Author's Note: I have a new story up! You can find it on my profile. It's going to be longer than this one (chapter length wise) and it's a lot more detailed and dark. It's my new baby lol, so please, please give it a read and review but don't worry I also love this story and will be nurturing it as well!

Hermione clutched her necklace as she slept, and thoughts of Draco plagued her mind. Finally, a clear image of him rose, with only his face covered by a mask of darkness, and he spoke.

'Hermione…I am going to be married to Pansy. You must forget me. A wizard marriage is incredibly powerful, and it can not end until one of the participants is dead. They will know if I am being unfaithful.'

'No! Draco I can't just forget you. You know that. Take this.' She walked over and gave him his necklace, which had appeared in her fist. 'It will hide our love from those against it.'

'I will kill Pansy for you, Hermione. But not yet.'

'You can't become a murderer, Draco.'

He looked at her, and his eyes glittered with steel as they emerged from the dark. 'I already have, Hermione.'

Hermione gasped, and backed away from him, as a dead girl she recognized faintly from her fourth year appeared dead in Draco's arms. Her head slowly turned towards Hermione, and they blankly looked at her, filling her with horror.

The dead girl's lips began to move, but the words that came out didn't match their movements. 'It's your fault. It's all for you.'

Bloody tears ran down Draco's face and dripped grotesquely on the girl in his arms, leaking into her mouth. Hermione screamed, and spun around, running into the never ending night.

She woke, her mouth twisted in horror. She felt the necklace in her hand burning as she came slowly to her senses, and she glanced over at where Draco's should have been. A small grin of triumph escaped when she realized it was gone – she had managed to give it to Draco. Even as the grin started, however, it began to fade as his words came back to her. He had killed someone – an innocent girl. And it was all for her. She buried her face in her pillow as her sobs started.

The next days passed with Hermione anxiously awaiting Draco's return. Dumbledore had commanded her to act as if nothing was out of the ordinary (as Draco's disappearance was accounted to a minor emergency at home) and so the Head Girl planned a party for that Friday night, as she was supposed to.

As she set up, she remembered with a pang the last party they had held. But her mind wasn't focused on the Ron incident, but on how Draco and her had chatted almost amiably beforehand for the one of the first times. And then how after the party, he had comforted her to the best of his ability. She leaned against the wall as a wave of sickness threatened to overcome her. He was hers no longer.

She shook these thoughts from her mind, and waited in silence until the first partygoers showed up. The night went on, but all Hermione could do was plaster a fake smile on her face and nod as people ventured up to talk to her. Ron and Harry were obviously concerned, but knew better than to question her.

Towards the end of the party, Hermione suddenly heard all the laughing and socializing stop. She looked around, and noticed everyone's eyes on two figures coming through the door. She was reminded horribly of when Ron and Lavender had created this same reaction, and stood up slowly.

Draco and Pansy were walking through the door together, their fingers interlaced, and two matching wedding bands on their hands. Hermione felt dizzy as Draco let his eyes rest on hers for a moment, but he looked away too quickly for her to read his emotions. His necklace wasn't on his neck.

The couple weaved through the crowd, Pansy looking victorious and proud, and Draco looking as cold as marble, as if he was daring anybody to ask what had happened in the days he was missing. He led his new bride into his room, and they shut the portrait heavily. The loud noise snapped everyone out of their reverie, and the buzzing sounds of gossip soon filled the room.

Hermione felt the ringing in her ears start, and sat on the couch before she could collapse. Harry and Ron made their way to her, and sat on either side of her, mistaking her teary eyes for another reason.

"I'm sorry he's back, 'Mione. And with that awful girl…hopefully she won't live here too. I can't believe he's married! He's our age for heaven's sake. I bet he's a Death Eater." Harry spoke quickly, his thought meshing together and his hatred of Draco shining through his voice.

Hermione shook her head, and escaped to her room, ignoring the hurt and confused looks on the faces of her friends. It was hard to breathe, and she just wanted to be alone.

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