Livin' on a Prayer, Bon Jovi

Draco made his way down the hall, hurrying to the Gryffindor Tower. His alarm hadn't gone off this morning and he was running late. Hermione would be furious if he made her late to class, and was never a good thing when she was mad. He didn't understand it though. Even when his alarm didn't go off, Draco was usually able to wake relatively early. Early enough to make it to breakfast at the least. Nothing seemed to add up. Draco stifled a yawn. His roommates hadn't woken him either. Though they were not exactly on friendly terms, Blaise or Goyle usually had enough decency to wake him if his alarm didn't.

   Something was a bit off. Aside from that, Draco hadn't been able to find his robes this morning and when he went to shower the water had been stone cold. He liked a cold shower but not quite that cold. Though those were all minor things, when his wand had been missing from his nightstand Draco knew something was up. He couldn't find his wand for another ten minutes, somehow it had ended up under his bed. Draco could see it falling off the nightstand, but rolling all the way under his bed? An odd feeling settled in the pit of his stomach and Draco couldn't shake the feeling that all the mishaps weren't an accident.

When Draco reached he Gryffindor Tower Hermione wasn't there. He moaned. She must've left for class already. He should've known she wouldn't wait for him and be late for her Charms lesson. With a sigh, Draco shook his head and rounded the corner only to walk smack-dab into Ginny Weasley. Draco took a few steps back as she regained her balance and pulled the strap of his book bag higher over his shoulder. "Sorry, Gin..." He paused in the middle of her name, noticing she looked disturbed and almost upset. "Is something wrong?"

Ginny frowned. "Actually, I was just coming to find you. Hermione's in a horrid state." Draco's eyes widened and she quickly clarified. "She's alright. She just had a bit of an encounter and it's upset her."

"What do you mean she had an encounter? Not Black?!"

Ginny shook her head frantically. "No, no! Here, I'll let her explain it. Come with me."

Draco's eyebrows snapped downward. "Where are we going?"

"The Gryffindor Tower."

   Draco hesitated. He was certain that no Gryffindor wanted to see a Slytherin in their common room. He wasn't even certain if it was allowed, but didn't really matter what the Gryffindors thought of him being in their common room. If Hermione needed him, he was going to go to her. Draco nodded and took a deep breath. "Lead the way."

When they reached the portrait of the fat lady Gunny turned to Draco and frowned. "Could you cover your ears? We aren't supposed to share the password with any students from other houses." Draco nodded and lifted his hands and she bit her lip. "Could you also uh..." She made a circle motion with her finger. "Just so you can't read my lips. I don't think you'd try but I don't want to get in any trouble."

   Draco smiled slightly and obliged, wanting her to hurry so that he could see Hermione. Within a few seconds the portrait door swung open and Draco and Ginny entered. There were few students in the common room but he received glares from each and every one of them. Naturally, he was used to it and ignored the stares. He was fairly certain one of them would have hexed him by now, had he not been with Ginny.

When Draco saw Hermione she was sitting on a maroon couch hugging herself with her head on her hands. Weaselbee was sitting beside her and had an arm around her back. Draco's blood boiled and anger swelled in his chest. How dare that weasel touch his girlfriend! Draco almost pulled out his wand to hex him but swallowed back his anger and approached Hermione. "Get you paws off my girlfriend Weaselbee." He sneered and Hermione looked up. Draco noticed that her cheeks were tear stained and her breath was ragged and shallow.

Weasley's face began to turn red. He turned to his sister and scowled. "Why is he in here? He's a Slytherin, he's not supposed to be in the Gryffindor Common Room! Why'd you bring him here?!"

Ginny raised her chin and rolled her eyes. "Because you idiot, he's Hermione's boyfriend! He has the right to know what happened and she needed him. Draco deserves to be here more than you do!"

Draco shifted his weight from one foot to the other and Hermione just sat there awkwardly. Siblings rivalry was something Draco could proudly say he had no experience with. It got lonely being an only child from time to time, and there were moments when Draco had wished for a sister, he'd even thought of Ginny as a little sister at times, but all in all it was probably a good thing his parents hadn't had any more children. Draco swallowed and cleared his throat and the arguing Weasley's looked at him.

