Chapter 18

A.N.Jeez…sorry everyone for taking so long to update. (Especially sorry to Queen of Serpents…to whom I told I would start my story but never did until now!! Sorry girl!) Well, I'm sorry to keep you all waiting…but before I start…I REALLY want to thank all of you who reviewed. I got 65 reviews of this one chapter!! Love you all!! (friendly of course!!) And please, keep up the good reviewing work!! =)

"Look, Hermione…I…well…there's…nothing going on between us at all, there never was, was there, especially after I caught you with that other guy." Draco asked her quickly before looking down at his cup again. There was silence from the other end. "Hermione?" He asked again, this time he looked up. There were tears in her eyes, and her hands began to shake. "Oh jeez, please don't cry. What's wrong?"

Hermione just shook her head, "You wouldn't understand!"

Draco got off the couch and crouched down in front of her. "Try me."

"I regret everything!" Hermione sobbed and covered her face. Draco waited for her to continue, "I regret ever going to that other guy. You don't understand, that kiss was forced, like he knew you guys were coming. I didn't want to kiss him. He…he…threatened me." Draco's eyes narrowed a bit.

"He threatened you? How?" he asked, his rage beginning to build. He let Hermione go, for something that she didn't even want to do. Why didn't he just listen to her in the first place?

"With…with a knife…"Hermione choked back a sob, "In my side."

Draco's eyes widened and he grabbed both of her hands, and lowered them from her face, and held on to them. "Did he ever hurt you?"

Hermione began to tremble in fear. "He…well…I can't say."

"He can't hurt you when I'm here. Just tell me."

Hermione nodded, and then sniffed a bit before saying. "The man…I don't know who he is…he...oh Draco!" Draco rubbed her arms and told it was okay. She sniffed again and continued. "Draco he-"

Hermione was suddenly cut off by a loud raping on the portrait door, and someone screaming for her. "HERMIONE!" It was Ron, "HERMIONE! IT'S HARRY!!!! HURRY! COME TO THE INFIRMARY! SOMETHING'S HAPPENED TO HIM!"

Hermione quickly looked at the door and then pulled her hands away from Draco, shrugged off the blanket, did a simple spell to make her look decent, and then ran towards the door, and after Ron.

"Ron!" Hermione called at her tall red headed friend, "Do you know what happened??!" Ron continued running and didn't bother to look behind him at Hermione.

"Ron!" she screamed again, as she picked up her running pace. Her brown, curly locks bounced off her shoulders as she took quick running steps towards her predecessor. The long black school robes with the Gryffindor emblem sewn over her right breast was severely tattered, especially after what had happened earlier, while her skirt was on half right.

'Oh no, what will Ron think when he sees me like this??' Hermione kept on running, taking deep and steady breathes to give the needed oxygen to her lungs. "Damn…I never knew the Infirmary was this far away!"

As she said this, Hermione saw Ron beginning to slow down, and she thanked the gods for that. They must have ran all the way around the school.

"It's right over here," Ron said gruffly through deep and slow breathes. Hermione felt bad for him, since she assumed he had to run all this way to get her, and then back. She quickly nodded her head, and bent over and clutched her sides as she also regained her breath. Since she wasn't as physically fit as Ron, and didn't practice Quidditch for 3 hours every day, she took longer to get her regular breathing back. But before she could, Ron took her wrist lightly and pulled her towards the Infirmary doors. Hermione quickly readjusted her skirt and tried to fix her robes so she could at least look half decent, and then took one quick deep breathe before walking in.

"Oh Ron, is he okay??"

There was silence from her companion as he walked to the back corner of the room. It was Harry's bed. Hermione followed silently and as quietly as possible, as to not disturb the other resting students.

Before she knew it, Hermione was standing in front of the curtain surrounding Harry's bed. Ron was already on the other side, but she just couldn't make herself walk around to the entrance. The last thing Hermione wanted to see was Harry's broken and battered body, and even possibly his dead body. Hermione quickly shook her head to rid herself of such horrid thoughts. 'Breathe, breathe, come on Hermione…just breathe, it'll be okay. Harry's okay, yes he's okay.' Hermione took another breathe as she convinced herself to see him. As she turned the corner she saw Ron sitting in one of the two chairs next to Harry's bed. He looked up at her slowly, his expression very grim, before he tilted his head downwards and ran his fingers through his fiery red hair.

Hermione cast her eyes away from Ron, and slowly rested them on the hospital bed that Harry was laying on. As she took in the sight, she gasped and ran over to hold his deathly cold and pale hand.

