A/N: Wow. All the reviews were amazing. Thankyou all so, so much. Now here we go with the next chapter.
DISCLAIMER: Refer to previous chapter because I want you too.
Chapter Four: Withdrawals Suck
"NO!"
Draco sat upright breathing heavily with sweat covering his body. He stumbled out of his bedroom and out to the balcony, letting the cool early morning breeze blow across his bare chest. He closed his eyes and swallowed a lump in his throat as the dream faded from his mind. It haunted him constantly. The same one as always. He hated having the same dream. He was sick of witnessing his parents receiving the kiss before his innocent eyes. It was driving him insane.
He turned and walked back inside as Hermione left her room dressed in long pants and a t-shirt with a blue jacket. She sat on the lounge, ignoring him and pulled on a pair of socks and joggers.
"Going somewhere, Granger?"
"For a walk actually," replied Hermione not looking at him as she stood up.
"A bit early for that isn't it?"
"Not really. It's six o'clock. No one else is up."
Draco just nodded in silence before he took a deep breath. This was going to be hard for him. A big step actually and it would mean putting his pride aside for once in his life.
"I need your help, Granger."
Hermione finally looked at him. He glanced at her before looking down at the ground and crossing his arms.
"Alright. Well you can start by getting dressed."
"Why?"
"Well, you are coming for a walk."
"Why?"
"We need to discuss… everything."
"Everything? As in what?"
Hermione gave him a disbelieving look, "As in everything that has led you to being where you are in your life."
"Why do you need to know everything?"
"Well, you want my help don't you?"
Draco gave a shrug and nod in response.
"Then for me to help you I need to know everything. Now go and get dressed."
Draco scowled at Hermione in annoyance but headed off to his room to return dressed in long black pants, grey shirt with a black jacket. Hermione headed down the stairs ahead of Draco before they both began walking through the empty castle in silence.
As they exited to the grounds they were hit with a cool breeze signalling the arriving winter that was just around the corner.
"So… where would you like to begin?" asked Hermione walking slowly beside a silent Draco.
"I don't know."
"Well you need to pick somewhere."
"Why don't you?"
Hermione held back an annoyed groan and kicked a stone from her path, "Were you always a drinker?"
Draco remained silent for a few moments, "No."
"Okay… when did you first have sex?"
Draco looked at Hermione curiously, "Is that necessary information?"
"Sadly, it is."
"I had my first shag at the start of this summer. Some Norwegian witch… probably in her early twenties."
"And you started dope this summer as well?"
"Yeah."
"So whatever led you down the path of sex, drugs and alcohol began this summer then?"
Draco nodded in silence.
"Can you possibly tell me what caused it?"
"A whole heap of shit."
"Obviously."
"Well?"
"Maybe you could clarify this whole heap of… shit for me?" prompted Hermione trying her hardest to remain civil.
"Let's see. Well, actually it starts the summer before the one just gone, Granger."
Hermione just nodded ignoring the cockiness of his voice.
"You-know-who comes around for a spot of tea and demands me to do a task for him," continued Draco acting as if everything were one big laugh, "He tells me to find a way to get the Death Eater's into the school and that I have to clear the path stopping him from killing good old Potter – kill Dumbledore. Now, obviously you all know how I managed to achieve the goal of getting my old buddies in here and that I didn't kill dear old Albus Dumbledore, correct?"
Hermione nodded glancing over at the white tomb where Dumbledore rested.
"So fast forwarding through the year, after Potter decided to play catch and stun with us, me and the rest of the Death Eater's went to my dear leader's hideout. And so came the war. I saw people die, was forced to kill a few here and there and finally your lot won. I was sent to jail before I was put before a court full of uptight, upscale jerks. They all decided that I was forced into everything and easily influenced."
Draco stopped. He was getting close to what triggered the downward spiral in his life.
Hermione looked at Draco frowning, "You can go on."
"To ensure I wouldn't misbehave," continued Draco in monotone, "The court ordered me to witness my parents getting the kiss. Both at once."
"Oh… I'm sorry."
"Yeah well, that's what changed me," shrugged Draco with his hands in his pockets.
"That would change anyone."
"Hmph," was Draco's reply followed by an eye roll.
"So… you couldn't handle what you saw and decided that alcohol, drugs and sex would take you from reality?"
"Something like that. Going to sleep drunk makes nightmares go away."
"But it doesn't keep you from reality long enough anymore. So your intake –of everything- has increased. You are loosing control, Malfoy."
"No I'm not."
"No? Then why did you come to me for help?" demanded Hermione; "You were refusing it before now, why the sudden need of my help?"
Draco took a deep breath, "For Pansy."
Hermione shook her head and stopped walking making Draco turn to face her, "No. You have to want to do this for yourself? Not for someone else!"
"Then that would be admitting I am weak!"
"No it's not. It's you seeing your problem and being strong in asking for help. Weak people take the wimp route – keep doing what they know will wind them up six foot in the ground. So, are you doing this for yourself?"
"Yes," mumbled Draco.
"Pardon? I didn't hear you."
"Yes."
"Louder, Malfoy. I need to hear you properly."
