Jacque was surprised that finding Hermione and the others took as short of a time as it did. He had expected to have to search quite far for them or even have to go all the way to the infirmary, but it appeared that they were on the move as well. They obviously knew something was wrong and seemed just as concerned as he was.

Harry saw him first and called out to the others to point Jacque out. Jacque slid to a halt and nearly fell over because he was running so fast. He gasped for air and tried to talk at the same time. Unfortunately, all that came out was a bunch of coughing and wheezing.

Melina hurried forward and took hold of his shoulder to steady him. He grabbed hold of her arm, still trying to get the words out.

"Draco… going to… kill… Hashim…"

Hermione's eye widened in horror. She stepped back slightly and began to shake her head in denial. She had known he would, but she hadn't really wanted to believe she was right. It just wasn't possible to comprehend… Not her Draco…

"Don't let… him… Hermione," Jacque whispered hoarsely. "You… must stop… him from…"

She didn't wait for him to finish, but turned and ran blindly through her tears, back the way Jacque had come.

Draco stopped with the knife pressed against Hashim's throat. The prince's eyes were wide with fear and fury. They were so filled with them that Draco honestly didn't know which one was more prominent, and truthfully, he didn't care. He'd had enough. Enough of everything, enough of being threatened, having people he cared about threatened but mostly he had just had enough of Hashim.

But it wasn't Hashim who was on his mind when he heard his voice called. And his name hadn't been spoken out loud.

--

Hermione….

Hashim was staring at him, surprised that he hadn't moved. The knife was still against his neck, but he wasn't dead. Not yet, but Draco still looked like he wanted to kill him. The prince didn't dare move. He looked up at Draco like a deer in headlights, unable to control his own body.

--

The knife shook slightly in his hand. His fingers trembled with the desire to go ahead and slit the stupid princess's throat, but also shook in fear of doing that exact thing. And it wasn't just Hermione's voice that was stalling him. It was something else entirely.

Conscience? No, couldn't be. Malfoys don't have consciences. They never had, why would he be the first? He had never been the first at anything. Not competitions, not houses… he always came in second best. Always. Usually to Potter, but this year, to a wanna-be royal who seemed to think he had the right to rule the world. Oh, he hated him. So, why on earth couldn't he kill him?

--Draco, please…--

He shook his head half defiantly, struggling with the debate going on in his mind.

--You're not a killer, Draco.-- Hermione's voice continued.

--He threatened you… He tried to kill me… He doesn't deserve to live--

--I need you…--

At that moment, Malfoy knew the battle was over. He could prolong it as long as he liked, but the outcome would remain the same. He couldn't kill Hashim now. It didn't matter whether or not he could actually commit murder. Hermione needed him and he knew killing Hashim would pull her away. No matter what the stupid princess did, nothing was worth losing her.

With a last look of utmost hatred, Draco released his hold on Hashim. He stood up and looked down at him.

"Get up, your royal lowness. Get up and get out of here."

Hashim didn't have to be told twice. He scrambled to his feet and ran. Draco watched him leave before his world came crashing down around him.

The knife fell from his hand onto the ground and his arms wrapped around his throbbing chest. Sliding to his knees, Draco bent against the rain. His shoulders shook and in the back of his mind, he tiredly told himself it was because of the cold and pain. Whether it was or not, Draco didn't care.

He wasn't sure if he was crying. The rain was going down his face so he couldn't really tell. His eyes burned but that could also be from the rain. He preferred to think he wasn't crying. Malfoys didn't cry.

But Malfoys did kill. He'd seen his father do it. He had only been nine at the time and it had horrified him. His father had lost control, something Draco had never wanted to do. Yet here he was, kneeling out in the rain, almost having killed a man, but stopped for a girl.

Lucius would have called him weak. Others: a helpless romantic. He was neither. None of the above. He couldn't kill… He couldn't lose her… it wasn't weakness, it was fact. But it was oh, so non-Malfoy.

Then and there, kneeling in the soaking ground, Draco decided he would no longer go by the Malfoy tradition. He'd had enough of it. It was time for a new tradition. The Draco tradition. New century anyway. He told himself he should feel better about his decision than he actually did, but it was very possibly the scariest decision he had ever made.

He was still on his knees when Hermione found him. By then, she too was soaked. She didn't know how far behind the others were or even if they had followed. It was the last thing on her mind and at that moment, she only had room for one thing: Draco.

She walked up to him slowly. He didn't turn towards her but he might have already known she was there. He certainly would have expected her to come, but he looked so numb, there alone in the rain. Her heart went out to him.

Draco felt warm arms wrap themselves around his shoulders and some of his shaking began to subside. Wet brown wavy hair swept down and clung to his neck and he leaned back against her, burying his own face in her hair.

She was whispering to him, but he couldn't make out the words. He closed his eyes and just concentrated on the sound of her voice as his world faded to black.

Author's Note

My sincere apologizes for not updating. I have been incredibly sick. Came down with pneumonia. But I'm better now.

Also, the next story is Dramione. A full 79 vote to 5. KNOCK OUT!!

However, since I have been so sick, I do not for the life of me, remember my plot. Therefore, I might start another story while they are still in Hogwarts, hope you all forgive me.

One chapter left. Hope you review and have enjoyed this. Sorry for the shortness of it… I am still sick.