Hidden Agenda: Prologue

Hermione was so cold. It hurt to even breathe, but she had to keep going; she had to keep moving. The green light was slowly but completely surrounding her. Her weary arms shook from the effort, yet still she clung to Grace's lifeless body, dragging her along.

"Just keep moving…Just keep moving."

Ahead of her, she could see a dragon. Its iridescent scales shimmered brilliantly in the green light. Without understanding why, Hermione stoically limped towards it. She simply knew that all she needed to do was get to the dragon and all would be fine once more.

"Just keep moving."

Hermione's arms were now shaking uncontrollably as her leaden feet dragged herself and Grace's dead-weight along. Nonetheless, her focus never wavered from the dragon's piercing stare. The harsh glow continued to pulse around her until she was merely feet away from the dragon. Despite its ferocious appearance it made no attempt to attack Hermione. On the contrary, it did not even move; simply stared down its scaly, emerald snout at her as she struggled towards it. Her panting breath pooled in front of her in a steady mist. Slowly releasing her tightly clenched hand that had gripped around Grace's arm, Hermione moved forward to touch the dragon. Only then did the creature's silver gaze leave hers. It blinked and turned its head away before glancing back to reveal a blood red tear coursing down its cheek.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but her voice caught in her throat. Something was wrong. Her chest tightened with fear as she reached out once more to touch the beast. But before her fingers touched its emerald scales, Hermione felt the ground beneath her disappear. She lost her grip on Grace and the pulsing green light was replaced by a cold darkness. She fell silently, gasping for breath. She was so cold… so very cold.

Hermione awoke with a jolt, gasping for air. Her sleep induced brain, unprepared for her sudden intake of breath, provoked a series of heaving coughs which wracked her body. Drawing her knees up to her chest, Hermione reached out for the glass of water at her bedside table and gulped down quickly. As the coughing subsided and her breathing resumed a non-life-threatening pace, her trembling hand reached up to wipe away the streaming tears.

It had been a year since it had happened. Since Grace had- No. She refused to think about it. But dammit, even after a year she was still continually plagued by-

"Bad dream?" a husky voice murmured by her side.

Hermione turned to see a bleary-eyed Draco looking up at her. Pushing himself up to a seated position and running his left hand through his sleep rumpled hair; Draco reached over to grasp Hermione's trembling hand. Entwining their fingers, he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed the back of her hand.

"There's nothing you could have done, Hermione. You have to stop blaming yourself." Draco whispered as he gently kissed her bare shoulder.

Looking into his worried eyes, Hermione sighed, "I know."

"Let's go back to sleep."

Draco released Hermione's hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, sliding them both under the covers. Lying slightly atop him, Hermione's head came to rest on Draco's shoulder; her arm tightened around his torso for comfort. Listening to his steady deep breathing, combined with the warmth exuding from Draco's bare chest, Hermione felt herself being lulled into sleep. Closing her eyes, she reached over to clasp Draco's hand. Entwining their fingers- Hermione opened her eyes and lifted her head.

"What's that?"

Hermione's sudden movement caused Draco to look up at her in puzzlement.

"What's what?"

Sitting up, she gingerly grasped his hand closer towards her and ran her hands over his fingers. When she came into contact with a ring of cold steel on his index finger she twisted it lightly.

"This ring, is it new?"

Draco jerked his hand from her grasp to pull back the velvet curtain that surrounded the bed, allowing a feeble ray of moonlight to stream in. His brow drawing into a frown, Draco stared at Hermione gazing curiously at him. His throat constricted as he looked down at the steel ring glinting in the moonlight.

"You can see it?" Draco whispered hoarsely, as if struggling to come to terms with the idea.

"Of course I can see it. I just hadn't before. I didn't know you wore rings." She grinned at him.

Draco tried to smile back feebly, "I've worn this ring my entire life; the sign of a Malfoy," he whispered, twisting the ring on his finger. The intricate patterns etched on the ring seemed to burn, but he continued to twist it around. "At birth every Malfoy child is given one: Received upon birth, removed only in death."

"I can't believe I've never noticed it before." Hermione frowned, moving closer to Draco.

