Dancing With Dragons

CHAPTER 4: Burning Dresses, Burning You

Hermione was flushed with anger. She was shaking and hot and she couldn’t stand one more moment of this. “ Don’t you even you dirty scum. How could you?” Than she ran from the room just letting her feet carry her, because she couldn’t see through her tear.



Suddenly she heard shouts. It was Tom running after her calling her name. “Mion, please wait.” She tried to double her speed, but as she reached the porthole door, trying to shut it in his face, Tom pushed his way in with his strength.



Hermione backed up keeping Tom in her view. His hair was sticking in ever direction, like hands had been running threw them, wait Hermione thought they had. His shirt was on backwards and she could tell from his eyes he was very drunk.



“ You are not invited in here.” Hermione stated firmly. “ Better yet I don’t ever want to see you disgusting face again!”



“ Stop yelling Hermione you’ll wake up the whole school. Be rational, that’s what I’ve always loved about you.” He tried to come closer to her.



Hermione pointed her wand at his chest. “Don’t you come an inch closer. You don’t bloody love me you selfish fucking git. If you loved me you wouldn’t have buried you two-inch dick into another girl. Gods Tom she only fifteen.”



“ And how would you know a think about my dick? Hmmm you little prude.”



Hermione felt new tears. His words cut deeply. “Oh, so that’s what its’ about. Couldn’t get it from me so went around looking for it! Thank God I never slept with you, you disgusting man whore,” Hermione was shirking with rage that she didn’t hear the upstairs door opening.

====


“Hermione, just calm down. We can work it out. Kathryn didn’t mean anything, we didn’t even get to finish.”

Hermione mind was whirling. How could this guy she spent so much time with actually be saying these things. How had she not seen this part of him? Then she realized she kind of had but had been ignoring it. He’d been pressuring her since week two to go further, but she’d just played it off as something all boys did. STUPID!



“Oh, you didn’t get to finish, well by all mean go back because this is over. If I so much as see your face around I’ll hex that thing you call a dick right off!”



“It will be the most you’ve ever done with it. Let’s get something straight you little virgin, “ Tom said making big mock doe eyes, “you’re no better than any other little girl around her, pretending like you really care who pops that cherry. You’re just a teases.”



“You, you.”



“What Mion? At least Kathryn was fun. At least she knew what she good for, lying on her back. I had to fuck somebody,you prance around like your pussy is the Holly Grail. You're not special Mion. It’s a shame those nice tits and that tight pussy are going to waste. Really, I think you would have rather enjoyed me bending you over like a whore, like the fucking mudblood whore you are.”



Hermione didn’t hear anything more than that. She was in such a rage thst her ears were ringing. For a second she honestly thought about killing him, but realized she couldn’t hex anyone in the room. Damn. She threw her wand on the floor and started to charge from him.



-------

Malfoy, who had been enjoying the prelude to a second round of hot sex with Kamilla, heard yelling coming from down stairs. At first he laughed it off imaging a drunk Tom trying to get into Hermione’s pants. 'What a puff, it would never work.' But then he heard shrieking and Kamilla insisted that they go down and check it out.



“ Oh, but Draco something could be vrong.” How could he say no to those large pouting lips and sultry voice. When he headed down stairs he found something he never would have expected. A screaming tearful Hermione and a freshly fucked looking Everclear.



Things started to click as Tom drunkenly ranted, "Hermione, just calm down. We can work it out. Kathryn didn’t mean anything, we didn’t even get to finish.”



'Oh was he in for it. Poor, stupid fool.' Draco leaned against the corner of the staircase, leading to his room, watching with a large smile. He really wanted to see how Granger would handle herself, thinking of the time she’s punched him in the face.



“Oh, you didn’t get to finish well by all mean go back, because this is over. If I so much as see your face around I’ll hex that thing you call a dick right off!”



'That a girl Hermione (did he just think Hermione, filth), the good old hex you dick off,' Draco thought.



