Hehee, i love my reviewers. u guys rock my sox! hehee, i get so giddy whenever i get reviews (ya, im a weirdo) so, i hope you like this new chappie! i wanna thank all of you, so, here I go...(you all deserve a TON of credit) avchocoholic, Taintless, DevilAngel05, Dusty Brown, Kristen, Hanna, godsangel715, Amalia Bradley, CatJetRat and Tori. Keep up the reviews:)
Hermione involuntarily gulped as she faced Malfoy. Even his posture was annoying her, the way that he held himself, as though bragging that he was truly superior. Just by the stupid smirk on his face she could see that he thought that he would win this. For someone who knows me so well, he doesn't know me at all.

"Hello, Malfoy." She attempted to keep her voice calm, though the bubbling anger boiling inside the very pits of her were very distracting. She did not let her fear get the best of her, people like her ex-lover bathed in such feelings.

He walked toward her intimidatingly, his gray eyes looking very menacing in the pale moonlight. "I would just like to leave now if it's no bother to you." She said sarcastically, hoping that this pathetic attempt would be convincing enough. She was stupid to assume such a thing.

"Oh, it's quite a bother Granger." He adopted her use of surnames quite coolly, though she could see through his icy facade.

"Just let me go." She asked simply, not an edge of worry in her voice. Such vexations were simply intolerable.

"I could never do such a thing, I've looked for you for over a year, and within one day you escape my grasps twice. Don't make me use the imperious curse." It was a lame excuse for a threat but an effective one at that.

"They will find me." She felt no reason to elaborate on the they, for he was well aware of who she spoke of. Malfoy was shocked to see how calmly she was reacting to him, but he sensed that it was just a defense mechanism.

"They will not." He replied, an edge of anger appearing in his usual icy cool demeanor. She grinned sheepishly, knowing that she had won this battle. He was the first to drop their informal act. Now that he had done so she felt no dire need to continue the useless charade.

"You killed Ginny." She exclaimed with a forthright and commandeering tone. The bastard just smirked in reply, not bothering to defend himself.

"There are casualties in war. I did my best not to kill you, but I could hardly promise the same for your hex-happy comrades. She would have cursed me into oblivion if I did not kill her." The corners of Hermione's mouth twitched as though she ached to say something in reply, or even cry. But she was all cried out and had no plans to bear her soul for anyone, especially him.

"How did you get here so quickly?" She asked, trying to move the overly-civil subject away from her friends. She really did not want to know who else had died in the Final Battle, though it was not as final as many thought.

"I have my ways." He replied mysteriously. Hermione cringed with annoyance at his seductive tone, though she knew that he could never seduce her...well, not again.

"How is the Muggle world, has Voldemort taken it over yet?" Malfoy flinched at the name, meriting a smile that did not quite move to her eyes from Hermione.

"Afraid to hear your master's name?" Again she had made it sound like she was in charge, despite the circumstances. Another thing that he ardently admired and loved about her.

"You're lucky that you are at a safe distance, Granger or I would be forced to strike you." He did not seem so distraught over the thought. He had always liked to have power and although he had never hurt her while they were dating, he had come close.

"I'd like to see you try." She replied confidently, wielding Percy's wand out in front of her. Malfoy faked a frown before speaking as well.

"And we were just catching up. Tired of talking already?" He teased, watching as Hermione's eyes caught on fire with a mixture of rage and amusement. He never ceased to surprise her.

"Yes, though I would prefer if you would just get out of my way so I could leave this infernal place." She snapped complacently, though she was perfectly well-aware that he would do no such thing.

"It's been a long time and we don't even get to reminisce?" The cocky sound of his voice aggravated her more than ever. She recalled laughing at this nonsense, batting her eyes at him, wondering what their children would look like...but that was all in the past. Time to look at the now.

"You look well." She replied stiffly, barely moving her lips at all when she spoke. He smirked in return, no show of actual emotion penetrating through those cool, hypnotic eyes...

"As do you. I am glad to see that you have regained your strength quite well, but I was wondering how you were so easily able to kill four Death Eaters, wandless, no less." He attempted to retain a calm and collective demeanor but she just sniggered in return.

"Why, does your Dark Lord wonder how a little Mudblood wench is capable of that kind of power?" She interoggated, surprised and amused at the look of disappointment that grew on Malfoy's face.

"Clever girl." He responded, brushing a tendril of blond hair off of his face before continuing.

"I did not think such a feat was possible but you have yet to disappoint me, Herm...Granger." He finished defiantly, though Hermione seemed to not care in the least what he called her.

"When we administer the Veritaserum we will find out soon enough." He responded, his drawling voice as cheerful as ever...at least in this past year and a half. He had not been truly happy since he was with Hermione.

