Baton Rouge

- 42 -

Draco was leaning against the windowsill of his room. His eyes were on the picture of misery on the bed that represented Hermione.

At first she had been angry. After Blaise and Weasley had said their goodbyes, she had immediately dragged him up to the first floor. Potter had stayed behind in silence. Then she had slammed the door and yelled at him. She had yelled at him.

He, however, had remained calm and endured it. And what else could he have done? He knew Blaise was right. Draco had understood immediately what his friend had been trying to convey with his mute stares: There was only one chance.

Of course, Potter himself had to be the one to kill the Dark Lord, and Blaise was unable to pose as the Fake-Potter given his position and required presence at the Ministry. Nor was it an option that Hermione would do it. Draco, on the other hand, was officially missing, and therefore cut out for the task. And also the only one expendable.

Now Hermione just cried. Her cheeks were wet with tears and she was wringing her hands in her lap. Of course, she knew it was their best idea yet, and she had probably realized by now that Draco had already made up his mind. Still, small, desperate sobs kept shaking her whole body.

"Hermione," he finally sighed and walked towards her.

He sat down on the bed next to her and reached out to touch her, but she flinched from him.

"You can't do this," she said accusingly, vigorously shaking her brown curls. "It's not worth it, Draco."

He closed his eyes briefly.

„Yes, it is, and you know it," he said softly, finally cupping her chin. He forced her to look at him and brushed away one of her countless tears.

"Harry..." It took a lot of effort to say the name. "...needs this chance. We must at least try. It's not about us, Hermione, it's not about me. I understand that now and Blaise is right. No matter how hopeless it may be, we must try."

Her bottom lip trembled at his insistent repetition.

"But why you?" she finally gasped softly and a smile curled his lips. He knew what she was thinking and he knew what to say to get those thoughts out of her head.

"Because I deserve it. I've done so many terrible things and made so many wrong decisions. Now I can make up for some of them. And maybe it will even get your life back, Hermione. That, at least, is totally worth it."

He looked at her steadily and honestly for a moment, then finally pulled her to him. Hermione sobbed again. She snuggled into his arms, clutching his shirt with her shaking hands and it felt like his heart was about to break. But his mind was made up. He would give Potter that head start even if it was the last thing he did.

But something was pulsing in the back of his mind: hope. Draco didn't want to die and he would try to prevent it. He was even a hundred percent sure of that as he bent his head down to the petite woman who was pressing against him. It was the first time in his life that he felt such affection for another human being, and he would do anything to come back to her.

"Let me do it," she whispered pleadingly, looking at him with tears in her eyes, but Draco shook his head resolutely.

"Stop it, Hermione," he rasped out. "Merlin, you've been through enough in the last few years. And you are innocent! Why the hell should you be punished again?"

He shook her slightly and her face hardened.

"Because I don't want a life without you... not anymore." She said it very quietly, but it hit Draco with such force that his throat tightened in an instant. He looked at her breathlessly. "I've lost someone before. I don't want to go through that all again."