A/N: Alright, so this is the first official chappie. I left the teaser in there, for flow or something. Or just cause I felt like it. It's not very long, but I'm impatient right now, as are some reviewers I guess. Surprised me. I'm so glad you all like it so far. I'm a little iffy about the style and flow. I haven't written fiction in quite a while, so it may take a little while to get it right. Hang in there, I'm excited about this one.

Special thanks to Aeronnen, Dajana, Dracoisthesexiest..., Whitelight72, and Falcongirl386 for being my first reviewers. And to Answer Falcongirl, it's set a few years after Hogwarts, like 2 or 3. It's not exactly specific in my mind at the moment.

I'm always open to constructive criticism. I'm better at editing work that I haven't written, so please review however you feel about this story. Thanks again!

Oh, and I still don't own it.

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Some days you just have to wonder if the world is ever going to make sense again. Or if it even really made sense to begin with. It only took a moment for Hermione Granger to know that something was very wrong with the world she knew. She'd been in Diagon Alley all day, looking for books for potions research. After school ended she'd decided her skills were best put to use in research for the coming war. Despite her proficiency in all sorts of spells, she wasn't much of a hands on fighter, although she was known to have a mean right hook. She was on her way home with her new material when she was startled by a sound coming from around the corner. Overcome by curiosity she walked toward the place the noise had come from, and discovered the last thing she'd ever expected to see. There, lying in the shadows propped against a wal,l was her worst enemy, the vindictive, self-centered, almighty Slytherin Prince beaten, and crying.

"Bloody hell!" Hermione exclaimed. "Malfoy! Malfoy what happened?" She cried as she ran across the room and knelt down beside him. When he didn't respond, just staring off into space with tears flooding down his cheeks she started to panic. "Malfoy! Say something, are you alright? Hello? Malfoy!"

"It's all my fault," he groaned softly. "All my fault, all my fault…"

"What's your fault? What happened? Come on, you need to get to the hospital."

Hermione flinched as his silent tears turned into strangled sobs and he curled up into himself, sliding farther down the wall.

"Just go away," he eventually choked out. "Just leave me alone. I don't need your help." He began to sob harder, and then whispered "I don't deserve it."

"Oh shut up, please Malfoy, either get up and come with me or I swear I will carry you myself."

"Why won't you just leave me alone? Stop being nice, you'll only get hurt. I can only hurt you. I hurt everyone."

Hermione looked at him confused as she began to feel sad. She'd never thought in a million years she'd see him so hurt, so broken. No one deserved to feel like that. "Ma-…Draco?" she said softly. "Please, let me help you."

Draco finally looked up at her and her breath caught at the pain she saw in his eyes. "Why?" He whispered, "Why do you want to help me?"

"Because, you need me."

That little phrase seemed to hit Draco harder than anything she'd said so far. "I've never needed anyone before."

"Well now you do."

Draco looked at her questioningly, as if trying to ascertain her motives, and then nodded reluctantly.

"Now come on, you need to see a mediwitch. Stand up." Hermione said as she reached down to give him a hand. Draco grabbed it with his right hand and winced as she pulled him up.

"There's something wrong with my right leg, I don't think I can stand on it. And I'm pretty sure my left arm is broken," he mumbled once he was up, leaning heavily on her shoulder.

"Well, just use me as support, come on, you're in no shape to apparate, one step at a time."

They slowly made it to the nearest fireplace and Hermione threw in some floo powder.

"St. Mungo's." She shouted and quickly helped Draco in with her.

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Hermione waited for someone to come tell her if Draco would be all right. She wasn't even sure why she cared, or when it had started being alright to refer to him as Draco. It wasn't like he was even going to appreciate her when he came to his senses. But Hermione just couldn't shake off the sense of wrongness of what had happened. With all she'd seen of Draco there was no way he was easily brought to tears.

There it is again.

Draco.

Somehow this had become personal. Her innate need to help had taken over and she just couldn't let this go.

"Ms. Granger?"

Hermione was startled out of her thoughts to find a Mediwitch in front of her.

"Yes?"

"You came in with Mr. Malfoy, did you not?"

"I did, how is he?"

"He's stable, we'll need to keep him overnight for observation, but he should be free to go in the morning."

"Thank goodness. Can I see him?"

"Well…. Normally our policy is family members only, but under the circumstances… If you promise to be short I think we can make an exception. Any problems and you'll have to leave immediately."

"I understand, thank you."

"Of course, follow me."

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Draco Malfoy awoke, stiff, sore, and confused. Squinting from the bright light he glanced around him, trying to remember where he was.

"Draco?" A strangely familiar voice addressed him softly. He winced as he turned his head to find the speaker, and startled when he realized who it was.

"Granger? What the bloody hell are you doing here?" He said, confused. "Where is here?" he added.

"Dra… Malfoy… You're at St. Mungo's. I found you near Diagon Alley. You were hurt, do you remember what happened?"

What was this, why was she sounding so disappointed?

"What are you talking about, the last thing I remember was being at the manor and……" He trailed off as his memories began to return. His father coming home from a meeting with the Dark Lord to find him with his mother, talking about his future. An argument about Narcissa. Something about obedience. It was hazy, but…

"Oh Merlin. No, oh Gods no. NO! It's my fault! It's my fault…" Draco didn't notice as Hermione ran out of the room shouting for a Mediwitch. He was too enwrapped in the sight of his mother lying battered on the floor, eyes glazed over. His father towering over them both, shouting about the consequences of betrayal.

A team of Mediwitches rushed in and forced some Dreamless Sleep potion down his throat. The room faded away as he continued mumbling.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have involved her. My fault. All my…"