   Weaselbee fumed and looked as if he were going to hex Draco, but Hermione placed a hand on his arm. She nodded and he seemed to cool down but continued to glare at Draco. Potter, who had been pacing by the fireplace and had made his way over to them, looked at Draco and nodded. Draco blinked and dipped his head slightly. Potter didn't look any happier to see Draco than Weaselbee had but he could tell Potter was tolerating him for Hermione's sake.

Clearing the others from his mind, Draco walked over to Hermione and bent down in front of her. "Are you alright, Hermione?"

Hermione let out a shaggy breath and nodded. "I... I'm alright. Just a bit shaken."

Draco laid one hand on her knee and the other over her clasped hands. Weasley shifted uncomfortably. "What happened?"

Hermione hesitated, her eyes watering. "I, um... I was attacked. By a... Slytherin."

Draco felt anger flood through his veins and he bit back the bile that had risen in his throat. "Did he hurt you?!" Just then, Draco noticed strange, blotchy marks across her left wrist. Being careful as not to hurt her, Draco pulled her hand towards him and saw the black and purple fingerprints that spread across her inner wrist and palm. His eyes widened and he looked up to see the fear in her eyes. "Who did this?! How dare he lay his hands on you! I'll kill whoever it was!"

"No! Draco, it's okay. Harry and Ron took care of him." She reached out and took his hand. "Just... stay with me." Hermione said in a pleading voice and Weaselbee stood, knowing it was time for him to leave. Draco took a seat where the weasel had been sitting and Hermione leaned against him. They remained like this for several minutes, if not hours before Draco worked up the courage to speak.

Brushing a strand of her hair out of her face, Draco sighed. "What did he do to you?"

"He... he said so many... terrible things." She said hesitantly, her eyes watering once more.

Draco wrapped his arm around her waist. "Like what?" He hated to press her but he needed to know.

Hermione took a deep breath and a tear trailed down her cheek. "He... he said I didn't deserve you, and that you'd grow tired of me and leave me."

"Is that all? Hermione you know that I'd never hurt you, and I will never leave you. Ever."

Hermione nodded but more tears formed. Draco knew there was something else she wasn't telling him but he wouldn't press her. She was shaken enough. Draco took her hand in his and cradled her injured arm. He traced the bruises made by the boy's fingerprints and sighed. "Hermione, who did this?"

   Hermione brushed a tear away and wiped the wet streams from her cheek. "I... I don't know. I didn't get his name. He never gave it." She closed her eyes. "He was tall, and had short black hair and bronze skin. He had dark brown eyes and wore Slytherin robes." Draco closed his eyes and tried to find someone who matched her description. Blaise Zabini. He was the only one Draco could think of. But he wasn't blood prejudiced. At least, not to this extent. Draco couldn't see him doing something this drastic, or, to be honest, something this cruel.

Draco let go of Hermione's waist and stood before her then bent over to meet her eyes. "Did he do anything else to you? Other than this?" He traced the marks on her arm with his finger making sure his touch was gentle. Hermione hesitated and Draco gave her a demanding look but kept his gaze soft. "Please Hermione. I need to know."

"He threatened me... with the Crucuatus Curse."

Draco's eyes widened and he stood abruptly. "I'll kill him. If he ever comes near you again he won't live to see another day!"

   Potter and Weasley looked disturbed by Draco's outburst and Ginny looked undetermined as to how she wanted to react. Hermione still looked fragile and scared. Something else was bothering her. Draco didn't know if she didn't want to say it in front of Potter and Weasley or if she was too scared to bring it up at all, but whatever it was Draco was determined to assure her that whatever that boy said, it wasn't true. He was lying to her about everything. He only said those things to get at her, and it was working. Well Draco wouldn't allow anyone to hurt her like this, ever again.

After a few hours, they all sat at the Gryffindor table for lunch. Hermione was still shaken by what had happened and Ginny tried her best to comfort her. Potter and Weasley looked uncomfortable by Draco's presence but he didn't notice. He was searching the Slytherin table, trying to figure out who had done this to Hermione. So far, he hadn't seen Blaise and he couldn't find anyone else who matched Hermione's description, however vague it may be. Aside from that, Hermione didn't seem disturbed or upset by anyone's presence until...

