Stuck in Love

Summary: The clock's ticking as a new player is introduced into the battle to save Hermione's life. -completed-

Disclaimer: These characters I do not own. These characters I do not own. These characters I do not own. These characters I do not own. These characters I do not own.

Chapter Twenty:Part Two

Lucius turned around and sighed, seeing Snape there. "How did you get here?"

"How do you think?" Snape snapped, glaring at Lucius. "Took me a while. Dumbledore cast the body lock spell on me after I attempted to kill Potter."

Hermione's eyes went wide slightly. "Harry? Is he okay?" She felt Narcissa's grip tighten and didn't move like she had planned. If Snape had killed Harry, she would personally take care of him herself.

"He's fine, calm down Granger."

"We need to get these two out of here. They know too much."

"They know too much because you've told them too much. I'll take care of them." Snape whipped out his wand and pointed it at the women.

"No. Voldemort said not to kill them."

"I don't care what he said, it needs to be done."

"He has plans for them!"

"His plans have always backfired!"

While the two men argued over what to do with Hermione and Narcissa, Hermione leaned Narcissa against a wall and walked over, snatching Snape's wand out of his hand.

The Potions professor glared over at her. "If you know what's good for you, you'll give that back."

By this time, the wand was pointed at both Snape and Lucius. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll let us go. I guess we're both clueless." She replied, holding the wand steady. "Two words, Snape, and that's all it will take to have you dead on the floor."

0000

When Lupin didn't return any time soon, Tonks decided to take the group of students and find him.

"What about Hermione?" Harry had asked.

She looked at him and smiled softly. She knew she was letting her heart get in the way of the rescue of Hermione, but there was already a group of people assigned to find her. "Don't worry," Tonks replied.

Ginny patted Harry's shoulder, as if to reinforce what Tonks said.

They found Lupin in a sitting room, the music still playing. It was obvious Lupin had gotten into a fight with someone. Who that someone was didn't matter now. Tonks and Ginny rushed toward Lupin's body to make sure he was okay. Thankfully, he was just unconscious.

And Harry took the opportunity to break off from the group and look for Hermione.

0000

Draco woke up slowly and blinked a few times. He sat up quickly, realizing that he was still on the ground and no where near Malfoy Manor. He felt better than he had before and he slowly stood up. Less dizzy.

He took a deep breath and disapparated quickly.

0000

Harry was sure that it was only a matter of time before Tonks and the others realized he was gone, so he kept his pace quick and his eyes peeled. He looked in every room possible, checked every wall and every corner. Nothing.

He sighed and stopped for a bit, leaning against what he thought was a wall.

"Watch it Potter." A voice snapped behind him.

Harry stood up straight and turned around. "You're awake!"

Draco nodded. "Is Hermione..."

"I don't know. I'm trying to find her but..."

Malfoy motioned for Harry to follow him. "I know where she is. It's a long story and I'll explain on the way." Although the way wasn't nearly as long as the story was.

0000

As soon as Lupin came too, Tonks heart stopped beating as fast as it had been. "Are you okay?" She asked as she helped him to his feet.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," He responded, sounding slightly annoyed. He brushed himself off and told Tonks what happened.

Tonks sighed and leaned against him some. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Lupin couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips as he sneaked an arm around her. "Where's Harry?" He asked, noticing that the seventh year was missing.

"I don't know..." Tonks trailed off and looking around. "He was here..."

Neville, Seamus and Ron looked at each other. They hadn't seen the Boy Who Lived leave. But they knew where he was going.

"That boy is going to kill himself," they heard Lupin mutter as they all piled out of the room and in search of Harry.

0000

They reached the door that led to the dungeons and Draco hurried to finish his story. Harry was listening intently but inside his head his thoughts were racing. Was that how the future was going to be? He couldn't stand it, if that was the case. Not because he was dead, but because other people would die and be injured.

"That's not going to happen," Harry said under his breath.

"What?" Draco asked, looking over at him.

Harry shook his head. "Nothing." He watched as Draco opened the door and they headed down, wands out.

They heard voices. One was Hermione's, and the other two were male. They looked at each other and then continued on, both worried about Hermione.

They saw the back of Lucius and Snape, and saw Hermione with a wand pointed at the both of them. That's my girl, Draco thought with a small smile on his face. The boys looked at each other and nodded, their wands pointed at each of the men.

Hermione saw the two of them and tried hard not to let the wand fall from her hand. She swallowed and looked back at Snape and Lucius, who had noticed the girl's change.

"Losing your gall, Granger?" Snape taunted, his lips twisting into a smirk.

Hermione forgot about the boys and narrowed her eyes. "You wish." She quickly glanced back at Narcissa, who was still conscious. "Let us go, and I won't hurt you both."

