A/N: Hello, people. I am back. Again. I am turning into an updating machine…woohoo, I am on a serious roll with this story! Yay yay yay! Oh, and it has come to my attention that some of you think that I have finished the fic with ch 5.  just so you know, I haven't. I still have a little ways to go yet.

Thank you's:

Cruenta Rosa: Thanks. I would end it here, but I have a few more places I wanna take this fic before I quit.

ghypscee: oh, no, I am an American. The "lie back and think of England" thing was actually taken from something I read once, and actually it wasn't about rape at all. It just sorta stuck in my head so I used it.

Serpent du feu: well, you'll find out for sure who killed him in this chap. And terrifyingly beautiful may be a contradiction in itself, but I love you for saying it!

Amy: I am glad you don't think I screwed up in killing Draco, but trust me, there is more psychobabble to come.

Sparkle 3: Thanks, and I am!

WishIwasAtHogwarts: Well, I am glad you like my writing, and I am happy you tried the fic, at least.

Spiffy: Thanks

Geo: oh, well I don't know about an epilogue, but I do have a few more chapters up my sleeve.

hotaru

lizx

Dea Lofn: I swear, if I knew you, I'd kiss you. Your reviews seriously make my day. I'm glad you are sticking with this fic till the end.

Ottawan Angel: thank you. Your review made me feel so much better after agonizing over killing Draco, and I am happy you'll still be reading.

Barbi: wow. Thanks a bunch for going against your usual and reading my fic!

It had all happened so fast, Harry knew, yet for him it had gone agonizingly slow. After Apparating to his flat with the team of Aurors and Ministry Officials and finding that Draco had gone, an argument had broken out over what to do next. Harry himself had wanted to go to all possible places Draco might be, but the Aurors were rather methodical and by the book, and refused. All except for Moody, of course. Harry had backed out of the argument quickly, knowing that it wouldn't help 'Mione at all. He'd wandered from room to room aimlessly, his mind in a fog as he remembered all the things that had happened with Draco in them. Here was where they had discussed Ron's death for the first time since the war. Here was where Draco had told him that he had to befriend Hermione again, to save his sanity. Here was where Harry had first found out exactly what Draco had gone through at Lucius Malfoy's hands…being beaten, starved, even forced to watch as his father tortured Muggles…attending Death Eater meetings in the dungeon…

Harry's head snapped up and his eyes cleared. Malfoy Manor. Of course! Where else would Draco take her? He almost smacked his forehead in frustration. How could he be so stupid? Quickly, Harry started to make his way towards the front and help, when he hesitated. He wasn't sure that he wanted them there. He wanted Hermione safe, of course, but he didn't want to give them Draco. A sudden cold fury swept through him and he made up his mind. There was no way he would be letting Draco out of the dungeons alive, not after what he'd done to Hermione. Not after he'd used Harry to get to her. Harry was going to kill him.

With that in mind, Harry Apparated out of the flat, and to the grounds just outside of Malfoy Manor. He remembered Draco mentioning once that you couldn't Apparate to Malfoy Manor, it having the same protection charms as Hogwarts. Angrier than ever, Harry made his way to the front doors, half expecting entering the Manor to be difficult. It wasn't. Harry made his way into the Manor, and gave a small gasp of surprise.

He'd been in here once before, with Draco, right after the war was over. It had been in shambles, and Harry had felt so horrible that Draco had to see the place where he'd grown up in such a state. But Draco's eyes had been calm and cold, and he'd told Harry without emotion that the Manor looked better than it ever had, and he hoped he never had to see it again. Harry had thought those words the truth, and hadn't given it a second thought. Now, looking at the spotless foyer he was standing in, and looking at the equally spotless rooms that he could see, Harry realized the enormity of Draco's lie.

It was obvious that Draco had been renovating the Manor, restoring it to its original perfection inside while the outside was left in ruin. But for what? Harry didn't know, and didn't particularly care, as he didn't intend on letting Draco leave this place alive.

