When she awoke the next morning, the dark makeup she had worn was streaked across her pillow, and her hair was out, mussed out of control, as she had been last night. Oh God, what had she done? Once more the sheer recklessness of her behavior made her dread the day ahead. The more she tried to control herself during the day, the worse it became at night. She had be-spelled a teacher! And she had….as her memory caught up with her, she fell back to the pillows with widened eyes. She had seen him. She had had him. He had wanted her. He had seen the real her, and had been left wanting more. Had he recognized her? No, he couldn't have.

She got up, and began to prepare for the day, the homework that she had somehow managed to finish last night, despite the suppressed darkness within her that had wanted out.

Sometimes she promised herself that she would stop the little escapades of hers, those that threatened the valuable standing and reputation she held. She would convince herself she didn't need the frozen faced youth who tormented her so often. But then something would happen, that would cause the little bit of darkness to rise up inside of her. And then, she was near out of control. And she would need him then. She wanted to stop this pointless rebellion. It was a release, nothing more, and it hadn't gained her anything so far, except another day of being able to bare the torture of being someone she wasn't. It was risking too much to be bad the way she wanted to be. It was risking too much to be herself, who was like him. He was free. She caged herself in fear of destroying all she had worked to create. She would stop, she promised herself. But as always, something else happened. Someone else would inevitably see her as invisible, as worthless, and they would tread on her. He would tread on her. And for that, she had to tread on him.

Still, despite all her resolve not to see him, she found herself on the sill to his room that very night, with him staring at her from his place in a chair, expecting her.

"Come to me," he murmured huskily, wanting her, steepling his fingers.

She jumped from the sill, but did not approach him. She paced to the other side of the room, his eyes stalking her across the room. He sat up a little straighter, his hands now gripping the arms of the chair.

"I said come to me." He demanded again, becoming angry at her defiance of him. She smiled smugly, making her way slowly, one step at a time across to the now thoroughly frustrated Draco, stopping just out of his grasp. He reached for her, growling in his annoyance, but she neatly side stepped out of the way, laughing arrogantly.

"I'll come when I feel like it," she said archly, hands on hips, cocking her partially masked head at him. Draco leapt for her then, but she again dodged out of the way, sending him onto his bed. Before he could gain any perspective on this sudden turn of events, he felt someone…her, straddling him. He pulled her to him roughly, and kissed her hard. She thrust her tongue against his, as they consumed each other, his hand finding its way swiftly into the tight confines of her clothing, before she pulled away from him. He tried to find her lips again with his, but she pulled her head away.

"I don't think so," she ground out, punctuating each word with a grind of her hips against his already straining arousal, and then, reached down to kiss him again. He growled at her obvious dominance, and reached up to try and rip her mask off. He had just managed to catch hold of it, when she slapped his hand away, pinning it above his head, before darting away, and back out the window, across the roof top. He slammed his hands down onto the bed with frustration, both sexual and emotional, and groaned into the still night air. Almost. He had almost seen who she was. Once again, Breidie, who slept in the same room, lay awake, listening to all that had occurred. He would speak to Draco about this on the morrow. Perhaps between them, something could be done to reign in the minx.

&&

The next morning, at the breakfast table, rumors once more flew of a dark woman who stalked the halls. Hermione ignored the excited chatter around her, and tried to eat her breakfast. But she was pulled from her reverie by Harry.

"Well?" he asked, looking at her expectantly.

"What?" she asked, making herself pay attention. Harry rolled his eyes.

"You weren't even listening," he said, curious as to what held his friends attention.

"Sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked you what you though of this Dark Woman? Ghost, or teacher on a power trip?" Harry asked, once more returning to his question.

"Ahhh…what makes you think it isn't a student?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant. To all but the one who stood behind her, listening intently, she succeeded. Draco listened carefully to the conversation, which he had overheard completely by accident in passing. The Mud-bloods question had peaked his curiosity.

"Well, I don't know, but come on, I mean think of everyone we know. Can you see any of them stalking the halls, attacking other students and spelling teachers?"

"She did not attack a student Harry."

Draco sat at the Ravenclaw table, which was behind the Gryffindor table, and ignored the strange looks the Ravenclaw's dealt him. He listened to the conversation taking place behind him.

"How do you know?" Ron asked, curious too. He had his own theory about this dark woman. She was a sneaking up on the male students, having sex with them, and then modifying their memories. He himself, was certain, that he had been with the Dark woman several times. If only he could remember it.

"I just….don't listen to the rumors, that's all. I bet there isn't really a dark woman. Just a bad dream of one of the students." The excuse sounded weak even to her. But then, the bell tolled for them to move to class. Saved, she thought, as she gathered her books and hurried off. Draco watched her go, pondering all that had been said. The little mud blood knew something. And he intended to find out what it was.

A?N thankyou all for my lovely reviews. Let me know what you tink of the new chapter! Thanks very much