The next morning Hermione awoke with a splitting headache. Really, her whole body was sore. Seamus had done his best to fix the old used robes into somewhat comfortable beds but it was hard when there was so little to work with. Looking to her left she saw that Seamus wasn't awake. Looking at the watch on her wrist, which the men had thankfully not taken, she saw it was almost five-thirty.

'Oh how nice,' Hermione thought scowling.

"Seamus, it's time to wake up," Hermione said gently.

He rolled over and opened one eye.

"Morning," he said sleepily.

"Morning," she said, laughing at his tasseled hair and sleepy expression.

They had no new clothes to change into so they simply straightened their robes and flattened their hair. Stepping out of the closet they saw a large number of robes that needed to be folded. Sighing they began the long tedious work. By seven they were just finishing up when the Slytherins began sauntering down the stairs. Not wanted to be in their path, Hermione and Seamus began to fold faster. Unfortunately enough, they weren't very quick. Draco and his ridiculous cronies came down the stairs looking like a king and his squires royally entering. Malfoy's eyes locked with Hermione's and he smirked. Hermione braced herself for what she knew would be a horrible ordeal. Draco came over (Crabbe and Goyle tagging along of course) and stood in front of Hermione.

"Why if it isn't the little Mudblood in her rightful place at last," Malfoy said maliciously.

Hermione kept her head high and looked straight into his eyes. She said nothing though. Starting something would be stupid. This was no longer Hogwarts. This was a place were they ruled and with a flick of a wand, you could be dead. No matter how much pride she had in her, she had to keep her mouth shut. Seamus, however, did not seem to be thinking along the same lines.

"Why can't you just leave her alone for once, she has never done anything to you," Seamus said, standing up so he was eye level with Draco.

"You see Finnagin, by just being herself she has committed a crime," Draco sneered.

Seamus would have pounced on Draco if it had not been for Crabbe's arm pushing him back onto the floor. He struggled to breathe as the wind was knocked out of him. Hermione was about to help him when she felt someone grab her wrist. Turning around she saw Draco looking at her slyly.



"Let me go Malfoy!" she shouted.

"Oh but you see Mudblood I can do anything I want with you now," Draco grinned pulling her towards the stairs.

Hermione struggled against him but he was stronger than she thought. All of sudden there was a voice from behind them.

"Hey Malfoy!"

Malfoy turned around just in time to see Seamus's fist smash into his face. Draco flew backward letting go of Hermione's wrist. He sat up slowly blood dripping down his face. In an instant at least five or six Slytherin boys were on top of Seamus, beating him.

"No!" Hermione yelled rushing toward them.

But she was held back by two other Slytherins who were howling wildly at poor Seamus. Once Draco had wiped his face of the blood he strode over to Hermione who was still struggling to help Seamus. Suddenly the bell rang. The boys slowly got off Seamus who lay still on the ground.

"See Granger, that is what happens now, when you disobey us," he said.

Grabbing his books he gave her one last look, spit on her, then walked away. The two boys dropped her and followed Draco out of the portrait hole. Scrambling to her feet, Hermione rushed out to Seamus's unconscious form. He was badly hurt.

'Oh Seamus please wakeup!" Hermione yelled to him.

After a few minutes his eyes finally opened.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, terror in her eyes.

"Ha, not really, but I'll live," he chuckled.

"Come on, you should go rest," Hermione said helping him to his feet.

Once he was in as comfortable as he could get she went back out to see a house elf tidying up the fireplace. She ran quickly to it and begged it to get her a bowl of warm water and a cloth. With eagerness of this important job, the elf rushed off and a minute later came back with a bowl and cloth. Thanking it profusely, Hermione rushed back to the closet. Kneeling next to Seamus she began to clean his cuts.

"Thank you for helping me like you," Hermione said to him smiling.

"No one messes with my friends," he said. "Especially not the likes of him."

"But I don't want this to happen again," Hermione said seriously, wringing out the cloth. "They could have killed you. They could kill either of us whenever they please. We have to be careful."

Seamus put his head down. "I will," he said, "as long as he doesn't try to hurt you. That's where I draw the line."

Not knowing what to say, she just continued to clean his wounds.

"How did everything end up like this," she asked.

"I thought Hogwarts was the safest place," he said, wincing as she cleaned a cut on his forehead.

"I think we all did," Hermione said. "I just everyone else is okay too."

"Yeah," Seamus said.

Once Seamus was relatively better than before, Hermione put the bowel aside. She was about to sit next to him when they heard the portrait hole open. One of the men from the night before entered. He threw a list at them, telling them to be sure everything was done by lunch, then he left with a swish of his cloak. The two got up and began the day with an awful feeling inside them.





A/N: That was a bit short but it is late. More tomorrow! Review!

PREVIEW:

"That stupid filthy Mudblood has to learn her place," Draco mumbled to a few of the other Slytherins at lunch.

They all grinned mischievously.

"So what do you have in mind," Blaise Zambini asked.

Draco sneered and leaned in to explain the plan stirring in his mind.