b Draco Malfoy

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"IAnd I'm dreaming of sleeping next to you

I'm feeling like a lost little boy in a brand new town

I'm counting my sheep and each one that passes is another dream to ashes

As they all fall down,

I found myself in the riches

Your eyes, your lips, your hair

You were everywhere

I woke up in the ditches

I hit the light and I thought you might be here

But you nowhere,

You were nowhere home

And as I lay me back to sleep

Lord I pray that I can keep

Sleeping to dream about you

And I'm so tired of having to live without you

But I don't mind sleeping to dream about you

And I'm so tired

Just a little lullaby to keep myself from crying myself to sleep at night./I"

'Sleeping to Dream' Jason Mraz

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

/b

Returning to Hogwarts was like crash landing onto another planet for Draco. He had been back at school for five days, and each day grew more eerie. At first Draco felt great apart returning back to school but when he noticed all the behavior of his friends, he guiltily wished he could return to St. Mungo's, but Barboyle had made it very clear that the other Healers disapproved of Draco staying there after the incident with Celesta. Barboyle kept Draco alone in his own private ward for a week before succumbing and letting him roam the hallways. At first, Draco avoided his old ward, but the strange bond between him and Celesta overpowered him, and he soon found himself with here every night. She would never speak to him, she would always sit and stare and he would stare back in utter fascination. Draco sighed to himself, continuing to think about Celesta and everyone's strange behavior. The peculiar incidences were starting to clutter his mind.

Eva's behavior was quite baffling, even to a clear-minded and calm Draco. When he first returned, she avoided him like the black plague. If he saw her in the corridor, she'd often turn around and duck out of the way, desperately trying to evade him. When he did manage to stop her, he would attempt to be nice, and treat her just as kind as he had before, but she would stare off into the distance as if she wanted to be somewhere else. Draco sighed, as he fingered the box of the handmade chocolate rose he had purchased for her, it was Valentine's Day.

When Draco returned to classes, he often noticed that Eva would dart off to sit by Potter. IPotter./I Draco thought to himself, he was even worse than Eva. He was also avoiding Draco, silent as a Chaplin motion film. Hermione was unusually nice. Before, she simply would ignore him or give him sad looks, now that he had returned; she went out of her to make sure he was comfortable. She would drag Sam to sit with him in the library, or in Transfigurations class. He also noticed Weasley spending more time with Sam, and even going to the point of saying hello to Draco in the corridors between classes. Blaise was constantly staring at him over meals and in the common room, but was yet to speak. Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle behaved normally, but they walked around the common room nervously, speaking in hush tones with Blaise, and behaving extremely jittery in Draco's presence. And Sam, Draco could feel his mind suddenly pause; Sam was cold and callous towards Draco. He only spoke to him when necessary, and when Draco would try to initiate a conversation with him, he would simply come up with an excuse to leave. He was almost positive that something had been occurring with everyone at Hogwarts during his month absence, but if they were connected or not remained a mystery to the young Slytherin.

Draco mumbled a few calming words to himself as he entered the Potions room, a technique Barboyle had taught him two weeks prior. At times Draco felt grateful that a man like Vincent Barboyle came into his life, but then there were the other times, when he simply had wished he could have murdered him in his sleep. Draco continued to chant the mantra as he walked into the classroom, preparing himself for the oddest behavior since Sam, Blaise, Hermione, Eva, Pansy and Potter were all in his class. Draco paused by the doorway before sitting down. Sam was already in his seat when Draco entered; he looked up at Draco before quickly looking away. Draco groaned, but continued chanting his mantra as he looked around the room.

Blaise was sitting silently, he was slouched back in his seat, his arms folding onto his chest, a firm grin on his face. Hermione sat beside him, furiously writing on a small scrap of paper. She quickly folded it up, and levitated it to Sam, who hesitantly took it. Draco watched his dark gray eyes scan the paper, then rip it in half and throw it to the table. He flashed Hermione a look of defiance, then a slow nod before returning his gaze to the plain black chalkboard of the classroom. Draco sighed to himself as he looked at Eva. Obviously, she did not see Draco enter the room, for she was sitting considerably close to Potter. He was whispering something to her and grinning madly. Draco could feel his blood slowly start to boil as he watched Eva giggle, run a hand through his hair, and touch his chest. Draco growled, gritting his teeth together. He exhaled loudly, hoping to catch her attention, but despite the fact that she was five feet away, she did not hear him. Draco turned in his seat; trying to think of mantras that are more ridiculous than the ones, Barboyle had taught him at St. Mungo's. However, her pure nerve was enough to send him over the age, before Draco even had the chance to flip out, Professor Snape appeared in the doorway. He cleared his throat loudly, silencing the class, as he walked to the center of the room.

"Now that I've gained your attention…" Snape muttered quietly. Draco stared at him, the professor seemed extremely irritated, he always seemed more senile on holidays, especially one's that circulated around love. Draco sighed; he was beginning to feel the same.

Draco managed to ignore his own nagging and achy thoughts throughout the double period. He could often feel his eyes drift to Hermione, who sat staring at him the entire Potions period. Draco continued to utter his mantra, but it soon started to fail. He wanted nothing more than to get up and strangle Potter to death, but another half of him didn't even care. Did he even have real feelings for Eva?  How can he hate her for having the same feelings and temptations as he had? How did he even know that Harry was more than just a friend to her? Who was he to get angry with her for being dishonest when all he's even done to her was lie to her? Draco sighed as he continued to mull over his thoughts, almost managing to forget the fact that Sam was ignoring him. Hermione was staring, Harry kept shooting him guilt stricken looks, Eva was desperately trying to ignore his presence, and Blaise was focusing his cold eyes upon him.

The bell finally rang, causing Draco let out a small sigh of relief. He had almost fallen over the thin edge between insanity and serenity. He slowly rose to his feet as he carelessly tossed his books into his cauldron. Sam did the same, trying his best to avoid Draco's gaze.

"Hello!" a voice rang, cutting through the thick silence. Draco looked up at a beaming Hermione, "Happy Valentines Day you two." She said again. Draco, who had been frowning intently just two seconds earlier, could feel a slow grin come upon his face as a warm feeling came over his heart. He couldn't fight the fact that just the sound of her voice could make him feel almost happy again.

"You too Hermione." Draco said warmly as he grabbed his cauldron. Sam did the same, before casually strolling over to Hermione's side and putting a protective arm around her. Draco could feel Sam's eyes falling upon him for the first time in two hours, a mean smug look on his face. Draco stared at him in utter bewilderment, why was his best friend behaving like this? Draco could feel a pang of guilt, then of panic. Had Hermione said something in his month absence from school? Everyone had been behaving differently, how did he know that she hadn't told everyone person in school. Draco shook his and exhaled deeply, trying his best to dismiss the thought. Hermione would never do such a thing; Ishe loves me/I. Just knowing that he held her love could calm all of his fears. Draco looked back up at the couple that stood before him, but something about them was different. Something the young Slytherin could not put his finger on.

"We should be going 'Mione.  I have some things to do before the ball tonight." Sam muttered, even though he was talking to the chestnut-haired Gryffindor under his arm, his eyes remained focused on Draco. Draco could feel his eyes fall unto the floor; he couldn't bear to look into the eyes of his friend. They held the truth; they confirmed his fear. She must have told.  Hermione flashed Draco an aggrieved look before Sam dragged her out of the potions room.

Draco sighed to himself, Iwhat a great start to Valentine's Day/I. Draco slowly walked towards the door and hung a quick left, his feet moving very slowly. He no longer felt like going to the ball and spending four hours with Eva. Even two minutes with her felt like too long. He had never longed for Hermione so desperately as he did now. His mind was clear, he didn't hear voices, he wasn't depressed; he was in prime condition for being with her. He finally felt like he deserved her but he was in the way. It was like competing into a triathlon, he had pushed through the cold water of the swim sector. He had fallen off his bike in the cycling section of the triathlon, but he had brushed the gravel and dirt off his soiled bloody skin, and kept on. He had fallen and stumbled several times during the running section, but a strange mystical force, love he supposed, gave him the strength to continue. He was running now, everyone who managed to be competition had fallen behind miles ago, and he was in the home stretch. He could see his prize ahead of him, her beautiful face melting into the horizon, but then it came. Out of nowhere fell a brick wall, he was running into it full speed. Hermione was behind this wall, and Draco was too worn and tired to climb over it, but he could still feel her warmth radiating from behind it. If only he could break through this brick wall, break through Sam, help her realize that she belong with him and him only, he'd win his race. He'd win her heart.

