Chapter 2

She never did get her apology.

The next day, Ron acted like nothing had happened at all. He was a little more touchy than usual, but he didn't even bring up what happened.

Hermione decided to let it go, she didn't want him to get upset again. It wasn't that big of a deal anyway.

Ron walked her back to her dorm after dinner, "Can I come in?"

Hermione bit her lip, looking towards the portrait door. "Not tonight Ron. I've gotta get some homework done. This weekend though."

If she was being honest, she was testing him.

Ron smiled and gave her a quick kiss, "Sure no problem. Good luck. See you tomorrow."

She smiled as she watched him walk away and sighed in relief. It was just a fluke last night then. Of course it was. This was her boyfriend. Sweet and kind.

She opened the portrait and walked into her common room to see Draco and Blaise playing a card game.

"Wanna join Hermione?" Blaise asked.

She eyed Malfoy who just looked at her. She shrugged, "Um, alright." She sat down next to them, "You'll have to teach me how to play though. I don't know how."

The boys nodded and started explaining it to her.

Draco, she found, immensely enjoyed games. He didn't even seem to mind that it was Hermione he was playing with. He got really into it and was loud about his every thought and emotion. She found his behavior entertaining. She had never seen him act like this before. She figured it may have had something to do with the bottle of firewisky that was half empty on the table.

Either way, she didn't mind. She was actually enjoying herself. They had assigned prefects to patrols this afternoon, so they didn't have duty anymore.

An hour or so into their game there was a knock on the portrait door. Hermione set her cards down and excused herself.

She was still smiling and giggly when she opened it to reveal Ron standing there. "Hey, what's up?"

Laughter erupted from behind her and Ron peered in. She motioned him into the hallway to talk quietly.

His neutral face turned sour, "Thought you were doing homework. You just wanted to fool around with Slytherin boys instead of me?"

She huffed, "You've gotta get a hold on your anger Ron. You're being ridiculous. Why are you even here?"

He threw her bag on the floor, "You forgot your homework."

"Oh. Right."

"So you want to explain to me what was going on in there now?" He asked expectantly.

She shrugged, "They just asked me to play with them."

"Play with their dicks you mean?" He spat. "So you turned me down just to go jerk them off, huh, you slut."

With the last word, he shoved her hard into the wall. Hermione gasped. "Ron. Stop, please. You're scaring me."

He grabbed her face hard, "I'm scaring you? That's all I ever hear these days. I'm just so mean and cruel, right?"

She inhaled deeply in through her nose, looking up into his face wide-eyed. "Let go of me."

He shoved her away roughly. She rubbed her jaw and ignored her aching back, staring at him.

She broke eye contact first, "You should leave. We'll talk about this in the morning."

"Fine," he scoffed, shoving past her. She stumbled and watched him leave in disbelief at what just happened.

She walked back into the common room. Draco was slumped over on the couch muttering incoherently and Blaise laughed at him sleepily.

Blaise looked up at her, "I think he's done for the night. Will you help me get him upstairs?"

He stood and almost fell over himself.

She smiled in amusement. Drunk boys were silly. "Why don't you go get yourself to bed Blaise. I'll take care of him, don't worry."

He nodded and grabbed his bag to leave. Hermione walked over to Draco and helped him sit up, "Come on Draco, time for bed."

He groaned, trying to shoo her away, "I think I drank too much."

She laughed softly, "You think? Come on, you'll feel better in the morning."

He let her guide him up slowly and she looped her arm around his torso to help support him up the stairs to his room. She kicked his door open and guided the drunk boy inside.

She felt his head drop onto her own as he whispered, "Hermione, I think I'm going to be sick."

She pulled him into the bathroom just in time for him to be sick into the toilet. She looked away trying not to grimace as she rubbed his back. "You're alright."

When she was sure he was done she got up and grabbed a washcloth, dampening it before bringing it back to wipe his face.

She hauled him up and laid him down in his bed.

"Why are you taking care of me?" He whispered.

She offered a small smile, "Everyone needs someone to take care of them sometimes. Besides, you're too drunk to take care of yourself right now. I don't mind."

He looked into her eyes intently, "My father is in Azkaban for life and my mother is grieving for him."

She patted his face with the washcloth again, placing a garbage can next to his bed, just in case. "I'm sorry Draco." And she really meant it.