AN: Thank you so much for reading this, it means a lot to me to think people actually think this is good.

Read and review!

Song suggestion: Take me to Church, Hozier.

Chapter Two: Solution.

Draco was awoken by Pansy's screams. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and held her as she surfaced from the nightmare and began to cry. He stroked her hair and glanced at Blaise. He appeared trapped in his own nightmare but locked in the state of sleep rather than screaming and fitting like Pansy had.

"Tracey…Salazar, I'm so…sorry…please…please forgive me…I'm so sorry…" She panted into his chest. Draco hushed her and held her closer. She quieted and looked up at him, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise Pansy." He murmured, "It can't be helped." She sniffled and wrapped her arms around his middle. They sat for a few minutes as she calmed herself again and he comforted her while keeping an eye on Blaise. His tense face and rigid body was the only evidence of his nightmare state. Eventually she drew away and brushed her face dry.

"Why don't you get nightmares?"

"I do." Draco swallowed, "I just react differently."

"Like Blaise?" She glanced at her other brother.

"Yes." They watched as he twitched and suddenly opened his eyes, panting panicked, "Alright Blaise?"

"Yeah." He gulped, "How you doing Pans?" He kissed her hair and she tried to smile at him.

"Fine." She lied and Blaise and Draco shared a disbelieving look. Suddenly the crack of apparation echoed around them and a House Elf appeared at the side of his bed.

"Master Malfoy." He bowed, "Mistress Lestrange requests your presence in the drawing room."

"I shall be there shortly." He replied and the House Elf bowed again before apparating away, "Salazar, what now?"

"What could she want Draco?" Pansy asked as he went to grab some clothes.

"Who knows, but get dressed in case." Draco nodded as he buckled his belt and grabbed a shirt.

"Will it be prisoners?" Pansy's lip quivered and Blaise wrapped his arm around her.

"Probably." He answered honestly, "I'll be back soon." He kissed her cheek, grabbed his jacket, nodded to Blaise as a 'take care of her' motion, and left.

Draco expertly walked through his childhood house, remembering better times, when he could run down here with his new Quidditch gear and not have Death Eaters watching him disdainfully as they wandered around. Since the Dark Lord had made their house headquarters, Death Eaters saw fit to inhabit their house uninvited and they were powerless to refuse them. The feeling of helplessness in their house was unthinkable and unendurable. Draco often longed to leave in the holidays, even to go to the nightmare Hogwarts had become.

Pushing into the drawing room, he quickly assessed the situation. Narcissa and Lucius stood by the large fireplace, Snatchers were in a cluster holding two prisoners, and Bellatrix was examining another. There was something familiar about them all and it wasn't until Draco reached the centre of the room that he realised why.

It was the Golden Trio themselves. The dunderheads had been captured, now there was no bloody hope. He forced himself not to yell at their idiocy. How could they be so stupid? He thought. Ron appeared beaten and struggled against his captives while Hermione looked at Draco beseechingly, begging with her brown honey eyes for him not to give them away. He turned away and looked at Bellatrix and Harry.

"Well Draco?" Said Lucius, "Is it? Is it Harry Potter?"

"I can't be sure." He replied forcing his face to clear of any emotion.

"Look carefully Draco." Lucius demanded, "Rem…" Draco zoned out his voice and instead focused on the possibilities, if he could only help them escape, they could go with them. He could take Pansy away and Blaise, she'd never have to suffer again.

"I don't know." He mumbled as his head ached with plans of escape and freedom. There was a lot of drama and shrieking trying to invade in his thoughts but he ignored Bellatrix. His mind raced with every possible outcome, every possible consequence, and every possible solution. Mindless of the situation developing around him.

Suddenly a loud, high pitched scream broke his concentration and he turned to see the source. Potter and Weasley were gone but Hermione lay on the floor, thrashing and crying. She looked at him, determination still in her gaze, her golden eyes fierce. Then she was screaming and twisting and wailing. Draco would forever be haunted by her eyes, in pain but still Granger.

Her eyes reminded him of Pansy's. The pure anguish that clouded them like Pansy's had been. They burned into his conscience and made him question everything. Maybe blood did not matter, magic was magic after all. Granger was one of the smartest witches he knew, why should her upbringing matter? If it was Pansy lay there, he would not hesitate, why did he now? It disgusted him that he was so indecisive.

Her wails quieted and Bellatrix was talking again. Granger argued back, claiming it was a fake. He knew it was real; there was no way the Golden Trio were carrying the fake around. It was ridiculous to even consider that true. Granger was strong, resisting torture, protecting her own. The longer she occupied Bellatrix the more time Harry and Ron had to escape. Her loyalty was undoubtedly for their lives and nothing less.

Again his mind cast to his friends. His best friends. His brother and sister. He would protect them, no matter what. Just like Granger. His respect for her was tenfold. He realised he would have to watch her death then, she was going to die for them. Just like he would. He would die over and over and over again for both Blaise and Pansy.

Hermione's cries began again and he glanced her way. Her eyes rolled to him in her pain and connected. He watched as she begged him with her eyes through her torture to help. But not her. She wanted him to help Potter and Weasley. She knew she was dead, but she still wanted to save them first. A selfless act complimenting her martyr image absolutely. And he understood her every plea.

And in that moment he made the most important decision of his life.