A/N: Hey my darlings! I just got back from a vacation, which was lovely and now I'm looking rather bronzed, which I'm pleased about! Anyone else go on vaca recently? Many thanks to:

Thiriel Malfoy: Thank you so much for all your input!

luv sean faris: Oh man, you scared me with that first sentence. Thanks very much for the rest of the review though!

Rhonda21: I know, he's a meanie! I'm glad you liked it though! Thanks for reviewing!

sakurablossoms: Thanks a bunch! I do indeed plan to continue as long as people keep reading and enjoying it!

kritika: Thanks!

angelraine: Glad you like it and are looking forward to this chapter!

brown-eyed-godess: Mucho thanks!

dramioneshipper: Thank you!

tangerinedreams: Glad you like it! Yeah, he was nice, believe me, I liked him too!

shirleybobo: An interesting way to start off the review, no doubt about that! I'm thrilled you like it so much!

LovelyMaidToTheMasterInBlack: Thank you so so so much!

JJ: That's quite good enough, thanks for reviewing!

allie00: I'm glad you liked it and your conflict with it is just so funny! I loved the ending of your review... you're just making a suggestion and then all of a sudden, 'he's such a jerk'. I laughed and laughed.

mugglegirl07: Thanks so very much!

CareBearErin: That's exactly what I intended, good job! I decided that if someone was pressuring him like that, there's no way he would cave. So he did what he's always done, he clammed up and completely turned the tables by being so defensive.

That's how he does it if you're pissing him off... he picks up your flaws and throws them at you. That way, the heat's off him and a past he's trying to escape.

twinkle-pink-strawberries: I don't know, I'm insecure about all my stories because I'm just a wuss and am afraid that people won't like them. I love how you use brill! I just read a couple of stories in a series and the characters say brill all the time and I just love it!

Koyuki 14: Good to hear from ya babe! You finally got your ass in gear! Lol, just kidding, don't worry about it for a second, no, not even a fraction of a second! So, what's the deal here? Why are you living with your sister, if you don't mind my asking. If you don't want to say, just ignore my question or say 'horseluver, shut the hell up!' I'm just curious, 'cus I would love to live with my sister. She's so cool and I don't get along with my parents because, well, I hate them and they probably hate me back.

Chapter 6: Dangerously Close

For a moment, I just sat there, numb, as I watched him leave. What had happened? What had I done to make him so suddenly hate my guts again? It wasn't until a few seconds after he had left, when all was unnaturally quiet, that I put my head in my hands and began to weep. I hated that I was crying over Malfoy but I couldn't help it. I didn't hate him, despite what I had made him believe. I hated his cruelty and frosty attitude but something was telling me that he could be a really amazing person if only he couldbury his past and move on. And I was determined to help him.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and walked towards the exit. I felt rather bad that I was leaving without at least telling Madam Pomfrey. She would enter around lunchtime with two trays of food and no one to serve them to. Oh well, it couldn't be helped. Her feelings were the last thing on my mind.

My pace was quick as I walked through the many corridors of Hogwarts to reach the Gryffindor common room. As luck would have it, I passed Draco, well, Malfoy, once on the way. Neither of us said anything and I kept my head down but I could feel his gaze on me until I was out of eyeshot. Part of me had wanted him to reach out, grab my arm gently and tell me how sorry he was but the realistic part of me squashed that hope in to oblivion. A Malfoy does not apologize.

I at last reached the common room. There was a great commotion from all my wonderful friends who crowded around me, hugging me and telling me how much they had missed me. I allowed myself a rare grin and thanked them all, feeling so happy that I hadthis many great friends. They all wanted to know how I had ended up in the Hospital Wing and I quickly told them that I had bumped in to Malfoy and that we had both gone tumbling down the stairs. It was only half a lie.

My friends all seemed to think it was Malfoy's fault and started badmouthing him whilst hugging me some more. I eventually broke away and said my goodbyes before going to my own bedroom to shower and work on my homework.

A few hours later, I was walking towards the Great Hall for dinner when I was hit with a spell. I was knocked to the floor and couldn't get up again. A paralysis spell and a damn good one at that. I waited with wide eyes for my attacker to show him or herself. It wasn't long before the person stepped out from the shadows… Jason.

I wanted to gasp as I saw the predatory look on his face. He advanced towards me slowly and grinned.

"Well, well," he drawled. "Look who finally decided to show up. Finished fucking around with Malfoy then?"

I wanted to say something, scream out an explanation to him. But I couldn't. And it occurred to me in that moment that perhaps it was better that I was unable to. Who was he to control me and force me to apologize, explain myself and beg for forgiveness when I didn't even do anything wrong? I suppose I had always known that what Jason did to me was horrifically wrong, but I had always pushed it to the back of my mind, denial so much sweeter than the ugly truth. Until now.

"Nothing to say for once?" Jason asked me. "A welcome change, to be sure. My, my, a know-it-all and a slag. Why ever have I put up with you this long?"

I wanted to snort.

"I mean, I know you've been screwing that roommate of yours, who I'll deal with soon enough," continued Jason. "And Merlin knows who else. But Malfoy? Draco fucking Malfoy? That's despicable."

