Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her world.

A/N: Inspired by my username on a writing forum. Oh, and for the record, in my mind, Draco turned neutral after the war.

Title: Lone Wanderer
Genre: Dark
Rating: T
Warning: Dark!Hermione
Pairing/Character: Draco/Hermione
Word Count: 346

Draco looked down at the brunette wedged between himself and the stone wall pityingly. She was nothing like he once remembered her – the bright, innocent know-it-all in school. This girl was a stranger. Haunted, dark … evil. Dirt matted her bushy hair and hid the true colour of her scarred face. Her brown eyes, once so soft and forgiving, were now guarded and threatening. He lifted a hand, tucking one of the brown curls behind her hair, but she swatted him away, glaring at him. Twisting his arm, he managed to catch her hand in his and as he interlaced his fingers with her, he noticed her relax slightly. Raising his gaze from their hands to her face, he found that her eyes were still looking their hands curiously.

"Someone so beautiful should not be so angry," he told her simply.

She looked back up at his face and the guarded look had been replaced with curiosity and pain. In a barely audible whisper, she said, "Sometimes anger can help you survive."

As she looked to the side, she couldn't help but notice that the distance between her body and his shrunk by a couple of inches. A hand rested on her jaw line, his thumb stroking her cheek. "So can faith," he said. "Let me help you, Hermione."

"I don't need your help," she argued stubbornly. "I'm a lone wanderer."

"I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Well, I'm giving it to you. It's rude not to accept a gift." She retched her hand from his and placed both hands on his chest, pushing harshly. He stumbled backwards, enough for Hermione to escape from the tiny space between his body and the wall. "Leave now, Draco."

"No."

Her eyes glinted dangerously, but he didn't back down. After minutes of glaring, Hermione sniffed and folded her arms across her chest.

"I said leave."

"Someone so beautiful should not be so angry." ~ "Sometimes anger can help you survive." ~ "So can faith." - X-Men 2.

A/N: I edited this one a lot. The original contained a happy ending, which this one clearly doesn't.

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