Hey guys! Sorry about the long wait but I've been really busy with school, friends and a few personal problems and I haven't been able to send this one to my beta. I've read over it a couple of times and I really hope it's okay. Chapter 5 is done and I'm getting around to re-reading and editing it as best as I can. R&R so I know what ya'll think? I love you all

Safe feeling is officially gone. After Ron's and my conversation last night, I went back to the common room and to bed without any problems or complications. I didn't cry myself to sleep, I just slept.
That's when the problems started.

I was standing in a long corridor; at least it appeared to be fairly long. I could see a crack of light spilling out of one of the rooms and I ran towards it. I felt thirsty for the sun. Like I'd been hidden away from it for a long time. I opened to door to the sound of a piercing laugh. I'd heard it before a hundred times or more. I shuddered all over, not being able to see the maker of this laugh was giving me the creeps. I looked all around the room but the only person in there was me, or so I thought.

"Hello, Beautiful" I heard from the door way. I screamed as I spun around to find my attacker in the door way. He stepped towards me, I stepped back. My back was against the wall now, I had nowhere to run.

"Aw, don't be scared of me, you know me, pretty" He was right in front of me. I screamed. His eyes were the last thing I saw.

I was lying on my back, covered in a thin layer of cold sweat. My blankets were pushed down around my feet, my arms above my head. I was crying. I rolled over to look at the clock on my bed. It was two thirty in the morning. Shit. I didn't bother trying to get back to sleep after that. I simply pulled on some jeans, a t-shirt, grabbed a good book and headed into the common room. I read my book until it was time to eat breakfast. I went to the library first to return my book before realising my arm wasn't covered. Thankfully the library wasn't open so I left the book in the returns box outside the door and ran as fast as I could back to my dorm. I ran into Harry and Ron on the way.

"Hey, Mione." Ron said, giving me a hug. I made sure my left arm was pinned firmly to my side.

"Are you coming to the hall for breakfast?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, soon. I just want to grab a jumper." I rubbed the top of my left arm to make it look like I was cold. Harry nodded before turning and walking in the opposite direction to me. Ron was waving his hands trying to demonstrate something and I smiled. I got to my dorm where I found Ginny sitting on top of her bed, apparently waiting for me.

"I knew you'd come back" She said before I had a chance to open my mouth.

"How?" She threw my jumper at me and smiled.

"It's cold" She laughed. I pulled it over my head, smiling at how smart my friend was. We left the common room together talking and laughing about the latest Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin where the seeker come Capitan was knocked of his broom by a stray bludger. It was the last time I'd laugh today.

We got to the hall and there was a faint, scared whisper floating around. One that I hadn't heard in months. Ginny sat down next to Harry, who was reading the Daily Prophet, frowning.

"What's going on?" I asked. I saw Malfoy looking at me over the top of his own paper and standing, but Harry told me what was wrong before Malfoy managed to stop him.

"That snatcher that caught us, the one that was never caught was apparently spotted in Duff Town." Harry told me, showing me the front of the paper. Sure enough, the front page was nearly covered with a large photo of the man whom I feared. He was smirking at me, the smirk I'd seen a million times in my dreams. You never really know how you're going to feel when you see the man who raped you again. It's a mix of hate and stomach gripping sickness. I wanted to scream and cry and throw up all at the same time. I looked up at the teachers table to see McGonagall looking around the hall, apparently she'd just read the article as well.

"Hermione? Earth to Hermione, are you all right?" Ron asked. I didn't answer. Malfoy was standing next to me now.

"Granger, I'm so sorry" He whispered. I shook my head, tears threatening to spill out of my eyes.

"So am I." I said. I didn't look back at the others, I just turned around and left. I heard Harry and Ginny call my name but I just needed to be alone. I headed out the front doors, I felt eyes burning into the back of my head and I knew I was being paranoid. I wanted to lock myself in a room by myself and not leave until I knew he was in Azkaban or dead. I knew that I could now find out his name. All I had to do was turn around and walk back but I couldn't face the questions and to be honest, I didn't want to look at his face anymore. I reached the edge of the forest; this was somewhere I hadn't been in a while. I went in a few feet, not caring really if I got lost. I knew I wouldn't because I could still see the school from where I was sitting but I felt lost. I felt as if there was someone with a dagger pushing it deeper and deeper into my chest and my stomach. I shivered from the cold, wishing I'd put a thicker jumper on. I leaned against the tree I was sitting in front of and closed my eyes. I saw his eyes again, but I refused to open my own. I swore I heard his voice in my head, whispering;

"Why do you always run away, beautiful? Wouldn't you rather stick around and play?"

I felt like I wanted to cry. But it was almost as if a brick wall had been pressed into my eyes and I couldn't see or let the tears escape.

"Hermione! Hermione, where did you go?" It was Malfoy, I knew it was but I didn't want to be found, I wanted to stay lost. The voice continued to go away. I rested my head on my knees, my arms wrapped around my legs. I heard my name again. As hard as you try and block something's out, they continue to find you. I figured that Ron, Harry and Ginny were looking around other parts of the forest for me, maybe even going to see if I was with Hagrid or Gwrap

"Leave me alone!" I called back, knowing the sound was muffled. I heard twigs cracking around me, but I didn't look up, I didn't even try to defend myself when I felt a hand wrap around my upper arm.

"Granger, come back to the castle"

"No" I mumbled into my knees.

"Why?" he asked, sitting down in front of me, legs crossed.

"Because I'll go up there and people will ask questions, ones that I am not prepared to answer and everywhere I look there will be another picture of him," I lifted my head "I see his face enough, thanks" I said, resting my chin on my knees. He rubbed his hands together and frowned.

"McGonagall wants you to come back" he said.

"So? Did she even see me leave?" I asked.

"Not sure. Why don't you just come back and we can-"

"SHUT UP! If I go back to the castle it's because I want to, not because I'm being forced." I cut him off. We sat in silence for a while. He was staring right at me while I was trying to look anywhere BUT him.

"There's a Heads and Prefects meeting in Hogsmede tomorrow, I think that's what McGonagall wanted to-"

"I'm not going" I cut him off again.

"You're Head Girl, Granger" he said. I was shocked he hadn't snapped at me for interrupting him twice. I looked at him, tired I thought.

"I bloody well know that, Malfoy" I spat, pulling out the space on my jumper that said 'Head Girl'

"Then come to the meeting" I noticed Malfoy wasn't wearing his badge. Obviously he just didn't care as much as I did. My mum and dad would have been so proud of me…

"Duff Town is close to Hogsmede. He could turn up while I'm there. What would I do then, Malfoy." I said, standing up and wiping the leaves and dirt of my jeans and hands.

"He won't attack you in the middle of a busy town full of students and qualified Wizards and Witches" He told me , following suit.

"Are you sure about that?" I turned my back on him and headed up to the castle without him.