"You're gonna regret this, stupid bloody chicken," he whimpered as Hagrid carried him off to the infirmary. His arm was on fire, making his head lull to the side, the last thing he saw was darkness.

Hermione had managed to find some tea, after digging through the entire hut. It was rather bland, but it would do. Draco turned his nose up at it for a second before she was scolding him, telling him to not be such a bloody brat.

She checked her watch again, 6:35; it seemed like to her that the scenarios that were quiet and didn't require them to almost get one of their limbs blown off were always the ones to go by quickly.

"Let me see your hand." She said to him, putting her cracked cup down, extending hers to him.

"I'm alright Granger."

"No, you're not. I saw your hand get crushed by that beam that fell. Not to mention, you smashed it into a tree. Now let me see it." She demanded this time.

Rolling his eyes he slammed it on the table before her.

Almost gasping, she caringly touched the one finger that was sticking out awkwardly.

"Oh Malfoy, I d-don't know if I can fix this. It's completely broken. We'll need Skele-Gro to set it back in place." He shrugged at her, taking his hand and placing it back in his lap.

"I don't use that hand anyway."

Hermione just stared at him, wondering why he didn't care. "It doesn't matter, that can completely throw off the hands function, it can make it very difficult to use, even become unu-."

"Granger. He interrupter her, "Please, save me your lectures."

She stopped talking, looking into his face again. He looked exhausted, and haunted. No doubt his thoughts were still on what had just happened with his mother. She decided, for now, to just leave his hand ordeal alone, but when they got out of here, it would definitely need to be looked at.

A chime hit her ears not long after that, but she was stunned to feel no darkness loom over her, or the ground slip away. She and Draco continued to sit in their chairs, the air soft and crisp around them.

"We didn't get transitioned," she said to him.

He nodded, his eyes looking out the window.

"Thank you." He mumbled, eyes still looking everywhere but at her.

"For what?"

"Helping me try to get my mother to safety, and holding off Bellatrix. You had no reason to help, but you did anyway." His eyes finally found her, they still looked lost.

"It was the right thing to do." She said to him, stunned slightly at his admission.

"I just can't get it out of my mind…" He whispered. His hands went to his hair again, "Can't get her face out of my head. Her unblinking eyes. All because of me.."

He stood up, putting his forehead in his hand.

"Draco. It wasn't real."

"No. It was real. It could be real. You said it yourself; it's all real in some way or another."

She stood up and stood beside him at the window. Her hand went out and touched his shoulder, he didn't move to shrug it off, just let it sit there. He eyes were shut now, his face tensed.

Hermione timidly leaned her head against his arm, trying to illicit her own strength to him. He stiffened, but still did not move. After a few more moments of silence, she moved back from him.

"Malfoy. I have a question?"

He looked at her.

"Fenrir Greyback, he said something about a man.."

He just continued to look at her, his gaze unwavering. A bad feeling started to unravel in the pit of her stomach and she had to look away from him.

Moving towards her, he had a pained expression on his face.

"H-Hermione.."

It was the first time he had ever said her name, and her heart felt like it had been squeezed. There was something though, something he was hiding.

"Who is it?" She asked, quiet, her voice tight, struggling.

He was closer to her now; he didn't know what he was planning to do. For some reason, he just wanted to tell someone, just for one second, wanted to feel the burden lift off of his shoulders. Why Granger though? Maybe because she had proven that he could trust her, after what he saw with his mother, he just knew that the truth had to come out. He also knew though, when he told her that she would hate him all the more. Their little admissions of comfort, of closeness would be shattered and she would be gone from him.

"Dumbledore." He said just as tightly, the word catching in his throat.

Hermione saw little black specks in her vision and she had to clutch the table just to keep upright. She turned, her hand going to her hair to push the strands that had fallen in her face. She was trembling, her lower lip quivering. So, Katie Bell, that necklace had been a mistake. It had been meant for Professor Dumbledore all along.

Draco watched her shoulders tremble, her back now to him. What else had he expected? Forgiveness? Did he deserve that?

He extended his hand to touch her shoulder, trying to get her attention again.

Hermione jumped when he touched her. She flinched back, not ready to face him at the moment.

He hated how that involuntary movement made him feel. Growling, he turned her around, stunned to see the tears overflowing down her face. She looked up at him, her eyes showing utter betrayal.

"Granger. I didn't ask for this. You have to know that."

She bit her lip, and nodded. It took a few more seconds to pull herself back together, but when she did she sat down at the table, feeling drained..

"Draco..what are you going to do?"

He sat across from her, taking her hand. He wasn't sure what came over him, he just felt like he had to make her understand, just a little bit.

"Hermione. This is life and death, not only mine, but my families. What would you do?"

She fidgeted, glancing at the hold he had on her now. "I honestly don't know how to answer that," she whispered to him.

For some reason, her answer made him angry. He flung her hand away from him and stood up. "You mean to tell me that if your parent's lives were on the line, you don't know what you'd do?! You know what I think of that, I think it's utter shit!"

"It's human nature to protect our family! Try to see outside the bloody box you naïve little fool!"

Draco picked up a piece of dishware and tossed it across the room, not able to control his temper anymore.

Hermione stood and glowered at him, her own temper grazing the surface. She slammed her hand down on the wood, catching his attention.

"You think I don't know how you feel!? You don't think I know how it feels to worry what this upcoming war could bring to my own family!"

His grey eyes watched her.

"You think I don't UNDERSTAND?" Tears were rolling down her cheeks again, but this time out of fury. "The pain you feel, the fear, you are not alone Malfoy!"

"Yes, but if you fail, you don't get to watch your parents be murdered in front of you Granger. Everything I do, everything I've done…" He stopped, his voice cracking. Turning around, he couldn't face her, his emotions slipping through…again.

"You think I'm proud?" He finished, a loan tear slipping out.

She slid down into the chair, the floor feeling as if it wouldn't hold her. She knew though, deep down in her soul, that he had no choice..

Never had a choice.

The revelation hit her roughly and she felt her soul shatter. She had always had the privilege of who she wanted to be, and who to fight for. He had been brought up in hatred, bigotry, and with the dark arts littered all around him. She knew why he had looked so lost and ill the entire year. With an overwhelming finality she stood up and went to him.

"Some of us," she whispered, "Some of us don't have a choice."

He looked at her, grey eyes swimming in misery.

Reaching his hand out, he touched her cheek. When had he grown to feel so familiarized looking in those brown eyes? Her facial expressions, the little quirks when she was thinking. Her humility, fears, strengths, and passion. Beginning this little adventure, he never thought in a million decades that he would be close to this muggle born. His thumb swept down her smooth skin, to run over her top lip.

Hermione knew this would probably end badly. Whatever was happening to the room, it would eventually end and they would be thrown back to reality. How would she explain to her friends what transpired between her and Malfoy? How could she explain that in the instances where he wasn't looking, she saw the many emotions he never showed anyone? How would she explain his bravery, his gentleness towards her? They wouldn't understand, could never understand.

And now, his thumb was on her mouth, making her blush. She pursed her lips, inviting him slightly.

Draco saw this movement and moved forward, claiming her mouth with his.

He was so soft and gentle; his lips warm as they slid over hers. After a few moments, she pulled away, looking up into his eyes again. She stepped into his chest and pulled her arms around him, finding his warmth. His nose pressed against the crown of her head, he inhaled and just savored the one innocent moment that he thought he'd never have again.

He relished in it.

I hope you liked it, a little shorter, but longer chapters to come. Review if you like.

Love, H.