Ok, I know I haven't updated in close to forever, and I'm really sorry about it but there wasn't much I could do. Anyway, last time we sat together, Hermione got a little, errr, drunk. She's currently sleeping it off, but we all know what drink does to your head and how many problems our dear Hermione already has. And I've also decided I'm sick and tired of dancing around the damn subject, so you'll find out what happened too. Here we go.

Chapter 32
Revelations

Draco's POV
I had guessed that I'd have at least six hours before Hermione woke up, so I had gone to bed myself. We had been sleeping really odd hours lately, and it was almost catching up to me. I slipped into bed with a sigh.
Only to be woken a scant 3 hours later by a yell. I jolted upright, wand at the ready. The room was empty, but Hermione was whimpering.
"Harry… Don't…no!" I moved to her side, and tried to pull her into my arms but she moved away. "Stay away!"
"Hermione, mi cara, I'm not Harry, I won't ever hurt you."
"No, don't touch me."
"Hermione, listen to me!"
"No, Harry. I told you, I don't want to!"
"You don't want to what?"
"I don't want to! Please stop!"
"You don't want to do what Hermione? What don't you want to do?"
"I don't want to sleep with you!" My jaw dropped. And I got angry. I gently took a hold of her shoulders. "Stop! Let me go!" I dropped my hands and she moved away, shaking uncontrollably.
"Hermione! Wake up! You have to wake up!" I was close to yelling. "Please, wake up!"
"No, no! Stop! Harry! Don't!" then she screamed. And my heart broke into a million pieces. I grabbed her and pulled her to me, refusing to let go as she yelled and fought.
"Hermione, you have to wake up. Please, please, please wake up. You have to wake up. Don't do this to yourself again. Wake up, Merlin, please wake up." She fought me harder.
"Let me go! You're hurting me! Stop!" she screamed again, and the pain of it almost killed me. I picked her up, fighting, and carried her the few feet to the shower and turned the water on cold, throwing both of us under it. The shock of it jerked her awake. Her eyes were wide and she was breathing hard.
"Draco?" she sounded terrified. I pulled her closer.
"Shhh, it's going to be alright. Everything is going to be okay now."
"Oh, God." She started crying, sobbing into my soaking shirt. "Oh, God, he hurt me. He hurt me so horribly. I never thought he would hurt me." She clung to me, seemingly unable to let go. "I never thought he would. I thought he was joking, then… then…" she choked on a sob.
"It's alright, you don't have to say anything. I know, I understand." She sat back and shook her head violently.
"No! You don't understand! You don't! You can't! He- he- he-" She broke down again sobbing. I pulled her close, whispering nonsense in her ear. When she could speak again, her voice was soft and hoarse. "Oh, God, Draco, what am I going to do? What's going to happen now? Oh, God, oh God." She was shaking with cold. I reached up and turned the water on warm but it didn't help her. Picking her up again, I carried her back to my bed and pulled the covers over both of us. She continued to shake.
"Hermione, we have to get these wet clothes off of you." She didn't respond. "Hermione-"
"Draco, why? Why did it all have to end like this? Why does there have to be all this pain? The mistrust? The blind fear? Draco, I loved him more than life itself and he betrayed me like that. I had loved him years and years. Inside of me somewhere, I know I still love him and it scares me. It scares me so terribly that I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know what to do. The fear is always there. I know in my heart that you will never, ever hurt me, but I'm still afraid. I tell myself not to pull away from you, but the feeling is still there." she looked up at me, all the pain and fear in her beautiful eyes. "Draco, I have to get away. I'm slowly going crazy. I can't handle this. Can't handle you. I know I still love you, but I can't keep going on like this. I need help, more than you can give me. Please, Draco, let me go. Just let me go." She broke down into tears again, and tried to pull away but I couldn't let her.
"Hermione, you mean more to me than life itself. I can't just let you go." My heart was breaking into a million pieces. "You are my reason for life. I've found the rest of my heart in you. I can't let you go."
"Draco, please stop." Her voice was full of pain.
"Dammit, Hermione, it's true." I looked her full in the face. "I can't live without you. I don't know how I survived before. I love you, Hermione. Please, don't make me let you go."
"Draco, I-I'm sorry." She pulled away and slipped out of the bed. She grabbed a cloak and her wand and hurried to the door. "Draco, I love you, I'm sorry." Her shoulders heaved and she grabbed the door handle and pulled. It opened noiselessly. "I'm sorry." she whispered and was gone. I broke down and cried.
~*~*~
Hermione's POV