Draco shoved his free hand inside of his pocket, while the other carelessly carried his cauldron and school supplies, as he silently made his way to the dungeons, his mind trucking through the inevitable fate of what was to be done. He was going to sit Eva down, perhaps hold her hand, and tell her his wrongs. Tell her the truth for once, tell her he only wishes for her to be happy in life, with or without him, breaking him lose from the iron chains of his loveless relationship. As soon as he was freed from the chains of his destiny, he could break into the brick wall, allowing him to finally be with Hermione forever.  Draco was going to continue his mulling over his problems in his mind when he felt someone place a firm grip upon his shoulder, causing Draco to drop the cauldron in surprise. He whipped around quickly, and found himself facing a somber face Blaise Zabini. He was holding his cauldron tightly, and his eyes rested on Draco. He slowly removed his hand and dropped the cauldron unto the cold stone floor. The sound eerily echoed throughout the cold stone corridors of the Hogwarts' Dungeons. The pair had been staring at each other for what seemed like hours when Blaise finally spoke, his voice low.

"It's time." He said. Draco stared at him in confusion. ITime for what?/I He could hear his mind wonder; however, he remained silent. Blaise exhaled sharply, turning his head to look behind him, a look of extreme paranoia in his eyes.

"The initiation will be tonight at three." Blaise said, his voice still low. Draco could feel his eyes widen in horror, the Deatheater initiation ceremony couldn't be happening now, not to him, not in the home stretch. Draco feared the Dark Lord more than anything, and he knew if he pledged himself to his service, it surely meant his death. He would be commanded to kill and torture, maybe even someone who he was close to. His thoughts drifted to Hermione, she was Muggle-born. Eva, she was a half-breed, or Sam. Sam, Draco could feel himself repeat, his father was an auror. He kills Deatheaters. Draco almost wished he could turn on his heel and bolt out of the corridor, but he remained glued to his spot. His jaw still open, and his eyes still wide in horror. He could never imagine that such a day would come, he had often just cast such thoughts aside, imagining that the Dark Lord would be gone before time came for him to step up to his family name and become a Deatheater. However, the time had come, and he had never could have been unprepared as he was at that moment.

"But…" Draco could feel himself stammer. Blaise's sullen face grew into a look of pure disgust; he grabbed Draco's shoulder forcefully.

"No buts… II know/I about what you've been doing Draco." He spat. "Associating yourself with the likes of Dumbledore, and filthy Mudbloods and half-breeds, you know they're only on your side because they pity you, don't you?" he asked cruelly. Draco continued to stare at him; he could feel his lip quiver in anger. He knew it was more than that, if it wasn't for the Headmaster, he would have never been sent to St. Mungo's, and he'd still be a victim of his own insanity.

"I can't do this Blaise." He managed to reply. Blaise's grip around him tightened, his eyes suddenly becoming much wider as they bore into his.

"Yes, you Ican/I. Your Draco Malfoy, you can do anything, we need you. Your family needs you." Blaise said sternly, his tone growing softer. Draco stared back at the boy he used to call his friend; perhaps he really did care. However, Draco couldn't deny the fact that he was different from him. Too different, he didn't have that much hate boiled up within inside him to sacrifice his livelihood, his existence, his freedom, or his new found ability to love, just to serve someone who would just turn him into something he never wanted to become. His father. 

"My family's dead." Draco replied, surprised at the level of coldness in his own voice. Blaise's expression suddenly changed, a glimmer of agitation flashed across his face as his grip tightened.

"We're your family Draco. We're all you'll ever need. Dumbledore doesn't care about you; he cares about his own interests. Eva, she's been shagging Potter the whole time you were gone, and your little friend, Sam. He's been attached to that filthy Mudblood obsession of yours. Don't you see? Even she deserted you Draco." Blaise said sharply, but his eyes widened when he realized what he said. Draco stared at him in surprise; did he too know about Hermione?

"Who?" Draco asked, pretending to play dumb. Blaise sneered at him, his grip growing even tighter.

"Don't act like a prat D and pretend as if you don't know whom I speak of. Granger, the Mudblood. You've been shagging her, haven't you?" he asked. Draco could feel a small lump rise in is throat as the term IMudblood/I slipped out of Blaise's mouth like butter.  Draco remained silent, suddenly feeling ashamed for letting Blaise's words affect him so. When Draco didn't respond, Blaise could find himself sneering again.

"I overheard Eva talking about it with two Gryffindors last month." Blaise said slowly. They pair stood in silence before Draco finally spoke.

"I know love is a hard concept for someone like you to understand, but I'm not doing this. I can't. I won't." Draco mumbled. Blaise looked up at a look of disapproval upon his face.

"Girls come and go. However, if you are initiated, you will Ialways/I have someone on your side, most importantly me. Your friend, remember?" he asked, his voice much softer than it had been two seconds prior. Draco could feel his eyes fall unto the floor, suddenly feeling ashamed. But then again, had Blaise forgotten Draco laying his ass on the line so he wouldn't get in trouble for putting an Unforgivable on Sam.

"Please, just let me do this Blaise. Let me walk away, you owe it to me. If it wasn't for me you'd be in a cell in Azkaban…" Draco paused, "Right next to your father." Draco said coldly, he had not spoke of Blaise's father, who had been in Azkaban most of Blaise's sixteen years of life, in years. Much to Draco's surprise, big fat tears welled up in Blaise's eyes as his grip loosened upon Draco's robes.

"Your father died for the cause. Don't you want to be like him?" Blaise asked, not even allowing Draco enough time to answer. He wiped guiltily at his tears and picked up his cauldron, "I just want to be somebody in life, and this will help me. It would be nice to have you on my side for once." He said dejectedly. He gave Draco one last look before turning on his heel and leaving Draco alone in the cold empty corridor. Draco listened to the loud echo of his footsteps intill they had ceased, leaving him with only his haunting thoughts

The two hours in between the end of Snape's double potions period and the time Draco had planned to get dressed for the Ball passed slowly. Actually it passed more the slowly, it was agonizing. Draco felt like he had fallen into a quicksand, sinking as his day continued to head for the worse. All he could think about was one thing, what was he going to do?  If he went, he would be initiated as a Deatheater, and he'd be force to serve the Dark Lord. If he said no, and didn't show up, he was almost sure that Voldemort would have him killed. The evil sorcerer spared no one. Either or, his life was on the line. Draco sighed, wishing that life could be simpler. Almost as simple as laying in Iher/I arms all hours of the day, tasting her sweet skin, breathing her very breaths. But it wasn't. It could never be simple.

Draco continued to ponder what he was going to do that night, as he got dressed for the ball around seven p.m. The ball was to be held in the Great Hall at 8 o' clock, Draco sighed to himself as he pulled the dark blue robes over his hair. He found it strangely ironic how a week earlier he was thrilled to return to Hogwarts.

He walked to the mirror that rested beside his four-poster bed, he sighed as he looked into his own troubled eyes. He lazily brushed his much longer hair out of his eyes and stepped back. Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise stood in the corner of the room adjusting their dress robes. Draco could feel Blaise's eyes fall upon him, but Draco quickly looked away and slowly walked towards the door of the dormitories and up a few short staircases until he reached the common room.

The Slytherin common room was bustling with activity, a group of Slytherin second year boys sat in the corner hooting and whooping over the fact that the Weird Sisters were to be performing. A few fourth and fifth years that weren't going to the Ball sat in another corner all huddled around a desk, they all seemed to be studying. Draco could feel something inside of him hesitate when he rested his eyes upon Sam. He sat on the leather couch primping a bouquet of beautiful wildflowers, a single red rose in the middle. Draco cold feel his brow furrow in mild jealousy, not only did he have Hermione, he was actually suave enough to get her flowers. Draco slowly wrapped his hands around the small chocolate flower in his pocket before slowly walking over to Sam.

