Yay, I got my Microsoft Word back! Well I decided I'm not going to reply to reviews anymore unless it's something that should be explained to everyone, but I'll still list the people who reviewed. Anyways, here's chapter 11!
shows thoughts
** shows emphasis on a word
Chapter 11
Hermione walked in the door to her bedroom, collapsing on her bed. Closing her eyes, she had no idea what to do. She didn't want anybody else to see her like this, looking at her with either admiration or slight scorn.
An idea came, and she grabbed her phone. Clicking Ginny's speed-dial button, she listened to the ring. Ginny's voice took its place.
"Hello, this is Ginny."
"Hey, Hun. It's Mione. Um, I think I'm just gonna stay in tonight, so could you do me a favor and tell everyone to not bother showing?
"Sure, are you all right?" Concern weaved itself throughout Ginny's voice.
"Yeah, I just have some homework and want to get to bed early tonight. I'll see you tomorrow, K?"
"Whatever. But you know that if there's *anything* wrong at all you can talk to me. I'll be here."
Hermione hated having to lie to her friends like this. She wished that there was someone that she could talk to. "Thanks," she sighed, "I know. Bye."
"See ya."
The dial tone took over and Hermione closed her eyes and turned her phone off, reaching over to place it on the computer desk.
~*~
Hermione woke up from her nap and looked at her clock. Its numbers read only 7:13. Unable to go back to sleep, she realized none of her friends were going to Hogwarts and she could avoid her parents more by going there.
She stood up and walked over to her vanity and noticed her disheveled hair from the bit of much-needed sleep. Reaching over, she grabbed her hairbrush to make her hair at least somewhat acceptable. After reapplying her make-up and smoothing out her clothes, she grabbed a jacket and walked out.
While running down the stairs, she yelled for her parents to hear. "I'm going to meet some friends at Hogwarts, I'll be back by nine or ten!" Upon grunts of approval, she went out the door and took the shortest way possible to the club.
~*~
Draco sat on a couch at Hogwarts looking around for everyone else. He had no idea where they were, being the only one Ginny forgot to call. A girl he remembered as Parvati made her way over to him. Although he moved to get up, she pulled on his arm to get him back down, sitting uncomfortable close next to her. He shifted.
"Draco, sweetie! It's been, oh, forever. How have you been?" He knew that voice had to be fake."
"Better before now."
"Oh, that's horrible. I'll have to make it better. It seems you have *nobody* here with you. You poor thing, you're all alone. I could help."
"Could you now," he replied, only half listening.
"Actually I could." She moved her position so she was straddling him and flung her arms around his shoulders. Draco was looking away, ready to get out of this position. Parvati snaked her head around so her face was in front of his, though. "Very well, at that," she added in a low voice.
Suddenly, he flung her off of him onto her back on the rug in front of the couch they were on. He was now standing. "Damn, girl, can't you take a hint?" She looked up at him.
"You like it rough, huh?"
"Yeah, I do like it rough. Too rough for you or any other little girl." He had a menacing look in his eyes, though he knew he would never do anything. "I advise you go to the street corner where you belong before anything gets messy."
Parvati scrambled for her things, avoiding having to look at Draco, and rushed out the door. Draco sat back down on the couch, putting his head in his hands. After sitting like that for several minutes, he finally looked up deciding that if no one showed up in a few minutes he would leave.
Shifting his positions, he noticed someone walking in the door: Hermione. She was making her way over to the bar, but noticed him, too. Her eyes widening, she quickly turned around and started making back for the door. Draco stood up and ran over to her.
"Hermione! Stop, please." She continued walking at a brisk pace. "Please! I can't stop you because I don't want to hurt you." This made her slow.
God, I can't do this she thought to herself. Why don't I just go, he's not stopping me Regardless, she turned around.
"Come on, let's sit down," he said quietly. She nodded and followed him. They sat down on the couch Draco had been sitting on previously. There was only silence for a few minutes and they were becoming uncomfortable. Hermione winced as she took off her jacket. Finally Draco asked the inevitable question. "What happened to you Hermione?"
