"Get up, mudblood!" a voice shouted through the door.

Hermione jerked awake and opened her eyes, no brightness li up the room.

"Don't you look a sight?" sneered Amadeus, "Filthy just like a mudblood."

Hermione scowled at him, trying to smooth her hair. His eyes roamed the place, landing on the bowl and water from yesterday and the pillows and duvet.

"Who gave you that stuff?" he yelled, banging the door.

"I did. As I said before, we are not savages," Narcissa came up behind him, "Now, get out of here!"

Amadeus walked away after a threateningly glance at Hermione. Narcissa muttered something under her breath as sheunlocked the door. She came in and set the tray of food down.

"Thank you," whispered Hermione.

Narcissa ignored her and Hermione felt like she had said something wrong. Hermione waited, watching Narcissa pace her room.

"Stay away from Draco," she muttered, stopping to look at her, "You've got him under your spell. Stay away from him. You'll only hurt him. He won't look after you."

Hermione frowned at the familiar words. Ron's face suddenly entered her mind. Of course, she had a dream that Ron said to pick Harry instead of Draco...

"If he does anything stupid for you and gets hurt... I'll kill you." she muttered, narrowing her eyes at he before walking out and locking the door.

Hermione was frozen in shock. She knew that Narcissa cared for Draco more than his father. She knew that Draco did love her but how was she supposed to stay away from him? He made her feel safe...

The dream she had of Ron telling her that Draco wasn't going to take care of her and now Narcissa said the same thing. That could not be a coincidence. Although, Hermione couldn't help but admit that she had some feelings for Draco.

What was she supposed to do?

Harry. She wondered what he would be doing. What would he think had happened to her when he found out she had gone? The kiss they shared after the war showed that even Harry had feelings for her. But Hermione had no feelings for him. He was like a brother.

She wished she could just disappear.

---

Draco's POV

Draco lifted his eyes off of his cereal as Narcissa climbed up the stairs. She looked normal. She looked like nothing was bothering her. Draco knew better than to believe that facade. Soon enough, she sighed, looking anxious.

She glanced at Draco and glanced at Lucius, whose eyes were trained on the newspaper. Narcissa took a deep breath, as if preparing herself for a run but she only sat down, opposite Lucius.

Draco stared at his mother's anxious face. She had been down to see Hermione... Suddenly, thoughts flitted through his head. Was Hermione okay? What did she say? What did Narcissa say to her?

Draco pushed his cereal and it swirled in the milk. He sighed, losing his appetite. Suddenly Lucius looked up and scowled at Draco.

"Stop that, you insolent boy," he snarled, folding his newspaper.

Narcissa looked up at Lucius. Draco scowled and leaned back in his chair.

"Your cousins are coming over and I expect you to be presentable. Get them muggle clothes off and change. You will not act like you are spoilt. You will not play with your food, do you understand me?" ordered Lucius. Draco didn't answer and only stared at his father. Lucius looked at him and leaned closer, suddenly he barked, "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"Yes," muttered Draco, sneering at his father.

"Your Aunt Liz and Uncle Robert will be staying upstairs with their one month old child. Your cousin, James, will be sharing your room. Do not fight like that time. Stupid boys." muttered Lucius under his breath, "Like you have no manners."

Draco smirked into his cereal. They were about ten years old. The memory was clear in his head. It was about Christmas time or the day after Christmas. They had just ate and were told to go do something as the adults talked.

Draco and James and a few of Draco's other cousins went up to his room and they played chess. Draco was playing with James while talking to him about Hogwarts and when he would get the letter.

James had laughed and boasted that he already had a place in school, when Draco told him that the letter would be arriving when he was eleven. Draco scowled at him, remembering clearly how jealous he had felt as he laughed.

Suddenly, James lay on the ground with his nose broken and sprouting blood. Draco stood over him, his fists clenched.

Now, Draco realised how jealous he could get and also how he wouldn't think in moments of anger. Especially with his father. He really should hold back his tongue but he can't because he knows that Lucius is the only one keeping Hermione in the basement.

Hermione... She must be so cold and lonely and afraid. Draco pushed his plate away and nearly stood up. Narcissa glanced at him. For a second, her eyes flitted to Lucius and then back to Draco. Slowly she mouthed the words Draco wanted to hear... or see, in this case.

'She's fine,' Narcissa mouthed and went back to her breakfast.

Draco coughed awkwardly, half sitting and half standing. He didn't know if he should leave or stay. Finally his mother spoke up.

"Wake Coal and Amadeus, please," she muttered, not looking up.

--

Narcissa's POV

A clatter and some milk spilt in front of Narcissa. She looked at the milk in front of her and heard a chair scrape back. Suddenly, her eyes flickered to her son.

She glanced at her husband who was immersed in his breakfast. Possibly trying to think up new strategies. Narcissa looked back at Draco and knew what he wanted to know.

