A/N: Once again, I apologize for the slow update. I've just been…eh, not been in a writing mood. Haven't exactly had the best week, but hey, here's the newest chapter anyway!

Disclaimer: You'd think I'd own it by now, wouldn't you? Nope.

Chapter 14: Abort

There was no denying the look of panic in Harry's face.

"We have to get out of here," Draco said.

"I just killed your dad," Harry said in a daze.

"He wasn't my dad. Harry, we have to get out of here."

"Why?"

"I'll explain later," Draco said. Warning bells throughout the house began sounding.

"NOW!" Draco yelled. He ran out of the room, tearing down the stairs. He looked behind him to make sure Harry was with him. He wasn't. Cursing, he ran up the stairs. Harry was still staring in disbelief at the once-alive Lucius Malfoy.

"Harry!" Draco yelled. He grabbed Harry's hand, and tugged. As if in a trance, Harry seemed to realize there were alarms sounding. Both students tore out of the room this time, and pounded down the stairs.

"Where's Hermione?" Draco yelled.

"She's safe," Harry yelled back.

"That doesn't answer my question!"

"She's back at the school!" Draco decided not to ask anymore questions until they were in safe territory. Draco flung the door open, and Harry and Draco ran into the woods.

After several minutes of running, Draco stopped. Harry slowed down too.

"How'd-How'd you get in here?" Draco asked. He leaned against a tree to calm his breath.

"We heard screams from Zonko's…Ron and I ran to see what was going on, but it was dark. When the lights came back on, someone had said they saw you and Hermione get taken away." Harry replied.

"How could they have--" Harry snorted.

"They saw a glow-in-the-dark Every Flavored Bean on the floor. It was light enough to see both of you get taken away."

"How'd you know we were here?" Draco asked.

"My scar was hurting still. I knew this was all of Voldemort's doing. But my scar wasn't hurting as much. Your father was pretty much second-in-command after…Pettigrew's death. Your home is supposed to be the safest place, but that hasn't been the case. So to your house I went. I was scared that I was too late. When I got there, Hermione had already freed herself. I don't know how. I didn't ask. I told her to run as fast as she could. She said she'd go back to Hogwarts by Apparating to Hogsmeade and then running back. I didn't have much time to argue with her. I heard the beating that was going on upstairs." He finished. Draco was silent. Harry Potter had saved his life. He mentally shook his head. This was so backwards.

"Why did we have to leave so quickly?" Harry asked.

"As you said, Lucius was second-in-command to Voldemort. When a Death Eater is dead, all the other Death Eaters are alerted. A ray of light beams over the location of where the death took place. But because my dad's role was so…'vital', an alarm of some kind is let out too. Only the Death Eaters know the spell to turn everything off. We had to go before--"

"—We got caught." Harry finished. Malfoy nodded.

It was silent for the rest of the walk. When they got into Hogwarts, it was pretty late. The pair didn't make it very far when they heard a voice.

"Night owls, are we?" Filch asked with a smirk.

"I'm Head Boy, sir." Draco said, thinking quickly. He showed him the badge.

"I know that," sneered Filch. "What is Potter doing with you?"

Fast on his thinking, Draco replied,

"I was patrolling sir, and saw movement from the Forbidden Forest. I…went out there to see who it was, and saw Potter. I'm turning him in right now." The lie smoothly flew out of his mouth with such ease, that Filch believed him. He sneered at Harry. Harry tried to look apologetic.

"Come on, Potter." Draco sneered, getting into the act. Harry sullenly began to go up the stairs. Draco followed him. Once they rounded the corner, they ran to the common room. Draco hurriedly said the password and the two rushed in.

Hermione was in there pacing back and forth. When she saw Draco, she ran towards him in a big hug. Draco hugged her tightly as she cried while hugging him.

"Oh, Draco, I'm s-so glad you're okay. I got so scared th-that--"

"Shh," Draco stroked her hair. "I'm okay."

Harry watched the two embrace, a bit uncomfortably. His best friend was hugging Draco Malfoy. Harry admitted to himself that he was starting to trust him, but this was going to take a lot of getting used to.

Suddenly, two arms were holding him tight as well. It was Hermione.

"You saved my life, Harry." Hermione sobbed.

"You had already saved yourself," Harry said, awkwardly patting her on the back.

"But I didn't know what to do afterward," Hermione responded. "And then you showed up." Harry didn't know what to say. Hermione finally calmed down.

"OI! Let me in!" Ron shouted on the outside. He made the three jump. Hermione walked over to the portrait and let Ron in. Once he was inside, she hugged him as well. She was crying again. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Girls," He muttered. Draco smirked in reply.

"Okay, now that we've got this reunion thing going on, we have to talk." Draco said. He took a seat on the couch. Hermione sat next to him. Harry and Ron sat on the armchairs.

