Would you mind if I hurt you
Understand that I need to
Wish that I had other choices
Than to harm the one I love
What have you done now;; Within Temptation
Hermione was running down the corridor, choking on her own sobs. She could hear the thudding of two pairs of feet behind her, closing in. Her breath shot out in short spurts of air as she rounded the corner, pushing herself onwards.
Just a bit more.
Reaching the top of the Astronomy tower, she turned around to face the door, her sob caught in her throat. Her hair was wild and unruly and her wet rain-soaked clothes were clinging to her shivering body.
If this is the place where Dumbledore died, then so shall I.
At that moment, Draco's melancholy figure appeared and faced her, with Bellatrix in tow.
"Caught in a web I see, poor little Mudblood has nowhere to run," she cackled maliciously, twirling her dagger-like wand in her bony fingers.
"I trusted you!" Hermione spat in Draco's direction, not even noticing Bellatrix's crude remarks.
"Wrong choice, I'm afraid," he answered, looking straight at her while trying to tell her with his eyes that he was the one that made the wrong choices, not her.
He had fallen in love with her. That was his fault. He made it possible for her to love him. That was, once again, his fault. He believed they would make it. That was his fault, as well. He agreed to an Unbreakable Vow that entailed him to do whatever the Dark Lord asked of him. That was his biggest fault of all. He hadn't known it would lead to this.
His brain and heart were screaming at him in unison not to do it, but he knew that if he didn't, Bellatrix would…right after killing him. He had no choice. She was under the Unbreakable Vow as well, and he knew she would not show them any mercy. Not to him and especially not to Granger.
He studied her face one last time. Her golden eyes were blank, so as not to give away any emotions that she might be feeling right now. Her body was rigid, almost calm, with her hands down by her sides, not clenching, not grabbing at her tattered robe or trying to reach for the wand in her pocket…but her thoughts were in turmoil.
To save him. Just to save him and she needed nothing more in this life.
She tried to memorise his features before they faded away forever. She tried to bring back all of the memories they shared. Memories that have been plaguing her lovesick mind for months.
"Do it, ferret; do it, you coward!" Hermione taunted him in hopes of making this easier on him.
"Do it, Draco dear," Bellatrix goaded, an evil grin etched on her face.
I love you, I'm sorry, he mouthed at her, right before the venom poured out of his mouth.
"Avada Kadavra!"