Hermione's hand flinched towards her wand every few moments. Although she saw no point in it, she needed to make sure she continued Harry's hunt, only because he would have wanted her to.

Harry was missing. Ron was dead. It all happened so quickly, the three of them not having much else to do other than fight this battle themselves.

It was probably her worst plan yet, but when she saw Poor Arthur Weasly fly into the floor from a harsh spell, she couldn't contain her composure. She and Ran out to avenge him when Ron fell to the floor. She didn't know who pulled the unforgivable curse on him. She only knew that it was all her fault, that they should have been more wary.

She wanted to stay and cry, but had no time. She couldn't risk her life on the battlefield when Harry might need her. Gathering up all of her courage, she cast Mobilicorpus on him, moved his body somewhere safe, and ran into a dark unknown forest. If only she could find Harry.

The thrum of her heart and the tears escaping her eyes didn't help the situation. Every few minutes, she'd have to stop to wipe at her eyes so she could see, only to break down each time. This time, she didn't stand there and whimper for five minutes. She let herself sob without trying to stop as her back slid down a tree. Her heart couldn't handle it. Granted, she didn't feel quite as romantically involved with Ron as before, but he was still her light and happiness, her best friend. He made her laugh at the most inconvenient times, and settled her down when she was riled up. Seeing his body fall to the ground like that, his life ending at the preference of someone else was unfair. He was still warm when she his him. His eyes still held their charm. His heart was the only thing dead to him, as well as his mind, his words, his breath, and his pulse. Everything else still seemed fine.

"What's that, son? Can you hear it?"

Hermione froze, her hand clutching her wand in an instant. She stood up against the tree slowly, hearing the soft footsteps come closer. Idiotically, she peered around the tree and into the eyes of Lucius and Draco Malfoy.

"It's Granger!" The older sneered, pulling out his wand. Looking at his son, and sauntered forward. "Get a move on boy. The Dark Lord shall be immensely impressed by this."

Hermione was torn. Run or Fight? What to do…Of all times, this had to be the worst for her brain to stop functioning. In a swift moment, she bared herself and shouted "Flipendo!" at the older Malfoy, sending him flying backwards. She looked at the younger, which had a look of tense sorrow on his face. He lifted his wand and pointed it at her, ready to fire.

"What are you doing, you flipping idiot?" Lucius sneered as she stood. Draco looked straight into Hermione's determined eyes, his grey orbs reflecting her sorrow over loss. He lowered his wand, shook his head, and backed away.

Lucius wasted no time, but Hermione was quicker. Flee, her mind screamed. She pointed her wand at their feet, shouted "Incendio!" and ran. She could hear their frustrated screams and desperate shouts of Aqua Eructo, but barely over her jagged breathing. Finally reaching a source of light, she smiled, only to trip over tree roots. Before she could stand, she could hear Lucius scream a screeching "Locomotor Mortis!"

Her legs locked, and she was stuck. Taking his time, Lucius smirked as he walked over, Draco quietly on his trail.

"Remarkable." He said, his eyes fixed on her. She had dropped her wand when she fell, and had no protection apart from wandless magic, but her mind wasn't working. She cursed herself for forgetting everything that could save her life.

"Stupefy!" He shouted, hitting Hermione directly in the chest. All was lost but the sound of her screams.

When Hermione woke, she gasped in realization. She was in a dark room, chains binding her to the floor. It suddenly dawned on her who had captured her ad what had happened. She tried moving, but was immensely restricted due to the chains. She whimpered, feeling solemn tears mark her face. This was not the time for crying.

She needed a plan.

The door to the cave-like room suddenly opened, and in strolled both Malfoys. Lucius seemed to be lecturing the younger.

"Now, you'll learn. You'll see what filth Mudbloods truly are, and what they are used for." Turning around, he caught sight of Hermione, and smiled. "So you've awoken."

Hermione flinched as he strolled over, his silk-like hair glowing in the scarce light. As he crouched down, he roughly took Hermione's chin in his and looked her in the eye. "It would be in your best interest," he said, exaggerating the T in interest, "To answer all of my questions."

He jerked her head to the floor and stood, pacing in circles. "Where is your little friend stationed, hmm? What's your plan? Your motive? Where are the Aurors?"

He glanced at Hermione, who locked her jaw tightly. Lucius rolled his eyes and pulled out his wand. "Very well, you piece of filth. Crucios!"

