Deadly Obsession

Chapter Four

On the weekend Hermoine was walking around the grounds alone.It was a beautiful day and she was trying to find somewhere quiet and secluded to read.Ever since people saw her new look,they looked at her funny whenever she read,as if just because she was now pretty was should no longer be smart.

She wasn't exactly paying any attention to where she was going.She was thinking more about how stupid she had been for making that bet with Harry and Ron.Malfoy would never fall for her,she had been being much too cocky.Besides,why would she want him to fall for her anyways?He's never even said one nice thing to her before.

Suddenly Hermoine was snapped out of her thoughts by hard hit in the face.She fell to her feet from the impact.Confused,she looked around to see she was right under a large tree with its brances swinging every which way.It was the Whomping Willow.She screamed as another branch swung at her and hit her in the back,knocking her to the ground again as she smashed her head off a rock.She attempted to stand and got hit in the stomache,causing her to double over.She screamed loudly for help,but it seemed no one could hear her.She was pretty far away from everyone else.

After a few moments Hermoine curled up into a ball near the ground.She could not run away,it kept knocking her legs out from under her.So instead she tried to make herself too dificult to hit and cried softly.She had a bleeding cut on her forehead near her hair line from the rock and many bruises forming as well as a twisted ankle.She felt utterly hopeless.

"Immobulous!"Someone shouted.Hermoine lifted her head to see a tall,pale blonde boy standing a few feet away from her with his arm outstretched and his wand pointed at the tree which had immediately stopped moving.He ran over to Hermoine and kneeled down beside where she lay on the ground."Are you alright?"

"I-I don't know.Malfoy...why did you save me?"She asked,confused.Malfoy sneered for a moment as if thinking an unpleasant thought.

"Being beaten to death by a tree is far too good a death for a Mudblood."He replied,looking thoroughly satisfied by his answer as he helped Hermoine to her feet.She winced as she tried to stand on her twisted ankle.Mafoy sighed and put her arm around his neck to support her."I'll tak you to Pomfrey."

People in the corridors stared as Malfoy dragged the girl inside.Many students began gossiping at the odd occurance immediately.Malfoy glared at them all,knowing that no one would start anything that would be to his liking.They all stopped talking until the two students were out of site at his glare.

"Oh my!"Pomfrey exclaimed when she saw Malfoy dragging a beaten Hermoine inside."Dear girl,what in the world happened to you?"The older woman helped the boy bring her over to an empty bed.

"Whomping Willow.I got too close,"She told her as she tried to hop onto the bed."Thanks so Malfoy here that I'm not worse off.He saved me."For a moment Hermoine saw the hint of a beam come from Malfoy,but in a moment it was gone and a smirk replaced it.

"It was my duty as Head Boy,Granger.I probablly would have done it for anyone,so don't be getting so cuddly."He sneered at her.Hermoine looked at him,confused.What's wth the sudden mood change?

"Oh well,well done Mr.Mafoy!Fifty points to Slytherin for your bravery.I've told Dumbledore time and time again,that tree is simply not safe but he refuses to have it moved!"She muttered the last part more to herself,then turned to Malfoy."You may go now.She needs her rest,but don't you fret,she'll be good as new in no time!"Malfoy turned on his heel and walked out of the hospital wing without so much as a backwards glance.

Hermoine stared at the door,confused.He'd saved her and been kind to her,but then suddenly he'd returned to being cold and distant.What gives?

*

Malfoy shuddered when he shut the door.Why had he done that?He'd saved the Mudblood,and allowed her to touch him.She could have died and he prevented it.He was ashamed and disgusted with himself.Part of him felt pride and slightly giddy at what he had done.He scolded himself.Malfoys certainly do not feel giddy.Ever.It is out of the question.They also do not save the lives of Mudbloods.

When he got into the Slytherin common room he attempted to go straight into his private Head Boy bedroom,but was stopped immediately by Pansy Parkinson.

"Is it true?"She asked while jogging to keep up with him as he walked towards his room.

"Is what true?"He sneered at her.She could be terribly annoying.

"That you completely pummled the Mudblood and she was so basly beaten you felt guilty and dragged her to the hospital wing?"She asked,beaming.Malfoy looked at her,amazed at how fast that peice of gossip had spread.Malfoy stopped walking suddenly and thought for a moment to consider his options.He could either lie and keep up his reputation,or he could tell the truth and become a total outcast by all Slytherins.He chose a little of both,but mostly the first one.

"Partly.You see,she was being terribly difficult lecturing me about my extra Transfiguration lessons,which by the way i do not need,and so I simply tried to push her out of the way with a spell.But you see,since I am such a powerful spell caster,the spell was stronger then I'd intended and it had knocked her into the Whomping Willow.I know that people had seen so I let it beat on her a bit,then immobolized the tree and dragged her to the hospital wing.And the best part,I got fifty points to Slytherin because she went along with it and said I'd saved her.She was so delusional she hadn't a clue what had happened!"Pansy shrieked with laughter at this tid bit of information.Malfoy smirked broadly at being able to come up with that so quickly.

"Typical Mudblood.Merlin,she's dim!"Pansy said after her fit of giggles."Ooh,just wait until everyone hears what you did,Draco.You'll be a god!Not like you aren't already."And she then walked away,still howling with laughter.

Malfoy continued to walk to his room.Others stared at him as whispers of what he'd just told Pansy reached their ears.He quickened his pace and locked the door behind him when he got in.

Why had he done that?Why had he saved that filth?Not like she had any worth.So he did it for nothing.He could have just ignored her cries for help and no one would have known a thing,and she would have died.Surely he did not care about her...Malfoy felt sick as the thought crossed his mind.NO!He scolded himself.No you do not!It is not an option,nor do you want it as one!You are a damn Malfoy,so act like one!He shuttered as the words his father so often spoke to him found their way into his thoughts.Of course,it's all about his family and their reputation.It always was.That's why he was who he was.Not because he nessasarily wanted to be,but because it was expected.It was expected of him to be graceful and proper.It was expected of him to disregard the 'meaningless' lives of those who were not fit to deserve the pleasures of life.Meaning Muggles,Mudblood,Squibs,and those who did not agree with Draco's father's sense of things.This limited Draco's choice of friends greatly,as well as his choice of houses to be in and careers.This also meant that in a matter of months,after he graduated from Hogwarts,he was to join his father and become a follower of Lord Vlodemort.A Death Eater.

Draco pulled up the left sleeve on his black shirt and stared at the Dark Mark engraved in his skin on his forearm.He sighed as he ran his thumb over the indent.He still remembered how painful it had been when he'd had it done.His father had warned him to act as though he could not feel it,but it had been difficult.He had practically been branded.He had nearly passed out from the pain,but still his father's hawk like eyes had watched him,emotionless.Waiting for him to mess this up so he could step in and disown him onfront of Voldemort himself.

He sighed as the memory was relived in his head.He shook it to rid it of the memory of the terrible pain.He now felt exhausted,just as if he had actually gone through it all again.He sighed and fell back onto his bed.He then closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep of Voldemort calling on him,his father'd hawk-like eyes,and rescuing the Mudblood from them all only to make love to her as soon as they got away.

To Be Continued...

Sorry bout the wait.I had mad writer's block for this story.It's actually quite difficult for me to write this one due to the fact that this is about such an unlikely couple,or at least I think they're unlikely.Hope you all liked this one.Please be nice and review.

Much Love...

XXX

Xx-.k.a.y.y.-xX