"YES! I AM SEEKING HELP FOR MYSELF!"
Hermione smiled at him in satisfaction, "Excellent. Doesn't that make you feel good?"
"You are so annoying."
"Yeah, I know," nodded Hermione, "Come on. Breakfast is about to begin in half an hour. I want to go through your room."
"What? Why?"
"Clean out the drugs, alcohol and anything close to those things."
"But that is my private room."
"Yeah and if I don't do it I will have to call in the house elves and if they find anything like that, they will have no choice but to inform Professor McGonagall. I am a much better choice."
Draco frowned as they walked past Hagrid's hut, "You won't tell your friends will you?"
"No. But listen, if you need to talk to me about your cravings, vent your frustrations without turning to your demons, send me a letter and tell me where to meet you."
HD
Hermione pulled open the desk drawers and found five full bottles of alcohol, two packets of marijuana, the papers to roll the smokes in and shot glasses. Hermione grabbed everything and walked into the bathroom. Draco watched from the lounge as he sat on his hands in a light sweat as Hermione tipped the drinks down the sink and flushed the dope down the toilet. Hermione dumped the bottles into a wastebasket and tossed the packets into the fireplace. She returned to Draco's room and literally turned it upside down finding every single hiding spot from the real bottom of the trunk, under the mattress, under the waste bin bag, his spare robe pockets, clothes draws, floor boards, behind books on the bookcase, inside the pillowcases. She found every single spot and got rid of every bottle of drink and packet of drugs.
"That's everything," said Hermione, "And I will be checking that room over again tomorrow morning – even if you are in bed."
Draco nodded already suffering withdrawals from not having his morning joint and glass of drink. His next option was sex. He looked at Hermione as she fed her fluff ball of a cat. No. He couldn't be desperate enough to try her.
"Granger," he said getting her attention, "What do I do about withdrawals?"
"Wait them out. You are going cold turkey."
"Heh… fun."
Hermione nodded, "I'm going to get dressed."
Draco sat on the lounge with sweat trickling down his face. He pulled off his jacket in a hope to make the sweat go away but it was no use. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Who knew cravings could be so vicious to somebody?
"You might want to get ready for class," said Hermione entering the common room a few minutes later, "If anyone asks why you are… acting weird and sweating horribly, just say you ate something bad at breakfast and that you will be fine."
"Uh huh," muttered Draco entering his room. He shut the door behind him and instantly began searching through his room for something to take away the cravings.
But it was pointless. Hermione had found every single hiding spot. That woman was way to smart for her own good.
HD
"Did Malfoy forget to dry him self or something?" asked Harry as Hermione sat down, "He looks like he just walked out of the shower and got dressed."
"He was complaining of stomach cramps this morning," shrugged Hermione scooping some scrambled eggs with chopped up bacon mixed in with it onto her plate.
"Food poisoning," suggested Ron, "One of the house elves obviously doesn't like the Slytherin's."
"It could be the flu. Didn't Parvati have the same thing last week?"
Ron looked at Hermione silently before sliding away a bit, "No offence Hermione but you live with Malfoy, and I don't want to get sick."
"And you live with Parvati, Ronald… along with everyone else at this table, so you have a good chance at getting sick as well."
"Now who looks stupid," muttered Ginny earning a chuckle from everyone at the table, "So, what do you lot have first up this morning?"
"Defence Against the Arts. You?" replied Harry.
"Charms. Sixth year Charms. What fun."
"I could walk you… if you like."
Ginny gave Harry a small smile, "That would be nice."
"But Harry, Defence is on- ow!" cried Ron as Hermione gave him a kick in the chins. He glared at her in question but Hermione merely looked at him innocently.
"What's the matter?"
"Oh nothing… everything is fine," he said with clenched teeth.
HD
"Withdrawals suck," muttered Draco as he dragged himself to Herbology, "I hate withdrawals."
He took a deep breath and walked into the classroom giving Professor Sprout a strained smile. She merely looked at him with deep concern but said nothing as more students filed in.
Before she began class Draco pulled out a bit of paper and scrawled a note to Hermione begging her to meet him in their common room at lunch time. He needed to vent his frustration and she did say she would come to him whenever he called.
Draco stuck the note in his pocket and glanced across the table at Pansy who was watching him worriedly. When he looked she quickly lowered her eyes to her textbook.
"Good morning Seventh Years. Today we will be discussing the Spitting Cactus. Turn to chapter seven please and read the introduction – silently."
Draco flipped open his book and looked down at the full-page introduction on the Spitting Cactus. He began reading the first sentence when a bead of sweat fell down onto the page. This was painful and humiliating. His classmates were all looking at him and Professor Sprout was looking more concerned by the minute.
"Professor," he finally said unable to cope any longer, "Can… can I please go and get a drink?"
"Certainly," replied Professor Sprout hurriedly writing him a note, which he snatched from her hand.
He ran out of the greenhouse and across through the castle. He needed to talk to Hermione. He had no one else to vent on and she was his only outlet without turning to his demons no matter how tempting it was.
"Hello Draco," purred a voice behind him.
Draco turned around and groaned out loud at the sight of Romilda Vane. Now she was extremely tempting to release his frustrations on in a sexual manner.
