Savin' Me - Chapter 10

Happy Christmas to Draco. It was three years ago that he lost her and everything about himself. Hermione and him had remained sleeping on the couch the whole night and Draco couldn't help, but think how peaceful she looked; a sleeping angel in his arms. He pushed back some of the hair that had fallen around her eyes so he could look at her sleeping face with a better view.

"Merlin she is beautiful."

Draco leaned back and had so many thoughts rushing through his mind. As much as he loved Taylor, he couldn't help but realize that he was feeling a lot for Hermione. He felt so much guilt for that and for both girls. He wondered whether that meant he loved Taylor less by feeling that for Hermione? Did he not even care about Hermione if he still had such strong feelings for his wife?

Draco gently maneuvered himself so he was able to get off the couch without disturbing a serene Hermione. He looked over out the window and saw that there was snow all over the ground, but the snow wasn't falling at the moment. He had to see her. He wrote a note for Hermione and grabbed his jacket before leaving. He walked there slowly not wanting to get there too fast.

The gate was open and inviting, but there was nothing really inviting about such a place. Nobody was there and that was the way that he wanted it since he hated when there were a lot of people around. He liked being alone with her. It was the best way for him to actually express what he felt. So far only two people could ever make him do that with one being her and the other being Hermione.

He looked across the snow covered grass and saw the stone which use to be so hard to go to. The gray rock seemed to get darker each time he saw it as though she was fading further away from him. He bent down and rubbed his fingers across each edging even though he already knew every letter. He knew everything about it…

Taylor Nicole Malfoy

Born Died

August 17, 1980 December 25, 2005

Beloved Daughter and Treasured Wife

He loved her so much and it was hard to stare at the elegant writing. The writing didn't do her any justice. The writing didn't tell anyone about the person that she was or that she died because of him. Well her father sure as hell wanted to put that, but...

"I miss you Taylor…"

Silence

"I miss you everyday and I haven't stopped thinking about you. I just…that was a lie."

Draco looked down not wanting to look at the grave as though she was watching him. It was as though she could see the guilt written all over his face.

"There have been times when I have thought about another. Hermione…I'm falling for her. I know that I promised on our wedding day that I would only love you from that point on, but she has been a big impact on my life much like you were."

He looked back at the grave keeping one hand firmly against the stone as to be near her. He missed her touch so much that he was afraid he might topple over if he didn't grasp onto something.

"I actually think you'd like her. She's the type of girl I could see you getting along with. That doesn't say much since you got along with nearly everyone, but I mean it. She's smart...okay she's a damn genius. She's beautiful and funny and...so amazing that I don't know why someone like me was blessed enough to get her. I had that same feeling when I got you."

His throat felt like it was on fire and his eyes were beginning to burn, but he was trying to keep it together. He had to keep it together.

"A part of me wants to think that you want me to be happy. A part of me wants to think that you want to see me live a life with her, but another part thinks that you don't. Another part wants to think that you want me to only love you. Oh Taylor I love you so much and you have to know that. Nobody can take your place and Hermione isn't. She could never take the part of you inside of me, but she has put herself inside of me too."

He traced his finger over her name on the grave sucking in some deep breaths finding it even hard to breathe merely thinking about all of this.

"You took the name Malfoy and you will always be my first love. You will always be the one that makes me, me. I will always be your Drake. I just…It's been three years and I haven't been happy. All I've done is grieve and miss you so much. All I have done is wonder what would have happened if I had just taken you away. If I had just stayed downstairs with you…"

His breathing was getting heavier to the point where he was nearly doubled over attempting to stop his hitching breaths. He was starting to lose it.

"I love you so much. I will always love you. My love for you will never weaken and my love for you will never die. I just need to know though if it is okay to love someone else as well. I need to know that. Give me a sign that it's okay to love Hermione. Give me a sign that it's okay to let you go…"

He put his face in his hands unable to hold back any longer. He couldn't believe he just said it, but he truly did. He asked that from his wife, something so bad that he hated himself more than ever. He felt as though he didn't deserve either of them right then and there.