   Draco looked to the enterance to the Great Hall and saw Blaise Zabini walking in, taking long strides with a wide smirk on his face. Draco looked back to Hermione, who trembled upon his enterance. That was all Draco needed to know that it was Blaise who had done it. Draco felt the anger rising in his chest as his breathing slowed. His stomach constricted and chest became tight. He knew he wasn't thinking clearly but he was blinded by his anger. All he could focus on was making Zabini pay.

Closing his eyes, Draco clenched his fork and his jaw locked uncomfortably. He tried to control his breathing but his breaths were short and swift. Upon hearing someone clear their throat, Draco opened his eyes and turned to Potter who was staring at him intensely. "What?!"

"You need to calm down mate."

"Don't tell me what to do, Potter!" Draco snapped.

"I know you want to hex him, or... I fear, much worse, but it isn't going to help." Potter said in a hushed voice.

"He can't just get away with threatening and harming her!"

Potter's eyes widened and he lifted a finger to his lips, trying to get Draco to be quiet. "I know that you feel the need to protect her but if you get yourself expelled you can't help her anymore."

Draco let out a long sigh and nodded. He hated that Potter was right, it was so annoying. But he was right. If Draco acted rashly he could get suspended, or worse, expelled. It wouldn't help matters if he couldn't be there for Hermione. In fact, if he got expelled he might never see her again. His parents would never allow him to continue his relationship with her. Not to mention the fact that his wand would be broken and he would never be allowed to use magic again. No. It wouldn't help matters to fight Blaise. But that didn't mean Draco was going to let him get off scott free. He would talk to him when they were in the Slytherin Common room later that night.

   What Draco didn't understand was why. Why would Blaise go after Hermione? He might not like muggleborns but he wasn't violent. Had he been put up to it? If so, who would have wanted him to do something so terrible? Blaise sat down in Draco's usual spot at the Slytherin table and shot them a smirk. He aimed it directly at Hermione, hoping for a reaction, and a reaction was what he got. Hermione's eyes widened and she began to tremble. Ginny wrapped an arm around her back and Draco snapped.

Draco stood abruptly, the bench scraping the ground as he did and marched out of the Great Hall. He made his way down the hall, wand in hand but was stopped by Ginny, who had followed close behind. She ran in front of Draco and stopped him then put a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back slightly. "What do you think your doing?!"

"I have something to deal with." Draco pushed past her and she called after him.

"Hermione needs you, and your just going to leave?"

Draco sighed and turned to face her. "I can't..." He sighed. "...just let him get away with hurting her like that."

"What will you do?" Ginny asked, looking slightly frightened and yet encouraging. Her eyes let on that she wanted to help and her tone sounded slightly exited.

Draco shook his head. "I'll handle it. Go back to the Great Hall, Ginny."

Ginny's eyes widened and her lips became a thin line. Anger flared in those bright brown eyes and she clenched her fists. "Don't you dare tell me what to do! You are not my brother, no matter how much you may sound like him!" She spun around and ran back to the Great Hal.

Draco felt a pang of guilt rise in his chest but he shook the feeling and began walking towards the Slytherin dungeons. It was better this way. At least she couldn't get into any trouble. He wouldn't let her get mixed up in all this and it be his fault. Draco hesitated. That sounded bad. Like he only wanted a clear conscious. It wasn't that he only wanted to be clean of any mischief she may get into, but he didn't want her to be in harms way because of him. Draco shook his head and continued walking, wincing slightly. It was safer this way... but did she have to compare him to Weaselbee?

   Though, something she had said did make Draco feel like a jerk. He had left Hermione when she needed him most. When she was shaken and in fear, he had abandoned her. It hadn't been his intention, but he had to leave before he did something drastic, and he knew it would have been drastic. Draco reached the Slytherin dorms and uttered the common room password. The wall creaked open and he entered feeling shameful. He shouldn't have left. But he needed to prepare himself. He was going to talk to Blaise and he needed to be ready when he did. If he didn't get a grip on his anger, he was going to hex Zabini and it wouldn't be a friendly curse. It would be a curse for which there was no easy cure.

