Author's Note: I really don't understand why you don't bother to leave me a review. They fuel my energy and you'd be getting your updated chapters more quickly if I did get some reviews, also, reviews would make the chapters longer. So here's a shorter one. Anyway, onto the next chapter!

Chapter Five: Killing In The Name Of

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Hermione squirmed at the cold metal being pressed into her. She bit her lip to keep from groaning in pain as the doctor began to examine her. She knew that this was a waste of time since the supposed raping didn't just happen. It had been days.

"C-Can I save any time by telling you that it didn't just happen? A-And he didn't rape me."

The doctor's head popped up and he leaned back in his seat, eyeing her curiously. "He didn't rape you? Your friend told us that he did."

Hermione squirmed uncomfortably again and sighed. "A-At first I wanted it, but then… then I didn't, but he stopped. I-I don't know anymore," she said sadly, looking over at Ginny.

The doctor sighed after looking around inside her and then stood up now after helping her legs out of the stirrups and looked between Ginny and Hermione.

"I'm sorry, girls. It's been over 24 hours. There's no sign of forced entry or any other evidence that I can give you to use in court. I'm very sorry. Do you want me to get a grief counselor in here? You seemed confused about what happened."

Ginny looked over at her friend and then nodded to the doctor before taking Hermione's hand in her own. They watched the doctor leave and Ginny sighed.

"Hermione, Blaise did rape you. You need to talk to the grief counselor about it. Maybe she can help you."

Hermione sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "The only person I need to talk to is Draco."

Ginny was quiet for a few moments. "Do you want me to call him for you?"

She bit her lip and looked down at her hands in her lap. "D-Do you mind?"

Her friend smiled softly and shook her head before she stood up and walked out of the room with her phone, dialing Draco's number once she reached the hallway. A few moments later, Ginny came back and sat back down beside her.

"He's on his way."

"Thanks, Gin. Please don't think that you're not helping me, because you are."

"I know. I understand. Sometimes we just need some male support," Ginny smiled at Hermione understandingly. "Can I ask why you didn't want me to call Harry?"

"I just feel closer to Draco right now than Harry. I don't know. I feel like Draco can relate more somehow. I feel a deeper connection with him than Harry."

"Good, because Harry's mine," Ginny joked playfully, smirking.

Hermione smiled now and chuckled. "You can have him."

Just then, the door opened and Draco walked in slowly, looking hesitatively at Hermione. He waited until Hermione nodded at him and gestured him inside the room. Ginny smiled politely at Draco who nodded just as politely to her and then left them alone.

Draco ran his hand nervously through his hair. "A-Are you okay, Granger?"

Hermione felt tears already filling her broken eyes. "No, Draco. I don't think I am okay…"

He stood there awkwardly and felt his heart aching for her as he watched the tears begin to fall down her pale cheeks.

"How can I help you?"

Hermione wiped away her tears with her palm and sniffled. "C-Can you j-just lay with me?"

Draco nodded, surprised at her answer. He walked over and as she scooted over on the bed, he laid down beside her, wrapping his arms around her body. He felt her melt into him and knew that he was doing something right.

"It's alright… I'm here. You're safe," Draco softly kissed her hair.

Hermione started to softly cry, confused about everything. She wanted to tell Draco her fears, but the last thing she needed was for him to believe that she was a liar. She held onto his hands tightly, her body shaking.

"Talk to me, love. Tell me what happened with Blaise…"

Draco used a tone so caring and loving that she didn't think she could hold anything back from him anymore. She took a deep breath and took a few minutes to regain her composure. She turned around in his arms and looked up at him.

"A-At first I wanted it… I wanted to have s-sex with him but things g-got out of control and I-I don't know what happened. B-Blaise forced h-himself r-really hard into me, and… I h-had to fight him to get him to stop. God, Draco… I-I'm so confused…"

Draco caressed her hair still and searched her eyes. "What are you confused about?"

"D-Did… did Blaise rape me or… or not because I had wanted it."

"Grange – Hermione, I'm sad to say that he did rape you. If you had to fight him to get him to stop, then it was rape. I'm so sorry…"

She cried harder into his chest and he held her against him, gently rocking her. "You're okay now. You're safe, and I'm not going to let him hurt you again."

Hermione felt comfort in his words but she felt betrayed by Blaise, used, and violated. She felt so stupid for being so naïve about what he had done to her. She breathed in Draco's scent as he continued to hold her in his arms.

"I-I'm sorry… I'm sorry t-that I fought w-with you… I'm s-sorry…"

"Shhh, it's okay now. Don't be sorry. You were upset, you were confused, you were angry at what Blaise had done to you, and you had every right to be."

Hermione clutched Draco's sweatshirt tightly in her hands as she cried into him, relief washing over her. She wasn't a liar after all. He understood.

