Chapter 2 – Aftershocks
It wasn't long before the Death Eaters attacked again. Now that Dumbledore was gone, fear and terror were two emotions that could be found in every witch or wizard with good intentions. But, then again, so were the anger and the need to claim revenge.
As screams filled the cool, darkening air, Harry stood face-to-face with his ex-professor. Severus Snape stood with his wand pointed as Harry, blocking every spell he threw. Along with Harry, Snape was one of the wizards who everyone wanted to see lifeless at the hand of a deceased "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named".
"COWARD!" Harry yelled, his eyes flared with hatred. Snape glared back, his pale face showing the same sensibility. "You planned that all along, didn't you? Just for that stupid defense against…"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, INSOLENT BOY!"
"YOU FILTHY MURDERER! DOES VOLDEMORT KNOW YOUR FATHER WAS A…"
"I SAID SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Snape raised his wand, interrupting.
"HOPE YOU'RE PROUD… I HOPE IT'LL BE THE LAST THING YOU EVER DO!" Harry yelled back.
Hermione and Ginny appeared only a few yards away from Snape. Drawing their wands, they ran to accompany Harry. Snape heard the hurried footsteps and quickly redirected his wand at Hermione and uttered, "impedimenta." Hermione continued to run but Snape quickly caught her by her curly, brown hair. Ginny, however, reached Harry's side, both of them exhibiting a look of horror as Hermione struggled at Snape's mercy.
"What will you do now, POTTER!" Snape revealed a twisted smile as he flicked his wand to open a portal. "Who will give you answers now? Your girlfriend here?" And with that, Snape pushed Hermione into the darkness.
Hermione began to fall as she heard "Avada…" by a woman's voice: Bellatrix Lestrange. She watched the light from the wizarding world grow smaller and smaller.
"HARRY!"
Hermione continued to fall through the darkness which lasted for what seemed like hours. After a long while, a dim blueish glow seemed to reflect off of a surface. Hermione waved her wand toward the surface quickly approaching, allowing herself to fall slower and land more gently on her behind.
Hermione sat up, thinking of Harry. 'He'll be fine, he's fine…' Tears of anxiety surfaced at the edges of her eyes, 'why was I so stupid? I should've…' But Hermione had noticed something.
A body lay only a few yards away, motionless on the flooded stone floor. Hermione crawled closer slowly; as she sat next to his body, she placed her index and middle fingers upon his neck revealing his pulse to be very light. The water around them both was very frigid as Hermione felt a chill run down her back; she glanced down at the water, realizing the tint of deep red. Turning the man on his back, she removed the robes from covering his face, and who she found was the last person she expected.
Hermione fell backwards off of her knees, slightly flinching and breath quickening. 'Malfoy! Of all people…' she thought to herself, disgusted that she had even thought of helping. She caught a glimpse of his chest moving slowly. 'He's unconscious…verge of dying?'
'Should I care? Why do I wish to help him when Harry could be dying as well?' Another soft sob escaped her, allowing her to cover her face with hands covered in soot and dampness.
Hermione reviewed Draco's face, hers wet from the tears. His mouth twitched slightly, almost as though trying to say something unconsciously. 'I am not heartless. Whether or not he has hurt me, I'm not going to sit back and watch him die… I am not a Malfoy.'
Hermione aimed her wand at the unconscious man on her lap. "Tergeo," she whispered. The blood and soot covering Draco disappeared. "Episkey," she muttered. It sounded as if Draco's bones were breaking, as they were mending quickly. "Anapneo," resulted in Draco's breathing to increase, his chest rising and falling normally now. "Minier anima," ("my blood replacement to you"). Hermione felt some pain within her veins as Draco's pale face began to regain it's normal color. As she became light-headed, pointed her wand once more, "Ennervate."
Her new weakness led her to falling onto her side, breathing heavily. She closed her eyes, attempting to catch her breath. Was Draco going to jump or act obnoxiously when he realized who was lying next to him? She could hear his breathing return to normal, but kept her eyes clothes allowing little relaxation.
"Granger?"
As Hermione slowly opened her eyes, she realized he had already sat upright. "Malfoy?" She attempted to sit up, her arms pushing against cold stone flooring. As she made it to sitting up once more, she looked into his eyes, but coughing and falling once more, having her head on his lap. Her breath continued to be quick and heavy; she expected to be shoved back onto the floor, but instead, she felt two hands gently settling on her back and shoulder.
Hermione turned her head to see his face, noticing his eyes never left hers.
"Why did you?" he asked quietly.
Her breathing would not calm, but she responded still, "Why did I?" She prepared herself for his attitude and to be called names.
"Why did you save me?" He replied. She felt the hand on her back start caressing, causing her eyes to close and head to fall back in relaxation.
It took her a few moments to gather enough strength in words, "just because we weren't anything close to friends in the past doesn't mean I would allow you to die." She took a few deep breaths, "I still have a right to care," she looked at his face again, "Draco."
Draco's face did not express anger or any normal emotion he would have worn in the past. Instead, he continued to stare into her eyes, rubbing her chilled back. Silence consumed the seemingly endless room. She allowed her head to fall onto his lap again, her eyes closing and allowing her to sleep.
He continued to watch her face and chest rising up and down, brushing strands of twirled hair behind her ear.
"Hermione."
Laying on the flooring next to her, he drew close attempting to share the warmth of both bodies. And as he watched her dreaming in the most wicked of places, he fell into a light slumber himself. Every drop of water that echoed inside the darkness awakened him, realizing it was only a drop, he looked at the still Hermione, and fell back into his rest.