WARNING: there are some light somewhat suggestive themesin this chapter.

Okay guys, so I am unsure about the direction of this new chapter. So please let me know your thoughts. I like where I am taking it but what about you guys.

Thank you so much for your reviews, favorites and follows. Keep them coming and dm me or review if you have any questions. All feedback is welcome! -Madi

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do I own any of the lyrics I quote in each chapter.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Love is a Suicide

"You like the smell of blood,
When it's pumpin' like a factory,
Oh you like your words to cut,
You like to choose the best artillery,
I wonder who you're thinkin' of,
Who am I,
Am I the epitome,
Of everything you hate,
And you desire,
You love me like an enemy…"

Love is a Suicide by Natalia Kills

Wednesday October 30th, 1996

Just outside, in the court yard, Quarter till eleven in the morning

The sight of the fairly empty court yard this morning made Hermione feel comfortable. She preferred it when she could actually focus upon the quite, especially while studying. Turning her attention away from her book towards the sky, she sighed. She definitely appreciated the display of various clouds twisted in melding shades of grey that danced before her. It was midterm's week, which meant extra time spent studying, and less time spent with friends. Or that was Hermione's way of looking at things.

The past week and a half had been exceptionally quite, uneventful actually. The only thing that changed was the fact they were now allowed back in Hogsmeade for the first time since those tragic deaths. Apparently they found out who was doing it and are currently tracking said death eater north.

Other than that, it really was a monotonous week. The only thing that was out of place, was this odd absence of only thing that seemed to get on her nerves really. In her case it wasn't a thing, rather it was a person. She noted that he was also being out of character and incredulously well behaved as of late, and at one point it almost seemed as if he had started avoiding her.

Sucking in her bottom lip she realized that she had not spoken one word to Malfoy since that night, nor had he come to bother her, thankfully. Once she talked to her professors about him, being vague on the real reasoning for the immediate need for a partner change, they agreed with her. Somewhat…

Professor Snape changed her patrols to morning ones with until holiday break, while Slughorn had been rather insistent she not change partner's mid-term. He even went as far as saying that her potions grading average increased from working with Draco, and stating that there may be times where their personalities may clash but intellectually it was their best fit.

After a long debate, Slughorn made a deal, that until the week after midterms the class would work as individuals and afterword's they would see if they still felt the need to change. Hermione reluctantly agreed, but there was a small part of her, one she would never bring to light willingly, that was relived Slughorn said no.

Rolling her eyes, she pushed away thoughts of him, as always, not wanting to deal with them until after midterms at the very least. 'After next week, that first day will prove that it is in fact completely unnecessary to continue to have us working together. They'll see… They have to… I mean, I already told Harry and Ron it was worked out. So there's' that-'

"There you are," the sudden intrusion of silence made Hermione jump. Turning to her right she saw Ginny walking towards her tightly hugging her book bag. "I've been looking for you all over. Thought you'd of been in the library studying for your last midterm later today."

"Well, I was for a little bit," Hermione trailed off uneasily, not wanting to say exactly why she left, "But it seemed to be getting a bit crowded in there and you know how I get when I can't concentrate."

It wasn't a lie, nor was it the complete truth either. In all honesty, she was avoiding Malfoy and his tagalong goons Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Which confused her slightly because it had been one of the first times she had seen those two pestering Draco this year. She almost went to follow, to listen in, but just as she was about to she caught eyes with Crabbe. After that, she couldn't get away fast enough.

"Too true," Ginny snorted. With a small smile, Hermione looked over her younger friend once, recalling how much better she was looking this week. After her break up with Dean, (which she had been and still is being rather vague about) she looked like she was falling apart almost. She was just glad she could help Ginny out of her funk in time for midterms.

"So did you hear about tomorrow night?" Ginny asked. Hermione shook her head as she collected her things not looking towards her friend. "You didn't hear how all the houses' older years are having a party?"

