"You can't choose your family, but you can choose what you want to be".

Unknown

2 May 1998, Hogwarts

"HARRY POTTER IS DEAD."

"NO!"

The scream was terrifying, filled with pain and suffering. No one would have thought that Minerva McGonagall could utter such a scream, least of all for a student. But although she liked most of her students, this was not just any student, this was Harry, she had seen him at birth. He was the pupil she considered her son, the one for whom she had the most affection, almost a maternal love.

"Whoever resists, shall die," the dark lord announced in his icy voice.

"Harry! No!"

The cries of his two best friends were heartbreaking. Some members of the Order were crying, another loss on their hands. Most of the fighters were in shock. No one could believe that Harry Potter was dead. He couldn't be. Not the Survivor, not the Chosen One.

"Avada Kedavra"

Professor McGonagall was cut off as she approached her student. Bellatrix laughed, the kind of laugh that froze everyone, including the Death Eaters. It was obviously her who had cast the spell. The battle then resumed in earnest. It took many lives, many victims on the side of the light. The few who survived were not trained enough, not experienced enough. Hermione and Ron decided to leave with the few people they had left.

This is how the golden trio became a duo.

2 May 1999, Malfoy Manor

"How thrilling! The last two resistance fighters are going to die today! One year to the day after their friend."

"It took you a year to find us Tom."

Voldemort's happy expression faded, Tom was long dead, that Muggle name didn't fit him anymore, he was strong now, Voldemort was not a Muggle son but a worthy descendant of Salazar Slytherin. His face took on a cruel expression and he continued.

"Who will die first? Is no one volunteering? What a pity! I will choose the boy".

"Master, if you ask me, the girl would be a better ch-"

"I didn't ask for your opinion, Bellatrix! Draco, why don't you take the mudblood to the dungeons while we deal with her friend!"

Draco Malfoy did as ordered and took Hermione away. He had lost weight, many dark circles were on his face and his face was neutral, impassive, but his eyes screamed with fear, pain, fatigue and a desire to be anywhere but where he was.

"Excuse me Granger. If it weren't for me, we wouldn't be here."

With those strange words he locked the dungeon and slowly made his way up the stairs. Hermione let herself slide down the wall, she regretted not being vigilant enough. Because of her, the resistance would die. Sure, it was only her and Ron now, but still. Because of her, the wizarding world was going to fall into darkness for good and the Muggle world was going to be destroyed. Ron's screams echoed in his head with horror. And then came Hermione's dread, the fatal spell was pronounced.

"Avada Kedavra"

"RON!" she screamed, in a heartbreaking voice.

Malfoy returned to fetch her, to both their great misfortune. No sooner had she arrived in front of Voldemort, the first spell appeared. Followed by a dozen more, the Death Eaters were having a field day.

"Crucio!" "Crucio!"

Hermione couldn't take her eyes off Ron's dead body. He lay there, his body bruised, but his face was peaceful, as if he welcomed death with relief, which he probably did. His best friend had left him. His last support, the last two holdouts against the rest of the world. Hermione screamed silently, she didn't want to give the Death Eaters the pleasure, she screamed for Ron, for all the dead bodies she had seen in the cellar, for all those friends, dead one by one. They had placed Ron in the centre of the room, so that Hermione couldn't miss him. Her life had changed so much in the last year, a year that she had been hiding, changing places every month. A year since the great battle. A year since Harry died. A year since Ron had become her unyielding supporter, putting her before him in everything. Even in death. Hermione cried silently, her tears rolling down her cheeks and she couldn't hold them back, which she wouldn't have done. She had to cry for Ron. For the end of her life too, even though for her too, death would be a relief. She could no longer fight the whole world alone. The leaders of the neighbouring countries were turning a blind eye, not suspecting that in a few short months their own countries would be invaded and they themselves would be dead.

Voldemort asked to stop the spells. He approached her, a cruel smile plastered on his mouth. Hermione knew what was coming next. She wasn't a fool. Everyone knew what the Death Eaters did. She felt the dark lord's hands roam over her body, she felt him enter her. She didn't look at him, her eyes still fixed on Ron. She was in terrible pain, even worse than under the pain, she continued to cry, but she didn't scream either, at least not out loud. Voldemort withdrew and made way for the other Death Eaters to follow suit. Hermione held back from throwing up. She felt so dirty, she was in so much pain. She wanted to die. There, she had thought it. She wanted to die. But Hermione had learned over time that nothing ever went her way, so she probably wouldn't die right away.

When it was Malfoy's turn, he refused. But he had no choice. He approached Hermione and, being the owner of the house, disapparate with her. They arrived in a clearing. Hermione was naked, exhausted, and hurt all over. She vomited all she had in her stomach, which wasn't much, but spat out her guts, which came from deep inside her. Malfoy's breathing was ragged, still not realizing what he had just done.

"Thank you, Malfoy. For saving me. I owe you my life."

"Draco. Call me Draco. I just huh felt like huh I should huh."
"What's wrong with you? You're having trouble breathing. Let's get you back to my place. I'm gonna fix you up.

"NO! I'm gonna huh die Hermione. The huh mark isn't huh just a means of huh communication. It huh kills us if we huh betray the huh dark lord. They huh will soon know huh where we huh are. Go!"

"No, I won't! You saved my life! I'm not leaving you now."

"Hermione! You huh owe me, so do what huh I tell you huh! Go on. Just huh don't forget about me huh! You huh are the last huh resister. Let me huh give you huh just two huh pieces of advice: get tougher huh than a rock, don't huh let your emotions rule you anymore, you have to huh become as huh inhuman as huh him to defeat him. To do this huh you have to huh look for the huh Jewels of Time! Don't blame yourself for huh Weasley and huh what they did to you, it huh not your fault. Don't forget huh what I did, I huh repented.

So Draco Malfoy died, not as a Death Eater, although he never was completely, but as an ally. A valuable ally.

And this is how the duo became a solo.