Title: Dance Fever and Some Bad Dreams

Disclaimer: Not mine. No Pay. Not even Draco.

Chapter 17: Bruised

"I was beginning to miss you, Draco……Silly of you, leaving me all alone here in the dark." I felt numb all over and could hardly move my body or open my eyes to greet this disgusting creature I had seen too many times. Instead of opening them I held them together tightly praying that I hadn't been knocked out.

"Draco, Draco, Draco……" He made an annoying clicking sound with his tongue, "You're in a sticky position right now, aren't you? How do you like my new pet?" I breathed hard and still didn't dare to open my eyes, yet I could still picture that giant cat, "I can place him almost anywhere I would wish to go but can't. He becomes very useful when I want my dirty work to be blamed on someone else……So you thought you could just take a potion and be rid of me, did you?" He hissed with laughter.

"Thought you were smarter than that, Draco……why are you closing your eyes?" I heard his cloaks brush against the floor as he circled me, "Open them." I squeezed them together even harder, "Open them." He repeated with intensity taking over his voice though I still held them as they were, "Draco," he warned, "open……your……eyes."

I still did not move. Somehow I had it in my head that he wouldn't see me if I didn't move. That wasn't the case.

"Crucio!" I felt my body explode with the unbearable pain. I threw my eyes open and the pain suddenly stopped, "Thought that might get a wake out of you." He hissed. I stared around and saw that I was lying on the ground of the hospital wing where I had fallen with the same giant black panther standing by one of the beds. But this didn't make any sense. I was supposed to me unconscious. Being unconscious was the only way he could get to me. It was the only thing that separated us.

I heard Voldemort cackle from what sounded like right behind me. I jumped up and spun around making my head throb with pain. No one was there.

"You can't find me, Draco. No one can. And yes you are very much awake."

"How are you-"

"I have my ways, Draco and you being so weak these days just makes it so much easier. I'll only reveal them to you when I please." I felt my stomach drop out when I finally accepted that he was telling the truth. In all the other dreams I had been simply in the dark. But this was real. I was wide awake with his voice in my head. I lowered my head and rubbed my temples, "Yes, you believe now, don't you?" I heard his smile in the way he spoke. He was pleased with himself.

"You see I couldn't just let you block my visits out. They're just too much fun. Let's make this visit really count for something shall we? We have the time to make up from the other night where you blocked me out."

I tightened my hands into fists and gritted my teeth together hard. I despised the way he was enjoying this so much, "Bring it on, you bastard." I muttered. I heard him gasp slightly before shrieking,

"Crucio!"

The pain was like fire surging through my body and yet I felt oddly acquainted with it. It still hurt very much, though it was nothing new. All the while he left the curse on me I did not make a sound or gasp. I refused to let him be smug around me again. I could feel him getting frustrated with my tolerance for the pain. The curse was lifted and I breathed out all the air I had been holding in to keep from screaming.

"No worries, Draco. I can always increase the force coming out of my wand. Shall we try again?" I felt my body cry out against it but I would not allow myself to beg no. I began to attempt to brace myself from the curse when I saw out of the corner of my eye the door handle of the hospital wing begin to turn, "We'll finish this later, Malfoy." I heard him hiss before my head went very sore for a moment then back to normal. It was then that the door opened wide to see a small boy being pulled into the hospital wing by Ms Pomfrey.

"Didn't we go over this last time, David? Go to the back and fetch yourself some towels, then. You know the drill." The boy scampered off to the back room with his bloody tongue lolling out like a dogs. I turned my head to where the panther had been by the bed but there was nothing but empty air.

Ms Pomfrey then turned her attention to me, "Oh! Mr. Malfoy I almost forgot you were here!" I whipped my head around to face her and smiled weakly, still a bit disoriented from the encounter with the wrinkly bastard.

"Don't worry yourself Ms. Pomfrey. I was just leaving." She glanced up at my face with concern in her eyes,

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you looked worse now then when you came in." My thoughts drifted back to the huge black panther and then to the Dark Lord.

"I'm fine, Ms Pomfrey. But can you tell me if you've seen Hermione around here?" I said rather quickly in attempt to seem like my mission was plain and simple.

She narrowed her eyes for a moment as she muttered, "No……haven't seen her here since you came in with that Quidditch wound." I grinned slightly at the memory of her tracing my skin.

It was when I noticed Ms. Pomfrey was staring at me curiously that I decided that was my cue to leave. I smiled and nodded at her before slipping out of the hospital wing. I walked slowly down the hallway with a heavy headache drilling me from the inside. I was still trying to grasp how in the world Voldemort could manage to be able to reach me outside of my dreams.

I can't remember how many corridors I walked down and stairs I wondered up and down, though I found myself walking into the empty library and taking a seat at one of the tables littered with books. I licked my dried lips and thought of the Dark Lord playing with my mind today. Maybe I was just in a daze and he was able to connect with me through the half sleep.

Impossible.

He was only able to attack when I was weak and the only time I was ever weak was when I was asleep and vulnerable. This didn't make any sense.

I rested my head in my hands feeling the heaviness of Voldemort's wrath return to my shoulders. I felt the all too familiar aches from the Crucio Curse melt into my muscles. I could hardly live with him entering my mind in my sleep and now……now……he was everywhere.

There would be no escaping him this time.

