Pansy scowled when Draco, Pru, Blaise, and Daphne all entered the Great Hall together for lunch. The way the four of them were wearing idiotic smiles made her skin crawl... That stupid fucking girl was ruining Pansy's entire life. If she would have never came along then Draco would have gotten back together with her, and they would be discussing wedding plans by now... Her only chance of making her only dream come true was eliminating the new bitch...she had to go...

The long house tables were sparse with kids on the weekends. The hall was bare enough for Pansy to clearly hear Daphne's voice berating Blaise for flying too fast...

Millie watched her best friend Pansy's face turn red and blotchy with bubbling anger. "Calm down," Millie whispered. She knew that Pansy was the type of girl to just snap, especially when it concerned Draco...

.

Prudence was really enjoying the time she spent with the boys and Daphne. After Daphne had simmered down from her speedy flight with Blaise, she acted practically civil toward him. But because they were all still together, Pru hadn't had the chance to tell her friend that Draco actually kissed her...although Daphne must have noticed by now due to Pru's obvious eyes for him.

.

Hermione felt odd walking toward the Slytherin table, but Pru was waving her down.

She eyed Pru's crowd suspiciously before she took a seat, her legs still in the aisle.

"Hey!" Pru smiled at her bushy headed friend, "I was won- what? What's wrong?" Pru was forced to stop in the middle of her question due to Hermione's rigid stance.

Hermione couldn't say out loud, so she did her best to point her eyes toward Draco and Blaise, who weren't even looking.

Pru's voice dropped to a whisper, "What? Them? Don't worry about them...listen I wanted to see what you were doing this evening, want to hang out?"

The Gryffidor still found it very hard to believe she had been sitting at the table of green for over ten seconds and still nobody had said anything to her, Pru really had an affect on people... "Yeah...sounds good..."

Pru had to poke her uptight friend who still looked as if someone might stab her at any moment, "Stop it, nobody is going to hurt you."

Malfoy didn't even look at Hermione once, she couldn't believe it! Never in a million years would she have been able to pass by this table with out the usual grumblings of 'mudblood,' let alone sit down at it! And Pru had to be kidding, they would hurt her if given the chance, they only didn't because Pru was right there...she shook her head, "Ok, sorry, yes, I can hang out tonight."

"Good!" Pru exclaimed.

"Great!" Hermione chimed.

"Grand!" Daphne hollered.

Hermione stood and waved good bye to the two Slytherin girls that she couldn't believe were becoming her closest friends. On her way she couldn't help but notice the beady eyes of Pansy trying to burn a hole in her skull. See, now that was normal. It made Hermione want to laugh until she passed by and heard the pug growl loudly, "Stupid mudblood..."

The Gryffidor had no reaction to the word leaving the hag's mouth, her only concern was for Prudence. Hermione turned back around to see Pru's forehead pressed against the table, her body still as stone.

Pru felt the sudden rush of an invisible punch into her stomach. With a deep breath, she was almost able to seem casual...Daphne, Draco and Hermione still knew what just happened. She felt Daph's arm around her and her soft whisper in her ear, "You ok? Just take a deep breath."

Draco watched helplessly as Pru almost slammed her head onto the table. His heart stilled for a moment, but then he saw her shoulders relax as she took in a breath. He couldn't help but wonder if that one session actually did some good. He looked at Daph calmly, "Is she ok?"

"She will be, just give her a second."

"Um...What just happened?" Blaise asked curiously with wide eyes. Draco didn't say a word but he looked into Blaises's eyes intensely.

"..Oh..." Blaise understood...what Draco didn't want to tell him...

Draco wanted to rip Pansy's eyes out! The stupid ignorant cow. How was it possible he ever dated her? And not so long ago...it felt like years since then.

Pru slowly lifted her head to see Draco's penetrating stare, "I'm ok, I'm alright, "she said with a smile.

How was she so strong he wondered...amazing.

She turned to Daphne, "It's getting weaker!"

.

Millicent watched the whole thing! She may have been sitting down the table a ways, but she was clearly able to see Pru's head hit the table...again, it happened right when Pansy spoke...

Then Millicent wondered...it couldn't have been...mudblood? She had to test out her theory. "I don't think she heard you Pans..." Millie all but snickered.

Pansy looked smug, "I said stupid mudblood!"

And yes! Pru's head lowered lightening quick! It was fascinating! She couldn't wait to explain it to Pansy...

.

"Fuck," Draco grumbled after Pansy screeched it a second time, "We have to get her out of here, now."

The three Slytherins were looking at Pru lay face down in her bed, she was currently screaming into her pillow. She suddenly sat bolt upright, "How ridiculous! Merlin's fucking balls!"

