My Soul Mate

Chapter Twenty FOur - Trapped and Stuck...

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Humne tumse, tumne humara, rishtaa joda gumse,

Ek bafa, ke siva, kaunsi khatta, hui thi humse?

Kabhi bandhan judaa liya,

Kabhi daaman chchooda liya,

Oh saathirey, kaissa sila diya yeh bafa ka,

Kaissa sila diya?

Tere waadein, woh irradein,

Oh mitwaare, sab kuch bhula diya yeh bafa ka,

Kaissa sila diya?

Meri yaadion mein tumho, meri saason mein tumho,

Magar tum na jaane kaissi, galatfamly mein goom ho,

Tumhare ghar ko mandir, devta tumko bana diya,

Devta tumko bana diya.

Tere waadein, woh irradein,

Oh mitwaare, sab kuch bhula diya yeh bafa ka,

Kaissa sila diya?

Umra bhar sona sakenge, kissi ke hona sakenge,

Ajnabee tumho jao, gair hum hona sakenge,

Kissi begaane ke khatir, tumne apno ko bhoola diya,

Apno ko bhula diya.

Tere waadein, woh irradein,

Oh mitwaare, sab kuch bhula diya yeh bafa ka,

Kaissa sila diya?

Ab mujhe jeena nahin sanam, yeh zeher pina nahin sanam,

Janm janmoka naata, chand lamho mein mita diya,

Chand lamho main mita diya.

Tere waadein, woh irradein,

Oh mitwaare, sab kuch bhula diya yeh bafa ka,

Kaissa sila diya?

-

I made a relation with you; you made my relation with sorrow,

Only an unintentional mistake, what else wrong did I do?

You made a relation with me,

But you quit too.

Oh dear, what result did you give for my love,

What result did you give?

Your promises, your motives,

Oh dear, you forgot everything.

What result did you give?

You're in my memory, you're on my breath,

But I don't know, in what misconception you are,

I made your heart a temple, and you, my God.

And you, my God.

Your promises, your motives,

Oh dear, you forgot everything.

What result did you give?

I can't sleep from now, I can't be anyone else's,

I can be a stranger for you, but you can't be one for me,

But for a stranger only, you forgot your own ones,

You forgot your own ones.

Your promises, your motives,

Oh dear, you forgot everything.

What result did you give?

I don't want to live anymore, I don't want to drink this poison,

A life long relationship, you finished it in moments,

You finished it in moments.

Your promises, your motives,

Oh dear, you forgot everything.

What result did you give?

____________________________________________________________________

It was around two hours before Hermione came out of the Gryffindor Prefects' room. Draco had been sitting in the living room, true to his words. Harry, Ron and Ginny had come out and walked out of the quarters. They didn't say to Draco a word nor did Draco tell them anything. He would talk to Hermione first. He had decided on it.

And at long last, Hermione came out. She had no expression on her face. She didn't even acknowledge Draco's presence in the living room. She straightaway made her way for the exit. But Draco stopped her.

He caught her wrist in his hands and snapped his fingers tightly around it, like a Venus-fly trap plant.

"Don't touch me!" Hermione hissed at him. "I thought you had some courtesy."

Draco glowered at her. "I won't leave you," he said, "until you tell me everything."

"Tell you about what?" snapped Hermione.

"About last night."

"What! D'you want me to relive everything for you?"

"Yes, I do."

Hermione stared at him disgustedly. "You're a monster," she said. "Can't you understand how I feel? And I thought you were the person who understood me the best!"

"I still am the same person you knew." Draco assured her.

"I know that very well, Malfoy. You're still the same pervert!"

"Why are you calling me this?" Draco demanded. "How could you think that I am a pervert? And a nymphomaniac, tell me? Why?"

"What you did last night makes me call you this!"

"Hell!" exclaimed Draco. Just because I was intimate with her last night makes me a nymphomaniac? But we had many such sessions before, why all of a sudden...?

"But that doesn't make me a nymphomaniac," he said reasonably, "I did it so many times before."

Hermione opened her mouth in horror. She knew he had sex with Pansy before but he was telling her as though he had just stolen a Knut from her purse.

"You unfeeling rake," she yelled at him, "leave my hand!"

Draco didn't. Instead, his grip tightened. "Tell me the true reason behind your change of heart," he stated. insisted.

Hermione tried to wrench her hand away from Draco's clasp. She twisted and turned her wrist but she was unsuccessful. "Let go," she gasped. "You're hurting me."

