A/N: Hey I'm updating already! I got quite a few reviews last time and hope to get more and more as the chapters go on. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, everything belongs to JK Rowling except the characters that you do not recognise.

Special Announcement: This chapter is dedicated to Roguish Muse who guessed where my quote came from. It was from Lifehouse's album 'No Name Face'! Voila!

..~**~..

Chapter 10

It was Saturday and Draco finally had time to put his plan into action. Taking a quill and parchment, he started writing to his contacts within the Ministry. He would transfer Abigail's mother into St Mungo's at all costs. It was the only way he could get her to side with him so she could teach him everything she knew. It would probably take a few weeks before her mother definitely left the Muggle hospital, so Malfoy preferred to keep it quiet, even to Abigail, until everything was completed. He never countenanced the idea of his plan failing, but still he was cautious enough to not risk public humiliation if the unthinkable should happen.

Still, it was going to prove even harder to gain her friendship now that she wouldn't talk to him anymore. Indeed, the Serpent heir had spent most of her time in her room since Draco had yelled at her. She had pointedly ignored him in corridors and spent as much time as she could with the Weasley girl, which pissed him off even more. He knew that the situation was at a critical point, and that he could easily lose her to those Gryffindor goody two-shoes if he wasn't careful.

She spent her dinners with Blaise and him, but she kept giving them evil glares, muttering under her breath. Potter had looked across at her sometimes, but then hastily turned back to his food when he caught Draco's eye instead. Even Granger had looked over to the Slytherin table, but he had purposely avoided her gaze. The girl just didn't learn, did she?

Being with Granger in the Heads' Quarters had been a living hell since the detention. She had constantly ignored him too. At first Draco was thrilled, until she had decided to invite Potter and the Weasel over everyday and had kept her blasted Muggle music on till late at night. She knew exactly how to piss him off, and she did it.

Unfortunately, Draco now also spent his nights being haunted by memories of their last encounter. It had felt so good when he had kissed her, and it had seemed so right holding her in his arms, that he couldn't forget it. He found himself dreaming about her and yearning for her touch more and more, and it was driving him insane. It was a change from all the chilling nightmares he had had since the beginning of school, but his dreams had simply exchanged one form of torture for another kind.

The worst moment had been when he caught Granger off-guard when she watched him, when her soft brown eyes, full of anxiety and pain, would be looking at him thoughtfully with a faint inner brilliance that unnerved him. He had hurt her more than he had thought, but he knew it was best that way. Hell, she was a Mudblood! Something he had been raised to despise and get rid of.

But part of him urged to make up with her and take her back in his arms - feel her body next to him and her lips upon his. The small voice at the back of his mind would try to convince him that his actions were wrong and Draco desperately tried to ignore it each time he saw her and suppress his shudder each time he smelt her light perfume. Nothing could ever happen between them; it was impossible, too dangerous. Besides, what exactly was going on between them? Draco would never know, he could never know. Being a Death Eater had made him hate, kill and cause pain, in essence, learn to obey the Dark Lord's way. Being with Granger was against everything he had ever believed in or done. There was no escape; he could never learn to love, he had come too far.

And so he denied his feelings for Hermione, covering them up with the feelings of hate and disgust he had known all his life and silenced the small voice which told him otherwise.

When Draco finally came out of his room, he found Granger sitting in front of the fireplace reading a book.

Damn, it's Saturday and she still has to be around to bug me!

"Why are you still here?" he asked annoyed.

"I didn't know you cared," she replied in a dull voice.

"Got rid of your goofy friends I see? Please tell me when you intend to invite them next time, so I can get the hell out of here before they ruin my day!" he spat out.

"Whatever," Hermione continued reading her book, not once turning to face him.

It unnerved him how she could ignore him like that. He, Draco Malfoy deserved more respect than that. Just as he was about to voice his opinions again the door to the common room swung open and the Weasel walked in.

"Hermione?" he asked unsure, only catching sight of Draco.

"I'm here!" she answered from the couch.

"What the hell?" Draco shouted from his spot. "Granger, what did I just tell you?"

"Can't remember, I was too busy ignoring you, Malfoy!" she replied bitterly.

