Never had Hermione Granger ever imagined that she wouldn’t be in class on the first day of her seventh year at Hogwarts, but was instead strolling through the woods in the middle of nowhere with her two best mates. Well, Ron currently. She missed school terribly, it was her home, and it was where she had truly felt happy and accepted. It was where she met Harry and Ron and Luna and Ginny and everyone else. And to be away from it was terribly difficult for her. Homework and reading brought such a joy to her life. Learning new things about the amazing world of magic and those around her had become a way of life. But things had drastically changed when the Dark Lord began to ready himself for a war. Then Harry found out his fate, that he had to pick up where their Headmaster had failed.
They had to find and destroy the horcurxes that would help them ensure Voldemort would die once and for all. After getting Harry out of his home, and erasing her parents’ memories, they all fled to the Burrow. And it was there that they were attacked and had to flee to London. And from there they had to run from danger, fleeing to the middle of nowhere. And in the chase, Ron ended up injuring himself to which Hermione did her best to quickly heal him. She had been preparing for such events for a while. She had packed her bag using an extension charm which couldn’t be detected. She had filled said bag with hundreds of books on survival, healing, historic events, advanced spells, among other useful topics.
She knew they had a long tiresome road ahead of them and while parts of her heart remained with her parents and school, she needed to remain focused on their task at hand. At least they had the locket after having broken into the Ministry of Magic to steal it from the awful woman, Umbridge. And now they had to be even more careful with their movements. People were after them and she knew they were out of their depth, despite the extra studying they had done. It was decided that they take turns wearing the newly acquired locket in hopes that it would give them a hint to the whereabouts of the Dark Lord or the other horcruxes. Harry was the first one to raise his hand which left her and Ron to take care of setting up camp. She headed out with Ron to find something to eat. She hoped that the redhead would have some knowledge about cooking since he seemed to grow up in a rural home with a big family.
As she and Ron walked along, careful about making noise, the bookworm couldn’t help but wonder about the end of everything. They were so close to it and yet achingly far. They had a long journey ahead of them and if they were smart, they would lie low while trying to track down information. Hermione glanced to Ron as he appeared to have a lot on his mind, which wasn’t an expression she found him wearing too often. That worried her. “Don’t worry.” She assured him, putting a hand on his arm gently. She knew he was worried about his sister and family. It was late in the morning, perhaps around ten or so. Their first official night on the run had been a bit restless and she was sure the boys would be tense if not tired. “I did pack some rations but I want to save those since we may be able to find food out here.” She explained to him.
The two of them ended up finding a bush with some herbs which Hermione was able to recognize as edible. Then Ron was able to spot a rabbit. While it wasn’t in her nature to want to kill an innocent thing, she knew she needed to get used to surviving. She and Ron were quick to cast spells which stunned the creature and killed it. Ron carried it back while Hermione pocketed the herbs which would help season to stew. “We found some things that I could make into a stew, we’ll need to keep our strength up.” She said as they entered the tent to find Harry just sitting at the table. She quickly looked through her bag while Ron attempted to skin their kill. “Any luck?” She asked Harry as she poured some water in a pot and lit a small fire under it. The witch walked out of the small kitchen and stepped up to the platform where Harry was. She knew the stress was immense and she wanted to do anything that would help him.
- - -
His life was one of entitlement. Draco Malfoy was a blond boy who hadn’t found his purpose in life. His family was well known in the wizarding world. He was quite proud of it and didn’t feel like he had to hide it. He was already better than most people from the day he was born. That wasn’t his fault, it was actually his blessing. Draco, from a young age, knew his father did something secretive. When he was old enough to get his letter to Hogwarts, his father decided that he was old enough to know what Lucius did for a living, or did to stay alive. Draco was told of his father’s work with the Dark Lord and it soon dawned on Draco that he held is father’s name for a reason, that someday he was to follow in his footsteps and serve under the Dark Lord. He was a young boy who didn’t really consider the future repercussions of who he could and should associate with.
Even so, when he tried to befriend Harry Potter, his offer was turned down. And from that moment, the sour taste in Draco’s mouth would never go away. The blond ended up making friends in his own House, he soon learned his friends were also connected to the Deatheaters. While he still didn’t have all the information of the past events and expectations of his family, he did his best to make a name for himself at Hogwarts. He was quickly taken under Professor Snape’s wing but while he was struggling to become his own person, it seemed Harry Potter was making an even bigger name for himself and that angered Draco even more. As the years passed, Draco found himself fading into the background of everything. His father had become busier with the Deatheaters and his mother was hardly much help.
