"Hello everyone", and unpleasant voice said, and suddenly everything that could be used for a screen was. "Today were going to show you a little well, video that's being taken live, to show all of you what will happen to all the mud-bloods and blood traitors", the hooded man than turned and a screen came on. "Watch and enjoy," he said in an eerie voice. "Where's Hermione," Harry asked. "I don't know I haven't seen her all weekend," Ron replied. "Me either," he said worriedly.

Then the show began.

The screen turned on. Then there was a scream. A girl with brown hair was running, flinging spells behind her without even seeing where they went. There was laughing coming from those who were chasing her. She kept running until she was completely out of breath. She hid behind a building and tried to catch her breath. Then we saw her face. Harry's and Ron's faces paled, "Hermione," they whispered. Then her pursuers were getting closer. She stood and ran. She ran as fast as she could…but it wasn't fast enough. "Crucio!" a voice shouted. She fell to the ground screaming. Trying to make the pain go away but it wouldn't work. She screamed in agony, screamed with everything she had, her voice failing her. Then she stopped and she gasped. Breathing heavily with tears streaming down her face, she clutched her wand. But again the word was spoken and she screamed, screamed while her pursuers laughed and enjoyed.

The hooded man commanded them to stop. They tied her to a chair and left her there. "Now the really exciting stuff is going to happen," the hooded man said. He walked up to Hermione and pulling her by her hair he lifted her head. "Is there anything you would like to say sweetie," he asked her. She looked up at him and the rest. "There are many things I would like to say. One of them being an Unforgivable curse", Hermione said and spat in his face. He wiped his face slapped her. "You will most definitely regret that", he said. "Do your worst."

Harry and Ron were tearing up and many other students were crying while some remained with an emotionless expression, to aghast to do anything. One face was knowing and regretful. That was Draco Malfoy and he knew exactly who the hooded figure was.

"Ersticken!" he said. Hermione began to suffocate, her face turning blue. After about 20 seconds he let her breath, only to next say, "Sakit." Then her face contorted with pain and she screamed over and over she screamed. She felt she was going to die. She was going to die. Then it stopped. She screamed again, only this time it was because of the letters that were being carved into her forearm. One at a time the letters M-U-D-B-L-O-O-D appeared, blood oozing out with each new letter. Then he stopped and turned. Her head fell, hanging down. "Now, do you understand those of you who are purebloods, whose side you must take? Before we dispose of her I want to tell you that if you don't choose correctly this could happen to you, your family and your friends." While he was addressing the crowd Hermione was slowly taking her wand out. She quietly freed her bonds and stood. When the hooded man turned around Hermione already had her wand pointed at his head. "Avada Kedavra!" she screamed. "Shrieking Shack", she said before falling to the floor, unconscious.

Teachers ran out of the room and all students were sent to their common rooms. Ron and Harry had already ran to find Hermione. The room cleared, except for one. Draco Malfoy stood in the corner…smiling. He was free. He no longer had to fear his father or be forced to work for Voldemort. He and his mother could do whatever they want. Go wherever they want and they know longer had to worry about Lucius finding them, or torturing them for not meeting his expectations. He was finally free.

Harry and Ron found Hermione and she was quickly sent to Madame Pumffrey. She would know how to help her. An owl was sent to Hermione's parents so they would know what happened and that she would be taken care of.

The next morning Hermione woke up shaking with fear and looked around. She was ok, she was safe now and no one was going to hurt her anymore, well for now. Then she noticed a figure in the shadows. Draco walked towards her and she just looked at him. There was something new in his eyes; the look of life was in them. He laid a red rose next to her with a note attached. Then, if this was not already surreal enough for her, he leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. Then he left with one last look back at her. She laid there for a couple of seconds, making sense of what just happened, and trying to identify the feeling in the pit of her stomach. She gently picked up the rose, took the card and opened it.

Thank you, Hermione. You cannot understand the relief you have given me and my mother, though I understand you most likely did not want to kill Lucius, but either way I would like to express my gratitude.

We will see each other again soon. We should talk.

-Draco Malfoy

Hermione read and re-read the note several times. What would he say? Why is he happy? Is this a trick? "No." she thought. She knew the answer to that question and the question before that and maybe the first one too. Besides the terror that she had been feeling she smiled. "Something good is going to happen. I can feel it," she thought to herself. She put the flower next to her on her pillow, she hugged the card to her chest, and then she drifted back to sleep.