He looked at her furiously. "Just you wait, Mudblood." He then turned to her red-haired friend. "You out! Now!"

"No way ferret! And don't call her that!" Ron yelled back at him.

"Or what will you do about it Weasel? What would you do to save your precious Mudblood!" he spoke slowly, articulating the last insult clearly.

"You bastard!" Ron started, ready to pounce on him, but Granger got to her feet quickly.

"Ron!" she ordered. "Don't bother with him, he's just provoking you on purpose, can't you see?"

She put her book aside and went over to him, grabbing his arm and pulling him away.

"Need a Mudblood to save you Weasel?" Draco sneered at him. He really needed a good fight right now. He was so angry that he would gladly use the Weasel as a punching ball. However, Granger only rolled her eyes and tugged at her friend's arm harder as she heard the insults. She finally gave Draco one more dark look before turning around and heading for the portrait hole.

"You'll get it in the end, Malfoy," the Weasel snarled.

"Don't fuck with me," Draco hissed back dangerously. "Now sod off, both of you!"

Both glaring at him angrily, they left, leaving a furious Draco behind.

Damn those Gryffindors are really a pain in the arse!

Grabbing his cloak, he left hurriedly, heading towards the dungeons and the Slytherin common room. Seeing no one around, he fell back on the leather couch and stared out of the window. He badly needed to cool down, but couldn't help thinking of the Head girl. Damn it! How he hated her so much with all her noble feelings! "Don't bother with him, he's just provoking you on purpose!" Who the hell did she think she was, talking about him like that? Treating him like some idiot child throwing a tantrum?

Gryffindor bitch!

He heard someone coming down the boy's dormitories and smirked as he saw Blaise Zabini sit down on the opposite couch.

"Draco, we need to talk," he said sternly.

The Slytherin Prince simply nodded back to him.

"The guys are restless, they've heard about the incident with Abigail and Potter and considering what happened with Granger at the Hog's Head..."

"Well?"

"They want revenge. They're fed up of Dumbledore's Trio getting away all the time and now they're scared the other students will think that the Slytherins have gone soft."

He paused, uncertain whether to continue or not.

"To tell you the truth Draco, some of us think you've gone soft too."

Blaise had balls to tell him that, but Draco respected him for being honest, although he suspected that it was probably a well-calculated move to provoke Draco into action. Whatever it was, it didn't matter, Blaise could just about get away with it. However, he wouldn't let the others get away so easily. He would prove them wrong; it was time to act and remind Hogwarts just what Draco Malfoy could do.

"Don't you catch anyone else calling me that," he told him. "The day Draco Malfoy goes soft is the day Hufflepuff win the Quidditch Cup. You got that?"

By now he was seething with anger. Not only was Granger messing with his mind, but she was also ruining his reputation. Getting up, he kicked a chair angrily against the wall. He was going to get her back, and get her back bad.

"As for Potter, we'll get him back through the filthy Mudblood. And trust me, I live with that scum everyday. I know exactly how to get our sweet revenge."

His steel grey eyes glistened as he worked up a plan in his head. Granger was going to pay for ever believing he could change; he would show her. A devilish grin appeared on Blaise's face as he listened carefully to him. Draco knew that he was glad he could get his own back on Potter and that the rumours circulating within the Slytherin dungeons were false. Draco Malfoy was still the powerful Death Eater that everybody feared since the start of school, he was far from going soft.

At that precise moment, Draco understood. It was too late for him; too late to expect redemption or try to change. The dark side of his nature, the side he had gotten from his father, had already taken control of his body and mind. He might have had no choice in the matter, causing him to hate the Dark Lord and his father for it, but his soul was already corrupted. It was too late. Now, no matter what happened after he had dealt with Voldemort, he would continue doing evil and evil only. Everything else was dead.

..~**~..

The next day, upon reaching the portrait of the Black Knight, Draco saw Pansy had already arrived.

As she saw him, she gave him her best smile and kissed him on the cheek. "You're late," she teased him.

"Hardly," he replied. "Listen, we're planning revenge on the Gryffindors and, more precisely on the Mudblood, and I need you for it." His eyes seemed lifeless and he realised that it was scaring Pansy – her eyes were jittering back and forth from his, unable to hold his gaze.

