Chapter 7: The Way It Should Be

Draco did as Hermione had asked him to do. He left her alone and
tried to forget about her. But try as he might, he couldn't. He had let
himself do what he swore he wouldn't, he'd fallen for her and he'd fallen
hard. The next couple of weeks went by slowly for everyone, Draco
especially. Hermione was in almost all of his classes and she looked
like she always did. Calm, reposed, relaxed, and beautiful. He on the
other hand, looked worse than ever. He didn't gel his hair anymore, his
shirt was always un-tucked, his tie was never tight, he looked as if he
hadn't slept in a fortnight, was paler than ever, and barely ate. To top
it off, his grades were slipping. He was slowly wasting away without
her. No one really seemed to notice these minor changes in him, except
the girls of Hogwarts, who thought that when his hair wasn't gelled back
he looked even more appealing, and his un-tucked shirt and loosened tie,
sent off a sort of rebel look about him that drove the girls wild. He
didn't take notice of any of the girls though. He could have had any one
of them, or all of them for that matter. But he only wanted one. And he
couldn't have her.

Hermione, although she looked normal on the outside, was a complete wreck
on the inside. She was nervous all the time, she didn't talk to anyone,
she was always alert and frightened, full of fear. She desperately
missed Draco. She wanted more than anything in the world to be with
Draco. But she knew she couldn't be with him. She tried to forget him.
But she couldn't. Nick made her problems worse. He would call her to
his office after lessons or even sometimes in between lessons, and he
used her for a quick sex relief. He was rough with her, and sometimes he
even left bruises. In fact, when he was feeling angry or stressed he
would take it out on her, beating her, throwing things at her, calling
her harsh names. He all around, flat out abused her in every way
possible. But he made sure she covered herself up. If anyone had found
out about what he was doing, he'd be out of Hogwarts and surely sent to
Azkaban for who knows how long.
As the weeks turned to months, September faded into October and
October slowly progressed to its end.
All the students were happy that Halloween was on it's way and just
around the corner, because with Halloween, came the Halloween ball.
Everyone was in high spirits. Everyone that is, except two damaged
students. They never spoke, except when necessary about planning things
such as the ball.
"So what should the theme be?" Draco asked one night while they were
in the common planning the Halloween ball the Friday before the actual
dance.
"Um, I don't know. How bout, masquerade?" Hermione answered
thoughtfully.
"Yeah, that's good. But it's so played out. Can't we think of
something original?"
"Yeah, true. Hm, let's think."
So they sat there, in silence. Both thinking, but neither about the
ball.
'She's so beautiful. What did I do to lose her? I have to get her
back. I can't bear being without her. I was happy. She was happy. But
it was just two days. Just two days. Two amazing days.' Draco thought
while staring at her.
'I miss him so much. He looks terrible. He's so thin now, but still
gorgeous. I bet he still has that six pack. Oh I'd kill if I could just
ravage him right now. No. I can't. He'd never think of me like he did
again. Not after what I did to him. He must think I'm awful now. Oh I
can't stand to be without him.' Hermione was thinking but was broken out
of her thoughts as Draco spoke.
"Why don't we just go with masquerade? It'll be easy and everyone will
love dressing up."
"Yeah, good idea." She said and she started to write it down on a
piece of parchment that had other ball notes and things on it. The
sleeve of her robe fell back a little as she reached over to get more ink
on her quill. Draco took notice of the nasty bruises on her forearm and
grabbed her wrist. She winced in pain.
"Sorry," he said releasing his grip. I didn't mean to hurt you, are
you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, she said pulling her sleeve down to cover her arm.
"No you're not, let me see." He said getting up from his desk and
walking around to her. She slowly set her arm down on her desk and Draco
carefully pulled the sleeves of her robe back, revealing the green and
purple bruises on her arm.
"What the hell?" He said in shock, running a finger along her skin.
"It's nothing really. It's not as bad as it looks."
"Not as bad as it looks? What happened to you?"
"Nothing. Ok? I'm fine." He sighed and went to sit back down. Once
he was seated he started speaking again.
"Hermione, tell me. What have you been doing to yourself? Or.who's
been doing this to you? Who is he? I'll kill him."
"No, Draco, please."
"DAMNIT HERMIONE!" he yelled banging his fist on the desk causing her
jump a little. "Why the fuck won't you tell me anything?"
She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't cry. She was not going get all
emotional about it. She was not going to break down in front of him like
this. She would contain her composure.
A single tear slid down her cheek. Draco reached over and wiped it
away with his thumb. Hermione took a huge breath and sighed, before
speaking.
"I'm just trying to keep you from getting hurt."
"Keep me from getting hurt? What the hell? You're the one hurting
me! Can't you see that?" he said angrily.
"Draco, I-" There was a tapping against the window. They both looked
at the window next to the bookcase. Draco got up and went over to open
it. A small black owl flew in and landed in front Hermione. It dropped
a letter in her lap and flew back out the window. Draco walked over to
her. She opened the letter and read it, Draco reading it over her
shoulder.