My heart was in a million pieces. God, I loved him so much and it hurt so horribly. Worse than Harry had ever hurt me. I had no idea what time it was when I finally made it to Dumbledore's office. He must have known I was coming because he was sitting in front of the fire with a large cup of tea. I collapsed into the chair next to him, shaking with a hundred different emotions. When I could finally speak, it was in a pained whisper.
"Professor, I have to go."
"I understand, Miss Granger." I looked up at him, in wonder. "This is not the first time something like this has happened, though your circumstances are a bit different." He half-smiled at some obscure joke I couldn't begin to comprehend right now. "I have arranged for a portkey to some friends of mine in the south of France. I believe they might be able to help you."
"Thank you, Professor."
"You are quite welcome, Miss Granger. Now, if you will just take this trinket here-" He pointed to an oddly shaped object on his desk. I reached for it, but before I touched it, I hesistated.
"Please, don't tell Draco where I am." Dumbledore's eyebrow quirked, "I'm doing this because I love him and I can't now. Please, don't tell him.
"As you wish, Miss Granger. Give the Hurberlen's my regards." I nodded and picked up the portkey, and felt the odd pulling sensation at my navel.
~*~*~
Draco's POV

When I managed to regain my composure, I rushed to Dumbledore's office. He was sitting in front of the fireplace, drinking a cup of tea. He didn't turn at my entrance, but waved me to the chair next to his. It was damp.
"Where is she?"
"Where is who, Mister Malfoy?" He turned his serene gaze on me. I didn't have the energy to glare at him.
"Hermione, where is she?" Dumbledore didn't respond for a few moments, merely looked me over. I knew my eyes were red-rimmed and my hair a mess, but I didn't care. "Please."
"I'm sorry, Mister Malfoy. I can't tell you that." I stood up, indignant.
"Why the hell not?"
"Because I was asked not to." I sank back into the chair in shock.
"Is she alright?"
"Yes, I sent her to some friends of mine in France. She will be able to heal there."
"Why?" I couldn't stop the tears.
"She said it was because she loves you." I hung my head and cried unashamedly. "She will return, Mister Malfoy. The bonds between you are too strong to be broken." I sat there a few moments longer before I could stand. I walked to the door, then turned.
"Can I at least write to her?" Dumbledore shook his head.
"No. When she's ready, she'll contact you." I dropped my head again. " I'll make sure you keep up to date on her progress."
"Thank you, Professor." I turned to leave.
"Mister Malfoy, don't doubt Miss Granger. She's stronger than you think."
"That's the thing I'm afraid of." I left.

~*~*~

Hopefully the next chapter will be soon. I'll do my best. My muse finally came back from her really really long vacation and she's yelling in my ear to get busy. *sigh* Ok. Thank You's (really overdue)

Chelsea, the all powerful moo (x2) tracie, Ezmerelda, Araya Arwen, Tickled Purple Monkey (x2) Subzer0-degrees, rock-fan, Chee, Miroku-2/22 (Just write your own disclaimer), lynnemonroe127, Nevavariel(x2), TiarellaCordifolia, ravenbeaut, TriGemini(x2), KeWlGaL8tH, Whippy Bird, Queen Tigris, Draco Hermione Supporter, anime-goddess17, insanity-is-my-life, black-cat-on-the-wall, natyslacks, and Shelma.

Thank you all.

~WF~