A/N: Hello readers! Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. I didn't get as many reviews as I'd expected but that's alright, I still was able to find the motivation to get this chapter up. We're starting to get to the end of the sixth movie now and like I said before, I'm not going to change much of the movie plot line but there will be some twists that I throw in there somewhere.

Please continue to read and review! Thank you to all of those who are still reading this. So many followers! It's awesome! Don't be afraid to let me know what you think! Love to hear from you guys!

Enjoy!

Draco lay in his bed in the Hospital Wing staring up at the ceiling, replaying the events of the day in his mind. He should have known that Potter would follow him, the nosy fuck just couldn't avoid situations that were ultimately none of his God damn business. And the worst of it all wasn't even that Scarehead had gotten the best of him. No, the worst was that he had walked in on him bawling like a first-year Hufflepuff.

He couldn't believe that he cried. He hadn't cried in years, it just wasn't something that he did often, as he'd learned early on in his childhood that crying got you nothing but another beating and that it was best to endure your pain in silence. If his father knew he'd been crying, he would have gotten the shit beat out of him. How could he allow himself to break down like that? He'd been holding back from his emotions for so long, how could it all just come crumbling down like that in a second?

And now Potter definitely knew something was up. Great, just what he needed, Potter on his ass for the rest of the school year. How the hell was he supposed to perform his task when he had the four-eyed Golden Boy tailing his every move? As if he didn't have enough shit on his plate, now this. Fuck, he was in deep shit.

If he didn't kill Dumbledore soon, Potter would figure everything out and contact the bloody Order before Draco could even blink and everything he'd done with the Vanishing Cabinet would have been for nothing.

He shifted on his back and then winced in pain as the movement jarred his torso, still extremely sore from being ripped open earlier from Potter's curse. He couldn't believe that the freak had it in him. If Snape hadn't come, there was no doubt that he'd be dead. Part of him almost wished that he was, at least then he wouldn't have to deal with going through with his task and the unbearable pain that was likely to follow when he loses Gilbert forever.

It was then that he heard the door open quietly and his head jerked up as best as he could to see who was coming. Their footsteps were light and he could only make out the shadow of a petite body. Why wasn't there any light in this damn place? For a split second, he wondered if it was Potter coming to finish him off. His heart began beating frantically at the thought.

It was only when the intruder whispered "Lumos" and ignited the light from their wand and he was staring into those familiar emerald eyes that he relaxed back into his bed. Gilbert rushed to his side, eyes wide in fear as she looked over his body.

"Oh my God, Draco, are you alright?" she asked, searching him for any injuries but she wasn't going to find any. Thankfully, all that would be left was a small scar running down the middle of his chest, parallel with his sternum. She wouldn't be able to see it considering he was still wrapped with gauze just as a precaution.

"I'm fine, Gilbert," he told her gruffly, and then ran a hand through his hair.

"I heard what happened," she breathed and her voice was full of regret. "Draco, I'm so sorry that I wasn't there. I should have been. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. I got caught up in the Library and-"

"Hey," Draco cut her off before she could hyperventilate. He reached out and grasped her wrist in his hand. "If you had been there it would have just made it even weirder when Potter showed up. He would have questioned why we were together and it would have just been a huge mess."

"But I could've prevented it from even happening. I could have talked to Harry, calmed him down before he cursed you."

Draco's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about? I'm the one who aimed at him first."

Her eyes grew wider and a look of confusion spread across her face. "What? Why would you do that?"

He scoffed and shrugged. "Because Potter doesn't know how to mind his own damn business."

"You mean you two were dueling in the bathroom?"

Draco nodded once. "What did you think happened?"

She looked taken aback for a moment as she considered the new information. "Harry told me that he cursed you, but that was all he said."

"Is Scarhead actually telling people that he cast the first curse?" Draco let out a hearty laugh that was less than humorous.

She sighed and sat down in a chair that was near the bed and scooted it even closer. Draco noticed then that she had her hair pulled back and he resisted the urge to reach out and take it down for her so he could run his fingers through the soft curls.

