Another scream sounds through the empty halls.

Almost empty, she thinks. There were people there, watching her. Watching her suffer.

She'd heard that the Cruciatus was worse than anything one could experience.

She knew that.

But it is different, so entirely different, to feel it herself.

Out of her eye, she catches sight of Malfoy-

(Draco, she reminds herself and almost winces. He has a name and she should call him that. After all, fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself.)

-and another scream escapes her.

She'd also known that Draco was a Deatheater now.

He used to be a student like her. A pain in the ass, sure. Someone she could hate. But he'd been to the same classes as her, had seen the same things she did. He had always been there.

She guesses that's why some part of her had believed he'd never be able to these things.

Had always trusted him.

Between the screams and the sobs, a bitter laugh escapes her throat.

She wonders how far trust has ever really gotten anyone.

But in the next moment, she regrets it. After all, Ron trusts her and Harry trusts her and he needs them to believe in him. Needs them to trust him, too. So she has to be strong.

No matter how much she wanted to give up then and there, she couldn't. Harry needed all the support he could get and Ron…

Ron had already lost too many People in the last months. She couldn't make him lose her, too.

She feels stupid.

Because, as opposed to them, Draco has never acknowledged her. Ever. She will never mean anything to him.

She knows that.

He doesn't care whether she lives or dies now.

She knows that, too.

And yet, the thing she wants most is for him to return to Hogwarts with them.

Hogwarts isn't Hogwarts without Draco in it.

It's at that moment, that she realizes just how little meaning her knowledge holds.

Hermione risks another glance in his direction and catches him looking at her. His eyes are filled with something (She can't determine it, can't point at it and say what it is and it scares her-)

And then he leaves the room.

(Gone, gone, gone, gone. Just like that, he leaves.)

She closes her eyes and feels tears escape her. Just for a moment, let her be weak.

Let her let go.

She screams.