sigh. Well, here's the next chapter….

Panting with the exertion, Draco bodily jumped from the window sill he was on to another. Peering in through the window, he recognized the painting on the wall of the pink elephant, huddling with her tutu over her face. He was by the children's ward.

There was a Dark Code in progress, the window would not open from the outside, even with his wand. He tapped quietly. Then harder.

Hermione jumped as she heard the first raps on the glass, her wand raised even higher. Glancing at the bay window, she gave a sigh of relief as she saw a member or the Ministry Guard balanced precariously. She quietly tiptoed towards the window. Out of the corner of the eye she thought she saw a dark figure pass by. Whirling around, she stifled a scream as a dementor flitted around the corner of the hall away from her.

Opening the window with a small creak, the guard member stuck his head in, and landed on his feet. He flipped up his visor.

"You?" she whispered, a little bit of her temper seeping though. She pushed it back with and effort. Now was no the time for a discussion of kisses, disappearances, or centaurs.

"Yes. They're out side waiting for the signal. I'm taking care of this floor. The other guards are watching the rest. I told them I knew the layout from my last visit." He whispered back, the bass of his voice vibrating through her anyway. "How many do you think are here?"

"I think at least two, that's how many Mary saw. But I'm sure there should be four. Dementors group that way."

"Right. And they've been reported on all the floors…"

"And there are at least 35 in this building alone"

They both paused in thought, and looked at each other, lost in thought. With a mental shake, Hermione gripped his gauntleted arm. "The children are locked in their rooms, and I assume asleep. Please, they need to be gone as soon as possible. These children have been through enough, and at least two have had bad experienced already with dementors."

Draco gave her a grave look, and nodded curtly. "Alright then. Plan. They're separated, so let's take one of the DA postions, back to back. We'll circle down the halls. Wands out, your'e patronus is a beaver right?"

"Otter."

"oh. Well, mines a stallion, so they probably will go for different approaches."

Nodding in agreement, Hermione shed her labcoat, trying to bring in her clothing so it wouldn't restrict her. Draco flipped his visor down again, and he guiltily wished he had something to protect Hermione as well. Slowly, they walked down the hallways, wands raised in air, and circling.

"There. To my right." She whispered.

"Now."

"Expecto Patronus!" they both shouted simultaneously. Immediately, a large silvery steed came charging through his wand. It raced towards the dementor, which raised his nonexistent arm to it's face to shield itself. With an inhuman shriek, it jetted through the air, and out the open window. Hermione's otter plodded after it, snapping it's jaws.

"That's one down."

Before he could even finish his thought, they felt an icy wave wash over them.

"No. No! No more killing!"he was shouting, in the woods. Lucious continued to drag him by the collar, through the woods. With a grunt, he threw him down the side of the hill, and he felt his battered body roll and collide with dirt and rock until he came to a rest. He was in a pit of some sort. And all around him was darkness. Nothing but…darkness…he gave a strangled cry of despair…he could hear the battle, and he was lying here…the walls were closing in on him, and he couldn't do anything…

She couldn't hold in the pain anymore. She started to weep, the tears streaming down her face, her body racked with sobs, Neville's head still continuing to bleed even after she had bound it, and conducted the only healing spells she knew. She had scared off Viktor, but she was all alone. She could hear Harry screaming in pain, and then "AVADA-nooOO!"

She buried her face in Neville's chest, not wanting to hear the pain anymore. And then the door opened again, she felt her body convulse with fear, watching as the serpent known as Naginig slithered in, her body parylized with fear, averting her eyes in time to avoid parylization. But she still couldn't move…she was so tired…she just couldn't move…and Neville would die.

And then the cackling figure of Wormtongue staggered in. "My dear. What a lovely feast my master has given me." He had stammered, licking his lips. "For both me and Nagini. Come now pretty, let's see what we can do to have fun…" She shook her head…no…

"Ex-…ex-….EXPECTO PATRONUS!" Hermione shrieked, pointing her wand at the two dementors slowly advancing on them. At her back, she could feel Draco trembling through the nightmare that only he could see.

"Thank. Thank You." He muttered. "Well. There should only be one left."

The communication link in his helmet suddenly buzzed to life, the voice of Neville magically sounding as though he was right next to him. "Malfoy. How many have been taken down on your floor?"

"Three." He whispered back.

"The status is going well for us. Most of us are finished, or nearly. They're fairly weak. They're reportedly heading back to Azkaban island. Someone had given them incentive to leave their posts. Is Hermione with you."

"Yes. Helping me."

"Good. She has a clear head on her shoulders. Help needed?"

"No. We have this covered. I think she'll want to see the kids after."

"Alright. But tell her not too long. We'll need to interview her and the reporting child for records after ward."

"Ok. Over."

"Over."

The link beeped and turned off. Hermione was trying to control her body. She felt cold from the sweat that had enveloped her body when the dementor had attacked her.

