Disclaimer: I own nothing J.K. Rowling created with her brilliant mind. I only own the plot and characters I have created.

A Hope for Renewed Love

Chapter Ten

Hermione slowly opened her eyes. How long had she been sleeping?? It was very dark out, and her eyes took time to adjust. She recognized her surroundings as the Hospital Wing. She tried to sit up, but her left side throbbed with pain and she unintentionally let out a whimper. A head suddenly shot up from the side of her bed. Harry was at her bedside in an instant.

"Oh Hermione," he whispered, embracing her gently. "We were so worried about you. How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright. My side hurts terribly. How long have I been out?"

"About three days. Do you remember what happened?"

"It's all a bit fuzzy right now. I remember being in Hogsmeade and…Oh god." Hermione looked up at Harry, panic etched in her face. "Where's Malfoy? Is he alright?"

"He's fine. He had a cracked rib when Pompfrey looked him over, but he's better now. Why?" Obviously this was not what Harry wanted to talk about.

"Just wondering. I mean, he was hurt."

"By who, Hermione?"

"So, how did we get back to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked, avoiding Harry's question.

"Hermione-"

"No, Harry. Please, not now."

"Then when?"

"Soon," Hermione whispered, not able to look at her best friend. "I promise, you'll know everything soon." It was silent for a few moments before Harry started talking.

"Ron and I came looking for you when you didn't show up at the Three Broomsticks. We started walking the streets, yelling for you every once in a while. Suddenly we saw people running towards one direction. We started to follow and that's when we saw you and Malfoy on the ground. Needless to say, we panicked. You were bleeding a lot, and Malfoy had been stupefied. Ron quickly woke Malfoy up and wanted to pound his face in. We thought you and Malfoy had gotten into a fight. But when he woke up, he actually looked worried for you. He could barely hold himself up though. He kept saying he'd be fine. He and Ron got into an argument about you, but I didn't stick around to listen to it. I grabbed you in my arms and apparated as close to the castle as I could, and then I ran. Pompfrey was nearly in shock when I burst through the doors. You were unconscious in my arms and your blood was on me. I set you on a bed and she took over. It was a half hour later that Malfoy came in, supported by Ron. They both looked disgusted by each other and were still arguing. They argued so much that Pompfrey healed Malfoy and then told them both to leave. They aren't supposed to be in here until you're awake. I've been here since I brought you in."

Hermione smiled at this. By that time, Harry was sitting next to her on the bed. He kept his arms around her and she snuggled up to him. Harry kissed the top of her head as she thanked him for everything he had done.

"You don't have to thank me Hermione. You're my best friend. You're actually more like the sister I never had. I would do anything to protect you."

She just smiled again and they both fell asleep like that.

It was another day and a half when Hermione was allowed to leave the Hospital Wing. Ron and Ginny had come to visit her as soon as Harry went to tell them she was awake. The four friends spent the evening together, working on homework. Hermione was fervently trying to catch up on all the work she had missed. After dinner, Hermione headed up to the Heads common room. The Gryffindor common room was too noisy for her to keep fully concentrated.

Draco was working at one of the tables, his books and parchment spread out before him. He made no acknowledgement that Hermione had entered their shared common room. She sat at the table across the room, facing Draco as she scribbled a charms assignment furiously. She stopped to look at Draco.

"Knock it off Granger." Draco's voice echoed through the quiet room.

"Excuse me?"

"You're staring at me," he replied, not looking up from his work. "Stop it."

"I just-" Hermione paused. "I just want to thank you. For helping me."

"Save it Granger. I don't want to hear it."

"But-"

"Will you shut up? If you haven't noticed, I'm trying to work here." He still hadn't looked at her. Hermione was shocked.

"What is wrong with you? I'm just trying to thank you!"

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO THANK ME!" Draco roared. He had stood up violently, turning over the table. His books and parchments scattered the floor.

"What?" Hermione's voice was barely a murmur.

"You shouldn't have to thank me Granger! You should have done something for yourself! Stood up against him! You're a witch! You have a wand! USE IT! But no! You just stood there and let him touch you! Why didn't you fight back?! Why didn't you at least run in the other direction when I was fighting him?! For Merlin's sake, Granger, why the fuck didn't you do anything?!" Draco's face was red with anger and his hands were shaking.

"IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE, MALFOY!" Hermione screamed back, tears staining her cheeks. She sunk into her chair, covering her face with her hands. "I was too scared to move. Part of me wanted to run, to try and fight, to do something. And the other part…"

"Any day now Granger," Draco said after she had been silent for a few minutes. She looked up at him, fire in her eyes.

"The other part of me wanted to let him finish me off. Kill me. Because then I wouldn't have to live in fear anymore. I wouldn't have to see myself as a shell of who I used to be. Sometimes giving up seems easier." She looked at Draco as his face slowly twisted into disgust. He started gathering everything off the floor and packed up his bag.

