AN: This chapter is still Hermione and Nott focused. I swear to you DRAMIONE WILL COME. They'll be hotter and better than before too, so please trust the process. For now, please enjoy this chapter.

Hermione jerked awake after what felt like hours lying dormant. Feeling cold, she felt around for some form of cover before realising where she was. She couldn't remember making her way back to her bed let alone her strangely quiet dorm room and began to inspect the space around her.

A deep green colour immediately caught her attention as it wrapped all around the bedposts, covering what was clearly not her bed. Moreover, the sound of water lapping against a windowpane told her she was nowhere near the Gryffindor Tower.

She couldn't believe her luck. Hermione was, for sure, inside the Slytherin dormitory.

How she got there was anyone's guess.

"How-"

Before she could even utter a sentence, the sound of a door opening then closing behind footsteps stopped her from voicing her concern.

"Sadie will stay in the hospital wing overnight," one boy Hermione did not recognise spoke.

Hearing the seeker's name instantly jogged her memory back to what had happened before she fell unconscious.

"Pomfrey said it should be a quick recovery," another boy added to her small relief.

The two girls weren't exactly friends but knowing a classmate of hers was all right after a serious bout was reassuring.

"Thanks for the update," Nott's distinct voice echoed sternly, causing Hermione to involuntarily cringe in her spot.

She felt around the bed for her wand in quiet panic but was horrified to find it was nowhere to be found.

With no wand, she was essentially trapped.

"Why don't you visit her, boss?" The first boy asked to her surprise.

They seemed far more concerned about Baldock then she originally thought them to be.

Then again, it could all just be a ruse.

"When she calls for me, I'll go," Nott answered, seemingly unperturbed that a fellow teammate of his was recovering from major injuries that did not result from the game itself.

"All right. Oh, and by the way, Malfoy's looking for you."

There was a tense pause before Nott spoke again. "Bring him to me. I'm sure he has a lot to say about the whole situation."

Hermione did not hear a response and leaned in forward to hear better once Draco's name popped up in conversation. There was shuffling and then the door closing behind whoever was just in the room before a short silence.

Was she finally alone?

"Are you awake?"

Dread quickly filled her system hearing Nott eerily call to her.

Her hand quivered, involuntarily reacting to his haunting aura. Her body was still under his control and she hated it. There clearly was a limit at defying his commands and so Hermione remained silent in the hopes he'd think she was still asleep.

The lack of response on her part, however, instantly opened the hanging that hid Hermione and revealed Nott sitting on the bed next to hers. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together in contemplation, staring directly at her.

It was as if he had waited there for ages until she woke up.

Taking in his silence, Hermione used the opportunity to examine her surroundings now that she was thoroughly exposed to it.

In contrast with the lamps placed on dressers in the Gryffindor dorms, silver lanterns hung from the ceilings instead. The walls were draped with ancient tapestries and to top it all off, Slytherin crests surrounded the room confirming her whereabouts.

"Why am I here?" Hermione asked, perplexed Nott even thought of bringing her into the enemies lair.

"I wasn't going to leave you alone in that classroom," Nott replied as if it were obvious that what he did was the right thing to do, "and carrying you to the hospital wing or your dorm was definitely out of the question."

"So bringing me back here was the best thing you could come up with?"

"A thank you would be much appreciated," Nott said grinning widely.

Before she could retort, Nott got up from his spot and stalked toward her. His efforts to intimidate her were surely noted but she made sure not to show it on her face.

"You've broken a lot of rules," Hermione informed him, trying to sound less scared than she was.

"I've brought back plenty of girls from different houses to my bed before, I know what I'm doing."

Hermione scoffed in revulsion.

Suddenly, Nott began to lean into her, forcing her down onto the bed. There was a strong woody smell mixed with cigarette smoke emitting from the covers which tickled her nose. His taut arms barricading both sides of her face.

Her heart began to race and her head started to feel dizzy once more. Any closer and she might pass out again.

"Want to know something?" Nott twirled a strand of her hair in between his fingers as he spoke, "I've never actually tried the spell on anyone before."

Why was he telling her this?

"So I don't really know the effects it has on someone as persistent as you. Should I reinforce it some more so you'll fully obey me?"

The look on her face must have satisfied him as he started to laugh hysterically. He got up off of her and backed away to stare at her frozen on the bed.

"The look on your face," he chuckled, wiping a metaphorical tear from his eye.

He wanted to humiliate her and it worked. But she wouldn't let it destroy her resolve and sat up from her spot to stare him down.

"You're disgusting," she spat.

The smile from his face wiped away completely the moment she expressed dissent.

"You're going to tell me how to get out of here unnoticed," Hermione demanded against his lame attempts at keeping her captive.

Instead of looking irate, however, he looked rather intrigued. "Aw, I quite liked your company."

"I can't say the same. Now get me out of here."

"Only if you ask nicely," he joked.

Hermione was no longer terrified of him but indignant, determined to get out of his room.

"Tell me how to get out...please," she spoke the last part through gritted teeth.

"Nicer."

