A/N - Thank you so much for the response to this. It makes me happy to know that my first attempt at a fic isn't that big of a flop. All suggestions are always welcome, don't hesitate to email me. We're picking up, here.

Warning: This next chapter includes some graphic details and sensitive material. You have been warned.

Hermione spent the rest of the day receiving worried looks from her friends. Throughout dinner they seemed unusually tense and nervous around her, as if the slightest wrong move would break her. Of course, Malfoy and his friends never resisted the chance to embarrass and annoy her. While she stared at her roll with a blank expression she could hear them trying to get her attention from the end of their table.

"Oh no! The sweets are out to get me!" Draco cried, flailing about like an idiot. People around him tittered with laughter, making nervous glances to see if any of this registered with her. Her face stayed as apathetic as it had been the entire night. Ron and Harry's eyes turned dark as they clenched their fists around their forks, willing Draco to push them just a little more.

"That great bugger is crossing the line," Ron growled, looking at Hermione with dark, yet sympathetic eyes. Hermione just stared at him blankly and shrugged, taking a small bite from her roll and setting it back down.

"He's dancing on it," Harry corrected, adjusting his glasses. He placed a forkful of chicken in his mouth and chomped on it. Hermione looked at him and shrugged again, taking a second bite from the roll and setting it back down again. She could still hear Malfoy making loud comments directed at her, but she found herself focusing more on what Harry and Ron were muttering.

"He's doing a good job of acting the fool," Ron spoke through a full mouth, "He's nothing more than a-"

"Five points if you finish that sentence, Weasley." Snape's unwelcome voice caused them all to jump and look up just in time to see him walk past them and out of the Hall. Ron's face contorted in to anger but he shut his mouth, eyes blazing. The next few minutes passed quietly, each of the three listening in on anything else they could hear. Lavender was trying to convince an anxious-looking first year to try one of the puddings. The girl prodded it with her fork and tried not to laugh. Parvati had her back turned to Seamus, who was trying to get her to turn around and listen to him. Over at the next table, a 5th year girl shrieked loudly as one of the boys poured water down her front. When Ron and Harry turned back to Hermione, she was taking a third small bite from her roll. She placed it back down on the plate a third time.

"Is that all you're going to eat tonight?" Ron asked. Hermione almost laughed at how much like his mother he sounded. It took her a moment to realize that he'd been referring to her.

"I'm not hungry, Ron." Hermione replied.

"It's Malfoy, isn't it?" Ron was completely oblivious. "That bloody dung head's always got to mess with anyone and everyone he can."

"It's got nothing to do with Malfoy, Ron!" Hermione yelled.

Ron considered this and then fixed a stupid grin to his face. "You're not still stuck on spew after all this time, are you? I thought we'd cleared this up, Hermione!"

"Really!" Hermione griped. Her voice was clearly thick with annoyance and exasperation. Standing up, she turned to leave the hall. Harry and Ron jumped up, ready to follow her.

"Hermione, come on! Why are you cross with us? We haven't done anything wrong! You should be angry at Malfoy!" Ron cried. He kept talking at her until they reached the common room, where Hermione sat down and stared at the both of them. She looked as if she was getting ready to launch in to a big speech when the portrait swung open and a group entered. Harry took the opportunity to speak up.

"Hermione," he said softly. "Ron and I are only worried about you. You reacted strangely to Malfoy today. You're usually more aggressive."

Hermione considered this before she stood up. "I've told you before," she said with more than just a hint of her assertive personality showing through, "I'm fine. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go-"

"Study?" Ron jumped in. Her saw the sour expression on her face and looked away, changing his mind about anything else he might say. Hermione stomped up the stairs, nearly knocking Natalie McDonald over as she stepped in to her dorm and shut the door. Flopping on top of her bed, she ran her hand along Crookshanks automatically. After cooling off for a few minutes, she checked the time.

She could probably get in another few chapters of her newest library conquest before Lavender and Parvati came in. She had the suspicion that Seamus and Parvati had managed to patch up whatever spat they'd been having at supper, and that Lavender would just as soon follow her in so they could do their evening rituals.

