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Chapter Text

He couldn’t do it, he knew he couldn’t do it. But still he tried. He tried so hard to be good. To be a soldier. To be the man that everyone wanted him to be. Everyone but himself. 

Draco Malfoy was standing in front of the man who he always assumed he hated, the man that he considered nothing but an old fool who was clutching onto the frail dream that good could prevail, that evil would never win. But as he stood there, with his wand trained on Albus Dumbledore, he knew in his heart that he was not the man who would be able to kill his headmaster, and he also knew that it would mean cementing his own death in the process. 

‘... I can help you Draco’. The old man in front of him, after all that he had done this year, was trying to give Draco a way out. He was still trying to help him. The gravity of the situation was beginning to dawn on him, he was acutely aware of the commotion in the near distance, giving him  mere minutes to make this decision. 

‘No, you can’t,’ said Malfoy, ‘nobody can. He told me to do it or he’ll kill me. I’ve got no choice.’ Draco’s wand arm was beginning to tremble. The glimmer of hope in his mind was betraying the steely resolve in his voice. But Albus merely smiled, and continued. 

‘Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban … when the time comes we can protect him too … come over to the right side, Draco … you are not a killer …’ Draco could do nothing in that moment but stare at Dumbledore. A way out. A genuine way out, not only for him but his Mother as well? 

Dumbledore could sense his hesitation. Harry was still secretly immobilized in the shadows, protected from whatever outcome this encounter would lead to. 

‘You … you could really do that? For me and my mother?’ Draco stumbled over his words, his icy features beginning to melt away, revealing once again the young boy he was supposed to be, putting to bed the soldier he had been forced to become since Voldermort’s return. 

‘Draco … I give you my word.’ Draco released a shaky breath, this would be his only chance, he had to be certain. But something in his headmaster’s face told him that everything he said, he believed to be true. Draco lowered his wand, nodding gingerly in agreement. 

‘Severus … it is time’ Dumbledore beckoned the potions master forward from the shadows he had been lurking in, behind Draco. Prepared for two very different scenarios, he could not hide his relief at Draco’s choice. Severus had spent much of the year attempting to aid Draco. Revealing the vow he took for Narcissa to protect her son at all costs.

‘Headmaster …’ he drawled in his usual uninterested tone. 

‘You know what to do Severus … I am entrusting you to devote yourself as valiantly to Draco’s safety as you have to another’s before him’ Dumbledore cocked his eyebrow upwards, staring down his nose at Professor Snape. A fleeting look of suspicion blanched over his face, before recovering himself. 

‘It has been a pleasure … Albus’ Snape grabbed Draco by the elbow and dragged him down the spiral stairs underneath the floorboards just as a convoy of Death Eater’s surrounded Dumbledore.

Snape forced Draco backwards, pinning him against a rickety wooden beam and motioning with his finger for Draco to remain completely silent. 

‘Well look what we have here. Dumbledore wandless, alone and cornered in his own castle!’ Draco could hear the high pitch maniacal tones of his aunt, taunting the man who had just offered to save his life. 

‘Good evening Bellatrix. I think introductions are in order’ Dumbledore was attempting to stall the Death Eaters, giving Draco as much chance as possible to escape, he watched as his headmaster took a few steps to the side, blocking his view of the commotion above, through the cracks in the floorboards. 

Bellatrix raised her wand, a deadly sneer formed on her face. ‘Love to, Albus, but I’m afraid we are on a bit of a tight schedule … AVADA KEDAVRA!’ Neon green light illuminated the room above them, as the curse from Bellatrix’s wand collided with Dumbledore square in the chest. Sinister cackles were heard from all around as another spell shot from her wand into the sky. A perfect copy of the Dark Mark that had been branded into Draco’s arm, now swirling above them in the clouds. The unmistakable indication that a death had occurred in the name of its Master. 

Snape clamped his fist around the scruff of Draco’s neck and forced his feet to move from the spot that had grounded him moments ago. Traversing them both through the eerily dark halls of the school that had once been home to so many fond memories. A place now poisoned, infected with the darkness that was soon to engulf the world around them. A bolt of panic impaled Draco’s chest. Albus Dumbledore was dead, the man who had promised to protect Draco and Narcissa from the evils of Lord Voldemort was lifeless on the ground below. 

‘Professor … where … Where are we going? My mother … he will kill us all … Dumbledore … he can’t protect me now!’ The panic in Draco’s voice was now evident as his words steadily grew louder. Almost shouting the realisation that his life was now very much hanging in balance. 

‘Stupid boy! You will lower your voice unless you wish to alert all of the Dark Lord’s forces in this castle to your whereabouts?’ Snape turned towards Draco, practically spitting his words out in his face. ‘You are not so dense to believe that there was never a plan in place for exactly this moment. That Dumbledore has not known this entire year he would not survive.’ 

The reality of the situation hit Draco head on, he knew the entire time that he would be killed either way. And his last act, the last good thing he would do in this world would be to save Draco. The guilt and shame of the knowledge swam through his mind. Threatening to consume his very soul. 

‘You knew he was going to die. And you knew that I wouldn’t be the one to do it…. Didn’t you, Professor?’ Draco hissed the last word through his teeth. He was disgusted at himself for having gone along with this for so long, but he was even more disgusted that Snape had known the whole time, there had been a choice for Draco long ago and not once did Snape mention a thing. 

‘There was always a plan for this, Draco. I believe that Dumbledore told you himself, you are not a killer. And I took a vow to your mother that I would protect you at all costs. A vow I have no intention of breaking. But all good plans are one step at a time. So despise me if you wish. I will lose no sleep over it. But do not stand there, looking down your nose at me boy. I followed his instructions to the letter. Whether I agreed with them or not because I owed that man more than my life and now … so do you.’ 

Snape’s eyes never moved from Draco's; he merely stood there, narrowing his gaze, waiting for Draco to try and bite back at him, to pin even more blame on his already heavily burdened shoulders. But Draco couldn’t bring himself to do it. Despite all that Snape had done, despite all that he would continue to do. It became clear that he had never been loyal to the Dark Lord, all this time, for all these years, he had only been playing the role of a devoted servant. 

Footsteps were beginning to echo in the halls, and Draco felt himself tense. No one should be at this end of the castle, the Death Eater’s should be well on their way into the forbidden forest by now, and Draco was sure that the students and faculty would have discovered the body of their beloved headmaster. Professor Snape tilted his head in the direction of the echoes, remaining completely unfazed by their approach. 

Draco inhaled sharply, as he looked past the professor and into the glistening golden orbs of the girl in front of him.

‘Miss Granger. I assume you received my patronus?’ Snape released Draco and took a step forward in her direction. Draco’s hardened appearance faltered slightly at their interaction. 

‘Yes Professor, I … I came as soon as I could slip away …’ tears were threatening to betray Granger’s icy glare towards Draco. It was evident that she had already been notified of the events that had transpired in the Astronomy Tower, and she definitely blamed Draco for his participation. He expected nothing less.

‘You know the plan Miss. Granger. I am afraid your time of mourning will have to wait …’ Snape placed a hand on Granger’s shoulder. An interaction that took Draco wholly by surprise, he had never seen anything but disgust and chagrin by Snape towards the golden girl, but now… they looked almost familiar with one another. 

Granger looked Snape dead in the eye as she relaxed her shoulders and nodded in agreement. She walked towards Draco and attempted to hand him a small pocket watch. Draco recoiled slightly, not trusting his nemesis in the slightest but Snape approached, and once again fisted his collar before pulling him closer threateningly. 

‘Mr. Malfoy, you are to go with Miss. Granger. You are to listen to every single word she says and follow her every direction without complaint. You will do this if you wish to save not only yourself but your mother as well. Do you understand me?’ Snape’s hold on Draco grew tighter as he waited for him to relent and agree to the terms of his protection. He tensed his jaw and ground his teeth together before giving the slightest of nods. One that was sure to be missed by anyone less perceptive but not Severus Snape. 

Their former professor conjured up a small black bag in front of them and handed it over to Granger. He gave one last look before turning and ushering down the hall, seemingly making his own escape before he too was accosted by the members of the Order that had been called over due to the Headmaster’s demise. 

Draco turned his deathly glare towards Granger and sneered in her direction. She rolled her eyes and scoffed in reply. ‘ I am not exactly thrilled to be doing this either Malfoy but here I am. I made Dumbledore a promise and I intend to keep it. If you wish to survive this then I suggest you quit acting like such a child and just get on with it.’

Draco narrowed his eyes towards her ‘I think I would rather take my chances at death than follow you anywhere mudblood’ he spat out his vile slur at her, half expecting her to throw some offence back in his direction but instead she just stepped closer to him and smiled. 

‘Well be my guest then Malfoy. The door is over there. I am sure your Aunt will be oh so very welcoming upon your return’ Granger was inches away from Draco, she knew that he had no choice just as much as he did. And in total honesty, the thought of returning to dear Auntie Bella was terrifying. But in no way would he allow the likes of Mudblood Hermione Granger to see his fear. He was NOT that desperate. 

Draco rolled his eyes and jeered ‘let’s just get this over with shall we?’ He held out his arm ahead of him and smiled at her with as much discontent as he could muster. Hermione rolled her eyes in reply so fiercely they were practically lost to the back of her head. 

Hermione and Draco stalked the halls of the castle with as much urgency as possible without drawing attention. They were almost at the clocktower courtyard when they heard voices in the distance. The unmistakable dulcet tones of Ronald Weasley were just around the corner, talking hurriedly to the she-weasel. They appeared to be getting closer. 

Hermione quickly turned and pushed Draco into a dark alcove. Before pointing her wand over the top of their heads, a wordless disillusion charm encompassed the pair in the shadows. Even Draco had to admit the wordless magic was impressive, especially for a mudblood. 

‘Ron will you calm down! We need to get back to Harry and the others!” Draco could hear the breathless urgency in the she-weasel's voice, just before the pair appeared directly in front of the alcove which had Draco and Hermione hidden. 

‘No Ginny I won’t fucking calm down! You saw them! Death Eater’s in the castle. Dumbledore is DEAD! And now … Hermione is nowhere to be seen? And not one of the order is trying to find her! What if she is missing? What if they have taken her? What if she is DEAD TOO?!’ Ron’s voice faltered over his last few words, he was known to be a hot headed fool. Jumping to conclusions was evidently a favourite pastime of his. Draco chanced a look over to Hermione, to her credit her face remained totally impassive. She was apparently unfazed by the panic Weasel was exhibiting. It wasn’t overly surprising. She had always been the calm and logical one of the group and everyone knew that Potter and the Weasel never would have survived even this long without her. 

‘Enough Ron! She is not dead. You saw her when we all found Dumbledore. She was devastated, the same as all of us. She is more than likely just having a few minutes or privacy … our best bet is to go and find Harry and wait for her to come back’ Ron took a deep breath in at his sister’s words, before sighing and nodding in agreement. 

Hermione waited another few moments, until she was certain that the coast was clear before banishing the illusion and dragging Draco back out from the small shared space. 

Draco dusted off the cobwebs from his clothes and looked at Granger curiously. When she caught him staring at her, she narrowed her eyes and raised an eyebrow at him. ‘If you have something to say, Malfoy you might as well come right out and say it’ her voice was stern but not cross. She was speaking more matter of factly than anything else. 

‘It’s nothing really … I’m just surprised. You didn’t seem bothered that Weaselbee was worried about you. Aren’t you two meant to be some sort of star-crossed lovers or something?’ Draco had that usual bored tone to his question. He wasn’t actually curious about whatever disgusting relationship they had, he was more intrigued that her friend’s apparently had no idea what she was up to.

‘And why on earth would I discuss my private life with you Malfoy?’ she squared her shoulders towards him in defiance, ‘not that it concerns you in the slightest, but irrespective of any relationship I may or may not have with Ronald, I have a job to do. Which is to get your lordship to the safe house I have been working on with Snape to keep your high and mighty self safe and that is EXACTLY what I plan on doing … any further questions or can we get on with it?’ she was challenging him to further her irritation, if he dared cross that line. Usually he would have no trouble rising to the occasion, but he couldn’t deny he was anxious to get out of the castle. And apparently she was his only hope of  achieving that. 

As soon as the pair had made it into the clocktower courtyard Hermione scanned their surroundings, seemingly searching and checking if they were indeed alone, once she was satisfied it was just the two of them, she reached into his jacket and took back the little pocket watch. Much to his disgust. 

‘You might ask next time rather than assaulting my personal space Granger’ he tried his best to sound offended but it only made her smile. She enjoyed winding him up it seemed. He turned his head away from her before shoving his hands in the pockets she had just violated, just in case she had any more bright ideas of touching him with her filth. 

‘This is a portkey. It is not timed … it activates only when the correct people are present and in the correct circumstances. In this case, me and you together and alone. It is a one time, one way thing.  And yes, if you want to reach the safehouse then you are going to have to hold my arm or some other part of my body that you find least offensive,  so you don’t end up splinched along the way - believe me I take zero pleasure from having you anywhere near me either’ she had her familiar swotty attitude firmly in place. 

‘Eugh. If I must. But I do hope there’s at least a shower waiting for me on the other side. Or perhaps a clean room?’ Draco wrapped his fingers snug around her wrist. Holding onto her perhaps a little too tight, determined to show her his absolute distaste at the interaction. 

The moment that Draco latched himself on to Hermione, he felt the familiar disturbing pull behind his navel, as the portkey dragged them to the undisclosed location that would be his home for the foreseeable future. They arrived with a thud on some ground covered in leaves and twigs. The sound of insects and other nocturnal creatures around them as the moonlight cast delicate shadows through the trees.

‘Do you mind Malfoy?...’ Hermione choked out from her throat. Draco had landed directly on top of her and they were laid flattened together against the floor. He quickly scrambled to his feet, not at all elegantly, and began dusting himself down, not bothering to offer her a hand up. Doing his absolute best to will away the thought of Hermione Granger pushed against his body.

Draco took a moment to look at his surroundings. They were eclipsed by trees of varying heights and species. There were bats flying in the distance, and the distinct sound of crickets all around them. In the distance, through a small clearing and tucked away safely was a small wood cabin. He looked back at Hermione and sniggered. ‘A wooden shack? … are you trying to kill me or save me Granger?’ he asked her with a distinct timbre of unappreciation.  

Hermione rolled her eyes, both unamused and unsurprised by Malfoy’s lack of human sensitivity to having his life saved. Although she expected nothing less, a small show of gratitude wouldn’t have gone amiss. ‘I do apologise to your Lordship but they were fresh out of mansions at the discreet safe house shopping market. I shall endeavor to be less clandestine in future.’ Hermione simply waved her hands above her head exasperated and walked off towards the safe house. Leaving Draco alone with his thoughts. 

Draco remained outside the cabin defiantly. Refusing to entertain that this hut could be considered as anything other than a wooden shack. True he didn’t expect the ritz but this was positively offensive. However after a few minutes, as the cold night air started to penetrate his bones, he acquiesced and made his way inside. 

Once inside he was surprised to see that it was in fact far more spacious than he gave Granger credit for. From the outside it looked as though there would be barely enough room to swing a kneazle but once he walked through the main threshold, it was apparent that there was a (somewhat illegal) undetectable extension charm on the inside. And to her credit, it was beautifully decorated.

Immediately inside the door Draco was welcomed by a set of two curved staircases that wound up around a tree trunk. At the top of the stairs where the tree cut off was a large open plan bedroom space which was home to a large comfortable looking double bed. Not as large as his bed at the manor but it would do. Better than sleeping on the floor he supposed. 

To the rear of the downstairs was a living space, two leather sofas sat comfortably around a small coffee table, opposite an open fire. Behind the sofas led to a decent sized kitchenette with a few simple modern conveniences, and a small bathroom with a shower. Draco took a moment to school his features back to their usual stoic appearance, not wishing to give Granger an even larger head than she was already fashioning. 

Draco took a few more steps inside, and made his way towards the sofas where Granger had made herself comfortable, seemingly awaiting Draco to get over his little tantrum and accept that this was his life for the time being if he wished to stay safe from the clutches of Voldermort. 

Hermione allowed Draco a few moments to look around and make himself somewhat at home before she stood up and handed him the black bag that Snape had conjured earlier in the evening. ‘This is for you. It’s not much, but I made sure to pack all the essentials you would need to settle in. If there is anything else you need that I might have forgotten then I shall bring them to you when I visit every other evening. If for whatever reason I do not appear one evening, then you are to remain here until another member of the order apparates to you or sends instructions. I … I know it will take some getting used to. And I did try to make it a little less … rudimentary … so you would at least be comfortable here. But do try your best to STAY here’ she gave him a pointed look. 

Before he could say anything Hermione clicked her fingers and a small elf appeared before her, one that Draco was all too familiar with, one he never thought he would see again. ‘Dobby, could you please inform Mrs. Malfoy that we have arrived safely, and Draco is well. He is not harmed and making himself at home in his safe house’ she smiled gently at the little elf in front of her. Draco had forgotten that Granger was a huge advocate for their fair treatment until he saw first hand how she interacted with the little elf. She got down to his level, shook his hand, and even gave him a small hug before he left. 

But right now, all that seemed irrelevant. Because all he could hear was that his mother was somewhere different. She wasn’t here with him and that filled Draco with dread. 

Hermione could sense Draco’s unease in an instant. And she softened towards him immediately. ‘I know that you were hoping to be housed together. And I did try and argue for you both to make that happen. But, both Dumbledore and Snape insisted it would be safer for everyone involved to keep you separated and unaware of the location of the other. If something were to happen to you, which for the record I do not plan on allowing to happen, then there wouldn’t be any risk of Voldermort or anyone else gaining information of your mothers whereabouts, that he or they could then go on to use against you, and vice versa.’ 

When Draco didn’t speak she continued … ‘Dobby has offered to take good care of your mother Draco. He is rather fond of her actually. And I will give you every update I can as I receive them … I know that doesn’t mean a lot coming from me of all people. But truthfully, there wasn’t exactly a horde of volunteers to help you so I am currently your only option’. Hermione shrugged and walked back towards the door. 

Turning back to face Draco she looked at him almost apologetically, ‘I will be back in two days time, Dobby has already stocked the cupboards with food items, and the bedroom upstairs has clothes for you as well, I wasn’t sure of your exact sizes so everything is charmed to fit as you put them on’ and with one last look over her shoulder, Hermione Granger had left. Leaving Draco, once again alone with his thoughts.

Chapter Text

The minutes seemed to tick by even slower in this infernal cabin. Draco isolated and alone, had no one but himself to keep him company for much of his time. Save for the occasional visit by Dobby, or Hermione. It was a rather bleak life in Draco’s opinion. A house elf, and Mudblood. By the end of the first week he had successfully read through every book the cabin had to offer, learnt every board game by heart, managed to beat himself twice at wizard’s chess and even in a moment of total desperation, attempted to learn how to bake the muggle way. Something that had greatly amused Granger when she arrived to see the entire kitchen and Draco himself, coated in flour. 

On Hermione’s fourth visit, he was starting to understand exactly what the term ‘cabin fever’ truly meant. He was about ready to start plucking his eyes out with a spoon. ‘Granger, how long am I expected to stay here exactly?! I am going out of my fucking mind’ he complained, loudly. 

Hermione had come along for her usual 48 hour intervalled visit, and Draco was feeling positively bereft. Like a small piece of him was dying off day by day. Granger smiled at him sympathetically, something else that left Draco feeling nauseated. The last thing he needed was any sort of pity from the mudblood. ‘Do not look at me like that Granger. I cannot abide pity. Least of all from someone like you .’ Draco was more sour than usual. The depth of his isolation beginning to manifest into anger and frustration. 

‘Malfoy … I know this is hard. And I know how hard it must be to be away from your mother as well …’ Draco cut her off immediately. 

‘Don’t you DARE pretend to have any idea what this feels like because you DON’T! You aren’t sitting in a wooden box, day in and day out with nothing but a stupid fucking elf and a worthless mudblood for company! My mother is god knows where with god knows who! I can’t see her. I can’t speak to her! I have NO-ONE! I am alone in this godforsaken forest. I would be better off DEAD!’ 

Draco couldn’t control the emotion that began to ripple from his body. The anger, the fear, the loneliness all manifesting together into one devastating tropical storm threatening to suffocate him in this shack of nightmares. Hermione didn’t say a word. She knew there was no use in trying to comfort Draco in his devastation. But she could be an emotional punch bag. She could stand there and just listen, allowing Draco at least that much. 

The longer the silence surrounded them, the more Draco began to calm down. A small sense of guilt was tickling his mind, he knew Granger was just trying to help him, even if she was the last person he would want it from, it wasn’t her fault. Every time she visited, she would bring a different book or game, a new recipe for him to obliterate, one time she even brought a batch of journals for him to sit and write in. She was trying at least to dull the sense of exile for him. 

‘I  have something a little different for you today. It’s not much but, well I think it will be important for you. I would have come earlier, but it was Bill and Fleur’s wedding today, and then Kingsley sent his Patronus to let us know that the ministry had been taken over. Voldemort is gathering his strength and support. We aren’t safe anymore. We had to leave and escape to a new safe house of our own. But I came as quickly as I could’ Hermione was looking down at her feet.

Draco hadn’t noticed before now that she was dressed differently, she was wearing a pretty dress, she had tamed her hair and worn a little makeup. She had been at a wedding … seems pointless to have a wedding when the world is falling apart. Truthfully she looked … pretty. Beautiful even. It was a thought Draco banished as soon as he could, gods he really was losing his mind. 

Hermione walked towards Draco and pulled out a small piece of folded parchment; a letter. Draco took it from her tiny hand and recognised the scribe immediately. It was his mothers handwriting. 

Dear Draco,

My darling, how are you? I know you must be finding this hard being apart and alone. I won’t lie and tell you that it is easy for me either but trust in yourself darling. Trust that this was the right decision. It may not feel like it now, but please know that I am so proud of you. I am so proud to have you as my son. We must do all that we can to help Mr. Potter triumph over the Dark Lord. Only then can we be safe once more. 

Dobby has been most helpful. I hadn’t realised how much I missed his company. He is such a resilient little thing and he holds you in high regard. The abuse he suffered at the hands of Lucius is inexcusable as is the abuse you suffered my love. My single biggest regret is not protecting you more fiercely from the prejudice and outdated morals of your father. He has always been deplorable but his cowardice since the Dark Lord’s return has been utterly shameful. 

I promise we will see each other again soon. These letters will unfortunately be rare. But that is for your safety.  Please do your best to understand. 

I love you so wholeheartedly darling,

Forever, 

Mum x

Draco stared long and hard at the letter before him. It was the first piece of his mother he had since he began holing up in this shack. It was just a piece of parchment but suddenly it felt like the most precious possession he’d ever had. In an instant the realisation of everything was starting to feel overwhelming. He’d had one of the worst school years of his life, done things indescribable in the name of a dark lord and his reign of tyranny and now he was cast out from the world, alone in a cabin not even able to speak to his own mother without risking her life. 

Draco’s emotions began to pile up on top of him, each time he read the letter, it released another round of grief. After the fourth time he read it back he noticed a droplet of water must have been leaking from the ceiling. Perhaps it was raining outside… but no. It wasn’t the roof leaking, it was his face. He sank to his knees and began to sob. He had never in his life felt so ridiculously humbled by something as trivial as a letter. 

Hermione felt a wave of emotion for Draco she had not felt before for anyone else. Helplessness. Never had she ever felt so utterly useless to someone. She always had a solution, always a plan of action or an answer to their questions but now, looking at Draco as his heart shattered inside him she had nothing to offer him. Nothing she could do to help. 

‘Malfoy … I’ but before she could try to comfort him, his head snapped up. 

‘I don’t need your fucking pity Granger! I told you before. You’re nothing but a useless fucking witch here to babysit me. I am not some puzzle you can piece together. I’m not a fucking charity case you can come up with ridiculous rights for! I don’t need you! So just fuck off already!’ In his vulnerability Draco had lost his temper. He was so rarely caught off guard by anyone. But to be so vulnerable in front of Hermione Fucking Granger was a step too far. Even for him. 

Hermione recoiled slightly at Draco’s loss of temper. She was so used to his arrogance or his icy resolve that to see him break in front of her, her of all people, was disconcerting. And slightly heartbreaking. Instead of biting back though, she would give him this time to deal with everything in his own way. After all, why should she care if he wanted nothing more than to wallow in his own self pity. 

After a few minutes to regain himself, Draco lifted his head to thank Granger for taking the time to bring him the letter, when apparently her day had been somewhat chaotic, but to his surprise … she wasn’t there. And he was not prepared for yet another wave of guilt that washed over him, guilt that this time was more than just a poke or a prod, it was a fully fledged slap in the face. 

The next time that Hermione came to visit Draco, he was prepared with a somewhat sincere apology. He didn’t want to be her friend or anything, but he was gentleman enough to admit that he was at fault. Gone were his days where he would bully her for the mere fun of it, or because he believed himself to be better than she. In truth, the more time he had spent with the likes of Voldemort and his deranged Aunt Bella, the more he came to realise he wasn’t the blood supremist everyone assumed he was. He was just another wizard, trying his best to stumble through life with the cards he had been dealt.

Draco kept watching the clock, it was past 8 p.m now, she was late. Later than usual at least, it’s not like they had a time schedule they stuck to or anything, but still she was usually here by now. Draco began to pace the living space. She had already mentioned when he first arrived what he should do if she was a no show one day, but the truth was, he hadn’t considered that she would ever actually not come. It left a strangely weird sense of unease deep in his stomach. 

At just past 9pm he was quite prepared to call on Dobby and ask if he could go check on her, when the sound of her apparition filtered through the cabin and recentred his overactive thoughts. She walked through the front door, and he was ready to chastise the golden girl for her tardiness but when he saw her face, red and blotchy. He couldn’t bring himself to do it. 

‘Granger? … are … are you … alright?’ He tried to approach her, slowly, so as not to scare her off. She eyed him suspiciously, before using the sleeve of her cream woollen jumper to wipe a stray tear from her cheek. 

‘I’m… I’m fine Draco. I’m sorry that I’m later than usual, I tried to get away as soon as I could … here …’ Draco. She called him Draco. She had never done that before, not that he noticed. She was holding out another bag of treats for him. Inside, there was some delicious smelling boxed food, a packet of sugared donuts, another journal because he had already filled the five she had left for him before, and a never-dry pen. Something she said that she had invented during their O.W.L year when her ink pots kept running out from her neverending note taking. 

‘Granger … be serious. You are not okay. Not that I care. But you shouldn’t keep all that shit in. I can … I can listen. If you want’ Draco shrugged, trying to feign disinterest but the truth of it was that he was interested. Hermione had been the only consistent in his life lately, he felt he at least owed it to her to listen if she was in some sort of trouble. 

Hermione sniffled and gave a small smile, ‘do you have any idea how ridiculous it is that you … are offering to listen to me and my problems when you are literally trapped in this cabin with no one but me … the insufferable mudblood for company’ her tiny smile morphed into a bit of a smirk. 

Draco was taken by surprise when she referred to herself as a mudblood, and the sound of it coming from her lips was something he didn’t wish to hear repeated.. Apparently she had desensitised to the slur, he would have to think of something else to wind her up with in future. Before his boredom truly pushed his sanity over the edge of a cliff. 

‘Don’t go all mushy on me Granger. I don’t give a shit. Just didn’t fancy you staining my floors with those poison puddles leaking from your retinas’ Draco shrugged and walked back towards the sofas where he flopped down in a rather disgraceful manner.

Hermione came to sit on the sofa opposite him and pulled her legs underneath her lap, Draco hadn’t realised before just how tiny she was. Her sleeves were pulled over her hands, one arm wrapped around her waist and the other propped against her chin with her elbow resting on her knee. Her jumper practically drowned her small form. 

‘I had an argument with Ronald as usual. We are … looking for something. Something that can help us win this war. Multiple things actually, I know where one is but … it’s difficult. Umbridge has it … at the Ministry. And we aren’t exactly the most inconspicuous people to just waltz in the Ministry of Magic undetected. Long story short it got a little heated, and I shouldered the majority of the blame for not having come up with a better plan’ Hermione was staring into the fire as she spoke. Conjuring little paper birds with her wand, she threw them one by one into the flames. 

Draco snorted audibly, which pulled Hermione’s attention away from the paper creations. She raised a suspicious eyebrow at his reaction, Draco huffed. ‘Well I don’t suppose Weaselbee came up with his own solution did he?’ Draco gestured, matching Hermione’s facial expression. She turned her head away which gave Draco all the answers he needed. 

‘Honestly Granger. You do realise how taken for granted you are right? You are a fucking insufferable know-it-all but Merlin’s sake you’d think they would use their own idiotic brains for once. Why should it always be you that has to save the day? Weaselbee is a moron. And as for Potter, he isn’t dense but he’s just fucking lazy. You can’t tell me they passed any of their exams without you Granger’ Draco had an impassive look on his face refusing to show her an inkling of emotion. But he also wasn’t wrong. And they both knew it. 

She had no words to offer in argument, instead Hermione and Draco sat in relative silence after that, she continued throwing her little paper birds into the fire, and he just sat there and wrote in his journal. Just before midnight Hermione rose with a huff and skulked back towards the front door. ‘Goodnight Malfoy’ she said, before disappearing. 

The  next few visits were all very much the same, Hermione would come by a little later than previously, stay for a short time, neither one of them really speaking and then just before midnight she would leave. 

*********************************************************************

‘Come off it ‘Mione, there must be a better bloody plan than that! It’s the bloody Ministry!’ Ron was exasperating, every night they would discuss that they needed to infiltrate the ministry to find Umbridge and take the real locket from her, and every night they would end up arguing that Hermione’s plan of using Polyjuice was ridiculous. It would take too long to brew, the effects wouldn’t last long enough and who in the hell would they steal some hairs from to pass through undetected. 

A few nights after Draco has pointed out that despite Ron and Harry always having something to say about her plans, they never once countered with a plan on their own, she finally let her temper unleash. ‘IF YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA I WOULD FUCKING LOVE TO HEAR IT RONALD!’ she felt better already. Like all the tension in her body was just melting away.

‘Every single time I suggest something, you always, ALWAYS, try to put me down for it with excuses but I have yet to hear a damn thing from you! So either get the fuck on board with the only plan we actually seem to have at the moment, or come up with your own fucking ideas!’ Hermione’s chest was rising and falling rapidly, her temper had exploded around them in a way that they had rarely witnessed, short shallow breaths were causing her to go a little dizzy, so she sat down at the kitchen table and waited for their counterplans.

They, of course, didn’t have any. ‘She’s right Ron … what else can we do? We know where it is … I don’t know about you, but I’ve no idea how else we will manage to get into the ministry’ Harry ran his hands through his untameable hair, and Ron huffed loudly. Of course he would agree with it, if Harry suggested it. Never Hermione though. 

Hermione already had all the ingredients she would need, and there was a small potions lab towards the back of Grimmauld Place that she could use to brew, in the morning, she would get started on the month-long potion that would be their ticket into the Ministry. And finally they would start making progress with their hunt for the Horcruxes. 

As the evening drew on, Hermione could feel herself getting more and more anxious by the minute. Usually the boys would be heading to bed soon and she would slip away to go and visit Malfoy and check that he was still somewhat sane. But tonight, thanks to yet another explosive argument, no one seemed in a rush to leave. Harry was looking at her suspiciously, he had already started to notice her random disappearances every now and then, though he had yet to ascertain a pattern to them, when she started to bounce her leg at the kitchen table nervously, Harry went to confront her. But he was interrupted by the arrival of an enchanted letter, the voice distorted, but it addressed Hermione directly. 

Miss. Granger

His location has been compromised. The site is no longer safe. You must evacuate. I am entrusting you to help him. To keep him safe. He has something you need. 

Good luck. 

Hermione knew what the letter meant. Draco was in danger. She had to get to him. NOW. 

Quicker than she could comprehend, Hermione was on her feet and dashing towards the front door to GrImmauld Place, Ron and Harry calling after her, but she ignored them completely. The moment her feet touched the pavement she was gone. 

**********************************************************************

Draco was sitting by the fireplace, writing in his journal. Another entry citing the lack luster day that he had less than enjoyed in his wooden prison cell. Dobby had been by, letting him know that Narcissa was well, but entirely bored in her own confinement. That cheered him up, at least he wasn’t alone in his descent to madness.

He was just about to give up waiting for Hermione again when the familiar crack was heard through the forest. He got up to greet her as usual but she barrelled through the door with a frantic look on her face, overshadowed by a fleeting look of relief as soon as she saw Draco, still there and unharmed. 

‘What the fuck Granger, I know you don’t exactly knock but I’d rather you didn’t rip the bloody door off its hinges’ he rolled his eyes, trying his best not to seem concerned by her dishevelled appearance. 

‘Now is not the time, Malfoy. We have to leave. Now.’ Hermione picked up his black bag, summoned a few changes of clothes along with his pen and journal and grabbed his arm roughly. He went to pull back and ask what on earth was happening when a bright white spell crashed through the cabin, smashing a window beside them to pieces upon entry. Draco immediately shielded Hermione from the glass that came rushing towards them. Another spell ripped a hole through the wall where the fireplace had once belonged. 

Draco grabbed Hermione’s hand and the pair ran towards the front door of the cabin and out into the woods. There were anti-apparition wards placed a short distance around where the safe house used to belong and they were sprinting together to get past them, another string of curses whipped past Hermione’s head, Draco turned whilst running, throwing his own spells back. Just as they reached the edge of the ward border, Hermione grabbed Draco by both hands and turned, they apparated away, the twisted face of an angry Bellatrix was all they saw before their escape. 

Hermione and Draco landed in the drawing room of 12 Grimmauld Place with a loud thud, they laid next to one another, each trying to catch their breath from the commotion of what had just occurred. ‘Try … to behave … I … had to bring … you here … but they … won’t like this. Snape … warned me … they don’t … know he is … one of us’ Hermione breathed out each word as quickly as she could, all too aware of the thundering footsteps of Ron and Harry making their way up the stairs. 

Draco helped Hermione to her feet, and she quickly vanished the dust and cobwebs from their clothes. Draco was about to check  her injuries and ask her where the blood on her head was coming from when Harry and Ron slammed open the door and marched towards her. They both stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Malfoy lingering behind her. 

The boys quickly raised their wands in front of them ‘Hermione get behind us now!’ the sound of Ron bellowed through the room, convinced that Malfoy was there to kill them. Hermione just glared at them and didn’t move. Harry’s wand arm faltered slightly, he was unsure how to react to Hermione’s now furious gaze. 

‘Harry … Ron … I will only say this once. Lower your wands from my direction’ Hermione was stern, her voice cold and distant. She admitted that she didn’t quite sound like her usual self. So she could understand why Harry and Ron looked tense and unsure of how to proceed. 

Harry was the first to lower his wand. ‘Ok, Ok … ‘Mione, I trust you. But you need to tell us exactly what HE is doing here. Ron did not remove his wand, he merely kept the ugly scowl on his face pointed directly towards Draco, who only rolled his eyes, completely unfazed by Weasley’s threats. 

‘Draco is here now with us, I have been hiding him. Keeping him safe. As a favour to Dumbledore before he died. He offered both Draco and Narcissa his protection. Since the day of the Astronomy Tower, I have been helping Malfoy maintain a low profile at an undisclosed safe house. Which as you heard in the letter that came, was compromised earlier this evening. I went to go get him, and the only place that is safe for him now is with us.’ Hermione kept her gaze fixed on the boys in front of her, all while using her own body to shield Draco. 

Harry tucked his wand away, and went to check on Hermione’s head. Ron didn’t move. ‘Ok. Alright I believe you. Let’s all just calm down. Hermione … why are you …  or I guess WE … keeping Draco Malfoy of all people safe?’ Harry questioned while gently cleaning the cut in her hairline. 

‘That’s not my place to say Harry. But if you trust me, then you trust him. It is as simple as that’ she glanced away from Ron to Draco who had stepped towards Hermione and now stood beside her. Draco was in a small state of shock. Not only did she admit to knowing why Draco was being kept safe, but she also refused to tell her two best friends this secret because it was Draco’s secret and not hers. He wasn’t sure how he felt at that moment but for the first time maybe ever … there was zero animosity. 

After a few minutes, that seemed more like hours, Harry suggested they all head down to the kitchen to discuss what they would do now, and how much they would tell Draco about their plans. Hermione was adamant that Draco was going nowhere whilever she had a job to protect him so therefore, they would have to trust and tell him everything. Ron was furious at the idea. 

‘And how do we know that this is not all some trick to spy on us to report back to his little Death Eater friends? Are you really that thick Hermione?’ Ron was all red faced and furious. Harry was stunned at his outburst. Before she could defend herself Draco barged his way into the kitchen and held Ron by the collar. 

‘Call yourself a fucking friend weaselbee. That is how you talk to them? And a woman no less! For the record, I have no interest in anything to do with the Death Eaters, and you can bet your pathetic little self, that even if I was tasked with infiltrating you three to gain information, I would not have gone along with it willingly, frankly I’d rather swallow a bucket of flobberworms. You can give me some pointers on how they taste!’ Draco released Ron and walked back towards the table, seating himself next to Hermione. 

Harry looked towards Hermione, for any sign that she might not fully trust Draco, that she was just trying to buy them some time. But he saw nothing. ‘We are hunting Horcruxes Malfoy. And I guess… you are now too.’ Harry rose from the chair in the kitchen and walked out of the room, Ron followed suit. Leaving a stunned Draco alone with Hermione, his brain burning with questions.

Hermione took a moment to herself before turning to face Draco and explaining everything that she knew. Voldemort had made many Horcruxes, and it was their job to find and destroy them before they could defeat the Dark Lord for good.

Chapter Text

The next few weeks around Grimmauld Place were fraught with substantial tension. Hermione; already used to having Draco around, continued her days much the same as before his arrival. Just with far fewer outings. Harry and Ron however were less receptive to their new house guest.

Draco spent the majority of his days with Hermione, having spent weeks in isolation, it was taking him some time to adjust to being around people again, and he found the only company he could presently tolerate was hers. Neither one of them felt the need to talk very often, it was a comfortable silence. But one where Draco didn’t have to be alone. 

‘So tell me again, your plan Granger because I think you might be fucking coockoo’ Draco was astonished the first three times she had explained it, he was sure that he heard her wrong the first time she said they were going to break into the Ministry, but by the third, he couldn’t pretend any longer. Voting instead to attempt to wrap his head around her thought process.

‘I  have been brewing polyjuice potion for nearly a month, it is almost ready.  Once it is, we will bottle it and apparate to just outside the staff entrances. We will kidnap and stun four people, three men and one woman, the effects of the potion varies from person to person and the quantity ingested but they tend to be more effective  with same sex transformations. We will slip into the Ministry unnoticed and search for Umbridge while we are there. After that … we just have to acquire the locket and apparate back here safely. Simple’ she gave a coy smile. 

‘Oh yes … very simple. I especially like the part where we, how did you put it, acquire the locket, before coming home for tea. I don’t suppose that ginormous brain of yours had any specifics in mind for the acquiring part of this death sentence?’ Draco was staring at her incredulously, and to think all these years she was the one beating every test score, she was the one considered the smart one. Turns out she was just the right dose of fucking mental, mixed with the lack of self preservation these Gryffindors boasted. 

‘Draco. You are just going to have to trust me. I know it’s a little … haphazard but we don’t really have much choice. I suppose you agree with Ron then … You remember when I told you that I was on the receiving end of the blame for not being more intelligent, more brilliant, for not having a MORE concrete plan?’ Her glare towards him was venomous. 

