Chapter 17-

AN- sorry I didn't update yesterday, but here it goes…oh and your questions about Draco's intentions/dream, won't be answered for a while…Happy Reading…

Hermione woke up staring at a white ceiling. 'Where am I?' she wondered as she took in her surroundings. She looked at the familiar white curtains, and realized that she was in the Hospital Wing. 'How did I get here?' Just then, all of the memories came flooding back. She remembered everything…he touched her, he kissed her, he… Tears welled up in her eyes, and she tried to push all thoughts away. She wished that she could just forget…everything.

Draco was startled awake when he heard someone crying. He bolted up and ran to her side. He reached out for her, but she pulled away and started crying harder. After a few minutes she brushed away the tears, and looked into his eyes. She searched his eyes and all she found was worry and pity. 'Does he know? Dumbledore wouldn't have told him, would he?' she thought.

"Hermione, are you okay?" he asked as he reached out to her once more. She flinched again and he pulled back.

She looked into his eyes once again. This time she saw confusion, anger, and hurt. 'Why does she keep pulling away?' he wondered. He was trying to control his temper. 'I didn't do anything. Why is she treating me this way? And why in hell won't she tell me anything.'

After a few minutes of absolute silence, he looked over her once again. He looked over her whole body. He was trying to find some type of clue as to what happened. His eyes were then drawn to her wrists. They were consumed in dark bruises. It looked as if someone had tied her wrists too tightly, or held them too tightly. 'What happened to her?'

"What happened to you, Hermione?" he asked finally.

"N-nothing." she replied. He noticed that she avoiding his eyes.

"Hermione, why won't you tell me? Why do you flinch and move away when I try to touch you? Why do you have bruises on your wrists? What happened?" he asked all at once.

This caused her to look away and cry harder. She just didn't want anyone touching her, especially not a boy. She knows what boys are capable of. She definitely did not want to talk about last night. She just wanted to be alone.

She finally rolled over and buried her head in her pillow.

Suddenly Madame Pomfrey walked in. She saw Hermione crying and said, "You should leave Mr. Malfoy. You are upsetting my patient."

He opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "I really must insist. She needs her rest." she demanded as she closed the curtain around Hermione, leaving him outside.

He walked out, but he fully intended on coning back. He was really pissed at her. 'How could she just brush me off like that?' he wondered.

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"Could you explain to me exactly what happened, Ms. Granger?" Dumbledore asked later that afternoon.

"I guess I can." she replied.

Dumbledore nodded, and she told him the whole story. She started with the owl and ended with when she arrived at Dumbledore's office.

"I see. Well, unfortunately I cannot expel him because he did not have time to do anything. He will however, be kicked off the Slytherin Quidditch team, suspended for a month, and he will be watched closely by all teachers and the Slytherin prefect." Dumbledore said.

Hermione looked down and nodded.

"I have one more question for you…do you have any idea why he did this to you?"

"No. I can't think of one." she replied.

"Okay. Thank you, Ms. Granger."

She nodded once again. "Professor?"

"Yes."

"Could we keep this a secret? I don't think I want to tell people."

"Of coarse. Anything else?"

"Yes…who knows?"

"You, me, Mr. Crogain, and Madame Pomfrey. I will also be telling the other professors so they can watch him. Oh and I suppose you told Mr. Malfoy."

"No. How did he know I was here?"

"Well, I was carrying you here and he saw me. It was only three in the morning, but I asked him to escort you here. I don't know why he was up at that particular hour, but I think he was looking for you."

"Oh. Thanks, Dumbledore."

He nodded and turned to leave. "Professor, can I go back to my room?"

"Of coarse. I only brought you here to rest. You are free to leave when you want to." With that he left.

Hermione quickly got dressed and ran out of the Hospital Wing. She headed straight to her common room.

When she arrived, she yelled the password and walked in. She wanted to find Draco. She felt like she needed to apologize for treating him bad earlier that day. "Draco, are you here?" she yelled.

When she got no answer, she ran up to check his room. The lights were off and she could hear quiet breathing from his bed. She didn't want to take any chances, so she pulled off the blankets to make sure it was him. Sure enough he was laying there fast asleep.

She stood there for a minute admiring the way he looked when he slept. 'He looks so peaceful. He would never do anything bad to me. I wish I didn't treat him that way earlier. I fell bad.'

She smiled and then climbed onto the bed. She looked into his eye and whispered, "Sorry for pushing you away earlier. I love you, Draco Malfoy."

"You do?" he asked without even opening his eyes.

"What?" she asked, startled.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. "You do, love me?"

Hermione sat there for a minute before she replied. "I-I, yes I think I do. I do love you." she admitted to him and herself.

He smiled. "I never thought that would be possible." she said quietly.

"Yeah me either."

There was a long pause before Draco broke the silence. "I love you too. I have been trying to convince myself otherwise, but I can't. I do love you, very much."

