I FINISHED SWSNBS,A! YAY! i decided that before i even consider making that a trilogy i've got to finish this story, first. it's older than the ORIGINAL SWSNBS, and i already finished that and a sequel! i feel like i should finish this as well.

Hermione paced as though she had never paced before. Once Malfoy was out the door, barreling down the stone staircase she had staggered to her feet and changed her clothes, knowing that a lace nightie would be inappropriate attire.

"Bastard." It was not in Hermione's nature to curse often, though on occasion antagonism got the best of her. Her philosophy was that those who swore were uneducated and had nothing better to say. But in her own rage she simply forgot her own standards.

He assumed that he could control her, force her to do his bidding. Never before had he been more wrong. She was none to give up or give in, even when the circumstances seemed so bleak. When everything crashed around her, when all she held dear had slipped away she still had her own dignity, something that no one could force her to relinquish. Something that could not be broken by spells or torture.

Fool. She thought bitterly to herself, still pacing like a madwoman, visions of Harry rescuing her playing in her mind over and over again. Of Malfoy's defeat, of Harry's proclamation of love, for she loved Harry. She could never feel for him with the same intensity that she had for her first love, debatably the love of her life. But she could trust Harry to do what was right. He would always do what was right, no matter the consequences.

He took everything from me with his betrayal, but he doesn't see that when one has nothing left, they cling to the little that they have. He could have slowly broken her. Everyone has their breaking point, not even she could fight the sad truth in that. But first he destroyed her life, took away nearly everything, some of it inadvertently. He betrayed her trust and love and came near close to demolishing her hope. He tore her from her friends and yet still expected that she would be with him if he was all that was left. I thought he knew me better than that.

"Harry, Ron. Save me." She said aloud, almost pleadingly. She recalled a time when she would have resented rescue, preferred to figure it out on her own. That time of overdone pride had long since evaporated. If she was going to survive, coexist in this world, she would need all the help she could get.

He won't let me go. He'll just cling to me for all eternity until he drains the life from me. With that unpleasant thought she kicked the door, knowing that it would not budge but kicking it all the same.

"Damn him." She mumbled, daintily collapsing onto 'her' bed, kicking her legs outward and frowning deeply.

"They will save me. Harry's never let us down before." She lied blindly, not willing to acknowledge the fact that it was two, perhaps three, against the strongest wizard ever known, his powerful right hand man and two dozen Death Eaters.

"Oh, Merlin, we're doomed."

id b thinking the same thing, tho she still has hope. i kno it's short, but ive been busy with school, i kno, hackneyed excuse but and excuse all the same. hope this chappie's up to scratch.