I.

"Obliviate" Hermione whispered, pointing her wand at the two people in the world who had stuck to her through every single hardship and achievement, every bully and friend. The two people who had loved her even when the had found out what she was. The two she'd learn to count on during the years at Hogwarts. She removed herself from her parents' mind, quickly and quietly, as if she were never there.

With that Hermione, formerly Hermione Granger walked out- wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a long-sleeved black shirt, and a sweater. Carrying only a handbag and her wand- into the world. The world that she knew, would be no more. In the world she'd known, she should've been going to complete her seventh year at Hogwarts, or be helping her friends defeat Lord Voldemort. But that world was no more to Hermione, she walked on not shedding a single tear.

II.

Hermione apparated into Knockturn Alley, where she knew she could get a start on money and hopeful some insight to the ins and out to Knockturn and Diagon Alley. She walked with her head up into Borgin and Burkes, holding something that she was sure Mr. Borgin would enjoy famously.

She walked out to what appeared to be a check-out and placed her prize in front of Borgin's greedy eyes.

"What's this?" asked Borgin.

"It's a potion book." stated Hermione.

"Well now I can see that! What purpose do you have of bringing it here? I don't need a bloody potion book! What's a pretty little girl like you doing in my shop?" asked Borgin.

Hermione growled. "I'm not here to sell you just some potion book." she said, "This book belonged to Severus Snape. There are many many spells in here. Some just useful, but some dangerous, for he created them himself. There're many helpful hint to potions, and I'm willing to negotiate with you Mr. Borgin. So just help me out here and you'll get this little book for a very nice price."

Borgin raised an eyebrow, he was impressed, very few customers stayed long after he'd turned them down, never a female- let alone a girl.

"Alright miss. I'll take it. Name your price."

"5 galleons" she said.

Borgin's eyes widened, "Five? You can't be serious." he started laughing, " You'll have to do better then that little lady." he said wagging a finger.

Hermione pursed her lips, "Fine, 4 galleons and 2 sickles."

"Done." said Borgin, handing her the money and snatching the book. "This was a one time thing girl. That was from pity, from now on, you're on your own."

III.

Hermione walked slowly in a dark alley between two buildings. ''You're on your own." those words kept crawling through Hermione's mind. Like a slithering snake. Suddenly, the reality of the situation found itself in Hermione's mind. She really was on her own. She had no one to turn to. She was alone.

Hermione crashed down to the ground. With her face in her hands, she started sobbing. After a minute she heard soft footsteps of another approaching. "Granger?" a soft voice asked.

Hermione stiffened. She knew that voice. "I'm not a Granger anymore Malfoy." she said, wiping her tears and standing to face him.

Malfoy looked worse than he had in sixth year. His face was made of mostly bone and flesh. His hair was no longer styled back, instead, unkept and dirty. He still wore tailored suits, but now they looked as though they'd spent the night crumpled on the floor. The dark circles under his eyes, and on his left forearm-

Hermione gasped. "Malfoy? What happened?"

The Dark Mark on Malfoy's left arm was bleeding. It was as if someone had dug their nails into the flesh and dragged them down the Mark. It was horrifying, yet beautiful. The blood and ink matched each other, too well.

Malfoy looked down at his arm and he looked surprised for a moment, as if he hadn't known the blood had been there at all. He masked it almost immediately to the composed face Hermione had grown to know too well in the last year. Malfoy took a dark blue handkerchief out of his pocket and quickly wiped the blood away, his face tinted with a little pink, as if he'd been embarrassed to be seen like that.

"It's none of your bussiness Granger."

Hermione scowled, "I said, I'm not a Granger anymore."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, "Well then, I guess we're in a similar situation, Hermione. I'm not a Malfoy no more than you're a Granger."

He gave Hermione a moment to let that information sink in. Then she said, "But, how?"

Hermione expected him to glare at her and say something insulting, but he just let out a small, sad sigh, ran his fingers through his hair- messing it up even more- and said, "My father disowned me when I refused to kill Dumbledore. My mother tried to convince him not to, but he said I was a disappointment to the Malfoy line and had no right to stay in his house any longer." Malfoy winced as he said the words, but continued, "My mother gave me a small bag of money and sent me here, to Knockturn Alley."

"It kind of looks like we just want out of this world, doesn't it?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe, but that's not my point here Grang- Hermione." he said.

"Then what is?"

Draco bit his lower lip as he asked, "What were you, Hermione doing? Crying here? In Knockturn Alley of all places? Not being a Granger?" his voice barely above a whisper.

Hermione had to dig her nails into her hand so she wouldn't start crying, "I obliviated my parents. I made it so it was like I'd never been there at all." she couldn't help it now, she leaned against the brick wall as the tears slid down her face, "I ran away Draco. I ran away from it. All of it, Voldemort, the Death-"

When Hermione spoke the word 'Voldemort', she'd heard a crack a few paces behind Malfoy. She watched as Malfoy's eyes widened in realization.

"Snatchers." he whispered, fear in his eyes as he grabbed hold of her wrist and apparated them both out of Knockturn Alley.