Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the plot. The song Hermione mumbles to herself is called "Broken" by Seether Feat. Amy Lee

Chapter Three

"They would do this to us wouldn't they?" Ro whined staring at the schedule for the new school year. He bowed his head and rubbed his eyes in aggravation.

"Double Potions AND double Defense Against the Dark Arts with Slytherin. It's bad enough being in the great hall with them!"

"It could be worse…" Hermione mumbled. Ron stared at her in disbelief. "How?" he practically shouted. The tone of his voice startled Hermione and she visibly shrunk.

You could be me…

"We could have every single class with them. At least we have Transfiguration with Ravenclaw and Charms with Hufflepuff." She said offhandedly, ignoring the last thought that entered her mind.

"I guess you're right," Ron sighed. "But still, why double classes? Isn't cruel and unusual punishment outlawed?"

Harry smirked at this. He had been quiet lately. It made Hermione nervous. Why was he acting so weird? They had agreed to be friends, and Hermione was trying her damndest to cooperate. He was making it so hard.

The trio hurried to the first class of the day. Hopefully Snipe would have grown a heart over the summer. Yeah, over their dead bodies. Literally.

Opening the door to the dungeon, they were instantly made the first target of the day.

"Detention for all three of you!" Snape snapped at them. "What did we do?" Ron interjected without thinking.

"That'll be fifty points from Gryffindor. I would suggest that you not speak with such disrespect to your teachers Mr. Weasley. In fact, just don't speak." Snape added in his sneering voice. Ron face began to turn red with rage. He mumbled incoherent insults under his breath as he took a seat.

"Today class—oh for heavens sake what do you want Miss Parkinson?" Snape asked aggravated with the dumber than rocks Slytherin.

Pansy put down her hand and smile. "May I use the bathroom?" she asked completely unaware of the growing anger of the Potions Professor.

Snape huffed greatly and pointed to the door. Pansy leaped out of her seat and skipped along the way. Rolling his eyes, the teacher continued.

"As I was saying, today we will be working on a very important potion. It will require today's entire double class as well as next time." The class groaned. Snape ignored them and went on.

"This project will be the first major grade of this semester. Fail and you will have to retake this class." A louder groan from both the Slytherins and Gryffindors. Hermione's mind traveled elsewhere as Snape put the instructions on the board. She couldn't help but feel the penetrating eyes from a certain gorgeous, but deadly Slytherin in the back of the classroom.

Why won't he just leave me alone?

"You will be paired as followed…" Snape took great pleasure in pairing people up with the ones they would despise the most. When he was finished, Ron despairingly moved over to Pansy's table, Hermione to Neville's, and Harry to Draco's. This would be interesting.

Hermione would have continued her self-torturing thoughts, had she not been trying to keep Neville from blowing themselves up. Meanwhile, Harry and Draco were having the most interesting conversation, or should I say dispute?

The potion being worked on was indeed one of the most difficult potions Draco had ever seen. That says a lot considering how many dark potions he had been making since he could hold a spoon. This was called the Fiducia Potion. It consisted of many sub-potions, working together for one purpose. It bonded two people together permanently. If one were to ever be in great danger, the potion would send their bonded partner to them. It also worked to bring the two together whenever one needed the other desperately.

Draco contemplated the effects the two people would encounter if given this potion. A smirk formed on his face as his brain begun to spin ideas. Why not have a little fun?

"So Potter," he started off non-chelantly. Harry continued with his work as if Draco had said nothing.

"I see you and Hermione aren't hitting it off as usual." Draco said to himself. Harry's shoulder's tensed visibly. He had his attention.

"I take it the break up wasn't as clean as you would have liked. What, she refuse to fuck you so you turned her away?" His smile grew as Harry's jaw clenched even harder.

"It's none of your fucking business Malfoy," He spat back.

"Temper Mr. Potter," Draco said, mocking Snape's monotonous tone of voice. "It was just a question."

Silence.

"I bet you'd love to use this potion on her. You know, you two could be bonded together forever. How grotesquely sweet." Draco went on.

"I said shut the fuck up Malfoy," Harry said. His anger was boiling and he didn't want to break out in a fight during this class. Not this class.

"Course I guess she wouldn't content to it. Why would she want to?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked puzzled. Draco felt as if he was stealing candy from a baby. He was almost jumping up and down with joy.

"You mean you haven't noticed? Oh that's a shame—"

"Noticed what? What did you do? I swear to fucking God—"

"Calm down Potter. Me? Touch that? I'd rather eat dog shit. You know, for supposedly being her best friend, you sure are oblivious to what's going on in her life." Draco sat back in his chair, his amusement in this charade dwindling away.