Before Hermione could full-on charge at him for his idiocy, the door to the dorm suddenly opened.

With his fast reflexes, Nott swung the hanging shut over the bedposts to cover Hermione once more as a couple of his roommates entered the room.

If her pulse wasn't racing fast before, it most certainly was now. The moment Nott addressed whoever entered the room, her stomach lurched and heart felt as though it would burst from her chest.

"Ah Draco, you wanted to see me?"

"Where'd you go after the game?" Draco asked with barely any anger in his voice.

He was as nonchalant as could be, a feat she knew kept Nott unsuspecting of him.

"I was sulking with some bird in a classroom somewhere, why do you ask?"

A small deep chuckle followed belonging to none other than Blaise, who she did not account for being in the room.

"That's an interesting way to mope about," Blaise quipped.

The boy's informal greeting knew no bounds when it came to speaking to one of Slytherin's most feared students. Indeed, he was special.

"Yeah, so I didn't hear of Baldock until recent, is she all right?" Nott asked, knowing full well of her condition.

What was he playing at?

"You haven't gone to visit her yet?" Draco asked.

"I haven't seen her since the game."

Hermione understood now. He wanted to have as much distance from her as he can. Maybe to appear more innocent than he actually was?

Either way, Draco said nothing.

Nott began again, "by the way, are you patrolling tonight?"

Hermione realised Draco was scheduled for that night which he confirmed seconds later.

"Maybe you could visit Sadie in my place? Tell her I intend to find who's hurt her and make them pay for what they've done."

Hermione could tell Draco took the threat very seriously even without having to see his face.

The silence in the room was very telling.

"Why can't you go yourself?" Blaise blatantly asked seeing as Nott was clearly free.

An "ah" barely escaped the boy's lips before his and Draco's footsteps left the room entirely. Hermione surmised Nott had gestured he had company making the boys promptly leave in understanding.

The gall of him.

Once Nott turned his attention back to her, Hermione readied herself and jumped at him the moment he swung the hanging open again.

Hermione found herself straddling Nott on the floor with her hands wrapped around his throat, fuming with so much anger, it would take a village to get her off of him.

"You- made your point!" Nott gasped, wide-eyed but smiling as she continued to squeeze his neck with growing pressure.

"You will help me!" Hermione demanded.

"All right!"

Nott quickly raised his arms in surrender. Satisfied, Hermione wasted no time getting up off of the floor in search of her most valuable possession.

"Where's my wand?"

Nott did not immediately get up from the tumble. He laid motionless on the floor, seemingly drained from the physical altercation.

"It's here," he said as he reached above him for the bottom drawer of his nightstand.

He opened the drawer but made no attempt at retrieving her wand and so she had to step over him to look inside. Hermione was pleased to see her wand and trainers together inside the empty compartment and reached down to collect them without thanking him.

She made her way to the entrance but turned to address him. "Now, how do I get out?"

Nott, feeling obligated to comply, sat up and readjusted his glasses.

"Open the door and simply walk out," Nott quipped before standing to his fullest height.

Hermione finished slipping on her trainers before slamming his drawer shut with her wordless magic.

"Fine. When you open the door, turn left and down the hall will be the common room. Just pass my team and head straight for the entrance, you won't miss it."

"You mean to tell me, the entire Slytherin Quidditch team is out there?"

"In the common room, yes," Nott affirmed.

It took a lot of strength not to yell at Nott for how daft he was. Did he honestly expect her to escape on her own?

"Don't worry, I'll personally walk you out," Nott suggested wiping his glasses lens with his shirt, "but you'll have to change."

Hermione did not hesitate to point her wand at herself and physically change her appearance. She gave herself a quick makeover, streaking her hair blonde and pampering her face with light makeup. If she had to walk through the Slytherin common room with Nott, she had to look believable as one of his girls.

When she was fully confident that she no longer looked like herself, she glanced over at Nott for his approval.

"Impressive, but you'll need to change your clothes," Nott informed before tossing her over a pouch of clothes he dug out from another drawer of his nightstand, "no girl of mine would be caught wearing that."

Hermione was barely offended he referred to her clothes, a hooded sweatshirt and denim trousers, as subpar. Instead, she was far more curious as to why he even had women's clothing, looking quizzical through the bag he tossed at her.

"Why do you have these?"

There were a lot of clothes and accessories all charmed to fit inside the small bag.

"Sometimes girls forget their things whenever they come over," Hermione looked amused as he tried to explain himself, "and other times they gift me with their goods."

He said the last part as Hermione pinched out a pair of pink knickers in clear distaste.

"Don't worry, they're washed and clean," Nott said in a matter of fact way as if it would convince her to wear them.

"I'm not going to wear these. They don't belong to me."

"You don't have to wear the knickers," Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in response, "just the top and bottom so it'll fool my lovely housemates who would surely want to see the girl I'm escorting out of the house."

Hermione considered the situation and finally caved into wearing the clothes. They were definitely not her style but she had to look the part or else she would be caught. Besides, she would rather get expelled than be caught together with Nott.

"All right, where's the bathroom?"

