Draco's POV
Hermione's harsh words woke Draco like a slap in the face. He looked down to see his arms wrapped around the little weasel, her face only inches from his. He pushed away, disgusted.
"I don't know what you did to me, but whatever it was, you are one sick bitch." Draco ran out of the common room calling Hermione's name.
He saw Hermione a few steps in front of him, sniffling and trying to keep herself from collapsing in the middle of the hallway. Finally, she could not hold in her tears any longer, and she hid herself in a corner and cried.
"Hermione..listen to me. It wasn't me..I swear." Draco knelt down next to her and placed a hand on her knee.
She pushed his hand away. "Harry was right, I don't know what I ever saw in you. I thought you were different Draco, and I thought you had changed. I was wrong, you are just like any other guy. I must have been f**king screwed up to break up with Harry for you."
"Please, just listen to what I.." Draco started.
Hermione's POV
"Just leave me alone!" Hermione screamed, and getting up, she ran back to the dorm and up to her room. She collapsed on her bed and tried to erase all the moments she had shared with Dr-Malfoy out of her system.
"Herm.." Malfoy's voice was muffled by the door.
"I never want to see your face again!" Hermione threw a pillow at the door.
"Pleas.."
"NO! Leave! Just leave!"
"Fine." Malfoy whispered and left.
*This was not how I had imagined it. I thought we would be the perfect couple. How could I have been so stupid to give up Harry. He is everything anyone would wish to have, and I gave it all up for Malfoy. Why did I ever have feelings for him anyways? *
Harry's POV
"So how was your whole 'bad boy' thing?" Ginny asked.
"Horrible. Hermione slapped me in front of the entire school. I don't think she likes the 'bad boy' thing." Harry sulked.
"My part of the plan worked. Hermione walked in on us when it was just getting hot and steamy. She totally blew up on Malfoy. They have to be over already. No worries, I got your back."
"Thanks. This means a lot to me."
"All in a day's work." Ginny yawned. "Good night, Harry."
Harry sat in the common room, amidst many chess playing first years and book reading fifth years, thinking whether or not what they had done was worth it. By the time the common room had emptied out, he still hadn't landed on a decision yet, and sleepily, he went to bed.
Hermione's POV
Hermione woke up, and everything that had happened the night before rushed into her head. Malfoy had cheated on her, with Ginny. She stifled a sob, and masked her emotions with a stiff fake smile. She thumped down the stairs. *I guess I will have to tell Harry I'm sorry for not believing him and breaking his heart. * She walked to the common room door, where a small yellow note caught her attention. She peeled it off and read it.
[Beginning of note]
Dear Hermione,
We have to talk. Things were not what they seemed last night. Please
forgive me, I would never hurt you intentionally.
Love,
Draco [End of note]
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes up trying to keep tears from rolling down her face. She ran to her room and got her quill. "Malfoy," she wrote, "We have nothing to talk about. A picture is worth a thousand words. There is nothing to forgive. I am sorry I ever made this mistake. – Granger." She stuck the note back on the door and walked out.
Harry's POV
Harry had just rolled out of bed, and his hair was unkempt, but he had put on another one of his bad boy outfits. He strolled into the Great Hall and took a seat next to Neville. Silently, Harry filled a plate with eggs and bacon, and started to eat.
"Harry." Hermione appeared before him. "I am sorry about everything and anything I did to you. You were right about Malfoy, and I am sorry I didn't listen to you. I hope you accept my apology." She started to walk away.
"Wait." Harry grabbed her arm. "Can we talk?"
Hermione nodded.
*Should I ask her to go out with me again then? But after everything I did to her.. and she looks so miserable. Why did I agree to do something so horrible? But, she should be mine, and only mine! Perhaps she has broken up with Malfoy already. *
"Does this mean you and Malfoy are over?"
A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek. "I-I guess." She said, her voice quivering.
"You don't love him anymore?" Harry asked hopefully.
"No-no, I guess not."
"Would you like to go out with me again? Give me another chance?"
"Harry," Hermione choked, "Not right now, but I will think about it. I promise."