"Oh right," Hermione replied. "I do remember Harry mentioning something about a gathering of some sort to Ron earlier this week or something. I was studying for my charms test so I wasn't actually paying them much attention at the time."

"Please tell me you'll be there," Ginny clapped her hands together and gave Hermione a pouted expression. "Everyone will be there- well, it's mostly for the older years, but I'm sure younger years are coming. I even heard that Seamus has a way to get a few bottles of fire-whisky, the idiot. Not that I'm complaining, it should change things up a bit from last year."

Hermione just gave Ginny a look of, you shouldn't be drinking, but I know you'll do it anyway, as she stood up from the stone bench. The two of them started towards the front entrance of Hogwarts as Hermione sighed.

"Fine," she said. "I'll be there. On one condition; I will not be drinking and nor should you be. And I swear if I have to see Ronald snogging Lavender again, I will vomit." Hermione huffed annoyed, she couldn't tell what bothered her more about their relationship. There was the fact that Ron was in a relationship, but she decided it was most likely the fact that Ron was with that annoying self-centered bint, Lavender.

"I will try to keep those promises to the best of my ability," Ginny laughed, and then continued. "But, I cannot promise you won't see Ron and that stupid bimbo. I swear she is incapable of keeping her grimy hands to herself. It's rather nauseating to see. I've contemplated hexing the both of them a few times for it, so I'm with you there. I mean, you didn't see me with my hands all over Dean, did you?"

Hermione nodded in agreement, knowing that it was more of a rhetorical question then one where she was looking for an answer. Especially one with an answer she didn't fully agree with. With a sigh, Hermione's mind then drifted back towards her potions test which was later this afternoon and she almost felt like she had not studied hard enough.

Scoffing, she then turned her attention away from those preposterous thoughts and back towards Ginny who was talking about what she wanted to wear tomorrow. The two of them started heading in the direction of the Gryffindor dormitories wanting to put their things away before lunch.

Once they climbed the stairs leading towards the Gryffindor tower, Hermione then stopped walking as she saw him. He was casually leaning near the entrance of the common rooms with a signature smirk that fell into a sneer for a second. The grey eyes reminded her of the stormy sky outside, dark yet alluring.

"There you are Granger," Malfoy said. He then pushed himself off of the wall in their direction. "Weselett…"

The over powering and oh so familiar scent of his cologne played at the air around her nose; she had to remind herself to breathe, act normal, and to brush him off. She also noted that she needed to stop reminding herself of those last words he said to her almost two weeks ago.

'This is obviously more difficult and defiantly not easier said than done…' Hermione thought, but didn't stop there. 'That scent can't-…Focus. It's Malfoy. He's a git, he is vile, his is cruel, he only thinks of me and sees dirty blood. Nothing more… He basically admitted it when he said that we both meant what we said to the other.'

Sucking in mouthful of air, she pursed her lips and proceeded to glare.

"Malfoy…" Hermione said. She wanted to curse when she knew her voice sounded uneven, but the lack of a smug expression told her had hadn't caught it. Or at least that was what she hoped.

"What in Godric's name are you doing near the Gryffindor common rooms, Malfoy?" Ginny hissed before Hermione could get out another word. She suddenly almost wanted to tell Ginny to be nice, to ignore him as she does. She then stopped herself, again. "I think it'd be best if you just left. I have no problem using a Bat-Bogey Hex on you."

"Not that it's any of your business," he sneered. "But, I was looking to talk with Granger, so if you don't mind…"

"You think I'd leave her alone? With you?" Ginny scoffed. "Why ever would I do that? Better yet, what is so important that you have to talk to her alone?"

When she heard the younger Weasley ask that, Hermione watched Draco's face twitch in a mix of amusement and that distinctive look. It was basically a monogramed Malfoy only look. One she usually saw when he was about to prove something or someone wrong in an almost humiliating way. She knew that look all too well and something told her in that moment he wasn't above saying something suggestive, even if it was far from lucrative to him.