Draco laughed unexpectedly, he's never heard her talk like that...

"Seriously, what the hell fate? I travel all over the world learning magic and hear that word maybe like, three times! Now here at Hogwarts, where I was so cruelly sorted into the house with all the Purist, I hear it four times in a week!"

Draco couldn't help but feel guilty for what's been happening, everything she just said felt like he had a part in it, even though he honestly didn't...

Millie was very proud of herself. Once the four had left the hall she looked at Pansy giddily.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Pansy asked her friend that was starting to creep her out.

"I know Pru's curse."

There was a loud clang of silverware that echoed through the hall as Pansy's dropped everything in her hands, "What? How?" She whispered.

"You've already triggered it three times today." It was Millie's turn to wear the smug smile.

Pansy couldn't close her open jaw and wide eyes...she was so...happy, "I...what...?"

"It's mudblood!" Millie whispered manically. "Whenever you say it she falls."

Pansy's eyes widened even more as her brain began racing with plots and all the possible ways she could make Pru suffer... Should she do it in front of everyone? In front of Draco? This was so good...

"You're sure?"

"Pretty sure," Millie told her honestly.

Pansy wanted to plan an elaborate scheme to humiliate Pru...but first she had to be positive that mudblood was really the key word...

Draco stared daggers at Pansy as she strolled into the common room, he was none too thrilled to get an earsplitting grin in return.

His heart dropped into his stomach. There was only one reason that bitch would be smiling like that...

"Hey guys!" she said in a fake voice as she approached them by the fire.

Draco, Pru, Daphne, and Blaise could only stare back at her silently, all of them just waiting for Pansy to say something horrible...

Pansy couldn't help it...she just couldn't give a fuck about trying to be clever. She had to know...the thought of knowing that home wrecking whore's secret gave her chills, "I was just wondering Prudence? Were you going to make a habit of inviting mud-"

"Enough!" Draco roared as he bound out of his seat and stood before Pansy.

Pansy stopped, thrown off guard by the very close seething angry blonde. He was in her face, trying to light her on fire with his eyes. "I've had enough of your childish bullshit Pansy."

Pansy bounced back easily, her fake grin already back in it's place, "Well I wasn't talking to you, Draco darling."

Draco felt the rage filling him up, he realized it rooted entirely out of his deep feelings for Pru. He could not bare for her to be in pain. He's seen it once...more than once. He doesn't want to see it anymore. "Do I look like I give a fuck who you were talking to."

Pru was delighted by Draco's thoughtless action to save her, but she could only bask in his heroic glory for but a moment because Daphne was pulling her away, "C'mon Pru, before Pansy remembers what she was saying to you."

Millie saw Daphne taking Pru away while Draco berated Pansy, she couldn't let them slip away. So she decided to take it upon herself and yell out, "Mudblood!"

This time the force was overwhelming and Pru wasn't able to shake it. The whoosh of air escaped her lungs harshly and her knees buckled as Daphne did her best to catch her.

The last thing she remembered before blacking out was Pansy's whoop of glee...

.

Pansy's watched it happen. She actually witnessed that Ms. Perfect bitch fall to the ground like a lifeless rag doll...It was marvelous. Draco's words fell on deaf ears, time slowed for her and sound ceased as she watched Prudence fall...

But then there came roaring, actual roaring, as Draco lunged at Pansy. He didn't care that the word actually came out of Millicent's mouth, he still knew it was all Pansy's idea.

The ever loyal Millie put herself between Draco and Pansy, but still...Draco tried to claw his way to Pansy.

Pansy was scared, he looked absolutely lethal. His eyes blazed with insanity as he literally put all the force his body enabled into going after Pansy's throat! But not only was she scared...she was heartbroken...he had never shown that much passion for her, and here he his, giving it to a girl he's known only a few days...

That's when the anger churned in her guts and she lost all control of caring for repercussions, "That's right!" She screamed, now that more people were holding Draco back, she felt a bit safer, "I know her secret, and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"I could KILL YOU!" He seethed deadly calm, no longer fighting off Millicent, Blaise, Crabbe, and Theo...

Pansy flinched (snap!), and then snarled, "Mudblood! Mudblood! Mudblood!" The word began ripping from her throat louder and louder.

There was no stopping Draco now because everyone was too stunned to restrain him. The room was now filled with the sounds of the most inhumane screaming of pure agony any of them had ever heard. Nobody could tear their eyes from Prudence who writhed on the floor by the stairs.

Except Draco.

Three times the words had come from Pansy's mouth and his hands were already around her throat, squeezing the vocal chords, ceasing her sounds of hatred. She would not cause Pru pain! He didn't think twice about killing Pansy... His hands were in place, carrying out her demise...until he was hit with a stunning spell...