"Vane, do you know what the seventh year Gryffindor's have?" demanded Draco desperately.
"Why? Who do you plan on screwing?"
"No one. I need to speak to someone."
"Well… there is Divination… Muggle Studies… Standard History and Defence Against the Dark Arts."
Draco nodded and took off down the hall. He knew Hermione wouldn't do Divination having heard about her storming out of the class. She knew all there was about Muggle's, so studying it would be pointless and Standard History? No, Hermione was doing Advanced History leaving there to be Defence Against the Dark Arts.
He stopped outside the classroom and frowned. Now how was he to get her out? His only option was to use the Head Students advantages. He knocked on the door waiting to be granted entry. He opened the door to have the entire class looking at him.
"I need to speak with Hermione Granger. It is to do with Head duties."
Charlie Weasley looked at him suspiciously but nodded, "Off you go, Hermione. I'll give you the work you missed when you return."
Hermione nodded, stood, and walked out looking at Draco questionably the entire time.
Draco shut the door behind them and let out a deep breath.
"What's going on?" asked Hermione, "Why didn't Professor Flitwick or Professor McGonagall come and tell me about the Head duties?"
"Because there are none."
"What?" cried Hermione causing Draco to grab her by the arm and pull her away from the classroom door so Charlie wouldn't over hear the ruckus, "You are abusing your privileges doing this!"
"No shit, Granger. I couldn't stand it any longer and I needed to talk to someone and sadly, you are it!"
Hermione rubbed her forehead frowning before looking back at Draco in frustration, "You can't wag school because of your withdrawals let alone call me away from my classes."
"I can't concentrate! I need my hit, my need my drink and I need to screw something!"
"Mind over matter."
"What?"
"Ignore it! Don't think about it. The more you dwell the worse they will be."
"Oh you think it is easy!"
"No I don't. I can't imagine what you are going through."
"Let me guess… a textbook told you this?"
"No, my Aunty did. She works in this... ah... area and I ask a lot of questions," shrugged Hermione.
"Yeah, I know that. You make a lecture span from one lesson too twenty."
Hermione glared at him and crossed her arms, "You needed to release some frustration I gather?"
"Yes."
"And you couldn't wait till lunch?"
"No."
"In the future you are going to have too. Now I have a class to get back too."
"Granger!" whined Draco, "Everyone is staring at me."
"Do the Malfoy snarl," sighed Hermione before pausing and thinking of another solution, "Ignore it."
"Oh and how is that going to work?"
"People give up when you don't react."
"How do you know that?"
"Because Malfoy, it's what I did to make you and your Slytherin buddies stop tormenting me. When I didn't react you grew bored and stopped tormenting me with your insults," replied Hermione before she turned and walked back over to her classroom leaving him standing in the corridor in a stunned silence.
HD
Hermione gave a sigh and rolled over and looked at the time on the clock – 2:43am.
BANG!
Hermione gave a groan and sat up glaring at her closed bedroom door.
BANG!
"GO TO SLEEP MALFOY!" cried Hermione at the door.
BANG!
Hermione stood and swung open her bedroom door as Draco threw the soft ball at the wall above Hermione's doorway. Hermione yanked her wand out and popped a hole in the ball causing it to drop too the ground flat.
"That was mean," growled Draco looking at Hermione with is pale clammy skin and dark circles around his eyes.
"Good. Now go to bloody sleep!"
"I can't!"
"Why not? Scared the bogey man is going to crawl out from under the bed and eat you?"
"Bogey man?"
Hermione gave a tired groan. She was exhausted and frustrated and when she was exhausted and frustrated she lost control of her emotions easily. She looked at Draco with annoyance and took a deep breath to calm her self down.
"Please… please Malfoy just go to bed," begged Hermione running a hand through her hair, "It is near three in the morning and I haven't slept one single bit!"
"Join the club."
"I don't want to join the club. I want to go to sleep."
"Well sorry, I can't sleep."
Hermione took a deep breath to hold back a string of curses she was ready to fling at him. She walked closer to where he sat but remained standing in front of him.
"Why can't you sleep?"
"Nightmares."
"About your parents?"
Draco nodded, "Drugs and alcohol kept me away from having them."
"What about a Dreamless Sleeping Potion?"
"That is little kids shit."
"Malfoy, people older then us take it. If you go to bed and try and sleep I will get some tomorrow from Professor Slughorn."
"I don't want to sleep."
"Well I do," Hermione said her emotions creeping up on her making her speak faster and making her voice a pitch higher, "I need to sleep. I want to remain awake in class tomorrow and I have homework to do and Head duties. I think it would be really nice if you could go to your room and let me sleep in peace…please."
"Okay fine. Don't go getting your panties in a knot."
"Thankyou."
Hermione turned and walked back into her room shutting the door behind her. She crawled into her bed as her clock struck three. Brilliant. She would be lucky to get four hours sleep. Her friends were going to suffer from her lack of sleep mood tomorrow thanks too Draco and his bouncing ball.
A/N: Not as long as normal, I know. But you tend to get that sometimes. Anyway, please review.
Until next time…
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