Blaise sat in his room. In his hand was a slip of parchment, blank now that he had read it. His expression was dark and brooding.

Two more days…

Two more days until his assignment officially started. He glared at the blank letter, wanting to write back and tell everyone to suck it.

Something had come up and they'd changed the plan. Now, they were expected at Christmas. Great way to celebrate the holidays, he thought bitterly, having the mark of a madman seared into your skin. They now had until Christmas to complete their tasks and then they would receive their marks. But only if Blaise could successfully integrate the daughter of a renowned Death Eater into Hogwarts without suspicion. He would also be acting as her protector. If any harm came to her, they would be removed from Hogwarts, marked as traitors, and then forced to do the Dark Lord's bidding.

Blaise wondered if he should inform Pansy and Draco, or if they had received letters as well. Either way, they needed to discuss the change of plans. And how far they were willing to go to stay alive. He sighed, running a hand through his curly, dark hair. He remembered when he, Draco, and Theo had been planning on defecting together. They had planned on destroying their parents' wands and blowing up their estates, so that they would be hard pressed to perform any true service to the Dark Lord. But then Theo had gone off and defected on his own when his father had given him no choice. By the time they arrived at Hogwarts, it was too late. He couldn't help but want to do something, anything, to defy his mother and the Dark Lord. This was not the life he wanted and yet here he was, well on his way to living it. There had to be something. Some other option that had been overlooked. He would discuss it with Draco and Pansy and see what they thought. Surely they were sick of sitting idly by while others decided their fates.

When he entered the common room, he was met with none of the usual chatter that accompanied a busy Wednesday morning. Instead, students slipped through the common room silently, with solemn expressions. Theo sat on the couch, cradling a silent Astoria. She didn't look up when he approached.

"What's going on?" Astoria ignored him, staring off into empty space.

"No idea, she won't talk to me." Theo shook his head, confused by his girlfriend's actions. "She was down here when I woke up."

"And she didn't tell you why?" Blaise almost felt badly for talking about Astoria like she wasn't there, but she clearly didn't seem to care. At the moment, she didn't seem to care about anything, but the patch of wall she had focused her entire being on.

"Nope." Theo said, popping the 'p'. "She just started crying and crawled into my lap. Hasn't move since and that was an hour or so ago."

"Oi! Astoria!" Blaise snapped his fingers in her face. Her gaze shifted to him momentarily and he was slightly taken aback by the emptiness in her eyes.

"Let's go to breakfast." She hopped up and headed towards the exit, surprising the two boys. She was either oblivious to their worry and confusion, or just didn't care. He assumed it was the latter.

She walked ahead of them the whole time, ignoring them completely. Draco was already at the Slytherin table when they sat down.

"Care to tell us what's going on?" Theo asked Astoria, who shook her head and stared at her plate.

"You'll know soon enough." Her voice was monotone.

"Anyone seen Pansy?" Draco asked. Blaise didn't miss the shudder that passed through Astoria when he asked. None of them had seen the Slytherin Queen. He wasn't sure how to begin to tell them about the letter. He decided to just cut to the chase.

"Did you get a letter?" He asked Draco, who raised a white-blonde eyebrow at him. "There was one in my room when I woke up. What about you?"

"I…well…" Draco began uneasily, "I was in the Hospital Wing with Granger. You know, getting to work on my task."

Theo smiled knowingly, "The task. Right." Blaise made a mental note to ask his ever-observant friend what he knew later.

"So you haven't been to your room?" Draco shook his head. "Well, here's some interesting news. I get my…charge…in two days, but as long as I keep her safe and out of suspicion, we don't get our marks till Christmas."

"Wha-" Draco's response was cut off as someone tossed two letters onto the table in front of them. They looked up to see Hermione Granger standing there, a very dark smirk on her normally kind face.

"Letters from your…departed friend." Noting the confusion on their faces, her smirk widened, but there was a dark anger in her eyes. "Ah, so Astoria hasn't told you, then? Interesting." She walked off, leaving them staring after her wondering what the hell was wrong with her. Only Draco knew. Or did he?

Blaise picked up one of the letters. It was addressed to Draco, Theo, and himself. It was Pansy's elegant handwriting. There was some kind of watermarks on the parchment.

"Wait!" Astoria's sharp voice stopped him from opening it. There was more emotion in that single word then she had shown all morning. "Before you open it, I have to tell you, Pansy's gone."

"What!" They exclaimed in unison. "Why?"

"I can't tell you why, but trust me, she had her reasons and I respect her for them."

Blaise opened the letter with shaking hands and they read it together.

To my boys,

I'm so sorry I couldn't say goodbye in person, but you have to understand, this is for the best. I made the mistake of falling in love with a Blood-Traitor and I can't bear the thought that his being with me will endanger him more. Not only that, but I just can't handle being Bellatrix Lestrange's apprentice. I refuse to become that tainted and risk my life over and over again simply because my parents wish it. People have already started running, though the war has barely begun and I have heard tell of a large camp. I intend to join this camp. What I do after that, well, you'll be hearing about me soon. We all promised ourselves to fight back in whatever way we can and now that I am free of any outside influences that is exactly what I intend to do.

