DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. All characters, places, and things mentioned in this story are the property of J.K. Rowling.

WARNINGS: 12 + MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

SUMMARY: Hermione's curiosity is aroused, and she chases Draco into the woods. But she never imagined what would happen when she found him. An angry Carrow pays a visit to a colleague.

OTHER INFO: PLEASE READ CHAPTER ONE FIRST! Okay this is my first fanfiction so please read and review. I welcome critiquing comments also. Thank you :)

PS: Thanks to Morgan and Kaitlyn for giving me some spectacular inspiration :)

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Chapter Three: Whispers
"Why am I always at war with myself? Why have I told, as if upon compulsion, what I knew all along I ought to have withheld? Why am I making a friend of this woman beside me, in spite of the whispers I hear against her in my heart?"
- Charles Dickens

Hermione tapped her fingers on the desk, waiting for Malfoy to walk in and seat himself quietly in the back row. She had not been surprised when he did not turn up at breakfast, and perhaps she should not be expecting him now either. The bell rang, and he had still not arrived in the class. Hermione saw Carrow glance complacently at Draco's seat, as if he was pleased that Malfoy had not shown up, as if it signified his weakness. Disappointed, Hermione sulked for most of the class and waited impatiently for the time to tick away. She heard nothing that worthless Death Eater said during his lecture, and it was probably better that she didn't. She didn't come to school to be educated on the ways of Voldemort...

She decided that when the class ended she would check for Draco where she knew she would find him - by the lake. She watched eagerly as the second hand brushed the twelve for the billionth time that morning. How many seconds are in an hour? Surely not this many, Hermione thought. It spun and spun, passing the twelve numerous more times before the final bell chimed, releasing her from this unusual form of suffering.

Quickly, before Ron and Ginny caught up with her, she hurried down to the Entrance Hall, moving as fast as her legs - and the extremely sluggish staircases - would carry her. She burst through the front doors, trying to appear as inconspicuous as possible, but this was hard to do considering she only had about ten minutes before her next class began. She walked briskly to the lakeside, and immediately she saw him, walking as usual along the water's edge.

"I'm going to have to hunt for a new hiding place if you keep turning up here, Granger."

Hermione shrugged, unsure now of why she came down here... Was she elated or upset, indifferent or concerned, in love or in hate? Then she came closer and saw his face, the face that too long ago had appeared to be the mascot of evil, but now it was... different, and she couldn't hate him although she felt so uncertain about the opposite emotion. And not able to make up her mind, she settled for an emotion somewhere in between.

"I came out here to make sure you were alright," Hermione said truthfully.

Draco raised his eyebrows, "Wait. You - the girl who only two nights ago said she hated me - are concerned about my wellbeing? I think the question is, Granger, are you alright?"

She sighed and ran a hand through her wavy hair, "That is a great question, indeed, but I believe I asked first."

He glanced up at her in disbelief, "You expect me to give you an explanation as to why I'm upset."

She paused, "Well... yes."

"Do you realize how long that would take, Granger? Honestly?" Then he was quiet for a few seconds. "My whole life."

"Don't be ridiculous, Draco!" Hermione smiled. "It would only take a few minutes."

"No, idiot," he said, making a face. "That was my answer."

His words slapped her like a million brinks, the sheer realization crushing her like a tidal wave. His whole life... And she slipped herself into his place for just a moment, something she had never thought to do, and she felt it too, the pain he suffered. Her heart was drowned in the heaviness, and she pulled herself back into reality.

"What do you mean?" Hermione said, trying to recover.

"Just... nothing," Draco sighed. "You wouldn't understand."

"And why not?" Hermione said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Because you have everything, and you wouldn't get it..." he replied.

"You think I have everything?!" Hermione yelled at him. "Yeah, Draco. Harry is endangering his life somewhere, Ron is driving me insane, you fancy me, and I have to pretend like nothing is wrong! But everything is perfect! Absolutely stunning!"