Disclaimer: as u noe, I own nutin

Ok..well here goes my second attempt at writing this chap...the first one got deleted cuz my comp froze and well yah THAT sucked cuz I wrote a whole lot of stuff..neways, please read and review.As to someone addressing the problem of having a headache reading the first chaps, sry abt that lol. I didn't noe that u had to double space the story for the prghs to show up. So, I have changed a few minor things in the first chap and well yah, so its easier to read now.

Chapter 10

"I SAID LEAVE ME RON!" Harry snarled.

"WILL YOU SHUT YOUR BIG MOUTH FOR A SECOND SO THAT I CAN EXPLAIN?? YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR ME OUT HARRY, LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU WILL!!" Ron fumed, his heart-rate increasing steadily. His breathing came out in puffs as he towered over Harry.

Ron had a firm grip on his wand just in case. He could tell this was going to be quite difficult handle. Harry glared at Ron, anguish and hate shining in his brilliant emerald green eyes. Harry didn't want to hear an excuse from Ron. He could feel the heat creeping up his shirt and it was making his ears burn. He wanted to hurt his best friend. He felt like taking everything from Ron, just the way that he felt Ron had taken his world away; he had taken Hermione away. He tore his glare away from Ron. He stood up and it took every ounce of will power he had to not whip out his wand and curse him. He brushed past his best friend trying to get away from him before he did something to Ron that he would regret later. How could Ron even have the nerve to talk to him after what he had done?

"IT WAS VOLDEMORT HARRY!" Ron began hastily.

Harry stopped in his tracks. It took him a few moments to process what Ron had just said to him. He didn't look back, but in his mind he wondered if Ron would lie about Voldemort just to avoid him throwing curses and hexes at him.

"I heard him, he was in my head, controling me," Ron explained.

Harry slowly turned around, still glaring.

"I saw everything that he made me do. He knew I liked Hermione, and used that against me! Don't you see Harry? I never meant to kiss her, I swear, I would never do that to you," Ron continued in a pleading tone.

Harry's glare softened into a "I-don't-understand-what-the-fuck-is-going-on" frown. Harry couldntell if he was lying , but there was something different about his voice and the way he was speaking to him; it seemed sincere.

"Your like a brother to me Harry, please don't throw away our years of friendship over this." Ron said honestly.

"I think it was a form of torchure,.. he got into my head and controlled me, yet I could see and remember everything. It wasn't like how the time Ginny couldn't remember where or what she did when she was being controlled. He actually spoke to me, and let me see everything he made me do... I am so sorry Harry, I just couldn't get him out of my head. I tried my best and after you stormed out, he was gone. I think I managed to finally block him out. Please Harry, you have to belive me. I swear on my sister's life, I am telling you the truth." Ron begged.

Harry now understood why Ron tried so hard to talk to him. His facial expression grew to that of understanding and guilt.

"I believe you Ron," Harry said quietly.

He looked down at his feet. Ron truly was the best friend anyone could ever have. Ron could have just gone out with Hermione after they had broken up, but even after that, he didn't.

"I'm sorry for being such a bloody git, I have a tendency to do that.." Harry apologized.

"So are we..still friends?" Ron asked hesitantly.

"only if you take me back as you best friend," Harry said with a smile.

Ron grinned. He had his brother back. He walked over and hugged Harry, patting him on the back and accidentally lifting him up in the air.

"uh..Ron.." Harry said looking at him in an embarrased way.

"Oh! Uh...yeah.." Ron released Harry.

"Macho hand shake?" Harry asked quickly, looking around to see if anyone had seen them pour out their emotion.

"Er..yeah,"

and they shook hands.

"Its good to have you back mate," Ron said.

"You too Ron," Harry said warmly.

"Come on you bloody git, we've got to find Dumbledore and tell him about this," Ron joked.

"Alright, but we have to get padfoot's map,"

(a/n—song adding in here "inside out" by yellowcard)

Draco leaned against a rock as the cool January wind swept through his blindingly blond hair, and blowing his clothes back. He gazed out at the lake, wishing he could just forget who he was; who his father wanted him to become.

