I don't own any rights to Harry Potter, I did not creature any of the characters, place names (cept for London and Yorkshire and Kings Cross, I didn't create those either, but neither did JK Rowling) or magic spells or any other things, you all know JK Rowling did. Worship her as I do.

If anyone's noticed, I'm using song titles for the chapter names. Eh. My winamp list has some dramatic titles. It's all good.

Hermione barely slept at all that night. Once she had finally calmed down enough, and gotten Ron to allow her two feet away from him, he and Harry and taken her up to the medical wing. Madam Pomfrey had taken one look at her an insisted she stay the night, and that Dumbledore should be called. Harry and Ron had convinced her otherwise, and swore the nurse to secrecy. Hermione remained silent and sullen through the whole time, not even flinching when her lip was repaired rather painfully. She felt like the walking dead.

When Harry and Ron had brought her back to her dorm, they insisted they even tuck her in. Lavender and Parvati had helped Hermione into her nightgown, but thankfully they didn't ask any questions either. Nor did they complain when the boys insisted they stay the rest of the night in the girls dorm. It was completely against the rules, Hermione even pointed it out, but Harry gave her a look so reminiscent of herself, she stayed quiet when Ron flopped down at the end of her bed and Harry settled against her bedside table. She didn't say it, but she really did appreciate the company. Crookshanks had curled up against her shoulder, nestling his flat face against her cheek. With friends like she had, she found some of her confidence returning through the long hours. Draco could try whatever he wanted. His words would not hurt her. Anything else he did to her, Madam Pomfrey could fix. Unless he... No. She wouldn't let him. Next time he tried to lay a hand on her, she'd curse it off.

Finally, as the sun rose and the other girls began to stir, Hermione finally drifted off to sleep. No one disturbed her, though quiet rumours circulated through the Gryffindors all morning. At least they all had enough sense to not speak about it anywhere but in the privacy of the common room.

Hours later, Hermione had finally woken up. Her lip throbbed, but when she touched her fingers to it, she felt nothing, and a glance in her mirror showed it wasn't even swollen. How Harry could stand having his arm regrown and other such cures to his mishaps, she didn't understand. Speaking of Harry...

Pushing herself up in her bed, Hermione's sleepy eyes landed on Ron first. He was sprawled out over the rug in the centre of the room, snoring lightly. His robes were all wrinkled, and his hair was sticking out at all angles. Crookshanks had moved during the morning and had settled on Ron's chest, his claws fastened into Ron's purple jumper. And to her left, Harry's head was propped up against her mattress. His glasses were falling down his nose, his hair had splayed apart to reveal his scar. It hadn't faded at all during the years, it still made people stop and stare.

The rest of the room was mostly empty. The other girls had clothes and books strewn over their beds, some of Lavender's socks were hanging on the back of a chair. The house elves hadn't been in yet to tidy, as Hermione and the boys hadn't left yet. That, and Professor McGonagall was standing in the doorway, looking very stern indeed.

Hermione let out a squeak in surprise, and at that both Ron and Harry jerked awake. Ron was on his feet in seconds, sleepy clouding his mind as he randomly waved his fists around, slurring "I'll get him, don't you worry..." Crookshanks had screeched in surprise and went flying halfway across the room, landing on Parvati's bed.

Harry was watching the professor with a muted gaze, scrubbing his forehead. "We can explain, Professor."

McGonagall said nothing, only lifted a hand and pointed to the door. Harry and Ron got the message easily enough, and with a look to Hermione, scrambled out. When they were gone, McGonagall closed the door behind them.

Instantly the expression on her face changed from anger to worry. "Hermione, Poppy told me you came to see her last night. She said you looked as if someone had, well, roughed you up." Skinny hangs wrong themselves together as Professor McGonagall seemed to be fighting within herself the urge to be a protector, and a discipliner.

Hermione let out a heavy sigh. Poppy had promised not to tell anyone... But then again, McGonagall could make anyone talk. "It, it's not like that professor. I had been playing with Crookshanks there, and Ron had startled him. He," she struggled to come up with a reasonable lie, "he jumped and scratched me. It scared me to death. Maybe I was tired, and a little overwhelmed. It was nothing, Professor. Harry and Ron were just worried about me. But I'm fine. Really." Hermione kept her eyes on McGonagall, though she felt guilt burning in her stomach for lying. She did not want to tell the truth, she didn't want everything to be blown out of proportion. She wanted to forget it.

