Title: Come With Me
Pairing: Hermione/Draco
Word Count: 1,482
Rating: PG
Summary: Draco is redeemed. This is the story of how.
Notes: HBP spoilers, but no DH ones. This was started before DH although it was finished after. When finishing writing this I pretended I never read DH. If anything slipped out let me know. Also there is some Character Death being a war fic.

Mudblood. Dirty Blood.

He had said those things to her out of hate. According to what he was taught all of his life the people she was born to made her inferior to him. According to her blood he was better than her.

But as he sat on the grounds of the school they both attended he now knew the truth. Blood is blood. No matter what it flows through everyone's. It's red. It flows through the heart. It is the same for everyone.

After his attempt at killing Dumbledore he fled. He ditched Snape as soon as he could. Despite what everyone thought he did not want to do it. Despite what he told Dumbledore, the man was right. He was not a killer.

He was in hiding for about six months. He was on one of his rare excursions outside of his hiding place when she found him. He had left with next to nothing and looked starving. She took pity on him and took him to a Muggle pub. She didn't crack jokes about how much he seemed to be enjoying the Muggle food. She didn't tease him because he could no longer provide for himself. She just saw a person in need and helped him the best she could.

Then she the 3 words that changed his life forever: "Come with me."

Walking into the flat she shared with Harry and Ron was not easy. He remembered that moment clearly.

"What's he doing here?" Ron shouted at the sight of the man following his then best friend though the door.

"I ran into him in while I was shopping. He needed some help so I helped him." she started to explain but Weasley cut her off.

"That scum standing behind you almost killed Dumbledore! He's not a bloody house elf! You can't start up S. P A. M- Society for the protection of almost murderers." Ron bellowed his face turning the same shade as his hair.

She just stared at Ron as he fumed at her. Harry then took this chance to speak.

"Ron, This coward doesn't even deserve the title of almost murderer. He froze he couldn't do it."

"I couldn't do it because I knew it was wrong. The Dark Lord offered me a chance to save my family. He was the first person that offered it to me. My mum was never completely behind what my father did but she put up with it because she loved him. When he was captured and put into Azkaban her world came crumbling down. And because of all that junk my father taught me I thought that as the heir I had to make things better for her. I didn't know what my initiation task was going to be. Had I known I wouldn't have dreamt doing it." He looked expectantly at the trio of people after he finished his speech.

"I don't believe him. Harry you make the decision on this. " Ron stomped out of the room mumbling about how he couldn't believe how stupid and gullible she was.

"Ronald Weasley! Have a heart! He left everything because he was trying to do what was right!" She stormed out of the room yelling after him.

Harry sank down on the couch rubbing him temples. "I can't believe I'm about to say this Malfoy, but I believe you. And helping you is obviously important to Hermione, so I guess you can stay."

Ron had walked into the room. "If he stays I go. I can't believe you don't think that that git is a lying well GIT!" He stomped back to his room and started packing.

"Maybe I should go. I didn't even want to come. She made me. She seemed to think I could help some how."

"Ron's been on the verge of leaving for 3 weeks now. They were dating. She dumped him. On top on that Charlie Weasley got hurt in the battle that happened a few weeks ago. His heart is with his family. I can't blame him. I'd go if I didn't –well I don't trust you enough to say anything yet. But I'll try. Hermione might be onto something Say, Malfoy what do you know about Horocruxes?"

"Why would you want to know about those? Dark magic Potter- I didn't think you'd have it in you." Draco looked at the boy in front of him.

"I don't want to know how to create one Malfoy! I need to destroy one! More like seven." Harry looked at Draco.

"Who'd create seven Horocruxes? That's madness… splitting your soul into seven pieces… who on earth would want to be that deformed?" Suddenly the answer hit Draco like a ton of bricks. "The Dark Lord would. You were working on this with Dumbledore weren't you? I'm sorry. I'll help"

Days turned into week and weeks turned into months. The newly formed trio had been on the run from the death eaters for 6 months now. They had gotten some help from the Order with there mission, although Harry seemed reluctant ask them. It wasn't until Draco pointed out that the order had no spies in the Death Eaters because of Snape's betrayal right before a meeting and Hermione's prodding that they could help them that Harry confessed the mission Dumbledore had set out for them. Ron had overheard this and at the meeting he offered to spy. He explained he could use Harry's betrayal to get in. He couldn't work with Malfoy but wanted to help.

Unfortunately, Ron wasn't the type of person who could make a good spy. Somehow the Death Eaters found out the truth and killed Ron. And somehow they managed to get Ron to confess what Draco was up to. But the three friends had fought on. They ended up isolating themselves from the order after five of the six Horocruxes were found. Turns out Harry misunderstood the fact there were seven. They were destroyed now and it looked like it was time for the last battle.

They had a plan. Harry would find Voldemort and Draco and Hermione were to find the snake and kill it. Ron was supposed to do that but was unable to.

Harry ran off into the fray and Draco looked at Hermione. "Before we do this I need to thank you. You gave me a second chance and showed me how beautiful life could really be. You showed me that people could care about me as more than an heir."

"Thanks Draco and your welcome. Let's end this war so everyone can know that okay?" She kissed his cheek and pulled him off to where the snake was.

They fought there way through and did away with Nagini. The next part of the plan was to meet up with Harry and help him in any way possible with Voldemort.

They never made it that far.

Lucius Malfoy showed up and started dueling with the pair. Despite the fact that Draco knew Hermione could defend herself Draco found himself trying to protect her.

Lucius caught on. "In love with the Mudblood are we son?"

Draco looked at his father as the truth hit him it seemed like the three of them were the only people there. That split second's hesitation was a mistake.

"Sectumsempra!" Lucius's clear voice rang through the night.

The spell hit Hermione in the chest and she fell to the ground. Draco sank down beside her.

All around them the battle was ending. Harry had won. But all Draco could focus on was the blood that was pouring out of Hermione. He compared it to a scratch that was on his arm right over his rapidly disappearing dark mark. The blood looked the same.

Draco picked up her now dead body tears escaping his eyes as he looked at the ground. That was dirty blood, but it only became muddy blood as is mixed with the earth.

Draco carried Hermione to the designated point for the dead mulling over what he she had taught him.

Blood is blood. No matter what it flows through everyone's. It's red. It flows through the heart. It is the same for everyone.

His father was right. He did love her and at that moment he didn't know if he could love again, but he did know he needed to live. Live the life they had fought for. It would be one of freedom and choice. Who knew what the future would bring thanks to this bushy haired witch that broke all his prejudices.