Disclaimer: I own nothing other then the plot line...All characters and such belongs to J.K. Rowling
Chapter Four: Problems Worsen
The rest of the day passed by quickly; Draco sitting at the desk of his room writing, Hermione sitting on her bed reading. When she came to the end of her book Hermione got up, crossed through the bathroom and knocked on Draco's door. "Come in." was the response shouted back at her. She silently opened his door. "Um...I'm heading off to bed Draco. I will be fine tonight without your company." "Your not going to try anything stupid are you?" "No Draco, I'm not going to do anything other then get a good night sleep." "Alright well then I will see you tomorrow morning." She turned and shut Draco's door behind her then proceeded back to her bedroom.
Once she shut her door she felt a hand being placed on her shoulder. Another hand was soon clamped over her mouth. She tried to scream and struggle but her scream came out mute and struggling turned to be pointless. "You told you little bitch. You told!" Hearing the voice piercing through her ears she knew she was in the company of her step- father once again. "I didn't tell... Please don't hurt me." "Don't lie bitch. The concealment charm I put on you vanished." "...So that's how he saw..." She knew she had just screwed up big time. "Who the bloody hell saw? How much did you tell this man?" "Nothing...I told him nothing."
Before she could argue any more he pushed her onto her bed, used his wand to magically tie her wrists and ankles to the bed posts and summoned a long glinting knife. "Why look, if it isn't you favorite toy?" When she looked up at the knife beads of sweat began to form on her skin and the tears that were already flowing began to flow harder. The procedure was how she remembered it; first a charm was placed on her so she wouldn't be able to scream. His hand gripped the knife so tightly his knuckles became white. He ripped off her shirt and pants leaving her virtually nude. It started with words...bitch...liar...fake...worthless being etched into her skin. Phrases were next... horrible mistake...worthless daughter... Last came the most painful he stuck the knife in as far as he dared without taking the chance of her dying then would slowly pull it out.
Each time he drove the knife into her pale and sweaty body blood would begin to glisten at the wound sites. As he pulled out the knife blood would splatter up to inches from the site. At last he vanished the knife. He made a quick movement and put his hands around her throat tightening his grip as he spoke. "You tell him anything further and I swear you will not live the next time we meet. Pleasant dreams..." And with that he was gone almost as quick as he had come and with his departure so was the departure of the silencing spell.
"Draco! Help me! Please..." Barely being able to speak and still gasping and choking for air after almost being strangled she couldn't get many words out. Almost as soon as her call for him died on her lips he broke into the room. "F---ing hell! My god Hermione wha...what happened?" Hermione silently and swiftly raised her hand and pointed to the black book lying open on her desk which had captured the recent scene. "Be back in a second." Draco tied the ribbon around his wrist and set off to see what she just went through.
Those minuets in which Draco was gone were horrible for Hermione. She flinched at every sound and every shadow. Finally after what seemed like hours Draco came back a look of pure terror on his face. Before words were spoken he dashed over to her and pulled out his wand; Hermione flinched as she looked at his wand, it was becoming so hard for her to trust anyone. He used his wand to fix the cuts and wounds that would kill her if left untreated. With every wounds being healed she gasped and moaned in pain. Finally when everything was healed she slide off the bed, stood up, and ran straight to Draco crying into his robes. Why her? Why this life?
Not even the icy prince of Slytherin could be this cold. "Hermione it will be alright. Things will get better. I'll get Potter and Weasley to help you." "No! You...you can't...they can't know...they can't know..." "But Hermione you need help. You can't handle this all on your own. Damn books can't help you this time." "Then...then I'll...I'll confide in you. I'll use you for help." Draco was astounded. Did she know what she was saying? Was she truly aware she was asking for his help? Right now, looking down at her pathetic figure in his arms he couldn't deny her the help she wanted from him. Maybe once things calm down for her he could go back to his sarcasm and icy temper, but most defiantly not now. "Alright Hermione, if you need me and choose me to go to for help I'll be ready and willing."
He vanished her blood covered sheets and replaced them with fresh new ones. He also used his wand to materialize a loose fitting shirt and pants for her to sleep in and changed his clothes over to some more suited for sleeping. He laid down on her bed and allowed her to sleep up against him; her head resting on his outstretched arm. He waited to go to sleep himself until he was sure she had drifted into what he thought was going to be a very bad nightmare.
Hours after he had finally drifted off to sleep he awoke to find it was morning. After he had gotten out of bed and once again used magic to change clothes and make it appear as though he had taken a shower Hermione began to scream and yell. "No...I didn't...I didn't... I didn't tell...Please...please leave me alone..." Draco couldn't take any more of it; he walked over to her and gently shook her awake. She yet again violently flinched away from his touch. "Hermione...Hermione...It's alright, it's me." She slowly calmed down then stood up and pulled him into a warm embrace.
After allowing her to shower and get dressed he met her in their common room. "Hermione come sit down we need to discuss some thing's." She hesitantly sat down next to him on their black leather couch. "Look, we need to make some decisions. Today classes start and I know people will get suspicious if we seem to be acting friendly to each other. I was just wondering how you wanted to handle things." "Draco, I had honestly never given this any thought. I...I don't know what to do." "I had come up with an idea, I had been thinking about it all morning. When we head down for meals and things you will have to walk down shortly before me. I will still keep you in my sight so that nothing will happen but yet it won't look like we are entering together. When you go to your other classes make sure you stay with Potter and Weasley, as much as I dislike them at least you can't be hurt in their presence. Next when we have a class where Gryffindor and Slytherin are combined I will have to throw some insults your way so no one thinks anything is different. Just know I don't necessarily mean them. And lastly, luckily we always end with a Gryffindor and Slytherin combined class. Make sure when it is time to leave you stick with Potter and Weasley once you get to the corridor where you have to spilt from them I should be there shortly to walk behind you up to our common room. Will that work?" "Yes, but can you...can you please not call me a mud...mud...mudblood?" As she said the word a single solitary tear leaked out of her left eye. "Yes alright, I won't call you a mudblood unless absolutely necessary. Well we better be going or we'll be late for our classes. I will meet you at potions last period make sure you walk slowly so I can walk behind you. Goodbye."
Hermione slowly stood up, went into her room to grab her bag and then set off out of the common room and began heading towards the Muggle Studies classroom. For the first time in her life she actually missed Draco Malfoy.