Bent

A/N - I'm Backkkkk! Sorry it has been so long since my last update. The muse can be a fickle mistress, but once again, I have some ideas for this story. I hope you enjoy!


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The quill scratching on the parchment was the only sound that could be heard in the huge Library of Hogwarts. Most of the students had since left the Library to return to their common rooms for an evening of fun, laughter, and goofing off....but not her. No, she didn't want to be around anyone at the moment, so she had retreated with her books to a dark corner of the library. However, it wasn't her studies that were the primary focus of Hermione Granger. No....it was the empty,hollow feeling that hadn't left her since her parents death. Her little secret had been found out by Professor Snape, who had informed Headmaster Dumbledore that the brilliant young witch was self injuring herself. The quill paused for a moment, as Hermione fought a wave of anger against her Potions teacher. He claimed to care for her, yet he spilled out her dirty laundry to air, right in front of Dumbledore. The anger quickly passed, as it often did with Hermione, as her more logical way of thinking kicked in. 'He is only trying to help,' she said to herself, before pressing the quill so tightly against the parchment that it snapped. 'He's sticking his big nose in where it doesn't belong!' the angry part of her screeched inside of her head. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the shadow behind her.

"Well, well, well....looks like somebody doesn't have a life anymore," came the mocking voice of Draco Malfoy, from right behind her. Hermione didn't even think, she shifted into autopilot; she grabbed her wand, spun around, and had it pressed right at his Adam's apple before he could say anything else.

"Leave......me...alone..Malfoy," she said lowly, but full of steel, her grip on the wand tightening. He looked surprised and fearful that she had moved so quickly. She had never been one to hex just for a little banter, but this Hermione...this one was different. He held up his hands to show he wasn't armed.

"Just making an observation," he said lamely, backing away from her. He dropped his hands down to his sides, and looked at her, then noticed the hollow circles under her eyes, the unkempt look of her clothes. Finally he saw her eyes, the dead look in them, and that scared him.

"What the hell happened to you Granger?" She snorted, and stepped closer to him, her wand still pointed at him.

"As if you didn't know........Death Eater," she hissed out, looking like she was getting ready to hex him.

"Ms. Granger! Kindly put the wand down now," Came the commanding voice of Professor Snape from behind her. She shot him a look over her shoulder, but didn't comply immediately. "Ms. Granger, if I have to tell you again, I will take you straight to the Headmaster, is that understood?" Snape said, his voice full of steel. She sighed and lowered her wand. "Go back to your rooms now Ms. Granger," Severus commanded, watching as she gathered her books. As she began to leave, he called out to her. "And 20 points from Gryfinndore for pointing your wand at a fellow student." She paused just for a second, but kept on walking towards her common room.

Draco watched her leave, and looked up at his Godfather. "What the bloody hell happened to her?" he asked. Severus sighed. "That is why I wanted to talk to you Draco....her parents were killed in a raid..." Understanding dawned in the young Malfoy's eyes. "Was my father...part of it?" Snape only looked at the boy, before nodding. "And...she thinks that I share his crazy notion that You Know Who is correct?"

"Well, Draco, you really haven't proven otherwise to her," Snape snarked at his godson, who only nodded. "But...I do understand you have to keep up appearances lest you are targeted as well. I will try to talk to Herm...Ms. Granger to let her know that you are nothing like your father...but I doubt that she will trust you...She is having a very difficult time as of late, so...please be wary of what you say to her. You might also want to watch what your toadies do around her as well, as you can plainly see...Ms. Granger has no qualms about hexing anyone." Severus prayed that Draco hadn't heard him slip up and almost call her Hermione, but his godson never let anything slip past him. He looked at his godfather, and a glimmer of understanding dawned in his eyes.
"Yes, sir," Draco said. "Do you think she will believe you that I'm not on the wrong side?" he asked lowly to Severus. Severus only shrugged slightly. "I don't know Draco, as you can see....this Hermione...is different......