Disclaimer ~ I own nada, nothing. The characters all belong to J k Rowling.

A.N. ~ So this one is shorter but its only because its more of a filler/explaining things type chapter and the next one is totally going to make up for it.

Hermione slowly walked up the stairs, each step a little more painful then the last. She entered the bathroom, securing all three doors locks, before heading towards the shower. She tried to take off her torn clothing but was in too much pain to do it normally, so she took her wand and used the diffindo spell to cause her clothes to tear and fall to the ground around her. She looked at the torn, soiled clothes and once again pointed her wand at them, saying, "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA." She made the clothes fly over and land in one of the two ceramic trash cans before saying, "INCENDIO" and causing the clothes to burst into flames and burn to nothing. Hermione started the shower turning the water up as hot as she could before stepping in. She winced slightly as the scalding water hit her open cuts and bruises. She grabbed her shower sponge and cherry blossom body wash and started scrubbing as hard as she could, trying her hardest to get all the dirt and filth off of her. As she scrubbed every inch of her skin raw, she couldn't help but think about everything that happened, causing fresh tears to flow. She also couldn't understand what had just happened downstairs. You didn't want anyone to know but you go and tell Malfoy of all people, she thought. She knew all the reasons that she didn't want to tell the professors, Harry, Ron, or Ginny, but she didn't understand why she was so quick to just tell Malfoy everything. After all he would be the one person who would most likely use it against her. You know thats not true Hermione! Hermione scolded herself. He was visibly upset about what you told him. In fact he looked down right furious about it. Who would have thought that Draco Malfoy actually had a heart. Still though this did not explain why Hermione felt it okay to confide in him. She continued to think about it as she scrubbed harder and harder, not being able to get the feeling of dirt, sweat, and grime off. Hermione's sobs started to rack her body as she kept replaying everything over and over again. She finally sunk to the shower floor, not being able to stand any longer, and just cried. She had lost so much in only a few hours, her innocence, her dignity, her self-worth, and for what purpose. What could possibly cause someone to do such a thing to a young girl?

Hermione suddenly felt the water start to run cold and she realized that she needed to get out. She slowly stood up, turned off the water, and stepped out of the shower. As she reached for one of the large, fluffy red towels she caught a glimpse of herself in the full length mirror. She let out a strangled gasp as her hand flew to her mouth, and her sobs came back in full force. She stared at the girl in front of her, not truly believing that it was her. Her normal, alabaster skin was cover in dark black, blue, and purple bruises, the worst being two hand print shaped ones on her thighs. There was a fairly large bruise on her lower jaw, and a smaller one right under her left eye. There were minor cuts and gashes all over her body and face. No wonder Malfoy looked horrified when he saw me. She walked closer to the mirror, picking up her wand on the way. She started to heal all of her cuts using the Episky spell, and then using a small glamour charm, she fixed the bruising on her face and body. After she was done she took the towel and lightly tapped herself dry. Even though she could no longer see the bruises she could still feel each and every one of them. She wrapped the towel around her, unlocked the doors, and walked carefully into her bedroom, stopping to look it over. Everything looked the same. Same furniture, same draperies, same books and pictures. So why did it all look so strange to her, like the room belonged to someone else. This room belonged to the levelheaded, brave, clever, girl, in the pictures lining the shelves, not the scared, broken, shell of a girl that was standing there. She noticed the pajamas she had laid out on the bed this morning before she left. They consisted of a pair of black short, shorts and a hot pink cami with black butterflies on it.

What was I thinking wearing something like that. I share a dorm with a boy, I shouldn't be flaunting my body like that. She grabbed them and threw them into the corner of her room. Hermione then walked over to the chest of drawers, taking out a pair of panties, a pair of light pink pajama pants and matching cap sleeve top, and slipping them on. She pulled her semi dry hair back, not bothering to brush it, and tied it at the nape of her neck. She pulled back the covers and climbed into the bed, clutching Lionell, a small stuffed lion that her parents had bought her, first year, as a congratulations for getting into Gryffindor. Hermione jumped as she heard a knock at her door, and she could feel herself start to quake in fear.