"Ello there Sam." Draco said, even though he was trying to be kind, his voice sounded strained. Sam looked up at him, his gray eyes remarkably cold. Sam stared at him for a split second before returning his attention to his bouquet of flowers.

"Hey." He mumbled in response. Draco shoved his hands in his pocket suddenly feeling self-conscious. Even though he often denied the fact that he needed Sam as a friend, he still needed to know why Sam was behaving so strangely, for him to speak out finally and confirm Draco's deepest fears. At least say something, say what he honestly felt. Draco gulped, trying to fight back the strange lump of agony in his throat.

"You and I haven't really had the chance to talk since I've come back." Draco said, his voice low. Sam looked up at him, his expression suddenly changing. He stood up, scooping up the beautiful bouquet in his right hand.

"I'd love to talk but," Sam paused, Draco noticed the obvious lack of sincerity in his voice, "But I have to go meet Hermione at a quarter till." He finished. He started walking briskly to the door, but Draco remained at his heels.

"I'm headed that way." He called after a fast moving Sam. Draco followed the Aussie out of the Slytherin common room and down a few empty dungeon corridors before Sam finally realized that he couldn't lose him and slow down. Draco shoved his hands back in his pockets, and kept his eyes on the floor. They walked very slowly down another corridor until Draco stopped in his tracks, sticking out an arm to black Sam from continuing.

"What's going on?" Draco asked him, he tried to look into Sam's eyes, tried to read him like he had read so many others before. However, Sam was truly blank, his eyes darted around the corridor trying to avoid Draco's analytical stare. When Sam did not respond, Draco sighed and asked him again.

"Everyone's acting strange ever since I've returned, why can't you tell me what's going on?" he asked. Sam bit his lip; Draco suddenly noticed that all of Sam's piercings had disappeared.

"You've been gone for a month. People change, minds change, and relationships change, including friendships." He replied quite curtly. Draco stared at him first in confusion as his mind ran through what he said again.

"What?" he asked quizzically. Sam snorted loudly, and let out an evil dry laugh. Draco stared at him, he'd never had seen his friend behaving like this.

"You heard me, you and I are no longer best mates. Better yet, let's not even be mates anymore." He said callously, he stepped closer to Draco, gripping Hermione's bouquet tightly. Draco remained frozen to his spot; he was feeling a great urge just to let out a scream of frustration at the top of his lungs. IWhat was wrong with everyone?/I It seemed as almost every one of his friends hated his guts, avoided him, or ignored him.

"I wasn't going to tell you this, but you must be blind if you haven't noticed." Sam snapped; he stepped closer to Draco, "Hermione is mine, you got that?" Sam asked, jabbing his index finger into the chest of Draco's dark blue robes. Draco stared back at Sam, his eyes wide and his heart wide open. It was like having a cut, and Sam throwing fresh salt into his wounds.

"I don't want to see you talking to her, talking Iabout/I her or even Ilooking/I at her, she's mine now. I don't care about what the hell you two did in the past, but obviously if you can't tell your own fucking best mate about it, then it didn't mean that much eh?" he muttered. Draco continued to stare back at the angry Slytherin in front of him in astonishment.  Sam gave him one last glare before he turned away and began to walk briskly in the direction of the main staircase.

Draco stared after him, still in shock, before he finally began to slowly follow. His feet felt twenty times heavier than they actually were, and his heart felt worse. He didn't know Iwhat/I to think, should he have been angry? He didn't know how or how long Sam knew about his past with Hermione, but he did know that Sam didn't know one bit about how deep his feelings were for her.  Draco continued to let his feet carry him to the main staircase, his mind moving a mile a minute. He just wanted Hermione again; he had to talk to her. Tell her his new decision; he wanted to love her. He wanted to shout her name from the top of the highest rooftops, and run away with her to a foreign land and never have to have a care in the world again. However, he quickly snapped back to reality when he reached the noisy entrance hall. He gradually climbed up the stairs to the spot where he had badgered Eva into meeting him two days before. Draco scanned the mass of happy Hogwarts students below him; he spotted Hermione and Sam at the bottom of the staircase in an embrace. When they pulled away from each other, and Hermione stepped back, Draco could feel his heart fall all the way into his pelvis. She was stunning; her normally bushy hair had been flattened, curled, and twisted into a series of intense curls upon her head. She was wearing a plain yet gorgeous black dress that slightly billowed out at her feet, and a shimmering necklace upon her neck. Draco inhaled deeply as he watched the two of them walk arm in arm towards the entrance of the Great Hall.

"Draco!" he heard a voice call him.  Draco gave Hermione one last long look before hesitantly turning his head to watch a tousled looking Eva half walking half stumbling down the steps. Much to his surprise, Potter stood at her side, holding her by the arm firmly, a look of disapproval across his face. He half dragged Eva down the stairs. Eva smiled, her hair was down and messy, her eyes appeared glossed over, and she was wearing a sleeveless red gown, She pulled away from Harry's touch and reached her arms out for Draco, falling forward a step, the force of her body against his almost sending him head first down the stairs.

"Draakey." She giggled, Draco frowned as he wrapped his arms around her waist and hesitantly pulled her to his side. Draco bit his lip and looked up at a somber faced Potter. The pair stared at each other while Eva giggled softly, running her hands through Draco's hair.

"I told her not to do it but," Harry paused, "She just started drinking Iit/I." He finished, his voice barely above a whisper. Draco stared at him, not knowing what to think, or what to say. He was tempted to throw a lethargic and drunk Eva at him, screaming 'Want her? Keep her!' but he remained silent, his arms still wrapped protectively around her waist.

"I should get going." Harry finally said. He started to walk down the steps, but Draco cautiously reached out for the back of his robes. Harry turned to look at him.

"Thank you…" he whispered, the words felt foreign to his mouth. Harry looked up at him in surprise before a hesitant smile spread over his somber face.

"It was nothing really…" he replied sheepishly, he shoved his hands in his pockets, and continued to walk down the steps. He smiled and took the hand of a sixth year Ravenclaw, Cho Chang Draco assumed, and walked towards the entrance of the Great Hall. For a split second Draco almost forgot that the night was turning out to be one of the worst he's had in months, his girlfriend could barely stand up straight, and the Deatheater initiation was drawing closer for a second he almost felt suspended in time. However, Draco quickly snapped back to reality. He looked at Eva, who was still stroking his hair lovingly.

"Why do you do this?" he asked her, his voice barely above a whisper. Draco looked down at the now emptying entrance hall, and at a lethargic Eva. He couldn't bring her into the Great Hall as she was, but he didn't know where the Gryffindor common room was, yet alone the password. Eva was giggling now, still twiddling and twirling long strands of the Slytherin's blonde hair.

"Do you want to go lay down Eva?" Draco asked in a gentle tone. Eva's eyes widen, and her mellow expression suddenly changed. The yanked violent at the strand of her hair in her hands, Draco reared back in pain before reaching towards his head to the spot where a chunk of his hair used to be.

"Go Iback/I! Me… andI you/I are going to that Ball in there!" she slurred, her voice unusually high pitched. Draco groaned; he was in no mood to deal with a drunk Eva.

"You've been drinking, I can't bring you in there. Just show me the way and I'll help you back to your common room." He said slowly, his eyes still watering from the pain of having his hair yanked out by the ends.

"Alright, fine then!" Eva stepped back away from him, wavering back and forth unsteadily before planting her hand on the rail of the main staircase, her feet moving hesitantly up the steps. Draco quickly came to her side and helped her up the stairs. They stopped when they reached the top of the staircase, and Eva began looking left and right in confusion. Draco rolled his eyes,

"You don't remember the way do you?" he asked dejectedly. He could suddenly start to feel a migraine coming on. Eva bit her lip and shook her head, Draco frowned as he grabbed her and led her down the stairs. Draco had no idea why his feet were leading him to the Slytherin common room. There were plenty other places in the Hogwarts castle where he could take her. The prefect's common room, the room where Hermione and him often met up in, or in a few empty classrooms, but he was making the same series of turns that would lead him back to his common room. Eva would giggle every three minutes, repeating the fact that she was going to the Slytherin common room, and that she had drunk her whole stash of tequila that she stole from her parents during Christmas. Draco continued to lead her, both arms wrapped around her like a protective cocoon. Draco was about to make another turn when a figure wearing a large crooked hat stepped out of the shadows, causing Eva to giggle and Draco to jump, it was Professor McGonagall.

