29th September, 1998

Hermione was running as fast as her feet allowed her to. The wind whipped around her and her lungs screamed their protest but Hermione didn't slow down.

Her clothes stuck in overgrown branches and she regretted her choice of wearing a crocheted top. But then again, this plan hadn't been anything but a last-minute desperate need to act.

Red sparks whizzed over her head and Hermione cursed into the air. She pointed her wand over her shoulder and blindly attacked.

She wasn't sure how long they could continue this pursuit. Hermione sharply swerved to the right, almost tripping on the scattered leaves and broken branches. She heard the sound of a body slamming to the ground and she knew it was now and never.

She saw her attackers, the heavy one was still standing, looking around frantically while the smaller one had fallen down.

Hermione worked quickly, stupefying the fallen one and disarming the other.

Even without his wand, the man ran towards her, teeth bared and shoulders hunched. Hermione swiped her wand and gold ropes erupted from its end, binding the drunk.

He thrashed against the restraints, eyes gleaming maliciously. Hermione walked towards him and hit him square in the face with her boots. Her attack was followed by a disgusting crunch of bones breaking.

Hermione's face twisted in a satisfied grin and she almost turned around on her spot, ready to disapparate from this disastrous failure of an endeavor but her attacker's gruff voice stopped her.

"Mudblood whore," He spat, slurring over his words.

Hermione's blood ran cold and she stopped the shiver of disgust from running down her spine.

"What did you say?" Hermione asked warningly, her wand pointed over his chest.

The man stared back defiantly.

"I called you what you are," he answered. He opened his mouth to say something else but Hermione didn't allow him to.

"Crucio," she yelled.

Hermione noticed the briefest flash of horror on his face before the spell hit. His scream filled the air as he writhed and thrashed from the impact of her rage.

Hermione looked down at the body with a cold numbness that bled from her mind all the way to her fingertips. Her mind registered the pain she was inflicted but it didn't order her to stop. Hermione felt detached from her body as if experiencing everything through a blurry haze.

The screams slowed down until the guy went silent. Hermione blinked, the blood finally rushing to her brain. The wand clattered from her grip and her hand flew towards her mouth, eyes wide as she took in the damage.

The man was barely breathing. His head had split open and blood gushed from it. He had scratches on his arm and face as he had tried to claw through the clutches of the curse.

Hermione knew the feeling well.

Still reeling from what she had done, she didn't notice the scrawny guy stir. She didn't notice as he pointed his wand at her. Hermione yelled as his curse hit her arm, her skin splitting open from her elbow all the way down to her wrist.

"Accio wand," she shouted as her wand flew into her open palm.

"Stop," Hermione called, keeping her voice as firm as possible.

She knew this one wasn't a fighter and Hermione wasn't in the condition to even hold her wand steady for a minute longer. She could feel the effects of the dark magic settling in her veins.

The guy nodded timidly as Hermione tried to hold herself straight for a little while longer.

"Go. Take him with you," she ordered with as much force as she could muster.

He stood on wobbly legs and hauled his partner around his shoulders with surprising strength before apparating away.

Hermione dropped to the ground harshly, shivering like a leaf against the autumn wind. Her stomach twisted and churned violently until she threw up behind the nearest tree.

Hermione clumsily closed her wound. She knew it wouldn't hold but with her hands shaking so badly, she thought she might do more damage than good. She pulled a vial of blood-replenishing potion from her beaded bag and drowned it down.

She needed to leave. She stood up and turned on the spot, appearing in the room in Hog's Head. Bile rose up her throat but she forced it back down, leaning against the wall to regain her balance. The wound was bleeding once again and she closed it again.

"Ariana, I need to go back," she whispered to the smiling girl in the portrait before it swung open.

"Don't tell Aberforth," she requested before disappearing inside. Her mind swirled and her vision was starting to get hazy but she went on.

She landed in the room of requirements and immediately rushed towards the door. She had no time to lose.

"Don't let anyone know I was here," she pleaded to the room before closing the door behind her.

Don't faint. You're so close.

Hermione repeated the words in her head even as she stumbled with each step, even as her eyes dropped, even as her body stuttered to a stop.

She slammed against someone and her mind screamed in terror.

McGonagall would find out now. She would know that Hermione had left Hogwarts in search of her parents. As if they would have been waiting for her to come to rescue them.

The figure was still silently standing in front of her and Hermione managed to raise her head.

Sharp gray eyes, brows furrowed as he scanned her.

No. Anyone but him.

"You're bleeding, Granger." His voice was even and calm and Hermione felt herself subconsciously leaning into his body warmth.

"No, shit," she whispered, internally yelling at herself to pull back.

His fingers curled against her shoulders and he held her away, reading her face. Hermione dimly registered that this was the first time she had seen him showing any emotions.

Even if it was unease and apprehension.

Then he grabbed her uninjured arm and pulled her in the opposite direction of their dorm.

"No," Hermione hissed, trying to yank her arm away but it only made her sway violently.

"What?" he demanded furiously.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Hospital wing," He said impatiently. "Where else would I take you?" He whisper-yelled, matching her tone.

"Not the hospital wing, please. Take me to the common room. I can heal myself."

"Are you crazy, Granger?" he hissed, trying to tug her arm but this time, a lot more gently.

"Malfoy, no, please," she allowed her desperation to creep into her voice. "Please, don't. No one can know."

He paused, looking at the desperate look on her face and she stared back at him before he slowly shook his head.

"You need to go see Madam Pomfrey," he stated firmly.

"No," she shot back with the same finality in her voice as she tried to tug her wrist from his grip.

She winced as white-hot pain traveled through her nerves at the effort.

"Stop struggling," He hissed, stormy eyes glaring at her.

"No," she bit back and saw his gaze soften.

"Okay, I'll take you to the common room," he agreed reluctantly and Hermione allowed herself to sink into him once again.

She was too weak to fight the temptation and warmth.

His arms curled around her shoulders almost protectively.

"Stay with me, Granger." His voice sent a jolt through her body. He sounded so soft, so welcoming.

He let her bleed on him as he supported her weight. He smelled like expensive perfumes and rain and vanilla.

"Malfoy?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

For finding her. For saving her. For not taking her to the hospital wing. For being so warm. Hermione wasn't sure. The answer died on the tip of her tongue as she succumbed to the darkness.

Word count: [1,316 words]