Silhouettes

A/N: This was based on Smile Empty Soul's song, 'Silhouettes'. It is not a songfic but just where the inspiration for it came from. It's a four-parter which I have written so the updates will come quickly. This chapter is set shortly after the 7th book.

Also, thanks to Yemi-Hikari for the constructive critiscism on the last chapter in her review.

Disclaimer: I do not own the song Silhouettes or the associated lyrics. I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters within the franchise. If I did, Tom Felton would be all mine and in the movies far more!

Hermione sat down by the Great Lake. The final battle was over, Harry and the order had won, but at a heavy price; so many good people has fallen in the fight: Sirius, Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and Fred, to name but a few. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of each of them and the countless more who would continue to suffer, the lives that would have to be rebuilt.

A commotion from just behind her, distracted Hermione from her sombre thoughts and she turned her head to see what was going on.

'Let go of me,' a familiar voice sounded.

Hermione stood, her wand at the ready, and walked toward the small group of people. Her eyes widened when she saw two aurors trying to take Draco Malfoy away.

'Draco? Where are they taking you?'

'Stay away Miss. He's a death eater and probably still dangerous,' the slightly larger and more senior auror warned Hermione.

Draco didn't look too happy, 'What do you mean dangerous? How can I be dangerous? I don't even have a wand and I'm not a death eater. Hermione, tell them, tell them I mean no harm. Please?'

'Don't talk to her, you piece of filth,' the second auror barked at Draco, drawing back his fist and punching him. Draco fell to the ground, too fatigued to defend himself. From his position he looked up at Hermione, his eyes pleading with her to have some pity.

Hermione glanced down, still shocked by the auror's actions, and looked into his eyes as she had done nearly a year before; he looked frightened. He had made his choice then and was having to face the consequences now. She gave him a disappointed look as Draco was dragged to his feet and hauled away, no longer resisting having seen Hermione Granger's disappointment in him.

Without a second glance back, Hermione walked away from the three men and made her way back to the castle, the tears once more cascading down as she attempted to come to terms with what she had done. It wasn't in her nature to be so cruel, but what else could she have done? A year ago, she had offered him a safe house, a chance for redemption but he had turned it all down saying that he had no choice. He was wrong; he had made his choice to go back to Voldermort. He had picked a side and had to deal with what life would be like for him as a former death eater. She could do nothing, if he was not willing to help himself. It wasn't like she owed him anything. He had made her life difficult for her first six years at Hogwarts, calling her names and laughing at her, even though it was not her fault that she was muggle born.

As she neared the castle, Hermione could not shake the image of Draco looking so alone and abandoned on the cliff edge one year ago. Maybe she had been too harsh on him; he had been just a boy, forced into the life his parent led. He had been telling the truth when he had apologised for bullying her and said he didn't want to be a death eater like his parents. For once in his life Draco Malfoy had been honest with someone. Hermione couldn't ignore the scared look in his eyes as the aurors had taken him away. Her mind flashed back to what she had told him that evening on the cliff: 'It's alright to be scared sometimes. We're living in a scary time, the futures uncertain for all of us.'

On entering the castle, Hermione found herself with two pairs of strong arms around her.

'We were worrying about you Hermione,' said Harry.

'Yeah, we thought maybe a stray death eater had caught up with you,' exclaimed Ron.

At the words, 'death eater' Hermione begun to think of what had just happened with Draco, at how his life would be forever tainted by the fact that people believed him to be a death eater.

'Hermione? You didn't get in a fight with a stray death eater, did you?' questioned Ron.

'What? Oh not really.' Hermione was removed from her thoughts.

'Did you know Hermione, they've taken Malfoy away? He put up a bit of a struggle though, claiming he isn't a death eater and such,' Harry commented.

Ron scoffed, 'Once a death eater, always a death eater. According to Percy, that slimy ferret will be going to Azkaban for a very long time. He'll be nice company for he dementors. After what happened to you Hermione at his manor, he deserves whatever is coming to him.'

'Why Azkaban?'

'Where else is there for scum like him to go?'

'He's not scum, Ron. He's just a boy.'

'Why are you defending him, Hermione? Don't you remember Malfoy Manor?' Harry questioned.

'He had nothing to do with that, Harry. Draco can't be held responsible for what happened at his home. He had no say in what went on. Don't either of you remember? It wasn't Draco who told Voldermort who we were, was it?'

'He still bullied you for being a muggle born. He was still present when his aunt tortured you. He can't just get away with it all.'

'Draco was right. Hope has died for him, all the while bigoted people like you are still here then for innocent people like Draco, he has no hope of putting things right.' Hermione countered.

'How would you know if he's right?' Ron replied, disgusted that she might have spoken to the ferret.

'I know a lot more than you think Ronald. I know he's not a death eater at heart, I know he doesn't believe in pureblood ideology. I know he had no choice but to be branded. I know he's just a scared boy uncertain of what the future holds for him, and he's right to be so with people like you two who are practically baying for his blood.' Hermione turned to leave. She hadn't meant to get into an argument with her two best friends but she had never expected them to be so close-minded; it made them as bad as what they claimed Draco to be.

'Hermione, wait.' Harry place his hand on her arm to stop her leaving. Hermione spun around and brandished her wand at both Harry and Ron.

'Don't touch me!'

'Hermione just calm down,' Harry tried again having hastily removed his hand.

'Has Malfoy put you under some disillusionment charm or something?'

'Ron, that's not helping,' Harry argued.

'I've made a terrible mistake. Unlike you two, I can see when I am wrong. I'm going to go and set things right. I can't let an innocent boy be sent down because other are prejudiced against him. Otherwise, what was the point in the war, the lives that have been lost or destroyed, if we turn out just like those we fought against? It is not as simple as someone being a death eater or an order member; there are periods of grey throughout life,' Hermione turned once and more, storming out of the castle, leaving two shocked and battle-weary boys standing in her wake.

A/N: Well that's the second part. Please review. I'll update tomorrow probably.