The next morning Hermione had made sure to get up early, get a shower, and head to the Great Hall so she could be with Harry and Ron for a bit, before Draco came barging in. She was sick of acting, and she missed her best friends terribly. Harry and Ron were learning to deal with it; Hermione always came first in their eyes. They all were sitting at the Gryffindor table. Laughing at Ron's jokes, listening to gossip from Lavender and Parvati, or discussing the latest news in the Daily Prophet.

There was a certain Slytherin missing though.

Hermione kept an eye out for the blonde, but was someone relived he wasn't there. There was no act she had to put on, she could just be herself, with the people she cared for most.

"So as I was saying… we have quidditch practice tonight, are you going to come watch, Hermione?" Ron asked in between gulps of pumpkin juice.

Coming back to reality at the sound of Ron's voice, she thought about the question for a second before answering.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world," she said with a smile.

Harry and Ron both smiled at each other and then at Hermione. Their best friend was finally back. They all finished up their breakfast, and headed to Charms, which they had with the Slytherin's that day.

"Honestly, I'm delighted about only having a month left of this place… Seven years of those snakes is enough. Thinking they're better than everyone else. I just wanna…" Ron was carrying on about the Slytherin's as Pansy and Millicent passed by giving Hermione looks that could've killed.

Hermione had learned to ignore it after the first day of her little act with Draco. It was The Gryffindor's that couldn't stand it.

As they made they're way to the classroom, Professor Flitwick greeted them cheerfully, and ushered them to take their seats. The Trio sat together as always and took their materials out.

Only one thing was missing. Still no Malfoy.

"Class, class. Settle down!" Professor Flitwick squeaked.

Everyone gave their attention to him immediately and opened their books to pg. 159: Advanced Cheering Charms. The room was silent as the class read the chapter to themselves. Hermione couldn't concentrate though. What Draco was doing was bothering her. Why it was bothering her so much though, confused her.

She looked to either side of her to find Harry and Ron actually reading. Just as she was about to ask Professor Flitwick to step out of class for a second, the door flew open, and in stormed Draco Malfoy.

Professor Flitwick looked up from his desk and raised a bushy eyebrow.

"Mr. Malfoy. Lovely to see that you've joined us."

Ignoring the professor, Draco stormed over to Hermione and kneeled down in front of her desk. At this action, most of the class silently watched the pair.

"I need to talk to you," He whispered.

Hermione raised a curious brow.

"No questions. Just come with me," He said sternly.

After battling with her conscious, she decided to go with him for purposes of keeping their act together to the whole school. She arose from her desk, and watched as Draco's lips curved into a smirk.

"Professor? May Draco and I step out of class for a few moments? We need to discuss some important matters," She asked politely.

Being that Hermione Granger was one of his most respectful students, Professor Flitwick agreed to it.

"Thank you, professor."

Hermione stood up and was about to leave, when Ron caught her hand.

"You're not doing this, are you?"

"Doing what?" She asked.

Ron glared at Malfoy before brushing it off. He let go of her hand and went back to reading the chapter, before a whole argument was started.

It really didn't occur to Hermione that she was breaking Ron's heart by putting on this act, but Ron was hurting more than anyone. He watched as her and Draco exited the room and into the hallway.

Draco held on tightly to her hand as he led her down a corridor and took a sharp turn into the boy's bathroom. Hermione blinked slightly, but felt of relief when there was no one in there.

"Why did you bring me here, Malfoy?" Hermione asked while taking a seat on the sink.

Draco paced back and forth, debating on how he was going to tell her that he didn't want her to come. It wasn't that he cared about her, he just didn't want her getting angry and doing something she would regret. Like ruining the relationship. He turned around slowly, and placed himself in between her legs.

"My father's back."

Hermione got wide-eyed at the statement. Lucius wasn't supposed to be back for another two years from Azkaban. But the real shock was Draco's reaction.  She could tell he was angry because his eyes were stormy.

"I… I'm sorry."

Draco seemed surprised at her comment. He tilted his head slightly and stared at her intently as if seeing her for the first time. But in a sense he was. Hermione had never uttered a sorry or something so sincere to him.

"I guess I'm just not looking forward to being under his rule again. We're the same people inside an out, but my father is a hypocrite. Nothing but a hypocrite…" He shook the thought out of his head and looked back up at Hermione, "Now listen, I'm taking Pansy to the man-"

"What?! Malfoy that's absurd... what about the act?"

