A/N: thank you guys sooooooooooooooo much for your reviews, i honeslty didn't think I would get more than 20 haha so thanks (:
this chapter is going to be lengthyyyy so get reading!
The jealous bring down the curse they fear upon their own heads.
Hermione tried desperately to ignore the familiar warm breath prickling lightly at her neck but Tom had been breathing down, and whispering into her ear ever since Slughorn had stopped talking and set them to work.
She had made up her mind. No matter how annoyingly forward Tom was being all of a sudden, no matter how damn irresistible he was, no matter how his kiss had made her feel - Hermione was not giving in to him.
And why should I? Don't even get me thinking about the whole Draco thing, not to mention he acts like a cold-blooded git around everyone -except me at times. He lies, he freaking crucios people without a second thought. AND he thinks that a kiss will fix it all. A FORCED kiss. FAT CHANCE RIDDLE.
But Hermione wasn't stupid, she knew that kiss was nowhere hear forced; but she wasn't admitting that to Tom in a hundred years. She wasn't going to let him off easy, not this time; she knew she'd done it before in the past and she had finally learned her lesson.
And yesterday he had almost made her cave again. Damn him and his attractiveness. Damn it to hell!
"Talk to me." Tom tried again, getting close as he said it. Hermione threw in the Beetle Eyes into the cauldron harder than necessary and remained completely oblivious to him. She heard him give a soft sigh and heard his quill tip scratch against paper as he continued taking notes. As soon as she was sure that he was looking away, Hermione squeezed her eyes shut for a second and gave out an extra silent breath of frustration.
He was so hard to be mad at! Hermione was angry at herself, just over a week ago she was expressing GENUINE anger towards him 24/7. How time can change things is so screwed up. Hermione narrowed her eyes angrily as she stirred the liquid. This was all time's fault. stupid fucking time-travel.
She heard Tom sigh again and rolled her eyes. She chose this as the best time to look around at the class to distract herself.
"Bloody hell Stonem, I don't even know what I did wrong!" Hermione heard Tom exclaim quietly.
Hermione blinked twice before she believed her own ears. And that did it. Hermione couldn't help herself. She let out a big un lady-like snort and whipped around to face him. disbelief and anger all over her face. Tom looked at her with a questioning brow.
Hermione suddenly lost awareness of the heard of people around her; most who were already watching the pair with interest.
"You DID NOT just say that Tom Marvolo Riddle!" She practically yelled at him, pointing her finger like a weapon. Tom looked on at Hermione with slightly wide eyes and held his hands up.
"Uh, Miss Stonem?.. Is everything okay?" Hermione snapped her head to Professor Slughorn's direction and set her jaw.
"Could I please be excused sir." Hermione said through her teeth. And before the Potions master could even change the stupid expression on his plump face, Hermione shoved her books into a pile and whirled around, storming out of the potions classroom.
"HERMIONE!"
Hermione froze to a stop at the sound of her name being bellowed down the corridor. But when her mind recognized who was calling her, she forced her feet to keep dragging her forward. This shouldn't be so hard. Hating him SHOULDN'T be so hard. Hermione thought, hot tears slightly fogging her view.
She was so lost in her thoughts, that she was taken completely off hand when a slightly harsh grip clutched at her arm and stopped her in her tracks.
Hermione didn't have to look up to know who it was. It wasn't even his smell; it was just him. She could just know when he was near.
"You're going to get in trouble for leaving class." Hermione muttered through her gritted teeth.
The grip loosened a little and she heard Tom sigh. "Stonem, listen-" He started softly, his voice was gentle but it was cut short almost right away by the girl he was holding onto. Hermione couldn't take this. He wasn't going to go from insufferable to Mr. nice guy - not when she was meant to be furious with him.
"NO." Hermione yelled, abruptly jerking away and spinning to face him; they were a lot closer than she had imagined.
"NO okay, I'm NOT going to listen" Hermione said strongly, looking into his slightly sad eyes, losing her nerves in their argument as usual. He looked a bit concerned but Hermione could tell he was trying to hide any emotion that was surfacing.
"I'm done listening to your lies! I'm not dealing with your split personality anymore - I deserve better.. I know I do!" Hermione only realized the flood of tears covering her flushed cheeks when she heard them in her voice.
"Hermione, please - look-"
"No YOU look!" Hermione screeched, roughly pushing away the hands that he was reaching towards her. "I'm not doing this!" She choked out.
Tom advanced one step towards her and Hermione didn't have the mind to step back at that moment.
"What." Tom stated more than questioned. He looked down at her with a hard expression.