‘No Granger. I do not agree with the Weasel. I do agree that this is fucking mental. But it still isn’t up to just you to be the brains. And it pains me to say it but, I don’t see any other way you are going to achieve it. I do have some input though …’ Draco’s reply caught Hermione’s attention immediately.  

‘Umbridge has an office on the first level of the Ministry and it is guarded by Alistair Moody's magical eye. She stole it from his body after he died. So you will need some way of getting past that or she will know immediately her office has been breached. But she likely won’t be there. At the meeting where I was tasked with killing Dumbledore, she was there … they discussed the idea of … a registration for muggleborns, but it wasn’t going to be just a registration. She wanted to use it as a sort of trial based scenario, where they could torture muggleborns for information and use the dementors if necessary. If they succeeded in setting that up then, I would guess she would be on level 10, where they usually hold the Wizengamot trials…’ Draco was not looking at Hermione the entire time he spoke, he was too focused on the copy of the Daily Prophet he was reading which featured Umbridge on the front page. 

When Draco noticed the stunned silence, he looked away from the paper and up at Hermione, she was staring at him with her jaw hanging. ‘That’s … actually brilliant Draco’ she looked at him bewildered. Draco. She had said it again. 

‘Some of us are more observant than others, Granger. We aren’t all red headed twits’ he shrugged off the compliment before returning to silence, not really reading the Daily Prophet anymore, just watching Hermione in his peripheral vision. 

Another week went by, Ron was actively avoiding Draco. Still refusing to acknowledge that for now at least, they had a fourth member to this unlikely tribe. Harry was more open-minded, but still noticeably giving Draco a cold shoulder more often than not, and Hermione continued to allow Draco to sit with her in silence while she worked. Draco was cunning, and clever, but maybe most importantly he was highly observant. 

It became all too apparent that Hermione was quite often the only person doing any actual work. All the planning, all the preparations, everything to make anything succeed was down to her. Draco wasn't sure what made him do it, but as the day grew nearer to infiltrating the Ministry, he decided to try and be more helpful. He would watch the potion for Hermione when she needed a break, he made sure they had the vials they needed in her hideous purple beaded bag, they stocked up on any other emergency potions. And went over a few more times exactly where they would apparate, what time, and who would be the best targets. 

‘I still don’t trust him. He will turn us in the moment we step foot in there, Hermione!’ Ron was going over his usual evening argument. Tomorrow they would all be heading to the Ministry with a hope and a prayer that everything went according to plan. But Ron just couldn’t resist getting one final attempt in, to turn Draco out on the streets. 

‘Ronald Weasley I swear to Godric if I hear you complain one more time about Malfoy coming with us, I will leave YOU here instead!’ Hermione stood up and slammed her book down on the table in front of them. She was used to Ron talking about Malfoy as though he wasn’t in the room, but it was starting to get on her nerves. She knew the real reason why he needed protecting, but she wasn’t about to give that information up to them. It wasn’t her place, and the time wasn’t right. 

Ron eventually backpedaled and gave up his argument, making sure to say loud enough that he would be keeping a close eye on Malfoy the entire time. 

‘Actually Ronald, you won’t be. You and Harry will be heading to Umbridge’s office. Me and Draco have another place to check. It will be easier if we split up and get more ground covered at once, there is no exact telling how long we will have but it should be about an hour before we transform back to ourselves’ Draco peered over today’s edition of the Prophet that Kreacher had secured, a small smirk pasted on his lips. He would always delight in the anguish of Weaselbee. And once again, she called him Draco. Not Malfoy.

When the next day arrived, all four of them were up bright and early. Too nervous to eat anything, they went over the plan twice more to be sure no one missed a single detail. With a deep breath, each of the boys held on to Hermione, and she apparated them all into the heart of London. 

They arrived in a small back alley, hidden just enough from passersby to not be seen, but close enough that they could identify their targets and stun them without notice. Once all four of them had hidden the unconscious bodies of the ministry workers they had chosen,  Hermione took out the potions and added a few hairs of each into four vials. 

‘On the count of three, we neck it. Swallow the lot and do not gag it back up or the potion won’t work properly.’ Hermione gave one vial to each of the three boys and kept one for herself. ‘One, two … three’.

Hermione and Draco were the first to finish their potion, with Harry not too far behind them and Ron the last. Ron had transformed into a plump red headed wizard, with a comb-over and bushy beard who worked in the Maintenance department, a half-blood wizard named Reginald Cattermole. Harry stood forward as a tall and severe looking man, a pure-blood wizard who was an investigator of Muggleborns for the Ministry, Albert Runcorn.

Hermione had stunned and transformed into the image of Mafalda Hopkirk a pure-blood elderly witch with fly away grey hair, she had been a staff member of the ministry for many years, but was recently transferred from the Improper Use of Magic office to the Muggle-born Registration Commision. And Draco had, by a bit of luck and chance, snagged Corban Yaxley, a very unpleasant looking man, with hardened features, he was a known Death Eater and currently the head of the DMLE. 

‘Wow, Malfoy … I’m not sure if you are more terrifying now or as your usual self’ Hermione giggled at her own joke. Yaxley Malfoy rolled his eyes in response before quipping back to her. ‘You couldn’t look much worse Granger, but now I have had the pleasure of seeing you old and grey … One look at you and the Dark Lord himself would shrivel into dust, I’m sure of it. Perhaps we should just give up this entire endeavor and see if we can find him to test the theory’ Draco smirked back at Hermione, pleased with himself as usual. 

‘Fuck off Malfoy.’ Ron tried to square his shoulders, but if on a usual day, he was barely threatening to Draco, then Cattermole Ron was positively an embarrassment against Yaxley Draco. Hermione huffed at the show of testosterone and made a point to walk between the pair as she checked to see if the coast was clear.

One by one they all shuffled out from the alleyway and into the hustle and bustle of central london. They headed towards the staff entrances of the Ministry, through a disillusioned public toilet. Since Voldemort’s takeover all employees were required to ‘flush’ their way in. A significant change to the usual entrance. Draco pulled Hermione to the side, and let the other two head into the mens cubicles. ‘You have to flush yourself in, not very glamorous but still. I will meet you by the fountain in the main atrium. Don’t forget my face,’ he said sternly to her.

‘With a face like that Malfoy it will haunt my dreams… believe me’ she pushed herself away from him and made her way into the ladies toilets. Once he knew she was safely inside, Draco turned on his heels and followed Ron and Harry into the Ministry. 

Hermione made her way through the Atrium and over to the fountain to wait for where she had agreed to meet Draco, Harry and Ron. The Atrium itself was a long corridor, with high ceilings and a polished dark wood floor, the walls either side of the corridor were lined with fireplaces all connected via the floo network. Halfway down the Atrium, and just before the main lifts to the other departments and levels stood a dark looming statue where the Fountain of Magical Brethren once stood. The Statue itself, Hermione noted depicted a witch and wizard sat upon detailed carvings of muggles, men, women and children, all sat in their apparent rightful places while they held up their magical superiors, large letters had been carved into the base reading ‘MAGIC IS MIGHT’. 

Hermione shuddered as she stared at the horrific statue in front of her. She felt a strong hand clamp down onto her shoulder. She turned to see the deathly glare of Draco’s Yaxley looming over her, a silent warning to not draw attention to herself by staring at it. Moments later, Harry and Ron joined them as well, both as shocked as Hermione to see the fountain's iniquitous replacement. 

‘We should get going. I don’t suppose the likes of myself and Potter are usually seen socialising with Weasley’s disguise. We are after all trying to blend in’ Draco sneered in Ron’s direction, whether to blend in with his new appearance or because he had a genuine sour taste in his mouth whenever they interacted, no one was quite sure. Either way he was right, they had to be careful about how they played this. 

Draco led Hermione towards one of the available lifts, Harry and Ron following closely behind. As they squeezed into the back of the service lifts, who should appear alongside them but Dolores Umbridge herself. ‘Ah Mafalda, Yaxley, just the two I was hoping to run into. I assume you are on your way to the trials now, yes?’ Dolores had changed very little in the last few years, although her once mousy brown hair was almost now entirely grey, she still had that same high-pitched girly voice which ran right through your eardrums, sure to make them bleed. And she was still adorned in sickly pink outfits.

Draco unconsciously inched a little closer towards Hermione as the toad-like woman approached them. ‘Yes Dolores, I was just on my way down now…’ Hermione squeaked, doing her best impression of the timid woman she was impersonating. Draco narrowed his eyes on the squatty woman, accepting her challenge for authority ‘I will arrive when I am good and ready Dolores, will that be a problem?’ he raised an eyebrow and contracted his icy scowl. Umbridge quickly cleared her throat, and smiled sweetly towards him, ‘of course Yaxley, I only meant that it is always an honour to have your support down there with the filth’. She turned away quickly, hoping to avoid any more confrontations with Draco’s Yaxley.

When the monotone voice of the lifts announced its arrival at Level one, Harry and Ron quickly made their way out. Excusing themselves around the other occupants, they tried to get a look at Hermione before the lift whizzed away once more, but they found themselves out of luck, Hermione, Malfoy and Umbridge had already vanished. 

‘You think it’s safe to leave her with the Death Eater?’ Ron was still scowling towards the now empty hall where the elevator had once been. Harry sighed and turned to face his disguised friend. ‘He’s only pretending to be Yaxley. He won’t do anything to risk her safety I’m sure of it’. He tried his best to sound convincing.

‘That’s not what I meant and you know it’ Ron muttered under his breath, before skulking away, in an attempt to locate Umbridge’s office with Harry, who was following gloomily behind. Close enough to be able to follow but far enough away to not draw suspicion about their proximity to one another. 

Hermione and Draco both stood in silence, watching as different groups of witches and wizards made their way onto various levels, all ready to start their days work, blissfully unaware that the three highest ranking undesirables, plus one blood traitor were infiltrating their offices at that very moment. Hermione checked her watch, keeping a careful eye on how long they had left before they risked exposure.

‘Keeping you from something more important Mafalda?’ Umbridge was staring at Hermione down the side of her nose. Refusing to turn her head more than absolutely necessary. A pitiful attempt at a power play. 

‘Not … not at all … Dolores. Just er … just keen to get started with the next … one’ Hermione could only pray that her rambling would be decrypted by Umbridge into something relatable. She shuffled her feet nervously, carefully side glancing at Draco who had noticeably stiffened alongside her. 

‘Ah yes … Mary Cattermole. Another magic stealing muggleborn. I believe I saw her husband here earlier. Reginald. A very strange man. Why a pureblood such as himself would choose to marry such filth I shall never know. Nevertheless, we shall discover the truth to it in today’s trial. No doubt she has been drugging him all these years. Siphoning his magic and forcing him to breed. I shall bring justice as I always do. And you have the great honour of witnessing and recording it in detail Mafalda. And in the presence of Mr. Yaxley. Such a glorious day indeed!’ Umbridge clasped her hands together and giggled, rising on to her tip toes and plopping back down in excitement. 

The lift slowed and announced the arrival of Level 10. The former Wizengamot trial rooms. Now taken over to be used for interrogating the muggleborn witches and wizards of the world. Before dishing out harsh and unjust punishments merely because of their birth. Hermione followed Umbridge in silence, turning to look at Draco who was a few feet behind. The closer they got to the trial chambers, the colder the air had become. So much so that although Hermione felt she was originally imagining it, by the time they had reached the courts, she could visibly see her breath. 

The three of them walked into the courtroom, and a few other members of the ministry had taken residence in the viewing seats behind where Umbridge would position herself. But it wasn’t the audience that had startled Hermione so, it was the horde of Dementors, circling the ceiling above them, kept in place by one of the Aurors in the room, using his patronus as a barrier. Hermione inhaled a shaky breath. 

Draco circled the room, appalled at the sight before him. He knew that things would be bad once Voldemort had truly taken over. But threatening the use of Dementors inside the Ministry walls was unheard of. He looked over to Hermione, noticing the fear that was beginning to creep into her eyes, he prowled around the woman sitting in the defendants chair, Mary Cattermole he presumed, making it seem as though he was trying to intimidate her, but in actuality trying to divert Hermione’s attention from the scene above. 

Hermione caught a glimpse of Draco’s Yaxley in front of her. His hands knotted behind his back, his head tilting down. To Draco’s credit he played the role valiantly, but once he had locked his eyes onto her, he gave a slight nod of reassurance. Signalling to Hermione that she could do this. Hermione, steeled her nerves and walked over to take her place on the left of Dolores, playing the part of the stenographer. 

Everyone took their seats and the sham of a trial began. Draco could see clearly that Dolores was wearing the locket around her neck, his mind running over different scenarios where he might have the chance to slip it from her without notice. He had one plan, but it was entirely mental. Hermione would no doubt be proud of it, if they survived long enough to reflect. 

Unbeknown to most, Draco was quite efficient at both wandless and wordless magic. As he continued to circle the room, playing the part of the deadly law enforcer, he formulated a plan in his mind. Stopping a few paces next to Hermione, he turned his gaze onto Dolores and whispered Muffliato. 

Dolores stuttered her speech ‘ Mrs … Mrs …Cat … Cattermole … You .. You are here … What on earth is that infernal buzzing?!” Umbridge screeched loudly, she was so distracted by the buzzing noise in her ears that she stood up shaking her head back and forth, left and right, trying to rid herself of the incessant zizz. She rose to her feet so violently that she managed to knock all the papers from her desk, causing them to fly all over the room. 

The majority of the papers, completely by chance, had landed directly on top of the Auror who had been holding the Patronus charm above them. The moment he lost concentration the Dementors were set free from their glowing restraints, swooping down from above they were hellbent on causing as much damage to the wizards who held them captive as they could. 

In the commotion and cries of the state of chaos around them, Hermione seized the opportunity to snatch the locket from the toad above her, who was still struggling with the charm that Draco had cast on her. Climbing the seats, one by one, she jumped in front of the screeching witch and lunged for the locket, snapping the chain clean off from around her barely visible neck. 

Draco did his best to fend off the Dementors that were rounding against Granger. Casting consistent Protegos around her to distract them, but slowly that was failing. Hermione grabbed the locket and jumped back down to the ground a few feet away from Draco. Just as another Dementor was rushing forwards about to drain her from all her light and happiness, Draco sprinted to her side acting as a barrier between them. Having next to no true happiness in his memories, after being surrounded by the evils of the word for so long, the dementor had nothing to feast upon from him. 

The Dementor staggered backwards, in a moment of confusion. Draco looked down on the now fully transformed Hermione, he noticed he too was beginning to show his true form, flashes of white blonde hair mixing in with the greys of Yaxley. Her wide eyes of shock focusing on his telltale features. Draco helped her to her feet as a shocking red spell flew by them and narrowly missed her head. He turned to see the form of Travers appearing in the doorway his wand fixed on Hermione. Clearly having not noticed the Corban Yaxley in front of him wasn’t all he seemed to be. 

Before Draco had the chance to respond, a bright white corporeal Stag ran through the door behind Travers, knocking him down and bowling through the Dementors around them. 

‘Harry …’ Hermione whispered, she interlocked her fingers with Malfoy’s and dragged him through the carnage of the room. Bolting towards the nearest exit. Dodging spells and Dementors along the way. The three of them charged into the lift that Ron was holding in place and together they ascended to the main Atrium, where they had first arrived. Panic stricken, that Harry and Ron had now also transformed back into their rightful selves Hermione saw that Draco also had mere minutes left in disguise, already taller, broader and slightly younger looking than the real death eater he was impersonating. 

The four of them all bolted towards the nearest fireplace, planning to return to the safety of Grimmauld but Travers and now a man known only as Selwyn were both hot on their tails. Hermione, Harry and Draco skidded into the floo, and were about to apparate away when Selwyn latched onto Ron’s arm. They fought and scrambled mid travel, Selwyn doing whatever he could to hold on to Ron and drag him back down. Ron resisted, eventually managing to peel the death eater off from his body when the four of them landed harshly in a field that Draco didn’t recognise. 

The relative peace and serenity of having successfully gotten away, still alive and with the locket in hand was quickly torn away by the rippling sound of a scream in the distance. Draco was quick to his feet, a fleeting feeling or horror that Hermione might have been hurt. He looked around him and saw her in the distance, the distinct colour of claret soaking her hands and clothes. Terror filled him to his core. But as quick as he saw her covered in blood, he noticed that it wasn’t hers. 

Ron was screaming and writhing on the floor, half of his arm had been degloved, presumably splinched by Selwyn’s attempts to drag him back through the apparition. 

‘Ron! Ron, are you ok? Hermione … his arm. Do something!’ Harry shouted at Granger. Panic stricken that his friend was laying on the floor with only half a limb. 

‘I am doing something! Draco quickly in my bag … the … the bottle … the -’ Hermione was struggling to get her words out properly but she needn’t have worried. Draco knew immediately what she wanted. 

‘I know the essence of Dittany. I've got it, Granger. Here …’ Draco had seen the mess of Ron’s arm when he ran over to inspect Hermione for injuries, he knew immediately then that she would need the emergency medical supplies they had packed a few days ago and unlike her usual so-called help, Draco was ready to actually aid her. He handed over the small glass bottle before she had time to worry that she was struggling with her words.

With a sigh of relief, and a teary but thankful smile to Malfoy, Hermione got to work on repairing the damage on Ron’s arm. The pain of what he had gone through quickly caught up to him. And the moment he felt the relief from the Dittany, his consciousness slipped away. 

Chapter Text

Repairing the damage on Ron’s arm took hours. By the time Hermione was finished it was late, and she was exhausted, Ron still hadn’t woken up. The blood replenishing potions would take time to work and Hermione guessed that the calming draught she had given him was also helping him stay in a peaceful sleep. Which was good for his recovery. 

Harry set up the tents and cast some basic wards to keep them all warm and safe before settling next to Hermione and Draco by the outdoor fire. ‘When can he travel?’ Harry asked. Hermione stared at her friend a little bit in shock. 

‘Harry, I’m exhausted, do we really have to do this now?’ she was not impressed, they all knew it was important to keep moving. They weren’t safe staying in one place for too long, the plan to return to Grimmauld had been thwarted when Selwyn saw where they had been headed, but Ron had been severely injured he wouldn’t be able to apparate for some time, and he definitely needed to rest if he had any chance of healing well. 

Draco snorted at Harry’s question, it was so typical of him to rely on Hermione to have all the answers, he couldn’t help himself but feel disgusted. 

‘Something to say Malfoy?!’ Harry broadened his shoulders.

‘Actually yes I do. What exactly would you and the Weasel over there have done if this situation was reversed I wonder? If Hermione had been the one to get splinched, writhing on the floor with half of her arm missing. Would you have known? Because I would have known, but what if I wasn’t here? I’m not meant to be after all so what then boy wonder? What would you have done?’ Draco’s tone was vicious, he didn’t chance a look at Granger. He didn’t need to see the look on her face as she processed the fact that for the first time ever, he called her Hermione. 

Harry said nothing, just hanging his head in shame. 

‘Exactly as I thought. You wouldn’t have known what to do, and she would be dead now. Or if by SOME MIRACLE she may have survived, she would certainly be missing something. And yet here you are, bitching and moaning that she hasn’t managed to cure him properly in a mere 5 hours …’ Draco was blazing with fury. He’s not sure what possessed him to react this way. Really it was none of his business he just needed to fucking survive. But it was starting to grate on him more and more everyday how candidly the gruesome twosome took Hermione for granted.

With a flick of his wand Draco filled a cup of tea, adding one sugar and a dash of milk before wordlessly levitating it over to Hermione, before he stood to his feet and walked off to a nearby tree. If the fact that Draco had stood up for her, or the realisation that he had called her Hermione hadn’t already shocked her, then this simple but thoughtful gesture definitely would have. 

‘Sorry ‘Mione. I … I don’t know what’s gotten into me. You did amazing today. We survived breaking into the Ministry AND we came away with the Horcrux. The real one this time. I guess I’m just too eager to finish this whole bloody thing’ Harry hung his head in shame, slumping forward and resting his head in his hands. 

‘It’s alright Harry. Just try to remember that I am trying my best. I’m not a healer, contrary to popular belief there is a lot that I don’t know. I can’t rush this. If I do, I could hurt him more than he already is … ok? And for the record … I wouldn’t have managed today without Malfoy so you might want to consider thanking him at some point too’ Hermione looked to the tree that Draco was sitting under, he had been practicing making little flames in jars like Hermione does. She smiled when she saw him, for the first time, succeed. Even if the flame was pink and not orange like it should be. 

Ron woke the next morning, a little stiff and quite sore. Draco couldn’t help but take small pleasures from his discomfort, what didn’t please him however, was his consistent use of Hermione as a fucking wet nurse. 

‘Mione, I'm still in pain. Can’t you do anything else?’ Ron whimpered. Hermione rolled her eyes and removed herself from the book she was reading to look inside her bag AGAIN for more pain relief potion. ‘And can you get me a drink while you’re up too?’ Every demand he made only added to the raw frustration that was eating Draco alive. 

‘I’m sorry Ron but you are going to have to ride it out a bit longer. I only have so much of the potion supplies. And no more ingredients to brew anything else. We have to ration them out so they last. You’ve already gone through 2 vials since you woke up this morning. ' Hermione tried to sound sympathetic, but Draco could tell her patience was wearing thin. He had been on the receiving end of a furious Hermione enough times to know when she was reaching the end of her tether. 

‘Oh come on ‘Mione. I NEED it. I’m in agony over here -’ the sound of Ron pleading once again for Hermione to fix everything was the last straw for Draco. 

‘For fuck sake Weasley she’s not your mother! And you aren’t fucking dying. I know you can’t help droning on about how life is so unfair, and apparently you think the world owes you a fucking favour but do try to be a big brave boy and take care of yourself. Next you will be asking her to wipe your fucking arse’ Hermione curled her lips between her teeth to stifle the laugh threatening to fall from her mouth. Draco knew how to wind Ron up, and by the look of his ears burning red. It would appear he had been successful once again. 

‘Fuck off Malfoy. You don’t know what this is like. Just because I have FRIENDS who like to help and you don’t’ Ron tried to retaliate. Weakly. 

Draco scoffed. ‘Is that all you’ve got in you … Won-Won’. 

Hermione couldn’t hold back her bark of laughter at that one. Vivid memories of Ron’s abysmal relationship with Lavender Brown last year replayed in her mind. She quickly threw her hand over her mouth and cleared her throat before walking out of the tent, not daring to look back at either Ron or Draco. 

Draco went back to writing in his one journal that survived the safe house destruction, thanks to Hermione. Grinning widely internally. 

Fuck knows what day it is now. I think I’ve stopped keeping track. All I know is I am sick to the teeth of listening to the little Weasel go on and on about how much his arm hurts. Honestly have some fucking pride, especially around the woman you are supposed to fancy. 

I have to admit there is a part of me that feels quite sorry for Granger. To have to put up with that all fucking day. She would never admit it but I can tell it’s slowly sucking the life out of her. She would have fared better surrounded by those Dementors with me, than she would with little won-won. She would fare better with me anywhere than by his side. 

Granger remains to be the only tolerable person in this godforsaken tent. Merlin knows there’s not a lot of choice but at least she has a fucking brain and half a mind to make decent conversation. 

By some fucking miracle, and a fair bit of Granger brain we managed to get both in and out of the Ministry fairly in tact. And with the Horcrux from that toad Umbridge. The Weasel took a beating but no loss there. 

Granger and the scarhead have started trying to figure out how to destroy the bastard thing. You would think they would have thought of that a bit sooner… like maybe before we risked our lives trying to recover it? 

I guess that gives me a bit of time to think about how I will tell them what I know. Although by the sounds of it, Granger already knows everything - typical. But she hasn’t said anything to the gruesome twosome if she does. That I admit is a surprise. 

I guess I will go and watch the fuckery outside, it cannot be any worse than being stuck inside this shitty tent. 

And I thought the fucking wooden shack was bad.

Draco tucked his journal safely away inside that damned purple bag of Granger’s. The only place he knew that the dynamic deadbeat duo wouldn’t go snooping. And oddly enough he trusted Granger not to pry. 

Outside, Hermione and Harry were throwing curses at the locket, trying their best to find one that might be powerful enough to destroy it, but everything they tried, failed just as badly as the next. 

‘This isn’t working. Why isn’t it fucking working?! They aren’t indestructible; we already know that from the two that have already been destroyed!’ Harry was spiraling. His mood had plummeted astronomically, each failed attempt adding to his misery.

‘Harry, you destroyed the first one with a Basilisk fang, and the second one Dumbledore destroyed, and ended up badly injured because of it. They are vessels for a piece of his soul, we always knew it would never be simple’, Hermione was as level headed as always. 

Draco walked out of the tent to watch the drama unfold. No intention of offering his advice. But something in the defeated look of Hermione, inspired him to try and lighten the mood for her. 

‘Horcruxes have to be damaged to a point beyond any and all possible means of repair - physical and magical. You can’t just throw a confringo at it and hope it will spontaneously combust. They are ridiculously durable, and the Dark Lord will have no doubt added his own fun and games to them as well just for good measure’ Draco leaned up against a nearby tree and folded his arms over his chest, feigning boredom to the topic, and outrightly ignoring the warm feeling in his chest, when Hermione looked impressed by his knowledge.

‘Which is why Harry managed to destroy the diary with the Basilisk fang. Because there is no known cure for the snake’s venom… apart from the phoenix tears but we all know how rare those are. That’s fantastic Draco …’ Hermione was beaming. 

‘You learn a thing or two when your Father is an avid collector of dark artefacts and a frequent patron of Borgin and Burkes’ Draco shrugged his shoulders.

‘If you tell me you have a basilisk fang in that bloody bag of yours Hermione …’ Harry teased. Hermione shot him a deadly glare. 

‘No Harry obviously I don’t have a Basilisk fang, but it doesn’t have to be one. It just has to be something so destructive that the Horcrux can’t repair itself … That helps’ turning to Draco once more and smiling fondly.

Draco walked over to the locket and picked it up. Examining it closely, he could feel the dark magic pouring out of it, he had been around dark artefacts all his life, he was no stranger to how they poison you. Handing it over to Harry he watched as the wizard placed it around his neck. Harry didn’t fail to notice how Draco flinched.

‘What was that face for Malfoy?’ he asked quietly. 

‘It’s a dark object, Potter. It is quite literally drowning in dark magic, I would say that it’s safe to assume that much dark magic will start to affect you eventually. Just … be careful with it is all. I don’t fancy being cursed for all eternity thanks to your negligence’ Draco took one last look at the locket before turning and walking back towards the tent, but not before hearing Hermione suggest they take turns wearing it. 

As the days faded into weeks, the toll of the locket started to grip each of them individually. Harry became angrier and more prone to outbursts, Hermione doubted her abilities more than the rest of them, often seeming sad and alone, but overall she was the least affected between her, Ron and Harry.. Draco barely noticed a difference, assuming the locket preyed on their negative emotions and amplified them, for Draco this didn’t mean a great deal. If anything, he only rarely became slightly more self conscious around the trio, especially Hermione. 

But all this was nothing compared to how it had impacted Ron and his behaviour. He was full of rage, and jealousy. Any small interaction that Hermione showed with either Harry or Draco was met with palpable disdain. His own low self-esteem contributed greatly to the selfish and snide remarks. He became visibly withdrawn, his skin was sallow, his eyes dark. He looked exactly like many of the Death Eater’s that Draco had come to know over the years, they all shared that same look of anger and hatred. 

Draco would often take to sitting by the trees alone, keeping his thoughts and opinions mostly to himself. He continued to practice the little flame jars that he had seen Hermione make so many times before. He would spend long hours under the stars, casting warming charms over himself and even Hermione when he would spot her a few trees away. 

‘I’M NOT A HOUSE ELF RONALD!’ The sound of a very angry Hermione echoed through the trees around Draco. He saw her charging out from the tent, nearly tearing the door to shreds as she made her exit. Draco watched as she made her way past the trees, storming off alone. A feeling of unease settled in his stomach, he tried to push it back down but it just kept rising, the thought of her being alone and unprotected festering into full blown anxiety. 

‘Granger … GRANGER!’ Draco followed in pursuit of the raging witch. 

‘Leave me alone, Malfoy!’ she snapped back at him, throwing twigs and kicking stones in a tantrum.

Draco caught up to Hermione and spun her around, clinging firmly to her wrists. ‘Take it off Granger’.

Hermione tsked through her teeth. Averting her eyes from his face.

‘Take it off. Or I will remove it for you … the choice is yours’ Draco focused on the tiny witch cemented in his grip with an impenetrable stare. 

When she finally dared to peek up at him, she found herself willfully glued to her spot, with or without his hands wrapped around her wrist she doubted that she would be able to look away from the swirling grey orbs that confronted her. She kept her eyes fixed into his, his features slowly softening in front of her. His stare no longer threatening, he was pleading with her. A small tear escaped her lashes and trickled down her cheek. 

Draco felt himself melt into her eyes, those usually bright and beautiful golden brown orbs, full of burning curiosity and stubbornness were now dull and full of sorrow, he watched as a single tear fell from her face. Without thinking he swiped it away with his thumb, lingering his hand for just a moment on her cheek.

‘Hermione … please. Take off the locket. Let me … let me help’ Draco was begging for her to let go of it, she had been wearing it constantly for almost a week, he knew it was only a matter of time before it broke her. He wouldn’t let that happen. 

Slowly, Hermione lifted her hands to the back of her neck and pulled the locket over her head. Draco still had one hand pressed against her cheek. He took a deep breath before slowly lifting his free hand back up her arm and gripping on to the chain of the locket. Slowly pulling it free from her grasp. He placed the locket around his neck and tucked it away behind his shirt. 

‘Come on Granger … let’s walk it off ok?’ he watched as the fog slowly lifted from her eyes, revealing once more their beautiful golden hues. Hermione didn’t say anything but she allowed Draco to gently guide her away from their tent and from the Weasel who had clearly asked one too many favors. 

‘You don’t have to talk about it, but I will listen if you need someone to help you let off some of that steam I can see escaping from your ears’ Draco joked attempting to lighten the mood. For a moment it worked, he definitely saw a slither of a smile ghosting her lips. 

‘I think it’s quite obvious that the locket brings out the worst parts of us. When I wear it, I start to doubt just about everything. I start to believe that I’m not good enough, or strong enough, or even smart enough. But it also makes me … irritable. Or more irritable than usual I suppose. I don’t mind helping people, truly I don’t. In fact I quite enjoy it most of the time. But …’ Hermione sighed, unable to finish her sentence without feeling horrendously guilty. 

‘But the Weasel has taken it a bit too far. Taking you for granted. He knows that you will do it because you want to help. So he takes advantage. Believe me a blind man could see it happening. There’s not much about me that the locket could possibly make worse. I guess that’s why it doesn’t affect me as much as everyone else. But it does feed off of what I can only describe as my self consciousness around you all … I am acutely aware that I am imposing on the great Golden Trio. I often feel like a hindrance to you. Not them … just you. The locket doesn’t whisper much to me often, but when it does, it’s all centred around how much you must loathe me’ Draco opened his vulnerabilities up for Granger’s assessment. Knowing the distraction would help her regain her composure but also, it helped to get those feelings off of his chest too.

Hermione looked at Draco curiously, she wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or whether it was some elaborate scheme to gain her trust. But she saw no lies in his eyes. And he wasn’t usually one to pander people just to make them feel better. So for some reason currently unknown, she trusted him. 

It wasn’t long before the pair realised that they had been walking for so long that they must be well past their protective wards at the camp. They talked about the Horcruxes, the plans moving forwards, possible locations for more of them and potential ways of destroying them when Draco felt a surge of guilt on the topic. 

‘Granger … How much do you know exactly … about why Dumbledore was keen to offer me protection when I sided against the Dark Lord?’ The question he had been desperate to ask her brought them to a halt. She looked at him a little shocked, but not judgemental in the slightest. Her shock slowly transformed into a soft smile. 

‘Everything’ she replied matter of factly. 

‘After the incident with Katie Bell, and Harry cursing you in the bathrooms, I went to Professor Dumbledore to … voice my concerns for you … not about you. I was worried FOR you. You looked so different … so broken and alone. I told him that I felt you had been tasked with something terrible. That you were going to have to do something awful because you would have no choice and I wanted him to help you. To save you from it all. Dumbledore - of course, already knew everything. He never did say how, but I presume it was Professor Snape who alerted him to your task. That is when he told me that they had asked you to kill him. That they had threatened yours and your mothers lives if you didn’t. 

I knew I had to help. 

So we came up with a plan to keep you safe if you chose to come with me. But Dumbledore was adamant that it HAD to be your choice. You couldn’t be persuaded or coerced in any way or you would never go along with it. Just before I left that meeting, when we had decided that I would prepare a safehouse for you in the forest of Dean, he told me that you had another secret. A precious secret that no one else could know. You have a horcrux hidden in your personal vault in Gringotts …’ Hermione took a moment to gauge Draco’s reaction to her admission. 

‘Please don’t be mad. I never would have forced you to tell anyone. I always hoped that you would just want to do the right thing once you knew why it was important. Once we told you what we were looking for I knew you had figured out what the artefact in your vault was immediately. I could see it written all over you. But still, it was never my secret to tell so I didn’t. The only thing I don’t know … is WHY you have it … Or rather I suppose … HOW you came into possession of it’  Hermione twisted her fingers and shuffled her feet. Something she did when she was nervous Draco noticed. 

‘I found it,’ he answered honestly. 

‘When I was fixing the vanishing cabinet in the room of requirement, I shall we say, got frustrated a few times when it wasn’t going well. I was constantly spurred on by the fear of what HE would do to my mother if I failed. So I took to smashing up the room a bit every now and then to just let all that feeling out. I’ve gotten pretty good at detecting dark magic, I have been surrounded by it for so long that I guess I can just feel it in the air. Like a crackle of electricity or a shiver up your spine. One of the boxes I threw had a little tiara type thing inside it.

When I went to pick it up to put it back inside the box I knew straight away that it was dangerous. I’m not sure why but I just felt like it was really important. So I took it from the school during the Christmas break and deposited it into my vault to keep it safe. I never told anyone, but it doesn’t surprise me that the old fool knew I had it’ Draco was doing his best to avoid Hermione’s eyes, but he was drawn back to them every time. Like a moth to a flame. He didn’t want her to be disappointed in him. 

Hermione kept her face locked onto Draco’s. She was in awe of his honesty. 

‘I won’t tell them you know. The tiara I suspect is Rowena Ravenclaw’s Diadem. I mean … we will probably have to get it at some point, and I’m not exactly sure how easy that will be but … we don’t have to tell them if you don’t want to. I know how much you have had to sacrifice Draco. And I don’t blame you for it either. We have all had to make hard decisions for people we love. It just makes you human Draco’ Hermione reached her hand out and gently touched his arm reassuringly. The heat from the contact, even through the material of his jumper was dazzling.

Draco placed his free hand over the top of Hermione’s. Threading his fingers underneath hers and lifting her hand up slowly, pressing a tender kiss against her knuckles. He watched as she drifted slowly towards him, melting into his touch. Just as her chest connected to his, they heard footsteps and talking a few feet away from where they stood.

Draco spun Hermione round quickly, and pulled her back flat against his chest before concealing them both behind a nearby tree. He wrapped his hand over her mouth helping her to keep quiet away from the strangers. 

Two men wandered by the tree that was hiding them. Draco turned his head slightly to try and get a look at who was this far out in the middle of nowhere. He didn’t recognise their faces, so he watched them closely, and listened carefully to their conversation. 

‘Why do we gotta keep waltzin’ round this bloody jungle for? Why can’t Greyback do it himself!’ The first man, a tall and gangly creature, wearing a torn jumper and dark hood had stopped mere metres away from Hermione and Draco, retying the loose lace from his boot. 

‘We is snatchers you flubberworm! We do what Greyback wants us to do and we get paid to do it. Our job is to keep checking these woods for any idiots who think they can gets away with working against our lord and savior!’ the second man spoke, not bothering to turn and face his companion. 

Draco stiffened when he heard them refer to themselves as snatchers. They were paid bounty hunters for the ministry, hired to lure out and capture any muggle borns or blood traitors on the run. Draco knew that if he and Hermione were caught, they would have far more than just the Ministry to worry about. 

Slowly sliding his wand from its holster, he pointed it towards the man tying his lace, and whispered ‘Petrificus Totalus’, in an instant the man froze and his body fell forward, face first into the leaves on the ground. The second man remained blissfully unaware of his companions predicament, by sheer luck he continued to ramble on and complain as Hermione raised her own wand in front of her. ‘Stupefy’ the second man fell to the floor, unconscious. 

‘That was close … we should get back’ Hermione was breathing a little harder than before. A mix of anxiety from their close call, and residual excitement from her close encounter with Draco. 

‘We should obliviate them first. We don’t need them going back to Greyback and telling him we are here. We should also move camp. It’s not safe here anymore’ Draco looked over to Hermione who now had a slightly ashen colour to her face. She had done much worse than a simple mind altering spell before surely, he thought. 

‘Fine … go ahead. You’re right. We don’t need them knowing we are here’ she schooled her features and redressed herself with a calmer expression. 

After Draco had altered the two snatchers' memories, and he was sure there would be no trace of them being there, he walked back over to Hermione and motioned for them to head back to camp and prepare to leave.

Once the panic and subsequent relief of almost being caught by Snatchers had settled, Draco and Hermione found themselves in hysterics. Walking back towards the tent, they laughed over the events that transpired only moments ago. 

‘He actually called him a flubberworm!’ Hermione struggled to say through her laughter, Draco placed a sturdy hand on the bottom of her back to help her trek up the hill that was directly below their tent. 

‘And what kind of bloody idiot announces to the entire woods that they are snatchers!’ Draco was smiling and laughing in return, it felt almost cathartic. Finally focusing on something other than doom and death, although that is precisely what would have awaited them should they have been caught. 

Ron appeared by the door a few moments later, his gaze zoning in on Malfoy’s hand touching Hermione. He narrowed his eyes towards them both. And watched silently.

Chapter Text

The incident with the Snatchers had Draco’s mind reeling. Everything leading up to that moment had felt very alien, and yet at the same time comforting. Like it was completely natural to be so up and close with Hermione. The moment Draco had realised that they weren’t alone, some part of the possessive side of his brain switched on and his only thought in that moment was protecting her. 

He was not prepared to address his new feelings towards Granger so openly. But he did have his journal. 

It keeps happening. Everytime I look at her, I feel something weird inside my chest. Like I’m struggling to take a deep breath, but at the same time, knowing where she is and what she is doing is the thing that keeps me alive. 

She is absolutely infuriating. The way she keeps everything and everyone together. Never taking a moment for herself. The only time I ever see her alone is when she is crying. When she has been wearing that fucking locket for too long so she goes and locks herself away for fear of disappointing anyone. No. Not anyone. Weasel. It's always him. He’s the one that puts her down. He’s the one that constantly makes jibes at her. The one who expects her to have all the answers. Every solution. Every plan. Every fucking thing, he expects her to do it all. 

I always put my hatred for him down to my father, and the fact that he is best friends with the ‘chosen one’. But actually scarhead is tolerable. Barely. But tolerable all the same. In very fucking small doses. Weasley on the other hand. Every time I see his big fucking forehead I want it to collide with my fucking boot. 

I blame the locket for making it worse. Maybe it does affect me more than I thought it did. That must be the reason. The reason why when he talks down to her I want to boil his brains in a cauldron. The reason why everytime he expects more from her I just want to scream at him that she is enough! More than enough! Exactly the way she is.