"I fell."
"No you didn't. If you did you would have said so earlier just to get it over with."
"Do you just think that I have some flimsy excuse? Maybe I'm tired of having to explain it to *everyone*." She hoped he'd either believe her or just let it go.
"Actually I do think that you just have a flimsy excuse. You fell, right?"
Hermione closed her eyes for a second. She opened them again. "Yeah."
Draco reached over and pulled up her sleeve that there was the hand mark. "Then how do you explain this?"
She pulled her arm away and her sleeve back down, looking away.
"Even if you fell, you wouldn't have grabbed your arm this hard. You wouldn't have grabbed it this hard for anything." He felt accusing and softened his voice so it was barely above a whisper. "Someone did this to you, didn't they?"
Hermione turned her head back towards Draco, her eyes beginning to brim. All of a sudden, she let out a sob. She kept crying and let out the whole story, not knowing what else to do. He just sat and comforted her as she cried into him, never letting her go.
~*~
Her tears had subsided a bit before but she was still shaking.
"It's ok. I'm here for you. I won't leave you," he continued to whisper to her. Every once in a while someone would look over, but feel obtrusive on the moment and avert their eyes.
Hermione pulled back enough to look into his face. "Promise?" she asked in a small voice.
He gave a tiny smile. "I promise." She lay back against him and he kissed the top of her head.
Eventually, she calmed down. "Walk me home, please. I can't do it myself yet." He nodded, understanding. Recognizing the jacket next to them, he grabbed it for her and after she put it on, she went to stand. As soon as she did, she nearly fell, but Draco gently caught her just in time. In a single swift movement, he swung her into his arms and she held on to him.
She's so light he thought to himself. "I have to make a quick stop on the way, though, ok?"
Hermione nodded and leaned into him. About ten minutes later she looked up and found herself at a secluded mansion? she thought. Draco took her inside and set her on a chair. He scribbled something she couldn't see on a paper and told her it was a note for his father. Once done, he helped her back up. She could walk better now, but he still held on to her. They closed the door behind them leaving an empty room. On the table lay a single piece of paper with writing on it, the same one Draco left.
Father,
I know I told you not, but I figured you'd understand. I found some girl and figured I'd stay at her place, you know, try some stuff out. You could say "like father like son" if you would like.
Sincerely,
Draco
At the bottom edge of the paper, there seemed to be a line tracing it. In reality, it was an unreadable post-script. It said: You would be wrong, though.
~*~
They walked the rest of the way to the Granger's house in silence. As they neared the door Hermione's legs went weak again, and Draco carried her once more. He opened the front door, hoping her parents were asleep. They slipped off their jackets and shoes and made their way up the stairs and to her room. Once safely inside, they both let out a breath of air.
"I'll sleep on the floor," said Draco before Hermione could mention anything about it. "You're hurt and it's probably better than other conditions I've had."
"Right, um, the bathroom's right across the hall and you can wash up while I change." She watched him leave the room.
Once he came back, she was in a black tank top and red sleep pants. What he noticed, though, was the greater extent of injuries she had, especially her shoulder. He also noticed a small mattress and blanket pulled out from under her bed for him.
"Ginny sleeps over a lot," she explained, but noticed his concerned look for her. "I'm fine, she said one last time and turned off the light and made her way for the bed, as Draco did for his make-shift one. After seconds he heard her breathing become slow and deep, signifying she was asleep and he knew he could too.
He woke up about an hour later to Hermione snuggling up next to him on his make-shift bed, obviously having woken up and not able to sleep. He turned over and fell back asleep with her next to him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
That's it so did ya like it, hate it? It seems short and is in context but it took much longer to write and took place longer in my head. Also, I know its about a half-hour into Sunday but ff.net wasn't working on my computer. Look out for chapter 12 next week!
Thank you *soooooo* much to: Riley26, kili-2, Meg, Heather, Katy, nightxXxshade, April Showers2, and In Dream. Also, many of you asked if it was Lucius that she saw and I'm going to just say that I can't tell because it comes in later in the story.