Hermione climbed out of the bath and wrapped herself in a towel. Shivering, she dried off and dressed in front of the mirror in faded blue jeans and a grey long sleeved shirt. She pulled a thick woolly jumper on and a pair of white ankle socks and shoved her white canvas shoes on her feet.

Picking up her towel, she realised that her jeans were looser. All the restricting, exercising and fasting had paid off, even if it had made her absolutely exhausted all the time. Hermione smiled at the thought. That's what she wanted – no, needed – the most right now. Something that set her apart from everyone else, something that made her special. But this had happened before. She'd lost weight, a good amount of it too, and had rewarded herself with food and had ended up on a week-long binge. She'd gained it all back. She sighed. But this time was going to be different because she was going to try her hardest to keep off the weight. There was no way that it was coming back.

Hermione met up with Ginny, Harry and Ron who were waiting to go to Hogsmeade. They walked down the main street and into the Three Broomsticks where they seated themselves at a booth. Madame Rosmerta walked over to take their order.

"Four butterbeers, thanks," Harry said.

"No!" Four sets of eyes darted over to her face.

"I mean, I'll just have water, sorry," Hermione smiled weakly, her face going red under the gazes.

Rosmerta raised an eyebrow, nodded then walked away with a swish of her robes.

Unable to stand being scrutinised by her friends, Hermione excused herself.

"Be back in a sec," Hermione heard Ginny say, before following her to the bathroom.

Hermione tried to hurry without looking suspicious so she wouldn't have to talk to Ginny.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ginny asked once the bathroom door shut behind them.

"What is it with everyone?" She threw her hands up in the air, exasperated. "There's nothing wrong with me. I'm fine."

"Everyone? Who else has asked?"

Hermione hesitated. She wasn't going to be able to explain her conversation, if it could be called that, with Malfoy.

"No one. I'm just talking about the way you all look at me. I really am fine."

Ginny scoffed. "You hardly eat, you seem to have lost weight, you have bags under your eyes and you look even paler than normal," she said ticking each argument off on her fingers. "What is it? Are you having trouble sleeping or what? Too much homework?" Ginny's hand flew to Hermione's arm. "Is Malfoy doing something to you? Hermione, you can tell me anything."

Hermione kept her eyes on the mirror behind Ginny. There were bags under her eyes, but they were hardly visible. Ginny must have been searching for excuses.

"Malfoy hasn't done anything," she lied. His comment about figuring her out had made her restless. She hadn't had a good sleep since then. "I just have so much work to do all the time and I'm always worrying about it. You know me."

Ginny still didn't look convinced.

"And, well, what if there's still Death Eaters out there that want to get back at us? We don't know if we're safe. I'm sure the Malfoys won't do anything by themselves but what if Malfoy gets threatened again and pulls another stunt like last year?" A tear ran down Hermione's check and Ginny hugged her.

"I know." They broke apart. "I'm scared of the same thing. It could be Ron or George or even Mum or Dad next. And then there's Harry and you. It terrifies me. At least Percy, Bill and George are safe, since they live in the middle of nowhere, but-" she trailed off, tears streaking her face.

They hugged again, trying to reassure each other.

"Do you realise how unlikely it is? I mean, the only Death Eater that stayed was Bellatrix and your mum took care of that."

Ginny nodded. "Yeah. We'll be fine, won't we? Come one, the boys will be wondering where we are."

They washed their faces and walked back to the table. Both Harry and Ron were on their second glass of butterbeer. Ginny snuggled in close to Harry and he put his arm around her, smiling. Ron looked away pointedly when they started kissing. And Hermione laughed at Ron's expression.

"Let's leave these two for a bit, Ron. Come on, we'll go to Honeydukes."

Ron and Hermione left for the lolly shop. Ten minutes later, Ron carrying a box of Berry Bott's Every Flavour Beans and a yellow Long-Lasting Lollipop and Hermione carrying a box of Chocolate Surprise to send to her parents, they left the store. They wandered around the town looking in shops but not buying anything else.

"Ron, its six o'clock already. We should leave," Hermione said when she noticed that very few students were still in Hogsmeade.

