I figured that I might have to do this because a few of you are clearly confused. This chapter is not meant to make you feel sorry for Draco. I mean if you do that's cool I guess(?), but that isn't my intention. So for the two reviewers giving me grief about 'trying to make you feel sorry for Draco', believe me when I say that nobody is trying to make you do anything. If anything, the purpose of this chapter is to show how completely demented and far gone he is. You're supposed to walk away from this chapter with the thought ' yeah he's completely off of his rocker'. This chapter was purely meant to give you a look inside of his head and NOT feel sorry for him because guess what? I don't feel sorry for him. Not at all. Maybe that's because I'm the author and I know what's going to happen, but I have no sympathy for Draco at all. Neither should you (but like I said if you do that is also fine).

Italics= flashback/ emphasis

Bold Italics= flashback within a flashback or emphasis during a flashback

Disclaimer: I Own Nothing

"What's wrong? Afraid you might like it," Draco purred against her skin.

A shudder traveled down her spine, her body trembling. A flash of lightning splayed across the sky.

"Come on, sweetheart. You can do this…"

You have to, Hermione. Hermione tightened her grip on the wand, Draco's grip tightening on her hand.

"There you go…"

Hermione let out a shaky breath.

"3…2…"

Hermione closed her eyes. Just one time…

"1…"

"Crucio!"

"That…was pathetic," Draco sneered.

He snatched his arms away from her, taking his wand with him of course. He walked around her drenched frame to stand in front of her, looking down at her with an air of disappointment. Her jaw was clenched with anger and eyes alight with a look that could kill as she stared him down. He tilted his head to the side, taking her in like he would a masterpiece before abruptly turning away, disgusted.

"Crucio," he hissed.

He took great satisfaction in watching the way Theo screamed and writhed on the grass. His face was scrunched up in pain, teeth clenched together and eyes squeezed shut. Draco's vision began to blur as he stared at him, only seeing Theo's lips on hers playing on a constant sickening loop in his mind. He wanted to kill him. Merlin knows that he wanted to completely eradicate him…but he wanted something else more.

He finally lifted his wand when Theo began to arch his back, his feet and head the only thing still on the ground. Draco just barely paid attention to the small hands that were gripping his arm as Theo collapsed, chest heaving with harsh breaths. Draco stared him down, lips curling up before he looked down.

Hermione's eyes were wide and harsh as she stared at him, her teeth clenched and bared. Water clung to her and he watched as one drop ran down her forehead before cascading down her eyelid. She blinked and the drop rolled to the very tip of her eyelashes before diving off. He ran his eyes over her face, drinking her in before finally speaking.

"That's how it's done."

He had expected it, welcomed it even, as his head was harshly turned to the side from the force of her palm. A jolt of pleasure ran through him as he relished the quick feel of her skin on his. He had the sudden urge to take her hand and kiss every inch of her body, starting right at her fingertips.

"Again," he said, grabbing her and spinning her around, loving the feel of her body against his.

"No! I can't-"

"Yes, you can. You didn't even try," he harshly replied.

"I did try. I can't do it," she snapped.

He roughly spun her back around to face him, his hands wrapped around her upper arms, forehead leaning against hers. He closed his eyes, savoring this moment.

"What's your name? Remind me again, who are you?"

He could feel her harsh breaths on his face and her change in breathing notified him of her confusion, but she answered anyway.

"I'm…I'm Hermione Granger," she slowly replied in confusion.

His eyes snapped open, glaring at her.

"Then start acting like it," he hissed.

She pushed herself away from him, anger rolling off of her in waves.

"What you're asking of me is…I cannot do it," she reiterated, shaking her head.

"You mean you won't."

"I can't!"

Draco let out a slow, quiet sigh, bringing his wand up. He pressed his index finger to the tip, gazing at it. She could do it, he knew that she could. After all, there wasn't much that she couldn't do. She was the best, otherwise, she wouldn't be there. He suddenly smirked.

"Remember when I murdered our Headmaster…?"

He heard her sharp intake of breath over the sound of the rain and he looked at her from beneath his lashes, silver connecting with brown. She was completely frozen, face sickly looking as she stared at him with wide eyes.

