Draco strolled down the halls that night, Hermione by his side. They were laughing at silly things, just happy to be with each other. Snuggling closer to Draco, Hermione glanced behind her.

"Draco," she whispered, her hold on his hand strengthening. "We're being followed." Draco nodded.

"I know," he replied. "They've been following us since we left the common room."

"What do we do?" Draco shrugged.

"Continue walking," he muttered. "They haven't done anything so far…maybe they won't…" But Draco knew better. These were no friendly companions following them. They were hostile. They just weren't doing anything right now. Draco shifted Hermione into his other arm so that his hand could easily get his wand. "When I say…" They both stopped.

"Draco," she murmured, her eyes wide. Five men stood in front of them, blocking their way. Draco glanced behind them, counting six more. He cocked a smirk, raising an eyebrow.

"So, to what doing do we owe this pleasant company?" he asked, hand in pocket, on wand. One of the men in front of them laughed.

"Please, Draco," he spat. "Don't waste our time exchanging petty compliments which we both know you don't mean."

"You know, you're right," Draco snapped. "Had I been telling you the truth, I'd have told you that you and your buddy there look like you both could use a good fuck with each other. You look like you need it." They lunged at Draco and he yanked Hermione down a hidden passage way. Hurtling down the passage, Hermione did all she could to keep up with Draco as the men came after them, hexes and obscenities flying at them. Suddenly, Draco heard Hermione gasp and he stopped, turning around. She had her hand on her side, gasping and her eyes filling with tears.

"What happened?" he asked hurriedly, glancing up to see lights approaching down the relatively dark passageway.

"Something hit me in the side," she managed out. He put his arm under hers and helped along, their progress slowed by her injury.

They came out of the passageway into a dark corridor and Hermione recognized it as the Hogwarts dungeons. She recoiled as memories flooded back.

"Draco," she whispered and he pulled her along.

"Come on, Hermione," he hissed, turning a corner and pushing her into a small niche in the wall. He watched the hall, frowning. "Reducto." Someone yelled and a thud was heard. Yells went up and Draco yanked Hermione along again. Pulling her down a flight of stairs, he shoved her into a wall as he spotted one of the men.

"Impedimenta!" the man yelled and Draco dodged the curse, waving his wand and watching as a black jet hurtled towards the man. A shield went up but too late as the curse hit the man square in the chest. Slashing at the air, Draco sent out a purple jet and the man fell to the ground. Draco was about to grab Hermione again, when he threw himself around a corner, spotting someone lurking around.

"Hermione, get down!" Hermione dropped to her knees as the killing curse flew over her. She scrambled to her feet and took off around the corner. He grabbed her, pulling her into him as he watched the corridor.

"Where are you, you bastard?" Draco muttered. Suddenly, a wand was pressed against his neck. Hermione screamed.

"Let go of the Mudblood, Draco." Draco looked down at Hermione, who shook her head.

"Kiss my ass," he growled.

"Crucio!"

Hermione screamed, grabbing Draco as he fell to his knees, gritting his teeth to keep from crying out. Two cloaked figures appeared and grabbed Hermione.

"Let her go," Draco managed to gasp out as the curse became stronger. Two other cloaked figures grabbed Draco as the curse was lifted. The wand was placed under Hermione's chin.

"Watch, Draco, as your Mudblood dies before you."

"DRACO!" He strained against the two men as a gag went over his mouth and they pulled him to his feet. Tears fell from her cheeks, her eyes pleading with him as the wand dug painfully deeper into her throat. "Draco…" she begged. The man stepped into the soft wand light and Draco snarled against the gag.

"This a disappointment, Draco," Lucius slurred, his free hand absent-mindedly stroking her cheek as he smirked at his enraged son. "Why in the world would you go for a Mudblood when you had so many chances of getting something more than trash?"

"Draco…please…"

"Listen to her," Lucius spat, yanking her head back by her hair and listening to he scream in pain. "Listen to this trash beg for you to save her." He shoved Hermione to her knees. As she tried to crawl away, he grabbed her roughly around the neck and threw her into the wall. She stifled a scream, a hand going over her mouth as her eyes closed in agony. Draco threw himself at Lucius, but to no avail. Lucius kneeled down next to her and, taking hold of her chin, she forced her face in the direction of Draco. "Look at him," he whispered into her ear so that only she could hear. "Take in this image and savor it." A sob escaped her mouth as she felt the wand dig into her spine. Draco's gray eyes were all she could see, and they were killing her with their desperation to reach her. "Take it in…for it will be the last time." A scream erupted, Draco's eyes widened and her body lay still. Lucius stood, watching his son curiously. Draco's eyes were on her and he barely drew a breath.

It was as if everything had stopped. Time itself seemed to be frozen in place as he searched her. Something, anything. Just a sign that she was still, somehow, through a miracle, she could still breathe…that she was still…

"Take off the gag," Lucius hissed and one of the men took off the gag.

"I'll kill you," Draco said softly, his eyes still on Hermione. "I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do…" Lucius smirked, leaning down to stroke the cold cheeks of the girl. "DON'T TOUCH HER!" Draco roared, struggling futilely against the men. He could feel the tears leaking down his cheeks, but he didn't care. "DON'T YOU EVEN TOUCH HER!" Lucius smiled, caressing the cheeks anyway. A strangled roar erupted from Draco's soul as pure, uncontrolled loathing towards the man he no longer regarded as his father. But as his nemesis. As the man he would kill. Lucius surveyed the body.

"Hmm…I wonder if we could have gotten anything out her before we killed her, boys?" he asked the men with him and Draco wanted to rip his throat out.

"I. WILL. KILL. YOU." Draco growled, his eyes enraged, his heart aching. Lucius smiled cruelly, standing.

"Come on, boys," he ordered. "Lets leave Draco to ponder over his decisions." The men shoved Draco into the wall and disappeared. Scrambling over, he grabbed her shoulders, pulling him into his arms. He ran a finger over her cold skin; biting his lip so hard he drew blood.

"Hermione…" His voice waned and he put his lips to her forehead, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"

"For what?" Had his relief not kept him stable, Draco would have died from pure shock. He ran his hands over her face and hair as she smiled weakly at him.

"For a moment there, I thought you were dead…"

"For a moment there, so did I…"

"Do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Don't ever do that again. If you do, then I might as well kill you off myself and save myself the heart attack." She laughed.

"Deal."

Well…that's actually it. I really don't know how to finish it but like this. I think it's really sweet, but that's me. Thanks to all of those who reviewed! It's been a great ride and I hope to see you next time! For those who loved this story and love D/Hr, then please check my bio for details on an upcoming story.