A/N - This chapter came to me and i just could not writing, i really hope you like this chapter!

Disclaimer - I own nothing but the plot, the wonderful characters belong to the wonderfully talented J.K.Rowling.

Draco and Hermione pulled away quickly moving away from each other. Hermione knew that Lucius wouldn't let Draco get away with what he had just done but whatever happened she would fight for Draco, save him from harm, she couldn't have him getting hurt, not now. Draco coward under his father's gaze, he had never seen his father so angry not even when he had ruined the Malfoy's only portrait of the quest.

"YOU'RE A TRAITOR DRACO MALFOY!" Lucius yelled with all his might, "A TRAITOR TO THIS FAMILY, A TRAITOR TO THE WIZARDING WORLD AND A TRAITOR TO PUREBLOODS!" Lucius didn't care about his son, he never had but he did care that he was betraying the family name, "YOUR AS BAD AS A WEASLEY!"

Hermione glared at Lucius Malfoy, there was nothing wrong with the Weasley's. "You're wrong" Hermione said angrily without thinking, "Draco may be a traitor but he's … he's … he's" Hermione's voice left her as Lucius turned to her glaring at her, "The Weasley's are a better wizarding family then you will ever be!" she said standing her ground staring Lucius in the eyes, she could see Draco warning her to stop.

Lucius laughed, it was a cold laugh, he was laughing at something that he didn't even find funny. "The Weasley's are a disgrace to the wizarding world just like stupid pathetic mudbloods like you who think they are better than everybody else" Lucius snarled moving closer and closer to Hermione as he did so. He was standing so close to her by the end of it to anybody walking in it would look like they were kissing, "Don't you ever talk about yourself or the Weasley's as though you're the best"

Smack

The power of the punch to her stomach was fast but good. Pain rushed through Hermione's body but she was determined to stand up for herself, nobody could push her around like that, she was better than that, way better. Out of the corner of her eye Hermione could see Draco pleading for her to stop but she knew that she couldn't, she had to show Lucius she wasn't weak, "The Weasley's are better than you and always WILL BE!" Hermione started quietly but by the end she was shouting it.

Smack

There were no words to say she was wrong this time, just a full on force punch to the stomach once more. Hermione could no longer take the pain, clutching her stomach she fell to the floor and curled into a ball. Never in her life had she felt so hurt and so afraid. She wanted to hurl but she hadn't eaten in days. Even with her eyes closed Hermione could see Lucius walking towards Draco with his wand out pointing at him. If she had the energy she would shout out to stop him but she had none, all of her energy had been drained out of her.

"CRUCIO" Lucius bellowed making it feel like the room they were in shook, straight away Draco yelled out in agony and Hermione couldn't bear it but she couldn't do anything. Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she stayed curled helplessly into a ball clutching the ongoing pain of her stomach. Listening to the pain and agony Draco was feeling wasn't the worst of it; it was the sensation, the knowing she couldn't do anything to help him.

Hermione didn't know how long she had lied there listening to the groans and moans coming from Draco and the powerful yet horrible voice of Lucius shouting at him but she did know it was a long time. By the time the pain had almost gone from her Lucius stopped the curse, gave Draco and long and hard glare and then left the room, slamming the door behind him. Hermione waited a moment before using the only strength left in her to crawl over to Draco's limp body.

More tears fell down her eyes at the mangled site of his body, his always-perfect hair was messed up, his eyelids closed a bruise forming over his left eye, Lucius must have hit him to. Draco's skin was whiter than she had ever seen it and looked worse against the dark dreary floor. His robe was hanging off of his body and on his shirt was a lot of shoe prints where Lucius had obviously kicked him.

"Draco, I'm so sorry" Hermione choked through her tears placing her arms around his waist and placing her head on his chest. He was still breathing which was good but he was in a lot of pain and Hermione knew it. She had tried her best to save him but her best hadn't worked, he still got hurt too much and it was all her fault. Before understanding what was happening Hermione closed her eyes and let the tears fall only to find herself falling asleep.

Draco awoke startled, he went to sit up but immediately felt pain surge through his body and lied back down again but he did happen to notice that Hermione was sleeping on him. He looked around the room, he couldn't remember what had happened last night, the last memory he had was seeing Hermione in pain on the floor. Draco shook his head of the thought, he couldn't bear to see her like that, it was too painful. Looking down at the brown mangle of hair on his chest he smiled slightly, it was as though they were meant to be together.

"NOOO!"

Draco jumped when Hermione cried out, he grabbed hold of her arm and shook her, "Hermione, Hermione" he whispered softly, not wanting to hurt her, "Hermione wake up" he urged until she finally opened her eyes and took in her surroundings and what she was lying on that was so comfortable. Not even having the chance to smile down at Hermione for she had rushed towards his head and given him a proper hug which just put him in more pain. He groaned slightly making her sit up quickly.

"Sorry I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm just so glad you're alright" Hermione beamed down at Draco and he couldn't help but smile back, she seemed so happy, so much like her real self. Draco watched Hermione with curiosity, what was it that always made her so happy? She was bullied for being a muggle-born and treated unfairly her whole life and yet she always seemed to be upbeat. He admired Hermione, he wished that he could be like her; he would do anything to always be happy.

"Draco are you alright?" Hermione asked him for Draco hadn't closed his eyes or looked away from Hermione for a few minutes now. Draco shook his head and smiled, "I'm fine, I was just thinking about something, I wanted to say thank you" his voice was soft but Hermione could hear pain and sadness in it, "For trying to save me yesterday, it meant a lot to me but you should've known nothing would have stopped him" he tried to sit up again but once more the pain was too much to bear so he laid back down again.

Hermione walked closer to him again before kneeling down beside him and placing a finger over his lips, "shh" she muttered with a smile. Knowing that she was taking a big risk of getting caught again Hermione leaned forward and kissed Draco on the lips. At first Draco let her but the he pushed her off, he couldn't do this, it wasn't fair on Hermione.

"No" he said sadly, "We can't do this, if my father finds us again he'll kill me, I can't have that happen, I don't want you to live a day without me being there" A tear fell down Draco's face, he wanted so badly to be with Hermione, to spend the rest of his life with her but he couldn't, it would never work. Seeing the disappointment in Hermione's face made him feel worse than ever but he knew it was for the best.

"I understand, why would you want to be with a 'stupid pathetic mudblood' anyway?" Hermione said as she stood up and walked away from him, she didn't understand how Draco could say that, she didn't care if Lucius said he was going to kill him, she would stop that from happening, all she wanted was to be with him.

"It's not like that Hermione, you're not stupid and pathetic and you're a muggle-born but I don't care about that anymore" Draco said trying to hide his tears from Hermione, "All I care about is you, I don't want to be the one that causes you the most grief, I just wouldn't be able to handle that"

"Night Draco" Hermione said as she lyed down on the opposite side of the room from him with her back towards him. Closing her eyes Hermione felt the tears slide down her cheeks, all she wanted was to be with him, to be like everyone else, why couldn't he see that, she didn't care if she got hurt in the process.

A/N - I hope you liked that chapter, i sure liked writing it! Please Read and Review!