"It's now or never Granger," Nott said, effectively hurrying her.

"Fine! Turn around, if I catch you peeking, you'll never again see the light of day."

Nott obeyed but made sure to remind her of how the whole thing between them had started.

"Y'know, I've seen you naked before."

Hermione threw the knickers directly at his head to shut him up. It landed on his left shoulder to which he grabbed it and instantly laughed.

A few huffs and puffs escaped Hermione's lips as she struggled to put on the clothes as fast as she could. It was a tight fit but Hermione had to work with what she was given and pressed forward.

"I'm done," she exclaimed moments later, stuffing her old clothes into the bag, ready to leave.

Nott quickly turned around to eye her from head to toe. She was wearing a white jumper with a tartan mini skirt, nothing too fancy but definitely something Hermione would not be caught wearing out on a regular night. She tugged at the hem of the skirt in obvious discomfort but straightened up when Nott approached her.

"Looking good, Granger. I could barely recognise you," Nott reassured her while staring at her bare legs.

It didn't help her feel any more comfortable in the clothes but she could not have cared less if it meant leaving the forsaken place sooner.

"Let's go," Hermione urged.

She took a deep breath before following him close behind in the direction of the common room. Her heart was pounding furiously but she reminded herself to stay calm. All she had to do was walk with him straight to the entrance and out the door. No one would recognise her. What could go wrong?

As the two reached the common room, Nott pulled Hermione to the side before entering.

"Play along," he whispered in her ear before wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

Hermione did not think they needed to touch but Nott went ahead with it anyway and practically dragged her into the room before she could protest.

The moment the common room lights hit her face, all of her previous worries seemed far too trivial in a room full of Slytherins lounging about. Nearly all of his quidditch team members were either sitting on the leather sofas or relaxing on the floor in front of the elegant fireplace. The sight of them clustered together under the flickering light made her tense up.

Nott must have noticed as he pulled her closer, effectively diminishing her line of sight with his forearm. The two bee-lined toward the entrance, hoping to Merlin no one noticed.

"That was fast," voiced Blaise, his deep voice stopping the two in their tracks.

He sat in a single armchair by the fireplace with what appeared to be a glass of firewhisky in his hand. As sophisticated as he was, he sure knew how to dampen the mood. Immediately, heads spun and backs straightened the moment it was apparent Nott had entered the vicinity.

"Must be a new record," Blaise yet again teased.

Everyone fell silent to hear Nott's response to his friend's small banter. Hermione's palms began to sweat as the intense atmosphere grew.

Nott gave a light chuckle causing a ripple effect of laughter from his peers. Blaise, along with Hermione, were the only ones not laughing.

"Did Draco already leave?" Nott noticed, naturally silencing everyone down.

Hermione, with what she could see from the corners of her eyes, was relieved Draco was no longer in the dormitory. One look at him and her cover would have been blown.

"Yeah, the bloke didn't want any whiskey before his run," said a recognisable boy sitting on the floor playing with what appeared to be a Dark Mark coin in his fingers.

It was Frances.

"Well, we'll just have to celebrate our loss another time then," Nott said before continuing toward the door.

"You're not staying?" Blaise asked, noticing the two were leaving.

"Gotta bring this one back home safe," answered Nott over his shoulder.

"She could stay and have some fun with us," a boy leaning against the wall closer to the exit suddenly suggested, eyeing Hermione up and down.

Hermione's body tensed up again but this time in a more defensive stance. She was ready to fight if he thought of laying one finger on her.

"She's not an object for you to toy with Morcott," Nott lightly scolded, wagging a finger at the boy.

If only Nott lived by the words he preached.

"Could we go?" Hermione whispered in Nott's ear to urge him to move forward. With everyone watching the two, it looked like a rather intimate affair which Hermione knew she had to pull off or else raise suspicion of her sudden departure.

"Fine, we'll settle for Daphne then," the boy said as he looked past the two toward the dorm rooms.

Hermione's eyes couldn't help but wander over to see Daphne Greengrass standing by the archway, her arms folded across her chest with worry written across her face. Blaise turned in her direction and sat straight up in his chair once her name was uttered.

Holding herself close, Daphne carefully made her way over to Blaise and proceeded to whisper in his ear. Whatever she said prompted him to get up and follow her back in the direction of the dorm rooms, completely ignoring everyone's queries as to why he too was leaving.

Before she could ponder about their relationship, Nott pulled her back to reality. Walking past Morcott, the two made it through the entrance and into a set of stone stairs.

"You'll be all right climbing up these stairs yourself?" Nott asked, letting Hermione go the moment they were out of everyone's sight.

Hermione peered up the narrow staircase before bolting for it. She did not give Nott a second glance and continued onward, hoping to Godric she would not run into Draco on her way back to her dorm.

Being in the Slytherin lair for a night somehow made her feel as though she had betrayed Draco in some way though it was no fault of her own. Facing him would be torture and so her resolve was to never tell him of the incident.

What was Nott thinking bringing her down there?

Whatever the reason, he would surely pay for what he has done to her.

She swore on her parent's lives.