"The explosions are getting louder," Hermione said softly as the ground rattled once again. Draco, sitting next to her, nodded.

1. "It has to be them," she added.

A shower of dust came sprinkling down and they both instinctively closed their eyes. When the air cleared for the fiftieth time in the past hours they opened their eyes. The hole was now large enough to fit a person through. Curiously Draco edged over to it and glanced up. The tunnel seemed to go upwards for hundreds of feet, but a tiny speck of blue showed in the distance.

"See anything?"

Draco turned to see that Hermione had scooted over to the hole next to him.

"A tiny speck of blue," he replied with a smile.

"Blue sky," Hermione said wistfully, "I wonder who's up there."

"People from the ministry, probably," Draco said with a shrug, "I doubt You-Know-Who would be trying to get at all of us."

Hermione grinned and Draco leaned over giving her a quick kiss on the lips. Then they moved back away from the hole. Another explosion wracked the earth and they both quickly half sat, half fell back against the wall as more light shown brightly in.

***

Harry was jerked awake by an especially loud explosion. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, hopping down from the bunk bed. Ron opened his eyes slowly hearing Harry jump down.

"Let's go see if they've found anything yet," Harry said. Almost immediately Ron was wide awake and he quickly sat up pulling on his shoes.

Harry pulled on his shoes as well then hurried outside back down the hallways with Ron close behind. They walked through the entrance doors and finally outside just in time to see a very large explosion sending bits of rock and dust flying several yards in every direction.

"They've almost reached them," a voice growled. Harry turned around too see Moody standing behind them. Moody walked past them towards the bombings.

There were some yells and as the dust cleared Harry saw several wizards attaching ropes to poles now deep set in the ground. Then they lowered themselves down into the hole. Harry's heart lept up as hope that Hermione was down there and alive filled him.

"Come on!" he said to Ron and they ran after Moody. The crowd on onlookers grew around the hole, that was by now 5 yards at the top though it got smaller as it went down. Then finally, the first prisoner was brought up. The person was no one Harry knew, he had short scruffy hair and his robes were in rags, looking as though they been slashed more than once. He was covered in dirt and his eyes had a slightly mad look to them. His arms were very skinny and the skin beneath the dirt was pale and sickly. Was Hermione going to look like that, if she was even down there?"

As the prisoner was helped out of the hole the crowd gave up a chair and the prisoner smiled crookedly squinting in the bright light.

A moment later two more prisoners were brought, both in similar condition to the first one. The fourth and fifth one though appeared in slightly better condition, but they all had a beaten dirty look to them.

Then finally, a familiar face appeared. It was Hermione and close behind her, Malfoy. Harry felt like whooping and screaming and yelling and crying all at once. The moment her feet touched solid ground he ran over to her pushing past everyone, and despite her dirty condition hugged her tightly.

***

Draco watched rather jealously as Potter and Weasley ran forward out of the crowd and hugged Hermione tightly all three grinning. His jealousy was quickly forgotten as Hermione looked over at him and smiled brightly. In the sunlight she looked brilliant. His joy at finally being free of his father, the death eaters and the Dark Lord, and his love for Hermione, filled him and he felt like running over and hugging Potter and Weasley as well. Of course, they both hated him and he hated them, so that would be pointless. He doubted they'd let her hug Hermione either.

Witches and Wizards wearing white robes quickly surrounded him and Hermione though pushing Potter and Weasley out of the way. They convinced them to lay down on stretchers which they both did rather thankfully, they hadn't stood in a while, and all the excitement made Draco feel very tired, and weak, and hungry, and sick at the same time. He knew he was in very bad condition, and probably had minor food poisoning to add to it. The stretchers floated along the ground and Potter and Weasley walked along beside the healers as they slowly made their way back up to the castle.

He would no longer have to wait in the dark, always hungry, afraid that when the lights turned on it would be him that would be tortured next, he would no longer have to listen carefully for footsteps coming down the tunnel. He could relax, and enjoy life, go where ever he wanted and do whatever his wanted. He was young, he had his whole life ahead of him to spend with Hermione. Turning his head he saw her laying on the stretcher next to him. She caught his gaze and turned her head at well. He smiled and took a deep breath. From now on, things would be looking up.

The End.

A/N: There is a sequal though, I wasn't sure if I was going to do one.. but I did.. so lucky for you.. The title is Soul.