"Oh this is ridiculous..." Snape muttered, taking a step forward toward Hermione.

"I'd listen to her." Draco said, stepping down from the stairs and walking toward Snape.

Harry kept his wand pointed at Lucius. "You better not even think about moving."

Snape looked at Lucius, who nodded softly. In a flash, Lucius had his wand at Harry's throat and Harry's wand on the ground. "How about you let us go and I won't hurt Harry."

Hermione hesitated and glanced at Draco. "Draco, I..."

Draco nodded at her and watched as she let her hand fall to her sides. But Draco wasn't about to let Snape get away so quickly.

"That potion you gave me was to distract me. To let my father kidnap Hermione and kill her."

"Draco, you have such potential for the Dark Lord." Lucius practically praised. "Why do you insist on letting that go for this girl?"

"Because I love her, father. Didn't you ever love mother?"

Lucius looked over at Narcissa, who was being tended to by Hermione. "Yes. I still do." He whispered, making eye contact with his wife.

"Let them live, Lucius." Narcissa pleaded softly. "Let them be allowed to love who they want to."

"I can't, Narcissa. I'm trying to let you live."

"You were going to kill us both!" Hermione cried out.

"No, I wasn't. I was going to just kill you."

"That's enough." Snape snapped, glaring at everyone in the room. He walked toward the stairs.

"Locomotor Mortis!" Draco yelled, causing Snape to stop and fall where he was. "Father, let Harry and the rest of us go. And I'll you both go."

"Draco!" Hermione exclaimed.

"No, Hermione, I want us all out of here alive. What happens once we leave this room is up to someone else."

"You know what to do, Draco."

"Finite." He said, pointing his wand at Snape's legs. Snape stood up and fought back the urge to kill Draco.

"Give back his wand, Hermione."

"No."

Draco looked at his girlfriend. "Give. Back. His. Wand. Now."

Hermione tossed Snape's wand at his feet. "Just for the record, I don't agree with this."

"Snape, start walking." Lucius didn't let Harry go until Snape was out of the dungeon area. "I'll see you soon, Draco. Goodbye Narcissa." Lucius ran up the stairs and disappeared.

They stood there for a while, just staring at the dungeon door. Hermione half expected them to come back and kill them all. But after a few minutes, it seemed as if they had gotten away.

Harry walked over and helped Narcissa leave the dungeon, looking at Hermione then at Draco. Silently he hoped that Lupin, Tonks and the rest of them had run into Lucius and Snape. He hoped they caught them and took them to Azkaban.

Draco and Hermione just stood there in silence. They didn't know what to do, or what to say.

Draco held out his hand and Hermione stared at it for a while before slipping her hand into his. They walked out of the dungeon hand-in-hand.

0000

They were finished with school.

Faces were bright with smiles and laughter could be heard almost everywhere. The seventh years were mingling with each other and their families. They were finished with school.

Some were going to go on and make a big difference in the wizarding world. Others were off to help with the fight against Voldemort. And the rest...well their future was as blank as an unwritten page in a journal.

Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Dean and Seamus were sitting together in a group, laughing and talking about what they were going to do that summer. Hermione watched from afar, smiling. Those were her friends, her companions. She knew the upcoming summer was going to be fun and they were going to make many memories.

Snape and Lucius were still missing in action. The Order was working hard to find them.

She knew she'd have to be careful this summer. But as long as she was with Draco, she would be okay.

"Hermione?"

The young woman turned around and looked at her boyfriend, smiling. "Hi there." She kissed Draco softly. "What's wrong?"

"We have to talk." Draco took her hand and walked toward a quiet spot away from everyone. He sat her down on a bench and took the spot next to her. "You know I love you, right?"

"Of course, Draco. And I love you too. What's going on?"

Draco took a deep breath and grabbed her hand gently, kissing the palm of it. "I think it's best for the both of us if we stop seeing each other for a while."

Hermione's heart fell into her stomach and she fought hard not to cry. "Why?" She whispered softly.

"As long as we're together, you're going to be in danger. And I'm not gonna rest until I find my father and Snape and kill them both."

"Draco..."

"No, Hermione. Listen. This isn't easy for me. At all. But you'll be safer with Potter and Weasley than with me. Stick with them, and you'll be fine."

"What about you? Will we ever see each other again?"

Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione and held her close. "Eventually, love. Eventually."

-Fin-

Thanks to everyone who continued to read and review. But, alas, the time has come to say goodbye. But good news! I won't be gone for long. I've got a new fiction cooking with another author, and hopefully we'll be making magic happen soon. Which reminds me, I must send her a message and ask her what's going on.

To explain the end a bit, I figured since the rescue of Hermione was a bit anti-climactic, I needed a decent ending. I figured this way, the end leaves a potential for a sequel, or at least a series of one-shots.