A/N: I am SO SORRY I haven't updated! First of all, meh laptop's been dead, and I haven't been on a comp that can upload. I'm prolly gonna get in trouble for this, but I dun care, I need to update. If I was reading your stories, I'll try to go and read 'em later at the library. Anyways, enjoy. I got two chappies, gonna write the next soon ^^
Chapter 17

She didn't see much of anyone. Harry laid low from her, scared of her mood swings.

Dumbledore let her skip a couple of days of duty to recuperate. Its not every day you're blamed for someone's death. She didn't know what was worse. Staring at things that reminded her of him everyday, or the fact that he wasn't there.

The rumors got worse. People would come up to her and ask her why. She didn't know how to answer that, so she just walked on, hoping they wouldn't follow.

Troy hurt her more. Whenever she left her room, there he was, ready to try and squeeze an answer out of her. Ready to hurt her if it meant answers. He never got any though, and that's what made him want more. The fact that she wouldn't give into him. Make it easy for him to know what she did, or how she felt. What she thought. But no-she had to make it hard for him. Avoiding him, and spelling booby traps to catch him outside her door.

When she did manage to get away from him, she went to see Draco. It hurt her though, to see him lying there, near death. If Draco had his way, he probably would've never been born, let alone have lived this long. She spent hours at a time, just sitting there, looking out the window.

The light dusting of snow still remained, but today, the light shined in, showing the two. Such young people, so serious. The sun couldn't see why anything should be that sedate when it was shining on them.

Still though, she didn't think she wasted her time. She had to be there when he woke up. She just had to be. She needed answers, and only he could give them to her. A plus of sitting there was that Troy couldn't bug her. He wasn't about to with Madame Pomfrey bustling around all day.

Students came and went, but none really paid any attention to her. She was always there, nothing out of the ordinary for them. On that day though, she had brought the journal to the hospital wing. She decided to read up on the last Head Girls' adventures.

She found that contrary to belief, it seemed that every girl so far had been pretty naughty. She also found that Narcissi was a muggle born, and pretty much enemies with the Malfoy's too. Still though, what dumbfounded her was why would Lucius choose here, when there were plenty of other purebloods in school? He had asked her to the dance, and they had become a lot more then friends. But the entries just stopped, starting at another girls. The last entry was about them going on a walk together… She hadn't written again, and as she flipped through she tried to find an entry from her after the date.

Getting agitated at it, she threw the booklet down, hearing the solid thump as it hit Draco's leg.

"Don't have a fit now, Granger." A thick voice came from the vegetable on the bed.

Hermione jumped, stumbling back over the chair, tripping and ending up on her butt. "Drac-Draco?"

"Yeah…" A series of coughs followed as he sat up limply, looking at her bleary eyed. "Please, tell me I'm dead."

"You're not, you unlucky bastard." She smiled slightly, standing timidly behind the chair.

He laughs hoarsely. "How long…?"

She shrugs, "A couple of weeks…"

He nods, shifting, flexing his legs. Those nights asleep like that had scared him. He thought of things he didn't want to imagine. Things he didn't want to fully realize. He'd seen death too much, death haunted him. Looking up at her face, he sighed, knowing he couldn't have her. Keeping his back stiff, he retorts. "You can leave anytime."

Hermione stares at him, eyes blank of all emotion. With a curt nod, she struts out, her pride injured.
"I hate him." She says forcefully to her ceiling. She had mentioned to Madame Pomfrey that he was awake, and she had rushed to his side, calling in Snape, Dumbledore, and McGonagall.
She had just walked past them all, a side glance at Snape showing that his eyes were actually full of… Was that sympathy? She closed her eyes, picturing his face. Yes, it had been sympathy. But why? So what, he was awake.

Maybe Snape had wanted him to die. It would mean one less young man to take his place in the world of evil. Or so she guessed. She knew lots about 'evil' from books, but she figured that you don't know what evil is, until you experience it. She scoffs at herself; she knew what evil was. Evil in her mind was two words: Draco Malfoy.



Draco rolled over as the small posse entered. He buried his head in his pillow, ignoring the stares of Snape, and McGonagall.

Dumbledore took a seat at the edge of his bed.

"Go away…" He mumbled. It had never worked with his father, but these people weren't as much of a hard ass as he was.

"Malfoy, get up." Snape growls lowly, holding a threatening vile of clear liquid over his head.

Draco mutters dejectedly, sitting up and looking at them best he can. His muscles were still sore from the constant bed rest he had experienced. Bleary eyed, he stares at the ground.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Dumbledore starts.

"You already know, why ask me?"

