Author's Note; Thank you so much for reading, following, favouriting and reviewing. I do would appreciate more reviews though;)

As always English is not my first language and I apologize for any grammar and/or spelling issues. I do try to do my best although since I wanted to post this chapter as soon as I finished it this is not heavily edited. I hope you like it nonetheless.

Broken, Not Yet Defeated

Disclaimer: Everything except the plot belongs to J.K Rowling.

Warning; this fic contains self-harm, abuse and coarse language.

Chapter Three

Draco Malfoy was having a really bad night. The seventh year Ravenclaw he had been shagging up until fifteen minutes ago had been a lousy fuck. He had to work hard to reach his climax. How could a girl that was that hot be such a bore in bed? Frankly he was disappointed; he had wanted to shag, Cynthia, if that was her name, for ages. He never would have spent any time on trying to get her into his bed had he known about her lack of skills in bed or even imagination. He didn't know what was worse; the sound she made or the fact that she was just lying there. No this definitely wasn't a good night.

Feeling dirty Draco had decided to head over to the Prefect's bathroom and take a much needed and relaxing bath – he needed to forget about that Ravenclaw girl. And that had been when he had found Granger.

Draco was currently sitting at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall thinking about last night. Why would the Mudblood do such thing to herself? His eyes fell on the bushy-haired girl that was sitting at the Gryffindor table talking and laughing with her friends. She looked nothing like the distressed girl he had stumbled upon last night, whatever was going on with her she was obviously hiding it well.

His thoughts were interrupted by Pansy demanding his attention and he sighed before turning his head to listen to her usual babble. Why would he care about what was up with the Mudblood anyway?

Hermione was sitting at the Gryffindor table surrounded by her so called friends and house mates talking and laughing with them as usual. Ron was telling some stupid story about something everyone obviously thought was funny and even though she only pretended to listen she was laughing with them. Inside though, it felt like she was drowning. She had to get out from there so she mumbled something about getting early to class and then she quickly walked out through the doors. She needed to get out.

Hermione was feeling dizzy and out of breath when she finally approached the Black Lake. The only thing in her mind as she began to take off her shoes and then her robes was to forget so when her feet steered her towards the murky water she wasn't thinking. It would be so easy to just end it all. Everything would go away if she just took that step and united with the cold water. She would be freezing at first but then her release would come.

He did not know what possessed him to do it but as Granger made a quick exit out of the Great Hall he followed her. He regretted that decision of temporary insanity when he found himself at the Black Lake watching her take her shoes off and then her robes. Why was he even there in the first place? And then she wasn't there anymore; she had either jumped or fallen down into the lake whilst he had been standing there consumed of his own thoughts. What if she really had jumped?

There was that insanity again, he thought as he felt himself kicking off his shoes and then tossing his robes on the ground. Draco Malfoy was not a hero so why the fuck was he preparing himself to jump in to the lake and save the Mudblood?

She better be grateful, he thought as he jumped in after her.

At first it had been cold but then the numbness had kicked in and Hermione was now slowly letting go of everything. She felt nothing now. Soon she would be truly at peace.

Goodbye, her last thought was before she lost her consciousness.

"Granger!" someone was yelling her name. Maybe it was someone in Heaven that had been longing to see her? "Damn it, Granger."

Then there was pain, actually it felt like someone had slapped her cheek. Who would be so cruel as to hit her in Heaven? Shouldn't that be a peaceful place? At least that was what she always had thought it to be.

"Granger!" And there it was again, another slap. "Damn it, Mudblood, wake up."

This was hell, she thought. Why would anyone be so cruel as to slap her repeatedly and call her that foul word? It did not make any sense.

Slap!

Slowly Hermione opened her eyes and was met with a pair of silver eyes and a very wet Draco Malfoy. Now she knew for sure that this was hell. But why was Malfoy wet and staring at her with that look on his face? Was that relief in his eyes? Black spots were dancing before her eyes and it did not take long before she lost her consciousness again.

When Hermione opened her eyes she found herself lying in a bed in the hospital wing with Harry and Ron sitting next to her bed.

"Harry? Ron?" she said her throat feeling a bit soar.

Looks of relief washed over her boys' faces.

"What happened?"

"You don´t remember?" Harry looked at her worriedly.

"No."

"Madame Pomfrey said that you fell into the lake, at least according to whomever it was that brought you here. You could have drowned, Hermione!" Ron said.

And I wish I had, she thought but then forced herself to smile.

"So how long am I supposed to stay here? I have classes that I need to go to."

Ron rolled his eyes at her, "That's our 'Mione – always thinking about studying."

"Yeah well I need to live up to my nickname," Hermione said making Harry chuckle.

"Yes Miss Know-It-All you do."

Just then Madame Pomfrey came out from her office shooing the two boys out through the door as she told them sternly that Miss Granger needed her rest.

Hermione lay in bed biting her lip as she thought about what had happened at the lake. She wondered who it was that had 'saved' her. It was then she remembered grey eyes staring at her but then she rolled her eyes – why on earth would the ferret care about her? Draco Malfoy wasn't the type to jump into lakes saving a damsel in distress (not that she had been one), besides they hated each other. Clearly she remembered wrong.

"Malfoy would never do such thing," she said to herself. "I am just a Mudblood to him." She sighed.

"Talking to yourself, Granger? That's the first sign of insanity, you know."

Hermione blinked. Clearly he was just a figment of her imagination because the real Draco Malfoy would never go into the hospital wing just to visit her (and she was the only patient there at the moment).

"Why are you here?" she groaned. "Go away."

"Is that the way to talk to someone who saved your life?"

She blinked again. Malfoy was still there standing at the foot of her bed with his arms crossed over his chest.

"You should thank me."

Brown eyes met silver ones.

"Yeah? Well maybe I didn't want to be saved! Maybe you should have let me drown…" Hermione's eyes widened as she realized what she had said.

Fuck.

"Maybe I should have let you drown then," Malfoy said his lips pressed hard together. "After all it would be one Mudblood less in the world." He said before walking out the door.

"Yes you should have," Hermione whispered before she let the tears she had been holding back fall.