The warmth of the castle greeted them when they walked through the Entrance Hall and to the Gryffindor common room.

"Your turn, Ron," Hermione said. The two were playing Wizard's Chess at the table in front of the far window. They'd already played twice, Ron winning the first game, Hermione winning the second. She'd only played once before and that was as a rook in First Year.

Ron moved his last rook in front of Hermione's king claiming checkmate. Hermione grinned and used her queen to win the game.

"This game is easy," she said, relaxing in her chair.

Ron grinned back at her, his stomach grumbling.

"Dinner time," he announced while patting his belly. "Built in clock, here."

Hermione started to follow then remembered what she'd discovered earlier that day. She couldn't eat dinner; she had to keep losing weight. She faked a yawn.

"You know, I might go to bed." She yawned again. "'Night, Ron."

She left the common room, smiling at her old dorm mates. People looked at her curiously as she headed upstairs instead of down. Hermione hurried past them, eager to avoid their gazes.

Safe behind closed doors, Hermione let out a long sigh and ran a hand through her hair. Surely her friends were getting more suspicious as she continued to skip meals. She needed more excuses.

Hermione walked back downstairs to the fire carrying her Potions' text book, her journal, a quill and an ink pot.

The past few weeks have been mad. Besides being unconscious for maybe twenty-four hours, I've got so much homework that I'm having trouble keeping up with it all and Ginny thinks something's wrong with me. It's so annoying. In a way, I wish no one would notice or care about me so much. This wouldn't be so hard if they'd go away. But I love them too much.

Good news! I've lost weight! I could tell by the feel of my jeans. I have yet to climb onto a set of scales, though. I'm too nervous.

Now the bad news. Malfoy promised to find out why I'm skipping meals and then ruin my reputation and stop me from being Head Girl! How dare he! And there's no way I'm taking him up on his other offer, to probably keep quiet if I tell him now. Does he think I'm stupid or something?

Hermione stopped writing and shoved the journal under her backside as Malfoy walked past. She watched him as he climbed the stairs then took out her journal the second his door closed.

That was close. Malfoy nearly caught me writing. If he ever gets the chance to get his grubby hands on this journal, I'll never hear the end of it.

I haven't had anything to eat today. Not a single calorie. I'm quite proud of myself, actually. Hopefully I can keep this up.

Homework time.

She shut her journal, opened her Potions' book to Chapter 10: Healing Potions and started to read. Halfway through the chapter, Malfoy walked downstairs. Hermione looked up at the clock. It was ten past ten.

"Where the hell are you going at this time of night?" she asked, incredulously.

Malfoy stopped walking. "I'll tell you when you tell me what you've been up to."

"I haven't been up to anything, you know. It's just your wild imagination making something up because nothing's happening."

"Oh, plenty's happening, you just have to know where to be."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Y-you're not-"

Malfoy's eyes turned into slits as he glared at Hermione. "No. Don't ever mention that again. My family was in danger."

"Well then what are you talking about?"

Malfoy walked over to where Hermione sat on the floor.

"Tell you what; if I show you where I'm going, you'll tell me what's going on. Deal?"

She hesitated. She needed to know where Malfoy was going and what he was doing. He could be lying as easily as she'd been recently. And lying was going to get her out of this sticky situation.

"Fine. Let me put all this away." She gathered her belongings and raced up to her room.

Downstairs again, Malfoy lead the way out of the common room and down to the dungeons. Hermione was exhausted.

"Why are we here? There's nothing here except for the Slytherins," she whined. "You could have just said that this was where you go. I don't want to watch you making out with your new girlfriend nor do I think that it's a good idea for someone like me to go in there."

"Who said anything about a girlfriend?" He flashed a wicked grin. "You're not going to leave my sight until you tell me the whole truth as to why you lied."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "You are so annoying. Lead the way." It might buy her sometime.

Malfoy walked a little further down the hall and stopped, turning to face the wall. Quietly, he spoke.

"Navis Oneraria."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Really? Who chooses these passwords?"

