Something new! I own nothing.

Prologue

"How is he?" Hermione Granger asked in a whisper as she conversed with Hogwarts' mediwitch.

An hour earlier, Draco Malfoy had been brought to the hospital wing covered in blood with several deep lacerations criss-crossing his chest. Madame Pomphrey had worked tirelessly alongside the Potions master to heal the sixth year. "He's lost quite a bit of blood, Miss Granger," she was told. "I fear the only remedy is a transfusion. It could take days to find students willing to donate. The Purebloods have never heard of such a procedure, and I'm sure Mr. Malfoy has made many enemies amongst the 'lesser' blooded students."

"I'll donate," Hermione volunteered. "It doesn't ruin his pure blood, does it?"

Madame Pomfrey smiled, relieved that she may have finally found a way to help the injured boy. "His blood status will remain the same," she assured the young witch. "Why don't you take a seat, and we'll get started."

After the procedure, she sat by Draco's bed and watched him sleep. They had never been friends. They often despised one another. That didn't mean she would let him die by Harry Potter's wand. Draco would never know that it was her blood that saved his life either. Madame Pomfrey had promised to keep the donor's identity a secret.

Seated beside his bed, she studied the blond. Asleep, his features, often sharp and pointed, softened. There was no sign of worry or fatigue on his face. Fatigue. She could feel fatigue. Gently, she touched his hand, wondering what it was like to have someone else's blood run through your veins. Her eyes grew heavy, and she placed her head down upon the bed just beside their hands.

A soft touch woke her. She stirred beneath the hand stroking her hair. "Pansy?" a hoarse voice asked.

Immediately she sat up. "Draco, uh, Malfoy. Sorry, I didn't mean to-" she stammered and stumbled over her words, kicking herself for falling asleep at his bedside.

"It's okay," he said, struggling to sit up. "Where am I?"

Forcing him to lie still, she told him about the fight in the bathroom and the curse Harry had cast. Professor Snape had brought him to the hospital wing while she had been helping Madame Pomfrey catalogue her potions. "I, um, I was just here," she said. "I'd never heard of the curse before, so I stuck around while they worked on you."

"And then, what? You fell asleep?" he asked incredulously, his once pale cheeks now red with anger.

"It was a very long night," she informed him, trying not to lose her cool. "I'll just go. I didn't mean to upset you."

Draco watched as she rose and began to walk away. "Has anyone else come by?" he asked when she reached the door. Slowly, she turned and shook her head sadly. "Pansy, Blaise, Nott? Any of them?"

"I'm sorry, Draco," she told him.

Sighing, he looked away. "I wasn't trying to pick a fight with your friend," he said coldly. "He started it. I just wanted to be left alone."

"I know," she murmured.

When he turned back to face her, there were tears in his eyes. "I know I gave him a reason to do what he did," he continued. "I just wish he had killed me."

"I'm glad he didn't," she replied before leaving.

The next day, she returned with an armful of books. "Snape's the only one who isn't making you do your assignments," she told him, arranging the books by subject. "McGonagall said she'd go light, but I really don't think she did. Oh, are you taking Herbology? We have it with the Ravenclaws this year, so I wasn't sure if you were still taking it."

Draco surveyed the pile now on the table next to his bed. "Yeah, I am," he mumbled. "You didn't have to do this. Or was it not your choice?"

Shrugging, she backed away from the bed. "I didn't want you to fall behind," she replied.

He selected the first book from the pile. "It doesn't matter. I'm dead anyway," he muttered, opening his Charms book.

"You're going to fine," Hermione assured him, sitting down beside his bed. "A little more rest, and you'll be good as new." He shrugged noncommittally. "Why do you keep saying these things?"

Putting the book aside, he glared at her. "Why are you acting like you're my friend?" he retorted. "We're not friends, Granger."

She wasn't put off by his abrasive speech. "I don't see anyone else here," she said calmly. "Perhaps you should take what you can get. It wouldn't kill you to be nice, Malfoy."

Everyday, Hermione returned after classes with his work. Together, they completed the daily assignments with little talk of personal matters. Despite Harry Potter's belief that Draco was now a Death Eater, Hermione found no evidence to support the claim. That all changed one night.

There was a wild look in his gray eyes when Hermione entered the hospital wing. "I have to go," he told her, struggling to get to his feet.

"What? Where?" she asked, trying to keep him in bed.

He struggled against her, desperately repeating his need to leave. "They're coming, Granger," he told her. "They're coming and we can't do anything to stop it. You have to go. Go somewhere safe. Get out of here if you can."

The fear in his eyes terrified her. "Draco, what's going on?" she asked, trying to keep her nerves at bay.

"Death Eaters, Granger," he said, holding her shoulders. "They're coming. Please, do whatever you have to do to save yourself. I can't...I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I...I can't leave. If the castle is under attack, I have to help get people to safety," she replied.

Draco shook his head. "Think about yourself for once," he implored. "Get out while you can. Please, Hermione."

She took a deep breath when his hand reached for hers. "I can't," she whispered. "I won't...I won't go alone."

He understood the meaning, and didn't deny that he wanted to follow her. But he knew he couldn't. It wasn't his choice to make. "I have to stay here," he told her as his free hand pulled up his left shirt sleeve. "To save my parents, I have to stay."

She stared at the Dark Mark emblazoned on his forearm. It should have scared her. Instead, she felt pity and sorrow for the boy holding her hand. "The Order can protect them. You don't have to do whatever it is you're going to do," she said. "Come with me, Draco. Please."

Resigned to his fate, he let go of her hand. "I can't," he said sadly. "I'll find you though when this is all over."