“Well it will be the most you’ve ever done with it. Let’s get something straight you little virgin, “ 'Here is comes, the shit he’ll never be able to take back. Oh, that an obviously Granger founding him fucking another girl.' “you’re no better than any other little girl around her, pretending like you really care who pops that little cherry. You’re just a teases.”



Draco grinned up at Kamilla, who looked horrified. Women.



“Do something, dis is just avful.”



“No, Granger has to take care of this herself. She can handle it.” Though Draco had to admit it was getting rather ugly.



“You, you.” 'Ahh,' Draco thought, 'intelligent.'



“What Mion? At least Kathryn was fun. At least she knew what she good for, lying on her back. I had to fuck somebody,you prance around like your pussy is the Holly Grail. You're not special Mion. It’s a shame those nice tits and that tight pussy are going to waste. Really, I think you would have rather enjoyed me bending you over like a whore, like the fucking mudblood whore you are.”



Draco’s smile fell, and he started to walk over. It had gotten so bad he couldn’t even revel in Hermione’s pain or Tom’s stupidity. A part of his suddenly wanted to rip Tom apart. No one called Granger mudblood but him! But before he could even so much as make his presence known Hermione dropped her wand and made a b-line straight for Tom. As if in slow motion Draco realized she meant to kill him, with her fist. He ran after her.



---------
She was so going to enjoy this. She was so going to punch ever dirty word he said to her right out of his scummy, shit for a boyfriend body. Tom was so shocked and drunk he had little time to prepare.



She wound her arm up as if to punch him, and Tom tried to protect him face. 'Perfect,' she thought as she brought her knee up, with all the anger and force she could, into his stomach. He doubled over in pain and she upper cut him in the jaw. He fell to his knees groaning. As if in the background, she could feel her hand throbbing, but she wanted more. She went to punch him in the head when she suddenly felt strong arms drag her back.



“ NO LET ME GO. I’ll fucking kill HIM. I’ll will kill you, don’t you ever call me mudblood again!” Tears were streaming, but she fought against the arms literally thrashing to get back at Tom. “How's that for laying on my back. Finally, you know your place, on you knees.”



Suddenly she heard soft laugher filled cooing. It was Malfoy. It made her thrash harder. “Clam down Granger before you give your self a brain aneurism.” Hermione started to calm, closed her eyes, and listening to the voice, but it been bad idea. Suddenly she could smell alcohol and than she felt a hard, stabbing burning through left cheek. She howled in pain.



“ You fucking bitch!” Tom screamed. He had slapped her so hard that she couldn’t even see.



-------
He’d been trying to clam Granger down so he hadn’t even seen Tom coming until his hand came across Granger's face. Her painful howl actually made Draco’s stomach lurch with pain. If there was one thing he hated most it was men who put their hands on women. He dropped Granger ready to beat the shit out of Everclear, but Kamilla beat him to the punch, no pun intended.



Kamilla’s wand was at Tom’s throat. “I have never seen such disgusting behavior from a vizard. In my country ve would cut that hand off and hope you don’t bleed to death. I suggest you leave before ve find out if you're bleeder.”



Tom started at his hand as if not believing and than ran

--------


It took a few minutes to get her bearings. She sat on the floor listening to Kamilla and then the deafening silence. Her cheek was burning and tears were flowing warm and slaty. She felt strong arms pull her up and bring her to a large chair. She sunk into it reveling in the feeling of being completely consumed. She felt numb.



She didn’t open her eyes until she heard the hush whispering of Kamilla and Malfoy. She groaned. Malfoy had fucking saw the whole thing. There was reality, bitch slapping her again. Hadn’t she been through enough without the further humiliation called Malfoy? She couldn’t live in a time of peace, but she can’t fight. She lost her best friends, and they didn’t even believe in her abilities. She couldn’t have a normal relationship with someone who actually cared for her. He'd hit her!



Kamilla came near her holding an ice pack. “Here hold tis to your cheek. It vill make you feel better, if not you’ll swell.” Hermione held it to her cheek feeling as if she was sinking into herself. Nothing was real. She laughed and than started to cry.



“Hermione, I am so sorry that you vent through that.” She pushes a shot into Hermione’s hand.