Suddenly the wind changed and he looked around. He looked up at the dark sky and a snowflake fell upon his nose. He smiled as the snow just began to fall down all around him gracing the area with a white beauty. It was light and beautiful just like she was. He looked back down at the grave which looked completely different from the moment before. It was no longer dark, but had this aura about it. He put his hand back down to it.

"Thank you Taylor. Thank you for this."

The soft snow was falling on top of the grave making it all the more beautiful.

"I know how much you love the snow. Almost as much as you love me."

He smiled as he kissed his hand and then pressed it to the grave.

"My love for you will never die because you changed me. You made me the man that I am now. You made me a man."

He stood up and took in everything for a moment. He looked at the grave and the surrounding snow knowing how much that she would have loved a day like that.

"I love you Taylor Malfoy. I will always love you."

Draco could have sworn that in that instance he felt a kiss against his cheek. He smiled knowing full well that Taylor did love him and she would have wanted him to be happy. I would have wanted the same for her. I'll always love her. He backed up and walked out of the cemetery. He went out of the gate and back towards his home feeling more love than he knew what to do with. Two women felt something for him and somehow he was able to love them both.

Hermione's eyes flickered open and adjusted to the light illuminating the room. She put her hand towards the side of the couch he had been, but she was disappointed when she felt that his presence was lacking. She sat up rubbing her face which she was quite sure looked a mess from all the crying she had done before. She ran her fingers beneath her eyes and ran her right hand through her messy curls before she spotted a note on the coffee table in front of her. She grabbed it and began to read quickly.

Dear Hermione--

I'm sorry that I left without waking you, but you just looked too beautiful to disturb. As you know it's Christmas Day and I needed to see her. I'll only be gone for a little while after I ask her a few things. I sound crazy I know, but I think you get the idea. I'll be back soon.

-Draco

She smiled and nodded at the letter which had been written in the most elegant scripture. After placing the letter back down on the table she rose to her feet and stretched her body out. She had to admit that while lying with Draco all night was comforting, the position she was in was not. Her body ached from the odd position that here legs had been in.

That's when she heard a knock on the door. She rolled her eyes figuring that Draco got locked out. She went to the door and opened it to find the biggest shock of her life.

"Hello honey."

Before she could react or even think, Alan walked through the door and slammed it shut making her jump immediately. She turned a pale white which could have matched Draco's normal skin pigmentation and backed up not caring about where her legs took her as long as it was away from him. She didn't know what to do as she stared at her husband who looked as though he was filled with rage and an evil lust. His eyes were harsh and had a maliciousness about them.

"Hermione you ran away from me."

"How did you find me?" she asked since it was the only thing she could really let out right then other than a scream.

"How did I find you? I have my ways. I have connections." He neglected to tell her that those connections had in fact been her best friends earlier that morning, but they had not intentionally given out the information.

Alan had gone to the Ministry in pursuit of finding his wife which he figured would be somewhere there "safe". He went around various floors alert to his surroundings and avoiding any contact with anyone who would cause problems for him. Though it was not proven that he was in fact a death eater, they would love to test him none the less if the opportunity presented itself.

Alan made his way toward the marriage office when he suddenly came around a corner to see Harry Potter and Ron Weasley speaking very quickly and low. He suddenly pressed his wand to his ear and performed a quick spell which allowed their voices to carry over to him. He listened intently to their conversation.

"...there is no bloody way that I'm going to let her stay there with him. This is bullshit Harry!"

"Look I want her to come back with us more than anything, but I can't push her. She has been through a lot."

"You have yet to tell me what went down, Harry."

"All in due time my friend."

"Well what are we going to do about Malfoy? I mean I don't think we can trust him with Hermione."

"I'm going over to his place in an hour. I'll talk with him then and..."

Alan stopped listening, a wide grin spreading across his face. He had the information that he came for. Now all he had to do was locate this Malfoy, the one he had heard so much about upon joining his Death Eater clan, and then he would get his wife back. He suddenly had a feeling in his stomach which would have been familiar to every child waking up at that moment to discover that Santa had visited.

"You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you, but you are. Who is this guy that you've been with? Who is this Malfoy?"

"Please leave. I'm not your property and you're not suppose to come within several yards of me outside of the ministry."

