Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter series.
Hermione backed up against the alley wall, holding her wand out in front of her. She knew that it was futile, but some part of her told her to have hope. She had tried every spell and curse she knew, but the manticore had effortlessly evaded them.
The snarling beast advanced upon her, its scorpion tail thrashing around in the air.
Hermione closed her eyes and waited for the end to come.
"Crucio!"
The manticore reared up on its hind legs and fell to the ground, twitching, but still living. Hermione finished it off with an "Avada Kedavra!" and looked up.
"Malfoy?!" she gasped in astonishment once she noticed the man standing behind the carcass. However, her surprise quickly turned to rage. "I didn't need your help!"
"I think you did. You were going to be killed," he commented dryly.
"Why would you save me? We both hate each other to extremes."
"I don't really hate you, " he told her. "At least not as much as I used to. As evil as I might seem, I'm not that bad." Malfoy chuckled sardonically to himself.
Hermione thought he was insane, but then he offered her a hand. She stared at it warily, and then took it.