Draco Malfoy looked at the woman in front of him curiously, saying slowly, "Caring... doesn't it hurt?"
Hermione Granger smiled sadly, and nodded, "When people you care about die, it always hurts." She remembered losing her pet goldfish, and though it hadn't been a good pet (you couldn't even pet it), it had been hers, and it had cared - at least enough to beg for food.
"Sounds dangerous, then." Draco said, with a cutting smile.
"More dangerous not to care. The man standing on the ledge thinks he cares about no one, and that no one cares about him. Caring keeps you grounded, ties you to people - especially when it hurts." Hermione nodded, as if agreeing with herself.
"That's no way to command, but it sounds like a decent path to fight." Draco said slowly, an admiring smile just tracing the edges of his lips.
Hermione Granger simply looked appraisingly at him, wondering what the sort of commanders he'd had were like. Did they send out suicide squads? Was it the best path to simply sacrifice your men, if with care?
"Let's play a game." Draco Malfoy smiled at the way the woman's hair fell around her face - loose, but elegant at the same time.
Hermione Granger gave a slow, challenging smile, as she leaned forward, "I like games."
[a/n: Write me a review. Snape's still sitting outside, trying (and failing) to be nondescript. Which brings to mind whether he's actually trying at all.]