Draco along with the rest of the class walked out of the classroom leaving a fuming Snape behind. Potter had sent him shooting halfway across the room embarrassing the man Snape had sent the boy who lived to the headmaster's office as everyone continued their lesson. As much as he hated Potter, Snape had been bugging him constantly trying to get into his head by means of legillmency Draco had to keep his shield up almost all the time and it was getting annoying. As they walked Pansy was going on about how Potter should learn not to disrespect the only real professor in the school. Unlike Draco, she was still very loyal to their head of house.

He broke away from the group deciding that he would skip the next class and instead just work on the cabinet. It was coming along very well since he fixed up the one at Borgin and Burkes the last scan he did on the magic showed an actual connection it was weak but effective. It made him think of the first couple of apparition classes where they tried to get to the hoop a few feet away and how although it seemed right there taking the smallest step turned you around in a dizzy spell leaving you in an unknown space and missing something if your lucky just an eyebrow. He saw Potter leaving the headmaster's office and turned to try and avoid him but within seconds could literally feel Potter's eyes on him. he looked back but didn't see anything, great he was under the dame cloak. Draco started going up and down different halls and stairs contemplating either pushing or stunning Potter down them.

Hermione carried two butter beers carefully to the table setting one of the jugs down in front of Ginny. They had spent the day shopping for Ron's birthday gift well Ginny did Hermione had gotten her gift for her old friend a few weeks ago just some new quidditch equipment like gloves and pads. Ginny had decided on some sweets a lot of sweets. After three butter beers, Ginny started digging into Ron's gift she was having a great deal of fun with temp suckers licking them and then blowing small things of fire/frost wind or warm wind that smelled like rain. Hermione grabbed the bag away from her scolding her that she wasn't going to have anything left if she kept eating it all. After another round, she convinced the redhead that they should head back. She and Ginny held onto each other laughing as they walked back to the castle being careful of the ice.

Hermione couldn't help but feel like someone was watching them turning her head back a few times she couldn't make out anyone that stood out to her so she just shrugged and continued on. While they crossed the bridge Ginny let out a scream that she forgot the candy back at the three broomsticks. Hermione or maybe Ginny she really couldn't tell slipped and they both went down. Hermione had closed her eyes bracing for a painful impact but surprisingly the fall didn't really happen they did fall but they froze for a bit before going down gently into the snow. They both sat up asking if the other was ok she stood up when someone brushed past her slipping the bag of candy into her hand. She looked up seeing a well-dressed wizard continue to walk past not looking back even as he called that they should learn to hold their liquor or at least how to walk. she slapped her hand over her mouth when Ginny threw a snowball at Theo telling him to sod off. Oh, she is going to have to apologize so much for that one. She held up the bag to Ginny and the redhead gave her a life-ending hug as thanks sending them both back down into the snow.

Draco was once again serving detention in the library this time he was rewriting a checkout book from like 80 years ago into a new book. He let out a small curse as he went why the hell did they even need this done if they were going to make him do things as punishment they should at least make him do things that had a point. He was set up at a random desk in an aisle that was just out of sight even though it was basically in the middle of the place. He was mindlessly writing the names of past students when he almost dropped his quill when he heard Potter and Weasley's voices calling out to Hermione. How long had she been here? Just in the other aisle, he listen to them talk and joke as they did their homework. He snickered when he heard Hermione reading the weasel paper out loud. turns out he had been using a joke quill that he got from his brothers shop the fool even spilled ink all over it trying to fix it. He listened to Hermione laugh and tell him that she will fix it. Draco smiled thinking that she's too nice and should just let the git fail. His smile fell when he heard the Weasle say he loved her. Draco stabbed the book staining the page he had been working on and even a few more he was sure. He let out a groan watching the ink slowly grow. unlike Hermione, he wouldn't be able to fix it since he didn't have his wand.