"THIS!" Hermione exclaimed, gesturing her hands clumsily around the small space between them. "I'm not feeling this way about you! I can't! Look what you've done to Draco and what you do to your death eaters - the fact that you HAVE followers called death-eaters should put me off." Hermione rambled angrily, her eyes on the worn floors panning back and forth.
Suddenly she stopped. Hermione looked up at Tom and the way he was looking at her wasn't helping the state she was in at all. He had never looked so worried before. It was then when Hermione confessed to him what she had just confessed to herself in her mind. She met his impossibly black eyes and something tweaked at her heart. Hermione felt the pain of that little tweak.
"But it doesn't" She said softly, trailing off a bit.
Hermione saw Tom's strained expression and how his mouth was about to form words. She couldn't take words right now.
"I'm meant to love Draco.. I- I can't" Hermione choked out through her thick tears. Through her blurry vision, she saw arms reach for her. She tensed up.
"DON'T." She yelled. slapping his arms away roughly.
Tom looked at her with wide eyes. Hermione's heart tore further to the core.
She began again, but this time softly, "Just.." she let out a sigh and blinked hard two times, forcing back newly brimming tears.
Hermione huffed out a breath and tried to look put off again because she realized she had let her mask falter.
"Go back to class before you get us both into trouble." she said stiffly, averting her eyes. And before Tom could make her change her mind even a little, Hermione forced her legs to take her further and further away from the distressed Head Boy.
Tom stood in place while she walked away, desperately trying to find words to make everything okay. Anything he could do to bring the fire back into Hermione's eyes and the smile that gave him tingles. And when he came up with no such thing, Tom watched as she turned the corner, disappearing from view.
oOo
Draco winced as he pulled his robes slowly over his head. The nearly faded bruises throbbing slightly as he forced his damaged muscles to stretch.
"Mr. Travers!" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed in outrage. Draco rolled his eyes and completely ignored the patron who had been protesting for about 10 minutes as he got ready to leave the Infirmary.
"You CANNOT leave till you are healed! I'll tell Headmaster Dippet and then you're going to h-"
"tell whoever the fuck you want." Draco mumbled just loud enough for her to hear. Madame Pomfrey looked positively appalled
"LANGUAGE, Mr. Travers - honestly!" She huffed. But Draco chose no mind to hear it as he staggered forward, forcing his tiresome limbs to get used to walking again.
"Fine!" He heard her say angrily "Leave, but I swear on Merlin that you will be back in this bed by tomorrow." Draco almost rolled his eyes at the threat but kept his focus on his protesting body. After a few more aching steps his legs finally gave in to his commands and took him forward slowly.
Draco went down the halls in an angry storm, a scowl etched as deep as it could into his face. He couldn't believe how much things had turned around. He couldn't believe that the girl who once seemed to be devotedly in love with him, was fraternizing with the enemy of all enemies.
He didn't want to believe his own suspicions - but to know that while he was pretty much dying in the Infirmary, Hermione was spending time with Voldemort sickened him to the highest degree.
"Just wait till I get to her." Draco muttered barely audibly as he turned the corner for the Common Room. He was determined to find out what the fuck Hermione's intentions were. And he was hoping for her sake that it was all just a big bloody misunderstanding because Draco didn't know what he would do to her if she confessed to it.
"Lethifold." He said impatiently. The painting flung open and he stepped in the minute that it did.
His slightly blood-shot eyes scrutinized the Common Room. His icy glare picking at every breathing thing in the room. He looked up at the ceiling in anger and ran a hasty hand through his hair when he did not see Hermione in any corner of the room.
Setting his jaw so hard that it hurt, he ignored the eyes that stuck to his figure as he entered the Girl's Dorms. A few Slytherin girls gave him burning narrowed eyed looks and others looks of complete surprise as he passed the rooms. He didn't give even the tiniest smidge of care for whether they would report the fact he was in forbidden territories.
Draco paused outside Hermione's room door. Not because he was debating whether to confront his deceiving girlfriend but because as he was about to push it open, he heard a loud sniffle. Draco ceased his breathing so that his hearing was able to pick up any noises made on the other side of the door. He heard another sniffle and then a hiccup that was suspiciously like a mini-sob.
His slamming-the-door idea left his brain as he slowly wedged the door open with a loud 'creak'.
His jaw relaxed as his mouth dropped open in a little 'o' when he saw her.
Hermione sat on her bed, her arms wrapped loosely around her knees as she muffled her sobs by burying her face deep within the wool of her jumper.
Draco's angry thoughts flew from mind and they were replaced with concern.
Is she crying...because of me?
