The Room for Requirement was almost empty of everything when she entered. It was plain and barren, except for a comfortable looking couch, a fireplace and a table in the middle. Hurriedly she entered, eager at the sight of a thick, old-looking book placed neatly in the table. She settled on the couch comfortably and opened it.

She thought it wouldn't work but by some miracle, the only book in the world that held information about the Luteus stone was now in her hands.

The Luteus stone, known to intensify the powers of the owner.

It is different, because unlike the other stones it is inserted inside the one who wishes to obtain its powers.

She frowned at this.

Its various uses range from wandless magic to untraceable curses (it is very unclear what exact magic it can display).

It was banned by the Ministry of Magic because of its uncanny dark properties, branded under Dark objects by the year 1760, and was kept locked in the ministry, never to be used again.

He probably stole it there some time ago...

Only through the Removal spell can the stone be removed from ones body, but there is only a faint chance that it might work.

She turned the other page but there was no more.

A faint chance? What if it didn't work? What if it backfired and Malfoy kills them all for even trying? The Removal spell was a complex spell after all. It needed pure concentration and powerful magic before one can do it. It was hard enough using it on small objects, but on a person? Was that even possible?

A faint chance. What if it did work? She and Harry could practice it and pull it off. After all, he was Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived. She would use her knowledge of the spell to help Harry. Harry was powerful. He could do it. She believes in him.

They had to take this chance.

"I'll help you until you get it Harry." She told him reassuringly when they were in Transfigurtaion.

So practice they did but three days passed and there was absolutely no progress whatsoever. Harry was struggling to get it right, doing the best he could but nothing was happening.

"Amoveo." He said again, for what seemed to be the hundredth time this day. They were in the Room for Requirement, practicing on removing a piece of paper inside a small bag.

"You need to concentrate more!" She said bossily. She was starting to get frustrated. They were running out of time. He's been at it for hours and the only result he got was a small corner of the paper, sticking out of the bag. "This isn't like the D.A. spells, it's different!"

"You try it then!" Harry said irritably. He sat down on a chair and crossed his arms. Annoyed from the lack of progress, she stood up, took a deep breath, conentrated hard and whispered,

"Amoveo."

The sheet of paper started to come out of the bag. Her eyes widened and she lowered her wand. The paper stopped. Half of it was inside the bag, the other half was sticking out.

"I did it?" She looked again to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"That's amazing." Harry said from behind her.

"That was an accident." She said, dumbfounded.

"It makes sense! He trusts you!" said Harry as he examined the paper and the bag. "You'd get a clear shot if he's relaxed with you. Just take the stone off him and i'll take care of the rest."

"But-I" She looked at him in horror. "I can't do it, I'm not as powerful-"

"The removal spell would work better if you did it!" Harry interrupted, showing her the bag. "You've seen how I did it."

"But he's manipulative and cunning Harry." This was all wrong. She couldn't bare to face Malfoy after that little confrontation in the Three Broomsticks. She's been doing her best to avoid him. The Cruciatus Curse still fresh in her mind. "He makes me do things..."

"What things?" Harry said, his tone suddenly turning cold. "Did he hurt you? Did he touch-"

"No!" She couldn't keep it in anymore. She looked down at the floor in shame. "He tricked me into doing a Cruciatus Curse on him."

She wanted him to know the gravity of what she did, the guilt that she was feeling. She desperately wanted him to yell at her, to tell her what a sick, pathetic person she was becoming.

The guilt was eating her alive.

"I know what it feels like." His voice came out as an audible whisper.

"What? No! We were in a war then! You only did what you had to!" She buried her face in her hands. "I did it because I lost control of my emotions! I did it because, because..."

"You did it for Ron." Harry said quietly. "You did it for Ron, didn't you?"

She blinked back tears.

"I-"

The memories came to her in a fleeting instance, it made her remember what she was fighting for, why she was trying so hard to do this. Ron's death. Ron's last words echoed in her mind. I love you guys.

Harry was right.

All this time, she did it for Ron.

"I know what it feels like." Harry said again, his face was expressionless but she knew he was reminiscing a painful memory as well. "I did it when she killed Sirius. You don't have to explain yourself to me."

They didn't speak for what seemed like hours. She was afraid to face him, as if what he said wasn't meant for her ears. She didn't know if she should be relieved or scared.

But somehow it was nice to know that somebody understands.

Harry made it despite everything didn't he? Despite all else he still remained good? He was stronger than anyone gave him credit for.

Was she strong enough like him?

"Listen," Harry said finally, breaking the silence. "You practice alright? Make him lower his guard when he's with you and then do it. I know you can do it. Don't worry about the rest. I have your back."

The next few days were spent with her practicing the Removal spell. She first practiced on little objects and onto the bigger ones. The Room for Requirement was great help, changing into thicker and bigger objects everytime she improved.

It was on the eve of the Winter Masquerade that Hermione went to practice one last time. She went inside the Room for Requirement expecting to find her training room once more, but to her suprise it went back to the same, plain room she found when she first saw the book.

Curious, she grabbed the book from the table. A piece of parchment attached to it slipped to the floor. She picked it up. Her eyes widened.

Dear Miss Granger,

By the time you read this I'd have already passed on. I know that this may come as a shock to you but I know what happened to Draco Malfoy.

He was raised in a family of Dark Wizards who caged him, seeing as he was their only son. But while Narcissa and Lucius loved him dearly, they refused the idea of 'good' and kept Draco from turning into a person of good heart.

