Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Fate/stay night belongs to Kinoko Nasu and TYPE-MOON. Beware the lawyers!

They lay together on the floor of Ravenclaw Tower, a pile of entangled limbs and afterglow. With a groan, Hermione Alter rolled over on top of her lover and kissed him tenderly.

"I missed you, missed being like this," she said, her breasts pressed up against his firm chest. He gazed into her eyes adoringly and smirked.

"It was just one night Granger! Were you that hard up?"

He wiggled his eyebrows lasciviously and she snorted in laughter. "Don't be a prat," she said, smacking his shoulder lightly in rebuke, "you know what I mean. At our Hogwarts we could slip away without being constantly watched, and over the summer we were together almost whenever we wanted. Plus, we're missing-"

She stopped short, tears welling up in her eyes. A solemn silence descended between them, and Draco lifted a hand to cradle her face. "...we're missing Saber," he whispered. Choking back a sob, she tucked her head under his chin laid it on his chest. He stroked her hair as she trembled miserably.

"She's fine," he assured her. "Her thoughts might not be able to reach us, but we know our prana is reaching her. She won't die, and she always has a place to go between your parents and-"

Draco cut himself off, and Hermione chuckled weakly. "Del and Rider, I know. It's funny. She was just starting to grow on me, and then this happened."

He smiled awkwardly. "Just starting? You certainly didn't seem to mind her when she was between your thighs!"

She slapped him again, harder, and laughed. "I thought I told you to stop being a prat! Just because she's a good shag doesn't mean I like her. I put up with you, don't I?"

"Oh," he exclaimed in mock hurt, "say it's not so! Has my love truly gone unrequited!?"

She flushed crimson and hid her face again, though for different reasons. "Come on, don't just say things like that!"

Draco stared at her for a moment before breaking out into laughter.

"What?" she asked annoyed.

"Nothing. It's just that for a Gryffindor, you can be shockingly cowardly on occasion."

"I'm a Ravenclaw now, remember?" she pouted.

He smiled softly at her, before frowning suddenly.

"What is it?"

He seemed to gather his thoughts before answering. "You heard about what happened with Umbridge today?"

"Ha! How could I not!? She had a heart attack just from speaking to you!"

"Of course that's what you'd focus on…" he grumbled.

"Okay then, what are you talking about?"

He sighed deeply, composing himself. "We were talking about all the threats that are out there, apparently the Ministry doesn't want common citizens to learn how to fight. Umbridge basically told us to satisfy ourselves with academic knowledge and leave the actual fighting to the Aurors."

Hermione glowered. "That's so stupid!"

He smirked. "Oh, I know that, and by now so does every other student in school."

Hermione just looked at him for a moment before breaking down into laughter.

"Yeah, I'm awesome," he said smugly, "but that's not what I wanted to tell you."

"Oh? Then what is?"

He became deathly serious. "While I was tearing her argument a new arsehole, I mentioned Dead Apostles. Hermione-they had no idea what I was talking about. I don't think they have them in this world."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "But-but that would mean-!"

"I know," he said with a grimace, "Dumbledore said that there were differences between worlds, but I didn't think it would be anything like that. I assumed that the other versions of us weren't close because their Grail War didn't go like ours, but what if there wasn't a Grail War at all? What if everything we know from our world doesn't apply here? What if-!?"

"What if all the studying I've done for my O.W.L.'s was useless!?" she suddenly cried out in dismay.

"...what."

Hermione's eyes snapped down towards his so quickly he was worried they might actually fall out of her head.

"Think about it Draco! What if the differences between our worlds are so large that the contents of their O.W. L's are completely different from ours!?"

"Hermione."

"What will we do if they don't get us home before the end of the year and I have to take them with only a few months to prepare!?"

"Hermione!"

*Gasp!* "What if they do get us home in time but the things I'm studying here don't apply over there!? I could fail! Oh god I'm going to have to live under a bridge!"

"HERMIONE!"

Startled she focused on the irked young man beneath her.

"Are you calm?"

She nodded meekly.