“No, I don’t…”



“Drink. It vill make you feel more relaxed and it vill make your cheek feel better.” She pushed the shot to Hermione’s lip. Hermione swallowed and choked, but a warmth ran through her.



“Draco, I think I vill be heading out. I’d like to sleep in my own bed. Be, well, be good.”



Before she left she leaned to Hermione. “I know ve are not friends, but from one girl to another let me give you advice, no boy is vorth crying over. If you need anything let me know.” She walked out casually. Hermione watched her go feeling jealously but as if it was someone else's emotions. Kamilla had learned something young, that most men were scum. Either find the right one or take what you want and leave.


Finally when the Slytherian girl had left she looked at Malfoy. He was sitting there in just silky green PJs. For once he looked uncomfortable. She studied him, letting her eyes linger on his toned muscles and milky white skin.



“I thought you went to bed in cashmere. Correct me if I am wrong, but those are PJs.”



“ Actually, I never said I wore cashmere to bed, I sleep naked for you information. AND these are not PJ they are silk sleeping ware. Plus, who wares Halloween costumes to bed?”



Hermione looked down at herself. Her dress was wrinkled, her shoes off, and one sleeve was torn where she struggled to get free of Malfoy’s hold. She laughed and cried. “ Well, there goes this dress. I look like shit.” Malfoy smirked. She found comfort in the usual curl of his lips, but hot tears just kept following as if on their own accord, as if her body knew how much pain she had suffered, but her mind wouldn’t register.



“I can’t believe he could do that to me. I mean what does Kathryn Seventon have over me anyway?” She couldn’t believe she was talking to Malfoy, but it was like telling someone else’s story. Unemotional and robotic.



“Besides putting out easy, nothing. She just lays there like a dead fish.”



“ Malfoy, No! You did not sleep with that sad little fifteen year old girl?”



“ It was last year when she turned fifteen and I was only sixteen. Please she started having sex when she was fourteen. Do you know she has been with Chester Bin,”



“No! He was a seventh year!”



“Her first. Than Colin McFurn.”



“Gross.”



“Incontrovertibly. Than Corey Dunsberg, Franklin Duggs, she’s his first, me…”



“ And Tomas A. Everclear,” Hermione finished.



“No. I don’t know if you were listening Granger, but they didn’t get to ‘finish.’”



At first Hermione felt like she should be angry, but realized she wasn’t. She laughed then winced, her cheek hurt. Malfoy handed her the entire bottle of Fire Whiskey. She took a swig and choked again, but the pleasurable warmth spread through her body. “ You're shit for this comfort thing.”



“I could get Wea, I mean Ginny.” Hermione shook her head, smiling at the offer. How sweet.



“ No. She’s probably passed out. Merlin, what a whore, Kate’s slept with a least one person from ever house now. How do you know all this anyway?”



“ Amazing what a girl will tell you if you are willing to listen. And what makes her a whore. I’ve slept with a least one person from every house.” Malfoy tired to look pouty.



“ Everyone knows you’re a man whore Malfoy.”



“ Sex God. And who cares what others think Granger if you’re okay with yourself. People are just jealous.”



“Ahh. Well, can you believe that he said that? ‘It didn’t mean anything we didn’t even get to finish.” Hermione said doing a fairly good impression of Everclear. “ Like I would rush into his arms and give myself to him. Please. Would you ever say anything so nonsensical as that to a girl who found you cheating on her?”



“ I don’t make promises I can’t keep, especially when it comes to girls and sex. Little known fact, I’ve never cheated on girl.”



“That must mean you’ve never had a girlfriend. How sad. Don’t you want the connection that comes with knowing someone one inside and out?”



“ Didn’t help you much.”



“True,” Hermione said sadly. There was a few moment of silence.



“ So Granger, where ever did you learn to throw a punch like that?”



“ Ron. Can’t be best friends with two boys for six years and not learn to hold your own.”



“ It was bloody brilliant.”



Hermione smiled. “ He’s lucky you stopped me when you did, though I was rather hoping to beat the snot out of him.” Draco laughed. “ I think I feel bad now.”



