Inside Your Mind

lullaby

Rolling onto his front Draco fired spell after spell at Dolohov with the wand from Hermione's shoe.

Yaxley recovered quickly and the four were soon duelling across the kitchen, Hermione and Draco using the kitchen island as partial cover as spells flew through the air.

Flashes of green blurred their vision. The sound of smashing glass and breaking china filled their ears. Somewhere in the kitchen something was on fire and the rancid smell of burning filled their nostrils. Draco could taste blood from how hard he was biting his tongue in concentration. Hermione could feel the weight of her body as her magic drained her.

They duelled for what felt like hours to Hermione, who was clearly out of practice with her offensive spells, until she sent part of the ceiling crashing down onto Yaxley.

Dolohov managed to roll out of the way of crumbling ceiling and disarmed Draco in the commotion.

'CONFRINGO!' Hermione yelled at the only Death Eater left.

Dolohov blocked the spell and fired another straight back towards her as Draco hurried across the kitchen on his hands and knees to retrieve his own wand from across the room.

Hermione struggled against Dolohov with the amount of Unforgivables he tried to send her way, something a Shield Charm wouldn't protect her from, as she had to dodge each one while simultaneously trying to send her own Stunning Spells his way.

When she heard the Killing Curse leave his lips for the third time she wasn't quick enough. He aimed it right at her chest.

It hit its mark.

Hermione fell back at the impact of the spell, crumbling to the floor in a mess of limbs, and the last thing she heard was Draco's strangled yell as he put the Death Eater in a full body bind after retrieving his wand.

Draco bound a motionless Dolohov with ropes, snapping the Death Eater's wand for good measure, before running over to Hermione's side.

'No, no, no.' Draco was whispering over and over as he pulled her body onto his lap. 'You can't die now.'

He had done too much, sacrificed everything, and now it was all for nothing. Would he have had more time with her if he had never pushed her away? If he had never taken her memories?

'I can't lose you Granger.' Draco said, his voice raised and angry, as he shook her lifeless form. 'There have been too many times where I've seen you unconscious or on the brink of death.'

Draco shook her shoulders again as his throat closed, his lungs squeezing all the oxygen from his body, and he tried desperately to get her to wake up.

'There have been so many times you've almost died.' He growled when her eyes stayed firmly shut.

'YOU CANT JUST DIE NOW!' He roared.

Draco was losing it.

His voice echoed around the room and slammed back into his ears with a force that almost knocked him to the floor.

'Hermione,' Draco pleaded as his voice dropped to a whisper. 'You can't die now.'

Thoughts and memories entered and left Draco's mind in quick succession as he stared down at the messy brown curls and freckle spattered cheeks.

An image of an overenthusiastic First Year wanting to prove herself as a capable witch.

A brave Second Year who stood up to his Father in a crowded bookshop.

A feisty Third Year who punched him in the nose in the defence of those she held dear to her heart.

A beautiful Fourth Year who proved that she was more than just a clever bookworm.

A protective Fifth Year who paid the price with a curse that almost killed her from the wand of the man who just succeeded.

A trusting Sixth Year who saw the good in him until the very end.

A resilient girl who never stopped fighting in a war that she was the main target in.

Hermione Granger was a force to be reckoned with, Draco thought, she didn't deserve to die like this.

'Granger, please.' Draco whispered as held her limp body close to his chest.

An uncontrollable noise left his throat, a strangled sob that almost chocked the life out of him, and he buried his face in her neck.

He allowed himself half a minute.

Half a minute to mourn her. Thirty seconds to break down over her body. Then he would get up and finish the task at hand. He needed to check the rest of the Manor and alert the Aurors if they hadn't been summoned here already. But he needed these thirty seconds.

When they were over he lifted his face away from her neck, any trace of grief gone from his features, and looked down at her once more; he burned the scattering of freckles, the mess of curls, the memory of her smile, and the ghost of her lips against his, into his mind.

With a deep breath, Draco placed one last kiss on Hermione's forehead.