Snape snaps at him, "Answer the question, Draco!"

Draco sighs, looking down to his hands in his lap, "After she left, Konami came. He stood there for a while, then he recited a poem, and pushed me out with a spell. Okay?"

McGonagall sat in the far corner, listening, "What did he say?"

Draco mumbles something about not remembering.

"Draco, you wouldn't forget something like that. Those who survive his attempts always remember his going away poems. They're composed of your worst fears… So spit it out!"

Dumbledore holds his hand up, stopping Snape, "Severus, the boy knows the poem. The only thing we'd get out of it is knowing his fears. We do not need that for further protecting the school and the people who live here."

Snape grumbles, moving over to where McGonagall sat.
Dumbledore stood there quietly, talking only for Draco to hear, "Konami doesn't hurt those who are loyal…" With that, he turned and slid out of the room, McGonagall following. Snape flashed him a smirk before leaving, the white potion still visible.

Draco eased himself back onto the pillows, a deep sigh following his posture. As he stared at the ceiling, he kept thinking of Hermione and if she'd ever forgive him.
Hermione whined quietly in pleasure as Harry went down on her. Her thoughts remained on him for only a while, but as the feelings built, so did her thoughts of Draco. Naturally, she was saying Harry's name, as it seemed he expected it. But when Draco accidentally slipped from her mouth, she knew he had heard it. He stopped, back rigid as the sun hit him from the open window in the Head Girls room. "What did you say?"

She just shook her head, then shrugged. She hadn't wanted to do this in the first place, not when she was so unsure. But Harry had insisted, and whether she liked to admit it or not, it felt good to have him near. "Your name, like I always do…" There was a hint of anger in her voice as she stated this. Not at him, but at herself for getting caught again.
This had been the second time he'd caught her saying someone else's name. He couldn't quite catch whom, but he figured it was a D sound. Maybe she was saying that new kid, Devin's name or something. But he'd been here only a while, and he couldn't see Hermione jumping into something like that. He sat up on his knees, watching her as she struggled with her legs, which he happened to be sitting on.

"'Mione… do you really love me?"

She looked up at him, her eyes shining slightly as she nodded, "Course Harry…" Swallowing what little bit of dignity and pride she had left, she pulled him down, kissing him.

Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed down her neck gently, whispering to her, "I love you too…"

Her legs clamped around his waist, pulling his hips closer to hers, letting her feel the building tension down there already. One of his hands shot down to start undoing his pants. Fumbling with the belt, he feels her arch her back under him. Finally getting the pants down and off, he lays on her, breathing hard. Looking back at her he kisses her nose, "I wanna go in, captain."

Her own breath is coming in fast little gasps already. This is about how far she got with Draco, and from here on, she was clueless. She shook her head, running her hand through his hair, forcing a smile, "Later…"

He pushes his hips against hers more forcefully, "Please, 'Mione…"

She struggles against him, trying to pull back from his touch. "Harry…"

"Please?" He slides his hands up her shirt, moving her bra up so he can play with her.

She whines, still trying to get him off, "Harry!"

He keeps kissing her, covering her mouth with his, holding an arm around hers, keeping them still. All she could feel was the pressure of his weight on her body, and of his mouth covering hers. She looked up to the doorway briefly, swearing she saw something move there.
Draco turned. He had came to apologize, but now, it seems he had walked in at the wrong time. Hobbling into his own room on his crutches, he sits on the edge of the bed, looking over his hands, the crutches lying next to him.

Why did he have to love the one girl Potter did? Well, Potter didn't love her. She didn't make Potter feel like she made him feel. Like there was a reason for waking up the next morning. Like there was something out there worth looking for.

All she was for Potter was a toy, even he knew that. Even he could see the little glances he gave her in the halls. He wasn't stupid.
But as he sat there, he ignored the screams from the room next to him, he wanted no part in their little sex lives.
"Harry! Get off of me, now!" She struggled against his frame, as it weighed down heavily on her. Whining, she bucked up her hips, one of them hitting his stomach.

"Shut up already, okay?" He growled, still trying to get his boxers off with her bucking around.
In a last effort, she kicked when he pulled himself up briefly, as he was trying to get his boxers down his legs. She heard him yowl in pain as she rolled off the bed onto the floor. Grabbing some of her clothing, she runs into the room connecting hers and Draco's, then into his. Looking at him bewildered, she slides down the door, shuddering, hearing Harry calling her name.

"Never thought you'd be the type to play sex games." Draco comments dryly.

