Hermione was lingering outside the Gryffindor changing rooms in a state of agitation. She loved Harry and Ron, she understood how much Quidditch meant to them and the strong rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin but, she just couldn't let this go. What Harry had done had been illegal! She waited till the rest of the team had left to enter the changing rooms. She was so nervous that she couldn't stop pulling at the wool of her scarf.

"I want a word with you, Harry," said Hermione taking a deep breath. "You shouldn't have done it. You heard Slughorn, its illegal."

Before she could say more, Ron was attacking her, daring her to turn them in, when, to their utter shock, Harry revealed that he'd only pretended to slip Felix Felicis into Ron's pumpkin juice. Why on earth would Harry trick her like that? She understood why he'd tricked Ron, but—

"You added Felix Felicis to Ron's juice this morning, that's why he saved everything!" Ron rounded on her in mock imitation. "See! I can save goals without help, Hermione!"

"I never said you couldn't," she tried to explain. "Ron, you thought you'd been given it too!"

But he was already striding past her out the door with his broomstick over his shoulder.

Hermione was too upset to join Harry when he suggested she come with him to celebrate their victory in the common room. She found herself wandering the castle aimlessly, trying to understand what egregious error she'd committed. Deciding that she really ought to just make peace with him instead of roaming the corridors like Nearly Headless Nick, she made her way to Gryffindor Tower.

Upon entering the common room, it seemed as if everyone was caught in a victorious rapture. She smiled as she watched a desperate Harry succeed in escaping the clutches of Romilda Vane. Then she spotted Ginny, which wasn't at all difficult considering her flaming red hair and the way she carried Arnold, the Pygmy Puff on her shoulder. She began to make her way through the riotous crowd but stopped short when she realized they were both staring at something. She followed the direction of their gaze to find Ron in a lip lock with Lavender Brown. Her blood froze, a wave of nausea caused her stomach to twist and she thought she might be sick. He had her wrapped around him so tightly and his hands were…

She ran out of the common room as fast as she could.

Entering an empty classroom nearby she sat down. She had to do something—anything to distract her from what she'd just witnessed. She feared she'd fall apart. Taking out her wand from her robes with a trembling hand she cast the Avis charm. A flock of little yellow birds appeared and as Hermione stared at them circling above her head she was overcome with a pang of crushing sadness. Ron had overlooked her, again. He'd hurt her, again. Hadn't she made her feelings for him obvious? She had even invited him to Slughorn's Christmas Party and he'd said yes. Was it her, was it her fault?

Malfoy's words floated back to her.

Slagging it with the Bulgarian — Mudblood whore.

Had she really been so wrong as to accept Krum's invitation to as something simple as a dance? Was Ron really that jealous, or was he merely looking for an excuse to do what he liked with Lavender Brown?

She imagined how he'd react if she told him the truth, that the bracelet was actually from Malfoy. Part of her wanted to explain that it had all been quite innocent— it was just a bracelet. It meant nothing... didn't it?

The birds flew twittered above, gently swooping around the room.

No, she admitted. It meant something. She just didn't know what. Her time with Malfoy had only left her with more questions.

Suddenly the door jerked open.

"Hermione?"

"Oh, hello, Harry," she said in a brittle voice. "I was just practising."

"Yeah… they're, er—"

"Harry," muttered Hermione in a rush. "Why doesn't Ron want me?"

Harry's eyes widened. Hearing the question out loud sounded far worse than the way it had in her head and she blushed a little at its bluntness.

"I- I'm not sure," he stumbled. "How do you know he doesn't?"

"He's had so many chances and he's never even—"

At that very moment, the door behind them burst open and there was Ron in tow with none other than Lavender Brown.

"Oh," he said, drawing up short at the sight of them. Hermione slid off the desk just as Lavender backed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

The sick feeling was back and it was rising like bile up her throat. She couldn't stand looking at him.

"You shouldn't leave Lavender waiting outside," she said quietly, walking toward the door. "She'll wonder where you've gone."

Then as she reached the door she was overcome with a woeful fury.

"Oppugno!" She shrieked. The little flock of birds sped down on him like a hail of golden bullets and she revelled in the sight of them pecking and clawing every bit of flesh they could reach.

Wrenching the door open, she ran out into the dark, toward the astronomy tower. Tears streaked down her face as she made her way blindly through the castle.

Some time later Hermione found herself trudging up the dark spiral stairs to the Astronomy Tower, her cheeks blotchy and wet from crying. As she was reaching the door which led to the landing, it swung open.

Her breath hitched.

Malfoy stiffened as he saw her. She thought the moonlight made him look deathly pale.

They stared at one another and those mere seconds felt like hours. Then she remembered the last words he'd said to her.

Not bad for a Mudblood whore.

She tore her eyes away and pressed her body against one side of the stairway to let him pass.

He blinked. Wordlessly descending.

She began walking up, brushing past him when suddenly he stuck his arm out to block her path.

"Wait..."

He seemed hesitant, unwilling. But she didn't want to wait, not while he was this close. Not while he was this warm. Then he said something that made her blood run cold.

"I need it back."

At first, she hadn't understood what he meant until she'd realized he was looking at her wrist, at the bracelet.

No, he can't, she thought, snatching her hand from the railing and tucking her arms into her chest. He can't just give me something and then take it back.

Malfoy stepped into her, his body unmoving against hers. "I'm not asking."

Hermione looked into eyes, and found herself peering into storm clouds. His breath fell on her with every exhale.

She didn't know what possessed her to say it, but she did.

"Over my dead body Malfoy." And she wondered if he'd draw his wand.

His jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring. "Why do you even want it?" he rasped.

It was the last thing she'd expected him to say, not even a question she'd asked herself. Her mouth went dry as his eyes appraised her, dancing over her face. For the first time she wondered what she looked like. She imagined she looked a mess.

"I don't know," Hermione choked, her eyes brimming with new tears. "I don't…"

"Fine!" she snapped, her hand shaking trying to unclasp the bracelet and failing. It was delicate and impossible to remove.

He grabbed her wrist. "Stop... stop crying."

Except Hermione hadn't realized she was. She began to tremble. His fingers had slackened, his hold now gentle. He was stroking her pulse point with his thumb, brushing goosebumps all the way up her arm with the slightest stroke of skin. Then they were tracing up her forearm, up to her collarbone.

Her eyes remained downcast, paralysed by what he was doing, by the way, he touched her. She thought if he'd continued she'd throw up her heart.

"You really are filthy," he whispered, his thumb wiping away a tear.

She dared to look up then and meet his gaze, terrified all the while.

It broke the spell.

His eyelids fluttered as if coming out of a deep reverie and his hand fell awkwardly to his side.

Hermione only started to breathe again when he'd reached the bottom landing.