"You're pathetic Granger," he said as he turned to go to his room.

"You are such a bastard! You don't even know what happened! You don't know the story!"

"NOBODY DOES! YOU WON'T TELL ANYONE!" He stopped shouting to run his hands through his hair in exasperation. "How is anyone supposed to help you if they don't know what they're helping you with?"

"You want to know?! FINE! Use Legilimency! I know you can do it! I won't even try to block you!" Draco simply stared at her. She could tell he was contemplating it. "GO AHEAD MALFOY! JUST GET IT OVER WITH!"

And then it happened. She could feel his presence in her mind, could feel him probing all her memories, trying to seek out the ones that made her scared and hurt. She pushed every memory of Darian to the front of her mind.

Hermione and Darian talked and laughed during the ride home. When they reached Darian's house, he thanked Hermione, took her right hand in his, and planted a small kiss. She blushed as he got out of the car and walked up to his house, waving at her the whole time.

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Between the two of them, the space keeping them apart slowly disappeared. Darian leaned down, and Hermione went on her tiptoes a little. Their lips met in a sweet, slow kiss. Hermione brought her arms around Darian's neck, and Darian pulled Hermione closer, enveloping her in his arms. Thought neither wanted to, they both pulled away.

'Hermione, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?' Darian asked resting his forehead against Hermione's. It was all Hermione could do to nod her head yes. He gave her a dazzling smile, and whispered goodnight.

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After dessert and a walk in the park, Hermione found herself in Darian's room watching a movie. Hermione cuddled against Darian, and they started softly kissing. The soft kissing was soon turned into passionate kissing, which was in turn thrown into the category of making out.

Darian slowly moved his hand across Hermione's stomach, and played with the lining of her shirt. His fingertips graced along the skin of Hermione's abs, and he made to move his hand up, but Hermione stopped him. The kiss wasn't broken, but he pulled his hand away.

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'God damn it, Hermione. Are we ever going to do anything besides make out? I'm complaining about the making out, but after a while, I want more. Don't you?'

'Darian, I may want more, but I know I'm not ready for it. My body may be saying yes, but my heart tells me I'm not ready. I always follow my heart.'

'Look, I'm really tired. Maybe you should go now.'

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She knew who it was when he whispered 'got you' into her ear. He started kissing the back of her neck, but Hermione slowly pushed him away.

"Not now. I'm about to work out. I'm going to see you tonight anyways." But he wouldn't listen to her. He held onto her tighter, and slowly forced her to lie on her back on the bed. She squirmed underneath him, and kept trying to push him off of her.

He made a move to reach into her shorts, and she got tears in her eyes.

"Please don't do this. Please just stop it."

"What's wrong with you, Hermione? Most girls love this. Don't worry. You'll get used to it." He made another move, and she brought her knee up to hit him in the groin. His rage overtook him and he slapped her in the face twice. "Don't you ever try to hurt me again. Do you understand me?"

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She remembered going to Darian's house the night before. He had been so angry with her. He kept accusing her about cheating on him with Mike. He said he knew about the weekend, and how much Mike had been touching her. He said he had faithful sources.

He had gotten her good this time. Hermione could feel several bruised ribs, and could already see her ankle swelling. She had thought many times about breaking up with Darian, but fear kept her from doing it. She was afraid that he would kill her. So she put up with him. Not for much longer though. Soon, she would return to school. Soon, she would be free.

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She drove to his house and saw a car that she didn't recognize. Not giving it a second thought, she quickly walked into Darian's front door, and made her way to his room. She stepped softly, to have a better surprise, but stopped walking when she heard noises.

'Oh…harder Darian…right there…yes…' Hermione felt her world crumble as she recognized that voice of the woman. She couldn't believe it though. She had to see for herself.

Hermione went as quietly as she could, and pushed the door open with one swift movement. The tears started to fall before Hermione could stop them.

There, in bed with her boyfriend, was Kelly.

She felt Draco leave her mind as soon as he was done. Se refused to open her eyes just yet. She had begun crying harder at having to relive those memories, and knowing that someone else was seeing them also. She focused on keeping her breathing at a normal pace.

"Granger…" Draco started, shock evident in his voice.

"Are you satisfied now? Happier that you know the whole story"

"Look-"

"No, I mean it. Does it make everything all better? Did you suddenly have an epiphany of how to save me? How to help me? What are you going to do Malfoy?"

"I'm sorry." Any trace of anger left Draco's face. He looked at Hermione with concern instead, almost pity.

"Yeah," Hermione said as she packed up her books. "Me too." She was almost in her room when she heard Draco's voice.

"Does anyone else know?"

"No."

"Not even Potter?"

"No, Malfoy. Not even Harry."

"So why tell me?"

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