The Last Breath

Chapter 2

Hermione sat outside the tent, still complete and utterly pissed at the pair inside the tent. Harry could have gotten himself killed and if Ron's story was true he could have gotten himself seriously injured. They where all she had left of a family, and for all she knew Draco could be dead or seriously injured. She looked around the campsite and deduced it had to be nearly Easter. They would need to set out for food soon enough. The nearest lake didn't have fish so they would have to scavenge the forest. It would also be the perfect time to then pack up and move camp, they had been there for close to two weeks, movement was key.
The trio had everything they needed in Hermione's back as the took down the enchantment around the old campsite. They had previously been talking about what Voldemort could be doing and wether he could see into Harry's mind. Ron had freaked out at the use of his name saying that in the first war it had been taboo. Most of the protection enchatments around the camp had been taken down without their interference, all except the one Hermione made. The trio started walking when they heard it. The voices of three men. One sounded suspiciously like Fenrier Greyback, Hermione couldn't place the others. They started running when one of them mentioned the dark lord. The sound if their running alerted the snatchers that they where near them. Hermione knowing it was no use sent a stinking jinx at Harry to hopefully mess up his appearance enough that he wouldn't be recognised. The snatchers caught them and took them to Malfoy Manor.
Hermione couldn't deny she was slightly happy. She would be able to see if Draco was ok. It had been too long since she saw her fiance. She only hopped everything would go ok. The snatchers had searched her bag and luckily only took a couple of things, however one of those things was the sword.
When they arrived at the manor Hermione got a chill down her spine. It was massive and daunting yet at the same time elegant and classy. It was everything Draco had told her it was. She glanced at the boys. Ron was pale as a sheet and Harry looked utterly terrified. Bellatrix came to great them at the gate. "What have you got there?" Bellatrix asked glaring at the three captors. "We found this lot running around the woods, we suspect that they are the the dark lords most wanted, and I'm certain this one's a mudblood," one of the snatchers spat. She let the six in to the manor and Hermione knew this wasn't going to go well. The trio were forced to kneel against a wall in the entrance hall. Lucius Malfoy, who no longer looked as regal or imprtant as before glared down at them. Narcissa who also looked worse for ware was sent to fetch Draco and see if he could recognize them. When Draco arrived he had a mix of emotions. His fiancée had been caught. She had put herself in danger and he wasn't happy that she was there, it was dangerous. Yet he was happy to see her. "I can't be for sure, but I can guarantee that that's a stinging jinx in the puffy guys face. I'll take them to cellar and until it wears off," Draco said standing up. He summoned chains and chained them together before leading them yo the cellar. Once they reached the cellar Draco unchained them, placed a silencing charm on the room and hugged Hermione.
"You idiot, do you know how dangerous that is? What did you do to get caught!" He said pulling out from the hug and looking her up and down for any injuries. "Harry said you know who's name, most of our enchatments went down. We had to run my mind wasn't clear enough for apparation. I've missed you though," Hermione said going in for another hug. Instead she got a kiss. "Don't do that again love, it's to dangerous we need to get you out of here and I suppose your friends as well," Draco said smiling. At that moment Luna came out of the shadows. "Hello Hermione, Ron, Harry. It's been awhile," even in the middle of a war she seemed strangely calm. Harry didn't respond he was still processing everything. He knew Hermione was engaged to a deatheater but not who it was. "Malfoy really?" Ron asked with a jokey smirk. "Couldn't have gone for a nicer guy?" He added laughing a little. From what he had seen, Hermione was happy and Malfoy treated her right. "Blaise was taken sadly," Hermione joked back making Draco glare at her a little. "You know I love you Draco don't give me that look!" She said. Draco nodded before leaving and taking down the charm. A moment later a yell was heard above. "Where did you get that sword!" Bellatrix was angry. Draco appeared back in the dungeon and had to tie them all back up, this time with rope. He hoped one of them had something sharp hidden on them so they could get out. As he left he pulled Hermione along with him, quickly shooting the boys a sorry glance. Once upstairs he handed Hermione over to his heart. Outside he looked calm, almost pleased but on the inside he was screaming to get her out of this. If he even dared to step out of line she would be killed for manipulating a pureblood and he would be tortured for letting it happen.
