Disclaimer: I will always just own my plot!

Ch. 28

After a day of ridiculous note passing, hearing gossip about me, fighting with Harry, and classes, I was dead tired.

I was tired of everything.

I just wanted to get to my dorm, have a bath, and then curl up into my bed.

At least that's what I had planned. But the things I planned always seemed to have a way of getting fucked up, didn't they?

Somehow, almost out of nowhere, someone had managed to catch up to me on the way to my room. It was nine o'clock in the evening, and everyone was at dinner, which I had skipped. I wasn't hungry. I was numb and tired. The person rested a light hand on my shoulder, stopping me in my hurried tracks.

"Hey", they whispered.

The voice sounded oddly familiar, as if it was something that I had forgotten. I turned around and elicited a small gasp.

Merlin.

I hadn't expected to see Dean. I hadn't seen him since the horrible night that had been the Winter Ball a few days ago. I had managed to ignore him since then. We hadn't had any contact since that night that I had walked out on him, and I certainly wasn't planning to have any more with him.

He smiled slightly at me, and for once, he looked nervous.

I stared at him unblinkingly. I didn't know what to say. I almost had to fight the urge walk away from him. What could I tell him really? Sorry for going to the ball with you to make Ron jealous, and then kissing you while I was drunk? Or that Ron and I weren't friends anymore?

Both of those statements seemed utterly pointless.

When I didn't say anything, his smile faltered.

"Alright then?" He asked me, taking his hand off of my shoulder and dipping it into his pocket. I stared at him impassively. My train of thought seemed to have vanished, along with my voice. There was a long, extremely awkward.

"Guess not", he murmured, and he gave me a strange look. "And I'm guessing you don't want to talk to me either."

Silence.

Dean exhaled, and with one last look at me, began to walk away.

I reached out and grabbed his arm, and he paused for a moment, looking at me incredulously. He probably thought I had some sort of severe personality disorder, with the way I was behaving. One minute I was all over him, and the next I was completely pokerfaced? I didn't blame him; it did seem a bit odd, not to mention twofaced...

But just because I was feeling like crap didn't mean it was Dean's fault, or that I had the right to take it out on him. After all, I had kissed him.

"Sorry", I muttered, looking down at the stone floor. "Not having a good day."

He turned to face me completely. "I understand...we all have those days." He smiled slightly, a lot happier now that I hadn't let him walk away. I really didn't think he understood. I didn't expect him to. By bad day, I meant bad week. Bad month, even.

"Sure we do", I replied, still thinking. I heard myself laugh faintly. Dean stared at me for a moment and I realized that he was closer than he should be. We were only inches apart. A tiny smile traced his lips.

I had forgotten how good looking Dean was. His eyes were a dark, warm, amber liquor color, and his skin was a naturally tanned and bronzed. He had perfect features; ones that I hadn't failed to appreciate during the Ball. I had barely been able to keep myself from taking him right then and there on the table! I winced inwardly at the thought.

But then again I had been drunk, and sought out on a stupid, unorganized plan to make Ron jealous. There was something in his eyes that I couldn't quite decipher. I shrunk back a little, into myself. I couldn't help but be a little self conscious, the way he was looking at me.

"What?" I asked, insecurely brushing a piece of hair behind my ear. Dean bit his lip, the edges of his lips still slightly lifted up. He seemed to have snapped out of his reverie at my comment.

"Nothing it's just…I haven't really been able to talk to you since the ball and I thought you would turn me away. But I'm glad you didn't. I'm pretty surprised actually." He admitted, looking like shy child. It was sweet of him, and had it been any other moment or situation, I would've been momentarily distracted by his always adorable grin.

But this wasn't the case.

"I'm not shocked you're surprised", I muttered. "But you have to understand why I didn't try talking to you…after the way I acted."

Dean nodded quietly, and I could hear the crickets chirping outside from an open arched window beside me. "I just hope you aren't too upset at me. I shouldn't have let you have any firewhiskey", he admitted.

I nearly snorted. How could he possibly think that what I had done was his fault?

"It's really no fault of yours, Dean. I basically snatched the bottle out of your hands!" I replied embarrassedly . I didn't want him to feel guilty, but judging by his expression, he seemed very guilty indeed.

Dean sighed, seeming frustrated with himself. "Yeah, but so what? I was your date, I was supposed to look after you and make sure you were alright!" He stressed. He paused for a moment.

"I'm sorry Hermione."