"It was quite…anticlimactic, really. You should have heard him beg, Hermione. He was practically ready to get on his knees just to get me to switch sides, to 'turn my whole life around'," he scoffed.

"Dumbledore did not beg," she spat.

She charged at him and he took a step to the side, reaching out and capturing her in his arms. He pulled her against him, pressing his chest against her heaving back. She struggled in his grip, but he paid it no mind.

"I watched the light fade from his eyes. I witnessed his last breath. I felt nothing but pure satisfaction as he fell from that tower," he whispered.

She screamed in anger, or frustration, he didn't really bother to figure out which. It was probably both. He tightened his arms around her.

"I am the one, Hermione, who uttered those two words that ended his life."

He rested his chin on top of her head, holding her still.

"Doesn't that make you…angry?"

"I know what you're doing. It isn't going to work," she hissed.

He chuckled, letting out an elated sigh, before bending his head down.

"But sweetheart…it's already working," he whispered against the shell of her ear.

He felt her freeze in his arms and he smiled.

"Theo is going to die if you don't do this. He's going to disappear, Hermione, just like that. Do you want him to die…?"

"No," she tearfully whispered.

He suppressed his anger at just how much emotion she was showing over this pathetic excuse of a wizard.

"Then you better come up with something…because if you don't, I am going to truly enjoy killing him."

Draco meant that too. He wanted nothing more than to go over there right now and kick Theo's head into the ground, but he wouldn't. He wanted to see how far she was willing to go to save him. He repeated his actions from last time, slipping the wand in her hand and not giving her a second to spare before tightly wrapping his hand around her own. He felt her shoulders heaving with harsh breaths.

"Don't be afraid. Just think…you're saving him from a far worse fate. You have to really mean it, Hermione. If you don't do this, I'm going to have to assume that you don't really mean it-"

"No."

"I'm going to think that you want me to kill him," he continued.

"I don't," she snapped.

"Then what are you going to do about it?"

He felt her breaths become shallower and shallower, her heaving shoulders beginning to slow down. Draco began to slide his left hand down her left arm, trailing his fingers along her skin before reaching down and intertwining his fingers with her own. He pressed their joined hands to her stomach, tightening his grip on her other hand that held the wand.

Draco's eyes found Theo's. The dark haired wizard was glaring at him with everything he had as he still struggled to get into an upright position. He cast his eyes down, drinking her in as she stared straight ahead.

"Crucio."

Again, nothing happened and Draco found himself getting frustrated.

"You're not even trying-"

"I am! I am trying," she snapped.

Draco shook his head.

"I don't believe you," he said, wrapping his other hand around the wand.

"No! No, stop," she screamed, jerking her hand.

"You've had your chance. I can only assume that you don't want him to live," Draco said.

"No!"

His hand was still wrapped around hers that held the wand and his other hand was gripping the piece of wood. They fought over it, both of them twisting this way and that. Their feet got tangled together and they fell, Draco's grip still as tight as ever. She was pinned beneath his larger frame, her grip not loosening either. Draco didn't have the time nor patience for this.

He looked up, catching Blaise's eyes.

"Finish him," he snarled over the rain.

Before Blaise could do that, however, he was interrupted.

"Crucio!"

Draco froze and a mixture of delight and pride swirled inside of him as he watched Theo let out a short, loud scream before rolling over and throwing up. His eyes slowly slid to the top of her head, an amazed smirk making its way onto his lips. It was brief… But promising, he thought.

He pulled the both of them up, Hermione completely still as she stared ahead. She didn't even notice as the wand fell from her hands and he swiftly caught it, taking in her trembling frame. He stepped beside her, watching as Theo's body still trembled from time to time.

"Well done," he said.

He turned his head to face her just as she did him, a look of pure astonishment on her face. Her eyebrows suddenly furrowed and before he knew what was happening, her fist had connected with his nose. Draco blinked towards the sky, accepting the fact that he probably deserved that. He heard Theo spew again and Draco rolled his eyes, briefly forgetting that, not two years ago, that was him.

"Again," a cold voice spat.

Draco's stomach heaved, but there was nothing left to expel. The awful feeling of trying to puke, but unable to, made his stomach hurt. He was hunched over, forehead slick with sweat, hair brushing against his skin, beginning to stick. His arms trembled as he barely held himself up off of the floor. He glanced up through his hair, eyes focusing on unblemished black shoes.

