Chapter 3, The Letter

The warmth of Draco's hand around her wrist sent a small tingling up her arm. Looking around, she noticed they were in a tower at Hogwarts, completely deserted and alone. A small light flickered by the window, a tiny rectangle in the wall, and no sign of life anywhere. There was an odd smell in the room, quite musty and metallic. As Draco let go of her arm, she saw the light in his eyes twinkle, as a small sigh of reassurance swept his face.

He was staring at her now, with hope that they could start a fresh, without Weasley or Potter getting involved. She dropped her face as she sat down by the window, tapping her wand irritably against the rock walls, staring out onto the lake. "Why bring me here?" she started.

"Where else was I to bring you where no one would come looking?" he edged closer to her, wondering if the tingling sensation that occurred once he touched her arm would happen once more. The faded light lingered on her face, showing her perfect complexion with her hair curling in every direction.

She looked irritated, at any one moment she could just flick up her wand and spring on him, but she didn't. She was hurt, Ron wasn't with her and she was confused as to why Draco kept on taking her away from him, he hated her, despised her, so why was she always ending up with him? The look on Rons face when Hermione apparated away with Malfoy remained in her head. He was torn. His words of "I'm sorry" rung in her mind, and the fact that she saw Ron jumping towards her and Draco before they apparated made her feel even worse. She crumpled herself onto the window ledge, holding her stomach as if all the air in the room had left in an instant.

"What is your problem?" She asked, turning her head to face the moon outside.

"You. You are the problem. Look at you; somehow everything has turned perfect for you. I'm the one who is supposed to have it all,' his voice getting darker 'not you, you're a filthy mudblood and you have everything, it's not right!"

Hermione flinched after hearing the word mudblood, the scar on her arm burned by the thought of Bellatrix being so close to her. Her whole body spun towards Draco, throwing her arms towards his face, but a quick movement of his arm stopped her hand touching him.

"How dare you even say that! How dare you!' She edged closer to him, making him back up closer to the wall, 'You are so self-centred it must hurt for you to be away from all your money and treasure, to being stuck in a room with me. The feeling is mutual if you haven't already noticed; you're the one who brought me with you, through choice! Yes it was you, not me, keep that in mind the next time you try to insult me you loathsome little cockroach. And of course I don't have everything. You've taken me away from all I had. You weren't even supposed to be near me, and you took me away from Ronald. So no, my life is far from perfect at this moment."

Draco spat at her feet, "Keep your bloody mouth shut; I don't need this right now. I don't have you here by choice; you have to be here with me, its orders. The castle is the only place no one will come looking; you're part of the plan Granger."

"You're so pathetic, you do nothing for yourself! Just look at you!" Hermione dug her hand deep into her bag and pulled out a muggle play named 'Romeo and Juliet', perched herself back on top of the window ledge and began reading, using the moonlight to aid her sight.

Draco watched as her bushy hair fell over her face, as he slowly backed up into the corner, scrutinising her carefully. Taking out a small cigarette from his back pocket, he tapped his wand gently on the end of the cigarette, igniting it, and taking a slow deep breath inwards. That long needed puff of smoke began to fill the room, slowly wafting towards the window as if it were trying to escape, encircling Hermione on its way. Looking irritated, her eyes snapped up, darting in the direction to where Draco was slumped against the wall.

"Do you mind?" She lifted her right arm as to signal the smoke around her.

Lifting his face he stared at her, his blue eyes glowing a greyish colour in the dull room, his blond hair almost glistening in the moonlight. "Hah, it's a little smoke, want some?" His lips turned into a coy smile which made him look more mischievous than ever before.

"Thanks but no thanks, smoking disgusts me."

Looking at her, Draco blew a puff of smoke towards Hermione, forcing her to move from her position at the window. She got up, ever so gracefully, and leapt towards the small bed in the opposite corner of the tower from where Draco was sitting.

"Lumos." Her wand lit up her face as she carried on with her reading.

Draco butt out the remainder of his cigarette on the ground and threw it out of the window. Through the window he could see the remainder of what was left of Hogwarts. The tower in which they were in was at the East of the school, overlooking the forest. The night was dark and cold with a few sparkling stars in the sky, but all he could think about was how he was going to shake off Voldemort. Voldemort was looking for Harry. Harry isn't at the school and Voldemort knows that, that's why he brought them back to Hogwarts.

"You sleep on the bed tonight since you've already sat your filthy self-down on it."

"That's fine by me. Nox" She puffed.

And with that, the lights went out.

He awoke early that morning to the sound of scuffling papers and furniture being moved about. It was Hermione searching for something under the bed. Every so often she would bang her head on the low lying piece of furniture and mumbled a few words to herself as she did so. He couldn't help but watch her, everything she done was so elegant and smooth. Stop, I mustn't think of her in that way. She's a mudblood for crying out loud. Utter filth.

The room was filled with light of the morning. It was early dawn, he could tell since the sun hadn't risen to its full potential. Eventually Hermione slunk back from beneath the bed, only to turn and to see Draco staring at her legs.

"Watch it where you've fixed your eyes." Her glaring seemed to burn with fury.

"You watch how you present yourself, can't expect me to wake up, seeing you bent over like that and not to take a peek? Come on."

