[A/N: This chapter is shorter, but the next one will probably be longer. I've decided that I write Draco a lot better than I do Hermione, so you'll be seeing a little more on his side, most likely. I hope you like this chapter- it was a fast one but it's one of my favorites. Everything will straighten out, don't worry. :-D

Chapter 6

The following day went quiet. It was boring, unexcited. Draco had not heard back from the Diary all morning, and he was nearly sure he scared them away. He knew it would happen. People always get scared when they learn that someone is a Death Eater. Draco hated it, loathed it with such bitterness that he'd end his life if he'd ever feel as if he would need to end someone else's on the Dark Lord's bidding. His father, on the other hand, would not hesitate for a moment to kill someone, even if they were innocent. Draco's father never understood why Draco had acted the way had when he found out that he would need the Dark Mark as soon as he came of age, in which Draco cut himself off from all family members for nearly a week, staying up in his room.

Dinner that night went slow. It was eerie, like something terrible was about to happen.

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Hermione sat beside Ron and Harry, trying to study and eat her dinner at the same time at the Gryffindor Table. Her 'Advanced Potion-Making' book was propped up against the bowl of mashed potatoes as she read along the lines of what they'd be writing their next assignment on for the following day.

Consumed in concentration while reading and eating, Hermione jumped at a sudden racket from above, causing her spoonful of pumpkin pie to plop onto her lap.

She peered up at the ceiling, looking for the source of the noise. A very large owl, which was uncommon to fly into the Great Hall at dinnertime, was swooping towards the Slytherin table.

"Oh, look." Harry pointed out, as the owl landed in front of their blonde haired enemy. "Mummy's probably sending him hugs and kisses."

Hermione gave a faint smile as Ron commented also. An abrupt sound came from the green table as soon as Hermione turned back to her book, and she looked around her shoulder to see what the girls behind her were whispering loudly about.

Draco Malfoy was walking hurriedly down the isle, and soon stormed out of the grand doors in what looked like an upset rage.

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Draco reached outside of the Great Hall and toward the moving stair steps, anger and frustration flowing through his veins. He ran until he felt like he was about to vomit, winding up in front of the entrance to the dungeons.

He raised his fist and thrust it against the stonewall, letting his anger escape. He wanted to yell, he wanted to scream, he wanted to cry. He punched the same stone over and over again, until his knuckled were scraped raw and bled. His blonde hair stuck to his forehead with sweat, his eyes streamed with rage. He wanted to leap from the tallest tower, he wanted to take out his wand and curse himself, he wanted to do nothing but lie down on the stone floor and die forever.

"Draco."

Draco looked away from the stone he had left bloodstains on and peered behind him.

"What do you want?" He asked bitterly and quietly, his voice shaking.

Severus took Draco's shoulders and made him face him. "What is going on?"

"Nothing." Draco looked away. Now that his anger had suppressed and the burning in his hand had came to the surface, his rage had gathered in his throat as tears. "Nothing. Just leave me alone."

"I saw you leave right after your father's owl flew in. Has he set the date?"

Draco looked at the ground, and nodded.

"Draco, listen to me." Snape's voice was stern. "As your godfather, I'm supposed to be looking out for you. No, stop it. Look at me."

Tears had escaped Draco's eyes regrettably as he looked up at his guardian.

"You need to do this. Your father has plans for you."

"But what if I don't want these plans? What if I hate them! Why can't I make my own decisions? I'm not a child! I can make choices for myself! Why is this any different?!" Draco was yelling, a foot in front of Snape, anger flooding his gray eyes.

"Don't you dare act like this, Draco! You know there is no other way! It is not your choice to make! Your master has requested you, and you need not to complain! It is an honor, Draco! You should be honored!"

"Well, I'm bloody hell not honored! You're lucky I haven't ended myself! You have no idea how it feels, do you? You weren't in my position! Don't tell me what I can feel and can't!"

Snape's eyes were unreadable. "Stop. You're acting like a child, Draco."

"Well, that's how you treat me, isn't it? You act like you're my father when he's not around! You're not my father, and neither is he! No one's my family anymore! I can't even do anything without seeing you around the corner!"

And with that, Severus grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him hard across the corridor and around the corner.

"What are you-"

"Look at this." Severus pulled up his left sleeve, revealing the black Dark Mark on his paper white skin. "You see this?"

Draco stared at it, disgusted.

"This is not the end of the world, Draco!"

Tears gathered up in his throat again, but he swallowed them hard.

"Stop it!" Draco shouted after a second's silence. "Stop acting like it's normal!" his voice echoed against the stones.

"It is normal for you! It's not tactless, it's not meaningless. It is what is planned for you!"

Draco couldn't stand it any longer; he couldn't hold it in any longer. He thrust his arm out of Severus' grip and turned with his fists clenched.

"Stop trying to make me like one of them. Stay. Away. From. Me." He whispered, and then ran back towards the staircases.