He kissed her forehead softly and looked up when he saw Ginny open the door slowly. He bit his lip and then looked down at Hermione, not wanting to leave her like this. He looked back at Ginny.

"Can I take her back home with me? I promise she'll be safe. I just don't want her to be alone tonight."

Ginny was about to offer to stay with Hermione at her house but she could tell that Draco really wanted to help her. She nodded.

"Yeah, of course. I'll go check her out at the desk," she said with a soft smile and left the two alone again.

Draco helped her sit up and cupped her cheeks, thumbing away the excess tears. "Do you need help getting dressed?"

Hermione took a hesitated breath and shook her head, standing up. She looked at Draco and then at the door. "C-Can you lock the door?"

He walked over and did as she wanted him to. He casted his eyes downwards politely so she wouldn't feel so self-conscious.

Hermione began to change into her clothes again and once she was done, she walked over to him. "T-Thank you, Draco… f-for coming."

He nodded and bit his lip. "Ready?"

When she nodded back, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and lead her out of St. Mungos, passing Ginny on the way out. He apparated them to his apartment and looked at her.

"Is there anything I can get you?"

Hermione ran her fingers through her hair again out of exhaustion. "I-I just want to sleep," she whispered to him.

Draco picked her up easily in his arms and carried her into the guest bedroom and gently laid her down under the covers.

"Thank you." Hermione said sleepily, curling into the blankets as she looked up at him gratefully.

"You're welcome, Hermione."

She watched him exit her room and then he dragged himself back to his own room and laid down under the covers, shutting the light off. He tried to sleep, tossing and turning, but he couldn't fall asleep. He was mentally and physically exhausted but his mind wouldn't let him sleep. Something was missing.

Draco heard footsteps about an hour later and looked up, seeing Hermione hovering over his bed.

"C-Can I sleep with you tonight?"

He scooted over and made room so she could crawl in beside him. He wrapped his arms around her again and held her to his body protectively. He felt her kiss his pale arms and a warm sensation run through his body, giving him goosebumps.

Within ten minutes, the two of them had fallen asleep.

* * * *

The next morning, Hermione awoke to the smell of coffee and the coldness of being alone in the bed. She turned over to see Draco was gone. She stood up and made her way into the kitchen, not surprised to see him sitting at the table drinking coffee. She poured herself a cup and sat down across from him.

"Good morning. Did you sleep okay?"

She nodded and smiled gently. "I slept great. You?"

He smiled back and nodded. "Great."

There was silence for awhile as the two sipped their coffee. Hermione felt freer than she had in awhile. She felt like a giant weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She had no secrets with Draco now. But then something else nagged at her: Draco's fathers' threat.

"Draco, what will you do about Lucius, and what he told you?"

He looked up at Hermione and scratched his chin in thought. "I don't know. I'm not going to go talk to the Dark Lord. I'm not becoming a monster again. I'm not killing anyone."

Hermione smiled shyly and took another sip of her coffee. "And you don't care if he disowns you?"

"Hermione, we've been through this before… Lucius isn't a real father to me. He's just someone who raised me. He's just blood. I don't care about him. I care about you."

She smiled brighter now as he said her first name and she looked down, biting her lip to hide her grin that was spreading on her face.

"What, what are you smiling about?" Draco chuckled.

Hermione looked up at him. "You've started to call me by my name. You haven't called me Granger since at the hospital."

He smiled back at her. "I suppose I'm getting better, eh?"

She nodded and laughed softly. "Much better."

Draco finished his coffee and put his cup in the sink before sitting down next to her. "What do you want to do today?"

She looked down at the coffee that was getting cold in her cup. "I don't know. I need to go back to work."

He looked at her in disbelief. "No you don't. He's… going to go to prison for what he did to you, and he's not going to be your boss anymore."

Her smile faded and she searched his eyes. "There's no evidence. It's just my word against his. The court will never find him guilty."

Draco was quiet for a long time, seeming to understand and know this for a fact. He picked anxiously at the skin around his cuticles.

"What do you want me to do about this, Hermione? I'll do whatever you ask. I want to make this better for you."

Hermione thought for awhile and a thought entered her mind. She tried to shake it away though, not thinking that he would do what she wanted. Not this. Draco seemed to see the wheels turning in her mind.

"What, what is it?"

She wet her dry lips and then finally met his silver eyes. "C-Can you… k-kill him?"

A part of Draco knew that this was coming. He wasn't surprised, but he wasn't against the idea either. He knew he could do it, and not only do it, but get away with it.

"Okay. I'll do it. I'll kill Blaise," he said surely.

His confidence took Hermione back by surprise and she looked up at him. "A-Are you sure? You said that you aren't going to kill anyone…"

"I'm not killing anyone innocent. Blaise isn't innocent, and I believe that you're telling the truth about what he did to you. He's not going to stop unless I do something, and I can pull it off, but I'm going to need your help."

Hermione nodded quickly, eager to hear what his plan was.