Here,

A little sympathy,

For you to waste on me,

I know your faking it but that's ok,

He loved going to his spot on the lake. It was secluded, and a place where he could forget his name.His spot on the rock overlooking the lake was like a second home, his home where he could think things through, laze about and just be by himself.

And I don't wanna drag it out,

Don't wanna bring you down,

I never wanted it to end this way,

His mind was constantly wandering from the memory of Hermione punching him and looking at him in disgust, to her thanking him for catching her, to her falling over him. He hated that he liked her.

Even if I wanted to,

I don't think that I'd get to you,

Theres nothing I can say to you to make you feel alive again.

He shouldn't because he was a Malfoy, a noble, pureblooded boy. He shouldn't like the muggleborn witch he so often called "mudblood".

Here,

A little jealosy, I hope you think of me,

Hope you wonder where I sleep at night,

Cause I,

feel like I'm inside out,

You got me upside down,

Maybe I was holding on too tight.

It was difficult to get her out of his head, all he could think about was one day seeing her smile her radiant smile at him, the way she smiled at Potter. He knew the "dynamic duo" of Harry and Hermione had been torn apart, and he couldn't help but notice the other boys at Hogwarts eyeing her.

Even if I wanted to,

I don't think that I'd get to you,

Theres nothing I can say to you to make you feel alive again,

He knew she would most likely tell him to go to hell if he asked her out on a date, but a part of him told him it might be worth risking his life (his father would murder him if he ever found out) in the long run if he had Hermione to hold in his arms.

So don't you say goodbye to me,

Just turn your back away and leave,

And if your lucky I will be your last regret,

Your only friend...

He was jealous of the way she gazed at St. Potter. He knew she still had feelings for him, but he also knew she had been hurt by him.The meer way her eyes lit up inadvertantly when Potter's name was mentioned made Draco green with envy. He wished that her eyes would light up every time "Draco" was mentioned. He wanted despreatly to be the person she would run to for help; the one she would run into the arms of; the one she'd feel safe with. He laughed to himself, thinking of how true the muggle saying "opposites attract" really was.

It was about 5:00pm and Draco decided to go back to the castle before it got dark. Although, Hogwart's grounds were magnificent and beautiful, during the dark hours of night, it wasn't a good idea to be out alone. He slipped on his jacket, and started to walk back to the castle when out of nowhere, an owl dropped a letter on his head.

"That hurt you bloody duck!" Draco scolded rubbing a hand on his head.

The owl looked back at him with bitter eyes and flew down to peck him, but Draco was too fast for the owl. He had already whipped out his wand and frozen it in mid air. Draco loomed over the owl and nudged it with his shoe.

"Stupid bird," he grumbled.

He picked up the letter, and carelessly tore it open. His eyes darted back and forth as he read the letter. It was from his father telling him he would have to leave school for a while to go to the Death Eaters ignitiation. His fists clenched. He looked up from the letter scowling, knowing if he didn't go with his father's wishes, he would be killed, and if he did, he would have to watch people suffer and die. He would also have to kill the wizards not of pure-blood. His stomach dropped as reality set in. Hermione would be first on the hit list since she was muggle-born, and close to Potter. As well, Draco went to the same school as her, his father would most likely want him to bring her to her death; to bring her to Voldemort. Draco could never hurt Hermione, even if she rejected him a billion times, he wouldn't be the one to hand deliver her to Voldemort. He vowed never to let his father or anyone else get their hands on her, not while he was alive. He knew he would have to go to the meeting to be ignitiated in to the elite circle of death eaters, but he also knew they could not brand him with the dark mark as of yet. Draco would have to prove himself worthy of the mark before they could burn it into his skin. He didn't know what he could do. He wanted despreately to resist.

Hermione had her nose in book at the library again, but this time she wasn't paying attention to anything written in it. Ginny had been pestering her to get over Harry and come with her to Hogsmeade to meet some other guys. Hermione had to pretend to be interested in the rather dull book of muggle grammar she held up infront of her face because Ginny and her friends had just returned from their trip to flirt with random guys at the Hogs Head. She couldn't take anymore of the constant badgering to go for a girls night out. She knew Ginny had the good intentions and it was nice to have a good friend like her but it just got annoying after a while. Hermione stole a glance at Ginny and her gang of friends. They had indeed succeeded their mission, by the way they were giggling, and because several boys from Hogwarts they didn't know before were now laughing along with them.