Please, I beg of you, don't worry about me and don't lose yourselves. Do whatever you can to avoid taking that cursed mark, short of getting yourselves killed.

Draco, I've always loved you, though not in the way everyone assumes. You're my brother and I want you to fight with everything you have. You're an amazing wizard and I know you have it in you to throw off the mantle of your family name and become your own person. Please don't let me down.

Blaise, you're one of my closest friends and I love you as well. I know of your assignment and I want you to do everything you can to protect this girl. It is likely that, like us, she is a victim of her parent's choices. Try to show her that there is more and that she doesn't have to be a Death Eater.

Theo, like Blaise, you are my best friend and I love you. Take care of Astoria for me and love her forever. Treat her right and keep her safe. I'm so proud of you for having the strength to stand up to your father and for joining the order. It's the best choice any of us have made yet. The first chance you get, you inform the order of Astoria's position and you get her their protection.

Unfortunately, my opportunities to write to you in the future will be rare. But you will here from me. Just keep an eye out for my message; you'll know it when you see it. Take care of each other; be cunning, strong, and cautious. Trust no one, but those who have truly proved themselves to you. And for the love a Salazar, someone deck Daphne for me everyone once in a while.

Love,

Pansy.

P.S. Tamara is on our side. If you ever need anything, ask her.

Blaise squeezed his eyes shut. The hand that was holding the letter clenched, crushing the paper lightly. He took deep breaths, attempting to calm his shaking body. Pansy was gone and she wasn't coming back. All because she'd fallen in love with the wrong person and couldn't bring herself to put him in danger.

"I don't understand." He said, shaking his head. "Pansy's a Slytherin. This shouldn't have happened."

"So a Slytherin can't love now?" Theo snapped, pulling out his wand. He muttered a few spells before stowing his wand again. "Its real. She wrote it."

Astoria sat silently, clutching her letter to her chest. Draco moved to take it from her.

"No! You can't read it. Its for my eyes alone." She snarled, leaping up. She rubbed the side of her head, wincing. "We need to get to class anyways. Let's go."

They left quietly, a lone group of silent figures, among a hall of happy, chattering students. Oblivious, all of them. On the way out, they bumped into Ron Weasley. His eyes were bloodshot and his red hair was messy. Something was clearly bothering him. Draco didn't care. Rage welled up inside him at the sight of Weasley. He had no fucking right.

"Move it, Weasel!" Draco barked, shoving him out of the way. Ron made no move to defend himself as Draco punched him.

"Draco!" Astoria shrieked, grabbing his arm with her small hands. "Stop it!" He shook her off, enraged at her attempts to protect Weasley, ignoring her startled cry as she flew into the wall.

"Hey, Draco what the hell?" Theo yelled, launching himself at Draco. Astoria was on her feet again.

"Protego!" her shield charm went between Draco and Ron, shielding the redhead as her boyfriend wrestled his best mate into submission. Draco jumped up, slamming his fists against the barrier. Theo stepped back and watched with an expression close to pity. For Ron, or Draco, no one knew.

"Draco! Draco, stop! For Pansy's sake, stop!" Astoria screamed, tugging on his arms again. Blaise stood by, watching the scene with mild amusement. When Astoria's words registered in his mind, he unfroze. With a flick of his wand, they all froze. Astoria was crying and there was blood all over Ron, but he was sitting up.

"What did you just say, Astoria?" He asked, his voice soft.

"I-I told Draco t-to stop. For Pansy." She stuttered out, avoiding his eyes.

Blaise turned to Draco. "Heal him."

Draco's eyes narrowed at the command. "Excuse me?"

"This is why Pansy left. I don't expect you to understand, or to care, but I do. Heal. Him. Now." Blaise enunciated, looking Draco dead in the eye.

Draco turned to Ron, expression livid. When Blaise was satisfied that Draco was healing Ron properly, he turned to Theo, who was holding Astoria to him. "Take her to her next class. I'll clean up and do damage control here."

"You'll be late for class." Theo commented.

Blaise nodded once. "Yeah. I'll deal with that. You just make sure she's okay." As they walked away, Blaise called after them, "Is it really him?"

"Yes." Was the simple answer, in Astoria's clear, sharp tone.

"Bloody hell." He muttered, raking his hand through his curly hair. Potter and Granger had finally decided to see what was going on.

"What in Godric's name happened here?" Potter exclaimed, taking in the site of his bruised and bloodied best friend, who was being healed by none other then Draco Malfoy, while Blaise Zabini stood there, muttering darkly to himself in Italian.

"Hello, Malfoy." Granger's silky, dangerous tone had no affect on Potter, or he didn't notice, but Blaise did. He also noticed the way Draco stiffened at the sight of her.