Ignoring the small voice in the back of his head that told him to turn around, get the damn Aurors, and bring them back already, you bloody idiot, Harry made his way to where he knew the dungeons would be, Draco having shown him that one time they were here together.  Only he got lost somehow, and wound up on the second floor. He remembered Draco saying, with some pride, that the Manor was quite tricky that way. Independent of spells and charms, the Manor could sense when some visitor bore an ill will towards any member of the family, and acted accordingly. Sometimes, Draco had recalled fondly, the Manor would confuse the ill wisher so badly that they would end up crying, and when found, run out the door screaming wildly. Even grown witches and wizards.

Likewise the Manor helped those who cared for the Malfoys. Draco had told Harry of the time when he himself had gotten lost in the Manor's many corridors and wound up crying helplessly and wailing for his mother. Suddenly, he had turned a corner and there she was, with his father talking to some of their friends. Draco had cried out in relief and ran to her, throwing himself upon her and hugging her tightly. His father had frowned, and later Draco had received his first beating from his father for not acting like a Malfoy should in front of guests. Later, when Lucius had been certain Draco had learned his lesson, he'd told his son about the staircase. Draco had been six.

When he had first heard the story, Harry had embraced Draco fiercely; furious at Lucius for hurting the man he so loved. Now, Harry was quite unsure how much of the story had been true, but he knew for certain that the part about the Manor was. With this in mind, Harry concentrated on his love for Draco—because a part of him still loved the blonde, despite what he'd done, which made Harry all the angrier—and started walking aimlessly through the corridors, thinking over and over I need Draco, love Draco, need Draco…and sure enough, Harry soon found himself at the entrance to the dungeons. Taking a deep breath and steeling himself for whatever he might see, Harry threw open the door and entered.

What he saw made what small hope he'd managed to hold on to crumble to dust around his feet. Draco, wand poised over Hermione, whose eyes were cold and dead.

Draco glanced up; without thinking Harry cried "Expelliarmus", and watched as his lover's wand soared through the air and hit the wall, well out of reach. Harry turned back to Draco and pointed his wand at the other man's face, but he knew it was a meaningless gesture. Something inside of Harry had broken when he'd seen what Draco had done, what he was planning on continuing, and hot tears poured down his face as he asked "Why?"

Draco had sneered, knowing that Harry was incapable of killing him, and started insulting the darker man, pouring out all the venom that Harry now knew had lain inside him since he'd pretended to care about him. Harry took the abuse, helpless to do anything else, and didn't even bother fighting until he felt Draco's hands wrap around his throat. Then Harry's eyes widened, and he tried to break the grasp that Draco had on his neck; but Draco was too strong, there was an insane light in his eyes and as Harry felt his life leaving him he saw Draco smiling, happy, and finally he was able to hate him.

Fat lot of good that did him though, Harry thought as darkness began to close over his head, and just as he was about to give in, he heard a voice hiss two words that would forever haunt his dreams. Draco whispered, "No, you can't", and then a green light engulfed him and the hands around his neck loosened and dropped as Draco fell to the floor, dead.

Harry stared at the man on the floor for a few moments before turning to look at his murderer. Hermione was also looking at the body, still clutching Draco's wand in her hand, but when she felt Harry's gaze on her she looked up at him; Harry was shocked to see how lifeless her eyes seemed. "Well", she said in a voice as dead as her eyes, "I guess that's that, then."

Harry took a step towards her, and she pointed the wand at him. "If you get any closer I'll fucking kill you", she hissed, and Harry stopped and stared at her, stunned. What he saw in her eyes scared the hell out of him: she was serious. The hand that was pointing the wand at his head did not shake, and neither had her voice when she'd threatened him. They stared at each other for what seemed like forever, before Hermione started to shake violently. Worried for his friend, Harry started toward her, but she raised her wand and hissed out, "Cruciatus", hitting Harry right in the chest and sending him to his knees as waves of pain shot through him.

