The past…
"I expected a better arrival than that, Draco." The woman criticised.
Draco looked around him. The place he had just apparated to was a sheltered alcove on a small rocky island, on which his mother, Narcissa, stood, her arms folded impatiently. Looking up a large stone castle could be seen but the eerie glow emanating from its small windows showed none of the warmth that the Hogwarts castle did.
"What is it you want, mother? Your call sounded like you were in trouble."
"How else would I have gotten you out here? You would never have come if I'd really told you why I summoned you here."
"So you're not in trouble?"
"No."
Draco frowned. "You called me out of school, risked me getting expelled, and why? On some fancy whim of your making?"
"You will not talk to me like that, Draco Malfoy." Narcissa screeched, "Crucio!"
Hermione watched, horrified, as Draco fell to the ground, writhing in pain. She had guessed that Draco's father had tortured him, but to see his mother-… it was unbearable to watch.
It only lasted about a minute but it seemed much longer. Narcissa lowered her wand, "Are you ready to behave?"
Draco was on his knees, trying to catch his breath back.
"Draco?" Narcissa's warning voice came down upon him.
"Yes, mother."
A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek. She had no idea how much pain was in Draco's life; how much cruelty his own mother could inflict upon her own child.
Hermione froze in horror as Narcissa turned away from her son and focused her gaze on Hermione.
"Good." Narcissa smiled. "Now we are going to get your father."
Hermione let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding. She pulled the cloak tighter around her; just to be sure.
"But Lucius is in Azkaban-"
"-Crucio!"
Hermione turned her head away as Draco's scream pierced the still night. The screams cut out abruptly and retreated into heavy breathing.
"Do not state the obvious, son, of course your father is in Azkaban. That is from where we shall be rescuing him."
Draco didn't even bother arguing back this time: he just stayed slumped over clutching his stomach.
"Now what I need you to do, my boy, is hold the Dementors off while I dash in and get your father."
"What! Do you know what they'll do to me if I get caught?"
"Yes. And?"
"It's suicide!"
"It will be worth it to have your father back."
"But-"
"-Crucio!"
'She must really love that spell.' Hermione thoughtbitterly, 'Why does she have to keep doing that to Draco? This is killing me: I want to help him so badly! But I have to stop Narcissa and I can't do that on my own. Oh Draco, hold in there.'
"Now Draco, you are going to go over to those ridges and draw the Dementors towards you. I shall sneak around the other way and go in for Lucius. OK?"
Draco simple nodded. Narcissa smiled icily at her son and walked off into position, waiting for the Dementors to go after Draco.
Draco staggered to his feet. Hermione would have sworn that she saw tears begin to form in his eyes but they were gone in a couple of blinks, having never fallen. He was going to have to be strong if this was ever going to work, but he could tell that this was never going to work; not for him anyway. He was meant to die, his mother didn't care about him. Nobody did.
Draco forced himself over the hill towards where Narcissa had told him to go. Hermione followed under the cloak. Once Draco was in position he held his wand above his head and set off a burst of green sparks, the signal for his mother. The Dementors had already sensed Draco's presence and were moving towards where he and Hermione stood. A chill came up in the air as the Dementors moved closer. Hermione's mind flew back to her third year and what she had seen in the cupboard with the Bogart.
Draco stood up tall waiting for the Dementors; he appeared unaffected but Hermione could see him shaking slightly. The foul creatures moved closer.
Draco raised his wand. "Expecto Patronum." Hermione saw a thin wall of shimmering light appear in front of Draco, but it wasn't strong enough to hold back the assault of Dementors moving closer. Hermione watched in slow motion as Draco fell to his knees, he didn't seem able to do this.
Hermione concentrated with all her might on the man who knelt at her feet, on the memories of the last two months together, and raised her wand towards the Dementors. "Expecto Patronum."
A shining silver otter sprung from the end of Hermione's wand, spending time in the DADA club in her fifth year had pain off, and not for the first time. As the otter bounced around Hermione and Draco, holding back the Dementors, Hermione removed the cloak and bobbed down next to him.
"What are you doing here, mudblood?"
Hermione looked hurt, but what could she expect? "I happen to have just saved your life: the least you could do is be civil. Now stand up, we have to stop Narcissa."
Draco stood to his feet and nearly fell back to the ground, Hermione caught him. She draped his arm over her shoulder and held him close to support him.
"I still want to know why you are here!"
"I'll tell you later."
"Granger, I want to know now."
Hermione's brow furrowed. It had been so long since she'd heard him called her that it was disconcerting. "Later."
The otter had managed to drive the Dementors back enough so that their effect was greatly lessened. The two students had been moving over the island towards where Narcissa was going to be. Draco suddenly pushed away from Hermione.
"I can walk on my own; I don't need your help." He snarled.
Hermione looked at him with a hurt look on her face.
"For crying out loud, there is no need to get so upset, Granger. So wipe that look off your face, and let's go stop my mother!"
"You want to stop her too?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Mind your own business, Granger."