Draco suddenly felt a surge of guilt. Here he was coming to tell her off when she was crying over the fact he was hurt. He knew he shouldn't have believed Cora that quickly anyway - Hermione had warned him about her. Draco walked in a few steps but Hermione didn't noticed. She stayed curled up.
To get her attention, he was about to call out, but that's when he heard it -
"I don't like him I don't like him I DON'T LIKE HIM." Hermione suddenly sobbed loudly, her face still covered by her long hair, and muffled into the clothing material.
Draco's brows furrowed. Curious, he stepped back into the door way and hid behind the door as Hermione sobbed to herself.
What in Merlin's name is she talking about? Draco thought, straining his ears.
As Draco peeked a glance at her he saw Hermione beating fists into the bed she sat on. "Why? Why HIM?" She groaned, lifting both hands to cover her face as she cried harder.
The blonde at the door narrowed his eyes. She can't possibly be talking about..
Hermione dragged her hands down her face and let her arms limp by her side. Draco could see her face now. Her eyes red, her hair wild and all over the place. Draco almost grimaced at how un-pleasant she looked.
Suddenly the distraught girl let out a shaky and broken laugh. "Tom Riddle." She whispered. Draco watched as she shook her head and then erupted into tears again. "Why did it have to be Tom Riddle!" She cried.
Draco almost broke through the door that he was gripping onto. He couldn't believe it. He thought Hermione was crying about himself.
It took a good few replays till the youngest Malfoy processed what he had just heard. Hermione liked Tom Riddle.
Draco's head started throbbing, his hands were so tightly put into fists that he swore he would break skin and draw blood. And with one of those tight fists, He didn't hesitate to thrash the door fully open with a 'bang'.
oOo
Hermione could swear on her life that if she hadn't been crying so loudly then the noise of the door slamming open would have completely stopped her heart and rendered her dead.
She jumped at the noise and let out a little scream of shock. He heart rate picked up ten fold and she clutched at it lightly.
When she raised her eyes to the culprit she met a familiar silver-gray. Hermione's doe eyes widened as she took in Draco Malfoy standing before her. She almost broke into a grin due to seeing him 'alive' again but it was cut short when she noticed his expression.
The boy was fuming. Flaring nostrils and all. His very pale face was tinged with a dark pink and his eyes were slightly wide and -Hermione admitted- much like a physcotic person.
"Draco.." She said uncertainly, her voice still croaky from an hour or so of crying.
But his stance did not change. Worry creased itself into Hermione's features as she silently edged herself off the bed and stood a small way away from him.
His eyes narrowed dangerously and an almost scary, sinister smile was slightly playing at his lips. When he spoke, his tone was much too calm. Hermione became a tiny bit frightened.
"What happened, Granger? Tommy didn't share the love you have for him?" Hermione felt every muscle in her body freeze.
Her voice caught in her throat as she spluttered.
He couldn't have...No! He can't have heard me! no no no no no-
"Draco!" Hermione warned as he took a slow step towards her. "I-it's not what y-"
"Not what I think?" Draco offered in a sickly sweet tone. And then, before Hermione could even register when he moved, The platinum blonde was towering over her and a sharp pain shot through Hermione arms as he gripped them tightly.
"HOW COULD YOU HERMIONE?" He roared, all his composure, all his calmness evaporating into thin air. He shook her roughly as he shouted in her face and Hermione scrunched up her features in pain.
"Draco y-your hurting me!" She whimpered helplessly.
"YOUR HURTING ME!" He yelled. Hermione cringed and then looked at Draco with wide eyes. This couldn't be her Draco.
His breathing was heavy and angry, blowing onto Hermione face.
"Look me in the eye - and tell me you haven't got feelings for Tom Fucking Riddle." Draco stated under his breath, his harsh hold on her never faltering.
Just lie Hermione, you've done it before. Just say you don't.
Hermione lifted her face to meet his and bit down on her lip hard. She opened her mouth to form the lie but it never came out. She tried a few more times but she failed. She couldn't do it. She couldn't escape the truth. Hermione couldn't lie to him like this.
Her answer came out in a choked voice. And as she spoke the words it triggered her tears. "I-I c-can't" She strained out. Hanging her head to avoid his eyes.
Hermione's heart sped up as what had just happened fully dawned on her.
She had just told Draco that she had feelings for Tom Riddle. Hermione felt her chest tighten to the point of pain. She had just told DRACO about TOM.
Bloody hell. It's over. That's it. Draco's going to break up with me. I've ruined everything
And it was in the middle of those particular train of thoughts when Hermione felt something slam into the side of her head. hard.
Hermione wasn't sure why the blow hadn't caused her to loose consciousness, because it felt like it should have. Her head throbbed with an almost impossible intensity and the drumming filled her ears painfully. The room around her split into two, spun and blurred as she tried to blink it clear.