Harry stopped what he was doing. His anger was still rising, but now it was mixed with worry and confusion. "What do you know?" He forced himself to ask. The last thing he wanted was to socialize with this prick, but if something was happening with Hermione and Draco knew, he needed to know about it.

"I was just curious as to why exactly Hermione was sitting all by her lonesome on the train ride here. She sure seems different lately, much less bitchy and much more quiet. Poor mudblood—"

SMACK!

Draco's eyes began to sting from the pain felt on his jaw. Harry had struck him right where Lucius had only a couple of days before. The sound run throughout the room. Every eye was on the two boys sitting in the middle of the room. Some were in awe, some were in shock. The Gryffindors wanted to cheer for Harry, and the Slytherins had no idea what to do.

Harry's facial features showed fury unlike no other. His feelings for Hermione apparently ran deeper than Draco thought.

"Why don't you go back to St. Mungo's where you belong?" Harry said in a deathly tone.

"Harry!" Hermione screeched. The sound of her voice ripped at him.

"MR. POTTER!" Snape bellowed. "Two weeks detention for striking another student and 150 points from Gryffindor! Miss Granger please escort Mr. Malfoy to the infirmary. I will determine the grade for your project and how to deal with this later."

The Gryffindors wanted to hurl. Only the first day back and they were under 200 points.

Hermione scrambled to get to Draco. Standing up, Draco nearly fell back down again. The punch was a lot stronger than he would have ever predicted. Unaware of what was going on, he threw one arm over Hermione's shoulder. She cringed as soon as the physical connection was made. Not wanting to cause a scene, she wrapped an arm around his waist and led him out of the class.


Her temper stayed somewhere between furious and confused as to the situation.

"What in the hell is your problem Malfoy?" she yelled, struggling to keep up his weight. Draco laughed.

"My problem? What do you mean by MY problem?" He chocked out between breaths of laughter.

"I mean exactly what I meant. You just had to pick a fight with Harry didn't you? Just couldn't resist it? After being put in a psychiatric hospital one would think you would have given that patronization up…"

"I beg your pardon?" Draco yelled, stopping in mid step causing Hermione to lurch back unexpectantly. He removed his arm from her and leaned on the wall for support.

"You want to chat, okay let's chat…" Hermione shrank into her protective shell, knowing what was coming up.

Please don't bring that up… anything else but that.

She began to ring her hands in nervousness. Draco noticed this and calmed down.

His words were spoken in barely more than a whisper.

"Why did you do it?" He asked.

"Do what?" Hermione asked trying to play dumb.

"Granger, Granger, Granger… It's no use trying to act stupid, it doesn't suite you well. I ask again, why did you do it?"

Hermione began to tremble. "You wouldn't understand," she sighed. Tears began to fill her eyes.

Oh God no, Please don't. Not now, not here. Not in front of him…

Her teeth began to chatter, a common trait of hers before a total mental break down.

Fight back… Fight… Oh fuck!

Draco watched in fascination as the girl he had despised for so many years crumble to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her legs and began to rock back and forth. Burying her face she began to sing softly to herself.

"Cause I'm broken, when I'm open…

And I don't feel like, I am strong enough…"

Draco felt…something. It was hard to tell what exactly it was, but it still surprised him. It had been so long since he had last felt any emotion besides resentment and anger. Slowly he knelt beside Hermione.

"Cause I'm broken, when I'm lonesome…

And I don't feel right, when you're gone away."

Tears spilled from her eyes. It hurt to cry. It hurt so much. Everything hurt. She was overwhelmed by too many emotions. These breakdowns were unpredictable and harsh. Everything came flooding back to her at once and she couldn't keep herself calm. Eventually she knew she would pass out and wake up with a throbbing headache some short time later.

"Granger?" Draco whispered.

More tears and singing,

Draco swallowed hard.

"Hermione?" He asked. She did nothing so he put a hand on her back. Big mistake.

Hermione jumped at the slight touch of his hand. Realizing who he was and what was happening sent her in a panic attack. She quickly jumped from the ground and backed away from him. Visions of the gang rape she encountered flashed before her eyes. Suddenly she began shouting to rid herself of the voices.

"That's my good little cunt. Now don't scream, or this will much more painful."

"Get away from me!" She screamed. Draco looked puzzled. Throwing her hands to her ears, Hermione backed away even more.

"Hermione? What's wrong? Tell me, I just want to help." It was all Draco could think of. He took a shaky step towards her, his head still dizzy from Harry's blow.

"Stay away!" She screamed. "DON'T COME NEAR ME!"

She turned and ran as fast as she could down the hallway, leaving Draco alone.

Always alone…

Slowly, but surely, Draco made his way to the infirmary, contemplating what had just happened.