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Draco sat on the couch, still staring at the portrait door, where Hermione had just ran out of, pondering on what she was trying to tell him.

"Fucking Weasel! He had to ruin everything! Why couldn't he have waited 5 fucking minutes! He has the worse fucking timing!" Draco roared to nobody in particular as he threw his robes across the room. His temper flared for the second time that day.

"How could I have let her go?? I should have let her talk to me then. If only I had, then I wouldn't have fucking lost her to that other guy, who I thought she was cheating on me with. I'm such a fucking bastard!"

Draco leaned forward, still sitting on the couch he originally occupied and ran his fingers through his platinum blonde hair. 'What to do…? What is she trying to tell me??'

He knew if he wasn't so into Hermione, he would have found another girl and shagged her right on the spot, to relieve himself of everything that was going on, but Hermione…she was different. Every little thing about Hermione appealed to Draco. He might not have realized it when he was younger, and only seen her as a mudblood, a muggle-born and a person not to be seen talking to. But times have changed, and he'd realized what a woman Hermione had become. Her body had filled out and she had the right amount of curves in the areas needed. Her once bushy hair wasn't frizzy, but tame, and it fell delicately around her face.

Draco smiled to himself as he thought about his Hermione. The girl that had once been his…the girl he had felt those fireworks go off when he kissed her. That girl…actually the only girl he had tried to impress by sending her love notes.

Draco continued to go through the very few good memories he had shared with her, as he unconsciously walked up into his dorm. He sat down on his bed and reached out towards his nightstand to take a picture of Hermione's smiling face into his hands. He had taken it only a few weeks before when she was laughing with her best girl friend, Ginny Weasley, over some joke said by either Ron or Harry. 'She had been so happy then', he recalled, as replayed the scene in his head, 'What happened?'

The Prince of Slytherin quickly placed the photograph of Hermione down on his bed and swiftly went down the stairs leading to the Head common room they shared. Draco bent down and picked up his black robes before venturing through the portrait hole and down the hallways in search of her. He knew there was only one thing to do…to tell her how he really felt about her…to tell her that he loved her.

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"Harry!!" Hermione cried softly as she kneeled down next to him, and held onto his hand tightly. "Harry…please answer me…"

Harry didn't move at all, and Hermione began to panic. She squeezed his hand a little harder and called out for him again, as tears slowly formed behind her closed eyelids.

"Her- Hermione…" A faint voice said to her. She quickly opened her eyes and through tears she could see Harry weakly looking at her. He looked as if it was a struggle just holding his eyelids open.

"Harry…" Hermione said quietly in relief, "How are you??"

"Look at me…what do you think??" He said jokingly, but the joke wasn't long lived.

Hermione laughed softly but stopped when Harry's laugh became a loud cough.

"Seriously Harry, what's wrong with you??" Hermione asked desperately as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Harry just looked away from her but squeezed her hand tightly.

"That doesn't matter 'Mione…I'll be okay. You know I will be." He smiled feebly, and locked eyes with her once again. "I'm fine."

"You aren't okay Harry!! Look at you! You know what's going to happen, tell me!! Harry, I need to know…" Tears of rage and frustration filled Hermione's eyes and she looked away from her raven haired friend laying in his own deathbed. 'Why won't Harry tell me??? Why…? It can't be that serious…right??'

Harry just closed his eyes and then opened them slowly again. "I know what's been going on Hermione." He said in a small whisper. Hermione whipped her head around to look at him and stared right into his eyes. He did know.

"What are you talking about?" She said defiantly, as she held her head higher. Harry just moved his hand from hers and up to her wrist, where he rubbed softly over the fresh bruises. This one was of the rapist's fingers wrapped around her wrist. She winced slightly, and couldn't bear to look Harry in the eyes.

"Nothing's wrong Harry, I'm perfectly fine." Hermione kept her eyes downward toward the ground. Harry's thumb was still caressing her wrist where the bruises were located.

"I know who…" This time Harry's voice wasn't above a whisper. As Hermione heard him say those three words, her body got ridged, and she stared around the room, everywhere but Harry. Ron was still in the room but he wasn't listening. His head was still in his hands, and he was reading some kind of medical report. 'It must be Harry's.' Hermione thought and she shivered slightly before answering.

"Who?" Hermione asked her voice just as low as Harry's, but her eyes were now looking at dirt on the ground. She waited and closed her eyes tightly as she awaited the answer, but there wasn't one. As she opened her eyes, she decided to see why Harry wasn't answering, and as she did, his hand fell lifelessly from her wrist.

