Desire. Passion. Hatred. Madness.

Desire. Passion. Hatred. Madness. By MuffyTaj

This was stupid, what the heck was happening? Hermione did not like being placed in situations outside of her control, and this was definitely out of her league!

"Where am I?" She shouted to the uncaring night. She had been walking to the girls' dormitories; same as she did every night, cursing the fact that her fluffy socks didn't keep her feet warm, when everything had gone black. The next thing she knew, she was in the middle of a forest, with no civilisation in sight. And to make matters worse, somehow her wand had disappeared.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me?" She called. Unfortunately, she got a response she was not expecting. A low, feral growl made her swing round in fright, only to see the hulking form of an overlarge wolf. It almost looked like . . . no . . . it couldn't be. But Hermione, with her extensive knowledge of beasts, knew that there was no denying the species of the creature she was staring at. A quick glance at the sky confirmed her fears. That was when she ran. The thundering of her heart in her ears drowned the sound of pursuit out. This was not good.

"HELP!" Her panic-stricken cry tore through the night and, contrary to most of these situations, was answered.

"Well, well, well! The Mudblood's all alone, with nowhere to run, where are Potter and Weasley now?"

"Malfoy!"

Hermione ran towards the cloaked figure, responding to a primitive coding, that when in trouble - move in packs. And he was holding the only thing that could protect them. A wand.

"Don't worry Granger, I doubt he would want to taste something like you." And with that he raised his empty hand, palm outwards. "Conquiesco!" He commanded and, to Hermione's immense surprise, the terrifying beast stopped. Sure it dropped to the ground, howling and barking in pain and scratching feverishly at a collar around its neck, but it had at least stopped.

"What's going on Malfoy? Where are we? How did you make that thing stop? How did you get here?"

"You always want to know all the answers, don't you Granger? Have you never heard that ignorance is bliss?"

"Answer the questions Malfoy."

"Very well then . . ." Draco stretched luxuriously, and began to move towards Hermione in a most intimidating manner. "You are here, because I have to tell you something. At the minute, we are in a world of my creation. I made your little friend, the werewolf, stop by activating a Crucio collar, very effective at stopping wild beasts, but unfortunately rather hard to get. And finally, I am here, because you are here." At the end of this speech, he was mere inches away from the stunned Hermione.

Hermione felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. This was too weird, this was twisted . . . but she still had questions.

"What have you got to tell me Malfoy?" She questioned sharply.

"Well, first I have some questions . . . for example, what is your family fortune like?"

"What?"

"No matter, I can make do. Hmmm . . . I know what your grades are . . . ah yes, have you ever had a serious boyfriend?"

"Malfoy, what on Earth . . .?" Hermione could not believe this, she was in the middle of a forest, having to listen to Malfoy ask her about her personal life.

"No . . . I would have noticed . . . but maybe a summer fling?"

"NO! Malfoy, why are you asking me this? Get us OUT of here!"

"No, no, just a couple more questions, what about Potter and Weasley, do you fancy them?"

"Malfoy . . . are you ill? Drunk? I hope there's a curse on you, for your sake!"

"That would be a no, not that I blame you . . . how do you feel about traditions? Come on, this one's important!"

Hermione just stood there. This could not be happening to her, Malfoy was actually acting like he cared . . . the thought made her shudder in disgust.

"Do hurry up Granger!"

"Listen Malfoy, I don't want to play any games here! I don't know what your interests are, but I want to get out of here, and get out of here fast!"

"But I don't want you to go, I think I like you here, all alone and vulnerable . . ." He smirked evilly and reached out to touch her face.

With a noise of distaste she realised how close he was, and pushed him away.

"STOP PUSHING ME AWAY!" He shouted, suddenly losing it, as he snatched her hand. "Why are you always pushing me away? Don't you see?" he snarled, holding onto her hand so tightly it had started to turn red. "This is what I have to tell you: You are mine. You belong with me. You are perfect for me. I brought you here to make you see, you must stay with me!"

"You're mad." Hermione said, with conviction. "I hate you, you know that! We've hated each other since we first met! Now let go of me!"

"No!" Draco panted, looking like he was losing control of the situation 'This isn't how it was meant to happen, she's meant to tell me how's she's been hiding her love, I must make her tell me, she must feel the same way'.