He continued to listen as she just laughed the weasel's profession off. unlike her, he didn't take it as a joke no that little git was testing waters that he shouldn't be anyway near. That flecked red-headed little bastard already had a girlfriend why couldn't he do his fucking homework with her? Draco wanted to take a peek through the shelves but no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't see them. he went back to work as he heard them pack up and leave, he was just able to make out the last words Potter said before they got too far, death eaters.

Hermione and Theo were doing their regular practice by the forbidden forest she brought him flavored chapstick that her parents had sent her in their last care package as an apology for Ginny. She noticed that he had been acting weird he clearly wanted to say something but every time it looked like he would he instead just talked about something random in a way too obvious way. After she felt that things were a little too tense so she made him play in the snow with her for a bit making snow angles and changing the color of snowflakes as they fell around them.

they headed back to the castle laughing but as they got to the point that they usually broke apart Theo looked uncomfortable again. " ok really what's up?"

"It's just I think you should be more careful I don't like the thought of you walking around alone." He didn't meet her eyes as he spoke.

"wait why?" she tried to read anything from him but she just couldn't, was there something he heard about the death eaters? " it's just the attack on the Weasleys I…." Theo didn't seem to know what to say nervously rubbing his neck. " Theo do you know something?" she took a step toward him but he just shook his head.

" no. I'm just…. Things are getting real really fast." Hermione grabbed his hand giving it a squeeze " hey it's ok I will be careful but come on you really don't need to worry there aren't any death eaters at Hogwarts, it's the safeties place around with Dumbordore here ." Theo still didn't look at her but held her hand a little tighter.

Hermione was finishing her rounds it had been a bit of a busy night. In truth tonight was Ron's night but since his birthday was in the morning she decided to work it for him. besides, it was always easier to head to the room of requirements from patrol than the tower. She sent Draco a message as she walked to the room letting him know she would be there in just a bit. Tunning the corner she saw him leaving the room to meet her she felt a smile break out on her face as she quickened her steps. but then she saw the door disappear as he walked away from it he then started pacing the area again she stopped and watched as another door appeared. Draco then looked up clearly surprised when he saw her standing there watching him.

"what's going on?" she inquired getting closer.

" just getting our room ready."

"what room were you in before?"

"It's nothing, come on" he grabbed her hand leading her into the room she followed but wasn't going to let it go. "really Draco what was the other room?"

" it was nothing I was just messing around giving vague commands and seeing what the room gave me." The room only gives people what they need or really want so just vaguely asking for things wouldn't really work. it was why she thought it was kind of funny but sweet that he got a bed in the study. " so how was your day? You said you had a test in advance arithmancy today right, did you correct any of the problems again?"

" Ummm no just solved them feeling pretty sure I passed with flying colors, what was the other room?" he let out a sigh tossing some of his clothes aside telling her it was nothing clearly brushing her off. She picked up the discarded clothes and noticed the dust on his robe. Where did he go, he hated getting dirty. She knew he wasn't going to tell her though so instead she just set the clothes aside and walked to the bookshelf grabbing a book. " I thought you finished that paper before the break?"

" yeah but it's all still interesting." She shrugged flipping through the book she heard Draco move about behind her ignoring him.

she felt him wrap his arms around her middle moving her hair so he could rest his chin on her shoulder and gave the book she was holding a quick look. " mmm well if you're going to read lets at least do it in bed, I'm tired and really want to lay down." He tried moving her with him but she didn't budge. Draco let out a sigh "what's wrong?" Hermione didn't answer him right away instead continuing to mindlessly flip through the book. " there are things your not telling me." She felt Draco shuffle behind her " are we telling everything to each other?" he asked almost mockingly.

Ok yeah, that's true there are plenty of things she's not telling him. but it bothered her that he was so obviously not telling her something and even trying to avoid it when she had seen it whatever it was, then brush her off when she tried to ask. She felt a little mad and stupid that she wanted to know so bad but also that he was putting so much effort into hiding it from her and trying to avoid it altogether. She thought of earlier how concerned Theo had been he was clearly worried that there was a danger in the school though that seemed silly to her. but maybe there had been talk amounts the Slytherins maybe just rumors. she took a breath readying herself for what she was sure would be stupid and most likely cause a fight. " have you heard any rumors lately, about death eaters or danger in the school?" the moment she felt Draco stiffen then let go of her she knew it was a mistake.

