Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, they are the brilliant works of the marvelous J.K.Rowling. I also do not own Coldplay or To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

CHAPTER 13

Hermione sat working at her desk a few days later writing some plans for the Yule Ball. She once again felt the familiar warm breath on her neck. Out of the corner of her eye she could see his blonde hair and it gave her an overwhelming sense of safety. She leant back. He looked over her shoulder and saw what she had been doing. He knelt next to her and feigned nervousness.

"Ah...Her-Hermione? I ... I was wondering if you.if you'd go to the. Go to the Yule Ball with m-me?" She smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"You're so sweet. Of course I will you cute nervous little boy" She turned back to her desk and started muttering things needed for the big night.

Draco continued leaning there, watching her. Out of the blue he scooped her up off the chair and carried her into his room. He lay her down on the bed and in one swift movement managed to swoop down and lay on top of her, lightly kissing her neck. He was moving his way down, and his smooth warm hands were finding the skin below her robes. Hermione started making excuses, but he would not stop with that.

"Draco, I really have to get back to the preparations" He laughed and went on undressing her. She tried pushing him off, but he was too strong and persistent.

"Come on Hermione" He said between kisses. Hermione made to sit up, but he grabbed her. He had never taken such a heavy hand with her before, and she was a little surprised. He held her down and ripped her robe without difficulty, as he had probably done it many times before. She screamed, and somehow made it out of his grasp and out of his room. She ran up her stairs and slammed her bedroom door, quickly muttering a locking charm on the door before putting her back against it and sinking to the floor.

Draco was left sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. He could not believe what he had just done. He had never been so rough with her before, and had promised himself to look after her. Draco knew Hermione was sensitive about sex, and he did not understand why he had tried to force it on her.

Hermione had cried for quite a while. She did not know when she had stopped, nor when she had slipped into a sort of trance, but it was at least an hour before she snapped out of it and stood up. Suddenly all she wanted was to be out of what was left of her robes and into new clothes. She slipped them off over her head and laid them down on the satin sheets of her Queen-size bed. Hermione assessed the damage to her robes, and vaguely muttered a spell to repair them. Figuring there was no point wasting time thinking about it, she got dressed and began again on the preparations for the Ball. It was not for another 6 months, but wanted it to be the best the school had seen. But most of all she wanted a distraction.

When dinner time came, Hermione considered not going, and just crawling into bed and sleeping till morning, but hunger got the better of her and she concentrated her efforts on getting out of her Quarters without using the common room. Hermione remembered a liquefaction spell she had always wanted to try, and thought now would be the perfect time to lighten her spirits a little. It was a simple incantation, and required ingredients she had gathered for this purpose a few weeks ago. She drank the potion and slipped beneath the door. On her way pouring down her stairs, she heard a loud crash and wondered where it had come from. She made her way up Draco's stairs to where she thought it had come from and listened. She heard another loud crash and she slid half way under the crack in Draco's bedroom door. He looked terrible. He was picking things up - breakable things, and throwing them. Picking up the glass statue his father had given him for becoming Head Boy, he threw it at the door above Hermione, a hundred shards scattering all around her.

Frightened, she fled. She was amazed how easy it was to get around as a pool of water, and slipped quickly down the stairs and under the small slit of the common room door. She raced down the hallway, dodging the student making their way to dinner. Approaching the door she thought about turning back to normal before she entered, but reckoned it would be more fun to surprise her friends. She sat as a puddle for a minute to catch her breath. (A/N If you can imagine a puddle having a rest) She was rather puffed. Not from making it all the way here as a liquid, but amazed that she had made such good time. She could see a few first years coming up to the doors, and waited for them to open them before going in herself.

Hermione puddled over to her empty space at the table and managed to climb up a leg of the bench to be on top. As a joke, she crawled onto Ron's lap, and sat for a moment. It did not take long for Ron to notice this puddle on his lap and let out a small shriek. Harry and Ginny both looked up, and as soon as Hermione heard Harry say "What is it Ron?" she sprang into action. The people sitting around Ron heard the puddle whisper something, and then suddenly, Hermione was sitting on Ron's lap with her arms playfully around his neck. The look on their faces automatically made her brighten, and all she said was,

"Sorry I'm late, it took me a minute to mix it up." All were laughing soon enough, except Ron. She climbed off his lap and sat in her usual spot.

"What the bloody 'ell 'd you do that for! You scared me half to death 'Mione!"

Hermione put on a pitying 'I'm sorry, it was only a joke' look, and served herself some chicken. Harry turned to her.

"That was awesome! Let me guess... Artemus Forghton's Guide to Strange and Unusual Travel Methods. Right?" She smiled at him.

"Yes, I've wanted to try it for ages."

The rest of the meal was light talk and Harry asking what it was like being water, and asking if he could try some of the potion after dinner. Ron commented that it was actually a pretty good trick, but to warn him next time, or better, do it to someone else.

And so for a while, Hermione was able to forget.