After the battle.
Chapter 1.
Heavy rain was falling down on the muddy ground, and on the bodies that lay there, defeated. The battle of Hogwarts was over, nobody won, nobody lost. The bodies of Voldemort and Harry lay next to each other, with other bodies around them: Students of Hogwarts, teachers, members of the Order of the Phoenix and Death Eaters.
Footsteps where heard when a survivor walked among the death people. She walked slowly, her whole body trembling. She had her wand clutched in her hand, ready to attack. Her hair was bushy and unruly but now it hung in wet strands around her face. Tears where streaming down her cheeks as she looked at the people that lay on the ground. She recognised many of them and her heart shattered into a thousand pieces as she looked at them.
She took a deep shuddering breath as she reached Harry and knelt down next to him, stroking his wet cheek with her fingers. She cried and cried until she had no tears left. Still she stayed next to him, looking at him, hoping for a miracle, that he still lived. After a long time she finally stands and walks away, towards the heavy gates of Hogwarts where she could apparate away, but she never reached it.
A flash of red light caught her of guard and she almost fell face down in the mud. She composed herself quickly and turned around, wand tightly in her hand as she fired a curse towards her attacker. She couldn't see him, it was to dark and he was hiding behind the trees. Her heart was beating wildly as she looked around. When nothing happened she walked backwards towards the gates.
On her left a branch snapped and it gave her attacker away. Quickly she fired another curse and she knew she had hit her target when she heard a yelp coming from the trees. She immediately knew it was a male.
"Who are you?" asked she with a trembling voice.
She gripped her wand tighter as she heard footsteps coming her way.
"Which side are you fighting on?" Asked the young witch as the footsteps came closer and closer.
"Not yours, but don't be afraid, I don't mean to harm you."
The witch's eyes grew wide. The voice sounded tired but she would recognize it everywhere.
"M-Mister Malfoy?"
"We just fought in a battle and both lost many people and still you don't forget you're manners."
Lucius Malfoy stepped away from trees and the young witch was shocked. The arrogant man she once knew was gone, and in it's place stood a slumped tired, and bloodied man. He eyed her, and the first thing she noticed was that the life had vanished from his eyes.
"Here we are, the two living people among the dead, Miss Granger."
The young witch didn't know what to say and swallowed.
"You know you are in danger, right?" Lucius Malfoy cocked his eyebrow, waiting for her answer.
"Danger? Why?"
"Not all Death Eaters are dead. I think at least twenty of them has survived and they are seeking revenge for their fallen Master."
Her eyes narrowed at his words and she shook her head.
"You are a Death Eater yourself! Shouldn't you be seeking revenge for you're master?"
Lucius sighed and leaned heavily on his cane, that after the war surprisingly was still intact.
"They tried to kill me, Miss Granger. Two years ago, when my son became a Death Eater I started doubting Voldemort, I started doubting myself and my beliefs. Bellatrix noticed and confronted me with it. I told her she saw it wrong, that I was still loyal to my Lord, but since then I knew that I was lying. I was no longer loyal to Voldemort. Neither was Narcisse." He sighed deeply and looked Hermione in the eyes. "After a while Voldemort found out, and punished me, I think he tortured me for at least one hour, on the same spot where Bellatrix has tortured you. When he was done with me he called Narcissa, and tortured her as well, making me watch. But her fate was worse then mine. When he was done with her he killed her. He made me swear that I would be loyal to him and to nobody else, if I didn't my son would pay the price. I had no other choice to obey him."
He was quiet as he watched Hermione's face. She was chewing on her plump bottom lip, her brows knitted together in a deep frown.
After a view minutes she finally spoke.
"What does it change? You are still you. I don't believe that you have changed so much in one year. That you threw away all your believes about blood purity."
Lucius sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes. "I don't ask you to believe me, I am simply warning you that they will come after you. You need to go in hiding."
Hermione locked her eyes with his, and nodded slowly when suddenly an idea hit her.
She took a deep breath.
"M-Maybe we should go into hiding together, you know much more about their whereabouts." Hermione stopped talking and looked down at her feet. When she had voiced her idea out loud it sounded ridiculous. In her thoughts it sounded much better.
"I actually think that might be a good idea" Lucius voice cut through the silence and Hermione's head shot up.
"But I don't think we are safe in the wizarding community. They will find us there."
"I own a house in Muggle London, we could go there."
Lucius inclined his head and took a few slow steps toward her, holding his arm out. Hermione hesitated for a moment but then stepped forward and took his arm, thinking about the house and apparating them away, leaving all her beloved ones on the battlefield.