"Okay, see you in class today then." Harry took her hand and held it for a while.
Draco's POV
Draco had left a note on the common room door and went to breakfast, hoping he would not have another unpleasant encounter with Hermione. He could only hope that she would give him a chance to talk.
He was eating breakfast in the Great Hall when he saw Hermione walk up to Potter. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but after a while, Potter took Hermione's hand. *Damn, is she going to Potter for comfort now? I know he had something to do with whatever happened to me last night. * Draco grumbled annoyingly, scarfed down the rest of his breakfast and went to his Potions class that Gryffindor and Slytherin took together. He prayed that he would be able to talk to Hermione.
Upon entering his Potions class in the dungeon, he found that everyone was already seated, and the desk he usually shared with Hermione was empty. Glancing around, he noticed that she had switched seats, and she now sat next to Potter. He sighed, it was worse than he thought; she wouldn't even look at him, let alone have a polite conversation with him.
Draco spent the rest of the class staring at the back of Hermione's head, and missing every question that Snape asked him. He couldn't stand it any longer, he had to confront her after class.
Hermione's POV
*Sitting next to Harry is so different from sitting next to Malfoy. Harry is so immature, and not as funny as Malfoy. * She tried to keep her attention on Snape, but constantly felt her mind drifting back to Malfoy.
After class, Hermione walked up the dungeon stairs and into the main hallway.
"Hermione!" A familiar voice called.
Hermione recognized the voice and continued to storm up the stairs.
"Why can't you just listen to me?"
"Why? You ask me why?" Hermione smirked. "I'll tell you why. I thought you were different, but you aren't, and now I am going to walk away. Forever." She continued her angry flight up the stairs, but felt a strong grip stop her.
Hermione whipped around. "Let go of me." She snarled and twisted out of Draco's grip.
"So this is it? You are just going to forget about everything we shared together?"
"Shared? We shared nothing! You understand? NOTHING!" Hermione turned away.
"Hermione, you didn't even give me a chance to explain!"
"You don't need to!"
"Hermione, you know I love you."
"Save it, Malfoy. We are through." Hermione spat. She ran as far as she could away from him without looking back.
Draco's POV
*Malfoy. She just called me Malfoy. * Draco knew something had happened that night that made him suddenly lust for the little weasel, but how could he prove it to Hermione if she wouldn't even listen to him?
Draco didn't even bother going to the rest of his classes, he drifted slowly back to his common room. The little note he had written to Hermione was still there, but Hermione had answered to it. *This is it. There goes our relationship. I didn't even do anything wrong. Now she is going to go back to Potter. *
Hermione's POV
Hermione floated through her classes like a ghost. She was there, yet she seemed unreal. If anyone asked her what was wrong, she would plaster a fake smile on her face and say no. Eventually, classes ended and she had a two-hour break until dinner.
Hermione returned to her dorm and flopped in her chair. She fell into a deep sleep until a tapping on the window woke her up. She glanced up to see a beautiful snow-white owl perched on the windowsill with a package in its beak. Hermione quickly let the owl in and took the package. She opened the letter first.
[Begin Letter]
Dear Hermione,
Since you won't even begin to allow me to explain, I hoped that you would at least accept my owl. I know that you will never accept my apologies, so I won't start. Open the box. I've been waiting for the perfect time to give it to you, but that seems irrelevant now. Please take it. Malfoy
[End Letter]
Hermione unwrapped the brown paper wrapping to reveal a soft velvet box. Inside was a beautiful silver necklace. The pendant was made of two burgundy and emerald gems fused together. Etched on the back were the initials H and D entwined inside a heart. Her heart raced at the beauty of the necklace, but she shook away the feeling when she remembered who had given it to her. She wrote back to Malfoy. "Thank you for the beautiful necklace, but please remember, it doesn't really change anything. I think you should take it back." She folded her letter and handed both the box and the letter to the owl.
"You are such a beautiful bird." She cooed as she petted the owl. She took out her schoolwork as she watched the owl fly away, and she was soon absorbed in her work.
