Chapter 4.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter characters. A/N: First I want to thank my Beta reader, DolceSoulKeeper and those who read and review. I want y'all to continue reading and review, it inspires me to write. I would like to let you know that I need to some time to write chapter 5-10. So you should check back the week of April 6th, I will have chapters 5 and 6 posted. Thanks.

Hermione ran as fast as she could, crying tears of frustration. Malfoy used to be a harmless git, who was all talk, but now he seemed to be much more. Malfoy was now a threat. Hermione replayed his last words over and over again. She was lost in thought until she bumped into something hard. Hermione lay on the floor rubbing her forehead wondering what she had run in to.

"Oi, Hermione you were running at neck- breaking speed." Said a person in front of her. Hermione knew right away that it was Ron.

"Oh hi." She simply replied.

"Honestly Hermione, you really should watch where your going." He continued stretching out his arm.

"Well sorry," said Hermione grabbing his extended arm pulling herself up in to a standing position.

"C'mon, Harry is waiting. We've been looking for you." Ron said starting to walk down the opposite corridor Hermione had came running from.

"You missed all afternoon classes, but don't panic. There was no homework." Ron continued.

Hermione didn't realize till now that it was indeed late. She looked out the window. The sun was setting and there were torches lit in front of the castle. Darkness started to envelop the Forbidden forest. Hermione followed Ron still thinking about her little encounter with Mr. Slytherin. Malfoy was like an unsolvable mystery. He never wore his emotions and you never knew what trick he had up his sleeve.

They met Harry in by the DADA classroom. He was pacing the hallway feverishly. Hermione knew this action too well. There was something on his mind that troubled him. When he noticed the pair emerging from the dark corridor, he immediately stopped pacing. His emerald eyes lit up and on his red luscious lips curled into a smile. One thing Harry was damn well good at is hiding his true feelings. Right now was a perfect example. He was putting on a wonderful show.

"Hey Hermione, where have you been?" said Harry approaching them.

Hermione didn't bother to answer his question, but instead she posed a new one.

"Who is the new DADA teacher?"

"Oh it's a relative of Moody. He's a bit of a loon if you ask me." replied Ron.

Harry and Ron told Hermione all about the new DADA teacher as they traveled back to the common room. As they walked in they heard a high pitched squeal that belonged to non other than Pavarti. Neville and Pavarti were in the corner snogging under a purple blanket. They hadn't heard when Harry, Hermione and Ron entered. They all watched with amused expressions on their faces until they heard a low growl saying, "God damn Pavarti, those are huge!"

Both Harry and Ron arched their eyebrows. Hermione was just as surprised. She wasn't looking forward to hearing more. She cleared her throat causing Neville to spring up from under the purple mass. With him came Pavarti's metallic blue bra. She stretched out her hand grabbing the blanket to cover her D 34's. After a brief greeting they left, leaving Hermione, Harry, and Ron in the common room.

"Well that was interesting," said Hermione taking her usual seat in the huge armchair near the fireplace.

Both boys agreed with Hermione's statement then took a seat in the sofa opposite her. Each one of them was silent. Ron started to fidget with his robes. The smile that Harry wore now faded. He looked into the blazing flames of the fireplace. He was thinking hard. Knowing Harry for so long, Hermione knew he was thinking about whatever was bothering him. There was an air of uneasiness in the room.

"Why?" Harry whispered still looking into the flames.

Hermione looked at her friend wondering what in Merlin's name is he talking about. She saw Ron shoot Harry a worried glance before he continued.

"Why didn't you tell us?" he said now looking Hermione straight in the eye.

"I'm sorry? Tell you what?" Hermione was surprised at how calm she sounded. That definitely wasn't the way she felt inside. Hermione started to panic. She knew they would find out but she hadn't expected them to find out so soon.

"Well, Er....., Hermione, um, well," sputtered Ron. He took a deep breath before he continued. "We overheard you telling McGonagall about your problem."

"Shit!" whispered Hermione. This was supposed to be a secret. Now McGonagall, Harry, Ron and even Malfoy knew.

Once again she heard the question she didn't want to answer.

"Why didn't you tell us Hermione?" questioned Ron.

Hermione suddenly became very interested in the carpet. She couldn't look at them. It would be too much to see their hurt faces, pitying her. PITY, Hermione Granger was not someone to be pitied. This angered Hermione.

Harry was silent till now. "Hermione, we'll understand if you don't want to talk about"

"Yes, we fully understand. We feel your pain." Added Ron

With this said Hermione's head shot up. She was gripping the arm rest tightly. Ron was always the one to say something stupid to upset Hermione.

"No, No, you don't understand. Don't you dare tell me that because you have no idea how it feels to be helpless and scared!" screamed Hermione.

Next, Hermione got up and stormed out the common room. Before she made her exit she turned to the two young men. She stared at Harry and Ron, who wore pained expressions on their faces.

"You boys will learn in time that some things are not to be meddled in!" she spat then left.

Harry buried his head in his hands while Ron paced the room running his hands through his cherry colored hair.

Looking up at Ron after a moment's silence Harry whispered, "We've lost her."

Ron stopped his pacing and looked at Harry. There was sadness swimming in his jade eyes. Ron slammed his fist into the nearest wall before sliding down it. He knew it was the truth but he didn't want to accept it. The truth hurts, but being lied to is even worse. Hermione was drifting far away tearing the seven year friendship. He couldn't let that happen. He cared for her too much.