He didn't care.

"On the Mudblood? Do you know that bitch gave me detention because she caught me out of bed after hours? She has some nerve doing that to a Slytherin you know?"

"Exactly, that's why I want you to help us in our revenge."

"And what precisely do I have to do?" she asked, gliding her hands up and down Draco's chest. It really annoyed him how she would claim him like that and get in a fight with any other girl who wanted him. Of course, it never prevented him from actually getting those girls, but Pansy always knew how to make him pay for it. But nonetheless, he didn't mind the pug-faced girl; they understood each other and she would always be there for sex. He was glad that he had finally gotten rid of her delusions of love and marriage last year.

"I'll explain later," he answered, kissing her lightly on the lips. "Meet me here after class."

He left quickly before he was late for his next class, History of Magic. Spotting Blaise at the back, he sat beside him.

"Pansy's in," he whispered quietly to him.

"Good. I've got everything organised on my side. The Mudblood's last class is Care of Magical Creatures with the oaf. I thought we could get her on the grounds, near the Forbidden Forest -"

"No," Malfoy cut in. "People could see us there. Better wait until she's in the castle. We'll get her on her way back to the Gryffindor Tower, trust me, I know exactly where."

Blaise kept taking notes with his face down, although Draco knew his ears were perked, curious to hear more about the plan.

"In front of the Black Knight's portrait," he suddenly revealed, "No one should see us there, it's dark and we'll get the others to block off the corridor."

"Good idea," Blaise answered, his blue eyes sparkling with malice. "But what about Potty and Weasel? What do we do about them?"

"They have Quidditch practice tonight, she'll be on her own," Draco explained, watching Professor Binns intently, as though he was following the class. His own eyes had become a darker shade than usual as he thought about tonight. Granger was going to be sorry she even spoke to him this year.

"Draco," Blaise hissed suddenly.

"What?" he answered, annoyed. Merlin, how many questions did Blaise need to ask?

"What do we do if - if Abigail gets in the way, you know like she already did in Hogsmeade." His voice was unsure and Draco knew he didn't like that possibility one bit. If Abigail Serpent got in Slytherin's way once more, they were sure the others would get her back this time. Slytherins didn't forgive or forget so easily, and it had taken a lot of pulling strings by both Draco and Blaise to get them to forget the Hog's Head incident.

"I'll deal with her if she does."

The two Slytherin friends kept silent until the end of class. Their last class was double Charms with the Ravenclaw and then, show-time.

..~**~..

It was time and Draco was walking with Pansy towards the portrait.

"Just do what you always do," he told her as they approached the scene. Draco could already hear Blaise's voice loud and clear. The couple nestled into the shadows, keeping their eyes on the scene before them as they started to make out.

Draco knew Granger from head to toe; he had figured her out after all their conversations and time spent together. He knew she had some kind of holy faith in him or some bullshit like that, and he would use it against her. He knew her so well that he had planned his revenge around her words. He knew some time or other when Blaise would threaten her, she would call to him -

"You're just a filthy little Mudblood, who's going to pay very dearly!"

She would eventually cry out -

"You know, if Malfoy were here, you wouldn't dare touch me!"

Wrong move.

Blaise lifted his hand swiftly, wanting to hit her, but quickly decided against. Draco smirked to himself. He must have remembered what had happened last time he had hit her.

"I already told you; you aren't worthy enough to say his name," Blaise spat out, "and as for him saving you; well, why don't we ask him?"

On cue Draco glided out of the shadows, Pansy's arms wrapped possessively around him. He smirked at Hermione, his eyes roaming over her with pure contempt.

It was time he got the Mudblood out of his system and silence that little voice in the back of his head once and for all. She would pay for ever believing that she could alter him, she would pay for kissing him the other night in detention, for making him want her; a Mudblood.

After tonight, she would never dare even look at him again.

"Hello Granger," he greeted her.

..~**~..

Evil cliffhanger, I know! But I hadn't had one for such a long time... Sorry for the short chapter; I will definitely catch up with the next!

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