Disclaimer: I don't own Harry, Ron, Draco or Hermione…everything except the plot belongs to the one and only J.K. Rowling.

Author's note: Not much too say. This is probably the longest chapter so far. Read, enjoy and please review. Tell me what you think about it. Oh, and thank you for the reviews I received last night. That was really great. Is my English worse than in the first chapters? *paces up and down and worries* I thought that with a beat double-checking it would improve.

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And Then We Were Defeated

Chapter 16

Weird Dreams

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A few hours earlier:

Hermione sat up in bed as her slightly trembling hands anxiously unfolded the piece of parchment. "Hermione, don't give up, Dobby will help you get out of the Mansion. Trust him and take care. Love, Harry and Ron." The note was short and scribbled hastily upon the little sheet. Hermione wasn't even able to distinguish whether it was Ron or Harry's handwriting, but those few words gave her back her strength. Despite her sore back, she tried to get up. The pain killer potion was working, however, the dose hadn't been strong enough to block out all the pain that tormented her body.

"Dobby, thank you so much." Hermione finally managed to say walking over to the little creature and bending over hugged him tightly. Dobby was shaking, his huge eyes filled with tears and so did Wimpsy's as she saw the two standing in the middle of the room. Hermione sobbed a bit, she felt so relieved. Harry and Ron were somewhere out there and with the help of the little house-elf she would soon be able to join her best friends ever. She would never have to see that bastard Malfoy again.

"Miss Hermione," Dobby started weakly, "Harry Potter is waiting for Miss Hermione. Dobby better gets Miss Hermione out of here before Master Draco wakes up." his voice wavered lightly and big tears were still pouring out of his eyes. Wimpsy watched them, then cleared her throat. Looking at her, Dobby nodded and with the usual soft pop, Wimpsy left. "Dobby can't get Wimpsy into trouble. Dobby can't get Miss Hermione in trouble. Miss Hermione is a friend of Harry Potter." Suddenly the house-elf jumped over to the four-poster and forcefully banged his had at one of the posts. "Dobby doesn't have a choice." he whispered sadly and turned to face Hermione.

The girl had been absorbed staring out of the window, she had hardly noticed Dobby punishing himself, but now she gazed at him wide eyed. "Are you all right?" asked she frowning. The elf nodded, twisting his hands in front of his poor white pillowcase. His large eyes focused on Hermione and once again they seemed to water with tears.

"Miss Hermione is to follow Dobby." he eventually said and went ahead to the oak doors, open them and stepped outside, waiting for Hermione to follow him.

***

Dobby led her through secret passages in the Manor, that, Hermione thought, not even the Malfoys themselves would know about. Nobody seemed to have used them for ages. The damp stonewalls were covered with cobwebs and spiders dangled from the ceiling. It was dark and cold down the narrow walkways, and Hermione had trouble to keep up with Dobby, who hurriedly tripled in front of her.

They seemed to walk through those passages for hours until Dobby abruptly came to a halt and pointed at a trapdoor right above his head in the ceiling of the tunnel. "Miss Hermione can get out there. Harry Potter will wait for her."

"Don't you want to come with me? You can't go back to the Malfoys." she was desperate and felt guilty knowing that Dobby would have to punish himself severely back at the Manor; and she didn't doubt that his Master would do something worse than only punishing him if they found out he helped her escape.

"Dobby must go back. Dobby cannot leave Wimpsy alone, Miss Hermione." The little elf looked so sad and pitiful that Hermione couldn't help but hugging him for a second time that day.

"Thank you so much for everything you have done for me, Dobby." she sobbed, but the elf didn't answer her, with a pop he disapperated and left her alone in the spooky passage.

Hermione reached up and pushed against the trapdoor ignoring the spiders and the dust that fell down on her. She had expected it to be quite heavy, yet it opened easily and the moon standing high up in the night sky dimly illuminated her surroundings. As fast as she could Hermione climbed through the opening and left her prison behind her.

