AN: As usual, I don't own the characters. That's why I'm posting on a fanfiction site. But you knew that already.
I sit in my cell, waiting and listening. Above me, I can hear the screams of the girls they just fetched from down here. "Here" would appear to be Malfoy Manor, and that makes sense, as Lucius Malfoy is one of the Death Eaters. He may deny it in public, but we know his allegiances. He's the one who snapped my wand when they captured me, and said mudbloods like me should never be allowed a wand in the first place. He particularly hates me because I beat his son, Draco, on every exam we ever took in Hogwarts.
Draco Malfoy is the person fetching girls from the cells. I can see him through the bars. I thought he'd be relishing the task, but he seems almost apologetic as he leads them up the stairs to what we all know will be a slow and painful death. So far, he's avoided looking at me – he must know I'm here.
When he stops in front of my cell, I'm one of the few left down here. It takes him ages to unlock the door, and I realise why when he lifts one hand to wipe at his eyes. He's actually crying.
"How on earth did they end up catching you, Granger?"
"Some spell I couldn't hear – stopped me from doing anything. Next thing I knew, I was being dragged down those stairs."
"You know what's going to happen, don't you? When you go up there?"
"Hmm, let's see, I'll probably be raped, tortured and eventually murdered, would that be right?"
"How can you be so flippant about it?"
"One way or another, Draco, I'm not going to get out of here alive unless the entire Order of the Phoenix turn up in the next five minutes. And I seriously doubt that's going to happen."
He looks shocked, and I know it's because I used his first time, probably for the first time ever.
"Any… last requests, Hermione?"
I pause, knowing that this really is going to be it. There is no way I'm escaping from this one. I've really only got one option.
"Can I borrow your wand?"
He's unsure, but hands it over anyway.
"Avada Kedavra."
……………………
It's another hour before the Order of the Phoenix arrive, and at least two more hours after that before anybody makes it down to the dungeons, where Draco and Hermione are. Harry gets there first, and is shocked at what he finds.
Draco Malfoy is sitting on the floor of one of the cells, not even caring that his expensive robes are getting filthy. Cradled in his arms is the lifeless body of Hermione Granger, a wand clutched tightly in her hand.
"Explain, Malfoy."
"She knew what was going to happen. She knew you wouldn't get here in time to save her. I let her borrow my wand and she… she cast the killing curse on herself."
"You gave her your wand? A muggleborn like Hermione?"
"She didn't deserve what was about to happen to her. None of them did, but I couldn't save them all from it."
"Why her?"
"She's the brightest witch of our generation, isn't she? Why not her?"
The two young wizards looked at each other for a moment, then Harry extended a hand. Uncertain, Draco took it.
"Thanks, Draco."
"It's what she wanted."
……………………
Hermione Granger went down in history as the woman who defied Voldemort. Her body was buried at Hogwarts, and every year, on the anniversary of her death, a blond man by the name of Draco Malfoy placed flowers on her grave. Always white, pure, flowers, to remind him of how she had been.
AN: Another sad one, I know. Reviews cheer me up though, so the more you leave, the more likely I am to write happy endings.