Draco.

Draco watched as Hermione hesitated for a split second before sprinting quickly down the corridor. It was evident she didn't not exactly want to run, she had wanted to fight. Then again,

she had looked simply petrified.

His father snarled and lunged in her direction, ready to chase her. It was disturbing for Draco, his father was acting like nothing more than a wild animal and his mother was simply standing by, emotionlessly and uncaring.

Draco grabbed his father's wrist to stop him from racing after Hermione and threw him backwards with great force.

"Don't you dare…" Draco warned, shooting his father a disgusted look. Lucius merely curved the corners of his mouth into an unsettling smirk.

"I will have her…" He breathed through gritted teeth, eyeing Draco angrily for letting her get away.

"If you lay a finger on her, I will kill you." Draco hissed, even he was surprised at himself by his dark threat. He had never killed anyone, he couldn't. Deep down, he wasn't that kind of man. It was just an empty threat though, wasn't it?

Lucius laughed crazily, "Kill? You're too cowardly to kill."

Draco knew he could never kill anyone, but was that really a bad thing?

"No Father… Killing is cowardly."

Suddenly his father's composure changed entirely. He stood upright, straightening his cloak. His expression returned to a solemn and bored look and his eyes were no longer ravenous.

He cleared his throat, "Leave." He croaked to Draco, not directly looking at him.

Draco was unperturbed by this sudden change. Why had he acted like that? He turned to his mother, who stood pursing her lips in thought. She glanced up at him, yet said nothing. Then both of his parents turned and left the room.

He was utterly confused. What had just happened? His father had gone from acting like a wild animal hungry for blood, Hermione's in particular, to seeming to return to his usual manner. Something told him, that this change was not intended.

Not in all his years had Draco seen his father is such a state, not even when Lord Voldemort was prowling around their home. This was a problem he would have to sort out, but for now he didn't dwell on it.

His mind abruptly flashed to Hermione. Where was she? She can't of apparated within the grounds because they would have been alerted. So she must of run pretty far, perhaps she was still running.

Draco rushed outside the Manor and once out of the wards, apparated immediately to his and Hermione's home. But to his dismay, she was not there.

He needed to find her and fast, in case his father decided to go hunting for her. But Draco had no idea where to look. Where would Hermione go when in trouble?

He racked his brains furiously, desperate to come up with an idea of where she might be.

The Weasleys? The Potters? Both were definite options, but he didn't like the idea of showing up at their doorsteps asking for Hermione, not after his last encounter with them both.

However, Draco could not just sit around and wait for her to return. He couldn't stand not knowing.

But to be honest, he didn't really have any other choice…

Hermione.

She was out of breath once she had reached to edge of the Manor wards. She tried to regain her normal breathing pattern quickly and stop her heart beating furiously. But she didn't have time.

She had to get out of this place. So Hermione apparated to the first place that sprung to mind. Hogwarts.

It was a place where she felt safe. Where she knew she would be protected and although she hadn't been there in over three years, it felt like she was home.

She had not been there after the war as there were far too many awful memories, but now she only remembered the good times she had there, with Ron and Harry.

Hermione strolled forward towards Hogwarts; obviously she could not have apparated directly into the grounds. No one can apparate into Hogwarts, she of all people knew that.

Once she was inside the wall of defensive wards that surrounded the castle, she collapsed onto the emerald, green grass. She panted wildly, feeling extremely light headed and quite dizzy. She hadn't run like that since during the war when she had run from the snatchers.

After roughly fifteen minutes of being sprawled on the ground. Hermione heard a delightfully familiar voice that made her heart soar and forget all about what had just occurred.

"Ermione' is tha' you?"

It was Hagrid. Good old Hargid out for a walk around the grounds, like he always did. Within seconds, Hermione bolted upright and grinned brightly.

"Oh Hagrid! It's so good to see you!" She squealed, hugging the enormous man. Hagrid smiled back under his bushy beard, but then frowned in confusion.

"It's good to see ya too Ermione' But err… What ye doing ere? He asked, scratching his head.

Hermione laughed strangely at the absurdity of her situation.

"It's a long story…" She sighed.

"Well, I've got a long time, C'mon, let's go back to the hut" He smiled, plodding towards his cosy little house that Hermione had always adored. Although, she felt deeply saddened that Harry and Ron weren't with her. The three of them had always gone to Hagrid's together.

"Draco Malfoy?!" Hagrid gasped, after Hermione was half way through her story. She rolled her eyes playfully; she knew that hardly anyone from the wizarding world liked him although he had completely changed.

"Yes, Hagrid… Draco Malfoy and I are now living together" She giggled. It sounded weird in her head, but even weirder saying in out loud especially to Hagrid.

"But, are ye like together then?" He wondered, awkwardly sipping his tea.

Hermione wasn't really sure about that question. They had never actually confirmed whether they were together, but they held hands and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. And then there was that kiss they had shared. That glorious kiss. It must have meant something.

"I suppose we are…" she shrugged, polishing off her tea.

Hagrid grunted, "Ah well, whatever makes ye happy Ermione"

She grinned at just how quickly Hagrid accepted their relationship. Unlike Harry or Ron, he thought about her feelings and what she wanted. But then, Hagrid had always been a very kind and understanding person.

"Well, it was good catching up Hagrid! I'll have to pop by again soon" Hermione affirmed, lifting herself from the table.

"That would be nice, I'm awful lonely without ye, Harry and Ron comin' to see me" He sighed.

She felt sorry for him and regretted no coming to visit him sooner.

"Don't worry, I promise I will come back" She said, before saying goodbye to Hagrid and leaving the hut.

It had been a creepy and draining day for Hermione, but seeing Hagrid after so long lifted her spirits so immensely she didn't even care. Now she was just eager to go home and get some well needed sleep…

A/N: Yay Hagrid! A little blast from the past there! Don't worry though, that is certainly not the end to the darkness of this story! Hope you are enjoying it!