A/N: Thanks to: Liv Anguifer, w1cked angel, Tokyo no Ecchi, professionaldooropener, PapayaCrazy, Shanghai Honey, lilpeng1, CareBearErin, Emi-Bum, -carcrash, sweet-essence03, All-American Vampire, shadowglove, Universal Hope, little mimi, Twilight Elf-Maiden, Gaerwen, 404, Mrs Pierre Bouvier, CardboardCreative, and coolmarauders. You all are the freaking greatest! I mean... 231 reviews! (faints) I'm far past overjoyed, believe me. Thanks again!

WARNING! This chapter is the one that I warned you all about. It contains scenes of rape, though not full on rape. Read if you please, but be forewarned about it. The scene is in italics so please skip them if you would prefer not to read it. Thank you.

Chapter 21 – Vengeful Motivation

Tom felt her fingers sliding up his neck and into his hair. He needed to breathe. 'How long can girls kiss?' he wondered in surprise. When they finally pulled away, both were breathing heavily and Hermione's hands were gripping his jet black hair gently. She thought he looked a bit confused, but when she rose up to brush her lips on his again, he showed no objections.

"Um... you can-"

Tom was interrupted though as there was a knock on his portrait door. There were only a select few that knew his common room was here. Headmaster Dippet, Professor Dumbledore, and his Slytherin friends. Tom doubted very much that it was either of the first two.

"Go up to the top of the stairs and be quiet," Tom whispered as he went over to the portrait hole.

He pushed it forward and Abraxas Malfoy, Liber Lestrange, Boreas Black, Valkyrie Nott, and Marsayus Rosier came bursting in.

"Tom, there you are," Abraxas said as Liber and Nott walked over and dropped down on the couch.

"Where've you been?" Boreas asked as he leaned against the back of the couch.

"And why is your hair such a mess?" Abraxas pointed out in disgust.

"I was in bed," Tom grumbled.

"Did you see the Mudblood up there at the party? Please tell me you didn't leave before she got on stage and sung?" Liber laughed.

"I saw it," Tom said, all the while losing his patience.

"Kind of arousing, wasn't it?" Rosier said as he propped his feet up on the coffee table, knocking over one of the two cups of tea. "Ooops."

Tom rolled his eyes as Rosier jumped up and moved around the couch to stand with Black. Abraxas, on the other hand, moved toward the coffee table.

"That thirsty, Tom?" he inquired while picking up the spilled cup and glancing at the other remaining one.

"What do you want?" Tom muttered dangerously. "I'm in a foul mood at the moment and I really don't feel like dealing with your arrogance, Abraxas."

"Touch," Nott taunted, sending a chuckle around the room to everyone but Tom and Abraxas who were glaring at each other.

"You're acting quite strange lately, Riddle," Malfoy hissed. "First showing up to the gala with that Mudblood and then-"

"Stop calling her that!"

"Now you defend her?" Abraxas continued to interrogate.

"I'm not defending her... I just don't like that name because it refers to those who aren't pureblood heritage and you know very well-"

"You never minded me using it before," Malfoy snapped at Tom.

"Shut it, Abraxas! Don't you dare ever interrupt me again. Do you understand?" Tom huffed.

Malfoy didn't answer as he turned away from Tom and walked across the room to look out the window at the blizzard outside. He was turning back around when he spotted something on the coat stand. A forest green cloak that a certain Alice Granger had been wearing earlier that night.

"C'mon gents," Abraxas said finally. "Let's leave Tom be... He's apparently pissed because the Mudblood stood him up for that loser Witte."

With that, Abraxas disappeared through the portrait hole followed by Nott, Lestrange, and Rosier.

"Tom," Black said quietly as Tom glared at the portrait hole. Black hadn't moved from the back of the couch.

"What?" Tom snarled, not looking at Black.

"We're still having our branding for the Knights of Walpurgis on New Year-"

"Yes, yes, Boreas... now go," Tom grumbled.