"Hermione? Are you awake? I brought you that sandwich?" Hermione listened to the sound of Draco's voice seeping through the crack in the door. "Hermione? Are you alright?" It occurred to Hermione that she hadn't said anything.

"Come in?" She said. Draco opened the door and stepped inside the room carrying two plates. He had changed into a pair of dark green, plaid pajama pants and a dark green t-shirt, his hair was wet, as if he too had just gotten out of the shower. She looked at him slightly confused.

"Prefects bathroom. I figured I had time, but don't worry I had one of the house elves wait in the common room till I got back. He made the sandwich for you to, said its your favorite." He placed a sandwich in front of her."Dobby said he hopes you feel better." Hermione's eyes shot up.

"You tol ..." Draco shook his head quickly and cut her off.

"No! I promised you I wouldn't tell, and I didn't. Malfoys don't go back on their promises."

"But..."

"I told him you weren't feeling well, and that you thought it was because you didn't eat earlier today." Hermione just stared at him.

"Oh." She looked down at the sandwich in front of her and then back up at Draco, who was looking down at his sandwich with an odd look. "Its called a gobbler." She said softly causing him to look at her.

"A gobbler?"

"Its turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mayo. I had it once when I visited my cousins in America and now its my favorite." She said watching him take a small bite. She watched as he chewed and swallowed, lifting his eyebrows and nodding.

"Thats actually quite good." He said as he took another bite. Hermione watched him for a bit before taking a few bites of hers.

Draco watched Hermione out of the corner of his eye. She was eating slowly, taking small bites, and just staring down at the plate. He noticed that she had healed her cuts and glamored her face to look as if nothing was there. He could, however see her wince as she chewed, showing how tender her jaw was. He watched as she placed the half eaten sandwich on her side table and scooted down further into the covers. Taking this as his cue to leave, Draco stood up and turned to go. He stopped at the door and turned back around, needing to ask a question that he had been pondering since she had left the common room. "Um... Granger. May I ask you something?" She looked over at him with those lifeless, brown eyes and nodded. "Why don't you want to tell anyone what happened but felt the need to tell me?" He watched as she shifted uncomfortably, her hands playing with the edge of her comforter.

"He said Harry had to pay for destroying Voldemort. That he was going to kill me but that violating me would be much worse. He is right. If I tell Harry he will only blame himself and I don't think he would be able to get over the guilt from it. Ron would be furious and most likely do something that would get him either in trouble or killed. Ginny would not be able to keep it from Harry or Ron and I know that she would try to help me through it but she just won't be able to. She could never understand what it was like." Draco knew that everything she said was true and that they would in fact react just as she had predicted.

"So why tell me? I would think I would be the last person you would tell." She stared at him for a moment and it was almost like he could see the wheels turning in her head. He watched as a look of recognition fell over her face, and she finally spoke.

"Your eyes." She said softly. Draco looked at her, both startled and confused.

"My eyes?" She took a deep, shuddering breath before continuing.

"When you asked me what happened, I could see in your eyes that you already knew. Your eyes told me everything I needed to know. They were angry, horrified, and remorseful. They told me I could trust you." Draco nodded.

"Good night Granger." He said as he shut the door behind him and headed off to his own room.

Draco awoke to the sound of Hermione's blood curdling screams. He jumped out of bed, grabbed his wand, and ran out of his room and into hers. He has his wand raised and ready as he entered the room. He looked around to find who ever was attacking her, but instead found Hermione in the midst of what appeared to be a very bad nightmare. From where Draco stood it looked like she was struggling with someone, trying to get them off of her.