"Good. Don't worry about our bloody O.W.L.'s, if there were that many academic differences then you of all people would have noticed by now."

"But-"

He rolled his eyes and pulled her into a scorching kiss. Seriously, he wouldn't trade her for the world, but sometimes he just had to put her mouth to better use before her brain exploded.

He released her eventually, and had to stop himself from laughing at the dumbstruck and doe-eyed look she still gave him when he did things like that. Sometimes it was like he was the only one paying attention in their relationship!

"You could drop out of school tomorrow, and I would still make sure you became Minister for Magic...or I could just pay you to lay around and suck my cock all day."

He smirked.

"Face it love, you're marrying rich. You have options."

She flushed cherry red and refused to meet his eyes, smacking his chest in rebuke. "I-idiot! Stop saying things like that!"

With a laugh, he wrapped his arms around her and rolled on top. She squeaked in surprise, only for it to transform into a moan as he began lapping at her breasts. Draco met her gaze and released the nipple he had been teasing.

"Come on, I know what will take your mind off things. One more round?"

Shyly, for once, she nodded. He smiled lovingly and stared deep into her eyes.

"Legilimens."

He awoke with a wet gasp, as if he had just been drowning. What-what was he doing here? All he could remember was-

-swordsblueredbeingchasedcan'tgetawayhavetofightBehind!painpainithurtswhydoesithurt?deathdeathdeathdeath-

He pawed at his chest, his breath coming in short pants. It didn't hurt, but there was no mistaking what the holes in his shirt and the blood soaking his clothes meant.

Draco leaned over, and was sick until his empty belly was heaving up air.

How was he still alive-?

-you better lay off Harry from now on as payment for this. You hear me, Malfoy?-

He stilled, the blurry image of a girl with wild brown curls burned into his mind. At any other time, he would swear he had been saved by-

But no, that's just ridiculous. What would she even be doing in Paris anyway?

Draco stood shakily, looking down as his foot sent something skittering across the floor. Reaching for it, he picked up a flawless ruby hanging from a thin chain. It took him a moment, but then he realized that it was a specialized prana container. An extremely expensive one. Had this been how he had been saved despite what must have been massive internal injury, almost complete exsanguination, and (quite possibly) a cursed wound?

Draco clutched the jewel tightly until the edges bit into his palm. He ignored the pain, and vowed to find the person who had saved his life. Malfoys never let debts go unpaid, as his Father was so fond of saying.

...granted, he usually meant disproportionate retribution was coming in response to some slight, but that was neither here nor there.

In a daze, Draco stumbled across the city to the old but well-maintained townhouse his family was staying in. It had been in his family since before the Malfoy's crossed the channel, and had many ancient wards and treasures within its walls.

He barely made it inside before collapsing in exhaustion, his hand clenched firmly around his wand. All he wanted to do was sleep, but he knew that his parents would explode if they found him like this. Covered in blood and sleeping on the floor like a commoner.

For a moment, he wished he was small enough that he could get away with crawling into their bed.

Not that he had ever been that small.

Groaning, Draco forced himself to his feet and limped towards the sitting room. He noticed that the house was dark and completely silent, but found himself too tired to light a lamp.

There was no sign of his parents, and in the dining room he found a note. The moonlight was bright enough to read by.

Draco,

Your father and I have been invited to stay the night at Chateau Zolgen. The young Lady Gaunt informed us that you would be returning to the townhouse alone.

Call for Binky if you need anything, and don't stay up too late.

-Mother

Sighing deeply, Draco prepared to summon the House Elf for a late dinner.

"Hoh...so you actually survived? And you're a Magus, too! Bad luck kiddo."

Acting on instinct, Draco whipped around. A hasty 'Protego!' was just fast enough to intercept the lazy swing of the crimson spear he knew was coming.

Despite the azure spearman using only the force one would when swatting a fly, Draco's shield shattered like glass.

It was like playing Quidditch, he thought as he dove over the table and towards the door, except nothing like that at all.

