Hermione wandered down the halls until she found the door to the Room of Requirement. She entered and pulled it shut behind her. Inside was an exact replica of her parent's bedroom at their old house. Hermione slid down against the wall and started crying. She cried hard, tears that she had locked away in the first months after their deaths so she could deal with everything at once.

Draco went looking for the Room right after class. He wanted to get away from everything, and better yet he wanted to drink himself drunk. The Room was perfect for that, he had discovered this one night, as it conjured an unlimited amount of firewhiskey; among other alcohols. When he opened the door however, it wasn't to a room with a bed, an alarm clock and a mini bar. It was a designer room with light purple walls and a mahogany four-poster bed, and matching dresser. It looked, and even smelled, familiar. He heard someone sobbing, he turned to leave but paused…The room and the sounds were all too familiar, and suddenly he remembered why.

"Hermione?" He called. The sobbing stopped abruptly. He rounded the corner of the small 'foyer' which led into the room. She was on the floor, face red and blotchy, trying to wipe away her tears. Draco pulled a handkerchief from the inside of his robe and handed it to her. She shot him a slightly grateful look and mopped her face with it.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione demanded.

"Well I was looking for alcohol, but the room was preoccupied." At his words a bottle of firewhiskey appeared and Draco sighed gratefully. He popped the cork and took a swig directly from the bottle. "Want some?"

"No. God Draco, all you do is drink."

"That's not fair. I only drink when I'm stressed. I just happen to be really stressed of late."

"You're disappointing."

"What? Where did that come from?" Draco demanded, eyes glinting.

"I thought, over the summer, maybe there was some substance to you. I was terribly wrong."

"I saved your life," Draco snapped. He took another long swallow of the whiskey.

"You what?"

"I saved your life and ruined my own to do it. And you're still dating Potter. Yet I'm the disappointing one?"

"And how did you save my life Draco?"

"Voldermort wanted me to kidnap you. He wanted me to prevent your return to Hogwarts. He wants you to be taken to him alive." With that Draco drained the firewhiskey and summoned another one. He uncorked it and took another long swig.

"Would you stop that?" Hermione demanded grabbing the bottle. Draco swatted at her hand and pulled the bottle back.

"Don't come near me anymore okay." He hissed at her and tosses the bottle at the wall. Its shattered and Hermione shrank back. "Never. Don't ever come near me again or you won't be happy with my reaction."

With that Draco exited the Room and slammed the door.

Draco felt the whiskey coursing through his veins and it carried him back to the Slytherin common room. He drafted a letter to his father, apologizing for his failures and begging another chance. He asked to join the ranks of his father's associates. He explained his loss of mind as being led around by his lust. He would do anything. He signed his name and sent the letter with his owl. He would succeed he promised himself. And he would prove he was not a disappointing failure. Even if it killed him.

Letter sealed and sent Draco wandered into the common room to and looked around. The room fell silent; he smirked at them and walked to Blaise. Slinking his arm around her waist he kissed her ear lightly. The room started talking again and Blaise offered Draco a soft smile.

"Welcome back."

"I lost my mind."

"I know." Blaise said. She kissed him full on the lips then. "But at least you remembered where your loyalties lay before all was lost. Don't ever double cross me again Draco. Especially with a Gryffindor."

"Yes darling," Draco said mockingly, burrowing his lips into her neck and nipping it lightly with his teeth. "Now about that potion…"

Hermione's tears started again as soon as she heard the door close loudly behind Draco. It was funny, she thought, he had become such a friend over the summer. In fact, she had even begun to trust the bastard. But now he was gone…And for some reason, it really pained her. His accusation regarding her relationship with Harry had struck deep. But, it wasn't like she had had a choice about it. Everyone expected her to forgive and forget. Couldn't Draco understand that?

But the hate. The pure hatred in the look that he gave her when she tried to grab the bottle from her -- That's what got to her. The hatred was the reason she started crying again. It was impossible for her to have friends, even Ron couldn't stand her unless she was on Harry's hip. And Harry, he was draining her last reserves of patience.

She didn't know what she could do now. Everywhere she went she brought heart ache and despair. Her parents were dead because of a prophecy; her god parents were dead for the same prophecy. Her first love was out of control with power granted to him. And the one person she trusted with her feelings had just pretty much told her he would kill her if she ever acknowledged him again.

"Oh god what have I done," Hermione moaned. She took the bottle of firewhiskey that materialized next to her and took a long swallow. She coughed, for a long time after, but when it passed she took another swallow. She finished the bottle before Harry found her, just uncorking her second.

"Hermione, are you in here."

"Over here," she said in a sing song voice, taking another long swallow.

"Hermione, are you…Is that…" Harry looked at her searchingly.

"It's firewhiskey. But I'm not drunk…Yet."

"Hermione. You shouldn't be drinking."

"I don't care," Hermione stated simply. She took another swallow and offered the bottle to Harry. He sat down next to her, but only took a small sip from the bottle.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because life sucks and there's nothing I can do about it. I never knew my real parents, my pretend parents are dead. I'm rich and famous and…and…" Hermione just shrugged and took another swig from the bottle. "And now I can escape."

"Hermione, you don't drink."

"How would you know? You weren't there to help me this summer. How would you know what I do or don't do know. I happen to have a very high tolerance level with alcohol," Hermione said taking another swallow…She emptied the bottle this time and sighed heavily.

"Hermione. Let's go back to the common room," Harry said. He was reaching for her hand. Hermione drew her hand back.

"Go find Cho or something Harry." She said, her words just being to slur.

"Hermione. What the hell is your problem?" Harry asked. He reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"You don't want me Harry. You never did. You just killed the boyfriend of the girl you did want and now you can't have her. So you chose good old me instead. Couldn't be left behind right? Had to keep up with Ron?"

"You don't know what you're talking about Hermione."

"You do too. I know that you and Ron wouldn't touch me with a ten foot pole. Until this year. Until Ron got a hot exchange student to date him. Until I was off by myself, enjoying myself, in California. Now suddenly you want me?"

"I could have anyone I want," Harry hissed. He squeezed Hermione's hand and she struggled to pull away. "I chose you because you're my best friend and I want to be more with you. You should be grateful. You don't exactly have suitors lining up at the door."

Hermione got her hand free and whipped it up to slap him. Harry caught it.

"Don't you ever try to hit me. I can ruin you Hermione."

"I'll bring you down with me," she hissed.

"The world loves me. I'm the boy-who-lived, I have a destiny Hermione. You…you have a fortune and you're a know-it-all wench who no one likes. You have me and Ron and Ginny. That's it. Do yourself a favor and don't ruin it." Harry threw her hand away from him and slinked his arm around her waist.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"We are going to lunch now." Harry said. He led her out the door and steered her towards the Great Hall. Hermione allowed herself to be led, grateful to not have to think. Inside she was falling to pieces. She had no idea where she had gone so wrong.

Author's Note:

I'm on a roll. I know the chapters aren't that long…But I'm going to try to post an update a day for you guys so they're a little on the short side so I can get them out. Please please please review. I know a lot of people favorited the story and I really appreciate that and it makes me excited. But I like to hear peoples opinions. You can also voice what you think Draco/Herm should do next because I'm not yet positive where I'm going to go from here.