Chap. 5 Comfort

Hermione ran out of the library, out of sight from students. Tears ran down her pale face.

She ran to the hidden wall, cried out the passage word and ran in. She ran to her bedroom door. She stopped before going in, attempting to straighten out her tossled clothing.

Draco entered the common room, from his bedroom. Hermione's back faced him. He saw her trying to straighten out her clothes, he also noticed her hair was out of place. He smirked at this, not knowing what truly happened.

'Ahh, did young Weasley finally get some action? Was it because he found out that I got more from his little virgin girlfriend than he had?' He asked cruelly.

She didn't answer. This upset him. She usually at least shot an attack back at him, but her silence annoyed him.

'No words, mudblood? Ron worked the tongue too roughly?' He laughed at his joke.

Hermione then turned to face him. Her usually soft face was pale and tear-streaked.

This frightened him a bit. He'd never seen a woman cry from sadness...from pain from sex...but never actual pain from the heart. He didn't know what to do. So, like a true ass, he was cruel.

'Ahh, I see Weasley really hurt you. The first time does usually cause pain, maybe even tears. You're weak, but the more he fucks you the more you'll get the hang of it, mudblood.'

Hermione began to cry again. She fell back against the wall, unable to hold herself up any longer. Draco was talking about the exact thing that was hurting her most. Ron having sex with her...or attempting.

Draco's eyes widened when she fell.

'Granger...are you okay?' He finally asked with some sympathy.

She shook her head, as she buried her red face in her hands.

Draco looked around uncomfortably. He then slowly made his way over to her.

'What's wrong? Are you ill?'

Hermione did not raise her head. She just kept it in her hands.

'Granger...I can't help you unless you tell me what's wrong.' He snapped.

'I don't need your help!' She yelled.

He became angry.

'Fine. I didn't want to give it, but you obviously need something if you sit here and cry!

Go to your goddamn room if you need nothing from me!!' He walked back to the center of the room and threw himself onto a couch, crossing his arms, staring at her.

She looked back at him, tears ran down her cheeks.

'Stop crying.' He ordered, 'Go get Weasel to comfort you.'

'Don't talk about him.' She said angrily.

'Oh, now we are getting somewhere.' He sighed, 'Did the little redhead break up with you? Is that why you are crying?'

'No.' She said.

'Then what?'

He then looked over her once more. He noticed her ruffed hair again, and her messed clothes, too. His face of scorn turned to one of near softness.

'You are still a virgin?' He asked.

She nodded.

'Weasel tried to change that?' He asked.

She nodded again.

'With force?' He added.

She nodded once more.

Draco sighed. He had never been in this situation before. He took pity on the innocent Hermione.

'I'm sorry you had to go through that.' He replied.

She looked at him in confusion, she had never heard him say anything kind in nature.

'Why aren't you laughing at me?' She asked. 'Me, a mudblood, not giving herself to her boyfriend of 4 months.'

'Well, if you aren't ready, you aren't ready. And rape is not the route to go.' He said.

Then he smirked. 'Besides, I would never fuck Weasley either.'

She grinned and chuckled at this.

'Ahh, thee Granger has laughed at one of Malfoy's jokes?' He asked.

'You don't think I'm stupid?'

'Stupid? Of course I do. I hate you. You are a prude...' He stated.

She looked at him sadly.

'But...' He added, 'That still doesn't give Weasel the right to push himself on you.'

She nodded in agreement.

Draco gulped and then spoke again.

'Did he hurt you?' He asked, almost in pain himself.

'Not really. Just scared me. He did shove me against a wall, but it didn't hurt too bad...really.'

'He shoved you? What kind of boyfriend you got yourself there?!' Draco asked.

'You sound shocked. You're a Malfoy, you shouldn't be shocked.'

'And why not?' He asked.

She didn't answer.

'You think I hit girls?' He asked angrily. 'I don't force any girl to have sex with me, Granger. I don't have too. I wouldn't. I've seen enough of that in my own home to last me a lifetime. And I would appreciate it if you would not assume things. Your head must me more fucked up than I thought...you really don't know a thing about me, mudblood.'

His face turned red from true anger. Hermione was ashamed, she didn't know she would have offended Malfoy like that. She thought he was truly evil, she thought it meant nothing to him to hit a girl. She was wrong.

'In your own home?' She asked.

'Lay off it, Granger. Don't try to act like you care just because your so-called intelligent self made a wrong assumption about me.'

'I'm sorry, Malfoy. I didn't know. I did assume and I'm sorry.'

He snorted.

'Assumed? Why? Have you ever seen me put a finger on another girl, in order to hurt her?'

'No. I just thought, well, I heard stories of your father, and I figured...'

'Father like son?' He asked angrily.

'Well, maybe...' She said nervously.

'Not every son wants to grow up exactly like his father.'

'So, it's true about your father?'

'Probably. I don't know what you're talking about. Anything is possible with that man.'