The spearman appeared in front of him as if he had apparated, and another shield spell was obliterated. This time, however, Draco was blown completely off balance. The spearman prepared to run him through, and Draco knew in that instant that he would not be able to block.

"Youse will not harm the Young Master!"

In an instant, the townhouse's resident House Elf was between Draco and the spearman. It's powerful magic, backed by centuries of faithful service, actually managed to create a shield capable of stopping the crimson spear.

However, even Draco could see the fairy struggling.

"Young Master, youses needs to get to the basement! There be powerful wards, a shelter!"

Draco scrambled to stand, only for his attacker to decide that playtime was over.

"Rahg!"

With a roar, the spearman cleaved down and severed the elf's shield. Time seemed to slow, and before Draco could react the crimson spear had hooked upwards to impale the elf through its heart.

Draco felt numb, fear and despair welling up inside him.

"Binky!"

Then the elf, his family's elf, lashed out and grabbed the spearman by the throat.

"Youse Will. Not. HURT. HIM!"

Light seemed to well up beneath the elf's skin, the only warning Draco had to raise the strongest shield he could before every last drop of Binky's magic responded to the elf's final command.

Binky exploded, his very flesh transformed into a bomb.

Draco's shield barely managed to withstand the blast. However, the room was destroyed, and the wall behind the spearman had been knocked down, leading to an empty courtyard. Pale moonlight flooded in, revealing Draco's almost unharmed attacker as he slowly straightened up.

Something inside Draco snapped.

"BOMBARDA!"

A massive blast of magical energy crashed into the spearman and flung him bodily from the house. Draco had a momentary hope that would be enough, but it was dashed by the spearman's enraged cry.

Draco spun on his heels, tears in his eyes. He ran towards the basement stairs, flinging it open with a flick of his wand. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he knew the spearman was right behind him.

"Protego!"

Draco raised the shield directly behind himself, and used the force of it being shattered to propel himself forward into a controlled tumble, as if falling from a broom.

At this distance, the fall carried him down the stairs. Draco ignored the way his back screamed in protest and landed unsteadily on the balls of his feet.

Then, he saw it.

The basement had small windows, charmed so that light flooded through each regardless of the moon's position. Each stream of light centered on a pedestal on which a perfect crystal sphere sat.

The cornerstone to which every ward was tied…

Using his momentum to carry him into one final leap, Draco reached to activate the orb.

Then the spearman was next to him again.

"Preteg-!"

His half-formed shield was scattered to the wind, his guard left painfully open and with no elf to save him this time.

The spearman kicked him, shattering his ribs and launching him across the room and through a stone wall.

At any other time, Draco would appreciate how the dim light revealed a hidden room filled with books and potions equipment, as well as what looked like crates of clay marked 'C-4'.

As it was, he was currently occupied with drowning in his own blood. Apparently, he had punctured a lung. Or two.

Yay.

Draco laid face down in the dust, hacking up blood all over the strange symbols painted onto the floor. Suddenly, a shadow extended over him.

"I'm sorry about this kid. Really, I am. Before it was because the rules were clear about witnesses, but now I'm just following orders. If it's any consolation, you put up a hell of a fight."

The spearman seemed to hesitate.

"...when you get to the Otherworld, try to find my buddy Fergus. He'll sort you out."

The spear was raised high, and from the corner of his eye, Draco could see it aiming for the back of his head. He lay there dying, cold, alone, and in pain. At this point, the impalement of his skull would just be a mercy.

A sob tore through Draco's chest, sending him into throes of agony.

No-

I don't want to die.

He saw his wand in front of him.

I don't want to die!

He reached for it, dragging his broken body inch by agonizing inch.

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

Something reached out to embrace him, a sword-like mark etching itself onto the back of his hand.

Then the floor started to glow.

"Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me!"

The world exploded into blinding light.

Draco woke with a gasp, but did not move a muscle. He instantly recognized the green canopy above him, and relaxed.

He knew how that dream ended.

"I ask of you, are you my Master?"

Sighing, Draco sat up and glared at his snoring roommates.

"God," he whispered, "I need a drink."