Hours later she felt a hunger in her stomach and gazed up at the clock
to find that it was already six. Hermione stretched out her arms and
decided to go down to the Great Hall for dinner.
Harry's POV
Harry saw Hermione walking towards the Gryffindor table, she looked miserable.
"Ginny, I can't stand watching Hermione like this. I have to tell her the truth."
"Harry, you got what you wanted. Hermione and Malfoy broke up!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Are you okay with what we did to Hermione? I mean look at her! She can barely smile or talk to anyone without starting to tear up again!"
Ginny sat in silence, as if realizing what she had done to one of her closest friends.
"She is too shocked about everything that happened that she didn't even run to me as her rebound boy."
"Oh.."
"Hermione doesn't deserve me. Look what I did to her. Look how much pain I caused her! Don't you feel even slightly guilty about the part you played in this?!"
"I guess I do, well do what you must.." Ginny sighed.
"Hermione, sit here," Harry called.
Hermione sat down, a fake smile spreading over her mouth. "Hey Harry."
"Hey Hermione." Ginny piped.
Hermione's smile dropped. "Hello."
"I have something to tell you." Harry began.
"I'm listening."
"Draco didn't do anything wrong. It was all part of a plan Ginny and I came up with. We administered a very diluted lust potion to him, to make him lust for Ginny just for a while. We wanted you to walk in on them snogging so you would hate Draco....then maybe you would come back to me...."
"You..what?!"
"Sorry." Harry mumbled.
"I can't believe you guys would do this to us." Hermione gasped.
"I couldn't stand you being with him. I had to do something."
"Harry, I would never expect this from you. God, I'm so disgusted I'm not even hungry anymore. Good night."
Hermione left the Great Hall in a daze, and retreated to her dorm for the night.
Draco's POV
Draco looked at his calendar; the 10 of Janurary. He was to get his Dark Mark tonight. *I wish I could have discussed this with Hermione. She will never approve of my getting the Dark Mark. * He reached over and took the velvet box. He couldn't believe Hermione had returned it. He took out the necklace and turned it around in his palm. It was beautiful and exotic, just like Hermione. He walked to her room and placed the necklace on her bed. Draco slowly backed out of her room and shut her door. Maybe she would realize how much he truly cared for her.
Draco returned to his room, his silver blonde hair falling around his face, and prepared for his Dark Mark ceremony.
Hermione's POV
*I can't believe Harry would do that. I can't believe I didn't trust Draco. He was innocent after all. How can I ever say I'm sorry? I should have believed Draco when he said it wasn't him. I knew Draco would never do this to me, so how come I didn't wait for him to explain? *
Hermione walked into her room and saw something shiny on her bed. It was reflecting the flames from the fire. She picked it up and realized that it was the necklace that Draco had sent her. She undid the clasp and put it on.
*I can't face Draco now. I bet he hates me. * Hermione decided to wait until the next morning, and pulling the covers around her she went to sleep.
Draco's POV
At eleven o'clock, Draco crept down into the common room and waited near the fireplace for his father. A second later, his father's head popped up in the fireplace.
"Come with me, son!"
Draco walked through the fireplace and arrived in a muggle house.
"To prove you are able to perform all the necessary spells, we have decided that you are to torture all these muggles to death with the curses." Lucius Malfoy pointed at the muggle family, levitating in the air.
"F-father, but these are innocent muggles."
"Don't you dare defy me, boy!"
"I can't." Draco bowed down his head.
"You will do as you are told!"
"NO!!"
"YOU WILL DO AS YOUR MASTER TELLS YOU!"
"I'm sorry, Hermione!" The last thing Draco yelled. He felt a pain searing through his body and a second later he blacked out.
Draco woke up gasping, in a dark cold cellar. He looked down on his right forearm, and sure enough, there was the Dark Mark glowing red on his skin. He looked around and noticed the thick stonewalls surrounding him. The door was strong metal and there was only a small slot where food could be passed from the outside in. Draco felt for his wand in his pockets, but to his despair, found nothing.
"No, no, this is all a dream." Draco pinched himself. "No, no, no!" He shook his head, trying to shake things into making sense.