“Why in the hell…”



“ I did hit him first. It’s such a double standard that men can’t hit women but women can hit men.”



“ He deserved it.”



“ All the same, people who love each other should never put their hands on one another. It's wrong.”



“ Did you love him?”



“ No, thought I could.”



“But you didn’t?”



“ No.”



“ Did it feel good?”



“Yes!”



“ Than it’s fine.”



“ Just like that? Black and white? The world doesn’t work like that Malfoy.”



“No?”



“Well, it shouldn’t.”



“ Malfoy?”



“Granger?”



“ How about a fire. We haven’t seen it lit yet. I think it would be magnificent.”



“Whatever you say.”



Hermione put the ice pack down and gingerly hosted herself up.

---------


Malfoy heart was beating, but he was trying to stay cool. Not only was Granger free and vulnerable, but also Everclear had given him the best situation of showing his ‘gentler side’. Though in all truth it would have taken a worse person than he to dismiss Granger’s pain. Seeing her smeared make-up, torn dress, and swollen cheek made something inside him hurt. Though he tired to ignore it, her innocence and vulnerability drew him in.



He’d been watching her face as she struggled to feel and yet push the pain away. Malfoy wondered what it was like to feel that much emotion again? To struggle to over come. It had been so long. He pushed those thoughts aside, and instead he stared at Granger as she gingerly picked herself up and started to make a fire. Manually placing firewood into the hearth. At first her wanted to yell ‘ are you a witch?’ but he realized that doing things with his own hand, helping himself, always made him feel better.



She lit the fire with a long match that had been sitting in a box beside the fireplace. The logs burst into burning life and the flames danced in changing, erotic color. However, Granger didn’t return to her seat. She sat in front of the fire holding her knees and looking longingly into the dancing flames. Without thinking Malfoy placed himself beside her.

---------


Hermione felt the soft movement of Malfoy sitting besides her. He handed her the bottle. She took another swig. The two didn’t talk for some time, staring into the fire and passing the bottle. If she could have fit another thought into her mind she’d have being thinking how strange that Malfoy was there when she most needed someone, or how the most comfortable silence she ever shared with another human being was, again, with Malfoy.



She finally started to feel the slight head spinning warmth of the Fire Whiskey. She broke the silence.



“The worst part was watching him slide his…”



“ Dick?”



“ Penis into her one last time before he realized I was there. It was like watching in slow motion. In that moment I wondered what if I had just given in? Would I be the one on the desk having” she made quotations with her fingers “ fun?”



“ Maybe, but I don’t understand?”



“ Don’t you get it? He made me question myself. It wasn’t just taking advantage of my charity or pushing my feeling a side he actually made me question who I was. Was I wrong? It was just a split second, but it’ll last with me. I saw her body react to his, her face in ecstasy. Her eyes were closed with her mouth open slightly, gasping. Her hands were in his hair holding on as if he was the last thing on earth. He was grasping onto her hips, so powerfully thrusting into her one last…”



“ Granger,stop.”



She blushed. “Merlin, I am sorry, I am not trying to be flagrant. It’s just this one second, so terrible, it tore me apart, and yet it so etched into my mind forever, like torture. Anyway, the point is people shouldn’t make you question your self, not like that.”



“For once we agree. Are you still questioning? Aren’t you glad you didn’t give in to him?”



“ Of course! But I don’t know, I guess I can’t explain. It made me realize there might not be a prince charming. Ron left me. He didn’t trust me to have his back. You can’t be with someone who sees you as less, weaker. You have to trust when the times calls they’ll do what needs to be done. Tom cheated. He didn’t want me, he wanted this ideal of me. Worse he wanted to be the one to take the ideal and smash it.”



“ Hmm. Sounds, dare I say, you’re becoming a little jaded.”



Hermione laughed and she knew she was why to drunk if she was sharing this with Malfoy. “No, I am an idealist till the end. I just think I’ll look for lust, pleasure and happiness my first time instead of pressure, unrealalistic romance, and perfection.”



“ You’re drunk Granger.”



