Here it is! I am soooo excited and nervous to be sharing this one with you guys. This is the scene that wouldn't leave me alone and started this whole thing.

Obviously, I hope you love it as much as I do!

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Hermione stood under the scalding spray of water from the shower in the Prefect's bathroom, letting the warmth ease the taunt set to her muscles for what felt like the hundredth time that night. Between Ron and Harry she wasn't sure if the Death Eaters would ever get their chance to kill her, not if the impending heart attack did her in first. Thankfully Neville had restrained her from cursing the manhood from McLaggen for the bludger to the head that had knocked Harry from his broom during the Quidditch match earlier in the day.

She'd had to leave both of her friends behind in the hospital wing. Unable to wait for Harry to wake because of Madame Pomfrey strictly enforcing visiting hours, she had quickly decided she needed to avoid the noisy chatter of the common room and dorms. Every single time she'd tried to concentrate on her studies, someone else had come up to inquire about the Gryffindor Captain's well-being. So it was unlikely she would have been able to accomplish much more than gossip anyway…

With little thought behind it she had fallen back on what was fast becoming another of her standby excuses, but instead of slinking up to visit Draco, she had followed through and already finished up a lengthy hygiene regime. The one that most girls her age engaged in regularly, yet she had deemed silly long ago. She had shaved, exfoliated and conditioned every inch of her body. It felt hedonistic to allow herself the luxury when she normally only soaked in the bath with a book.

Her newly bare skin was like satin and extra sensitive to touch. There was an alien softness to her robe as it rubbed across her back as she double checked her work in the mirror. The chill in the air seemed sharper than usual when she slipped it off altogether and stepped back into the hot, almost burning, lure of the water. Each sensation had sent a shiver down her spine that centered in that spot deep in her stomach. She had not guessed that she would feel so... so sexy, when she was done.

A welcome surprise, considering the effort put in. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feeling of water hitting her scalp. The way the extra weight flowing through her curls tugged them down, vaguely reminding her of the feeling of having a certain set of hands pulling on them. Idly she ran her hands across her stomach, choking back a moan, but didn't dare go any farther with the audience she had.

The "sleeping" mermaid positioned across the room could not see her but was still enough of a deterrent to stop her from doing anything more than the perfunctory necessities. She let her hands fall back down to her sides and sighed as she tried to keep her concentration on more tedious thoughts.

Just as she was going to reach forward and turn the shower off a disturbing rustling hinted that she was no longer alone. Before she could attempt to evaluate her surroundings or even go for her wand that sat nestled in the pocket of her robe, a distorted voice reached her under the stream coming from the faucet. "Leaving so soon? I was about to join you..."

Even warped as it was, she knew who the voice belonged to without looking. An odd mixture of relief and crossness swept the last remnants of libido from her system as she stepped from the warmth and glared over at the speaker. "What are you doing here, Draco?!"

"I... uh... I came to talk to you." The smug act melted away as he stumbled over his confession. As if ashamed, he stared down at the floor for a moment, his jaw clenching before he continued. "Potter got himself laid up in the hospital wing so it isn't like he can spy on me tonight. So our little secret is still perfectly safe. I just... I can't talk to anyone about... Anything that is going on and... I needed to see you."

Any unfavorable emotion was quickly forgotten as just how strained he sounded sunk in . She took slow deliberate steps towards him. Completely naked and dripping water, her concern stifled the ordinary decorum that would cause her to care. "I am here. What... What happened?"

When she finally stood directly in front of him and was able to take a proper appraisal of his condition, she was shocked at the difference from the person she had gone on a "date" with only a week ago. Most startling were his eyes... Red from crying and framed by dark circles that betrayed how long it had been since he had slept last, there was a fanatical gleam to them. She was struck with the illogical desire to be able to make him eat something and then sleep for a few hours, but she settled for asking her question again. "Tell me Draco. What's happened? Why did you show up here instead of using the necklace?"

"I... When I got back to my common room tonight there was a letter waiting for me." He whispered as he continued to stare down at their feet. Refusing to make eye contact with her, she watched as his eyes filled with unshed tears. He cleared his throat roughly before trying to carry on with his explanation. "They... They... Oh shit, Granger. They are going to... They are going to hurt her!"

Her mouth snapped shut as she realized who he was talking about. There was only one person who could ever elicit a response like that from him. His mother was going to be attacked by one of their own from the sounds of it. The reality that no one was safe any more was violently reaffirmed to her and she wracked her brain for the appropriate response.

Draco didn't wait for her reply, he collapsed to his knees and pressed his forehead against her bare stomach as he sobbed openly. "Th..They are going to torture my mother. All... All because I am not good enough. N..N..Not... Not smart enough and she is going to beg for death if I don't figure this out."

