Draco had returned to Hogwarts before Pansy did. In his eyes, he wasn't traveling anywhere with someone that stabbed him in the back. She probably was lounging in the backyard with his mother, reading in the library with his father, or prancing herself around his house like he was his parents child. The thought made him cringe. Now he was shamed from the world that he had grown up with, and he felt terrible; empty even.

After he had put his stuff back in his room, he ventured into the Great Hall where lunch was being served. And no one was staring at him for once, but all eyes were on Hermione who was sitting all by herself at the Gryffindor table. Being curious about why she wasn't with her prized friends, Draco headed over, and took a seat across from her.

"Granger?"

Not bothering to look up from her plate, she absently twirled her fork around her potatoes, and sighed. Right now he was the one person she could confide in, but caused the whole mess in the first place.

"Hermione?" He tried once more, using her proper name.

It seemed to catch her attention though. Taking her eyes off the plate, she looked up at him and noticed that she wasn't the only one that was feeling terrible. She could tell there was something wrong with him as well.

The Gryffindors and Slytherins were staring at two of their own as they conversed with each other. Everyone who had been friends with Hermione now loathed the sight of her after the news. And the Slytherins hated Draco for his choice of even being an acquaintance of Hermione. Both of them had nothing left… but each other.

Draco noticed the way Ron, Harry, and Ginny refused to take a glance at Hermione and raised a curious eyebrow; wondering just exactly went on while he was away. He turned back to the brunette and pushed a couple curls out of her eyes.

"What happened?"

Hermione shrugged slightly, and continued playing with her food.

"They know… they all know," she sighed.

He didn't need an explanation, but gaped at her.

"How?"

The Gryffindor looked to her plate and wiped a couple of tears from her eyes. This was probably going to be the hardest part. Telling him what she actually did. She made sure not to look up at him, not wanting to have those gray eyes burning a hole into her soul.

"I was trying to explain to Harry why I was with you. Make him understand… but Ginny overheard and went insane," She couldn't help keep her voice from cracking as she looked back up to him, "She told everyone, and now everyone hates me, Draco. Just because I finally got the courage to talk about it."

Draco was about to say something to hurt her worse, but decided against it. She was the only person he had left, and he wasn't doing anything to sabotage that.

"I guess were in the same boat then."

Hermione quirked a brow at his statement.

"What?" She asked.

It was going to be odd telling her about his troubles, for he never had confided in a Gryffindor. But there was a first for everything.

"Well… Pansy explained 'us' to my father, and he took it just like your friends did. He went mad, but Granger… it doesn't matter, right? We have each other…"

Hermione looked appalled at the statement.

"Right, Draco. You and me… that's a laugh."

"I'm serious, Hermione. We have nothing else but each other. Your friends hate you, and mine hate me. We can't necessarily hate one another…" He started off, but no longer being able to handle the glares, he grabbed her hand and picked her up over the table. Once again, he grabbed her arm and led her out of the Great Hall, leaving everyone speechless.

Hermione followed Draco up the stairs without a word. No longer was she nervous about hanging around with Malfoy, but now she actually had too. He led her down the corridors and stopped in front of a familiar portrait. He muttered the password, and jerked Hermione inside after him.

"Now, Granger, listen to me," Draco started off, while draping himself over a couch. He quirked a brow at her as she stood there, as if unable to move, "Hermione this is just my room, just take a fucking seat."

Hermione did as he obeyed and sat down across from him.

"As I was saying, you and I can't dwell on the past. All we have is each other. "

It still didn't occur to her that he was right.

"Draco, I'm sorry but I can't stand you. How could you expect me too?"

He narrowed his eyes and slowly got up from the couch. Walking over to her chair, he watched as she trembled at his gaze. Draco knew his capabilities. He knelt down in front of her and placed his hands on her legs.

"Listen to me. You can make this hard or you can make this easy. I want you on my side, Granger. Question is, can you do it?"

Hermione wanted to believe that this was all some dream that she was stuck in, so she pinched herself. It hurt. With a sigh, she thought over the possibilities and realized that she only had one. Joining forces with her archenemy. Of course there was something more than hatred between the two, but neither dared to admit it. She directed his attention back to his gray eyes, and curled the sides of her lip into a sneer.