"HARRY!" Hermione screamed, jerking Ron from the medical report to stare at her and the limp body of Harry.

"HELP!! SOMEBODY HELP!" He hollered through the Infirmary, "SOMETHING'S HAPPENED TO HARRY!!!! HELP!!!"

Suddenly nurses came running towards the back corner of the Infirmary, with their wands at the ready. Hermione didn't move until she was forced to move. Tears were flowing down her face freely now, and she did nothing to stop them. Ron was standing to her side in shock. The medical report he was reading had dropped to the floor, with its contents messily lying under the chair. Neither of them said anything, but the same thoughts of there best friend dieing ran through their heads.

They both stood there for what felt like a century, but were only five minutes. It felt like the same situation a couple days ago, when they had both found Harry lying in this very bed with a horrible bash to the head. "I've got to go," Hermione said quickly before she sprinted out of the Infirmary to the Head room. Maybe she could find comfort in Draco's arms, even though it seemed like a big jump considering they just started talking again today. But she didn't care, they had been close once, what could possibly stop them from being close again??

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Draco strode down the hallways with an air of confidence around him. It made him feel he was more confident then he really was. He definitely had no idea how this was all going to turn out and questions of the upcoming encounter went through his head. Was Hermione going to burst out in tears of happiness and claim that she had always loved him? Or was she going to slap him and run away and never speak to him again? Would she yell at him for being such an inconsiderate bastard and tell him that she could never love him after everything that he'd but her through?? But then again, she hurt him. Seeing her with that other man, hurt him more than it should have. He wasn't supposed to have feelings for her. It was never supposed to happen, but she just got to damn sexy, and he couldn't resist. But, he was happy things turned out the way they did, even though it didn't have a happy ending. Things could have turned out a lot worse if his father had found out his affection for the muggle born witch who always received a mark higher than him in every class. He shuddered at the thought, and concentrated on what he was going to say to her.

"Hermione, I love you. No, that's to straight forward, I need to start off slow. Maybe, 'Hermione, could I talk to you for a second...?'"

"Drakey Poo is that you?" Pansy asked as she turned the corner. Draco closed his mouth and hoped she hadn't heard anything. "Oh it is you!! Who were you talking to?? It sounded like you said that filthy mudblood's name."

Draco clenched his fists when she said that and used all of his self control from shouting at Pansy 'She is NOT a filthy mudblood!', even though he had used that term so many times when he was taunting her. One of the other things he regretted most deeply.

"Hmm, well, anyways my darling," At this point Pansy began to lick her lips in what she thought was a seductive manor, and play with Draco's tie. "I have a great idea Drakey…come with me."

Suddenly Draco felt himself being pulled into a near by broom closet and slammed against the wall. Pansy's lips quickly latched onto his, as he tried his best to push her away, but it was no use. She had a tight grip around his arms and her body was pressed completely against his. If he were to push her, it would make such a racquet that teachers would come running to see what the problem was and both of them would get in trouble for doing things they weren't supposed to be doing in a broom closet. So Draco just let her kiss him, until she got tired, or realized he wasn't kissing back. But, she was so into this that she didn't even notice it, and began to moan out loud.

Draco rolled his eyes and mentally thought to himself, "God, this girl can get off on anything. And why does she have to moan so loud, I'm not even doing anything to her!"

But Pansy kept on kissing, and every time she would break for air, Draco tried to tell her to stop, but instead she just said "Shhh my Drakey Poo, I know you want this. And if you make too much noise, people might start to suspect things."

After a good five times of hearing this, Draco had enough. He easily pushed her off of him, and she flew into the opposing wall. Pansy quickly got up and said angrily "Drakey, why'd you do that to me??" But then she paused and then her eyes lit up as if she realized something. "Oh…I know you want it rough…"

Before Draco knew it, Pansy had jumped up onto him and wrapped her legs around his waist and was kissing him roughly. Draco began to unlatch her from his body but as he was doing so the door was opened, revealing what looked like a heated make out session to the person standing in the doorway.

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Hermione walked briskly down the hallways that led from the Infirmary to the Head dorms, where she hoped to find Draco. She needed him right now to tell her everything was going to be okay, but she had no idea why she needed him to tell her that of all people.

As Hermione continued to venture towards the Head Dorms, she heard a loud noise come from a broom closet.

"God, can't these teenagers keep their hormones under control?? It's not even nine at night and they're already at it." Hermione rolled her eyes and angrily swung open the door, causing the nearby candle light to flood the tiny area. Just as she was about to reprimand the two people in the closet she suddenly recognized them. It was Draco…and Pansy.