"Why don't you be a good little witch and come back with me, no dueling needed." Malfoy was perfectly aware that this was a stupid suggestion. The only thing that Hermione prided above her intellect and friends was her pride, and she would not allow him to wound it so.

"Death first, Malfoy." He winced at the use of his surname but ignored it righteously. I'll have a word with her once she's under my control. But he knew that she never would be. She was a free spirit and refused to be under anyone's control, especially his.

"It's your choice." His confidence unnerved her, had he changed so significantly over the past year? She dismissed such thoughts and prepared to engage in a duel, knowing that she could never kill him, only incapacitate him.

Hermione's rage and death-longing for Malfoy was a brief stage that she went through after his betrayal, but now she tried to will herself into indifference for him, though she never could. If he knew her inward struggle he would just jeer.

"Shall we engage in this properly?" She questioned, all of her instincts telling her to hit him with a stunning spell and run, but she refused to be a coward, another one of her admirable qualities.

"We shall." The beam that took over his face was so strange and unknown, Malfoy's were infamous for their sneers and smirks, but he actually looked jolly, happy. Finally, a decent match for his keen intellect.

The shook hands briefly though he longed to touch her just a bit longer, that animal craving tugging on his insides, though she does not look so afflicted by her feelings. Oh how she could conceal them.

They locked eyes though she wanted to turn away, to run from those cold yet soulful gray eyes. Malfoy just wanted to stare into hers for all eternity, bathing in the emotion and humanity that basked in her dark brown eyes.

"Accio, wand!" She called out first, though he was quick to deflect.

"Wingardium Leviosa," He snapped in reply, lifting the entire bed of leaves up around Hermione, confusing and annoying her.

As she muttered a countercurse he changed position, shooting a stunning spell in her direction, though she avoided it quite nicely, retaliating with a disarming incantation.

She inched towards the line that separated Hogwarts from the world, hoping that if she could just get the far...but it was a distant hope. He would never let go.

Neither of the two dared to use any of the Unforgivable Curses on one another, though Hermione would not admit to herself why, though Malfoy does not bother to deceive himself with ridiculous lies.

Despite her one year incarceration she was still one of the best duelers he had ever come across. Even if he did attempt the pain or killing curse he realized that it was more than likely that she would just deflect it. She was powerful beyond measure...something else that Malfoy loved her for.

He noted the beads of perspiration growing on her brow as she hexed him wildly, her concentration waning. Just one slip up...but she would not allow him to finish that delicious thought she stunned him, though he recovered quickly.

"Good girl," He sneered, licking his lips. She scowled at this action, her anger and desperation fueling her. She attempted to apparate but it was still a no-go. Noticing the look on her face he spoke once more, continuing to aggravate her beyond measure.

"Oh? You can't apparate, well...that is just too bad Granger." The impediment curse skimmed her left shoulder, though she recovered nicely, shaking her head quickly before continuing to curse him.

She refused to fall into his mind trap and would just duel him until his downfall. No need to play any games whatsoever.

"Such a strong little witch, I can't wait to break you, like a horse." By no means did he mean this, he wanted her intact, but he needed to rattle her. She was too talented to just go down willingly.

She resisted the urge to rebut, however her next stunning hex was much more powerful and almost penetrated his shield, and this shocked and angered him. How did she retain all of this strength after her endless mental and physical torment? He would have to ask later.

"Did you ever think about me as you were chastised, the whips licking your milky white skin?" The sensual allure in his voice was sickening, but Hermione attempted to drone it out, her ears abuzz.

"I thought about you plenty. Every time some trollop came my way, I saw your face. You were everywhere." Hermione longed to lunge at the bastard and rip his throat out the Muggle way, but she pride and common sense knew better than to do anything of the sort.

She directed a curse at him over her shoulder, at last hitting him square in the chest. The mockery died from his eyes as he became as stiff as a board before dropping to the forest floor. She wanted to taunt him, to hurt him for hurting her, but she knew better. He was a powerful wizard and would be able to take control of his motor skills at any time.

Hermione fled, running deeper into the forest, sensing that it was time to apparate. "Stop there, Mudblood." A formidable voice proclaimed, though she ignored it. The wizard was shocked that so easily she dismissed his command, but she did not care.

"Crucio," He hissed, his red eyes alight furiously under his dark cloak. Hermione was used to this and she let out a strangled cry, but otherwise showed no sign of pain. Still, she could not concentrate on apparating.

With the swish of her wand she whirled around, looking face-to-face at The Dark Lord, Voldemort, his wand drawn as well.

This one was long(ish) for me, anyway! Sorry it took more than a day but i had a memorial day party (it was funn) cuz im so popular...heehee, sure. well, reviews are LOVED and i love all of you! (he, now i sound like a fink but big deal) ill update soon but the more reviews, the hastier the updating! And thank you to Taintless for pointing out the spacing thing, that does get annoying. I was using a school computer so, heh, unreliable!