Fernwood Castle

Hermione tried not to yelp with pain as she was flung in to a cold dark room, her head bashed against a hard wall and her knee scraped against the floor.

She heard a few muffled words being exchanged and then she was left alone, with the door right open.

Hermione looked around confused, slowly she got up. Looking round she carefully walked towards the open window, there was nobody guarding it she could easily escape. But before she could move any closer to it she felt a strong tugging at her neck, she looked down to see the necklace Draco had given her pulling her back to the middle of the room.

The moved her hands to take it off but all she got was a searing pain in her hands. She gave up and sat down, looking at the chain around her neck.

'Good evening Mr Malfoy' Hermione smiled

'Good evening to you too Miss Granger' Hermione giggled as Draco bowed.

'Hmmm' he said critically walking around her and looking at her

Hermione got instantly self-conscious and worried, 'what? Do you not like it?'

'Something seems to be missing' Draco grinned as he pulled out a crème box from him pocket. 'I got you something'

Hermione stepped closer to Draco as he opened the box, she peered in and gasped with pleasure.

She had been such a fool, she had been so easy to trick.

She let her head fall and shut her eyes tight with frustration, she hadn't cried yet, she was still in shock, she thought that any moment now she would wake up in his bed and see him smiling at her.

Hermione lay down on the hard floor and let her self fall in to a dreamless sleep.

Draco Malfoy and five other men were sat in the castle's living room. The other five were talking animatedly about what to do with the girl and Draco was sat there with a look of frustration and confusion on his face.

'When are you going to let me in on this and tell me what the hell is going on?' He demanded sitting up straight.

The others laughed and mimicked him but then ignored him again. Draco sat back in anger.

Helena Higgledy sat with a look of annoyance on her face. She was a middle aged blonde woman who looked as though she would have been pretty if it weren't for the scowl that never left her face. Her sharp thin features made it look like it was impossible for her to smile.

'Lucius, while your son is sulking do you think it would be at all possible to decide what on earth we are going to do with the girl?'

Periom, a serious looking man with jet-black hair nodded in agreement.

'She's right, its taking a lot longer than we anticipated, now that we've got the girl, what are we going to do with her?'

'We will just have to keep her here' Lucius said determinedly

'But this could take months!' Goyle said angrily

'Lucius is right, we can hardly let her go now can we, the castle is a safe place to keep her' Snape said calmly

'But what about when people start to realise she's gone? It might me months before we're ready' Periom said desperately to Snape

'She will stay here in the castle, she will not be able to escape alone' Lucius interjected

'What about her friends, the school, people will come looking for her.' Questioned Helena

'Helena, write a note to Dumbledoor saying something along the lines that Draco and Hermione have run away together and not to go looking for them. Sign it from Hermione and find an owl to send it.' Lucius ordered and Helena nodded 'Now' He added and she scurried away.

'As for the girl' Lucius continued, 'we can keep her here but not in that empty room, we don't know how long she will be here and we definitely don't want her going insane. Draco, it will be your job to make sure she is kept healthy; I want to make sure she is fed properly and is kept in good condition ready for the Dark Lord.'

'Yes Father' Draco said distractedly

'Take her up to one of the main bedrooms for now, I advise you put her in a room close to your own, you don't want to be traipsing around the castle all day.'

Draco left the room and walked up the stairs that led to the room Hermione was in. On his way he tried to work out how he would feel seeing her again, only a few hours had passed but it felt like a lifetime.

Hermione jumped as she opened her eyes, in the doorway stood a dark figure; looking more closely she saw it was Draco. Instinctively she shuffled back away from him so her back was flat against the wall.

Hermione's quick actions sent a flash of pain through Draco's heart, it was as if for the first time, Draco was realising that he was the baddie.

'I'm not going to hurt you' Draco said stonily

'It's a bit late for that don't you think?' Hermione said sadly.

Draco shook his head

Don't do this to me he thought desperately be angry, scream and kick, tell me I'm a bastard. Just don't look at me like that.

Draco tried to tear his eyes away from Hermione's there wasn't a hint of fury or malice, just disappointment and hurt.

Draco coughed as he tried to regain his composure.

'I'm taking you to a more comfortable room, you might be here quite a while'

As Hermione got up Draco tried not to look at the cut to the left of her forehead that was bleeding heavily. It was only then that Draco realised she was still in her dress. It was ripped in a lot of places. Showing her grazed knee and her bruised stomach. Hermione followed Draco out of the room and through the corridors without making a sound.

'Here' Draco said as he opened the door to her new room. In any other situation Hermione would have been delighted with the place. It was a huge room that was beautifully decorated. In the middle stood a luxurious looking four poster bed with shiny satin sheets and shimmery drapes hanging from the posts.

Hermione nodded, unable to speak. Draco looked at her cut, sat her on the bed and went in to the bathroom.

He returned with a bowl of hot water, some flannels and a bandage.

Draco knelt carefully in front of her, 'We don't want this to get infected' Hermione wasn't fooled by the offhand tone in his voice or the uncaring expression on his face. She could tell by his eyes that he was hurting.

Draco leant down to dip the towel in the water, Hermione flinched as he stroked the cut with the hot towel. As he worked Hermione couldn't take her eyes off him.

She wanted so badly to hate him, to blame him for what had happened, to yell at him to hurt him like he was hurting her. But as he traced a gentle finger around her newly bandaged wound all she could do was stare at him and wish he would just hold her.

When he was done he moved slightly away from her, but he kept his hand on her face and looked at her for what seemed like eternity.

Hermione just sat there, he whole body numb except for where her cheek was on fire under his hand.

Don't cry she thought to herself don't let him see how much he's hurting you.

Draco opened his mouth as though he was about to speak but Hermione cut him off immediately.

'Just leave' she begged 'please don't look at me, don't touch me please'

Draco got up and left quickly, but not quick enough for them not to see the tears in each other's eyes.

'I'll bring you some food up in a while' Draco said from outside the door.

Hermione had never felt less hungry in her life.

-

oh the sadness of it all!

Thanks for all of you that reviewed hope you liked this one

By the way – I'm being deliberately unclear about what Hermione is needed for cause I figured if Draco and Hermione don't know, why should I tell you guys!

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