Left Behind 2: Illusions (A Dramione Romance)

The Forbidden Forest

Draco saw Hermione's face fall at his words. He hated himself for having hurt her in this way when all he was trying to do was keep her from harm.

This was an unnecessary pain.

How would you feel? He found himself asking.

He didn't know how to answer himself for that.  There was no way he could fathom how it would feel to be in her shoes... to know someone had taken time from him, but not know that had happened.

She was never supposed to know, he protested weakly.

You can make her forget this and it will be like she never found out... The whisper was tiny in his head and for a moment he wanted to take the option-just make it all go away, but this time it would be selfish...it would just be him running away from the truth.

Look at how it hurt her, I don't want to cause her unnecessary pain.

That's the whole reason why you cast the obliviate in the first place, he reminded himself: to try save her from more pain.

Once again trying to play the hero only made things worse.

"What happened Malfoy?" Hermione asked holding her wand pointing it straight at him.

He wasn't afraid of her cursing him again; that had hurt like hell but also felt like justice.

No, it was the plea in her voice that had him answering.

"Nothing," he answered. It was partially true, he told himself because it was Nothing like she was worried had happened. Nothing in comparison to what could have or would have happened if the Dark Lord had seen the kindness in her eyes while looking at Draco.

"Bullshit!" she yelled and stepped forward, instead of hexing him she shoved at his chest with both hands.

"That's Bullshit Malfoy. You wouldn't have done it for no reason." She shoved him again. "Tell me the truth goddamn it! What the fuck happened?!" her hands collided with his chest a third time, this time there was some wandless magic behind the shove and he fell back on his ass six feet from her.

The snapping of twigs caught Draco's attention and his head whipped around in time to see a dark haired death eater point his wand at Granger. With a flick of his wrist the death eater sent Crabbe's wand flying out of Granger's hands. 

The deatheater caught it easily.  He glanced at it curiously then tossed it away.

"What have we here?" The deatheater smiled. "Pretty lady in the woods?" he barely spared Malfoy a glance obviously considering the young blond man as an ally and not worth attention. The Deatheater probably thought Draco would thank him later or share in the spoils. 

The man raised his wand to attack Granger and Draco lashed out with a stupify and jumping to his feet to his feet.

Granger took one look at him and the fallen death eater and bolted deeper into the forbidden forest as the last few inches of sun disappeared over the horizon colouring the view in a twilight haze.

"Granger!" Draco called out after her. She didn't answer. "Dammit Granger," he said lowly and went to the death eater on the ground. The man was still dazed and very much out of it. Draco grabbed the wizard's wand from his hand and cast an obliviate. He didn't need anyone going to the dark lord whining about how 'Draco Malfoy' had attacked them in order to protect the woman who was supposed to be his prisoner.

Draco looked towards the black woods.

Hermione was in there without a wand running through the forbidden forest.