She decided to try and sneak past Ginny and the others. The less attention she drew to herself, the better. As discretely as she could she got up, slinging her bag over her shoulder while holding the book up to her face and looking away. She shot a glance at Ginny, and started walking as fast as she could in the other direction. She still covered her face in the book but as she walked past another table, she accidentally bumped into the corner of a chair. Hermione couldn't help yelping in pain.

"Ow!"

'Dammit Hermione cant you walk properly? The plan was to escape quickly and quietly, but no, YOU had to knock into a chair and yell out, practically sending a flare for Ginny to see! You were almost at the exit too! ' She thought, angrily scolding herself.

"Hermione!" Ginny called out.

'shit.' Hermione muttered.

She turned around to face Ginny, plastering a fake happy smile across her face. Inside she was still grieving over Harry, she was still crying and bleeding, and alone. It was the first year all over again to her. She felt that she had no friends. No one accepted her into their groups of friends, no one cared about her. Everyone knew she was smart and only befriended her in class because they knew she could get them a decent mark. The only reason why she had Harry and Ron as friends were because she was in danger of being clobbered by a mountain troll. If she hadn't been in trouble, she wouldn't have anyone to talk to all these years at Hogwarts.

"Hi Ginny," Hermione said.

Ginny giggled and Hermione saw a brown-haired boy standing behind Ginny. Hermione didn't bother looking at him, but she could feel his eyes looking up and down her body, as if he was a hunter, sizing up the prey. She cringed inwardly, knowing what the boy was fantasising about. She could tell Ginny was obviously amused and wanted to ditch her to leave her alone with the perverted boy.

"Hey Hermione, this is,"

"Uh hi, yeah well I'm sorry I cant talk right now, I have to see Mcgonagall about something, I'll see you later, bye!"

Hermione cut her off, not wanting the boy to get anymore ideas of doing anything with her. She waved and walked as fast as she could, nearly running up to the girls dorms, feeling disgusted and dirty by the way the boy was gazing at her.

"Augh!!" she yelled frustrated, falling face first onto her bed.

"Ew! Bloody pervert!" She cursed, banging her fists and screaming into her pillow. Since when did other boys start staring at her like she was a piece of meat? If this is how life was without Harry and Ron by her side, it sucked. She knew her friendship with Harry and Ron were ruined. She couldn't get it back. She knew that it was beyond repair and hope. She remembered all those times at breakfast that she and Ron were bickering at eachother, Harry sitting and observing them, amused and laughing. She missed sitting by the tree near the lake, Ron and Harry tossing stones out onto the water and goofing off.

She leaned back on her bed staring out the window, watching the sun go down.She heard voices in the common room, students coming back from a day out of the castle. She thought she heard Harry and Ron's voices talking to eachother, but she shook that thought off, knowing that would probably never happen. Not the after the way Harry had nearly killed Ron.

She heard their voices again, more distinctly. Her ears perked up; she was sure she heard them talking. She got up and crept towards the door, slowly making her way down the stairs, so as to not be seen by Ginny incase she was down there with the perverted boy again. She looked around the corner, much to her surprise, she saw Ron and Harry playing a game of Wizards chess. She was puzzled beyond belief. Ron looked up having caught a glimpse of her. She prayed he wouldn't call out to her.

"Hermione!" Ron called out, waving.

'bloody git.' She said, her fists clenching. She didn't want to see or speak to Harry, and she didn't understand why Ron was playing a game of chess with him. Reluctantly, she stepped down and showed her face, glaring at Harry. He returned her glare, only she could see she had hurt him more that he would ever admit.

"Whats going on? One minute he's ready kill us, and the next, your all "buddy-buddy" again?" She practically screamed at Ron.

"Well, uh...Hermione, its..uh.." Ron stammered.

Harry meerly stared at the chess board, ignoring Hermione. He wanted to go up to her and apologize and hold her in his arms once again, but he couldn't find the strength to do it.

Hermione shot butcher-knives instead of daggers at Harry and exhaled exasperatedly.

"You know what, explain it when he's not around," She said, malice spewing out of every word.

Harry gazed at the floor and back at Hermione as she turned her back.