“ Yup, first time you know.”



Malfoy turned his head to her. “Well at least I’ve gotten one of you firsts.” Hermione turned to look in his eyes, looking shocked. “ No, you called me mudblood first. You’re the first person that made me so mad I wanted to turn violent.” She grabbed the bottle. She couldn’t taste so she guzzled. Malfoy had to grab the bottle from her hand.



“ You’ll make yourself sick.”



“ I just want to get so fucking blastered I can’t remember a thing. Except the dance. Only thing I want to remember is the dance. It went so splendid.”



“ Don’t tell Brown that it will go to her head, which is only full of reasons to have a fucking dance.” Hermione burst into drunken giggles.



“ Merlin, she is so stupid. Alls she cares about is make-up, hair, clothes, shoes and boys. Ungodly dull.” Hermione was laughing so hard until Malfoy sobered her up.



“ You looked nice to night Granger.”



“ Take it back than.”



“ What back, that I said you bloody looked nice. Last time…”



“ No that I’d look horrible in that dress. That I’d look better with it coming off than on.”



“ I most certainly won’t. I haven’t seen you with it off. There is just no way I could make that statement without educating myself first.”



Hermione smiled slyly and then suddenly stopped. “ Why are you being so nice to me Malfoy? Why do you do this to me?”



“ Do what?” She didn’t answer just kept looking into the fire so he asked, “Does it matter why?”



“ No, not to night, but maybe tomorrow. Yes tomorrow.”



“ It is tomorrow.”



“ Shut-up. You know what sucks most off all. I have to keep this horrible dress on until I can get Ginny to undo that back. I plan on burning it, do you want to watch?”



Malfoy didn’t answer. She just closed her eyes and listened to the silence once again until she felt hands on her back. They started to slowly untie the lace from the corset. She knew it was so wrong to let Malfoy do this, but his warm hands working at her clothes wouldn’t let her stop.



“ I think I can help with that,” he whispered. “Merlin forbids if you had to wear this uncomfortable dress to bed.” She murmured nonsensical words. She could feel his fingertips just brush her bare back as he unlaced further and further. The straps of the dress feel off her shoulder and by the time Malfoy was done she could feel the whole of her back was exposed. Never in her life had she experienced anything so erotic. She didn’t move afraid for it to end. Afraid it wouldn’t.



Malfoy whispered into her back. The warm of his breath sent shivers down her spin. He had her physically and emotional undone. She knew in that moment she could have given herself freely, not caring that she’d hate herself in the morning.



“ You’re free to slip that dress off and get into something more…comfortable.” She couldn’t speak. Gods the feel of him so close. His warm breathe on her bare skin. She swayed.“ I believe you’re drunk Granger. Go to bed.” Hermione didn’t need to be given an out twice. She gathered herself up and ran from the room only looking back once to see Malfoy staring into the fire.

----------


Malfoy couldn’t watch her run away. He couldn’t watch her bare back as she ran from her desire for him. He stared into the fire thinking about how she shivered at his touch. How she swayed at his breath against her back. He could feel his cock starting to press against his silky pants. He couldn’t believe he’d let her go. There was his opportunity to bury himself deep into Granger. To completely dominate her. But he knew why he hadn’t. Draco had never used alcohol or a girl’s vulnerability to get what he wanted. That was despicable and desperate. Anyone could do that, but to truly make a girl want you, need you, for no other reason than your actions alone was difficulty but rewarding. To take Granger now would leave her room to make excuses for her actions; ‘ I was drunk’, ‘I was in a vulnerable place.’ Later, she’d be forced admit her desire for him.



His thoughts wondered to her walking down the stairs earlier that night. She had looked stunning and it had hit him hard, right in the chest. He could no longer deny his attraction for the snotty know-it-all. He thought of how happy she looked as she danced with every person she could grab a hold of. How she made people laugh and forget their differences. How did she do that? For a second Draco smiled at her innocence; she didn’t even realize that she had become one of the most desirable girls at Hogwarts.