"Have it your way," Malfoy drawled. Hermione wasn't sure what he was about to do, and that scared her. When she was about to intercept the conversation, she saw him slowly pulling open his impeccably well kempt dress robes, and reach into his pocket. In that moment she wasn't entirely sure what he had, his wand? Something of hers? A note? Would he really give her another note, with less discretion as last time and not to mention right in front of Ginny…

"I do believe this is yours, Granger," he spoke softly. At first what he had in his hand looked like it was a basic quill but when she looked closer she realized it was hers. She wasn't sure when she had lost it or how Malfoy some way managed to get his hands on it, but she did recall tearing her things apart looking for it. "You see, you left it, in potions class. I'm fairly sure it was on the day we were identifying those potions. Not that I blame you, you seemed rightly distracted near the end of class…"

Hermione stared right into his eyes which were already boring into hers. She wasn't sure how long they did that, but she then looked over his whole face. Watching the small corner of his mouth twitch as he handed the quill to her, she inhaled sharply. She went to rip it from his hand, but was stopped when he grabbed her wrist with his other hand.

They both froze for a second; the feelings of being close were brought back to her in a rushed wave of heat. The quick brush of his skin against hers, as he slowly placed the quill inside her open palm made her dizzy. She then snatched away her hand quickly.

'That smug narcissistic self-absorbed arse-, ' Hermione fumed silently as she recalled that day. It was as clear as that arrogant smirk that currently twitched across his lips. 'His lips…NO! Stop giving him the satisfaction. I will not let him to continuously toy with me.'

"That's all," he said, giving a singular lift of his brows. "See you in potions… Granger…"

Hermione pushed past him without so much another word, hissing the password under her breath and storming towards the direction of the stairs. She was so anger, she even for a second forgot that Ginny had witnessed the whole interaction between the two.

Once she made it up the stairs, about to yank open the door she was startled by two younger year girls stumbling out of the dorm room. One gave her a nasty look while the other pushed past her.

"Watch where you're going," one of them spat. "We were walking here…"

Giving them a look of disgust for their lack in respect for upper classmen, Hermione then rolled her eyes while pushing the door back open. Right on cue, the scuffling sounds of hurried and determined footsteps grew right before the door was opened yet again.

"That miserable no good…" Hermione growled hotly under her breath as she began to pace back and forth. The gall, the arrogance, the sheer fact he made it a point and went to prove that whatever this was between them, was far from over. That fact unsettled Hermione a great deal, because not only was it simpler when the only feelings she had for him were pure hatred but she understood it. She could take the facts and they added up to a correct answer. Now, where there use to be pure hate, there was this desire that came from literally nowhere and that angered her.

"Care to share what the bloody hell that was all about," Ginny said, interrupting her thoughts off anger. "Or are you just going to continue pacing?"

Hermione looked up towards her friend as she dropped her bag upon her bed with her lips pursed and her features tight with anger.

"Explain what, Ginny," Hermione questioned. "Because I'm sure you're well aware of what a git Malfoy is. I am quite certain the only thing that makes him happy in life is torturing and bullying others to get his way. What you saw, was him not getting his way. That was him trying to find a new way to have a go at me."

"Have a go at you," Ginny repeated in confusion. "You know what? From my point of view, the tension between the two of you was thick, about as thick as Ron is when it comes to girls, thick. And to clarify, that kind of tension has only one way it can be released. And that Hermione is shagging. Good hard no strings attached shagging."

Hermione's jaw literally dropped, eyes widening at the prospect her friend just suggested to her about, her and Malfoy. Speechless was the only way to describe how Hermione felt in that moment, that and stunned.

"Even if it was with Malfoy; the way you both looked at the other, was hot." Ginny fanned herself while shaking her head. Hermione reached for her pillow upon her bed and proceeded to throw it right at her friends head. Ginny snorted lightly, before she shook her head. "Wait, okay? I'm not entirely sure about what you were feeling in that moment. I was more focused upon Malfoy. And truthfully, that git is just looking for a way into your knickers. If you're fine with that, then by all means, go for it. Honestly, with that kind of hatred you feel for him and him for you, it'll only emphasize the no strings attached portion. So I say go for it."

