Author's note: A collection of Dramione drabbles/scenes/stories/one-shots that I wrote at different times, inspired by different songs. Not really songfics, but there you have it. I don't own Harry Potter, or Draco, or Hermione, or the idea of love, I'm afraid. :P Enjoy - read and review!
Title: Helping Hand
Inspiration: Hey Jude - the Beatles
Summary: Draco watches Hermione as she suffers through the aftermath - what will he do?
He stood behind a collapsed arch, watching.
She placed one foot in front of the other - walking with great difficulty - she had trouble standing up, she was so exhausted.
Starting at one end of the line, she bent down, closing the eyelids of each of the corpses in turn. She paused at the first death eater - there was so much hesitation in that one moment, so much for him to read.
The years of abuse came crashing down on his shoulders, just as his world had crumbled, leaving him with the greatest burden anyone has ever born - guilt. He blamed himself for everything, and ran away from the consequences.
He was startled out of his reverie by the sound of sobs. She had fallen down in front of - was that Fred Weasley? Next to Profes-Remus Lupin, and Tonks. The tears flowed down her cheeks, onto her hands as they covered her face. She wiped the dampness off on her dirty jeans, staying where she was, kneeling on the ground.
Cautiously, he stepped out of his hiding place. Maybe in this new world, he would be given a second chance. Maybe he would earn his second chance.
She looked up at him, drying her eyes, a defiant expression on her features, streaked with dust and blood, and who knew what else.
He approached her, and all time seemed to freeze. The moment centered on them - no one else mattered. Suddenly, he was not as sure of himself as he had been before. His intent was still to fix things - but how? With this girl - young woman - whom he had abused - violently so, if only with words - for so many years.
Her hand trailed to her pocket, where her wand lay semi-hidden.
She suspects me. That made everything twice as difficult. Still -
Slowly, his hand reached, out. Bewildered, she took it - and he pulled her up, into an embrace. His arms surrounded her protectively, something firm for her to hold on to, now that everything had come crashing down.
"Let me help."