Draco was forced to be evil all his life, but unlike the others I saw a desire for him to become otherwise.

He considered this when he met you.

I observed him, how he watched you, Harry and Ron. I know he wanted to make friends, that he wanted a shot at being good.

He never killed me after all.

His parents offered him to Tom, and Tom told him about the Luteus stone. He knew that the boy was of pure blood and that he was capable of many things.

He taught Draco well, and amongst all things, he was confident of naming Draco his heir, a successor to his plans should he die. Now Draco lost his way in the dark.

I do not believe that there is no hope left for him.

I know you do not see him as a friend or an ally but please know that it is hard to love when the whole world is telling you not to.

A truth that Draco Malfoy knew all too well.

I trusted him then, I still trust him to this day.

Your departed friend,

Albus Dumbledore

P.S. If a Removal Spell doesn't work, a blood pact will.

The Great Hall was a Winter Wonderland. There were moving ice sculptures of different great wizards everywhere, some talking, some singing. The dance floor was charmed like a muggle skating rink, but the ice was non-slippery and it glistened in the light. The high ceiling looked as breath-taking as ever, showering the Hall with enchanted snowflakes that disappeared as it reached their heads. All was beautiful.

But she never liked the cold.

The plan was tonight. She wanted to wait until after today but Harry insisted they do it as soon as they can. A few Order members and Aurors were stationed around the castle grounds. They wanted to make sure Malfoy wouldn't escape. They wanted to arrest him on his very birthday.

Everyone looked unrecognizable and stunning in their masks. She clutched her white dress tightly, looking for any sign of platinum blonde hair or grey eyes.

Before she knew it, she felt someone's hands wrap around her waist. Her arms were on Harry's shoulders. She recognized his green orbs beneath the mask. He was smiling, telling her to relax a while.

She and Harry danced slowly, gently, and a feeling of warmth and happiness rushed over her. She felt so safe in his arms, despite the danger that she was going to be facing later tonight...

"I thought you didn't buy the dress!" She heard Ginny's voice as they came across her dancing with a boy Hermione couldn't recognize. Hermione grinned back weakly, remembering that the dress was just sent to her by a random stranger.

"Hermione?" She looked at the boy Ginny was dancing with. Blaise? "Hermione I found you!" He rushed towards her, dragging Ginny with him. Harry blocked his path but Blaise ignored him. "He's planning something! He's going to force you to-"

A high-pitched scream suddenly errupted from the crowd.

Panicked, they looked for the source. Someone had just collapsed in the dance floor and people gathered around the unconscious body. Then not far from the scene, another person came crashing down, and another one, and another one.

"What's happening?" She looked in horror as red liquid started leaking from the collapsed bodies. There was blood everywhere but there was no sign that they have been stabbed. It was as though they just fell down and bled.

The sight of blood triggered everyone to hysteria. Panic arose as more people collapsed at random.

"I'll call the order!" yelled Harry through the frightened voices of the crowd. "Where is he?" He asked Blaise.

Before he could reply, they were separated by a couple of people who raced towards the double doors. She saw a few teachers shouting but she couldn't hear them. She struggled to escape the mad crowd.

"Harry!" She called out, but there was no sign of him. More people were screaming and collapsing. Everyone was running in different directions and a few people bumped into her hard once or twice. "Ginny! Harry!"

His platinum blonde hair made her stop in her tracks.

Amidst all the chaos, she finally spotted him. He was leaning casually against a doorframe near the table of the teachers, unnoticed by everyone else. A familiar condescending smirk graced his handsome features as he stared at the crowd. He looked pleased with himself, and he was enjoying everything, taking everything in. His black mask covered half his face but his dark demeanor gave his identity away.

Only Draco Malfoy was cold enough to be this calm, this happy, in times of such morbidity and horror...

How he knew who she was despite her white swan mask or sleek brown hair, she did not know. All she could see now was his intense gaze directed precisely towards her, its coldness sending shivers down her spine. He turned around and disappeared in the darkness.

She understood now, how he was killing all the Centaurs. He was testing this poison on them.

Anger took over her once more but she caught herself. She had to remain calm. She took her shoes off and pulled her dress to her arms. Struggling pass the crowd, she ran after him.

She passed doors, passed statues and armor knights until she couldn't hear the screams from the great hall anymore. She didn't know what she was going to do once she caught up to him. She wasn't even sure she was ready to face him yet. But her gut told her that she was going to be alright so she kept going. She stopped on a fork road, looked both ways and saw him round a corner. She followed without hesitation.

He climbed up the stairs. Then he turned his head back and smirked to make sure she was still following. He wasn't even running, just walking calmly in long strides, hands on his pockets.

She felt like she was playing a game of cat and mouse. Only she was the mouse chasing after the cat, and the cat had already set up a trap to devour her whole once this was all over. Once or twice he would look back and smirk, probably just to spite her. But she never let him unnerve her, never stopped running. It was now or never.

He was leading her to the Astronomy Tower.

Author's note :

sorry it took so long again. i had exams and i think i'm failing. :))

the next chapter has all the answers :) yup, next chapter's the final one...

aww... D:

i know it's weird and appalling to end this so soon, what with Draco still being evil and Hermione still hating him, but you just have to trust me :)

Oi! read and review! Let me know what you think :D

thanks hun!