And then there’s her tears. Those precious little droplets that keep trickling down her cheeks. It’s the locket that makes me want to kiss them all away. To catch them in my fingers and put them back from where they dared to escape. 

The locket that makes me want to hold her close every single night while she lays there and counts the stars. 

It’s the locket. 

Definitely the locket.

*******************************************************************

Today was Potter’s turn to go foraging. Yet another simple fucking task that neither of the gruesome twosome can manage without Hermione coming to save the day. If it was up to those two clowns we definitely would have been poisoned by now by some ridiculous berry. 

With Potter and Granger gone, that left Weasley to wear the locket, and I’m sure every single fucking time he wears it… he death stares me just a little bit longer. The fuck is his problem I’ll never fucking know. Nor do I give a shit. 

Granger is curled up in a chair not far from me tonight, she is not wearing nearly enough fucking clothes. The weather has taken a turn recently. Fuck knows what month it is … but it has definitely gotten colder. And there she is … in some of the smallest shorts I have ever fucking seen, long ridiculously fluffy socks, and a short sleeved top which I am told has some muggle band logo on the front of it. 

I can see the goosebumps littering her skin. Little hairs raised along her arms. Her skin is pale, and glossy. It reflects the light of her little flame jars giving her a soft glow. Not that I have noticed that though. Definitely not. Just a mere observation on how feebly she is dressed. I’m going to have to give her a jumper.

Not because I want her to wear my jumper. 

But let’s face it, if she gets sick then Weasel and Scarhead are fucked. Like hell am I helping those two twats. 

No, I would stay with her. I could forage for some ingredients. Brew her a couple of potions to get her back on her feet. She could spend all day in my jumper. Keeping her warm. I could read to her. I’d stay with her until she felt better. 

Because someone would have to make sure she didn’t snuff it. Only because I would no doubt get the blame. The big bad death eater must have murdered the golden girl. 

***********************************************************************

She’s fucking crying again. The complete and total fucking tosspot that is Ronald Fucking Weasley. It will be a miracle if I survive this week without punching him in the face. 

Today he decided to tell Hermione that she wasn’t doing enough to figure out how we are going to destroy these fucking Horcruxes. And did Scarhead bother to defend her … nope.

Side note… he hasn’t made a single fucking suggestion either.

He’s fucking pathetic. 

Why? Why can’t she see how fucking brilliant she is. How special she is. Why is she so fucking quick to believe it when they tell her that she isn’t enough. That it was her fault for not brewing enough potions. That it is her fault we have this damn Horcrux and we are no closer to being rid of it as we are finding any others. She truly believes that it is her job to make sure that Harry survives long enough to defeat the Dark Lord. 

She truly believes that her life is inconsequential. What a fucking joke. 

Why can’t she see that she is the most important person in this fucking room. 

She is wearing my jumper again though.

*************************************************************************

Today was a better day. She laughed a lot. 

Today we went on another walk together, we definitely stayed closer to the tent, not straying past the enchantments and risking another tryst with some snatchers. 

Her perfume is exquisite. She smells like Vanilla, and Jasmine. 

*************************************************************************

She touched me again today. We were walking along and talking about nothing when she fell over a tree root, and reached out to grab onto my arm. I caught her hand in mine. And pulled her close to me to keep her steady. And then Potter turned up and ruined it all. Why does he always turn up at exactly the wrong fucking time. 

I think I might be in over my head. 

I am definitely in over my head. 

*************************************************************************

Hermione couldn’t help but wonder what Draco would write about in the evenings. He was always holding onto his journal. The same little black book that she had brought him just before the safe house was discovered. The only little journal that she managed to pack in time before they had to leave. 

Everyday they sat just a little bit closer to each other. Ron was always angry about something. Harry was constantly piling over the same  books desperate for them to reveal some new answer to all of their problems. So Hermione started to crave the company of the only person in the room who didn’t seem determined to rely on her for everything.

She wore Draco’s jumper every evening. When the weather turned colder and the little flames were no longer doing enough to keep them all warm, she would put it on again and notice his tiny smirk every single time she did. 

Hermione wasn’t overly paying attention to the book she had in her hand, too busy once again trying to suss out what she must have been missing. Dumbledore must have left her a clue somewhere. Barely glancing over the histories of goblins and the years they suffered at the hands of wizarding folk, darker times where they didn’t have the same rights that they do today when a thought struck her brain quicker than she had time to think it through.

‘Oh my god!’ she all but squealed. Draco jumped from his seat and skulked towards her, vaguely concerned that her sudden exclamation was cause for concern. Harry lifted his head up giving her a questioning look. 

‘The sword of Gryffindor … it’s goblin made’ she stated. Expecting the room to follow her train of thought. But only one person knew where she was headed. 

‘Goblins only use enchanted silver to forge their weapons and trinkets…’ Draco replied quickly. Understanding that is what she meant but still not entirely sure about the relevance.

‘Brilliant …’ Harry stared at them both, eyes wide. Hoping that one of them would be quick to explain the seemingly secret conversation they were currently having. 

‘No … Harry, you don’t understand. Goblin silver is enchanted, it doesn’t rust or decay with age, it only takes in that which makes it stronger’ Hermione continued but Harry was still not following.

Her thoughts became clear to Draco in an instant… ‘And didn’t you say just the other day that you stabbed the Basilisk in the chamber with the sword in our second year?’ Draco asked.

Harry suddenly understood what they were trying to explain to him. 

‘It only takes in that which makes it stronger. The sword is impregnated with the Basilisk venom. It can destroy horcruxes which must be how Dumbledore destroyed the Gaunt family ring!’  a glimmer of hope had begun to develop in Harry’s mind. They finally knew a way to destroy the Horcruxes… ‘That must be why Dumbledore left me the sword in his will .. of course, there’s just one problem …’ 

‘The sword was stolen …’ Ron clicked the deluminator extinguishing the lights all around them, plunging the tent into darkness. ‘That’s right I’m still here … but don’t let me interrupt the three of you’.

As Ron returned the lights in the room, they turned silently to see that he was more withdrawn than they had ever seen him before. Dark rings engulfed his eyes, his skin pale and dull. But what disturbed Draco the most was the evil, deathly glare that he had directed mostly towards Hermione. 

‘What’s wrong?’ Harry asked, Ron turned his gaze on his supposed best friend. 

‘Well, nothing’s wrong. Not according to you anyway’ every word that left Ron’s lips was dripping with venom. The air seemed to turn colder, and the room darker. Draco felt himself begin to seethe. Slowly but surely, the red headed twat had been sinking lower and lower in Draco’s opinion. He wasn’t sure he could fall further in his estimations, but Ron seemed to unconsciously rise to the challenge. 

‘Don’t be shy, Weasel. If you have something to say, might as well spit it out’ Draco cocked an eyebrow upwards, challenging Ron’s dominance of the situation. Firmly putting him back in his place. 

‘Fine, I’ll spit it out. But don’t expect me to be grateful now that there is another damned thing we have to find! I just thought, after all this time we might have actually achieved something. I thought Hermione knew what she was doing! I thought Dumbledore might have told you something worthwhile Harry! I thought someone might have had a fucking plan!’ Ron was starting to shake in anger. Draco felt his body seize when he had directed that anger towards Hermione … again.

‘I told you everything Dumbledore told me, and in case you haven’t noticed, Hermione and Malfoy found a Horcrux already!’ Harry countered. 

‘Yeah and we are about as close to getting rid of it as we are to finding the rest of them aren’t we?’ Ron took a step forward, slamming his fist against the table. 

Hermione carefully approached him, she tried to take the Horcrux off from round his neck. ‘Ron please … take the Horcrux off … You’ve been wearing it for days now. You wouldn’t be saying this otherwise!’ Ron angrily shoved her away.

Watching as Ron physically took his rage out on Hermione, had Draco’s mind racing, his own fury had finally boiled over to an uncontrollable point. He stomped forward and positioned himself protectively in front of her. Stopping Ron in his tracks and stoking the burning fire of anger within him. 

‘You dare put one more of your fat grubby fingers on her Weasel and I will remove each and every single one of them, before shoving them down your throat!’ he hollered. Shoving Ron back in return, distancing him from Hermione. 

Ron squared his shoulders, curling his lip in an ugly sneer. He lunged for Malfoy’s throat. Trying to wrap his hands around his neck. But Draco was too quick for him. He dodged out of the way, forcing Ron to trip over the table and tumble to the ground. Hermione tried to intervene but Draco wrapped his arms around her protectively from behind her and turned his body to the side, keeping her tucked safely nestled next to him. 

Ron got to his feet and shook his head at the sight before him. ‘I get it. I saw you two the other night. Didn’t have you pegged as a fucking traitor Hermione, lowering yourself for the likes of him. Tell me … how long have you been spreading your legs for the death eater?’ 

Draco felt a new level of fury from inside him he never knew existed. His vision literally turned red. His fists shook and his breathing staggered. Draco let go of Hermione and stepped towards Ron, ready to slam his fist in the bastard’s face. But he felt a tiny little hand settle inside his own, pulling him back. He turned to see Hermione silently begging him not to start this fight. Draco hated to back down, he wouldn’t let Ron think he had won, but he also wouldn’t do anything to disappoint Hermione. Choosing instead to give Ron a piece of his mind. ‘You do not get to speak to her like that! You worthless, whining little Weasel … She has done everything. Fucking everything for you and Scarhead! She barely sleeps at night because she is too busy piling over books and research constantly trying to plan the next steps. Blaming herself for not doing more, even when there is physically nothing else she can fucking do! She listens to every single fucking insult you so carelessly throw at her and she fucking believes them! The only person she has ever had to fucking lower herself for Weaselbee is you!! That woman you are so hellbent on degrading every chance you get, is a warrior! She’s the single most incredible person you or I, or anyone will ever have the chance to know. And STILL you act as though it's a damn pleasure for HER to know YOU. You are a fucking JOKE! So go on. Fucking LEAVE if this isn’t what you signed up for. If you are so pathetic that you can’t handle the fact you won’t be back in your warm bed by fucking Christmas! I won’t exactly be sad to see you leave … and they don’t need you!’ 

‘FUCK YOU MALFOY! You were never meant to fucking be here!’ Ron flipped the table in his rage and stormed out of the tent. Hermione and Harry followed closely behind him. 

‘For fuck’s sake Ron grow up!’ Harry shouted back towards his friend. Hoping that he would come to his senses. 

Ron ripped off the locket and threw it back towards them. Draco appeared behind Hermione, not willing to leave her alone with the Weasel when he was clearly unable to control his violent urges. 

‘And you? Are you coming or are you staying?’ Ron directed his glare towards Hermione, who merely stood there, her mouth hanging in shock. Opening and closing repeatedly, unable to find the right words to say to him.

‘Fine!’ and with a resounding crack. Ron had disappeared into the night. 

Draco turned and walked back into the tent, he quickly cleared the mess and fixed the table with a simple spell before sitting down in his usual spot. Harry walked in and sat opposite him. 

‘You … you alright?’ he asked Draco gingerly. Draco stared at Harry in surprise. He was certain that he would shoulder the blame for Ron’s departure, instead he was being asked how he was feeling.

‘I’m fine Potter. I’m … sorry. For my outburst. I probably should have kept my mouth shut but I … I don't know. I just couldn’t…’ Draco looked away from Harry’s penetrative gaze. Not willing to open the little box that was home to his undisclosed feelings for Granger.

‘I get it … You care about her. Hate to tell you this but, it’s quite easy to see. Ron was a git. He deserved it … I’m not innocent either. I know I rely on her for a lot, pretty much everything actually if we are being honest. But I would never go out of my way to hurt her. With or without the locket as an excuse … I won’t pretend I like you. But I do respect you for keeping her safe’ Harry stood up and nodded his head towards Draco in gratitude. Leaving him once again alone with his thoughts and his journal. 

How I didn’t Avada him off the face of this earth I will never know. He was vile and childish and disgusting. But still she tried to help. The rational side of her brain still told her that it wasn’t him speaking it was that fucking Horcrux. 

But then he pushed her. She tried to help him and he dared to hurt her. Something inside of me snapped. It just broke apart. I don’t think I have ever felt that angry in my entire life. At that moment, the second he used his filthy paws to push her away, I wanted to kill him. The only reason that I didn’t is because I know that would have hurt her even more. The look in her eyes as she held me back, it felt like a bucket of cold water had crashed over my head.

But fuck me will I be dreaming tonight, of a world where I could finally just get rid of him and free her. 

Draco put down his journal and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and fingers. Taking deep, steadying breaths to try and will away the deep seated rage that was still coursing through his veins. Thoughts of Hermione were running over and over in his mind. Where is she? Is she okay? Did he overstep? Would she blame him for Ron’s disappearing act? It was no good. He needed to go and see if she was alright. 

It only took him a moment to spot her underneath a nearby tree, facing away from the tent and staring into the abyss. The darkness of the night sky was almost all consuming, save for the tiny frame of Hermione, who seemed to softly glow under the moonlight. With a deep breath, Draco walked over to where she was sitting. 

Hermione didn’t turn when she heard the rustle of leaves beside her, indicating she was no longer alone. She didn’t flinch when she felt the silky smooth skin of Draco's fingers carefully caressing her leg back and forth. 

‘Granger … I … I’m sorry. I know … I know he’s your friend. And well … I know I could have handled that better. It’s just the way they treat you sometimes … it makes me so fucking mad that I … I’m sorry. It’s no excuse. I will leave you alone but I … I just needed you to know that I am sorry for what I said to him’ Draco began to get up onto his feet, realising this was a terrible idea, when she reached her hand out to grab onto his. 

The moment their fingers met, Draco felt his skin ignite. Like a tiny little electrical current was buzzing playfully between them. He forced his eyes away from their embrace, to look at how she was reacting to this new sensation. To see if she could feel the same little tingles that he could. The blush that was slowly creeping up the back of her neck told him that she did. 

‘Don’t.’ She whispered. ‘Please … stay.’

Draco felt his body flood with anxiety, playing host to an abundance of butterflies all frantically dancing behind his navel. He closed his jaw that he realised was hanging loose and undignified before dropping back down to his knees and shuffling closer to her. Never letting go of her small hand that had moulded perfectly to his. 

‘I’m not sure you understand the gravity of what you’re asking me, Hermione …’ Draco did his best not to choke on his words, but it was proving difficult to fight how his throat seemed to constrict to the feel of her body so close to his. 

‘Yes … I do’ was all she said in reply. Her only answer to a plethora of unspoken questions between them. The only answer that he needed at that moment. 

Chapter Text

In the days that followed Ron’s departure, Hermione found to her surprise, she was more at ease than she had been in weeks. Harry seemed to calm down also, no longer expecting her to have all the answers to their problems and instead trying to find solutions himself as well as listening to her and even at times, Draco.

Draco was never too far away from her, since that night where had practically shouted to the room that they should all be thankful for her, things between them had shifted. Developing into something that almost resembled a friendship. Taking a leaf from Draco’s book, Hermione began to keep her own journal. 

I woke up this morning to see that the ground had started to freeze over. The grass and trees around us are showing signs of frost. In another life, one where we aren’t running for our lives and trying to find a way to defeat a tyrannical maniac from destroying the magic of our world, it would be truly quite beautiful to see. But it’s never long before I am reminded again that our days of peace are numbered. 

This morning when I woke up, I found that I had shifted in my sleep and was practically snuggled into Draco’s chest. I confess I crave his company most days. Sometimes I even go as far as to seek him out just for a conversation that I know will result in me smiling like an idiot. 

He’s not as loathsome as he used to be. Actually most of the time now that Ron isn’t with us, Draco is rather pleasant. He’s intelligent, and cunning. He knows a lot more than he lets on,, and I find it refreshing to have a companion that I can speak to without having to explain every sentence. 

I wear his jumper almost every evening. I’m not sure what it is, but something about it is beyond comforting. It is far more comfortable than anything I own, and I’m not ashamed to admit that it smells divine. I’m sure he will never want it back now that I have worn it constantly, I’m not so much of a fool to believe that he actually likes me now that we are stuck together constantly on the run. Truthfully, I kind of don’t want to give it back. 

Hermione was sitting under her usual tree. Piling over books once more … trying to think of places where there could be more Horcruxes hidden, or even the sword of Gryffindor, when Draco appeared by her side, the same way he always did when he felt she was spending too much time alone. 

‘If you keep this up Granger, you are going to end up with a migraine’ he rolled his eyes at her playfully. 

‘We have to figure out where to go next. We have already stayed here longer than we should have. I guess Harry was still holding a little hope that Ron might come back … I won’t pretend it hadn’t crossed my mind as well. But we can’t stay here forever, we will end up caught and if we don’t get caught by snatchers then we definitely won’t make any progress in our search by remaining’. Hermione took a deep breath as she finally admitted to herself that it was time to leave. Hermione had a habit of talking too fast when things felt overwhelming. Draco didn’t seem to mind though, he just smiled down at her.

‘Did you have somewhere in mind that you think we ought to go?’ Draco asked her quietly. Playing with a few stones by their feet. 

‘Well … I’ve been thinking …’ Hermione started but stopped when she heard the gruff laughter of Draco. She raised both eyebrows as she looked over to him, pressing for him to let her in on the joke. 

‘Sorry … It’s just … well that’s not exactly a shock is it …’ He was teasing her. She pressed her lips together hard to avoid smiling at his jibes.

‘Honestly Draco … Yes I have been thinking, shock horror I know, but here we are … we are going to have to visit Godric’s hollow at some point. And I can already see how overexcited Harry will get at the idea but, it makes sense. Harry was born there, you-know-who killed his parents there and nearly died himself in the process. Dumbledore lived there … I think it’s entirely possible to consider that something could be hidden there. Either a horcrux or possibly even the sword’ Hermione turned to look at Draco who was taking in everything she was saying, showing her a level of interest she had not seen from anyone before. 

‘It makes sense, but … if there is one place that you-know-who will expect Harry to visit, then it would be Godric’s Hollow. There’s no telling what could be waiting there for us when we arrive, and I think you know that…’ Draco furrowed his brow as he looked at her, he knew she was right that they should visit, but he couldn’t rid himself of the sickening knot that twisted his insides together at the thought of Hermione being placed in any sort of danger. 

‘I know Draco … But at this point I don’t see that we have any other choice’ Hermione sighed in defeat and leaned back against the tree. 

Draco noticed the book that she had been reading before he interrupted. ‘The tales of Beedle the Bard. My mother used to read this to me every bedtime when I was younger. I could probably recite every story in here to you off by heart’ Draco smiled at one of the very few happy memories of his childhood. 

‘Which one was your favourite?’ Hermione asked, looking at him intently, hoping to dig up a little more happiness for him with her questions. 

‘Ah that’s a tricky question. My favourite story in that book is actually the darkest one … but it’s not my favourite because it’s dark. It’s difficult to explain, I suppose. All of the fables in that book have a moral as I am sure you have noticed by now, but that one in particular - this is going to sound awful but I always felt he was the one who truly deserved his comeuppance. He reminded me so much of my own father. A man who refused to fall in love, only taking a wife because she was beautiful and he wanted the world to envy him, when the woman accuses him of having no heart, and he shows her that he does, the heart has transformed to reflect the ugliness inside of him, in trying to isolate himself from love and humanity, he reveals himself to be a monster. Ripping out the heart of the woman he tried to win, in order to save himself, but instead he died as a consequence of his own actions…’ Draco dared a look at Hermione, hoping to not see any disgust reflected in her face. 

‘You aren’t him Draco …’ Hermione was looking deep into Draco’s eyes, she could tell, even without him saying it that he may have always considered his father a monster,  but he also saw that person in himself. And she knew that simply wasn’t true.

‘Nothing gets past you, does it Granger?’ Draco chuckled. 

‘I mean it. I can understand why you would think you are doomed to the same fate but you have already proved, more than once, that you are nothing like him. You agreed to terrible things in the past, not for your own gain, but to keep your mother safe. Lucius wouldn’t have thought twice about them to prove his own worth in the eyes of you-know-who. But when the opportunity to escape, and to keep your mother safe as well came, you chose to save her. You saved me at the Ministry. You defend me against Ron and Harry when you know that I can’t always stand up for myself against them. You have never once done any of that selfishly. And I don’t think you would rip out my heart, to save your own either’. Hermione rested her hand on his knee, imploring Draco to see the honesty in her face as she reassured him of his own nobility. 

‘No … but I would rip out mine to save you,’ he confessed. 

***********************************************************************

As predicted, when Hermione suggested later that evening, that they should visit Godric’s Hollow to look for any clue about the whereabouts of the sword or a possible Horcrux, Harry’s eyes lit up. 

It was no secret that Harry was desperate to visit his birth place. The last place that he and his parents had all been together as a family. And no one could really blame him for it either. But the trip would be fraught with risks. It was a hot spot location for many people who still opposed the dark lord, it was a place that contained many memories for both he and Harry. They would have to tread carefully and be wary of any traps. 

‘Harry, I still think it would be best if we use polyjuice. You are so easily recognisable. You will be spotted a mile off’ Hermione was trying to argue once again that the risks far outweighed the rewards on this occasion. 

‘Hermione no. I am not going to my place of birth … to the place that my parents died as a stranger. I want to go back as myself and no one else. I do hear what you are saying and I know you are right. But I won’t do it’ Harry was pacing back and forth in the tent. 

Draco was merely sitting back and watching the pair argue. He agreed completely with Hermione, this was a huge risk and they should be taking precautions. But he also couldn’t deny understanding Potter’s reasoning. So he wouldn’t come between them on this particular argument. 

‘Fine. But I am saying it now, just in case we die. Don’t say I didn’t warn you it was a terrible idea’ Hermione sat down next to Draco in a huff, eliciting a small chuckle from both he and Harry.

‘Don’t worry ‘Mione, if we die. You will have full bragging rights to say I told you so…’ Harry smirked at his own remark and Hermione couldn’t help her smile in return. 

The three of them apparated into Godric’s Hollow the next evening. It was a small village, one of the very few left that boasted a strictly magical community. The small pub that was nestled in the centre of the village was bustling with witches and wizards, many of the occupants already feeling the effects of one too many butterbeers.

Not wanting to waste a single second of their visit, Harry made sure to take in all of his surroundings, there weren’t very many people around and the ones who were, were too inebriated to pay them any mind. 

Draco looked at the many different houses as they were passing by. There were families of all sizes, smiling and laughing together. Seemingly celebrating something. Draco felt a pang of sorrow in his heart, he realised what it meant and in that moment, he missed his own mother deeply. 

‘Granger … I think … I think it might be Christmas Eve’ he stated. Both Harry and Hermione turned to peek through the window of the family that had captured the interest of their companion. The family were all laughing and hugging, the small girl was on top of who they presumed to be her father’s shoulders. She was smiling brightly, placing a star on top of a sparkling Christmas tree. They watched as she ran out of the room and returned a few moments later, with her mother, cookies and milk arranged neatly on the plate she held.

Hermione leaned into Draco’s side, she knew he would be finding this moment hard without his mother. Little did he know that this too would be her first Christmas where she would be without her own parents. Draco, feeling Hermione lean closer, hooked his little finger around hers. Harry placed his arm around her waist. And that is where they stayed for a few minutes. Just watching as the family before them made the most of the Christmas that they wouldn’t be able to celebrate themselves. 

Harry continued walking down the cobbled path, with Draco and Hermione close behind him. They passed by a small church who’s bells began to chime. 

‘Do you … Do you think that might be where they are? My parents I mean … Do you think they might be buried there?’ Harry came to a halt and looked into the little graveyard, hesitating with the strong mix of nerves and hope at the thought of seeing his parents' graves for the first time. 

‘Yeah Harry … I think they could be’ Hermione replied. Taking hold of Harry’s arm and squeezing it reassuringly. 

Draco watched as the two of them made their way into the churchyard, not wanting to intrude on this moment for Potter, he made no effort to follow them. He wasn’t exactly friends with Potter, but at least Draco knew his mother was alive somewhere in the world. Yes they were forced to spend this Christmas apart, but there was a chance they would be reunited. For Harry that was impossible, and Draco felt his grief. 

Hermione walked gingerly around the graves, passing each one at a time and examining them carefully. She noticed that Draco was lingering behind, he seemingly didn’t feel comfortable following Harry to visit his parents. Understandably. But she noticed his eyes never left her. He wouldn’t intrude but he continued to watch her closely, ensuring her safety. 

One of the graves that Hermione passed caught her attention almost immediately, she recognised a symbol that had been carved above the name ‘Ignotus Peverell’ the same symbol had be drawn inside the cover of her book ‘The tales of Beedle the Bard’ surely, she thought to herself, that couldn’t be a coincidence.

She turned to call Harry but froze when she saw him standing stock still. Just staring at a grave in the snow. Her heart sank for him immediately. She turned to look at Draco, who nodded his head in Harry’s direction. Ushering her to go to his side and offer him support. 

The resting place of Harry’s parents featured a singular joint headstone made of white marble, the dates of both their birth and their deaths were engraved underneath their names, along with the inscription ‘The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death’. Hermione placed her head on Harry’s shoulder, neither one of them feeling the need to talk. They just stood together in silence, taking a moment to honour the couple responsible for Voldemort's initial downfall. 

Hermione conjured a beautiful wreath of white roses before leaving Harry to have a much needed moment alone with his parents. Draco remained unmoved from where she had left him. 

‘Are you alright Draco?’ she asked him quietly, not wanting to upset him but feeling the need to check how he was faring after the realisation it was Christmas. 

Draco intertwined his fingers with Hermione’s and squeezed her tightly. ‘I’ve never had a Christmas away from her before. Not one. I can’t even begin to imagine how it must feel knowing you won’t ever have a Christmas with them again…’ Draco kept looking at Harry as he spoke, completely unaware that Hermione too, would never see her parents again either. 

A small tear dropped on her cheek with a shaky breath. Draco noticed and immediately wiped it away with his cold but soft fingers. A small smile traced on his mouth as he did, a smile that Hermione echoed. 

‘Merry Christmas Hermione…’ Draco said, looking down at the rosy cheeked woman in front of him. Her small smile grew, and with another squeeze of his hand she returned the sentiment. 

‘Merry Christmas Draco.’

Harry appeared after a few minutes, clearly shaken but pleased to have had the chance to visit his parents after so many years apart. The trio took one last look at the church and carried on their journey through Godric’s Hollow. 

‘I think we should go and see Bathilda Bagshot … She’s Gellert Grindelwald’s Great Aunt, and she was a very good friend of Dumbledore’s. I don’t think it’s silly to assume that Dumbledore could have hidden the sword with her before he died?’ Hermione was pondering all she knew about the historian, many said that she wasn’t quite all there anymore but she knew they had to at least try. 

‘Do you know where she lives?’ Draco asked. Giving Hermione a slightly accusational stare, but in truth it wouldn’t surprise him in the least if she did. She was notorious for her exhaustive research. 

As they carried on strolling down the street they happened across a large house that stuck out from the rest of the residents there. At least half of it had been completely destroyed, scorch marks covered almost every inch of the external fascias, there was no longer a roof, and the majority of the windows had been blown out. The gardens were heavily overgrown, different weeds and ivy climbing what was left of the walls infiltrated every nook and cranny. 

‘This is it … this is where they killed Hermione’ Harry stopped in his tracks, taking in the dilapidated house that had once been his home. Harry barely had any true memories of his parents, being so young when they had died. But he could clearly picture in his mind, his mother Lily, sitting on a picnic blanket in the gardens, the sun shining down on them and the distinct scent of summer flowers all around them. 

‘Do you … do you want to go in, Harry? We can wait here for you if you want to.’ Hermione stayed by Draco’s side. Supporting him while he mourned at their headstone had been one thing, but she felt it completely inappropriate to intrude on his family home where they had died. 

Harry shook his head, he was happy with the small memories he had of them. He didn’t want them to be tainted with visions of his home falling apart around him. 

Draco remained silent once more. Every single step they took in Godric’s Hollow felt like an intrusion, like he should have stayed behind and left Hermione and Harry to it. No one said anything about him being there, which he was sure would not have been the case had Ron still been a member of the party, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he didn’t belong. 

Hermione could sense his unease, and while Harry took a moment to make his peace with the scene in front of them, she once again took Draco’s hand in her own, this time lifting it to her lips and planting a soft kiss against his wrist. He turned to face her, reaching up at her cheek and smoothing a stray curl behind her ear. He smiled at the beautiful witch in front of him. Not for the first time, appreciating the woman that she was. Every time he felt he had finished working her out, she surprised him all over again. This time, she was making sure that he knew he was not an intruder, as if she had the ability to read his mind. He leant forward and kissed her forehead, closing his eyes briefly allowing the scent of her perfume to envelope him completely, committing it to memory. 

As he opened his eyes and looked up again, he noticed a frail old woman a few feet away, just staring at them. He leant down and whispered in Hermione’s ear. 

‘Someone has noticed us, she’s staring at Harry …’ Hermione met Draco’s eyes and he nodded in the direction of the old woman. 

She followed Draco’s gaze, turning to face their visitor, and recognised her immediately. 

‘Harry … Harry, that's Bathilda. Bathilda Bagshot …’ Hermione tugged on Harry’s arm, pulling his attention away from the rubble of the house and towards Bathilda who was still staring, and unmoving. 

Bathilda kept her empty frown at the group, slowly she began to turn around keeping her eyes locked on Harry for as long as possible, beckoning them to follow her. 

‘Excuse me?’ Harry rushed ahead, much to Hermione’s dismay, he caught up to the old witch as she stood outside another small and bedraggled looking house. ‘Are you… Bathilda? Bathilda Bagshot?’ He asked the little witch, panting to catch his breath from the sprint in the snow. 

The frail lady nodded in confirmation. Still not saying anything to any of them. Hermione looked around, still wary that there could be other people about who may not be as friendly, Draco placed his hand on her shoulder reassuringly and nodded to her to lead the way into the house, following Harry who had eagerly gone on without them.

The house itself was dark, and dirty. A foul smell coming from somewhere in the distance. It was widely known or rather guessed, that Bathilda wasn’t the witch she used to be, but as Hermione took in the grime and decay, she began to worry for the old witch’s physical wellbeing as well as her mental faculties. 

Hermione set about looking around the home, with Draco following her closely behind. It was one thing for the house to seem unloved, but what they saw appeared to be downright abandoned. Mouldy food in the cupboards, dirty dishes in the sink. The carpets and upholstery smelt distinctly of cat faeces. Draco had to hold his breath to keep from retching. But the occupant of the house seemed entirely insouciant to her guests' opinions.

Harry whispered for them to wait there while he followed Bathilda upstairs, hoping she might have information for him about the sword or possibly something else equally valuable. 

Hermione didn’t like the idea of Harry wandering off alone, but there was a chance that Bathilda might have felt uncomfortable being confronted by more than one person, so she watched as Harry disappeared up the small staircase before continuing searching the home for any clues or signs that Dumbledore may have been there. 

She spotted a small ornately framed picture of a slender blonde man with a hardened stare. She recognised the man as Gellert Grindelwald, Bathilda’s relation and once extremely close friend of Dumbledore. Next to him, a copy of Rita Skeeter’s new book picking apart the life of Albus Dumbledore in strenuous detail, with a note of thanks to Bathilda personally. 

“Dear Batty, 

Thanks for your help. Here’s a copy of the book; hope you like it. You said everything, even if you don’t remember it. 

Rita.

‘Looks like the little cockroach managed to swindle old Batty for information … Although I am surprised it was done willingly. Aren’t you Gryffindors notorious for your unending loyalty to one another?’ Draco drawled teasingly. Smirking at Hermione, satisfied with her irritated groan. 

‘Come on Granger, don’t spoil all my fun. All this doom and gloom we’ve had lately is starting to affect me. I might never recover, you know…’ Draco walked towards Hermione, his smirk morphing into a fully fledged smile. 

‘Doom and gloom affecting you Malfoy? Perish the thought. I would have assumed you would be utterly immune to such grand notions of despair’ Hermione was not about to be outwitted by Draco Malfoy. 

‘You wound me. Contrary to public opinion I do know how to have fun. It’s not my fault that it’s usually at the expense of others, when they all make it far too easy’ he closed the gap between them. Close enough now that Hermione had to lift her head to meet his eyes. 

‘And yet heaven forbid we all might have a little fun at your expense. I never realised you were so sensitive Draco… and only a touch hypocritical’ Hermione was smirking now, truthfully she enjoyed winding him up just as much as he did her.

However all thoughts of winding her up had quickly vanished from his mind, the only thing Draco was able to concentrate on now that they were totally alone, was the sound of his name on her lips. 

‘Say it again … please’ Draco swallowed hard. His mouth had gone dry and his breathing shallow. His heart started pounding loudly in his chest, he was sure that she would be able to hear it echoing in the room. 

‘Say what …’ Hermione’s own breath stuttered, she definitely noticed how close he was to her now. Still shrinking the distance between them, he was slowly backing her against a wall. He definitely wasn’t threatening her, but as of that moment, the atmosphere around them felt dangerous for entirely different reasons. 

‘My name … I want to hear you say my name again. You have no idea how it feels to hear you say it’ the tension in the air was thick and heady, suddenly there was no Bathilda, no horcruxes or swords. It was just the two of them alone in a room, with Draco begging to hear her say his name again. Even the sights and smell no longer registered with him.

Hermione placed her hands on his chest, the soft woollen material of his winter coat tickling her fingers. She felt her lungs tighten and her head start to spin. Draco had surrounded her completely, he was all she could see, all she could feel. His eyes were burning a hole straight through to her soul, she couldn’t, nor did she want to move from the feel of him pinning her in place. He lifted one hand and snaked it around the back of her neck, his thumb gliding along her jawline, his other hand had cemented itself to her waist, pulling her body flush against his. She watched as he slowly lowered his head, pressing their foreheads together, he gently wet his lips with his tongue, his warm minty breath fanning her face. Her eyes momentarily dropped to his mouth, before snapping back up, surprised by how his gaze was now dark and hungry. 

Unsure of the new feelings Draco was stirring inside of her, she felt herself rise to the challenge, her reckless Gryffindor courage taking over the rationality of her mind. 

‘Draco…’ She had no idea how she was going to finish that sentence, but it didn’t matter. The very second his name had parted from her mouth, she found his lips had crashed against hers, teeth clashing, his lecherous assault on her body was merciless. The deep groan that vibrated in his chest, sent a shiver up her spine. He tightened his grip around her waist and neck and pulled her in closer. Deepening their kiss. His tongue was begging for entry to which Hermione granted him greedily. 

Draco had fallen into a well of deep pleasure. Never in his life could he have imagined someone so entirely intoxicating. She was the air he breathed and the blood in his veins. The moment he heard Hermione say his given name he knew he would never be able to hear it the same way again. He knew that from that moment on, she would be the only thing to keep him grounded in this fucked up world. He was pure putty in her hands, and she had no idea just how in control of him she was. 

Never in his wildest dreams would he have admitted to her that she had his heart in a vice. But here they were. In some damp, dilapidated house of a woman a few gobstones short of a set, with Hermione’s mouth glued to his. Breathing new life into him with every tiny moan of her pleasure that he possessively swallowed. 

When they finally parted from one another, they had to drag the oxygen back into their lungs. Terrified she might regret it any second now he held on to her firmly. Silently pleading with her to never force him to let her go. He had spent weeks now driving those feelings down deep inside of him. Excusing himself as a gentleman every time he ran head first to her defense. But he knew they were lies. He knew exactly why he needed to keep her safe, he knew why he wanted to punch the Weasel every time he looked at her like he owned her. He was mad for this witch. And if she would let him, he would make sure the whole fucking world knew exactly who she belonged to. 

The magic of their kiss was quickly extinguished, as the world came back into focus they had realised that something like a fight had ensued upstairs, they were quick to their feet once they heard the cry of Harry in pain. 

Once upstairs, the shock of the scene in front of them had them momentarily falter. Where there was once the frail image of Bathilda Bagshot, now stood the tall and imposing silhouette of Nagini poised to strike. The scream they had heard came from Harry as they noted the large bite marks along his arm. She had shredded his skin with her teeth. 

Nagini hissed and snapped at Hermione’s feet as she began to coil around Harry, pinning him down in his place. Hermione threw several curses at the snake while Draco rapidly tried to free Harry from her muscular core. When finally one of her curses made contact, throwing the serpent clear across the room and smashing her into some furniture. 

Draco seized the opportunity to drag Hermione down to him and Harry, as he let one final blasting curse rip from his wand and ricochet around the room. Pulling the three of them out of a broken window while Nagini was distracted, Hermione apparated them away from Godric’s Hollow and back to safety. 

The last thing they saw was a glimpse of an enraged Voldemort.

Chapter Text

Harry, Hermione and Draco landed in the cold and snowy grounds of another new location. Taking the brunt of the blasting curse from Draco, Harry was unconscious on the ground below them. Hermione was quick to work, grabbing once again the little bottle of dittany and wandlessly magicking away the sleeve of Harry’s shirt, she set about healing the slicing wounds on his arm courtesy of the deadly snake. 

Draco left Hermione to work in peace, he knew that he would only be in the way if he tried to help so instead he secured their new camp site with wards and enchantments, keeping them safe and undetected to any strange travellers. Followed by setting up their tent and fire for the evening. 

Once Hermione had finished with Harry’s wounds and was confident that he would recover just fine, she levitated him over to one of the beds inside the tent and joined Draco outside by the fire. 

‘You’ve outdone yourself this time Granger, but I can’t help feeling I might recognise some of these bloody trees’ Draco murmured. 

Hermione smiled brightly in reply, ‘this is the Forest of Dean. My parents used to bring me here when I was younger. We would camp for a few nights and spend the warmer days pond dipping in the lake nearby. Back when the world was a much simpler place’.

Draco watched as the light slowly dimmed from her eyes. ‘And this is also where you chose for my safe house’ he recognized.

Her smile returned to the memory of the first few weeks of their unlikely bond. ‘Yes. Although the safe house is a few miles to the east of here, I didn’t want to risk us camping so close to where you were before, just in case it’s still being monitored’.

Hermione heard Harry stirring behind them, she stood and left to go and check on him. Draco sat alone with his thoughts, it was the first time that he had heard Hermione mention anything about her parents. Not that he had specifically asked about them. 

Draco thought back to that night in the Astronomy tower, the night that Hermione had taken him to this very forest. She kept it all to herself, she hid him from even her friends, she kept his location secret, she is still keeping the fact he has the diadem as a secret. She is protecting his mother, and she even brought him along with her to make sure that he stays safe. 

Guilt manifested in his gut, memories of all the times he tormented her, bad mouthed her, called her that awful slur that now left a sour taste on his tongue. She wasn’t any of those things he would call her before. She was good, kind, pure, and selfless. She was brave and beautiful. And somehow, someway he was going to make sure that she was his.

Harry appeared from the tent a while later, looking a little worse for wear. He sat next to Draco by the fire, taking up the seat that he was used to seeing Hermione use. He felt a little annoyed that it was Harry and not her sitting there. 

‘I hear I have you to thank … for me somehow still being alive. Once again.’ Harry snorted at the remark. He was no stranger to near death experiences, so much so that they were starting to feel like a bad joke.

‘Don’t thank me yet Potter …’ Draco looked at Harry sympathetically before pulling out the remains of Harry’s wand. Caught in the crossfire between their curses and Nagini’s attack it had completely shattered. The damage was totally irreparable. 

‘Granger has been stewing for hours over how to tell you, figured I’d do her the favour, seeing as we aren’t friends or anything … couldn’t care less if you blame me for it.’ Draco smirked. He had come to tolerate Harry quite well. Still not a friendship, but he disliked him considerably less than he usually did. 