"Oh honey since when have I ever listened to anything coming out of the ministry? I believe that you know I only obey the orders of one who is in fact extremely angry that you have left my side. Your punishment will be far greater than I could ever give you for it is the Dark Lord who will be deciding what to do with you."

She fell backwards onto the floor tripping over her own feet which no longer felt attached to her body. She moved back as he walked towards her with a glint in his eyes that did not match anything human. To her he looked positively animal like, something one would find in a swamp. She stood up trying to run away, but he moved towards her quickly pushing her up against a wall before she had the opportunity to escape his grasp. She screamed out as she hit the back of her head on the wall making her dizzy from head to toe.

"If I can't have you, then nobody can."

"Please don't. I promise I'll be good."

"Yes you will. Starting now."

He slapped her across the face immediately bruising her skin. She closed her brown eyes as tight as she could, but a tear still managed to escape as he pushed her closer to the wall. She was pinned and couldn't move. She felt helpless all over again.

"That's for running away."

SLAP!

"That's for getting away."

SLAP!

"And that's for pissing me off."

She let another tear fall down as he put his hands to her wrinkled and now ripped sweater. She looked down unsure of what he was going to do. She closed her eyes as he fondled her breasts through the fabric of both her bra and shirt and grinded his hips into her bruising parts of her body that had finally healed. She was so scared.

"Merlin I've missed this. You do have the perfect body."

"Alan stop it," she groaned making him squeeze his hands harder around the parts of her body that he was grasping. "I'll go back. I'll be good. Just don't hurt me again."

"You will go back and you will be good. As for the hurt...well I'm afraid that all of that will be up to the Dark Lord."

She closed her eyes and continued to let him grope her feeling so dizzy and ready to pass out. She was hoping that whatever star she was born under would be merciful and let her succumb to the darkness, but the star did one better...

The door opened and Draco's eyes widened as he saw Hermione being molested by a man. For an instant he saw what he did three years ago which sent shivers up his spine.

"Take your bloody hands off of her!"

"I'll assume that you're the one who took her from me."

"Take your hands off of her!"

Draco walked towards Alan who let go of Hermione whose eyes were drooping from her head smashing into the wall. She dropped to her knees and covered herself back up as Alan stood tall and straight. Draco was just as big if not a little bigger. They were standing face to face.

"What are you going to do about it?"

"A guy like you doesn't scare me. Someone that has to resort to hurting a meek woman isn't someone who can hurt me."

"I don't hurt Hermione. She did all of this to herself."

"Alright well if you're going to have that logic then let me play by that game. You've done this to yourself in bringing me into it. This is between you and me now."

"Why is that?"

"I had a wife too and you know I never laid one hand on her out of anger. I could never hit her and I despise those who do horrible acts such as the ones that you have done on your wife."

Alan smirked as he said, "My wife is coming with me."

He turned towards Hermione and she put her hands up in defense telling Draco that she was clearly accustom to this sort of behavior. Before he could get to her, Draco grabbed his arm and threw him around. Alan was caught off guard and fell slightly which by his facial expression gave off the impression that he was growing angrier. Draco walked towards him.

"No more hurting her. You want to hit someone then why don't you try hitting me? Unlike Hermione, I won't back down. Unlike Hermione, I won't take it. Unlike Hermione, I'll hit you back."

"Do you know who you're dealing with?"

"No nor do I care."

"That's right you left before me. I think I was your replacement actually. I heard enough things about you. Care to know what they are?"

"No," said Draco making Alan's eyes narrow. He was having a difficult time figuring out this man that had taken his wife. Most people would cower down in fear to him, but here was a guy standing up. He didn't like that.

"I figured you'd react this way," he lied not wanting to seem as though Draco had the upper hand. "They said that you were never one of them. Too weak I guess."

"That's me. Weak all the way around. Do you want to actually see how weak I am? I can prove to you the extent of my physical strength right now if you want."

"Well as much as I would love to engage into a battle of fists with the infamous Draco Malfoy, but I have more important matters at hand. My wife is coming with me. She is mine you blood traitor and I won't allow her to stay here with you when she is in fact mine."

"Your wife doesn't belong to you. She is not bloody property."

