Hermione opened her eyes and looked up at Draco, who still had his arms around her protectively. She then glanced past him at the room they were in and couldn't help but widen her eyes in shock at how large it was, considering the fact that it was a bedroom.

"Where are we?" she whispered.

"My room." Draco said softly, but he sounded as if his mind was elsewhere so Hermione glanced back up at him again, frowning. He was staring down at her with such a tender look that made Hermione wonder whether it was the same Draco or not.

"Are you okay?" she asked him cautiously and watched as his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, now making it appear that he was focusing on what she was saying.

"I'm fine. But we need to get you somewhere they won't find you-"

"You never told me you could apparate so well." Hermione interrupted him thoughtfully.

"I-" Draco frowned and paused, his expression showing that he was struggling with himself. Then he sighed. "Snape gave me special lessons on it to help me improve my skill."

"But how? You could only apparate inside the castle during the scheduled classes." Hermione said with a frown.

"We went to Hogsmeade." Draco said shortly.

"What days?" Hermione probed, now wondering whether – if she found that Draco's lessons had been very frequent – she would find out if Harry had still been going to his occlumency classes.

"I- I don't know! It was more at the beginning of the year because I got the hang of it after a while." He scoffed quietly to himself and added, "A long while."

"Was it most nights? Or did you go in the mornings?" Hermione enquired.

"What is your problem?" Draco hissed, pulling her closer so their faces were almost touching and glaring directly into her eyes. "You're in my manor, where all the other Death Eaters are, and you're asking about my apparating lessons!"

Hermione's face paled and she swallowed, fear creeping up her spine as the realisation of the situation hit her.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't be." Draco said instantly, the small smile on his face suggesting he had known she was going to say that. He leant in just a sliver more so that their lips were touching and then pulled away again. "I have a question for you."

"What is it?" Hermione asked breathlessly.

"I want to know why you came with me." he said.

Hermione was silent in shock for a moment, having not expected him to ask her anything along those lines. After a moment she sighed and looked down, her thoughts going over everything that had happened recently.

"I couldn't leave you," she murmured. "But did you actually...?" She trailed off and bit her lip nervously, wishing she hadn't said the last bit. He would probably send her away.

But he hadn't really done what she thought he had done, right? He couldn't have killed Dumbledore. She just didn't think he had it in him to do it.

"Dumbledore's dead, if that's what you're asking." Draco said coldly and stiffly, dropping his arms from holding Hermione and stepping back slightly. Hermione wrapped her own arms around herself and shuddered, squeezing her eyes shut tight and trying her hardest not to cry.

"I didn't... I didn't think you'd do it." Hermione blubbered quietly, turning away from him as well as if trying to block him out.

"Now you wish you hadn't come." Draco said with dry humour.

"I can't believe it... I just-" Hermione wiped at her eyes and turned back to him, looking up at him. "Why did you do it? How could you do it?"

"Are you hungry?" Draco asked, attempting and succeeding at diverting Hermione's attention. She frowned in confusion and stared at him, remaining silent for a few moments.

"You're right," she said finally. "We shouldn't be arguing right now. How are you going to get food to me?"

"I don't know. I don't think I'll be able to." Draco shrugged. He knew he was upsetting her, because her face fell as soon as he said it, but he couldn't help it. He was angry at her for coming with him and then changing her mind.

She had given him hope when he had told her to choose whether she still went with him or not and she hadn't let go. He might even go so far to say he had felt giddy and it hadn't just been because of apparating.

But she had shattered all of that with three words, 'did you actually...?'

"Maybe I should go back." Hermione said quietly, interrupting Draco's thoughts.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you obviously don't want me here!" Hermione hissed, wiping at her eyes again. "You don't want to talk about Dumbledore – and I don't blame you – but you won't even cooperate with figuring out something to do so that I can stay here! The best thing to do is for me to leave."

Draco didn't move. He stared at the ground and clenched his teeth to keep himself quiet. He refused to say anything to try and make her stay. It was her decision. And he was not desperate. She could go for all he cared! Besides, he was a Death Eater now.

"One last thing before I never see you again," Hermione said, her voice so quiet that Draco had to strain to hear it. She also sounded as though her life was draining out of her and without even thinking he had looked up at her again. "Did you ever love me, or have you just been stringing me along for fun?"

"What do you think, Granger?" Draco chuckled, deliberately masking his discomfort from seeing her so vulnerable.

The effect was almost instantaneous. Hermione simply crumpled inwards on herself and fell to her knees on the ground, smothering her sobs with her hands and shaking uncontrollably.

"Why did you- why did you kiss me?" she gasped out accusingly. "Why did you waste your time with me for so long?"

Draco watched her in silence, choosing not to answer.

"You are not worth it." she struggled to her feet, still shaking and crying, and turned to the door.

She had opened it and darted out before Draco could react and he was left to run forward too late and watch as she disappeared from his view.

"You have a death wish, Hermione." Draco muttered.

But he didn't go after her.