Hermione opened her mouth and then closed it, and opened it again, not sure of what to say. Draco looked like a deer in headlights, but Pansy just smirked and said "Like what you see mudblood?" as she began to kiss Draco's neck, her legs still wrapped around his waist.

Disgusted and still in shock, Hermione slammed the door in both of their faces and ran down the hall to her room as fast as she could.

"That fucking bastard," Hermione angrily muttered to herself, "He probably told all of Slytherin what I fucking told him and then had a good laugh about it. What was I thinking?!"

"Hermione wait," A voice called from behind her, and she knew it was Draco's. He was just chasing after her so he could make up so more lies about what had just happened.

By this time Hermione had stopped running and was rapidly walking down the hall, when she felt a hand latch on to her arm and turn her around. Her heart jumped into her stomach and she held her breath. 'Was her rapist back again?'

---»

Ron stood in the Infirmary as he watched Hermione's run from the Infirmary. 'Poor girl, she's taking this harder than the rest of us. I need to find her and talk to her.'

Ron waited another hour before exiting the Infirmary doors, so he could see if anymore progress was made on Harry. From what he had read in the medical report, Harry had a high risk of slipping into a coma from the strong blow he had received to the head. Ron frowned, as he remembered that no one had found the assailant. He couldn't believe that someone had wanted to do this to Harry, but then again, there were many people who didn't like Harry, based on pure jealousy. He shook his head and clenched his fists in anger, 'How could people be so cruel?!'

As Ron reached the base of the moving staircases, he noticed an open broom closet to his left. "Seriously…why can't people make out in more appropriate places, and not in a closet?" He chuckled quietly as he skipped up steps to the Gryffindor common room.

"Fairy Dust" Ron muttered to the Portrait of the Fat Lady, as she swung aside and gave him access to the common room. It was only around 10 but many people were in bed already. Ron scanned the room in search of a familiar face or Hermione, but Hermione wasn't in this common room, but Lavender was.

"Hey Lavender," Ron said happily, as he slid into a chair next to hers at one of the many wooden tables in the common room, "Finally I get to see a familiar face who isn't injured or upset." Lavender smiled, but then worry crossed her beautiful features as she thought of Harry, and how Parvarti and her had found him.

"Oh Ron, how is he??" She asked with concern, and waited patiently for the red head to answer.

"Not good, I think he's about to slip into a coma…" Lavender gasped, "I read his medical report as Hermione was talking to him, and it said that there was a very high chance of this happening due to the impact of the blow he received to the head. And then, all of a sudden he just got limp and Hermione started screaming from help. She ran out crying, and I stayed to see if any progress was being made, but the nurses stayed around his body for an hour…so I left to give them room to work and do whatever they needed. I'll find out how he's doing tomorrow…"

Lavender gave Ron a look of deep apprehension, and put her hand over his. "Ron, if there is anything I can do for you, just let me know…"

Ron just nodded grimly and stared down at their hands. "I could stay the night with you…" She suggested and Ron's eyes lit up for a moment but then he shook his head.

"They wouldn't let girls sleep up in the boys' dorm."

"Then we can sleep on the couch." Ron smiled slightly and got up to retrieve blankets.

"Alright," He replied as he sat down on the couch facing the fire. Lavender took the seat right next to him, and Ron wrapped the two blankets he got around both of them. Both of them talked quietly together, as no one else was down in the common room, and everyone was sleeping. Lavender was the first to fall asleep, but Ron stayed awake watching the fire burn to embers. Only until Lavender's head fell lightly onto his shoulder, did he also fall into a deep sleep.

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"Hermione, we really need to talk," Draco demanded as he let go of her arm. Hermione's heart was still beating rapidly, from being scared like that. She was frightened so easily lately, and it was entirely the rapist's fault.

"I really don't think we need to talk. I understood perfectly well what was happening between you and Ms. Slut." Hermione turned her back on him and continued to walk up to the Head dorm room, but Draco persistently followed.

'This was definitely not how this was supposed to turn out. Fucking Pansy.' He thought angrily before shouting to Hermione's back "It's not what you think Hermione!"

Hermione spun around again and looked at him face to face. "Oh really Malfoy," she spat, "Now your going to tell me that she 'forced' herself onto you right? Is that how it's going to play out?"

"Yes! That's what happened. Hermione, you've got to believe me."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and retorted, "I've only got myself to blame Malfoy. I should have never opened up to you. Never. Guess what, everything I told you, it was a lie." Hermione left the sentence hanging in the air, as she watched Draco's reaction. At first he was in shock, but then his face hardened over and his grey eyes became cold once again.

