Dramione One Shots

11. Impressions of War

This is an angsty-wartime collaboration between myself and the incredibly talented artist dara_art (check her out on Instagram, she makes heaps of Dramione art). 

Enjoy!

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Draco had heard plenty of screams in his short eighteen years, but Granger's hit differently. Taking him by chokehold as if the damage was being done to his own vocal cords. Her voice rasped, broke, and finally choked in convulsion, before she fell slack.

Dolohov and Goyle continued casting spell after spell even without the thrill of her reaction.

"I'm bored." Draco projected his voice over their laughter, taking care to feign nonchalance.

"You haven't even had a go." Goyle stopped mid-enchantment.

"What's the use?" Draco drew his wand from his black robes. "You broke her."

Dolohov sank to his knees, leering at Granger's unconscious figure. "Reckon she's got some kick left in her." He grinned, reaching for her throat.

"Petrificus Totalus."

Goyle toppled over like a thick tree.

Dolohov raised his wand in a flurry. "What are you playing at, Malfoy?"

"Petrificus Totalus," he spoke over him.

Dolohov collapsed face-first over her body.

Draco tucked his wand away and approached slowly. He grabbed a fistful of Dolohov's robes and wrenched him off of her. Then drove the toe of his boot into his teeth until a satisfying crunch came from beneath the Death Eater mask.

The thought of shattering his other bones was tempting, but the witch in his periphery couldn't be ignored. A cold spike of fear rose in his chest when he examined her limp figure. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, wiping away a rivulet of blood. "We need to stop meeting this way, Granger," he said too tenderly, belatedly glad nobody was conscious to hear it.

Not wanting her to wake to a bleak Death Eater mask, he twisted his wrist, and the world became brighter. Broaching on dusk, a golden ochre glow bled through the trees on the west end of the forest. Thick mist blurring sharp lines into something dreamy and faraway.

He sat on his thighs, spread his legs open, and drew her between them. Resting her head on his lap. 

🥀🥀🥀

Hermione couldn't breathe when she opened her eyes. She sat up gasping for air, and bashed her head on a hard object.

"Ow!" someone snarled above her.

She twisted around so fast her vision wavered. Even disoriented, she'd recognize Draco Malfoy anywhere. Garbed in typical Death Eater robes, he rubbed his chin and scowled at her.

"Please." Her voice was hoarse and she found it painful to speak. "I won't do anything, Malfoy. Let me go." The earth tilted on its side when she scrambled to her feet.

He leaped forward.

Her scream was all breath as she shoved him away.

"Calm down." He raised his palms. "You'll hurt yourself."

"Hurt myself? You tortured me!"

"It wasn't me."

That's when she saw the frozen Death Eaters on the ground. One on his side, lying in a puddle of his own blood, the other splayed awkwardly on his back, his skull mask staring up unseeingly at the first sparkle of stars.