"I could do it, but we are on different sides, we ca-"

"WE'RE NO LONGER ON SIDES, HERMIONE! DON'T YOU GET IT?" Draco roared as he stood up, "They abandoned us. We have no one."

Quite taken back with his actions, Hermione gripped the sides of her chair, and took in a deep breath. Draco turned to her sharply and picked her up roughly by the collar of her shirt. He threw daggers at her with those eyes, making sure to get the point across.

"I'm asking for your loyalty."

Hermione closed her eyes and thought about it for a second. She knew there was nothing left, so she nodded meekly.

Draco stroked her cheek and smiled slightly.

"Very good," he whispered as he trailed kisses down her jaw line, "You know Hermione, this alliance wont be so bad..."

The feelings running through Hermione were indescribable. She felt the need to slap him, yet join their lips together. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Hermione brushed her nose up against his and bit down on her lip. The only other time she had been so intimate with a boy was with Harry. Draco on the other hand was an expert. He was gentle though. Softly running his hands down her curves, he felt her shiver slightly beneath his fingertips. He didn't quit though; he continued to nip at her lips while slipping his hand under her skirt.

Hermione closed the gap between the two by gluing their lips together. Her hands found themselves resting comfortably on his hips, while her leg wrapped around his. As Draco slithered his other hand up her skirt, Hermione moaned into his mouth, causing him to hold her tightly. They both wanted this badly, and now actually had the guts to go through with it.

Draco pushed Hermione onto his bed, and ripped her vest off, followed by her button-down white shirt. He stared in awe at her. Not in his wildest imagination would he ever have imagined her to be so perfect. He placed his head on her chest that heaved in and out so he could hear her heartbeat. Even her heartbeats were in perfect sync. The vanilla scent intoxicated him, giving Draco this natural high as he kissed her breast through the lacy material.

Hermione whimpered slightly, and grasped the silk sheets between her fingertips. Then something clicked in her head. No matter how much she didn't want to stop, she had to.

"Draco… stop…"

Hearing her pleas, Draco backed off and sat up on the bed. He stared down at her, not angry… but disappointed. For once, she had let him get farther then he ever imagined. Then she backed out.

Hermione sat up as well, and crawled over to his side. It scared her to be close with him, but she needed it. She wrapped her arms around his torso and placed her head on his chest, before closing her eyes.

"You know, Granger, I'm starting to become fond of you," Draco said as he maneuvered them under the covers.

He stroked her hair and closed his eyes as well.

They just layed there together, listening to the rhythm of each others breathing. Hermione held on tightly to Draco as if he was her security blanket, while Draco held her like the most fragile doll. Nothing bothered them at all. All they wanted was to be there together

The two had eventually drifted off to sleep in each other's arms. Each dreaming of extraordinary yet dreadful things. Draco saw death, while Hermione saw betrayal.

In the morning the sun shone threw the delicate curtains and poured into the room. Hermione was the first to open her eyes. Blinking a couple of times, she adjusted to her surroundings and noticed Draco's arms wrapped around her torso. For the first time, she noticed how innocent he was when he slept. He looked so pure with that pale skin and his silver-blonde hair. Yet as soon as his eyes opened he was the opposite of everything pure.

She removed his hands and brought the sheets up to his chest to keep him warm. Hermione found her blouse and vest, before putting them on. It had to be at least 8, which meant they had skipped breakfast. Bad thing, because she was hungry.

Just as she was about to leave, she heard two people talking outside of the portrait hole. Two very familiar voices. Panicking, the only thing that came to mind was to wake Draco. She ran to the side of his bed, and shook him to wake up.

Draco opened his eyes, and stared up at Hermione. Quirking a brow, he pursed his lips together to speak until, he too, heard the voices outside of the door. He jumped out of bed, and put a clean shirt on.

"Hide, Hermione."

She did as instructed and his inside his closet.

After making sure she was okay, he buttoned up his shirt, before opening the portrait hole to find his father and Mr. Parkinson standing there. Draco, as surprised as he was, acted like it was nothing, and invited them in casually.