"Sex games…?" She looks at him like he's crazy, "He wouldn't stop. I begged him to, and-and tried hurting him, but all he did was laugh…" She looked at her clothes in her hands, not caring that she was sitting there naked. "I thought he loved me."

Draco laughs harshly; "Even I could tell he was lying. I thought you picked that signal up yourself."

She scowls at him, "I don't suspect everyone is against me like you. I have friends…"

"And you have enemies. Best to remember that." He turns, "Can you return to your own room?" He asks coldly.
She nods trembling, "If he's gone…"

"Didja pull that trick on him you pulled on me?"

She nods, "He jumped off me, so I ran…"

"Ah, that explains why you're sitting on my floor naked, eh?"

She turns crimson, slipping on her shirt and shorts, that being all the grabbed before running. "Sorry…" She gets up, checking the rooms. Walking out, she closes the door, going to get clothed again.

Finally dressed, she sits outside her door, talking the portrait. "Could you mind not letting that boy in anymore?"

The portrait nodded, "Of course, dearie."

Hermione sighed, sitting against the stone column, that lined the stairs. "Who am I…? I don't even seem to know anymore."

The woman sighed also, "You're you, dear. You don't have to try to be anyone else."

"I'm so confused though… Nothing ever goes my way, and when it does, it just turns out weird… And Harry… He scares me now… I don't know what happened… And Draco… He just confuses me more and more each time… He acts like he doesn't care, but then suddenly he does… Where's the logic in that?"

"You should know by now that not everything isn't logical." The portrait strokes the head of a cat; "Sweetie-Life is hard. It's not always, but it is usually. Letting life win is the easy way. You should try to look at life from their points of view."
Harry can have everything, except you. You've always been the girl no one could get, you know that. Harry didn't want to be outdone. Without Ron here, he isn't himself…"

And Draco, his family makes life hard for him. Four weeks alone with you has exposed him to something more then bloodlines for once. He doesn't know how to say it, but without you, he'd be dead." Her voice trails off as she looked worried, "You weren't supposed to know that, but it doesn't matter…"

Hermione looked up from the ground, "The dreams…"

"He's prepared…"

She nods, standing, "Thank you." Walking back into her room, she lies on the bed, writing in the journal again.
Harry scared me today… Me an' him were… Err, doing things, and I wanted him to stop, but he wouldn't… I ran into Draco's room when
I got away, but Draco was all pissed at me for some reason. I think he saw me an' Harry. Not that I care, I'd like to rub it in his face as much as possible.

I talked to the portrait today. She still hasn't told me her name. Not that I mind, but it's slightly odd when you think about it. She mentioned something about me keeping Draco from being dead…? How could that be…? Draco would never have to depend on me; I'm the one who depends on him. He wouldn't be able to live it down anyways.
She set the pen down, yawning… A quick nap wouldn't kill her. No way Harry would get in anyways. Lying down on her bed, she drifts easily, not at all afraid of the dreams now. They were helping. They were preparing her for the beginning, or the end, of her life.
A/N: Ah, finally. ^^ Like it? Lol, prolly not, but hey, it works. The plot ish weird...

starchicky17: Hehe, yeah. ^^ Thankies...

Anna: I shall... XD

xo-roxynsyncgrl-ox: Dumbledore is hard for me, but I'll try. Hope your trip was fun!

indecisivepunk: Yesh, deep plots definetly good XD

Angel: Always ^^

Queen Rudhiriel of Mirkwood: Lol, thanks for the suggestions. Grammers not meh best, but about the name... It's part of the plot, so, you'll just have to wait... But the spell checker told me it was that, so I got this idea... O.o

Amethyst D: Thanks!

JeanB: There'll be happy moments. For now it's a dark fic ^^

Fiery Slut: Hey, you gotta keep things rollin *.*

cherryplum11: Coolies ^^

plastic: Lol, yeah... Troy and Konami.... XD

Mel: Hermione's... A lil out there o.O''

Suse: Lol, yeah, I thought I'd switch it...

Soogie: -Backs away slowly- That's nice... o.O

Bern: ^^ Thanks, and they prolly will get together... Unless I give into the urge to kill one off...

Liquid Euphoria: Yeah, but Hermione ish supposedly the responsible one, and that whole thing... I needed an excuse for them to have some alone time... o.O Lol, sorry about all the holes and stuff, I'm trying to have it fall into place...

girbaby09: Thankies ^^

roswellwbfan: Lol, yeah, fun switching things...

Vampire_Sorceress187: Sure will ^^

Okay, last thing... This chapters plot was sorta Chelsea's, so she's got credit.... ^^ Lol, and Chels, call mesa... Need help for more stuff... Laterz!