My mind was screaming. I couldn't even focus enough to try and think of the counter-curse, I was so angry. And then he managed to make me even angrier. He laughed.

"I can see it inside you, you know, begging to be released," he chuckled. "A temper you've never been able to turn against me."

He was right. I had never once gotten mad at him in our entire relationship. I hadn't even gotten irritated or snapped. Not once. Ever.

"Ah, yes, it was fantastic," he sighed happily. "You let me do whatever I wanted to you and instead of getting angry at me, you would turn on your friends who were trying to help you. But then you started fucking around with other guys. I was pissed until I found out about you and Malfoy and now, well, now I'm fucking livid."

His face hardened and he came very close to my face. I could feel his hot, panting breath on my face. I was more than a little disgusted.

"Let me make something very clear to you, Hermione," he whispered. "You are mine and mine alone. Forever."

He then proceeded to take off his robes and unzip his trousers underneath.

"And now," he said, while pulling off his pants. "I will show that to you." He quickly discarded his clothes and my own.

I could only watch in horror as tears streamed down my frozen face. I couldn't even squeeze my eyes shut in some attempt to block out what was happening and to go somewhere else. I had done that in the past; I would close my eyes and drift away to a place of peace. But I couldn't now. It was happening right before me, slowly and terrifyingly.

Jason was dangerously close to being inside of me when he was suddenly slammed against a wall. He slumped down to the floor and was instantly unconscious. I strained my eyes to search for my savior and nearly started crying when I saw who it was. Draco. Of course. He looked like an angel.

He approached me, his eyes full of emotion, the complete opposite of just a few short hours ago. That reminded me of why I couldn't get involved with a guy like him. I wanted to help him and would try but I couldn't get too involved, especially not romantically. I was smart enough to know that.

He scanned me and fury flew in to his eyes in a fraction of a second. He covered my body up with his robes and turned to face Jason. He was about to snarl out what I was sure was an Unforgivable Curse, but I quickly tried to get some sort of sound out toobtain his attention. Luckily, an odd, strangled kind of muted cry sounded and he turned to look at me. I shook my head frantically and he stared at me, puzzled. He murmured the counter-curse for the paralysis spell and I immediately regained use of my limbs, which wasn't any good to me at that moment anyway since they were so cramped up that I couldn't move. But I could speak.

"Don't," I said, my voice hoarse. "Don't kill him."

"Kill him?" Draco raised an eyebrow. "I'm offended. Why would I just kill him? I was first going to make him experience the worst pain of his life for, oh I don't know, six or seven days, weeks, perhaps even months. Then, I would kill him."

I didn't laugh. "Don't," I pleaded.

"Why?" He snarled. "Why do you constantly defend and protect someone who causes you so much pain?"

"Who are you talking about?" I snapped. "Him or you?"

I could see the shock and pain. It was a cutting comment and I regretted it already.

"You compare me to him?" Draco asked, disbelief evident.

"I'm sorry," I said, lowering my eyes.

He stood abruptly. "If you think so little of me, then I suppose I'll just leave."

"No," I cried as he walked away. "Please, Draco, please. Don't leave me alone."

He paused and, with a defeated sigh, returned to me. He sat down next to me and pulled me towards him. As he wrapped his arms around me, I felt wonderful, despite what had just happened. He was so warm and comforting, which were feelings I had desperately needed for a long time. I put my head back against his chest and shoulder and closed my eyes.

"Do I make you feel as terrible as he does?" He asked me quietly. His chest rumbled slightly as he spoke.

"No," I said. "You used to make me feel pretty awful, though."

"And now?"

"Sometimes," I replied honestly. "Like today."

His chest rose and lowered in a great sigh.

"I know you didn't mean it," I said. "Not all of it, anyway. You don't have to tell me."

"I don't feel good about it," he said eventually and then there was silence. A Malfoy does not apologize.

"I don't know why I allow him to treat me this way," I answered his previous question.

"You should let me take care of it," Draco offered.

"No," I said thoughtfully. "A part of me still loves him, despite it all." He stiffened slightly at my words but said nothing. It was awhile before I worked up the nerve to say what I said next. "I want to help you."

His head, which had been previously leaning against the wall, lifted slowly to peer at me. I didn't meet his gaze.

"Help me?"

"Yes. I feel like there's so much to you. You suffer a lot and I would like to help you, but I don't know how. I barely even know you."

"I think you do," Draco said softly. "To some degree, anyway."

"Well, I don't agree," I told him bluntly. "Besides, I don't want to know you 'to some degree'. I want to know all of you."

"I think…" He trailed off before recommencing. "I think you should worry about your own problems before helping others."

That stung, so much in fact that I stood suddenly. I threw his robes at him, put on my own, grabbed my things and walked away. He didn't follow. I glanced back at him once before turning a corner and caught his intent stare. I paused and he broke the eye contact before closing his eyes and resting his head back again. He looked like an angel again. My angelic savior.

A/N: That'll do for now. Review! (At least 20 per chapter now, s'il vous plait!) Oh and does anyone know of some really good stories in the POTC, LOTR, OUATIM or Harry Potter categories (particularly Draco stories)? Because I was skimming through for a few seconds and didn't see anything that looked too interesting. Thanks a lot!