However, after spending twenty minutes reading, her eyes were beginning to get dry. Irritated, Hermione set the book down and set off her light, grumbling under her breath about not knowing any eye drop charms. She made a mental note to look in to them before sliding under her covers and shutting her eyes.

"Night then, Crooks." she mumbled under the duvet. The cat purred in response to her and leaned against her.

Minutes later, she was dreaming.

She was far away from Hogwarts, far away from safety. She'd landed in Bulgaria. Viktor was in the air with his broom, spinning around in dangerous looking circles. She tried to follow him but found it to be an impossible task. With a raising anger level, she somehow landed and began to yell at Viktor at the top of her lungs, demanding her come down and join her. When he did, she noticed something else riding on the back of his broom. As it drew closer and closer, the white-blonde hair stuck out. The pointed, pale face came next. Malfoy.
Viktor and Malfoy touched down to the ground, swaying slightly as they got off. They closed in on Hermione. She instinctively moved to back up, but her legs wouldn't move as quickly as she'd wanted.

"Silly, dirty little mudblood," Malfoy said as he grabbed her arm. Hermione tried to let out a sound of defiance but found a cold, clammy hand clamped over her mouth. She tried to bite at it but failed, only to find the hand digging in to the delicate skin on her face. Malfoy laughed and ran his hand along her hips, touching with light taps. She felt her skin crawling at his touch.

"Herm-own-ninny," Viktor breathed down her neck, forcing the sensation of her skin crawling to travel down her back. He wrapped himself around her, breathing down her neck and looming over her. She felt herself shrinking and going limp at the same time. Viktor and Malfoy laughed, their hands roaming along her body.

"I told you she loved it," Viktor spoke with evil laughter. He'd lifted his head to meet Malfoy's gaze. They both laughed with sadistic pleasure. Hermione saw Viktor smirk and felt Malfoy's cold, grey eyes.

Malfoy let loose a cruel laugh as he pulled down her robes, exposing a childish uniform. Hermione was still limp, her gaze far away and empty.

"I can't believe her!" the voice was familiar, but Hermione didn't care. "She's letting that scum grope her like she's some kind of a fruit!" It didn't take a genius. Ron and Harry were there, disgust plastered on their faces. Hermione looked at them and then away, her head dropping again.

By now, Krum was using more and more of her body. His hands were dry and callused, every callus was intensified by her sensitive skin. She shuddered as one hand clutched at a breast. The touching stopped. She felt it coming - it would only be seconds.

"You dare shy away from my hands, mudblood?" Viktor's voice was harsh and cold as ice. No more hot breath sticking to her neck. It had turned to ice. Hermione stared at him, gaping. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her eyes widened with such intense fear that, for a moment, she swore she saw hesitation in his eyes.

The blows were quick and painful raining down on her. She tried to curl in to a ball, but Malfoy had grabbed her and was holding her stiffly in place. When they blows stopped, she felt her face covered in sticky wet blood and tears.

"Viktor," she spoke weakly. "Viktor, please." She closed her eyes and tried to breathe in deeply. She felt as if her lungs had been deflated. Viktor laughed madly as he slammed her to the ground, forcing up her pleated skirt. Malfoy sneered down at her with the same expression he'd had the entire time and bent down over her. He took her hands and hold them above her hand, his grip like a vice.

"Viktor, please!" she cried. For the first time, Hermione's voice wasn't weak or soft. It was pleading. "Viktor, stop!" she yelled louder, bordering on a scream.

She wasn't aware that her voice was now carrying in to her dormitory. Lavender and Parvati were waken by her blood curdling screams. They bolted upright and stared at Hermione's bed. She was twisted and writhing, crying out in agony. They jumped up and ran to her.

"Hermione!" Lavender grabbed on to what she thought was Hermione's arm and shook. Parvati looked fearful and stationary. Moments later, Hermione stopped moving. Her eyes opened and she screamed when she saw the two tall figures looming over her. Hiding under her blanket, she sobbed. Lavender and Parvati exchanged a look and bent down to grab her.

"Hermione, calm down. You're acting mad!" Parvati yelled. Hermione was screaming again. Lights came on in the dorm and girls began to filter in to the room. Ginny Weasley bolted forward through the gathering crowd, scanning the room for the intruder. When she saw no one but a twisted and agonizing Hermione, she tried to grab an arm to shake it. Hermione just screamed and kicked Ginny in the nose.

