No one had even given a second thought to Hermione not being in class or at any meals. Draco had told everyone about how she ran out of his room crying, and was probably up in her own room. So no one thought anything of it, not Draco or even her own friends.

That night Draco had been having awful dreams… about himself, Hermione, his father, and Voldemort. It was at that moment he knew where she was.

Draco jumped out of bed, stumbled to his feet, and threw on clothes. He had no idea how he was going to pull off getting out of the castle, but he had to get to Hermione before his father did anything to her. He repeatedly slapped himself mentally for not knowing sooner.

Grabbing his wand, he turned to the portrait hole and ran out through the hallways. The only thing he could think of was her, and he honestly hoped he was wrong about her being taken by his father. He bounded up the stairs and onto the seventh floor until he found the portrait leading to Hermione's room. The girl let him in without a word. Draco frantically searched everywhere for her, but there was nothing. No note, no sign of her leaving. It scared him.

"Fuck," Draco muttered as he exited the room and broke into a run. The only thing he could think of was floo powder.

Draco turned the corner sharply and bounded down the stairs, before coming across the black door with the plaque 'S. Snape – Potions Professor'on it. Raising his wand, Draco took in a deep breath.

"Alohamora."

The lock 'clicked', and Draco turned the knob. Once he was inside he closed the door behind him. Draco frantically searched the office for floo powder, until he spotted it near the fireplace. Taking some in his hands, he stood in the fireplace and threw it down.

"Malfoy Manor!"

Draco felt a pop then all of a sudden he was being sucked through a vortex of colors. He closed his eyes so he wouldn't get sick. It seemed like hours before Draco stood back on his own two feet in an exquisite room filled with artifacts that had been passed down through each generation. The ballroom.

As Draco brushed his clothes off, he stared around the room for any sign of life. He walked through the doors that led to the Entrance Hallway, and stopped as he heard a voice.

Draco half-heartily hugged his mother back as she squeezed the air out of him. Narcissa finally pulled back and pushed a couple strands of hair out of his eyes.

"Why are you here? Did Dumbledore let you come?" Her expression suddenly turned from overjoyed… to sour, "It's about that girl isn't it?"

"Hermione? Actually it is… What do you know mother?" Draco asked.

"I-I… Well I don't know what they're going to do to her. Your father brought her here, and I didn't ask questions… Draco, I… She doesn't mean anything to you, does she?"

Draco raised an eyebrow and sneered.

"Even if she did, it wouldn't be any of your business, would it?"

The woman had a soft spot for her son.

Narcissa turned away from him and started up the stairs. There were many complex traits the Malfoy's had. Narcissa wasn't like Lucius. Of course, she didn't like mudlbooods, and felt purebloods were better than any other wizard, but she didn't believe in harming someone because of it. Ushering her son to follow, she placed a finger to her lip indicating for him to be quiet.

Draco followed her through the hallways and into his own room, and that's when he saw her. Narcissa stared at her son for a second, before leaving him alone with Hermione. He noticed that she was asleep, but that didn't matter. Walking to his bed, he hopped on top of the covers beside Hermione and stared down at her. He wasn't sure of how to greet her, so he went on instinct. He kissed the top of her forehead softly and smiled slightly as her eyes opened.

"Draco?" Hermione asked.

He nodded.

Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around him. For once in those two days she felt safe. Draco stared down at her, and debated on what to do, in the end he wrapped his arms around her and held her as close to him as possible.

"I'm sorry," He finally said.

Hermione stared up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"For what?"

"For not realizing you were gone faster…" He sighed and frowned as he looked at her, "Have they hurt you?"

She shook her head.

"Good."

Hermione raised an eyebrow and stared up at him.

Draco shrugged and shook his head. It still boggled him somewhat.

"I don't know. I had this dream, and…"

Hermione pursed her lips together to speak, until she was interrupted by Draco's door flying open. Both of them turned to find Lucius, and three other masked men coming towards them. Lucius looked at the two with disgust. None of them said a word as they pointed their wands at the two, and muttered spells causing black snakelike ropes to fly out and tangle themselves around the lion and the snake.