Justin woke to the sound of water running, their dorm's small shower in use. He sat up groggily and wiped the sleep from his eyes, only to notice that all of his roommates were still sleeping.

Well, all but one.

The water shut off, and a minute later Draco Alter emerged while drying his hair. Shirtless. Usually, Justin wouldn't make a big deal about that, he lived in a dorm with almost half a dozen teenage boys after all.

However, his other roommates didn't look like slabs of pure muscle and scar tissue.

"Bloody hell mate!"

Draco startled and put a hand on his wand before relaxing when he realized it was just his roommate. At the sound of Justin's exclamation, the other boys also woke up.

"Whao!" *Thud!*

...Some more gracefully than others.

As Wayne exasperatedly helped Zacharias up, the others followed Justin's gaze to see what had him so worked up.

Draco Alter was, well, ripped. He was certainly more muscular than even the quidditch players they knew.

The muscles, however, were less important to them than the scars.

There were several across his torso. Long slashes, small stab wounds, and even what looked like a few burns.

But what really took the cake was the ugly line directly over his heart.

(From his side of the room, Ernie noticed that there was a matching scar on Draco's back.)

"What's wrong?" the blond questioned. After another few seconds of awkward staring, his roommates tore their eyes away and shuffled awkwardly.

"N-nothing mate-uh, what are you doing up so early?"

Draco watched them carefully for a few moments before answering.

"I was just out doing some early morning exercises."

Zacharias snorted rudely. "What the hell were you doing to get muscles and scars like that? Juggling acromantula?"

Wayne elbowed him in the side, and the others let out a relieved breath when Draco began to chuckle.

"Nothing like that, I was just out for a run. Gotta stay in shape for the birds, right?"

As they laughed awkwardly, Draco pulled on a shirt. Justin noticed that he still had bandages covering his left arm.

He wasn't a tactless git like Smith though, so he said nothing.

Draco would tell him in his own time, or he wouldn't. Justin wouldn't push.

Hermione's dreams the second night were far different from the first. For one thing, no one was grievously injured.

But-

-warm, naked flesh on either side of her. A pair of firm breasts pressed up against her back and soft lips on her neck. Draco kneeling in front of her, looking up in devotion as his tongue-

She flushed, and a part of her wished that her dreams had been more violent and less...sexual.

(The other parts told that part to shut its whore mouth and enjoy the show.)

As it was, Hermione found herself avoiding Harry and Ron's confused gazes. Most people would have immediately caught on to what the map was implying, but Harry and Ron were…

Well, Hermione was giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they just couldn't even imagine Draco Malfoy in that position.

Hermione was not that lucky. While Draco was a poncy git, she could admit that he had become more and more attractive with each passing year. The once pointy-faced boy with too much gel in his hair had started growing into his looks, and she sometimes found herself relishing the thought of him bound before her, put in his place-!

...well...

And that wasn't even counting the other Draco, who was basically sex on legs. The short hair was more plebeian than Draco's usual style, and that made him seem more down to earth. His skin was less pale, his expression was warmer, and even she noticed the cords of muscle beneath his skin.

That was the Draco she had dreamt of the night before. Strong and proud. But also humble, adoring, kind…

It was because of the map, nothing more! She had just been unable to get those horrifying (arousing) images out of her head and that had bled into her dreams!

...though she wasn't sure why there was also a woman in them.

(Yes she was. As much as she had scolded Ron, even she couldn't help but stare at Fleur. It had confused her at the time, and she had taken out her frustrations on the people around her. Then she spent her previous summer with the Order, and found herself staring at Ginny whenever the redhead bent over to pick something up.)

Hermione shook her head and tried to focus. Today they had Charms and Transfiguration, both with the Ravenclaws. Now was the perfect time to corner her Alter.

Charms was uneventful, and Hermione took the chance to observe her Alter up close. She was quiet and polite, responding to others with kind but short comments. Hermione supposed that made sense, as her Alter technically did not know any of their classmates.

She also noticed that Professor Flitwick seemed to pay special attention to her Alter, as if he expected her to perform at a higher standard than most of his other students. To be fair, she succeeded.