Draco let go of her wrist but instead caught her waist and pulled her so hard to him that she slammed into his body. Then, he wrapped her arms around her body and held her so close that Hermione's breasts were pressed hard against his chest.

"Please, Hermione," he whispered, "tell me what have I done?"

Hermione's eyes started to water. His touch stung her. Like a poisonous serpent. "How am I answerable to you?" she asked him, trying futilely to get her hands between her breasts and Draco's chest.

Draco stared at her beautiful face in shock. "How are you answerable to me?" he asked, dumbfounded. "I though we loved each other."

Hermione couldn't help it anymore. She couldn't control it. Tears started to pour out of her amber eyes. "What sort of cruel joke are you playing on me, Draco?" she sobbed. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Draco didn't answer. He had no answer.

"Let me go, Draco," Hermione went on. "I am not answerable to you. We're not together any more."

Draco's world came crashing onto him at Hermione's last words.

"W-what?"

"I said let me go," Hermione lashed out harshly, though her voice faltered with emotion. "We are not together anymore!"

"D'you realize what you are saying?" asked Draco, aghast. "What sort of joke is this?"

"This is no joke. I don't love you any more!"

"Hermione!"

"I don't love you anymore!" Hermione screamed. She wrenched out of Draco's grip and ran away from the quarters blindly, not caring when she ran into several objects on her way, after giving him a disgusted but hurt look.

Draco stared stupefied at the point Hermione was standing a few moments ago. He couldn't believe his ears ... Hermione was surely lying.

Silly girl, thought Draco fondly as he made his solitary way to his room and locked it behind him. She doesn't realize the meaning of her words.

This is no joke. I don't love you anymore.

But she had also said these words. She told him flatly that she didn't love him anymore. She did not love him anymore.

Draco dropped onto his bed, stunned and without any expression on his face. He gazed at some point above his bed, his eyes out of focus. He couldn't think anymore. He couldn't see anymore. He couldn't hear anymore. It almost felt the same way it had last night.

Last Night ... the devastation took place Last Night.

Draco forgot Hermione and started thinking, concentrating hard into his memory of last night. What had happened? What had happened so significant that became the turning point in his life? What happened that made Hermione dump him so recklessly? What had happened that made her lash out on him without explanation?

Draco bit his lip and furrowed his eyebrows. He remembered nothing after Hermione had come to him last night. Nothing. All that his remembrance led him to was a dark chasm. An endless and no-way-out abyss.

In despair, Draco banged his hand on the bed stands. Hard. It hurt him a lot, but he didn't care. He was hurt beyond imagination. Coming out of trance, Draco looked around. His eyes fell on the Harappan-based painting that Hermione had given him for Christmas.

The painting was of a lady in a flowing white gown, stretched sideways across an old fashioned pool found, usually used in the Harappan Culture, more than five thousand years ago. The lady was pale in color with beautiful silver blonde long hair cascading down her slender shoulders in waves. She had no smile on her face, but instead had a faraway and distrait expression. Two graceful swans were in the pool. Far behind, a silver sun had risen above the dame's head lighting up her hair and highlighting her sharp features with its soft, white light. And everywhere around was an abstract blur of crystal blue.

Draco got up and walked towards the drawers in the dormitory. He opened the third one and pulled out of it a piece of parchment. He read it once again. It was Hermione's letter.

The lady has this bemused expression, and it's you who amuse me. Your words, your actions, your smile, your laugh ... everything amuses me. You brighten up my days like the sun, which even though is right at the back in the mural, is the most important ... I don't regret giving it you, because I have feeling that I am giving it to a part of my self. I wanted to thank you for all those wonderful times you had given me and I really love being with you. You never bore me, and are always full of pleasant surprises. So do you understand your value in my life?

Draco read the PostScript.

The painting's like you, and I won't like any change in you. I like the painting the way it is as I like you the way you are.

"I didn't change, Hermione," Draco whispered to himself. "Why did you?"

Slowly, lifelessly, he walked back to his bed and slumped onto it again, resting against the bed stands and gazing at the painting again. The painting hadn't changed a bit. Draco hadn't changed a bit. But Last Night had changed everything else. It had changed his life. And perhaps Hermione's too.

Draco found himself remembering all the careful moments he had spent with Hermione. Right from the moment when he had told her about Manumission from Servitude, till 'What sort of joke is this?'