"Ow! Hey!" Ginny stumbled back and turned. "Someone go get McGonagall, she's gone mad!" a third year with brown hair and plain green eyes ran to the door and took off. She slid down the stairs, shooting looks at the boys who had gathered at the bottom of the slide. Harry, Ron and Neville were trying to find a way up. Minutes later, McGonagall appeared, also shooting a dangerous look at them. She charmed the stairs back to their original state and climbed them, the brown haired girl behind her.

The girls parted as McGonagall entered the room, all keeping their eyes on Hermione's thrashing. McGonagall surveyed the room as Ginny had done, as if she expected their to be an intruder.

"Miss Granger!" she called out shrilly. Hermione didn't response. "MISS GRANGER!" McGonagall seemed irritated now. Her sharp features were severe, but her yelling was met only with more hoarse screaming. McGonagall yanked out her wand and bellowed out a calming charm. Hermione stopped thrashing and opened her eyes. She jumped when she saw every female Gryffindor staring at her. She blinked a few times and stared at McGonagall.

"Bad dream," she said inconclusively. She tried to avoid everybody's eyes.

"Miss Granger, get up," McGonagall commanded. Hermione obeyed, keeping her eyes on the floor. Ginny stepped forward to touch her arm, but Hermione just moved forward to follow McGonagall out of the room. As she passed the group of first years, she heard several whispering about her sanity. Out the door and down the stairs, Hermione kept her head and eyes low. She only looked up when she heard a female voice approaching.

"Minerva, what on earth was that terrible rack-" the female stopped as she noticed who was shuffling behind McGonagall. "Is she all right, Minerva? What happened?"

"I will speak with you later, Rolanda." McGonagall said pointedly, breezing straight past her. Hermione met her eyes and quickly looked back down the the ground. She wasn't too fond of Professor Hooch. She wasn't too fond of flying these days.

When they reached the Infirmary, Madam Promfrey seemed to be shockingly awake, despite the odd hour. She bustled about, watching over a victim of a hallway prank and two third year Ravenclaws who had gotten scorched in Care of Magical Creatures. She eyed Hermione and McGonagall and looked suspicious.

"What have you gotten yourself in to this time, Miss Granger? Something against school policies, no doubt?" her eyes narrowed in question. Hermione shook her head and looked away.

"No, Poppy. The girl needs a calming draught or dreamless sleep. She had a disturbing dream or night terror that caused her to wake up screaming bloody murder, no to mention wake up the entirety of Gryffindor tower." McGonagall said. Pomfrey nodded and turned around, fixing up one of the beds. McGonagall turned to Hermione with a stern look on her face. "Normally, child, we don't allow students extra attention just because they've had a silly nightmare. However, this seemed vaguely like one of Mr. Potter's episodes. What happened?"

Hermione looked her Professor in the eyes and then back down. "I just had a bad dream about... testing. It wasn't anything like Harry's dreams, Professor. Please don't think I'm just starving for attention or-"

"Oh, I don't think that, Miss Granger. However, we do have to be cautious these days..." McGonagall's voice trailed off nervously.

"Professor, please don't worry. It really wasn't anything. It was just a bad dream I couldn't wake up from," Hermione said. Pomfrey came and lead her to the bed she'd fixed up, then turned to hand her a cup.

"Drink it up, Miss Granger. Then lay down and get some sleep. You have 7 hours until breakfast, I advise you get some rest." Pomfrey nodded and walked off, checking on the others in the room. Professor McGonagall looked down and Hermione and offered a vague smile. She then turned to walk off too, abandoning Hermione to the cold bed.

Twenty minutes later, Pomfrey checked in on Hermione. The girl was now curled up in to a tight ball in the top corner of her bed. Her head was tucked low against her body and her hands covered her head as if she were expecting to be hit with something in her sleep. A soft whimper came from her mouth as she breathed in, and Madam Pomfrey swore that she heard the girl muttering the words "please" and "stop" over and over again. Through all of the time the girl had spent in the infirmary, Pomfrey never remembered her sleeping so tightly. She frowned and made a note of it, once again leaving to check on the Ravenclaw girls.