DISCLAIMER: I don't own them – no need to sue me!

Author's note: Here we go. Thanks to all those who encouraged me to go on. Special thanks to Exlibris (my ever so faithful beta) and to Crazy-Poet who gave me the idea for the following chapter. There's not much action in it, but it focuses a bit on the things happening before Hermione got caught by the deatheaters. So enjoy reading it and send me reviews. If you've got any useful suggestions how to continue with this story, please let me know, otherwise I can post the final chapter right away. *hopefully this threat works and I get loads of reviews*

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And Then We Were Defeated

Chapter 20

Memories

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Hermione buttoned her robes and then tried to get rid of the tiny bits of earth and dirt that stuck to it because she had been lying on the ground. She couldn't forget those piercing blue eyes she had seen in the hut. At first she hadn't want to believe it, but now she had come to the conclusion that she had to find out what had happened to Harry and Ron – were they both still alive? And what was even more disturbing, she felt so weird near Draco. Sighing she then started to walk briskly in front of him, who reluctantly followed her through the forest and the clearings, lost in his own thoughts.

***

While making her way through the thicket avoiding the little tracks not to be caught by any of Voldemort's followers Hermione's thoughts trailed of and she recalled the past months of her life.

It had been a shock when she suddenly had found out that Dumbledore, the man she had trusted as much as she had relied on Harry and Ron, had betrayed them. He had been on the dark side even before Harry had been born. She shuddered as she remembered all the times he had lied to them, pretended to like them, to help and protect them. They had been too naïve to notice the gradual changes in his behaviour in their forth year after Voldemort had returned.

Everything had happened so fast. And obviously now it had happened again. One moment they had been all sound and safe in Hogwarts, enjoying their lives and worrying about Snape taking points from their houses and the next they had been thrown into a wizarding war that killed not only their best friends and families but thousands of innocent Muggles as well.

Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws along with some Slytherins that had refused to join the Dark Lord had then had to face Voldemort's steadily  growing army of deatheaters. Soon, they had been outnumbered. The deatheaters didn't have scruples to use the unforgivable curses on any wizard or witch that wasn't worshipping the Dark Lord so far. Basically everybody lived in fear.

Now the rebels were reduced to small groups that now and then attacked the deatheaters in a guerrilla like war, but Voldemort was constantly gaining power with the help of Dumbledore. Harry, Sirius, Remus and all the others that fought so bravely for their freedom, but they barely stood a chance.

Hermione winced as all those memories of battles came back to her mind. Those images of friends whose bruised, dead bodies lay scattered on the ground. Blood, so much blood. And it was all his fault.

Angrily she snapped out of these horrible scenes that had held her mind prisoner when she heard Malfoy cursing behind her.

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Why had he left his goddamn broom in the hut? Well, he'd picked up that bloody mudblood and his precious Firebolt had been left behind. And Potter, he had run away as if he was a coward only because of Granger. Why did he care about this mudblood anyway? At this thought he cursed loudly. To his utter amazement Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, turned around and snorted: "Watch it, Malfoy. Nobody forces you to come with me."

"You're going back to MY home. I don't come with you, we just happen to have the same way to go, Granger."

She eyed him suspiciously. "Stop bickering, Draco Malfoy."

"I don't take orders from a Mudblood." He took a step closer to her and raised his fist to struck her square in the face, but before he could even do as much as swing his arm back, his eyes met hers. Fear flickered in them, but she didn't back away or try to protect herself from him.

"So you're back to beating me, hm?"

Was there a tinge of  sadness that  he could hear in her words?

"Fine, Malfoy, go ahead. I like your nasty deatheater-self better than..." Hermione's voice died down and blushing she cast her eyes down on the ground.

Hermione was angry at herself. This was Draco Malfoy, one of those deatheaters who caused her friends' deaths and she paled.

Slowly Draco releaxed. What had she been about to say? Did this Mudblood happen to like him? His stomach squirmed. He had kissed her. He had touched her lips with his only a few hours ago. He had kissed that filth and...and he had enjoyed it. Nervously he slid his hands in his pockets and there he touched something cold and solid. The ring. She had rejected him. Anger welled up in him. For a second he lost himself in her presence, his hatred and irritation reflected by her sadness. Then Hermione turned and they continued their way to Malfoy Manor in silence.

***

 Draco watched her walking in front of him. Hermione had changed a lot since the time they both had been attending Hogwarts. Back then she had been the annoying know-it-all bookworm with bushy hair. Well, her hair was still a mess, but she had lost her know-it-all attitude. From the moment he had seen her in the dungeons in Malfoy Manor he had known she had changed completely. He could sense that she felt sad and that she probably had seen more than a human being could bear to view. The war was cruel, even he had to admit that. He had enjoyed every second when he had beat her in the cell, when she had for once to submit herself to him. She had always been the teachers' pet. He had spent hundreds of nights imagining what he would do to her if he only got the chance…he had hated her. Had hated her? He still did hate her, didn't he? The insufferable Mudblood. Nevertheless, he had kissed her. And he had enjoyed the kiss. Hell, what was he thinking about?

Draco scowled and tried to busy himself making plans as to what to do as soon as they would reach the Manor, but somehow his eyes involuntarily flickered back to the girl in front of him.

***

Hermione was exhausted. The bruises on her body hurt and she began to suffer from the aftermath of the Cruciatus Curse. She couldn't make another step, she had to sit down under one of the trees. Just for a second, until the pain would subside…but would the pain she felt in her heart ever die?

Unsurely she looked at Draco. He had stopped next to her and sat down beside her. For an instant she wished Harry would be with her. He would take her hand and comfort her. She wouldn't have to feel so lonely then...and so afraid and hurt. Hermione Granger didn't show it, but she was more frightened and scared then she had ever been before in her life. But did that matter anymore? She sighed, if her worst nightmare was to come true she wouldn't want to live any longer anyway.

Draco watched the girl beside him intently out of the corners of his eyes. Probably she wondered about the future as much as he did. Although she hid her fear nearly perfectly he knew she was afraid. He himself could feel fear creeping up inside him and then, without thinking about it, he reached out and took her hand in his.

Hermione looked up, startled. Was this Draco Malfoy holding her hand? The last time he'd done that he had slipped the ring on her finger. He didn't look at her, but didn't let go of her hand either. At that moment she realized that there were only the two of them left. Harry wasn't here to support her. Maybe she wouldn't even live long enough to see the sun set again. What did it matter that she hated him? Draco Malfoy was her only ally, the only one she could trust anymore at that particular moment. Thankfully she squeezed his hand, holding on to him.

It surprised him a lot as he felt her warm hand in his responding to his touch. A tiny smile, not his usual smirk, found its way to his lips.