"So I guess that is your philosophy with all wives then?" asked Alan taking in Draco's expression which was rather calm and collected. He simply nodded at the man enraging him more. Alan decided to mess with him a little more. "So then it'll be okay if I go and shag your wife?"

Alan pointed towards the picture hung up on the wall of him and Taylor and uttered, "She's almost as hot as my wife. If she is not your property then she is free to bang right?"

"My wife is dead."

"Couldn't please her?"

SMACK!

Draco had punched Alan across the face so hard that it literally knocked him back against the wall forcing him to fall on the ground, no longer having any balance. He hit his head upon landing on the floor and Draco just stared in disgust, his eyes no longer gray, but red.

He suddenly looked up to see Hermione who was backed up against the wall like a wounded animal, holding herself tightly for protection. He stepped over Alan and bent down to check on Hermione who jerked away from him. He looked at her bruised face swollen with purple welts and red hand prints.

"You okay?" he asked to which she nodded to. "Hermione are you okay?"

After asking it for a second time, she shook her head and Draco pulled her close to him wrapping his arms around her tightly. She cried into his chest as he whispered, "Everything is going to be okay. I'm right here."

"Let her go."

Draco looked back to see Alan standing again holding his wand and jaw which he was moving around, cracking it out in an attempt to stop the pain that was lingering from Draco's punch. Draco had in fact hit him extremely hard, something that he was unfamiliar with. Draco pushed Hermione behind him blocking her from harm or at least easy access.

"I should kick your ass for that."

"Yeah my ass. You take it out on me. Not someone weaker like Hermione."

"I said I should, but I won't because I need you both in solid condition. I need to bring you both back alive." Hermione flinched at his words and hid behind Draco even more by burying her face into his upper back.

"You won't be getting Hermione."

"You won't be getting either of them."

Alan turned around to see that Harry Potter was standing in the doorway, which had been left open by Draco who had to respond instantly to what was occurring between Hermione and Alan, with his wand outstretched and facial expression grim. He turned back to see Draco standing up with his wand by his side (He started carrying it ever since Hermione told him the truth). Alan looked back and forth from the two wizards knowing that he was screwed at this point. It was his love for being cruel and torturous that got him caught. Had he strictly stupefied his wife upon entering and done the same to Draco once he came into the house, he would have had them both captured. Not Alan. No he liked to make them suffer before he took them. Make their unconscious state horrid with nightmares and chaos-filled dreams. He screwed himself over on this front.

Death Eaters were the foulest creatures on the earth and would eventually burn in hell, but one would never dispute their intelligence. They were smart people capable of incredible–terrible–things. Alan knew that he could have possibly taken on Draco and Hermione in the state of distress that they were both in, but not the two of them and Harry Potter, all of whom were armed.

"Not such a bad-ass when you deal with someone bigger than you, huh?" Draco's words stung Alan in a way that he would never even know or be able to comprehend. His words tugged at his very core, his manhood really.

"This isn't over. I'm going to end you Hermione! That is a bloody promise!" screamed Alan before he vanished in thin air with a simple pop.

Draco turned back to Hermione who was still lightly sobbing and her body ached from pain. Harry began looking around the house as though checking for other possible intruders as Hermione attempted to smile at the man in front of her.

"Real sweet talker, huh?"

"I'm so sorry. This shouldn't have happened. If I had been here then–"

"No. He was waiting for you to leave. Knowing him he probably got here and waited until the opportunity struck. It's not your fault."

"Merlin your poor face," he said in a low voice as he put his hand to cheek rubbing over the swollen skin gently.

"I'll be alright."

"Like hell, I'm taking you to St. Mungos. Besides we can't stay here now. They'll be after us for sure. I can't risk us staying here a moment longer even with Potter here."

"But this is your home."

"And it won't be worth a damn if either of us die in it. Let's go."

"Merlin you know what will happen now," she said as her voice was wracked with sobs. "He'll hurt you now because of me. I'm scared. I'm so scared…"

He put his arms around her and pulled her tight not allowing an inch of her skin to be apart from his contact. She wept into his chest no longer able to hold back any emotions. She was crying for a mixture of reasons making her feel somewhat crazy with all of the thoughts crammed into her mind. She just couldn't believe that he was so willing for her, that he was willing to give up so much for her. That scared her, but at the same time, it was wonderful to have someone feel that way about her. She felt the same way about him and would be willing to sacrifice for him in a heartbeat, quicker than a snapping wand. She was truly falling in love with him.