Harry curled into a ball on the floor as pain wracked him, worse than even when Voldemort had used it on him…maybe because it was a friend that had used it this time, maybe because he'd grown soft after he defeated him. Whatever the reason, it was almost unbearable, and Harry opened his mouth to let out a scream of pure anguish when the pain suddenly stopped. Slowly, body still shaking with remembered pain, Harry turned to look at Hermione, and found the reason that the curse had lifted. The pain and shock had finally become too much for her, and she had passed out.

Relieved, Harry rested a few more moments to catch his breath, then stood. Going over to Hermione, he pried Draco's wand from her fingers and snapped it in half. A stream of bright white light shot out of the broken halves of the wand, and then it disintegrated to ash in Harry's hands. Giving a disgusted sneer, Harry dusted his hands off, then picked up his childhood friend. Holding her close, he left the Manor, which tried no tricks on him, perhaps sensing it's owner's death. Once outside the grounds, Harry brought out his wand and Apparated both himself and Hermione to St. Mungo's, hoping that he wouldn't splinch them in the process.

Thankfully he didn't, and as he handed Hermione off to one of the Healers and allowed another to lead him to a bed and pour a potion down his throat, Harry finally allowed himself the grief and cried as he fell asleep.

~****~

Hermione woke slowly, wondering idly what torture Malfoy had for her today. It was only when she felt the scratch of sheets against her body and saw the comforting, worried face of the Healer above her that he remembered the day before. Harry had come for her, and she had killed Malfoy…she would have killed Harry too, but she had fainted…Harry must have Apparated them here, somehow.

Lost in her thoughts, Hermione didn't hear the Healer speaking to her. She did notice it when he snapped his fingers in her face, though. Her eyes flashed dangerously, and if she had had a wand, she would have killed him. The Healer didn't notice this, though, and smiled at her. "And how are we feeling this morning?" he asked, and she hated him. Gritting her teeth, Hermione answered tightly, "Peachy." He laughed, then sobered up. "Well, you can leave today." Hermione didn't even reply, just stood up and started dressing herself. A hand on her arm stopped her. "I'm sorry", her Healer was saying, "I didn't mean for you to get going right now. There are a few Aurors here who want to ask you some questions first."

Hermione glared, but followed the Healer to a private room, where two Aurors and Harry Potter sat. When Hermione's eyes met Harry's, she stiffened, and wished for her wand. She hated him…hated him. Instead she put a smile on her face and sat down as far away from Harry as she could get. The Aurors began firing questions at her: what had Malfoy done to her, how he'd done it, that sort of thing. They were especially interested to learn that Malfoy had used Muggle forms of torture as well as magical. Then they turned to Harry and asked him a few questions. Hermione was quite amused when Harry told the Aurors that Malfoy had placed the Cruciatus curse on him. She would have laughed out loud at the man's attempt to protect her, but it really didn't seem prudent. Pretty soon it was over, except for one question. The female Auror, who turned out to be Nymphadora Tonks herself, asked Hermione gently, "Honey, I know this is a tough question to answer, but please tell me truthfully. Did he rape you?"

With no outward change in appearance, Hermione shook her head, and now her expression did change to fit the situation, turning to one of immense horrified relief. "Thank God", she added, and Tonks gave her a sympathetic smile before saying, "You can go now", and Hermione walked out of the room, head high, ignoring Harry's attempts to talk to her, and after receiving her wand, which Aurors had obtained from Malfoy Manor, Apparated home without a word to Harry.

~****~

He'd tried several times to contact her, but she ignored everything. His owls, his calls, his visits. The only person she let near her now was Tonks, who had told Harry sadly that Hermione really didn't want to see him. The months went by, and eventually, Hermione banished even Tonks from her flat. She was a recluse, and seemed to have no intentions of changing any time soon. Still, Harry wouldn't give up, and finally when it got to be too much, he decided that he was going to Apparate straight into her flat. Screw the niceties, he needed to see her. So, eight and a half months after he'd saved her from Malfoy, Harry Potter decided to break into Hermione's flat, and damn the consequences.

He really should have left well enough alone.

A/N: Ooooh, another cliffie. I like these, they keep you interested. * grin * so, anyway, you know the drill. Click that oh so cute review button and lemme know what you think! Thanks.