The corridor was dark, the whole pace was dark, she struggled to see in to the small rooms. Keeping her hands at her side as she walked, she eventually found who she was looking for, right at the end of the coridoor.
He was sitting with his back against the far wall, he was hunched over with his knees pulled to his chest, his head leaning on his arms, placed atop his knees. If this hadn't been the last cell on the floor, Hermione would not have even known it was him. His hair was dirty, to the point where it in no way resembled his normal blond, she could see the bones of his wrists and ankles showing from his too large clothing. It was clear he had lost far too much weight. She was sure he must have heard her approach, her heels clattering against the stone floors, or the way the other prisoners had shouted at her as she had passed, rather crude and some disturbing remarks.
Taking a step closer to the bars she tried saying his name, though it came out as barely a whisper, and his head did not move from his arms, it hurst her to see him like this, no longer the boy she had once known.
"Draco." She tried again, though he still did not move, or speak, she knew he had heard her "Please."
That one word was enough to grab his attention, and before she even had a chance to react he was right in front of her, his face almost pressed against hers.
"Why are you here Granger?" His voice was rough, and it made her wonder when he had last used it. She was sure she was doing a bad job of hiding her emotions, her eyes always gave her away. "Come to see the death eater scum wait for death. Want to see me suffer did you?"
"Stop it!" She meant her words to come out strong, as a warning, though it was more like a whimper, and try as she may, she couldn't stop the lone tear that escaped and made it's way down her cheek. "I'm trying Draco. I really am."
"Granger." A warning, she knew, he somehow managed to convey the tone that she had not. "Give up." She shook her head and and looked away from her as a sob escaped her. She felt his hand reach up and rest on her cheek, the pad of his thumb moving to wipe at her tears.
"I won't give up on you, or this case." She looked in to his eyes as she spoke, and brough her hand up to rest on top of his. "I can do this. That trial was a mess, they can't do this!"
"We both know that they can Hermione, and that they have. You need to go, I don't want you coming back here." She shook her head and tried to protest, but was stopped from talking as his other arm came between the bars and wrapped around her, though the bars were in the way, it was as much of a hug as she was going to get from him, and as he leaned his forehead against hers she closed her eyes. "So brave, so confident, but you know it is over, the desicion was made, and in 2 days, I will recieve the kiss and it will all be over, I've seen it in your eyes Hermione"
"And I've seen you!" She shouted, finding her voice again. Pulling herself back slightly she continued. "I've seen you Draco Malfoy, you're not the evil person the ministry have dreamed up. You turned yourself in, you helped us win that war. How can they judge you on the things you were forced to do? A scared child, terrified in his own home. They can't do this!"
As Hermione started sobbing, he grabbed her again, and pressed his lips against her forehead. He held her and waited for her cries to die down, and as soon as they had calmed to just sniffles, he placed his index finger under her chin and tilted her head up. Though he knew he was dirty he pressed his lips against hers, a chaste kiss, probably the last he would give or recieve. He pulled back, though only enough that their lips were no longer touching.
"Leave now Hermione. Do not come back here. Don't remember me like this. I can't stand the thought of you keeping thse memories of me. Remember happier times. Please." He places one more small kiss on her forehead and let go, pushing himself to walk back to the other side of his cell, his back facing her. He could hear her sobbing again, though she did as told and he listened as the sound of her shoes got further away, he heard the guard open the gate for her and slam it againt as she left.
He sank to his knees once again, he would not cry, he had shed enough tears over his situation. Placing his head on top of his arms once again he resumed his previous position. As he waited to die, he thought only of Hermione, clinging on to the precious memories he had of them together. She did not come again.