A/N: Everything you recognize does not belong to me. Please read and review!
It was the stench that first alerted Hermione they were approaching the troll cave. She knew this part of the story well, and decided to stay and wait outside the cave while Gandalf and Thorin found their swords.
Hermione walked towards Ori and sat beside him. He blushed but continued sketching in his sketchpad. Hermione enjoyed the silence and was content to just watch.
Malfoy, to her amusement, had entered the cave, regardless of the smell. When he came out he grinned devilishly.
"Did you see all the gold in there?" He asked.
"I knew about it , yes." Hermione answered briskly. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Gandalf hand Bilbo Sting. "Did you take any gold?"
"Well…" Malfoy hesitated.
"Put it back, Malfoy. I know it'll take some adjusting, but you aren't the filthy rich Pureblood here anymore."
Malfoy scowled and emptied his pockets of the gold coins he had taken.
The leaves rustled, and the dwarves quickly formed their defensive ranks. Malfoy pushed Hermione to the center, despite her protests that she wasn't in danger.
The rabbits pulling a sleigh burst forth and Gandalf relaxed. "Radagast! Radagast the Brown."
Draco's eye twitched and he nudged Hermione again. Dumbledore, or Gandalf, was currently talking to the newest "wizard" who had pulled a stick insect…out of his mouth!
"What?!" Granger hissed at him.
"He's got bird poo on his face." Draco complained.
"Get used to it," she snapped. "He's going to save us."
It unnerved him how much she knew. "Save us from…what?"
A how ripped through the air.
"Are there wolves around here?" Bilbo, the midget man asked nervously.
The dwarf in the weird hat answered, "Wolf, no that is not a wolf."
Draco pulled out his wand right as a giant wolf-like creature leapt onto the rocks before them. The dwarves quickly shot it down and Granger shot a nicely aimed stunner at its eye.
Gandalf was furious. "Who did you tell about this quest besides your kin?"
"No one!" Thorin answered.
"Who did you tell?" Gandalf roared.
"No one, I swear!" Thorin insisted. "What in Durin's name is going on?"
"You are being hunted." Was all Gandalf said.
Hunted? Draco thought. Hunted by more of these…things? He glanced at Granger who had an unreadable expression on her face as she retied her shoelaces and safely stowed her beaded bag in her pocket. She looked like she was preparing to-
"RUN!" Gandalf yelled. And they bolted.
Draco's long strides overtook the dwarves', but he slowed a little to pull at Hermione who was lagging behind.
The crazy wizard whom Gandalf had called Radagast had shot off and was currently distracting the…things that were chasing them. Draco said a silent prayer of thanks to the queer wizard.
Gandalf pulled them behind a rock, gave them a moment of rest and they bolted again. Draco could tell Hermione was getting tired by the way her feet dragged and eyes drooped. He supposed that she hadn't slept in at least three or four days. Soon, the company's position was noticed by one of the wolves with a…sweet Merlin what was riding on it?
After the black haired dwarf shot it down, it gave a long painful howl and their position was given away. They ran as fast as they could, but soon the other wolves had surrounded them and Dumble-Gandalf had disappeared. The black haired dwarf was desperately trying to shoot them all, but there were just too many.
"P-protego!" Hermione gasped out from beside him.
The wolves ran straight into her shield, but Draco knew it wouldn't last long.
"This way, you fools!" Gandalf appeared once more in the rocks and the dwarves follow. But Hermione stayed put.
"Granger!" His voice leaked panic, much to his embarrassment.
She gestured for him to go as she struggled to hold her shield. The dwarves had almost all jumped into the hole when Hermione collapsed. Draco caught her as the wolves raced towards them. He jinxed one, but another replaced it just as quick. It bit Hermione's leg, and she cried out in pain. Draco slashed it with his wand using Sectumsempra. He grabbed Hermione and twisted on the spot concentrating on apparating them down the hole. The dwarves let out cries of shock as a sharp crack filled the air and Draco and Hermione appeared in their midst.
Hermione groaned after feeling the suffocating darkness of apparition. "Granger, wake up." Malfoy muttered, helping her stand up
Hermione winced when her leg gave a painful throb. A dwarf rushed to her side, Kili, Hermione noted, and helped her stand.
"There's a path!" on dwarf exclaimed. "Do we follow it?"
"Follow it of course!" Bofur called back and the rest of the dwarves trudged along the path. Hermione grit her teeth and limped after.
"I should have known better than to let a woman in out company," Thorin muttered as he shoved past her.
Before Hermione could retort about how she just saved his sorry life, she heard Malfoy's angry voice. "She was using a shield charm to save your ruddy arses! If it weren't for her you and your hairy companions would have been eaten long ago!"
Thorin said nothing as he stomped angrily after the company. "Is that true?" Kili asked Malfoy as they helped Hermione hobble along.
"I suppose," Hermione answered before Malfoy could. "It was simple really. I-I'm sorry if Thorin's mad."
"Bloody Gryffindor," Malfoy murmured.
"Yes, that's why I did it," Hermione murmured back.
"Thank you." Kili said with utmost sincerity.
Hermione chuckled at the dwarf. He and his brother reminded her so much of her dear Weasley twins, but here he was, showing a sincere side and helping her walk, when his brethren all but ignored her. He truly was an interesting dwarf.
The narrow valley led them to a ledge on the rock face where Hermione let out a gasp. She had read about the beauty and elegance of the elven city, but being there, seeing the gracefulness of the architecture took her breath away. Even Malfoy raised his pale eyebrows at the beautiful city.
When they arrived at the front gate, Gandalf stepped forward and exchanged a few words in elvish with the elf that came to greet them.
"I wish to speak with Lord Elrond," Gandalf requested in the normal tongue.
"I am afraid my Lord Elrond is not here right now." The elf replied.
Hermione jumped a little when horns sounded and horses thundered towards them.
"Close ranks!" Thorin commanded. Kili shoved Hermione in the center of their group and drew his sword.
Elrond descended from his horse and greeted Gandalf warmly.
Gandalf introduced Elrond to Thorin who regarded him with distrustful eyes, his hate towards elves evident.
"Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain." Elrond acknowledged.
"I do not believe we have met," Thorin refusing to greet the elf made Hermione roll her eyes.
"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain."
"Indeed, he made no mention of you." Thorin responded rather rudely.
Elrond said something in elvish and the dwarves bristled immediately. "What is he saying?" Gloin steeped forward. "Does he offer us insult?"
"No, Master Gloin, he is offering you food." The dwarves turned around to discuss this offer.
"Well, in that case, lead on."
The second they sat down, Hermione felt her shoulders sag. She sat with Kili on her right and Malfoy on her left. Hesitantly she pulled her pant leg up and winced when she saw the puncture marks in her leg from the warg's teeth.
"What were those things?" Malfoy demanded when he laid eyes on her wound.
"Wargs," she said tensely as she accioed Essence of Dittany from her beaded bag. After cleaning the wound, she sprinkled a few drops of the Dittany on her leg. A soft hiss escaped her teeth when the potion stung her skin.
Kili turned around at the noise of pain coming from her lips and watched as Hermione tended her wound. "You should let Oin take a look at that," he advised.
"No, I will be fine after this." Hermione insisted. She pulled out her wand and began murmuring a spell. Kili watched with wide eyes as the wound resealed itself.
"Wh-how?" He wondered.
Hermione looked up at him with amused eyes and waggled her eyebrows at him. "Magic."