‘I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. That house was fucking tiny. And when that snake peeled out of Bathilda’s skin …’ Harry shuddered at the thought. 

‘Presumably she had been dead for a while then? And you-know-who just left his snake there inside her body waiting for you to arrive. I guess I will look forward to adding that one to the memory banks for future nightmares… He knew you would go there eventually… You can’t blame yourself.’ Draco grimaced at the idea of Nagini inhabiting the dead skin of Bathilda Bagshot. 

Harry and Draco sat around the fire for quite some time. Making snake jokes and chuckling together. When the silence crept in once more, Draco took the moment to really appreciate the beauty of the forest around them. The forest that had previously been a source of his anguish and isolation, now took on a new light. 

‘She’s pretty good at choosing places to camp isn’t she? This is the same forest that she chose for my safe house before I was thrown recklessly into cahoots with you. Back when my own death was the ONLY death I had to worry about - simpler times’ Draco smiled at his own joke. 

‘The Forest of Dean is a pretty special place to her, it’s one of the only places she can come now to remind her of her parents. Everywhere else has either been destroyed or is too painful…’ Harry was looking around the forest as well. Draco knew this would be the only opportunity he would get to pry a little. And he couldn’t help the burning curiosity he had over the topic.

‘She doesn’t talk about them often. Her parents …’ Draco looked towards Harry out of the corner of his eye, trying to gauge his reaction. 

‘I take it that you don’t know why that is… ‘ Harry mirrored Draco’s side glance with one of his own. He scratched his head, clearly arguing with himself whether this was a conversation he was willing to have without her consent. 

‘You don’t have to tell me Potter. I care about her … more than I should if we are being honest with each other, so there is a big part of me desperate to understand. But I also don’t want you to feel like you are betraying her friendship’ Draco was surprised by his own admission.

Harry took a moment to absorb that THE Draco Malfoy had just admitted to having feelings for his best friend before admitting to himself that Draco would likely need to know this if he wanted any chance to understand her better. To be the one to love her as much as she deserved.

‘After what happened at the Astronomy tower, I saw Snape lead you off somewhere, but Dumbledore had used a charm on me stopping me from revealing myself and following you. After he died, and we finally found Hermione again, I tried to tell her and Ron that I would be going on this hunt alone, that they would have to find somewhere to stay safe, they refused of course, told me I was mad for even thinking they would let me go alone. Obviously they were right, I’d have been dead within a week without them, especially Hermione. But together we made a plan. The order arranged for me to hide the dursleys, and camp out at Ron’s until it was time for us to go on our own way. But Hermione, she had to make her own plan as well, one where she could guarantee that her parents would be safe when we were gone. They would always be at risk of capture and torture from him and his death eaters. They would have used her parents to get to her and in turn then try to get to me. So she …’ Harry sighed, but he took a steady breath and continued, ‘she obliviated them to hide them and make sure they would be safe from the war. She knew she couldn’t take the chance of just removing a few weeks or months worth of memories, it would be too risky that they would remember something important … so she … she took it all. Their entire lives, their names, their dreams, the wizarding world, and … her . They have no idea who she is, or that they ever had a daughter at all. I think out of everyone, she has sacrificed the most to be here, to fight for us. She doesn’t have grandparents or aunts and uncles, she’s an only child.. They were all she had. And now they're gone too’.

As soon as Harry had finished talking Draco felt the world crumble beneath him, last night Draco had stood there, complaining to her that he would miss Christmas with his mum, and the whole time she had been supporting him, she had to deal with the knowledge that she would never have a christmas with her parents again… and then it made sense to him. Why she never complained when he lashed out, why she constantly made allowances for Ron and Harry’s behaviour, why she had done everything in her power to keep his mother safe as well, she did it because she felt that is all she had left to offer the world. She was protecting the only family she had, and doing her best to give Draco the same protection for his own mother. 

‘One of the worst parts is that she did it alone, she didn’t even tell me and Ron until after she had left them…’ Harry continued, his own guilt written all over his face. 

‘Because I knew you would never have let me do it…’ Hermione appeared in the doorway to the tent, seemingly having heard the entire conversation. Harry turned a deep shade of red as she sat down next to Draco. 

‘Their names are now Monica and Wendell Wilkins, they run a dental practice in Australia, they have no children nor have they ever wanted any. They are happy… and if I had to do it all over again, then I would. They are safe. I saved them. Not in the way I hoped I would. But in the only way that matters now. I don’t regret it, Harry.’ Hermione had a slight hint of sadness in her eyes that shattered Draco’s heart to pieces. 

He couldn’t be sure what led him to do it, but he no longer cared who would see them. Draco leaned towards Hermione, and wrapped his arm around her waist, lifting her off of her seat and pulling her into his lap. She tucked her head under his chin and snuggled into his chest. Draco wasn’t prepared for the battery of feelings that flooded his entire soul when he felt her melt into his embrace. The light and purity that radiated from this little witch in his lap, infected the darkness of his heart, and all but cleansed the evils from his body. 

Harry left in an instant, knowing that this was a moment that they needed alone.

‘I’m constantly in awe of you Hermione, I know they call you the golden girl already, but fuck my life if only they understood the half of it. Of who you are. You are too good for this world. Too precious. I know that I don’t deserve you. I know that I will never ever redeem myself enough to deserve you, but you make me feel something indescribable. You make me want to be more, more than the cruel and cold man that everyone sees. You have become my new drug of choice, if I ever had a choice to begin with. I will want for nothing in return, if only you let me, from this day forward bare my heart and soul to you. Nothing will ever stand in your way again, you will never have to sacrifice anything ever again. I will make sure of it… I would pluck every star in the sky and lay them at your feet if you asked it of me’ Draco was done with hiding his feelings, no longer would he put Hermione in a little box in the back of his mind. He would never again be able to block out all of the light she poured into his life. He would embrace it. 

Hermione listened to every sweet promise from Draco’s heart. She listened, and she allowed herself to hope. To hope that there was more for her than a life of solitude when the war was done, a reason to hope that they could win and all would be right in the world once more. She had a reason to carry on, a reason to want to carry on. 

A small joyful tear escaped her eye, soaking into the sleeve that covered the fist she was holding to her mouth while she hid in Draco’s caress. He pressed small and gentle kisses to the top of her head, nuzzling her wild curls with his nose. 

‘Draco … you cannot say things that you don’t mean. I couldn’t … I couldn’t take it … My heart can’t cope with any more break. I … I can’t … lose … anyone else …’ Hermione was struggling to get her words out, the reality of her having someone else to love, to love as fiercely as she knew she could love him was haunting. 

‘Shhhh, shhhh love. I make it a point to never say anything I don’t mean. I am notoriously blunt, don’t you know. I don’t think I have ever made it a habit to .. what do the muggles say? Dice my scripts…’ Draco’s innocent smile almost had Hermione doubling over with laughter. 

‘Oh Draco… you mean, you don’t mince your words… but that was cute. Draco Lucius Malfoy attempting to use muggle phrases might just be the cutest and funniest thing I have ever seen …’ Hermione pulled her lips between her teeth, trying her best to stifle her laugh but it was fruitless. The moment Draco poked her ribs and tormented her for being so cruel, she lost her composure. Laughing loudly into the evening at his expense. But he didn’t care, he would pay thousands of galleons to hear that sound play over and over again. 

‘You are the Horcrux of my heart Hermione Jean Granger, and not a damn thing in this world is capable of destroying it. Not anything, but you’. 

Hermione lifted her face up to meet him, she trailed her thumb along his chiseled jawline, analysing every detail, she couldn’t be sure exactly when her feelings for him had developed from frustration to fervor. All she knew was that with each sweet nothing he whispered to her that night, her own heart beat a little more for him, rather than herself. 

Hermione went to bed that evening with a new sense of belonging. Once again wrapping herself in Draco’s jumper she realised now why he never said anything about her use of it, and why a possessive smirk would play on his lips when he saw her. She was inadvertently branding herself with his name. A small but meaningful gesture to how much hold he had over her. Perhaps, she thought, that was her real reason for wearing it every night, perhaps deep down, she had known all along that she was his. 

Draco was reading her copy of ‘The tales of Beedle the Bard’ glancing in her direction every now and then with a cheshire smile painted across his smug face. She rolled her eyes in response to his arrogance. But couldn’t stop herself from matching it with a toothy grin of her own. She got up and walked over to where he was sitting on a bed, and curled up beside him. Choosing to read the book with him, in content silence. 

As Draco turned the page, a memory of the events of Christmas eve suddenly flooded her mind. The symbol that she had seen on one of the graves there, had been drawn on the inside cover of that very book. 

‘Oh my god, I totally forgot. Before everything happened with you-know-who at Bathilda’s place, I saw something on one of the graves at the churchyard. It had this symbol carved into it …’ Hermione turned to the front of the book and pointed out the little triangle that had been drawn in the cover. 

Harry shuffled over to where they were sitting so he too, could look at the book in Draco’s hand. 

‘I saw the same symbol at Bill and Fleur’s wedding. Xenophellius Lovegood was wearing it on a pendant around his neck …’ Harry added. 

Draco was looking at them both curiously. He forgot that neither one of them grew up in the wizarding world, so likely wouldn’t know about any of the darker tales in the book. 

‘That’s just the symbol of the Deathly Hallows … it’s one of the stories in this book. I figured you knew that, and you drew it in there’ he said, shrugging his shoulders at both Harry and Hermione who were looking at him as though he was speaking in tongues. 

Draco flipped the pages until he reached the story of The Three Brothers. Showing Harry and Hermione what he was referencing. 

‘ T he story is about three brothers who, while travelling together, reach a river that any non-magic folk wouldn’t be able to cross. Being wizards, they merely conjure a bridge, enabling them to pass over safely. Halfway across the bridge, they meet Death , who is angry and feels tricked by them. He pretends to be impressed and grants each one wish as a reward… 

The eldest brother asks for an unbeatable wand which no other wand could ever match, so Death carves the Elder Wand from a nearby elder tree. 

The middle brother asks for the ability to call back the dead, missing a woman who he had been in love with and wishing to see her again, so Death plucks the Resurrection Stone from the riverbank. 

The youngest brother doesn't trust Death and asks for something that could hide him from the world, even from Death itself, so Death gives him his own Cloak of Invisibility. Afterwards, the brothers go their separate ways.

Eventually the first two brothers both succumb to death like they should have at that river, the eldest was murdered by another who wanted his wand for himself, and the second brother killed himself when he couldn’t bring himself to live with the despair of the woman who had no business existing in the world of the living. Only the youngest brother survived until he was ready for death to take him peacefully using the cloak to live a long and happy life. 

The triangle represents the Cloak of Invisibility, the circle; the Resurrection Stone, and the line down the middle; the Elder Wand. The three of them together make The Deathly Hallows, and the ultimate master of Death …’ 

Harry and Hermione remained silent, processing what the story could have to do with you-know-who and why Dumbledore wanted them to know about it. 

‘He wants the wand. I keep seeing him searching for something desperately in my visions… he wants something badly. He has killed for it already many times. I think … I think he wants the most powerful wand in existence’. Harry was speaking so quietly that had Hermione and Draco not been right next to him they never would have heard what he had said. 

‘Potter … It’s just a story. Just something our parents tell us kids when we’re little. There’s no proof they really exist …’ Draco tried to sound convincing. But even he was a little concerned what it would mean if Voldemort was to ever possess the most powerful wand in the world. 

‘I have one of them already … The Cloak. Dumbledore gave it to me the first year we were at Hogwarts’ he admitted to a stunned Draco. 

‘Harry … If you-know-who is after the wand, and he gets it… he would be unstoppable. I think it’s more important than ever that we find those Horcruxes and destroy them’ Hermione was holding Draco tightly, crippled by the anxiety of what it would mean for Voldemort to be all powerful. 

‘You two get some sleep. I’ll take the first watch … Can I borrow your wand Hermione?’ Hermione handed her wand to Harry and watched as he solemnly left the tent. She knew that he would be overthinking all they had just learned, and he would find a way to blame himself for not figuring it out sooner. 

 After months of watching Hermione closely, he knew very well that she would NOT be sleeping after the overload of information that had come from one little symbol in a book. She hadn’t yet moved from his side, so he stayed still. Secretly hoping that if she did fall asleep that it would be exactly like this, nuzzling her nose into his chest, with a book open that they had been reading together. His arms cocooning her safe and sound. 

The hope was short lived. ‘Hermione … I can practically hear the gears seizing up in your brain. You don’t have to have the answers for everything all of the time …’ Draco turned his head towards her and kissed her temple gently. Knotting his fingers through her hair. 

‘I know, I know. But I can’t help it. Usually if I don’t know the answer to something I would just head off to the library and stay there until I either figured it out, or I was dragged away for lessons … but I can’t do that now. I can’t figure out everything with a quick look in a book. I can’t fix this for Harry and it kills me. I feel so … so useless’ Hermione hid her face beneath her hands. She had never needed books to be brilliant, and Draco knew it. She was a force of nature all on her own. But as the weeks grew longer, the doubts in her mind grew larger.

‘I used to watch you all the time in lessons, trying to figure out what you had that I didn’t. If you really were this magic stealing muggle born, then why is it that you were better than me at pretty much everything? And do you know how often you had a book in your hand when you were proving your worth in class? Hardly ever. You were just… you. The books don’t give you the answers Granger. They just fast track you to them. You are more than enough, just being who you are’. Draco remembered how often he would sit in lessons, mind blown that Hermione had managed to master a spell in half the time that everyone else had. Looking back on it now, had him realising that he had always been in awe of her, he just didn’t recognise it as admiration, mistaking it instead for loathing. 

‘You were my biggest competitor you know… I would use your test scores and accomplishments as a marker for my own. It would spur me on to push myself, to be better, work harder, study longer … so me being a swot, really is all your fault. If you weren’t such a worthy competitor, then really I wouldn’t have spent half as much time as I did trying to outdo you’. Hermione felt the blush creep up her neck and blanch her cheeks, as she turned to see Draco with his mouth agape. She chuckled sweetly and shrugged her shoulders innocently. Draco shook his head playfully. Before pushing her down and pinning her tiny frame beneath him. 

Draco watched closely as the rise and fall of her chest quickened, her breaths becoming harsh and shallow. He felt a burning desire overwhelm his mind, blood rushing to his groin in response. He saw her pupils explode, drinking in all the colour from her iris. She wanted this, she wanted him just as much as he did her. 

Resting on his elbow, Draco lowered his face down to hers and rubbed the tip of his nose along her neck, following its path with tender kisses. Hermione wrapped her hands around his biceps, his muscles tensing to her touch. He released a shaky breath, ‘so fucking beautiful’ he practically growled in her ear. 

Draco carefully ran his fingers along her body, tentatively sneaking under his jumper that swamped her, he danced along the skin of her torso, skirting the edge of her breast he sucked in a sharp breath. He groaned quietly to the feel of her skin against his hand, trying not to draw Harry’s attention from outside the tent. She arched her back, begging for him to increase his pressure against her, to touch her more, hold her tighter. Fearing she may fall apart if he didn’t hold her together. 

‘Draco … ‘ Hermione pleaded, her voice was broken and raspy. She hooked her fingers in the collar of his shirt and brought his lips up to meet hers, roughly pulling their faces together; she wasn’t prepared for the pulse of her core as Draco’s mouth moulded against hers. 

Suddenly the tension of all that had happened in the last few months, began to simmer away peacefully around them. Each time that Draco had Hermione in his hands, her lips against his, the magic between them pulsed so violently that the outside world merely faded into the background. Nothing more than a quiet buzz in the back of their minds. 

With every hungry kiss he could feel her succumb to his will. She was giving him all that she had left, letting him take control of the moment. She didn’t need to think about this, it was as easy as breathing. She could give herself to him completely, knowing that she was entirely safe in his arms. 

A commotion outside quickly tore the couple from their secret paradise. Releasing her lips, he grappled with the same fears of letting her go and giving her the chance to run from him. It would take some time before he could allow himself to believe that she was his. 

‘Hermione! Hermione come quick!’ Draco and Hermione got to their feet quickly, fearing someone might have found them and Harry was in danger they made their rapid exit from the tent. 

The reality of what was waiting for them when they appeared outside was far worse than anything Draco could have imagined. He would rather a pack of werewolves were ripping them to shreds than see the likes of Ronald Weasley return to their group. But alas, Ronald Weasley is exactly what awaited them. 

Chapter Text

Hermione reluctantly left the safety of Draco’s hold and their little bubble to rush to Harry’s aid. He sounded out of breath and frantic. 

‘What is it Harry? Are you alright … ?’ Hermione wasn’t prepared for the scene in front of her and Draco when they stepped out into the cold. 

A few feet away from Harry, with the sword of Gryffindor in one hand and a very damaged looking locket in the other, stood Ronald. Barely lifting his head to make eye contact, he was a bright shade of pink, he was kicking the snow beneath his feet, making nervous patterns with his shoes. Hermione felt her inner rage bubble over. She took a very deep breath before exhaling slowly. 

Ron peeked up, finally looking Hermione directly in the eye. He raised the hand with the locket and a waving motion.

‘Hey’ he said sheepishly. 

Hermione felt her feet stomping forward without her mind in tow. She had left a good portion of herself back in the tent, still clinging on to her moments with Draco. Only her rage was guiding her towards her sullen looking friend. 

‘You ARSE RONALD WEASLEY! You disappear.. You left us for weeks and when you finally come back all you can say is hey?!’ Hermione shoved Ron multiple times as hard as she could. Slapping his chest and kicking at his legs. ‘How could you?! How could you leave? Have you ANY IDEA how WORRIED we were?’ Ron didn’t dare say a word, he knew he deserved every insult, every scolding and dressing-down he was receiving from Hermione. He had acted shamefully. He could try and blame it on the locket, but the truth of the matter was that it was him. He and his inflated damaged ego. 

Draco took his familiar stance of leaning against a tree. Silently watching the fight play out in front of him. The usual small and delicate witch was a lioness now. All teeth and claws, scratching and mauling at the traitorous friend in front of her. He couldn’t pretend he didn’t find it highly amusing to see her unleash all that pent up rage inside of her. Albeit he originally had other plans to help her vent. But this was almost as good. Draco knew all too well what it felt like to be on the receiving end of Hermione’s fury. Vivid flashbacks of the punch to the face he earned himself in third year came barreling to the front of his mind.

As much as he enjoyed the sight of Hermione losing her temper with the Weasel, he couldn’t hide his unease that he had returned. Would Hermione try to hide her feelings again to spare Ron. Would she distance herself? He had only just unlocked that little box he kept close to his chest, he wasn’t sure he would be able to stash it away again so easily. 

‘I know Hermione. I know I’m a terrible person and an even worse friend. I swear the moment I apparated away I wanted to come straight back, but your wards were just too strong. I had no idea how to find you… so I kept a low profile for a little while, I just hopped from hotel to hotel, hoping to hear anything about you, a whisper or rumour that might help me track you back down. But it was useless. You have been so careful. It’s kind of inspirational actually’ Ron shrugged, hoping a few little compliments might help to soothe Hermione’s anger towards him. 

‘And how may I ask, is it you just happen to come by the sword of Gryffindor?’ Hermione wasn’t any less angry. She was by all accounts furious. But she could admit that she was relieved to see that they had finally managed to rid themselves of one Horcrux and they now had a way to destroy the others. 

‘I was keeping a low profile with Bill & Fleur over Christmas, when I felt the deluminator in my pocket sort of buzzing. I clicked it, not really knowing what to expect and a little ball of light appeared. It hovered for a minute, and then I heard a voice. Your voice Hermione, I’m not sure how or why, but when I clicked the deluminator again and the ball vanished, I knew that it would lead me to where I needed to go … So I closed my eyes and apparated. I ended up on this snowy little hill, and I just hoped that one of you would show … and Harry did. But then I saw him jump into the lake and thought he must have lost his mind … I helped him back out and he had the sword so we destroyed the locket, and now I am back here … grovelling for your forgiveness …’ Ron reached out to touch Hermione’s arm but she recoiled. 

She wasn’t ready to forgive and forget but she was relieved to know that he was okay.

Draco watched the interaction between Hermione and Ron. He swallowed the lump of panic that had lodged in his throat when he heard the Weasel talking about the little ball of light and Hermione’s voice guiding him back. He wasn’t emotionally prepared to deal with the way his heart had physically tightened in his chest. But she didn’t soften. She showed no signs of forgiving him, something that settled Draco’s nerves slightly. He still wasn’t sure how she would act around him now but for the moment, he was relieved that she at least didn’t rush back into Ron’s arms. 

‘I’m glad you are safe Ron, and I am relieved that you have come back. But don’t mistake any of that as forgiveness. I am furious at you. And I am going to need some time to get over that …’ Hermione was still frowning as Ron looked at her with desperation. 

Hermione turned to see Draco standing stock still against a tree, silently watching her. In the weeks that she had gotten to know him, she understood a lot of his behaviour. Which is how she knew now that he was nervous. Nervous that she would forget him, that she wouldn’t want him now that Ron was back. 

Truthfully she was terrified to admit the truth to Ron, Harry of course already knew about them but he was always going to be the more understanding friend. Hermione knew that Ron still held a candle for their friendship developing into something more. Something that admittedly at one point she was curious to explore herself, but if this journey had shown her anything, it was how different they were, and how she would never see him as anything more than a friend. Draco on the other hand, was like a breath of fresh air. He knew how to make her feel like the only woman in the world. Like she was all that truly mattered to him. He challenged her mind, and protected her heart as his own. She would never be able to ignore that, nor did she believe that she would ever find anything that could feel better.

All of her feminist opinions, her independence, her desire to command her own mind flew far out of the window whenever she was in his arms. She was heartily prepared for him to own her soul, she would crawl on her knees to him if he asked her to. She would bow to his every command. She was his to do as he pleased. And looking at him now, his worried brows slightly furrowing, his gaze searching her face for any tell of her feelings, she couldn’t help but melt once more. 

With a new found bravery, she walked confidently towards him, and planted a chaste but meaningful kiss against his lips. She took him by the hand and together they walked away from Ron and Harry, the former of which was now rooted to the spot in stunned silence. 

Draco walked hand in hand with Hermione, a wicked grin was planted across his face as he looked down at their intertwined fingers. 

‘Don’t say it Malfoy’ Hermione caught the look on his face, she knew he was loving every second of this, winding Ron up had always been a favourite pastime of his, and this was no exception. 

‘Don’t know what you mean … Granger’ he replied, sinking his teeth into his bottom lip in a pitiful attempt to school his features. 

Hermione rolled her eyes. In truth, after her initial concern, she found that she didn’t care in the slightest how Ron felt about the situation. He had no right to comment on it when it was his cowardice that had led to her finding solace in Draco. They already had a much deeper connection than she anticipated, but she never would have known the depth of Draco’s feelings in return for her, had Ron not lost his temper and abandoned them.

‘I … I wasn’t sure how you would feel, about me being so public about my feelings for you. It’s not exactly something we have discussed …’ Hermione was blushing, she had basically made the decision for them both without considering where Draco stood in his opinion. She felt an eruption of guilt as the reality of what she had just done, exposing whatever sort of relationship they may have, began to sink in. 

‘Are … are you ashamed of having someone like me on your arm?’ Draco didn’t look at Hermione as they walked. Terrified that the demons now plaguing his mind might actually be telling him the truth. He knew he didn’t deserve Hermione, he knew that there would be a lot of talk and controversy over a relationship of any kind between them, but he could handle all of that. What he couldn’t handle, would be Hermione feeling ashamed of their feelings. 

Hermione stopped in her tracks, she gave Draco a stunned look. Not bothering to hide her surprise and worry from him. She asked if he was upset with her for not asking him first before exposing them to Ron, and because of that he thought that she was ashamed of him? 

‘Draco Lucius Malfoy … I am not ashamed of you. Of us. Of whatever this thing between us is. I was terrified that YOU would be. And that I had gone and practically made a public declaration of my feelings for you without considering whether YOU would want anyone to know about ME’. Hermione dropped her gaze, choosing instead to look at her feet. She heard as Draco took a sharp breath in and slowly released it back out. Draco let go of her hand and she felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. But then as quick as he had let go with one hand, he framed her face with both of them, tilting her head up so he could look directly into her eyes. 

‘In what fucked up world, could a worthless, pathetic, death eater … be ashamed of a woman as pure and magnificent as you Hermione Jean Granger. You saved me, and I chastised you for it, I made your life hell for weeks with my childish ungratefulness… but still you came to see me, to check on me, to keep me company when all I did was push you away. Frankly, it’s a damn honor and privilege to be yours’. Draco pushed aside the loose hair on her face that had a habit of escaping and waited, with bated breath, hoping that she would accept him, exactly the way he is. Faults and all. 

Hermione gifted Draco a dazzling smile, she wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoes to close the minute distance between them. 

‘You are not worthless, you are not pathetic. You are brave, and honorable. You’re a good man Draco… The honor and privilege is all mine’ Hermione wasn’t prepared to give Draco a chance to argue with her. She pressed her lips softly against his, silencing any thoughts of retaliation he may have had and melted against him.

***********************************************************************

Ron watched as Hermione walked away, hand in hand with Draco Malfoy. Having just witnessed the woman he always presumed he would fall in love with, kiss a man he had vowed to hate for the rest of his days. His heart clenched tightly, and his stomach wove around in knots. 

Dropping both the locket and the sword, he sat himself on the floor near to the tent to process all that had happened in the last few months. Harry walked over to his best friend and sat silently beside him. 

‘Did you know …?’ Ron finally asked. Not sure he really wanted to know the answer. 

‘Yes … I think the foundations for it have been at work for a long time. From the moment he joined us at Grimmauld if I had to guess. But for a while, I thought it was completely one-sided, she didn’t seem to pay him any notice. But then you left. They carried on taking walks together and slowly, it didn’t seem very one sided anymore. I knew for sure, after we escaped from Godric’s Hollow. They weren’t afraid to show it after such a close brush with death …’ Harry felt himself tense as he explained to Ron his observations of Hermione and Draco. He wasn’t sure how his friend would react to the news, if he would try and be alright with it or if he would make a scene about it again. 

Harry knew that if Ron made a scene, then his friendship with Hermione would cease to exist. But how could he sit and watch the girl he loved, fall in love with someone else. Harry still remembered how it felt to watch Ginny with Dean Thomas in his sixth year. It killed him every single day. But ultimately, all he wanted was for her to be happy. Perhaps Ron would feel the same. 

‘I don’t like it mate. You know I don’t like this one fucking bit. I thought … I thought I could come back, apologise and we would be alright you know? Not straight away obviously, I knew that it would take time and a whole heap of grovelling, but I was certain that she would forgive me, and we would end up together like everyone expected… But instead, she’s fallen for someone like him? How am I supposed to handle that …’ Ron was vaguely aware of the pang of anger that threatened to bubble inside of him, since being free of the Horcrux he had much better control of himself, but he couldn’t deny that the idea of Hermione with Malfoy was infuriating. 

‘Mate … I think … I think we just have to support her. I know it will probably kill you to do it, but, well she’s happy. Happier than I’ve seen her in months. I don’t want to take that away from her. I don’t like him either, but he … Well, I think he really does love her. Just from what I’ve seen, it’s a little uncomfortable to witness in all honesty’ Harry was trying his best to comfort Ron while also imploring him to just let it be. He wasn’t sure they would be able to face any more animosity between them all. 

Ron didn’t like it, but he had to admit, he did just want her to be happy. And apparently, for reasons he couldn’t fathom, she was happy with Malfoy. So for now, that would have to be enough for Ron. 

‘By the way Harry … here … I snagged this off of a snatcher when I was out hiding. Thought it could come in useful’ Ron produced another wand from his pocket, and handed it over to Harry. The wand felt alien in his hands but sturdy. Not sure whether the wand would truly adapt to Harry or not but for now at least it would do. 

When Hermione and Draco returned, Ron did his best to act entirely unbothered. But Harry was right, it was slightly uncomfortable seeing Draco Malfoy be anything other than an unpleasant ferret. 

‘I think we need to make a plan going forward … now that we have the sword. We need to think where else there might be a Horcrux. Research places that meant something to him, and see if they are still there today …’ Hermione was sifting through her books once more, piling over research and documents, anything that might lead them to anything relating to Voldemort. Her overactive mind was beginning to race ahead and in the process her movements became more erratic and clumsy. Harry and Ron had seen this many times, but neither one ever knew how best to calm her down. But Draco knew… 

‘Hermione, love. You’ve been over these books a hundred times. We haven’t found anything in them. You have been thorough, more than thorough actually. Believe me, you haven’t missed anything about him’ Draco placed one hand on either of her shoulders and pressed his thumbs into the sides of her neck, trying to release the built up tension inside her and help her to relax. 

The moment Draco’s hands made contact with Hermione’s skin she instantly calmed down. He was right, they had been over those books countless times and still nothing brought them any closer to more answers. But she had to be missing something. She knew that Draco had a Horcrux in his vault, but she wouldn’t let that secret slip just yet, after all you-know-who made many Horcruxes, so they could afford to skip that one for now. But she knew it wouldn’t be long until they had no choice but to admit it. 

‘Hermione, Malfoy is right … I don’t think we are going to find anything else here now. Maybe we should just start writing down everything we know about him, maybe that will lead us to somewhere new or something’ Ron had just agreed with Draco. Something that would likely never happen again. Hermione couldn’t help but smile at him, even though she was still furious. She appreciated Ron at least trying to make the effort to accept that Draco was now very much a part of her life. 

‘Alright, so that’s the plan then. We already had his diary courtesy of Mr. Malfoy Senior, and the Gaunt family ring which Dumbledore destroyed. I found the locket with Dumbledore originally in the Crystal Cave he would visit when he was younger obviously that was a fake but we have destroyed the real one now. I guess I don’t really know much more about Voldemort to guess where other’s could be …’ Harry was so lost in his own thoughts, he hadn’t even registered the grave mistake he had just made until he saw the shared look of horror between Ron, Hermione and Draco. 

‘HARRY, NO! The name’s Taboo! I told you Harry! I told you we can’t say it anymore! It’s how they find -’ Ron’s words were cut off by the sound of a sinister laugh from behind them. 

‘Tut tut tut … What do we have here? Mudbloods or Blood traitors? You can only be one or the other, if you dare speak the Dark Lord's name!’ A group of gruff looking men were approaching from behind the treeline, the leader of the group, the man who had laughed at their expense, was a large vicious-looking man, with matted hair and grey whiskers, his long pointed teeth, and yellow claws made him appear more beast than human. This creature, who wore death eater robes despite not brandishing the mark, was a notorious werewolf; Fenrir Greyback. 

‘What are you waiting for? Run …’ the beastial side to Fenrir enjoyed the chase even more than the reward. Draco followed Hermione as she began to sprint through the woods, Ron and Harry were close behind. Draco knew that running was hopeless. They would never be given the opportunity to escape, it was much more likely they were heading towards a trap. 

Hermione had never run so fast in her life. Knowing that Draco was close behind her, she didn’t dare to look back. The fear of what would happen should they be caught spurring her on, despite the protest of her burning lungs and aching muscles. 

The group weaved in and out of trees, the distinct sound of heavy boots hot on their heels. When Hermione and Draco made it to the top of the hill that had slowed them considerably, they realised now that they were totally outnumbered. Snatchers and low ranking death eaters had them surrounded. 

Draco turned quickly to face Ron and Harry, before aiming his wand towards them and throwing a stinging jinx at Harry’s face. Hermione took a moment to recover from the shock of seeing Draco raise his wand to her friends, before realising that Draco was merely trying to give them some time to figure out their next steps before the snatchers noticed that they had Harry Potter in their company. She ran over to his body on the floor and quickly pocketed his telltale glasses.

By the time Harry had recovered his footing and gotten up from the ground, his face had already swollen leaving him entirely unrecognisable to anyone who did not know him intimately well.

Draco ushered Hermione behind him, holding her hand tightly. Prepared to do whatever it took to keep her safe. Ron and Harry stood with their backs to each other. The four of them watched as the group of snatchers circled around them. 

Fenrir and another man who the group overheard was named Scabior made their way to the front of their ranks, twirling their wands between their fingers and looking at Ron, Harry, Hermione and Draco up and down, one by one.

‘What happened to you ugly…?’ Scabior was inches from Harry’s face, inspecting the swellings closely, he made no sign of recognition that it was Harry underneath the disfigurement. 

‘Allergies…’ Harry mumbled under his breath, hoping to disguise his voice as well as his face. 

‘Names…’ Scabior called out loudly.

‘Vernon Dudley … I’m in Slytherin at Hogwarts … My father works for the ministry’ Harry tried his best to sound convincing, a noticeable look of suspicion was written in Scabior’s eyes. 

‘Barny Weasley’ Ron stepped forwards. Holding his head high masquerading his fear with confidence. 

‘Mmhmm … A Weasley hey? Not heard of no Barny Weasley before - You a blood traitor too? Like the rest of ‘em?’ Scabior retorted.

Scabior’s attention turned to Draco, who was far too easily recognised by his striking white blonde hair to fake his name. Draco could sense that both Scabior and Fenrir knew exactly who he was. They bypassed him completely … turning towards Hermione instead. 

Fenrir circled her multiple times, licking his lips salaciously. A growl resonated from his throat.

‘And who might you be, little bird? A pretty thing like you shouldn’t be out in these woods all alone, who knows what danger you could find yourself in …’ Fenrir stepped closer to her, Hermione rooted herself to the spot, refusing to show weakness. 

‘Penelope Clearwater … Half-blood’ she said with no trace of nerves to her voice. 

Draco’s gaze hardened towards Fenrir. He knew his reputation all too well, Fenrir took a liking to young witches in particular, rumours of the disgusting acts of defilement he would subject them to before feasting on their flesh or turning them for his cause were rampant in the darker circles of the wizarding world. Draco had no intention of allowing Greyback anywhere close to achieving his clear goals with Hermione. 

‘Mmmm, you are fresh. Young. I like them young, you know, so ripe and delicious. I like to hear them scream, will you scream for me pretty?’ Fenrir took one of his filthy claws and stroked the side of Hermione’s face. She focused her vision on Draco. Refusing to acknowledge the torment from the beast beside her. 

‘And what about you… No need to guess who you are. Only one family I know with white hair and an ugly sneer … You be a Malfoy. Missus Bellatrix has been looking for you. She has something extra special in mind for her nephew … but why would you be with this rabble hey? Why are they so important …’ Scabior walked towards Draco, narrowing his gaze and tilting his head. 

‘I’m not with them. I only ran into them right before you arrived. I am on a special assignment for the Dark Lord. One not even my dear aunt has been privy to. Makes sense she would assume I’ve abandoned them … she is a bit mad these days after all’ Draco held his head up high and kept his nerve. Not daring to chance looking at Hermione, for fear of his feelings being discovered and used against them. 

‘Want us to take these lot to the ministry?’ Scabior turned to face Fenrir, who was now standing inches behind Hermione. 

Fenrir took a step forward, placing his chin against one of Hermione’s shoulders. And inhaling deeply. He snaked a hand around her waist, digging his claws into her side. He brushed her hair away from her neck and ran his tongue along her skin. 

‘No… we aren’t taking these to the Ministry. I have somewhere special in mind for these four … and once we are done, I think I will keep this one for myself, such a pretty little plaything. I can’t wait to taste you …’ Hermione turned her head away from the werewolf, wrinkling her nose in disgust. But panic was flooding her body. 

Draco’s breath quickened in fury. His nostrils were flaring and his eyes had turned dark and cold. He sucked at his teeth as he watched the filthy beast touch the woman he loved. Touching her in places that were for him and him only. Daring to imply that he would keep her as his own. But he knew he couldn’t act on his rage just yet. It would be a death sentence for them all. He could live with the death of Harry and Ron on his conscience, but he refused to risk Hermione’s life in any way whatsoever. So with all the strength and patience he could muster, he remained silent as they were escorted deeper into the forest. 

Draco’s eyes never left Hermione. And Fenrir never let go of her. He had dug his claws into her flesh so deeply that she was bleeding through her shirt. Just another reason Draco was going to kill Fenrir Greyback.

When they made it to the next clearing, Greyback turned to face Draco, a wicked smile on his face. ‘Time to go home … boy’.

Chapter Text

Looking out at the grounds, the floor was covered in a fresh blanket of snow. The fountain had frozen over, the ice reflecting the low winter sun into the windows of the Manor. But Lucius could find no joy in the sight of it like he once had. 

He had returned home from Azkaban a few days after the death of Dumbledore, eager to take his rightful place back at the Dark Lord's side, to once again command respect and power in his ranks. But what he found was a dark and cold house. A home empty and deprived of the love that had once echoed the halls. Even his loyalty to Voldemort had been in question. He was no longer respected. 

Lucius had spent hours that day searching the Manor high and low for any signs of his wife, Narcissa or his son, Draco. But to no avail. They were not there, and it seemed as though they hadn’t been for quite some time. What he found instead, was Bellatrix loitering the halls, filling the cellars with prisoners and torturing them for information. She was never entirely sane, but as one of his beloved wife’s sisters he had little choice but to entertain her madness. The years spent in Azkaban had not done her any kindness. 

‘I have news Lucius. Grave news indeed …’ Bellatrix had left her usual haunt of the cellar and was now marching towards Lucius sitting by the balcony of the drawing room. 

‘I care not for your news Bella’ he drawled, taking another very long gulp of his favourite whiskey. 

‘You will care for this … it seems that my dear sister and nephew have revolted, and joined the order. They are being kept somewhere in secret! You know we cannot stand for this… HE will not stand for this’ Bella was hissing out her words, afraid the walls might hear her conversations and betray her trust. 

‘Cissy would never betray me like that, Bella… You are losing your touch with the prisoners’ Lucius attempted to wave off the accusations but he couldn’t stop the doubt from creeping into his mind.

‘HA! You have no idea what I am capable of, dear brother … They sing like canaries for a cat. And Cissy would do anything for her darling Draco …’ Bella cackled at Luicius’ naivety. 

As much as it pained him to admit it, Lucius knew that Bellatrix was right. Although he was certain Narcissa would never challenge the Dark Lord by going against him, she would do anything to keep Draco safe. Even if that meant disappearing from the world altogether and spilling her secrets to the order themselves. 

‘You seem rather certain Bella, but I would implore you to check your facts BEFORE you sentence my wife and son to death’ Lucius was no fool, a coward perhaps, but he had seen enough of Voldemort’s wrath to know exactly what would await his family should what Bella was accusing prove to be true. 

‘You dare to think I would sacrifice my own sister if I were any less than certain! DO NOT pretend to me that after all these years you have grown to love her. You were never worthy of her. She married you for duty and nothing else! But IF she has truly turned her back on us all then she deserves nothing less than death!’ Bella’s words spat like poison.

With a deep breath, Lucius scowled at his sister-in-law and left. He refused to enter into her madness. He'd endured enough of his own in Azkaban. 

In the days that followed, Lucius never deviated from his usual routine. He would walk the halls alone, drink in the drawing room alone, and retire for the evening alone. He found absolutely no comfort or joy in the life he led now, there was no power or respect. He was a mess of a man, a pathetic excuse for a wizard, a drunk without a wand and a fool, his name now marred by the rumour of being married to a blood traitor and producing a blood traitor son. 

Voldemort was becoming more unhinged by the week. When Harry Potter had escaped the wedding at the Weasley’s house, he sent death eater’s to prowl the streets of diagon alley and other popular locations. When that proved to be ineffective, he placed a taboo around his name, knowing the only people foolish enough to utter it would be members of the order or Harry himself. 