She reached up and ran a hand through his hair in a reassuring gesture as her mind remained blank on what to say to the horrific news. Instead she focused on the task of attempting to calm the frenzied caged animal that wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. Letting him cry himself hoarse, she knew that was what he was truly looking for, an outlet for the overwhelming hopelessness of the situation. When his weeping shifted to soft whimpers he finally looked up at her and she told him the truth. "I don't know what to say... Other than, I am sorry, Draco."

"Don't say anything... Just... Help me." He begged as he closed his eyes and hid his face against the skin of her lower stomach again before mumbling. "Distract me... Please."

"How?" The question was meant to be internal but slipped from her lips as she looked around desperately for an answer.

"I don't care." He pulled away from her and stood up, wiping at the sporadic tears that continued to carve jagged little paths down his face. "Make me... Make me remember why it's worth it to stay here."

Once more she wracked her brain to come up with an idea when they had less distractions available to them than what was provided in his small hidden oasis. Glancing over her shoulder she saw the steam that poured out of the stall and bit down on her bottom lip for half a second as she debated with the voice inside of her. The one that spoke all her insecurities and apprehensiveness, attempting to dissuade her from the objective that was tasked of her. Eventually she reached over and slipped her hand into his. "Okay. Come with me."

With little coaxing he followed behind her until she stopped and positioned him at the entrance to the shower. She turned around and brought her shaky hands to the top button of his customary white dress shirt. It was uncharacteristically wrinkled and she couldn't be sure if it was caused by the heat trapped in the room or if it had been that way when he had appeared. Slowly her fingers worked their way down loosening each fasten so that when she was done she could stare at his pale skin, taut over the chest she had come to know so intimately.

Completely still he stood there allowing her to take her time. Even when she had fumbled with a button he had stayed frozen under her hands. Clearly perplexed by the turn she had taken.

"Take it off." Hermione commanded gently, gesturing for him to hand her the shirt.

"Well this certainly wasn't what I was expecting..." His eyebrow cocked teasingly as he attempted to pull the cover of self-assuredness back on. Apparently not keen to argue, he shrugged out of the fabric and passed it over.

She shook her head as she turned around and made her way over to where she had stashed her own clothing. Being offended that he wasn't able to keep his guard down for long wouldn't do any good, especially not when he needed her. "That is not what this is about. Now... Take off the rest of your clothes and get in."

"You are a bossy little witch." He ribbed as he reached down and started on his belt.

A quick roll of her eyes was the only response she gave before folding his shirt carefully and placing it on top of her own pile of clothing. After giving him a decent amount of time to finish undressing she turned back and sighed loudly. Annoyed at the sloppily bundled ball of cloth he held in his arms and the way he had kicked his shoes off to the side. "Bring them here."

It was his turn to shake his head but he quietly complied, placing the pile in her own out-stretched arms as she instructed. "Go get in the water."

She watched him dutifully follow her commands, waiting until he had completely disappeared into the billowing steam before allowing her nervousness to show. The time that it took for her to disentangle the mess in her arms was woefully insufficient! She had never done anything comparable to what she was about to do and wasn't sure she could pull it off... Not when her hands shook with trepidation and he was only feet away waiting for her…

Reminded of why it was so important to move, she gathered enough courage to walk over to the occupied stall.

Draco stood under the heavy spray with his head hung forward and his shoulders turned in, looking utterly broken. It was distressing to see him defeated. The fact that he had not gotten angry, like when his father had been locked up, was very telling of his current state. As if he sensed that he was no longer alone his head snapped up with a hateful glare that immediately softened when he realized that it was her.

She gave him a weak smile that wasn't returned before stepping back into the hot water. Careful not to brush her body against his, she slipped around him, avoiding eye contact. While she was a strong woman... It was better not to tempt Fate, particularly not when they were this close.

Once behind him she let out a trapped breath and grabbed her loofa along with the lavender soap from the spot near the wall where she had left them. Stretching out the tension-filled silence, she lathered up the bar of soap and deposited the accumulation of fragrant bubbles onto the sponge before setting it on the sheet of plastic where the bar was stored between cleanings. Taking the time she needed to reaffirm her choice in distraction…

When she turned back around she saw that he had reverted to his earlier stance, which caused her to hesitate momentarily. Startling him again was a bad idea, so she cleared her throat to reveal that she was directly behind and spoke loud enough for him to hear her over the rhythm of the water falling. "Are you... Are you ready?"

He sighed deeply and then nodded. Keeping his head forward, he didn't peek to get any indication of her plans.

Her hand trembled as she pressed the soapy bundle against his shoulder and slid it slowly across to the other. The magically infused scent of lavender enveloped both of their senses and instantly started to relax them, reminding her too much of the prescribed calming potions she had stopped taking. She did not usually use this particular restorative but it had seemed like a good idea considering her original mission for the evening. Nicks and cuts from shaking were never fun, even worse in the more intimate areas...

