A chilly wind wafted across Draco's extra pale skin. He groaned as the sun pounded down on his newly opened eyes. He rubbed them furiously trying to wake up; he looked at his surroundings. He was lying very uncomfortably on a bench on the side of the road, cars were driving by. He tried to remember what happened but only bits and pieces came to mind. He sat up and covered his face with his hands.
"Finally!" He heard a female voice cry. He felt her shaking him vigorously. "What the hell happened?"
"I should be asking the same question," He snapped, he knew who she was, who else could she be. He opened his eyes and only confirmed his thoughts; in his opinion Hermione was not the greatest thing to wake up to. Though she did have a certain glow about her that Draco was slightly drawn to, as soon as this feeling came it went. She began speaking again.
"I found you lying on the ground bleeding, so what happened?"
"I don't remember, tell me what you know," He replied.
"We started to fight, I kneed you in the balls and then left you on the ground. When I turned around you were shaking and bleeding. I put you up on the bench and then you threw up. So what happened that I missed?" Hermione explained.
"I'm not sure. I have been getting nose bleeds pretty often lately, generally following a flashback, but now that I think about it I can't remember what those flashbacks are," Draco thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, I can't remember a lot of my past. There are these blank spots in my memories. My dad is nice in them, almost all that I can remember is good memories, there are only a few bad ones. I know there should be more bad ones, but why can't I remember them," Draco closed his eyes and concentrated on his memories, he knew he had been hit where were all the memories of it? He opened his eyes and groaned. It wasn't that he really missed those memories but they were his and now they were gone, he just wondered where they went.
"I don't know what to say," Was all Hermione could say. "We have to get back or my dad will freak and you have seen him freak. It's not pleasant for any one." Hermione lifted herself up off the ground and put her hand out for Draco. He looked at it questioningly before taking it. They walked back to the house.
When they got there it was empty and a note on the door.
Went to get some stuff, I'll probably stop for a drink. Be back later.
Hermione sighed as she took the note off the door and stepped inside, back in to the hell hole she called home. She slipped off her shoes by the door and ambled up to her room. She curled up into a ball on her bed, slipping away from reality and into the depression that came so easy. In her head there was no need for anyone she could be alone and be just fine; in reality she was alone and she wasn't fine. The longing for companionship clasped onto her already weakening spirit and dragged her down to the devil's lair, her living room. Every night she was forced to re-live those nights with her father's friends. Every tear, ache, hit, kiss, moan, everything contorted her grasp of reality because during those nights she slipped into a trace, living in the memories of Hogwarts, dreams of a better life; before her parents split, before her father's abuse, before her innocence was taken away.
Silent tears streamed down her cheeks and collected on her yellow-white sheets. Her tears had become her escape, the only way to talk back, to release her pain. The walls she had built around herself were slowly crumbling; her calm and collected exterior no longer protected her vulnerable and weak inside. Slowly they were being torn down and she was being exposed to the elements that had long haunted her past. Her second life that no one knew she had, the real Hermione that even Ron and Harry knew nothing about. How could they? She had tried to repress the memories of which, until just recently, she had managed to ignore. It was not until the previous summer that these memories came back to her. A knock at the door snapped Hermione out of her thoughts and back to reality, though neither were inviting right now. She sat up and brushed the tears off her cheeks.
"Come in," She said softly, trying to cover the pain that was easily palpable in her voice. The knob turned and someone stepped inside. She heard it in his step as he walked towards her bed, it was Draco. "Hi, Draco" she greeted him without looking away from the wall.
"How did you know it was me?" He asked as he sat down at the very edge her bed.
"You walk lightly, I could hardly hear you steps. My father stomps, everywhere. You walked in considerately, because you know this isn't your place," Hermione explained. She sniffed trying to cover up her sadness; her puffy eyes would give it away if she turned to face him.
"Do you need a tissue?" Draco asked politely.
"I'm all set," Hermione replied. Hermione knew that Draco nodded without even looking. She had learned to sense things now, after all those nights that she spent with her eyes locked shut.
"You don't have to do that you know," Draco stated.
"Yes I do," Hermione replied shortly.
"Why?" Draco questioned.
"If I don't then I get beaten and we lose electricity, and food and everything else in this house. I pay the bills, I keep this place running," Hermione declared.
"There are other places you can work," Draco said scooting closer to her. "I am here now, I can protect you from your father, I am stronger than you think," He whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her. He hugged her quickly, she needed strength. Though he hated to admit it, Hermione had more strength than he could ever wish to have.
She asked him to leave politely, though he knew he shouldn't, he agreed. He walked into his room and for the first time in his life, he prayed. He prayed for Hermione, he prayed that she had enough strength to last the night, because tomorrow he would steal her away from this hell.
authors note: heres the next chapter, sorry its boring and short, the next one will be much better! ALSO VERY IMPORTANT: in the first and fifth chapters Draco has flashbacks, I need to change those. The first one should be: His father hugged him proudly. Draco had just gotten accepted to both Dumstrung and Hogwarts. He had worked at the magic his father secretly taught him and now he had two school opptions. Lucius glowed with pride. and the fifth one should be: Draco was nine and had just successfully learned a dark spell. He had done it very well, almost perfect. Lucius couldn't have asked for anything better. Draco was well on his way to getting his Dark Mark, and following the Dark Lord. those are big plot points and I screwed them up... stupid me... thanks to all who reviewed! it really helps! updates coming soon!
