Thanks everyone for your gracious reviews. They were very flattering and informative. Enjoy Chapter 3.
Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter.
They sat shoulder to shoulder on the bathroom floor leaning against a wall between two sinks. They both looked terrible. Draco appeared as though he hadn't eaten in a month, which very well may have been true. Hermione was covered in blood and dirt and her hair was bushy as normal but now most of the hair had fallen out of her braid. Both looked as though they had been crying their eyes out for a while now because they had been.
His voice turned soft. "For becoming a Death Eater instead of dying. For treating you like you didn't deserve to be a witch. For just standing by when you were being tortured. For Weasley dying."
At those last three words she choked. She couldn't breathe again. No. She was not going to be vulnerable in front of Draco Malfoy again. It was inevitable, however, and her tears flowed once again.
"It doesn't change anything!" She slowed her speaking down and said word by word, "Your sorries aren't gonna bring him back."
"No but at least you'll know I didn't want it."
She wiped her nose with her sleeve. "Why do you care what I think?"
"I told you I never wanted any of it." He slid down the wall and sat. "Two things in my life I would change. One, becoming a Death Eater. Two, the way I treated you."
"Why?"
"Because I was wrong. You're the smartest witch to ever roam these halls. But thanks to my father I had some messed up conception that I was better than you because you're a mud- a muggle born."
She snickered for it was the first time he had refrained from calling her a mudblood. "So that's why you're here and not in the Forbidden Forest? Because you suddenly had this massive wave of guilt come over you about the way you treated me for seven years?" She said in a slight sarcastic tone.
"That and just seeing him die," He paused not knowing how she would react. He could see more tears flow down her face, "sent me downhill. I've never wanted any of this but seeing it all just makes me realize even more that I can't go back. I'm stuck as a Death Eater. No one stops being a Death Eater."
After they were done talking they just cried until he tilted his head onto hers and asked, "How did we let it get this far?"
"It was out of our control."
He was surprised by her statement, lifting his head. He was surprised that she understood how he felt and she understood that he had no choice. He looked at her. She thought she felt her heart skip a beat. "Thank you." She gave him a puzzled look. "For understanding, especially after the way I've treated you. It's like you just ignored the fact I treated you terribly and gave me a chance." She didn't say anything but just nodded.
Suddenly the whole room shook and he grabbed her arm out of fear. She stepped away trying to part from him but he tightened his grip on her and said, "Hermione-", but she cut him off.
He could have sworn she smiled at him before she said, "We have to go." And with that she released his hand and ran out of the bathroom. He stood there for a few moments then followed.
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"Neville, who is that? Who is that Hagrid is holding?" Ginny started to panic as Voldemort and his faithful followers walked up to the castle. In the midst of all the black was the half giant. He was holding some lifeless person in his arms. Ginny knew who it was and screamed, "Noooo!" She almost ran towards him but was stopped by her father.
Voldemort laughed. "Stupid girl." He paused relishing in his victory. He looked at all the people standing opposite him and smiled. "Harry Potter is dead!"
Hermione breathed heavily. She couldn't believe her two best friends were now dead. She stood beside the Weasley family and some of her classmates. She took a quick look over her shoulder and met eyes with Draco. He was standing behind everyone trying not to be noticed.
Voldemort spoke again. "The Boy Who Lived is dead!" He paused, scanning the crowd. "Now if anyone would like to step forth and join us there will be no harm to you. You will be accepted and welcomed among us."
"Draco. Draco come." Narcissa spoke softly. Draco looked around, his eyes wandering back at all the stares set upon him, one in particular. He hesitated. "Draco." His mother said in a demanding but scared tone.
He swallowed hard and started walking forth. As he walked through the crowd everyone gave him disgusted looks and he felt ashamed. Just as he reached the Dark Lord he heard a voice.
Hermione ran forward to the front of the crowd. "Draco!" Hermione screamed. It was the first time she had ever used his first name. She then lowered her voice to a whisper. "Draco please." Tears streamed down her face.
Draco stopped dead in his tracks but didn't turn around.
A screeching, high pitched voice spoke, "How dare you? How dare you speak to him you filthy mudblood?" Bellatrix Lestrange. It was though she always spoke at the top of her lungs.
Voldemort turned towards Bellatrix and asked, "And who may we have here?"
Bellatrix cackled. "Hermione Granger. Mudblood." She emphasized the last word with a cock of her head. Voldemort and his followers roared with laughter.
Hermione panted. She was going to be killed now she knew it. Her heart dropped. What had she done?
Voldemort stepped over to Draco. "Ah well my young Draco it seems you're wanted on both sides. So which will it be?" He said it in a menacing tone that made Draco cringe.
He couldn't move even though the Dark Lord had backed away. How could she be doing this to him after everything he had just told her? But he knew why. He could have sworn he heard her whisper again, "Draco." He loved the way that sounded. He looked at his parents pleadingly and they looked back confused.
He turned around and ran towards Hermione. As soon as he reached her he took her waist in one hand and her neck in the other and his lips met hers.
Hermione fell helplessly into him. For a moment she felt like there was no war, that her two best friends were not dead, and that the most powerful dark wizard was not watching her.
Almost all people wearing black gasped. Draco Malfoy was snogging a MUDBLOOD.
He pulled away and rested his forehead on hers, their eyes both closed. He stroked her hair and gasped, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
She quickly replied. "I know. I know." Tears streamed down her face.
They were brought back to reality by a horrible voice. Voldemort. "Well well well. Draco Malfoy is in love with a mudblood." Draco instantly pulled Hermione behind him and stood in front of her protectively. Voldemort turned to Lucius. "My dear Lucius I thought you raised him better." Lucius was at loss for words.
"Kill her! Kill him!" Bellatrix yelled to Voldemort.
Who replied, "Yes, Draco. Surely you did not think you would walk away after betraying me for a filthy, useless mudblood?"
But as soon as the last word left his lips, there was a loud thud. Harry Potter stood well and alive and Lord Voldemort froze.
I hope you readers don't think this is going too fast. If you do, I ask you to be patient and keep reading because let's just say there is hesitancy within the next chapter and so on. So please don't grill me too hard on that. Thanks for reading.