Sitting down in his favorite armchair, Draco rested his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his palms. There would be no easy way to do this, so all he was going to have to do now was relax and wait. Within five minutes, a few Slytherins entered the room, but they didn't stay long upon noticing his presence. Shortly after going and getting some books from their dorm they exited the dorms and Draco was left to silence. Draco ran a hand through his hair. He knew how much of an outcast he was now. The Slytherins hated him. Most Gryffindors hated him. He only had Hermione and Ginny, and he was afraid today he had made a terrible mistake that had hurt both of them. Draco closed his eyes and laid his face in his hands again. He promised himself he would make it up to them. Somehow.

After about fifteen minutes, Draco heard someone else enter the Slytherin Common Room. An odd feeling settled over him and he stood. Sure enough, Blaise Zabini entered the room, looking at Draco and smirking. "I thought you might be waiting here."

Draco sneered. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what? Threaten your little mudblood girlfriend? Simple, because she doesn't deserve you and you certainly shouldn't be with a filthy mudblood like Granger."

Draco raised his wand. "Don't call her that!" Draco bit back his anger and seethed through clenched teeth so as not to growl. "What's it matter to you what I do or don't do?"

"Oh it doesn't matter to me if you choose to make a fool of yourself, but you are damaging the pureblood name. It is a disgrace to have a pureblood with the likes of a Gryffindor mudblood. And you see, aside from that, I was paid a pretty penny to ensure that Granger gets what she has coming to her."

"Paid..." Draco looked off in thought and instinctively dropped his wand a few inches. "Who... who would have paid you to..." Suddenly it all made sense. "My father."

"Ha ha! Bingo! Daddy dearest." Blaise smirked shaking his head. "'My father will hear about this', and so he did. Lucius Malfoy paid another to do away with his sons disgraceful girlfriend who's mudblood status was bringing dishonor to the family name."

"I thought you were better than this Blaise!"

The boy standing before Draco cackled. A horrid throaty sound that came from deep in his throat. "Oh but I'm not Blaise." Draco watched in horror as the boy he had thought to be Blaise began to transform before him. His skin, hair, eyes and everything changed until he stood before Draco a completely different person. It hadn't been Blaise! The new Slytherin standing before him grinned. Draco opened his mouth to utter his name but the boy raised his wand and yelled. "Petrificus Totalus!" Draco's whole body became stiff and he fell to the floor in a full bodybind. Draco willed himself to move but legs and arms failed to listen to his command. The boy approached Draco and laughed mercilessly. Draco made incoherent noises as he tried to speak but the boy raised his wand once more and uttered a silencing spell. Then raising his wand he levitated Draco and blindfolded him.

   When the blindfold was removed, Draco recognized the little room they were in as a broom cupboard. The boy stood over Draco's immobile figure and smiled menacingly. He bent over to meet Draco's eye and pulled a flask from his robes. "I want you to watch this." Reaching over, he pulled a couple of Draco's hairs and dropped them into the potion. At once the potion became a silvery blonde, the same color as Draco's hair. The boy grinned, he raised an eyebrow and raised the flask before downing it in one gulp. Draco watched in horror as the boy before him began to transform once more. His dark hair became a silverish bleached blonde and he became the same height as Draco. His eyes turned into a light blue and his skin pale white to match Draco's complexion. The boy put on the same menacing smirk Malfoy once wore and Draco found himself staring at a mirror image of himself. Dread overcame him and the boy sneered with a smile.

Author's Note:

Alrighty! We're back to cliffhangers! So I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, at least as much as you can, it was kinda brutal but it gets worse so don't get your hopes up on it getting better any time soon. This chapter was complicated to write and it was a bit difficult to incorporate everything I wanted to so I hope it was easy enough to follow. I told y'all it was going to get exiting! I hope to have the next chapter out by Friday, don't quote me on it, but the more feedback I get the sooner the next chapter comes out! Thank you all!