Hermione dreamed. Like always, she dreamed of the past.

Year One:

"You're such a Gryffindor sympathizer," Draco said on the train ride back home.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she mumbled.

There was silence. "Mother and Father aren't going to be happy with you when they find out how you helped Potter and Weasel get the Sorcerer's Stone," he said.

Hermione stared out the window. "I got us points, didn't I?" she said.

"Not enough to win," Draco said. "And you know how Father likes to win."

She turned from the window and looked at him. "What is the matter with you? You've been cranky since Potter got out of the Hospital Wing."

Draco stared, then looked away. "You'll understand...some day." Hermione rolled her eyes again and looked out the window.

Year Two:

"Can you believe that Potter freed Dobby?" Draco mumbled as laid down on his bed. "And, not only that, but Dobby attached Father."

Hermione laid next to him, staring at the canopy. "I admit that Harry shouldn't have done that...but Dobby did try to save him from the Basilisk. Kind of," she said.

Draco shifted his head so he could see her face and squeezed her hand. She met his gaze. "I should have protected you." he said softly.

Hermione smiled a bit, then got up. She'd brought her trunk into his room and now opened it. She rummaged through one of the pockets and pulled out the necklace her mother had bought her. The mother of pearl circle on the red string.

She sat back down next to him and said, "Sit up." Draco did and she slipped the necklace over his head. "That is one of my most prized possessions," she said. "It has a part of me in it." Hermione looked up and smiled into his eyes. "If you protect that, you protect me. Okay?"

Draco touched the necklace and smiled. "Okay," he said.

"Good. Now, let's go eat. I'm hungry."

Year Three:

Draco turned to Hermione. She'd been grounded again. "You couldn't leave Father's plan alone, could you?" he railed for the fifth time.

Hermione watched Draco pace in her room. "He was going to have Buckbeak killed. You wanted me to stand by and let that happen?" she asked.

Draco turned to her. "Father does things for a reason. Your actions have screwed something up."

She stood up from her bed and folded her arms. "Or maybe I corrected a wrong that needed to be rightened. Did you think of that, Draco?"

He turned to glare at her. "You know," he said in a low voice. "Sometimes you act like a-a-"

"Say it," Hermione challenged. "I dare you." Yes. Say that word you reserved for the muggle born.

Draco gritted his teeth and said, "You...Gryffindor!" Hermione smirked slightly at his cowardice. "Father will never love you like he does me." Ow. That one had actually hurt.

Year Four:

First night home at the Malfoy Manor was always a little awkward since Hermione had started to drift away from her parents. But she always came home to it the first month of the summer holidays. And tonight, she couldn't sleep. So she got up and headed downstairs, wanting to walk a bit.

She was about to pass the study when she heard voices.

"He's back," Lucius said. "I've seen him with my own eyes."

"What are we going to do about Hermione?" Narcissa's voice asked. "The Dark Lord won't like it that we've kept a muggle born in our house for all this time."

There was a sigh. "He already knows about her," Lucius said. "When he possessed Quirrel, he made the professor take control of a student and strike Potter down with the bludger in her first year. Hermione was just in the way." There was a sound of hair being scratched at frustratingly. "We did our best to teach her the ways of the Slytherin...We never should have had her become friends with Potter. She's changed and I fear that there is no way we can save her from the Dark Lord's wrath."

There was a pause. "You don't think He'll make Draco take the Mark...will he?" Narcissa said. There was no answer

Hermione was shocked and returned to her room, stunned. Voldemort had known all about her...and she had been right about the bludger. Why did He want her dead, though? She returned to her bed and prayed that Draco wouldn't be put in that position.

Year Five:

"What do you think you're doing?" Draco said as he caught sight of Hermione in the group that had called themselves Dumbledore's Army.

Hermione smiled at him and straightened her shoulders. "I, Draco, am learning how to defeat evil wizards. Why? Is there something wrong with learning to defend myself?" she asked.

Draco reached out and grabbed her arm roughly as the other students were hauled away by the Inquisitorial Squad. He stayed behind in the Room of Requirements. "You give Slytherins a bad name," he said.

"Because I want to kill Voldemort?" Hermione saw him cringe at the name. "You may not believe me, Draco, but I'm doing this for both me and you."

He stared at her as if she'd just grown a second head that spouted poetry in Hungarian. "What are you going on about?"

Hermione turned to him and met his gaze head on. "I don't want you to become a Death Eater. I want you safe because you're my family. And I'm training to kill the Dark Lord so that won't happen."

"I don't understand what-" Draco said, but Hermione said, "I'm sorry."

She pulled out her wand and stupified him before running down the corridor. She caught up with squad and their prisoners, stupifying them, as well. "We need to get to the ministry," she said.

That night, they'd gone to find the prophecy, but had found a trap. A trap that left Sirius dead and Hermione with the glance of her new enemy. Voldemort was nothing that she had expected.

Year Six:

Hermione stood at the doorstep of Malfoy Manor. Narcissa and Lucius were standing in front of her, their faces pale. They knew that the Dark Lord would be there soon. Hermione had timed this just for that reason. Draco was no where to be found, thankfully.

"You've known all about him coming," she said to the people she'd once called Mother and Father. "Ever since first year, when we came home...you've just been pushing me away. Because of Him."

"It was necessary," Narcissa said, trying to sound cold, but Hermione could see the affection in her eyes.

"For you? Or for me?" Hermione accused. If they were trying to push her away for her own good, which she knew they were doing, she would help them. She didn't wait for a response for her question. Instead, she squared her shoulders. "I will fight against Him. And He will fall. I've chosen my side." She stared at them for a few more moments. They looked...slightly proud, though their body language said anything but. And, even though they'd manipulated her and pushed her away, she still loved them."Good bye."

With that, she turned on her heel, and apparated to the Burrow.

"Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley called from downstairs. "Hurry and wake up! We still have a lot to do for Bill and Fleur's wedding."

Hermione rolled out of bed, groaning as she straightened. The dreams...the separation...It always left her empty. But, she was not to frown. Today was suppose to be a good day. After the wedding, Harry, Ron, and herself were to set out for the Hourcuxes. She would make good her promise and bring down the Dark Lord. She'd chosen this path and would not fail. Not for her, not for her family, and definitely not for Draco.

I know I shouldn't have skipped, but I thought this would help a bit. I tried to show the Mafloys drifted apart from Hermione. Year Two was suppose to be just a nice piece of fluff and Year Five is not exactly according to what really happened, though I like the outcome. Thanks to the people who commented and gave me advice. Especially HopelessRomantic13. Your review inspired this chapter.