Draco took a deep breath. He paced outside Ron and Hermione's apartment, still in his dark dress robes. He had left the wedding early. Every time he held Astoria, he could not help but picture Ron Weasley. He saw Pansy smirking at him with each move he made. Astoria had been worried when he wanted to leave. She had tried to stop him. Perhaps she knew.

Draco rapped at the door forcefully. He just needed answers, to prove that Pansy was lying once and for all. Then Ron Weasley was there in front of him, looking surprised, and-was it his imagination?-frightened.

"We need to talk, Weasley." Draco said darkly. Ron mussed his hair and smirked, leaning against the door frame.

"Oh yeah? About what, Malfoy?"

"Astoria." Draco hissed through gritted teeth.

Ron shrugged. "She finally come to her senses and leave you, then?"

Draco snapped. In a moment he was at Ron's throat, holding him tightly against the wall. Ron wheezed, grappling at his pocket for his wand. Then Draco heard a shrill cry from the apartment.

"STUPEFY!" In a moment Draco was thrown back, dazed, while Ron sank to the floor, gasping. Hermione stood over Draco, her wand pointed at his face.

"You absolute fucking prat." She hissed. "Don't you DARE touch him."

Draco looked up. He knew the tears stinging his eyes were moving down his face, but he didn't care.

"He..." He choked. "He...Astoria..."

Hermione looked confused, lowering her wand slightly.

"That bastard tried to kill me!" Ron yelped, seeing Hermione's sudden shift in mood. She turned, looking him over, before returning her wand to Draco, mere millimeters from his nose.

"What about Astoria?" She growled.

Draco found he couldn't say more. Instead, he collapsed, his head sinking into his hands.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO ASTORIA?" Hermione shrilled.

"Pansy...saw him and Astoria together." Draco glared at Ron. "She won't tell me...why."

"I never-." Ron started.

"Shut it." Hermione barked. She stared at Draco. "When?" She asked, her voice dangerous.

"Two nights ago. I was at Goyle's party. It must have been then." He stared up at her helplessly, but her wand arm was relaxing again.

"Ron was with me two nights ago." She said slowly. "We were all at Mrs. Weasley's. You can ask anyone. He never left my side."

Draco shook his head. Pansy was lying. She must have been. But then, why was Astoria so defensive?

"Except..." Hermione mused quietly, almost to herself, then she turned, staring at Ron. "George."

Ron leapt to his feet. "George is with Angelina!" He said quickly. "He would never...he was working that night!"

Hermione shook her head, "But Angelina said he wasn't at the shop..."

Draco stared back and forth between them. Ron looked shocked, Hermione, more than anything, looked angry.

"Get him here." She whispered through her teeth. Ron opened his mouth to argue, then turned away, back into the apartment. Hermione too turned on her heel without looking back down at Draco, but leaving the door open for him to follow. He did, though shakily. Ron threw a fistful of floo powder over the fire. "WEASLEY WIZARD WHEEZES." He shouted up the chimney. After a long moment of silence, a coughing, ginger figure stepped out of the fireplace.

"What izzit Ron, it's practically midnight. Scared me and Ang half to death." He said, shaking the soot off of him. Draco made to move toward him, but Hermione beat him to it.

"Where were you two nights ago?" She asked coldly.

George stared at her, glancing back to look over Draco. "What is this an inquisition?"

Hermione crossed her arms. "Answer the question. We know you weren't in your shop. Where were you."

"I was out with a few mates." He shrugged. "So what?"

"Were you out with Astoria Greengrass?" Draco asked, his eyes trained on George's face.

An emotion Draco couldn't place flickered over George's face, but he composed himself quickly. "Yeah. I was. We grabbed a pint. Why? You her jailer now?"

Draco almost flung himself at George, but Ron grabbed him by the scruff, throwing him back. Hermione raised her wand, but this time to George.

"Listen here George Weasley. Astoria is my friend, but so is Angelina. I swear, if you're messing about on Ang, I'll-."

"Steady on!" George cried, raising his hands. "It isn't like that at all, Astoria and I we-we're just friends."

"Then why wouldn't she tell me she was with you?" Draco hollered past Ron. George looked up, his face strained. All of them stared at him for a long moment.

"Bloody hell." He exhaled softly. He stared at Draco. "She didn't tell you cause she can't, alright? Just like I can't tell you."

"I don't understand." Ron said, looking over to Hermione. She also looked confused.

"You CAN'T tell us?" She asked softly, trying to find meaning in his words. George stared back at her full of admiration. Trust Hermione to pick up on his cues.

"I am officially not permitted to tell you what I do." He said. Hermione took a sharp intake of breath. Ron turned to her, glowering.

"Why is this so important?"

Hermione was pale. Draco could see the muscle in her jaw leaping as she thought. She was trying to restrain herself, but seeing the way her eyes darted between Ron and George, he could tell she was building herself into a frenzy. He had seen it before, at Hogwarts, when Snape would overlook her or...whenever he spoke to her really.

"You can't." She whispered, looking mournfully at George.

"I am." George said simply, glancing at Draco. "As is Astoria."