Hermione's harsh words woke Draco like a slap in the face. He looked down to see his arms wrapped around the little weasel, her face only inches from his. He pushed away, disgusted.
"I don't know what you did to me, but whatever it was, you are one sick bitch." Draco ran out of the common room calling Hermione's name.
He saw Hermione a few steps in front of him, sniffling and trying to keep herself from collapsing in the middle of the hallway. Finally, she could not hold in her tears any longer, and she hid herself in a corner and cried.
"Hermione..listen to me. It wasn't me..I swear." Draco knelt down next to her and placed a hand on her knee.
She pushed his hand away. "Harry was right, I don't know what I ever saw in you. I thought you were different Draco, and I thought you had changed. I was wrong, you are just like any other guy. I must have been f**king screwed up to break up with Harry for you."
"Please, just listen to what I.." Draco started.
Hermione's POV
"Just leave me alone!" Hermione screamed, and getting up, she ran back to the dorm and up to her room. She collapsed on her bed and tried to erase all the moments she had shared with Dr-Malfoy out of her system.
"Herm.." Malfoy's voice was muffled by the door.
"I never want to see your face again!" Hermione threw a pillow at the door.
"Pleas.."
"NO! Leave! Just leave!"
"Fine." Malfoy whispered and left.
*This was not how I had imagined it. I thought we would be the perfect couple. How could I have been so stupid to give up Harry. He is everything anyone would wish to have, and I gave it all up for Malfoy. Why did I ever have feelings for him anyways? *
Harry's POV
"So how was your whole 'bad boy' thing?" Ginny asked.
"Horrible. Hermione slapped me in front of the entire school. I don't think she likes the 'bad boy' thing." Harry sulked.
"My part of the plan worked. Hermione walked in on us when it was just getting hot and steamy. She totally blew up on Malfoy. They have to be over already. No worries, I got your back."
"Thanks. This means a lot to me."
"All in a day's work." Ginny yawned. "Good night, Harry."
Harry sat in the common room, amidst many chess playing first years and book reading fifth years, thinking whether or not what they had done was worth it. By the time the common room had emptied out, he still hadn't landed on a decision yet, and sleepily, he went to bed.
Hermione's POV
Hermione woke up, and everything that had happened the night before rushed into her head. Malfoy had cheated on her, with Ginny. She stifled a sob, and masked her emotions with a stiff fake smile. She thumped down the stairs. *I guess I will have to tell Harry I'm sorry for not believing him and breaking his heart. * She walked to the common room door, where a small yellow note caught her attention. She peeled it off and read it.
[Beginning of note]
Dear Hermione,
We have to talk. Things were not what they seemed last night. Please
forgive me, I would never hurt you intentionally.
Love,
Draco [End of note]
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes up trying to keep tears from rolling down her face. She ran to her room and got her quill. "Malfoy," she wrote, "We have nothing to talk about. A picture is worth a thousand words. There is nothing to forgive. I am sorry I ever made this mistake. – Granger." She stuck the note back on the door and walked out.
Harry's POV
Harry had just rolled out of bed, and his hair was unkempt, but he had put on another one of his bad boy outfits. He strolled into the Great Hall and took a seat next to Neville. Silently, Harry filled a plate with eggs and bacon, and started to eat.
"Harry." Hermione appeared before him. "I am sorry about everything and anything I did to you. You were right about Malfoy, and I am sorry I didn't listen to you. I hope you accept my apology." She started to walk away.
"Wait." Harry grabbed her arm. "Can we talk?"
Hermione nodded.
*Should I ask her to go out with me again then? But after everything I did to her.. and she looks so miserable. Why did I agree to do something so horrible? But, she should be mine, and only mine! Perhaps she has broken up with Malfoy already. *
"Does this mean you and Malfoy are over?"
A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek. "I-I guess." She said, her voice quivering.
"You don't love him anymore?" Harry asked hopefully.
"No-no, I guess not."
"Would you like to go out with me again? Give me another chance?"
"Harry," Hermione choked, "Not right now, but I will think about it. I promise."