"How can you possibly expect to take the mark when you can't even take a Cruciatus Curse? What, do you think you'll walk in there, get it and be on your merry little way? Did it never occur to you that you might have to actually prove yourself worthy of such an honor?"

Draco closed his eyes, breaths coming out in harsh pants.

"Father-"

Draco barely got the word out before his body became lit, once again, with pain. This time he was not able to hold himself up. His arms collapsed beneath him, forehead slamming into the floor as he gritted his teeth, a disturbing guttural sound escaping his lips. He rolled onto his back, an ear-piercing scream fleeing his now parted lips as his back arched, chest pointed towards the heavens.

It seemed like forever before it was over, and he collapsed once again. He slowly opened his eyes, vision blurred as he stared at the ceiling. The room was spinning and he had the sudden urge to vomit again. His entire body trembled and he was forced to suck in shaky breaths through his teeth. He heard a scoff from beside him and Draco turned his head away.

"Pathetic."

Draco closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as his father's harsh words hit him.

"You will cower in front of the Dark Lord. You will shame the Malfoy name, ruin us," Lucius hissed.

It took everything inside of Draco to speak, and when he did, it did not sound like him.

"Father…we've been at it for-"

"Do you think the Dark Lord will care? You think he will give you a break, let you rest? Perhaps you are not ready, after all. Perhaps I was right. You are too weak to take the mark, too weak for this," Lucius mocked.

No, no. Draco couldn't be too weak for this. It was not an option… Draco closed his eyes again, form trembling as he threw his arm over his face. Curls and a periwinkle dress came to the forefront of his mind just as the curse hit him again…

...

"Next time there's a ball, puck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does! And not as a last resort!"

Silver eyes watched as Weasley spluttered, seemingly thrown off by the sudden left turn that the conversation had taken.

"W-well th-th-that, that's not…that's j-just completely off the point," the weasel stuttered, backing away from the angry Gryffindor.

The redhead looked past Granger, visibly relieved and Draco followed his line of sight.

"Harry," weasel sighed in relief.

Granger turned around too, hair flying and face hard as she rounded on Potter.

"…And where have you been? Never mind, off to bed, both of you," she firmly stated.

Potter halted for a moment before he brushed past her, walking up the stairs to reunite with Weasley.

"They get scary when they get older."

Granger spun around.

"Ron, you spoiled everything!"

The dunce duo quickly hurried up the stairs, smart enough to get away from the clearly distraught girl. Draco leaned against the pillar, hands shoved into his pocket as he watched her. She plopped down onto the steps, all of the fight leaving her as she cried and practically ripped her shoes off of her feet.

...

Draco opened his eyes and stared into the cold, skeptical ones of his father who was standing over him, wand still in hand. It took a minute for Draco's mind to catch up to what had just happened. Suddenly, Lucius smirked, his grey eyes filling with a sick pride.

"Stand," he commanded.

Draco shakily heeded the order, his legs trembling as he put all of his weight on them. He swallowed, trying to wrap his head around what he had just done. They looked into one another's eyes as Lucius raised his wand again.

This time, Draco was ready.

Draco leaned against the balcony doors, gazing out into the backyard. The light drizzle of rain had turned into a full blown storm and he was thankful that he had gotten Hermione inside the house just in time. The last thing he wanted was for her to get sick. He suddenly glanced over his shoulder, his eyes landing on her slumbering form, surrounded by the bold black covers and pillows. He slowly made his way over to her, hand outstretched before his fingers brushed against her cheek. He had caught her just as she had fainted, the curly haired witch weighing almost nothing in his arms. As he had carried her inside, he'd had Blaise take Theo downstairs, where Draco would have a chat with him before he sent the snake on his way.

His jaw clenched and his fingers paused on their path as he thought about Theo…and her. Kill him. He closed his eyes, turning his head away, pushing down the urge to do just that. No, he'd made Hermione a promise. He had told her that he would let Theo go and that was what he was going to do. He looked back down at her, taking note of the dark circles beneath her eyes. He sat down on the edge of the bed, brushing her hair away from her face. It fanned around her head like a halo.