Black nodded and left quickly, his head bowed as Tom turned toward the stairs. Hermione was coming out of the shadows, he had to admit that she looked twice as lovely the way she appeared from the dark. 'Alice... dark? Would she consider it?' Tom wondered as he walked over to her.

"Knights of Walpurgis?" Hermione quizzed.

"Forget what you've heard... it's only for your best interest," Tom advised.

"Why are you even friends with them?" Hermione persisted as Tom walked past her to the fireplace.

"Because."

"Because why, Tom?" Hermione urged.

"Because do you honestly see anyone else being friends with me?" Tom growled as he whipped around to face her.

"Not with an attitude like that," Hermione retaliated.

"I wouldn't have this attitude if people treated me normally," Tom hissed before turning back to the fire. He crouched before it and let the warmth cover him, soothe him.

"People would treat you normally if you left Malfoy and them out of your daily plans. Forget about them and try to make new friends," Hermione suggested.

"In case you haven't noticed, Alice," Tom grumbled, "no one is in a real big hurry to give me a chance to be friends."

"I'll give you a chance," Hermione said softly as she walked over and held her hand out to him.

He looked at it before looking up to her. Her features flickered beautifully in the light and it made him feel immediately at peace. He stood and took her hand.

"Thank you, Alice," Tom whispered as he brushed back a stray strand of her hair that had fallen into her face.

She grabbed his hand gently and smiled warmly before leaning up and kissing his cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Tom," she said as she hugged him.

He walked over and grabbed her cloak, handing it to her and taking her hand in his. He led her over to the portrait hole and smiled weakly, in an almost tired way before letting go and watching her leave. He turned and went upstairs, waving his wand a the fire and extinguishing it as he went.

Hermione wandered up the corridor, her mind on her new development with Tom. Something clattered behind her. 'A suit of enchanted armor' she thought to herself as she looked over her shoulder and continued down the corridor. She sighed and hugged her cloak to her when the dim torch lights in the corridor died out completely.

Hermione looked up in alarm and gasped. She couldn't see a thing and she heard someone chuckling darkly. Gooseflesh broke out over her skin and she shivered as she began grabbing frantically at her cloak for its pocket where her wand was.

"Boo," someone breathed in her ear.

She gasped and was about to scream when a hand clamped down over her mouth. She tried to drop to the floor, but another arm wrapped around her waist and she felt them start dragging her through the darkness. Her eyes darted about the blackness that shrouded her and her attacker, but she saw nothing.

The breathing of her attacker sent chills up her spine and she shivered visibly as she felt her eyes sting with tears. 'Be brave' she thought defiantly. She kicked her feet off the floor, her kidnapper reeling for a moment before pulling her fully up off the ground. It was then that someone grabbed both her feet.

She tried to kick at them, but their grip was a crushing force on her ankles that made them ache terribly. Her heart beat in a rapid panic that she swore people in the dungeons of the castle could hear. 'Please let a prefect come along' she prayed. Who was she trying to kid though? It was only 10:51 p.m. and Slughorn's party wouldn't end until midnight for certain.

Her ears pricked up as she heard a door creak open and voices whispering. She found herself being drug into a dimly lit classroom, the face of Abraxas Malfoy smirking evilly at her as was carried past him. He closed the door and locked it, Nott and Dolohov standing guard there.

Hermione's head moved wildly to see who was carrying her. She saw Augustus Rookwood at her feet and Liber Lestrange carrying her upper body. Malfoy walked up the center aisle of the room and laughed as she struggled while they sat her on a table. She glared at him and went to get off the table, but he whipped out a wand and bound her in the blink of an eye.

"Now, Miss Granger," he said in a mocking grave voice. "Did we not warn you to stay away from Tom?" She went to open her mouth to say something, but Malfoy continued, silencing her. "Did you think that I thought the two cups in his common room a strange coincidence? Your filthy, disgusting cloak on his coat rack a mere mistake? Your French whore perfume emanating from him a minor remnant from your presence with him at the gala?"

