Author's Note: Don't own, don't care. So, out of the 50 people who read this, only one, count it, one, person reviewed. C'mon people, just click the button and write "I like it," "I hate it," "You suck," "You're awesome," it's not hard. To that person, I'm glad you like it. Cheers!

Previously: (As soon as he was in the house, Hermione frowned. She wasn't going to be home alone tonight, no, she never was. )

Draco

As he stared at the place where Hermione had been seconds before, Draco hardened his face. He wouldnt want to look weak when he met with the others. He usually hated the stupid meetings, as all they did was kill a few useless Muggles or some witch or wizard that looked as though they sympathized with the Order, but tonight was different. They were losing the war, and would be called upon to double their tactics, dealing an even more devastating blow. On top of that, they were running out of time, as more and more Death Eaters and dark followers were captured or killed, and they just didnt have the time to train anymore new recruits...as if there were any.

Soon, he could see what was left of their force stumbling through over as they Apparated to the field. They were all injured, down to the last, most trained member, Draco's own father, Luscious. Luscious led the group to the center of the feild, and Draco came from the shadows. He wiped away the blood Hermione had left on his robes, and smiled cruelly. His eyes almost danced with a certain fire that only a neglected son could have."We didnt win did we."

Luscious' lip curled. If Draco hadnt been promoted (heracy in his opinion), he would have talked back as cruelly as he could. Instead, he bowed to his only son, and grimaced. "No, we did not. But we did make some good attacks." Draco nodded. His eyes met with Snape, who cocked his head a little to the left, and Draco nodded ever so slightly. So most of the Order had survived without a scratch.

"From the looks of you, you recieved some good attacks. He will not be happy." He shook his head dissaprovingly. "It has been my orders for one of you to pay for this mistake. It is not tolerated and one of you is the weekest link. You are to choose amongst yourselves," he looked at Luscious, feeling such hatred for the man responsible for his path into darkness, that he almost considered choosing him as the weak one, just to rid himself of him," who is to be killed. Luscious, you are to make sure this is done and report to the Dark Lord with a full report." He could see the fear in the men's eyes, and turned away.

Sighing, he headed through the forest to a small clearing, a place where he could simply Dissapparate. He wasnt going to stay for this. He could already hear the shouts and chaos that had begun, and his heart clenched.

You see, Draco Malfoy was never an evil man, though he hadnt enjoyed his childhood and had always been a cold, studious person, he'd never intended to fall like is father. But he hadnt been able to avoid the demands of the father he once feared, who now feared him. He didnt want people to die, and secretly, he hated how skillful a dark wizard he's become. What he wanted was power,the ability to control people, and he had been given the chance. The next step now was to rid the world of Death Eaters and Voldemort, and the more skilled and trained he became, the more powerful and dangerous he became. Quickly, he was becoming one of the most feared men in the Wizarding World, and even so, he wished it would end, this stupid war, so he could take and possess the one thing he'd always coveted. Hermione had been the one thing he'd been trying to survive for so long, and it had sickened him to watch her pine over the blind Weasely, until one day, he'd simply complimented her in Potions class and the next thing he knew he was feeling her up in a broom closet.

Somehow, it had grown from attraction and lust to what he honestly called love. And to her was where he was going to night. He knew she'd find a way to get home, so he would be able to at least spend the night with her before he would have to disapear for who knows how long. So he Apparated to her neighborhood and went to her house on foot, whispered the password and came straight in through the door. He looked in the kitchen to see tea on the stove and followed a trail of her clothes to the bathroom, where he heard water running.

"Hermione," he called softly, as he looked in the door to find the tub filling but empty of her.

"Bedroom, "she replied, poking her curly head in the door. He smiled slightly. Her hair was a mass of disheveled corkscrews, he skin flushed from the heat of the bath, and her expression pensieve; the way he loved to see her. He sighed, and walked in the room. He reached her and collapsed to his knees. Her hands immediatly flew to his shoulders and she ran a nervous hand through his silver hair.

"I condemned another man to death tonight," he barely whispered. His hands were shaking where he held her at her sides. He pressed his forehead to her stomach. "I dont know how much longer I can do this."

"I wish you'd just leave, as I said before. This is worse than I thought it would be. Power is dangerous even in the best of hands, Draco, and you crave it. It is destroying you inside and out. What has happened to you?"

"I...I DONT KNOW! But this is just pushing me over the edge. I can hardly handle this anymore." His stood up suddenly, towering over her, and grabbed her shoulders roughly. "I never wanted it to be like this, Mione, never." She shivered in his grasp and a tear grew in his grey eyes. "You're afraid of me." He looked at his hands on her small shoulders, made a disgusted face and let go. "You think I'm dangerous."

"Well of course you are. Youre turning into HIM. If you carry on like this, you'll be the end of us all." She took a step back towards her wand. "I should turn you in. They've been looking for you for months now. You could be the missing piece towards peace."

"No. You...you wouldnt dare." He took a step towards her, his wand at his side. He loathed the idea of using it against her, to hurt her he'd have to hurt himself, and she was the one person he could never attack. She was a brilliant witch, but she stood no chance against him.

"I would too. If it would stop this war that youve begun to direct. Without you, he has nothing to work with, no one to direct his cronies, no one dangerous enough to keep there evil in check. It would all go to hell on him and we could win." Her wand was raising as she spoke, and Draco narrowed his eyes.

"You think you could get me, do you? I'm sorry love, but you dont stand a chance." He flicked his wand before she could react and she lay wandless on the floor, small, thin ropes wrapping around her body. Her eyes were widened in shock and pain, and he almost looked away. "I love you too much to let you get hurt in this. You'll be safe where I'm taking you and I will deliver a letter to the Potters telling them you've gone on a small assignment of your own. I'm not going to prison and I'm not losing you. I refuse to."

Draco grimaced, his grey eyes bearing a pained expression, and picked her up in his arms and Apparated from the house. He knew she would be searched for, but it might just serve as a good distraction for the Light. Maybe they would actually win this next battle.

Attn: hope you liked it. It's a tad dark, but it will just get darker.