Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
A/N - Thanks for all the support I am currently borrowing my dads ipad hence the reason updates are not very frequent but I promise to try my best! Shout outs for all those who review in the next chapter! :D
Hermione drifted into her dorm and with a flick of her wand everything was tidied away. She was tired, in fact recently all she has done is sleep, or at least it feels like it but none the less she got changed and made her way to the great hall for dinner.
When she arrived she noticed Blaise sitting with Pansy leaning close together and whispering. Malfoy, Crabb and Goyle sat opposit obviously trying to listen in. Malfoy had his forearms leaing against the wooden table, his head down and focusing on every word being said. As she made her way over she caught the end of Blaise's sentence.
"...I mean there must be SOMETHING wrong, she doesn't seem right, she barely turns up for meals and..."
At that Hermione sat down next to him and he looked up at her, his eyes round noticing in suprise and confusion.
"Granger." Malfoy said, pulling her attention towards him.
"Good evening" she said. Something felt wrong and she couldn't tell what it was.
"You alright? We didn't see you on the train." Blaise asked glancing awkwardly at the others. Hermione suddenly felt cold, icy in fact and her head began to pound.
"No ... I mean yes, I'm fine ...I err.. I'm just hungry."
At that the whole group exchanged a look but it was Parkinson who spoke.
"Come off it Granger, you have been even more odd than usual since the begining of this year. What's wrong? Is daddy not buying you another pony?" She spat towards her, then laughed mockingly before picking up a slice of bread. Hermione felt her hands go cold and prickly as if electricity ran through them. She clenched her fist so tightly around her fork that her knuckles turned white.
"Granger." Malfoys voice brought her back to reality. She glanced up with a heated look and locked eyes with his across the table. It was only then that Proffessor McGonagal tapped her glass and the great room fell silent.
Hermione couldn't consentrate due to the electric icy feeling running through her veins.
"As you may already know, we had to prospone the Griffindor vs Slytherin Quiditch match due to certain circumstances that do not need to be disscussed. I am however glad to announce this match will take place this saturday. Those on the relevant house teams will recieve instructions later tonight." She announced, as the hall broke out in chatter and Hermione only just managed to look up to see Malfoy nod towards her before she couldn't take anymore and rose from her seat. She could tell everyone was staring at her as she ran out of the hall and down the corridor. Slamming her dorm door behind her and collapsing on her bed, she let the burning cold feeling engulf her.
Draco had finished his lessons and was sitting at the fireplace in his dorm when the clock struck 6pm. Out of the corner of his eye he caught the glimpse of the bushy haired girl, wrapped in a traveling cloak runout of the door behind him. Taking in a deep breath he rose from his seat and brushed his robes before walking to the door and out into the dungeon corridor.
It was an anoyingly long journey to the astronomy tower, but when he arrived he realised how important it was that he was here.
Granger sat with her legs pulled up to her chest, looking out across the winter grounds. Malfoy cautiously moved towards her before placing a hand on her shoulder to grasp her attention.
"Granger?" he said softly. Her head turned towards him slowely, again he could see that glassy look in her eyes as she smiled up at him. He watched her rise from the ground so they were both standing, faceing eachother while leaning against the railing.
"Malfoy...i'm so pleased you came, I was begining to think you were waisting my time..." they stared at eachother for a moment "I forgot to wish you a Merry Christmas."
"Oh yes... I have something for you." Malfoy said awkwardly realising he still had the object in his pocket. Reaching into his robe pocket, he pulled out the medium sized box. Hermione glanced at it before taking the silver pastle into her hands. He stood there with stiff shoulders waiting for her to give it back, but instead she slowely untied the emeral ribbon and a unatural smile grew across her face.
"Oh Malfoy, it is beautiful." She announced, holding up the Serpant themed tiara that was silver with a delecate emerald hanging from where two serpent heads joined. "Fit for a Princess." she whispered before placing it on her head. Malfoy stood transfixed. There was something beautiful about the image before him. Maybe it was how well the crown sat on the long icy blond locks, or how the emerald picked out the green in her eyes or maybe the sheer powerfullness of it. Malfoy swallowed loudly before speaking.
"I thought you would like it..."
"It is perfect. Just for me... Pure blood granger.." Malfoy turned towards her, shocked by her choice of words.
"What? What do you mean?" Hermione walked past him slightly, looking behind him over towards the forbidden forest.
"Well, Pure bloods deserve royalty. Infact it makes me sick that there are mudbloods poluting our race." Draco moved towards her, grabing her shoulder and turning her towards him. Their eyes met and Draco's confuse expression dropped into anger.
"What is wrong with you? How can you be so stupid? Pure bloods don't deserve royalty! Besides, Granger.. you are a mudblood. How can you speak about yourself like this?" He spat towards her, holding her shoulders in place, searching for any sings of the sane Granger he once knew. Hermiones eyes grew wide and he swore he saw something flicker within them.
"HOW DARE YOU suggest I am anything to do with that dirt!" She shouted at him, pushing him away from her and making his grip fall from her shoulders.
"What is WRONG with you?! Have you honestly forgotten about youor real life that quickly!? THIS IS NOT REAL GRANGER!" He shouted back at her.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that. I AM THE HEIR OF SLYTHERIN!" At this Draco reached for the tiara and ripped it from her hair, causing Granger to cry out in pain before lashing out towards him. Draco would never normally hit a girl but in this case he wasn't thinking straight and out of self defence he smacked her across the face, knocking her a few feet away from him and onto the floor. His expression dropped and he suddenly felt very heavy.
"Granger?" He whispered at the now whimpering form infront of him. She was curled into a ball, her palm pressed to her cheek and she was shaking violently. He kneeled down infront of her. "Granger..?" He tried again while reaching up towards her face.
She turned towards him and he could see the fear in her eyes as tears ran down her cheeks. A raw mark warming her cheek.
"Help me." She whispered looking towards the floor.
"I'm sorry, i never ment to..."
"Please just help me." She whispered again.
"What do you mean help?" He asked her trying to make eye contact. This time she met his gaze and stared into him, pleading.
"The Chamber has been opened .. Tom - Voldemort.. It is him." She choked out, shaking even harder. He layed his hand on her shoulder, trying to steady her. "It should have been Ginny..It should have...been..."
"Shhh" He hushed her, "Tell me what do i need to do."
"He is going to take me again, I can feel it.. the cold... please just help... the journal.. his journal.."
"Granger... calm down.."
"NOONE MUST KNOW.. wait till the time comes.. the basilisk... the journal needs to be stabbed ...please help me.. he is going to take me..." She sobbed grabbing onto his robes. "I am going to die." She finally whispered before loosing conciousness. Draco held her for a moment, in confusin and panic...he remembered this from his real life. Admitedly he did't know everything about it but right now he understood the redheads place had been replaced by Grangers and he didn't have long.
Scooping her up into his arms he carried her back down to their dorm, before laying her on her bed and letting the Ruby girl tuck her in. Sinking onto his bed, the situation began to become clearer ... he needed to sort out what was going on... he needed to talk to someone ...Potter.