This chapter would not have been complete with out iTummnusXinXNarnia, my amazingly talented beta, AussieGleekFreak91, my good friend Ayla and Battlefield Heart (who wrote a lovely review.) Please R&R people, it'll make Draco and I very happy ;)

Enjoy :D

Chapter Three: "Tell Him The Truth"

I woke up the next morning, on top of the covers and still completely clad in my school uniform. Thank God today was Saturday. I could relax a little and read a good book. I sat up slowly, letting the events of yesterday slowly fit back into place. It hit me all like train thumping down a track. I rubbed my palms over my eyes, removing sleep from them as best as I could, stretched and headed for the showers.

I'd said no, but did I mean no? Of course I wanted to stop feeling like this but I didn't need him to know all my problems. I thought it was just going to be Professor McGonagall and I. I stepped into the shower and turned on the hot water, savouring the way it felt as it ran down my back. I thought about what I should do. I might just say no. I mean, unless something major happens I see no reason to need this. All I did was try to kill myself.

Oh what am I saying? Of course I needed help.

I got out of the shower and magically dried myself of, brushed my hair and pulled on a pair of jeans, a singlet top that was black and a long sleeved jumper that was pink. It wasn't a horrid pink like what Lavender Brown wore, but a pale-ish pink. I pulled on a pair of sneakers and headed down stairs to the Great Hall for breakfast. I felt as though everyone was staring at me, even though I knew no one was. I'd felt like that since the war. It was irrational fear, to be honest.

The doors to The Great Hall were hung open as normal, the sun was shining brightly from the bewitched the ceiling. The Gryffindor table wasn't quite full and I could see where a seat had been left for me beside Ginny, across from Draco who was sitting next to Ron and Harry. Nobody cared which table you sat at anymore, but I wished he wouldn't sit with us. I didn't want to sit across from him, but there wasn't much choice.

"Morning all" I said as I took my seat. I pulled a plate with two slices of toast towards me and some butter on my knife.

"Morning, Mione" Ron said, smiling at me. I smiled back at him and took up conversation with Ginny about Runes and Transfiguration classes. Both of which we had homework for. I'd already finished most of mine but Ginny needed help. I was half way through explaining a group of runes to translate when I was interrupted by Draco.

"So, Granger. McGonagall said six o'clock in either her old office, the room of requirement or that little room near her old office" he said shovelling bacon in his mouth. That little room. Why would McGonagall decide on there? Was she trying to torture me? I had tensed up at the sound of that room. Was he going to spill everything?

"One, you know perfectly well what happened in there and second, Malfoy, I said no" I turned my attention to another piece of toast.

"Goddamn it Granger" Malfoy said. I looked up at him and stared him down. I looked him dead in the eyes, he stared back. I should have looked away then, because if I had done so, Ron wouldn't have asked what was wrong. Thus I wouldn't have had to lie to him. It was like watching a tragic car crash. Like when a train crashes and kills hundreds. You know you should look away but you can't. Whether it's the fear of seeing someone you know or the fact everything is so silent, you just can't look away.

"You okay Hermione? Why would you need to be meeting with, Malfoy?" Ron asked me. I broke our stare and looked, lovingly at my boyfriend.

"He's really falling behind in Transfiguration, so Professor McGonagall asked me to help him. I told her I couldn't help because I already have a lot going on but he's persistent" I turned my head back to him and sent a ferocious glare his way. He held up his hands in an innocent gesture, Ron just made a silent O of understanding with his lips and went back to eating his eggs.

"We both know I need it, Granger. You need this just as much" He whispered to me.

"Piss off"

"Feisty"

"Fuck You, Malfoy"

"Gladly" he mumbled.

"What was that?" I asked, had he said what I thought he'd said.

"Nothing. Are you going to come or not." I stood up from the table before I spoke.

'No' I said.

'I'll see you at six O'clock' he said after I'd moved a few steps.

"I'm not coming" I called back.

'Oh, but you will" he smirked and I left the Great Hall, headed to the library and made a start on my History of Magic essay.

At about quarter to six, I made my way to the old empty class room where Draco was already waiting. I knew I said I wouldn't go but I wanted to see what he'd though was going to help me.
It was lighter in here, someone had taken the boards of the windows and I could see out. I sighed. Either Draco or McGonagall had moved the desks and chairs and put a coffee table and two large arm chairs in the middle of the room. A fire that was in the wall was a blaze and I wondered why I hadn't noticed it before. I looked around the rest of the room. He's made it quiet cosy, actually. There was a shelf of books, a kettle and some water. I smiled inwardly when I saw Draco standing with his back to me, appearing to be making a pot of tea. I sat in one of the armchairs. It resembled the ones in Hagrid's cabin but was a lot cushier. I crossed my legs underneath me and leaned back. I feared for a moment that'd I'd fall through the back it was so soft. Draco turned around and dropped his cup of tea.

"God, Granger, I didn't hear you come in" He grabbed his chest over his heart. His hair was messed up, like he'd run his hands through it. He wasn't as pale as he used to be and with the pale light from the moon beaming through the window, he looked quite handsome.

"Sorry" I apologised.

"Don't be. I just didn't expect you to turn up, is all" He told me, sitting the pot of tea on the table and sitting in the chair opposite me.

"Yes you did. Otherwise you wouldn't have made a pot of tea, you would have only made yourself a cup" I told him.

"You're very observant." He noted. We sat in an awkward silence for about five minutes before he spoke again.

