Chapter 21: A Turn of Events
Recap:
Her lips moved gently against mine as she buried her hands in my hair, making me shiver in pleasure.
I had only kissed one other girl in my life, and that was Pansy. And it was only because she forced me to during the Yule Ball. And I absolutely hated it.
But this…
This was sweet and gentle and warm.
I could see fireworks as I deepened the kiss, feeling intoxicated by her soothing vanilla scent.
Finally, we pulled away and breathed heavily as we stared into each other's eyes.
"I love you, Hermione."
"I love you too, Draco."
I beamed as I placed my forehead to hers, drowning myself in those chocolate eyes.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps and voices from outside the door and I immediately pulled away and jumped up.
Hermione still lay on the floor, looking at me in panic before the door swung open.
"Oh. You're still here, Draco." Chad murmured as he walked towards me, eyeing me carefully.
"Well, Chad…I…"
"You filthy Slytherin!"
I whipped around to find Hermione staring up at me, rage etched on her face as she seethed and shook slightly. She was still on the floor but she had curled herself up more, looking almost intimidated and vulnerable.
"How much more could you torture me?"
My eyes widened a bit as she continued glaring at me.
What was wrong with her?
Did she think I tricked her?
Oh god, she thinks I lied to her.
Suddenly, I noticed a strange look of in her eyes as she gazed at me intently, as if trying to pass a message.
"Oh. I see. Nice, Draco. You finally decided you'd have a go at the Mudblood, huh?" Chad laughed.
I looked at him confused for a second before turning back to Hermione.
Her clothes were still crumpled, and she was covering herself with her arms, as if conservatively.
Oh.
I get it.
No wonder she's the brightest witch of her age.
"Yes. Well. After all, you did cast that cleansing spell, so why not just make the best use of her, right?" I chuckled, though I felt sick every time I had to talk like this about my dear Hermione.
"Well, then that's not fair that you had a go and I didn't. So, run along now, I would like to be left alone with dear Muddy." He grinned as he gazed at Hermione with lust-filled eyes.
I felt like punching him square across the jaw right then and there, and then using the Cruciatus Curse on him as well for looking at Hermione like that, but I managed to restrain myself.
Oh no, now what do I do?
I can't show any sign of protest…
But I can't let him hurt my Hermione like that as well…
"Uh…but Chad. Didn't you agree to show me the plans for the Renatusis Spell now?" I quickly spoke before he could go near Hermione.
"I did?" he arched an eyebrow and stared at me with puzzlement.
"Ya. You said you would go through the Spell with me once more. After all, I will be performing it so I need to know everything top to bottom. It needs to be perfect." I quickly spoke, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
Chad looked at me intently for a while before nodding once.
"You're right. The Spell needs to be perfect. You need to be perfect. Come on then." He smiled as walked out of the room.
Once he was out, I heaved a sigh of relief and turned to Hermione who looked equally as relieved as well.
She gave a small smile and motioned me to go. I felt like taking her in my arms again but before I could do anything, I heard Chad call out to me.
With one final glance at Hermione, I walked out of the room.
Hermione's POV
As Draco closed the door behind him, I slowly stood up, adjusted my clothes and made my way to the chair, sitting in it as I held my throbbing wrist.
The pain was rather numb now, and it was just a dull throb.
My back was aching, though, and sitting in the chair just made it worse. But I was too tired to stand so I just shifted around in the chair until the pain in my spine was less.
As I stared blankly at the floor, the day's events replayed in my mind.
Wow.
Draco loves me.
And I love him.
And he's going to stop the Renatusis Spell and save the Wizarding World.
I smiled slightly as the memory of his perfect warm lips against mine.
But then, another thought entered my mind and my smile disappeared.
What if he was lying?
What if he was just tricking me?
What if it was some crazy plan he and Chad made up to play sick mind games with me again?
All these thoughts ran through my mind and at this point, I didn't know what to think or believe anymore.
I wanted to believe that Draco meant everything he said, and really did love me.
But he did torture me a lot these few weeks and he was a very good liar.
I can't easily forgive and forget all he has said and done to me.
I sat there for a long time, just pondering over everything before sleep overcame me and I slipped into a deep slumber.
"Hermione! Hermione, wake up!"
I groaned as I opened my eyes to see Draco's face before mine.
I was still in the chair, but this time I was under a binding spell. It was just like how I woke up every other morning.
But I didn't fall asleep under a binding spell.
Noticing my confused look, Draco spoke up.
"Chad and I came in the night to find you asleep. He realized you were not under the binding spell as usual so he cast it. I removed it once he left, because I knew how uncomfortable you would be, but I had to recast now so that he wouldn't be suspicious when he came in." he murmured, kneeling in front of me.
I eyed him carefully, looking for any sign of lying.
I was still not entirely sure whether Draco was what he claimed he was.
But there was none whatsoever. Instead, he lifted up a plate of fruit.
My mouth immediately watered as I stared at the delicious-looking fruit. All the while I only ate small amounts of bread.
Oh how I longed for those fruits.
"I was able to sneak some in for you. Chad will only be here in ten minutes, so you have to eat fast." He mumbled as he picked up a slice of watermelon.
I was about to ask him how I would eat when I was under a binding spell when he placed the watermelon near my mouth.
"Come on. Open up." He spoke gently as he held up the slice.
I smiled slightly and opened my mouth. He gently pushed the slice in as I bit it. I couldn't stop eating away as he fed me all the fruits. At one point, I nearly bit off his finger.
Within mere minutes, the plate was empty.