"What are you two doing here?" He asked as he took a seat on the chair, leaving them the couch.

Lucius raised a questioning brow, and stared at his once prized son. Mr. Parkinson, obviously appalled by Draco's behavior, looked around the room so he wouldn't have to interfere in their conversation.

"I am here Draco on account of your behavior. Son, what is wrong with you?" He asked sternly.

Draco rolled his eyes and examined his fingernails boredly. His father wasn't of any importance to him anymore. Lucius obviously noticing his son's actions, took a threatening step closer to him. Draco didn't budge though.

"I expected a lot more from you. Now you're associating with that mudblood, probably even sl-" Just as Lucius was about to finish he noticed a pair of shoes on the floor. He glared at his son, and picked him up roughly by the arm.

"So my assumptions are true. You're sleeping with her."

Hermione placed her hand over her mouth to keep from gasping. Although she couldn't see what was going on, the door wasn't thick enough to keep her from hearing.

Draco simply stared back at his father. Not a single emotion visible on his face.

"Where is she Draco?" Lucius asked cunningly as he took his hand away from his son's arm, and started walking around the room.

"Under your bed?"

He checked. No Hermione.

"Maybe behind the dresser?

Once again… he checked, but no Hermione.

Hermione closed her eyes as he neared the closet.

"Could it be that she's in here?"

And there she was.

Lucius grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards him. Hermione winced and looked over to Draco for any kind of help. But he didn't do a thing, instead he went over and layed down on top of his bed. Fear took over her quickly realizing she was in a room with two-death eaters, and possibly the next best thing from Lord Voldemort… Draco Malfoy.

"You're the one who has caused my son to become… this," Lucius drawled as he looked over to Draco, "You're the one I should be punishing."

Mr. Parkinson had now taken a seat on the couch as he watched Lucius. Draco continued staring absently out the window, not even bothering to give Hermione a second glance. Hermione on the other hand, trembled under Lucius' gaze.

"I can't understand why he's so compelled by you, but to me you're nothing but a filthy little mudblood," He spat.

And without warning Lucius slapped her with all his force, causing her to fall back onto the couch. Mr. Parkinson gasped slightly, but got up and followed Lucius as walked out of Draco's room, leaving Hermione and Draco to each other.

Draco looked over to Hermione and stared. He wasn't getting up for her. She was the reason everything in his world was collapsing. At that moment he wanted to kill her, that way there would be no Hermione to have feelings for. Instead, he watched her suffer.

"Your whole family is cruel, Draco. Including yourself…" Hermione got out as she sat up. Taking her hand away from her face, she realized she was bleeding, and felt tears start to run down her cheeks.

Turning away from her, Draco groaned and layed back down on his bed. He enjoyed hearing her cry. The little whimpers that came from that sweet mouth. He also wanted to show her he wasn't a force to be reckoned with.

Hermione got up slowly and headed to the portrait hole. If Draco didn't want her there, she wouldn't stay. Not bothering to look back, she stepped out, and after that everything went black.

....

"How long has she been here?"

Hermione blinked a couple of seconds before opening her eyes. Everything was in a blur, and the voices seemed to be miles away. The only thing she remembered was Draco, and right now that's the only person she wanted to see.

A cold hand stroked her cheeks, causing her to shiver slightly. Her vision was still blurred, but she knew the voice. And that's when she realized where exactly she was.

"Hermione dear, lovely to see you again," Lucius drawled with a wicked grin plastered upon his face.

Hermione sat up frantically and noticed Narcissa by the wall, and two other men standing across from her. The room they had put her in was dark… even the sheets scared her. Lucius and Narcissa looked abnormal standing in there with that silver-blonde hair, and pale skin

Then she noticed a pillow with the initials 'DM' on them.

She had been placed in Draco's room.

"Don't be alarmed, we're not going to hurt you…" Lucius said as he stroked her cheek.

But Hermione knew the last part of that sentence.

…Yet.

Author's Notes: You guys are seriously the best! Thank you so much for the support, I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter… the ending was even a surprise for me. The next chapter will be up soon. 3 Ronnie