The evening when happiness had first stepped into his life. When Hermione had stepped into his life. When she helped him out with his biggest problem, despite their differences. She had been his first ever and true friend. And then, his true love. The love of his life. His soul mate.

Draco cringed when he recalled Hermione's hard words.

Nymphomaniac Draco.

Wrong.

Nymphomaniac Malfoy.

That was what she had called him. Or rather, hurt him.

I don't want to see your perverse face anymore ... you're a monster ... pervert ... unfeeling rake ... I am not answerable to you anymore ... we're not together anymore ... I don't love you anymore...

Hermione's voice echoed in his ears. It was so loud that it bounced about the room. It was taunting him again and again. Until Draco closed his ears with his hands hoping the voice to stop.

It didn't.

Draco begged. But it still didn't.

The words changed. They spoke sweeter things. But it stung more.

I care for you more than I do for myself ... it would be a cursed life without you ... I love you ... I can hardly live without you...

Draco screamed out loud, in order to drown the continuous ringing in his ears. But Hermione's voice boomed in the chambers of his brain louder than ever, deafening him.

Draco felt tears coming out his eyes, uncontrollably. He didn't remember shedding a drop for years, but he was now sobbing, heart-broken. Sobbing in a heart-rending way. Hermione was gone ... gone. Draco felt the walls around him becoming small until it became difficult for him to move, to breathe and until it squeezed the life out him. Everybody had turned on him, had walked out on him. Even Hermione.

Were all the promises that she had made to him false? Were all the words she told him a joke? Were all the relationships she shared with him, mental or physical, entertainment packages?

Draco's heart couldn't answer any of the questions his mind questioned him. It had no answer.

But one thing he knew for sure. Hermione wasn't the one who understood him the best.

____________________________________________________________________

Hermione came back to the Prefects' quarters at lunch. She entered the living room cautiously, hoping against hope that Draco wouldn't be there.

He wasn't.

Hermione sighed in relief. She was glad that Draco wasn't there, but a small part of her heart wanted him to be there, successfully proving to her that he was innocent, that whatever she saw the previous night was untrue. That Last Night never happened.

But Hermione wasn't one of those who dwelled on illusions. She had seen the truth for herself Last Night. She had seen Draco's true self.

And she wasn't happy at all after seeing the truth. It had hurt her. It had hurt like hell to walk out on Draco but it had hurt hundred times more when she had seen Draco acting clean-handed in front of her that very morning. Bastard.

Hermione found Ginny, Harry and Ron on the table, having lunch. She had met them near the Great Hall with the other Gryffindors when she had run out of the quarters after telling Draco her decision. She had told them to go and not wait for her for lunch; she had no idea when she would be back. She didn't have any idea where she was even going. She just went where her legs took her - to the great lake. Hermione knew that she wasn't supposed to go out but rules and regulations did not matter for her anymore. She knew it could have even resulted in her death but life did not matter anymore for her. Without Draco in her life, Hermione was as good as dead.

Near the great lake, Hermione had sat for hours on end, crying uncontrollably. Her eyes were red and under-bagged. Her face was tear-strained. She looked like a small girl, who had a sad woman trapped inside her. She looked lost. She looked lifeless.

"Hermione..." said Harry concernedly, getting up from his chair and walking towards Hermione. "Hermione where have you been?"

Hermione didn't answer. She ignored Harry and walked forwards and dropped into a chair like an inert doll.

"You look terrible, Hermione," said Ginny. "I would rather you had a wash."

Hermione breathed in heavily, as though it hurt to do so. "I know," she said quietly, "but I don't feel like."

Ginny laid a comfortable hand on Hermione's. "I am so sorry, Hermione."

"Don't be," said Hermione. "It's all my fault."

"Your fault?" said Ron incredulously. "It isn't your fault, it's Malfoy's fault!"

"No it's my fault," said Hermione, her voice quivering. "I believed him. I never knew he was fooling around all along. I thought him to be a true friend first and then a true lover. He wasn't. He lied to me. He made a fool of me. I couldn't see the reality behind the chimeras he put up in front of me."

"Hermione, Hermione," said Harry, coming and sitting next to her, shaking his head slightly. "Don't blame yourself. Malfoy succeeded in fooling all. Even Ginny, see."

"I truly can't believe it," said Ginny. "He had seemed so ... honest."