"I can't believe you can see it now. Only Malfoy's… and those worthy of the Malfoy name," Draco laughed dryly "are deigned the privilege of knowledge of this ring; nice little family secret, hey? For centuries the Malfoy's used this ring to find prospective respectable partners." He finished off bitterly.

Tearing his gaze away from the ring, Draco looked up towards Hermione who was gnawing anxiously at her bottom lip. He reached around her to wrap his arm around her waist once more and drew her close.

"But I don't need a stupid ring to tell me that you are the strongest," he placed a kiss on her forehead, "most beautiful," a kiss on the tip of her nose, "most intelligent," his lips hovered just above hers, "most obstinate woman I have ever met. And I don't need a stupid ring to tell me that I love you. That I could never love anyone else the way I love you."

The emotions that swelled up in Hermione, threatening to burst out faltered as she caught a glimpse of Draco in the moonlight. He looked tired. Not just from lack of sleep but completely and utterly drained. She ran a light touch across his tightly knit brow, causing him to stare up at her.

"What's wrong, Draco?"

A play of emotion swept through his gaze as he stared at her: anxiety, sadness, anger, hurt, love. Her heart clenched at the thought of Draco's hidden pain.

"It's just… I just have something I have to do. That's all."

Hermione continued to watch him but decided not to push the matter. Draco reached up to cup her cheek before grasping her by the chin and pulling her closer towards him. Rubbing his nose against hers, he smiled at her.

"You've got to stop keeping me up all night like this. You're wearing me out."

He lied back down, dragging her with him. Tucking the top of Hermione's head under his chin, Draco gently stroked the smooth skin of her arm until he heard her deep breathing. Unable to sleep himself, Draco stared up at the canopy of the bed. He knew what he had to do; knew he had to leave, but he simply couldn't do it… not yet. He needed this. He needed her.

Closing his eyes, Draco tightened his hold on Hermione and whispered the mournful words he had heard her sing once "Save tonight and fight the break of dawn. Come tomorrow… I will be gone."

Hermione awoke, reaching out for Draco. When she encountered nothing, she sat up with a start. She was late! She had to be late; Draco never woke up before her. Technically, Draco being a Slytherin and male meant he was not allowed in Hermione's room. However, ever since Grace had gone, Hermione had dreaded sleeping alone in her room. Thus (with little convincing needed), Draco agreed to stay with Hermione, and it was her job each morning to drag him out of bed in order for him to sneak out again, unnoticed.

Pulling back the velvet curtain that surrounded her bed, Hermione snatched up the alarm clock, which sat on her bedside table, to see it was only 5:30 am. Shaking her head she returned the clock to its place and fell back against her pillows. He was probably in the bathroom. Probably fallen asleep on the toilet, lazy bugger. Hermione smiled as she snuggled back into bed, but a niggling sensation worried at her, causing her to sit up once more. With the curtains open behind her the sunlight that shone through made the steel ring on Draco's pillow glint. Her mind went blank as she reached over to pick it up. As she touched the cold metal, a million thoughts rushed through her mind before Draco's words returned to her.

"Received upon birth, removed only in death." Hermione whispered in shock.

Grabbing the ring off the pillow, Hermione jumped out of bed and ran out of her room. Heedless of the early hour or the fact she was dressed only in her nightgown, she ran through the common room.

"Draco! Draco, where are you? This isn't funny, Draco!" she screamed as she clambered past the fat lady.

Her heart seemed to pound in her throat. She was scared, terrified, she had to find him.

"Draco! Draco, where are you?" she screamed, running madly down the hallways blinded by her tears. "It's not a joke anymore, Draco. This isn't funny, Dra-

Hermione ran bodily into someone. She stopped, her emotions finally overwhelming her as a pair of arms wrapped around her. She stood there shaking uncontrollably.

"Miss Granger, you must calm yourself."

Hearing the gentle voice, Hermione looked up to see Professor Dumbledore, comforting her.

"Professor, Draco-"

Dumbledore looked away from her.

"Professor, I need to find him. I need to-"

"He's gone, Hermione. Draco's gone."

Hermione tugged herself out of his arms and shook her head at him, but the ring in her hand was almost burning as she held it tightly.

"No!"

Received upon birth, removed only in death. Draco's gone…