Suddenly he frowned. How could she make him smile? She was silly, emotional, and weak. He decided to write his mother a letter. He really missed her, but it was hard to understand his parents anymore. While he wrote, leaving a good deal out, he tired not to think of touching Granger. Not just of fucking her, but of finding every place on her body that brought her pleasure. He tried to ignore the feeling that giving Granger pleasure was more than wanting to dominate his enemy. He couldn’t actually like a mudblood, right?

--------


Hermione woke up late the next day and felt like utter shit. She just rolled onto her side and cried. She could feel again and now she wished she couldn’t. Her tears were harsh, nothing like the kind of crying you saw in romantic movies. It was raw. The kind of crying where the body tires to take the broken pieces and literally expel them. Finally when she had no more tears she opened her eyes and saw the red dress crumbled on the floor.



She suddenly hated that dress. Not only did it remind her of Tom but it was reminder of the feelings Malfoy had induced in her last night. Even the memory of Malfoy’s tenderly working at her dress brought shivers. She’d be dame if she let another boy do her wrong again. She’d be dame if she looked at that dress again. She made up her mind that burning it was a good idea.



She took a quick shower, put on jeans and t-shirt, grabbed the dress, and headed off to find a deserted part of the grounds. Her knowledge of the halls gathered from years of being a prefect and sneaking off with Ron and Harry made sure she didn’t see any one she knew. The grounds were rather deserted as most students were still sleeping off their hangovers or doing last minute homework. She walked her way to a northern side of the grounds, the part of the grounds her dorm over looked, because most people didn’t venger there. It was secluded and boring.



The cool air nibbled along her skin and the crunching of leafs beneath her feet seemed to be the only sound. There was no wind, or birds chirping, just silence. She tired to dial into the silence, hoping she could take it into herself.



---------
Malfoy was staring out the window of his dorm not feeling much like finishing his class work when he saw movement out in the distance. Odd, no one walked there much. Maybe it was a couple trying to sneak off to make out.



“ Dozoomilate.” Draco demanded flicking his wand. A large glass looking bubble emerged from the end of his wand. The spell allowed him to look through the glass and see things magnified at least a 1000 times larger. He could see someone moving around, but not whom. They were holding something. Weird.



“More.” The magnification zoomed. At first he wasn’t sure who the person was, but they were obviously muggle born because they were wearing just jeans and a t-shirt. Nice ass, Draco thought. Than he saw what was in the pretty girl’s hands, a beat up red dress.



He watched Granger trying to find a good place to burn the thing. So like Granger to analyze a good spot to burn clothing. Finally, when she found a suitable spot she threw the dress to ground. She just stood there staring rubbing her arms and shivering from the coldness.



Draco suddenly wanted to see her. He had been invited to the ritual burning so it’d be fine to show up. He threw on light faded jeans and simple green cashmere sweater and the warmest robes he had. Just as he was about to leave he grabbed his fur lined green and sliver coat for Hermione. Gentler side and all.



When he got there he saw Hermione had successfully lit the dress on fire. He could see the outer edges of the dress were turning brown and ashy. Something about the scene bothered him. Like he was watching more than a beautiful dress perish.



--------
She was so absorbed she didn’t hear Malfoy walking up to her.



“Should we say something, like at a funeral?” She jumped at the sound of his voice. He laughed.



She wasn’t at all pleased to see him, yet her body was reacting to him. What was going on?! “ Merlin Malfoy don’t do that! What are you doing here anyway?”



“You invited me remember?” Curses she had. Dame Fire Whiskey. She just stared back at the burning dress not knowing how to answer.
--------

“ I though you looked a little pathetic out here by your self so I thought I’d join you. So here I’ll go first.” He came up next to her feeling the warmth of the fire, almost too intense. “ Oh Granger’s dress we mourn your losse, that you must bear the wrath of a woman for something you couldn’t help. Though it better you go like this now that you’ve actually had to see Everclear naked. Ugg. But still you made Granger’s tits look great.”