A small section of the wall, roughly the size of a door, moved backwards then slid behind the rest of the wall. A boy with brown hair who looked to be a fourth year greeted them.

The room was littered with Slytherins, mainly fifth years and above, but a few fourth years were scattered around, mainly doing jobs. In the corner on the left there were three desks that had been pushed together to form a bar and was surrounded by people waiting for drinks. The rest of the furniture had been pushed against the walls to form a dance floor that was crowded with students, some of them grinding against each other. Those were probably the ones that had drunk the most.

Malfoy walked over to the makeshift bar, Hermione following close behind.

"Look, I really, really, really do not want to be here. Can't I go? I'll tell you tomorrow."

Malfoy held up two fingers to the blonde girl working the bar then turned to Hermione.

"Why don't you tell me now? It can't be that bad."

"I lied to my friends about this."

"True." He passed her a glass which she held tightly to stop her from shaking.

"Drink it. Maybe you'll calm down."

She sipped the liquid and gagged as it burned her throat.

"What is this? Straight vodka?"

Malfoy grinned.

"Why would anyone want to drink this?"

"Good for the nerves." Malfoy tipped his head back and drained his glass.

"You're kidding, right?"

He turned to the dance floor, leaving Hermione to fend for herself. She picked a quiet corner of the room and sat in it, trying to stay as small as possible. At least no one had come up to her.

She looked around the room. Everyone seemed to be having fun except for her, even the door boy, who was clearly there only to be accepted by the older students.

Over by the stereo four sixth years that Hermione didn't know by name, only by sight, were talking and pointing at Hermione. Hermione felt herself go red as they walked over.

"What are you doing here, mudblood?" spat the tall brunette.

Hermione stood up. "Why's it any of your business?"

"You're a Gryffindor and this is a Slytherin party." She seemed to be group spokeswoman.

"Good observation skills. And here I was thinking that all Slytherins are stupid."

The girl glared at Hermione. "How did you get in here?"

Hermione stood on her toes to see past the girls, thinking that she may as well make this as miserable for Malfoy as it was for her. "See that boy over there?" She pointed at Malfoy who was sitting on one of the black leather couches, talking with Nott. "The blonde one in the black jeans and shirt. He brought me here."

All four girls glared at Hermione.

"Like we're going to believe that Draco Malfoy, who hates filthy little mudbloods like you, let you in."

"Oh, he didn't just let me in. He asked me to come." She looked at each of the girls, straight in the eyes. "Fine, go ask him. Maybe he wanted me to be killed tonight. Who knows?" she said cheerfully.

"Maybe you're right," the brunette said, pulling out her wand. Her friends followed suit.

Hermione whipped her own out.

"Just so you know, I'm older than you, I know more spells, hexes and curses, more dangerous one and I can perform them all perfectly."

She watched as they all lowered their wands.

"I'll be watching you, Granger," the girl said, spitting as she talked.

The group walked away and Hermione decided to get herself out in the open to avoid being cornered again. She ordered a beer and took a seat on one of the armchairs, looking up when Malfoy approached.

"Having fun?" he asked, resting against the arm of her chair, glass in hand.

She snorted. "Does it look like it?" she answered sarcastically.

"Want to leave?"

"Yes," she replied hopefully, sitting up.

"Going to tell me?" he asked, smirking at her expression.

"No," she said, falling back into her seat dejectedly.

Malfoy walked away.

Hermione looked away from him to the dance floor. If she'd been taken to a club she would have gotten up and danced. But since this was not a club and instead held a bunch of people that would gladly remind her of this day and every embarrassing thing she might do while under the influence of alcohol every chance they got, she stayed seated. She took a swig of her beer and nearly vomited at the feeling of alcohol on her empty stomach. And then she did vomit over the side of her chair when she remembered the calorie content of the drink. She placed the bottle on the floor and sank lower in her chair, trying to think why she'd stayed. She couldn't come up with any good excuses to let her off the hook with Malfoy so she huddled into a ball and closed her eyes. The pounding of the music, the vomiting and not having a meal in who knows how long were getting to Hermione. She felt dizzy and little black spots filled her vision.