Back in the dungeon the two boys had freed themselves and were trying to come up with a plan with the other prisoners. Olivander and Griphook didn't take much to their conversation  but Luna and Dean tried to help best they could. Hermione's screams could be heard and it broke the group's hearts. Luna could only imagine the pain poor Draco was going through having to stand to the side and witness the love of his life be torture. Knowing not much would distract him unless he came to the prisoners she rushed to the cellar door like structure. "Hermione be strong, for all of us. We will find a way out we promise," she shouted. As she had hoped Draco was sent down to deal with the prisoners. "Luna, thank you for this," he muttered as soon as he was down there. Because of the 'out of order' behaviour the prisoners where displaying Draco had to stay. At first they where skeptical to continue plotting. "Wormtail's hand will kill him if he takes to long choosing between you know who and what's right, keep that in mind Potter. If he was a friend of your father's he would surely faulter given a good enough situation," Draco said before going to check on olivander. In the distance a loud crack was heard within the cellar. Harry got to his to investigate but didn't have to. "Harry potter, Aberforth sent Dobby, said you where in danger sir, Dobby had to help," the house elf spoke. Before anyone could speak Draco was to his feet and in front of his old elf. "Donny get Luna, Thomas, Olivander and Griphook out of here, take them to-" Draco was cut of by Ron. "Take them to shell cottage Dobby, come back when they are safe. Draco, mate, we need to make it look like we knocked you out create a rucus and get Pettigrew down here." Draco nodded. It would save Hermione. Anything for her. Ron punched him square in the jaw. Although it hurt it wasn't enough to push him to the ground, so Draco dropped to the ground himself. Pettigrew, after hearing the crashing of a body and a loud crack, went into the dungeon. His silver hand lay limp by his side while is wand arm was outstretched, a light emitting from the end of his wand.
Harry walked up to Pettigrew, rembering what Malfoy had said earlier. "You wouldn't let your best friend and his wife die for nothing would you?" He asked signaling to the now opened door at the top of the stairs. Pettigrew stood frozen, his silver hand flew to his throat and started choking him. Harry was perplexed. A loud crack signaled just as Pettigrew fell down dead. "Who gets his wand?" Ron asked. "Potter, that way when we go up there it can look like me and scar head are duelling. You'll have to disarm me and for Mia's sake, don't send anything deadly or dangerous my way. My fiancee doesn't need anymore trauma for a while," Malfoy said as he stood up from the ground. "Oh and Weasley, good punch not the best but it's up there," he added in a joking manner. Malfoy stood on the bottom step and started firing harmless spells towards Harry and Ron. Harry fired back, making it appear he was forcing him back up the stairs.
Upstairs Hermione was pinned to the floor and an angry Bellatrix was above her. She had noticed Draco going back to the dungeon and prayed they would find themselves a way out. Hermione felt a knife drag across her burning skin and let out another scream. Just then Harry, Ron and Draco busted through the door. Bellatrix stood up immediately at the sight. Draco's wand went flying over to Harry. He passed Ron Pettigrew's wand. Bellatrix had dropped her wand next to Hermione. Draco endlessly accioed the wand, dragged Hermione up, and held the wand to her neck. He made it look rough but he had been as delecate as he could be with his future wife. "When I say go you take the wand and run, you get your ass out of here. I would go with you but I can't risk my family's life over my disobedience," Draco whispered into her ear. In case anyone was watching he made himself look threatening and Hermione made herself look scared. Dobby appeared on top of the chandelier, and started twisting, at first he was twisting it the wrong way but with a little help from Draco the house elf managed to start getting it free. "Go," Draco muttered. He loosened his grip and Hermione twisted around, grabbed the wand and slipped under and out of his arms. The chandelier was about to fall so she darted across the room to where Harry and Ron where standing. Dobby grabbed onto them and apperated them away. Just as it happened Bellatrix threw a knife at them. Aiming for Hermione, instead she hit Dobby. But Draco wouldn't know that.