" The fuck Hermione, so my father gets labeled a death eater and you think I'm in their fucking gossip circle."Hermione turned opening her mouth to try and say something but Draco was still ranting. " oh yeah all of us down in the dungeon have tea and sandwiches as we go over whos plotting what, and whos in charge of what attack, hell Greengrass is in charge of the dame bakesale to gather funds to support them!"

"Draco."

" yep we fucking trade cards with OUR FAVORITE MEMBERS AND ALL THE DEEDS THEY"VE DONE, IN FACT, I'M A FUCKING HONORARY MEMBER SEEING AS I'M THE SON OF A DEATH EATER!" Hermione felt tears threatening to escape her eyes as Draco continued to scream at her

"Draco I"

"NO!" he cut her off " the Slytherins are all pro death eater and planning to take over the dame school and I'm the fucking leader, good job you figured it out, and congrats on being a death eater whore!" Hermione felt like those words physically slapped her because that was what she feared Harry would feel if he learned she was seeing Draco.

why was he being like this she knew that his father was a sore subject for him but she didn't mention him she just asked about any rumors. Everything felt much more intense because her bracelet was pounding causing her own heart to race in an unpleasant way. She couldn't understand why he was acting like this all he had to say was no. her mind was spinning she wasn't sure if she was sad, mad, guilty or what. "fuck you Draco all you had to say was you haven't heard anything, I only asked because others have been saying things."

"oh like who, fucking Potter, he needs to get his fucking head checked I know he's been basically obsessed with me this year, telling everyone he can that he thinks I'm a death eater hell he even accused me of cursing that Bell girl." Hermione didn't have anything to say to this it was true that Harry had thought that Draco was a death eater but she knew that wasn't true there would be no benefit for him to be with her in any way if he was associated with them she'd even seen his arm there was no mark he wasn't a death eater.

" no there are others in the school who have been worried about all the death eater activity and have been talking, so I had just wondered if you had heard anything that all, I know your not a death eater hell I've told Harry that plenty of times." She could see Draco become less tense as she spoke though still breathing heavily, she also relaxed a little she took a step closer to him trying to think of something else to say. "your not like your father." That was a mistake Draco literally shoved her knocking her into the shelves behind her.

Hermione looked up at him wide-eyed her hand instinctively went to her wand. she didn't draw it but kept her hand on it. Draco looked just as shocked and wide-eyed as her hell he even looked terrified. She straitened refusing to seem weak at this moment. "but you are a fucking bastard." she tried to make sure her voice didn't shake but she was aware that her voice was barely over a whisper. Draco took a step toward her " don't fucking try and come near me after that!" She didn't need to say what it was they both knew what he did. even if he didn't mean it even if he had just done it in anger. It was still wrong she gathered her stuff rushing through the door not looking back as she heard him yelling her name.

Hermione made it back to her room pulling her bed curtains closed so no one would see her. she cast a silencing spell so no one would hear her small stubborn sobs that she didn't want to escape. She hated that things were like this that she liked Draco and that he could hurt her. she should really hurry and just end things with him end all this fucking mess of feelings just focus on school and helping Harry. She felt the bracelet still beating fast and hard. She unclasped it holding it in her hand for a time before she set it under her pillow. She couldn't handle a second heart right now. Hers was enough of a storm. she didn't get any sleep just switched between crying and staring into her pillow. The next morning she had no desire to get out of bed as she listened to her roommates get up talking happily before heading out Lavandar excitedly talking about Ron and his special birthday plans that she made. She continued to lay figuring it would be better to stay here rather than dampen anyone else day. She must have fallen asleep at some point because she was awoken by Ginny yelling for her and crying as she burst into her room. Hermione tore the curtains away seeing her friend in a panic. "Hermione it Ron!"