He looked so genuine it hurt. I took his hand. I was not going to let him blame himself. I had been extremely stupid that night, and I had done it all to make Ron jealous.

I really needed to sort out my priorities.

"I really appreciate it, Dean. But you don't have to be. All of this is my fault. I drank because I wanted to make Ron jealous. It was stupid, and I do regret it, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to take responsibility for it."I told him firmly, my brown eyes meeting his dark amber ones. He squeezed my hand. I paused for a moment, my eyebrows creased in thought. "And I'm sorry for kissing you." I bit out.

Dean looked at me, seeming so shy that he had to look at me from underneath his eyelashes. The small smile returned. "Do you regret that too?" He mused. He seemed to look a little more determined now.

My breath faltered. I didn't know if I did or not.

I also hadn't expected him to bring it up. "What do you mean?" I asked quietly, trying to give myself sometime to think. He stepped closer to me. A few inches closer and my hands would easily be able to brush against his robes.

Dean gazed at me, his eyes full or warmth as he spoke. "I mean I don't." he paused.

I stared at him, and I reckoned my eyes looked like saucers. "You don't?"

He shook his head, smiling now. "Not at all."

I remembered the way Dean had looked at me after I had kissed. He had looked slightly taken aback, but under so much alcoholic influence that he was satisfied. I thought it wouldn't last, and therefore, I had chosen not to worry about it. I couldn't really bring myself to regret the kiss though. It seemed to linger on the more I thought about it. As slag-like as it sounded, I didn't quite mind.

I didn't really know what I was doing.

"I suppose I don't either." I murmured. I needed to be more decisive. Dean seemed to light up at my answer. He smiled so big that it must've hurt his cheeks.

"Great! Well how about we start fresh?"

"Sorry?" I asked. My brain seemed to have shut down. I was drawing blanks. Dean shrugged.

"Do you think I could see you again? Like a date, I suppose."

Dean wanted a date? With me?

I wondered why. Apparently he couldn't see what a broke down mess I was. I couldn't bear to hurt anyone else's feelings. Maybe saying yes to Dean would work out for the best. After all, Dean was a perfectly attractive, charismatic boy. One date couldn't possibly hurt! There was no agreement or commitment, no contract.

No drama.

I could make decisions for myself.

"Yes", I told him firmly. "I wouldn't mind that."

He smiled again for what would've probably been the thirtieth time in our short encounter. He seemed so happy about it. About what exactly? The fact that he had a 'date' with me? My brain was fuzzed and I couldn't think clearly, so instead, I took the moment to count each one of his shiny, white, perfect teeth.

"Brilliant", Dean murmured merrily, and before I could open my mouth to come up with some half assed reply, my head was against his chest and his was against my hair. Caught by the surprise of the hug, I felt myself stiffen for a millisecond. Not wanting to give him the wrong idea, I quickly switched my body language. I wanted to sigh and lean into him. I hadn't been hugged in a long time now it seemed, and I had missed the contact.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Sighing almost too tiredly than I would've liked, I tentatively and awkwardly patted a part of his upper back that I could reach, somewhere around his shoulder blade. Why was I feeling so numb?

He must've understood, because as soon as I did, he let go of me and stepped back a few inches. I smiled at him, hoping that I didn't look too grim.

"I'm really sorry for acting like this Dean, I don't know what's gotten into me. I suppose it's just been a long day." I paused. I saw his eyebrows quirk up slightly. He seemed to be a bit confused at my actions.

Once again, I didn't blame him.

With the best manners I could, I decided to depart back to my room.

"Well goodbye", I replied, rather abruptly.

I didn't wait for words then, but instead, gave my back to him and began walking down the hall and up the stairs to my dormitory.

"Bye", I heard him call after me a few moments later.

I must've been tired. So tired I could barely mumble the password to my dormitory. As soon as I got in, things began to blur, and my eyes became unfocused.

Was there something wrong?

You're tired Hermione. Just tired.

I couldn't think. I couldn't function.

Couldn't see.

I hit the bed face first, and my face submerged into the pillows. Everything dimmed vaguely.

And then it went black.

VVVVV

The last class of the day had just ended, and I had hurried out of there faster than anyone else.

I didn't want any questions.

I paced myself down the hallway. If I got to my room fast enough, then I could avoid Blaise.

"Draco!" Someone called after me.

I swore inwardly.

Speak of the Devil.

It looks like I hadn't been fast enough, because before I had halfway reached my room, Blaise had somehow caught up to me. He placed a rough hand on my shoulder and whirled me around to face him, a suspicious look tracing his face.