"Hermione wait," He said as calm as he could.

Hermione didn't turn around.

"I DON'T want to hear it Harry! Did you ever stop to think that maybe I can't help you get out of the bloody self-pitying grave your always in?! I wont do it anymore! I've been hurt too many times by you." She snarled.

Harry was speechless as she stormed away, up to her dorm room. He was feeling to many things at the moment to put a sentence together. He was hurt, lost, confused, angry, and he felt belittled by the girl he once thought could save his life. Without her, he felt his existance was meaningless. His spirit was once again sent spiraling down into the pit of depression he had dug for himself. He felt worthless, and stupid. She didn't even want to look at him. Hermione probably didn't realize it, but everytime she glared or snapped at him, it hurt him more than she knew. He got up and left Ron at the table, telling him to finish the game with Seamus.

Harry went into the bathroom, locking the door. He fingered the blade in his pocket, feeling the coolness of the tip touch his fingers. He slowly took it out and slit his arm. His eyes rolled into the back of his head.

'She doesn't know what she does to me,...'Harry thought bitterly.

Blood trickled down his arm and dripped onto the floor. Each red droplet was like a tear coming from Harry's soul. It was both crying and bleeding.

Harry Potter fell to the floor, letting darkness encircle him.

Hermione lay on her bed steaming with anger. Nothing was going right. She heard footsteps coming up to the dorm and quickly slipped under her bed covers. She knew it was Ginny coming to try and convince her to go down to the common room. She pretended to sleep, burrowing her face in her pillow.

The morning rays hit Harry's face as he lay on the bathroom floor, glasses askew from his face. He stumbled to his feet, and rubbed his eyes, trying to remember why he was there. He saw the blade on the floor next to a small pool of blood. Memories came rushing back. Each time Hermione looked at him with cold eyes, she pushed him futher and further towards the edge of a cliff. She might have not physically cut him, but she just as well could've pulled out a gun and shot him in the head.

"Scourgify" he grumbled, pointing his wand at the floor.

He stepped into the shower and let the cool water run over his body, stinging the wounds he made. He couldn't feel them anymore. He muttered a healing spell to cover his arms. He slipped on his robes and stepped out of the bathroom, trying to look as alert as possible. Almost everyone was out of bed already. He grabbed his book bag, and slowly stepped down to the common room.

Harry sat down on the Gryffindor table next to Ron who was already engaged in a heated debate over which team had the best proffessional quidditch player on it. Harry poked at his food, as he did every morning. Harry caught a glimpse of Hermione setting down her books at the opposite end of the table.

(another song added here by the All-American Rejects, called "Swing swing" pretty catchy, its got a teenage"why did u leave me?" depressed/happy kinda feel to it..relli good song too! Try to listen to it some time. )

Days swiftly come and go,

I'm dreaming of her,

Harry saw her talking to another boy, and a pang of jealosy hit him in the head again.

She's seeing other guys,

Emotions a stir,

The sun is gone,

The nights are long,

And I am left while the tears fall.

He could see that she was having fun. She was laughing while the boy made jokes. He gazed over at her, wanting to be the boy she was laughing with.

Don't you think that I would cry? On the phone?

Do you know what it feels like?

Being alone?

He averted his eyes back to his plate, angrily cutting his sandwich in half.

I'll find someone new...

Swing, Swing, Swing, from the tableside,

My heart is crushed by a former love,

Can, you, help, me, find a way to carry on again?

He glanced over at Hermione and he glared at the other boy, wishing he could turn him into a frog.

I'm moving on,

Sweet beginings to arise,

She knows I was wrong.

He felt a pair of eyes on him and looked up to find Hermione quickly looking the other way.

The notes are old,

They bend, they fold,

And so do I to a new love...

Hermione stole a glance at Harry. He looked miserable. She felt a stab of guilt go through her heart. His once vivid and lively eyes where now dull and uninterested in the world. Had she been too cold?

Do you think that I would cry?

On the phone?

Do you know what it feels like?

Being alone?

Harry got up from his seat and headed out to his first class, not wanting to see Hermione having a good time with another guy.

I'll find someone new,

Swing, Swing, Swing, from the tableside,

My heart is crushed by a former love,

Can, You,Help, Me, Find a way to carry on again?

