A/N: Thanks to kitty253 for the review! I'm slowly moving along the Draco/Hermy relationship so bear with me...I don't want to rush this fic but it's getting a little repetitive, no? Do not fear, more action to come!

Somehow Draco managed to drag himself back up to Hogwarts castle, crawl his way through the corridors and collapse into Slytherin common room. As he lay there on one of the wooden church like pews serving as a sofa, his stomach turned and his mind buzzed.

He had to befriend Hermione by orders of the Dark Lord. So she would trust him. So Voldemort could kill her.

As the wood pressed hard into his spine, Draco felt the familiar sense of being in way over his head. He was not in control of his life and found he was in this situation more and more often and wasn't sure how he managed it.

"Why me? Why?" Draco shouted to the ceiling, half expecting a reply. The shouts stung his throat, making it feel like someone was rubbing a cactus down it.

Massaging his neck, Draco closed his eyes tight and wished his life was simple again. That his mother was still alive and his father wasn't so unbearable. And he had no problems except the matter of deciding who to curse next. He wished with all his heart that he did not love Hermione, for her sake not his.

Although he didn't want to think it, Draco knew that he would probably be responsible for her death and how would he ever live with himself after that? The thought haunted him and made his body convulse with horrifying thoughts.

- - -

Even though he didn't want to, Draco forced himself down to dinner.

He sat next to Crabbe and a boy by the name of Theodore Nott who was a year below, pulling disgusted faces at Pansy and Blaise who sat opposite him, on purpose no doubt.

"Draco? Merlin to Draco...who is he staring at?" Blaise demanded, turning around, trying to follow Draco's eye line. Draco ignored her, he was too tired and sick feeling to bother with her tonight, even if her voice did cut through him like a knife and her laugh annoy him to no end.

"Either he's staring at Potter or got the hots for Granger," Blaise decided, turning her attention back to her plate. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave Draco a knowing, obnoxious grin. "Draco loves a Mudblood!"

Draco was at a loss for the girls immaturity. Pansy erupted into mind cracking peals of laughter and the two continued their cackling, drawing much attention to themselves.

"Can you please shut your faces for just five minutes?" Draco said to them through gritted teeth as he leant across the table. "I'd rather hear a Banshee singing than one more second of your laughter."

"Moody!" Pansy called, nudging Blaise in the ribs as they began yet more laughing.

Draco stiffened his jaw and set his mouth in a thin line, his eyes blazing black.

"If you do not shut up, I'm going to get out my wand and curse you right here, in front of everyone. I'm sure everyone will be most amused to see the Bat Bogey Hex attacking you," Draco said, his voice dangerously low. The girls fell quiet, Pansy looking ready to curse Draco straight back, Blaise looking apprehensive.

"Calm down Draco dear," Blaise replied, a smile tugging at her lips. "Wouldn't want you to cause any lasting damage on yourself."

"I'll show you lasting damage -," Draco said, making to sit up but Blaise caught him and held his upper body close to the table.

"Who knows? Cursing could be fun in the right situations...perhaps we'll try it when you're begging for a shag again?" She said, her dark eyes glittering and a wry smile on her lips.

Draco made to reply but noticed Hermione was making her way across the Hall and past the Slytherin table, looking his way.

Before Draco knew it or could stop it, Blaise yanked him forward and pushed her lips against his, causing the table to erupt in cat-calls.

Draco shoved her away forcefully, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. She settled herself back in her seat, a smug smile plastered on her face. Pansy was laughing but not as raucously as perhaps she could, it was a half hearted attempt at covering her jealousy.

Draco opened his mouth to allow the torrent of abuse to flow but caught sight of Hermione who had paused momentarily and was staring in disgust and disbelief. She remembered herself and hurried on her way.

"Oh dear," Blaise said, feigning sympathy toward the disappearing form of Hermione.

Draco shot her a filthy look and got up from the table, knocking it forcefully with his hips so the goblets of pumpkin juice spilled everywhere.