"He tricked me," said Hermione, tears leaking out of her eyes again. "He played with me. He promised me that he'd always be with me. He betrayed me..."

"Let him go, Hermione," said Ron. "Forget him. Close his chapter in your life and begin a new one."

"It's not that easy," said Hermione, drying her eyes. "He made me love him with my heart and mind. I love him more than anything on earth."

Harry stiffened at Hermione's words. Don't worry, he told himself. It'll be your victory in the end.

Hermione turned left and looked at the closed door of the Slytherin dormitory. That was the place she had submitted her everything to Draco. That was where he exploited her body. Took advantage of her.

And that was the place where the whole story had come out Last Night.

The place would haunt Hermione's memory forever. It'll be her nightmare; she knew it.

"What are you thinking, Hermione?" asked Harry.

Hermione shook her head. "Nothing," she said softly. "Where is he?"

"In his stinking room, I guess. But I wouldn't know. If he is there, he hasn't come out yet. Perhaps hiding from facing you."

The four of them had to stop their conversation there. Albus Dumbledore suddenly appeared through the portrait hole, in sweeping purple robes.

"Professor Dumbledore," said Harry, getting up, surprised, "what are you doing here?"

Hermione quickly dried her eyes properly and got up too, as did Ginny and Ron.

"I - I meant, what brought you here?" said Harry hastily, realizing how rude he must have sounded. "You could have called us."

Dumbledore smiled benignly at him. "Order of the Phoenix," he said. "Don't bother, Harry. All of you, please have a seat."

Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Harry sat down, muttering 'The Order of the Phoenix'. Harry looked embarrassed while Hermione avoided Dumbledore's eye. Dumbledore himself sat down on a chair.

"I have come here on an important business," he said, looking around them. "I wanted to ... is Draco Malfoy missing?" he suddenly asked.

"Er ... yes, sir," said Harry. "He ... is probably in the bathroom."

"Then, will you please call on him, Harry? He needs to be present here."

"Of course," said Harry and got up. He walked to the Slytherin door and all saw him performing the Alohomora Spell on the door and then going inside. Dumbledore could sense that something was wrong. But he knew better than to interfere in the students' personal lives.

A few minutes passed and then Harry came out, followed closely by Draco. Draco looking messed up and tired. Draco came and sat on a chair that was three seats away from Hermione by the circular table. He avoided looking at Hermione, who was staring hard at the flower vase on the table.

"A very good noon to you, Draco," said Dumbledore. "I hope I didn't disturb you."

"No, Professor," said Draco. His voice sounded oddly strained and weak. Hermione restrained herself from looking at him.

"I hoped so," continued Dumbledore. "As I was saying, I have some important news for all of you. I trust you remember the plan of the Order regarding the arrest of Lord Voldemort?"

Everybody nodded.

"And I believe you know that Peter Pettigrew is dead?"

Everybody nodded again.

"Good then. So as you would recall in the plan, we had forecasted that Voldemort would flee as soon as he got wind that the Aurors were behind him. That has happened."

In spite of herself, Hermione looked up at Dumbledore, a bit surprised.

"Voldemort is not in the Riddle House anymore. Sirius killed Wormtail two days ago and it was only early this morning when he and his team managed to break into the Riddle House. They found neither hair nor hide of Voldemort. He is gone."

"Voldemort perhaps tried used Legilimency on Wormtail," muttered Draco, keeping his disheveled head down. Hermione looked up again in surprise at Draco, but gratefully, did not meet his eyes. "He must have surely failed to do so," Draco continued, "and there is only one answer for such a case: death."

"Precisely," said Dumbledore appreciatively. "Voldemort had certainly used Legilimency. He knows that Wormtail is dead and of course, this is no good sign for him. So he fled, along with Bellatrix Lestrange. He left no clue behind in the Riddle House about his whereabouts."

"So does this mean," said Ron slowly, "that it's time ... time for us to move out?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes."

Draco stared at his feet hard, taking in Dumbledore's reply. He perfectly knew where had to move out - Ethiopian Highlands, Africa with Hermione. A bottomless feeling rose over his chest.

Hermione swallowed too. She knew that she would have to go to Africa with Draco. She couldn't bear to see him, let alone stay with him. She felt nauseated.

Harry looked at Draco first and then at Hermione. Shit, he swore inwardly. Hermione will have to go with Malfoy. All my plans will be scrapped. And action number two hasn't yet started!

Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly. Everybody came out of his or her brown study.

