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Chapter 10: Desperate:

Once upon a time, a long time ago, back when Draco was still in school, he recalled a time when Hermione Granger actually laughed at something he had said. He had made a joke in one of their classes, he didn't recall which class, or what the joke was, and while most of the Slytherins laughed out of obligation, and most of the Gryffindors smirked with disdain, but Granger actually laughed. She probably couldn't help herself, because he had always been so damn witty. Nevertheless, she laughed, and Draco remembered that Potty and Weasel gave her a funny look, and then they whispered something in her ear, and she bent her head and tried to hide her smile. She brought her head back up for only a second, and she made eye contact with Draco, and she smiled again. She smiled at him. She smiled so sweetly, and with such grace and poise. He would always remember that smile.

When she noticed Draco still looking at her, her smile turned to a frown. She looked away. She was probably afraid he would say something crass to her and call her a bad name. That's what he always did to her back then. If he recalled this particular memory correctly, that day he did smile back at her. He didn't want to be mean and cruel. He just wanted to smile back. He remembered that her frown became a smile once more, before she looked away for the final time. They shared a moment, that day, so long ago. She probably didn't even recall that anything had occurred between them. It probably was just a minor unpleasant incident to her, which didn't even deserve a place in her memory. For him, it was a moment when time stood still. In that split second and that cherished moment, he knew what it would be like to have her smile at him everyday of his life. He ached for that. He longed for that. He always thought he would never have that.

He was wrong. Now, here it was so many years later, and he actually got a chance to see what it would really feel like to have her smile at him, laugh at his joke, have him whisper in her ear. Draco wasn't going to let anyone take that from him. It was his right. He earned the right to love her, and to be loved by her.

Those were the thoughts that Draco Malfoy thought of as he stood outside an abandoned looking warehouse with Harry Potter and all the other Aurors, whom had graced them with their presence that day.

He just wanted to get this over with and he wanted to see her. Touch her. Kiss her. Maybe make her laugh again. "Malfoy, we need to go this way," Harry told him in hushed tones. He wasn't even aware he was walking. He wasn't aware that they had entered the warehouse. He was aware, however, that Harry's grip on his arm was tighter than ever. Just as he was about to turn around and tell the man to let go, he saw the reason Potter was holding him so tight.

Four men in long white robes with black mask, (How poetic, opposite of the Death Eaters, Malfoy thought) walked toward them. They levitated two lifeless forms behind them. One was Bruno Martini. The other was Hermione.

One of the masked men levitated the bodies to the middle of the warehouse. They looked dead. Granger had better not be dead. The same man said, "As soon as you give us the Death Eater, their magical binding will release, and you can take them out of here." Potter still had a death hold on Draco's arm.

"Let me go," Draco hissed.

Potter gave him a little shake of his head, with the intent being, "no."

One of the other Aurors said, "Let us see that they're alive, before we agree to give you Malfoy."

The man in the mask laughed. "Unlike Death Eaters, we don't kill our own. We admit to punishing them, when they do wrong, but we don't kill them. They're quite alive. They're merely in a catatonic state, which as I said, will be released as soon as we have the Death Eater, and we apparated out of here with him."

Neither side did or said anything. The mutual silence felt like it lasted an eternity. One of the other masked men finally took a few steps closer. "You don't trust us, Harry Potter. Why? We're just continuing the work that you yourself should have finished after you brought down Voldemort. All purebloods should be exterminated. That's why we work so hard. That's what we strive for, and that's what we'll obtain. Now take your little friend, and my treacherous brother, and give us Malfoy. I won't wait any longer." He then pointed his wand directly at Harry and Draco.

Draco didn't even know what happened next. All of the sudden, Potter apparated with Draco to a different location, and left him there. That was the reason why he hadn't released Draco's arm. Draco knew he was still in the warehouse. He heard shouts and screams, and the sounds of curses and hexes exchanged. It took Draco a second to get his bearings, and that's when he noticed he was on an upper floor of the warehouse. He looked around, and he was in a small room with a single door and no windows. There was a small window on the door, but it didn't let in much light. Draco tried to see out the window, but all he could see was green and red sparks from the battle, bouncing off the darkness beneath.

Damn Potter. He probably cost Granger her life. He wanted to do this for her. He would have done this for her, given his life for hers. It's the least he could do for her. After all, she once laughed at one of his jokes back in school.

Before he could contemplate what to do next, Potter reappeared, and this time he had Granger with him. She was shaking, and scared. Harry, who appeared out of breath, looked at Draco and said, "Martini's dead. Get her out of here. Go back to her parents' house. I made sure it was safe. I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I can," and with that he disappeared.

Hermione stood there, staring at Draco. She looked shocked and forlorn. She looked like she couldn't move. She said, "Are you real?" What a stupid question. He rushed up to her and held her close to him. He held her so close they were almost one. He put his face in her hair. He kissed the top of her head. Her hair smelled sweet. Even during a time like that, her hair smelled sweet.

He said, "What a stupid question, Granger. Of course, I'm real." She pulled away from him, and smiled. Before he realized what happened next, her lips came crashing down on his. He put his hands in her hair and his lips on hers; he tried to devour her very soul. He kissed her as if he was kissing her for the first time, or maybe the last time. He didn't know and didn't care. She moved her lips under his, and they did a time-honoured dance, that only those lucky few, whom have ever known real love, were able to dance. He kissed her because he loved her, he missed her, and he wanted her.

He pushed her up against a wall. He ran his hands up and down her body. He wasn't unaware of time and place. Never mind that there was a battle going on outside this little room. Draco had a battle going on in his mind. A battle he would win, the battle for Hermione Granger.

He moved one hand down her neck, and rested it on her shoulder. His lips continued to seek the peace she offered. She pulled her head from his, her mouth leaving his mouth, and put her hands on the sides of his face. She smiled at him again. Just like the smile she had offered him back in school. Then, she started to cry. He thought she was crying out of fear, or perhaps from gratitude. He would never know, because he would never ask, because didn't need to know. All he ever needed to know was right there in front of him.

She was in his arms, and all was finally right in his pitiful, lonely, little world. Suddenly, they were both brought back down to earth by the loud sound of the warehouse ceiling caving in. They rushed to the door and looked out the little window that was on top. "The world feels like it's coming to an end," she said metaphorically. They stood there, hand in hand, body next to body, and he looked down in her eyes.

"I have to get you out of here," he said quickly. He should have left with her when Potter first told them to go.

"We should make sure that Harry and everyone else is okay first," she begged. He knew she would say something like that.

"No, I have to take care of you. That's my priority." He held her hand and whisked them out of the little room, as the smoke from the earlier explosion covered the portal on the door of the little sanctuary they had just abandoned.

(Coming up in Chapter 11, Draco shows Hermione how much he loves her, and Hermione tells Draco the truth.)