A/N: This is another short fic. It'll be under ten chapters. Just like 'Smile' unless I change my mind and then we'll both find out where this story will go.

Hermione was sitting in the hole with Harry and Ron, watching the goings on with Snape and Voldemort. They had just got here, not two seconds ago. Hermione knew where the conversation was heading with every slight hint Voldemort threw out. She was frightened that Snape was not going to make it out. She watched Nagini floating safely in her bubble.

She might not have gotten the best reception from Snape but that was not a reason to let him die.

She made her decision. Quickly she shoved the two out of the way, running out the hole.

She heard her name whispered softly, but she refused to answer. Quickly she burst out from under the tree. Her foot caught on a root and she fell to her knees. She pulled at the leg, the root now holding her hostage. She shoved off her shoe and her foot came loose. She started to run, but the weight of the only remaining shoe slowed her down. She paused long enough to throw it off as well.

Soon she was flying as fast as her feet would carry her, thankful that the battle was taking place somewhere else. She ran into the open part of the castle in front of her. Her feet slid across gravel, scraping but not cutting. She praised whatever deity that watched over her as she ran to the only place that held anything that would help her.

A screech met her ears and she slowed to a stop. She had precious little time and this hesitation couldn't be fitted in. She whipped around the corner, stunning whoever it was around the corner. After seeing Tonks, she shook her head, running full force again.

She was driven, maybe it was the taunting voice of Voldemort across the grounds. Maybe it was the need to save someone. Maybe it was because she was really a martyr Gryffindor after all.

Whatever it was made her run barefoot through the emptying castle hallways.

She twisted her ankle slightly on her way down to the dungeons, but met no resistance down here. No one was worried about these dark corridors. That was fine with her, she needed free space. She rushed to Snape's office door. It was still warded. She pulled out her wand, trying many things. She heard a soft but gruff chuckle after two minutes.

Looking up, she couldn't contain her fear. There in all his evil glory was Fenrir Greyback. He was hunched slightly, the shirt he wore stretched over his hulking shoulders. She stepped back, her wand trained on his chest.

"Oh, come now little pretty, I just wanted to help."

Hermione didn't speak, she just watched the beast, saw his chest heaving from breathing, his nostrils flaring as he took in her scent. She was disgusted by him, and though she still didn't have time for this, she waited for him to attack. She wasn't going to miss when she finally attacked. She didn't have room to run and get a second chance.

Stepping forward, Fenrir bared his teeth. but it seemed to Hermione that he was smiling.

"Come to old Fenrir, dear. I'll protect you."

He was within touching distance now. And she still had not attacked. Even she wondered what was going on for a second.

Then she saw the bleeding wound on Fenrir's torso. His ribs on his left side had to be broken. A lung must be punctured, that was why he was breathing that way. And it seemed the force of whatever had hit him split the skin.

He stumbled forward more, that was the first time she actually noticed him stumbling. His left leg was injured too. She waited til he was right in her face. He grinned thinking that sheer fear kept her still. He reached to her throat, but before he could touch the skin, she Crucio'd him back down the hall. He landed on his left side, howling even louder because of the dual pain. She smiled, getting back to work on the door.

It opened easily. She rushed in, finding his stores quickly. She checked for wards again. There were none. She reached into the stores. Searching frantically for what she wanted. She found all of it. Quickly she shoved it into her pockets. Putting an unbreakable spell on it. She didn't want a foolish thing like tripping and landing on them to foil her whole plan. Fenrir was gone when she got in the hall. She took advantage of this, making good time. She got past the place where Fred had been killed. Her anger making her move faster. No. No one else was going to die if she could help it.