She glared in his direction as he looked somewhere behind her. She wanted to turn around, but she dare not turn her back on the roomful of Slytherins. It wasn't a cowardly thing, but a wise thing that she didn't. Besides, she would most likely fall from the table if she moved to look behind her. She was bound by invisible bonds which made movement awkward.

"No... of course not," Malfoy hissed as he walked up to her. "We did warn you. And now – since you disobeyed our warning – you'll get... what... is justly... yours."

He looked around the room to the other guys, each of them chuckling and nodding before leaving. Malfoy was the last to leave and he smirked, turning the lock as he pulled the door shut. Was that their just punishment? Leave her bound in a dimly lit and locked room after hours? No.

A husky breathing upon her neck told her otherwise. It made her shiver and the gooseflesh returned in an instant. Her stomach went icy and she suddenly felt very sick. Rough, darkly tanned hands appeared at her sides, looking more hideous in the dim, orange light than they normally would. Her body lurched as her stomach clenched and she grimaced when she felt lips touch the back of her neck.

"So naive. You should have took heed to our first warning," the whispered in a deep tone. "But now, it'll be my pleasure to educate you against your wrong ways."

"You're disgusting," Hermione managed through gritted teeth.

"You flatter me," they half laughed as their hands moved from their place on her chest to her hair.

They gripped her light brown strands roughly, pulling them from their beautiful style that she had worn to the gala. In an instant, they jerked her back and to the side, slamming her onto the table. She laid there on her back wincing, her head throbbing as they let go of her hair. It was then that she saw Marsayus Rosier.

His atrocious form moved down to her feet, gathering the bottom of her forest green gown in his hands. In a swift movement, he split it up the side with a stomach churning rip. Hermione's first instinct was to scream so she gasped deep and bellowed.

"No use, m'dear," he growled in her ear as he came back up to the head of the table. "There's a Silencing Charm on the room... and with the other boys standing guard... we're sure not to be interrupted."

It was then that he slid his hand down her abdomen and to the slit, his fingers sliding under the fabric. Her heart panged painfully as her breathing became difficult. 'Let me pass out... let someone find me' she pleaded in her mind.

His icy fingers moved to her inner thigh and she shuddered, feeling her throat constrict with a lump. She was quick becoming sick and she felt that she was going to throw up. How long would her bonds last? Would the wear free and could she stop him? 'Oh please... please' she begged God silently in the back of her head.

"Don't worry," Rosier purred in her ear as he leaned across her, his chest pressing down on her shoulder. "It'll only hurt for a little while."

Fully sick now, Hermione closed her eyes as tight as she could get them and cleared her head. She removed herself from her surroundings, imagining that she was at home in her own bed, warm and safe. His hands shattered that thought though as they ripped away the only thing that kept her safe from him.

"Arnold!"

"Shh!" Arnold shushed Tiffany as he pulled her up the hallway.

Sandie was behind them rolling her eyes and glaring at Brian who was yawning and stretching. Why couldn't she had gotten a fun date like that? Brian and her had only dance twice and Tiffany and Arnold had had a terrific time. Sandie could only imagine what had happened to Alice after she left with Tom. Sandie just prayed that she was okay.

"Shh! Shh!" Arnold said again, but something about his tone had changed and he and Tiffany were stopped up ahead. "Does that look right to you?" he asked as he pointed to four boys outside a closed classroom.

Two were conversing, laughing and giving off the air that they were society's best. Another, leaning against the stone wall beside the door, and the last was crouch slightly with his ear pressed to the door.

"You won't hear anything," the one leaning against the wall said. Abraxas Malfoy.

"No, it doesn't," Tiffany whispered to Arnold.

"Wands out," Arnold said, pulling out his own wand and holding an arm across Tiffany who gave Sandie an alarmed look.