Instantly, and sharp pain started in the core of her stomach and progressed outwards. She screamed at the top of her lungs, her breath rattling as pain filled her lungs. She jerked back and forth, stretching the chains and rolling over, bending her limbs this way and that. Her eyes rolled back into their sockets, and tears forced themselves out of her eyes. The pain reached her every fingertip, her every toe. She was beginning to only see patches of white. She could hear Lucius asking more questions, and felt him kick at her sides every so often. Finally, the pain ceased.

"You blasted git! How dare you shove me?" Lucius roared, grabbing Draco by the elbows and shoving him. As he stumbled backward, Lucius sauntered forward and backhanded him across the face, sending him to the floor. Collecting him by the back collar of his shirt, he dragged his only son towards Hermione, and flung him at her. He landed on her with a thud, crashing right into her ribs. She cried out from the pain as he struggled to get up.

"Stay!" Lucius roared. "You will do as I told you, and only then will I let you leave."

Draco coughed as he sat up, his eyes fixed on the floor, his entire form trembling. Hermione didn't recognize the boy who used to idol his father and shout extreme insults in the name of his own pride. She saw a little boy, afraid of a punishment his father might do.

Lucius angrily pointed his wand at a small chair in the corner of his room, shouted "Wingardium Leviosa!" and crashed it into Draco's side. Hermione yelped as a leg of the chair hit her cheek, and Draco fell forward, his face buried in the crook of Hermione's neck. She could feel his moist tears sliding down her neck.

Lucius sauntered forward, leaned down, and grimaced. Very strictly, he pulled Draco up and looked him in the eye. "Do as I say or I will kill you both."

He shoved Draco down and backed away, crossing his arms over his chest. Draco timidly sat up, giving Hermione the most sorrow look she had ever seen him portray. He raised his shaking hands and grabbed the collar of Hermione's shirt before yanking it open, the buttons pooling on the floor.

Hermione gasped, and began to angrily thrash around. No, no, no. This would not happen. It couldn't be.

Draco winced as he tore off her bra in a swift motion, exposing her breasts to both men. Throughout Hermione's entire thrashing, she couldn't believe the strength he had on her. She was weak from the Imperius curse. What kind of a man would do this, especially to his own child?

Draco's hands roughly grabbed her breasts and kneaded them, until her screams filled every corner of the room. His left hand let go and found their way inside of her pants, and he began to move them.

What Hermione didn't understand was what he was doing. He wasn't touching her. His hands weren't even in her panties. They only moved back and forth in the opposite direction of the privates. Suddenly, it hit her. He was pretending.

Her eyes found his, and she only cried harder for them both, having to endure this situation. Her screams became louder, more convincing. Unfortunately, they were not convincing enough.

"Bloody hell, you idiot." Lucius spat, shoving Draco away. "Flippendo!" He shouted, crashing Draco into the wall.

Turning back to Hermione, he smiled evilly. "Now, let me show you exactly what people like you were put on this world for." Unzipping his pants, he let himself free. Hermione thrashed violently as he crouched on top of her face, her member prodding her mouth.

"Open up, you filthy mudblood." He slapped her face with his shaft, and she willed herself to vomit all over him. Just when he was about to forcefully open her up, a shout sounded from across the room.

"Crucio!"

A flash erupted from Draco's wand and settled on his father. He fell onto Hermione, his body twitching and his shouts filling the room as he grasped at the floor. Draco ran over and shoved him off of Hermione, his tears welling up. Reaching into his father' robes, he pulled out a key and unlocked Hermione's chains. She couched as she grasped at him, and he took her in the arms. It was unusual, finding comfort in the arms of her enemy, but any comfort was better than nothing. Besides, she needed help standing. Draco shed his robes and covered Hermione up with them. Turning back at his father, he cast Stupefy. As soon as he was knocked out, Draco took Hermione's hand and apparrated away.

She felt dizzy as she took in her surroundings. They seemed to be in a toasty log-cabin sort of a thing. Laying her down on the bed, he took out his wand and pointed it at her. She flinched and widened her eyes before he cast the spell.

"Episkey." He cleared her wounds and fractured remnants of skin. Once she was all healed, his eyes teared up and he fell to the floor, silently sobbing.

She got up and at down beside him slowly, wondering what to do with her blubbering savior. Reaching her hand out, and took his wrist and placed his hand in her lap, drawing circled on his fingers. She had no clue how to comfort Draco Malfoy, cocky Slytherin pure-blood. He had insulted her so many damn times, and now here he was, after saving her from death and rape, after defying his father, after becoming stronger. His gray eyes held lack of comfort, and she realized exactly what had just happened.