When two death eaters were found to be stunned and obliviated in a cafe in London, voldemort killed them on site and spent the next day on a torturous rampage, Crucio’ing anyone who dared to request an audience with him. 

After the debacle at the Ministry, he murdered five different employees and made his way to Godric’s Hollow with his pet snake, that night he returned without her. His face clearly indicated a blind rage. 

Barely a few days later, and Voldemort had turned positively psychotic. A council meeting had been called in the Manor, death eaters of Voldemort’s inner circle were to attend and give full explanations of their lack of progress in finding Harry and his companions. When no explanations could be made, he tortured them all in that room for hours.

‘Tell me Lucius, what news is there regarding your lovely wife and son?’ Voldemort asked, the entire room falling silent as he spoke. Lucius flinched at the mention of his name by the Dark Lord. 

‘N … Nothing as yet, my … my lord’ he whimpered in reply. Lucius tried to keep his head down as often as possible, not wanting to draw the Dark Lord’s attention to himself. 

‘That is … disappointing. I expected more from you Lucius. I had hoped you would find a way to redeem yourself to me …’ Voldemort stared down at him, the room sniggered as Lucius felt himself begin to shrink into his chair. 

‘If I may, my lord. I want to be the one to kill my nephew. It would bring me such honor to hand you his head. Making an example of the boy to any who dare defy you …’ Bellatrix cowered when Voldemort turned his attention towards her, his eyes still narrow with disgust at the incessant grovelling of his followers. 

‘As admirable as I find your bloodlust Bella, I will be making a public example of young Draco. His failures must not be tolerated or hushed away with a merciful execution.. No’ Voldemort stood and walked around the table that was now the centrepiece of Malfoy Manor’s ballroom. ‘The crimes of Narcissa and Draco are unforgivable. Once noble allies, now weak, unworthy blood traitors. I do not take kindly to betrayal. But no matter, there is one here, who may yet prove himself to me once more while simultaneously seeing that justice is served. Once the blood traitors are in our grasp, Lucius … I expect you to see that they are adequately punished for their crimes’. 

Lucius snapped his head back towards his master. The shock of what he had been commanded to do, overwriting his usual fear to look directly towards the Dark Lord. 

‘My Lord … You want me to … Kill my wife and son?’ His eyes widened at the realisation of what he was being asked to do. True he had only married when he was younger because it is what was expected of him as a traditional pureblood Malfoy heir, but he respected Narcissa as his wife, and in his own way, he loved Draco. Now he was being asked to prove his worth by slaughtering his wife and only son for treason. 

‘Will that be a problem Lucius?’ Voldemort hissed from across the room. All eyes turned silently to Lucius. 

‘N … No my Lord. I … I will … see that they are … punished for their crimes’ he stuttered over his words. He couldn’t refuse Voldemort in front of the entire room, and in truth he was so afraid of him that he would agree to do whatever he asked, regardless of how much it pained him to do it. 

When the meeting was adjourned and the room had cleared, Lucius found himself alone with his thoughts and his whiskey once more. Everything that had happened up until that point felt like a bad dream. He wasn’t sure any more what was real and what was not. 

‘Poor ickle Lucius. All alone with nothing but his whiskey to love … you’re pathetic. You WILL do as you have been commanded make no mistake or I will kill you myself … and I will not make it quick’ Bellatrix had waltzed into the drawing room and taken a seat by the window. She hung her legs over the arm of her chair lazily, and was twirling her wand in her fingers in her boredom. Winding Lucius up simply wasn’t as entertaining now that he was often too drunk to react to it. 

‘Look alive Lucius … I believe we have guests’ Bella quickly stood to her feet in excitement. She had a wicked grin on her face, the crazed look in her eye returning once more, replacing her bored gaze.

When Draco recovered from the forced apparition, he found himself looking upon a familiar sight. They had been transported back to Malfoy Manor. He was about to come face to face with Bellatrix and quite likely his father, for the first time since he abandoned the Dark Lord. 

Greyback chuckled darkly when he saw the reaction from Draco. 

‘Don’t worry boy … we will put on a little show for you before we introduce you to the after life’ Fenrir hugged Hermione a little tighter and she whimpered. 

The group were dragged through the doors to the Manor where they were greeted by some lower ranking death eaters. All of whom were smiling triumphantly. Draco barely recognised his family home. It had been enveloped in darkness. You could feel the crackle of dark magic all around them. He was more attuned to it than most, but he was sure even Hermione, Ron and Harry must be able to feel it too, it was that potent. 

Harry luckily was still disguised by the stinging hex, but there were signs that the effects were starting to fade. He could just about see through his swollen eye now, and his nose looked a fraction less red and puffy. Draco silently hoped that it would last as long as they needed it to.

Scabior and Fenrir guided Hermione and the boys through a large ornate double door, which opened to a dark but spacious room. It was dimly lit by a few candles on the mantel and although the curtains were open, the windows were so dirty they were left mostly redundant. 

‘Well well well, what do we have here then … Draco … Darling. I’ve been looking for you, naughty boy!’ Bellatrix walked over to her nephew and held him in her gaze, she gently stroked his face before striking him hard. The resounding slap echoed around the room and Draco saw Hermione lurch forward before being pulled back against Fenrir once more. 

‘Now Draco, listen to me sweetie, if let’s say, that we called the Dark Lord and explained to him that you had been hiding with the Mudblood, pretending to turn your back on us only to deliver her and potter directly to him as a gift .. well then perhaps all shall be forgiven hmm? Perhaps you will be a most honored member of his circle … perhaps even dear mummy can come home too?’ Bellatrix was standing behind Draco, whispering into his ear. She had a sinister look in her eyes, something that told Hermione she was lying. Draco would never be forgiven for this, she only needed him to be sure that it was indeed Harry standing here. 

‘So Draco .. What do you say? Is that monstrosity over there really Harry Potter? Shall I call his Lord and give you the chance to beg for his mercy?’ Bellatrix walked back towards Ron and Harry, dragging her wand along their necks threateningly. 

Just as Bellatrix was about to demand an answer from Draco, something caught her eye and her glare turned murderous. 

‘What is that?’ She looked furiously between Scabior and Greyback when she spied the sword in one of their companions hands. 

‘We found it in their tent … Reckon it’s mine now’ the ghastly looking man said proudly. 

Bellatrix unleashed hell in the room before anyone had the chance to react. Knocking out all the snatchers and bringing Greyback to his knees. 

‘Greyback!! Take the boys to the cellar, Draco and the Mudblood stay here. We are going to have a little chat dearie …’ Bellatrix stalked towards Hermione, practically foaming at the mouth with anger. 

‘NO!’ Draco roared. Lucius stepped forward and held his son down. ‘No. TAKE ME! Bella please .. take me instead!’ Draco couldn’t contain his emotions any longer. He knew exactly what his aunt was capable of, she had no remorse in her, no conscience to stay her hand when enough was enough. She would brutalise Hermione until there was nothing left of her. He was not about to let that happen. 

‘Oh Draco. You disappoint me … offering yourself up as a sacrifice to save a filthy mudblood! You don’t deserve the name Malfoy! You will WATCH and when I am done, then you can take her place, when there is nothing left of her … when I give her over to Greyback, then I will start on you’ Bellatrix was snarling at Draco. He had played his hand. There was no turning back now. Bellatrix knew now that Hermione was a weakness to Draco and she would have no issues exploiting that. 

Greyback disappeared with Harry and Ron in tow. Dragging them down to the cellar underneath the drawing room and locking them behind a thick iron gate. The moment the door locked behind them, the terrifying screams of Hermione echoed through the halls. 

Harry began pacing the room, he couldn’t make anything out among the darkness. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust but as they did he realised they weren’t alone. 

‘HERMIONE!’ Ron was bellowing loudly in their makeshift cell. Harry had every confidence that Draco would not just sit by and pretend he didn’t care. But Ron being the hothead that he was, couldn’t help his reaction to hearing her screams. Any logic or rationality that might have been inside him, was no longer contributing to his decisions.

‘Hello Harry Potter’ Harry turned to see a small blonde girl shackled in the corner of the room and was stunned to realise Luna Lovegood staring back at him.

‘Luna?!’ Harry couldn’t believe his eyes, next to Luna was Mr. Ollivander and Griphook the goblin. Also prisoners in the cellar of Malfoy Manor.

‘Did I hear that Draco is upstairs with Hermione. He doesn’t sound well. I suppose it must be hard for him to see her in so much pain…’ Harry always knew that there was more to Luna than people assumed, he was certain that if anyone in the world could be a true seer then it was Luna. She just seemed to know things that to anyone else would make no sense.

‘HERMIONE!!’ Another scream from Ron echoed around them. The commotion from upstairs was still sounding loudly around them. As though they were right there, they could hear every word. 

‘There’s no way out my boy. We have tried. But it's an anti-escape room’ Mr. Ollivander stood up feebly. Understanding Harry’s train of thoughts as he frantically scanned the room around him. 

‘WHERE DID YOU GET THIS SWORD!’ Bella was screaming at Hermione.

‘We found it - we found it PLEASE -’ Hermione’s cries were cut short by the sound of her screams once again. Draco struggled against his father. He was desperate to get to her. To save her from the madwoman in the room who had begun to carve into Hermione’s wrist with a dagger. 

‘HERMIONE! BELLA STOP PLEASE STOP!’ Draco could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. The sounds of Hermione’s screams cut deep into his core. His heart was shattering bit by bit. 

Harry was struggling to cope with the sound of his best friend being tortured above them. He could hear Draco’s reactions and could only imagine what it must be like for him to watch it. 

‘Your leg is bleeding Harry’ Luna gave a spacey smile and pointed towards the blood trickling out from Harry’s trouser leg. Once again, Luna had shown there was more to her than meets the eye. Harry quickly pulled the scrap of mirror from his trouser leg, a two-way mirror that had once belonged to Sirius Black. 

‘Help us. Please!’ Harry spoke into his reflection, not sure who was listening on the other side since the mirror was stolen by Mundungus after Sirius had died, only hoping they were friend and not foe. But at the end of his plea, a small crack sounded near the gate that had locked them all inside. 

‘Hello Harry Potter …’ 

‘You are lying! Filthy mudblood! You have been inside my vault haven’t you?! HAVEN’T YOU?!’ Another scream from Hermione, as Bella continued her assault. 

‘HERMIONE!’ Draco was becoming frantic. Lucius was struggling to keep his son down. 

‘WHAT ELSE DID YOU TAKE?! CRUCIO!’ Bella dropped the knife to the floor and resorted to the torture curse. Hermione felt her body convulse and contort from the pain. Where there had been one knife slicing her flesh, a thousand knives now littered her body, all stabbing and twisting inside of her. 

The new scream that left Hermione’s throat was soul destroying. Draco felt his heart break into a thousand pieces. The tears were flowing freely down his face and adrenalin was now coursing through his veins. 

Draco felt as his soul left his body, like he was a mere spectator to the scene in front of him, he watched on as his father was thrown across the room and he stormed towards his aunt. Taking his wand from the floor he threw curse after curse at Bellatrix. She was quick and efficient, blocking everything that Draco tried. His anger surged on and pressed forward with his attack. 

Harry and Ron came barreling up the stairs stunned by the events that had unfolded in the time they were locked in the cellar. Hermione was still convulsing on the floor, blood trickling from her ears and mouth, Lucius was on the other side of the room groaning attempting to get back on his feet, Draco was frantically casting curses against his aunt, a deranged look in his eyes that could rival Voldemort himself. 

Ron and Harry ran over to Hermione, unsure how to help her when Dobby reappeared.

‘MALFOY!’ Harry screamed for Draco to stop and come back with them. He walked backwards with his wand still raised. Bella recovered herself quickly and tried to stalk towards them, Lucius was now also on his feet and approaching from the opposite side. 

‘YOU STUPID ELF! HOW DARE YOU DEFY YOUR MASTERS!’ Bellatrix glared down at the little house elf that had appeared out of thin air. She knew immediately it had been him who had freed Ron and Harry from the cellar. And likely the other prisoners as well. 

‘Dobby has no master! Dobby is a free elf! And he has come to save Harry Potter and his friends! Just like he has saved mistress Narcissa! Just like he will save Master Draco from the evil man too!’ Lucius visibly paled at the mention of Narcissa. Draco caught his reaction and felt sick. How dare he act as though he cared now. After all the years of torment, all the years of suffering his abuse and poisonous words, he chose now to appear affected by the loss of his family. 

Draco quickly held Hermione’s hand, the hand of the only family in that room who mattered to him now, and grabbed onto Dobby as he clicked his fingers and apparated away from Malfoy Manor. The last thing Draco saw was a furious Bellatrix throwing her dagger towards them. 

Chapter Text

Draco dared not open his eyes. With the temporary loss of his sight, all his other senses kicked into overdrive. He could hear the sound of waves crashing against rocks in the distance, he could feel a gentle breeze playing with his hair, he could smell the salt of the sea surrounding him. 

When he opened his eyes he was relieved to see he was still alive, and still holding tightly to Hermione. 

Hermione. 

Panic swirled inside his mind. Not a moment ago, Hermione was on the floor of his family home, writhing in pain, her body limp and heavy from the multiple torture curses she received at the hand of Bellatrix Lestrange. 

‘Arry! Oh mon Dieu! Bill… You must get ze potions from ze ‘ouse straight away!’ A tall slender woman with long flowing blonde hair was running frantically towards Draco and the others. He didn’t know who she was, but she knew Harry and that meant she was safe. 

‘Oo is zis? No. Later … ‘Ermione … She is ‘urt?’ The blonde lady kneeled down to look over Hermione, she cast a diagnostic spell above her and gasped at the extensive damage inside her tiny body. 

‘Please …’ Draco was crying once more. ‘Please you have to help her. Save her … please please save her’ he had never begged for anything in his whole life. But now, there was nothing he wouldn’t do to save Hermione, he would crawl on his knees for her if it meant he would see her smile once more. 

‘I will do all zat I can …’ A tall red headed man appeared. Another Weasley no doubt. The man called Bill, Draco presumed. If he was a Weasley, then they were definitely safe here. 

‘Arry I am so sorry for ‘im. We will gives ‘im an honorable zend off’ the blonde lady stood, and levitated Hermione from the ground. She gave her a small pink potion, likely a sedative to calm her while she tried to heal her. 

Draco turned to see Harry cradling the small lifeless body of Dobby the elf. He felt his heart crack at the sight. Dobby had always been a friend to Draco growing up, he shouldered much of the blame when it came to any mischief Draco got up to. More often than not taking physical punishments to save him… But all he could focus on right now, was Hermione and staying by her side. 

The man called Bill gave Draco a harsh stare, he was not in the mood to be body blocked by another ginger twat. Even if they were trying to save Hermione. He saw Bill looking behind him straight to Ron, Draco turned to offer a deadly glare of his own … Ron nodded and Bill stood aside to let Draco pass. He did not bother to thank anyone, his sole focus was to get to Hermione as quickly as possible. 

Draco could hear the cries of pain from Hermione in one of the upstairs rooms of the cottage, in other circumstances he would likely take a minute to criticize the small rooms and simplistic decor but he didn’t have the time or inclination to care. Bursting through the door to her makeshift medical room, Draco fell to his knees when he saw her laid there. 

Her skin was pale and she was barely breathing. She had dried blood stains around her mouth and nose, and there was a diagnostic spell hanging above her in the air. It clearly showed the extensive damage that Bella’s Crucio had caused her internally. Many of her organs were failing, Luna and the Blonde woman were casting spell after spell to try and slow the bleeding enough to give her organs time to recover. Luna had a tray of different potions in front of her, some which Draco recognised, blood replenishing potions, calming draughts, dreamless sleep, pain blockers among them and some he did not know. A little gold potion in a tiny vial, a swirling purple one, and multiple bright red potions similar to blood replenishing only much more vivid in colour. 

‘Hello Draco Malfoy. I am sure it will be no use asking you to leave, but you must promise to not get in the way. Or Fleur might not be able to do her best work…’ Luna smiled sweetly, she was always so calm. Draco remembered as many people would say that she was mad. But actually he felt that she was just resilient and unbothered by much if anything at all. She had that aura about her that said she had lived through more trauma in her childhood than most people would see in their entire lifetime, and that only added to her calming nature.

‘Draco Malfoy? Well zat is a surprise. But I am sures zat zere will be time to explain later. For now oo must stay outs of ze way… qui?’ Draco stared at the blonde lady he now knew as Fleur. As soon as Luna had mentioned her name, he recalled her from the tri-wizard tournament. She had changed drastically but she was still beautiful. And she was trying everything to save the love of his life. 

‘I won’t get in your way I promise but please… please just let me stay with her’ he was back to begging. 

Neither Fleur nor Luna said anything in reply, but they both gave him a small smile before carrying on with their work. 

A gruelling fourteen hours later and Hermione finally showed signs of stabilising. At one point in the night, her heart had stopped beating, trying to give up working so hard. Draco nearly burnt the entire cottage to the ground when he thought he was going to lose her. But Harry pulled him outside and tried to calm him down. He had punched Harry in the nose for not letting him back in the room, but it turned out to be the right call. There was no way that Luna and Fleur would have been able to concentrate half as well as if they had a raving lunatic shouting at them both. 

When Fleur finally walked out the room a whole two hours later, she gave Draco a warm hug. Draco pulled away from her in disbelief, tears threatening him once again, he was almost certain the witch was about to apologise and tell him they did all they could to save her, when she smiled brightly and said that he could go back in, that she was a fighter. 

Draco felt that he might die on the spot when he saw the little golden spell, casting her heartbeat into the room as it thumped rhythmically. Relief flooded his entire body and after another few hours of watching her breathing soundly, sleep finally abducted him. 

When Draco woke once more, Hermione was still sleeping soundly on the bed next to him. He checked the spell hovering above her again, the spell that still echoed a strong and steady heartbeat. A deep sigh of relief left his body, she looked so vulnerable lying there helplessly, he took her hand in his own and kissed her tenderly, never straying his eyes from the periodic pattern of her heartbeat.

‘You’re going to be ok mon amour, they saved you. I punched the scarhead in the nose, I promise I will apologize to him later. But I’m not leaving you right now. I’m never leaving you again Hermione’ Draco kept placing small kisses on her hand and wrist, she was soft and warm. And alive.

‘Oo ‘ave surprised me, monsieur Malfoy. ‘Arry as told us all ‘bout your travels. And ‘ow much you love ‘er. I ‘ave ‘eard you call ‘er your mon amour. C’est facile à voir. (It is easy to see). ’ Fleur walked round to the other side of Hermione’s bed, she cast another intricate spell that showed an image of inside her body. There was a silver glow around her heart, lungs and kidneys. A small red slice near to her stomach and a few purple rings around some of her ribs. 

‘Ze is doing well. ‘Er organs ‘ave all ‘ealed nicely. Zere is a small wound near to ‘er stomach and ze ‘as a few broken ribs, I can fix ‘er ribs after ze as woken up from ‘er sleep. ‘Er stomach will ‘eal in its own time. And before ‘oo ask - I don’t know when ze will be wakings up yet’ Fleur conjured a tea tray and some food for Draco to eat, two days ago he would have inhaled the food in front of him, living on rations for months had left him significantly thinner and hungrier. But he had lost his appetite the moment that Bella’s dagger made contact with Hermione’s skin. 

For five days Draco did not leave Hermione’s bedside. Harry and Ron came in intermittently, each time they would bring some manner of food or drink for him to try and eat. But he could barely stomach it. Eating only enough to ensure he didn’t pass out himself. 

Finally on the sixth day, Hermione woke up. 

Hermione could hear voices around her, but her eyelids refused to part. 

‘You need to eat Draco. You aren’t any use to her half dead yourself!’ Harry’s voice was echoing in the room, his louder than necessary volume had drilled through Hermione’s skull and rattled her brain. 

‘Potter. I am sorry for punching you in the face. It wasn’t my finest moment. But stop babying me. I will eat when I want to eat and not a minute before. When she is awake, alert, happy and knocking me off my feet with her larger than fucking life smile… then I will eat’ Draco wasn’t as loud as Harry but he was just as firm. 

Hermione’s heart fluttered when she heard Draco speak. He was alive, he was okay. They had made it out. How she didn’t know, nor did she care. All she knew is that she was somewhere safe, with at least Harry and Draco. 

For a few hours she drifted in and out of consciousness, catching small parts of many conversations. 

‘Ze is very nearly ready to wake. I zink it will be today… you might want to zink about a wash monsieur Draco… I can smell oo from ‘ere’, the unmistakable sound of Fleur’s delicate voice, teasing Draco about his smell. Hermione suspected he had been rooted to the spot the entire time she had been recovering. 

‘I think she will understand Harry. We were all there for him, to give him the send off he deserved. Even Draco made an appearance. He knew he was loved. And he knew she loved him as well …’ Luna was here too. But who had they sent off? Someone died on the way here. Hermione felt herself start to panic. The only voice she hadn’t heard was Ron’s… Was it him? Did he die? No… things wouldn’t be so… calm if he had. Surely? 

‘FLEUR! Something’s wrong!’ Draco called out, Hermione felt her head pound again, she was loosely aware of the rest of her body aching violently. 

‘Er ‘eart rate is spiking. Ze is distressed, it is possible ze can hear you speaking… Zomething ‘oo ‘ave said as worried ‘er’ Fleur was back in the room, Hermione fell asleep once more. 

The next time Hermione woke up, she could feel a warm strong hand tangled up with her own, it felt safe. It felt right, like she was being held in place, forbade from floating away. 

‘Draco …’ She said to herself, smiling internally. She knew who that hand belonged to. She knew the feel of his skin on hers. She knew that he was there. 

‘Mon amour? Are you awake? I’m right here Hermione… please come back to me… please’ Hermione felt her heart clench at Draco’s pleas. Perhaps she had said his name out loud. Slowly, and carefully she forced her eyelids to part. The built up moisture made it almost impossible to see in front of her, the light in the room was dull, either early morning or late evening but she couldn’t be sure which. Her eyes felt heavy and uncooperative. 

‘Fleur! She’s waking up!’ Draco called again. 

Hermione groaned. ‘Eugh why are you shouting Draco … I feel like my head is stuck in a manticore jaw’. Hermione heard Draco chuckle lightly, his smile pressed tightly against her hand, something warm and wet was trickling down her wrists, tears. Draco was crying. 

The realisation that Draco was crying into her hand, forced Hermione’s eyes to flutter open immediately. The thought of him in pain was torturous and she desperately wanted to fix it. Little did she realise that the reason he was crying was because SHE was fixed. 

‘Hermione … Are you alright mon amour? Do you need anything? Don’t get up too quickly, please. Just take it easy for me okay …’ Draco saw Hermione try to sit herself up, after a week of being flat on her back he imagined it only felt right that she would want to stretch out but he wasn’t sure if she was really aware of just how much her tiny body had lived through. 

She placed her hand gently on his cheek, wiping away the damp streaks with her thumb. Smiling lovingly towards this man that had stayed by her side every single second of the long days that saw to her recovery.

‘Water … I … I would appreciate some water to be honest’ Hermione looked at Draco sheepishly, she remembered how much she abhorred Ron when he was using Hermione as his own personal nursemaid, she didn’t want to be a nuisance to Draco. 

To his credit, Draco couldn’t react fast enough. The very second she had said the word, he had a glass of water poured and ushered into her hand, he held her chin with one hand and helped her to raise the glass to her lips with the other. Helping to keep her steady as she took in some much needed refreshment. 

Within just a few minutes of Hermione opening her eyes and having a cool drink, Ron and Harry both barged through the door and into the room, pushing and shoving to squeeze past each other. 

Draco rolled his eyes at the childish display. But it warmed Hermione’s heart to see how much they cared. 

‘Hermione! You’re awake. Oh thank Godric you’re awake. We were so worried about you. How are you feeling?’ Harry was the first to speak, Ron still looked a little uncomfortable standing in the same room as Draco but his need to see for himself that she was okay had completely overridden any argument that he might stay away and wait for her to come down. 

‘I’m … sore honestly. And tired. I feel like I need a good stretch and my head is screaming at me. But I know who you all are, I know who I am and I know what we have been doing for these past few months so I guess that counts for something’ Hermione shrugged softly, her muscles still not entirely impressed at the idea of movement.

‘The last thing I remember was seeing Draco practically throw Lucius across the room, and then waking up…’ Hermione was trying desperately to fill in the blanks of memory in her mind. She hated the feeling of missing something and now a good chunk of her life was a black blur. 

‘You don’t need to stress yourself out trying to remember everything right now. Fleur says that your memory should come back of its own accord in time, forcing it could just make it harder…’ Draco was still holding Hermione’s hand, refusing to let go in case she vanished into thin air. 

‘I remember hearing voices, fractures of conversations in and out of sleeping. Draco… you never left. I heard you too Harry, and Luna was here with you. You were talking about someone not being here anymore …?’ Hermione’s heart dropped at the memory of someone’s passing. 

Harry tensed immediately, his sad eyes were still red and puffy. ‘Hermione, I don’t want you to feel bad, okay? Nothing that happened was your fault. We were stuck in the Manor, and it was looking rather hopeless but then, then Dobby came to help us. He rescued me and Ron from the cellar, and we gave him time to bring the others here. But … well when he came back for us, Bellatrix she … she threw the knife she was using against you and it hit Dobby as he apparated. He didn’t make it’ Harry looked at the floor. 

Hermione took a deep breath, her eyes began to fill with tears. Draco squeezed her hand tightly. He too, didn’t want Hermione to shoulder any blame but he knew that she would, even if it was unconsciously. 

‘We gave him a burial, a proper one, no magic. We buried him and each said a few words… I … I was worried you would hate me for not waiting until you were better …’ Harry was still looking at his feet, Hermione looked at Draco before briefly and reluctantly letting go of his hand to force Harry to look up at her. 

‘It’s not your fault either, Harry. And no … I could never hate you’ Hermione could sense that Harry was overthinking everything. It was he who said you-know-who’s name who led the snatchers right to them, and therefore he would feel it was his fault that Dobby came to save them. 

‘I said his name Hermione … I said his name and they found us’ Harry admitted out loud what she knew he was thinking.

‘And if it hadn’t been you Harry then it would have inevitably been one of us. Besides, I did learn something while we were at the Manor. Bellatrix thought we broke into her vault and stole the sword, the whole time after that she kept asking what else I had taken … Harry, I think she has a Horcrux in her vault’ Hermione was recalling everything that Bellatrix had said while she was being tortured. She was terrified that they had stolen more than just the sword. It made sense that she would have offered to keep something safe for Voldemort. 

Harry seemed to take in all that Hermione had said about the Gringotts vaults, and Draco stiffened, weighed down by his own secrets. But after only a moment, Harry waved Hermione off and ordered her to rest first, before they considered their next life or death adventure.

After a couple more days of strict bedrest, ordered by Draco, Hermione finally convinced him that she was well enough to get up. The first thing she did was take a walk down the beach to visit Dobby. Draco refused to let her be alone, so he too accompanied her on her walk.

‘That little elf was a bloody nightmare when I was growing up, you know. I would get into the worst kinds of trouble, but he was always there to get me back out of it. One time, I snuck out of the Manor down to my fathers beloved peacock collection. I knew he would stash my broom there because he thought I wasn’t brave enough to sneak in and take it. 

But I did. 

I went and got it, and I flew it around the gardens all evening while he was out. When I went to put it back I forgot to close the gate to the enclosure, every single one of them bloody birds escaped, some of them were eaten in the woods at the bottom of the manor, and some of them simply left and never came back. My father was so fucking mad…  

Dobby took the blame, saying he must have forgotten to shut the gate when he went to feed them. He had never done that before, I am sure Lucius knew it wasn’t Dobby, but he punished him anyway, he made me watch. Looking back I think that was my punishment. He knew it was me, so he made me watch Dobby have his hands ironed and his little body crucio’d for a week solid. I hated it. Every second of it. But I had no choice. 

That wasn’t the first time he took the blame for me, and it wasn’t the last either. He took care of me, and I know he took care of my mother too. Lucius would hit her sometimes to make sure she knew her place as the obedient little pureblood wife, but she never had any bruises, I think Dobby healed her every time …’ Draco had a tear in his eye thinking about his mother, and how many times the little elf went out of his way to take care of them both. He felt horrendously guilty for never having stood up for him before. 

Hermione shuffled into Draco’s lap and leaned against his chest. She tucked the side of her head between his neck and shoulder and just stayed there. Draco eased into their embrace, wrapping his arms around her and stroking her gently. He had been extremely careful with her since she woke up, worried that one wrong move would hurt her in some way. He blamed himself for a lot of what his aunt had done to her. He felt as though he should have saved her sooner than he did. But Hermione didn’t blame him, and somehow that only made his guilt fester.

Draco and Hermione stayed by Dobby’s grave for some time. Exchanging stories and memories. Laughing and spending some much needed time together after all that had happened. 

When they headed back to the cottage Hermione called a meeting with Harry, Ron and the others to discuss their next steps. 

‘Griphook, how are you feeling?’ she asked the serious looking goblin. 

He looked at her puzzled, he had never met many wizards or witches that cared enough to trouble themselves over the welfare of goblins and other non-humanoid creatures. 

‘You buried the elf… and brought me here. You are … very curious wizards’ Griphook replied, not really answering her question. 

"We need your help, Griphook. Bellatrix believed that we had been in her vault. She thinks we took something. And we need to know what that something is. We need to break into her vault…’ Hermione held her breath at the end of her request. The goblin’s face didn’t change. He remained utterly emotionless. 

‘That’s impossible…’ he said stoically. 

‘Alone … yes. But with you … no’ Harry interjected. 

Griphook was silent for what felt like a lifetime, before inhaling deeply and crossing his fingers together, staring down his long, pointed nose at Harry.

‘I will consider helping you Mr. Potter … For a price’ the goblin smiled, his sharp toothy grin had a wicked look to it. 

Draco knew the ways of goblins, whatever he had in mind, it would not be of little value. He also knew there would be little chance to trick Griphook. Goblins were infamously cunning and manipulative. They never did anything without a carefully thought out plan.

‘And what would that be exactly…’ Harry remained rooted to his seat. He too knew whatever Griphook wanted, it would likely be costly.

With a sly and evil grin, the goblin turned his head towards Ron, who was clutching tightly to the sword of Gryffindor. Everyone in the room followed Griphook’s gaze, paling at what he considered a fair price for his services.

‘Are you mad -’ Ron stepped backwards not willing to part with the only item they had in their arsenal capable of destroying the Horcruxes. It was a terrible idea to give Griphook what he wanted, but what choice did they have. The alternative meant they would be alone, and they would never make it into Gringotts and through all the curses and enchantments there without him. 

After a moment to think, and with a defeated sigh, Harry agreed to the goblins terms.

Hermione turned to Draco, she noticed he too had a slightly worried look on his face. The good thing was that they were going to sneak into Gringotts, meaning they could find Draco’s vault and retrieve the horcrux in there without suspicion. The bad thing however was that they now would not have any way of destroying it once they had. 

Draco took Hermione’s hand and kissed it tenderly, the same way he liked to when he knew that she needed reassuring. 

‘It’s ok, we will figure it out together. We always do,’ he said quietly, his lips still placed delicately against her skin.

It had taken Hermione another couple of weeks before she was healed enough to continue. In that time, they had received word that Luna returned to Hogwarts, Remus and Tonks had welcomed a baby boy, and all of Ron’s family were safe and well. 

Hermione felt everyone in the cottage relax a little at the news that their loved ones were all still alive and well. All except Draco, who’s concerns were only growing day by day now that his mother no longer had Dobby for company and to keep her safe. Hermione had promised him that Narcissa was fine, that she would tell him more when he could and to trust her. And he did trust her. If there was anyone in the world he knew he could then it was Hermione, and he understood perfectly well why he wasn’t allowed to know more. But it didn’t help to steady his increasing nerves. 

‘Draco … I can see you stewing from across the room. What is it?’ Hermione came and sat behind him, draping her arms over his shoulders and wrapping them loosely around his neck. She had to lean on her knees to be tall enough to reach him at that angle. Draco wrapped his fingers around her wrists and buried his chin into his chest. 

‘I know you said she is fine, and I know you can’t tell me more about where she is, but I just can’t help but worry. She’s my mother, mon amour. You and she, is all I have left in this rather gloomy world. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to either of you’ Draco’s voice was quiet, he was hardly aware he had even spoken out loud had it not been for Hermione’s reply. 

‘Oh Draco… I’m so sorry. You know I would. I would tell you everything if I could. But… well I can tell you this. She is not alone. Snape knows where she is as well and he checks on her just the same as I would check in on you. If anything had happened, he would send me either a patronus or an encrypted owl to let me know. She knows about Dobby … Snape will know what happened at the Manor and I sent him word letting him know that you were fine and Dobby unfortunately didn’t make it. He will have told her … I promise’ Hermione hugged him as tightly as she could while she spoke. She knew it wasn’t a lot for him to go on, but she hoped that it would be enough for now. 

Draco whipped his head around and stared at Hermione for a short while, a single tear welling in the corner of his eye. 

‘So … she is ok? Really ok? You aren’t just saying that …’ Draco’s breath quickened in anticipation.

Hermione smiled as she watched life slowly seep back into his eyes.  ‘Yes Draco. I promise, she is fine’.

Draco wrapped his strong arms around Hermione’s waist and pulled her into his lap. He laid them both down on the bed they had been perched on, stroking her beautiful soft curls with his long fingers. He was completely in awe of his witch. She knew just the right things to say to ground him. She was his safe place, his home, his anchor to the world. Shuffling forward he took her face in his hands and pulled her in for a long and passionate kiss. 

Chapter Text

The day had finally arrived where the unlikely heroes were going to break into the fortress of Gringotts. 

Hermione and Draco had gone through their inventory and realised they only had enough polyjuice left for one person. Which the group all agreed should be Hermione. She had managed to secure a hair from Bellatrix during their time at the Manor, coupled with stealing her wand in the carnage they now had the makings of a plan. 

Hermione would transfigure into Bellatrix and have Draco by her side, Ron would disguise himself as a snatcher and walk behind them, keeping his head down as much as possible to not draw attention. Harry and Griphook would hide beneath his invisibility cloak to remain completely undetected. 

Hermione walked out of Shell Cottage completely unrecognisable. Her chocolate brown curls now thick and black, shining brightly in the sun. Her lashes were longer, and her eyes were heavily hooded, and dark. The golden swirling orbs that Draco had grown to know intimately, no longer anywhere to be seen. Hermione looked terrifying. A perfect replica of his aunt Bella.

Harry and Ron both shuddered at the sight of her, but her small uncomfortable wave reassured them that she was still the same, loveable schoolgirl that they had known for years. Even if the sight of her was enough to give them all nightmares for years to come. 

‘Now remember, once we get there you are no longer Hermione Granger. You are Bellatrix Lestrange, she’s not warm, she’s not kind, she’s not polite. In short, she is nothing like you mon amour. You will have to try your hardest to be … well a bit of a bitch frankly’ Draco held Hermione in his arms, he knew that it was still his witch underneath the disguise, but that didn’t make it any easier to look into the crazed eyes of his aunt and act completely unaffected.

Placing one hand on top of another, the group disappeared, apparating directly into knockturn alley. 

When they reappeared on the other side Harry lifted Griphook to his shoulders and Ron threw the invisibility cloak over them.

‘You know the deal Griphook, you get us into Gringotts, past the guard and into the vault, and the sword is yours …’ Ron reaffirmed their deal in hushed tones. 

Hermione and Draco made their way down the dark and derelict cobbles of Knockturn Alley, many shady witches and wizards nodded their heads in acknowledgement to the Bellatrix they saw walk by. 

‘Madam Lestrange, I wasn’t aware you would be here today..’ A short and gangly looking man approached Hermione and Draco, attempting to elicit conversation. True to her disguise, Hermione merely glanced at the man before snarling at him. ‘And why should I relay my every move to the likes of you?!’ 

The man before them startled at the dressing down he had just received from one of the most fearsome witches known. He cowered when he realised his error of assuming Bellatrix was in any mood to converse with him.

‘My apologies mam, but of course your business is your own … I shall leave you to your day’ the man bowed and quickly scurried away further into the depths of the alley. 

Draco risked a smirk and glance towards Hermione. 

‘Bravo mon amour, that was rather impressive’ he whispered under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear him. 

When they arrived at Gringotts they were shocked by the changes that had been made. Two guards stood watch at the entrance, performing detection charms on all who entered. 

‘Shit. Potter … Now might be a good time to do something under that cloak of yours’ Draco darted his eyes between Hermione and the guards who were standing in their way. 

A slight lift of the cloak’s hem as Harry walked was the only indication that he was there, and only noticeable to Draco, Ron and Hermione because they knew what to look for. After a moment they saw the guards sway slightly on the spot and the wand that Harry was using slipped back away out of sight. He had cast a confundus charm allowing the others to pass the guards without being vetted on arrival. Neither guard really knew where they were or why they were there.

Hermione, Draco and Ron walked slowly down the long marble hall towards the bank clerk sitting atop his tall desk by the gates to the vaults. Rows of goblins watched as they walked along, either suspicious of Hermione’s appearance, or merely disgusted at the sight of Bellatrix who was known to detest all manner of creatures such as goblins quite openly. 

Draco heard Griphook whispering behind him. 

‘They suspect something, they’ve been warned already… they know she is not the real Bellatrix’ Draco stiffened upon hearing Griphook’s warning. 

Two guards inside the bank slowly began following Bellatrix down the halls. Eyeing her suspiciously. 

‘Ah, Ms. Lestrange. A pleasure as always…’ An elderly looking goblin with a wide nose and balding head addressed Hermione. He too suspected she was not the real Bellatrix Lestrange, he didn’t even bother to conceal his suspicions from them. 

‘You will let me into my vault’ Hermione demanded. 

‘And do you happen to have your wand Ms. Lestrange, a new bank policy to confirm your identification, I am sure you understand…’ The goblin was looking all too pleased with himself. His name plaque on the desk read ‘Bodrog’. 

Hermione was starting to panic, she knew that the wand idea was a way to catch them out but how was she supposed to convince them to let her through otherwise. 

‘Listen here you stupid little gnome, you will let me into my vault. WITHOUT the need for my wand… you are quite aware that is has been STOLEN by some filth so forgive me for not wishing to deal with all of your pleasantries’ Hermione was looking up at the goblin who was directly in front of her, desperately trying to keep her face still, terrified her fear would betray her unbothered aura. 

Draco was beginning to worry that their cover had already been blown before they had even made it past the entrance, when he spotted a small yellow smoke circle around Bodrog. He inhaled deeply, sucking in the mysterious substance. 

‘Very well Madam Lestrange, if you will follow me’ Harry had cast an imperio on Bodrog, forcing him to allow the group entrance into the vaults. Upon hearing Bodrog allow access, the guards that had been stalking behind, turned on their heels and returned to their posts. 

They traversed the dark stone corridors hurriedly, following Bodrog towards the familiar carts that would carry them through the endless cavern and down to the high security vaults of the families of the sacred 28. 

None of them bar Draco had ever been that far down before, although the Weasley’s were also members of the sacred 28, they had no riches in their name, and therefore not one of the families offered the same luxury as many of the other sanctified names such as the Malfoys and Lestranges. 

Bodrog guided Draco, Hermione, Ron and now also the uncovered Harry and Griphook into one of the larger carts, before speeding off through the maze of twisting passages leading to the many levels of vaults underground. 

The speed of the cart made it almost impossible to see their surroundings as it whizzed along the track, but they did catch sight of a large and beautiful waterfall cascading down a cliff and drenching the track and other carts that passed through it. 