"What are you two doing down here?" she asked sharply, her voice echoing off the walls of the cold dungeons. 

"We uh…" Draco stammered; he had been caught. Eva giggled loudly again, Draco could feel his heart drop as his hand reached to cover Eva's mouth, but the girl had already spoken.

"We're going to Ihis/I room Professor!" she said loudly, her voice abnormally cheery. Draco looked on in agony as a strange look flashed across the face of the elderly professor.

"I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear such a shrewd thing, but you two Imust/I turn around and return to the Great Hall." Professor McGonagall said sharply, she placed a hand upon each of their shoulders and turned them around. She veered them back upstairs and into the main entrance of Hogwarts. Draco could feel the beat of his heart quicken; he couldn't turn back. He had to enter, with an incoherent Eva at his side. He could feel the aging Professor's eyes on him, the tension being radiated from them so heated he felt as if she would burn a hole through the back of his dress robes.

The doors of the Great Hall swung open before them, Draco looked around hesitantly before semi dragging Eva in. The four house tables were all replaced by smaller circular tables that lined the walls of the Great Hall, which was decorated with lanterns that glowed fiery red and long coils of red and gold ribbon. Giant hearts floated around above their heads, underneath the starry sky that was the Great Hall's ceiling. A mysterious specter that resembled St. Valentine flew around the Hall shooting darts that left behind a smoky trail and disappeared. The ball had already started, some people were already out on the dance floor dancing to a faster paced song that the Weird Sisters were playing, while some sat at one of the small circular tables, eating and laughing. Draco grabbed Eva's hand firmly and attempted to lead her to an empty table, but her eyes lit up and pointed to a table in the corner.

"Let's go sit by Harry!" she said loudly, walking the opposite way. Draco, hesitant to release her, began to follow, his heart pounding in his ears in nervousness. He was terrified; terrified that someone would take one look at Eva and notice the obvious condition she was in.  He knew that most of the wizards in the room were unaware of alcohol or it's effects, but anybody with any sort of experience with Muggle club life would know exactly what Eva had been doing.

"Hello everyone!" Eva chimed as they reached the table. Draco could feel a lump rise in his throat when he realized the occupants of the table. Hermione sat abnormally close to a smiling Sam, Harry sat on the other side of Sam beside a somber faced Cho Chang, who sat next to Ron who was with a blonde Ravenclaw whom Draco did not know and Ron's younger sister sat between the strange Ravenclaw and a fifth year Hufflepuff.  Eva pulled out a chair, and sat down, smiling at everyone. Draco looked around the room hesitatingly before sitting down beside Hermione. A plate of steak soon appeared in front of him and Eva, but Eva ignored her. The smile on her face vanished when she laid eyes on Harry. Draco watched Harry quickly look down at his plate. The occupants of the table sat in an awkward silence when the mysterious Ravenclaw finally spoke.

"Valentine's day is man's most primitive holiday," the girl sitting besides Ron said. Draco looked up at her, the girl wore a look as if she was mystified due to the fact her eyes were so wide. Despite the fact that dress robes were not required for the girls, she wore dark red velvet dress robes, her hair was free and loose around her face, and from her ears hung large plastic butterfly earrings. When no one responded, the girl continued to ramble on. Draco assumed it was his presence that made the atmosphere change so suddenly. Every single one of the teenagers around him were frowning except for the butterfly earrings girl and Ron who held his face in his hands, looking up at her, almost lovingly.

Draco could feel his eyes linger to Hermione, she was talking to Sam in a hushed tone, and they both appeared to be enjoying there time. He could feel a silent sinking feeling within his heart as he looked at Eva. All he wanted was Hermione to notice him, let her know what a mistake she had made dumping him, maybe even make her feel jealous. So why did she look so in love, and why was he the one who was constantly jealous and groveling after her? He sat there silent, Eva at his side giggling incessantly, flashing Harry seductive looks, and patting Ginny Weasley's date, who looked mortified, on the shoulder every twenty seconds. Slowly one by one, each couple got up to dance. First it was Ginny, her date flashing her a smile due to the relief of getting away from an inebriated Eva. Ron and his date, who Draco figured out was Luna Lovegood, soon followed them. However, Harry, Cho, Sam and Hermione remained at the table. The tension between them thick as ice, save for a giggling Eva who was too out of it to notice.

"Cho!" Eva exclaimed at the top of lungs, addressing the small Asian girl across the table for the first time.

"Uh… hello." She mumbled. She looked at Harry, a pleading look in his eyes, but Harry ignored her, he was staring straight at Eva.

"I mean, how are you Cho. Good? Great? Spectacular?" Eva asked loudly, slightly slurring the 's' in spectacular.  Cho looked up at Eva in mild confusion, Sam kept his eyes down on the table, and Hermione, who looked mortified did the same, only looking up to exchange looks of horror with Draco. However, Draco remained silent, Eva was a ticking time bomb, and Draco was watching her like a terrorist, waiting in almost pure anticipation to see what she would do when she exploded. Draco knew Eva like the back of his hand, when she drank; she drank for a reason. She must have had a motive to drink so much on a night such as Valentine's Day; something inside of him gave him the vague hint that Harry Potter and himself may have been possible reasons. Draco sat back in his chair, his dark gray eyes locked unto Eva.

"I'm fine I suppose…" Cho's voice replied softly. Her arms were wrapped around Harry's, but he remained detached, for he still was staring at Eva, Draco looked on, something was going to happen.  Despite all the noise in the Great Hall, it was dead silent among the three couples until Eva stood up. She stumbled at first but quickly grabbed the back of Draco's chair. He attempted to grab her arm, but she stepped back from him and swatted at the sleeves of his robes.

"Noo." She complained in a slightly whiny tone, her voice reminded Draco of a child being denied a new toy.

"Sit down Eva." Draco said sternly, reaching for her arm again, but she continued to waver back and forth beside the table. Draco could feel his grip tighten around the back of his chair, as he sat at an uncomfortable angle, his eyes locked onto Eva's.

"You…" Eva pointed a shaky finger his way, "Who are Iyou/I to tell me what to do!" she shouted her voice abnormally shrill. Draco stared at her in confusion, his mind seemed to be moving in slow motion, and the whole scene seemed to pause. He watched in horror as Eva turned to Harry.

"He doesn't even love me Harry…" her words spilled out of her mouth like she had wanted to say them for months. Draco could feel his head turn to stare at Harry, but he still seemed detached, his eyes seemed as if they were longing to be far away. Draco looked back up at Eva, he couldn't scream 'Not true', because Eva, for once had said something wise, and it was the truth. He didn't love her; he turned to look at Hermione. Their eyes locked for a split second before Draco quickly looked away, realizing that everyone at the table was now staring at him in expectation, waiting for them to correct his so called love, but he remained silent. Eva let out a loud moan as she started to stumble forward, tears pouring from her usually bright eyes.

"They aren't like us. It's…" Eva paused; she seemed to be speaking from a deeper place. "It's different, and it's okay. And I know.." she paused again, "It's scary, but I love you. I can't lie about this anymore." She looked at Harry, and then looked at Draco. Draco looked back in surprise, his jaw drop, had he heard right. Did his girlfriend, Eva Henderson, of all people, say she loved his enemy, Harry Potter?  Better yet, did she just dump Ihim/I? The young Slytherin tried to bury deep within himself and pull out something angsty and drama-laden, but he couldn't think of anything. All he could feel was his deep intense love for the beautiful girl at his side.

"Harry, did you hear me?" she asked, her words beginning to slur again. Harry stood up abruptly and attempted to leave, but Eva suddenly darted to his side, grabbing onto his robes firmly, a beseeching look in her sad eyes. Harry stared at her shortly before shaking his head profusely.