"Get off of me! Stop! Please don't! NO!" The sight of her pleading with her dream attacker, brought back all of the earlier anger that he had felt. He could hear the terror that laced her words and he could see the tears of pain as they slid down her cheeks. Draco ran over to the bed.

"Hermione! Hermione! Wake up! Its a nightmare! Wake up!" He gently shook her as he spoke and after a minute she sat straight up, and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing uncontrollably. Draco just stood there, not really sure what to do. He reached around her and gently patted her back as he cleared his throat. "Ahem! Um.. its okay Granger. Just a nightmare, nothing to be afraid of."

"He was there. It was happening all over again. Every time I close my eyes, hes there." She sobbed. Draco scowled at this. When he finally found Antonin Dolohov he was going to make him pay. No one, not pure-blood, half-blood, or mudb .. muggle-born witch deserved to be violated the way she had been. He just couldn't understand how anyone could ever do something like this to a woman. Did they not have mothers, sisters, wives, girlfriends. Hermione's sobs had quieted and she pulled away from him.

"I'm sorry Malfoy. I didn't mean to wake you. You can go back to bed now."

"What about you? Are you going to try to go back to sleep?" He asked. She shook her head no.

"I can't. I know what waits for me if I do." Draco looked at the clock, 2:40 a.m. He was wide awake now so he might as well keep her company.

"Well how about if I sit with you for a bit. Would that be alright?" She nodded, so he pulled over her vanity chair and sat down next to her bed. They were silent for a bit, but then Hermione spoke again.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." Draco gave her a perplexed look.

"Huh?"

"In Hogsmeade. You tried to warn me about the dangers of going off on my own. You were right. I am an ugly, stubborn, hard headed little mudblood." Her words caused Draco to tense up and respond.

"Now you listen to me Granger. I don't want to ever hear you call yourself a mudblood again. Its just not true. You are one of the greatest witches of our time and if the whole impure blood thing was actually true then that would not be possible." She stared at him in shock. Draco Malfoy actually said that her blood status did not matter. "As for being stubborn and hard headed, well that is definitely true, but thats just who you are. Thats the girl that the great Harry Potter and his dimwitted sidekick the Weasel have grown to love. Also I wouldn't go so far to say you were ugly. You are actually quite pretty, in your own way." Draco looked over at her and could literally see the immense shock on her face. "No need to look so shocked Granger. Lets just say that I did a lot of growing up last year."

"What happened Malfoy? How is it that you were allowed to come back this year?" She asked. Draco had been wondering when she would ask him this. After her over reaction on the train, he had thought for sure that she would have been on his case about it.

"Things aren't always what they appear to be. You of all people should know that. After my father's debacle with the prophecy, the Dark Lord turned on my family. In penance for my father's failure I had to complete a few tasks. I was given the task of getting the death eaters entrance into the school, and killing Dumbledore. If I was to fail I didn't have to worry about my own death, but of my mother's. He crucioed her right in front of me to get me to agree." He glanced over at the fragile girl on the bed who was staring at him with fresh tears in her eyes.

"Malfoy. I'm so sorry."

"I fixed the vanishing cabinet and had been working on getting rid of Dumbledore all year, but that was easier said then done. After a while I realized just how crazy the whole thing was. Pure-bloods fighting for a pure-blooded world ruled by a half-blood. Thats when I decided that enough was enough and I went to Dumbledore for help. He and the Order got my mother to safety and we set the trap for the Dark Lord and his followers." He took a moment to take in a deep breath before going on. "Look Granger. I know that you went through something horrific, and you probably feel like your trapped with no where to turn. Just remember though that there are always people there to help you. You just have to give them the chance. Okay?" He sat there waiting for a response. "Granger? Gran..." He looked up only to find that she had fallen asleep. Well now Draco. Nothing like boring someone to sleep. He sat back in the chair, placed his feet up on the bed, and closed his eyes, letting himself drift off to sleep.

Next chapter is almost done and should be up no later then Sunday!