After Charms there was a two-hour long break before Transfiguration, and Hermione found herself walking towards the library, where she often studied between classes. She was not surprised to find her Alter already there with a book on her lap.

Rather than immediately bombard her with questions, Hermione considered how she herself would like this situation to be handled in her Alter's place. With that in mind, she also pulled out a book and sat down on the other side of the table.

The two sat there reading in silence for almost three minutes before someone began coughing unsubtly.

"What?" they both growled in annoyance.

Ron took a hasty step back, and Hermione was chagrined to realize that her boys had come along without her noticing. Harry put a comforting hand on his his friend's shoulder, barely containing his laughter for Ron's sake.

"We just wanted to say hello. Welcome you and all that. We actually expected to see you sooner, but outside of class you're always hanging around with Luna or-

"Malfoy!" Ron interrupted. "What's up with that!? He's a slimy git!"

As one, Hermione and Harry facepalmed. They could tell this wouldn't end well.

Hermione Alter was looking decidedly unamused. "You...want to know why I'm with Draco?"

Blinking, Hermione realized that she was the only one who had caught her Alter's meaning. The boys were still blissfully unaware, and she wondered if their brains were subconsciously refusing to acknowledge the horror before them.

"Yeah," Ron bit out, "does that ferret have you under the Imperius or something!?"

Harry leaned in with interest, and Hermione could only watch the impending train wreck in horror.

Hermione Alter looked at them blankly for a moment, before starting to giggle. Those giggles slowly grew louder until she had broken out into full on, gut busting laughter. Harry and Ron both watched in shock as she almost fell out of her chair in laughter, and Madam Pince shushed them angrily.

"What!?" Ron said, growing embarrasses and a little angry.

"Imperius-," *snort*. "No, no he is not. Please, don't insult either of us like that again."

Ron looked confused.

"Is he blackmailing you then?"

Hermione Alter took a deep breath to calm herself, and then she pinned them with a piercing glare.

"I could tell you about how he fulfills me emotionally and intellectually. I could tell you about how we survived a disaster that makes our usual adventures look like child's play, and how we only survived by working together. I could tell you that Draco doesn't really hate...muggles or people like me, that he grew up spoiled and desperate for his parents' approval, and that even your Draco is just paying lip-service to ideals he doesn't even understand. I could ask you to respect my decisions as your friend. I could tell you all of that...but even though its all true, you would never believe it. I know you, Ron, and I know that you are close minded, immature, and just as bigoted as the Malfoys. You're just biased against rich people and other Purebloods instead."

Ron was bright red in fury, and opened his mouth to say something Hermione knew would not help the situation at all.

"Silencio."

Hermione Alter waved her wand and stopped the tirade before it could begin. She then met Harry's and Hermione's eyes and dared them to intervene.

"I'm going to release my spell, Ron, and you will then have two choices. You can either accept that Draco is a good person, and respect that he is very dear to me, or you can keep insisting that I'm wrong, despite us both knowing that I'm not. If you do that, I will gladly give you an answer I know you will accept. I also know you won't like it one bit."

The spell was released, and Ron glared at her.

"I don't believe you! Why are you defending that piece of slime!?"

Hermione Alter sighed.

"Ron...you and I would never work. In any world. We barely function as friends, and that's only because we have Harry and your siblings between us. We are completely different both emotionally and intellectually, and while I do find you physically attractive, that just isn't enough to base a relationship on. Draco and I work, as friends...and as lovers."

Hermione was only expecting the last bit, and even she felt her jaw drop. Harry looked like he was choking on a lemon, and Ron…

Ron looked hurt and angry. He kept looking between her and her Alter, waiting for Hermione to refute the other her's words.

Hermione looked away, embarrassed and a little ashamed that she couldn't. If anyone else had said those things about him (them), she would have immediately come to Ron's defense. However, hearing those words from her own mouth was like hearing her deepest insecurities said out loud. The things she already knew, but never dared admit to herself.

"You-you and him!?" Ron snarled.