Slowly, she felt her own tears caress her cheeks. Draco looked up, his eyes trailing one of her tears as it fell down her face. Slowly, her cries became jagged, more audible. She reached forward and held him, pressing her face into his chest, hearing his heart thump against her ear.

They cried together for what seemed like hours, all the while Draco blubbering out unclear apologies. They wept and wept until they fell asleep.

Hermione was the first to stir. She opened her eyes and saw firelight, and envisioned that she was back in the forest, and it was burning down from her spell. But she wasn't. It was the fireplace in the small cabin that Draco had brought her to after defying his father.

Their arms were tangled up, her fingers deep in his silky blond hair. She could feel the dried tears on her face as she sat up. This caused Draco to awake, and he sat up with her, rubbing at his eyes. His hair stuck up in all different directions and the sunlight from outside shone on his face.

Hermione had never seen him in this kind of a way. She wondered if this was how he woke up every day, if his mother watched. His father certainly didn't give a care.

"Hermione." He breathed.

"We need to talk," she said, her heart thumping wildly. She was afraid of this conversation.

"Let's get some food." He said, standing. "I'm sure you're very hungry."

"Stop stalling," she snapped, taking his wrist and pulling him back down to the floor. He crumbled under her touch, not daring to look her in the eye.

"We really need to talk," she repeated softly, not wanting to scare him away. "Why, Draco? What happened last night? Why save me?"

He looked her in the eye, really looked past her cornea and into her soul. "If I tell you," he murmured. "You can't interrupt. You have to let me say everything."

She nodded and sat back.

"I don't know when I went from adoration to hatred," He began. "I used to idolize my father. I thought he was the coolest man ever. I loved him, and I thought he loved me too. He taught me everything he thought a young bloke should know. First and foremost, respect. It only went to the purebloods, and I wasn't to think of anyone higher than them other than…him. Voldemort. The Dark Lord. So I did. I put everyone behind me because I thought it was what I was supposed to do, and merlin, I bloody liked it. My status kept me on top. I was handsome. All of the girls wanted me. The elders treated me with respect. Everyone, well, in my head, everyone adored me. It was like being famous, all because of your bloodline. I was never charged guilty. I listened to my father, and he showered me with gifts, and things that few other wizards could have. I loved it. But as I grew up, life wasn't about the ride. It was about the work. He started wanting me to do things that contributed to the darker world. 'Respect the Lord. Work for him. Do something right for once.' He always said things like that. When I grew up and wanted to go out with my friends, he'd slap me and tell me all about what a worthless piece of waste I was, dilly-dallying about with the blokes. I hated him." His fists clenched and unclenched, and I could see anger forming in his eyes. "I hated that bastard. The other night in the forest, he was fleeing the fucking battle. But when we found you, it was like his chance. One of the Golden Trio. I've never seen him act so crazed and possessed. When we took you home, he wouldn't stop ranting about the most ridiculous things. He told me not to kill you, but to save you for the Dark Lord. Not that he didn't want to hurt you. That's why he told me to rape to. To show you how little you were to him. To me. I didn't want to, but hell, I was scared. I almost pissed my pants in his presence, and I hated him for it. What kind of a deranged father makes you afraid of him? I couldn't be in his presence without trembling. I was more afraid of him than the Dark Lord himself, because I had always respected and knew my father. It was screwed up." He paused, sighed, and shook his head. "I couldn't do it. When I saw him torturing you, I shoved his wand out of his hand to make him lose focus. When he started to" he stopped, got up, and kicked the wall, panting crazily. He slid to the floor and looked Hermione in the eyes. His voice was uneven and slow. "When I saw him try to rape you, I couldn't handle it. I cursed him and brought you to safety because I-" He cut himself off and shook his head.

His silence told her that he was done, but she wasn't "Because you what? Why did you save me, Draco?"

He only stared at the fireplace, his gaze never leaving it.

"I thought you hated me." Hermione whispered. "I thought you couldn't stand a mudblood in your presence."

At that, his head snapped up, and his eyes latched onto hers. "Don't." He said. "Don't do that. I saved you because I couldn't stand to see someone suffer because of a git like him." He stood and sauntered away.

"Don't you dare lie to me, Malfoy," Hermione said, standing and grabbing his wrist.

He roughly shook her off. "Stop."

"Tell me the truth!"

