Debris covered the floor of the entire corridor, fires blazing all around. Draco continued to run, searching always searching. The shouts of those fighting on the floors below him filled his ears drowning out all of his thoughts, except one. Sweat dripped down his forehead and his breathing had become short and ragged but he couldn't stop, he had to keep searching. Draco continued running getting closer to where the fighting was thickest. He passed some duelers but barely gave them a second glance. Out of no-where he found himself sprawled across the ground, still clutching at his wand, legs intertwined with something large and fleshy. He pulled himself up and sprinted away not looking to see if it was friend or foe.
Rounding the corner Draco found himself at the top of the marble staircase, looking down upon the chaos that was below. His eyes began combing the sea of bodies searching, still searching. He flung himself into the crowd after no sign of his quarry and began to seek out his goal again with far more urgency. Draco pushed past several people, dodging curses here and there with some narrowly missing him. Suddenly he felt a hand grab his arm with the strength like the coil of a snake. Looking back, preparing to curse the attacker, Draco found himself face to face with someone unexpected.
"Mother?" he asked bewildered.
"Draco," Narcissa Malfoy exclaimed. "We have to go." She began to tug him, pulling him towards the front doors. Twisting his arm out of her grasp Draco pointed his wand straight at his mothers face.
"No," Draco replied. Narcissa's urgency became plain to him as she attempted to grab his arm again but failed as he twisted again.
"She will not come," Narcissa hissed. "Not with you."
"I know, but I will not leave her here to die."
"Draco please, we have to leave now," Narcissa pleaded. Looking into his mother's eyes made him feel like a boy again but that he no longer was.
"I'm sorry mother," Draco sighed. He turned and strode away still searching, not wanting to see his mother's face crumpled in pain. A huge blast on one side of the entrance hall caught his attention and he willed her not to be anywhere near it. At that moment he caught sight of her bushy brown hair locked in combat with a witch he didn't know and began to run towards them intending to do anything, just keep her from harm. Ahead he saw Rowle step away from his previous fight victorious and rose his wand, this time his target was Hermione.
"NO!" Draco roared. He launched himself through the air knocking Hermione to the ground as the spell swooshed through the air in the exact spot she had just been standing. Instead of reaching it's intended target the spell struck the unnamed witch and she crumpled to the ground, eyes still open as though in surprise. He spared no sympathy for the witch turning his attentions back to Rowle who's face was contorted with fury.
"TRAITOR," he yelled, raising his wand once more. Hermione, however was quicker, one swish of her wand and he fell to the ground dropping his wand as his hands were glued to his sides by the invisible bonds. She then began pushing his body off of her's a look of rage contorting her beautiful features, fighting him off as though he were another enemy.
"What do you THINK you are doing?" Hermione thundered.
"I was just-"
"Just what?"
"I just thought maybe we could I was trying to help you," he finished unable to form a proper sentence.
"Well I don't need help," she snapped, "especially not from you." Hermione then pushed past him to engage another enemy but before she could get away Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her into the deserted corridor nearby. One hand clamped over her mouth and the other holding her wand hand he began to speak very fast knowing that he had very little time.
"Why are you so stubborn? You have always been SO stubborn. Throughout all of the years I've known you Hermione Granger you've been so stubborn. I know that we're in the middle of a war and I don't care I just need to tell you, at least once. I have to convince you that I am in love you. I love you. I've loved you for so long and I want you to come with me. Don't think, just... just let your instincts guide you."
Without giving her time to object Draco took his hand from her mouth and crushed his lips to hers, holding nothing back. His lips moulded around hers as though they were a fit only for his. Her taste mingled with his and her delicious scent washed over him as the world fell away around him. In half a second Draco felt a sharp pain up the left side of his body as he was flung through the air. He landed in a large pile of rubble, debris scattered again all around him. As he was thrown through the air he lost his wand which had landed five feet away from himself. Draco lunged for his wand and faced his attacker.
The scene he saw before him confused him to such enormity. There stood Hermione in the arms of his unwarranted attacker, both pointing their wands at him. Ron Weasley's face was a mixture of anger and smugness and in that moment he understood. Hermione didn't love him back. She loved Ron. Her face was a mixture of disgust and pity, and now he knew for sure that that would never change.
"If you ever touch her again Malfoy," Weasley snarled. "I will kill you."
With that they turned and left him there alone in the corridor. Draco stared after them unable to move as the rejection washed over him. He lay down in the rubble and felt a warm hand on his arm. Turning his head he found Narcissa there comforting him one last time.