McGonagall eyed her suspiciously for a moment, until her shoulders fell and she dropped down on the edge of Hermione's bed. "Is that all? You had me so worried! Not showing up for class, you or the boys." unsure of what she should do, McGonagall placed a light hand on Hermione's knee over the covers. "If being Head Girl is too much of a responsibility for you, Hermione, I can find-"

"No!" Hermione interrupted, sitting forward. "No, I can handle it. Please Professor? I was just tired. I'll be fine. I can handle it."

Something that was almost a smile settled on McGonagall's lips. "Very well then. It's almost lunch period. I expect you to be ready for classes this afternoon. And you too, boys." McGonagall raised her voice for her last statement, and Ron's muffled voice could be heard cursing through the door. If Hermione didn't know better, she would have thought it amused McGonagall.

"Thank you, Professor. It won't happen again." Hermione forced a comforting smile on for the professor, and nodded to her when the woman left. She meant what she said. It would not happen again.

Somewhat distracted, Hermione slipped out of bed and began tugging on her clothes. When she was rolling her last sock on, Harry and Ron knocked at the door. "Are you almost ready, Hermione? Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'm fine! I'll be out in a minute!" Hermione called back in response, reaching for her wand. For a moment, she weighed it in her hands, staring at it. She would. She would use it against that little fiend Malfoy if he tried anything. Nodding to herself at that decision, she slipped the wand into her robes and snatched her school bag.

Joining Harry and Ron in the stairwell of the tower, she put on a brave face that didn't fool either of them, but at least assured them that she could handle the day. After all, she was Hermione Granger, Head Girl, smartest girl in Hogwarts, and the master of spells Harry himself couldn't manage to cast properly. She could handle anything.

Lunch was quite uneventful, thankfully. Hermione found herself even having fun as Ron, Dean, Seamus and even Neville joked around, trying to cheer her up. No one asked questions, no one treated her any different. Of course, if they knew what really happened, they probably would. But all they knew was that their friend had a bad day, and what else should friends do? Hermione forced herself to not take even one look at the Slytherin table, and it really wasn't all that hard as Parvati filled Hermione in on what she'd missed in morning classes. Lavender had even taken notes for Hermione, and handed them over, explaining some points and showing Hermione how to do the new charm they had learned. The Drought Charm, Hermione found, was simple. Of course, Seamus didn't appreciate how she and Lavender kept drying up his pumpkin juice, then laughing when he lifted it for a sip and found nothing there.

Soon, though, everyone began packing their bags again, afternoon period was about to start. That meant Care of Magical Creatures. With the Slytherins. Hermione would not let it get to her, she held on to her smile as her little crowd of seventh years made their way out of the castle and across the rolling lawn. Harry, Hermione noted, was keeping a very close eye on Ron in case he decided to jump out and curse Malfoy to high heaven, though it was obvious Harry wanted to do exactly the same thing.

Because Malfoy was strutting along ahead of them with his own little crowd, cackling with what the Gryffindors knew was not a pleasant joke.

Up ahead, though, Hermione could see Hagrid standing with a bunch of ropes in his giant hands. At the other ends of the ropes were what looked to be Jack Russel Terriers, except that these animals had forked tails.

"Crups!" Lavender clapped her hands cheerfully. Ron gave her a strange look, and she frowned back at him. "They're just like dogs, except they attack muggles. The love wizards. And they're so cute!" Lavender launched herself ahead with some other Gryffindors, Hermione hung back with Harry and Ron.

"What, do you suppose we have to walk them? They're only dogs. What's so special about them?" Ron muttered, his hand wringing the handle of his wand. His eyes didn't stray far from Draco at all, who was already petting an especially cheerful Crup.

Harry gave a shrug. "I dunno. But Fang doesn't look too happy." he said absently, his eyes landing on the black dog, a real dog, who sat pouting back by Hagrid's hut. He was obviously jealous.

"Poor dear." Hermione commented lightly. But she didn't have too much sympathy, after all, the Crups were much more adorable than Fang. When they finally arrived at the crowd, Hagrid was handing out leashes to groups of three. Naturally, Harry, Ron and Hermione formed their own group, greeting their Crup, named Perrywinkle, cheerfully. It seemed rather keen on Harry and Ron, but avoided much contact with Hermione.