"Come on. We're going to St. Mungo's," said Harry not wanting to disturb them, but feeling too much was at risk by staying in that house for another moment.

"Potter is right. Come on Hermione."

Harry and Draco both helped Hermione to her feet. Since she was not a graceful girl to begin with and having had her legs reduced to bitter jelly, nobody should have been surprised to see her balance quake. Draco, however, was quick to catch her and scooped her up in arms.

"We're going to apparate. See you in a minute Potter."

Upon setting foot back into the emergency section of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Draco felt another part of his life returning to him full force. Staring at the various witches with burning hair and wizards clutching various limbs at their sides was in a way comforting. Draco sucked in a large gulp of air as he proceeded over to the counter where a mediwitch instantly shuffled over to survey Hermione.

"What happened?"

"There was no spell involved but–" began Draco, but Hermione cut him off.

"I'm fine," she said looking away from Draco. The mediwitch looked back and forth from the two who were obviously having trouble figuring out why they were there. Draco brushed back some of her hair and leaned in towards her.

"'Mione you're not okay. I just don't understand..."

"They'll t-take me in there and...I just want to be close to you. I t-told you that I only feel safe when you're here."

"Hermione they have to help you and I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to be leaving you. I'll be right outside the door."

She looked away from him with tears in her eyes as a few healers swarmed around her completely breaking his heart. He had held her hand tight until he was pushed out of the way, forced to sit back and wait as they helped her.

After about an hour, he was allowed to finally see her which couldn't have come soon enough. He had raced up so quickly that he found himself quite dizzy, the fear and confusion of his situation bombarding him all of the sudden. He forced himself to walk slowly to the room where he found her lying down in the bed, healed, not looking at him as he walked in. He was a little flabbergasted by her expression. Shame?

"I'm sorry," she whispered in a barely there voice; ghost of a breath.

"For what?" he asked taking a seat next to her in the chair that he figured a healer was using only minutes before.

"This is suppose to be the day when I help you. Not the other way around."

"Yeah well I've already been helped."

"How?" she asked with her eyes still locked on the white sheets covering her once bruised body.

"I had a talk with my wife today and well…she let me know that everything is okay. I'm okay and call me crazy, but she let me know that she wants me to be happy."

"I can believe that," she whispered keeping her eyes focused on the silky material spread across her shaking legs.

Draco stood up and sat next to her on the body with her looking away from him, still not wanting to meet his gaze. "Hermione look at me," he said in the softest voice he could muster considering the situation and what he was about to tell her. "I need you to look at me 'Mione."

She slowly turned her face towards him allowing him to cup her cheeks in an endearing manner meeting his arctic eyes which were glazed over with so many different emotions that she couldn't place them all. He had in fact stopped guarding his eyes, at least to her.

"You were right. I died when she died. I didn't want to see it and you made me realize that. I've spent three years hating myself and hating everything that I use to be, so much that I became what I use to be. When you re-entered my life, you made me realize that I don't want to hate myself anymore. I don't want to hate waking up anymore. I want to live life. You've already made me love you based on that alone."

She was silent for a moment caught off guard by his choice of words, one in particular.

"Love?"

Draco was unaware that he had even said it, but he meant in. In the name of Merlin did he mean it. She told him to be honest and he was going to be. He couldn't deny it anymore. He had finally opened up his heart enough to love two women more than he loved anything or anyone.

He sighed before he said, "My wife will always be a part of me."

"I know that."

"She will always be the first one that I have ever loved and my love for her will never die."

"I wouldn't want it to."

"However, I can't deny it anymore. My heart must be big enough because I've found that I love you just as much. I have fallen for you Hermione."

With those words, he leaned in a fiercely to kiss her lips draining her of all other thoughts. She didn't feel the pain still lingering in her body, the emotional scars that flowed throughout her mind, or anything else; just Draco. Upon pulling back, he met her eyes to find tears swimming around them. He gently wiped them away the tears making her smile up at him, a smile which brought a flutter to his heart.