A curious brow immediately rose on Draco.

"You're really getting into this act, aren't you? You know Hermione that's all it is. A silly little act… nothing else."

Hermione sneered and pushed Draco out from in-between her legs. Gently hopping off the counter, she turned her back and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't understand why your making me do this Malfoy! Honestly, I am of no use to you, why can't you just let me live my life?" She practically screamed.

At her reaction, Draco smirked and placed himself behind her and his chin on her shoulder. Her scent filled his nose, making his head spin. He gently placed his hands on her hips and sighed.

"Why? Because I love having you pretending to be with me. Answering my every beck and call. You, Granger, were the one girl that didn't posses any kind of emotion for me, making you forbidden fruit.  So I'm not letting you go any time soon," He whispered in her ear.

Tears welled up in Hermione's eyes as Draco spoke to her. She tried her hardest to move away, but she couldn't force herself to do it. Wiping a couple of tears from her eyes, she sighed and looked to the opposite end of the room.

"I'm sick of this, Draco. I can't keep lying to my friends, my peers, and everyone else. It's already obvious that we're not really in love, and lying is making it worse. I-"

"Are you sure you don't feel anything for me?"

Hermione turned slowly towards him and tilted her head to the side.

"What…?"

Pulling her closer to him, Draco leaned forward and brushed her lips against hers gently, while rubbing soft circles on her hips. Hermione practically stopped breathing. She wrapped her arms around his neck before her knees collapsed.

"No."

Draco, not pleased with the answer, snaked his hand under her shirt, and rubbed her back. While continuing to nip at her bottom lip.

"You're lying…" He drawled.

Hermione closed her eyes and took in a ragged breath. He was doing too much, and she couldn't handle it. She nodded and buried her face into his shoulder.

"I feel something for you, but…"

His hand slithered to her chest, and he ran his thumbs over the lacy material. Draco pulled back and smirked down at her as she reacted to him. Honestly, he loved seeing her distraught.

"But? Could it be that you… love me?" He whispered wickedly to her.

Hermione shook her head violently as tears welled up in her eyes again.

"No."

"No?" Draco said as he lifted her chin up to look at him.

He lost himself in those big brown eyes full of tears. Smirking at the sight of her, he ran his fingers through her curly Carmel locks and shrugged slightly.

"Your pretty when you cry, Hermione. So innocent, naïve."

Hermione pulled back from him, and raised her hand to slap him. But she stopped herself, before making the tension between them worse. Instead she headed towards the door, and placed her hand on the knob.

"I was actually beginning to care for you. But Harry and Ron were right. Your vile, your disgusting, you-"

Draco stared at her back and sneered.

"Get out, Granger. Get out before I do something that I regret."

Not needing to be told twice, Hermione pushed open the door and turned the corner to get back to the charms classroom. Draco on the other hand stayed in the bathroom, contemplating on anything and everything. She meant nothing to him, yet she meant everything. And not once had he felt that way for any girl.

---

The next morning Draco set off for the manor, while Hermione approached Harry in the library. It was time to get things straight. To finally break the deal between her and Draco.

"Harry?" She asked from behind him.

Harry turned around and smiled brightly at her. Nowadays it was hard to spend time with her, so the simple 'Hey Harry's' or 'How are you, Harry's?' meant a lot to the green-eyed boy.

"Hermione, what do you need?"

She managed a small smile and led him over to a table in the back so that they wouldn't be overheard by anyone. Harry gave her a suspicious look before leaning forward and placing a hand on top of hers.

"What is it, 'Mione? Something's obviously bothering you."

Hermione sighed and nodded. He knew everything about her. After fidgeting in her seat for a couple of seconds, she looked back up at him and took in a deep breath.

"Harry, I wanted to talk to you about the night… well, when you and I we're… Gosh, I really don't have any clue on how to explain this…" She felt her cheeks burning as she pulled her hand away from his and placed it in her lap.

Harry was taken back at her words. Looking around before leaning in closer, he thought about it intently before shaking his head. He remembered bits and pieces but not the full thing.  It had both been one of their biggest mistakes.

"I- yeah, I remember," He said softly.

Seeing Harry's reaction was enough to make her kill herself. She never wanted to cause harry any sort of pain. Especially since he was with Ginny. He loved Ginny, and even though Hermione was jealous, she wanted the best for him.