Slowly her red lips parted and she paused to think. Finally she mouthed the words that would calm him down. She's fine.

He looked back at her, as she stared at him, with the same eyes as his father.

Grey eyes. Although she was glad to see that they were not as dark as Lucius' eyes. Maybe, just maybe, Draco had some good left in him. Yes, admitted Narcissa, he did not want to hurt Hermione. That made him good but he loved her. If it was Potter or that Weasley boy, he wouldn't spare a glance at them which made him just like Lucius. She hated to admit that.

He goes through so much trouble and pain just to make sure Hermione's comfortable. Deep down, Draco knows he has found true love. But isn't true love when the other person loves them back. Did Hermione feel anything for Draco?

Narcissa didn't want him to get hurt. She would protect him at all costs. She would do anything for her son... even stand up to her husband. If she didn't act soon, Draco would end up hurt or...

"Wake Coal and Amadeus," muttered Narcissa, staring into the depths of her breakfast as if she could draw courage from it.

Finally Draco left, leaving his chair away from the table as he did so. He walked up the grand staircase and Narcissa looked up to Lucius and coughed to let him know she wanted to speak. He looked up and she stared into the eyes that were so much like her son's.

"What is it?" he asked, his expression kept neutral.

"I..." Narcissa coughed to clear her throat. She must act brave, "I... We need to let her go."

Many things happened at once. His eyes grew darker and darker until she couldn't get through the wall of anger reflected in his eyes. His hand clenched around the toast, breaking it into pieces and the crumbles fell onto the table. His other hand clenched around the newspaper which threatened to rip.

"Do not turn your back on my decisions! What I do, I do for this family! You ungrateful-" his hand clenched tighter around the newspaper, "I would chuck you and that awful boy out of this house in a second but fortunately for you, I can't."

"Lucius, listen to me! We do not need her! You're making the wrong decision..." Narcissa knew she should not have said that.

Lucius grew red and his eyes narrowed at her words. He let go of the newspaper and Narcissa froze in fear as his hands closed on a tall glass.

"No, Lucius, please," she pleaded as he stood up.

He chucked the glass at her and she defended herself by throwing her hands over her face. Glass bit onto her skin and tears fell out of her eyes. Lucius raised his wand to point at her and Narcissa's tears flew put of her eyes.

"I never make the wrong decisions!" yelled Lucius, "CRUCIO!"

Pain. That was the first thing that shot through her like a bullet. Fast, agonising pain. She writhed on the floor like a fish out of water. Like a helpless bloom out of air. She gasped as the pain stopped but her bones felt the electricity shock through her again and again.

"Lucius, please," gasped Narcissa, it took her whole energy to speak as Lucius waved his wand around lazily, "Do not harm my son... Draco... He's... Let the girl go... She is no use to us! You're wrong about her! You are wrong about us! You're decisions affect us as a family!"

Narcissa collapsed onto the ground and did not move. She could feel blackness seep into her and the Crucio curse leaving it's pain behind. She felt at peace as if she flew on the highest cloud away from everyone. Higher and higher...

Suddenly the cloud tipped to the side and she fell with speed. Somewhere in the midst of this she heard Draco's voice shout something incomprehensible and then she was gone into a unconsciousness.

---

Draco's POV

"Your decisions affect us as a family!" she seemed to be gasping for air to reach her lungs.

Then she fell. Limp and lifeless. Draco's eyes found his mother to see that they were closed, like she was sleeping. She wasn't d... No, of course she wasn't! Don't even think that!

"Move, kid," muttered Coal, bashing past him and towards Lucius.

"YOU!" yelled Draco, his mother's unconsciousness duelling his anger and hostility.

Draco walked up to his father and shoved him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, his fear side acted up, yelling at him to stop while he's at it but Draco shoved the thought away and anger burned in his eyes, exactly like fire.

"My head is pounding. Shut up, you stupid boy. She'll wake up soon. Coal, take her to bed. Amadeus, take my son away from here." Lucius said, almost lazily which made Draco growl at him.

They say hate and love are both strong words. Strong words and strong emotions. Right now, Draco felt both emotions. Hate for his father. Love for his mother.

"I wish you would die!" muttered Draco.

It was a quiet mutter but Lucius heard it. The house was so silent that the words hung in the air. Lucius scowled at his son.

"Get out of here. Take your mother with you!" he muttered, walking away upstairs.

Coal and Amadeus walked forward to pick up Narcissa who, Draco was relived to see, was breathing. Draco held up a hand.

"Don't even touch her with your filthy hands." he muttered and Coal and Amadeus froze in place.

Draco bent down and picked his mother up. An arm under her head and the other under her legs. She was, surprisingly, not that heavy. Draco carried her up the stairs and into his room.

He banged the door shut and took care of his mother.