Later that night Hermione was sat outside of shell cottage. She needed to see Draco but it wasn't possible. There was a loud and familiar crack in the distance. Apparation. Someone was here. Carefully Hermione followed the border of the protection and concealment charms. Just outside the border stood Draco, all alone. "Hermione, if you're out there please come to me," he muttered. Ron, who had appeared next to Hermione and probably been woken by the loud crack, pushed her forward a little. Not much but just enough that her left leg stepped out. Deciding it was best to continue, she stepped all the way out. She stood there nervously and Draco ran to her. "Oh I'm sorry I couldn't do anything Mia, I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. I was to cowardly to risk my mother's life to save you. I'm so sorry," Draco muttered into her shoulder. Hermione pulled him closer and hugged him tight. "Its not your fault, Dragon, you did what you could. You got us out of there. I was so worried about you!" She responded. Draco let a slight chuckle out and smirked at her. "You where the one that had a knife thrown out you, what happened with that by the way?" Draco said. It was Ron's turn to reveal himself. He stepped out and gave Hermione a sad smile. "The knife hit Dobby, right in the heart. We couldn't save him," Ron muttered. Draco wasn't usually one to show emotions around those he didn't like but times where changing. "He raised me, practically, him and mother," Draco said looking down. "Draco, you aren't going back to the manor, you can't. You need to be safe," Hermione said after a moment of silence. Both boys outside of the protection charm gave her confused glances. "I'm not saying come on the run with us, I'm saying you need to hide out, here. You aren't safe at home and I need to know you are safe, how else will I marry you?" Hermione said. What the three didn't know was that Bill and Fleur had also come out to investigate. Fleur removed the charms pulled the group behind where they where and replaced them, adding Draco the list of safe people. "So you are 'Moines future husband. Welcome to the family. You lot back to bed. I'll keep watch, in case any one comes looking for the missing Malfoy," Bill said. His wife nodded before guiding them inside.
Inside Hermione and Draco sat on one of the beds in the room. There where three beds in the room. One was transfigured from a rock on the beach. Harry and Ron sat on the other beds. "So when did you two start dating?" Ron asked. He liked Hermione, scratch that he loved her and she was happy with someone else. All he needed to get through this was her happiness. "Around fifth year. We both spent a lot of the time in the library for our owls. Most of the time we were civil enough so we could use the right books. Hermione started falling asleep in the library and I would leave a small snack for her when she woke up. On one occasion she decided to fake sleeping to see who left her the snack. At this point I had been crushing on her pretty hard for a while. I left a note with the chocolate and a necklace as a gift. The next day in the library she came up to me, I'm a completely deserted part of the library and kissed me. I asked her out right after," Draco explained. Hermione smiled tiredly up at her fiance. "You missed out the part where you kissed my forehead when I slept, dragon," she muttered resting her head against him.
Harry was the first to fall asleep, shortly followed by Ron, Draco was close to falling asleep but Hermione couldn't sleep and he wasn't going to sleep if she couldn't. "You should sleep, Draco," Hermione whispered into the silent room. "I'll get you a dreamless sleep potion, then we can sleep. You'll have nightmares and you know it, that's why you are awake," Draco said. He felt Hermione nod against him. Instead of leaving the bed and turning on the muggle lights, he accioed his old school bag towards him and from that accioed the potion. When he had bottled the potions in the manor he had made sure one bottle was one dose, making at future use quicker. He handed it to Hermione who, as soon as she had downed it, was out like a light. Soon he followed Hermione into sleep and held her against him in a protective and loving way.
That was the way it was for around a week until one morning he woke up and she was gone. Only a note saying she had gone back on the run, he would be safe there. Draco could only hope she would be safe.