--------
Hermione just looked at him and than burst into laughter. “What?Gods if somebody told me you actually had a sense of humor two months ago I would have laughed in their face. That was just so sweet, really, you know how to make a person feel good.” It was so odd to have him here making jokes, but a part of her was glad. She pitied herself enough she didn’t need another person pitting her either. She realized she kind of liked that about him. He didn’t try to sugar coat or pity you, he just was there.



“ Yes actually I am very good at making certain people feel gooood.” Malfoy smirked at her. Hermione just shook her head trying not to think about how true that might me.



“ Your turn.”
Hermione sighed she felt stupid, but the silliness took some bite out the pain.

“ Umm, okay, fine. Oh my beautiful costume ball-dress how I won’t miss you. I am sorry things had to be this way, but you’ll be a constant reminder of that slimy git Tom and of other things, well, you know, you were there. I can’t pity you though you’ll go to dress heaven while I must stay here and endure the memory of Tom and Kathryn doing it. However, I must thank you for your service; making me feel and for helping me discover what a bad boyfriend Tom was. Oh and yes, you are an offering to the gods in hope they will smite TOM EVERCLEAR’S penis off.”



Malfoy started to laugh. “ You’re truly twisted Granger. Remind me never to date you and than fuck Kathryn.”


She felt her self blush. She couldn’t believe Malfoy would even joke about dating her. They hated each other, right? She didn’t really hate him anymore. More like she was in limbo with him. “ That will not be happening. Not only would all girls names Kathryn be off limits, but all girls, and I don’t think you could live with that.”



“ So that means if I could be a good boy you’d admit your desire for me and give your self to me?”



She became flustered. “What, no, no. Dating does not mean I’d... Wait, stop, that’s not what I was saying.” Malfoy burst out laughing in her face. “ You are a bloody prat Malfoy.”



As the laughter died on Malfoy’s end they watched the dress finish burning. storm clouds had started to roll in. Being in Malfoy’s silence presence was so comfortable that it made her feel uncomfortable and she broke the silence first, again.



“ Listen Malfoy about last night…”



“ We were drunk Granger. Nothing more.”



She felt little rain drops on her arms. She felt hurt, but relieved. “That’s not what I was going to say. I was going to say thanks, you didn’t have to be so kind. Well, I mean I don’t think you should be rude to me, but you went above and beyond. I am just glad you were there. I don’t know if Tom started throwing punches if I could have taken it let alone won. But yes everything else was purely due to intoxication.” The rain started to come down harder, but Hermione didn’t want to go back to reality. That and she didn’t want to leave Malfoy.



“Bloody git,” Malfoy spat with venom.



“ It really bothers you, doesn’t it? Not that he cheated on me but that he put his hands on me.”



“ Dame right, doesn’t it bother you? Maybe it is a double standard, but men shouldn’t place their hands on women like that, especially when he’s just angry he fucked something good up. Bloody right, dirty, disgrace for a wizard.”



“ Why do you care Malfoy? You use to wish me death just because of my blood. How are you better?” Rain was falling harder and it was traveling down both their faces. Hermione was feeling so lost, so emotional she couldnt help but peak at the situtation. Malfoy looked mad for a moment, but that his became cool again. Just like that and she couldn’t tell what he was feeling.



“ So where is pathetic Longbottom, Looney orWeasel?”



Hermione sighed, thinking of her friends and the anger it would cause them. “ I didn’t tell them.”



“ Why the hell not? Weaselet would probably be over there right now hexing Tom into the next realm.”



“That is just it, I don’t want more violence. It won’t make me feel better. I shouldn’t have hit him either. I just want to forget this ever happened. I don’t need people to fight my battle for me. Tom got his. Further more, I don’t need the pity, especially by the whole school. I am not an open book you know.”



“ Sure Granger. Lets get out of here I am ruining this robe.”



“ Fine. You are such a girl by the way.”



“ Oh I almost forgot here is a sweater.”



“ You brought me a sweater? Why in the hell?” Hermione started at the thing in bewilderment. This was getting odd. Wait getting odd? It had already gotten there.



“ Do you want the bloody thing or not?”



“ NO! Its got Slytherin colors on it. I cannot be caught in that!”



