Hermione looked up in time to see a large piece of earth falling down from above aimed to hit the cage. She gripped Draco's hand tighter, bracing for impact, but to her surprise not came, only a shower of dirt and pebbles. She looked up again to see that the chunk had in fact not harmed the cage one bit, apparently the cage was magically protected.


Draco nearly laughed when the boulder did not smash the cage. They had protected the cage, but not protected themselves. The irony, many death eaters would die, but the prisoners, would not. Unless of course they suffocated, by not being able to get out of the cage and digging through to the surface. Both of which would be almost impossible tasks. So they were doomed anyway. Well, everyone dies at some point in time, but- Draco looked over at Hermione who was looking up at the dirt slipping through the cracks in the cage in amazement. Draco couldn't stand having Hermione die or cause her the pain of him dying. So, they would have to at least try to get out.

"Hermione?" he asked softly. She quickly turned to look at him eyes wide with fear, making her look even more stunningly beautiful.

"I'm going to try to find a way to get out," he told her. She nodded then whispered back, "Let me help."

Draco found himself starting to say no, he wanted her to be safe, but realized Hermione was not the type to sit out of something. Hadn't he learned that during all there time together in that little cell?

So he nodded and letting go of her hand scooted over to the door of the cage. Trying to ignore the death around him, the large pieces of rock and dirt falling down from the roof of the cavern, he reached through the bars and grabbed the robes of a dead death eater. Blood dripped onto his hand from the large gash in the death eaters skull. He swallowed the lump in his throat and dragged the death eater closer to the cage. Then he reached into the pocket hoping, praying, to find a wand in there. The pocket was empty. Draco reached for the other pocket to find it empty as well, but what did he expect, a death eater to put his wand in his pocket in a time of peril. Feeling panic rise in him and looked around. Death eaters screamed and dust from the dirt was everywhere. Draco looked up at the place Voldemort had been standing. It was empty, he would have escaped of course.

"Draco," Hermione whispered and Draco looked back over at her, she held a wand.

"Where'd you get that?" he asked.

"On the floor," she said.

"Good," he replied, "Hold onto it, don't lose it."

Hermione nodded and tucked it into her robes then they both scooted back into the center of the cage where the rest of the prisoners huddled. He closed his eyes trying to shut out the screams and the visions that came with them.

***

"Three days," Harry said his head flopping down onto the Gryfindor table.

"Send us a letter already!" Ron moaned his eyes bloodshot from little sleep during the past nights. As if on cue to what Ron said Hedwig swooped down and dropped a letter in front of Harry. Ron snatched it and tore it open.

"Its from Lupin!" he said excitedly and started to read it out loud.

"Dear Harry and Ron,

The cavern found has been collapsed and we now know that the cavern was a main meeting place of You-Know-Who and his followers. We found many tunnels leading forever in many different directions. The main cavern is still being unburied. It appears that at the time of collapse most, if not all of the death eaters and prisoners were there. Please stay calm and be patient.

Your friend,

Remus Lupin

"All the prisoners," Harry said softly as he gave Hedwig a piece of left over toast.

"It doesn't necessarily mean," Ron began but then stopped.

"No, it doesn't," Harry agreed.

"I wouldn't care if that git Draco was there during the collapse though," Ron said vehemently.

"Neither would I," Harry agreed then admitted, "I feel guilty thinking that though, hoping he's dead, you know. He deserves a lot of punishment, but not death, you only deserve that if you've actually killed someone."

***

Draco opened his eyes as Hermione scooted closer to him resting her head on his shoulder. In response he wrapped one arm around her side kissing the top of her head softly. It was now pitch black and almost silent. There was the occasional rumble of rocks and Draco couldn't tell wether it was solid rock beyond the cage or just blackness.

When the air started getting stuffy Draco decided that it was solid rock around them and whispered to Hermione softly, "It's getting hard to breath."

Hermione nodded then sat up straighter, taking her weight off him. Pulling the wand out of her pocket she paused biting her lip.

"Know of a spell?" he asked her. She didn't answer and instead pointed her wand at the roof of the cage.

"Everyone?" she asked the other prisoners in the cage, there were a few murmurs, a couple of moans, and some 'who are you?'s, "I'm going to do a spell, there might be some dust so close your eyes."

There was some rustling and Draco assumed they had all listened to her in hopes the spell she was going to do would get them out.

A moment later there was a white flash which readily leaped upward disappearing almost instantly.

"What was that?" Draco asked her as a soft shower of dust came down from where the light had gone.

"Just wait," Hermione said taking his hand, "And keep your eyes closed."

Draco obeyed closing his eyes just in time to avoid a second shower of dust. When he opened his eyes a small shaft of light shone down forming a circle about the size of a dime on the floor of the cage. Draco felt his heart lighten incredibly. Sunlight, real light. Around him Draco heard little gasps and murmurs of awe. Looking around he could faintly make out the shapes of the other prisoners around them in the large cage. Beyond them, was darkness.

Hermione looked at him, her face almost glowing it seemed from the tiny shaft of light. A smile lit up her face even more and Draco grinned back though he knew they were far from getting out. One tunnel would do to keep fresh air coming, but not to get out. As people crawled over to the shaft of light Draco and Hermione moved back away from it to let them look at it. Once again in the shadows Draco leaned back against the edge of the cage.

He felt Hermione reach over at touch his cheek softly and he reached a hand up putting it against Hermione's. He felt Hermione lean close and kiss him softly her hand sliding to wrap around his neck. In return he wrapped his arms around her waist kissing her back more passionately, as the sweetness of her kiss enveloped him making him forget everything else.

A moment later they pulled apart breathlessly both surprised by how long the kiss had been. Draco smiled at her feeling happy to just be with her, in the dim light he saw her smile back.

"You think they'll the notice the collapse and come rescue all of us?" Hermione asked leaning against Draco.

"I don't know," Draco said, "I'm sure they'll notice the collapse, it probably caused a minor earthquake. They'll probably find the little tunnel, you know how exact the aurors and stuff are."

"Yes," she said simply then added, "Do you think I should try sending sparks up the tunnel?"

"It's a good idea," Draco said, but then felt Hermione shake her head.

"It wouldn't work, its too far up I think, they'd get blocked and probably cause more dust to come in here."

"You're probably right," Draco agreed. Hermione remained silent and soon the talking of the other prisoners died down as well. When he looked at Hermione again she was asleep and he found that he was extremely tired as well. Leaning his head back he closed his eyes and waited for sleep to come.


A/N: Hi everyone! I'm back from India so the waiting is over. I hope you haven't forgotten about this story. Umm, its almost over actually, unless I do a sequel. If I do a sequel this story will end quicker, but if I don't do a sequel there'll be another five chapters or something.. Ho hum.