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"Hermione- wait!"

I ignored Harry who had jumped up from the armchair by the fireplace as I stormed through the Gryffindor common room, heading straight for the dormitories.

But, to my horror, Ron was blocking the bottom of the stairway, his tongue shamelessly shoved in Lavender's mouth like it always was these days.

I froze, wondering when my life had become a multitude of non-stop humiliating scenarios. Never mind Obliviating my parents' minds of my existence, I needed to wipe my own and live in a blissful state of ignorance for the rest of my life.

"Hermione," Harry panted breathlessly behind me, rudely grabbing my arm and forcing me around to face him. "We need to talk about what just happened."

Uh, no - we didn't! What was he hoping we could discuss? The shape of my nipples?!

"Harry, there's nothing to say!" I hissed, wishing the ground would open up. "I just need to know that you won't mention this again. Ever. To anyone!"

But Harry wouldn't quit, rampaging on as though I hadn't said a thing.

"He wants to kill people like you, AND THERE YOU ARE GIVING HIM A LAP DANCE?!"

I tried not to die as the entire common room fell silent, everyone dropping what they were doing to twist around and get a good eyeful of the drama.

Over by the stairs, I could see Ron unstick himself from Lavender's mouth, looking over at us curiously.

"Will you shut up, Harry?!" I muttered angrily under my breath, my face going fiercely hot as I made mental plans to emigrate to Australia.

"Look," Harry sighed, pushing a hand through his hair so that it flopped back messily on his head, "I won't pretend to understand why you would let Malfoy... touch you like that." He blushed. "But I promise not to tell anyone. However, I just have one small favour to ask in return..."

The fucking nerve.

"What?" I spat impatiently, noticing Ron had moved away from Lavender and was headed straight towards us.

"Find out what Malfoy's up to," Harry said in hushed, urgent tones. "According to the map, he's been disappearing a lot, which makes me think he's been going to the Room of Requirement. He's doing something in there, something Death Eater related - I just know it. If I don't put a stop to it soon, something bad will happen... probably towards the end of the school year once we've safely completed our exams."

My mouth fell open in horror, realising he was being completely serious. But before I could call him a knob, Ron had reached us, eagerly rubbing his hands together.

"So, what's this about a lap dance?"

Harry looked at me, and I looked at him.

"Just discussing possible future career options," Harry replied smoothly, not taking his unblinking eyes away from mine, "weren't we, Hermione?"

"Yes, but I suggested that Harry may need to get a boob job first." I spat, glaring back at him. "Otherwise he's going to find the tips somewhat lacking."

"Oooo-kay..." Ron said slowly, raising his eyebrows, looking bemusedly between the two of us. "Anyway- uh... did you have a good Christmas, Hermione?"

I looked at him, startled. This was the first time he had spoken to me like a friend since he'd started kissing Lavender. Speaking of whom-

"WON WON!" A voice screeched from behind him, making him flinch. A pair of long thin arms snaked around his middle as a head full of dirty blonde hair nuzzled against his back. "I missed you!"

"Uh- it's been thirty seconds, Lav," Ron mumbled, going a deep shade of red as he avoided my eye.

It was only then I noticed he was wearing a necklace. A vulgar thick gold chain with the words 'My Sweetheart' dangling from it.

Ugh. Seizing my chance, I took my leave, stomping up the staircase to the girl's dormitories.

I hated everyone.

*****

At the sight of the dead bird, Draco angrily kicked the cabinet.

He was failing miserably at life.

Reaching into his pocket, he fumbled around until his fingers touched the small round smooth metal badge he knew to be there.

Closing his eyes, he thought about her, the ache in his chest becoming unbearable. He was so tired from no sleep, so tired from missing her.

But he needed to stop this wallowing, needed to stop being such a pussy. Who was she at the end of the day? Just some Mudblood with great looking tits and eyes that made you want to die if they weren't looking at you.

He purposefully stabbed himself with the pin, piercing the tip of his thumb until his eyes began to water and he could no longer take the pain.

Once he'd sucked the blood away, he removed his wand and got on with the impossible task.

*****

I didn't talk to Harry again after his proposition. And I was still ignoring Ron.

But it wasn't them I was missing. They weren't the ones I was desperate to sit down with and just be.

I thought about what Harry said, about Draco's strange 'excursions', and I couldn't help but feel curious as to where he went and why. I refused, however, to cave into Harry's blackmail and follow him.

He could tell the world what I did, for all I cared. I would never betray Draco like that, no matter how bad our parting had been. Harry needed to get a grip and quit his pathetic obsession. I was fed up with seeing his head constantly buried in that map as much as I was with seeing Ron's tongue constantly buried in Lavender's mouth.

