Warnings:

This story will have some dark themes including physical and psychological trauma, and adult themes as well. Rated Mature for a reason, so proceed with caution. Also, while I do know where I want this story to go, I have not completed all of it yet. Chapters will be added sporadically as they are completed.

Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters therein. If only *sigh*. Just playing in the world that already exists for us.

Prologue

Hermione Granger watched in shock, tears still coursing down her cheeks, as an allegedly dead Harry Potter leapt from Hagrid's arms. With the roaring cheers of Hogwarts students and Order members still ringing through the courtyard, the fervor of battle was renewed. Everyone began moving backwards into the Great Hall, and Hermione was buffeted along with them.

Wand slashing rapidly through the air, Hermione took on several Death Eaters on her way through the Hall, leaving those she defeated where they lay with a firm Incarcerous to keep them there until they could be dealt with. Suddenly, Fenrir Greyback was in front of her. The wicked smile that pulled at his lips was terrifying, but the words that accompanied that smile were even more so.

"Hello, little morsel," he smirked, showing his yellowing, rotted teeth. "Don't worry, I'll be quick. I've been waiting to have a bite of you since our last time together at Malfoy Manor." Hermione shivered at his words, remembering the smell and feel of his hot breath on her bare neck as he held her body firmly to his own.

With a lick to one of his sharp incisors, he reached out a claw like hand in her direction. Hermione drew in a sharp breath and whipped her wand through the air, knocking the werewolf back a step. The spells started flying from the tip of her wand as fast as they popped into her head, and the smirk was quickly wiped from his face. It was replaced by a vicious snarl that promised retribution, and a deep, throaty growl reverberated menacingly in his throat. He lunged for her, claws outstretched.

Suddenly, a bright flash of red streaked mere inches past her face. She watched as Greyback, hit by the full force of a very powerfully cast spell, was thrown backward where he crashed with a sickening thud into the stone wall behind him. She saw a streak of white rush past her, and then a strong arm was across her waist. She felt herself being pushed behind the cover of a tall slender body and when she looked up to see who had come to her aid, she gasped. Draco Malfoy had saved her life? What was going on?

Suddenly she realized that the din of the Great Hall had quieted. Hermione stretched up on tiptoe to see over Malfoy's shoulder, noting absently how tall he had gotten; she could barely see over his shoulder even on her toes. What she did see, however, made her breath catch in her throat. Nearly all of the duelists in their general vicinity, both Order members and Death Eaters, had stopped what they were doing and were staring at Malfoy with varying degrees of shock and anger on their faces. That wasn't what concerned her most, though.

Lord Voldemort was there, directly in front of the two of them. The look in his scarlet eyes promised death to the man who was currently using his body to shield her from harm. From her position behind his body, she could feel the faintest tremor wracking Malfoy's body and she had no doubt that he was more than aware of the precariousness of his current situation. If Voldemort did not die here today, Draco Malfoy most certainly would.

Then, Harry was there. Hermione watched as her best friend and Voldemort began circling one another. The other occupants of the Hall all stopped what they were doing and a nearly perfect circle of bodies formed around the two wizards as Death Eaters, Aurors, Order members, and Hogwarts students and teachers alike stood engrossed, watching the spectacle that was taking place before their eyes.

She listened as Harry explained it all; from how he had survived death as an infant, to how he in turn had provided the same protection that Lily Potter had given to him to everyone present by sacrificing his life for theirs. Everyone was silent as they listened. It was so silent, in fact, that Hermione was not fully convinced that anyone in the room was even drawing a breath. Harry then went on to explain to Voldemort that the reason the Elder Wand wasn't working for him was because Draco Malfoy had been it's true master, not Severus Snape.

Hermione felt Malfoy's body tense in anxiety at Harry's words and saw every head in the room, including Voldemort's, turn toward the man who still sheltered her behind his body. Without giving a thought to the danger of her actions, she stepped around his arm to stand in front of him, now using her own body to protect him. She drew her wand, arms braced wide to ward off any attack that may have come Malfoy's way.

Harry continued on and eyes slowly began to turn away from them and back to the center of the room, and Hermione relaxed a fraction. She watched, still from her place in front of Malfoy, as Harry and Voldemort continued to talk and felt a nervous tension seize her body when the two of them lifted their wands: a green jet streaked from Voldemort's wand and a jet of red emerged from Harry's. She watched in morbid fascination as the two spells collided for a moment, then the connection was severed. She saw the Elder Wand fly through the air and into Harry's outstretched hand and watched as, as if in slow motion, Voldemort's lifeless body fell to the ground with a thud. There was absolute silence for one heartbeat…two…three…and then deafening cheers rang out across the Great Hall.

Hermione watched as Death Eaters around the room began to flee, racing for the front doors and the freedom that lay beyond, only to be pursued and captured by the Aurors present. She felt a smile tug at her lips, the first smile she could remember in months. She watched as Harry turned away from where Voldemort's body lay on the stone floor, and his eyes met hers in the crowd. He grinned at her and she felt the happiness bubble up inside of her. Without a second thought she took off running, flinging herself into Harry's outstretched arms.

She could feel the tears running down her cheeks, but she was so relieved that it was all over, that they had won, that she did not even try to reign in her emotions. She felt another pair of arms wrap securely around both her and Harry and knew that Ron had joined them. The three of them stood there for several moments, taking comfort in the fact that they were all alive and still here together, before breaking away. Hermione dragged her palms across her cheeks to wipe the tears from her face.

Standing there with the boys, Hermione suddenly remembered Malfoy. She looked back to where they had been standing during the confrontation between Harry and Voldemort, only to find that he was no longer there. She reached out and grabbed Harry's arm in a tight grip, pulling his attention away from Ron and to her instead.

"What is it Hermione? What's wrong?" he had asked, seeing the look on her face but unable to interpret just what it could mean.

"Malfoy," she responded quietly, not wanting to be overheard by the people around them. "He was standing just over there with me a few minutes ago. Where did he go?"

Her eyes continued to scan the crowd as she explained, but she didn't see him anywhere.

"Good riddance, I say," Ron said with a scoff. He faltered when Hermione turned a withering glare his way.

"He saved my life, Ronald Weasley," she said harshly. "He saved me, and he is going to pay dearly for that if even one single Death Eater escapes. Not to mention," she added grimly, "he saved all of our lives at Malfoy Manor by not turning us in to his father or to Bellatrix. You owe him just as much as I do."

She turned her attention to Harry, speaking urgently now. "We have to find him." He simply nodded at her, determination glinting in his green gaze.

In the hours that followed, they gathered as many people to help them as they could and searched the entire castle, but to no avail. Draco Malfoy was nowhere to be found. Several other Death Eaters were also unaccounted for, and she felt a deep dread in her soul, knowing that one of them had likely taken him and that he was, even now, paying for his 'betrayal' of their Dark Lord. She feared that no one would ever see him again and felt a deep disappointment in her failure to protect him in the way that he had protected her.

She resolved in that moment to continue looking for him, to not give up the search until he was found. Regardless of his past faults and failures, he deserved at least that much from her. After all, without him, she would not be here.

So, she thought to herself, I'll find him.