"It was nothing, Potter. Merely an accident." Blaise's tone held a silent warning.

"Like hell I-"

"No, Harry. He's not lying." Ron stood up, dusting himself off and shooting Draco a dark glare. "Let's go. I need to get changed before class and Mione would die if she was late."

"Weasley!" He yelled, chasing them down, "You know, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know." He said solemnly, pulling Granger and Potter away before they could say anything.


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Draco stormed through the halls, Theo and Blaise on either side of him. It was nearing dinnertime and he was still pissed off. How dare Weasley? How dare he lay a finger on Pansy, let alone claim to love her? And how could she, a well-mannered, cold-blooded Slytherin, fall in love with someone like him. Oh, he'd picked the thoughts right out of Astoria's head. He needed to teach the girl Occlumency, but that wasn't the problem right now. When he'd seen Weasley in the hall, looking like someone had died, he'd lost it. That wanker had no right to grieve over Pansy's absence when it was his fault.

And then Granger had shown up, looking deliciously smug. Damn her. Damn her lies. How had she become a Death Eater? She was a mud blood for shits sake! The very thing the Dark Lord wanted eradicated. How was she escaping notice? A member of the Order, a Death Eater, and no one knew. The Dark Lord was probably getting a good laugh out of that. Her eyes… so like his Aunt Bella's. Eerie, possessed looking things, almost. He needed to speak with Potter, unfortunately. Tell him to watch Granger.

On second thought, maybe he shouldn't. The self-righteous ponce would probably punch him. Who would ever believe that Golden Girl Hermione Granger was a Death Eater? And coming from him, Draco Malfoy, of all people? No one would. It didn't even make sense to Draco, a person who was to receive the Mark! And a member of the Nott family? Theo's sister, no less? Hell no. But why would she lie?

Damn it. He wanted to confront her. To shake the truth from her and make her admit that she wasn't cut out to be a Death Eater. That she was a bloody liar and to just have her offer a logical explanation for a claim that made no sense, whatsoever! He spun suddenly, catching Theo and Blaise off guard.

"You should find Astoria. Daphne will be out for blood if she knows that Pansy is gone." He said, ignoring the Theo's penetrating stare. He was by no means stupid and Draco wasn't exactly being subtle.

"Fine. But tell me something first. Why did you attack Weasley this morning?"

"Astoria isn't good at Occlumency. It was easy to get inside her head and see what she was thinking. I heard in her mind that it was Weasley that Pansy had fallen for and when I saw him, looking like the world had ended, I lost it. The tosser barely knew her."

Theo glared harshly at him, "You're an idiot, Draco. And stay the fuck out of my girlfriend's head."

When he was gone, Draco turned his attention back to Blaise, who was leaning casually against the wall, smirking.

"Something amusing you, Blaise?" Blaise's smile widened.

"Oh, yes. Quite amusing. Though I doubt you'd think so."

"Care to share?" Draco asked, hiding his irritation. His outward appearance showed polite interest only.

"Oh, but that's the funny part! You already know!" Blaise taunted, still holding his casual position against the wall.

"I do, do I? Who does it involve?"

"You, of course! And the fact that you've been pining for Granger since the Yule Ball in fourth year!" Blaise laughed.

"Pining for…? What in the…? Have you gone mad?" Draco gasped, unable to believe what he was hearing. Damn Theo and his knack for reading people and knowing their secrets.

"No, but I'm sure you have. All those years of watching her from afar, wondering how soft her skin was, what it felt like to have her touch you. And then seeing the Wonder Idiots all over her. It must have been torture. Tell me, does Pansy know? Is that why you two split? Oh my, you didn't scream Granger's name in the big moment did you?"

Draco gritted his teeth and managed to ignore the urge to hex his friend. He knew Blaise had a reason for screwing with him like this, but he didn't know what.

"Is it possible for Theo to have sister?" He asked, changing the subject.

Blaise's eyes widened for a moment before he fixed Draco with a look of complete confusion. "Impossible. You should know, your father's the reason she's barren."


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Oh I'm having so much fun with this story! Good to know everyone is adequately confused, that means I'm doing a good job. I was considering giving you guys a hint as to what's going on with Hermione, but then I thought I'd just make you wait until I revealed the big secret. However, I will tell you that no, Hermione is NOT a pureblood. Also, I know my Draco is a little different then the badass Draco most people tend to write about. I love to read about that Draco, as much as anyone, but honestly, that isn't the Draco from the books, or even the movies. He was, in the truest form of the word, a coward. But in this story, he won't stay a coward. This is his slow progression from coward, to a good, courageous person. It takes a lot to change a person like Draco and that's what I'm hoping to portray here.

I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to answer the reviews I got, my internet crashed so all I've been able to do is type this chapter up and upload it when I fix the internet. So let me just say a big THANK YOU to everyone! It really encourages me when I get reviews. Thanks for reading! R&R-

Seleen.