"Now of course all of you will have to move out," said Dumbledore, "though I do know that you all don't want to leave each other. But it is important. We don't know when Voldemort went away or where he got to. He could be possibly anywhere. Already most of us have taken our places where they were allotted. Ron, Ginny, you both will to Egypt to Bill. I have contacted Bill and he is ready. You will go to his Gringott's apartment directly from here. Molly will join you quickly."

Ron and Ginny nodded mutely.

"Harry, you next," went on Dumbledore. "You will go to Monaco with Sirius and Rahel Smith. But you will first go the Grimmauld's Place. I will have a word with you about your training over there and you will set out with Sirius and Rahel together."

Harry nodded tightlipped, his gaze never wandering from Draco's looming form.

"And then, Draco and Hermione. You are going to Ethiopian Highlands, right? Professor Snape and Kingsley Shacklebolt are in Egypt right now. But as soon as you go, they will come to you. You may stay in Alexander Malfoy's house."

Neither did Draco nor Hermione respond.

"And now obviously, the school will be closed down till the war ends..." Dumbledore stopped for a moment, but his silence was clearly understood. Who knew that the next time it Hogwarts opened would remain Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry instead Lord Voldemort's Dark Arts School? It was quite uncomfortable.

"Well, then," Dumbledore said, lifting the disquieted mood and getting up, "rest of the information and instructions you will receive from your guardians once you go to the place you are supposed to. You will leave this evening, at four o' clock. Professor McGonagall will see you off at that time. Shortly after the school's closed, a few professors will join all of you. Anyhow, I hope you would be packed and ready by four. Enjoy yourselves till then. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Professor," all chorused, getting up too.

Dumbledore disappeared through the portrait hole. Draco, Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny were left in the living room. The moment Dumbledore left the place, Harry, Ron and Ginny shot glares at Draco, who had his head still bowed down and obviously didn't notice anything. It was Harry who spoke first.

"Hermione," he said in a kind voice, "I know that the coming times will be difficult for you, but that's what we have to do. I wish Dumbledore would change your place but the Order..." his voice trailed off.

"It's okay," said Hermione, sitting down and toying with a silver spoon on the table. "We have to cooperate."

Ron sat down too. "Well, well," he said sternly, "I know how you are a nymphomaniac, Malfoy. But if you try anything funny with Hermione when you're with her in Africa, then you won't have that pretty little face to look at in the mirror."

Draco's face hardened. He felt extremely insulted.

Hermione didn't say anything.

"And Malfoy," Ron continued, his tone becoming caustic, "why don't you ask Dumbledore if Pansy Parkinson can go with you."

In spite of himself, Draco's face shot up. "Pansy Parkinson?" he said incredulously.

Harry froze. He didn't want the story to come up. He knew it could cost him a lot if it did, should anyone know the truth. "Come on Ron," he said hastily, sitting too, "Malfoy could do with anyone."

"But there aren't many women who would submit to his urges," Ron said, "except that whore. It was her last night, wasn't it?"

Harry's eyes widened. Drop it Ron, he prayed silently. Please, you'll spoil everything.

"What are you talking about?" asked Draco, surprised. Did whatever happened Last Night had something to with Pansy?

"Don't act so innocent!" lashed out Ron angrily. "Of course it was her last night!"

"What did she do?"

"Will you shut up!" screamed Hermione suddenly, looking at Draco. "You shag her last night and then you forget everything within a matter of hours! Is this is a side effect of being a nymphomaniac?"

Draco glared at Hermione. Least thing that he wanted was Hermione to insult him in front of everybody. But after a moment, Draco realized what she had said.

You shag her last night...

"What did you say?" he said slowly. "I shagged Pansy Parkinson last night?"

"Stop it, Malfoy!" Hermione snapped.

"You're lying," said Draco loudly. "It wasn't Pansy last night, it was you."

"What!" said Hermione, with a mock-chuckle. "You were with Pansy Parkinson, I saw you."

"I don't remember being with her! You saw me pass out!"

Harry gulped. The conversation was going too far for his liking. Or his safety.

"Pass out?" said Hermione, getting up. "Don't make up, Malfoy."

"I am not making stories, I swear," said Draco. "You want me to prove it?"

Hermione looked at him, her nostrils flaring. "How will you do it?"

"I'll perform the Truth Spell on me."

Hermione's furious expression changed into one of panic. "The-the Truth Spell?" she stammered. "But it hurts a lot, doesn't it?"