"Everything about us is wrong, Eva. Saying I ever felt the same about you would be a lie, and I can't lie to you." Harry muttered, his voice barely audible, but loud enough for Draco to hear ever single world. And with this, the bomb Iexploded./I

"IWhat/I?" she spat loudly, Harry's face flushed a bright red. Draco looked up at a silent and bewildered Cho, a guilty looking Hermione, and an angry looking Sam; his hand was clutched tightly around Hermione's arm. Harry opened his mouth, but Eva's wrath soon would leave him speechless.

"No! Shut it, and let me talk for two seconds!" Eva snapped loudly. Harry's mouth clamped shut, while everyone else looked on stunned. "I don't understand you, not one bit! Shagging me while Draco was gone, but oh, now that he's Iback/I you've suddenly gained morals. While your friend Hermione over there might let you lot stomp on her and use her, I'm not like her. I'm Ifar/I from her! She's just a common bloody whore!" Eva snapped quickly, but she wasn't done. Draco could feel a lump rise in his throat, too afraid to look to his right. Meanwhile the Witch Sister's song was slowly drawing to a close, Draco seemed to be the only one to notice for Eva went on. She turned to stare at Hermione and Draco, an evil look in her eye.

"And Draco, you hypocrite, how did you think I was not to find out? I wasn't blind, I noticed you still love her ever since the what," she paused, "IFifth/I time you called me Hermione, I don't even understand you two, thinking no one noticed you two sneaking off every two seconds! Everyone fucking knows except that git over there!" Eva gestured to Sam, whom's expression slowly changed.  He quickly sat up in his seat; his arm simultaneously releasing Hermione whom Draco from the corner of his eye noticed was trembling. Draco looked down at his own tremulous hand. Almost exactly as the music ended, the crowd for a millisecond became silent, and Eva's boisterous voice cut through the silence like a butcher knife.

"How could everyone ignore the obvious? Hermione and Draco have been shagging each other for the past year now!" She shouted. Her words silently echoed off the walls. Draco could feel his heart skip a beat in horror, his looked over at a red faced Sam. He stood up, his face contorted from the pure rage.

"You lied to me." He spat at Hermione, he slammed the chair again the table with all the force in his body, causing it to cladder loudly to the floor and stormed away from the table.  Draco looked to Hermione whose brown eyes were silently starting to well with tears. Draco reached for her hand, but Hermione quickly pulled her own tremulous hand away from his, she gestured for him to look behind him. Draco slowly reared his head, his eyes simultaneously meeting the eyes of almost the entire student body of Hogwarts, and several teachers. Blaise stood beside a fifth year Slytherin, his eyes meeting Draco's, and for a split second, Draco could have sworn he had mouthed three words to him.

"Tonight. Forbidden Forest."  However, when Blaise first told him of this, he responded with hesitation, and he thought he wasn't going to show up. However, this time, something was different, his heart was filled with fear and frustration, and he felt being initiated was the only way he could purge them.

Five hours later, Draco could feel the soft crunching of compacted snow beneath his feet as he walked out to the Forbidden Forest. Blaise had instructed him just thirty minutes prior not to wear his school robes, for they were hoodless. Instead, Blaise had handed him plain black hooded robes that gave the illusion of some sort of mysteriousness to the wearer. Draco hesitantly rubbed at his arm, for soon they would be burning something into it, something wicked, something permanent.

His mind returned to the ball, he and never seen Sam so upset or betrayed, Draco had never felt guiltier about anything else in his life either. Even though he wanted Hermione with all of his heart, he couldn't have her. He had realized something that night, sitting beside the two at the ball, in the corridors between classes, even at mealtimes, the love was no longer one-sided. Hermione shone brighter then she ever did when she was with Draco, and he knew he couldn't force her to love him. Draco knew she knew how deep his love for her was, and she truly did love him in return. But the love had lingered and tapered off, for her, the time apart lessened the toxicity of the poisonous nature of her love for him, while in Draco, his lover for her festered like an unhealed sore.  If losing a love and a friend was what it took for her to be happy, he decided not to be selfish anymore, and think of her at least.

By the time Draco had snapped himself out of his thoughts, he was nearing the entrance of the forest. The looming tangle of old rotting trees, and haunting pines blocked out the moons bright light, Draco silently snuck past Hagrid's dark cabin. The whole school was asleep, aside for him. Draco sighed, what was he doing? Why was he doing it? Not matter how many times he asked himself these questions; he was still yet to answer. Was he doing it for his father? His father was long gone, what would putting his life on the line for the memory of the most malevolent and hypocritical man Draco had ever encountered do anyway? Was he doing it to spare Hermione the trouble? If he was initiated as a Deatheater, it would pass the message along to her that it was okay to let him go, but the problem was; he didn't Iwant/I to let her go. Was he doing it just to save his own life, for Lord Voldemort was sure to have him murdered if he didn't show up? That couldn't be it, because Draco started to feel that his life was not worth living anymore. He had no one. Maybe that's why he was doing it, to always have someone, for Blaise was right. He was alone in the world.

Draco slowly sauntered into the forest; he stayed on an invisible path, being attracted by a strange magnetic force. Draco could feel his heart skip a beat when he reached a clearing in the trees. Before him were twenty or so black robed figures, on their knees, their heads face first in the snow. A strange force caused him to walk closer, and fall upon his knees and lean forward until he was in the same position.

"Rise." He could hear a voice whisper, the voice was deep, hoarse and throaty, and it seemed to surround him and wrap around the small group donned in black.  Draco slowly rose to his feet, not bothering to wipe off the snow from his robes. His body was shivering violently, but he did not know if it was from the cold, or simply out of fear. Draco looked out the corner of his eyes; all these people seemed to be his classmates. Draco's eyes lingered down the exposed wrists of the person standing next to them; he recognized the watch as belonging to Blaise. Draco stared at his unmoving classmate, he was looking forward off into the bushes, and Draco soon noticed they all were. All the hooded figures looked menacing and sinister, their faces hidden, Draco suddenly felt a sinking feeling, wondering if he looked as foreboding as his classmates.  Draco turned his head, suddenly realizing what everyone else was looking out at.

A tall figure was emerging from the brush, he too was cloaked, and the only feature Draco could see distinctly was shiny crimson eyes. He could feel his heart jump all the way into his throat. Before him stood the darkest and perhaps the most powerful sorcerer of all time. A short heavy set person, who's robes, instead of making him look menacing, made him look out of shape and inviting, soon came out of the brush behind him. The figure, with the terrifying glazing red eyes slowly wobbled forward, he was leaning on an elaborate walking stick, carved out of some sort of wood, on the top of it sat a figure of a serpent.

"My children… my followers…" the voice rattled. "I have called for you all, for I know you are the best. The only left…" his voice paused, as the head turned towards the looming North Tower of Hogwarts. "With the purest of blood, and the loyalty to serve their Dark Lord with all their hearts and minds, letting nothing or no one get in their way." The hooded figure took one wobbly step towards them. Draco stared ahead of him, almost in a daze, unable to tear his eyes off this… creature, his body so deformed; he appeared not even to be human-like.

"Many of your parents served me faithfully, others, not so faithfully." The figure paused, "However, I will give that few of you your one and only chance to redeem yourself, by pledging your service to your Dark Lord. For a war will be dawning on us, a war far greater then any other war raged on this Earth. The world would be purged of allI filth/I and only my true followers and I will remain. I'm giving you an opportunity to live, an opportunity to fight for your pure ancestry, a chance for power!" the Dark Lord's voice boomed. Much to Draco's surprise, a lone robed figure let out a shout. Soon other's joined in, the Dark Lord stood still for a second, the fat figure who had emerged from the bushes behind tottered to his side, and whispered something before Lord Voldemort nodded.

"Alright! Everyone please fall!" he said, his voice unusually shaky. He pulled out from his robes an unlit candle, without so much as a flinch, Lord Voldemort pointed his wand towards the candle, as in exploded into a strange green flame. The pair of them sauntered over to a shaking robed figure.