So, I spent all my free time in the library, avoiding everyone and feeling rather lonely.

It did mean, however, that when I wasn't doing schoolwork, I could get stuck into my SPEW campaign.

Ideally, I would have liked to have held a meeting, but with the only members being my parents who were Muggles, a Bulgarian who lived in another country, and a boy, who - when I last spoke to - came in his pants, the prospect didn't look likely.

So, I was somewhat surprised when working one night in the library surrounded by elf-help books, I was joined by my latest recruit.

"Um- what are you doing here?" I asked, frowning in bewilderment as the white-blond haired Slytherin lifted his bag over his shoulder and took a seat across from me at the table.

Draco looked at me, a smirk twitching at his lips. "It's our study night? Or have you forgotten?"

I blinked in confusion. The last time we spoke he had told me to leave him alone. I assumed this had meant the end of our study sessions too.

"Oh." I fidgeted in my seat feeling rather discombobulated. "I um- I didn't bring my Transfiguration work."

"That's okay, I've completed the latest assignment, anyway," he replied, his eyes sweeping over the books in front of me. "SPEW stuff?"

I felt my face grow hot, feeling as though I'd been caught doing something highly embarrassing, which was ironic seeing as the last time I was caught in a compromising position, I was on his cum-drenched lap with my tits out.

"You can never be too prepared, as my mother always says." My voice was defensive as I shuffled my paperwork, avoiding his gaze.

"Your mother sounds like a very wise woman," he murmured, his voice silky and even.

"My mother is a Muggle." I sniped, feeling an angry spark in my stomach. "As is my father. But then, you already knew that, of course."

He remained silent. I couldn't help but glance up into his piercing grey eyes, wondering what he was thinking - what sort of thoughts were going through his mind whenever he looked at me?

Disgust? Lust? Both?

Either way, I suddenly felt dirty again, and I looked away, resentful.

"Why are you here, Draco," I began to ask stiffly, flipping open a copy of Elf Breeding Through The Ages: What Goes Where, "if you have already finished your assignment?"

A beat.

"I owe you an apology."

I looked up, wondering if I had heard correctly. His pale eyes, I could see, were solemn as they regarded me sorrowfully.

"I think you'll find you owe me a good few of those." I sniped, not in the mood for it.

"I know. I've been a shit to you. Yet, of all the people in this school, professors included, it's you I respect the most."

"Respect?!" I couldn't help but let out a loud bark of laughter. "Well, I hate to see how you treat those that you hold contempt for."

He heaved a heavy sigh, rubbing his face tiredly in his hands. I looked at him, and even though it had been less than a week since I had seen him this close, I was shocked at how exhausted he was looking, the shadows beneath his eyes more prominent, the pallor of his skin greyer than ever.

I couldn't help it, my heart twisted for him, and I realised he needed me more than I needed my sanity. So, taking a deep breath, I decided to tell him about Harry's 'request'.

"Harry says he knows you've been frequenting the Room of Requirement," I said quietly, watching him carefully for his reaction. "He wants me to spy on you and find out what you're doing in there. He's convinced you're working for You-Know-Who and that something bad is going to happen unless he puts a stop to it."

So many emotions seemed to flit across Draco's face at once. His eyes widened as he stared at me, mouth opening and closing as he digested my words and tried to figure out how to respond.

"Why are you telling me this?" He settled with, his voice hoarse and shaky. It was evident from his demeanour that I had completely thrown him.

"Because despite everything, Draco, I'm worried about you. And I wish that you would trust me enough to confide in me and know that I won't go running straight to Harry."

He gave a derisive snort, shaking his head.

"He's your best friend, isn't he? You, him... the Weasel, you're all tight. Okay, maybe not recently, but at the end of the day you're in his corner. Everyone's in Potter's fucking corner."

Wow. I hadn't realised just how much Draco's insecurities played a part in his rivalry with Harry until that moment.

Without thinking, I reached across the table and brushed my fingertips to the back of his hand, his skin felt cool to touch and he shivered ever so slightly.

"I'm in your corner, Draco, if you just let me."

He held my gaze, his breathing beginning to quicken between semi-parted lips. I could see him fighting in his mind whether to believe me or not, and I silently pleaded with my eyes that he could, that I could take whatever he threw at me if only he would just let me in.

And then ever so slowly, he turned his hand over, entwining my fingers with his own, the feel of his heated palm against mine making my stomach flip with joy.

"Alright," he breathed, his voice nothing but a shaky whisper, "I'll tell you. If that's what you want, I'll tell you everything."

*****

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