The smile then faded which Draco immediately knew was some thought of her husband returning to her ever clever mind.

"Do I deserve that?"

"What are you talking about 'Mione?"

"Do I deserve you? Alan surely has never spoken to me like that and it's been years since I have had somebody...maybe even ever talk to me the way that–" He silenced her by placing his fingers to her pink lips which were slightly swollen from his deep, hungry kiss moments before.

"I hate that he did this to you. I hate that he made you believe you were anything less than beautiful, smart, perfect..." he whispered making her eyes water all over again. His hands, which had found contentment holding hers, broke away allowing his left hand to rub her cheek gently. "You saved me and I'm going to save you. Hermione I'm going to save you from everything. I'll...look we'll stay here for a little while getting everything in order. The divorce will surely pass and then I'll take you away. I'll take you far away from here so he never finds you again. So you never have to be burdened with anything from that life again. Do you understand?"

She nodded slightly at him with her face overwrought with so many emotions that she felt like she would burst.

She did.

Draco found himself holding her in his arms as she cried openly into him. Fear, anxiety, love, hope, betrayal, and every other word that could describe Hermione's mind at that point were falling on Draco's damp shirt completely wetted with her tears. The safe and protective embrace made her feel real again, like she was back to the person she was before she married Alan. Listening to his words of calming reassurance that he was going to take care of her made her feel love again. Hermione did love Draco, her once former enemy.

When she finally pulled back, completely dry from any other tears, she met his eyes again. The silver orbs looked more beautiful than she could even describe.

"Happy Christmas Draco."

"My angel," he whispered as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She moved over allowing him to lean back on the bed and letting her find contentment in the crook of his arm.

"Well I guess we're stuck here since we have to wait on Harry before we do anything. I thought he was right behind us?'

"He was, but since it took so long for the healers to work on you he headed back over to the ministry to report everything. He also said that he was going to go over a few things in my house making sure that nobody else had been there." They were silent for a few more minutes.

"I never wanted you to see me like this." If they had not been so close then he probably would not have heard her. He was about to speak, but she opened her mouth before he could silencing him, "I hate him. I hate what he did to me and what he is going to do to me."

"He's not going to do a thing."

"Yes he will. He's doing it right now. He's keeping me from being happy with you. He doesn't want me happy and I'm so scared that something will happen to me or worse...to you."

"I know you are, but nothing is going to happen to you or to me. I'm right here and I'm not leaving you. You're too precious for me to lose. I'm not going to lose you angel."

He saw a smile flicker across her face, presumably from her new nickname which she seemed to be taken with, before he pulled her lips to his. Her supple lips were pieces of Heaven to his own mouth which only seemed to find comfort when melted to hers–

"Oh Merlin I didn't need to see that."

Draco pulled away, not without much inner-scowling, to see Harry Potter standing in the doorway with a look of utter disgust on his face.

"You never told me any of this Malfoy? That you and Hermione were engaging in..." Harry could not bring himself to finish and Draco found this utterly amusing. Yes he did care for Hermione and was grateful for the help that Potter was giving him, but that still did eliminate the tension between them that had formed their first year at Hogwarts.

"That we are engaging in–"

"Don't even say it Malfoy."

Hermione could feel Draco chuckling next to her to which she gently slapped his hand. He looked at her with a smile finding her to have a serious look upon her face making him laugh even more. She rolled her eyes before looking over at Harry who no longer looked disgusted, but extremely angry.

"Are you alright?" asked Harry shutting the door behind him.

"Fine."

"You sure as bloody hell didn't look fine when I found you."

"What do you want me to say? That he beat me? Alright, he did. That he put his hands on me when I didn't want him to? Yeah, he did that too. What do you want me to say Harry?"

"How the hell could you let it get this bad? I can't believe you would just let him do this to you! I mean what the hell were you thinking Hermione?!"

"I didn't ask for this Harry! Stop making me feel this way…" Hermione broke away with fresh tears falling down her face. Draco felt a part of his heart tug for Hermione and anger swell up towards Harry. I finally calm her the fuck down and now he blows it in a bloody minute! Typical Potter.

"That's enough Harry," he growled holding Hermione tighter.

"Hermione I'm not trying to hurt you, but understand this."