"Remove your hood." The Dark Lord's throaty voice commanded, the figure shakily agreed. Draco's heart caught in his throat as he recognized the now disrobed figure as Pansy. The Dark Lord's bony skeletal hands reached forward, his arms being strangly illuminated by the eerie green light. Two other robed figured emerged from the brush with glowing green candles of their own, humming a mysterious guttural song. Draco could feel a single bead of sweat roll down his forehead, he felt like he was burning up despite the fact that he was knee first in two feet of snow. The Dark Lord's bony hand wrapped around Pansy's soft one, her face blank, her eyes looking straight up into his gleaming and menacing red ones, much similar to the wild shade of her hair. The chubby figure held out the glowing green flame, the Dark Lord suddenly jerked Pansy's hand into the flame, her face contorted as she tried to fight the pain. The chubby figure removed the flame and passed the glowing green flame to Pansy. The girl with a shaky hand took it, as the chubby figure patted her head, and put back on her hood. Draco caught a small glance at the bright red spot on her forearm; in the middle of it laid the Dark Mark, glowing a sickening shiny black.

The Dark Lord continued down the line, each newly initiated Deatheater would hold the flame as they watched their peers try their best to endure the pain and receive the Dark Mark. Before Draco even knew it, the Dark Lord stood in front of him, looking down at him, his red eyes unchanging. Draco could feel his breathing become more labored, as Blaise fell to his knees beside him; the sleeves of his robes pulled back, his arm shaking from the pain. Draco looked eyes with Blaise, searching for something within them, but they were vacant and glazed over. Draco inhaled, this was it, and there was no going back. He could feel the Dark Lord's cold clammy touch upon his hand; he exhaled deeply, for he knew what was next. Draco was preparing himself for the pain when a small voice came from the crowd.

"My lord?" the voice asked shakily. Lord Voldemort let out a deep throaty growl.

"What?" he spat, he turned around, a small hooded figure, who was standing beside the newly initiated Deatheaters, they all were holding the same green candle, who's eerie green glow was causing Draco to become slightly nauseated with fear.

"That… That boy's Draco Malfoy. It is well known that he no longer believes in your noble work or ideas, he's…" the voice belonged to a girl, that Draco soon recognized as Pansy's. "He's involved in a relationship with a mud-blood." She finished. Draco could feel the Dark Lord's cold and clammy grip tighten around his wrist, Draco could feel himself holding his breath, and he could feel Blaise's grip on the candle waver.

"Silence." The Dark Lord snapped. He looked down at Draco, his red eyes still gleaming. "I see myself in this child. He will be initiated." The Dark Lord spat coldly. Draco froze as Blaise brought the candle closer to him. He closed his eyes almost simultaneously as Lord Voldemort yanked his arm into the bright flame. Draco winced; the pain was almost indescribable. At first he felt a numbness, than a searing hot stinging sensation, it felt almost as if his skin was being dug into with a scalding red hot poker, he closed his eyes trying his best to maintain his composure, and just with that, it was over. The Dark Lord grabbed Draco by the wrist and pushed it to the side, out of the emerald flame. Draco suddenly rose to his feet, and Blaise slowly did the same. He handed the candle to Draco before slowly turning around and walking to the line of newly initiated Deatheaters. Draco hesitantly followed, struggling to fight the tears that were coming to his eyes. He was a Deatheater. His arm was shaking from the pain radiating from the Dark Mark on his arm, however Draco was too afraid to pull back the wooly black fabric off his blistering skin to look at it.

"Now that that's done," Voldemort said, his voice suddenly more hoarse. "I'd like to inform you all of the new dangers now that you all are bearing the Dark Mark. Wormtail." The Dark Lord said, looking down to the chubby figure that had emerged at his side again.

"Yes, Yes my lord. You must keep your marks hidden at all times, for exposure will risk us all. And…" The chubby wizard named Wormtail, seemed to look up, trying to think of what else to say. The Dark Lord turned to his newfound followers.

"There's… there are children at Hogwarts, your own classmates. Who know too much, I'm sure you all know of these people." The Dark Lord's mean red eyes scanned the crowd, his eyes locking with Draco, the young Slytherin could feel himself clench up in fear, his arm still throbbing in unbearable pain.

"I expect for them to all have died sad and unfortunate demises by the end of the school year. Doing this will help prepare you for the impending Great War." The dark lord replied rather throatily, his eyes still locked with Draco's as if reading his mind. Draco tried to hide the sheer panic in his head; he knew he spoke of his Hermione. He'd never expect his mind would be putting the word Ikill/I and the name IHermione/I in the same sentence.

"Also, what did I forgot Wormtail?" Lord Voldemort's eyes finally turned to the hooded figure at his side.

"The auror's son my lord." Wormtail replied, his voice rising slightly when he uttered the word son, as if he was nervous.

"Oh yes, the auror's son. Bartholomew Austin, one of the words exclusive aurors, my followers, has a son in Slytherin. His family are blood traitors of the worse kind, I expect this Austin boy to have suffered a sad and unfortunate accident by the end of next week. That will be all." The Dark Lord commanded, pausing slightly before he spoke again. "That will be all." He uttered, his words barely above a hoarse whisper. With the billow of his robes, as quickly as he had come, Lord Voldemort was gone. Draco stood there motionless in the middle of an excited twitter around him; he had made a grave mistake.

b

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione Granger

"II'm lying here on the floor where you left me

I think I took too much

I'm crying here

What have you done?

I thought it would be fun

I can't stay on your life support

There's a shortage in the switch

I can't stay on your morphine cause it's making me itch

See I've tried to call the nurse again

But she's being a little bitch

I think I'll get out of here

Where I can run

Just as fast as I can

To the middle of nowhere

To the middle of my frustrated fears

You're just like a pill

Instead of making me better

You're making me ill

I haven't moved from the spot where you left me

It must be a bad trip

All of the other pills they were different

Maybe I should get some help.I"

'Just Like a Pill' Pink

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

/b

Hermione's life appeared to be moving in slow motion, with a light sappy tune playing in the background, much similar to the daytime soap operas her mother taped all the time. She stood across from a devastated Sam in the empty corridor she had chased him to. She rubbed her bare arms, afraid of letting her eyes meet his, even for a second, for if she saw the hurt that she knew was in those eyes, she'd break down.

"Deep and platonic." He muttered mocking the answer, she had given once before; he looked up at her, his face bright red. Hermione bit her lip and looked away, it hurt her so much to see him in pain. She mulled over what to say in her mind, for the truth had never been so hard to tell, especially after being caught in a lie. She stared at Sam as he cried, she desired so badly to walk over to him, and kneel by his side, and comfort him and tell him it would be all right. However, it wasn't that simple for she was the one who was causing him pain. She was starting to feel that all she ever did call was pain.

"Tell me it's not true. Please." Sam groveled in between short hiccup like sobs. Hermione tried to swallow the newly formed lump in her throat. She had never been more embarrassed, hurt, or guilt-stricken in her life. Not only did the whole school know, she had been giving Draco the wrong message, and she was hurting Sam. She looked at up guiltily, feeling awful for she did not love him like she did at that moment, when she betrayed him, she just got caught up in the heat of the moment more than once.

"I can't." Hermione managed to choke. She wiped at the tears that were freely pouring down her cheeks. She walked across the empty corridor and tried her best to sit down beside Sam who as seated on the floor without ripping her dress. Sam managed to let out a low moan before returning to his hiccups. Hermione lifted a tremulous hand to touch his back, but Sam quickly scooted out of the way.

"I thought I knew you. I mean, all this time. This whole fucking time, I've just been making a fool out of myself. Is this your sick way of getting a thrill out of life, messing with people's minds?" Sam managed to mutter in between whimpers. Hermione wiped the tears at her eyes again, before shaking her head. Why had she lied? Partly she was afraid of his reaction, but why did she keep returning to Draco when she knew what would happen. It was a dangerous awful cycle that she only managed to break when Draco was not around.

"Sam please, I just need for you to forgive me." Hermione managed to whisper as she placed her hands sorrowfully on her thighs. She managed to let out a short sigh before she spoke again.

"I don't want to end this Sam. I made a mistake, and I apologize. Just tell me what does it have to take for me to make this right, please Sam, just tell me." She whispered to him, she turned to look at him, looking for the smallest trace of forgiveness but only received a look of anguish in return.