"You want to know the truth?" He shouted, his breaths rough.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I do. Your father, and you, might I add, had nearly raped me last night. I deserve it." She said, placing her hands on her hips. Hermione Granger did not lack perseverance.

His face turned crimson red. "I saved you because I-I, I saved you because I, um," He sputtered, keeping his gaze at the floor.

"Because what? Spit it out!"

"I saved you because I like you, okay!" He said, covering his face in his hands and falling back into a chair.

"W-What?" She asked. Of all the things she thought he was going to say, that was most definitely not one of them. He released his hands from his face, but didn't look at her.

"It's okay if you're mad at me. After all, what right do I have to like someone as Godly as you?" He whispered, his face still red.

"I, um, I'm not mad." She said, biting her lip as she sat down with him. "It's just, how?"

"How?" He laughed. "How do I like you? How did it start? Is that what you want to know?" He said.

She nodded.

"Well,' he sighed. "You're going to think I'm super crazy for associating all the people I care for with violence, but it all started when you hit me in the third year."

Hermione burst out in laughter at the memory, something the war had disabled her from doing in such a long time. "Sorry. Continue."

He chuckled too. "Well, at first I was really bloody angry. How dare you, a mudblood, mess with Draco Malfoy? I thought I was so above you. I remembered trying to embarrass you to get revenge, but it didn't work. In time though, I began to admire you. How the bloody hell had you summoned the courage to hit me? Any of the other girls in school would cower at first glance. But not you. You were fiery. I have to admit though, after that little crush, it kind of died down until the next year, at the Yule Ball. I hadn't expected you to stroll in all perfect-like, with your hair done and your dress hugging you so nicely. I remembered being really fucking mad that the Krum bloke was with you, because he was a damn good guy, maybe better than me. I tried getting your attention, too. All of those years, I continued to make fun of you because I didn't know how to express myself. Merlin, it was difficult. And what was worse, as you got older, some of the other guys started to notice you. It drove me insane. I didn't know what to do. When my father ordered me to assault you, I was about to piss myself. When he forced himself on you, I lost it." His eyes were closed, and Hermione knew it was difficult to watch his father do that, let alone defy him.

"Well, uh, thanks." Damnation. He had bloody saved her, told her all about his feelings, and she could sputter out was a silly little thanks?

He was up in second, pacing around. "No problem. Listen, I need to leave, but I have to tell you about the rumors first." He said.

Merlin, what rumors?

"Harry Potter had gone into hiding a few weeks ago, right?" He asked, and she nodded. "Well, I saw him. I bloody saw him in muggle England, and apparently, rumor has it that he's going to lay low for a while. Then, he's going to attack. I've got to go to diagon alley and gather up some more information."

"Okay." She said, coming forward.

"Without you." He said, slowly.

"What?" She asked incredulously. Do you actually think that I'm going to sit here all alone while you go and find some 'info'?"

He smirked the old Malfoy smirk. "Don't trust me to come back?" He said, walking towards her. She stepped back. "I'll be back, Hermione. Oh merlin, I'll be back, and you know it."

He had her body pressed against the wall, and slowly, he bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I really bloody like you, okay? I've never said that and meant it to any other girl. I need you to stay low. If Harry is in hiding, it wouldn't help if the public saw you scurrying around. Understand?"

She nodded, her heart in a race against time.

As he moved back to apparate, she called out. "Wait!"

When he looked at her, she smiled. "Does this mean you've…changed sides?"

He suddenly looked away. "No. I'm done with sides, Hermione. I hate the dark side. I don't particularly like the 'good' side. I just want this bloody war to be over. I want Voldemort to stop controlling my fucking life."

She understood. She nodded in agreement.

Before he apparrated, she called out again.

Hurriedly, she rushed forward and took him into her arms. Looking Draco Malfoy, the boy who had been tormenting her since Year 1, in the eye, she felt solemnly free as she placed a warming kiss to his lips, reveling to taste of another soul who's felt the pain that she has.

Leaning up on her tip toes, she let him catch his breath as she whispered in his ear.

"Well, Mr. Malfoy, I guess you could say I bloody like you too.

Days had turned into weeks, and weeks into moths. Still no Draco.

Hermione x'ed out another day on her calendar, marking another day without him. The more time she spent away from the boy with blond hair, the more she missed him. She wanted to know more about him. She felt guilty for not thinking about the war, or her friends, but about him.