"It was a nice day today, don't you think?" He asked. I sighed and put down my half-drunk cup of tea.

"I know you said you'd help me, Malfoy, but do you even know where to start?" I asked, looking and sounding sceptical.

"I know what to do, but I want you to feel comfortable before we get started, now, apparently we start by making a list of the problems you want to concur." He pulled out a piece of parchment and an old black quill. I looked down at my hands folded in my lap. I had a feeling that I should be better friends with him first.

"What's the first thing you want to fix" He asked licking the end of his quill, dipping it in ink and writing the number 'One' on his parchment.

"Can we start with the smaller things first?" I asked, looking up at him. My voice sounded small even to me, like a frightened child. I was a frightened child.

"Of course, but I need to know what's the worst thing first and put that as number one. We have to list them in the order of worst to least worrying" He told me as if he were an expert on this matter. Perhaps he was, like I said, we weren't exactly friends. We were civil, no we are Doctor and patient. I didn't answer. He knew why we were here.

"Okay, then. Why don't you tell me why we're here?" He said, I looked at him like he was stupid. I was sick of playing games so I was blunt.

"We're here, Malfoy, because I tried to kill myself. In this room actually, so if we can get this over with sooner rather than later it would be much appreciated." He flinched when I said I'd tried to kill myself but I hadn't broken my gaze with his.

"Why did you attempt suicide?" He asked. As if he didn't know. He was there. He just sat there and stared as my world divided.

"Because I was tortured, raped, tired, stressed and I felt alone. Okay?" I knew I sounded cruel but I didn't care. He knew what had happened.

"Shall we put the rape and torture as number one then?" He asked and scribbled on the sheet. I felt that, had this been anyone else, there would have been a hint of laughter in his voice, but he was being very serious about the whole thing. "What's next?"

"Ron" I said.

"Ron?"

"Yes. I don't love him in that way, but I'm too afraid to hurt his feelings and I can't stand to be alone with him. Or you actually, so a little faster please, Malfoy." I said. I noticed him write Ron's name as number two on the list. I wasn't sure why, but I felt oddly comfortable telling him about my problems.

"Have you thought about telling him you can't be in a relationship right now?" He seemed totally non-nonchalant that I told him I couldn't stand to be alone in this room with him. I knew he had a lot of girlfriends, so he'd probably had this advice given to him by his friends and then handed it on to Blaise's and Nott's girlfriends.

"Did I not just say that I can't hurt him?" I repeated myself.

"Yes, and you wouldn't be, you'd be telling him something he needs to know."

"And what am I meant to tell him? What am I meant to give as my reason for not wanting to be in a relationship?" I snapped.

"Tell him the truth"

"Oh great conversational topic, Malfoy. 'Ron, I can't be in a relationship with you right now because on top of the fact that I don't actually love you, I'm stressed, I was raped and even though I know you or Harry or Malfoy won't hurt me, I can't stand to be left alone in a room with you'" I threw my hands in the air. They made a slight slapping noise when they hit my thighs. He was doodling on his pad, what though, I couldn't see and to be honest I didn't care.

"Look, Granger. You came here for me to help you. If you don't want to listen to what I have to say, leave" He said. I ran my hand through my hair and sighed. He looked at me, his eyes running over my face but constantly running back to my eyes. Trying to make contact but not getting any.

"I do want your help, Malfoy. I just don't know how to tell him" I said.

"Do it tomorrow at breakfast, he'll understand. Besides, I'll be there as will Harry, Ginny and Luna. McGonagall will be there as well. Your perfectly safe" I made a sound half way between a laugh and a snort. Sure I was safe, that's what I told my parents when I was learning spells and look at the situation I'd landed myself in.

"Fine, tomorrow morning it is then. I'm going to bed. Good night, Malfoy" I said. I stood, heading for the door. I placed my hand on his shoulder for a few a minutes and stared into his questioning grey eyes. I smiled and left the room. The moment I stepped outside the door, I cried. Thank god that was over, and that was an easy one! I'd never felt so intimidated and exposed it my life. I was heading towards Gryffindor tower when I saw Ron waiting at the bottom of some stairs, apparently waiting for me. I smiled a little and wiped my tears away.

"Ron, what are you doing?" I asked with a laugh.

"Waiting for my girlfriend." He said. I tensed a little and sat on the step next to him.

"Yeah, about that." I said, wrapping my arms around my knees and bringing them up to my chest. Was he totally oblivious to the fact I'd been crying? "Ron, you know how I've been really stressed lately?" I asked, he nodded. "Well, I can't handle anything at the moment. Even school work has become a struggle"

"What are you saying, Mione?" He asked looking confused. I hated hurting him, but Malfoy was right. I couldn't keep doing something I was uncomfortable with.

What's wrong with me? Did I just say Malfoy was right?

"I need a break. From homework, from school, from teachers and from … us" I put my head down, I was crying again.

"You want to break up?" He asked looking puzzled. I was crying so hard I couldn't speak so I simply nodded. He put one arm around me in a hug and squeezed me.

"I thought you would. I've known something was up, you weren't yourself. Sitting in the corner most nights with your head in a book that I've seen you read about fifty times. You hardly speak to anyone; your eyes are almost always bloodshot. I know there is something more than stress but I understand that you don't want to talk about it. Just remember that if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm right here. Always" He smiled at me, I smiled back and for the first time in ages I felt safe.