Miss Granger,
I have a question regarding the last paper you turned in about the
Unforgivable Courses. Please come to my office as soon as possible.
Your grade is at stake here.

Sincerely,
Professor Stiles

Hermione's eyes widened as she finished the short letter. She slowly stood up and walked to the entrance of the room, Draco had finally put the pieces together. This wasn't the first note she'd received from Professor Stiles. In fact she received at least 2 a week. So that was why she didn't want to be with him any longer. She was fucking the DADA teacher. It all made sense now.
"So that's why you turned me away?" He said angrily walking over to her. "Because you'd rather fuck your teacher. Real classy Granger. Real classy."
"Draco, no, it's not what you think." She said with pain and anguish in her voice.
"No?"
"No, let me explain."
"Fuck off."
Her heart dropped. Then it broke in two. So that was it. That's how he felt. He wouldn't even hear her out. He was just going to be an asshole and accuse her of something she didn't do. Well, in truth, she was actually fucking her teacher. But not because she wanted to, because she was forced to. She was being controlled by, she was controlled by fear and she couldn't hurt Draco. She shook her head and turned around then walked out of the common room to see what Nick wanted. Although she already knew exactly what he wanted.

~*~*~*~*~

"Ah, Hermione, nice of you to stop by." Nick said in a friendly voice.
"Just get this over with." She said barely audible.
"Oh but I want this time to last. And since it's a Friday, you'll be spending the night with me." He said with a cocky grin on his face.
"Just great." She said with a fake smile on her face.
They walked out of Nick's office to his room. Once they were there, he roughly threw Hermione on his bed and began roughly kissing her everywhere. She just lay there, almost comatose. Usually when he did this, she pretended, she went along with him, but she couldn't do it this time. Not now. She'd had enough. She couldn't bear it anymore. Nick wasn't gonna take that. He yelled at her.
"WHAT THE FUCK HERMIONE?!?!" he slapped her hard across the face. Blood slowly slipped out of the corner of her mouth. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! CMON GET INTO IT! QUIT LAYING THERE LIKE A STUPID BITCH!"
She just lay there. Staring into his cold hatred eyes. She wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. He slapped her again. He was going to again, but she rolled over and he missed. She hopped out of his bed and grabbed his wand from his night table and shouted
"STUPEFY!" at him as he came towards her. He fell to the floor and she threw his wand carelessly to the floor. She walked out of his room and started running for her common room. She didn't want to run into anybody and have them see her like she was. Her hair was messed up, blood was spilling from her mouth and her cheek was burning bright red and hurt like hell. She reached the portrait of the lost little boy and girl and muttered the password and collapsed onto the floor as she stepped into her common room. She pulled her knees up to her chest and began sobbing quietly.