She looked so…frail when she slept. Of course, Draco knew that that could not be farther from the truth. She was resilient, determined, and brave. She was a lioness…his little lioness. All the same, she still looked much more peaceful in her sleep. She wasn't guarded and she didn't look so…mad. He perked up as she began to stir, a seductive groan escaping her parted lips as she turned her head.

He watched as her breathing began to change, quickening. Her eyes fluttered as if she were undecided on whether or not to wake up or continue sleeping. He trailed his index finger over her nose, brushing it against her lips, bringing her into the world of consciousness. Her eyes flew open and she abruptly sat up, almost immediately clutching her head.

"What happened? What did I do," she demanded, turning to face him.

Her memory was hazy. So she doesn't fully remember, he thought. Draco looked away, contemplating.

"Did I…?"

She didn't have to finish, Draco knew what she was asking.

"No."

Draco turned to face her, gazing into her eyes, resisting the urge to touch her again.

"No, you didn't," he lied.

Her eyes widened and her breathing increased some more.

"You…Theo…did you-?"

"I didn't kill him," he replied.

Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at him, a skeptical look seeping into her eyes.

"You let him live. Why?"

"Don't know," Draco said.

Hermione gripped his arm, digging her nails into his skin and Draco quietly hissed in pleasure.

"You do know. Is he really alive," she asked.

"I'm not lying to you. Theo's alive. Maybe…maybe I care more about your forgiveness than I originally thought."

Draco wasn't exactly sure why he had lied to her. Maybe he wanted something to hold over her when the moment came. Maybe he wanted to keep the memory all to himself, basking in the pride he had felt. However, a voice, a much smaller voice inside of him, was telling him that maybe it was because he didn't want her to know what she was fully capable of yet. He knew that it would destroy her and that didn't sit well with him.

"Forgive me if I have a hard time believing that," she spat.

She opened her mouth to say something else, but immediately clutched her head again. He reached for her but she jerked away, glaring at him.

"You need to rest. You've had a pretty stressful day," he simply said.

"Gee, I wonder why," she sarcastically said, but reluctantly laid back down nonetheless.

Draco rolled his eyes as she turned her back towards him, pulling the covers over her head. He knew that he probably should have left, but he didn't want to. He was…apprehensive about leaving her.

...

A soft banging noise was what aroused him from sleep. He frowned, annoyed that the sound was keeping him from his slumber, but not annoyed enough to fully wake up and investigate. It was only when his hand landed on nothing, where Hermione should have been, did he fling his eyes open. A brief panic shot through him as he realized that her side of the bed was empty. She was gone.

There was still banging inside of the room and he looked up, sighing in relief. She was in front of the door, softly banging her forehead against the wood. He wasn't too familiar with sleepwalkers, but he had seen enough to recognize that that was what was going on. He threw the covers away and slid out of bed, cautiously walking over to her and sliding his hand in between her forehead and the door.

He pressed his palm against her skin as he carefully turned her around and led her back over to the bed. He did his best to try and lead her back into the bed, but it was futile. He knew that it was dangerous to wake a sleepwalker, but for once, he was at a loss. She was just standing there, beside the bed, facing the balcony that was on the other side. It was…eerie. He briefly ran his eyes over her, satisfied that she didn't look like she was moving any time soon, before rushing out of the room.

It didn't take him long to reach Blaise's room and he pounded on the door as soon as he was within arm's reach. He sighed in frustration at the slow response that he was getting and decided to take it upon himself and let himself in. Blaise looked to be just getting out of the bed, his feet set on the railing and his form hunched over, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"It's two in the morning, Draco. This better be important," Blaise groaned.

"Weasley," Draco called.

The redhead mumbled something, rolling over.

"What do you want with Ginny," Blaise demanded.

"It's Hermione. She's sleepwalking," Draco said.

Blaise sighed, reaching behind him to shake her. Draco heard her mumble something, probably questioning what was going on.

"He said Hermione's sleepwalking," he heard Blaise reply.

The redhead slowly sat up, turning to look at Draco in confusion.

"Sleepwalking? Are you sure," she questioned, running her hand over her face.

Draco said nothing, simply staring at her with a look that perfectly conveyed his feelings about that question. Was he sure? What a stupid question to ask.