Hermione Alter met his furious gaze with calm serenity.

"Yes."

Ron's gaze darkened in the way it always did when he was about to say something truly horrible.

"So what, he convinced you to spread your legs and now he's perfect?"

His words were growled lowly, as if they were only meant for the people at that table, and yet they seemed to carry. Seemed to resonate deep in Hermione's soul as if they had been screamed at the top of his lungs directly at her.

Harry's head shot up in alarm, and he moved to pull Ron away before the situation got any worse.

Hermione Alter snorted. Then she spoke, building steam into a full-on rant as she went.

"Draco is far from perfect. He's a total prude, and has a big heart in the most frustrating way possible. It's one thing for a man to look at other women, and a completely different one for him to actually fall for them. Which is unfortunate, since he seems to attract beautiful, damaged women like flies to honey. He's just lucky they've all been pretty enough to catch my interest too. He refuses to believe he is a good person despite all evidence to the contrary, has a 'saving people thing' as large as Harry's, and can be annoyingly self-sacrificing for a Slytherin. A part of me actually expected him to be sorted into Gryffindor the other night, though I suppose Hufflepuff makes more sense. In fact, being a good person is now his ultimate life goal, and it's a pain in the arse to have to keep reassuring him that, no, just because something bad happens that he could have stopped does not make it his fault. And he has the sense of humor of an old man. The worst thing about him though, is that he is the bluntest person I have ever met. Oh, he has tact, but he also knows when to be open and honest for the most emotional impact. It's frustrating as all hell because he won't talk about sex when we're around other people, but he'll tell me he l-loves me regardless of where we are or what we're doing!"

She stopped, panting, and they stared at her in shock. Ron was calmer now, but Hermione could still see his fists clenched tight and shaking.

"So what? You're just using him for sex? What kind of slag are you!?"

She glared at him, and snorted incredulously.

"I may not be as comfortable saying it as Draco is, but I'm Gryffindor enough to do it anyway. I love him, more than I've ever loved anyone. The fact that he can bring me to orgasm almost on command is just a bonus."

Ron growled, and swept the table clean in a rage. Then he stormed off.

"Real mature." Hermione Alter said under her breath. She began nonchalantly picking up her things, repairing bent pages and dented book covers before Madam Pince could go the way of Umbridge.

Hermione felt like she was on the verge of tears as she and Harry watched in shock, uncertain if they should follow Ron or not. Hermione Alter looked up at them and rolled her eyes.

"Don't go after him, you know Ron as well as I do. He needs to be alone because, the way he is now, he'll hurt anyone he comes across. Just to feel a bit better about himself."

Harry grit his teeth and almost hissed at her. "If you know him so well then what the hell was that about!?"

She glared at him. "That was because Ron needs to be told harsh truths outright or he'll just go through life ignoring his problems, and because I won't stand for people talking bad about Draco. Or our relationship. The sooner he gets it out of his system and pouts like a toddler for a few weeks, the sooner he'll get over it."

She sighed, her eyes softening a bit as she turned to Hermione. "I apologize, though. It needed to be said, and things will be easier for me now, but we both know that Ron will take this out on you too."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but had nothing to say in Ron's defense. He had abandoned Harry for months just a year before because of his insecurities and jealousy, after all. In all likelihood, he would be avoiding both Hermiones (at best) equally. Hesitantly, Harry put his arm around her and Hermione almost broke down into tears.

Hermione Alter stood and awkwardly placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "I'm not telling you to start a relationship with your Draco. He hasn't grown or changed the way mine has, and is most likely still a complete arse of a human being. All I'm saying is that Ron is not the man for us...and I doubt he will be for a very long time, if ever. You deserve better than to wait for that."

Having said her piece, she turned to leave.

"Feel free to come and talk to me about less painful topics whenever you like. I'm looking forward to discussing the differences and similarities between our two worlds with you. That extends to you too, Harry, so long as you both try and give my Draco a chance," she called over her shoulder.

Harry just pulled Hermione close, and several people made hasty retreats from the library.

It's a high school. Gossip is king.