"We need to talk."

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "There's nothing to talk about, Blaise."

Blaise's eyebrows rose. "Oh really? Well maybe you've forgotten about how you were passing notes to Granger in the middle of class earlier today?" He retorted, as sarcastic as I had ever heard him.

I shook my head. I wasn't going to put up with Blaise and his antics right now. I didn't have the patience for it. I went to walk away from him and he grabbed my shoulder again, but this time I shrugged him off, just as roughly has he had grabbed me.

"Not today, Blaise", I warned him, and I could hear my voice become stern.

He laughed sardonically, but nonetheless took his hand off of me. "I suppose you don't realize what you're doing. Excuse me for wanting to inquire why my best friend was going around passing notes to a Mudblood –"

"Don't call her that!" I spat out, before I could even register what I had said. I repressed the sickening urge to clasp a hand over my mouth, and I bit the inside of my cheek, hard. I could taste slightest sliver of copper on my tongue. Blaise scoffed.

I wanted to punch him, or even worse, turn my wand on him.

"Are you joking Draco? What's happening to you? What would your father say? I don't know what's going on between you two, but it's definitely not something I would expect you to want." He retorted.

Rage flashed over my eyes, I was beginning to see red.

How dare he? How dare he assume that I was joking? How dare he have the audacity to try and tell me what I could and couldn't do? Out of all the people that had ever judged me, I had never expected to hear Blaise talk to me like this. He was aware of everything that had happened to me, everything that had happened last year and during the summer –

Mid thought, a flash went through my head and I couldn't restrain the image of a hairless, almost glowing face with snakelike features, teeth curled up in a wicked smile so similar to a grimace that it was hard to tell as I writhed on the floor in mind blowing pain, my father smirking over me and my mother in tears in the corner of our large drawing room, to weak and terrified to beg for my mercy –

Blood rushed to my ears at the memory, and I winced, closing my eyes for a moment, cringing painfully.

I could still hear my mother screaming, mixing in with my loud, uncompleted, and multiple cut off pleas for the pain to stop.

Managing to escape from the memory, I opened my eyes. Blaise was staring at me, torn between being angry and confused.

He had never brought up my father, only I had. And the fact that he had chosen this moment to do so, right after calling Hermione a Mudblood was something I could hardly bear. In a way, he had broken our unspoken agreement. I didn't bring up his murdering, many- timed widow of a mother if he didn't bring up my worthless, power hungry father.

I supposed I couldn't blame him for calling Hermione that horrible name. I had used it more times than I could count, on her especially, during our earlier years at Hogwarts. To not admit that I had would make me a hypocrite, something I fought not to be when necessary. This year was different, for many reasons, and I wouldn't let Blaise or anyone insult the girl that had helped me change, without even noticing it herself.

It was a work in progress.

"Look, Blaise." I said quietly, bringing a hand up to my hair and running through it. I had a habit of doing that when trying to figure something out. "I don't blame you for being confused at my actions. I wish I could explain them to you, but I couldn't even if I tried. You just have to understand that Hermione and I are friends now. If you were to tell me that this year would've turned the way it has, I would've probably given you the same reaction you just gave me. I didn't ask for any of this. She's helping…" I finished, the last sentence almost inaudible.

Blaise's expression had changed from the beginning to the end of my response, and his features had softened considerably. He still looked a bit skeptical, but it seemed as if I had gotten to him.

I would eventually.

Blaise paused for a moment. "You're sure about this?" He pondered.

I nodded. He had seemed to relinquish his stubborn opinion that what I was doing should be looked down upon.

"Well I'm not going to ask for details then. This is your choice, and if you want to be friends with her, then I guess I can't stop you. I'm still going to be here for you mate." Blaise shrugged, but his face was still significantly serious.

I exhaled freely, as if a huge weight had been released from my chest. He would learn to understand, I supposed, and I was glad he wasn't asking to be aware of everything; things were already complicated enough. Although Blaise didn't like her, he seemed to stand her enough for me to be friends with her.

Blaise punched my shoulder, his playfulness returning. He grinned. "I know you weren't planning on skipping dinner, were you? Not when you could be in my presence."He said, and his air for dramatics had returned.

I smirked. "You're just scared to be alone with Daphne." I taunted, as we turned in the other direction, heading to the Great Hall for our meal.

"Shut it paleface", Blaise muttered, but the smile remained on his face.

