'This pain is part of being human, the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength'

- Albus Dumbledore

"You have a choice, Draco"

Draco sighed, pressing his fingers to his temple and wishing that the oncoming headache would just go away, he and Granger had been having the same argument for weeks now. After one, unplanned moment Hermione now knew that he was to become a Death Eater, and his initiation into the ranks was approaching. To be truthful Draco wasn't looking forward to becoming a Death Eater, he saw the pain it caused his family to go through and he didn't want to become what his Father had. He shivered at the thought of being caught and being locked in Azkaban for the rest of his life, it was a terrifying prospect.

"I don't Granger, how many times do I have to tell you?" He frowned; he hated having this fight with her.

Hermione rolled her eyes at his stubbornness, "Of course you have a choice Draco. It's your life. Not your parents. Not Voldemort's. It's your choice. You can choose to be the good guy if you want to be. You don't have to fight with the death eaters. Choose to be with us. Choose to be with me"

Hermione smiled, taking Draco's hand in her own and giving it a quick squeeze. Their relationship hadn't been the best recently, but she still cared for him deeply even when they fought or argued. But she had noticed Draco becoming more withdrawn in the recent weeks, he'd often be missing from the Great Hall at dinner and they hadn't been going on their daily walks around the castle as often anymore.

Then she found it. Well, more like felt it.

They had been having a good day, it had been a while since they actually had one, but they had been walking along the edge of the forbidden forest, trying to stay away from the group of students who would point or stare at the fact that they were now together. Their relationship wasn't a secret, but they weren't exactly flaunting it either. Both Draco and Hermione didn't want to draw unnecessary attention to them; they just wanted to enjoy their relationship together.

They had just been walking, enjoying the warm sun on their face and the smell of the freshly cut grass when out of the blue, Draco picked her up in his arms and spun her around. Hermione's laugh echoed around the grounds, drawing a few curious glances their way but the infatuated couple didn't take heed as they were too enamoured with each other to care. Draco placed Hermione back on her feet, himself smiling at the musical sound of her laughter. When Hermione's feet hit the ground her legs began to wobble as she felt so dizzy, so to stop her from falling she grabbed Draco's arms

The mood suddenly sombered as Draco stiffened and then winced at the sudden contact of Hermione's hand on his arm. Hermione didn't miss the look of pain on his face, "Draco?"

Draco didn't answer, he just snapped his arm back in pain and continued to walk again. But of course Hermione wasn't going to let it go, she grabbed his hand and pulled him back. She pushed the sleeve of his shirt up and gasped as she saw it. The dark mark. Her eyes watered as she looked up to Draco.

"You...You're one of them?"

Draco gulped, nodding slowly. It wasn't like he had a choice though! His Mother and Father forced him to go through it, to try make up for the embarrassment the Malfoy family had caused Voldemort.

"Draco"

"Don't Hermione" He grunted, pulling his arm out of her hands

"But why?"

Draco let out a bitter laugh, glaring down at his girlfriend. "Why do you think? I don't have a choice Hermione. It was either this or death"

"You always have a choice Draco. You didn't have to do this!" Hermione sighed, wiping a stray tear from her eye

"Of course I had to! Do you not know what he would have done if I didn't become one of them? Hermione, my family's life was at stake. Voldemort already has enough of a hold on us, I needed to do something to get my family back into his good books"

"His good books?" Hermione's eyes narrowed, "Are you kidding me? He kills and tortures people. All you care about is getting your family back into his good graces to look good again? Draco, this is more serious than that. This is your life. You're parents may think they owe themselves to the Dark Lord and that if they convert you into one of his minions then everything will be forgiven. But this is Voldemort we're talking about, when has he forgiven anyone?"

Draco groaned, this is exactly why he didn't want to tell her. He knew she would react like this, she just wouldn't understand. He ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair. "Hermione, you know it's because of my parents. They asked me to do this...I...I can't let them down"

"That's crap Draco" Hermione crossed her arms on front of her chest, frowning at her boyfriend. "You're parents would understand. I'm sure they would. I could come with you, we can talk to them. Try to get you out of it"

"It's not that simple Granger!" Malfoy yelled, his anger finally reaching boiling point. "And I don't want you to do anything. My parents wouldn't understand you because you're..." He stopped himself before he said, his eyes widening as he realised were his temper was bringing him. And Hermione noticed it to.

Hermione sucked in a painful breath as her tears finally spilled over. "Because I'm what?" She spat, "Go on, you can say it. You've called me it so many times before Malfoy"

Draco winced, he could hear the hurt in her voice, he didn't mean to almost say it. It was only because he was angry, he didn't believe that Hermione was a traitor or mudblood. "Hermione, I'm sorry. I didn't meant to almost say it. I was just angry"

"No, no. Go on" Hermione urged, taking a step away from him. "I'm what. A blood traitor? A mudblood?" she sniffed, wiping away the hot tears that were falling faster with every minute. "I get it, you're ashamed of me. And you're parents would be ashamed of me too"

Draco's eyes widened, "No! That's not it at all. My parents would love you!"

Hermione let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah right"

"Hermione, please. It was a mistake, I didn't mean to" Draco took a step towards her, wanting to wrap his arms around her and hold her close as he apologised a thousand times for making her cry. But she moved away from him, shaking her head.

"Don't" Hermione whispered, her eyes now red rimmed and cheeks puffy with the tears. "Just leave me alone"

With that Hermione turned her back on Draco and ran back to the castle, the hurt she was feeling was unbearable. She didn't know if Draco truly meant it or not, but just knowing that her boyfriend was a death eater now terrified her. She just wanted them to be normal seventeen year old teenagers and not have to worry about a second wizarding war or getting rid of Voldemort. For once she just wanted to not be in any danger.