"Why were you and Harry fighting in the first place?" she asked him and he noticed how she was fiddling her hands in her lap.

He groaned and turned his face away. He knew he should tell her, he wanted to tell her. Everything. But he couldn't risk it. If she knew his plans, she'd be a target. He had to make sure that his relationship with Gilbert stayed hidden. He wouldn't let her get hurt.

"Like I said, he was being his usual Potter-self and being a nosy prick," he explained with ice in his voice and then noticed her look of disapproval. "Oh come on, Gilbert. A year at Hogwarts isn't complete if Potter and I don't have a go at each other at least once."

She rolled her eyes, obviously not amused by his attempt to be funny. "You almost died."

He shrugged. "But I didn't, did I?" he said, raising his brow at her and she huffed at him in annoyance. Draco could only smirk at her, loving that it was so easy to get her riled up. "Were you worried about me?" he asked suggestively.

She through her hands up in exasperation. "Of course I was, Draco. I had no idea you were even hurt! When they told me that Harry cursed you I got…..I was scared."

He looked at her skeptically. "Scared? Why?"

She licked her lips and sighed. It took her a minute to form her words but she did eventually, and her voice held such conviction. "I can't bear the thought of you being hurt," she told him in a hushed tone. "The thought of anyone hurting you, even Harry, it…..I just….it's unimaginable."

Her words drove into him like a sword. She was scared because he was in danger, she didn't want him to be harmed. He could understand that because he felt the same. This weird protectiveness he had over her was clearly a mutual feeling between the two of them. The difference was that she was the only one in real danger.

He shook his head and groaned deeply. "This is sick," he told her and then looked away from her. "You shouldn't feel like that. You shouldn't be worried about me. This is so unhealthy-"

"Don't start with that again," she warned him, her eyes narrowing. "I told you that I can't stay away from you and I don't plan on it. The sooner you get that through your thick skull, the better off we'll be."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Gilbert, you're just saying that because I-"

"I mean it, Draco. Enough," she hissed and he couldn't help but think how sexy she was when she was pissed at him. "I would never do anything that I didn't want to. You should know that."

That was the first time that they'd even remotely acknowledged what they had done in the Room of Requirement aside from the small kiss they'd shared in the hallways before they parted. Would they ever get to talk about it? Would he ever feel comfortable enough to accept what they had done and not feel bad about it?

He sighed and gave up, knowing she would win in the end anyways. As much as he wished she was wrong, he knew he couldn't leave her alone. And it was about time that he got used to it. She'd hate him again in a few days and everything would go back to how it should be. It was for the best.

For now he could enjoy her presence though. She was the only thing that made sense to him, the only thing that could keep him from falling apart.

Wanting to lighten the mood, he switched the subject and gave her a daring smile. "So, how many times did Corner stomp on your foot?"

She scoffed but he saw her eyes soften and she tried not to smile. "Only once and it was my fault, I stepped wrong."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure you did. Tell me, was this before or after he spilled punch all over you?"

"That was an accident and it wasn't even that much!" she defended, the corners of her mouth twitching. "Nothing a quick scouring charm can't fix."

Draco snorted. "Maybe next time you shouldn't pick a date that's clumsier than you are. It would save you a lot of trouble."

"Maybe next time you should ask to be my date. Then neither of us would have to worry about a thing."

He stared at her then, her pretty eyes glinting in the light of her wand. Damn, he really could look at her all day long and never tire of it. Was that normal? He'd never felt like that about any other girl before. Was it normal to be so….obsessed with someone?

"I'll think about it," he said quietly and she smiled warmly at him. He watched as she finally stopped fumbling with her hands in her lap and reached out to take hold of one of his. His large hand swallowed hers, their fingers twining together with ease and perfection, as if they were meant to be there. He couldn't stop himself from rubbing his thumb soothingly over her smooth skin as their gazes held with that ever-present tension that always seemed to hang around them.

What was he going to do when she no longer wanted to be around him? How was he going to manage getting through the day without her there to keep him from going completely mad? The questions haunted his mind every second of the day and he dreaded the inevitable answer.