As we headed to the Great Hall, I felt loads better, almost relaxed. Now that Blaise knew about Hermione and me, I wouldn't have to be as wary about it. I now had the opportunity to engage in my friends' antics without having a constant cloud over my head. I felt a small smile present on my lips.

I knew I was friends with Blaise for a reason.

VVVVV

I was shaking, trembling, writhing in pain.

"Please! –" I screamed aloud, but before I could complete my sentence, the word I was most fearful of at the moment was whispered again.

"Crucio."

There were nails, small, thick iron ones gouging into my skin, drilling into my bones on their own accord.

Thousands of them.

I screamed in pain again and a blood vessel in my throat popped from the pressure. I tasted blood, I was choking on it, and it was trailing out of my mouth and into my nostrils and hair, making my golden, chocolate brown tendrils streaked with red, along with my tears.

I was hanging upside down, magically levitated and flipped as if I was a piece of meat being cured. My clothes were torn, stained with blood and dirt. There was an enchanted rope for extra measure, wrapped around my ankles to keep me from moving. From the force of the curse, I was swaying slightly. The room I was being tortured in looked slightly familiar, as if I had been here before. It was fancy, and extremely large, monstrous portraits of pale faced, and equally pale haired people adorning its walls. It was also adorned with many antiques. A familiar table laid face up in the corner, thick chains and cuffs hanging threateningly from it.

So familiar.

However, I didn't have time to recall any thoughts of it or to recover from the pain when another cloaked, masked figure stepped up to the plate and attempted to make me scream louder than any of the others had.

"Crucio", this one murmured, and although his voice was colder, I noticed his grey blue eyes underneath the adorned mask, but they seemed tainted, unnatural, almost demonic –

"No!" I wailed loudly, as the feeling returned, fiendfyre-like this time, a burn so intense that it made my blood visibly boil underneath my skin, blistering me.

This wasn't happening. It couldn't be him.

No. No way.

As I rotated in a full circle, helpless and still burning, I caught sight of Fenrir Greyback crouched in a corner of the dimly lit room, teeth bared, his dirty hands rubbing against one another, barely able to control himself at the sight of my blood, and the strong, bitter, metallic smell that came along with it.

Suddenly there was flash against my eyes and I was engrossed in my own mind, locked by the images that were emerging.

There was a cackle and a hiss, and multiple forearms adorned with a black, poisonous image of a snake slithering out through the mouth of a skull – A flash of green light, white hot fire – a large, vein-less, long-nailed hand placing an ivory bone, joint handled wand into a pair of trembling, pale ones – Draco's face paler than I had ever seen it, frozen in terror –

There was one word spoken before I saw the wand being pointed at me, before the final curse was uttered.

"Granger", Draco said, whispering my name, his voice sounding choked and constricted. There was a harsh breath and a loud hiss swallowed his words, making him inaudible, but I watched, watched his lips move, saying a word that started with the letter 'A' and another with the letter 'K'. I was screaming.

There another flash of green light, this time directed at me, and before I could protest, I felt the enchanted rope give way and I fell, hurling towards the ground –

My eyes shot open before I could hit the ground with a sickening crack, before the blood could spill out of my head. I gasped, shrieking, grasping my throat with pale white hands, begging for the air that was oh so slowly entering my windpipe. There were tears covering my pillowcase, streaming down my face, and the bloody half-mooned ridges had found their way back to their old home in my palms.

I was afraid to close my eyes again.

Stumbling, my feet pounded as I ran to my bathroom, and knelt over the toilet. I wretched and brought up sick from an empty, spinning stomach. I was sobbing now.

I was afraid.

The dreams had returned again, and this one had been the worst of them all. I couldn't myself to bring myself to comprehend it, but I knew that this was no ordinary dream, no result of fatigue or late night snacks.

This was a nightmare, worse than that even.

I didn't know what it meant.

I didn't know what time it was, or what was really going on.

I wretched again, and as I spilled my empty stomach's contents into the toilet, the hissing returned, rushing to my ears. I cried out.

What was happening to me?

VVVVV

Hey guys! I know it's been awhile since I've updated, I wish I could update more! I was sick today and didn't go to school, so I had some free time. Sadly, I have midterms next week, so I won't be able to update till the week after exams. Luckily, I hope this chapter can tide you over, and I also have a Dramione one-shot on my page if anyone's interested. Comments or concerns? Feel free to leave reviews, ideas, or constructive criticism! Love to all!