Her mood was getting harder and harder to maintain, especially when Lavender, Parvati and their other roommate were squealing as the Crup nuzzled and licked them all excitedly.

"Alrigh' now yer all. These guys need walking. Come back here halfway though class and I'll have summat out for them to eat." Hagrid waved them off, and the groups ran or walked in all different directions with their pet.

Harry and Ron were watching Hermione, who was looking sullen again. "Well, Lavender said they didn't like muggles..." Ron mentioned, trying to find some way to comfort her as to why the Crup was giving her angry looks and hiding behind Harry's legs from her.

That was not the right thing to say. Fighting back against the tears that welled in her eyes, Hermione's hands curled into fists at her sides. Her voice cracked as she spoke. "It's all right. You two walk it. I'll wait over there until class is over. I can study. Really," she offered another cheap smile to the boys, "I'll be fine."

Harry, though, had noticed how Malfoy was watching them. And grinning over the fact the Crup wouldn't go near Hermione. He swore he could hear a chorus of 'mudblood' ringing down over the grass, and his knuckled tightened around the rope. "No, Hermione, we'll stay with you."

Hermione shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. See? I'll stay right by the cabin, Hagrid will be around." She would be fine. She would go sit on the fence around Hagrid's little garden and read up on Drought Charms.

Ron was still against it. But Harry, noticing the look on Hermione's face, agreed with a sigh. "We won't go far. We won't take our eyes off of you."

"I'll be fine!" Hermione snapped, then jerked her self back quickly. She was getting frustrated again. "I'll be fine." she repeated, this time her voice quiet and steady. Without another word, she turned and headed to the fence.

She would be fine. Hanging her bag on the post, Hermione climbed up along the railing and leaned back against a rather large pumpkin that had grown to about as tall as her and half again. She would be fine.

Half an hour later after Hermione had dried up and refilled a bucket in the garden several times again with her charms, she was beginning to get bored. Off around the lake she could see people playing with the Crups. Hagrid was banging around inside his hut, preparing the food. And Ron and Harry had vanished around the other side of the hut, the little dog proving to be much stronger than it looked, almost tearing Ron's arm off as it went chasing after Dean, Neville, and Seamus' Crup.

"Does the little mudblood not get along with the little puppy? Poor girl, poor, poor muggle." came the mocking drawl of none other than Malfoy. He was leaning against the wall of the hut, arms crossed over his chest.

Hermione's breath hitched in her throat, but she forced herself to remain calm. After all, she was holding her wand in her fingers, it wouldn't take more than half a second to point it at him and mutter 'petrificus totalus'. "Go away, Malfoy." she strained her voice to remain steady, carefully pretending to be reading her book, though she watched him very carefully from the corner of her eyes.

Of course, he did not go away. Instead, he slowly sauntered closer, his eyes raking over her, as if he found her attractive. But he couldn't, she was nothing but a mudblood to him. "You know, Granger, people are beginning to talk already. Why weren't you in classes this morning, hmm?" Stopping infront of her, he looked up. Sitting on the fence as she was, his head only reached her shoulders. "I could have a lot of fun with rumours, you know." That sickening little smirk was playing over his lips again.

Hermione was forcing herself to ignore him. The drought charm, while effective on smaller masses of water, would require at least a dozen powerful wizards to drain a lake. Of course, this is never a good idea... No, it was no good, his voice was drilling into her head again. That, and his fingers had landed on her thighs, lightly ticking. Hermione wasn't sure if it was a nice feeling or not... But then again, it was Malfoy. Shutting her book, she swatted his hands with the bound end. "Slog off, I said."

In one quick grab, though, Malfoy had snatched away the book and tossed it over his shoulder. And her wand. That was her wand twirling in his fingers! Hermione's skin chilled. She felt more violated than even the night before. He was touching her wand! Leaning over, Hermione made a grab for her wand. Draco playfully held it just out of reach. "Kiss me, and I may give it back." he taunted.

Her wand. She was nothing without her wand. No, that wasn't true. She just needed it to do a severing charm on his head. He would always be quicker than her, though, and she would never kiss him for it, the mere idea repulsed her, especially after last night. No. Instead, she inhaled a deep breath and let out on note of a yell for Hagrid before her voice snapped off and she was yanked off of her perch.