It had been a stressful day for the young Malfoy. Being head boy, Quidditch captain and Hogwarts' most desired able bachelor was too much for him to handle. Everywhere he went the girls chased him wanting to show him a good time in a nearby broom closet. Teacher's lectured him often about setting a good example, being head boy and all. His team mates stopped him in the halls wanting to challenge the best of the best. And then there was Granger and his new plan. It would be quite an interesting year.

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Hermione sat in the tub, cutting her wrist. She let it bleed. She didn't care. There was no more pain, no more stress. No, none of that, just comfort. The bathroom had been quiet until she heard footsteps approaching the door. Next she heard a male voice whispering the unlocking spell and the door opening. Who else could it be? The one and only Draco Malfoy. Hermione prepared herself for the worse.

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After a meeting with the Slytherin Quidditch team, he proceeded to his chambers. Whispering the password he entered the common room. Draco threw himself onto his couch. He couldn't sleep although he was exhausted. The night was still young. Realizing he needed to take a shower, Draco headed to the bathroom. Only to discover it was locked. Draco picked up his wand and whispered "Alohomora". The door immediately unlocked itself.

Stepping into the huge lavatory Draco noticed that he wasn't the only person in here. There was a Hogwarts robe lying on the floor near the sink. He could make out the silhouette of a female behind the shower curtains. He knew it had to be Granger.

"Come to see the blade runner in action, have you?" said a female voice. It was a soft voice, but it dripped with venom.

Walking towards the tub, he replied sarcastically, "No, actually I've come to take a shower, but if you're willing to give me a prize winning performance I'll gladly stay."

Hermione shot him a deadly glare.

"You're sicker than I thought Malfoy!" screamed Hermione.

Draco took a seat at the edge of the tub looking at Hermione. There she was, her wrist soaking with blood, staining the white tub. She looked helpless.

"Relax mudblood. I have no intention to stick around for you're little blood bath," he said.

Hermione felt her blood boil. She squeezed the razor hard, making a deep gash in her palm. The blood leaked through her fingers and onto her skirt. Draco, who saw this, simply ignored it. He began to study her from head to toe. She wasn't the buck toothed, bushy haired, smart aleck anymore. Granger had grown into a dazzling young woman. Her bushy brown hair, which matched her eyes, was now straight and sleek. Her face consisted of lovely chocolate eyes, and thick luscious lips that parted to show pearly white teeth. Her body was the definition of irresistible. Granger's uniform clung to her in all the right places making her hard not to stare at.

And now her porcelain skin was painted with crimson liquid. Draco bent over, pried her hands open, and removed the razor from her bleeding hand.

"You know Granger, how could someone like you so smart do something so stupid. You're doing all us purebloods a favor by ridding the earth of your filthy blood," he spat at Hermione.

"Sod off Malfoy, your presence here is making me sick."

"So is yours, don't think I enjoy your company either."

"Give me my blasted razor back Malfoy."

"I'm sorry Granger but that can't be done."

Hermione was silent. She knew she didn't have the energy to fight with Malfoy. He was much stronger than she was, as he had proved earlier that day. And even if she did have the energy, she was weak from the lost of blood. She sighed and slumped lower into the tub.

"What is it that you want from me." she asked.

"I don't want anything from you." he replied

"So why can't I have my razor back."

"You're going to do something stupid."

"And why would you care. I would have thought that you'd want a mudblood like me dead. Isn't that correct, Malfoy?"

He was silent. Draco knew what she had just said was true and now he felt guilty. Draco remembered all the times he had told Granger that she deserved to die along with others like her. Now that wasn't exactly what he wanted anymore. In fact he never meant any of it. He just said it to live up to his public persona. He knew he had hurt Granger and honestly he never cared. Now he was actually observing the affect it had on her.

"Listen Granger every one has their problems, but this is no way to solve them," he finally said after a long pause.

Hermione looked at the Slytherin "And I suppose you have a better way of solving my problem," she stated plainly not expecting the response she was about to get.

Draco's smirk now transformed into a scowl. "Don't get smart with me bitch!"

Malfoy's last comment was like a slap in the face for Hermione. She was already annoyed and on the verge of crying, she didn't need this. What in Merlin's name did she do to deserve this treatment?

Wiping away some stray tears that fell out her eyes, she slowly rose out of the tub looking Malfoy in the eye. For a minute they just stared never breaking their eye contact. Draco stared into those deep brown eyes. She made no attempt to hide what she was feeling.

What Hermione did next was unexpected. She slapped Draco with so much force that his head whipped to the side. He slowly turned his head to face Granger. Draco's pale flawless skin was now branded with a crimson hand mark. Hermione looked into his stormy gray eyes. Both individuals were burning with fury.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that again," she said before turning on her heels to walk out of the bathroom. Before she could reach the door, she was whipped around and thrown forcefully on the cold tiles. Malfoy, who towered above her bent down to meet her face. His face showed no emotion but his eyes exposed everything.

In a bone chilling tone Draco started, "If you ever....EVER put your filthy hands on me again I'll see to it that you'll pay, and pay dearly mudblood," as he said this he inched closer to her face. Hermione's instincts told her to back away, and she followed them. Draco grabbed her face in his hands and continued. "When I'm finished with you, you'll beg me to murder you, which I won't hesitate to do. Granger your just filth on my robes. Learn to respect those superior to you." He paused searching her face for any sign of emotion. She was terrified. It was as clear as day.

Draco leaned in towards Hermione's ear. She could feel his hot breath on her neck. Tightening his grip on Hermione he continued. "In the end what it all comes down to is that Draco Malfoy is the very definition of pain."

With that said he let go of her face and stomped out the bathroom.