“ Oh Merlin you ungrateful little wench. Here.” Malfoy spelled it to have Gryffindor colors and thrust it into her hands.“ If you tell anyone I did that I’ll kill you.”



“ Only if you promise not to tell anyone about Tom.”



“No problem. I don’t talk to those wads you call friends, and I wouldn’t even want to begin to explain to my friends how I even know.”



Hermione threw the large coat around herself. It was so warm and comfortable she sunk into it and sighed. Worse or maybe better yet it smelled like Malfoy, earth and ginger. Odd. “ You actually have friends Malfoy. Miracles never cease to excised.” Malfoy seemed to have had enough and marched off. Hermione ran to catch up. “ I am kidding,” she yelled. “It is very nice.”



They hurried back to the castle as the rain poured down. “ So, saying words over the body. They do that at wizard funerals? They do that for muggles. ”



“ Gezz Granger, yes why? Haven’t you ever been?”



“Of course I was at Professor Dum….” She suddenly stopped remembering whom she was talking too. There was awkward, painful silence and Hermione couldn’t stop what she said next.“ Oh Malfoy, why did you do it?” They had reached a back door into the castle, hiding from the rain.



“ WHAT?!” Malfoy was really upset. “ How could you even ask that? Do you think I wanted to do? Hun? Do think I enjoyed being set up for failure? You’ve obviously never been in his presence you stupid little girl. You don’t fucking say no to the Dark Lord.”



“ Malfoy I am sorry. That was insensitive. It just I loved professor Dumbledore and I wanted to know.”



“ Just shut up mudblood. I don’t need to hear about your love. I didn’t actually kill Dumbledore, but I am sure Potter told you that. When it came down to it I couldn’t fucking take a life. Next time I wont make the same mistake.”



“ You. How can you even say that! That so stupid, so awful!”



“Grow the fuck up Granger. You’re so naïve. You’d think with what happened with Everclear you would wake you up to the fact that people are all lairs and out for themselves. Better to look out for number one.”



“ That’s simply not true. I am not like that. Dumbledore wasn’t like that.” Suddenly Draco whipped his wand and at first Hermione thought he was going to hex her, but instead the jacket was ripped off her body violently. She stumpled from the action, fighting not to fall.



“ Yea, well look where it got him, dead.” Malfoy stalked off through the door, not looking back.



Hermione stood there feeling the coldness press against her. The wind whipped the rain at her, stinging her face and arms. Her hair hung down in wet loose curls. Her wet shirt pressed against her, literally pushing the cold into her body. She slumped down on the ground against the castle wall and cried. It was all she seemed to be able to do today.



This time she cried for Dumbledore, and realized it had been months since she let her self think of the loving, secretive old man. She cried because she missed Ron and Harry to her core. She needed them and realized she’d just been pushing back her loss. She cried because the world was ripping her very life apart. It had ripped Harry and Ron from her and put them in danger everyday. It had forced her to tare her family apart. It took Cedric and Dumbledore and threatened to take more innocents, people she loved.



She also cried for Malfoy. The world had turned him ugly. The world had jaded him, turned him into a cruel, sad, unemotional, prejudice shadow of a human. She cried for allowing herself to actually like Malfoy, to see good where there was none. She knew that wasn’t completely true, but his words cut her too raw to see sense. Why had she brought it up? Did he really believe what he said or did guilt eat away at him? Could it be both?



Why did she even care? But she did and didn’t want to. How could he be so remorseful and evil? How could he be both gentle and cruel? Was he right about the world? Maybe there was more bad than good. She was possibly fighting a losing battle. It didn’t matter, she knew it was better to die for ideals and morals than live with none. Who would she be without them? She wouldn’t question her truths any longer. Unlike Malfoy, her trials only further proved righteousness existed and human good could prevail.



She stared up into the rain. She thought of seeing Ron and Harry again. Of Neville, Luna, Ginny, and the whole Weasely family. She smiled thinking about all the good things that she had. She would get through this. She wouldn’t let Malfoy make her think different. Still, she felt changed somehow, maybe it was that she was stronger.