…

The two had been placed in a cell together, and the deatheaters placed a spell to make the fall asleep.

The next day, Draco woke up first.

Hermione awoke to Draco shaking her gently. Opening her eyes slowly, she turned to find Draco next to her, still bound, but managing to move around. She noticed that they had taken the blindfolds and gags off though.

"Where are we?" She whispered.

Draco looked around and sighed.

"I don't know… I'm guessing it's a meeting place."

After that sentence, Hermione's insides went numb. It was a deatheater meeting place… which never meant something good. Especially to her.

Draco obviously noticed the sudden fear that washed over her. Moving himself closer to her, he pressed his forehead against hers and locked their eyes together.

"I'm not going to let them hurt you. I promise," he whispered.

"Thank you."

He nodded, and closed his eyes. Hermione watched him as he fell asleep. She wanted to get back to Hogwarts safely, to tell everyone that she was sorry, to see Ron and Harry again… maybe even start a real relationship with Draco.Reaching out, Hermione stroked the side of his face and marveled at the softness of his skin. How it glowed in the light. Then she realized that she did love him. She loved everything about him. Sadly… it was just an act.

The two had drifted off for about an hour before someone untied them.

"Up."

Hermione scrambled to her feet frantically, before Draco took her hand and led her through the hallways as they followed the masked deatheater through the stone corridors. Draco held tightly onto her hand so she wouldn't be frightened. He knew these people and their capabilities… especially towards Hermione's kind.

It seemed like hours that they had been walking through the gloomy corridors. But the deatheater eventually stopped in front of an exquisite marble door. Hermione marveled at it, but soon was being taken away by the deatheater.

"No! Stoppit! Draco?" She yelled as he dragged her through the corridors.

Draco tried running after her, but was stopped by his father and two other deatheaters.

"Our Lord is waiting for you," Lucius said as he pushed him inside the room.

Voldemort sat on a throne in the middle of the room staring at Draco as he entered. The rest of the deatheaters watched as Draco approached the throne, and bowed slightly.

"Young Master Malfoy… wonderful to see you have arrived," Voldemort said as he got up from the throne, "I understand Ms. Granger is here as well, but it's my time to ask you questions."

Draco nodded.

"This girl… what is your purpose with her?" He asked.

"I-I," Draco searched for an answer, but only one popped to mind, "To lure Potter in. To make him come after her."

Voldemort could see through lies easily. He smirked slightly and circled around the blonde.

"Really? I see. Well then, tell me… what role did Ms. Granger play in all this?"

"I was pretending to have a relationship with her. Make Potter and Weasley jealous," Draco continued, "They're probably searching for her by n-"

"Stop, Draco. Your lies aren't going to help you now. Bring her in."

Draco clenched his fist together, as the door opened once more, and Hermione was pushed inside. He knew loved her; there was no denying it anymore. Watching as she came forward, Draco reassured her with his eyes that everything was okay.

Hermione hoped that it was all a dream. A terrible dream that she was stuck in, and when she woke up, Harry and Ron would be waiting for her. But it wasn't. It was real.

"Ah, I see our guest have arrived. Ms. Granger…" a raspy voice said from under the cloak, "Please, stand closer."

Hermione approached the throne cautiously. Taking Draco's hint, she bowed.

"Get up," Voldemort demanded, while standing up off his throne, and turning to Draco, "Now down to business. You, Draco, have betrayed us."

Draco stared at the hooded figure in front of him without an expression readable.

Voldemort approached them slowly. Hermione noticed how raspy his breathing was. The way he smelt of everything evil. She hated him. For what he did to Harry and his parents, to mudbloods… even Draco.

"Do you love her?" Voldemort asked as he turned to Hermione.

Draco snapped his head to look at her, and stared for a couple of seconds. He had two choices. To lie... or to tell the truth. He chose the one he was good at.

"No."