~*~*~*~*~

After she left, Draco was completely pissed off. He couldn't believe she was screwing the DADA teacher. 'So that had been her secret. That's why she wouldn't tell him about them. But then, where did the bruises come from? Maybe she wasn't fucking Nick after all, or maybe she was, but she was being forced to or else he hit her. Why that fucking bastard! I'll kill him for touching her.' Draco became even more angry as this theory crossed his mind. As he stepped out of the shower, he put on his boxers and a tight black wife beater undershirt and headed to his room. But when he was in the hallway from the bathroom to his room, he heard crying. He walked down the stairs to the common room and saw, hunched on the ground by the entrance, Hermione. And she was crying. He jogged over to her, feeling nothing but compassion and love at the moment. He sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him tightly and quietly sobbed into his chest. "Sh, it's ok. I'm here now. It's gonna be alright. He can't hurt you anymore. I'm here. Sh." He said rubbing her back consolingly. After several minutes of sitting like that, Hermione's tears had subsided and she looked into Draco's eyes. "How can you care? After that row we just had? How can you possibly still care? I was horrible to you." She asked slowly and quietly. "Because. I realized what an ass I was to you. And I didn't give you a chance to explain. And I know you weren't doing whatever the hell you were doing because you wanted to. And I know that from now on, Nick won't every hurt you again. Because I'm here now." Draco said just as quietly as Hermione had spoken. "Oh Draco. It was awful. He used me. Like a sex toy. It was horrible. I hate him. I hate the smell, the touch, the thought of him. It's all enough to drive me crazy." "Why'd you do it then? Why didn't you just tell me?" "I couldn't. He said, he said he'd kill you. And I couldn't live without you being here, even if I couldn't be with you. I couldn't live without seeing you."
"Hermione, I." He said but stopped and thought, 'No, I can't let her know, not yet. She probably doesn't feel the same way back. No, not yet.'

"What?" She said and rested her head against his chest. "Nothing." He said. He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. He sat her down on the sink and went over to turn the taps on in the giant Jacuzzi. As the water was filling up the tub, he gingerly helped Hermione undress to her underwear. When had nothing on but her panties and bra, he kissed her on the cheek and turned to leave her to her bath.
"Draco, wait." She began. And he turned around.
"Mhm?" He said smiling as he faced her.
"Thanks."
"Anytime."
Just as he got to the door she spoke again.
"Draco, one more thing."
"Yes?"
"Don't go."
"I would never leave you." He said walking back over to her, kissing her on the lips. She wrapped her around his neck and played with his hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.
'This is how it should be.' Draco thought as he broke the kiss to remove Hermione's remaining clothes.
He undid her bra, and slid down her panties and she took off his shirt and slid his boxers down. He picked her up and carried her into the now full of warm water and lots of colorful bubbles filled Jacuzzi tub. Then got in beside her. They kissed once more and he wrapped his arms around her protectively and she wrapped her arms across his stomach and rested her head on his chest.
All Draco could do was stare at the beauty he was holding onto and feel nothing but love for her. He would do anything for her. He'd be there whenever she needed him, he'd be hers.
'This is how it should be.' Hermione thought to herself, closing her eyes.

* The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful

Stop me and steal my breath

Emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky

Never revealing their depth

Tell me that we belong together

Dress it up with the trappings of love

I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips

Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

And I'll be your crying shoulder

I'll be loves suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your life

Rain falls angry on the tin roof

As we lie awake in my bed

You're my survival, you're my living proof

My love is alive not dead

Tell me that we belong together

Dress it up with the trappings of love

I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips

Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

And I'll be your crying shoulder

I'll be loves suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your life

And I've dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead

Tuned in, turned on, remembered the thing that you said

And I'll be your crying shoulder

I'll be loves suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your

I'll be your crying shoulder

I'll be loves suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your life

The greatest fan of your life

The greatest fan of your life *