‘Griphook … what is that?!’ Harry asked, alarmed that it had not been mentioned before now. 

‘The thief’s downfall … it washes away all enchantments and concealments. It is a security measure! They must know that we are imposters!’ Griphook shouted over the rattle of the cart on the tracks and held tightly to his seat. 

They were travelling too fast to be able to shield themselves before they reached the waterfall, and as they travelled through it, they noticed that both Hermione and Ron looked completely like themselves once more. 

The sound of an alarm began to echo in the cave and the cart came to an abrupt halt before throwing its occupants out the side, plummeting towards the ground and their inevitable deaths. 

Hermione was quick to react, pulling her wand from the dress she wore as Bellatrix, she shrieked ‘Mollaire’ and the entire group slowed and came to a stop just before they had landed on the sharp stoned floor beneath them. 

‘Bloody hell … I suppose we weren’t actually meant to survive that!’ Ron sounded exasperated as he stood up and dusted himself off. 

‘Perhaps not the rest of us, but you would have been alright Weasley, all that air stuck in your head you probably would have just bounced off the floor…’ Draco drawled, Ron threw him an odious grimace. 

Ron was about to retaliate when he was interrupted by Bogrod, who was now very much his own self once again thanks to the sousing they had all received by the waterfall moments ago. 

‘Thieves! Imposters! You…’ Bogrod aimed his accusatory finger at Griphook, ‘you have broken the sacred code of -’ the little goblin had been effectively cut off by Ron who recast another imperius curse. 

‘We will still need him, only a high security Gringotts goblin can enter the vaults down here…’ Draco lifted Hermione to her feet and checked her over for any injuries, before motioning them all forward to carry on through the caves. 

‘We aren’t far … it’s just through here’ Griphook pointed to a crack in the walls, a small passageway leading to a grand open space. Large marble pillars similar to the ones stationed at the entrance to the bank were fashioned in a circular pattern, framing the sizable vaults split over two levels. 

And positioned in the centre of them, was the one thing they had prepared to see but were still astonished to witness. A large white dragon, with horns adorning his head, and glittering, impenetrable scales, was curled up in the middle of the floor, stationed as a ferocious guard to the grand safes of the sacred 28 families. 

‘You know what to do - Grab the clanker and shake it side to side! The dragon is half blind, but he has been trained to expect pain when he hears the noise … he will retreat and then Bogrod can open the vault with his palm!’ Griphook was yelling and trying to communicate over the reverberating sounds of the elderly dragons growling. 

Harry and Ron did as Griphook said, twisting their hands from side to side to sound the clankers. The dragon did exactly as Griphook had said and retreated instantly from the noise. Almost cowering. 

‘That’s barbaric’ Hermione scowled at Griphook, she was starting to regret all of the kindness she had shown him over the last few weeks. 

Once they had made it past the dragon, Bogrod guided them all to the Lestrange’s vault and placed his palm in the centre of a small framed opening. They all watched as the intricate cogs and mechanisms came to life, twisting and turning in set patterns, before the door swung open. Harry, Ron and Griphook all stepped inside the vault which was full of galleons, gems, jewellery and golden treasures. 

‘How do you feel Harry? Can you feel anything? Is it here?’ Ron was speaking slowly and quietly, trying not to break Harry’s concentration with his curiosity. 

‘There’s definitely one in here … I can feel it,’ Harry said, carefully scanning his surroundings, taking in each piece of treasure one by one as quickly as possible. 

Hermione felt herself shrink a little when Harry said he could feel the Horcruxes. They had known he had a connection to Voldemort himself, but she was starting to realise that his connection may run even deeper than he realised. 

While Ron and Harry were effectively distracted, Draco grabbed Hermione by the elbow and gently pulled her backwards. They backed away from the vault and slowly turned the corner. 

Draco turned his wand towards Bogrod and cast his own imperio. Effectively cancelling out Ron’s and gaining his own control over the goblin. 

He led them over to the Malfoy family vault and took a small pocket knife out from inside his shirt sleeve. 

Hermione looked at Draco with a mixture of fear and concern on her face. Draco cupped her cheek with his hand and smiled gently at her. 

‘The Malfoy Family vault is protected by a lot more than just goblin enchantments, my family's magic is very old. Just like at the manor, most of the wards here are blood wards. To gain access we needed Bogrod and a blood sacrifice. It’s ok, mon amour. Trust me’ Draco hated to see Hermione afraid. It catapulted him right back to the memories of her on the floor of his family home, with a very different knife pressed against her skin. 

‘I do trust you Draco… with my life and everything in between’ she said earnestly.

Draco felt his heart soar at Hermione’s confession. He pressed the knife to the palm of his hand and made a small cut. Synchronising his movements with Bogrod’s the pair placed their palms against the door to the vault. In the exact same way they had seen moments ago. 

Draco’s vault wasn’t covered in cogs and mechanisms though, the door to his vault was entirely golden, there were no patterns of ornate decor to be seen, only their own reflections looking back at them. But as soon as the door had registered the combination of the goblins palm and Draco’s blood, it began to melt away. It was a beautiful display of ancient magic. 

With a quick glance back to see that Harry and Ron were still preoccupied with their own hunt, Draco led Hermione inside his vault. 

If Hermione had thought that the Lestrange vault was filthy rich, then the Malfoy vault was positively abominable. Draco’s vault was so full that it had been sectioned off into zones. There were stations for jewellery, individual gems, ornate trinkets, relics and family heirlooms. But to her surprise, she noticed there were no galleons, sickles or knuts here… 

Draco must have noticed her curious gaze because he answered her unspoken question directly. 

‘We have a separate vault for our finances … there’s … too much to fit inside just one vault. I used to love how boastful that sounded … now I just feel awkward about it’ Draco turned away from Hermione,  not wanting to see her judge him. 

She smiled sweetly and walked over to him, forcing him to turn to look at her. ‘Draco … being well off isn’t something to feel ashamed of. Your family has worked hard for their riches over the years, you are allowed to be proud of that. Even if the amount of gold in here is actually sickening …’ Hermione winked at Draco cheekily. She enjoyed teasing him now that it was both mutual and affectionate. 

Draco pouted and narrowed his eyes at her, before roughly grabbing on to her hips and slamming her body against his. 

‘Cheeky fucking witch’ he said before leaning his head into hers and taking her bottom lip between his teeth. He sucked on it hard, before adjusting his stance to kiss her deeply. He would never get bored of how she felt beneath him. Of hearing the little whimpers of pleasure he always managed to coax from her. 

The distant yells of the guards mixed with the shouting coming from Harry and Ron, abruptly tore Draco away from his paradise. They both looked towards the door then back at each other. Draco released Hermione and walked over to the section of his vault which housed all the small jewellery items. He pulled a box from the shelf and presented it to her. 

Inside the box was a small, sapphire-encrusted tiara-like object. An intricate design of a silver Raven was woven between the stones and the inscription ‘Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure’ was engraved delicately along the surface of the band. It was a beautiful and elegant little piece of jewellery. If you looked at it carefully though, you could feel that it wasn’t in its natural state. That it had been defiled by dark magic. 

Hermione quickly stashed the box inside her beaded bag and the pair went back outside to rejoin Harry and Ron. 

As soon as Draco had locked his vault again, a flock of security and goblins had arrived to apprehend the intruders. 

Hermione and Draco quickly made their way back to the Lestrange vault where they were greeted by a number of replicated treasure pieces from inside. 

Hoping that Ron and Harry hadn’t noticed their disappearance, Draco and Hermione tried in vain to assist them out of the predicament. 

‘It’s a bloody gemino curse Potter! Bella has hexed her vault so that everything you touch doubles!’ Draco was shouting over the metallic clanging of the multiple copies of goblets, plates and other treasures. 

‘STOP MOVING!’ Hermione roared over the ruckus. Ron, Harry and Griphook all stilled immediately. As they did, the noise died down and the room became calm. 

‘Hermione … the sword … I can’t reach the cup!’ Harry was talking hurriedly, still not daring to move. 

Hermione quickly fished the sword from her bag and threw it over to Harry. With the sword in hand he carefully hooked the blade through the cup handle and pulled it towards him. As he did, the contents of the room started filling once more, each movement he made added to the inventory of treasures. Tripping over the many items beneath his feet, the cup flew to the other end of the vault where Griphook was waiting, he snatched the cup and grinned at Harry wickedly.

‘The cup for the sword!’ He roared. 

Harry glared down at Griphook but relented and threw the sword towards the traitorous goblin. In his eagerness for his prize, Griphook threw the cup at Hermione. 

‘I said I would get you in, I never said anything about getting you back out!’ Griphook took his prize and ran from the vault. Calling to the guards in the distance that he had cornered the thieves. 

‘That double crossing little git!’ Ron shouted. He and Harry swam through the masses of gold that were still doubling around them before finding their way to the exit of the Lestrange vault. 

Once safely on the other side and no longer in danger of a suffocating golden death they realised that they were now surrounded by the guards of Gringotts. Multiple curses and hexes being thrown towards them in an attempt to apprehend the thieves. 

‘If anyone has any bright ideas how we are supposed to survive this … now would be a fucking fantastic time to speak up!’ Draco was shouting over the carnage below. He had pinned Hermione between his body and a pillar, shielding her from any spells that were aimed their way. 

‘I’ve got something but its fucking mental!’ Hermione looked to the boys for their reactions. No one seemed surprised or bothered. So without waiting for permission she freed herself from Draco’s hold and ran off the edge of the boardwalk, landing firmly on the back of the dragon. 

Draco looked at Harry and Ron and then back towards Hermione. ‘You are right that is fucking insane Granger!’ He roared at her while also jumping down to join her. ‘If we survive this … I am going to kill you for being so fucking reckless with your beautiful life, mon amour!’ he kissed her on the temple and started duelling with the guards, casting the odd protego to shield them from the onslaught of spellfire. 

Hermione turned and fired a reducto at the dragons chains. Freeing him from his villainous bonds. 

‘COME ON!’ She called out to Harry and Ron. They leapt to join her and Draco, just as the dragon engulfed the guards below in a wall of fire. Forcing them back while he plotted his own escape. 

The moment the guards were distracted by the flames, the beast looked to the ceiling and clawed his way out of the cave above them. 

Hermione cast a quick gouging spell, widening the gap for the dragon to squeeze through and securing their own escape in the process. When he felt there was enough space around him, the dragon stretched out his wings and began to flap ferociously. 

With an almighty roar and one final projectile of flame from his throat, the dragon broke through the floors of Gringotts and out into the open air above diagon alley. He didn't bother to look back or stop, he climbed high above the clouds before levelling out and gliding his way to freedom. 

There was no way of steering, the dragon was half blind, but Draco knew that it could sense where it needed to go. Dragons were amazing creatures, they had as keen a sense of smell as they did eyesight and after an hour of seemingly aimless soaring the skies, the dragon began to lose altitude. Distant views of mountains and greenery came into sight.

‘This is it. It might be our only chance!’ Hermione shouted, she pointed towards the large body of water below them, a deep and dark lake surrounded by lush green mountains and woods. It reminded them all of the black lake at Hogwarts. 

Draco grabbed hold of Hermione’s hand and after the count of three, all four of them dived off of the beast's back and plunged into the depths below. 

The moment that they made contact with the icy water, Draco had lost his grip on Hermione. The lake was so dark that he could barely see his own hands in front of him. 

When Draco broke the surface he began frantically scanning his surroundings for any sign of Hermione. He quickly found both Ron and Harry, but she was nowhere to be seen. 

‘HERMIONE!’ He called, his panicked voice alerting the other boys to notice their friend was nowhere to be seen. 

Still desperately searching around him, he barely heard Harry call out. ‘DRACO OVER THERE!’ 

Draco turned violently towards the direction Harry was pointing to, a small red light was glowing beneath the surface of the lake. Without a second thought Draco dove down towards the light, he was so frantic that he didn’t even register to cast breathing charms to help him in his search for Hermione. His sole focus was on finding her, showing a distinct lack of Slytherin self preservation. 

As he swam closer to the light and deeper into the abyss of the lake, he could vaguely make out the limp silhouette of a small woman with heaps of curls floating all around her. 

Surrounding her were small green tentacled creatures, with long spindly fingers and small green teeth. Grindylows were small but vicious little creatures, they were particularly violent towards humans, choosing to strangle their prey with their strong but brittle fingers. 

Draco took out his wand and fired multiple reducto’s at the creatures, scolding them with boiling hot water and forcing them away from Hermione. By the time he reached her body he was almost out of breath himself, when both Harry and Ron swam down and cast bubblehead charms over the both of them. Draco nodded his head in thanks and together they dragged Hermione out of the lake and to the shore in the distance. 

When they had reached land once more, Draco immediately tended to Hermione, who was gasping and choking water up from her lungs. 

He pulled her sodden body to his and helped her bring up any remnants of water by roughly patting her on the back. Once she had calmed down and was breathing again, he held her tight and kissed her face all over. 

‘Hermione.. Hermione love, are you ok? Does anywhere hurt? What  can I do? Tell me what to do …’ Draco was still recovering from his frenzied state. He would never ever get used to her being thrown into life or death situations. Despite the fact she found herself in exactly those circumstances frequently. 

‘I’m alright… Draco I’m okay. You saved me … you saved me Draco’ Her throat was raw from the invasion of water that had forced its way into her body when the Grindylows had tried to drown her. She was cold, and shivering, but so relieved to see that Draco, Ron and Harry were all ok. 

‘You gotta stop doing this to me, mon amour … I can’t … I can’t cope when you aren’t okay’ Draco held Hermione firmly in his hands. She smiled up at the man who was so clearly affected by her wellbeing, it ignited her heart on fire. She would ride a thousand Dragons for the man on his knees in front of her, if it meant that she would never lose this feeling of sheer unadulterated bliss. 

Hermione remained completely still, the world around her had faded away, all she could focus on now was how easily she melted in the arms of the man before her, how ardently she loved Draco Malfoy. 

Not caring for their present company, Draco wrapped Hermione up, clamping his arms around her hips and guiding her legs to snake around his waist and he kissed her. Not gently, or tenderly. He was fierce in his assault on her lips. The pent up emotions from the Manor, her heart failing before his eyes, then coming back to him, breaking into Gringotts and riding a dragon back out, and now nearly drowning because of some stupid Grindylows had all come crashing down on top of him, and he could do nothing but hold her, touch her, kiss her, making sure that she was really real. That she wasn’t a figment of his imagination or an angel in his dreams. 

Hermione Granger was real, he loved her. And he dared to believe, to convince himself that she loved him too. 

Harry looked away, not wanting to intrude on their moment together but Ron was still as a statue. His face was thunderous, his rage palpable. He could feel the blood in his veins boiling over as he watched Hermione give herself freely to Draco Malfoy, to touch him and kiss him the way he had always imagined she would touch and kiss Ron. 

He kept trying to force himself to put up with it, to accept Hermione’s choices, but try as he might, he just couldn’t find it in him to be gracious in defeat. He knew now that he would never be fully accepting of this situation. 

Chapter Text

Draco somehow found the strength to release Hermione’s lips from his own. Nothing in the world would ever feel better than being with her, he knew that for certain. But as he watched her bashfully look away, he saw immediately when her face dropped and she looked physically in pain. 

Draco followed her gaze to the sight of the Weasel, practically foaming at the mouth and glowering at the pair of them. He took a deep breath as he prepared for the backlash from Ron fucking Weasley. He didn’t care in the slightest for his opinion but he would be damned if he would allow the likes of the weasel make Hermione feel embarrassed or ashamed of her feelings. Like she was anything less than the perfect, brilliant, beautiful witch he had come to love.

But before Ron had the opportunity to open his mouth, they were interrupted by the sound of Harry screaming in pain and clutching tightly to his forehead as he fell to his knees. 

Hermione scrambled to her feet and ran over to Harry. 

‘Harry… Harry! Listen to me, hear my voice. Don’t let him in. You can’t keep letting him in. Just come back to us, block him out and come back to us …’ Hermione was trying to remain calm, but she knew that every time Harry let Voldemort inside his head, he was one step closer to discovering their secret. 

Draco knelt beside Harry as Hermione placed his head in her lap, Ron stood a little further away but he too had forgotten all about his anger towards Draco and was now only concerned for the wellbeing of his friend. 

When Harry came to, his eyes were clouded over and his breathing was shallow. 

‘He knows! He knows Hermione. He knows that we are hunting Horcruxes, he knows we have the cup and that we destroyed the locket…’ Harry was panting. 

Hermione looked at Harry sympathetically, ‘Harry you can’t keep letting him in…’ she said gently. 

‘I know Hermione but I can’t always help it! But there’s more, one of the Horcruxes, it’s at Hogwarts something about Rowena Ravenclaw…’ Harry sat up and turned to face Hermione. 

She took a deep breath in and clamped her mouth shut in a tight line. Avoiding eye contact with Draco. ‘That’s too risky Harry. There are death eaters in the school … and the wards … not to mention all the old passageways have all been sealed off … it’s not like we can just waltz through the front door …’ Hermione was nervous. She too had a feeling they would have to go to Hogwarts eventually, they couldn’t be certain that the Diadem was the only Horcrux hidden there, and even if it was she certainly couldn’t just throw it out there that they had it in her bag all along…  

‘Let’s dry off and get changed, then tonight … we will apparate into Hogsmeade. It’s probably as close as we will get to start with, maybe we can find somewhere to hide out there while we come up with another plan… not that any of our plans have actually worked out so far…’ Hermione rolled her eyes, she didn’t like it but she knew that they didn’t have a choice. 

‘You mean those plans we make, we get there and then all hell breaks loose? Those plans…’ Draco smiled affectionately at Hermione. She stuck her tongue out at him childishly and he laughed. 

‘Yes … those plans that go to shit Draco’ she huffed loudly, and Harry placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. 

Later that evening, with the cover of night in their favour, the four of them apparated into Hogsmeade, with the hope of finding somewhere to hide out while they scoped the castle and its defences from afar. 

But the moment they had touched ground in the village, a caterwauling alarm sounded from their location.

Hordes of Voldemort’s followers emptied from the nearby buildings. Their shouting and screaming closing in around their location. 

‘POTTER! POTTER MUST BE HERE! FIND HIM! FIND HIM FOR THE DARK LORD!’ Death eaters and snatchers alike were all scurrying the streets of hogsmeade, desperate to prove themselves to their master and hand him Harry Potter. 

Harry and Ron made a break for it behind some barrels from the nearby The Hog’s Head, while Draco grabbed hold of Hermione and bolted towards the closest side alley.

Everytime one of them moved after the alarm had silenced, they set it off again, and it always came from the exact place they had been standing. There was little hope of escaping. 

From behind Draco, a small door opened, and a large wizard with a long grey beard appeared. ‘Quickly! In here … you’ll be spotted!’ the stranger said. 

Unsure whether to trust the man, Draco hesitated slightly. 

‘You either take your chances with just me, or you can wait here for them… it’s your choice’. 

Draco took a deep breath and nodded, he forced Hermione through the door to safety before calling for Potter and the Weasel to join them. With mere seconds to spare Harry and Ron made their way down the narrow staircase towards where Hermione was waiting and Draco flattened himself against the wall behind the stranger, just as their would-be assailants arrived.

‘My apologies good fellows, I’m afraid I may have set off the curfew alarms letting Chuckles my cat out for a wander. You will have to forgive me, my mind is not as sharp as it once was… it had completely slipped my mind for a moment. Not to worry, the alarm scared him straight back inside! It won’t happen again…’ The death eaters stared at the stranger, mumbling something about a witless old fool and slowly they left the scene.

As soon as the door was shut, Draco let out a deep sigh and went to join the others downstairs. 

A few seconds later the stranger appeared with a severe look etched on his face. 

‘You’re bloody fools coming here! Not everyone would have risked their necks to give you sanctuary … reckless!’ he complained. 

Harry stepped forwards, ‘I know you. You’re Aberforth aren’t you. Dumbledore’s brother…’ 

Aberforth stilled at the mention of his older brother. He placed four butterbeers and some bread and butter out for them all to indulge before taking a seat at the table with them and sighing. He didn’t say a word about his relation, but there was no denying the stark resemblance between the two.

‘You can stay the night, and then tomorrow … you need to leave! Get out of here while you still can, boy!’ Aberforth didn’t have the same warmth to him that Harry had grown accustomed to with Dumbledore, despite being the younger brother, he had an aged appearance, weathered from the darker times and stress of the wars. 

‘We can’t do that. We have to get into the castle… tonight. Dumbledore gave us a job to do…’ Harry started but he was quickly cut off once more. 

‘Oh Dumbledore gave you a job, a nice job is it… easy? My brother was many things Mr. Potter. One of his more defining characteristics was his selfishness. He had the uncanny habit of expecting everyone around him to follow him blindly! No matter the personal cost’ Draco felt that Aberforth had hit the nail on the head. He never pretended to be a huge fan of the old man, but even Potter had to admit that Dumbledore expected a lot from them all considering the distinct lack of help or information he had given them. 

‘Look I don’t care what happened between you and your brother. I don’t care that he had secrets. Everyone does. I trusted him. I still trust that this is the right thing to do and I will do it with or without your help. If you have given up… that’s on you. But I never will’. Harry stood towards the end of his speech and walked around the room pacing. He wasn’t in the mood for a moral debate with a strange relation of Dumbledore. There were many times this year alone where he had doubted just how well he knew his favourite Hogwarts Professor… but he had made peace with it all. 

Aberforth sighed and stood up, he walked over to a portrait of a young girl and whispered something to her that Hermione couldn’t quite make out. Before returning to his seat as she left her frame. 

‘That’s your sister Ariana isn’t it sir? She died when she was very young…’ Hermione looked at Aberforth sadly, she wasn’t sure what compelled her to bring up the topic. But something about the old wizard told her that he hadn’t truly given up on this war, he just felt as though he had nothing left to lose. 

‘When my sister Ariana was six years old, she had accidentally made a show of magic while a group of muggle boys spied on her. When she couldn’t do any magic in front of them, they started to attack her. She was so traumatised by the incident, that she refused to use magic ever again, but the build up of power inside her was too strong and imploded, turning into an obscurus. When she was fourteen years old, in a moment of emotional turmoil her magic spun out of control, and she accidentally killed our mother. When a certain Gellert Grindelwald entered the equation, Albus was already so lost and resentful that he had given up his life to care for our sister, he was easily enticed into the ideals of Grindelwald. He actually planned to take Ariana with him on his travels in their quest to rule the world for the supposed greater good…

I lost my temper. And a duel broke out between me, Albus and Grindelwald. Ariana was caught in the crossfire and killed. I never forgave my brother for bringing that man into our lives…’ Aberforth went silent. Hermione and Draco sat there, absorbing all that they had heard. 

‘He never forgave himself either. The night your brother died, we went to look for something to help us win the war. He drank a potion that drove him out of his mind … He thought he was watching Grindelwald torturing you and Ariana … and it tore him apart that he couldn’t stop it’ Harry recounted the night of the Astronomy Tower and guilt flooded through Draco once more. It was his fault that Dumbledore had died. Yes he had refused to complete his mission for the Dark Lord, but he had still helped Bellatrix and the others gain entry into the castle. 

Aberforth, sensing Draco’s inner turmoil approached him at the table. 

‘I know all about you. Albus came to me, shortly before he died. Told me there was a boy, who had been drafted into this war and tasked to kill him. But he knew the lad was no murderer and he likely wouldn’t do it. He told me that a girl he knew would be there keeping him safe, she would give him a new purpose and that one day there would come a point that they would need my help…’ Aberforth looked towards Hermione before turning back to Draco. ‘I reckon if an 18 year old boy, raised to know nothing more than what the blood purests expect of him, can be that brave and find light in this godforsaken world… then so can I’.

Aberforth stood up and walked out of the room, just as Ariana was returning to her portrait.

‘Look, she’s coming back … there’s someone with her’ Ron was squinting at the portrait of Ariana Dumbledore, trying to decipher who he had with her. When her frame swung open to reveal a dark passageway, and the taller and broader figure of Neville Longbottom on the other side. 

Hermione gasped at the sight of their friend, whether it was because it had been so long since she had seen him, or because he looked considerably worse for wear, she wasn’t sure. But she was relieved to see him standing there, smiling brightly at them all. Until he found Draco Malfoy in the room. 

‘Well this is a surprise. I assume you are all aware you have a snake with you right?’ Neville raised an eyebrow at them all. 

‘Neville! You look …’ Harry started but couldn’t find the words to say. 

‘Like hell I reckon …’ Neville finished the sentence for him, acutely aware of how he must have looked, ‘Hogwarts isn’t the same place it was when you left…’ he added. 

Hermione ran to the picture and jumped into Neville’s embrace, holding on to him tightly and squeezing all her care and love into him. 

Draco tilted his head and took a deep breath. His jealousy would never subside. Even if it was Longbottom… he hated anyone touching his little witch. Ron only fueled his anger when he caught the smile on his face, clearly enjoying Draco’s discomfort. 

When Hermione let go of Neville she returned to Draco’s side. Draco instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist and buried his face into the back of her head, inhaling deeply, her intoxicating scent instantly settling his nerves and putting his mind at ease. 

Neville’s eyes widened at the encounter. To Hermione, Draco being so possessive of her was a natural occurrence now, she had completely forgotten that to anyone else, it must have been quite a frightening sight to see. 

Hermione blushed furiously. She wasn’t afraid of her feelings for Draco, nor did she care what others would think. But she still hated being the centre of attention in a room. 

Harry cleared his throat and Neville came back to reality.

‘Right anyway, shall we go and have a little fun with everyone …’ Neville shrugged and led the group down the passageway towards Hogwarts. 

‘I don’t remember seeing this shortcut on the map?’ Harry questioned Neville. 

Neville chuckled, ‘that’s because it wasn’t. It appeared shortly after we started using the secret room as a communal safe space, when we needed a way to get in and out of the castle undetected. The room provided…’ 

When they reached the other end, Neville turned around and held his finger to his lips to hush them. Clearly wanting to surprise their friends. 

‘Ey up everyone! I have a surprise for you…’ Neville shouted loudly as many of the occupants groaned audibly. 

‘If it’s any more of Aberforth’s cooking, it will be a surprise if I can digest it…’ The voice of Seamus Finnigan sounded loudly around them. 

Neville stepped inside the room, and left space to reveal Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco. The room erupted in cheers as everyone crowded around their golden trio, patting them on their backs and shaking their hands. No one approached Draco, not that he minded. He was too concerned with keeping his eyes fixed on Hermione’s whereabouts. 

‘Alright alright, give them all some room to bloody breathe!’ Neville called over the commotion. 

‘Harry I trust you have a good reason for having that slimy bastard with you… a reason good enough for me not to crucio him where he stands…’ Seamus had spotted Draco and was not amused by his presence. 

Hermione stepped to the side, blocking Seamus’ view of him. She looked towards everyone in the room fiercely, non verbally daring them to dare make a move against her. 

No one bothered to hide their shock. And Draco smirked in response to her own possessiveness of him.

Before Hermione had to jump to his defense, Harry stepped forward. ‘Malfoy is with us. He has been helping us for months, he flipped sides the night Dumbledore died so everyone can stand down… we … we trust him’.

Now Draco was the one in shock. 

Harry’s speech had caused quite a stir, whispers erupted all around them. But soon they settled down, and the attention was firmly back on the Chosen One. 

‘I trust you also have a good reason for coming back here Harry…’ Neville stepped forward again, interrupting the excitable chatter. 

Harry looked around the room, not wanting anyone else to get hurt or killed to help him. He was in awe of their enthusiasm to help but couldn’t bring himself to speak. 

‘There’s something here in the castle, something we need. That will help us kill you-know-who…’ Hermione started for him. 

‘Okay so what is it…’ Seamus asked. 

‘We don’t know,’ Ron replied. 

‘Where is it?’ Neville stepped forwards. 

‘We don’t know that either but Harry says it has something to do with Ravenclaw’ Hermione finished. 

The room fell silent once more, ‘we know that’s not much to go on…’ Draco had stepped forward in union with the others, attempting to show everyone he really was trying to help. 

Seamus snorted, ‘that’s nothing to go on…’ he said. 

Draco rolled his eyes, ‘it will be small… something easily hidden. Not something that anyone would expect or happen to come across accidentally…’ he continued. 

‘Well, there is Rowena Ravenclaw’s lost Diadem…’ Luna had her usual doe-eyed smile. 

Draco shifted uncomfortably. And glanced at Hermione. She too seemed uncomfortable. 

‘Bloody hell, a lost thing? And what he fuck is a diadem exactly?’ Ron raised his hands and sighed in defeat.

‘It’s a small, decorated headpiece, kind of like a crown … And yes, it has been hidden for centuries as far as anyone knows’ Luna, still smiling, turned her gaze knowingly towards Draco and Hermione. 

Definitely a bloody seer.

‘Ok brilliant, we will start with that…’ Harry was cut off with the arrival of Ginny. His heart stuttered and his breath hitched. He took an involuntary step towards her and she mirrored his movement. 

‘Harry…’ She said quietly, her eyes never left his face. And he swallowed hard. 

Draco found it highly amusing to see Harry affected so deeply by someone. To know that it wasn’t just him who was a hopeless fool for a woman he loved. 

‘Eight months she hasn’t seen me and it’s like I’m franky fucking first-year.. I’m her brother…’ Ron snorted and rolled his eyes. 

Draco laughed. ‘Yeah but there’s only one Potter isn’t there Weaselbee’. Ginny was suddenly back in the room, the voice of Draco Malfoy drawing her back to reality. He despised how frequently that seemed to happen.

Neville shook his head and held up his hands to her, ‘It’s a long story… What is it, Ginny?’ he asked her. 

Suddenly she realised why she had run to the room in the first place. 

‘Snape knows, he knows Harry was spotted in Hogsmeade, he’s called a meeting with all the students’. Ginny looked apologetically to Harry, she knew that this meant their world was about to turn upside down.

‘Ok… okay, Seamus, get on the wireless to lupin. Let him know that we are here, and that shit is about to go down. It’s time I had a word with the new headmaster’ Harry had not forgiven Snape for the part he had played in all this madness. But he also remembered that he was the one who had ushered Draco away. 

Draco walked towards Hermione once more and brushed his fingers against her arm, she fluttered her eyes closed and drew in a deep breath. They looked at each other attentively. They weren’t sure how many people knew that Snape was secretly working for the order, but they knew they couldn’t blow his cover just yet. It was too risky for everyone involved. 

***********************************************************************

Hermione, Ron and Draco waited patiently near to the great hall, when they were sure that no one was around they stepped out into the open and waited for the order members to arrive.

One by one, people who Draco vaguely recognised apparated into the grounds of the school, and as expected each one stopped abruptly when they saw that he was standing alongside Hermione. 

Molly and Arthur Weasley were quick to voice their disgust and Hermione was not at all impressed by their prejudice, Fred and George joked that they always knew he wasn’t as much of a ferret as everyone had assumed. Molly was busy letting Remus know that it was scandalous and he should be thrown out with the rest of them when Hermione, with all her reckless Gryffindor confidence, took Draco’s hand in one of her own and caressed his cheek with her other.

Both Molly and Arthur were outraged, Draco suspected, they were mostly upset that she would not be their daughter-in-law after all. Tonks threw the couple a cheeky wink and Remus smiled fondly at Hermione before giving Draco a curt but friendly nod. No one else bothered to say much about the pair, but Draco could still feel their eyes boring into his skull. 

Draco pulled Hermione back momentarily, holding her firmly in his hands and staring down into her big golden eyes. ‘Hermione, mon amour, are you sure this is what you want.. This life? With me? Because this is what I want with you but … I could never ask you to have to do this. To have to explain to people for the rest of our lives your decision to be with me, to defend me at every turn. I don’t want you to resent me, or be disappointed... You mean too much to me for that’ Draco was nervous as hell, he would hold on to Hermione tightly for the rest of his life, he knew he would never feel for another the way he felt for her, but he also couldn’t bare to see her ridiculed by public opinions for the poor decisions of his family. 

‘Draco … I don’t care. I don’t care what anyone else has to say. Or how they feel about it. All I care about is how you feel about it. If this is a life you are willing to have with me … I am stubborn, and reckless, and I will drive you mad for the rest of your days. I am not pure, or a good traditional wife, and I likely never will be the person that’s right for you -’ Draco cut Hermione off instantly, he couldn’t bear to hear her compare herself to others so negatively. 

‘Hermione -  You are exactly perfect just the way you are. I want your stubbornness, I want your recklessness, I want to fight with you over who your best authors are, and how many times it's necessary to read Hogwarts: A history. I want to shove it in everyone’s faces that they are irrelevant, that their opinions don’t matter, because as long as I have you then nothing could ever hurt me. You are mon amour. Frankly, I can’t wait to be driven mad every day for the rest of my life. Because you should know, I am nothing if not possessive and jealous. And if you are mine, truly and unapologetically mine, not a single person in this entire fucking world, will ever have the chance to touch you again. You are quite honestly the most pure woman I have ever met.’ Draco kissed Hermione passionately, not knowing if after today he would ever have the chance to again. And he knew that she felt it too. 

‘You can say all that to me again, when this is over Draco Malfoy’ she kissed his knuckles and they walked hand in hand towards where the order members had gathered, ready to make a statement to all of Voldemort’s hapless followers.

Chapter Text

Hermione and Draco wait with the rest of the order as they listen to Snape droning on about the students being required to turn Harry over should they hear anything about his whereabouts, when Harry himself stepped forward.

The doors to the great hall opened and the order members stepped inside, Draco keen to show a stand of his own tried to make his way forwards but Hermione pulled him aside and pinned him against the wall. 

‘You can’t go in there, Draco. You can’t be seen. If they know you are here, they will come for you. I can’t lose you Draco. I can’t’ Hermione had tears welling in her eyes, she was visibly shaking. Draco wrapped her up in his arms, hushing her patiently. Stroking her hair out from her face, and looking at her feverently. 

‘You aren’t losing me mon amour. I told you. You’re mine now, and mine forever’ Draco held her closely. 

In all the commotion of the great hall, Draco and Hermione hadn’t realised that Snape had disappeared and the Carrows had been apprehended. Not until Voldemort’s voice echoed throughout the halls of Hogwarts demanding that they hand over Harry Potter and he would spare the students and teachers in the school. 

Nobody said a word. 

The moment that silence had returned to the school, McGonagall ordered Filch to evacuate the younger students immediately. Harry and Ron appeared once more, checking Hermione over to make sure that she was still safe and well. Noticing how visibly shaken she appeared.

‘Mione … we were worried about you. We didn’t see you in there after McGonagall showed Snape who’s boss…’ Ron looked at Draco suspiciously. 

‘I wasn’t prepared to let Draco go in there and be discovered. I am keeping him safe for a reason’ Hermione was firm with Harry and Ron. She would not allow them to belittle her or Draco. 

‘I wish you would stop treating him like the enemy all the bloody time!’ Hermione sighed when neither of her friend’s said anything, just standing there with guilty looks on their faces… ‘Harry I’ve been thinking, it doesn’t matter if we find another horcrux because we don’t have a way to destroy it, but I know where you can get one… the chamber Harry. You and Ron can go to the chamber of secrets for another basilisk fang …’ Hermione was imploring Harry. Trying her hardest to convince him where to go so that she and Draco could leave to plant the diadem back where Draco found it. 

‘She’s right, and I don’t know about Granger; not that is would surprise me at this point, but I certainly don’t know how to speak Parseltongue, it’s going to have to be you scarhead’ Draco caught on to what Hermione was trying to do. 

‘Me and Draco have an idea where to find the Diadem… You can meet us there, take this …’ Hermione handed over the cup and Marauder’s map to Harry. 

‘Yeah ok, we will come and find you when we have the fang… but ‘Mione please be careful’ Ron gave her a quick hug and stared at Draco expectantly. He didn’t trust him but he had a feeling he wouldn’t allow any harm to come to her. 

Hermione watched as her two best friends ran down the corridor towards the grand staircase to make their way to the chamber in the girls bathroom. When they had gone from sight, Draco grabbed her hand and they wove in and out the crowds of people to head back to the room of requirement. 

As Hermione and Draco ran through the castle, the sights and sounds around them were harrowing. Multiple screams of younger students facing for the first time, some of the darkest horrors of the world. Hordes of dark creatures including giants, trolls, spiders and dementors were all circling the grounds waiting for a weak spot to find their way in. McGonagall and the other adults had cast an impressive protective shield around the school that for now, seemed to be impenetrable.

They didn’t dare stop even for a second, knowing that time was of the essence, Hermione knew the horcrux was in her bag, but she was sure that Voldermort would send someone on his own behalf to locate it first. 

When she and Draco had finally reached the seventh floor corridor, they took a moment to concentrate on what they needed the room to provide. 

‘No one is in there anymore so the room should have reset itself, I think we will both have to concentrate on what we need from the room, I’m not sure how easy it will be with everything going on around us’ Hermione placed one hand on the wall before stepping back to join Draco by his side. 

I need to find something in the room where everything is hidden.

I need to find something in the room where everything is hidden.

I need to find something in the room where everything is hidden.

Hermione repeated the chant in her mind over and over again, trying her hardest to block out all the sounds around her. It was proving difficult, but when she felt Draco’s hands slither around her waist, and his lips brush against her ear, the world fell away around her as usual and a serene peace washed over her mind. 

Draco could see the pain in Hermione’s expression as she desperately asked the room to appear before her. Every crash or scream that sounded off around them made her flinch and have to start again. Draco was at a loss of how to help her, it wasn’t like he could silence the entire castle for her. Or could he?

Every time that Draco had searched for his own solace, he found he was most at peace when he had Hermione tucked safely under his chin, leaning against his chest and secured in place in his strong arms. Maybe, just maybe. He could have the same effect on her. Perhaps he could help her find her own inner peace. 

The moment Draco wrapped himself around her. He felt her guard drop, her shoulders sag and her breathing even out. Her face was no longer tense, and her heart had stopped pounding inside her chest. She succumbed to the feel of him, and as she did, he watched the door to the room of requirement appear almost immediately. 

‘You did it mon amour, you did it’ Draco placed a soft kiss behind her ear and she squeaked. He hoped that one day he would get to hear that sound in the privacy of their own room, with no one else around. Perhaps the room could provide that too, he thought.

As soon as the door appeared Hermione took a deep breath. Trying feebly to steady her erratic nerves. She looked over to Draco and gave him a breathtaking smile. He returned her smile, and took her by the hand, gesturing to her ladies first. 

The room was exactly as Draco had remembered it, objects of all shape, size and use piled high from floor to ceiling. A maze of items lost or hidden over the centuries past at Hogwarts. 

Hermione and Draco quickly but carefully navigated their way around the room, Draco retracing his steps back to where he had visited many times the vanishing cabinet in his sixth year. 

It didn’t take him long to find it, he had been there so many times before it almost felt like second nature to walk that path once again, the path that had nearly cost him everything he held dear to him now. 

Draco felt like an imposter in these walls, not worthy of the happy memories he had made in his younger years at this school. He had spoiled and tainted them all the moment he chose to follow orders and sneak death eaters into the castle. Resulting in the death of his headmaster. 

Hermione could sense Draco’s unease. She squeezed his hand gently, signalling to him that she was still there. He wasn’t alone anymore. He didn’t have to try and right all his wrongs by himself. 

‘It’s just around this corner’ Draco pointed to a large stack of cupboards, chairs and tables. Precariously piled up on top of each other, with only one or two additional items placed carefully around them. 

Hermione came to a stop as she let Draco take a moment to deal with the barrage of emotions that plagued his mind to return to this room. She was there for him if he needed her, but she felt that some things he needed to try and come to terms with alone. 

