Everything had happened so quickly, loud crashes had been heard in the distance, before they had broken through the barrier that protected the famous school. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was under attack by Voldemort and his army.
Hermione had run with Harry and Ron through the fighting in the courtyard. Spells of varying colours just flashing past their arms, the screams of many people heard, from close distances and far. They had come to their old school to destroy the final horcruxes that were hidden within the castle they had come to love.
Jumping over the dead bodies, which held the familiar faces of their classmates, ducking under the giants legs, and avoiding the flashes of green that whizzed past them, they ran inside the Castle, hiding in an alcove to discuss what to do next.
"Harry, we can't actually destroy the horcruxes yet. We have nothing to kill it with," Ron exclaimed, panting slightly. Harry looked up at Ron with a startled expression and bit his lip.
"So we were thinking," Ron pointed to himself then to Hermione, "To go to the chamber of secrets and get the Basilix fang from the body."
"Well it was actually Ron's idea, brilliant isn't he," Hermione looked up at Ron and smiled hesitantly.
"Great, that's bloody brilliant, I'm going to try and find the diadem, so we actually have something to destroy."
The all went their separate ways, Hermione and Ron headed towards Moaning Myrtles bathroom, were the events still flashed in their heads from their second year at Hogwarts. Hermione stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the familiar flash of blonde hair run past her, she turned around and looked up at him. He had stopped as well, looking down at her with sad eyes, yet he smiled. The eyes and the smile she had come to love, since Draco had helped them escape from the horrendous Malfoy Manor.
- The cell doors opened and Draco Malfoy stood there with angry eyes. He made eye contact with Harry for a second then nodded towards the door. Harry raised his eyebrow at the young death-eater, then looked to Ron. Everyone ran up the stairs quickly, Harry, Ron and Draco waited at the steps and that leads to the room were Hermione was currently being tortured. Everyone would meet at the main entrance to apparate away. Draco's aunts cackling could be heard from a mile away, why she liked torturing muggle-borns was beyond Draco. He never really understood his family; he had always been the outsider. "Draco, dear, come and finish this piece of filth will you," Bellatrix spat venomously, looking at Draco. Harry and Ron were still waiting at the stairs until Draco's signal was heard. Draco walked hesitantly towards his aunt. Harry and Ron had ran up the stairs at this point, aiming their wands at Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy as Draco slowly carried Hermione down the stairs and into the Main entrance. Harry and Ron's screamed spells at the Death-eaters and ran down to Draco and the rest. Every one took a hold of Draco's out stretched hand and apparated away. Their destination was the sandy beach near Shell Cottage. The hills could be seen from where they stood and the only noise to be heard was the whimpering of the pained prisoners. Harry and Ron helped them inside the house to be aided, while Draco and Hermione stood on the cold and windy beach. Hermione's brown eyes looked up into Draco's eyes, a mixture or blue and grey. The companionable silence that followed said enough. Draco leaned his forehead against Hermione's and closed his eyes. "You have no idea how much you mean to me," Draco whispered, his eyes tearing up at the thought of her pain. "I love you," Hermione whispered, pulling Draco in for a hug.
The pain seared through Hermione's body as she curled up on the ground in the Malfoy Manor. She looked up with teary eyes, to the mad stricken face of Bellatrix Lestrange. Hermione's blood-curdling screams were heard all the way in the Dungeons, were Harry, Ron, Luna, Dean, Ollivander and Griphook sat, all looking pained by hearing her screams of distress.
"I just want to keep her safe," Draco spoke up, "I'll apparate you all out of here, seeing as I'm a Malfoy I have permission too."
Harry nodded, understanding for a couple of years now that Draco loved Hermione, and vice versa. They hadn't done anything about it because of what Draco's parents would think. So they continued to "dislike" each other for their sakes.
"Aunt, I believe my wand is up in my room, may I use yours for the time being?" Draco asked innocently holding out his hand, while looking his Mad aunt directly in the eye.
"Why of course," Bellatrix said loudly, sarcasm dripping from her voice, but she still handed her wand to Draco. The Slytherin Prince looked down at the woman he loved, and smirked. Before he whizzed around and aimed his wand at his aunt.
"
"You have no idea how you affect me, mentally and physically. I know that we have to pretend, but can we just have this moment. The war will happen soon, I know it will. But I can't live without you. The remarks I have told you… they meant nothing. You are the most beautiful, kind, and loving person I have ever met."
Hermione lifted her face up to his, and gently pressed her lips against his. They kissed for the moment, because this may be there last. All their emotions flooded through the simple kiss. Love, hate, sadness, happiness, confusion and pain. Not knowing whether they would see each other again or even live.
"As I love you," Draco whispered, just barely opening his eyes.