"then let's take out the last Bastard then shall we?" he intoned. His voice vibrated all along her back, and oddly she felt comforted by that. It was so strong, and so….safe.

Hermione gripped Mary's hand, as she told the investigating officer exactly what had happened. She wasn't weepy at all Hermione noticed, but she knew that Mary's defense mechanism was to put on a stubborn appearance. Ever since her Uncle's abuse…

"Excuse me officer. I know that this is important, but she's been through quite a night. Could we possibly do this later?"

"That's alright love. Got all that we need from her anyway. She's a brave lass." He said kindly, ruffling her hair. He walked off, to join the other officers.

"Mary. Do you think you will be ok, back in your room?"

"Yes, Dr.Granger. The meanie things are gone."

She gave her a tight hug, such a brave little girl, and was appalled to feel more tears dripping down her face and onto Mary's head.

"Dr. Granger? Are you 'k? Please, don't be sad."

"Yes. Please don't be sad. Mary, is it ok, if Dr. Granger and I talk?" The voice intoned from behind her. Draco was standing, one hand on his hip, the other holding his helmet. His hair was a nightmarish nest of sweat and steely blonde hair.

"Yes, Dr.Granger's husband."

"Mary, he's not my husband."

Mary gave her a blank look, and then giggled. She skipped down the hall and went to her room.

Neville walked up to join them, looking portly in the guard armor. "Hermione, are you ok?"

"Yeah. I think." She said shakily. She hadn't had a run-in with dementors since she had fought the final battle.

"Well, then I'm going to ask you two to head down to the local café. Here," He handed them some galleons. "Have as much chocolate as you need. On the ministry. If you need something stronger, I personally wouldn't object. I have a feeling a lot of bad memories are going to be drowned out tonight."

Hermione looked at him blankly. "Oh. Is that Parvati Patil?" Neville said, his interest suddenly piqued, he walked away. Draco gave a chuckle.

"Those two. Suppose they know what's in front of them?" he asked out loud.

"Not Parvati, that's for sure. She'll have to stop visiting Madame Venus'."

"No. I thought that was a rumor."he said, his voice a feminine gasp of gossip.

Hermione's haunted stare however made him pause.

"I say. Rosmerta's Café is probably filled. I know a place. Want to take chocolate in a quieter place?"

Hermione nodded her head and unsteadily tried to get up. Reaching forward, he gripped her hand, and lifted her up easily. She wobbled. She was so tired. All she wanted to do was lie down…and not get up. She felt so weak. She only wanted a shoulder. God, why was she so weak willed?

She stirred the plastic stirrer in the mug, no longer feeling like hot chocolate. The shivering was gone, the memory unfortunately was still in her mind. Repeating over and over again.

"Hermione. I need to tell you something."

She held her breath. Why was there a feeling of apprehension and something else…

" You deserve the truth. All of it."

The feeling disappeared from her stomach, replaced by the dull ache of the memory. She didn't know what she had been expecting, considering the truth was what she had wanted to hear for a while now.

"I…I owe you an apology. I should never have kissed you."

"oh. Well you obviously didn't know-"

He held up a hand to cut her off. "You have no idea where my mind was. And, frankly, you …never deserved such treatment. And these past few weeks, I've been…in the forest."

Hermione stared at him in surprise. "With the other centaurs. I've been letting the…berserk run free. But…I needed to control it. So I checked myself in. I didn't want you to find out the way you did."

She suddenly felt even more deflated. He had…a reason. A stupid one…but a reason. He lifted up his mug of firewhisky and took a liberal sip. The barmaid came by, with a tray.

"Anything thing else you'll be needed Drac?"

"Yeah. Kaz, get us some Cedar Ambrosia? I'm farily sure this occasion warrants it." He said with a mocking look at Hermione. She felt herself blushing, as the barmaid gave her a wink.

"Draco, Ambrosia is farily expensive, you don't need to…"

"Hermione, with all that you know about me, surely you remember that I'm a fairly wealthy bastard." He said. That smirk, the one that she was so used to in school, the one he had greeted her with at her front door a month ago, was firmly attached to his face. Kaz placed a bottle and two flutes on there table. She gave Hermione a smile and walked off.

"Now, Hermione darling. You do not drink. However, from experience, I must tell you that you become…an fine woman when under the influence."

He handed her the flute of dark amber liquid. The scent of the drink wasn't the usual alcohol, but the smell of roses. It was a fairy specialty, and mixed in the woods, along with typical debauchery of the fairies. She had never had any before, only at the graduation party the Gryffindors had had in their common room.

Blushing, she didn't know what wickedness overtook her. She could feel a small smile erupting on her face, and she took a little sip. The heady taste filled her with warmth.

"Now then Granger. Where were we?" Draco said after downing his own flute.

A.N- there. Tell me what you think. I'm exhausted, that was the worst chapter to get through, and I don't think I really explained myself well. The next chapter…well they're both essentially getting wasted….Draco and Hermione drunk off their rockers? Well now, that should be interesting….