He wouldn't make it without her. His attachment had become so much more than what it was before, they'd come so far and in the end, he was going to lose her.

They sat in silence for a while before she finally sighed and looked down at their hands. "I should probably go before someone notices I'm missing."

He didn't say anything and just nodded. He didn't really want her to leave. She made everything feel better. She made him feel safe. When she wasn't around, he felt weak and vulnerable and he hated that. He didn't want to be fragile, he couldn't be fragile. If he showed any sign of weakness his life would be over in the blink of an eye.

"Will you be well enough to attend classes tomorrow?" she asked, meeting his gaze again.

He shrugged. "I'm assuming so."

She smiled at him, obviously pleased. "I'll see you tomorrow then," she said and stood, letting go of his hand in the process and he instantly missed her touch.

"Yeah," was all he mumbled and she left the room quickly and he watched until she disappeared into the dark, wishing she could come back and stay with him the rest of the night.

He needed to get used to Gilbert not being around. Once he completed his task and she realized what he had done – or was going to do – she would hate him. Who knew if he'd even be alive for her to hate anyway? If he failed, he'd most likely be killed off and he knew that.

He had to stop prolonging the inevitable. The little stolen moments with Gilbert were a great distraction and he didn't regret any of it from the time they started the tutoring sessions up until now, to the night of the dance when she'd given herself to him completely. He wasn't going to let the reality of who he really was taint the time he shared with the Half-Blood. As much as he hated to admit it, she was part of him now, she had dug herself under his skin and buried herself so far down that there was no getting rid of her, no matter how hard he tried.

But maybe that would be his punishment for being who he was. He would get to live but he'd have to do so with the knowledge that the only person who he even remotely gives a shit about besides his two best friends and his mother doesn't want anything to do with him. That would be worse than death in his opinion. But he would deserve it.

Draco knew the end was near. He couldn't keep dragging out his task. It needed to happen. Now. And it couldn't be tonight, not while he was still cooped up in the bloody hospital bed. Madam Pomfrey would have him castrated if he so much as put a toe out from underneath the blankets. So it would have to be tomorrow.

Tomorrow. He would let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts tomorrow.

And he would allow himself one more day with Gilbert. And by tomorrow night, she would know the truth. The real truth.

Anna walked hastily back to Gryffindor Tower with a silly grin plastered on her face at seeing Draco. She knew it was probably childish, that she was acting like a little girl who had a crush on someone famous but she couldn't help it. Being with Draco made her feel so vibrant and free.

She made her way through the dark, quiet halls, intent on getting up to her bed to sleep before exhaustion became too much and she fell asleep on one of the couches in the Common Room.

Before she could get to the portrait of the Fat Lady, something slammed into her – a body - , knocking her to the floor. She landed with a loud thud on her back, elbows slamming against the hard marble, sending her wand flying out of her hand. The person who had attacked her was on top of her, restraining her hands so that she couldn't go anywhere and she was utterly helpless.

Anna was just about to scream when she recognized the shape of the body that sat on top of her. That was when she realized that there was only one person who had ever pinned her like that and they had done it so much that she couldn't believe she didn't realize it as soon as she was knocked to the floor.

"Ginny! What the hell are you doing?" she hissed, staring up at her cousin with angry eyes.

"I might ask you the same question," the redhead said, shining the light from her wand right in Anna's face. "Why were you in the Hospital Wing?"

Anna's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she reigned in her control and she remembered to play it cool. "I wasn't-"

"Anna, I just watched you walk out of there," Ginny said. Her voice was hushed – thank God – in the dark of the corridor, as to keep from being caught, but it was harsh and demanding and it reminded Anna of her Aunt's. "I know for a fact that Malfoy is the only student that's being cared for right now so tell me what you were doing sneaking in there at this hour."

"Why should I tell you anything when you've got me pinned to the floor like I'm some sort of criminal?" Anna countered, glaring up at her cousin. "Honestly, Gin, we haven't wrestled since we were kids and it was hardly fair that you jumped me in the middle of the night when it's pitch dark-"

"Stop avoiding the subject," Ginny snapped.