Herm's POV

"Draco?" I asked as I walked into the library and spotted the head of blonde hair. He looked over his shoulder to see me standing in the doorway of the library. I couldn't see his face from the shadows of his hair falling into his eyes. It had been long since abandoned by the students since it was dinner time.

"Hey there, pet." He barely whispered. Something was in his voice that led me to feel that something wasn't right. I walked over o him and sat on the table in front of his seat so that I was about a head taller than him. He smiled weakly up at me, "That was some scene you displayed in class."

"I hope I hurt him more than myself." I muttered holding out my hand so he could see my bruised and cut knuckles. His face turned into one of concern as he took my hand in his larger one.

There was a long oddly comforting silence as I watched him gently running his thumb over my sore hand. It was hard to believe he could still manage to make my heart race by simply touching my hand.

It was as I watched his concerned eyes travel my hurt hand that I felt a pang of guilt strike my heart. I pictured myself just awhile ago when I had literally pushed him away from me when I had heard Ron coming into the hall.

Then, without really thinking about it I murmured,

"I'm sorry."

He stared up into my eyes with understanding. He knew what I meant. I could see the hurt in his eyes no matter how hard he tried to hide it. It was there. And it was there because of me.

I slowly leaned down to him and barely brushed my lips against his to complete my apology. I could feel his breath on my lips before he reached up and pulled me down a little further to deepen the kiss. I slid off the table so I was straddling him once again but in his chair. Yet the kiss stayed soft and tender and somehow that made it all the more meaningful.

Soon it wasn't just about the kiss. I was beginning to really notice the way he played with my hair with one hand and held me close with the other. I felt more safe and protected with him than I had ever felt with anyone, even Krum.

Without realizing it I found my hand slipping under the hem of his shirt where I touched his bare skin. I felt a shock of heat rushing towards my heart as I felt his skin under my hand. However it was when I went slightly higher to his ribs I felt him jerk back in a terrible wince.

The kiss broke as his face screwed up in pain. I jumped off of him hastily apologizing frantically. He shook his head and held cradled his chest,

"No, no, Hermione. It was my fault. I should've told you when you first came in."

"Tell me what?" I asked leaning against the table behind me. He regained his composer and sat up gingerly in his seat.

"Voldemort……" I cringed at the sound of the name, "……he came to me today……" my eyes widened and my heart stopped for a beat.

"You fell asleep? When? Are you ok?" I rushed over to him and began feverishly looking for any signs of dark circles of sleep under his eyes, open wounds, and anything else that could happen to him while under the finger of Voldemort.

"I'm fine, pet, really. He only had time for one curse it wasn't that bad. I just wasn't ready for it was all. But there is one more part to the visit." Not seeing how anything could be worse than Voldemort coming to Draco was hard to imagine, "He……I……I wasn't asleep when he came to me."

"What? But……That's……not possible. Draco……I thought you said he only came in your sleep." At this he raised himself from the chair and began pacing around the table while massaging his neck.

"Yes, that's what I thought……before today that is. He also had this larger than normal panther that attacked me before he was in my head."

"In your head? So you couldn't see him?" I asked following him with my eyes. He shook his head, "So how do you know it wasn't a dream?"

He stopped pacing and looked up into space,

"It was different this time……He was in my head……everything felt as it does in conscious state……except for him……it felt like he was raking threw my mind……"

There were a few moments of silence that dragged themselves on before I broke in,

"Draco…… leave your door open for me tonight. I am not going to let you out of my sight." Draco looked up at me with thankful eyes.

He was about to walk towards me when all of the sudden we both heard laughter in the corridor just outside of the library. I turned back to him and made to walk closer to him. I wanted to let the secret out right now. For him. I wanted to do it for him. But it was when I was rounding the table to touch him that he shook his head and started backing up.

"You go and get your stuff, pet. The password is 'Serpentio.' I'll try to keep the common room empty." I must have looked hurt that he backed away. He hesitated before rushing forward and gave me a quick tender kiss on my bruised hand before walking steadily through rows of shelves toward the door.

I was left in the library all alone thinking about how serious Draco's condition was if Voldemort was able to reach him while he was fully conscious. I felt my eyes begin to water as I told myself that I had better hurry up and pack if I wanted to avoid a series of questions that I didn't have an answer to.

I rushed out of the library when three Ravenclaw girls were walking in. They saw my face and tried to ask me what was wrong before I blew past them. They would understand nothing as to why I was red in the eyes and running away.

Little did either Hermione or Draco know, was that after they had both retreated the premises of the library, a certain student walked out from the shadowy astronomy and alchemy section with the knowledge of two students that were keeping a terrible secret from the world.

It would not be a secret for long……this student would make sure of that.

Boom! Voila! I hope now your considering all the possibilities on who the student could be. Mwhahaha! Well if you have an idea, feel free to tell me who you think it could be. I already have one of the character in mind. However I would love to hear who you think discovered the secret. Well anypoo, I am very exicted because the next chapter is going to be based around the arrival of the other schools and of a certain heartbreaker from the past. OooooOOOoooo It's gonna be fun! Please review! And no flames, this is still my first fanfic. Mucho thanx! Luv you all!!

Muse's note: AHHHHHHHHH! I can't believe genski did this to us! Because I'm just as in the dark as YOU ALL ARE!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!

2nd Muse's Note: Anyone understand those new C2 thingies?!?!?!?! Review me an answer! Thanks all!