"Okay, see you in class today then." Harry took her hand and held it for a while.
Draco's POV
Draco had left a note on the common room door and went to breakfast, hoping he would not have another unpleasant encounter with Hermione. He could only hope that she would give him a chance to talk.
He was eating breakfast in the Great Hall when he saw Hermione walk up to Potter. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but after a while, Potter took Hermione's hand. *Damn, is she going to Potter for comfort now? I know he had something to do with whatever happened to me last night. * Draco grumbled annoyingly, scarfed down the rest of his breakfast and went to his Potions class that Gryffindor and Slytherin took together. He prayed that he would be able to talk to Hermione.
Upon entering his Potions class in the dungeon, he found that everyone was already seated, and the desk he usually shared with Hermione was empty. Glancing around, he noticed that she had switched seats, and she now sat next to Potter. He sighed, it was worse than he thought; she wouldn't even look at him, let alone have a polite conversation with him.
Draco spent the rest of the class staring at the back of Hermione's head, and missing every question that Snape asked him. He couldn't stand it any longer, he had to confront her after class.
Hermione's POV
*Sitting next to Harry is so different from sitting next to Malfoy. Harry is so immature, and not as funny as Malfoy. * She tried to keep her attention on Snape, but constantly felt her mind drifting back to Malfoy.
After class, Hermione walked up the dungeon stairs and into the main hallway.
"Hermione!" A familiar voice called.
Hermione recognized the voice and continued to storm up the stairs.
"Why can't you just listen to me?"
"Why? You ask me why?" Hermione smirked. "I'll tell you why. I thought you were different, but you aren't, and now I am going to walk away. Forever." She continued her angry flight up the stairs, but felt a strong grip stop her.
Hermione whipped around. "Let go of me." She snarled and twisted out of Draco's grip.
"So this is it? You are just going to forget about everything we shared together?"
"Shared? We shared nothing! You understand? NOTHING!" Hermione turned away.
"Hermione, you didn't even give me a chance to explain!"
"You don't need to!"
"Hermione, you know I love you."
"Save it, Malfoy. We are through." Hermione spat. She ran as far as she could away from him without looking back.
Draco's POV
*Malfoy. She just called me Malfoy. * Draco knew something had happened that night that made him suddenly lust for the little weasel, but how could he prove it to Hermione if she wouldn't even listen to him?
Draco didn't even bother going to the rest of his classes, he drifted slowly back to his common room. The little note he had written to Hermione was still there, but Hermione had answered to it. *This is it. There goes our relationship. I didn't even do anything wrong. Now she is going to go back to Potter. *
Hermione's POV
Hermione floated through her classes like a ghost. She was there, yet she seemed unreal. If anyone asked her what was wrong, she would plaster a fake smile on her face and say no. Eventually, classes ended and she had a two-hour break until dinner.
Hermione returned to her dorm and flopped in her chair. She fell into a deep sleep until a tapping on the window woke her up. She glanced up to see a beautiful snow-white owl perched on the windowsill with a package in its beak. Hermione quickly let the owl in and took the package. She opened the letter first.
[Begin Letter]
Dear Hermione,
Since you won't even begin to allow me to explain, I hoped that you would at least accept my owl. I know that you will never accept my apologies, so I won't start. Open the box. I've been waiting for the perfect time to give it to you, but that seems irrelevant now. Please take it. Malfoy
[End Letter]
Hermione unwrapped the brown paper wrapping to reveal a soft velvet box. Inside was a beautiful silver necklace. The pendant was made of two burgundy and emerald gems fused together. Etched on the back were the initials H and D entwined inside a heart. Her heart raced at the beauty of the necklace, but she shook away the feeling when she remembered who had given it to her. She wrote back to Malfoy. "Thank you for the beautiful necklace, but please remember, it doesn't really change anything. I think you should take it back." She folded her letter and handed both the box and the letter to the owl.
"You are such a beautiful bird." She cooed as she petted the owl. She took out her schoolwork as she watched the owl fly away, and she was soon absorbed in her work.