Draco gawked at Hermione. Hermione's eyes widened when she realized what she had said. Draco wanted to ask her 'Why do you care?' but he didn't.

"It doesn't matter," he said instead. "I am ready to do it."

Harry felt sweat forming on his forehead. If the truth came out...

"Hermione," he said. "Don't believe in him. He might not even perform the spell on himself. He'll bluff you. Why on earth would he hurt himself for you?"

Draco glowered at Harry. In a tumult of impulse, he picked up a knife from the table and was about to pierce it through his wrist when Hermione screamed.

Draco stopped and looked at her horror-stricken face. Hermione came forwards quickly towards him and snatched the knife out of his hands.

"Don't you ever," she hissed at him, "don't you ever do such stupid things."

She stared into Draco's bluish-grey eyes that seemed to be earnest again, as it had in Africa. "I believe you," she found herself saying. "Do what you wish to."

Draco looked at Hermione, his heart beating fast. Hermione still loved him; he could feel it. From her behavior, from her actions, from her eyes. He took his wand out of the pocket of his robe and pointed it towards himself.

"Veritas!" he said.

A burning sensation surged through him, running in his very veins along with his blood. But Draco didn't care. He looked at Hermione and said, "Ask me what you want to know."

Hermione looked at him, breathing heavily. "Tell me," she said, "why are you behaving so innocently?"

"Because I am innocent," Draco replied in a toneless voice.

"What d'you mean?" asked Hermione, shocked.

"I am innocent. I don't know what happened last night."

"What! You know nothing?"

"I know nothing. I was very weak last night and I could neither see properly nor hear properly. You and Potter took me to my room. Then you went away. And then Potter went away. And then you came back and started off with me."

Hermione gasped. "I didn't!"

"You said so. Then I heard a scream and passed out."

"What!"

Draco didn't answer. Harry was rooted to the spot. Ron was still. Ginny pulled out her wand and pointed it towards Draco and said, "Finite Incatetum."

Draco felt the burning pain leave his body. His legs shivered a bit but he stood firmly on the ground. He looked at everybody's shocked faces. "So, heard me?" he asked rudely. "Heard the truth?"

"But that is not the truth," Hermione whispered. "I didn't come to you last night, Pansy did. And it was I who had screamed, seeing both of you naked on the bed and ... and, oh forget it!"

Draco furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you sure what you are saying? I don't understand you!"

Hermione lowered her gaze to the floor and fell onto a nearby chair. "You told me what you remembered from last night," she said, "let me tell what I had seen. Last night you were very faint, I saw you. I was too. And so was Harry. We both felt dizzy for some minutes but we recovered. You hadn't. So I took you to your room with Harry. Then Harry told me to fetch Madam Pomfrey and I went away. After going a little far away, Harry came back and told me to have a look at what you were doing. I came back. I saw you and Pansy ... together on the bed and naked. I screamed and came out."

Harry felt beads of transudation slipping from his forehead. The conversation had to be stopped before it turned against him.

"I saw Harry in the living room," Hermione went on, "and then Pansy came out and told me that you bed her almost every night."

"I don't!" shouted Draco. "Don't tell me you believed her!"

"I ... I did," muttered Hermione guiltily. "I was hurt and angry. I decided to dump you."

Draco felt cold fury rushing through his body. How could Hermione? But he would deal with her later. Another thought had struck him.

"You say that not only me," he said through his clenched teeth, "but you and Potter also felt the same way too?"

"We did," said Hermione, not meeting Draco's eyes. "When I was feeling sick, Harry gave me a Chocolate Frog. I felt better."

Draco turned to look at Harry who had rested his elbows on the table and was biting his nails, his eyes fixed on the plate in front of him. Draco looked at him for a long period, summoning up his Death Eater instincts. What would have Voldemort done if he was in my place?

Draco started pacing the floor. No one said anything as Draco thought hard. He repeated Hermione's words again and again in his mind. During the third time, he struck on the words 'Chocolate Frogs'.

Chocolate Frogs.

Hadn't Harry given him and Hermione a Chocolate Frog to eat when they came out of the library the previous night? And he gave one again to Hermione when she wasn't feeling well. Wasn't he ill too? Or did he recover faster than Hermione?

He took a deep breath and looked at everybody's quizzical (and Harry's nervous) face. "We'll have to test Potter," he said finally.

