Chapter 3 - The Hurtful Past

Draco spat out the blood. How dare she. He smacked her across the face and watched her eyes water.

If, Lucius' voice floated back in a particular memory. She ever leaves the Malfoy Manor before a year is up, she would die. If after a year, she still wants to leave, you would have to agree to become a death eater AT YOUR OWN FREE WILL. And, that will prove, once and for all, that she never loved you. Those words. They were exactly what Lucius had told him when he brought an unconscious Hermione to his room.

With a lump in his throat, he turned away from Hermione. He couldn't bear seeing her in tears, in defeat.

He swallowed painfully as he gazed at the thick, puffy clouds, which seemed to sooth him a little. Draco tried to block out her muffled sobs, but failed miserably. Just then a memory unfolded slowly in his mind, like a spoilt film.

Hermione stared at him with hurt in her eyes. As if trying to fight off the temptation, but failing, she slapped him.

"Hermione! I'm sor-" he started.

"No," she spat, spinning around and walking away.

Draco stared after Hermione's wake, dropping onto a garden bench in dismay and hurt combined. It was over.

Draco tensed. Jealousy and fury took over him. "Shut up!" he roared, not noticing that she had stop crying and was now taken to staring at him curiously.

Hermione flinched visibly. "I... I... " she stammered.

"I... I... " Draco imitated, smirking.

"A-are you okay?" Hermione asked hesitantly, ignoring his remark. "Because you were standing there with a glazed look over your eyes and you..." She knew she was rambling unnecessarily but she couldn't stop, as much as she wanted to.

"Fine," he snapped. Then - "Not that you care," he muttered.

There was an uncomfortable pause.

"I do," Hermione said uncertainly but clearly, as though afraid of him.

Draco couldn't help but feel oddly overjoyed. He looked away embarrassedly.

"If you need help or anything..." she trailed off, still sounding uncertain.

He was about to roll his eyes and retort when he felt her reach into his mind... and pull out a few of his thoughts. One too many, in Draco's opinion.

He panicked. She mustn't know!

Draco waved his wand and she practically flew into the table, crashing it. Hermione winced in pain. "You are too nosy, Granger," Draco hissed.

She kept silent.

"It was your father," she said finally, making it sound like a statement instead of a question. She saw Draco dart his eyes left and right.

"What?" she asked confusedly.

"My father... " he said in a strangled tone, his eyes rolling to the top corner of the wall, puzzling Hermione even more.

"It's okay. I don't blame you," Hermione soothed, touching his arm.

Her touch burned him and left an invisible mark on his arm. "You don't understand," he said roughly, slapping her hand away, thus throwing her off balance.

"Draco... " Hermione whimpered in pain. "I can help... "

His eyes darted to the corner again and she thought she spotted worry in them. "You don't understand," he repeated in the same gurgled tone she had heard earlier.

It took Hermione exactly twelve seconds to understand his confusing movements and complicated talk. "Oh," she said, lowering her voice. Draco's eyes widened in surprise.

"Y-you can see?" Draco whispered in shock.

Hermione shook her head ever so slightly. "I can tell," she said quietly to him. The corners of Draco's mouth turned up. I'm forgetting that she was the Head Girl after all, he thought.

I'm watching you, Lucius said dangerously, piercing his ears. Draco shut his eyes tightly and clamped his hands over his ears. "Shut up," he hissed.

Hermione looked at him concernedly but didn't dare to speak.

"Do you want anything? I will go get it for you," Draco said gruffly, opening his eyes.

Hermione gazed at Draco with searching eyes, hoping to see a hint of feelings from him towards her. "I want my freedom," she whispered finally, unaware that she was breaking Draco's heart.

Draco turned away from Hermione to avoid her gaze and to not let her know that he was upset. He started to walk quicker than ever to the door.

"I was just kidding," the voice called cheerfully behind him. Draco spun around, only to see Hermione smiling. Surprised but grateful at her change of attitude, he returned a smile.

"Um, get me a quill and a book will you? Oh, and ink, of course," Hermione asked hopefully. "And, er, I'm kind of hungry. Could you... ?"

Draco's face broke into another smile, though smaller than the previous one, but nevertheless a smile. "No problem," he promised but stopped quite a while in front of the door before adding a couple of words of precaution.

"Stay if you do not wish to die." Before he closed the door, he thought he saw her widen her eyes and open her mouth. Smiling to himself, he quickly closed the door before she had any more requests he needed to fulfill.