There was no way she was giving information away so easily. Keep playing dumb, keep playing dumb.

With a dramatic sigh, she answered. "I was looking for some Dreamless Sleep Potion," she told her, making sure that her voice was steady. If there was one person in the world that she couldn't lie to it would be Ginny, she had to be thorough. "I haven't been sleeping well lately-"

"Enough with the lies, Anna! Tell me why you were really in there," Ginny demanded. Anna didn't answer and just stared up at her cousin. Ginny wasn't stupid, she would figure it out on her own if she hadn't already. "Do you want me to guess?"

That answered that. Ginny already knew or she was at least already making her own assumptions. Anna licked her lips and sighed in defeat.

"Please don't," she mumbled.

Ginny seemed satisfied and she sat back, releasing some of the pressure on Anna's stomach and allowing her to breathe again. "Alright then, start talking."

Anna groaned and shoved her cousin the rest of the way off of her so that she could sit up. Fear washed over her at the thought of telling Ginny what she'd been doing. She was never going to understand but Anna knew she wasn't going to leave the hallway without a full explanation for Ginny.

She pushed herself back so she could lean against the wall and Ginny sat right in front of her, hands in her lap and waiting patiently for her to begin.

"I…..I was visiting Draco," she admitted, avoiding all eye contact with Ginny.

"Yeah, I got that much. My question is – why?" Ginny pressed, raising her brows at her in encouragement.

Anna sighed. "It's complicated, Gin."

"I don't care. Either you tell me right now or I'll go to Harry and Ron," she threatened and Anna was instantly fuming at her cousin. How could she corner her like this?

She shook her head and bit her bottom lip, trying to figure out how to say it. How do you tell your cousin that you were currently sleeping with someone who has bullied them all their lives? How was she supposed to tell her that she was falling for Draco Malfoy?

"I've….we've sort of been…..seeing each other," Anna whispered, still making sure not to meet Ginny's hard gaze.

"Seeing each other?" Ginny asked, her voice cold. "As in…..dating?"

"No!" Anna said quickly in a panic. She was quick to deny it but only because it was true. They weren't dating. She still had no idea what they were but they definitely weren't dating. "No, we're just…..we're friends, I guess."

"You guess?" Ginny mocked and then crossed her arms over her chest. "What's that supposed to mean? That you like him, Anna? As in, like him, like him?"

Anna nodded and swallowed hard. "As in really like him."

Ginny was frozen for a moment as she took in the surprising information and Anna knew it was only a matter of time before she exploded and she figured she could prolong it if she kept talking.

"It wasn't planned," she explained quickly. "It just sort of….happened. He's not who we think he is-"

"Are you out of your mind?" Ginny finally hissed, attempting to keep her voice lowered but Anna knew she was ready to scream. "We're talking about Malfoy, here. As in Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy-"

"I'm perfectly aware of who his father is," Anna chided with an icy voice. "Did I say that I liked Lucius?"

"No, just his idiotic prat of a son who has done nothing but torture us the last five years!" Ginny was breathing heavily now and Anna could tell she was holding back on her anger. "Is this because of those bloody tutoring sessions?"

Anna nodded meekly, staring down at her hands.

"Godric, Anna, how could you do this?"

"I didn't do anything, I told you, it just happened!" Anna defended. "I couldn't help it."

"Oh, that's just great, what a perfect excuse for something so ridiculous – 'I couldn't help it, I fell for Malfoy's sick, twisted charms'."

"Sod off, Ginny, you have no idea what you're even talking about."

"You're right I don't, so why don't you try explaining it to me?"

"Even if I did explain it wouldn't matter, you'd jump to your own conclusions anyways." Anna brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them with her arms. "Is it so hard to believe me when I tell you that he's changed?"

"Yes, it is," Ginny said with finality. "I can't believe that, not without proof."

"You're my cousin, Ginny! That should be proof enough for you. I would never lie to you."