Deliberately she worked her way down his back, over his rear and along each leg. As she went she named each muscle to distract herself from the intimate act she was partaking in. Finished with his backside, she rose up into a standing position and circled around so she could start on the front.

When she looked up, a soft gray reflected back in his stare instead of the hardness she had expected and his lips finally pulled up into a half-hearted smirk. He leaned forward, his frame blocked any of the water from splashing into her face as he questioned. "What exactly is all this about then, Kitten?"

"Other than the distraction you asked for? Allowing me to take care of you." Hermione answered candidly as she brought the loofa across his collarbone.

"I have to wonder if you realize how indecent that sounded..."

"Well it wasn't meant that way..." She washed the tops of each of his arms, keeping her eyes locked on his as they bantered back and forth.

"What if I do not want decent?" He asked, his eyebrow raising at the end like a question mark.

"That is not really my problem is it? You know... Considering how you were not sympathetic the last time we met." The sound of his chuckle at her easygoing prodding pulled at the corners of her lips but she didn't give any other response. She found herself working in silence as she started on his chest and slowly made her way down his stomach. His eyes fluttered closed as she paused her descent just above his pubic bone.

She felt rather than heard his next snicker, undoubtedly prompted by her shyness. It flushed her cheeks with heat but she was unwilling to surrender to the meek cowardly voice inside of her. Determined to finish what she had started, she brought her hand further down, cleaning with an almost clinical outlook on the whole procedure.

Crouching down she proceeded to wash the front of each leg and foot distracting herself with how the rivulets of water flowed through the fine pale hair. Washing away the bubbly evidence of her methodical cleansing... When she was satisfied that every inch of him had been scoured, she quickly stood and circled back around, wringing the water from the loofa and set it aside.

"Would you like for me to wash your hair?" She asked over her shoulder, reaching for her bottle of shampoo in anticipation of his answer.

Unexpectedly his playfully mocking whisper sounded in her ear as his hands grasped her ribs and slid down her bent frame until they stopped at her hips. "No. I do not want you to wash my hair."

She jolted under his grip. All thoughts of staying considerate of his emotional wellbeing above everything else were instantly banished as he leaned over her, pressing his wet body tightly against hers. Gods, he felt so good!

He wasted no time when she didn't object and roughly pulled the long strands of curls that clung to her body to the side so that he could nip and then kiss the skin on her shoulder. A coerced moan fell from her lips which only encouraged him to continue, moving up to the even more tender flesh of her neck and ear. Somehow the added heat from the shower managed to heighten the whole experience to agonizing levels.

By the time his lips found their way to hers, she was panting and could feel her need for him dripping down her inner thighs. She eagerly returned the rough, almost animalistic, kiss before shifting so that she had a better angle to take his bottom lip between her teeth. The movement caused her back to arch and her bum to grind against the evidence of his arousal.

A wild look that mirrored the frantic manic from Christmas settled back onto Draco's features as he pulled away enough to look down into her eyes. Just like that night, she knew she should be afraid of the demanding forcefulness he exhibited. Yet the fear was still nowhere to be found. If anything, she yearned for this unknown and seemingly unquenchable version of him. His grip kept her from wiggling underneath him while he searched for something in her reaction.

It took far too long for him to find whatever he wanted and she quickly grew impatient with his doubt. She wasn't sure what more she could do to make her desires known, she had done everything but beg…

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For a long stretch of time they both stood there panting strenuously in an attempt to catch their breaths as they were forced back into reality. She was the first to shift, pushing away from the chill of the wall that she was still wedged tightly against.

He mirrored her movements, wrapping his arms around her waist so she was encircled by his arms. Unwilling to risk breaking the contact between their bodies, he laughed freely for a second before tucking his chin on top of her head and saying. "That was one hell of a distraction."

She laughed at the absurdity of the entire situation and chose to concentrate on enjoying the stolen moment. Permitting herself to imagine what it might be like for them to be a normal couple and able to do something as standard as embracing in public. The thought was preposterous, of course, but comforting nonetheless.

All too soon, Draco pulled away and she looked back over her shoulder to watch as he slipped fully under the water, washing the remnants of their copulation from his lower half. With his usual quick sure movements, it seemed that the burden of his circumstances had been lifted, even if only momentarily. The reassurance granted her the ability to guiltlessly continue to ride the high of endorphins coursing through her body.

Once he was done she took his place and tried to discreetly clean herself with his gaze locked on her. A blush colored her cheeks at the returned act of voyeurism but her lips lifted to return the soft smile that relaxed the normally hard set to his features. "What?"

He shook his head with a smirk and did not answer the question. She watched as he turned and sauntered from the shower leaving her to finish up and collect her things in solitude.

