((A.N. Hi, everyone! Sorry about the long wait! I went camping and now school has started so I can't update as frequently as before, but I will try! This is one of my favorite chapters... the turning of the tides! Sorry if I take Draco a little out of character, but I had to eventually to make this story work. Read and Review please!))


Disclaimer: You know. I claim nothing. Just the plot. Thank you J.K Rowling for creating Harry Potter much to the delight of us.



*** TWO WEEKS LATER***



Draco sighed and moved off of the bed. He walked over to the window and opened it with a whoosh, leaning out and taking in the view. Somehow it lacked the usual breath-taking effect that he had come to know.


Indeed, Draco was troubled. His faced screwed up in intense concentration as he tried to organize the thoughts in his head. This is all Grangers fault, he thought with intensity. He hadn't been to see her for more than two weeks and Draco remotely wondered if his father had noticed. Ever since their fight, though, he hadn't been able to shake off the thought of her. Probably because she made me so angry, he concluded. In the days past she had seemed to pop into his mind at the oddest of times. When he was flying on his broomstick, listening to music, or even looking into Pansy's eyes. In fact, now that Draco thought about it, he could barely do anything without it minding him of Hermione. Damn her! He thought crazily. How could she ruin my life like this? Everything is her fault! Everything!


Finally Draco decided that there had to be some way to end this madness. Hermione had simply made him angry and that was the reason for thinking about her. Of course! He thought. All I have to do is go and see her so I won't be mad at her anymore! That's it. Draco smiled in the dappling afternoon sun streaming through his window. He was positive that seeing her would make everything clearer. Little did he know that seeing her would do quite the opposite.


_** ** ** ** **_


Hermione unwillingly let herself drift back to reality. She didn't open her eyes, but instead lingered on the dream she had been having. Something about a beautiful rose garden, Hermione remembered dreamily. Then she sadly opened her eyes to find herself confined to the cell, as always.


It had gotten worse in the past few weeks. Hermione had stopped caring whether it was day or night, what time it was, or even what week it was. She her neither lost nor gained a pound, for although they didn't feed her much, she got no exercise at all. Like a stone she would sit, minute after minute, hour after hour, until sleep took her once more.


The only thin that kept her going was when Narcissa visited. This was a high point in Hermione's day. Narcissa would bring food, games, and chatter. Hermione and Narcissa would talk for hours on end, and indeed they became fast friends. Narcissa was often busy, however, and couldn't stay long. Hermione found herself becoming more and more depressed with every passing day.


She found herself wishing, strangely enough, that Draco would come to see her. Probably because I'm so bored, Hermione reasoned logically. Even if we are shouting insults at each other the entire time, it is more interesting than just sitting here.


She heard the lock to her door click and looked up. She almost yelped when it was Draco that stepped in. He was once again wearing that mocking smirk that Hermione detested.


"Hello, Granger," he greeted her as coldly as ever.


"Malfoy," she said lightly, matching his tone of voice.


"Got a little emotional the other night, didn't you?" She said acidly. The young Malfoy made sure his expression didn't falter.


"Me, emotional? You were doing the yelling, Granger," he retorted slyly.


"That's true," she said in a modest tone. "You were doing the crying, though."


This time Draco looked away quickly.


Hermione smiled for the first time in a long time. She'd never realized how much she enjoyed taunting him.


"It's okay, Malfoy," she said in a mock serious tone. "It's okay to cry."


He looked up at her, his eyes filled with rage. Hermione's face broke into a grin and she began laughing wildly. Draco couldn't stop a smile from breaking over his face too.


"Are you making fun of me, Granger?" he said disbelievingly. "I never even knew you had a sense of humor."


She looked at him, still smiling. Suddenly her smile faded.


"Listen, Malfoy, this is going to be very difficult for you to understand," Hermione said slowly. Draco wondered what she was talking about but said nothing.


"Well, I haven't been out of the cell in, well, ages. I don't even know if it's morning or night. I figured that even you would have the sympathy to let me out, even just for a few minutes." Hermione looked at him with pleading eyes. Draco gave a short, harsh laugh.



"And you think I would do that for you, Granger?" Draco asked doubtfully.


Hermione tilted er head sideways for a few seconds, apparently thinking. "No actually, I don't. Never mind. Stupid of me to even–


"How do I know you wont escape?" Draco asked slowly.


She looked at him as if he was insane. "Well, that's a little obvious, isn't it, Malfoy? First of all, I have no idea where this manor is located. We could be in the middle of nowhere for all I know, miles from any civilization. Second of all," she held out er hands in a peacemaking fashion. "Do you see a wand here? I take one step towards the door and you whip out your wand and full body-bind me." Hermione looked at him skeptically. "See how it'd be just a tiny bit difficult for me to escape?" Hermione said, a hint of desperation in her voice.


"Okay, okay," Draco said finally. "You probably can't escape. But may I remind you that we are still arch enemies? If I let you out of this cell, you'll have to do a little something for me."


Hermione looked at him disbelievingly. Whatever Draco had in mind, it would be terrible, she knew it. But to get out of the God forsaken cell for a few minutes? Hermione reasoned, I'll do anything. Groaning, she said, "You have a deal, Malfoy."


Draco's smirk grew wider, causing the pit of her stomach to drop. He strode over to her and squatted down. It reminded Hermione sickeningly of Lemanus Gilroy, and she backed against the wall. Draco was looking at her strangely, his face not more than an inch away.


"Calm down, Granger," he said casually, taking a hold of her arm. "I'm trying to get your chains undone." Hermione inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and wondered if he had on purposely tried to scare her. She felt his smooth hands lift her arm up. He stared at it intently, before saying, "Of course." He pulled out his wand and muttered 'precipuus ostium' Hermione frowned, wondering why she'd never heard of that spell. Once both of her chains were undone, Draco straightened up. Hermione rotated her wrists, feeling strangely free. Then she tried to stand up, but to his surprise, stumbled forward onto her knees. He reached out a hand to help her. Just as she reached for it, he caught himself and snatched his hand back. She fell harder and looked up at him with daggers for eyes. He thought he heard her mutter something like, 'such a gentleman' under her breath.


"Having trouble learning to walk, are we, Granger?" Draco asked mockingly. Bracing herself against the wall, she slowly stood up. Her leg muscles were almost nonexistent for weeks of not walking. She felt her face go scarlet with embarrassment as she looked up. Draco felt an uncalled pang of pity hit him; she looked so pathetic, barely holding herself up, her legs wobbling terribly. He forced this unknown feeling out of his mind and smirked.


"Follow me, Granger," he said slyly. "That is, if you can." With that Draco turned and walked fluidly out of the cell, wondering if Hermione would be able to follow.