A/N: I'm sorry you guys! I had midterms…eww. Review responses are at the bottom. Let me know if you want an e-mail update notice!!!!!
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~*~Hermione~*~
A few hours after the incident Justin Fich-Fletchley knocked on my bedroom door and told me Professor Dumbledore suggested that I take the rest of the week off. I was quite worried about how Ron was going to respond once I saw him again. I mean, I probably wouldn't talk to someone if they tried to bite my hand off. But that's just me…
So anyway, I stayed in my room for a week. I had everything I needed in there; a shower, a bed, clothes. The only thing missing was food, but I didn't want that anyway. (A/N: Keeping Hermione in character is really boring) It was my last day off and I started to notice subtle but odd things in my room. For example I would always leave my curtains open at night but they'd be closed in the morning. When I'd go to open them to let some light in I would suddenly remember some extra homework I had forgotten.
Also, I was taking my daily shower when something caught my eye that almost made me scream. Right above my navel was two white-as-snow knives. Each tattoo-like blade had drops of blood not only on it, but a trail dripping right past my navel. Once again… daily shower. This was not here yesterday.
I scrubbed them furiously until my skin turned red. They didn't even fade. I jumped out of the shower, grabbed a towel and ran to my room. I inspected it more thoroughly only to come to the conclusion that it was permanent. This is just what I need right now…
That night I couldn't sleep. I just sat and thought up a speech to give Ron. I had it down perfectly by the time I had to get ready. I doubt he could still be mad by the time I was done. I don't want to be conceited but…
So I set off to the great hall with a newfound confidence that I had lacked all week. I said the lines over and over again in my head until I reached the Gryffindor table. Once I sat down I took a deep breath of air but stopped when I looked at Ron. He had a look of utter loathing on his face. Seeing that look made me forget all the words I had planned to say. I glanced at his hand and saw the thick bandages that covered it.
"Like it?" He glared at me as he said his sarcastic words. "It's because of you that I have this."
"Couldn't Madame Pomfrey fix that without a problem?"
"You should be smarter than that. Madame Pomfrey was poisoned by some nutter. The replacement nurse can't do anything."
"Ron I'm sorry. I… I don't know what came over me."
"As well you should be," he said crossing his arms.
"So I'm forgiven?"
"No! Why should I forgive you?"
"Because people make mistakes
and that's what friends do," I said through clenched teeth. I was starting to
get frustrated.
"Uh… I gotta go…" Then he ran away from me. That does a lot to my ego.
"You know Hermione," Neville said as he buttered a piece of toast. "You really need to control your temper. You're quite scary when you're mad."
Then I remembered what Malfoy had said to me the other week. About my eyes. Did Ron see them? I think he did. What if he thinks something's wrong with me and if he comes near me he'll catch a disease and die a slow and torturous death? Oh bother. I've gotten myself worked up again…
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~*~Draco~*~
I was sitting next to Pansy in Defense Against the Dark Arts when out of nowhere the stupid walrus moves her chair over and starts moving her hand up my thigh. Now keep in mind we were in the middle of class, the teacher was right in front of us and I hate her. So naturally I did the only thing I could do. I protested her suggestion rather loudly and pushed her chair away. Did I mention she fell over and landed on her face? I was hysterical… and by that I mean that I gave my oh-so-sexy half smile.(A/N: DROOL!!!) But I was hysterical on the inside. It was too funny.
"Mr. Malfoy." The teacher was talking to me now. What was his name… oh yes Mr. Spinne. "While that was indeed funny that was… rude." I don't think he meant it. "Either you apologize or you go sit in the back."
Once again I did the only reasonable thing and grabbed my stuff to go into the back. The only seat left was the one next to Granger. Too right Weasel was to turn her house against her. (I love eavesdropping) She's mad. She didn't really say anything to me so I just kinda sat in silence and tried to flick little paper balls into Potter's hair.