"Hey, don't look at her like that. She was just making sure," Blaise said.

"Hurry. The sooner you help me the sooner we can all go back to sleep," Draco said, exiting the room.

"Hermione has never done that before. That's why I was asking. It's…unusual," Ginny said as they followed him to his room.

"Well, that's comforting to know that your guess at how to deal with this is just as good as mine," Draco snapped.

"Will you fucking relax? I'm sure it's not that big of a deal-."

Blaise abruptly cut himself off as they all stepped into the room. Ginny gasped and Draco's eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat in his chest just as Hermione pulled herself up onto the balcony.

"No, Hermione," he screamed in panic.

"Draco, no!"

He spun around, glaring at the younger girl.

"What the fuck do you mean 'no'?"

"You're not supposed to wake a sleepwalker. What if she gets startled and falls? What if-"

"Then tell me, Ginevra, what it is that you would have me do? In case you haven't noticed…she's on the balcony! She's already about to fall, in fact, it looks like she's getting ready to jump," Draco snarled, gesturing towards the object of his affection.

Ginny opened and closed her mouth, clearly at a loss. Draco shook his head.

"Just shut up," he spat, fed up with the redhead.

"Draco-"

"You too! Both of you just shut up," he hissed.

Draco turned back around, staring at her as she looked to her right, staring up as if staring at something…or someone.

"Hermione," he softly called, making his way over to her.

She turned her downward then forward, staring straight ahead. Draco frowned, swallowing as he approached. His eyes widened as he caught movement. She had lifted her right foot and Draco lost it.

"Hermione!"

He knew that he had gotten through because she froze. He watched as she looked up and stopped her before she could look down.

"Hermione…don't look down," he said.

Silver and brown clashed as she looked over shoulder. Her eyebrows furrowed and he could see the confusion in her eyes. She looked around, taking in where she was and her state of dress before looking back at him.

"Hermione…come on," he gently said, holding his hand out towards her.

His heart was going a mile a minute and he feared for his health the longer she stayed up there. He nervously glanced towards the balcony, taking a step towards her.

"I didn't…I wasn't…"

Hermione shook her head and Draco nodded. He knew that. She would never…

"I know, it's alright. Just step down," he almost pleaded, trying not to convey just how worried he actually was.

His heart finally calmed and his entire body sagged with relief as soon as she laid her hand in his. He wasted no time, pulling her down and against him, wrapping his arms around her. He closed his eyes, tightening his grip and pressing his lips against the top of her head.

"Leave us," he snapped at the two behind them.

He ran his hands over her, savoring the feeling of her in his arms and never wanting to let go.

...

Draco didn't want to admit it, but she had scared him. Looking at her on that balcony, knowing that at any moment she could have fallen, had scared him. She could have died, disappeared from his life forever and that would have…killed him. The reality of it had hit him right smack in the face, hard. He almost lost her and he didn't want to lose her. Couldn't she see how much he wanted her? How much he had gone through just to have her with him?

So Draco didn't understand it. He just didn't understand why she kept…fighting this. He could make her happy, extremely happy, he just knew it. Maybe she'd be happier if you were nicer. Draco clenched his jaw. Her resistance both frustrated and excited him at the same time. Hermione was able to bring out every emotion inside of him to the surface and they always ended up jumbling together, making him…not so pleasant to be around.

Sometimes he didn't mean to be an ass…and sometimes he did. He was selfish, incredibly so, and he didn't like for people to mess with things that belonged to him. Hermione was his. The beautiful witch slumbering in his bed at the moment belonged to him. Oh, but he was hers as well! He'd accepted it long ago that she had him captivated every time she so much as breathed. Draco was…ruined.

She was absolutely it for him, so it wasn't fair that she would want to be away from him so when all he wanted to do was touch her…kiss her…show her that he could give her nothing but pure bliss if she'd just let him. He wanted to steal her away somewhere with nothing but the two of them. He wanted to show her pleasure she had never even dreamed of, bringing her to the brink of completion again and again and again. He wanted to make his angel scream out to the Lord…if only she'd let him.

"I'm surprised that you actually kept your word," Theo croaked, throat hoarse.

Draco smirked, raising an eyebrow, hands folded behind his back.

