Hermione rose from her covers and rushed to the door and pressed her ear to the wood. She could hear the racking sobs echo throughout the tiled room. Her heart ached for the poor soul who was crying in the next room. But who would be in the Head bathroom this late at night? Conclusions jumped to her mind and then it hit her. Malfoy. As ludicrous as it seemed, she knew it had to be him.

Not waiting a moment longer, Hermione thrust open the door and immediately scanned the room for him. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a pitiful looking heap of black robes sprawled out on the floor. The figure was shaking uncontrollably as each heart wrenching sob took him.

Hermione ran to his side and started to pry the robes from his face. A pair of bright wide eyes peered back at her from the clothing she pulled back. Then, the full face emerged from the black robes and stared back at the curiously concerned girl in front of it.

Draco Malfoy slowly rose to face Hermione from his place on the floor. Draco did not return her gaze as she silently demanded an answer. Hermione tilted his chin upward till it matched her own.

"Malfoy, are you gonna be alright?" Hermione inquired and noticed an unmistaken able shudder at the use of his surname. She began to stroke his cheek and run her fingers through his velvety bleached hair. Hermione didn't understand why, but all of a sudden, she had the strangest urge to just reach out and comfort him. The soft strands of blondeness slipped through her fingers easily and his beautiful pale delicate skin was as smooth as silk. She couldn't bring herself to stop touching him even when her brain was kicking her to quit it.

"Do you need anything? Will you talk to me? Oh! Shhhh... It's ok! I'm here. Hermione was extremely startled to see Draco had once again commenced his tears. At this moment, Hermione wanted nothing more than to console him. She gently reached out and took him into her arms. Noticing how frail he was, she just held him like a sleeping child, though after a while, he became one.

Hermione watched Draco with fascination as he began to calm down and sink into a gentle slumber. Her brain was scrambling itself as it wondered for explanations. Why in the world would Draco Malfoy, King of Slytherin, Son of the Right Hand Death Eater, be crying in the middle of the night with no one to console him?

Hermione rocked back and forth in her own thoughts while still trying to take care of the resting boy in her arms. She attempted to stand as lightly as she could and carried the gorgeous Draco to her bed. Hermione laid him down carefully and settled him under her covers. She made sure that he was blanketed and pillowed before leaving the room.

Hermione quietly walked out of her dorm and stretched out on the couch. How extraordinary it was to have just put Draco Malfoy into bed like a small toddler. She was very worried about the teenager who in fact was as pathetic as a child. Hermione struggled profusely to come up with a solution of Draco.

"What possible reason would THE Draco Malfoy have for crying all alone in a loo in the middle of the night like he had been abandoned?" Hermione thought aloud. Failing to produce an answer, she prepared herself for a night on the sofa, promising to wrestle it out of him tomorrow.

Out of the darkness came the tiniest of whimpers from Hermione's room. Hermione bolted upright as she heard the little peeps. She rose from her couch and tiptoed to the door. Coming from inside were faint sobs identical to the ones she had put a stop to earlier.

She pushed open the door and found Malfoy on his back in the spread eagle position twitching and shaking like there was something in top of him, restraining him. Malfoy continued to whimper until at one point, he let out a blood curling scream. All she could seem to do was watch the horrible nightmare that had taken Malfoy, for her legs didn't want to move whatsoever. It was only when he began to shout out for death to come; Hermione then knew she had to get in there. She dashed to Malfoy's side and started to wake him up when all of a sudden, the teenager dropped still on top of the rumpled covers. He became alarmingly still except for the occasional shudder accompanied by a tearful whimper.

Hermione was shocked at this random fit that had seized Malfoy which had deceased as quickly as it had commenced. The Head girl, unsure of what to do now, walked cautiously to Malfoy's side and stroked his furrowed brow. Malfoy winced in discomfort and she immediately withdrew her hand. As soon as she did this, he once again began to cry lightly. Hermione replaced her hand on his head and noticed the wrinkles in his forehead smoothen out. His face took on a placid look of peace and his breathing became regulated.

Hermione was still adjusting to the situation in front of her. Her mind was telling her to leave quickly and alert a Professor but her body wouldn't let her leave the defenseless boy. So, torn, Hermione mounted the bed and cuddled next to the unsuspecting Malfoy who was sleeping beside her. She let her heart lead her actions and began once again to caress the young man before her.

Apparently, the teenager was soothed by her presence, because all Malfoy did was scoot in closer to his source of relief. As Hermione herself drifted off to sleep with Draco Malfoy clinging to her body, she forgot all the hurtful memories that had plagued her mind.

Draco Malfoy awoke to his arms circling a warm soft body next to him on an extremely comfortable bed. He struggled to comprehend where he was and why he was there when he realized he was not in his own bed. Deep crimson and gold painted the room and sunlight flooded through the window. Draco lifted his body up slowly and tried to remember the previous night's events. He wondered why he couldn't lift his body when he noticed a mop of golden locks spread over his chest. A slender body was draped over his legs and torso with scantily covering pajamas. Oh God. Hermione.

Suddenly, Draco's brain was swamped with recollections of last night. His painful nightmares leading him to the bathroom. His heart pouring out with his tears. Hermione finding him in distress. Hermione putting him to bed. Lucius playing with his mind. Hermione comforting him and sleeping with him. It was all coming back to him. And he knew he didn't like it.

Guiltily, Draco pried himself loose from her limbs and stepped into the bathroom with a final glance at the beautiful queen lying on her bed. He walked daintily into the shower and let the hot water drown him. Hermione Granger. The Hogwarts Whore. What was wrong with him? Last night, she had slept in his bed with him and seen him in a weak position. His father would kill him if he knew. In fact, everyone would kill him if they knew.

Draco reminded himself the need to avoid Granger today because if he knew Granger, she was gonna want an explanation. And she was gonna want it soon. Draco didn't care now. All he cared about now was getting clean. And washing away last nights memories.