Nice little one-shot. I was in an angsty mood, if you can't tell.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O

"Its fine, my love…I understand."

"How can you understand something like this…How can you find me innocent…" His head was bowed, resting on her lap, her hands gently set on his shoulders.

"I do not find you innocent. But innocence has no meaning in love."

"I'm sorry…I did not want to do this."

"But you knew you would have to. You knew that we would be in this situation. As did I."

"Why can't you hate me? Why can't you fight back…"

Usually his voice was cold and steeled, showing no emotion. But now, now it was wrought with it. With regret, with pain, and just a little bit of fear.

"Because that would make it too easy for you. When you fight…You block off your mind and your emotions. I don't want to be just another faceless victim to you. Just another Mudblood."

"But I cannot kill you…" His shoulders were shaking now. "You were the only one who ever had a place in my heart…"

"You chose your path long ago, my love, as did I. We knew those paths would one day cross, and we knew that only one would go on afterwards."

She felt her robes bunching as he grasped them in fists, and his skin was trembling under her soothing hands.

"My path…was it the wrong one?"

"That is for your heart to decide."

"My heart decides you…"

"Is that what you really think?" She played distractedly with his hair, as she always did when they lay alone at night. "You told me your loyalty rested with him. With no one but him. I was fine with that. Am fine with that. I chose my path, my love, even with the knowledge that my path would be struck down by yours."

They sat there silently, and his shaking finally subsided. She pulled away from him, hands resting instead on the armrest of the leather chair she sat in, telling him without the painful words that it was time.

He stood, slowly and gracefully, his body moving with the elegance she fell in love with. He stooped, picking up the white mask from where it had fallen to the ground, placing it wordlessly back on. Only after his wand was pulled from his robes and pointing at her did he look into her eyes. One single, pearl like tear rolled down her cheek, but yet she was smiling at him. He thought he had control of himself, but that tear showed him otherwise, and his hand shook slightly.

"I will always be with you…Drac-"

Her words were cut off by his hurried ones, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she slouched forward, hanging limply by the side of the chair. His face was again on of stone, despite the fact that it was hidden. With a swoosh, he turned from her dead body, stalking to the door. He didn't feel anything, He wouldn't feel anything. Swinging the door open, he rejoined his people. His fellow murderers.

"Is she dead?"

At the voice, Draco turned, falling to a knee. "Indeed, My lord. She will bother us no more."

He started to feel anger at Voldemort's words of praise, but squashed it immediately. He did not love her. He would not love her. He stayed there long after the others left, simply staring at the house that had been hers. Flicking out his wand again, he murmered, and the muggle house in front of him burst into flames, the red light twisting into the sky.

He turned from the flaming house, boots crunching in the rubble of the other ruined houses. He could feel her behind him, but he did not turn. She was dead.

As he walked off, the ghost of Hermione Granger slowly drifted off into the skies, whispering one last prayer for her love into the wind.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

My muse has turned me ebil :points: its his fault! As always, Read and Review.