He lifted himself from the ground and stretched his body, just to refresh himself. Hermione glanced over and saw his muscle covered arm tense and relax, making her flush, quickly looking away before he caught her staring.

"A-anyway, how are we going to get food?" She spoke, sitting herself down onto the bed. "All the food we had was in that tent."

"Easy, there's the door, and you'll go looking. For someone as smart as you, you're really quite stupid."

Hermione began towards the door before Draco grasped her arm, turning her around to face him, inches away from his breath.

"Watch yourself. I didn't say we were alone, who knows what's going on in the school."

"You're still making me go on my own, even though you have a hunch that we might not be alone, in search for food?" Her voice rose with a slight tremble.

"Of course, who else would stay behind and keep this area safe?" He winked at her as she left the tower.

It was cold. She pulled down the sleeves to her jumper as she walked steadily down the stairs and into the corridor. Clutching onto her bag she began to notice how dark the school was with no one in it, but there was just enough light for her to be able to see someone standing at the other end of the corridor. She froze. It was Blaise. Her hand hovered over the invisibility cloak in her bag, but it was too late, he'd spotted her.

Turning towards her, she saw his eyes were pure white, but he didn't move towards her. A slow cry of "help" escaped his lips as he crashed to the floor. "Homenum Revelio" they were alone. She quickly scurried over to where Blaise was lying on the floor, staring blankly into the sky. Covering him in the invisibility cloak, she ran back up the spiral staircase she'd came down from, and into the room Draco was sitting in.

"That was quick Granger."

"Quick, help, you've got to come!"

"Slow down Granger, what the bloody hell are you talking about?" Draco rose from his place in the corner, straightening out his physique.

"It's Blaise, something's wrong with him, he's downstairs, COME ON!" She turned around and sped down the steps, uncovering Blaise's motionless body.

Shock drew over Dracos face; they had been close friends for the past few years and the possibility that he might be dead dawned on him. He watched as Hermione muttered spells with none of them succeeding. He slowly bent to the ground and saw with a flicker of his eyes, Blaise was breathing.

"Finally, it was a blinding curse, I think he's better.." her voice trailed off.

"Blaise, get up you fool! Who done this to you!" Draco was suddenly irritated.

"Uhm I don't know, as you can see, I was cursed you idiot!"

Suddenly tension rose in the air, as Draco and Blaise had their wands pointed towards each other. Draco pulled Hermione behind him, keeping her locked out of the way.

"You two stop! There is no point in this, you're both acting immature!" her voice shrilled.

"Draco, lower your wand, what the fuck are you doing?" Blaises temper was rising, as was Dracos.

Hermione freed her arm from Draco and rushed back up the stairs into the small chamber. Sitting on the window ledge, the sun shone on her delicate features as she took out a quill and a piece of parchment from her bag and began writing hastily on it.

Ron, I don't understand why you let me go in the first place, I know it was for my own good but with me ending up with Malfoy wasn't part of the plan. I do not like it one bit. We've just came across Blaise and now him and Draco are having a battle. That's what I'm left me to put up with. I miss you. You know I'd never leave you if Malfoy hadn't grabbed me before you could stop him. Hope you and Harry are keeping safe. If you ever need me, you know who I'm with. Get in touch with me soon? I feel as if I'm stuck in isolation with him. Don't do anything stupid, please.

-Hermione Granger

As Hermione searched in her bag for an envelope, running footsteps were heard coming up the stairs. Looking over her shoulder she saw it was Draco, covered in blood. His shirt was drenched in the rich red colour, streaming like water; blood was flowing from his nose, small cuts were on his face, showing his dark imperfection, as his eyes were angry, and his hands clenched into tight fists, with one tightly holding onto his wand, as his life depended on it.

Shock was written all over her face as he darted around the room, finally making the decision of taking off his shirt, to wipe away his blood stained face.

"What happened? Where is Blaise?"

"Fucking prick, tried to hex me. Ended up disarming him, but then he threw bloody punches at me. Ungrateful little shit."

"So where is he now?"

"Still down there, think he's crying or something. He's so pathetic."

"Draco did you hurt him?" Hermione raised herself off the ledge, placed the letter into the envelope and stared at him straight in the eyes.

"No."

"If what you say is true, we should probably leave him there to cool down; I'll go check on him in a while."

Draco looked at her momentarily, staring her straight in the eyes, and then looked away as he continued to clean the blood off his body.

Hermione turned away from Draco and sat on the bed, contemplating how she was going to send the letter. Ideas flowing into her head, she began quickly tapping her wand onto the piece of parchment in her hand.

"What's that?"

"Oh, it's just a letter I want to send Ron."

"You can't tell him where we are!"

"And why not? He has every right to know where I am and what's happening."

"Fine, send this letter, but only this one. If this letter is to get in the wrong hands, then we have to move again, and this time I have no idea where it is we'd go."

Hermiones eyes looked towards Draco, as a small hint of a smile emerged from her lips. "Thanks."

"Just enchant the letter like they do in the ministry, it'll probably get to him."

The room grew silent as Hermione watched her letter fly out of the window towards the other end of the school, hoping the letter to get to Ron as quickly as possible. Draco wiped away the remainder of blood off his face and stared at the door, as if he was waiting for Blaise to come running in, but he didn't. What's wrong with him, one minute he's fine, the next he's lashing out as soon as Hermione's away. Something's not right.