"Me too," he said, staring the dark haired wizard down, extremely tempted to just slit his throat and be done with it.

...

Draco panted, leaning against the wall of his study, taking in the mess he'd just made. The once grand desk was nothing but splinters of wood now, scattered all over the room along with papers and books. His foot tapped at an alarming rate, practically vibrating. He ran his hand through his hair for the umpteenth time, screaming in frustration.

"You're sure," Draco repeated.

"Yes. I walked in after she pushed him away, but I saw everything," Blaise replied.

Draco pushed away from the wall, his shoes crunching on glass from a broken picture frame. His body vibrated with rage, his eyes darting this way and that, trying and failing to focus on something. It was no use. He spun around, pitting a fist sized hole into the wall. Theodore had kissed Hermione. He had put his lips on her. Draco was having a hard time processing this and before he knew it he was out of the door.

Blaise was right on his heels.

"Don't you want your wand?"

"Nope," Draco replied, making his way downstairs.

Theo was in the living room, looking over some paperwork. He looked up as Draco stepped into the room, standing when he noticed the look on his face. He frowned.

"Draco-"

Theo had barely gotten the word out before Draco's fist connected with his face. He took great satisfaction in watching blood fly from Theo's mouth. Draco sunk his fist into his stomach, using the other to swing into the side of his head as soon as Theo hunched over. Theo coughed, backing away, moving around the table in the center of the room.

Draco bent down to hook his hand underneath the piece of furniture and flipped it out of the way. It flipped over the couch, crashing onto the floor and clearing Draco's path. Theo clutched his stomach, spitting more blood out of his mouth, looking up.

"I have nothing to say," he said, making eye contact with Draco.

Draco punched him again at the complete audacity that Theo had.

"You have nothing to say. Why am I not surprised? I'm just curious though. Do you have selective hearing or…," Draco trailed off.

Theo chuckled, wiping his mouth.

"You really are threatened by me. Why is that, I wonder? Is it because I have everything that you have and more? Is it because you know that I love her and would treat her like she deserves to be treated? Is that it? You're pathetic," Theo spat, literally.

Draco saw red.

"I'm pathetic? Coming from the lovesick fool with a bloody mouth because he was trying to sneak around with my girl. She doesn't want you. She'll never want you," Draco said.

"Who are you talking to here? Me or you?"

"You don't stand a chance against me, Theo. You never did," Draco threatened, stepping towards him.

"Look at you. You treat her like crap and then go crazy at the thought of her finally getting fed up and leaving. Here's a tip; try not treating her like shit," Theo mocked.

Draco swung at him again, shoving him against the wall, his hand wrapped around Theo's throat.

"You're pitiful, Theo. It's never going to happen, so why don't you just give up! Stop trying to come in between us," Draco hissed.

"Me? Me? It's you! You are the one who's coming in between you two. I love her!"

Draco opened his mouth, ready to shout a response, before suddenly snapping it shut and looking away. The strangest feeling settled in his chest as he swallowed his words, making him frown. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted that Theo was looking at him with a strange expression. Theo suddenly scoffed.

"No…no way…"

Draco turned to face him.

"You've got to be kidding me," Theo snarled.

"Finally lost it, have you?"

Theo sneered.

"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm on about," Theo snapped.

"Sorry, can't say that I do," Draco said, tightening his grip.

"You're a coward," Theo said.

"Well, I'll be sure to put 'murdered by a coward' on your tombstone. This is it for you, Theo and you know it. I am going to kill," Draco stated with conviction.

"You know what, Draco? I've got some parting advice for you then. The day that you're finally honest with yourself is the day that the two of you might actually be able to be happy," Theo said.

Draco smirked.

"Thanks for the tip," he said just before punching Theo right in the face.

...

"Now, get off of Blaise's property before I change my mind," Draco threatened.

Theo swallowed, looking up towards the ceiling, probably searching for Hermione. Draco's jaw ticked at that. Theo suddenly shook his head.

"You're never going to be honest with yourself," Theo whispered.

Draco became very uncomfortable at the turn that the conversation had taken.

"You're trying my patience," Draco said.

Theo clenched his jaw, walking towards the door.

"You're going to ruin her, Draco."

"Tragic," Draco said, opening the door.