"Make it right?" Sam asked; Hermione winced at the pained tone in his voice, "Make it Iright/I?" He repeated, the tone of his voice growing louder startling Hermione. "This isn't like one of your fucking problems in Arithmeticy class Hermione. Life isn't that Isimple/I! You can't just mutter a few words, and say I love you and fucking fix what you did to me. You betrayed me 'Mione! You can't just fix this by giving me a hug and saying your sorry, you can't fucking make it right! It won't Iever/I be right again!" he shouted, he gave her a hard stare before rising to his feet as if waiting for her to respond. He was openly inviting her for a showdown, he honestly seemed like he wanted to argue with her. Hermione slowly rose to her feet, her heart pounding in her ears, as much as she hated to admit it, Sam was right. She couldn't make cheating on him right. She couldn't make lying to him right either. The act was already done; it was too late.

"Hermione…" Sam moaned, his eyes full to the brim with tears. Hermione could feel her break almost as simultaneously as his had, she never knew that it would be so difficult.  When she first returned to Draco, her relationship with Sam was far from deep. She liked to keep Sam close, but still far away, for if he grew to close to her, he would see what she was really like, and she would become too attached to him. That's the mistake she had felt she had made with Draco, she let him grow to close to her, and as soon as the relationship showed signs of deepening, Hermione grew weary and afraid, and dropped it. She looked up into Sam's sad gray eyes; she had fallen. She could feel his strong arms wrap around her body, she smiled as she inhaled his sweet scent.

"I love you Sam," she whispered, she had never uttered these words to him before. She could feel the much taller young man hesitate, before he squeezed her tightly. Hermione could feel a single tear roll down her pink cheeks. Even though the words were not said, she was sure if Sam had spoken, he would have said the same.

A listless Hermione lay in bed that night unable to sleep. The plush red curtains were drawn all around her bed, but this did not block off the constant chattering and whispers coming from Parvati and Lavender's beds. Ever since Eva's drunken outburst during the ball, the pair had been gossiping over the new piece of information they now were obligated to spread all over Hogwarts.

However, in any normal circumstances, this would have extremely irritated Hermione, but now she had a feeling of not caring anymore of what people at Hogwarts thought of her. If there was one lesson she learned during her year was that, she finally realized that she was worth so much despite of what others may think. Hermione smiled to herself as she sat up in bed, running a hand through her now bushy hair. She rubbed her eyes trying to get her mind off what she said to Sam, the words felt like candy to her soul. II love him; I love him./I  She would repeat to herself, but then the strange sinking feeling she always felt would begin to bob to the surface for a millisecond, IDraco/I. His name was almost toxic to her rejuvenated soul. She was yet to have a Ireal/I conversation with Draco, of course she always said hi, but she never really had the chance to actually talk to him. Her mind slowly returned to the decision she had made the night that Draco was taken away from Hogwarts, she was going to break it off. Half of her wanted to think that Draco felt the same, but her more practical side easily predicted that he wanted her more than ever. She noticed from the small looks he would give her out of the corner of his eyes, to the warm smiles, but she remained silent. However, she was too afraid to tell him that she had fallen in love with Sam. She was beyond terrified to face him and tell him such a thing; just the thought of witnessing the pure heartbreak that would be in his eyes gave the young Gryffindor chills.  Hermione exhaled deeply before lying her head back down onto her velvety soft pillow.

Hermione continued to stare off into the darkness, as her thoughts grew deeper and deeper. One by one, she could hear each one of her roommates finally wind down from the excitement of the Ball and go to sleep. By four am Hermione and Crookshanks were the only souls awake in the blank and starless night. Hermione stayed in such a position until she heard a slight cracking noise cut through the silence. Hermione sat up at first startled by the noise, but an intense yet quiet tapping soon followed the noise. Hermione threw off the mass of tangle sheets on top of her body and pushed aside her blankets. She opened the curtains to her four-poster bed, her eyes darting around the room rapidly trying to locate the source of the noise, her eyes finally rested on the windowsill. Draco's face appeared in the foggy panel, his first a strange pale color. Hermione quickly skittered over to the window, and opened it quietly trying her best not to wake the other girls in the dormitories.

"What are you bloody doing?" Hermione said through clenched teeth as she stuck her had out the window, the cold air hitting her face made her shiver again. Draco who was hovering on his broom just above the window looked up at her, a strange look in his eyes, he was holding onto the broom firmly with his right hand, while holding the other in a strange position.

"Hermione, please I need to talk to you right now." Draco whispered; the tone of his voice low and gnarly sent a wave of chills down Hermione's spine. She sighed before hesitantly opening the window. Draco quickly hovered up higher before quickly bouncing onto the stone ledge, grabbing his room, and falling into the room. He landed with a loud thump, which echoed eerily though the bone silent room. Hermione could feel her heart jump, but she relaxed and helped Draco to his feet when she realized he had not wakened anyone.

"Eva's not here," Hermione whispered to him, suddenly feeling a surge of anger looking at Draco. Hermione had noticed Eva's erratic behavior at the ball, and the fact that Draco did not bother to contain until she had blubbered out her dirty laundry out for every Hogwarts student to see irked her. In normal circumstances, Draco would have said an equally cold comment back, but much to Hermione's surprise, he remained silent, his face was contorted into the saddest expression she had ever seen him wear.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked softly grabbing both of Draco's hands and giving them a squeeze. Draco winced as if he was in pain and skittered over to Hermione's bed. Hermione brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen in her face before slowly following Draco until they both were seated Indian style on her bed facing each other. She quickly closed the curtains around the bed before turning back towards Draco. The pair sat in silence before Draco finally spoke.

"Everything." He muttered; his voice was still hoarse. Hermione stared at him, but she noticed Draco dodge his eyes around her bed avoided her intent gaze. The room was dead silent save for their own hushed breathes.

"Maybe you should just go back to bed." Hermione said sternly, her voice taking on a motherly tone. Draco looked up at her, his eyes widened, he grabbed onto Hermione for dear life.

"I can't leave you any more… your not.." his voice trailed off as he looked around an almost paranoid look in his eye. Hermione eyed him, suddenly becoming very frightened by Draco's behavior. She also noticed that Draco was holding up his left arm away from his body as if it was causing him pain.

"I'm not what?" Hermione could hear herself ask. Even though she was speaking to him quite slowly, her mind was moving at a thousand miles per hour. She could clearly remember Draco telling her he had a mental disorder,I perhaps he's in the middle of some sort of episode,/I Hermione could hear herself think.  She bit her lip as she could feel herself scoot away from Draco. Despite the darkness, Hermione could make out the soft curves and indentations of his face; even his eyes that she felt were still locked intently upon her.

"Your not safe at Hogwarts anymore Hermione." Draco said his voice cracking slightly. Hermione stared at him in utter confusion, unsure of what to think.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked quickly, her tone rising slightly. Draco jumped up in panic; he put the index finger of his right arm up against her pink lips to silence her. "What are you talking about?" Hermione asked again, this time her voice much softer. Draco let out a sharp exhale that sounded like some sort of a whimper, a whimper much similar to that of a wounding and dying animal.

"Hermione…" Draco muttered, his voice cracking oddly. Hermione reached forward into the darkness to feel wetness upon his face. Hermione ran her fingers over the smooth counters of his face almost lovingly during a strange silent. Finally Draco spoke.

"I've made a mistake Hermione, and I just don't know what to do." She could hear his whisper. His body started to shake as if he was crying, Hermione reached out into the darkness to embrace him, but she could feel his lean body stiffen, almost as if he was in a state of rigor mortis. Hermione waited for him to speak, wanting him so badly to speak up, why was he so upset.  However, instead of speaking, Hermione could hear the rustle of Draco's robes as a strange glow suddenly appeared in the darkness. Before her, on the arm of the person that embodied love to her, was a symbol of hate. Of evil, of a stigma so powerful, it knocked all the air out of her lungs and brought tears to her eyes. Burned into Draco's skin, and glowing an eerie shade of black was the Dark Mark. The symbol of hatred of everything she was.