She couldn't even go outside, because it was bloody cold. It never got warm. Only in the house was it warm.

To pass time, she read all of the books she could find in the small cabin. That didn't take much time. She played chess by herself, feeling as lonely as ever. She tried to think of new recipes for the endless amounts of food that magically arrived at her door every week.

One night, as she was taking her shower, she remembered how Draco had saved her from his father. What if Draco were bad, what if he had raped her.

She shuddered as she remembered how he had seen her breasts; how his hand came so close to touching her most intimate parts. Without thinking, her own hands traveled downward, over the patch of pubic hair, through her slit. She moaned, thinking of what Draco could do to her. Her thumb circled over her clit, pulling and pinching as she thought of him. Frustrated, she grasped the showerhead and put it on high, the water spurting out. She spread her legs, putting the pressure of the water from the showerhead onto her clitoris as she plunged multiple fingers into her cavern until she came.

Sometimes, she would be able to get a radio station from the radio. She'd listen to muggle news and events until she would fall asleep.

The knock at her door this morning summoned her weekly supply of food. She sighed and got up, wanting to just be done with this.

What she met at the door was so much better than food. As she opened it, she saw the familiar blond hair and gray eyes. "Draco," she breathed, stumbling into her arms.

"Where were you?" she murmured, pulling away. Suddenly, she slapped him across the face. "You left for so bloody long, you git!"

She put her hands on her hips as she glared at him. He reddened as he walked in. "I was with Harry."

She gasped as she took his arm and led him to the couch. "What's going on? What happened?"

"He's going to fight, tomorrow. All of us are. We'll fight until the Dark Lord's cronies are weak, and Harry will fight the Dark Lord. I helped him plan it." He paused, and smiled, "He says hi."

Her face lightened up as she smiled. She buried her face in the crook of his neck. "I've missed you."

He laughed. "I've missed you too, Granger. So bloody much."

She placed little demanding kisses on his neck.

"Oh," he shuddered. "That way."

"Uh huh." She purred, attempting to be sexy. She took his hand and led him to the bed. Roughly grabbing the front of his shirt, she pulled him down onto the bed on top of her. She kissed him with a fiery passion, his tongue asking for entrance. She gave in.

She wasn't a virgin, and she knew he wasn't either, but she wasn't quite as experienced. She let him unbutton her shirt and pull off her pants. "Damn, you're so beautiful." He sighed.

He stood up and pulled off her shirt slowly and sexually as Hermione watched. She licked her lips, admiring his tone torso. He slowly undid the button on his trousers and slid them off, throwing them to the side. She could see his cock straining his boxers.

She sat up as he walked forward, loving everything about this. Before touching him, she undid her bra and the floor. His eyes took in her amazing breasts. She took his hands and placed them on her breasts, and he kneaded them sensually, eliciting a moan from her. She threw her head back as he took her panties off and looked at her most intimate part.

"Spread open your legs, Hermione."

She did as she was told, spreading them open all the way. He took his thumb and circled her clitoris slowly. "Oh," she moaned, as he plunged in one, two, three fingers.

His lips found her breasts and bit down on her nipple, making her cry out. His movements became faster, as he moved his digits rapidly and began pinching her swollen nub.

"Come for me." He whispered, and she lost it. Her fluids exploded, giving her the most incredible feeling ever.

He went down and lapped her juices until she came down, then kissed her so she could taste herself.

She sat up and grasped the waistband of his boxers and pulled them off. Smiling, she admired his length. He laid her down and rubbed the head on her clit, earning him another moan. "Ready?"

She nodded, and he pushed in all the way, letting her adjust to his length.

She moaned loudly as he filled every crevice of her insides. He slowly pushed out, then back in, she clutched the back of his neck. "Faster!"

He picked up the pace; increasing his thrusts as she in turn thrust with him. The friction caused an immense heat, making them both moan with want. He grabbed her breasts and picked at her nipples, making her come again, moments before he came.

Flipping her around, she sat on all fours, her pussy dripping with want. Grabbing her hips, he thrust in harder than before, hitting that spot that made her go crazy every time. Her reached around and took her clit and began to roughly pinch it. This had her screaming with pleasure, her shouts making her blush.

"Oh Lord!" she shouted, his thumb pounding on her little nub. He was moaning as he filled her, and she hid her screams in the sheets as they came again and again.

Collapsing on each other, they smiled.

Draco looked her in the eyes. "We may die tomorrow."

She took his hand and placed it over her heart. "Then let's die together."