"Ginevra Weasley!" Hermione scolded, but couldn't stop the short laugh that followed. The whole idea of shagging Malfoy for any reason seemed preposterous. He hated her. She hated him. It was simple. Or at least it should be…

"You were thinking it," She laughed, crossing her arms. "I just said it- Hang on. Why is your chest open?"

Hermione turned to look towards the foot of her bed while she rubbed the cloth of her dress robes between her thumb and pointer finger. She bent down opening the trunk the rest of the way only to find that her belongs were a mess. Everything was out of place. Hermione panicked as she reached to count her potions. One. Two. Three. Four- there was only four…

A potion was missing…

"You can run,
You can hide,
But sooner or later,
It's gonna cut like a knife,
Sooner or later,
Nowhere to go,
I'm already inside…"

Love is a Suicide by Natalia Kills

Wednesday October 30th, 1996

Just outside the Gryffindor Dormitories, Quarter past eleven in the morning

Malfoy needed to inform Granger that she needed to stop looking at him like that and that he couldn't be held accountable for what happened if she chose to continue. Bothering her with a trivial quill was only a ploy to keep her distracted, which he hoped worked long enough. With a scoff he reached inside his pocket, to pull out his watch and check the time.

'Where are those two dim witted idiots…' Draco thought to himself with a huff. Over the past week and a half, Draco had been attempting to acquire a certain potion in order to move forward with things. Looking back towards the stupid painting, Draco saw two younger girls dressed in Gryffindor robes walking down the stairs towards him. With an eye roll, he started down the hallway, walking quickly in the direction of the dungeon.

"Malfoy, wait up." one of them called.

Once he was around a corner in a darker nook the two girls approached him, while the shorter one reached into her pocket. In her hand was a small familiar potion bottle that Draco proceeded to snatch, with somewhat disgust. Looking upwards, he watched as the girls hair colors started to change.

"Crabbe. Goyle…" Malfoy sneered. "I'd hurry back to the dorms. I take it you didn't see anything else among Granger's things?"

They both shook their heads vigorously causing Draco to roll his eyes at their stupidity. But he was also rather relieved they hadn't found anything else. If Granger did have that photo of them snogging, she would have kept it in there, so that was one less thing to worry about.

The three of them quickly headed down the halls and a few set of stairs. He needed to continue to distance himself from Granger. If today was any indication, they needed to stay away from the other in order to suppress whatever it was between them. Draco still blamed that damned cinnamon every time he was near her close enough to catch the aroma of that damned scent.

'Stupid Granger,' he thought while they entered the Slytherin dorms. Once was he alone in his room, he shut the door behind him, still taking in the smooth cool feel of the glass bottle. Finally, he had what he needed to do his task right. 'A bit of luck is all I needed…'

Draco eyed the bottle as he made his way towards his bed with a small smirk currently tickling his features. He would show every one of those death eaters that he was better than them. He would show his father that he could do something correct contrary to his beliefs.

Suddenly inside his dress robes pocket, he felt a burning sensation signaling that it was time to work on mending the cabinet. Reaching inside he looked at the coin with the words sprawled across in heated orange lettering.

Ten minutes

Draco put the coin away to look back towards the potion in his other hand where he smirked once more. Tonight he would have luck on his side while doing his task. He reached for the top of the lid and yanked it away. Without another second of hesitation, he downed the cool sweet liquid in two gulps, dropping the emptied bottle onto his side table.

Straightening his dress robes, he was about to head towards the room of requirements when he started to feel dizzy. Every inch of him tingled almost pleasantly, and instantly he knew something was wrong. Draco then stumbled forwards as he reached up to catch himself using his bedside table. Staggering a little, he moved towards his bed so he could lie down just in time for his eyes to start reluctantly closing. The last thing he could see or hear was the soft rhythmic sounds of his breathing and the last word that left his lips was, Granger.