And those who he called his friends, didn’t understand his struggle to find his identity. He hated being overlooked and even worse, underestimated. He was a Malfoy, he deserved to have people stare at him with envy and awe but instead all everyone could babble about was Harry Potter. It angered Draco greatly, that he was so seemingly powerless to be someone noteworthy. By the time the seventh year had rolled around, Draco had plenty of time to form a plan to get noticed, to be remembered, to step out of his father’s shadow and to do something for himself. Sure, he had taken a vow to Voldemort a year ago but it was too much pressure. Moaning Myrtle somehow had seen a softer side of him a year ago, when he cracked under the pressure. But he was determined to not let that happen again. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. He would start taking charge, no matter the cost.
During the summer, Draco did some work for the Deatheaters but his mind was constantly whirling as to what he could do on his own, how he could get noticed and no longer hide behind a mask or robe. As school started, he made his own choice to break away and do something on his own. But in order to make a name for himself, he would need to have some help. This help had to be different but useful and the one person who was still around, he noted, was Luna Lovegood. She had sun soaked hair much like him but she was much softer in nature while he was rigid and controlled. She could be an asset which he could mold into a better vision. She was unsuspecting and flew under the radar. It was possible for it to work in his favor. After the train stopped and everyone got out, the male kept his eye out for the blond haired Ravenclaw.
He had a plan but he had to wait for the best time to get to her. So he waited until the first weekend hit Hogwarts. He exited the Great Hall, having finished breakfast a bit late. Most students were out and about, not wanting to be under the watch of the new staff at school. Draco wasn’t worried though, he was safe from any of that rubbish. Draco walked around, trying to find out where Lovegood was. He headed down towards the Ravenclaw Common Room and heard some whispers. He poked his head into an empty classroom and saw Luna speaking to someone, a ghost of some sort but it quickly noticed him and fled. He walked in and flashed Luna a smile. “Seems Potter and his friends didn’t show up this year.” He commented but quickly changed his tone, knowing he had to be careful. “Doesn’t that make you a bit lonely? I know you were sort of close to them.” He told her with a bit of a shrug. Everyone knew Luna was the oddball who got bullied, he could relate to her though he wouldn’t admit to it, unless it worked in his favor. “If you need a friend…” He began to offer her, trying to seem as inviting as possible.
They had to find and destroy the horcurxes that would help them ensure Voldemort would die once and for all. After getting Harry out of his home, and erasing her parents’ memories, they all fled to the Burrow. And it was there that they were attacked and had to flee to London. And from there they had to run from danger, fleeing to the middle of nowhere. And in the chase, Ron ended up injuring himself to which Hermione did her best to quickly heal him. She had been preparing for such events for a while. She had packed her bag using an extension charm which couldn’t be detected. She had filled said bag with hundreds of books on survival, healing, historic events, advanced spells, among other useful topics.
She knew they had a long tiresome road ahead of them and while parts of her heart remained with her parents and school, she needed to remain focused on their task at hand. At least they had the locket after having broken into the Ministry of Magic to steal it from the awful woman, Umbridge. And now they had to be even more careful with their movements. People were after them and she knew they were out of their depth, despite the extra studying they had done. It was decided that they take turns wearing the newly acquired locket in hopes that it would give them a hint to the whereabouts of the Dark Lord or the other horcruxes. Harry was the first one to raise his hand which left her and Ron to take care of setting up camp. She headed out with Ron to find something to eat. She hoped that the redhead would have some knowledge about cooking since he seemed to grow up in a rural home with a big family.
As she and Ron walked along, careful about making noise, the bookworm couldn’t help but wonder about the end of everything. They were so close to it and yet achingly far. They had a long journey ahead of them and if they were smart, they would lie low while trying to track down information. Hermione glanced to Ron as he appeared to have a lot on his mind, which wasn’t an expression she found him wearing too often. That worried her. “Don’t worry.” She assured him, putting a hand on his arm gently. She knew he was worried about his sister and family. It was late in the morning, perhaps around ten or so. Their first official night on the run had been a bit restless and she was sure the boys would be tense if not tired. “I did pack some rations but I want to save those since we may be able to find food out here.” She explained to him.