Hermione walked away from Ginny and her friends, and decided to try and talk to Harry. He had at least tried to explain yesterday.

Bury me,

You thought your problems were gone,

Harry fought back tears, as he watched Hermione push her hair back behind her ears.

Carry me,

Away, Away, Away,

Swing,Swing,Swing from the tableside,

My heart is crushed by a former love,

Can,You, Help, Me, Find a way to carry on again?

Hermione finally caught up to Harry after running for several minutes.

"Harry wait," She called out hopefully.

"FOOL!YOU WILL DO AS I SAY!! YOU WILL BECOME A DEATH EATER AND SERVE YOUR WORTH TO MY MASTER!" Lucius Malfoy roared, pointing his wand at his son threatiningly.

Draco lay on a cold table, in a dark room, his face and body bruised and bloody. He was filthly, covered in mud and and cuts. His robes were torn, and he could hardly see. Fresh wounds poured crimson liquid onto his dried blood. He was chained with burning white ropes. He still did not give in.

"YOU ACTUALLY EXPECT ME DO BECOME A WORTHLESS, PATHETIC DEATH EATER THAT FOLLOWS WHAT ANOTHER MAN SAYS? I DO NOT FOLLOW ORDERS!" Draco screamed.

His body could take no more of the torchure his father inflicted upon him. His body felt like it was being cut apart from the inside with millions of tiny knives.

Lucius was frustrated. He seized a long metal pole and branded his son with the dark mark.

Draco screamed bloody murder, and coughed up blood. He coughed spat at his father.

"IF YOU THINK I'M GOING TO BEAT MY CHILD BLOODY, INTO BECOMING SOME LAME SERVANT TO THE DARK LORD, YOUR HOPELESSLY WRONG!!" Draco snarled, trying his best to make his words stab his father.

He thought he was going to die. He could already see darkness circle around the corners of his vision. Everything was slowly getting dark.

Suddenly he saw a flash of blue light hit his father. A girl's voice cried out and his father was laying on the floor, his eyes wide open in shock. The girl ran over and Draco could faintly see her hair over him. He could feel her hand run over his head as she leaned over him. She seemed so familiar.

'Who is she?' he thought.

His eyes rolled back, and his head fell to the side. The last thing he heard was the girl screaming,

"No! Don't give in Draco!"

Draco bolted up wide-eyed in his bed in a cold sweat, his sheets twisted around him, his blanket on the floor. It took him a few minutes to realize it was a dream. He looked down at his arm. There was no dark mark, no scars on him. His face wasn't bruised and bloody, and his skin was still clean. He looked around him and saw that there was only 15 minutes left until class started. He stumbled out of his bed, tripping on his sheets and falling to the floor. He got up and hastily slipped his school robes on. He dashed over to the bathroom, and splashed water on his face, waking him up. He tried to comb his hair, but decided against it, instead muttering a spell and shortening it, going for a messy look. He ran out into the common room and past the giant mirror near the door. He took a second to look at himself to check if everything was in check. He looked down,

'Ok, buttons done, shoes tied, tie straight, fly up, well that pretty much sums it up,..damn my hair looks good short..' he thought with a smug grin.

He looked like a person who hung out at the beach with his new haircut. It was brown at the roots and blonde at the tips. It no longer covered his eyes, and it spiked up. All in all he was quite pleased with his handy-work he had done. His mother taught him how to cut his hair with his a simple spell. The spell would cut his hair according to which style suited the best.

He ran down the hall to his first class. He had been lucky it was close to the Slytherin tower. He slumped into his chair a minute before the teacher came in. He could see Hermione already diving into her textbook. He grinned, thinking she'd like his new haircut. Suddenly, he realized she was the girl in his dreams. It was her voice that told him to hold on and keep fighting. He looked back at his book, not knowing what to think. It hadn't been real, but would she come to save him if he was in trouble?

"Tomorrow Lucius, I want the job done tomorrow. The sooner we get it over with, the better." Voldemort snickered.

"Yes my lord," Lucius Malfoy said as he bowed.

OOHHH...cliffeee!! Hope u liked that chap, I'll post as sooon as I can. Please review, thx ppl!