Hermione woke up the day after the Yule Ball in Draco's bed. She smiled at the memories of the night before, of how she and Draco had expressed their love. Rolling over she realised that Draco was not there and instead a piece of parchment was pinned to his pillow. She picked it up and read it before bursting into tears, throwing on her robes and running out of the room.
Hermione wasn't the only one who woke up in someone else's room. Severus had spent the night with Jaide, talking about their old relationship and eventually falling asleep on her couch. He awoke to the sound of someone banging on the door.
"Who the hell is it!" He shouted.
"Please. I need to speak to Jaide." Hermione cried.
'Oh shit.' He thought, 'This must be about Draco.'
He walked over to where Jaide was sleeping and shook her gently.
"Get lost." She mumbled, "I told you I don't want to buy an elephant."
"Jaide dear, Hermione's here about that thing we talked about." He said.
"Oh damnit." She groaned, before yawning and going over to the door.
"Jaide. Something is terribly wrong." Hermione exclaimed, "It's Draco. He's… What's Professor Snape doing here?"
"He, er, fell asleep on my couch last night while we were talking." She said hurriedly, "Now what's wrong with Draco?"
"Well last night we, uh, yeah and then this morning he left me this letter. It's horrible." She burst into tears.
'Mudblood,' Jaide read, 'Thanks for last night. You just earned me fifty galleons. Yes, it was all a bet with the other Slytherin's. Well that and I was looking for a good time. If you ever talk to me again I'll tell everyone what a little whore you are so don't even come near me.'
'What have you done Draco?' Jaide asked herself.
"Why would he say those things?" Hermione wailed.
"It seems we have judged Draco wrongly 'Mione. He hasn't changed one bit. I'm so sorry dear." Jaide told her reluctantly.
"Oh. I'm just going to go for a walk then."
"Are you going to be okay 'Mione?" Jaide inquired worriedly.
"Yeah. I just need to go somewhere." She said as she walked out of the office.
Ron was on his way to see Hermione when he ran into Draco.
"On your way to see your mudblood friend Weasel." He sneered.
"Huh?"
"I can see why you love the little slut. She's really good." He laughed evilly and pushed past Ron as he walked away.
'What did he…' Ron began to ask himself. Then he realised what had happened, 'Oh no! 'Mione.'
Hermione was sitting by the lake crying when she heard someone come up behind her.
"'Mione" she heard Ron say, "I heard what happened."
"I guess you're here to say I told you so then." She said bitterly.
"God no 'Mione. I was really worried about you." He said.
"I can't believe he would do that."
"I just knew something like this would happen. Malfoy is rotten to the core 'Mione."
"It's all my fault!" she bawled.
"No. It's not your fault 'Mione. You're too sweet and kind and trusting and Malfoy used that to his advantage. This is all his fault and we're going to see Dumbledore right now and tell him you refuse to share a dorm with the creep for another minute."
He offered her his hand and helped her get up.
"Thankyou Ron." She said, hugging him tightly.
"Anything for you 'Mione."
Draco watched Hermione and Ron hugging by the lake from the Owlery window.
'I'm so sorry 'Mione.' He thought, 'But you're better off with Weasley.'
"DRACO!" Jaide yelled from behind him, "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"I had to do it Jaide. It was for her own good."
"She'll never recover from this you little cretin."
"At least she's going to stay alive." He sighed, "Besides, she looks fine to me."
"Wha?" Jaide looked out the window to see Hermione and Ron hugging, "Oh, so you think the fact that Ron loves her will make it all better?"
"She's better off with him."
"But she loves you Draco."
"She can love Weasley now." He said huffily before storming out of the Owlery.
"But she'll never stop loving you…" Jaide whispered.