Draco Malfoy sat with all the other death eaters, along the table, next his father. He and Hermione had been friends secretly since their 6th year and used to meet at the black lake. He sat at the table, listening to the Dark Lord ramble on about mudbloods. He saw Scabior dragging hermione into the room, chained up with blood on her for head. All he could do was sit there and not say a word, trying to not let any tears escape him. As Scabior Dragged her across the floor she looked up at him, he tried to turn away but couldn't. "Help me!" She mouthed. he bit his lip and slowly nodded, "Er...m–my Lord, can I take the mudblood down to the dungeons and kill her myself?" Draco asked permission.

"Certainly." A high cold voice laughed "I suppose you have quite a lot of resentment towards this one, your dear father has told me that she has beaten you in every exam." The death eaters laughed and Draco's cheeks turned pink. Draco sighed and grabbed Hermione's collar dragging her out. "Ow, ow, ow," she said once they Were out of earshot. "Not so harsh!" She scolded him.

He looked down. "sorry" he said briskly. she was rubbing her neck, where he had dragged her from. He knelt beside her and undid the chains.

"How can I get out of here without them seeing?" She whispered urgently.

He bit his lip and looked around, "I will get you out of here." He whispered, looking down, knowing that the Dark Lord would make him pay for it. As if she could read his mind she asked "Will you be okay for letting me go?" He shook his head, "but it will be fine, you will be okay though."

She swallowed "I'm sorry" she told him.

he shrugged, "it's fine…" She waited as he untied her completely. he pulled the final chain off, "Go… Before they come." She briskly kissed him on the cheek before swiftly escaping. He blushed a little and watch the Dark Lord arrive.

"You let her escape." Even though he wasn't screaming, the word still struck fear keep within Draco.

He bit his lip and shook his head, "no, I tortured her harshly and then let her go. Now she will bleed to death in the cold." he lied, trying to sound convincing. The Dark Lord smiled. "Do not lie to the Dark Lord, Draco. I always know." Draco Looked down and gulped. "Crucio." Voldemort whispered. Draco screamed as the person hit him.

Hermione had escaped but she could hear Draco's echoing screams. she let the tears escaped her. She had to do something! As the curse eventually stopped, he sat up, shaking badly

"you've lost my trust." Came the high cold voice as he walked away from the boys shaking body.

He got up after being tortured, "it was worth it…" He whispered as he walked up to his room. Hermione had apparated. She was now miles away but she wanted to make sure Draco was okay, only if she was unsure of how to do so. he sighed and set down on his bed, blood now dripping from his head. Draco decided that enough was enough, he apparated to hogsmeade, bleeding even more. He walked into the three broomsticks and sat down ordering a fire whiskey.

Hermione, Now in the Forest of Dean, couldn't believe she was stupid enough to go back to Malfoy Manor. If Harry and Ron had stuck to the plan should be in the Hogs head. She looked around as to check that they weren't delayed here. Satisfied, she operated to hogsmeade. On her way to the Hog's Head, Hermione thought she saw someone familiar in the Three Broomsticks. But it couldn't be…and she was losing time, she quickly reminded herself. Draco sat there and was trying to wipe all of the blood, a lot of people staring the blonde boy. She has reached Hogs Head find that it was empty. She hoped that she was only early… Doubling back, she reached the Three Broomsticks to go investigate her hunch from earlier. Turns out, as usual, she was right. "Malfoy," she said rushing To him, muttering the countercurse to heal all of his wounds. He stared wide-eyed all the spells she was doing.

"Well t– thanks and I'm glad you're safe."

"Now we're even." She muttered. He nodded. "why did you leave?"

"He used Crucio on me…"

She nodded. "I heard your screams." He looked down, as if in shame. "I wanted to turn back.." She explained.

"I'll survive," he tried to reassure her. There was a silence, as hermione didn't know what to say.

"I...should go."

He looked up at her. "Right...see you."

"Unless ... D'you want to...?" Her Eyes widened. What was she doing?He raised an eyebrow at her. She turned pink. "I just mean… Nevermind."

he nodded and look back down "hey! another fire with you over here!" Draco yelled as he finished.

"You're attracting too much attention..." she told him softly.

He shrugged, "I just want my drink." He muttered as they brought another one over to him and Draco chugged most of it. She shook her head. He drank the rest and order another.

"Stop It." She told him. He shook his head and had another one. "You'll get drunk." She told him.

He shrugged, "well what else do you expect me to do?"

"Don't you understand there's a war In the next few hours!"

he stood up, "and I just lost the documents trust! I'm not a part of this war!" He yelled and sat down ordering yet another one.

She looked at him seriously. "Well, do you want to win it back?"

He shrugged, "yeah, whatever, I don't care anymore, they can all rot in hell."

"Come over to our side…"

he looked up to her, "you can't be serious? Your side Hates me!I'm a death eater!"

"If you – if you need it, I can vouch for you. But, only to trust you." Shook his head, "forget it Hermione, my father was right, I really am evil."

"how?"

He looked down and drank another "I'm a d-e-a-t-h-e-a-t-e-r." He spelled it out for Her.

"You can't be that bad, you let a mudblood go, after all."

He Shook his head, "yeah, well you're my friend?"

"So you're loyal… You could be loyal to our side."

he looked up "you're only saying this so another person to the good side."

"We could really use you..." She tried another approach.

He looked at her. "oh yeah? How? I'm totally useless, I failed be loyal to Him!"

"You probably know things we don't"

"Look, it's hopeless Hermione, leave me be. " There was a finality to his tone. She looked at her watch. She was nearly out of time. She looked at him seriously.

"Please?" He ignored her stare coldly at yet another bottle that he about to drink. she shook her head and left the Three broomsticks.

She had tried to appeal to him, but it was no use. She hoped he'd be okay, after the war, but right now, she had to fight.