For the second time in two days, Hermione felt like she had run into a wall. Draco was stronger than he looked. Much stronger. In one hand, he held her wand well out of her reach. His other hand had her trapped against him. Immediately, Hermione tried to scream again, but Draco cut her short by aiming her own wand at her face.

"You yell for help, and by the time anyone gets here you'll be nothing more than a puddle of slime."

He would do it, too. She knew he would. Narrowing her eyes, Hermione forced herself to relax. She had tensed up, but now she wanted to maintain some semblance of control. "Let go of me and return my wand, Draco, or it will be fifty points from Slytherin."

Draco's lips twisted that smirk of his to something even darker. "This won't be any different than last night, Granger. You'll submit to me now like you did then. Only this time, you can at least pretend you have a choice." Tilting his chin down, he moved in close to her face. Hermione refused to retreat even now, and something in him almost admired that courage in her. Almost. "Now, kiss me, Granger. Make a good show."

"Show?" Hermione echoed, confused. At least, until, she saw a group of Gryffindors moving their way, their Crups leading the way. Harry and Ron were not part of it. "I will not!" she hissed, but Draco twitched her wand again. He raised his eyebrows at her, and opened his mouth to mutter a curse. "Bloody..." Hermione muttered, before planting her mouth over Draco's. She made no move to make it any more of a kiss than just their lips touching, but Draco once again reminded her. He was poking her wand into her side. Grinding her teeth, Hermione inexpertly moved her lips. How exactly was she supposed to kiss, anyways? She'd never done it before, except when Draco had kissed her last night. And that didn't really count, did it?

"Much better, my little mudblood." Draco murmured with something akin to affection before he took control of the kiss, mashing their lips together, snaking his tongue out to pry through her teeth and taste her. His free hand wandered along her back, sliding down and around her backside. Curse that long robe, he couldn't find a way in for his hand. But when he heard shocked whispers from the nearing crowd, he knew it was done. Taking Hermione's chin in his hand, he forced her to look at him. She had tears dancing in those chocolate brown eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She was stronger than he thought. "Now listen to me closely. If you don't want Weasley and Potter hurt, you'll do what I say, when I say. You will not resist me." Releasing her chin, he stroked his hand over her hair. "You did well today. But I'll have you whimpering for more at me feet in no time."

Hermione was trembling with unreleased rage. If only she had her wand... But she couldn't, now. People were watching. And it donned on her. Draco was smarter than she thought. People would think they were involved. Her coming to the tower crying and bloody could be blamed off to a fight between lovers. And the tender way Draco was speaking to her now, petting her hair, of course it looked that way to people. But she knew it was more like how he would treat a favourite dog. Nothing more. She was a toy. And she knew he would stay true to his word. He would harm Harry and Ron without a second thought. "You bastard, I can go straight to Dumbledore and tell him the truth. He'll believe me."

"You wouldn't do such a thing." Draco purred, nudging his mouth along her neck. Latching his lips to her neck, he dabbed his tongue on her soft skin, lightly bit, and inhaled. That would leave a mark. Draco was here. This belongs to Draco. He loved it all, it was so sweet. "You will tell anyone who asks that you have a thing for me, and I took pity on a poor mudblood like you. You'll lap up any attention I give you, and you'll enjoy it to. Maybe not right now, but eventually, you will."

Hermione still felt like she had been plunged into the lake in the middle of winter. "You'll get yours one of these days, Malfoy. And I'll be damned, but I'll be the one who does it." Finally, his grip loosened and she shoved away from him, snatching her wand away when he offered. He gave her one of his evil little grins before turning to the small crowd that had gathered. He gave a smug little wave, then sauntered off to rejoin Crabbe and Goyle. Hermione huffed out her breath and gathered up her book, shoving it so harshly into her book bag that it ripped.

"Oh, hell!" she swore, exasperated. Pointing her wand at the bag, she muttered "Reparo." and flung it over her shoulders.

"Hermione, we didn't know..." Lavender was one of the crowd. Her and Parvati, along with Neville who had joined them, moved to block Hermione's exit.

"No, you didn't know. You don't know. You don't know anything!" Hermione snapped, shoving through them and storming up to the castle. She was tempted to go and tell Dumbledore, McGonagall, anyone, but... But she couldn't. Draco would hurt her friends, she didn't doubt that. And maybe, just maybe, she did enjoy it a bit. Damn Draco, but she did like the way he kissed.