The four Gryffindors pulled out their wands and sneaked up upon the four Slytherin boys. Malfoy and the other glared at them, telling them to move along and mind their business, but Arnold refused. It was no secret that he hated Slytherins because of their rival on the Quidditch pitch and their arrogance as well as taunting about Arnold's brother being a horrid Quidditch player.

"What would you be doing up here?" he inquired. "Why aren't you at the party?"

"Tired," Malfoy answered shortly.

"Your dorms aren't up here," Brian grumbled as he stepped forward.

"Mind your business, Boil Boy," Lestrange growled.

"That's not his name," Sandie snapped as she jammed her wand in Liber's face.

"I'd keep your girlfriend under control there, Covington," Malfoy said carelessly as he showed no facial expression, only his eyes moving from one person to another.

"As Gryffindor prefect, I demand you get back to your common room," Brian ordered.

"And open that door," Sandie said as they shrugged and went to walk away.

The four Slytherins exchanged looks, Tiffany becoming fed up with their stalling.

"Oh, really now. MOVE!" Tiffany shouted as she pointed her wand at the door.

"Tiff, no!" Sandie called, but it was too late.

Red sparks burst the door inwardly, the wrong way, breaking the ancient hinges. In the room, Hermione lay on a table at the front of the classroom, her body shaking as she sobbed. Marsayus Rosier looked up abruptly, pulling his hand from under her skirt. He backed away and Hermione screamed for Tiffany and Sandie as the girls gasped and Brian and Arnold went running into the room.

"Alice!" Sandie screamed as she and Tiffany went running forward.

Arnold and Brian removed the Binding Charm from Hermione and helped her sit up. She immediately threw her arms around Tiffany and began to sob.

"Did they hurt you?" Sandie asked.

"Well, apparently," Tiffany snapped as she and Sandie ushered Hermione out of the room.

"What did they do to you?" Sandie asked when they got Hermione safely out into the hall. "They didn't-," she broke off here, unable to finish the sentence as she gave Tiffany at fearfully grave glance.

"He... touched me, and...," Hermione gasped as she put her face in her hands.

"Let's get you to the showers, hmm, dear?" Tiffany suggested as she put an arm around Hermione's shoulder.

"Rosier t-touched me, and put-"

"We know, honey," Sandie cooed.

"He didn't do anything else, did he?" Tiffany asked with growing anger.

"N-no," Hermione hiccuped. "Just put his hands on my- and I tried to- but I was ti-"

"It's all okay now," Sandie soothed as she and Tiffany went into the common room with Hermione and helped her up to the girls' dorm and to the showers.

Hermione sat in the shower, huddled in the corner with her legs hugged up to her chest. She had long since stopped crying, but her cheeks were still tear-stained. She hiccuped every now and then, but she seemed to be better now. Her skin was red from being scrubbed under the hot water for so long. It burned a bit, but the burning took her mind off the remembrance of Marsayus Rosier's despicable acts in touching her.

She shivered and recalled his hands going where no one should have gone unless she was wed to them. Her stomach churned at the thought of his filth being anywhere near her, much less inside her. She felt a wave of nausea and stood up quickly, ripping back the curtain and climbing out of the tub. She bent low over the toilet and felt the sick come forward.

She stood up moments later, feeling void of everything and shaking visibly from emotional distress and physical fatigue. She climbed back in the shower and finished rinsing off. She was out a few minutes later, dressed and brushing the knots from her hair.

Tears formed in her eyes as the comb jerked roughly through the knots, but the tears weren't just from the physical pain of the comb in her hair. She was emotionally scarred now. She would never be the same. She had been molested. Raped in a sense.

She wiped the dew that the steam shower had left on the mirror away. Her eyes were red and puffy, but a fire still burned beneath them. It was then, as she stared at herself in the mirror, that she vowed revenge on Marsayus Rosier and the other Death Eaters, or rather Knights of Walpurgis. She would take their leader and leave them with nothing. She would not only remove their king, but she would take them down as well.