myself think) but I was not a fan of violence.

"Fine," he sighed. "At least tell me what he did."

"He…he kissed me. Without my consent, I mean. It was like…he forced me…" I stumbled.

And Dimitrian was angry all over again, but this time, he was furious. "I swear…" And before he could move, I threw my arms around him, ending his venomous utterance. He accepted my embrace readily, although he was not fooled. "Is this a ploy to keep me from resorting to physical methods?"

"Yes," I muttered and pulled away. It was uncomfortable being so close to him. I had found this out last night while running into the house. I had bumped into him, as all our meetings usually begin and he had held on to me before I could withdraw myself. It wasn't right that even after all Draco had done to me, I couldn't even be close to another man without feeling guilty. Even after Draco had stomped on the heart I had offered him, last night while Dimitrian was letting me cry into his shoulder, I still felt badly. Very deeply buried was this guilt, though, as I had been crying so much.

"How are your lessons?" He changed the subject.

I sighed. "Not too well, I'm afraid. I just can't get it!"

He smiled sympathetically. "It takes a little while; more for others than for some. It took me countless hours of practice to touch mine. And then decades more time to master it."

"Yes, well, unfortunately, I don't have all of that time. Not that I have any choice but to stay." I sighed unhappily again.

"I wonder. Delilah is the one better suited for teaching but would you like me to give it a try?"

"I suppose it couldn't hurt," I replied, quite doubtful of my ability.

"Come," He brought me to the web, and we stepped through. The outside was completely different, and suddenly I realized how much I had missed it. I inhaled deeply and let Dimitrian lead me to a log that was in the middle of the cozy little clearing. We sat by it and he told me that perhaps the same way he had touched his might work for me. He held his hands up, palms facing me and ushered me to do the same. Then he intertwined our fingers.

"This may feel a bit strange, but I'm going to enter your mind. I won't pry or anything of sorts, I'll just lead you to it."

And then I was transported back to darkness. It was a vacuum; devoid of thought or feeling. Or at least, this was how it was usually. This time was different though. This time…there was something else there. It was like a shadow, beckoning me to follow it. I did. But then it disappeared. I was left alone. Or so I thought. There was a purplish floating ball. I wasn't afraid, though for some reason. It felt as like I had been dreaming about a person whom I had not met. And I had finally come face to face with them. And it was with this familiarity that I reached out and touched the friend. Then it was all over…

The ball exploded and I was enveloped in a thick blanket of squirming purple threads. Each thick vein plunged deeply into me leaving thin splinters of pain. I could have sworn that this was my end. But then everything stopped. And I opened my eyes.

Everything came back to me and I realized I was lying on top of Dimitrian. Well, sort of. He was upright and supporting my limp form. It took almost everything I had to try to move. And I couldn't do it. Dimitrian, realizing I was conscious, rolled me over onto the grass. He looked down at me with concerned eyes, brushing away hair that had covered my face.

"Are you hurt?" He questioned.

"No," I mustered and the tension in his face faded. He smiled now and waited for me to catch myself.

"Help me up please," I had regained my breath but I was still too exhausted to move.

He grabbed my waist and pulled me up on weak knees, then he swung my legs over his arm and carried me bridal style to the house, only wavering to part the web. Inside the house, where lunch was being prepared, Delilah and Draco stared at us. I realized hoe strange it must have looked to their eyes.

"I shall explain everything to them," he muttered in my ear and set me down on a reed mat where I slept as soon as my body hit the floor.

Author's Note: It was eventful, but please don't kill me or Draco. It'll get better in the next chapter I promise. Actually, if all goes well with chapter 27, your socks will meet the astronauts in space cause it will be one hell of a chapter. Or at least, I hope so. REVIEW.