[A/N: My very first post on this website, but definitely NOT my first write. I know, I know it's short, but they'll get better so never fear! Okay so this is a lovely Dramione fan-fiction. It first takes place, as it says below, on September 1, 1998 after Draco's seventh year at Hogwarts. We're gonna pretend that Fred Weasely is NOT dead and that the Weasley home did not get destroyed by the Death Eators, okay? Thanks for reading, please review!]

Chapter One: Fire [Draco POV]

Saturday, September 1, 1998

I awoke suddenly and shot straight up into a sitting position. A cold, brisk breeze blew in from my open window across my bare chest causing me to shiver, though a film of sweat lay on my forehead. My breathing was fast as I replayed the dream in my head…

"Get out of the way, Malfoy!" an unfamiliar man shouted at me. His eyes, black as a bottomless pit were furious. His arm was straight and rigid as he held his wand in his shaking hand pointed towards me and Hermione, who I was protecting behind me. I stood there in the same stance with angry and determined eyes staring back at his.

"I don't want to hurt you, but if you don't move I'll kill you and the girl. Now get out of my way!" he said with clenched teeth.

"The only person that will die tonight is you!" I yelled back.

Then a panicked whisper came from behind me, "What are you doing! You can't kill him!"

"It'll be okay, Hermione," I whispered back. I wrapped my arm backward around her with my hand on her lower back, pressing her front to my back. I could feel her shaking against my body. I began, "Avada Ka-" but was cut off. He flicked his wrist up to the dark sky and my wand flew out of my hand, across the field and into his.

"HA!" he shouted, disgustingly satisfied. "What will you do now, Malfoy?" The man then uttered a spell I hadn't heard before and a ring of fire soon encircled Hermione and myself. The flames disabled me from seeing the man, but I heard him yell, "Goodbye, you filthy rats!"

Hermione shrieked. I let go of her and turned to face her and said, "Give me your wand!"

"I don't have it, he took mine too!" she cried.

I cursed under my breath. The fire was getting closer and the smoke was burning my eyes.

"What are we going to do?" Hermione asked. I looked down at her pleading, brown eyes. Tears were forming at the edges.

"There's only one thing we can do." I said. I wrapped one arm around her shoulder; the other under her knees and lifted her off the ground.

"Draco, you're going to kill us both!" she exclaimed.

"I won't kill you, I promise." But I never said anything about myself… "Close your eyes and tuck in your legs, we're going out backwards. She opened her mouth to protest but I interrupted her. "Hermione, listen to me! Either one of us dies or both of us dies, and you deserve to live more than I do. You don't have time to complain or try to prove me wrong. I'm trying to save your life! Please, just listen to me." I pleaded; a lump forming in my throat.

And with that, she gave up and buried her head in my chest. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and prepared myself for death. I took several quick steps backward and immediately felt the fire burning my clothes and then my skin. I let out a pained yell when the pain never ended. The fire never ended. No matter how far I staggered the fire kept burning. Finally, my legs gave out and I collapsed to the flaming ground, holding Hermione in my arms.

I wiped the sleep from my eyes, tired and confused. I swung my legs off the side of my bed and walked to my open window pouring moonlight on my pallid skin. And as I looked to the starry sky, several questions echoed in my mind. Who was that unfamiliar man trying to kill us? And why hadn't he killed us when he said he would? But most of all… Why in the world was I saving Hermione Granger?

[A/N: So, what did you think? Again, I know it's short but I PROMISE they'll get better. REVIEWS WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED!]

[longlivedraco]