Having to Commit, ApplesBeyondTheWall,

Honey eyes filled with panic, frantically searched the hallways looking for an escape.

No.

An opportunity.

Her legs and feet ached with pain, from pushing towards her destination. Long, curly, champagne colored hair flew like a whirlwind behind her, knotting itself to the point that it would take hours to comb apart later.

She threw her head over her shoulder glancing for anyone chasing behind her, before slowing to a halt and leaning down on her knees and panting heavily.

'What have I gotten myself into.' She shook her head.

'Was it really a good idea to run away from the problem? She was Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age, and a devoted Gryffindor at that. Running away was not in her nature.'

"This is different, it's too much." She whispered

She knew she should not run from her problems, and it was something you should only do in a severe, unique situation. This however was a very severe situation.

Scratch that.

It was insane, unbelievable. She could forgive herself later, it was time to run.

Shakily she regained her breath and pushed herself into a standing position. Quickly slipping her wand out, she tapped it on her head, casting a Disillusionment charm over herself and stood statue still to listen to her surroundings. Hopeful that her mental debate hadn't slowed her down any.

After a few moments she sighed in relief, the coast was clear for now. She carefully began heading towards the Headmistresses' office, taking the time to stop and listen before continuing.

This is not how she expected her final year at Hogwarts's to transpire.

Even after everything she had been through, nothing could compare to this.

This entire situation was going to eat at her until she was devoured and no longer existing as the Hermione Granger everyone had grown to know.

Her heart pounded thinking about the boy she left behind, and was going to leave behind possibly forever. The relationship he proposed was never ending and full of something Hermione had yet to understand – everlasting love, possessive love. Something she was not ready to except. Then again, it was very possible that he was lying, he had been her enemy and rival for years. Maybe this was all a ploy to bed the Gryffindor Princess, just another button to add to his collection of the many girls, she had heard he had taken to bed.

Then again, no one could pull off a ploy this large, this dramatic. This was something else entirely, but still she was not ready to accept it, not ready to understand it. The way he had persuaded her body to react, her mouth to moan, her hands to touch, and her lips to respond. This was something outside of normal magic, not a ploy, something more sinister.

Shuddering she continued, 'just one more floor.'

"Hermione." A dark voice echoed through the long hall.

She froze, when had he gotten this close, too close, she should have heard his footsteps.

"Hermione! I know you are in this bloody castle somewhere!"

She prayed her disillusionment held, if he couldn't see her, he couldn't catch her.

"Mate come on out now, I know you're here." His voice became louder as he approached the corridor she was lingering in. This wasn't the man she had left in bed; this was the beast inside him.

The beast she had awakened.

This voice, no longer belonged to her childhood bully, it sounded fierce and profound as it echoed down the corridor. It was the voice of a monster, and a dangerous one at that.

"Mate you should not have left me; I am nowhere near finished with you. Come to me, and I might negotiate your punishment." A shiver shot up her back, he was in the corridor.

Taking a step backwards, Hermione tried to creep away without making any noise to alert him to her presence.

"I can smell you, me on you. I know you are close enough to hear me, my love." He took a glance in Hermione's direction before grinning and releasing a dark snarl.

She took a few more steps back and softly whispered "Silencio", charming her feet to make no noise against the cold, stone floor. Hastily she took one more step back and regretted not looking behind her instantly.

She fell to the ground with a thud and the clatter of crashing armor was not long after. With a silent shriek, she looked up to see the grey eyed beast had come closer, but had frozen at the impact of the armor.

He tsked before slowly approaching the armor and herself, at a stiff pace, struggling more with each step.

Hermione glanced up at his face, his eyes had changed, they were dark as the night sky and full of anguish and fury.

Suddenly, he froze, his eyes slammed closed and his eyebrows furrowed.

She waited no longer to hop to her feet and stumble away from him.

"Stop!"

She jumped in fright, and turned to see him slam himself into a wall and punching it, leaving blood dripping down the fractured stone.

He looked up at her, his eyes now cleared, seemed to plead with her, to stay and run, at the same time. As if he was struggling to make a decision.

"Hermione, please." Draco's voice cracked, as he began to straighten up, taking a step towards her.

"He's lost it" Hermione mutters before spinning around and dashing the remaining steps to the Gargoyle guarding the Headmistresses' office.

"Citrum Occumbo"

She jumps on the steps and glances down the corridor again, his eyes still begged for her, but for what?

Shaking, she broke eye contact with him, as the stair case locked itself back into place.

'It was too late; this was too much. There was only one option for her now. To escape, to run, to flea.

Once at the top she burst into the office without knocking.

The Headmistress looked up from her desk in surprise.

"I'll do it." Hermione pushed out, panting heavily.

The headmistress nodded.

It was done.

She had escaped.

But for how long?