"You can help." Granger was speaking to me. Her voice was dramatically hushed and it didn't sound like her own.
"What are you going on about?"
"You know. I've seen you talking to her about it."
"Who's her?" She turned to me, her eyes that burning red. This time they seemed desperate. I turned around in my chair to look out the window. That's when I saw them. The eyes Granger had told me she's seen before. They were staring at me from one of the bushes in the forest. They were so far away I could barley see them.
"She won't survive." The voice made me turn around to face her.
"OK?"
"Watch her." With that said the red in her eyes faded and Granger just turned around and listened to the new teacher say something about symptoms of some stupid creature.
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~*~Hermione~*~
I sat on my bed and brushed my now short hair. It's funny really… I don't remember my Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. I must've been wrapped up in thoughts. Not to mention Ron's still mad at me. Harry too. Why do guys do that? They get all their little friends to turn against anyone or anything that has caused them problems. I'm just lucky Ron has no friends. At least I'm tired tonight. It's pretty late but it's better than pulling another all-nighter.
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Hermione got up off the floor of her dad's office. She took a step forward and her body gave a lurch of pain. She walked farther a bit, struggling just to lift her foot off the ground. By the time she reached the office door her wounds were protesting any movement whatsoever. She needed sleep. She knew she was changing into one of them. It was painfully obvious.
She staggered out into the hallway and called out to her parents in a meek voice. No response. As she struggled she heard moaning coming from the living room. She slowly made her way past the guest room, grabbing the walls for support. Once she reached the living room she collapsed in the doorframe. Panting, she looked around and at the figure on the floor.
It was male. One of them. He turned his head to face her and pleaded with his eyes for help. She crawled over to him and started at him for a moment. He would be so elegant was it not for the cuts on his face and chest. There was something else. Something undistinguishable. Hermione reached for the object on him but he gasped and reached for her with a bloody hand.
She knew that if it stayed he would die. Just the smallest grace of her fingers on it would severely damage her as well, only for the fact that she was now tainted. He was risking his life for her. He only muttered 'Save yourself, run from here. If you return he may not be here to protect you from them.' Then is eyes shut and he was gone.
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~*~Hermione~*~
When I awoke I wasn't in my bed. I wasn't even lying down. In fact, I was in the worst possible position imaginable. It was then that I realized who exactly this was and what I was doing. I, Hermione Granger, was… Straddling. Draco. Malfoy.
The covers were pulled up to his elbows and I had his right arm in my hand with my face dangerously close to it. I was scared to move. Just the thought of him waking up made me freeze. Just then he shifted… or tried to. It's kind of hard when you have someone on top of you. I tried to place his arm back where it belonged, which coincidently was nowhere near me. Something stopped me. It was watching me again. Telling me not to let go. The more I tried to stop myself, the harder my grip got on his wrist. I was just swinging my leg over to get off of him when he did the stupidest thing. He woke up.
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A/N: Hey everyone. Another chapter. I'm going to start the next one A.S.A.P… wow. Who says that? Well anyway do NOT expect writers block. I have everything basically all worked out. Luv Ya! On to responses!
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4SaKEn: Of course you can get an e-mail… obviously. Haha. I'm slow. Enjoy the rest of the story!
XoKiera: Yes, tests do stink. Thank you, happy early birthday to you, too. (or late… w/e) I liked that chapter to. That was the first idea I got for this story.
Paprika90: Thank you. Birthdays are great, aren't they? Lol. And you just read the next chapter. They question is… can you wait for chapter… what is it… 7?
The Sisters of Chaos: Gasp! You said ass. I take that as a compliment. You are the first reviewer EVER to use profanity of any kind for my story! Congratulations!
Magicalferret: I feel so special! I didn't even think anyone would like my story. And your pen name is soooo koolio! I love it!
Sarah: Thank you! That's the third happy birthday I got from someone I don't know. Yay! I'll try to update more. But sadly I am lazy and I don't feel like it usually. Oh well, enjoy!