"You're going to ruin her-"

Draco slammed the door closed in his face, locking it. He turned around, ignoring Theo's bangs and shouts.

"You're going to destroy her!"

Draco climbed the stairs one by one, completely unbothered.

Draco leaned against the balcony, hunched over with his elbows resting on the railing. The wind whipped his hair away from his forehead as he gazed down into the backyard. Hermione was sitting down on the grass, head bent, her curls hiding her face from his view. She was wearing one of the more casual dresses he'd stocked her closet with, one that was a lovely contrast against her skin. It was his favorite.

It was black with fitted sleeves that stopped just at her wrist. The material was velvet and the dress was ankle length, the fabric fanning around her bent legs. Said legs were holding the book that she was currently engrossed in. Another sudden gust of wind blew by, this time blowing her hair away from her face. He stood up straight, gazing down at her as she paid no mind to anything but that book. She was smart. She was respectable and she would choose a book over any sort of gathering any day. That was something that he…really liked about her. She was different from the rest of them…

...

"Don't you know how to take a hint? I thought that me putting you in the infirmary last year was a big clue, but you know what they say…," Draco trailed off, flipping a page in his book.

His jaw clenched and he glared up at her from beneath his lashes as she forced his book shut, tossing it over her shoulder before climbing into his lap. She batted her eyelashes at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"That was last year. You were following that Gryffindor prude around, some fetish you were having, I guess. She's not here, I am, and now things can go back to the way they were," Pansy said, brushing her lips against his neck, running her hand down his arm.

Draco felt absolutely nothing at the feel of her lips on his skin. Nothing but pure disgust…and annoyance. Pansy shrieked in surprise as she was abruptly shoved onto the floor. Draco stood, tempted to laugh at the pitiful expression on her face. He didn't though. He simply smirked, staring into her eyes.

"I don't want you," he said.

Pansy blinked, a forlorn expression passing over face, leaving just as quickly as it came. She stood, shaking her head at him as she approached. She reached for him.

"Come on, Draco. You wanted me before… I tolerated your little…hobby last year because I knew that you'd come back to me. You always do," Pansy breathed with a smile.

"Let it rest. I don't want you, Pansy," Draco harshly repeated, slapping her hands away.

Pansy's face suddenly shifted into something ugly, lips pursed and eyebrows furrowed. Her nostrils flared as she crossed her arms over her chest, staring up at him.

"Her? Really, Draco? Her? What is it about her? Why does she have you wrapped around her bony little fingers? Can you enlighten me, please? Tell me what it is," she quietly demanded.

Draco had asked himself that same question many times, so he gave Pansy the same answer he had given himself, deciding to be completely honest for once.

"I don't know," he said with a shrug.

Pansy stared at him with a frown before her eyes eventually widened.

"No," she whispered.

She shook her head in disbelief, dark hair flying around her face.

"Merlin, no. No! How is this fair? She doesn't care about you. She doesn't even like you! She's not even here, she's running around with Potter and Weasley, doing Merlin knows what. She's probably shagging the both of them back to back-ah!"

Draco tightened his grip on her arm, twisting it as he glared down at her. He placed his other hand on her shoulder, preventing her from twisting her body around, forcing her to cry out in pain. He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear.

"Don't test me," he whispered just before releasing her.

She stumbled back into the couch, rubbing her arm. She glanced around the empty common room with tears in her eyes. Draco scoffed at her, turning his head away.

"I love you. I've loved you for as long as I can remember," she whispered.

"Pansy-."

The dark haired girl twisted her hands into his shirt, looking up at him.

"You know how I feel about you. You know that I would do anything just to be with you," she cried.

He looked down at her, wrapping his hands around her fists and forcing them off of his shirt. He gazed into her eyes as he shoved her away.

"…and I would do anything just to be with her."

Pansy struck him, the sound of the slap resonating throughout the common room. Draco touched his jaw, turning his head to look back at her, her harsh breathing the only sound in the room.

"She will never be with you. Not after what you've done. She won't accept you like I do! What are you going to do? Kidnap her," Pansy questioned.

"If I must."