"Wow. You have quite an appetite." He chuckled, making the plate disappear.
"You try eating what I've been eating all this while." I snapped, glaring at him.
A look of guilt washed over his face as he cupped my cheek tenderly.
"Hermione…I'm so-"
I shook my head slightly and giggled, cutting him off.
"Relax, Draco. I was joking." I smiled, leaning into his touch.
Maybe Draco really was sincere by what he meant.
After all, he came in earlier just to feed me proper food.
As Draco stood up, the door swung open.
"Ah. Draco. You're here early." Chad exclaimed as he walked in with that same black vial.
"Alright, Muddy. Open up." Chad ordered as he uncorked the vial.
I threw a quick glance at Draco who gazed at me with worry, pain, anger and sorrow in his face from his position behind Chad.
"I said open up!" Chad shouted, slapping me across the face.
I turned back to him, my eyes filled with ears from the sharp sting in my cheek as I slowly opened my mouth.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see Draco with his eyes closed and his head low as he looked almost in pain.
I felt a drop of liquid slide down my throat. My eyes squeezed tightly as the liquid burned my stomach and made me fell unbearably hot. I shook in pain as the potion carried out its horrid tortures on me. All the while, Chad watched me with a smirk and Draco kept his head low and his eyes closed.
Finally, the pain died away and I was left panting as Chad chuckled and walked out of the room, followed by a sad, enraged Draco.
Later that day, the door swung open again and I saw Chad standing there, his usual sadistic smirk on his face.
"Hello there, Mudblood." He laughed as he shut the door and walked up to me.
"Yesterday, Draco had a chance with you. I almost got that lucky before we were rudely interrupted by him. But no worries, we can always pick up where we dropped off." He winked slyly at me.
"How cheap and low can you go?" I muttered, glaring at him.
"Hey, they don't call me the Slytherin Player for no reason!" he laughed.
With a flick of his wand, I was thrown into the wall, just like the day before with my hands and feet chained to it.
"You really are a pretty Mudblood! Pity you'll be dead in a few hours!" He laughed, walking up to me so that his face was mere inches from mine.
I spat in his face, glaring at him with all the strength I had.
He simply wiped the spit away as he seethed at me and struck me hard across the face.
"You dirty bitch!" he yelled.
He yanked my head back by my hair and crushed his mouth to mine. I whimpered as he bit my lip so hard I could taste blood.
He tore at my clothes so violently that my shirt was fully open down the middle, revealing my bra.
He licked down my collarbone, groping and squeezing everywhere.
I was crying hysterically by now as he grinded into me, pressing his body fully to mine. By now, his mouth was on my stomach as I screamed out in protest.
He hiked up my skirt and rubbed my thighs fiercely, licking my belly-button. I kept crying out but it was to no avail.
"HELP! PLEASE! STOP! NO! HELP! NO! PLEASE!"
Chad stood up, his arms still around my waist and chuckled before sliding his hands into my skirt, tugging at the elastic of my underwear.
"Please." I sobbed out, looking at him desperately and helplessly.
"Please? Oh, so you want me that badly? Aw, Muddy, I'm touched. Well, since you asked for it…" he grinned, tugging down my skirt.
I continued crying out until I heard a yell.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!"
I then felt Chad being pulled off me. My eyes were still closed and I heard someone shout.
"STUPIFY!"
I still had my eyes squeezed shut as I bawled, getting rather breathless from all the crying. I was shaking in fear and hysteria.
I heard a soft mutter and my hands and feet were released. I slid down the wall as I continued sobbing.
I felt two arms go around me and I started panicking again, pushing myself out of the arms as I cried in protest.
"Shh. Hermione. It's me."
Two hands cupped my face gently and lifted it up. I slowly opened my eyes to find myself staring at those same warm grey orbs.
"Hermione. It's me. Draco."
I cried out again as I flung myself into his arms. I was just so afraid and traumatized, and the only source of comfort and relief I had was the sanctuary of his arms.
"Shh. It's alright. I'm here now. I got you. You're okay. Shh. I got you." Draco cooed as he rocked me back and forth, one arm tight around my shoulders and the other stroking my hair tenderly.
Suddenly, I heard faint voices and footseps.
I started breathing heavily as the voices and footsteps sounded louder and louder, closer and closer. I gripped onto Draco as tight as I could, my heart racing at a thousand miles per second.
Draco held me close to him and before I could even blink, we were in a small cottage, with the view of mountains outside the windows. I didn't take the time to analyze where we were. Instead, I buried my face in Draco's shoulder and continued sobbing as I felt his arm wrap around the back of my knees.
He lifted me up as carefully as possible and carried me bridal-style somewhere as I kept my eyes closed and my arms wrapped around his shoulders tightly, pressing my face into his neck.
I felt him place me on something soft and plushy and I opened my eyes to find myself sitting on a four-poster bed with silk sheets.
I felt Draco slowly pull away and before he could take another step, I tugged on his arm.
"Please don't leave me, Draco." I sobbed out, clinging onto his arm for dear life.
He cupped my cheek gently with his other hand and placed a soft kiss on my forehead.
"I'm right here, love. Don't worry." He whispered before slowly pulling away and shrugging off his cloak.
Sitting beside me, he wrapped the cloak tight around my shoulders and I pulled it to myself even tighter, now very aware of the state of my clothes.
Draco gently pushed my shoulders down and pulled the warm silk covers over me before lying down next to me and stroking my head gently.
"Sleep, Hermione." He whispered as he kissed my forehead.
Slowly, my sobs died down and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep to Draco's constant gentle stroking.