Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or world of Harry Potter. Fun, no profit.

AN: This is the first in a series of unrelated one-shots all connected by the same theme: the "Goodbye" scene between Draco and Hermione.

The Goodbye Series: Mercy.

Hermione Granger sat in her dormitory doing homework late one evening when a beautiful tawny owl flew through the window and dropped a letter in her lap. Recognizing the bird, she opened the letter quickly, and just as quickly dropped it, as though it had burned her. She picked it up again and stared at the single word, hastily written.

TOMORROW.

She threw the short missive into the fireplace, destroying it, not that anyone would have recognized the hand-writing - the shaky scratch was nothing like his customary elegant script. She abandoned her books where they were, pausing only to grab her wand before she left through the portrait hole. She walked quickly to the Astronomy Tower, knowing he would be waiting for her there. She bounded up the last steps and threw herself into the circular room, searching wildly for him.

"Tut, tut, Miss Granger. Do you realize how easily I could have killed you before you even figured out where I was?" Draco Malfoy asked her as he walked out of the shadows towards her. She threw herself into his arms and clung onto him as though he were the only thing in all the world that was worth clinging to. He held her just as tightly. They stayed like that for an indefinable amount of time- could have been a moment or a lifetime; perhaps it was both.

"Tomorrow?" she asked quietly. "Are you sure?"

"Tomorrow morning, yes. We've run out of time, there's no more delaying it now."

"It's not fair, how can this be happening?"

"There aren't a lot of explanations in my world, things happen, you obey. That's all there is."

"How can you be taking this so calmly?" she asked.

"Because I am terrified. Because I don't want to go to him. I don't want to be branded his. I want to run and hide. I want to go out fighting, taking as many of them with me as I can. But I can't, because my life isn't the only one at stake anymore."

Her head snapped up quickly.

"They know?" she asked.

"They know?" he scoffed. "Of course they know. They've known from the beginning, and maybe even before that. You think they weren't keeping an eye of me this year? I would bet they know everything I've said, done and thought in the past seven months."

"Why didn't you tell me? I thought we were safe."

"I didn't tell you because you thought we were safe. I didn't want you to have to worry about anything."

She snorted quietly.

"Anything more than you absolutely had to, then. This relationship is the only good thing I've ever done, Hermione. You are the only person in my life who hasn't given up on me, and I'm going to do everything I can to keep you safe."

She nodded and they were silent for a moment, both looking out the window, transfixed by the swirling water in the dark lake below.

"Tomorrow," she said again in disbelief. "Tomorrow."

"Say it as many times as you want, it's not going to change anything."

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she asked quietly. "We only have a few hours left, I don't want to spend them alone, not when I can be with you."

"You know what I'd really like to do tonight?" he asked her suddenly.

"What?"

"I want to roam the school and the grounds one last time, with you by my side, for all the world to see."

"Draco," she answered, indicating the darkness outside the window with a tilt of her head, a small smile on her face. "The whole world it fast asleep."

"Even better. The world belongs to us. Not another soul. No one to hide from. No one to fear."

"I think I'd like that," she said as he took her hand and started leading her down the stairs.

If anyone had been awake, watching the grounds, they would have seen things no one would have believed in the light of day. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy wandered all over the grounds and castle of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There was not a spot they missed, not a story that went untold. They spoke quickly, words tumbling out after one another, colliding midair, interrupting each other in their eagerness to tell everything there was to tell. They spoke as if the mere act of talking would keep them together; as though terrified that the moment they fell silent, he would be gone. And so they joked, teased, and remembered their way across the grounds. After seeing absolutely everything there was to see, telling everything they had to tell, they found themselves in front of the portrait that led to her Head Girl's dormitory. She gave the password, and led him inside. She went to the window and viewed the lightening sky with dismay; the darkness was slightly less dark, shot with rays of the threatening dawn. The dawn that would be come too soon.

They sat on the small couch in her dormitory, and fell silent for the first time, each unsure what to say or where to go. Hermione took Draco's hand in both hers and played with it out of habit. With his other hand, he brushed her hair back so he could see her face, and saw the tears that rolled down her face. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words in her ear.

"Hermione, love, don't cry. Please, it's going to be okay in the end, I promise. I will keep you safe, and I will find you when all this is over, please trust me." Hermione heard his voice break, and knew that she was no longer the only one crying. They held each other, crying softly, each seeking to both comfort and be comforted. He kissed her gently and entwined his fingers with hers. Hermione cried out with the horrible of realization of just what he would be expected to do with those aristocratic hands, the damage and pain he would inflict, all to keep her safe. She pushed that thought down firmly and kissed him back with growing passion and desperation. Unaware of what she was doing, she found herself standing and pulling him towards her bed.

"Make love to me," she said simply.

"Hermione-" he started,

"No. No. You're leaving me in a few hours. We don't know what happens after that. I want to be able to remember your touch. This is what I want."

He looked at her for a long moment, putting a finger under her chin to force her to look him in the eye.. He searched her eyes, looking for any sign of uncertainty, any sign that this wasn't what she wanted. What she said was true, he could see it in her eyes. She wanted this. He merely nodded and allowed her to lead him to the bed.

Hermione and Draco made love for the first time that night, and it was everything a young woman could have dreamed of for her first time. He was gentle and caring, he was passionate and desperate, and above all that, he truly loved her.

Hermione fell asleep cradled in his arms, hoping to prevent the coming dawn by falling into oblivion. She dreamt awful dreams, dreams of the horrors to come, dreams that terrified her, dreams that taught her. She awoke suddenly and knew what had to be done. What he had, perhaps, wanted her to do all along. She rose quietly, trying her best not to disturb him, and retrieved her wand. She stood for a moment, completely still, and simply watched him. Closing her eyes for the courage, her hand trembling, she raised her wand and leveled it at him.

"Please, do it," he said quietly, startling her. "Do it now, while I can still smell you, still feel you. Do it now, when all I will remember is you."

"Avada Kedavra."

Her voice was small and fearful, her hand shook, and for one moment she thought she had failed, perhaps, she had not meant it enough. The moment she saw the flash of bright green light she collapsed to her knees beside him and wept. She knew it was what he wanted, knew that he didn't want to have to join the Death Eaters and spill innocent blood. She knew this was for the best, and still she wept for the boy she loved.