Draco's hands froze up and he fell to the floor with a loud thud, leaving Pansy to wail like a dying animal.

The room was complete chaos. People were rushing to help Pru and Draco as they finally broke from their momentary daze of witnessing complete hatred and madness.

Draco couldn't move at all, but he could still hear the screams...Daphne trumped them all, her voice was thundering, "Pansy you fucking cruel twit! Do you even understand what you just did?!" More voices joined in at belittling Pansy's idiotic act of hatred, and still Daph was louder, "Merlin! You're so fucking dumb! This is the Minister of Magic's grand daughter! You're going to be punished terribly! You'll probably go to Azkaban!"

Azkaban...Draco hadn't even thought of the larger consequences Pansy had to deal with beyond his own hands, she will suffer more... The life suddenly rushed back into Draco's limbs and without a second thought he was at Pru's side.

He looked at her helplessly, the panic apparent on his face. Daph was cradling her head trying to soothe her in any possible way, "Get closer Draco," Daphe urged, "talk to her, it may help."

Daphne knew that Draco was completely out of his element. For Merlin's sake, he was actually displaying emotion in front of people, and such intense ones. Pru cared for Draco though, so Daph knew that his voice would do something.

Draco fell to his knees at her side, still very confused as to what he was suppose to do. Luckily Daph was talking to him calmly, "Just calm down Draco...hold her hand, she's going to be ok." He realized that that was what weighed so heavily on his chest, was she going to be ok?

.

It was hard for Pru to remember much after she watched Draco leap to her defense... except when she heard his voice... It was distant, but it was calm, but laced with...pain? What was he saying? The words weren't clear enough...at times she thought she heard please, or Prudence, but she couldn't be positive...then it all went black...

Now everything was white, white ceiling, white curtains...she was in the Hospital wing again! "Merlin's Balls!"

She was angry...so incredibly angry! This curse was really starting to piss her off, and she was so embarrassed! Her entire house had watched her keel over and scream like a crazed beast! Not to mention they must all know what her curse is by now...

She was surprised when the curtain around her bed was pulled back hastily to reveal Professor Snape, and beyond him, Professor Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey.

"Hello Professor, " she nodded solemnly.

Severus eyed the girl skeptically. From all the verbal accounts of his students he knew that she had gone through a lot of pain, they said it sounded as if she was being ripped in two...but now, here she sat, looking normal as ever...

Pru looked at all their confused faces, "...What?"

Daphne wasn't able to take her eyes away from Draco. He hadn't said a word since the two were denied access into the wing and took a seat on the bench outside. He looked a mess...he had recovered most of his sanity since they had sat down, but his eyes were still ignited with fire.

"You really like her, " Daphne stated in awe.

"I suppose I do..."

Daphne swallowed the lump in her throat then whispered, "You almost killed Pansy."

Draco cleared his throat, already at peace with the fact that in that moment he did want her dead and most certainly would have done it had he not been stupifyed. Lucky for him he was...or it would be Azkaban for him too...

"It was Blaise that stunned you, ya know?"

He didn't know that, so he nodded, "I'll have to thank him."

It fell silent for a few moments, only for it to be interrupted by clamoring steps running down the hall. Draco looked up to see a head of unruly hair and immediately looked back down as he bit his tongue.

"Is she alright Daphne!" He heard Granger ask quickly, quite out of breath.

Daphne stood to embrace the Gryffidor, the two of them sharing a moment he didn't even know Daphne was capable of. When Daphne answered Draco could hear the ebbing of tears, "Oh Hermione, we don't know yet, they haven't been back out!"

He blocked out Daphne's retelling of the horrid event to try and think positive thoughts about Pru. At times his mind wondered about what his house must think of him now, after they all basically watched him unravel in front of their eyes over Prudence. But then he would push it away and focus on the girl laying unconscious in the other room...

He was torn from his thoughts when he thought he heard Pru yell out from behind the thick doors. His suspicion was confirmed when Daphne let out a small giggle of relief, "That's her, she's ok...she just said Merlin's balls, so she's alright!"

Some of the tension left Draco's aching shoulders, he was definitely relieved.

Prudence had an emotionally draining conversation with her professors consisting of her intensly monitored healing sessions, what to do with Pansy Parkinson, and how to short term obliviate more than three dozen students...she just wanted to go to sleep...but then Dumbledore uttered some off putting words, "I'll inform the Minister of this serious matter."

"Wait!" Pru hollered, causing them to look at her odd, "He doesn't know. Please, he doesn't need to, nobody does unless I choose to tell them."

Her mature words were immediately accepted by Dumbledore, "As you wish."

Snape didn't entirely agree...

"One last thing Ms. Scrimgeour..."