She smiled. "I am sorry that I pushed you away earlier. It was just a weird reaction."

"It's okay."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight." said Draco. 'What am I going to do now. I have to tell her everything, but when. I can't believe that I fell in love with Hermione Granger.'

Soon they were both asleep entangled in each others warmth.

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"Hermione, would you like to go to Hogsmeade Saturday?" Draco asked the next morning. "We can go get the rest of the stuff for the dance and then we can hang out."

"I would love too! We should make a list of everything we need before we go." she suggested.

"Good idea. Well, I have to go to class. I will see you in at lunch and Care of Magical Creatures. Bye." he said as he left through the portrait hole.

When Draco was halfway to Defence against Dark Arts, Crabbe and Goyle met up with him. They immediately took their places behind him, and they were soon joined by the rest of the Slytherin seventh years.

Suddenly a figure crashed into Draco. The person tackled him and started kissing him. When he realized who it was, he shoved her off and stood.

"Pansy, sod off. Don't you get it yet? I can't stand you! Don't ever do that again!" he said in a cold, cutting voice. He glared at her for a moment before sauntering off once again.

"But Drakie…I love you." she wined.

This caused him to stop and glare at her once again. "Do not ever talk to me again!" he said in a dangerous voice. Then he began walking once again. 'She doesn't even know what love is. That dumb bimbo.'

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Hermione slowly walked into the Great Hall. It was already full of students eating and talking. She was running a little late because she had stayed after charms to talk to Professor Flitwick.

She glanced over to the Slytherin table and saw her boyfriend eating a laughing with his friends. She couldn't help but notice that his genuine smile in the place of his usual smirk. She then turned her attention to the Gryffindor table. She skimmed over the table and found one empty seat. It was next to Ginny and across from Harry and Ron.

She walked over and sit down. "Hiya guys." she said as she took her seat.

"Hey, 'Mione." they responded.

Ginny immediately jumped into a conversation. "So, what are you wearing to the Dance? Who are you going with? It's a costume ball right?"

"It is actually a Masquerade Ball. We are all supposed to wear masks and we are supposed to dress like famous couples." she replied. "What are you and Neville going as?"

Ginny's smile immediately faltered. "Hermione, Neville broke up with me yesterday."

"Oh, I am so sorry Ginny. What happened?"

"he said something about me being to good for him. I think he is on the verge of depression. Anyways, who are you going with?" she asked, bouncing back to her old energetic self.

"Ummm. Well, Dumbledore is making the heads go together. He said it sets a good example for the rest of the school. So, Dra-Malfoy and I are going together." she replied, hoping Ginny didn't catch the slip.

"Malfoy? Oh I'm sorry. At least he is pretty hott, even thought he is a jerk."

"Uh, sure?"

Ron and Harry were trying their hardest not to laugh. They knew that Hermione was dating Draco, so it was funny seeing Hermione pretend she hates him.

"Yeah right. Who cares if he is cute. He is a conceited git." said Ron.

"I agree. I feel so sorry for you 'Mione." said Harry.

"Me too." said Ron. "You have to go to spend a whole night with Slytherin Slime. The Prince of Slytherin himself."

Hermione just nodded. She knew they were just doing this for her, but they didn't have to be so mean.

Throughout the rest of the meal they talked about the dance and Quidditch. "Hey, did you guys hear?" Ron asked. "The Keeper of the Slytherin team got kicked off."

Hermione's eyes widened at this. She looked up at the boys. 'Do they know why?' she wondered as she started at them with her mouth hanging open.

"Yeah," Harry replied, "I heard he tried to rape a girl at the school."

Hermione's froze and her face turned bright red. She had totally stopped breathing.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" asked Ron. "It's not like it was you." he joked.

Hermione flushed and tears filled her eyes. She shot up and ran out of the Great Hall.

"What did I say?"

"Maybe it really was her." replied Ginny. "Didn't you guys notice the way she suddenly started listening to you when you mentioned the Slytherin guy? Or the way she turned bright red when you mentioned what he did?"

"Oh my God! How could she have not told us?! That arse tried to rape her? We need to go see if she is alright."

"Okay, but lets give her a few minutes." said Harry.

Ron nodded.

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Meanwhile, at the Slytherin table…

Draco was eating his lunch when he saw Hermione walk in. He watched her, trying to make eye contact, but Goyle hit him. He turned to him and pretended to listen again.

By the time he was finally able to look back up, she was gone. He scanned the Gryffindor table to find her. She was sitting in her usual spot with Potter and Weasel.

He looked up at her once in a while, but tried to focus on eating.

Ten minutes later he saw Hermione stand up and run out of the doors. 'What happened. She looked upset. I am going to kill them if they hurt her. He got up and walked out of the Great Hall.

"Where are you going?" asked Crabbe.

"I think I ate something bad. I am going to lay down." he lied, holding his stomach.

Crabbe nodded and Draco ran out after Hermione.