While she gave Draco his peace, she searched for a good place to plant the Diadem in the event that Harry and Ron returned before she had adequate time to “locate it”. 

Just the other side of the vanishing cabinet is where she saw it, the perfect place. A small table with a few dusty books, an ornament of Helga hufflepuff and an empty jewellery box. She sifted through her beaded bag as she turned to tell Draco that she had found where they could hide the horcrux, but was alarmed by what had greeted her instead. 

Standing a few feet away from Draco, was Blaise Zabini and Gregory Goyle. They had their wands raised towards Hermione and were stalking towards her and Draco. Clearly unaware that Draco was no longer on their side. 

‘You did it Draco … You’ve cornered the golden girl! Let’s finish her off and find what we came here for!’ Draco snapped his head up in the direction of Goyle who had a triumphant sneer across his face. 

Hermione felt her breath quicken, she wasn’t sure what Draco would do now that he was confronted with the choice between her and his former friends and allies, but she knew whatever the outcome it wouldn’t be pretty. 

Blaise took a step towards his friend, trying to gauge his reactions, he didn’t seem to be bothered that Hermione was standing there also, his only concern was for his friend. 

Draco darted his eyes between the two of them, his breathing shaky. He didn’t want to hurt either of them, but Goyle had plans to kill Hermione, and he absolutely would not allow that to happen either.

Blaise was staring at Draco, of all his friends at school, Blaise was always the most perceptive. He seemed to know how Draco was feeling without the need for a conversation, it reminded him strongly of his interactions with Luna. 

Draco took a step back, away from his friends and towards Hermione. Goyle watched him confused, but Blaise understood immediately and lowered his own wand. 

‘What the fuck are you doing?! You need to kill the mudblood bitch!’ Goyle was practically shouting. 

The moment that awful slur had left Goyle’s lips, Draco’s gaze turned venomous. Vivid screams were echoing in his mind, reminders of Bellatrix carving THAT word into Hermione’s arm. He immediately saw red, and raised his wand to Goyle. 

The lightning fast reaction of Draco had Goyle rooted to the spot. Like he had been slapped in the face by his former best friend, his cheeks slowly reddened similar to the Weasels when he was angry too. 

‘Call her that again Goyle, I fucking dare you’ Draco barely recognised his own voice. It was a mix of a deep growl, and a furious whisper, barely loud enough for anyone to hear, but the threat concealed within it, had Goyle turn from beetroot red, to ghostly white in less than a heartbeat. 

‘So it’s true. You are a filthy blood traitor!’ Goyle had seemed to find his nerve from somewhere, a deadly mistake. He moved his wand to point it towards Draco. Draco could see the red spark of an impending Crucio begin to sparkle at the end of his wand.

Hermione had taken the opportunity of Goyle’s distraction to walk slightly to the side, finding a better position to disarm Goyle before he had the chance to hurt Draco. She knew Draco well enough by now to correctly assume that his blood was boiling under his skin. He could put up with all manner of insults regarding himself, but the moment someone had turned on Hermione, he became a deranged and irrational danger. 

Hermione slowly raised her wand, slow enough to avoid notice by the trio of Slytherins several feet away from her. She was out of Blaise’s line of sight, thanks to Draco and she had the perfect aim at Goyle. 

When she saw the sparks ignite in Goyle’s wand she was quick to react. She sent a warning shot from her wand and marginally skimmed his left ear.

Draco desperately wanted to turn to her, but he refused to drop his guard. 

‘That was a warning shot, I won’t miss next time…’ Hermione was furious, the longer Goyle was threatening Draco the more irrational she became herself. She had never lost her composure before. She was always the stable member of her trio, always the one who thought things through before acting. But seeing Draco threatened, erased all her rational thinking, only her raw carnal desire to protect him remained. She was just as possessive and psychotic about him as he was for her.

Just as Goyle was considering returning fire, Harry and Ron appeared panting and gasping.. Their wands were also raised towards Goyle and Blaise. Goyle stuttered slightly, now severely outnumbered, when a clearly evil thought crossed his mind, and manifested itself into a sinister snicker.

***********************************************************************

Ron and Harry were barrelling down the corridors as fast as their feet would carry them, they were careful not to trample any panicking students desperate to make their escape, but on occasion would find themselves apologising over a number of trodden toes. 

When they reached the girls bathroom on the second floor, Harry ripped off the tape from the door and tried the handle. It was locked. 

Ron took out his wand and whispered ‘Alohamora’ hearing the telltale clank of a lock moving of its own accord, they smiled happily and made their way inside. Silently thanking Hermione in their minds for teaching them that one in first year.

It was eerily quiet inside, moaning myrtle was nowhere to be found, and they were far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the corridors that it felt as though they were the only people left in the castle. Memories of their second year at Hogwarts came to the forefront of their minds, the year they rescued Ginny from Tom Riddle. Where Harry had unknowingly destroyed the first Horcrux he had ever come across. 

Harry walked over to the familiar sink that he and Ron knew to be the entrance to the chamber and using all his concentration, he commanded it to open in Parseltongue. 

The sink did as it was told and the two boys were faced once again with the dark slope that led down into the chamber.

Once inside the chamber, Harry and Ron ran through the endless maze of corridors and found themselves face to face with the huge decayed corpse of Voldemort’s pet basilisk. Kneeling down Harry broke off a long fang from the skeleton and made his way back over to Ron who had the cup in hand. 

They placed the cup on the floor and readied themselves for whatever curse they would face from the soul fragment that lived inside. 

Ron took a step to the back, citing to Harry that he had already had the pleasure of destroying Salazar’s locket so he should take this one for himself. Partly because the locket had terrorized Ron for months and he was in no hurry to relive that experience.

Harry stared down at the cup, and felt as though it was staring back at him. He knew it to be impossible, it was just a golden goblet, but it was like the soul fragment inside was trying to convince him to spare it. 

Harry lowered himself to his knees, as Ron watched on warily. He didn’t want to intervene but he was nervous that Harry seemed to be at war with himself over destroying it. 

As Harry continued to stare at the cup, all the thoughts and doubts he had been subjected to upon wearing the locket began to flood his mind once again. He wasn’t good enough to be the chosen one. How could he have let so many people die for him? Ginny would hate him forever if she knew how similar he was to Voldemort. 

Harry shook the thoughts from his mind and raised his arm in the air. With one fell swoop, he plunged the fang into the cup and watched at the metal, creased and contorted in on itself.

The water surrounding Harry and Ron seemed to rise up dramatically, the cup was spinning around furiously. The water creeped closer and closer to Ron and Harry, slowly filling up the chamber, threatening to consume them, but as the cup came to a halt, the foreboding sea above them lost all its momentum, crashing over the top of their heads and soaking them to their toes. 

Harry and Ron looked at each other for a moment and then burst into hysterics. The shock of what they had just witnessed combined with the joy and relief that they had destroyed another horcrux had combined in such a way all they could do was laugh lest they cry.

‘We need to get out of here, and find Hermione and Malfoy. With a bit of luck they managed to locate the diadem …’ Harry said, turning to leave the chamber for what he hoped would be the last time. 

When the duo had made their way back into the castle, they pulled out the Marauder’s map to locate Hermione but she was nowhere to be seen. 

‘Why on earth would she have given us this if we can’t bloody see her anyway?’ Harry questioned. 

‘Wait - what about the room of requirement? Didn’t you say that it doesn’t appear on the map?’ Ron asked. Harry looked at Ron for a second, processing the level of brilliance that had just come from his friend's mouth.

‘That’s right … I did. You’re brilliant Ron!’ Harry exclaimed excitedly. 

‘Can’t leave everything to you and Hermione, can I?’ he shrugged, and they sprinted through the castle towards the room of requirement. 

When they arrived at the ornate door on the seventh floor, Harry was astonished at what he saw. He thought, if it were even possible, the room was even more full than he had remembered. 

‘Bloody hell, it’s like a maze in here! How are we going to find them?’ Ron was taking in his surroundings slowly, having never seen the room of hidden things first hand. 

‘I don’t know, but we had better start searching … wait … do you hear that?’ Harry listened hard to the voices in the distance, they sounded familiar but he couldn’t put a face to them. 

‘Sounds like it’s this way … maybe that’s where Hermione and Malfoy are?’ Ron guessed, at both the location of the voices and the owners. 

Ron and Harry carefully crept towards the commotion, soon realising that what they could hear was in fact arguing. 

Ron held his finger to his mouth before pointing towards four figures straight ahead of them. Two belonged to Hermione and Malfoy, they had their backs turned to them, and not too far from their friends, stood Goyle and Blaise, with their wand arms outstretched and zeroed in on Hermione. 

Harry and Ron watched silently as Goyle threatened Hermione and Draco turned against his former friend. When Hermione stationed herself closer to the danger, and the red sparks of the Cruciatus curse were about to erupt from Goyles wand, they made their move. 

Following on from Hermione’s warning shot, Harry and Ron sprinted towards their friend. 

‘One more move Goyle and you will wish you never walked in here…’ Ron was furious, he couldn’t simply switch off his feelings for Hermione, and although they weren’t returned, they still had a habit of causing Ron to dive into situations feet first for her.

Goyle looked at the group in front of him, a wicked grin morphed from his impatient frown. The red sparks flickered on, and slowly changed to a neon shade of green, he didn’t move his wand from Hermione’s direction. 

Draco could see the spell crossing through Goyle’s mind, as if in slow motion, he began to speak out the most unforgivable curse anyone could ever use. 

Draco ran in front of Hermione and wrapped himself around her protectively, he knew in that moment that there was nothing he would not do for his witch, even if it meant sacrificing himself so that she may live.

Just as the words of the killing curse had dripped out from Goyle’s mouth, Draco saw the bright green light zoom past his head and collide with a stack of chairs nearby incinerating them to ash. When he turned around, he saw Blaise Zabini had run over to Goyle and forced his arm away from their direction. Saving both Draco and Hermione’s life. 

It took Draco a long moment to process that Hermione was safe. Only truly accepting that fact when both Ron and Harry ran to her side to protect her also. 

Blaise now had his wand raised against Goyle. 

‘We can’t do this man. Draco is our friend … he’s my best friend! I won’t kill him. And he won’t let you kill her. Let it go bro!’ Hermione had rarely heard Blaise speak, and when she had, he usually sounded so calm and unaffected. A stark difference to his stressed and fearful manner that he wore now. 

‘FUCK YOU BLAISE! We have a job to do! My father gave us a job directly from the Dark Lord! I don’t give a fuck who stands in my way. No one is leaving here until I have finished it!’ Goyle raised his wand again, this time screaming an enchantment that only Draco, Blaise and Hermione had ever heard before. 

‘Pestis Incendium!’

In less than a second, large enchanted flames began to billow from Goyle’s wand. They grew and grew. Hermione stared at the flames in disbelief, unable to move her feet away from the volcanic fire that had already begun to engulf the room around them. 

‘Fuck… Hermione, we have to leave!’ Draco grabbed Hermione by the hand and pulled her away from the mass of flames behind them. Realising the danger they were in, her mind submitted quickly to his orders and her feet followed him eagerly.

Harry, Ron and Blaise were close behind them. Although Harry and Ron had no idea why they had to run and not simply extinguish the fire themselves. 

‘What is that, Hermione?!’ Harry called from behind her. 

Hermione chanced a look behind her, the large flames had transformed into a fiery chimaera; a blood-thirsty magical beast, with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon. 

‘It’s fiendfyre! It won’t stop until it has killed everything in its path! We have to get out of here!’ Hermione was panting frantically between every word. 

The enchanted fire seemed almost sentient, like it had a life force of its own and it was hellbent on consuming everything in that room, including the five of them. 

Turning another corner Hermione could see the way out, Draco had noticed too and seemed to pull her along even faster than he had before. She quickly took the diadem from her pocket and passed it over to Draco. 

‘Here! Fiendfyre is virtually indestructible … it can destroy Horcruxes!’ She shouted loudly. 

With barely seconds to spare they all barrelled their way out of the door, falling to their knees and rolling across the corridor. Draco took one last look at the diadem and launched it through the air and into the magical fire. 

The flames swallowed the dainty tiara and exploded all around it. The dark magic inside mixing with the fiendfyre turning the large flames black. 

Hermione quickly cast a pulling charm on the doors and magically sealed them shut before the fire had the chance to escape. The room of requirement had been destroyed along with everything inside of it, including Gregory Goyle, who was nowhere to be seen.

Chapter Text

Hermione laid next to Draco, flat on their backs against the cold stone floor. Panting so furiously the air burned their throats as they forced it back into their lungs.

Blaise walked slowly towards Draco, the guilt and shame plastered across his face. 

Draco slowly stood to his feet, stretching his hand towards Hermione and pulling her up into his chest. Murderously glaring at his friend as he approached. 

‘I … I probably don’t deserve your forgiveness …’ Blaise was looking down at his feet, shaking his head side to side. 

‘No … You don’t’ Draco spat. 

Hermione wrapped her tiny hand around his forearm and gently squeezed. Draco, usually priding himself on his ability to read others like a book, had no idea what she was trying to silently say to him. 

She pushed herself out from Draco’s hold and took a few ginger steps towards the dark-skinned slytherin who was lost for words.

Hermione placed both of her hands gently on the tops of Blaise’ arms, stilling for a moment to dissect his reaction. When he didn’t recoil or make any move to push her away with disgust, she snaked her arms around his back and held him closely, holding onto him tightly in a warm embrace. 

Blaise lost all signs of his stoic composure and crumbled in Hermione’s arms, silent tears caressing his cheeks and damping her shoulder as he held his head in shame against her body. He returned her hold with his own arms and sobbed quietly. 

‘I forgive you Blaise’ she whispered gently. 

Ron watched on with his mouth agape, and Harry smiled nervously, proud of Hermione for her unapologetic forgiving ways. Ron was less than enthused at the prospect of yet another Slytherin being welcomed into their fold. 

Draco’s steely gaze disintegrated at the sight of one of his best friends crying into the arms of the woman he loved. Hermione had an awe inspiring ability to break the barriers of even the strongest men, she didn’t even realise just how perfect she was. Strong, sassy, beautiful and empathetic. Draco would never tire of witnessing her tenderness and compassion for others. He had seen it so many times in favour of her own friends, and the magical creatures in the world who were often degraded and chastised, but never did he dare to dream that she would ever be able to turn that patience and understanding towards his own friends as well as he. 

She was a marvel. 

After a moment of silence, Blaise regained control of his emotions and held Hermione outwards in his arms, smiling at her eagerly. 

‘It’s no wonder you have managed to cleanse the darkness that had embedded itself in Draco’s soul … You are quite the witch Hermione Granger’ Blaise smiled fondly at her, before turning to face his friend in hopes of making amends. 

Draco walked towards Blaise and offered him a forgiving hug of his own. Two comrades of war, laying down their arms in a ceasefire. 

‘I’m sorry man. I never agreed to hurting anyone … you know me. All bark and no bite …’ Blaise was trying his best to explain himself but Draco quickly shut him down. 

‘No need Zabini. If she forgives you … then so do I’ Draco glanced sideways at Hermione who was beaming. 

Their emotive moment was cut short by the sound of an explosion all around them and the walls of the castle shaking violently. They looked to one of the windows and saw the shield that had been protecting them until this point, shattering, like a stone thrown through glass.

Before their eyes, the hordes of dark creatures began to descend upon the castle. Death eaters and Voldemort’s supporters were clambering past one another, each as eager as the next to fight their way inside the walls of Hogwarts.

Another explosion sounded off in the distance, and Hermione watched, with her hands clasped over her mouth as the covered bridge from the clocktower courtyard set alight and splintered into the air. 

Hurried footsteps approached from behind them, when the group turned they saw yet another two Slytherins approaching them. 

Draco and Blaise instinctively raised their wands in front of them, as the figures of Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott approached. 

Pansy’s usual appearance of long black sleek hair, and perfectly polished olive skin was now hidden beneath a layer of muck and grime, her hair taking on a more grey appearance from the dust. 

Theo was sporting several cuts and injuries, one had matted together some of his brown curls, his hair could now rival even that of Hermione’s bushy mop of her younger years. He was a well built boy, broader than Draco and taller than Blaise, but he had a kind face. 

Pansy and Theo came to a halt when they saw Blaise and Draco and they instantly raised their hands to the air.

‘Either of you move too quickly and I'll put you down. What are you doing here?’ Draco asked them both. 

‘Draco … it’s us. You don’t need to threaten us. Nott overheard his father talking to Goyle. Said that he had a job to do, to find a tiara belonging to ravenclaw in the room of requirement and that he was to bring it to him immediately. That Potter and his mates were probably looking for it too, and if he saw them or you then he was to kill you on site… we … we couldn’t let that happen. So we ran ahead to find you and warn you but then we were caught near the great hall by some trolls, they collapsed a few of the walls with their clubs and Theo pushed me out the way, he saved me. But he got caught under some beams… I had to save him, Draco. I’m so sorry we didn’t get here sooner but I couldn’t leave him there’ Pansy had tears streaming down her cheeks. 

Theo reached out to wipe them away and smiled at her sweetly. 

‘Bloody stubborn witch. What would I do if something happened to you …’ Theo pulled Pansy into a warm hold. Kissing the top of her head. Draco looked surprised. He turned to Blaise who shrugged, he obviously had been aware of their developing relationship while Draco had been away. 

‘We are NOT on their side mate, we swear! We just wanted to find you. To help you…’ Theo released Pansy and kept his hands in their air in surrender. He walked towards Draco with a wary look in his eyes. 

Draco lowered his wand and gave his friend a welcoming hug. 

‘Aww, always knew you had a sweet spot for me blondie’ Theo teased. Draco scoffed and pushed him away before pulling Hermione to his side and kissing the top of her head. 

‘Well shit me… looks like those rumours are true flower, Draco really has fallen for the gem that is Hermione Granger. About fucking time too…’ Theo’s laughter echoed in the halls. 

Both Draco and Hermione looked at each other in disbelief at their new companions' accusation, but the sound of more footsteps approaching pulled everyone back to the reality of their situation and away from their sweet reunion. 

‘Potter! What are you doing here? You need to get on with whatever it is you have planned so we can end this!’ Kingsley Shacklebolt, Remus and Tonks, and the Weasley twins appeared from round the corner, all stunned and surprised at the unlikely group in front of them. 

They raised their wands, not trusting Theo, Pansy or Blaise. They had accepted Draco’s new allegiance to the Order, or rather to Hermione, but they still did not trust the other Slytherins. 

Draco was about to bark at them to lower their wands but it was Harry who intervened first. 

‘There’s no need for that! Everyone here is on the same bloody side!’ Harry stepped between the Order members and his former classmates in defiance. He wasn’t going to allow anymore unnecessary bloodshed. 

Theo shielded Pansy behind him and stepped forwards, his hands raised once again. ‘It’s true sir, we aren’t with the Dark Lord, and we have never actually supported our families opinions either. We have just been forced to go along with it all. If you would only give us the chance to prove ourselves, we will gladly help and fight by your side…’ Theo had taken on the manners of a true pureblooded gentleman. He was firm but sincere. It took them all by surprise. 

Fred and George were the first to respond, lowering their wands and nodding to their companions. 

‘Fred … George, you two take the next corridor and keep those bastards at bay for as long as you can. Remus, Tonks… we will head to the clocktower, Arthur has sent word that there are multiple attacks up there… Harry. I wish you good luck my boy’ Kingsley bowed his head and the five of them disappeared, all heading towards their defensive positions leaving the Gryffindors and Slytherins alone once more. 

‘Pans, love. You and Blaise take the younger Slytherins and get them out of the castle, take them to Nott Manor. The elves there have instructions to assist any young ones that come through our doors, they have reset the wards, and won’t be allowing Nott Senior back into the Manor… I will stay with Draco and help Potter as much as I can. I will see you later baby ok?’ Pansy held onto Theo tightly, shaking her head furiously into his chest while the tears began to stream down her face. 

‘I… I can’t leave you Theo … What if … what if I don’t see you again … WHAT IF YOU LEAVE ME?!’ Pansy was pounding her fists against his hard body. 

‘Pansy Parkinson you look at me right now. You are the fiercest, most stubborn, cunning and wicked witch I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Loving you so freely this year has been the greatest honour of my life. Like fuck, is anyone taking that away from me now. But baby I need you safe, I can’t help anyone if I don’t know that you are safe do you hear me?’ Theo was shaking Pansy gently, trying desperately to convince her to leave. 

Hermione couldn’t help but feel a heavy weight in her chest as she watched the two lovers say their goodbyes. Pansy succumbed to his pleas. With a deep breath and a kiss that was likely more attuned to the bedroom than the middle of a warzone, she took Blaise’ outstretched hand and together they left, with one last sad smile between the pair. 

Together the remaining group ran down the stairs towards where they knew Fred and George would be waiting to defend the castle, as they got closer the distinctive sound of spells and screams echoed through the halls. Multicolour flashes and explosions scattered around them. 

They came to a halt when two masked death eaters stalked around the corner and stood directly in front of them. 

Draco immediately stepped in front of Hermione, he didn’t know who these two were, but he knew enough of them to be certain that whatever they had planned, they would be relentless in their attack. 

Hermione, Ron and Harry stood just behind Draco and Theo. Their two allies in front seemed wholly unaffected by the presence of the death eaters. But when they pulled their masks from their faces, things took a dramatic turn. 

There in front of them stood Fenrir Greyback and Lucius Malfoy. The former was practically salivating at the sight of Hermione, the latter was dishevelled and withdrawn. His eyes had sunk into his head, black rings framing the cloudy orbs. His hair was limp and lifeless. 

Lucius narrowed his gaze towards his son, Fenrir was smiling viciously. 

‘Draco … I’ve been … so worried. You can still change this … You can still fix everything. Join me son, join us. Come back to where you belong and all will be forgiven…’ Even Lucius’ voice was weak and frail. The months of whiskey abuse had torn away at his throat, leaving him hoarse. 

‘Hermione … Go … Now!’ Draco called but didn’t take his eyes away from his father. 

‘No. No I won’t leave you Draco…’ Hermione’s voice trembled. Refusing to listen to him. 

‘Hermione please! Fucking leave!’ Draco was losing his patience, his fear for her life was leading him to panic, just like Theo had described to Pansy, he wouldn’t be able to do anything if he was worried for Hermione’s life the entire time. And Draco knew exactly what Fenrir had in mind for her, let alone his father who saw her as a poison. 

‘NO! I’M STAYING!’ Hermione’s own voice was laced with fear. 

‘POTTER! WEASLEY! For Fucks sake get her out of here!’ Draco’s eyes were starting to well up, the longer she stayed the harder it would be to say goodbye. Draco knew the chances of ever seeing her again after this was slim.

Harry cast a strong Protego around her and Draco, Draco quickly turned to face Hermione and take her in his arms. 

‘Please.. Please please please. I am begging you Hermione. Please get out of here. I WILL see you again. I promise. But I can’t keep you safe from him if you stay here. I love you… I love you so so fucking much it kills me. And I am going to keep loving you every single day of my miserable fucking life. With every single breath and beat of my heart! I love you’ Draco pulled Hermione into a deep and possessive kiss before pushing her into the arms of the Weasel, that mere act alone had crushed him. 

Hermione had let the tears pour freely from her face, screaming and thrashing against Ron’s hold; she was desperate to get back to Draco. But with a sad smile, he cast a protective shield between them, effectively denying her any chance to step further towards him. 

Harry’s heart broke to see the look of a severely broken man replacing Draco’s usual stoney face. The ear-piercing cries of his best friend as she desperately clawed at the protective shield between them. 

With a sharp and thankful nod towards Draco, Harry and Ron wrapped Hermione in their arms and lifted her up, carrying her away from Draco and away from the danger that awaited her if he lost this battle. 

‘You’ll see her again man. I’m going to make fucking sure of it…’ Theo was staring murderously at the two men in front of him. Knowing exactly how it felt to watch his heart be dragged out from his body and carried away by the woman who owned it.

‘Nott, I swear to you, we kill my father, and I will be all too glad to help you kill yours … They will never have any hold over us ever again’.  Draco raised his wand towards his father, and Theo followed suit.

‘You always were such a disappointment…’ Lucius sighed, and trained his wand towards his son. 

‘I might keep you alive boy, you can listen to your little mudbloods screams as I split her in two with my cock, before tearing her apart piece by fucking piece. I will feast on her in more ways than one, while you watch!’ Fenrir was snarling. Theo’s face twisted with fury at Fenrir’s vile suggestion. 

Nott Senior may have been a cruel and psychotic son of a bitch, but all of his merciless torture had taught Theo well, he was a force to be reckoned with. 

Fenrir was the first to cast, attempting to incinerate the boys with a bombarda, but Theo deflected it with ease. The spell ricocheted into a wall opposite, blasting a large hole into the rubble.

Draco threw five consecutive basic casts towards his father, in his drunken state Lucius had become slow, and uncoordinated. He managed to deflect or dodge, but barely. 

Theo levitated a chunk of the rubble and threw it towards Fenrir. The werewolf managed to obliterate it before it made contact. With each unsuccessful curse of his own, his rage began to dictate his movements. He was sloppy but dangerous. Theo however, remained perfectly composed. He didn’t fear pain nor death, he had experienced enough of it first hand over the years to know just what to expect, he could even recite in great detail the exact feel of a well cast crucio if need be. His sheer lack of fear is what made him deadly. 

Lucius attempted to crucio Draco but he was unable to cast it, you had to really mean it and for whatever reason, that Draco did not care, his father couldn’t bring himself to do it. Reasons that Draco did not share in the slightest, as he found it all too easy to hit his father with a torture curse of his own. He watched as his own father writhed in pain on the floor, Draco felt no mercy, no sorrow, the thoughts of Hermione suffering at the hands of Bella with no argument from Lucius was more than enough to spur him on. 

Draco heard an almighty scream beside him, an almost animalistic cry. Theo had gained the upper hand (literally) over Fenrir and caught his left arm with a slicing hex, they watched as his limb fell clumsily to the floor, blood soaking into the stone as it poured from Fenrir’s ghastly wound.

When Draco turned back to face his father, he found that he was gone. The coward had run away in his defeat, gone to hide and flick his wounds. 

Distracted by the realisation, Draco didn’t notice Fenrir charging towards him, he clamped his hand around Draco’s throat and wrestled him to the ground. Slobbering and spitting in Draco’s face. He knew that if Fenrir managed to sink his teeth into him, he would either be infected with Lycanthropy or die from the blood loss. Draco felt his penknife in the pocket of his shirt, the same one he had used at Gringotts to access his vault, carefully he pulled it out, trying not to raise suspicion while he attempted to keep Fenrir at bay.

With an almighty heave of effort, Draco managed to lift Fenrir off of his body just enough to plunge the small blade between the wolf’s ribs.

Fenrir howled and in his pain pulled Draco over the edge of a broken balcony, plummeting to the ground together. 

‘DRACO!’ Theo’s scream was the last thing he heard before he fell into the abyss. 

***********************************************************************

Harry and Ron were still dragging Hermione away kicking and screaming as she begged and pleaded for them to go back for Draco. 

‘Please don’t make me leave him! PLEASE!’ Her sobs were uncontrollable. Her head was pounding and her eyes were stinging. Her throat was raw from her cries. 

Harry and Ron found a small alcove and pushed her inside. Pinning her in place and forcing her to listen. 

‘Hermione no! You can’t go back. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry’ Harry was holding Hermione still by her shoulders and shaking her violently. Trying anything to get her to calm down and see reason like she always would before. 

‘Draco would never forgive us if we let anything happen to you, Mione don’t you see! He loves you! He loves you so much that he begged us to save you. To keep you safe! So he could do what he has to, to come back to you! If you got back there, it could all be for nothing, if he dies because he can only concentrate on you … it will kill you. I know you love him, Hermione. I know you do. But if you really love him… you will let him do this… for you’ Harry didn’t move as her sobs slowly quietened. She looked up to him and took a deep unsteady breath, willing her brain back to see reason and logic. 

‘I know. I know you’re right. It’s just … I just …’ Hermione couldn’t find it in herself to finish her sentence. 

Ron tucked a hair behind her ear, the same one that Draco was so fond of and it coaxed another silent tear from her eye. 

‘You love him. We know and it’s okay Hermione, it’s going to be okay’ Ron stroked her cheek affectionately. He was telling Hermione that it was ok that she loved Draco, that they knew it and they accepted it. They would never like it, she was sure of that. But after witnessing just how deep their feelings ran for one another, they couldn’t deny that he made her happy, and all they ever wanted was for her to be happy. Even Ron. 

Hermione took a deep breath and steadied her overactive mind, they were right, Draco would go mad if she went back, and if she wanted to see him again, if she wanted to be free to be with him, really and truly free, then she needed to end this war. And sooner rather than later. 

With a sharp nod the trio exited the alcove and made their way towards the nearest exit of the castle, Voldemort was seriously weakened, but he wasn’t down and out just yet. But they had no idea where or what another Horcux might be. 

Hermione caught wind of Fred and George dueling known death eaters Travers and Dolohov… Dolohov was known to use a curse of his own making,  a slashing motion from his wand causing his signature purple flames to erupt from his wand, if caught enough by said curse, you were sure to die. 

Sensing Ron’s panic and fear at seeing his two brothers dueling deadly death eaters Hermione leapt into action, jumping over the rubble and racing into the battle, Hermione quickly fired spell after spell towards their assailants. Throwing Travers off balance easily. Before he had the chance to find his feet again, she cast Oppugno, and the rubble around them from the broken walls and explosions gathered together and launched themselves at Travers, killing him instantly. 

Dolohov seemed enraged at the death of his friend, he had knocked George down and aimed a reducto at the wall alongside Fred, the massive explosion saw rocks and debris flying through the air making its way towards one half of the Weasley twins. 

Hermione was quick to act, she wrapped Fred up in a Protego and cast a cushioning charm on the wreckage to protect the shield he was wrapped in, instantly saving his life. Before Dolohov had the chance to curse her while she was distracted saving Fred, Ron cast Sectumsempra which collided directly with his target. George got to his feet and walked over to Dolohov, fueled by his own rage that Dolohov had tried to murder his brother he merely watched as the man bled to death on the floor. 

Harry helped Fred back to his feet, grateful to Hermione for her quick thinking. 

‘Always knew you were a weapon Granger…’ he nodded to her with a boyish smile on his face. 

As they were about to turn and leave, continuing to search for any sign of Voldemort, Harry fell to the floor gasping for breath. 

Images of Voldemort and Nagini swirl inside his mind, barefoot and pacing a dark and cold building, one that Harry recognises but can’t quite place. There were distant sounds of water rippling and wood creaking, a tall archway appeared next to Voldemort who was looking out to the Black Lake, the moon reflecting along the ripples. Voldemort was at the boathouse. Keeping Nagini safe. Harry knew then that the last Horcrux was the snake. 

While Harry was gasping on the ground, Hermione ran over to try and lure him back to the here and now, to urge him to block Voldemort out of his mind. 

She was so distracted by her need to help him that she never noticed the long, hairy legs creeping around the corner, stalking behind her. 

Without warning, the creature dragged Hermione to the floor and crowded over the top of her, clashing together its sharp fangs that were dripping with its venom as she tried desperately to keep it from piercing her skin. 

As the strength of her arms was about to give out, a tall, red headed man came to her aid, ‘Arania Exumai!’ The spider on top of Hermione was blasted away down the corridor and Hermione was free from its pincers. Fred followed his blasting spell with a quick Incendio and the spider erupted into flames, squealing and scurrying away in a blaze. 

‘I suppose that makes us even’ she panted, Fred stretched out a hand to help her up and she hugged him in thanks. 

Hermione realised that Harry was back on his feet and sprinting towards her with Ron by his side. 

‘It’s the boathouse, he’s at the boathouse with the snake. She’s the last one … She’s the last Horcrux!’ Harry exclaimed. 

Once again the trio were running through their school, Harry was animatedly explaining what he had seen in his latest version when the sight of yet another death eater stopped them in their tracks in the clocktower. Tiberius Nott stood waiting for them to appear, seemingly warned by Voldemort that Harry was on their tail. 

Chapter Text

Harry, Ron and Hermione stood stock still when they saw that Theo’s dad was waiting for them to arrive. He had one of the most fearsome reputations as a particularly cruel man. Even going as far as to torture his own son for years in order to toughen him up. 

Hermione thought back to Theo and Draco, and when she last saw them together, preparing to duel against Draco’s father. She thought about how uncommonly loyal and kind Theo had been, and how desperately in love with Pansy he was. 

She couldn’t bear to know that Theo was in danger while the man stood in front of her lived. So with a newfound courage and determination, she stepped forward to meet this man head on in a duel. 

‘Hermione no!’ Ron shouted loudly, he wasn’t prepared to let her do this alone, but what choice did they have. Tiberius was not about to let them pass freely, but she knew he would allow the other two to leave if it meant he had the chance to kill the golden girl… Potter’s mudblood.

‘Harry leave! Take Ron and find that fucking snake. I’ve got this…’ She smiled wickedly at the death eater. She reminded herself of Draco and how desperate he was to get her out of harm’s way. She now knew how he felt, she would do this if it meant that Harry and Ron could make their escape. 

‘Hermione…’ Harry was about to try and convince her to let them help but she was fierce. 

‘JUST GO!’ She bellowed. 

Reluctantly, they did as she asked and continued on towards the boathouse, leaving Hermione to face the man in front of her alone. 

‘Stupid mudblood. You really think you can win against me … You’ve no idea what I am capable of …’ Tiberius snarled. 

‘Oh no sir. I think you will find it is YOU who has no idea what I am capable of… After I am through with you, you will never be able to hurt Theo again’ Hermione was practically growling in response to his taunts. 

‘Ha! That stupid welp of a boy. He is as useless now as he was when he was a child. Latching onto his mothers bosom, a weak little boy who craved his mummy’s cuddles. I made sure to kick that out of him. I murdered my wife you know … she was never a good girl. She never knew her place. And she was ever so feisty when it came to little Theodore, I like them feisty you know. Makes it so much more pleasurable when you realise you never stood a chance!’ Tiberius began to step sideways, he and Hermione circling around the room, a dance of two halves, good versus evil. 

With a wicked grin plastered across his face Tiberius sent a basic curse flying towards Hermione, it was a lazy spell, not really intending to cause any damage, more sussing Hermione’s skill level out and how much fun he could have with her.

Hermione responded in kind, she wouldn’t give away how skilled she was at dueling with the first cast, blocking the spell as half heartedly as it was received. 

As the duel went on Tiberius increased his intensity and severity of his curses, a flippendo, expulso, and reducto all cast one after the other in quick succession. But still Hermione barely broke a sweat, and she had still yet to cast first. 

Tiberius was slowly becoming frustrated by her lack of enthusiasm. 

‘Come on girl… too scared to fight first?’ he heckled. 

Hermione tilted her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. She knew that he was goading her, trying to solicit a bigger reaction to spot her weaknesses but she was far too rational to fall for that. So he tried a different approach.

‘You know a little birdie tells me you have managed to sully the honorable Malfoy line. I’d be impressed if it wasn’t for the fact that the entire lot of them are pathetic. I’m sure I have seen his body around here somewhere. Perhaps when I am done, I will drag you next to it…’ Hermione knew what he was trying to do, she couldn’t deny that the image of Draco being injured or dead somewhere in the castle had her heart rate accelerate slightly, she wouldn’t allow it to give him an edge over her. 

Hermione narrowed her gaze towards him. No more Mrs Nice Girl. 

‘Deprimo’ Hermione shot a spell to the floor narrowly missing Tiberius’ feet. A large hole in the ground appeared where the spell landed. 

Tiberius chuckled. 

‘Not bad… you might have even done some damage with that one’ he countered with a crucio which Hermione blocked efficiently. 

‘Diffindo’ this time Hermione did not miss, making a very precise cut along his cheek, it was still small. She could have made it much larger but she still didn’t want to give herself away just yet. 

The blood trickled down Tiberius’ face, when he tasted it on his tongue his eyes darkened. He countered with a diffindo of his own, narrowly missing Hermione’s leg. He clearly had not intended to miss, as he glowered down his nose at her.

Suddenly, a thick fog began to seep from his wand, it encapsulated the room, making it nearly impossible to see through it. Hermione wouldn’t be able to see where the next spell was coming from but surely, she thought, that Tiberius would not be able to see her either. 

Another diffindo whipped through the air, catching her hip and tearing at her flesh, she let out a small cry of pain which she quickly stifled before moving through the fog, not wanting Tiberius to know her exact location. 

She listened carefully but there was nothing, total silence in the room. Not a whisper or a footstep could be heard. 

Hermione noticed the fog slowly disperse, from the corner of her eye she saw a flash of movement which alerted her immediately to Tiberius Nott charging towards her with his wand raised, the beginning of the killing curse lighting the tip of his wand. 

Hermione dived down to the floor and past the death eater's feet, she rolled to the side and cast ‘duro!’ The spell hit tiberius square in his chest, the look of shock on his face slowly twisted into pain and his entire body transformed from flesh to stone. 

With the image of a young Theo being punished at the hands of the sleaze in front of her, she cast bombarda maxima, obliterating the statue of Tiberius Nott, killing him once and for all. 

‘Granger …’ the voice that addressed her sounded similar to Theo’s but this one was small and timid, she turned to see a ghostly white version of him staring at the spot where his father had been only moments ago, before Hermione had shattered him into pieces. 

Guilt paraded through Hermione’s mind. 

‘Theo … I … I’m sorry … I …’ Hermione didn’t know what to say, she couldn’t find the words to apologize in a way that would seem sincere for killing his father. She didn’t wish to lie and claim to feel remorse for it, but she also had no desire to cause Theo any pain. 

Theo turned his astonished gaze from the floor to Hermione’s face. 

He marched towards her. She was unsure of what his next move would be but she would face it head on, she deserved whatever she had coming for her. 

She closed her eyes when he was mere inches away, waiting for some sort of pain or torment. But what she felt instead, was his strong muscular arms wrap around her and lift her from the ground, twirling her gracefully as he chuckled gleefully. 

‘Do not apologise for that Granger. That might have been one of the most badass things I have ever seen in my life.. And I have seen some shit. Hermione … that man was not my father. He was a monster. My abuser … he murdered my mother in front of my face … you not only just saved me, but you avenged her spectacularly. I don’t think I can ever thank you enough’ Theo laughed again, turning to inspect the clumps of debris on the floor, the only evidence that Tiberius Nott ever existed. 

For a split second, Hermione was wrapped up in the bubble of joy that was radiating from Theo, until reality washed over her once more. 

‘Theo … Where’s Draco?’ she asked. Fearing the look in his eyes at the mention of his friend. 

‘I … I don’t know. We got separated. His father did a runner and left us with just Greyback. I lost my balance for a split second but it was enough for him to put me on my arse. Greyback lunged for Draco, they were wrestling on the floor, he was trying to get a bite out of Draco. I’m not sure what he did, but he did something that caused Greyback a lot of pain, then Greyback pulled them both off the edge of the balcony down to the floor below. I ran down to go and help, when I got there, Greyback had already left, Draco was trying to get himself up, I was then going to help him when a group of bloody Giants barrelled through the corridor and I lost sight of him… I had to split in the opposite direction when one of them tried to club me …’ Theo was now looking shameful. He couldn’t bear to meet Hermione's eyes. 

Hermione placed a comforting hand on his arm. 

