A\N: This is my first long story. This is from Hermione's POV.

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.

CHAPTER ONE:

Harry said that we should draw straws.

At first, we all agreed, but when he brought the twigs we all refused.

We were five aurors, sitting quietly in a circle and staring at the branchlets in Harry's hand with pale faces. The damp walls of the cave had blocked the daylight and we could see Harry's determined face through the flickering light of Ron's wand.

Harry held the five twigs before our faces, then broke one of them and hid the twigs behind himself. After some painfully long seconds, he showed the twigs again. The five peices of wood were placed between his fingers and were watching us teasingly.

Harry stretched his hand, "Pull one!" He whispered.

None of us had the courage to pull one of the twigs. The owner of the broken twig would do the mission and none of us wanted that. We stared at the twigs and then a curse hit the outer wall of the cave and sent small stones pouring on our heads.

My throat dried and stang. It couldn't wait any longer, otherwise the other four would keep on finding excuses and arguing and jumping to conclusions that I am the best one to do the job. I stretched my hand to pull the first twig but Harry drew his hand back and smirked.

" No twigs, you're going."

I wanted to say something but the others took advantage and said in a chorus that 'you should go, you're the best' and 'the idea of lottery was pure mistake' . I looked at their pleading faces, It'd been three days. Three long days since we got trapped in that cave and we were running out of our food stocks. Deatheaters had chased us to this place, the mountains around Hogsmeade, and had placed anti-apparation wards all around the cave we had taken shelter in.

And we didn't know how many deatheaters were surrounding us, so we couldn't risk getting caught off guard when encountering their superior number.

And they didn't know how many aurors were hiding in the cave, that was why they hadn't attacked us already.

I looked around the poorly lit cave, and grabbed my wand. I couldn't say that I was mad at Harry, he was right, Ron and Ginny and Dean were right. I was the best one to do the mission. I was not as important as Harry, nor as careless as Ron.

I raised to my feet reluctantly and turned on my heel to exit the cave, I could feel the weight of their stares on my retreating back.

"Be carefull!" Came the coarse whisper of Ron, I turned my head and gave him a pale smile.

I was shaking and sweating.

I wanted to keep my back straight, but with every step that I took I thought that the ground was swallowing me more and more.

I thought of turning and running back to the safety of the dark cave, but it was too late, I had already entered the front of the cave.

The dying sunlight penetrated my eyes and the cold air bit my sweaty skin. I tried to keep my eyes open and looked around in search of black robes.

None...

I scanned the place more, heaps of stones and burnt ashes and large rocks, and the setting sun had tinged them red.

None...

I looked back at the cave and saw the other four crouching near the entrance of the cave, staring at me with their wands ready. And then I turned my head and looked at the burnt ashes again.

None...

I sighed in relief.

I was the bait, but there was no predator at sight.

I sighed in relief again.

None...

And turned back to join my friends.

"Hey you!"

None...?

And I stopped dead in my place, and stared at the four aurors crouching before me, the red light of the sun playing on their pale faces.

"Throw your wand away!"

Harry made a gesture, trying to tell me to listen to the voice. I threw my wand away, and I saw it roll down the steep hill in slow-motion, and vanish in the darkness below.

"Are you alone?"

The four crouching figures, the aurors, my friend, crawled back into the darkness of the cave.

And I wanted to scream no! There are four cowards with me.

"Y-Yes... I'm alone." I felt tears well in my eyes.

"Take one step back, and don't try to be smart, I have my wand aimed at you." The voice hissed angrily.

I took one step back, and didn't try to be smart. He had his wand aimed at me, after all. I stared at the darkness of the cave, begging with my eyes, not blinking.

"Now, turn back and show us your face."

I did as what he said. And the world seemed to come into a halt. Nothing was moving, nothing was making a sound.

And the voice seemed to be gone.

Or maybe he was too surprised to utter a word.

And then all I saw was a flurry of black robes and red hair and glasses and deep, deep, grey eyes.

And then, blackness. Simple, and comforting blackness.

A\N: I know this chapter was very short, the others will be longer, I promise. By the way, why my stories get so many hits and very very few reviews? Is it really that hard to review? Don't you know that reviews are like food to authors? Do you want me to starve? If you don't, then push that button and REVIEW!!!