It was awful. The backhanded compliments, the snide remarks all of it. Daphne blamed herself even though it was their fault. They didn't have to be so passive aggressive and rude. These people could be her in-laws. She didn't- Ouch! She'd stubbed her toe of the door of The Leaky Cauldron. "Watch me fail Stealth and Tracking," she thought as she reoriented herself.

Inside it was a noisy, but the room Draco reserved was quiet. She could see his polished shoes resting on a footstool.

"Hey," Daphne said.

"Hi," said Draco, standing up from a huge arm. "I'm sorry about my parents," he added.

"I know, but it's not your fault. I was the one who pushed you into it," she said taking the other arm chair.

"Yeah, I have an . . . an idea,"

"Oh?"

"You know my dad should be in Azkaban?"

"You've told me," said Daphne.

"Okay, and you know how they don't yet have any suspects in Simmons's case,"

"Dear Merlin, what are you saying?" she thought she knew, but couldn't say it. Draco stared out the window grimly. "I'm saying that I want my father far away from here," he said it like he was afraid. Like he thought Lucius Malfoy was right behind him.

"In Azkaban?" Daphne whispered, her hand shaking as she lowered her teacup back to the side table. Draco nodded. "For a crime, he didn't commit?" Draco nodded.

"He's your dad . . ."

"He's done lots of illegal things Daphne,"

"I know, but still . . ."

"He gave a piece of The Dar- You-Know-Who's soul to an eleven-year-old!"

"He didn't know exactly what it was, and even if he deserves to go back the only answer shouldn't be illegal."

"He's done more! He housed the dark lord, he helped traffic illegal items after you-know-who's fall in the eighties, and he's just cruel . . . he's really cruel Daph,"

"You see your dad doing the wrong thing, and the first thing you think of is totally illegal."

"He deserves it."

"I know, but if we get caught you'll lose your job and I'll never be an Auror," Daphne said.

"I think with the amount of framings that happen versus the ones that get found out . . ."

"Ummm, do I want to know?"

"Probably not," he replied.

"Draco I don't know . . . I just don't." She thought about their relationship, and how much she hated Lucius Malfoy, and about how really there was no proof he hadn't killed Simmons . . . right? She was so confused. "We can do this . . ." she was already thinking of how it could be done. The consequences were too much. 'It's worth the risk! It's not . . . it is, think of the benefits!" Without Mr Malfoy in her life, Draco might finally let himself love her the way she cared for him. Without Mr Malfoy Draco would be able to think of their future without fear. "I'm thinking it over," she said, "I have to go," she left The Leaky Cauldron without looking back. She would go study. She had to prepare for an assessment on poison making . . . poison making . . . there was a dangerous idea.

Concentration is difficult when you and your boyfriend are trying to frame your boyfriend's dad for a murder, or so Daphne had heard. In the end, she wasn't sure when the turning point had been. Was it really Mr Malfoy's wrongs or was it Draco? Draco whom she . . . loved? She didn't know but she wanted this to endure. She would do this, she had to. . .