"We've got a lot to talk about," Draco said. He pointed his wand at the fireplace and murmured 'Incendio'. The fireplace lit. He was now facing Hermione, who hadn't seen his face up close. When she did, she gasped. His cheeks were filled with cuts and bruises. His right eye was purple, and his bottom lip looked cut.

"Draco…what happened to you?" She asked.

"Just got a little beat up." Draco tried to joke. Hermione looked like she was about to cry. His hand covered hers and he squeezed it.

"I'm fine." He reassured her. He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. Their hands remained together.

Harry looked at Ron. He looked a little uncomfortable watching them. And maybe a little sad. Harry remembered the talk they had the night they went to Dumbledore's office.

Flashback

"How do you feel about this whole Hermione and Draco thing?" Ron asked. Harry hesitated. He didn't know how to answer.

"Well…" He said carefully. "I don't know. It's weird to see Hermione – one of my best friends – and Draco – an enemy – together. Draco's changed a lot. I want Hermione to be happy, but it's just…ironic it's with Draco and not you. No offense, mate."

"I had her," Ron said sadly. "She was the best thing to have ever happened to me. I want her to be happy too, but…I ruined it." Harry put a hand on Ron's shoulder.

"It could've been worse, mate," Harry said. "She didn't have to forgive you, but she did." Ron nodded his head in silence. Harry closed his eyes, and silently hoped that Ron too would find happiness.

Flashback Ends

"Harry?" Hermione prodded.

"Right. Sorry." Harry said, shaking his head.

"Draco's about to tell us what's happened." Hermione informed him. Harry's jaw clenched. This was not going to be easy.

"The person that beat me was my dad." Draco said, getting to the point. Hermione's grip on his hand tightened. Ron made a noise in his throat.

"It's okay," Draco told them. "I've been beaten worse." Hermione just looked at him with wide, scared eyes.

"You can't go home now," Hermione insisted. "He'll beat you more."

"No he won't." Harry told her grimly.

"How can you say he won't? Yes, he will! It's unsafe for Draco! How can you be so--"

"Because I killed him, Hermione! I stood behind him and yelled the curse that killed my parents!" Harry boomed. There was absolute silence in the Heads' Common Room. A mouse wouldn't have been able to skitter across the room unnoticed.

"You…killed…" Hermione couldn't swallow and breathing seemed like a foreign concept to her. Harry looked down at his lap.

"Potter. You did a good thing. I know it's hard for you to deal with. However, this wasn't what I wanted to talk about." Draco said calmly.

"Things are extremely different now. With my father gone, Voldemort's going to find out who did this, and he will seek revenge." The Golden Trio didn't want to believe it, but the looks their faces gave off showed that they did. There'd be a solid chance that at least one of the four would cease to exist.

"We've got to stick together. I know that that sounds weird coming from me, but we have to. Just because my father was a Death Eater didn't mean I wanted to be one. HE'S the one that wanted this." Everyone nodded. Harry had been waiting almost seven long years for this moment. The war would be approaching soon.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Hermione asked them, once Ron and Harry left.

"I'm fine." Harry assured her.

"I was so scared of…" She couldn't finish her sentence. She couldn't say she was scared of dying. But Draco knew. He went through it too. He didn't need an explanation. She nuzzled her face into his chest. He inhaled sharply. The pain still stung and there'd probably be marks. Hermione's head quickly drew away when she heard his gasp.

"Draco…what exactly happened?" Hermione asked.

"I just got beaten up, that's all."

"No," Hermione corrected. "Your father attacked you." Draco didn't say anything. His jaw clenched. He could feel the tears coming to his eyes. He looked away.

Hermione watched him carefully. He was upset. She had so much anger directed at Lucius. She was so glad he was dead now. Her hands moved to the buttons on his shirt. She slowly began to unbutton them. Her eyes traveled up to meet Draco's. The look in his eyes showed nothing but affection. As Hermione's hands moved down, her lips met his. They kissed passionately, but nothing sexual was behind it. As they kissed, her hands continued unbuttoning his shirt until his shirt was open. She broke away from the kiss and pushed his shirt off.

There was a gash where her face was once nuzzling a moment before. Her breath caught in her throat. On his sides, there were some bruises, but nothing compared to the bruise on his stomach. It was blue and purple and the size of a golf ball.

"Draco…" Hermione whispered.

"I'm alive." Draco told her.

"I hate him,"

"You won't have to worry about him anymore."

Hermione tried to look away, but Draco wouldn't let her. He grabbed both sides of her face, and wiped her tears with his thumbs.

"I'm okay." He whispered. He leaned in and kissed her again. As they kissed, Draco realized: He loved her. And he was going to do everything within his power to save her.