It took a few minutes for her to remember who she was and then quickly after that, everything came rushing back to her head.
Her vision still fuzzy, Hermione's eyes picked up a figure standing before her. And that's when she realized she was sprawled on the ground.
"Draco?" She said huskily, squinting at a blurry head of silvery-blonde. After looking at him for a couple of moments, Hermione's eyes widened.
Draco had hit her. Hermione's stare didn't hesitate to form thick tears, fogging her view even further. As she let her mind focus on the immense pain that lay in her forehead, her tears pooled over and fled down her flushed cheeks. Draco Malfoy had hit her. He had almost made her pass out. Intentionally. Hermione couldn't register it through her aching head.
Then Without warning, something she had forced herself to forget made it's way into Hermione's thoughts. The secret Hermione had been keeping for half a year rushed through her head. The memory that she had tactfully hid in the depths of her mind surfaced. Hermione gasped.
"Hermione, I said no already and I'm not about to change my mind!" Draco pressed, Hermione saw his fists clench.
She rolled her eyes. "I don't really have a choice you know." This made the irritated boy whirl around. Hermione almost widened her gaze at his angry expression. She hadn't seen him like this before.
"Why is it that whenever it comes down to choosing between pothead, Weasel and me - you always choose them?" He accused with a set jaw. Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"This isn't a decision between you and them! This is a decision between going to find horcruxes and helping to defeat the darkest wizard of our time and sitting here doing absolutely nothing while Harry and Ron risk their lives to save everyone. They need me! They wouldn't last three days without me Draco!"
"Oh so you think I'm just sitting around doing nothing?" Draco spat bitterly, advancing on Hermione as he did so.
Hermione stood her ground and lifted her jaw. "I don't care how much you whine and beg Draco, You're being so childish! No matter what you say it will not make a difference; I am going with Harry and Ron and that is all I'm hearing about it! I'm sorry" Hermione said as gently as she could.
The last thing she was expecting was to be fisted across the face.
As she sunk to the ground, Hermione instantly felt arms around her. "Oh Merlin Hermione. I'm so sorry. Why did you have to make me mad? You shouldn't have done that. Merlin I'm sorry, It won't happen again, Hermione. Don't cry it's okay you can go, I'm so sorry, Please just forget this happened, I love you I'm sorry."
Draco continued whispering this into her ear for about an hour.
Hermione was too shaken to say anything. She whimpered as he tried comforting her. That night Hermione did exactly what Draco said to.
She refused to believe what had happened. She forced herself to forget it. Hermione didn't tell a soul because she was confident it was a one-time slip up and it would never happen again.
Hermione refused to believe Draco was an abusive boyfriend.
Hermione felt arms holding her body. She was crying hard now. She remembered. She remembered what happened. This was why she was so unusually scared to tell Draco about Dumbledore's plan. This was why Hermione lost her witty comebacks around him. It was then that Hermione realized fully the presence of someone cradling her frame.
And when she turned her head to view platinum blonde hair, Hermione literally sprang away from him. Right now her distaste for the boy in front of her was so apparent that she couldn't even hide the disgusted scowl that sunk into her expression. He had promised her. He promised it would never happen again. Hermione's exhausted body started to tremble.
She watched him slowly get up from the floor, his palms facing her. "Now, Hermione - List-"
"You said" Hermione shrieked. Her voice shook and you could easily hear the tears in it. "You said it wouldn't happen again!"
Draco rushed forward, a look of panic crossed his features. Hermione pulled out her wand at lightening speed.
"STOP" She yelled. Roughly wiping the tears drenching her cheeks. "Don't touch me!" Hermione couldn't take this. Not all in one day.
First her fight with Tom and now this. Hermione felt her head go light. She blinked hard and tried to keep Draco in her vision but he spun with the rest of the room. The thudding in her head hadn't ceased. In fact she swore it had gotten even worse. And when Draco tried moving forward to her once more, Hermione ordered her body to take one step back. And it was that little order that did it. That was all it took for her strength to give in.
Hermione's mind had gone completely blank before she could register when her body hit the floor.
Okay guys I actually didn't even go over this, I just really wanted a way to make Hermione mad at Draco so I wrote what came to mind and posted. I think it's a bit...bad haha.
So in all seriousness if this twist is utterly horrible/wrecks the story for you than DON'T hesitate to tell me because I will change it if you want me to. I'm literally really unsure about it.
If majority of the reviews like it I'll leave it but if majority don't then It'll be changed in about two days.
I hope you guys like this haha cos it took me hoursss to write and I'm too lazy :p
PLEASE REVIEW xxxx