"And yet you've been lying to us all since before Christmas break!" Ginny accused.

Anna huffed. "I wasn't lying, not really. Nothing happened between us until a few weeks ago. Before then we were just….friends. We didn't even speak to each other once we came back from the Christmas holiday."

"Have you even thought about what you're doing? About how it will affect the rest of us? How do you think Harry and Ron will feel when they find out-"

"No, Ginny! You can't say anything!" Anna blurted out without thinking about it. "Please, you can't tell anybody about this. I begging you, please."

Ginny's face remained hard as a stone. "Has he cursed you or something?"

Anna's mouth fell open in shock. "Are you serious, Ginny?"

"It was just a question-"

"A stupid one," Anna growled and then pushed herself up to her feet. "I'm done talking about this with you. You obviously don't want to hear anything I say. And here I thought I could tell you anything without you being a complete lunatic about it," and with that she started heading down the corridor towards the Towers. It was only a few seconds later that she heard Ginny get to her feet quickly and come running after her.

"Anna, wait!" she said, gripping her arm and pulling her back. "Wait, just let me-"

"What, Ginny?" she asked, whipping back around to face her cousin. "What else could you possibly say? You've cornered me into telling you, are you going to threaten me now and tell me to stay away from him?"

"No-"

"Good, because it wouldn't work," Anna told her, ripping her arm out of Ginny's grasp to keep going.

"Anna, wait, I'm sorry, okay?" Ginny said, her voice laced with desperation. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, I just….it's weird for me."

"Weird for you?" Anna asked sarcastically. "I'm falling in love with Draco Malfoy and it's weird for you."

Ginny snickered and Anna couldn't help but smile too. It was too hard to stay mad at Ginny because they'd been together for so long. Plus, they were related so it wasn't like they would be getting rid of each other anytime soon. They were stuck.

The redhead sighed. "Look, Anna, I really am sorry, it's just….this was really unexpected."

Anna sighed and reached out to rub her cousin's arm. "Tell me about it."

"Maybe if I heard the whole story, I'd be able to understand it more," Ginny suggested and Anna grinned at her.

"Okay."

The two girls went back to the Common Room and stayed up until the early morning hours as Anna explained exactly what had happened between her and Draco, starting with the tutoring lessons all the way up to just a few hours ago in the Hospital Wing. She didn't expect Ginny to understand, she barely understood it herself, but if Ginny could at least…..accept it, she would feel better. She knew it would be hard telling her family and quite frankly she wasn't nearly ready for any of them to find out yet. But Ginny was persistent.

It felt great to finally be able to talk about her feelings for Draco with someone other than Draco. She had kept her emotions so concealed from everyone, not wanting to let on to the fact that she and Draco were involved that she'd forgotten what it felt like to be…normal. But as she listened to herself talk about how she felt for Draco, she couldn't help but think that she was going crazy. How could she have become so wrapped up in him?

Even though it was weird for her, Ginny listened as Anna told her about the night of the dance and what she and Draco had done in the Room of Requirement. Ginny was still a virgin, so she was curious about certain things and Anna didn't mind telling her. She was surprised to see that Ginny listened to her the whole time, only asking questions here and there. And when she finally finished, she just sat there, looking almost dumbfounded.

"You really think that you're falling in love with him?" Ginny asked.

Anna licked her lips and gave her cousin a look of guilt. "Yeah, I think I am."

"Wow," she said and then started to laugh.

Anna joined in. "I know,"

Ginny sighed. "I'm glad you explained it to me, Anna," she admitted. "Really, I feel better knowing that he's not just messing with your head."

So did Anna.

"But…..I have to be honest, it's going to take me a while to get used to it."

Anna nodded. "That's okay. "

"And, don't expect me to start acting all happy-go-lucky towards him," she warned. "To me, he's still a prat-nosed ferret."

Anna giggled. She would have to call him that one. "I wouldn't expect anything less, Gin."

Ginny smirked. "You're going to be in such deep shit when everyone else finds out. Especially from Ronald."

Anna could only agree.

"Deep shit" was the understatement of the century