"I meant what I said that time on the beach," Draco whispered before pulling away from the hug and stepping back, "Even if my actions today don't show it." Draco turned around and ran to catch up with Blaise and Crabbe. Hermione showed a confused expression, and turned around to run towards Ron.
When they entered the chamber after a couple attempts from Ron. The chamber was unfamiliar to either Ron or Hermione, both never being here before. Ron walked up to the giant skeleton from the beast that had haunted the castle 5 years previous to this event. He cautiously pulled one of the front fangs out and gripped in his hand, before handing it to Hermione.
"You destroy it," Ron nodded to the fang. Hermione searched through her small, yet large, bag and held the cup from the Lestrange's vault in Gringotts. Hermione placed the cup on the ground and took the venomous fang from Ron's slightly sweaty hands. Ron looked Hermione in the eyes before standing back.
Hermione raised the fang hesitantly and struck it down towards the horcrux. There was a sudden shockwave coming from the horcrux. Ron ran towards Hermione and pulled her to the exit of the Chamber. Turrets of water were swirling in midair around them, twirling into weird spiral shapes, splashing them in the process. The water froze, still in its liquid form though, and then splashed down on top of them in a forced manner. Ron faced Hermione and started laughing. He then turned serious and looked at Hermione full on now. Ron's eyes turned from a happy look to a lust-filled look. He slowly leaned down, attempting to kiss Hermione. Snapping back to reality Hermione pushed Ron forcefully away from her.
"I'm sorry Ron," Hermione whispered, rocking awkwardly on her feet, "I- I love someone else." Hermione lowered her eyes to the ground, avoiding his gaze. Ron coughed before speaking.
"Who is he," Ron asked seriously, "I have a right to know."
"You don't know him," Hermione croaked, trying to think of the best lie for the time being.
"You're lying, Hermione," Ron said simply, his serious voice turning angry. Hermione looked up to him, and looked him in the eye. A flash of realization went through Ron's eyes. His ears went red and his face twisted into pure anger.
"Really, Hermione, him? You're in love with that pure-blooded git?" Ron was clenching then unclenching his hands. Hermione was raising her voice when she yelled at him.
"Well it's not my bloody fault, Ronald! He was there for me in my 5th year when you were off snogging Lavender. I was there for him when he needed help with the You-Know-Who's request. He never wanted to be who he was, he never did, Ronald. But he has saved my life!" Hermione's voice lowered as she continued, "I never intended to fall in love with him." Hermione then walked out of the chamber, somehow getting back up.
She sat in one of the stalls until she heard Ron leave, then walked out and stood in front of one of the sinks. Leaning against the banister she looked up in the mirror too see Draco standing at the entryway to the bathroom.
"There is a war going on you know, Hermione?" He said sarcastically, but his eyes showed betrayal and sadness. Hermione snorted at his comment.
"I realized Draco, but you know, Ron is just being a git right now." She turned around and sat down on the damp ground. Draco turned around and looked out of the bathroom before sighing and closing the door.
Hermione only looked at him clearly now, before in the hall she never really had a chance to look at him properly. His usually beautiful eyes were bloodshot and full of sadness; purple bags were under his eyes. His hair was messed up more than usual; probably from running his hands through it too much. He walked in front of Hermione, he held out his hand to help her up. Hermione took it eagerly and stood in front of him.
Draco pulled Hermione into a sudden hug. Draco kissed the top of Hermione's curls, his eyes starting to tear up.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I never wanted you to be hurt. This is the only way." Hermione pulled back from the hug, looking up at his face confused.
"What on earth do you mean Draco?" She asked, nearly laughing, but then saw the look in his eyes and thought better of it. Draco twitched his hand to his back pocket and pulled out his wand.
"I love you, Hermione Jean Granger."
Draco raised his wand towards Hermione before whispering, "Obliviate."
Hermione gasped slightly, all the memories of them. The first time they became civil to each other, to study sessions in the library, the moments when they just held each other and cried, to their first kiss, right until this moment. All of them gone.
Hermione looked up at the man in front of her, not knowing who he was.
"It's better for you this way, they just won't accept you."
Draco turned around, tears flowing freely from his eyes now. His family would probably kill her during the war, if it meant that Draco would stay on Voldemort's side. He knew that this was the only way, but he never thought that leaving the love of his life, his soul mate, would hurt this much. Knowing that she would never know who he was again. They might meet again in the future, getting a fresh start after the war, depending on who wins. But, until then, Draco couldn't, he wouldn't, put her through that kind of pain. She should be able to get along with her life, never knowing he existed.
Even though they used to hate each other, even though she was clueless as to who he was now, he would always love her, until his last breath.