"Well, Malfoy found ou-"

Then a redhead stepped out from behind a bookshelf, with a look that could've killed both of them. She raised her hand and slapped Harry with all her force, leaving a red imprint of her hand on his face.

"I knew there was something going on between you two. I knew it," She whispered venomously.

Before Harry or Hermione could explain, Ginny dashed out of the library in pursuit to find her brother. Harry stared blankly at the table, and attempted to find the right words to say. On the other hand, Hermione didn't hide her emotions, but instead put her head in her hands and started crying. Everything was falling apart slowly. Harry decided to leave and try and find his girlfriend, leaving Hermione to dwell to herself.

---

Meanwhile at Malfoy Manor the guest of honor was being flocked with questions and batting eyelashes from the wives of his peers. Lucius took pride in who he was, and whom he had in his bed. Narcissa didn't mind much; Lucius slept with the wives, while she did the husbands. It was a mutual thing.

Draco stood against the bar as he looked on at the party. Teenage girls crowded around them, hoping that he'd give a wink, a wave, something… anything. But Draco was thinking of only one girl that evening. The way she described him, vile and disgusting, ran through his head over and over. A lazy sigh escaped his lips as he watched Pansy approach him.

"Honestly Draco, you're becoming a real bore."

Not really paying attention to the blonde, Draco turned towards her and raised an eyebrow. She was nothing compared to Hermione. No one compared to Hermione. Not only good, but also bad. No one could get under his skin like Hermione. Nor did he didn't hate anyone else like he did her.

"Go find someone to screw, Pansy, because I really don't want any of your antics right now," He drawled.

Pansy's eyes widened as she stared at him. She placed her hands on her hips and shook her head in disgust.

"If this is all about that mudblood, Draco, I swear…"

"You swear what?"

Nothing came to mind, as Pansy stood there dumbfounded. With a fuss, she stormed off to Lucius and her parents, while Draco played absently with his glass. Deciding to head to bed early, he set the glass down and snuck out from the ballroom and into the heart of the manor. The entrance hall.

Malfoy Manor was the most exquisite, yet darkest place of the entire wizarding world. The dwellers were much like the house itself. Exquisite… yet dark. Draco was the only one that knew the world he was born into wasn't meant for him. That's why he took such an interest in Hermione. She was the epitome of the perfect Gryffindor. Everything he yearned to destroy, yet become.

As he traveled through the dark corridors, pictures of his ancestors whispered and pointed as he passed. Chandeliers draped with spider webs hung above him. Nothing in the Malfoy household was ordinary. 

He approached his room, and slipped inside the black and green dwelling. Draco threw off his jacket, and headed to his bed. Climbing on top of it, he rested his hands behind his head, and stared up at the ceiling. All he wanted was to drift off to sleep and wake up to find the weekend over, but no… there was a sharp knock at the door.

"Fucking hell…" Draco muttered as he got up, and headed over to the door.

Turning the knob, Draco blinked to find his father standing there with a smug look upon his face. Lucius pushed him inside, making sure to lock the door behind him.

"What do you want, father?" Draco asked coolly.

Lucius looked around the room before staring at his Son.

"Well, two years gone and you turn into this. A poor excuse for a son," Lucius started coldly, "Pansy told me all about it. Good thing too, so I can knock some sense into you before it gets to far. Mudblood's Draco? Mudbloods?"

Draco ignored his father and walked off towards the window, staring out into the night sky blanketed with stars. It wasn't the time to hear about how mdbloods were the scum of the earth from his father.

"Look at me Draco," Lucius demanded.

Draco disobeyed.

"I said look!"

He still didn't turn around.

Getting angry with his son, Lucius grabbed him by the collar and pulled him towards him. He leaned forward so that their noses practically brushed eachother, and both sets of grey eyes threw daggers at one another. Lucius raised his hand and slapped Draco so hard that he fell to the ground.

"You disgust me, Draco," he spat as he walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Draco wiped blood from his lip, and stood up off the ground. The one thing he wanted was for daylight to come so he could go back to Hogwarts… away from the people that now shamed and hated him.

Author's Comments: HUGE thanks to everyone that is enjoying this story. Honestly it means so much to me. Well the next chapter is going to be important. Hope you guys like.