"Hmm, I guess your right. Most mudbloods don't tell the truth." Draco replied harshly. He let out a smirk as he watched her flinch under the name.

"I guess you're right," she said softly, before turning away from the hall that led to the Head dorms, and down the opposite.

"Where are you going?" Draco shouted at her retreating back.

"Why do you suddenly care," Hermione countered in anger. But she knew exactly where she was going to go; down to the kitchen's to talk with Dobby and the house elves, and to get a box of chocolates.

"DAMN IT!" Draco screamed once she was out of earshot, "This wasn't how it was supposed to go!" Angrily he stormed off to his room. Maybe he could drink this all away.

---»

"He's SO inconsiderate!" Hermione whispered to herself, as she quickened her pace towards the kitchen. She was walking through the darkest part of the castle and it scared her…a lot.

"Hey darling…" A voice said from behind her, as arms wrapped around her waist. "Miss me??"

"No," Hermione growled back and tried to push away, but he was too strong.

"What did you say?" the rapist inquired in rage.

"You heard me," Hermione countered bravely (even though she had no idea where this bravery came from at that moment); "I said 'No, I didn't miss you.'" At that moment she felt him tense against her, and open a door to her right.

"Well, you'll miss me after I'm done with you." He snarled back and threw her into a closet of some sort. Her body slammed against the back wall, as he quickly ripped her clothes off. By this time, her tattered robes were completely ripped. She had no idea how much pain she could go through. This was the second time this day he came to her, and raped her. She hadn't even have time to recover or reduce the pain and bruising.

Once again, he attacked her frail body, she wanted to scream out for help but there was no point since there was silencing charm placed around the room. And even if she wanted to remove it, she couldn't, since her wand was where her clothes were on the opposite side of the small room. But then again, she couldn't' move at all. The pain was too unbearable.

When he was finally done, he retrieved his clothes and put them back on. She couldn't see where he was, since there wasn't a light in the closet.

"I hope you enjoyed that my love, because I sure did." The rapist said to her happily before turning the door handle. Suddenly light flooded into the room, and surrounded her rapist. She blinked and then finally was able to focus. Suddenly she gasped…it was…Dean.

A.NWow! Sorry that took so long!! I had to brainstorm SO much for this chapter, and then I completed an outline for the rest of this story. It looks like there won't be anymore than 25 chapters. Well, I only replied to a few reviews since I really want to get this chapter out. It's been too long! Next chapter I should reply to all of you!! Please keep reviewing…flames are welcomed.

KeZzASorry...but it looks like I left you on a cliffe again! Okay, sorry for doing the whole Blaise last name wrong! I'll try to remember that next time I write it. Well, I hoped you like this chapter as much!

X8DramaQueen8X--You're REALLY close!! Lol

Queen of Serpents--Okay, finally I updated! I hope your happy! And please don't do those deals anymore! Because...it doesn't motivate me as much as it should...lol...Thank you for you nice long reviews!! And please continue your stories!! My favorite by far is Delightful Pain…ALL YOU PEOPLE READ DELIGHTFUL PAIN BY QUEEN OF SERPENTS!!!! Hee hee…I love it…I really do…wow…I'm a dork. lol Well, I can't wait for the updates!!

LadyLuck13--Sorry Marianne!! But come on, it had to be part of the story!!! See ya in school!!

And thanks too: malfoy's lil devil, Annoying Angel, xsparkyx, Tom Felton's One and Only, Beach-Babi, JenniferJae, HiddenBehindAMask, Xunknowntearz, TexasKH, awwwwwww, stephanie.....Felton, Trina Jacobs, crazy azn angel, AngryHerm, dazzler92, Dark Pixie, Deadly Nightshade, quiet-mg, kaiba3, hp'sgirl, Oni Tenchie, u no u luv HP, hpotterluver, Goddess of Gorgeousness, Marla1, crying child, woo hooo, emma laraliean, snowelf12, bookwork-2111, sweetandevil, DarkRaven-04, WaSsupgURLsELphie, hazel-eyes288, DeeDoubleU14, Malfoy vs Potter, Sue, cuttiepie17172, Desdemona183, Angel5blue5, FoxyChic4u, Nicole-HP-fan, Kara Black, angryhippo, aiko-san07, malfoygranger4eva, may-ann, koolkat14, ShortStuff10, baily89, charmed piper, LadY MyStiK, harmony727, Cassie, Nana V, Nitric-hmaster, Shadow Psi, Linggodess, ablakevh, sblomie, Lover del Dragon, Funkdunkum