Hermione's P.O.V

What on Earth had happened in there? Just this morning we had been at each other's throat, ready to fight at any given moment, and then next he had grabbed me up and kissed me. Why did he kiss me? I thought he was acting to get me away from Samuel, but then he kisses me. Surely even he wouldn't go that far? He can't be that cruel, to hurt me in that way. It would have been impossible to not see how I felt, to see the distrust and, dare I admit it, fear. Not fear of him, but fear of the touch, and fear of where it would lead.

I know that the way he was grabbing me, finger tight, burning against my skin, it could have gone very differently. So I'd panicked, kissed him back and fought to escape when he was stunned. It had worked, he'd let go only moments after I had ripped open his side. I'd hated his touch, his kiss.

So distracted by my thoughts, I don't notice his return until he speaks up, right beside me. "Ready to leave Granger?" he asks quietly, a small frown appearing as he gazes at me. Biting my lip, I nod in response. "What's the matter, cat go your tongue?"

"Yes of course!" He arches a brow, making me want to slap a hand to my forehead for making such a silly mistake. "I mean, no. I can speak just fine and yes I'm ready to go." I can feel my cheeks heat as I snap my mouth closed to prevent any more ramblings. He just chuckles and shakes his head, causing a few of his platinum blonde locks to fall in front of his eyes. It was a soft laugh, something I had never heard from him.

"Still the same annoyingly awkward mudblood from school I see. Unable to answer even the simplest of questions," he snorts. Just like that, any remotely forgiving thought that I had was swept away in a torrent of rage.

Turning a cold glare on him, I hiss, "Watch yourself. You still don't have magic while I do. And as for what you did to Samuel and I, well let's just say that it won't be soon forgotten. You ruined the one chance I had to meet someone nice, after-" My words catch in my throat and I quickly turn my back on him to hide the rush of emotions that washed over me. Malfoy was the very last person that I wanted to find out about my past.

"After what?" he prompts. "Tell me Granger, who broke your little heart? I'll have to send them a gift basket." With a small, strangled cry, I dash away from him. I can hear him following, his footsteps much louder than mine were as we crunch the fallen leaves under our shoes. The cold autumn air whips across my cheeks, chilling my tears, but I was past the point of caring. All I want right now is to escape the man following me.

Unfortunately luck was not on my side, because the next thing I know, I'm on the ground after having tripped over a tree root. Moments later, a heavy weight falls over me, accompanied by a screech from me and a steady stream of profanities from Malfoy

"Get off of me!" I shout, voice breaking. Rolling onto my back, I kick out but strike against nothing, and he remains in the position we were in, only slightly lifting himself off of me.

"Someone really did mess with you, didn't they?" he asks. There is no sneer or mocking tone, only a slight curiosity. "Who was it?" I turn away and stare at the leaves by my head, scoffing at his words.

"Like I would ever tell you anything. Your only goal in life is to hurt me, so why don't you just get off so we can finish the day and go back to my house." I try shoving him again, and this time he rolls away. "Let's go, we still have to get you clothes and head to the library. And I never got breakfast," I says, standing and dusting off my outfit. My face felt sticky and cold so I pull out my wand and mutter a cleaning spell. All the while, Malfoy stands several feet away, watching my actions closely.

"I'm going to find out, I always do," he warns. Rolling my eyes, I shove past him and walk away, feeling far too drained to snark back.

Hours later, I kick open the door of my house and drop the many bags in my hands to the floor. Heaving a heavy sigh, I make my way to the bedroom and collapse on my bed for a well-earned rest.

Shopping with Malfoy had proved to be more tiring than anticipated. He despised nearly every article of clothing that the stores had to offer, stating that they were all far too "dreary" compared to his own clothes back at the manor. Of course I'd promptly told him to stop talking and had forced him to choose several pairs of ordinary jeans as well as a few plainly colored shirts that were mostly grey or black.

The torture hadn't stopped there, though. Afterwards, we had gone to a local library where I had taught him about a few muggle inventions. He had told me every minute how terribly boring it was, but when he thought I wasn't looking, I had caught a spark of interest in his eyes. We had been there for nearly three hours and in that time he had learned about many muggle inventions, their function, how they helped, and who had created them. Satisfied with the progress, we decided to head to my house.