"Whatever this is, if it involves Astoria I have a right to know." Draco growled. Hermione and George both stared at him. Hermione looked deeply troubled, while George seemed merely irritated.

"Why? Why would a Death Eater care if just another witch were to die?" George hissed. Draco started, shocked, only to see Hermione of all people leaping to his defense.

"George..." She held out a hand, trying to silence him.

"NO!" George shouted, glaring at Draco. "He doesn't deserve anything. He has no right to anything." He spat at the ground and Ron made a small noise of protest.

"I love her." Draco whispered.

"I loved my brother." George said coldly. Then he turned, stepping into the flue, and in a whirl of flames he was gone. Hermione stood, her hand still outstretched, watching the flames die down.

"If you love her, you should know." She whispered, still staring at the flames. "Only one Department in the ministry demands a vow of secrecy. She went to the small spot on the floor where George had spat at Draco, cleaning it away with a flick of her wand.

"You should go."

...

The next morning, Draco made his way to the Ministry. When he boarded the elevator down to his level, he instead stepped off at the second level, wandering the offices for a time before spotting familiar, messy black hair.

"Potter." He called softly, and the young man turned. "I need a favor."

...

"Personal files are private, Malfoy. I can't let you see Astoria's file. It would be a breech of trust." Potter said slowly, after Draco explained his situation. "If you're so concerned, why don't you ask her?"

"There's..." Draco looked about guiltily. "There's a vow of secrecy, Granger said. She knows, but she will not tell me."

Harry looked sympathetic. Draco had been different since meeting Astoria. They had even come by his home a few times. Harry frowned, tapping his wand on his desk.

"Malfoy, I simply can't just hand her file over to you because Parkinson made you worry." He said it kindly, though firmly.

Draco cast his eyes about the room, Ron was watching them with interest, though he didn't approach.

"I'm also her lawyer, isn't there some allowance for that?" Draco pleaded. "Harry..." Harry looked up. Draco had never called him by his given name. "Please. I care deeply for Astoria. I don't want anything to ruin what we have. If she's in trouble..." He trailed off, unable to even put his fears into words.

Harry sighed, furrowing his brow. Finally he looked up at Draco, warningly.

"Because you are her lawyer." He said quietly, then he stood, going to a table at the end of the room, muttering and waving his wand over it. He returned holding a deep green file. "You didn't get this from me." He said quietly. Draco took the file, opening it immediately. He scanned through, much of the information was about her family, her known whereabouts during the Second Wizarding War, facts Draco was already aware of. Harry looked over his shoulder curiously as he flicked through the pages.

"There." Harry said quietly, pointing at a small box in the corner of one the the pages. Draco read it quickly.

Employer: Ministry of Magic. Level 9.

Draco turned to Harry, his eyes wide.

"Level 9..." He whispered.

"The Department of Mysteries." Harry confirmed, staring at the file. Draco handed it back to him, feeling queazy. Employees in the Department of Mysteries were not allowed to discuss their work. Those who did often disappeared with no explanation. The Ministry had stopped allowing interns in the Department after a nasty incident years before, though no one seemed to know specific details. Since the Second Wizarding War, the Department of Mysteries had become more dangerous, the names of employees kept secret to avoid another break-in.

Draco collapsed into the chair across Harry's desk, trying to calm himself. Astoria was developing spells based on potions, it seemed so clear now that the Ministry would have gotten to her immediately after they became aware. He felt ill.

"You can't tell her you know, you know that, right?" Harry said quietly. Draco looked up at him, his face filled with shame.

"Why did I listen to Pansy?" He whispered. "I've put her in danger, even pulling her file..." He trailed off, and Harry shook his head.

"Mr. Weasley used to tell me about unspeakables." He said. "She'll be alright. Just don't...don't press it."

Draco nodded, but Harry stared at him a moment longer.

"You said she is working with George," Harry looked about the room. "George borrowed my cloak a few days ago."

"What cloak?" Draco asked.

Harry shook his head. "My invisibility cloak. It renders the wearer completely undetectable. Even in death." He whispered. There had been rumors circulating the department, Aurors going missing in the Department of Mysteries. Those that did return spoke only of the veil. Harry looked up, giving Draco a strained smile.

"Don't worry about her, Malfoy. She's tough."

Draco nodded, quietly thanking Harry and making his way back to the elevator. He had almost endangered her terribly, asking too many questions. If he hadn't gone to Potter, who knew how many people would become aware. He made his way numbly to his own office. Even if he didn't know, she was in terrible danger. People didn't survive long in the Department of Mysteries. He felt ill thinking of losing her. Astoria had exposed herself, the Ministry had found out about her spells because of him. He stared at the files on his desk, trying to distract himself from thoughts of her, of what life would be like if she suddenly disappeared. Somewhere, levels below him, Astoria was working at some mysterious spell. Thinking of her down there, surrounded by the greatest evils known to wizarding kind, he began to shake.

...

Hey everyone!

Sorry for going a while without updates, it has been busy out in the world. Don't worry though, the next two chapters are prepared and will come out later this week.

I wanted to take a moment and say thank you to my reviewers. Your encouragement means the world to me, and I'm so glad that you are enjoying the story so far.