There she stood in the moonlight on a meadow somewhere out in the country. She took a deep breath. It was hard to believe she was free after those days and nights she had spend at the Manor, but now everything that had happened to her during the last days seemed like a weird dream. Free.

Hermione screamed as all at once two strong arms grabbed hold of her and spun her around.

"Hermione." Ron said smiling. Realising that it was Ron Weasley who held her, she immediately relaxed and recovered from her shock. Then she could not only feel Ron's arms around her, but also Harry's. Both held her securely and tears sprung into her eyes.

"I'm so glad you're here." she whispered. "I didn't know what had happened and then I was trapped with Malfoy and…and…how did you know I was there?"

"Shh." Harry calmed her and the two boys sheepishly stepped back. "Dobby told us. He sent us a note." Harry explained and Ron added frowning "I'm afraid he had to punish himself quite a lot for that." 

Hermione was about to ask another question but wondered why her friends didn't want to know what had happened to her? She was so glad that she was back with the two boys and that they were all right, now she wanted to know what had happened to the others. What about Sirius and Lupin? Harry and Ron, however, didn't answer her questions. Instead, Harry stopped her from asking anything else by telling her they first had to get to a safe place and so they took her away to a secret hut which stood hidden somewhere in a forest near the meadow and even as they finally reached their shelter for the night, the two were awkwardly silent.

"Hey, Hermione, you look battered." Ron said and led her over to a small bed in the corner of the room. Actually the little hut only had one room, and under different circumstances, Hermione would have been eagerly looking around it, absorbing the whole tiny cabin and enjoying her stay with her friends, but tonight she felt strange. The pain killer potion wore of and the pain flooded back into every inch of her body.

Harry and Ron looked at her and worryied if she was okay. "You better lie down, Hermione. You look tired." Harry sounded concerned and Hermione could see that Ron's face held a similar expression. She knew that none of them would listen to her protests, and she felt so tired and exhausted that she simply gave in, and lay down. Ron came over to her and sat down on her bed. "Here, Hermione, this will do you good." He held a little flacon, which seemed to be filled with a clear liquid, in his hand. He smiled encouragingly at her, and Hermione thankfully accepted the small bottle and poured down the liquid. Instantly warmth spread in her body and she could hear Harry and Ron whisper that she was safe with them and that nobody would hurt her anymore. Her eyes closed as she drifted off to sleep.

***

Hermione found herself floating in midair. There was nothing under, above or around her but a warm light that seemed to enwrap her body. She felt secure and safe, although she didn't know where she was. She soared through the light for what seemed an eternity when she sensed that she wasn't alone. Somebody else was with her; she could clearly feel his presence.

Draco. This thought kept running through her mind and his arms sneaked around her and held her. She could smell him, feel the heat of his body so close to hers. Draco. This was Draco Malfoy who held her close and whose body melted into hers. Her mind screamed. Wrong. She shouldn't be near him. He was a deatheater. He hated her and she hated him. Yet, both her body and her heart couldn't let go off him. And they didn't want to let him go. It felt so right to be in his arms, to be with him. She belonged to him and she knew he belonged to her. Bound. They were bound to each other.

***

Meanwhile Draco had been sitting on her bed for quite some time now when he felt tiredness and exhaustion seep into every cell of his body. Hermione, what the hell had happened to that mudblood? Neither Dobby nor Wimpsy had returned so far and it wouldn't be long until the sun would rise. Draco sighed and lay back on the bed. He couldn't get her out of his head. Drowsily he closed his eyes and magically he fall asleep.

Golden light surrounded him, and felt himself soaring through a sea of warmth. Then, he realized there was somebody with him. It was her. His heart skipped a beat. He felt anxious and happy as he saw her in front of him and couldn't help but take her into his arms and hold her tight. Vanilla and honey. Wrong. He would never ever let go off her again. She is a Mudblood. The word echoed in his mind. However, his heart longed for her, he couldn't let her go. It felt so right to hold her his arms, to be with her. He belonged to her and he knew she belonged to him. Bound. They were bound to each other.