"Granger?" He interrupts the silence of my room. "I think you should answer the door." Cracking open an eye, I peer at him and wait for him to explain. "Potter and Weaslette are waiting on the porch. Didn't you hear them knock?" he says with exasperation, leaving before I have a chance to reply. Groaning, I run down to the door and pull it open with a tired smile.

"Hermione!" Ginny cries, barreling into me and hugging me tightly. "You must be miserable, all alone here with that pure-blooded git. Has he done anything wrong?" Besides kiss me and make me hate him more than I already do?

"He hasn't done much except act like an arrogant prat. Nothing I can't handle." I shrug then look to Harry, who was closing the door and shedding his jacket. "You didn't go to the minister, did you?"

Harry shakes his head. "I wouldn't want to risk you job. But if he hurts you, come to me and I'll set him straight," he says, gravely serious.

"What would you do Potter? Get me put on trial? I've already received the worst punishment that they can give outside of prison." Malfoy's snide voice comes from the stairway, catching our attention. Harry looks ready to kill and Ginny drew her wand, while I was simply shocked that he would come down during one of the visits with my friends. Malfoy's eyes widen as he notices the odds certainly weren't in his favor, but it's only for a moment before they narrow into slits. "Hurting me, Weaslette, won't get you anywhere," he says, walking right up to her, fearlessly ignoring her wand.

"No, but it would sure be satisfying to see you writhing on the floor in pain," she spits and jabs the wand at his chest. I jolt out of my daze and snatch the wand from her grip.

"No Ginny!" I shout, "you can't hurt him, I'll get fired." Ginny crosses her arms and looks like she might ignore me, but she remains still and gives a sharp nod of consent. "Can we at least pretend that we'll be civil to each other? Please, for my own sanity?" Ginny gives me a look that is somewhere between anger and sympathy before turning to her fiance and whispering something in his ear. He groans but is silenced with a glare.

"Alright, Harry and I agree to be good, but if that ferret does anything to-"

"Great! Now it's your turn Malfoy." I grab his arm and pull him in front of me. "What do you have to say?" He scowls at me and my friends before nodding his head. "Perfect, now go away," I say, waving him away. Malfoy stalks upstairs and into his room, slamming the door so hard that the pictures on the walls rattle. Sighing and shaking my head, I turn back to the couple in front of me. "Sorry about him, and here is your wand back." I toss Ginny her wand then walk to the kitchen, with them trailing close behind. "Not that I don't mind the visit, but why are you two here?" Grabbing a kettle, I set it on the stove and work on preparing tea.

"We wanted to see how your first day with him went, but it seems it wasn't too terrible," Harry says as he sits down in one of the kitchen chairs. It's silent until the kettle whistles. "Hermione," he asks after I've set their cups down and return to the stove to grab mine.

"What is it?" I prompt, poring the steaming beverage into my favorite mug, a plain blue one with my mother and father's names scrawled along the rim.

"Well, you never really told us how you've been after Ron did...you know. We just wanted to talk with you about it." My back stiffens and I clench my jaw as the familiar prickle of tears starts behind my eyes. I will no cry in front of them, I will not. "Please just talk to us, we want to help you." His chair squeaks suddenly, cups rattling on the table, and I know he is coming towards me. Taking a deep breath, I plaster on my award-winning smile and turn to him before he reaches me.

"I'm perfectly fine Harry, there is no need to worry. Just go and drink your tea before it gets too cold." He stops and looks ready to keep questioning me, so i quickly add, "I've moved on from him, trust me. I wouldn't waste any thought on him." Lies. Lie, lie, lie, lie. Every single word was untrue. Ronald hasn't left my head since the day he-NO. I can't think about that now, not with them in the room.

Harry gives me a doubtful look. "If you say so," he says instead of arguing. When Harry wasn't looking, Ginny gives me a disappointed stare. It hurts, but I'm safe in the knowledge that she doesn't truly know what's wrong. None of us notice the shadow in the doorway.