"You're pathetic. Look at you. All of this because of some mudblood bitch who-"

He watched as Pansy collapsed, a harsh scream escaping her lips as she writhed on the floor. Draco stared her down as he pointed his wand down some more, putting every ounce of anger and hatred into it. How dare she! Pansy wasn't fit to kiss the ground that Hermione walked on. Pansy was nothing. He lifted his wand, her screaming beginning to annoy him.

He walked towards her trembling, sobbing frame, taking his time with each harsh step. She looked up at him through her hair as he approached, her eyes filled with tears. Her lips trembled as he knelt down, resting his elbows on his bent knees. He tilted his head, sticking his wand under a lock of her hair, flicking it out of her eyes.

"If I hear you talk about her like that again…they will never find your body."

Pansy swallowed, breaking eye contact as he stood up, turning around and exiting the common room.

...

"Draco."

Draco was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of his mother's voice. He turned around, surprised to see her standing in his room, a somber expression on her face. He rushed over, taking her hand and leading her to sit down on his couch.

"Blaise let me in," she said.

"What is it? I take it that something has happened," Draco said.

Narcissa sighed.

"Where is Hermione?"

Draco frowned in confusion, but answered nonetheless.

"She's just outside in the backyard, reading," he replied.

Draco's frown deepened at the troubled expression on his mother's face. Had he messed up the spell? Was she remembering what he'd done to his father? No, that couldn't be it because she had asked about Hermione. What was going on?

"Mother…what is it?"

Narcissa shook her head.

"Your aunt came strolling into the manor this morning in a very…delightful mood. Before I could even inquire as to what she had done now…she told me," his mother began.

Draco signaled for her to continue. Narcissa swallowed, standing up and walking over to the balcony doors. He turned to look at her as she looked outside, at Hermione, no doubt.

"Apparently, Hermione had taken the necessary precautions in trying to keep her parents safe. She had sent them to Australia, completely wiped their memories of her, making it harder for the Dark Lord to find them. Harder…not impossible," his mother said, turning around.

Draco didn't need for her to continue. It was easy to guess what had happened.

"They're dead, Draco. Rodolphus was the one to finally end their suffering…"

Draco stood with a sigh, walking over to the balcony and standing beside his mother, gazing down at Hermione, knowing that this would ruin her…

It was embarrassingly obvious that the weasel was into her, hence his jealousy filled behavior. It was even more obvious that the mudblood fancied him as well. Draco's eyes narrowed at that thought. For some reason, the thought of Granger liking Weasley did not sit well with him. He tilted his head to the side as she cried out, harsh, choppy breaths escaping her lips as she sobbed.

"Pitiful," he quietly sneered.

And that she was. Granger had managed to swindle Krum into taking her to the Yule Ball. Viktor Krum! Yet, here she was, letting her night be ruined by Weasley. Draco didn't understand it. He always knew that she had poor taste, but this was just sad. He shook his head, pushing away from the pillar and glancing out onto the dance floor. Pansy was till gossiping with her airheaded friends, about Krum and Granger, no doubt.

It wasn't even that big of a deal! So what? Anybody, can manage to make themselves look good for a night. They acted as if Granger had stopped a bloody war! It wasn't anything special, she had just used this little thing called magic. Amazing how that works, he sarcastically thought. Still, he found his eyes slowly traveling over her frame once again.

The periwinkle dress stood out against the backdrop of her skin, the cool color complementing her tone. Her once kempt hair had begun to loosen, the pins falling out and the tresses dropping one by one. They brushed against her face and neck, kissing her and Draco briefly found himself wishing that he were a strand of that hair. Her nose and eyes had begun to redden from her harsh sobs, now matching the color of her lips. Her makeup had begun to smear, a newly finished painting just sprayed with water. Granger, the perfect image of perfection, looked as if she had just been dragged through hell and back. A look of utter defeat and sorrow was plastered upon her face, eyes downcast and lips pouted as fresh tears skipped down her cheeks. She had gone from having the time of her life to an utterly broken, defeated mess. She was a mess. Probably for the first time ever, Draco saw her in a state where she did not have it all together. She was distraught. She was imperfect. She was ruined, if only for a night, and Draco suddenly had the urge to go over there and ruin her some more. She looked almost as ruined as he sometimes felt and for the first time of many, a thought ran through his head that he had never thought before.

She was beautiful.

Let me know what you think!