Hours later she felt a hunger in her stomach and gazed up at the clock
to find that it was already six. Hermione stretched out her arms and
decided to go down to the Great Hall for dinner.
Harry's POV
Harry saw Hermione walking towards the Gryffindor table, she looked miserable.
"Ginny, I can't stand watching Hermione like this. I have to tell her the truth."
"Harry, you got what you wanted. Hermione and Malfoy broke up!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Are you okay with what we did to Hermione? I mean look at her! She can barely smile or talk to anyone without starting to tear up again!"
Ginny sat in silence, as if realizing what she had done to one of her closest friends.
"She is too shocked about everything that happened that she didn't even run to me as her rebound boy."
"Oh.."
"Hermione doesn't deserve me. Look what I did to her. Look how much pain I caused her! Don't you feel even slightly guilty about the part you played in this?!"
"I guess I do, well do what you must.." Ginny sighed.
"Hermione, sit here," Harry called.
Hermione sat down, a fake smile spreading over her mouth. "Hey Harry."
"Hey Hermione." Ginny piped.
Hermione's smile dropped. "Hello."
"I have something to tell you." Harry began.
"I'm listening."
"Draco didn't do anything wrong. It was all part of a plan Ginny and I came up with. We administered a very diluted lust potion to him, to make him lust for Ginny just for a while. We wanted you to walk in on them snogging so you would hate Draco....then maybe you would come back to me...."
"You..what?!"
"Sorry." Harry mumbled.
"I can't believe you guys would do this to us." Hermione gasped.
"I couldn't stand you being with him. I had to do something."
"Harry, I would never expect this from you. God, I'm so disgusted I'm not even hungry anymore. Good night."
Hermione left the Great Hall in a daze, and retreated to her dorm for the night.
Draco's POV
Draco looked at his calendar; the 10 of Janurary. He was to get his Dark Mark tonight. *I wish I could have discussed this with Hermione. She will never approve of my getting the Dark Mark. * He reached over and took the velvet box. He couldn't believe Hermione had returned it. He took out the necklace and turned it around in his palm. It was beautiful and exotic, just like Hermione. He walked to her room and placed the necklace on her bed. Draco slowly backed out of her room and shut her door. Maybe she would realize how much he truly cared for her.
Draco returned to his room, his silver blonde hair falling around his face, and prepared for his Dark Mark ceremony.
Hermione's POV
*I can't believe Harry would do that. I can't believe I didn't trust Draco. He was innocent after all. How can I ever say I'm sorry? I should have believed Draco when he said it wasn't him. I knew Draco would never do this to me, so how come I didn't wait for him to explain? *
Hermione walked into her room and saw something shiny on her bed. It was reflecting the flames from the fire. She picked it up and realized that it was the necklace that Draco had sent her. She undid the clasp and put it on.
*I can't face Draco now. I bet he hates me. * Hermione decided to wait until the next morning, and pulling the covers around her she went to sleep.
Draco's POV
At eleven o'clock, Draco crept down into the common room and waited near the fireplace for his father. A second later, his father's head popped up in the fireplace.
"Come with me, son!"
Draco walked through the fireplace and arrived in a muggle house.
"To prove you are able to perform all the necessary spells, we have decided that you are to torture all these muggles to death with the curses." Lucius Malfoy pointed at the muggle family, levitating in the air.
"F-father, but these are innocent muggles."
"Don't you dare defy me, boy!"
"I can't." Draco bowed down his head.
"You will do as you are told!"
"NO!!"
"YOU WILL DO AS YOUR MASTER TELLS YOU!"
"I'm sorry, Hermione!" The last thing Draco yelled. He felt a pain searing through his body and a second later he blacked out.
Draco woke up gasping, in a dark cold cellar. He looked down on his right forearm, and sure enough, there was the Dark Mark glowing red on his skin. He looked around and noticed the thick stonewalls surrounding him. The door was strong metal and there was only a small slot where food could be passed from the outside in. Draco felt for his wand in his pockets, but to his despair, found nothing.
"No, no, this is all a dream." Draco pinched himself. "No, no, no!" He shook his head, trying to shake things into making sense.