"Understand what?! That I let my husband beat me and hurt me until the point of breaking? That I let myself fall into the hands of a death eater?! Yeah, I did that! Blame me!"

Draco had all that he could take and stood up pushing Harry back who was still looking at Hermione, but with softer eyes. Draco looked at Harry, however, with daggers, a look that could kill. "Harry I think you need to go. She doesn't need this right now."

"'Mione I'm sorry, but I just…I miss you and I don't like you being hurt," said Harry now regretting blowing up at Hermione the way that he did.

"I know and while that means a lot, it ironically means nothing right now."

"'Mione I don't want you to be hurt. I'm sorry that I lost my temper just now, but it's at him. I'm not directing this anger at you, but–"

"But I just happened to be here?" she asked looking up at him with an odd expression. Harry nodded at her making her look away from them. It was obvious that one particular thought was eating at her mind.

"Funny, that was what Alan said to me, after he hit me the first time when we were still dating. I think I made a comment about his shirt in an attempt to be funny, you know couple banter. He came right back around and slapped me. He said that he was sorry and that he was mad at something else, that the anger was not directed towards me. I just happened to be there. I guess you could say that the expression means nothing to me."

Harry felt a piece of his heart break at her words as he began, "I'm sor–"

"Just leave. Get out. Thanks for coming here, but you're not helping me. Draco told me to be forceful and speak my mind when I need to and right now is one of those times. Get out Harry."

"I shouldn't have reacted this way and–"

"The damage is done. Get out Harry. You just made me hate myself more."

That hurt Harry, probably more than he could even put into words. He decided that Hermione was right and it was best for him to leave. Draco went out after him and shut the door leaving Hermione, against what he wanted to do which was hold her and comfort her, to her sobs. Harry began to nod his head at him.

"I could have handled that better."

"Don't ever, and I mean ever, talk to her that way again. She doesn't need this right now. She is already constantly beating herself up over this and having you add to that doesn't help her get better," growled Draco in a low, almost threatening voice.

"I know. I just reacted and I couldn't help, but get mad."

"I don't care. It took me a long time to calm her down from where she was and then you just had to go and completely blow it. Don't speak that way to her again." Harry looked down and Draco could tell that he genuinely felt bad. He shook his head cursing himself for feeling anything remotely nice towards Harry (old habits die hard) as he said, "I'll talk to her. She'll be alright. You got all the information that you needed right?"

"Yeah. I presume that you won't be returning to your home right? You'll need a place to stay?" Draco nodded at the dark haired man who had to be about four or five inches shorter than him. "I'll figure something out for you guys. Somewhere safe and somewhere where you can't be found."

"Alright. I'm going to head back to my place and get a few things. Some clothes, books, my stupid cat, and pictures of Taylor. After that, we're good to go."

"Good. Watch your back and watch Hermione."

"Done."

Draco did not utter another word to Harry, but turned around and went back into her room. He closed the heavy door behind him and saw Hermione leaning back on the bed with tears still on her cheeks, but her sobs held back. I can't imagine that many tears are left in her.

"I'm going to save you Hermione," he said making her look up at him.

"I know."

A/N: This was one of the ideas I had come up with for the chapter before, but I thought the other chapter needed to be written first. Alright so you finally saw Alan in action. I want you guys to know that my perception about Death Eaters might be off to some people, but I truly do think that is the way they are. I don't think of them as idiotic people, but smart and evil. The two do kind of coincide hand in hand. I'm going to be pushing that as the story progresses further.

"Savin' Me" is a song that I'm sure everyone with a radio has heard, at least in the United States since it is one of the most overplayed songs of 2006. It's still one of my favorite songs and I would like to make it known that I liked it before it was popular, I'm sure that some may find it annoying for me to use. However, it really is the perfect song for this chapter. It describes everything about the relationship between Hermione and Draco. The lines I kept thinking about when writing this were, "And say it for me, say it to me, and I'll leave this life behind me. Say it if it's worth saving me. Hurry, I'm falling." I think you guys get the idea. The band by the way is Nickelback.

READ AND REVIEW!!! If you can read it, then you can review it.

Iris is the work of fanfiction. The characters belong to J.K. Rowling, but the featured story is mine.