A/N: I am obsessed with Draco/Hermione fics, so I decided to take a crack at it myself. I won't be having many of these Author's Notes, mainly because I don't fancy them that much, but yes, I did get the title from one of my favorite songs Best of You by the Foo Fighters. Hope you enjoy reading.

It was through the gray, almost black, rain covered window that their eyes locked and fear surged through her veins like molten ice. She should have known that not even a Muggle London coffee shop would be out of bounds for them. These people, though aiming to be discrete, would not hesitate to attack in the middle of the street in the middle of the day.

The man on the other side of the window did not move as he continued to stare into her eyes. She didn't recognize him but she knew who he was. He was with them. Her hands gripped the coffee mug in front of her, and unblinking, began to formulate an escape route.

There had to be more around. They wouldn't just send one. There might even be one sitting somewhere in this place watching her, making sure her hand didn't stray towards the pocket of her black houndstooth coat where her wand lay. Best not to make a scene. Maybe go to the bathroom, but even as she thought this, she knew it wouldn't work. If they allowed her to even make it that far, one would be there already, waiting behind the door.

They wouldn't act until she was out of eye range of the passerby, she thought. She was sure..almost. She needed to get out of the establishment altogether. She did not want innocent muggles getting hurt, or worse, dying because she decided to make a move in the shop.

Hands shaking, she ripped her eyes away from the stranger across the street, and signaled over to the waitress to bring her check. The young woman watched as Hermione dug into her pocket and pulled out a twenty pound note. Her brow furrowed. "Was everything alright, miss?"

Hermione, only half paying attention, nodded slowly and mumbled distractedly, "Yes, fine. Keep the change". She slid out from the booth before the waitress could reply, shoved her hands into her pockets and walked slowly towards the shop door.

She felt the stranger's eyes, burning into her. Her hand gripped the handle and she squeezed her eyes tightly, briefly. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she pulled and a blast of cold air hit her face. The tinkle of the bell above the door signaling her exit seemed so far away.

She stood in front of the door, rain quickly weighing her down, hands still in her pockets, the right gripping her wand. Her eyes locked with the man's again but briefly this time. She needed to walk. She wanted to Apparate but wasn't stupid. That would be too easy. No doubt there was an Anti-Apparition charm within a ten block radius and Hermione doubted she would even get that far.

She turned left and began her slow pace to God knows where. She was surrounded, she could feel it. She couldn't run back home. They would be-

Home.

Hermione's heart pounded even more frantically against her ribs. Ginny. Ginny was probably on her way home, if she wasn't there already. She had to warn her. Her and Harry and Ron and Luna.

A quick movement out the corner of her eye seemed to be her trigger.

She burst into a run, the cold air immediately making her eyes water along with the actual rain, obscuring her vision, but it was not enough to hide the fact that all around her, there were more quick movements. Her strained ears heard someone behind her, their feet pounding the pavement in pursuit. As she rounded a corner, she pulled her wand from her pocket and aimed a silent stupefying spell over her shoulder. She dodged a streak of white light as she hopped over a fallen rubbish bin. Another blur along her right side made her aim her wand towards it and another blast of red light emitted from her. That person fell, but she could still hear the man behind her still going strong.

Puddles of water splashed up all around her as she ran, lungs pierced by the November gust and the rain was coming down harder. A faint rumble of thunder sounded. She was panting, but refused to slow down. She had to warn them. Closing her eyes, her mind was full of thoughts with getting away, even though deep down inside she knew she wasn't going to. There were too many. She focused instead on the safety of her friends, the image providing enough happiness for her to conjure up a Patronus. Leave. Run. Go to the safe house. They found me. They found us. Run. She repeated the phrase over and over again as four pearly white otters burst from the tip of her wand. She opened her eyes in relief as she heard a cry of fury a few blocks behind her. They knew that she had warned them.

She felt relief as she opened her eyes again. They would be safe.

But the relief was short lived as she felt arms wrap around her waist in a vice like grip, pulling her from mid run into a dark ally.

Pain erupted through her body as she was shoved roughly against the wall. Her head crashed into the bricks and she saw stars. A freezing hand closed around her throat and her eyes watered.

Before she could get her thoughts together, lips brushed against her ear, the cool breath sending shivers down her spine. "Where is he?"

Her blood froze in its veins. She knew that voice. Why is he here? Even before the question was properly formed in her pain riddled mind she knew the answer.

The hand tightened on her throat. "Answer me", he breathed, nibbling on her ear. Memories of this same exact thing happening so many times before flooded her along with panic.

Hermione gasped for air, her own hands trying to claw his from her neck. He chuckled softly and gripped her even tighter, bashing her head once more against the wall. Her wand fell from her hand and clattered onto the wet concrete. A cry of pain escaped her lips and tears began to fall down her face. She could feel a warm sensation pooling on the back of her head, and felt the blood drip slowly down her neck.

The man pulled back and nuzzled his nose against her wet cheek, as if the smell of her pain was an elixir. His hand loosened slightly. "Tell me", he said again, so softly she almost didn't hear him over the rumble of the thunder in the distance. "Tell me where they are". Hermione shook her head and his hand tightened again. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt his lips graze across her face, tasting her tears on his lips. As he licked them, eyes closed savoring the saltiness, she opened her own to watch him. She couldn't breathe. He was squeezing harder and harder. With a grim smile, he opened his eyes and, for the first time, stared into hers. They matched the scene, dark and a stormy gray and ice cold. His silvery hair was matted to his head, a few strands falling into his face. His expression was full of a sick enjoyment as he squeezed his hand even tighter around her slender throat.

"Please..." The words were barely whispered. The blackness was closing in around Hermione. She tried to struggle but it was no use. This was the end for her. She took in as deep a breath as she could but it was fruitless. As she lost consciousness, the name "Draco" fell from her lips.

Having gone limp in his hand, Draco stepped back, loosened his grip fully and watched her collapse to the ground. As he looked down at her still body, the sadistic expression slipped slowly from his face and was replaced with an odd sort of sadness. Gazing down at her, one arm across her chest, the other inches from her wand, and her wet hair fanned around her pale face, he thought, not for the first time that she looked like an angel.

He sat on his haunches to gather up her wand, allowing his hand to stroke hers. It was so soft. His touch moved up to her face. He traced the bridge of her nose, her eyebrows, her lips, fingers gently caressing the new black and blue marks upon her throat....

He sighed. "It could have ended so much differently..."

He stood up, and looking down at her once again, raised his wand into the air, emitting a shower of green sparks. He waited until he heard the pounding of feet and upset puddles before Apparating away, the sound masked by the loud clap of thunder.

A/N: One shot or no? I have the plot in my head..... Review and tell me what you think. :)