‘Theo … it’s alright. You did the right thing. Draco would have never forgiven himself if you got yourself killed because you were trying to fend off a bloody giant to save him. You said he wasn’t there when you looked back. You lost sight of him? So let’s not assume the worst. He’s a stubborn prat. I don’t think he would go out the easy way…’ she smiled up at Theo, and he mirrored her affection. 

‘Come on Granger … let’s get the fuck out of here’ Theo said, taking Hermione by the hand.

Theo went to walk away but was confused when his hand tugged against Hermione’s. She wasn’t moving. 

Turning to face her, she had a look of horror written in her features. She looked up at Theo and released a shaky breath. 

That is when he noticed a one-armed Fenrir, dipped just below her waist and digging his claws into Hermione’s stomach. He had impaled her deeply. He ripped his hand out of her flesh and fell backwards, his own blood loss finally taking over his body, he used the last of his energy to savage Hermione’s body as he had promised to do so many times before. Albeit not in the way he had envisioned. 

Theo looked down at the blood that was now pouring from Hermione’s wounds. Her knees trembled and she lost her balance. 

He caught her in his arms and gently laid her on the floor. 

‘It’s okay Hermione, you’re okay I promise. I’ve got you …’ little did Hermione or Greyback know, Theo was an accomplished healer. The many years spent at the end of a lashing or prolonged crucio had led him to learn the basics of body repair. 

‘This is going to sting a little okay …’ Theo held his wand to Hermione’s wounds and began casting multiple healing charms, one to stop the bleeding, one to stitch the skin back together, one for a minor pain relief and finally the ferula charm to bandage her together. 

‘Just stay there, don’t move for a minute love okay?’ Theo stood up and stalked the half conscious Greyback, his vision had turned red, his mind was racing. He stationed his wand over the werewolf, who merely laughed at the boy in front of him. 

‘You haven’t got the guts… weak like your father!’ another blood spattering laugh left Fenrir’s lips. 

‘That’s where you are wrong… I am nothing like my father. I could leave you here to suffer. But no, why deprive myself of the satisfaction of watching the light leave your eyes…’ a bright green jet left Theo’s wand instantly, he hadn’t even heard himself say the words but there was no mistaking he had just killed Fenrir Greyback. 

Theo rushed back over to Hermione who was groaning in pain as she tried to push herself up from the floor. She smiled as soon as she saw him, and the evident relief that had flooded over his face. 

‘Theo, I didn’t know you could do that …’ She said very proudly. 

Theo gave a small bashful smile. 

‘I learnt a lot when I was a kid. I always had something I needed healing, much easier to do it myself than face the questions of madam pomfrey. I know the basics’ he smiled down at her. 

With one arm around her waist, and one of her arms wrapped around his shoulder, Theo lifted Hermione to her feet and walked them away from Fenrir and the rubble of Tiberius Nott. 

***********************************************************************

Harry and Ron sprint out into the clocktower courtyard where they happen upon a terrifying sight. Dementors on dementors were sweeping the grounds, sucking the life and soul of unsuspecting victims. 

Ron doubles over in pain when he sees the lifeless body of Lavender Brown among the victims. With all the strength he can muster he tries and tries to cast a patronus to scare away the cloaked demons but try as he might, he is too overcome with grief to conjure any happiness within him. 

Harry can sense his friends anguish, so with a deep breath he steadies himself and thinks back not only to the memory of his parents, but to all the happy memories he has since meeting Ron and Hermione, pushing away the death and pain and focusing on the laughter, the music, the magic, the love… his wand starts to vibrate and his fully corporeal stag came charging from the end of his wand, seeming to have a mind of its own, it targeted each individual dementor one by one, giving way for many people to make their escape from the onslaught. 

When Harry and Ron were satisfied they could do no more, they continued down the winding steps towards the boathouse. 

The boys arrived at the bottom of the steps and crept slowly to one of the side doors to the boathouse. Listening in on the conversation being held between Snape and Voldemort. 

‘Ah Severus you came, well done’ the dark lord hissed. 

‘Of course my lord, you summoned me. How may I be a service to you?’ Snape drawled, his usual monotone voice dragging through the air. 

‘It has come to my attention that for many years we have had a spy in our midst. This spy relayed vital information to the order, such as my plan to attack the boy after his trace disappeared, and my instructions for the Malfoy boy to murder Dumbledore in my name… the same spy secured young Draco’s escape, and has been aiding him and the mudblood girl ever since… would you happen to know anything about that Severus?’ Voldemort was circling Snape like a lion around a doe. Snape remained unmoving. 

‘I would never assume to have more knowledge than you my lord’ he replied, clocking Ron and Harry from the corner of his eye. 

‘Oh Severus, you disappoint me. You see it is you. You told the order when to move the boy and how, you told Dumbledore my plans to have him killed, you arranged for the Malfoy boy and his mother to be moved to a safehouse and you, Severus, you were the one who gave them warning that I had found that safehouse. Because of you, Potter has been able to learn of a very dear secret of mine and has been using it much to his advantage… 

I do not tolerate disloyalty, Severus. You had always been such a good and faithful servant. I have to wonder what happened for that to change. What sweet promises did Dumbledore whisper in your ears to convince you to turn your back on me… me?!’ Voldemort was shouting. So consumed by his rage that he was not aware of Harry’s presence nearby. 

Snape remained silent. 

‘Only I can live forever, Severus. I am sorry that it had to come to this. You could have been so much more…’ Voldemort looked down at Nagini, a seemingly silent conversation between them, and gave the snake permission to attack its prey. 

Nagini lunged for Snape, taking chunk after chunk of his flesh out with her teeth, she bit and snarled and pulled at him repeatedly. Taking one final piece of flesh from his neck, Voldemort called her off, and together they apparated away. 

Harry ran inside the room and hurried over to Snape, clutching at his neck that was pouring out with blood. Memories of sixth year came flooding to his mind, a younger more sickly looking Malfoy laying on the floor bleeding to death from an unknown curse Harry had fired. 

With a deep breath Harry whispered the same spell he had seen Snape perform that day. Vulnera Sanentur. Over and over again he cast the spell, concentrating most of his time on Snape’s neck. He managed to slow the bleeding to the point where his wounds attempted to heal themselves, but he was far from safe. 

‘Harry … Harry, we have Hermione’s bloody bag. She must have something in here that can help,’ Ron began to rummage inside the beaded bag that Hermione always carried with her. The same bag that had the map and cup inside earlier that evening. After a moment, Ron pulled out what looked to be a blood replenishing potion and bright green bottle labelled ‘antivenom’. 

They poured the contents down Snape’s throat and watched carefully as his breathing evened out and a slight colour returned to his cheeks.

Harry levitated Snape’s body from the ground carefully, and apparated them all to the hospital wing. Hoping that there would at least still be somewhat safe. 

Chapter Text

When Harry and Ron arrived at the hospital wing with a floating Severus Snape by their side, they were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people seeking help for their many injuries. 

Madam Pomfrey rushed over to them, not caring one bit who her patient was, only that she had a duty to save him. 

But before she could begin her care, the entire room went silent, and the sound of Voldemort’s voice once again rang through the air. 

‘You have fought valiantly … I know how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, I will kill every man, woman and child who stands in my way. I do not wish every drop of magical blood to be spilled; it’s a terrible waste. 

You have until midnight. I shall call back my troops and allow you to dispose of your dead with dignity. But if Harry Potter does not come forward and face me by then. I shall kill all who try to conceal him from me’. 

Madam Pomfrey looked towards Harry sympathetically. She knew he faced an impossible decision and she didn’t envy him for it in the slightest. 

‘Can you save him Madam Pomfrey? Please… He has been a spy for us the entire time … please save him’ Harry pleaded with her to do whatever she could. Harry had always considered her to be one of the most miraculous healers he had ever come across. He had every faith in her abilities. 

Madam Pomfrey led the boys to an empty bed at the end of the hallway, there was a new calm around the room now that they had time to be treated without the fear of Death Eater’s storming the hospital wing. 

She ushered them into a cubicle where they spotted Hermione and Theo waiting. Hermione was clutching her stomach, dried blood sullied the bandages wrapped tightly around her waist. 

‘Hermione! Oh thank fuck you’re alright! We were so worried!’ Harry ran over to his best friend and wrapped his arms around her tightly, she winced in pain and he retreated immediately. 

‘I’m okay Harry. Thanks to Theo … I’m okay,’ she said quietly. 

After about one hour that felt like a lifetime, Madam Pomfrey called Harry over to Snape’s bedside, he was awake, albeit it looking like hell. 

‘He wants to speak with you. He is very weak, so go easy on him. But if what you say is true, then I think he wants to explain…’ Madam Pomfrey smiled affectionately and left Harry alone with Snape. 

‘I suppose … you will expect a thanks for saving my life’ Snape coughed and winced at the pain covering his entire body. 

‘Well if it hadn't been for him exposing you as the order’s spy for all these years then I probably would have left you…’ Harry admitted out loud. 

Snape tried to stifle his laugh. 

‘I suppose I deserve that Potter’ he sighed in defeat. 

Harry said nothing, not knowing what to say to the man he had wrongfully hated for seven years. 

‘When I was eleven years old, I met a girl with long red hair, and bright green eyes. She would conjure little flowers in the park I lived nearby and when I approached her, she realised for the first time that she wasn’t alone. She became my best friend. My only friend for many years. I loved her most ardently. 

When we came to Hogwarts, she met a boy, with a panache for trouble. He was unruly, and unkempt. But slowly she grew to love him. My allegiance to the dark lord shifted the day I found out that he had planned to kill her, her husband and her son. I begged for Dumbledore to keep him safe, to keep them all safe. But it was not to be. They died protecting their baby. 

I stayed with her, holding her until someone came for her son to take him away and keep him safe. He somehow survived, you see. 

From that day forward I remained loyal to Dumbledore. 

And then one day, another young boy with the same damn panache for trouble, the same unruly behaviour and unkempt appearance walked through the doors of the great hall to be sorted into his house. He was the image of his father. But he had her eyes. Her beautiful bright green eyes that had haunted me for years. 

I tried for years to keep that boy safe. Convincing him time and time again that I loathed him. Only to be told one day, that the boy I had been keeping safe, been raising for years, had no choice but to die. Because the day that the dark lord tried to kill him, a little piece of his soul stayed behind. And latched on to the only living thing it could. 

You can imagine my dismay that after everything I had done for her, for her son. Was pointless. It felt like losing her all over again. So I hid the sword of Gryffindor for him to find, I made sure that his little friends had been left something in Dumbledore’s will, I even tried to save the Malfoy boy in hopes of some redemption. That it wouldn’t all be for nothing. 

Now imagine my inner turmoil to find out that after all these years trying to save you, you end up saving me …’ Harry was overwhelmed by Snape’s full confession. He had been in love with Harry’s mother… he never hated Harry he only hated the reminder of Lily every single day… he tried to save him for years. Carefully dropping little hints and help. 

‘I’m a horcrux… aren’t I professor. That is why I have to die…’ Harry’s total realisation of the situation had him reeling. It was all so much to digest. 

‘Yes Potter. I assume your little know-it-all friend figured that out a long time ago. And it’s imperative that the Dark Lord is the one to do it himself…’ Snape looked uncomfortable, but Harry would put that down to his physical pain rather than an emotional one. 

Harry left Snape’s room in a dazed state, he had so much to think of at that moment and yet, he knew exactly what he had to do. Harry Potter had to die. 

Rejoining his friends in the room next to Snape, Hermione welled up in an instant. Apparently Snape was right, she had already figured it out. She was just waiting for Harry to figure it out for himself.

‘How long have you known…’ He asked her gently, not wanting her to feel guilty about anything that has transpired. 

‘From the day at Gringotts… When you said that you could feel the Horcrux in the vault. I had my suspicions for a while but … that’s when I knew. I hoped I was wrong Harry …I’ Hermione began to sob. 

Ron didn’t move, his face morphed into a portrait of shock and grief. Processing the news that his best friend has been a Horcrux for Voldemort’s soul his entire life. 

‘You both know what this means…’ Harry looked to both of his friends. Neither said a word. Refusing to admit out loud that their best friend was going to have to die. 

‘Ron … I need you to kill the snake. That has to be the priority. After I’m gone and you kill the snake.. It’s just him’ Harry placed both his hands on Ron’s shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. Reassuring his friend he was brave enough, strong enough to do this.

‘Hermione … You are like the sister I never had. I love you so much and I haven’t always shown it the best way. But I need you to do something for me now. I need you to go and find him … Go find him and be happy. I always thought it would be the three of us for the rest of our days but … Now I know that’s not going to happen. So I need you to promise me that you will be happy. That you will go and find your happiness and take it for your own. Because if anyone deserves it, then it’s you. He loves you Hermione. It kills me to say it out loud but he really does love you and you need to find him okay’ Hermione looked at Harry, both tears and pride swirling in her eyes. 

She gave Harry a warm hug, refusing to say goodbye to him, before turning to face Theo. Silently, they got up and left together, to find the people they loved. 

Hermione ran through the halls of Hogwarts, the majority of the school no longer recognisable. There were missing walls, and blown out windows, ceilings falling apart and floors barely there. Portraits empty with their frames fallen and splintered on the ground. But the worst part was the eerie silence, no students, no faculty, nothing but empty space. 

Theo and Hermione walked the halls, following the tracks of dried blood and the smell of burnt flesh. Until the hushed sounds of voices echoed in the distance. 

Picking up speed, Hermione found the voices coming from the great hall, from groups of people bringing in their dead friends and family. Among them were Remus and Tonks. Hermione was overcome with emotion, her lips trembled and she began to sob uncontrollably. The only thought in her mind was their young son who would now be forced to grow up without his parents, like so many other children who were orphaned from the first war, including Harry. 

Theo wrapped his arms around her, holding her closely while she mourned the death of two of her greatest friends and mentors. Scanning the sheer amount of bodies in the room, she prayed to Merlin, Salazar, Godric and any other magical deity that might be listening that Draco wouldn’t be one of the bodies she found alone on the cold hard ground. 

Her fear of losing him only escalated the outpour of emotion she was feeling at the sight of her friends. 

Theo dragged her up from the floor, never letting go of her. Until a sharp gasp from him, caused her body to freeze. She stepped back from Theo, dragging her eyes up his body and to his face, she took a moment to analyse his expression, a mix of anxiety and relief, she wondered whether he had spotted Pansy, but when he dropped his gaze to meet her, and smiled sweetly, she dared to hope. 

Theo nodded his head gesturing for her to turn around. 

She took a very deep breath, not daring to stop looking at Theo. She turned her body but kept her face in the opposite direction. Slowly she allowed her eyes to follow. 

Theo could sense her anxiety, so he wrapped his arms around her waist, and grasped her chin with one hand. He guided her face to the opposite side of the room and kept her upright when her knees buckled and her body threatened to collapse. 

There, at the other end of the great hall, his usually perfectly styled hair dishevelled and chaotic, his smooth pale skin covered in thick grit, stood Draco. 

Draco took a deep breath and fluttered his eyes in disbelief, it took him only a second for his feet to gain momentum, gently pushing his way past the masses of people gathered around their friends and family. 

Theo released his hold on Hermione as soon as Draco had reached them, she dropped to the floor but Draco had caught her in his arms and fell down with her. Cradling her lovingly, kissing her face, and hair all over. 

Hermione couldn’t stop the tears from drowning her face. She was sure she must have looked a mess but she didn’t care. Her red and puffy eyes, a testament to the relief and love she felt for Draco. Seeing him alive and as desperate to find her as she was him. 

‘Fucking hell I thought … I thought you … that I … we’d never … fuck. Hermione I fucking love you. I love you so much … so so fucking much!’ Draco was a mess, his own tears mixing with hers. Never in his life had he been so relieved to see someone alive and well. To feel someone in his hold. Her warmth, her soft skin, her tempting lips, everything about seeing her at that moment was the most powerful type of magic he had ever known.

‘I thought you died…’ Hermione was sobbing hard. She looked up through her watery lashes and took in the sight of him. Committing every inch of him to memory so she would never ever forget his perfect beautiful face. 

‘Mon amour, you won’t get rid of me that easily. I told you princess, you’re mine forever. My perfect, stubborn, reckless, good girl’ Draco cooed over her. His own heart break of daring to believe he may never see her again, slowly starting to patch together.

Draco wiped the tears from her face and slowly loosened his grip. Not caring for the hundreds of pairs of eyes that were watching their encounter. He kissed her fiercely. Drinking in the feel of her, how she tasted, how her intoxicating scent pierced his senses, sending a shiver up his spine. She was his. And he was so completely and devastatingly hers. 

The reality of their separation had begun to sink into Draco’s mind, he looked her over, taking in every single injury on her perfect body. She had dried blood stains on her chin, a black eye slowly forming, she was bandaged tightly around her waist, the fabric soaked with her blood. He paled at the sight of it, panicking in an instant that she had been seriously hurt. 

‘It’s okay Draco. I’m okay I promise. Fenrir managed to get his claws into me after I killed Theo’s father. He was basically dead already himself, but I guess he wanted to get one last hit in. Theo saved my life…’ Hermione looked up to Theo who was watching them both sweetly, his eyes filled with gooey affection.

‘As if I could have ever let my best friend's soulmate snuff it on my watch… I would have had to live with his moping for the rest of my days. You can’t even begin to imagine how well this one can sulk when he has to… besides, you are officially my new bestie!’ Theo was beaming at his two favourite people in the room. 

Draco looked back at Hermione, with pride in his eyes. 

‘You killed Nott Senior?’ He asked her in utter disbelief.

Hermione blushed furiously, a sight Draco quickly gushed over, and she nodded feebly. Knotting her fingers together nervously. 

‘Remind me of this moment, when we are old and grey with our grandchildren running us haggard, and I dare to try and vex you. Not that I think I shall ever need it, I doubt I will ever forget just how lethal you are mon amour’ Draco kissed her harshly once again. Never wanting to let his witch go. 

Hermione watched as Theo’s happy face changed drastically in an instant. Back towards the entrance of the great hall, Blaise was limping towards them, there was no sign of Pansy. Her heart dropped into her stomach. 

Blaise noticed his comrades and hobbled over slowly. 

‘Can’t tell you how relieved I am to see you twats still in one piece’ he said brightly. 

‘Blaise.. Where is Pans?’ Theo asked quietly, not really sure he wanted to hear his reply. 

‘Mate she’s fine, don’t worry. She’s fucking scary man. I swear if you don’t make her Lady Nott, she is more than welcome to the title of Mrs. Zabini…’ Blaise laughed and Theo punched him playfully on the arm. 

‘Where is she Blaise?’ Hermione asked politely. 

‘She is still at Nott Manor, a lot of the younger kids are terrified, some of their parents were in this war, I came back to see if I could help and to give Pansy an update. Nearly got my arse handed to me by a giant on the last run, she sliced him clean in half…’ Blaise shuddered at the memory. 

‘That’s my girl’ Theo beamed. 

‘These women… they will be the death of us Nott’ Draco was smiling cheekily. He winked at Hermione when she scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Theo grinned widely. ‘And aren’t they the most beautiful executioners you have ever seen, Malfoy’ he said playfully. 

Draco looked Hermione in the eyes, holding her chin between his thumb and fingers. 

‘Make sure you reference me as a willing sacrifice in my eulogy… She already has my heart on the chopping block. There’s no one I’d rather lose it to…’ Draco dragged Hermione back into his lap. If these were going to be their final moments, then he would spend each and every single one of them with his perfect witch wrapped in his arms. 

Their moment of bliss was interrupted by a shrill scream from outside. 

Everyone gathered outside to see Voldemort and his followers surrounding the entrance to the courtyard. Hagrid was chained up and carrying the lifeless body of Harry Potter. 

Hermione turned her face into Draco’s chest, not wanting to see her best friend lying cold and limp. Ron placed his hand on her back and Draco squeezed her tightly, just this once allowing Ron to touch what wasn’t his. 

Even Theo released a shaky breath. 

Voldemort stepped forwards, a vicious grin indicating his inner joy of the events that were unfolding. 

‘HARRY POTTER IS DEAD!’ He exclaimed loudly. 

His followers laughed loudly. 

‘You last hope, your pathetic saviour is dead. You have no choice now, join me. Join our ranks and you will be rewarded, your alternative is death’. 

No one dared to move. Lucius took a small step forwards, eyeing Hermione viciously. Like a weed in an otherwise perfect garden. 

‘Draco… come here boy’ Lucius was weak, his voice was small. Voldemort trained his gaze towards Draco and Hermione. 

‘Come Draco, do not be foolish. I am sure we can find a place for you and your … pet’ Voldemort scowled at Hermione. 

Despite the demands of both Lucius and Voldemort, Draco made no effort to move. He simply glared back at them in defiance. 

Many of the others stood around them stared at Draco and Hermione in disbelief, it seemed they too figured Draco would switch allegiance again once he had a need for it, but he didn’t. 

‘Such a pity … to choose such a dishonorable death, sullying yourself for the likes of a dirty mudblood’ Voldemort sneered. 

‘I would rather die dishonorably, fighting for the right reasons, alongside the right people, with the woman I love, than allow you to poison me any longer…’ Draco squared his shoulders, his body language screamed authority. 

Voldemort’s glare was deadly, he raised his wand and muttered the word Crucio, aiming his torture directly towards Draco. 

Hermione pushed him out of the way and stepped in front of Voldemort’s attack. The familiar feel of daggers stabbing all over her body ignited inside of her. Her muscles seized and her body contorted as the feel of lightning bolts overwhelmed her senses.

‘NO!’ The sound of Draco’s scream echoed throughout the castle. He swore he would never hear those sounds come from Hermione’s body ever again. But now she was here, suffering the Cruciatus curse all over again. 

The sound of Hermione’s pain gave Harry the opportunity he needed to roll out from Hagrid’s arms and make himself known once more. 

Harry was alive. 

Horror and disbelief was written all over Voldemort’s face, forcing him to cease his crucio almost as soon as he had cast it, and many of his more doubtful followers, decided to flee from the scene, no longer supporting his cause and believing he could win against the young wizard. 

Draco lifted Hermione’s body up from the floor, tears once again streaming down his face. 

She gasped in his arms, and took deep, punishing breaths. She had only suffered for a few seconds before Harry had distracted Voldemort but it was enough for her muscles to remember the pain and twitch independently to her body. 

‘Shhhh shhhh, it’s okay, you’re ok. I’ve got you. I’m never letting you go’ Draco was cradling Hermione in his arms, rocking her back and forth while Theo and Blaise protected them tirelessly. 

Hermione came to, realising that Harry was alive and fighting valiantly once again. The remainder of Voldemort’s followers were advancing on the castle, attempting to cause as much damage as possible on their master’s behalf. 

Hermione cast several curses on the foes around her, protecting Draco, Theo and Blaise with all her might. 

A thick black smoke appeared directly in front of her, the figure of Lucius Malfoy materializing behind it. 

‘You. You wicked, filthy, dirty blooded wench. YOU HAVE POISONED MY SON! You have turned him against me! Against everything that we stood for, everything he has been raised to know is true! I will take the greatest pleasure in killing you’ Lucius spat in Hermione’s direction. 

Draco, realising that Hermione was face to face with his father, quickly finished up his current duel, knocking out another death eater and hurtling to Hermione’s side, blocking her from his father’s advances.

‘You don’t get to touch her. You don’t get to talk to her. You don’t even get the fucking priviledge of looking at her!’ Draco was seething. He would not allow anyone to hurt her ever again. He would burn this castle to the fucking ground if he had to. 

‘Draco! She is a mudblood! She isn’t worthy of you!’ Lucius was digging his own grave. 

‘You don’t know a fucking thing about her. She is worth ten thousand of me… She is everything that I will only ever fucking hope to be. I am not worthy of HER! And I love her. I love her more than I have ever loved another person in my entire life … and I will kill you if you so much as touch her’ Draco raised his wand towards his father and sent a warning shot past his ear. 

‘Have it your way then. You are no longer any son of mine, so you can die alongside her!’ Lucius cast a diffindo at Draco but he was slow, and sloppy. His months of abusing alcohol had diminished his senses. 

Just as he was about to cast an unforgivable at Hermione, another black smoke surrounded the duel. 

To Draco’s shock and pleasure, Narcissa Malfoy was now standing between him and Lucius. Her eyes were vicious, her teeth were bared. She was a fierce dragon protecting her hatchlings. 

‘You will not touch my son!’ She snarled. 

Narcissa’s strikes against Lucius were merciless. She cast spell after spell, limiting his options of retaliation. He just about managed to block the onslaught from his estranged wife, but he had no room to cast anything back. 

All around the fight, the order members were slowly victorious, managing to disarm or kill their attackers, Voldemort was losing. 

Hermione turned to an almighty scream, to see Neville and Ron successfully beheading Nagini, effectively destroying the last of Voldemort’s Horcruxes. 

Voldemort fell to his knees in agony. Another piece of his soul turned to ash. Harry seized the opportunity to strike, casting another disarming spell to Voldemort, his own wand splintering and rebuffing Voldemort’s attack. His killing curse backfired. And with the simplicity of any mortal being, Voldemort was killed. His body fell to the ground, still and lifeless. 

In the confusion of all that had happened between Harry and the Dark Lord, Lucius let down his guard, just long enough for Narcissa to make her move. With one final slash of her wand, she uttered an Avada Kedavra, finalling ridding herself, her son and the rest of the wizarding world of Lucius Abraxus Malfoy. 

Chapter Text

The world stood still and silent. 

The dark lord had been vanquished. All those who supported him had either been killed or detained. 

Theo was the first to speak. 

‘It’s over. He’s gone. He’s really gone…’ his smile was infectious. 

Hermione and Draco echoed his smile, and they all broke into joyous laughter. 

Hermione ran over to Harry and squeezed him tightly. 

‘I won’t bother to ask how you are alive and I’ll just enjoy it for now. But you know I have questions!’ She beamed towards her best friend, taking in the fact that he was alive and well after all. 

Draco ran to his mother, she wrapped him in her gentle arms and hushed his sobs. It had been almost a year since he had last seen her, he had no idea if she was safe, if she was alive. But she was here, she had come for him. 

‘Oh my little dragon, shh, it’s alright. I am sorry I couldn’t be here sooner…’ She hugged her son tightly. 

‘Always a pleasure Mumma Malfoy…’ Theo winked in Narcissa’s direction and Blaise smacked his arm playfully. 

Draco laughed, usually Theo’s flirtatious manner with his mother would have irked him, but right now it didn’t matter. He was alive, his mother was alive, his friends were alive and Hermione ….

Draco searched for her in the crowd of people and sighed heavily in relief when his eyes connected with her beautiful golden orbs. 

Just like before, he waded through the crowds of people all outside celebrating and rushed to be by her side. To feel her in his arms. 

Their bodies collided and Draco lifted her into the air, kissing her fiercely as he twirled them around together. 

A raucous of whoops and hollering sounded out around them, Harry and Ron smiling appreciatively at the couple. Theo being his usual vulgar self and Narcissa was grinning at them fondly. 

When Draco caught sight of his mother, he took Hermione by the hand and led her over to meet her officially. 

‘Mother, I would like to officially introduce you to Hermione Granger, the love of my life …’ Hermione turned her head away and blushed furiously. She cleared her throat and turned to Narcissa. 

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Malfoy’ she said politely, the very picture of ladylike sophistication. 

Narcissa smiled affectionately, already in awe of the girl in front of her. 

‘Oh my darling girl, I could never in my entire life, have enough words to thank you. You saved my son, you kept me safe, you took Draco with you on your travels to stay by his side, you love him, most ardently by the looks of it, I have heard all about these last few months from someone… rather close to you’ Narcissa raised her head towards Harry who was looking at them bashfully. ‘He wrote to me, explained everything to me and asked for my help. How could I refuse such heartfelt words? There is nothing I would not do to keep my family safe, and you are as much a daughter to me as Draco is my son. Hermione my love, I hope you will accept my most loving welcome to our family’ Narcissa took Hermione by the hand and pulled her into her arms. 

The feel of having a loving mother’s embrace once again since losing her own stirred a longing desperation of acceptance in her. She hadn’t realised until now, how much she craved a mother’s love, and how anxious she was for Narcissa to accept her as her son’s choice. 

Narcissa released Hermione from her hold and presented her with two things, the first was Harry’s letter to her, dated the day after Dobby’s death, while Hermione was still unconscious from her injuries at the hands of Bellatrix. The second, was a small box with the Malfoy emblem engraved into the lid. Hermione opened the box to see a dainty ring inside, a small gold band with a bright green emerald in the centre, a tiny serpent wrapping around the jewel. Inside the band was an inscription ‘familia supra omnia’ (family over everything). 

Narcissa hugged Draco tightly before joining Theo and offering to return to his Manor to find Pansy and the children that were hiding there. 

‘That was my grandmother’s ring. She left it to my mother before she died, if ever there was a show of acceptance mon amour, I think that would be it. It has been in my family for generations…’ Draco smiled, as he placed the ring on one of Hermione’s small fingers, it fit perfectly. 

A small tear pooled in the corner of her eye. 

‘You mother said that Harry wrote to her, I checked the date, he wrote it while we were at Shell cottage… I’m not sure whether I want to read it…’ Hermione toyed with the letter between her fingers. 

Draco took the letter from her, and sat them down on a small bench that had somehow survived the battle. He unfolded the letter and read it aloud. 

Dear Mrs. Malfoy,

I hope this letter finds you well, and you are not too uncomfortable in your current isolation. Please know that myself and Hermione are trying our hardest to bring this war to an end. 

Unfortunately, our friend Dobby has been killed. He died saving our lives from your sister Bellatrix at the manor. She took it upon herself to torture Hermione until near death, we aren’t sure if she will make it. Draco won’t leave her side. 

He loves her. 

I admit, I didn’t want to believe it to begin with, but I see it more and more everyday. He refuses to leave her. He washes her face, and talks to her while she sleeps. Today, her heart stopped beating. I won’t upset you by relaying the emotional toll that took on your son, but safe to say I hope to never see him in that state ever again. 

She loves him too, I don’t think I have ever seen her protect someone so fiercely. He is in the safest hands you could ever imagine. 

I am not sure of your true opinion of blood status and supremacy, I can only hope that your love for your son will outweigh any prejudice you might feel. 

When the time comes, I hope that you will stand with us in the fight for freedom. I hope that you will stand by Draco and Hermione. 

I don’t think I will be able to contact you again after this. I wish I could give you better news. 

If for whatever reason I do not see you again. Thank you. 

Thank you for providing the world with a man who deserves my friend. For raising him to be a man of his word, a gentleman, a protector. If I had to accept anyone to love my best friend, I am as of today, glad that it’s him. 

Yours, 

Harry James Potter.

P.S. If you could refrain from passing on my compliments to Draco I would be much obliged, I would never hear the end of it. 

Both Hermione and Draco laughed loudly at Harry’s closing request. 

‘Well he is right about one thing, I will never let him live that down…’ Draco raised his head smugly. 

Hermione shoved him playfully, and Draco pulled her into his lap. Holding her tightly and soaking up the new calm that had enveloped the castle and its grounds. 

After enjoying some time alone, they rejoined their comrades in the great hall. Many of the teachers and older students were passing round butterbeers and engaging in joyful conversation. 

A few were taking the time to properly mourn their lost loved ones. 

Hermione found Harry and Ron and ran into their arms. Draco couldn’t completely banish his jealous nature but he tried to at least push it down and let them have this moment together. 

They were talking quietly about something, Draco couldn’t quite make out what they were saying but Ron rolled his eyes and looked straight at him. 

Draco raised a questioning eyebrow as Ron slowly approached him. 

‘I know we have had our issues in the past. And don’t expect me to ever actually like you … but well, I accept you. Not that you need it I know… but she does’ ron quipped his head towards Hermione who was staring at them with a frown on her beautiful face. 

Ron held out his hand towards Draco. 

If ever there was a time when Draco felt the world had truly turned upside down, then this would have been it. But for Hermione’s sake, he met Ron’s hand with his own and they shook. Accepting one another … albeit begrudgingly. 

Hermione found herself in the unlikely situation of drinking butterbeers with Harry, Ron, Draco, Theo and Blaise. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined a scenario where these five boys seemed genuinely content in their company. Draco never let go of Hermione, desperately clinging on to the feel of her. 

Theo was animatedly reliving his favourite fights complete with demonstrations. Draco had to punch his arm when he tried to retell the clash with Fenrir where Hermione was seriously hurt. Much to both Ron and Harry’s relief. 

‘Harry … How exactly did you survive in the forest?’ Hermione asked the one question that everyone was desperate to know. 

Harry’s face turned a bright shade of crimson. Acutely aware of his ongoing dumb luck.

‘Well I think it has something to do with Voldemort being the one to actually try and kill me. A piece of his soul lived inside of me, so when he cast the killing curse, he merely obliterated the piece of him that I was harboring. He obviously didn’t mean to. I was merely lucky that no one decided to check whether I actually was dead. They just made Hagrid pick me up and carry me here. But when I heard Hermione’s screams I knew I couldn’t pretend any longer, I had to do something..’ Harry shrugged as the entire group listened to him intently. 

‘And what about you killing him.. I saw it Harry, you only used a disarming charm?’ Hermione asked another one of her burning questions. 

‘I actually have Malfoy to thank for that…’ Harry looked at Draco and smirked at the shock written on his face. 

‘Before Dumblefore offered you asylum, you disarmed him. You won his wand from him. But because no one saw you do it they all wrongfully assumed that his wand's allegiance died with Dumblefore. So when Voldemort stole the wand he figured that it was his for the taking. But it wasn’t. The wand kept rejecting him because it wasn’t ever truly his. It was yours, Malfoy. You won it when you took it from Dumbledore in the Astronomy tower. So when he tried to cast the killing curse towards me, the wand rejected the intensity of the spell and it backfired…’ Harry was amused by the amount of mouths that were agape at his confession. 

‘So wait… You mean to tell me, that this entire time… The elder wand… the fucking ELDER WAND, was loyal to bloody Dray?’ Theo was almost cackling. 

Draco punched his friend on the arm at his mockery. 

‘Well I am glad it splintered and was destroyed. Can’t imagine what it would be like to be hunted down for the most powerful wand in the world…’ Draco rolled his eyes. 

Hermione stroked his cheek with her thumb and smiled at the man before her. She was quite sure that the Draco Malfoy of their younger years would have given his right lung for the chance to be the owner of such a prize, but sitting here now, Draco was merely grateful for his life, his family and his friends. He had no care or need for anything greater than that. 

Chapter Text

2nd May, 1998. Daily Prophet,

DARK LORD VANQUISHED! WIZARDING WORLD SAFE AT LAST.

18th May, 1998. Daily Prophet,

DRACO MALFOY, THE UNSUNG WAR HERO!

2nd June, 1998. Daily Prophet,

NARCISSA MALFOY PARDONED. GOLDEN GIRL TESTIFIES FOR HER DEFENCE.

29th June, 1998. Daily Prophet,

BELLATRIX LESTRANGE STILL AT LARGE!

14th July, 1998. Daily Prophet,

HARRY JAMES POTTER PROPOSES TO GINEVRA MOLLY WEASLEY - SET TO BE THE WEDDING OF THE YEAR!

1st September, 1998. Daily Prophet,

A NEW SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS! HOGWARTS NEW BEGINNINGS.

14th October, 1998. Daily Prophet,

POTTER AND WEASLEY ENLIST AS AURORS FOR THE NEW MOM. 

16th December, 1998. Daily Prophet, 

THE WEDDING OF THE YEAR! WELCOME TO THE NEW MR. AND MRS. POTTER!

2nd January, 1999. Daily Prophet,

HERMIONE GRANGER STARTS WORK FOR THE DMLE

12th February, 1999. Daily Prophet,

DRACO MALFOY JOINS THE AUROR PROGRAM IN THE DMLE. WORKING ALONGSIDE GIRLFRIEND GRANGER.

1st May, 1999. Daily Prophet,

LOVE IS IN THE AIR! DRACO MALFOY SPOTTED AT DIAGON ALLEY’S MOST EXCLUSIVE JEWELLERY SHOP! DAYS BEFORE HOGWARTS BATTLE FIRST ANNIVERSARY!

The first year since the battle of Hogwarts seemed to almost fly by. Hermione, Harry and Ron made a point to attend every single funeral they could for those who were lost that day. 

Hermione had moved into the Manor with Draco a few weeks after the battle had ended. His entire story had been told directly to the new Minister of Magic; Kingsley Shacklebolt, and no charges were ever filed against him. 

Narcissa was pardoned for her time in the company of the Dark Lord. Hermione worked with her defense attorney and acted as a character witness. Citing that she had only ever been involved as a spectator and had committed no crimes herself. Also going into hiding under the protection of the order when Draco had switched his allegiance. 

Harry and Ginny were happily in love, their proposal and entire marriage had been spread across the daily prophet in a five page special feature. 

Harry and Ron had enlisted as Aurors and convinced Draco to join them at the Department for Magical Law Enforcement. Draco was unsure about how he would be received but much to his continued surprise, he was welcomed with open arms. 

But soon the day came where they were expected to attend a special ceremony by invitation at Hogwarts to commemorate the first anniversary of the battle. Hermione was riddled with nerves. She hated attention in the press, and she knew that there would be a flock of vultures waiting for their arrival with cameras flashing in every direction. 

‘There you are mon amour, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I had to bribe the elves with an extra portion of pudding just to tell me where you were…’ Draco found Hermione in the Manor gardens, sitting on a small bench amongst Narcissa’s prized roses. 

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. I guess… I just don’t feel ready to go back there’ Hermione was swinging her feet carelessly. Trying anything to distract her mind from what today would have in store for her. 

‘We don’t have to go love, I’m sure everyone would understand. We can make our excuses and just stay here. I’m sure I could find something to do that would distract you rather effectively…’ Draco kissed the side of Hermione’s neck. Forcing her mind out of its usual overactive spiral. 

‘Draco Lucius Malfoy behave yourself! You are a menace…’ Hermione giggled. 

‘You wound me Granger…’ Draco smiled up at her, tucking away his favourite curl. 

‘Eugh I truly hate it when you call me that you know, it reminds me of days where you would tease me, or call me names…’ Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. 

‘You know … on the subject, there is another name I would like to call you…’ Draco’s voice had gone quiet, not showing off his usual cocky confidence. Hermione did nothing but look at him questioningly. Draco sighed and took her hands in his own. 

‘Hermione, mon amour. It’s been almost two years since you saved me from the Astronomy tower and took me to safety. You spent weeks at the receiving end of my tantrums. And when you could have left me to my fate, you saved me again and brought me along on a ridiculous, dangerous, life altering mission to find some old relics that MIGHT have been the key to destroying some maniac. And I have not regretted a single second of it since. I fell in love with you there, in that bloody tent, practically freezing my balls off every night. 

The first time I saw you in my jumper, I felt like a giddy second year who had just discovered porn. You were a drug to me, for a while I tried to despise it, but soon, you overwhelmed my resolve. You broke through all of my defenses and showed me a life worth living, a life full of love and happiness. Even in the face of death, they were the happiest days of my life, until now. Every day since the end of that battle, I have wanted you to be mine. Not just in spirit or in public, but in name also. Nothing would give me greater pleasure, than being able to call you Mrs. Malfoy, to call you my wife…’ 

Hermione gasped when Draco presented her with a beautiful golden ring, adorned by a large diamond and tiny emeralds. He had risen one of his knees from the floor and took his hand in her own. 

With tears streaming down her face once again, imagining a life by Draco’s side, with curly blonde children running around their feet and wrapping their Nanny cissa around their little fingers, she fell to her knees in front of Draco and accepted his hand, with a deep and euphoric kiss.