Hermione was wrecked. She hadn't got a bed tonight so was leaning against the wall in the main hall where most the slave work was done. There wasn't enough small beds for them all but Hermione had been lucky the last couple of nights and had got one.

"Hey," Justin said, "You without a bed?"

"Yeah," she said. Then she looked up at Justin and said, "Today someone got killed in the garden. A third year."

"Oh," Justin said and then, "You saw it?"

"I even got a couple of marks off the murderer," she said quietly.

"Your face," he whispered, "I was going to ask you about that."

"Malfoy's dad," she said in a hushed voice. She didn't want anyone else to hear her.

Justin shuffled his feet a bit. He seemed uncomfortable.

"Seems like all the Malfoys hate me now," she said with grim humour.

Justin nodded, totally serious.

There was a silence between them. Hermione gulped then said, "I'm not going to last here. Eventually Malfoy senior or Malfoy junior will kill me."

It was so dark. Hermione could feel a tear drip down her cheek. There was no way Justin could of seen it but he had. "Hermione, please. Don't cry. You're going to be fine."

"I don't even know what's happened to Harry or Ron. Voldemort has probably killed them and I don't even know!" She paused, holding back tears and said, "And my parents might be dead. I heard, just before I got captured, that death eaters are attacking the Muggle world."

"You just worry about yourself for now," Justin said gently. "Hermione, listen to me." She turned her face up to look at him. Her eyes were glittering in the darkness from her tears. "We are going to get out of here."

"But-"

"No. Listen. We are going to get out of here. We'll find out what happened to Ron and Harry and your parents. Then we'll join the battle to stop Voldemort. And we'll win."

"I'd like to believe that but-"

"No buts. We are going to do it. We are going to get out of here. We just got to wait for the right time. And you know how I know we are going to get out of here?"

"How do you know?" she whispered.

"Because you're a brilliant witch. If anyone can do it, you can."

He smiled at her and she smiled back.

Their faces were so close, their noses were touching. She could hear him breathing light and fast. She could hear the small beat of his heart, matching hers, but that could have been her imagination.

That second seemed to drag out blissfully.

Hermione felt like she could fly at that second. Her worries had disappeared, along with her fear. She was so aware of him. The world consisted of only the two of them at that moment.

She titled her face slightly to the right and brought her mouth up to meet the kiss.

He lips met hers gently and-

"Now what do we have here?" A sneering voice said.

Malfoy.

Hermione and Justin broke apart quickly like guilty teenagers.

"So, Granger. Got yourself a Hufflepuff boyfriend, have you?" he laughed loudly. There was something twisted and wrong about that laugh. "I suppose you are a mudblood so I can't be surprised. First Krum, then Weasley. Now Hufflepuff boy."

Hermione looked at him silently. If she just said nothing. Let him mock her. Let him tease her.

"So, haven't you got anything to say? Smart insult, maybe? Or just some screaming? Crying is good too," Malfoy said smugly.

She remained quiet.

"I demand that you say something back right this minute!" he stormed. He seemed in the same mood he was the last time she saw him. Furious for some unknown reason.

"I don't see how you can pass much judgement on my love life," she said shakily. "Look at pug faced Pansy. She isn't exactly model material."

"Even if I knew what a model was," Malfoy answered. "I wouldn't be insulted. You think I was with Parkinson?"

"That's so sad," Hermione said bitterly, "Trying to lie about it. What a new low."

"Of course, I am going to have to punish you," he said in a mock regretting voice. "Unprofessional conduct. Slaves don't have the rights to kiss. And then I was disrespectfully treated by Granger. And was the Hufflepuff planning to escape or was that just my ears?"

"Just your ears," Hermione mumbled. But he did have a lot of things to punish them with.

"It was my fault," Justin said. Hermione looked over at him, startled.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione interrupted him. "It wasn't just your fault." She turned to Malfoy. "I account for my own actions." she told him forcefully.

She took in the sight of Malfoy suddenly. He was leaning against a wall, one hand in his pocket, looking relaxed but slightly sullen. His eyes had a mad glint though. His shoulders looked slightly tense.

He was extremely good looking, Hermione admitted. She had never seen what the girls in her dorm had meant when they had giggled about him but now she understood.

The girls in her dorm. She wondered if they were still alive or giggling.

Or dead?

The thought of her old friends riveted her attention from Malfoy to Justin again. Justin wasn't the best looking boy, to be honest. But he was kind and sweet and the only person who would keep her sane in this mad place. His dark blue eyes were profound and knowledgeable and when he smiled, he showed her a row of small perfect sized pearly teeth.

"Look," Justin said, suddenly standing up to his full height, and staring beseechingly at Malfoy. "This was my fault. Hermione had nothing to do with it. She was just upset and I wanted to kiss her."

"So, you took advantage of her? When she was crying?" Malfoy said, also standing up to his full height.

Hermione choked. "Hardly!"

"Yes," Justin said. He glanced back at her then looked Malfoy straight in the eyes. "She was just upset and didn't mean the disrespect and the plan to escape was all mine."

"So, you are taking full responsibility? Granger had nothing to do with it at all."

"This is stupid! Justin!" Hermione said. "Look, Malfoy, I-"

Justin cut her off. "I accept full responsibility."

Malfoy smiled. "How very brave of you." Then he took out his wand, pointed it right at Justin's chest and said in a strong voice, "Avada Kedavra."