It did not take her long to join him but he was already dressed and staring up at the oversized stained glass depiction of the mermaid sunning herself on a rock that was situated above the bath. The inhabitant continued to dutifully pretend she was fast asleep. A farce that was broken when the naiad snuck a look from beneath her lashes as Draco spoke up at her. "Thank you."

Confused on who his gratitude was aimed towards for a second, Hermione slowly made her way over and stepped up next to him before asking the next obvious question. "For?"

"Everything..." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, not expounding on his vague description.

She nodded and shrugged but kept her gaze forward on the oddly beautiful creature as she responded. "You are supposed to be there for the people you care about, right?"

A weighted silence filled the room at her offhanded recognition of her feelings and she instantly regretted it. Internally she chided herself for the lack of tack and went to turn away so she could get dressed instead of standing there continuing to look like an idiot.

In anticipation of her move his hand darted out and grabbed the excess fabric on the sleeve of her robe, stopping her progression. He patiently waited for her to look directly at him before he finally answered her question. "Yes, of course."

She nodded again, knowing the movement was much more awkward and jerky than she wanted it to be. Somehow she found the nerve to say the words that had ping-ponged around in her head as she held him during his outburst earlier. "So it wouldn't be reaching for me to say that you should go to someone. D... Dumbledore... Maybe? Hell, even the Minister! Anyone who has the resources to be able to help you! I will... I mean if you wanted me to... I could… I could go with you."

His hand finally loosened its grip from where it clutched her sleeve and he took a step back as if she had slapped him. "I can't go to anyone. He has spies everywhere and she would be dead before a plan could be formulated. I just..."

"You what? You are just supposed to be tortured in silence?" She interrupted. Shaking her head at the unfairness of the situation and attempting to blink away the tears that made an unwanted appearance.

"Yes." He stated simply, the cold hard mask she despised falling firmly into place. "Now drop it."

"Draco... I..."

"You what? You want to be the hero and fix everything with a wave of your magic wand? That isn't the way the real world works, okay? So listen to me and drop it!" He snapped, taking another step away from her.

"Okay. I am sorry, I didn't... I don't..." Hermione floundered, unsure of what to say because he was right... All she wanted to do was fix it for him and there was no easy step by step remedy for this one.

Another long pause held them both in limbo, afraid to say the wrong thing and send them into a full blown argument. He was the one who sighed and broke the tension by closing the distance he had put between them and taking her into his arms. "I know."

She hid her face in his chest and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. Trying and failing to come up with the correct thing to say, she kept quiet and wrapped her arms around his waist. Thankful that the uncomplicated gesture seemed to be enough to say everything neither of them were able to vocalize.

After a deep breath that sent a tremor throughout his body, Draco pulled back and cupped her cheek, tilting her head so she had to look at him. "I have to go."

"No you don't." She whispered with a defeated sigh.

"Yes, I do."

"No you don't, but you are going to anyway."

"There are things that I need to do and you need to go get some sleep."

She nodded and took a step back, breaking the physical contact so he wouldn't feel the way her whole body went rigid. Deep down she knew that he wasn't running from her, but the feeling of impotence that her suggestion had invoked. Knowing his motives still did not stop the rejection from creeping into the pit of her stomach. "Okay."

"Okay." He echoed her detached response but stayed where he was, his hesitation on what to do next was tangible.

Hermione stood completely still, waiting for him to come to a decision. When he finally did, he advanced forward and closed the space between them again. Standing at her side, he placed a quick kiss to her cheek and whispered in her ear. "Good night, Kitten."

She was distracted by the relief she felt at his small reassurance. It caused a genuine smile to cross her lips and she almost missed her chance for her goodbye as he quickly walked away. She managed to call out over her shoulder before hearing the heavy click of the door closing.

"Good night, Draco!"

Looking around, she felt a surreal denial settle in around her along with the quiet. The whole night seemed as if it was just another realistic dream that she was soon to awaken from. She even stood there for a few more seconds, blinking hard and waiting for the inevidentable arousal.

When it didn't come, she slowly turned and went to dress. A process made sluggish as the last of the feel-good hormones faded from her system, making her aware of an uncomfortable pinching between her legs and a soreness that spread through her thighs and lower back. By the time she was done she was already dreading the walk up to Gryffindor Tower.

Exhausted, both physically and mentally. Her life had to be some big cosmic joke at this point. The universe kept throwing things she was neither ready nor capable of handling at her, in a reckless attempt to see how much shit she would be able to take before breaking into a million little pieces.

And yet... She was reminded that this could only be a small fraction of the overwhelming wretchedness that Draco was feeling…

Desperate to voice the question that continued to reverberate inside her head, she looked back up to the sentient entity that shimmered in the candle light above her. The mermaid openly stared down at her now, her concern somehow decipherable regardless of being etched in glass.

"How am I supposed to help him...?"