"You bastard!" Blaise shouted, looking down at her soaked skirt but Draco ignored her and followed after Hermione.

He saw her marching down the corridor, not too far in front and Draco sprinted to catch her up. The movements caused Draco's stomach to turn but he ignored it.

"Hermione!" Draco called, almost near her. She didn't stop, just continued to walk faster.

"Will you stop?" Draco said, catching her arm and hauling her around to face him roughly. Her eyes were wide and her face flushed but she defied her nerves and looked him straight in the eye.

"Get off me!" She said bitterly, attempting to yank her arm away but Draco held her firmly.

"Listen to me, listen!" Draco barked, gripping her arm harder. Hermione bit her lip in pain and tears began prickling her eyes but she remained silent and defiant.

"I'm...I'm sorry alright?" Draco said uneasily, loosening his grip slightly. "I'm sorry about before and about Parvati."

Hermione remained silent but her glare had softened ever so slightly.

"I, I'm having...I don't want to talk about it. Just...sorry," Draco fumbled for words. He never really told anyone his feelings and certainly wasn't going to start.

"Unaccepted," Hermione spat at him. Draco was taken aback, confused at her word.

"You're just lying, conniving scum and I'm sorry that I ever thought any different about you. Now get off me!" Hermione shouted, struggling against him. Draco caught her other arm to hold her still, she was stronger than she looked.

"I just apologised! The least you could do is accept it for Merlin's sake!" Draco shouted angrily.

"Well I'm not. I regret ever being made Head Girl because it means I have to spend time with you! You're disgusting Malfoy, you use girls as you see fit and don't care about anyone but yourself!" Hermione shouted straight back at him.

"Then I'll resign as Head Boy, let Princely Potter have the title!" Draco said bitterly.

"It's always about Harry isn't it? Why don't you just admit that you are so jealous of him and grow up? Its sad Draco, really, really pathetic and everyone knows it," Hermione replied cruelly.

Draco went quiet. Her words rang in his ears and he knew it was true. And apparently everyone else did too.

"I," Draco said and looked down into Hermione's eyes where she realised she had hit way below the belt. He looked away from her gaze and at the stone floor instead, willing his pain to disappear again.

"I'm sorry. No, really. That was out of line," Hermione explained as Draco scoffed at her words.

"Don't be," He uttered. "It's the truth."

Hermione was unsure how to reply. She had really hurt Draco Malfoy and for some reason, didn't feel good about it at all.

"I am sorry Draco," Hermione pressed, feeling very guilty with her words. "It's just, sometimes you know just how to push my buttons and make me so angry."

"Yeah well," Draco replied, still looking at the floor. A small part inside him realised Hermione was actually warming to him ever so slightly. So, he'd found his trump card.

"It wasn't your fault," Hermione continued. "I've just been under so much pressure recently and I suppose I took it out on you. You don't deserve all you got."

"No, I'm sorry. It's just been tough you know with my...mother," Draco replied quietly, wondering how well it would go down. Well, he could try it couldn't he?

"I understand Draco, you have every right to feel angry but you're not the only to have lost someone close," Hermione said gently.

Draco realised it was indeed working but he felt incredibly guilty about snaring her with his sob story. It just wasn't his style but then again he was a Slytherin through and through. 'By any means necessary' after-all.

"I know but it's just complicated. I don't want to talk about it," Draco said, looking back at Hermione from the ground.

"OK. I've got to get back to the common room, essay," Hermione explained. "Head Boy and Girl are supposed to communicate with each other about things so I'll be here if you want "

"Right," Draco said, still looking at her.

"Right," Hermione echoed then she remembered herself. "You can do night patrol tonight, I've got tons of homework."

With that, she turned on her heel and stalked down the corridor toward the revolving staircases that led to Gryffindor Tower without so much as a backward glance.

Draco watched her out of sight and even though their conversation proved fruitful, he still felt uneasy about it all. He felt like the conniving little worm Hermione had said he was but what choice did he have?

With a very heavy heart, Draco double backed on himself to retreat to Slytherin common room and to battle with right and wrong once again.