'I really am sorry I assumed you are abusive.'

'Yeah well, let's just stop talking about it.' He demanded.

'Malfoy?'

'Yeah?'

'Thanks for not being ass tonight.'

He looked at her for a bit, then smirked.

'You owe me.' Was all he replied before going to his room.

--

Hermione went to her room, she got her pajamas on and crawled into her bed. She was thankful there were no classes that day. She just wanted to relax and not leave her room.

She didn't care about lunch or dinner for that day. She thought about what she had accused Draco of and how he became so offended. She felt guilty. She knew Malfoy was mean, but she shouldn't have thought he'd go that low. She then though, 'But Ron...he was sweet, and he DID go that low...low enough to cause me pain.'

She then thought about how Draco said he's seen enough abuse in his home to last him a lifetime. His father was abusive then? To his mother? to Draco? Maybe both? She was curious. She wanted to know desperately. Was Draco brought up in an abusive home? Is that why he's so cruel all the time? Is that all he knows?

Hermione suddenly got very tired from all this thinking. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

--

Draco lay in his bed. Many things were running through his mind also.

'Wow...the Weasel got so desperate he tried to force himself on Granger?' He thought to himself.

'She thought I hit girls. I am that mean that she would assume I do that too?'

He then jumped out of bed and left to pay Blaise a visit.

--

Draco entered the Slytherin common room. Blaise just so happened to be sitting in there talking to a pretty Slytherin girl. Her eyes sparkled when she looked at Draco.

'Hey Drake. What's up?' Blaise asked.

While the girl looked at Draco, Blaise got Draco's attention and pointed down the girl's shirt. He started humping the air. The pretty girl never saw a thing. Draco laughed. The girl looked back at Blaise, just as he stopped humping.

'What's so funny?' She asked.

'Nothing, Cady.' Blaise replied. 'What's going on Drake?'

'I need to talk to you. Now.' Draco retorted.

Blaise's eyes narrowed.

'Quick?' Blaise asked.

'Yeah, sure.' Draco replied.

Blaise then turned to the girl.

'I'll be just a minute, Cady.'

She smiled and nodded. Blaise jumped up and walked out into the corridor with Draco.

'What do you want fucker? I was just about to get some sweet sweet lovin'!' Blaise cried.

'Have you ever hit a girl?' Draco asked openly.

'What? No...where's this coming from???'

'Do you think I have?'

'I don't think so. Why did you? Who was it?'

'No, no I didn't...Granger thought I had...like normally.'

'So...why do you care what Granger thinks? Oh...our bet?'

'No, I don't care about that right now. I don't want to be known as the guy who hits girls. I don't want to be known as Lucius Malfoy's son.'

'Like father like son?'

'Exactly.'

'I don't think many people think that...why were you talking to Granger about abuse??'

'Weasley tried impurifying Granger...'

'Oh and you were mad because you and I have that little contest to see who can do it first...'

'No, well I hadn't thought about that, but I mainly mean because the Weasel tried taking it by force.'

'Weasley? Ron Weasley? Wow...never thought he'd have that in him. Granger was pretty shaken up huh?'

'Yeah...pretty is an understatement. She was crying and everything. I freaked out. I didn't know what to do, you know?' Draco said a bit confused still. 'She even thanked me.'

'Granger? Little Hermione 'I-hate-Malfoy' Granger thanked you?'

'Yeah...I told her she owed me one.'

'I hate you, you fucker!'

'What??'

'You got her! You are going to win! She comforted her in a sensitive time of need. She thanked you for your comfort and she owes you! Name the date, time and place and she'd fuck you in a heart beat!'

'Yeah right. Not after what the Weasel did to her. This little escapade just dampened the

whole plan.'

'Yeah I guess.'

Draco then smirked.

'I forgot to tell you...Hermione felt my pride and joy.'

'What? Hand job?'

'No, not purposely.'

Draco then reminisced about that "special" night, informing Blaise of great details, especially of Hermione's pajamas.

'Jealous...jealous...' Blaise laughed, 'You got felt by little virgin Granger. Ha! And what a hot, sexy little virgin she is.'

'You really think so?' Draco asked.

'Fuck yeah! Don't you? I'd question your sexuality if you didn't.'

'I do. I realized I did when I saw her in those little pink shorts.' Draco smirked.

Draco then looked up at a wall clock. It was past lunch and nearly dinner. While comforting Hermione he missed lunch, and now he was about to miss dinner.

'Look, Zabini, I think I'm going to grab some dinner and bring it up to my room. Have fun with little Cady in there.' Draco said smiling.

'Oh...I will. I hope you get lucky with Granger.' Blaise said. He turned to walk back into the Slytherin common room, but then turned back around. 'Actually I hope you aren't lucky...man, this race between us isn't going too well is it?'

'Nah, not really. Well, whatever happens happens.'

'Yeah, that works. Bye fucker.'

'Bye.'