Hermione bit her lip slightly to keep from saying anything.

"Really? Well…" Voldemort grabbed Hermione by the arm and turned her to face Draco, "Kill her then."

Hermione couldn't hold it anymore. She collapsed to the floor and placed her head in her hands, then began to cry. This was her worst fear coming true. A nightmare that was not going to end with her waking up… but being lost forever. Harry and Ron, Her parents, and everyone else. She'd never see them again.

"My Lord… but why?" Draco asked coolly, to cover up how frantic he was on the inside.

"Simple, young Malfoy, she's a mudblood. Her kind is causing our world to come to shambles. Her kind stole away everything we believed in. Now… do it."

The deatheaters stood in silence as they watched Draco and Voldemort. Draco had nerves of steel, because on the inside he was making the hardest decision he ever had to make, on the outside though he was his father's son.

Draco grabbed Hermione by the wrist and pulled her up to face him. Then Hermione saw what he felt in his eyes. He was scared. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest.

"Please, Draco, don't do this… please," she begged.

The Slytherin Prince stared down at her and sighed. Bringing up a finger to her eyes, he wiped away her tears and locked their eyes together.

"Hermione, if I don't do it… they will. I want to know that you weren't in any pain… I… just don't make this hard," He whispered so she was the only one that could hear him.

Hermione closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. He was right. He was always right. She nodded her head, and held onto him. Once again she opened her eyes to look into the eyes that had captivated her for so long.

"Do something for me. Please tell Harry, Ron, and my family that I love them. And please tell Harry and Ron that I'm sorry. Really, really sorry…"

Draco nodded and brushed his lips upon hers. He didn't care who was watching, he had to, or he'd never forgive himself. The two kissed each other intensely, knowing it would be the last time. Neither Draco nor Hermione wanted it to end. Or did they care about who was watching. Draco finally pulled back and stared down at her.

"Hermione, I need to tell you this."

He leaned in a bit closer and closed his eyes. Taking in a deep breath, he finally got it out.

"I fell in love with you."

Hermione couldn't believe what she had heard. The only thing that was harder then getting over that statement was not being able to share that love with him. Wiping a couple of tears from her eyes, Hermione stared up at him and nodded.

"I did too. Draco, I-I love you…"

Voldemort sneered at the pair and stepped forward.

"Do it, Draco. Or I will."

Draco turned to Hermione and took in every single detail of her face. It was the last time he'd be able to hold her. To kiss her. To talk to her, and then he realized how dumb he was to treat her the way he did for those past seven years. Making her life miserable, now he was the one taking it away.

"Close your eyes."

"No."

"What?" Draco asked.

"I want your eyes to be the last thing I see."

That was it. The last thing she'd ever say to him or anyone else. But she had to be brave. To show them that she wasn't scared. After all, it wasn't in the nature of a Gryffindor to be scared. She stood up straight, and held on tightly to Draco.

Draco raised his wand and pointed it at her heart. With two little words, Hermione Granger was dead. Draco bit his tongue to keep from crying. She was lost forever, and he'd never have the chance to hold her again. The deatheaters didn't utter a single word as Draco turned around and started to carry her body out, except one.

"I think your forgetting something, young Malfoy," Voldemort muttered wickedly.

Not bothering to turn around, Draco shrugged.

"What's that?"

"Avada Kedavra." Voldemort hissed.

Draco fell gracefully as the spell hit him from behind. His back arched, but he kept Hermione safely in his hands. He wasn't scared of dying, but before he took his last breath, he opened his eyes to look at her face again. Everything was over with two words.

Lucius turned away as his son fell to the ground on top of Hermione. The deatheaters stared in awe, and Voldemort cackled wickedly as he came to hover over the two students.

"Not all stories end happily."

The End

Author's Notes: Okay I really hoped you guys liked that. I know it was short, but I wanted it to be. I would like to thank each and every one of my reviewers. You guys kept me motivated, and be on the lookout for my next story! Thank you for reading. 3 ronnie

revised version