The two of them ended up finding a bush with some herbs which Hermione was able to recognize as edible. Then Ron was able to spot a rabbit. While it wasn’t in her nature to want to kill an innocent thing, she knew she needed to get used to surviving. She and Ron were quick to cast spells which stunned the creature and killed it. Ron carried it back while Hermione pocketed the herbs which would help season to stew. “We found some things that I could make into a stew, we’ll need to keep our strength up.” She said as they entered the tent to find Harry just sitting at the table. She quickly looked through her bag while Ron attempted to skin their kill. “Any luck?” She asked Harry as she poured some water in a pot and lit a small fire under it. The witch walked out of the small kitchen and stepped up to the platform where Harry was. She knew the stress was immense and she wanted to do anything that would help him.
- - -
His life was one of entitlement. Draco Malfoy was a blond boy who hadn’t found his purpose in life. His family was well known in the wizarding world. He was quite proud of it and didn’t feel like he had to hide it. He was already better than most people from the day he was born. That wasn’t his fault, it was actually his blessing. Draco, from a young age, knew his father did something secretive. When he was old enough to get his letter to Hogwarts, his father decided that he was old enough to know what Lucius did for a living, or did to stay alive. Draco was told of his father’s work with the Dark Lord and it soon dawned on Draco that he held is father’s name for a reason, that someday he was to follow in his footsteps and serve under the Dark Lord. He was a young boy who didn’t really consider the future repercussions of who he could and should associate with.
Even so, when he tried to befriend Harry Potter, his offer was turned down. And from that moment, the sour taste in Draco’s mouth would never go away. The blond ended up making friends in his own House, he soon learned his friends were also connected to the Deatheaters. While he still didn’t have all the information of the past events and expectations of his family, he did his best to make a name for himself at Hogwarts. He was quickly taken under Professor Snape’s wing but while he was struggling to become his own person, it seemed Harry Potter was making an even bigger name for himself and that angered Draco even more. As the years passed, Draco found himself fading into the background of everything. His father had become busier with the Deatheaters and his mother was hardly much help.
And those who he called his friends, didn’t understand his struggle to find his identity. He hated being overlooked and even worse, underestimated. He was a Malfoy, he deserved to have people stare at him with envy and awe but instead all everyone could babble about was Harry Potter. It angered Draco greatly, that he was so seemingly powerless to be someone noteworthy. By the time the seventh year had rolled around, Draco had plenty of time to form a plan to get noticed, to be remembered, to step out of his father’s shadow and to do something for himself. Sure, he had taken a vow to Voldemort a year ago but it was too much pressure. Moaning Myrtle somehow had seen a softer side of him a year ago, when he cracked under the pressure. But he was determined to not let that happen again. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. He would start taking charge, no matter the cost.
During the summer, Draco did some work for the Deatheaters but his mind was constantly whirling as to what he could do on his own, how he could get noticed and no longer hide behind a mask or robe. As school started, he made his own choice to break away and do something on his own. But in order to make a name for himself, he would need to have some help. This help had to be different but useful and the one person who was still around, he noted, was Luna Lovegood. She had sun soaked hair much like him but she was much softer in nature while he was rigid and controlled. She could be an asset which he could mold into a better vision. She was unsuspecting and flew under the radar. It was possible for it to work in his favor. After the train stopped and everyone got out, the male kept his eye out for the blond haired Ravenclaw.
He had a plan but he had to wait for the best time to get to her. So he waited until the first weekend hit Hogwarts. He exited the Great Hall, having finished breakfast a bit late. Most students were out and about, not wanting to be under the watch of the new staff at school. Draco wasn’t worried though, he was safe from any of that rubbish. Draco walked around, trying to find out where Lovegood was. He headed down towards the Ravenclaw Common Room and heard some whispers. He poked his head into an empty classroom and saw Luna speaking to someone, a ghost of some sort but it quickly noticed him and fled. He walked in and flashed Luna a smile. “Seems Potter and his friends didn’t show up this year.” He commented but quickly changed his tone, knowing he had to be careful. “Doesn’t that make you a bit lonely? I know you were sort of close to them.” He told her with a bit of a shrug. Everyone knew Luna was the oddball who got bullied, he could relate to her though he wouldn’t admit to it, unless it worked in his favor. “If you need a friend…” He began to offer her, trying to seem as inviting as possible.