"What...?" She couldn't help her exhausted wine.

"You have some visitors waiting."

Draco couldn't help smiling at her because she was smiling at them. She looked a little tired, but other than that, completely healthy.

"Hey guys."

Pru's two girlfriends rushed to engulf her in tight hugs. As their arms encased her she had a moment to take a look at Draco who stood back...just looking at her. His hair was tousled and he had smudges of purple beneath his eyes. The professors had told her bits about what happened, but she knew there was more to what took place while she was passed out.

She smiled at him adoringly, she was just so delighted he was actually there, that he stood up for her...for everything, he was fantastic.

.

It didn't take long for Daphne and Hermione to realize that Pru and Draco wanted to be alone. So they gave their dear friend one last hug before parting ways to go back to their dorms.

Pru looked down bashfully when she realized it was finally just the two of them.

"So you're looking well...considering." He was trying to sound mildly amused, but Pru could see the darkness behind his haunting eyes.

"Yes, well..." She smiled shyly, "It was bound to happen..."

Draco was suddenly very angry at how light she seemed to be taking what just happened to her, or how crazy and violent he reacted. She had no idea... He sat down on the edge of her bed and looked at her intensely.

Pru's smile faded and she frowned at how serious he had just become, "What's wrong Draco?" He looked torn, like he was struggling with the words in his brain.

"Don't you realize what just happened to you?" His face looked as if it might crack with pain.

She took in a deep breath, she wanted to cry at how completely concerned he was with her, but she didn't, "Yes, I do...but it's done now, I can't change anything..."

Draco couldn't believe how blase she sounded with her reply, it wasn't cold, but sounded just shy of it. Could she really not be shaken by what happened? What Pansy did to her?

He looked incredibly offended and Pru didn't understand why, "What?" She asked as he shook his head in disbelief and then stood up to begin pacing.

"Prudence, Pansy tried to kill you! Hell, I then tried to kill her!" His voice trembled in anger and his velocity shook the large room. When he looked at her wide eyes he couldn't help but think, what if she had died?! Then it was a damned sick mantra in his head...what if she died...what if she died...what if... "You could have died!"

Tears began flowing freely from Pru's eyes, she had never been yelled at like this, and his words really shook her. It had never been so serious, no one had ever maliciously yelled the word directly at her with the full intention of killing her...

Draco's body stilled to stone at the sight of her tears. Please, not the crying, he hated the crying.

She felt his arms close around her and pull her tightly to his hard chest. "I'm sorry, I truly am, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that, you've been through a lot today." His words fell muffled into her hair but she could still feel the warmth of his breath.

"So have you apparently Draco," she managed to sniffle. He didn't respond, he only buried his face into her neck.

Yes, he has been through a lot. She's turning his life upside down...but he could give two shits if this is what he got in return...her body...nestled in his arms...

"It's never been such a big deal, it's just something I've always had to live with," she whispered softly, "All this time I thought I was experiencing the world, but really... I was being sheltered."

Draco wanted to say something, but it was getting increasingly harder to not become aroused...and it really would be inappropriate right now...

"Do you ever feel like you're alone in the world?"

Draco's heart skipped a beat, nobody has ever asked him that before...because yes he does, all the time actually. He kept his arms securely around her but pulled away just enough to look into her eyes. "All the time," he told her.

"Me too," she whispered airily as she looked into his slate eyes.

It was silent as they both looked at each other serenely. Pru smiled and looked away as she broke their eye contact, "But you make me feel...like maybe I'm not as alone as I think I am."

His heart soared at her declaration, another one at that. When would he tell her how he really felt? She was biting her lip coyly, back to staring into his eyes...he wondered if she was trying to look delicious...

She couldn't help licking her lips when the edge of his mouth pulled up into that sexy smirk. He was leaning into her and she was beyond prepared this time. He came so very close to her lips and then only smiled, she could only smile back. He was teasing her, so she closed her eyes and then she felt his lips touch hers. She fell into that light as air dreamy state... He was so soft and gentle. If they weren't in a hospital bed she would think she was in a love story... This was her love story...

She exhaled a quick breath as he skillfully parted her lips with the tip of his tongue and cupped her jaw with his hand. She felt the soft moan leave her throat when she returned her tongue and felt his mouth. It was a slow and sensual kiss...exactly how their first kiss was suppose to be.

Draco pulled her body to him closer, he could kiss her forever he thought...

Unfortunately, they were both startled when the silence of the room was shattered by the wing doors being shoved open harshly and a bellowing voice filling the room.

Her serene features hardened and were then replaced with wide eyed fear, "Pru? Who is-"

Draco didn't get the chance to finish his sentence because Pru's curtain flew open to reveal a flustered red Minister of Magic.