Hermione could feel her eyes widen as her heart simultaneously picked up it's pace and jumped into her throat, then fall right back down again and further down into her pelvis. Her stomach did a nauseating summersault and her mind jolted to an immediate state of panic, her mind began trying to form words, but all that could escape her horrified lips was a gasp. She could hear Draco moan, she suddenly felt grateful that they could barely see each other, for she couldn't bear to look at him. Her tongue moved back and forth attempting to form words until after a long awful silence she succeeded.

"How could you do this?" Hermione said, her voice straining to fight the stampede of tears that were impeding towards her at fifty miles per hour. Her Draco, a Deatheater? She knew of Draco's pureblood and dark background, but she always hoped that he'd be better than his father. IHe's A Deatheater/I the words kept stampeding towards her brain, the force of the realization hitting her like a dozen tiny daggers stabbing her in the heart concurrently. 

"How could you do this?" Hermione asked her, this time her tone much louder. She could her tiny whimpers coming from Draco who had scooted back from her even further.

"I… I don't know. Something just came over me, and I didn't realize what I had done until it was over." He mumbled incorhently, his voice shaky. Hermione inhaled deeply, trying to maintain her composure, but she was holding on with only a fiber of her being, fighting to urge to burst into uncontrollable sobs. IWhat had he done?/I Hermione could hear her mind scream at her.

"I can assure you 'Mione, one of us are going to kill." Draco whispered; the word kill sent a chill down Hermione's spine. IKill?/I  "For once Hermione, don't be the hero. Pack your things and leave with me Hermione, before it's too late." He whispered again, she could hear him coming closer to her on the bed, but her brown eyes remained glued to the sickening glowing emblem etched into her lover's skin. 

"You Ihave/I to tell someone Draco, you need to tell Dumbledore." Hermione said softly, she was falling into some odd sort of a trance as she eyed the Dark Mark. Draco was a Deatheater now, how did she know she was safe in his presence, how did she know this wasn't another Deatheater pretending to be Draco. How did she know that he wasn't pulling his wand out of the pocket of his dark robes, how did she know he wasn't going to murder her right then and there.  She shrank back from Draco in fear as he crawled closer to her; she jumped back in alarm when she felt his touch upon her bare shoulder.

"I can't Hermione! Everyone else would know who snitched; I can't be the snitch! They'll kill me! Run away with me!" Draco moaned, his tone startling Hermione. She could hear a slight rustle from outside the velvet curtains of her four-poster bed. She could feel herself hold her breath as Draco wrapped his arms around her, placing his cold lips upon her skin.

"If you won't tell Dumbledore your problem, I will Draco. If you run away, they'll catch you and throw you in Azkaban." Hermione mumbled, her body still frozen, a solitary tear rolling down her cheeks. She always tried to save Draco, but he had gone too far this time, there was no way she could help him anymore.

"That's why I need you to come with me, I love you so much it hurts, and my life is Inothing/I without you! We can leave tonight; it'll be hours before someone realizes we're gone. Please!" Draco groveled, his voice still unusually low. Hermione turned her head to face him; the blazing emblem on his arm eerily illuminated his face. Hermione bit her lip and shook her head furiously; she clawed furiously at her face as tears began to poor freely down them.  She couldn't let him see her implode. She couldn't afford to let him see her strong exterior silently implode revealing the true pain and confusion she was feeling at the moment.

"Hermione please!" Draco pleaded with her, his face still glowing a eerie shade of green, his eyes wide, his hands firmly wrapped around hers, he was literally clenching unto her life.

"I"ll kill myself if I don't have you! You have to leave with me tonight!" he pleaded, the tone of his voice growing louder. Several occupants in the beds around them slowly were being aroused out of their pleasant slumbers, but this was oblivious to Draco, he continued.  "They're going to hurt you Hermione! They are going to pick you off one by one right under Dumbledore's nose! I wish I could Hermione but," Draco's voice suddenly tapered off when he realized that Hermione was shaking with tears.  "I can't protect you here…"

Hermione looked up at Draco, his hands still clenching unto hers. She stares at Draco, thinking the worse. What had happened to him? His hair was messy, his eyes wide and full of an assortment of powerful and depressing emotions, his grades had tanked, he no longer cared for his appearance, he had cast away all of his friends, he was an orphan, now he was a Deatheater trying to convince her to run away with him. IWhat had happened?/I Hermione's inner voice screamed. "Leave me with me!" he roared, this was not the Draco she fell in love with. He was clenching her hands so hard it hurt; Hermione bit her lip down wanting nothing more than for him to release her from his death grip.

"Draco stop it!" Hermione snapped, she tried to get away from him, but he overpowered her, he wrapped his muscular arms around her and pinned her down to the bed. Hermione struggled, tears pouring down her cheeks, but she still did not let out a scream, terrified of the consequences of someone else finding Draco in her bed. After struggling to escape his death grip, Hermione finally succumbed realizing she was not strong enough to escape him. He loosened his grip on her, but kept both of his arms around her like a strange sort of shell, he let out a strange life and placed his lips the cold clammy skin of her forehead.

"You love me don't you? Don't you 'Mione?"  Draco asked, his voice quite gruff. Hermione struggled to breath as she fought the fear that was overcoming her, for the first time in her life, she felt threatened by Draco. He had lost his mind. When Hermione didn't answer, Draco grabbed a hand full of her hair and ran it under his nose; he gave her a strange smile. "It can be how it used to be, the good days before all this bad shit started to happen. First stop, France." Draco muttered; he began to rub her hair around the crown of her head, moving his fingers in a sweeping circular motion, while holding her down with the other.

"Then maybe we'll go to Rome, see the Parthenon, just me and you. Then we'll head got to Moscow, then after that your choice. Don't you see Hermione? This is our chance to be together, we can get married and no one will be in the way. No worries, no Eva, no Potter and Weasley, and best of all, no Sam. Don't you want to be with me?"  He asked, his voice cracking as he finally lost his composure. Hermione remained frozen, and her mind remained numb. For a split second, all she could feel was Draco's heartbeat against her's. What was she to do? What was she to say? He had lost what little sanity he had left? Should she speak the truth and risk the chance of him hurting her, or should she just lie and risk the chance of him hurting himself? No matter what she chose, she had to say something quickly.

"You can't run from your problems Draco, you have to face them. I know you know that." Hermione whispered; she bit her lip hoping that Draco would release her, but he his grip only became tighter.

"I haven't been running, but I can't stand this anymore. I have to leave Hogwarts, and you have to come with me." Draco retorted, his voice taking on a whiny tone.  Draco continued to hold on to her as he looked down at her with a look of malice on his face, the lovin expression suddenly wiped on his face, he licked his lips and flashed her another scowl before he spoke.

"He's keeping you here." Draco snapped gruffly. Hermione shook her head in fear as she attempted to play stupid.

"What?" she said, a fresh batch of tears came at her. IWhy was he behaving like this?/I

"He's keeping you here!" Draco snapped angrily, he grabbed Hermione by the shoulders and slammed her down against her plush velvet comfortable. He finally set up and backed away from here. "You love him and not me, that's what it is!"

"You love him," he said again, talking to himself more than to her his voice trailing off. Draco looked down at the glowing dark mark on his arm before forcefully pushing his sleeves down over it, grimacing from the pain in the process.

"They are going to murder Sam, I tried getting you away, but it's too late now. It's too fucking late." He snapped, he flung open the curtains and made his way towards the window. He lifted the ledge and turned to face her, flashing her a look of intense pain and disappointment. "You've made the wrong decision." He whispered; he leaned forward and out the window. Hermione could hear the wind rustle silently as she watched him hover up and away from the window of the dormitory.

Hermione slowly made her way back to bed, but his words would continue to haunt her every thought. She knew that Draco would be more than angry with her if she went to Dumbledore, but the thought of any one of her friend's lives being threatened was reason enough to talk to someone. She couldn't keep such an issue to herself; she was heading to the Headmaster's office first thing in the morning.  Even though she knew the Headmaster would take very good care of Draco, she feared his reaction. Deep down inside of her, she feared that Draco would not forgive her. However, she knew the reason why she was doing it was not because she didn't love him, it was because she did.