Harry stopped breathing. I am done for, he thought desperately.

"Test him?" said Hermione, looking up. "Why do have to test him?"

"Isn't it logical?" said Draco, his voice cold towards Hermione. "He was acting strange last night. He gave us a Chocolate Frog after coming out of the library and then he gave one again to you and you recovered."

"What d'you mean?" asked Ginny defiantly.

"Look at it practically," said Draco, raising his eyebrows in expression. "I was fooled last night. Pansy fooled me. Why she did, I guess all of us have an idea. She was always after me. But the part of three of us becoming sick ... that Hermione and Potter recovered and I didn't ... Pansy coming exactly in the right time and telling me that she was Hermione. It means she knew I was out of my mind last night, right? But how? And I also doubt that the suddenly getting sick was planned."

"So are you blaming me?" Harry asked suddenly.

Draco looked at his sweaty and apprehensive face. He had a nagging feeling that Harry had something to do with all the mishap. "No, I don't," he said apologetically, "but I just wanted to make sure."

"He of course hasn't done anything," Hermione said. "Why would he?"

Draco turned towards Hermione, his eyes narrowed and his teeth clenched. "It would be better," he hissed, "if you kept your foolish ideas to yourself, Granger."

There was a ringing silence. Hermione gaped at Draco, open-mouthed. She couldn't believe what he had just said. How could he?

"Draco..." she said in a quivering voice.

"Not Draco. Malfoy ... Malfoy."

Hermione opened her mouth but Draco cut in. "Now that it is clear that someone is behind this debacle, I would like to test all. And the most likely people first."

Without waiting for another moment, he muttered, pointing his wand at Harry, "Veritas!"

Harry could do nothing to stop Draco. He was stupefied at the sudden advance of the predicament and next, he found himself telling the truth when Draco started questioning him.

"So, Potter," said Draco, deliberately slow so that Harry would suffer the pain the longer. "Why did you give Hermione a Chocolate Frog last night?"

"I gave it to her on Pansy's orders." said Harry in a toneless voice.

Everybody gasped. Hermione's eyes again widened at Harry. Draco gave Hermione another cold look (which showed no sign of triumph), but Hermione was staring at Harry and did notice nothing.

"Why did you do it?" Draco asked.

"Pansy and I had together had a plan to separate you and Hermione. Pansy wanted you and I wanted Hermione -"

Hermione gasped again. Harry continued on.

"So together we planned. She gave me a drug that would make one dizzy and out of one's head. I had to feed it to you. I managed to but Hermione got a share too. I thus gave her another Frog that contained the antidote. She became all right."

"Finite Incantetum!"

Harry came back to his senses. He looked at everybody's shocked face. Except Draco. He looked extremely cold. Next thing he knew was a hard slap from Hermione.

Hermione was standing in front him, her eyes ablaze. Her face showed a number of emotions. Horror, shock, pain, anguish, fury and guilt.

"Hermione..."

"Don't speak my name!" Hermione yelled at him. "Don't show me your face again! Get out of my sight!"

"It's for the best, Harry Potter," said Ron coldly. "Get out of here."

"Ron -"

"Please, get lost."

Harry gave everybody a strained look before going into his room. Ron looked at Draco, who was giving Hermione's back a vengeful look. He met Ginny's eyes and indicated her to leave with him. Both of them filed past and out of the quarters. Draco and Hermione were left alone.

Hermione slowly turned towards Draco. She looked at him and found herself looking at someone else's face. But not a stranger's face. She saw herself looking at the Draco Malfoy she had known in the past years.

Draco's eyes were malevolently shining and his face was cold. He gave out an aura of furious victory.

"Draco..." Hermione started.

"No," Draco cut in sharply. "You'll call me Malfoy if you have to address me."

"Draco, please."

"I am serious. Anyway, there'll hardly be any more contact between us, Granger. We'll be back as we used to be in the past years."

"Draco, I beg you!"

Draco walked forwards Hermione and stood close to her. So close that his face was inches from her. Hermione thought he would kiss her.

He didn't.

"You called me a bastard," he said in a low but dangerous tone, "you also called me a nymphomaniac, a pervert, a monster, a rake and god knows what not. You were rude to me and you insulted me in front of everybody. All right, I can forgive you for that, but you didn't trust me. I can hardly forgive you for not having faith in me."

After these words, Draco walked away leaving a stunned and sobbing Hermione behind.