"I mean," he said, suddenly realising that losing it would not help advance the situation, "You could do a lot worse than me. I think it would be good for you."

" . . . You're mad!" Hermione whispered, even more convinced by his suddenly placating manner, "I want to get out of here now, get me out of here, before I make sure you regret it!"

'She's rejecting me' Draco realised. It took a while for this thought to filter through, he had been so sure that she would choose him, he had been so sure that she must want him. 'She doesn't want to have anything to do with me. She'll make fun of me. They all will. She doesn't want me. She doesn't realise how great the honour is to be chosen by me!'

His head snapped up and Hermione was startled to see hatred burning within the depths of his eyes.

"Perhaps, Mudblood, you should reconsider. This is something great I'm offering you, a chance to become part of the great Malfoy family, the envy of all, you would be perfect beside me, we could be powerful together. I would make sure no one would even touch you." He said, with a sudden tone change.

"We would be great together, you could become part of something very powerful, I would take care of you . . ." He could not believe this, he was almost asking. Malfoys' did not ask - they took. She should be begging him, not the other way round! He would make her beg, he would make her realise that the only way to live would be with him. He would make her beg; make her grateful that a Mudblood like her had been chosen by HIM!

"I'll give you a choice Granger, since I'm feeling generous . . ."

"There's no question of choice Malfoy, you get me out of here, and I make sure you never come near me again!"

"Now, now Granger . . ." He said, waving his finger at her like one would with a naughty child, "be happy you're getting a choice! It's more than most people get. Now-" he said, stepping back and crossing his arms, "I can offer you everything you want, what's wrong with me? I'm rich, handsome, well-bred-"

"And a self-centred jerk!" Hermione finished, "I don't know what sort of little game you're playing, but I don't want to be part of it. Even if you were to offer me the world, I wouldn't ever consider a life with you by my side! Now, kindly call off your pet, take me out of this forest, and go back to your sick little fantasies alone!"

A muscle in Draco's cheek twitched.

"But wait . . ." he purred, "you simply must hear the second option . . . you can either stay with me and live a happy life, or run, and be left at the tender mercies of my friend." With a wave of the hand he indicated the darkness and the werewolf, "So, Granger, what's it going to be?"

For an instant, Hermione stood there, staring him in the eye. She knew there was little to no chance of her making it if she ran, and that life with Draco might not be too bad, better than being eaten alive by a werewolf. Besides, if he cared as much as he seemed to, to go against his father must mean lust of a large degree. And she could always escape later . . .

'I've got her!' Draco thought, 'She choses me! I've won! I've won! She's MINE! Forever! I have her! This will teach her to hate me and make me hate her (she shall be punished severely for that) to slap me, to ignore and be far away from me! I'll show her what it's like to be wanted by ME! She will be mine forever! I'll make sure no one will ever harm her, make sure Voldemort will never come near her again! I'll keep her safe, I'll make sure she never crosses me again; I'll make her know not to even think about it! She is mine; I'll make her happy for the rest of her life! My life will be . . . perfect'

"Hermione . . ." He breathed, his eyes softening.

"I chose the night." She whispered, and ran.

"So you have chosen to die . . ." Draco murmured, his eyes now devoid of whatever emotion they might have held. "Pity."

Hermione gasped, she was getting away! Yes!

A second werewolf dropped to the ground in front of her.

"Oh . . . no." Hermione moaned, just as the two werewolves converged on her. She shrieked as she felt herself being crushed by their immense weight.

She felt their breath, claws and then, a short, sharp pain in her side. Draco was shouting something, but she could not hear what. Then the entire world went black.

* * *

Hermione sat up with a jerk. "NO!" She shouted.

"Mghm." Came the intelligent response from her roommates.

"It was a dream . . . just a dream . . ." Hermione reassured herself. "But it felt so real . . . I need a drink."

Hermione practically ran to the basin and, as she splashed her face and checked herself for bruises, anything to prove that it had not just been a vivid dream, she noticed the full moon, partially hidden behind the clouds.

"I'm never going to see you the same again!" She told the oblivious moon, as she went back to bed.

And as she lay down, she failed to notice the closed, fang-deep puncture wound in her side.