Obliviate

"Draco, please." She whispered, almost pleading.

"You don't get it Granger,you'll never get it." He replied quivering,his wand at the ready.

"Make me get it, all I wanted to do was to protect-"

"What about what I want!" Draco shrieked "When all I want to do is save you, I want to make sure your safe and hidden from them- us. I can't promise you that if we're together."

"Then don't promise me, please I don't care as long as I'm fighting with you."

"Damn it Hermione, don't you get it! I will never be able to fight on that side! Get than in your head! The sooner you do the better it will be!" Draco was trembling as he spoke.

"You can, I'll make them believe, Draco I know your good! I know you would-" Hermione stuttered.

"Why would somebody who would ever be considered good have this?!" He asked, his voice dripping with venom.

He rolled up his sleeve, and Hermione jerked her head, not wanting to see it. She knew, she knew everything about it. After all he was the one she found sobbing in a deserted corridor. She was the one who gained his trust. He was the one to tell her his story, and she was the one who knew better than to judge him.

'He forced me to do it.' He had shuddered.

'I believe you, you don't need to explain.' She replied soothingly.

'I don't have too.' He agreed, 'But I want to, because your my friend. And for some bizarre reason I trust you.' He admitted.

'All right, tell me then.' She agreed softly.

'He told me it was my job as the Malfoy heir, and I shouldn't disappoint him.' He breathed. 'I refused, and I tried to fight it, but then he- he threatened my mother, his own wife and I- I just- I couldn't let- she's my mother." He choked.

'It's okay, I understand.' She whispered.

'I agreed to save her, and people assumed I did it to save my own skin. When it was my skin that was being blemished. It was me who was the one that was being tortured. But I know why they think I did it out selfishness. They know how evil I have become, they know how good I am at inflicting pain on others. And I try-" He gasped "I honestly try so fucking hard to be good, but it's just not in my nature. And they know it's not who I am.' He sobbed.

'You are good Draco Malfoy, just because you have to try harder than the rest of us to be good, doesn't mean you're not good. You've made mistakes, and if others can only see your mistakes, not your redemption, than their the ones making a mistake. You need to understand you don't think the way Death Eaters do, you know what compassion and love is.'

'Do I really?' He whispered.

"See! You can't even look at it! You know as well as I do that I don't have a choice in this war." He snapped.

Hermione didn't want to look at the Mark because it defined him. No, she didn't want to look at what she knew was inevitable. She knew he had no choice, but yet she hoped that maybe just maybe it was all a joke. She just wanted so desperately for Draco to laugh and tell her it was all a joke. That his mark was just some sort of temporary tattoo, and that he had outsmarted them all. But she knew this was reality, and she loathed it.

Reality was where Draco was forced into darkness to protect someone he loved. Reality was where blood prejudice still existed ,and she was to be the one punished for something that was out of her control. Reality was the place that took her best friend's Mother, Father, and Godfather before they could properly become family. Reality happened to be where kids had to grow up to fight in a war they want nothing to do with, but they know if they do nothing, that they will loose. Reality so happened to be the place where she had to make her own parents to forget her, their only child. This was their reality and it was messed up.

Hermione exhaled while she turned to look at Draco. Her eyes quickly met the permanent black scar that marred his porcelain skin. She changed her gaze so it met Draco's face. She could see he was holding back tears, she could see his stone like grey eyes swirl with emotions. She was able to read him like one of her favorite books.

"Draco, you were forced, you told me so." She reminded quietly.

"You think I don't know that? This bloody mark reminds me daily how I've screwed up. I can't bare knowing that I've-"

"You were protecting someone you loved Draco!" Hermione shouted.

Draco didn't move, it was like as if he was petrified.

"You were protecting your mother Draco! What you did should be considered sacrificial, but because we're in war, it's considered traitorous. But the Light Side forgives we would understand if you told us." Hermione whimpered.

"I was protecting someone I loved."

"Yes! Now please let's leave this Tower and-"

"And I'm about to protect another." Draco stated calmly, and if Hermione was right she could swear she saw a tear fall.

"Draco, I don't understand." Hermione pleaded.

"Hermione, I love you, and our friendship will end up killing you. It will be my fault if you die, because that means I couldn't protect you well enough."

"Draco, please!"

"Hermione I don't deserve you! This Dark Mark on my skin can prove it. You deserve to be happy, and you can't be happy if you remember me or my worries." Draco explained softly, slowly raising his wand.

"Draco you don't get it, I can't be happy without you." Hermione wept.

"Yes you can, because you deserve the best. The best includes someone who loves you more than I could-"

"Impossible!" She screeched.

"Who deserves redemption-"

"You do! Oh Merlin Draco, you deserve a second chance!"

"And I won't be the one to take you away from your happiness." Draco choked. The tears dripping down his face were evident now.

"Draco, I lo-"

"Obliviate!" He shouted.

A/N: Hey! This fanfiction was set during Sixth Year, obviously a bit AU. They were NOT dating, just very close friends. Also set on the Astronomy Tower.

I'll probably be posting a lot of one-shots, two-shots, and three-shots. Because that's all I honestly have time for. My old account was dracosrocketship379, where my work wasn't exactly proofread before hand. So it is a bit sloppier.