Chapter 2

Unintended Meetings After Dark

Hermione Granger was settled into the little cover in her home, having just read the first chapter of the book, and had started crying hysterically half way through it because of the in depth divulging into her own life.

One girl lay still, the other refused to. One girl stopped breathing, the other didn't. One girl stopped talking, the other one talked wildly.

Hermione put the book down and got up. The 'divulging' was too much for her right now, and she'd take a nice jog to get rid of the stress.

The brunette slipped into her maroon jogging suit, pulling her caramel curls back into a messy bun, and jumping into her black jogging shoes. A relieved smile came to her face as she locked the door to her flat and set off into the park, a normal route for her.

A cold breeze settled in around her as the white-out effect started. Everything blended together, one tree blurred into another, nothing standing out distinctly.. just like her life now. After a few minutes, it would be completely black so that nothing stood-out, at all.

Hermione breathed in and out deeply, staring down at the pavement as one foot disappeared as they other came into view. It was almost like riding a bike, except without the contraption under you. A nice plus.. especially when you had no use for such a thing.

Hermione.. you can't live your life like this.

What do you know Ron? You go on acting like nothing happened at Hogwarts that day, like you didn't lose your sister, like I didn't lose my sister! How can you lie to yourself like this!

Just the same as you do! I don't think about it, I don't let reality set in for too long. I banish it just as you do Hermione.

I've never banished her from my thoughts. She's always present in my mind, as she is in yours. You're the one truly killing her! If she doesn't live physically, she lives in our memories, and by forgetting even those.. it's you who has truly banished her to the depths of Hell.

SHE'S MY BLOODY SISTER HERMIONE! DON'T YOU THINK I WOULD GIVE MY LIFE JUST SO SHE COULD HAVE ANOTHER DAY TO SAY GOODBYE TO US ALL? DON'T YOU THINK I WOULD GIVE MY LIFE JUST FOR ONE MORE CONVERSATION WITH HER? JUST TO SPEND ETERNITY IN HELL WITH HER!

I'm not sure anymore Ron.. I'm just not sure..

A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek as she stopped suddenly, lowering herself to the ground quickly. Hermione then pulled her knees up under her chin and closed her eyes tightly, banishing the argument with Ron. Banishing every thought of her once upon a time love. All thoughts of him, Harry.. and everyone from Hogwarts.

A strangled sob escaped through her lips as she stared out through clouded vision, out from under caramel bangs. 'Ginny..' Hermione thought weakly, burying her head into her knees as all the memories she had locked away came rushing back with such a force it made her start to sob like she never had before. It made every fiber of her being scream out in pain, in anguish.. and in loss.

"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.." the broken girl whispered over and over again, rocking gently back and forth, hoping the pain would finally give away to a simple misery; hoping it would leave her alone and go bother someone else..

Draco Malfoy let out a cold breath; the carbon dioxide forming a small cloud as it left his lips. A sigh escaped those very same lips as he ran his hand through his fair hair, letting an unbelieving chuckle out as well.

"Granger?" He called out as he saw the girl buckle to the ground. 'Well, I knew girls fell at my feet, but this is a little ridicu-' Draco formed the thought, but it died as he heard the beginnings of a sob in the girl's throat.

Then he went pale, slowly and surely a fearful pale color. 'What in the hell is she crying about?' Draco thought angrily, narrowing his eyes at the over-dramatic up-tight prude that had no reason at all to be crying, according to his standards.

"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.."

"Sorry for what Granger? Did you get lost in the big scary park?" Draco asked ridiculingly. As if this little mudblood was going to get his pity.. not in a million damn years.

'Honestly though.. why would Hermione fucking perfect Granger be crying? In the middle of a public muggle gathering place as well. It's just.. well, berating to the person who dare cry in such an open space.' Draco thought, sneering as he did so.. but a small corner of his mind was clouded with curiosity. 'Oh come on Draco! This is Granger.. ya know, the mudblood that made your life a living hell with her simple presence at Hogwarts! The same filthy mudblood that cause you to become infatuated with her because of that caramel hair.. those big brown eyes.. those curves that appear in all the right places.. those soft, pink li-' Draco stopped mid-thought as said mudblood looked up at him, eyes red and puffy, cheeks tear-stained.

Draco pictured Hermione running to him, throwing her arms around his chest, and crying into his (well toned) chest as he comforted her. He needed to give someone a good sympathy shag.. sympathy sex was always the best. But what he didn't expect was this:

"What in the fuck do you want Malfoy?"

"Excuse me?" Draco responded, almost stuttering in the first syllable. But Malfoys do not stutter. They simply.. struggle to find the right words to express. It is unheard of for Malfoys to stutter.. and quite a despicable low around a mudblood, at that.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Malfoy," Hermione hissed, eyes filled with malice as she sat there on the grass, fetal position implied, bawling her eyes out. Oh, and who's the only person that could and would make her life worse? Ding ding ding! Malfoy, that fucking ferret.. the asshole that made her life hell all during Hogwarts. The same ferret that.. that helped the Order when the war came. The same ferret who actually tried to save Ginny, but was one protection spell too late..

"Well, Granger, I didn't think we'd still be on a last name basis, seeing as I saved your sorry arse quite a few times in that battle t Hogwarts. If you can even call it that," Draco responded, turning his attention to his nails.

"Oh yes Malfoy, you managed to protect me even though I didn't need it, but the one you were assigned to protect died that day, do you not remember?" Hermione screamed back, all rationality lost, all reasoning gone as she stood from the ground and walked over to the said blonde whose fault it was.. it was his fault Ginny was dead.. his bloody fault!

"Please Granger, she said that I needed to protect you. Honestly, I think she would rather that you survived instead of her. Weaslette had some sense in her, even if it wasn't much," Draco responded in the same tone of malice he reserved for friends who had behaved badly behind his back.

"How dare you talk about her in such a manner!" Hermione shrieked, bringing her hand in contact with the pale cheek that stood out so fixedly against his black cloak. A small echo followed the contact, and Hermione was surprised with even herself at the actions.

"Granger," Draco hissed, grabbing Hermione's hand and backing her up against the tree that wasn't too far behind her, "Ginny said that her life didn't matter, and that if I didn't protect you, she would never forgive me and kill me herself. So you see, I had no choice but to protect you. For, as much as I hate to admit it, those Weasleys do have the will to carry out their revenge, and quite precisely as well. I don't think either of us would have wanted her wrath upon us, now do you?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, but downcast them at the same time, "Ron was my protector Draco," Hermione spat out, malice and regret haunting her usually calm and subtle tones.

"Ronald and I agreed to trade places. His 'big sibling instincts' finally set in, and he couldn't bear to be away from his darling little sister. Now, Granger, do you still hate me for something you should be blaming Ron for?"

"I ALREADY DO BLAME RON FOR IT!" Hermione screamed again, finally giving up and letting her knees buckle under her. More sobs racked her chest as she fell onto her supposed worst enemy, turned Order. "I blame everyone for it.. Harry, Ron, you.. but mostly myself. I promised.. I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to her. I promised I'd always be there if she needed me to help her. I-I promised that I'd die before her.." Hermione whispered weakly, tears streaming freely down her freckled cheeks again.

Draco did something totally out of character then. He wrapped his arms firmly around Hermione's waste and held her against him as she cried. "Granger, I promised the same things to my mother.. but we can't always protect the ones we love," Draco whispered softly into the girl's ear, wondering why he was doing this, and why he didn't just leave her there, alone and embarrassed.

Because you wouldn't want anyone else to do it to you..