"Are you okay?" Blaise asked the next morning after breakfeast.

"Yeah I'm fine," I muttered. We walked off to Charms and Blaise didn't mention it again.

Later that day during break Becky and Mitch caught up with me in one of the courtyards.

"Midge, I thought we were meeting in the Great Hall," Becky said.

"Oh...sorry," I replied as I remembered our plans. "I forgot."

"S'okay," Mitch said. "We would've come out here anyway."

"Schyler!" Draco called coming toward us.

"Oh great," Becky muttered under her breath to us. "Just who I don't want to see."

"Be nice," I pleaded. Draco reached us.

"Hey Draco," I said.

"Schyler I thought you were coming with me to the library," he replied. I blinked.

"I...I was?" I asked. "But...I don't remember..."

"She had plans with us, Malfoy," Mitch snapped. Draco's eyes flickered to him before looking at me again.

"Well you don't mind if I just borrow her for a minute, do you?"

"Of course they don't," I said quickly as Becky opened her mouth to reply. I glanced at them quickly as Draco led me back into the castle.

"Draco when did we make plans?" I asked. "I really don't remember..." The next thing I knew, Draco's fist slammed across my face. I shouted in pain and stumbled sideways into the wall.

"What...what was that for!?" I cried as blood flowed from my bottom lip.

"What were you doing with those mudbloods!?" he demanded.

"They're my friends," I snapped. "I'm going to hang out with them." Draco grabbed my shoulders and slammed me against the wall.

"You'll stay away from them if you know what's good for you." I stared up at him, my eyes wide. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. I closed my eyes tightly. Partly to stop the tears that had filled my eyes from falling and partly so that I didn't have to see him. Then the weight of his lips vanished. I stood still with my eyes still shut for several minutes.

Why me? I thought weakly. Why does he do this to me? What did I do? Slowly, I slid to the floor and began to sob.

"Schyler?" Mitch's voice called a while later. I jumped and whipped out my wand.

"Episkey," I muttered pointing it at the cut on my lip. I felt the cut heal a second later.

"Hey...guys," I said scrambling to my feet.

"Schy we were looking for you," Mitch said. "We thought you were coming back. Where'd you go?"

"Oh...um...Draco and I were talking and I forgot..."

"What'd he do to you?" Becky asked. I shook my head.

"N...Nothing."

"Bull."

"Really guys we were just talking."

"Then why were you on the floor?" Becky asked. "And why do you look like you've been crying?" I looked away.

"It really wasn't anything."

"Did he hit you?" Mitch asked. I shook my head.

"No...no I was just...no he didn't," I stammered. "Anyway we'd better go...we'll be late for Potions." Mitch put his hand on my shoulder and I bit my lip to keep from pulling away.

"Schyler if he hurt you...Becky and I won't let him do anything to you. But you have to tell us."

Like they could stop him, I thought.

"Midge are you listening?" Becky asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, don't worry," I answered. "I'm okay." We walked upstairs but when we got to the door to the Potions classroom I stopped and pretended that I had to tie my shoe.

"You guys go on ahead," I told them. "I'll see you in there." I couldn't let Draco see me with them just after he had told me to stay away from them. They nodded and walked in. I waited a few minutes before following and sitting down with Draco and Blaise. Draco lazily draped and arm around my shoulders. I looked down at the table. Draco began massaging my shoulder. I didn't want him to but I was afraid to tell him to stop. I shut my eyes and clenched my fists. I barely heard Slughorn's lesson. I never even looked up at him. My eyes stayed shut for the entire two hours. I was very glad that today was not a day when we had to make a potion.

"You all right pet?" Draco asked as we walked up to dinner. "You were awful quiet in Potions." I nodded.

"I'm just tired," I lied. Draco seemed to accept that answer because he didn't question me about it after that.

"Schyler!" Mitch called after dinner as we were walking to our common rooms. I looked from my friends to Draco.

"Can I...can I just tell them that I can't hang out with them anymore?" I asked him. Draco nodded and I went over to my friends.

"Hi guys," I said. "Um...what's going on?"

"What was wrong with you in Potions?" Becky asked. I laughed weakly.

"Nothing," I said. "I'm just tired." I glanced back at Draco.

"Listen guys," I said, lowering my voice. "Draco wants me to hang out with him more. He wants me to stop being with you guys so much."

"What!?" they both cried. I nodded.

"So on Wednesday I'm going to use those Skiving Snack boxes to get out of Herbology," I said. "Meet me in the Room of Requirement okay? The same goes for Friday. I'll get out of Charms." They nodded and I walked back to Draco.

"Did you tell them?" he asked. I nodded.

"They're kind of upset with me."

"That's all right. You don't need them."