The Winding Paths

by rlsa

Sometimes when you meet a fork in the road, you take the one that you feel you must, instead of the one you wish you would. But sometimes, if you walk that path long enough, you may find that it crosses the one you wanted. And rarely, very rarely, at the end of it all, you may find that they both end up at the same place after all.

1. The Almost Kiss

Hermione reached into her bag. She fumbled for a minute but couldn't find her new quill. "You go on to dinner. I must have left my new quill back in DADA," she called to Harry and Ron. She hoped that Professor Snape had left the classroom by then and therefore wouldn't tell her that she was careless in taking care of her supplies and that he, of course, wouldn't expect anything different from a "know-it-all" busy trying to prove her worth to everyone else.

She bounded down the staircase, found the room merciful empty, grabbed her quill and quickly made her exit before Snape might notice she was there. She turned the corner and but halted suddenly when she heard what sounded like a very distressed student coming from a dark classroom. She found the door was locked, but she uttered a quick Alohomora and entered to help the poor student.

What she found instead was a distressed and bone-tired looking Malfoy.

He turned sharply and his distressed look quickly turned into a sneer. "You have no business being here, Granger. Leave. Now."

"What, and miss whatever has stolen your overbearing, pompous attitude? I don't think so. Problems at home, Malfoy?"

He reached her in four steps. "You don't know anything! You have no idea what's going on. You have no idea what's going to happen, and you have no idea what he'd do to you if he ever had the chance. When he comes, and know that he will come, Granger, run. Get as far from here as possible. Hide and don't ever come back."

He had backed her into the wall as he was speaking and had trapped her between his arms as he placed his hands on the wall stratelling her shoulders. This wasn't the git that had tormented her the last five and a half years. His eyes were flooded with desperation as he begged her to leave Hogwarts and get somewhere safe. Hermione felt trapped, like a fox. But instead of looking at a hound, Malfoy seemed like he was equally hunted.

"Dumbledore will help, Malfoy," she said gently. "He'll protect us. He'll protect you."

The despair shone in his eyes, but Draco only shook his head. "He'll ... I have to .." He closed his eyes and Hermione could feel his breath on her neck. His face was mere inches from hers now.

"It will be okay, Malfoy," Hermione breathed as his lips hovered over hers. "I promise, it will all..."

Draco opened his eyes with a snap. His soft features were gone and had been replaced with a stone cold veneer. "Be safe, Granger," he barked and turned and fled the room.