Saving Hermione

Thank you to those of you that reviewed, and thank you for the compliments...and now the story gets a bit more interesting.

:)


Three days later on Saturday. . .

\"Granger, I\'d like a word with you, if you please?\" To her slight shock, Draco Malfoy stood before her in the hallway outside the Great Hall, hands clapsed behind his back. Most shocking of all, insults and sneeers were absent! And he had called her Granger!

With cautious exhaution, Hermione consented. After Harry and Ron had died in the Last Battle, Dumbledore had revealed the identity of his second Death Eater spy, Malfoy Junior. Since then, a grudging peace in the form of ignoring each other\'s existance had formed between the two. But he had made certain that she knew that his views on her heritage remained unchanged: he didn\'t approve.

\"Please follow me.\" Seeing her hesitation, he said \"I swear by Salazar Slytherin and my honour that I mean you no harm. In fact I want to help you.\" An earnest if shaky smile passed across his face before turning and gesturing for her to follow.

They made their way into the bowels of the castle, moving into the dungeons and then beyond, into underground wings that seemed long abandoned. If Malfoy had been planning some mischief, it would have been the perfect place to do it. The hallway was damp with water seepage from the lake overhead, and dark with only the light of a purlioned torch in Draco\'s hand. A heavy iron door appeared on their left, rust looking like blood splattered across it. With his wand, Draco tapped twice on the door, then once more, before it opened onto a darkened room of indeterminate size.

\"What is it you want to help me with and why did you drag me all the way out here?\" Hermione was tired and irritable, and wanted to have this business over and done with a soon as possible.

\"You didn\'t seem yourself recently. To the extent that not only the teachers are noticing. Everyone knows something is wrong, but not what. I know. You haven\'t been able to sleep have you?\" Seeing her soft pink blush, Draco grinned, thankful the dark hid his face, but the torch lit hers. \"I know it\'s not nightmares. I know exactly how you feel. Deep in the back of your mind, you feel that you should have died in the fighting, just like your friends did. You should have died a warrior. And it\'s your fault that they are dead. You should have died before they did.\"

Shadows and memories chased across his eyes, he too had things better left forgotten, but forever immortalised in memory. \"And until you die, you need to make up for it, you think you need to be punished. You need to do anything to punish yourself for not dying with them.\" Suddenly Draco looked up, and saw the answering pain, the acknowledgement, the empathy in her eyes. He was right on track. Draco grasped her shoulders in his hands, giving her a firm but gentle shake.

\"If you were meant to die, you would have, but you were chosen to live. Punish yourself if you must, but don\'t die, don\'t waste away. Relieve yourself of the pain. A catharsis will put you in good stead. Trust me.\" As if on cue, Professor Snape came through the door.

\"Draco, what is it that you wanted? And why in the hell out....\" He trailed off, seeing the his prise pupil was not alone. \"Miss Granger, what are you doing here?\" His sneer was plastered firmly across his face, though he had a feeling that he knew what was going on. And to be frank, he was pleased with Draco.

\"Serverus, you know why I asked you out here.\" The young blond said to his favourite teacher. Turning to the Gryffindor girl, \"Hermione, he can help you. Just open up, tell him what\'s wrong. If you\'re honest, he will help, and he might even be nice to you.\" Heading for the door, the Slytherin spoke a last parting comment, \"I know from experience.\"