Draco Malfoy Must Die
Chapter 20 - Birthday Surprises
April wore on, and Lilly's birthday approached, which naturally meant that Harry was panicking about what to get her.
"I mean, Ron got loads of presents and a watch, which is apparently a wizarding thing they do when they come of age," Harry was saying to Hermione as they walked from Transfiguration to Herbology.
"It's just a traditional thing, you get a watch on your birthday, sometimes it's a significant one," Hermione said, "You would get your fathers if he…"
"Wasn't dead," Harry muttered bitterly.
"But it's not the same for girls, so just get her an ordinary gift," Hermione said.
"What is an ordinary gift?" Harry asked anxiously, "You're the only girl I've ever bought gifts for, and I just buy you books!"
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Are you honestly telling me you don't know what she likes? You've been dating her for months."
"She likes reading," Harry said sheepishly.
"I think I am probably the only girl you know who actually likes getting academic books as presents, Harry," Hermione said with a raised eyebrow, "So if you must get her a book make sure it's a fictional one, not the theory of Boggarts or something."
Harry groaned, "She likes Muggle stuff, because she's a Muggle-born, but she can't use it at Hogwarts so what would be the point in that? She was telling me about these bands she liked, Boyzone and Blur-"
Hermione rolled her eyes and muttered, "Take That and Oasis are a damn sight better."
"What?" Harry asked with a frown.
"Nothing," Hermione replied, "And I can't help you too much with this you know. She's your girlfriend, you've got to know what to get her."
"I hate girls," Harry said, almost huffily, "If I was buying a present for Ron or Nev I'd know exactly what to get them! Girls are so complicated, apart from you Hermione. If you and him ever do go out all he has to do is buy you books."
"It might not have crossed your mind but sometimes I do wish people would give me something other than books every birthday and Christmas," Hermione said matter of factly as they stepped out into the muddy grounds.
"Sorry," Harry said sheepishly as she cast a bubble charm over them and they hurried towards the greenhouse, out of the rain. Once they were inside they went their separate ways to their Herbology partners.
"Good afternoon Hermione," Susan said when she saw her friend, "You look positively fed up today."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Harry doesn't know what to get Lilly for her birthday. He's been pestering me about it all week."
"Ah," Susan said in amusement, "They've been dating long enough, you'd have thought he would have some idea of what to get her."
"Yeah, you'd have thought," Hermione agreed, pulling her gloves on.
"How are you anyway?" Susan asked in an undertone, "Is he still avoiding you?"
Hermione nodded, "Yes, but that's nothing new. At least he remembers everything that's happened now."
"I would say he's doing it for your own good but I really do think he's just embarrassed at the moment," Susan admitted.
"I don't entirely blame him, I'd be mortified if I said things under veritaserum and had to face them afterwards," Hermione said thoughtfully, "Maybe I'll drag him into a secret passage next time I see him and tell him that we can just pretend it never happened."
"He'd probably not thank you for that," Susan advised.
Hermione snorted, "He doesn't thank me for anything Suse."
Susan smiled slightly and whispered, "The disadvantages of having feelings for a complicated pure-blood arse."
Hermione laughed and said, "He should come with a handbook."
As Lilly's birthday got closer Harry still had no idea what to get her. Hermione and Ron were going into Hogsmeade for extra apparition lessons and Hermione had offered to pick something up for Lilly if Harry told her what he wanted. Hermione and Ron were already 17, and anybody who was going to be 17 on or before the test date of the 21st of April could go along for these additional lessons. That meant that Lilly was going too, but Harry and Neville whose birthdays weren't until July had to wait, as did Draco with his June birthday. As Harry found out over the course of the week, Daphne and Susan's birthdays weren't until May and June, so they couldn't do the test yet either.
Harry had finally decided what to get Lilly, and told Hermione so the evening before she had to go to Hogsmeade for her apparition lessons. He knew it was a good idea when even she approved of it. When she returned she slipped Harry a package, and told him that she felt she'd done pretty well and Ron was improving too. It made him jealous, he wished he could do the test with them.
The week wore on after that, and finally the 16th of April, Lilly's birthday, was upon them. Harry and Lilly were still keeping their relationship fairly secret so Harry had snuck into Ravenclaw tower (again), and left her present and a card by the foot of her bed.
When Lilly woke up on her birthday she was surprised by the pile of gifts by her bed. Normally she only got a couple of presents, her parents never sent her anything. In fact she doubted that they even remembered it was her birthday.
"Ooh Lil, good haul this year!" Lisa said brightly as she sat down on Lilly's bed, "Aren't you going to open them?"
"I think you should open the heart shaped one first, is that from your mystery boyfriend?" Mandy pried.
Lilly rolled her eyes, "If it was I wouldn't tell you."
"Oh come on, just a teeny little hint," Lisa said, "Like is he in our year? We wouldn't be able to work it out from that!"
Lilly laughed as she picked up a small square box on the top of the pile, "Yes, he is."
"Oooh," Mandy said with excitement, "What house is he in?"
"Well I'm not going to tell you that, am I? That would narrow it down to 5 people!" Lilly exclaimed in amusement.
"You shouldn't have even said that much," Morag said as she poked her head out of her four-poster, "She'll start a list eliminating the people that are already dating other people."
"And then she'll try and figure out which ones are closer to your type," Padma teased.
Lilly rolled her eyes, "I don't have a type."
"Oh, you do Lil," Lisa said, "You're type is tall, dark and handsome!"
Lilly couldn't help herself, she snorted in amusement, "Well, two out of three ain't bad."
"Wait! So he's short…blonde…or ugly!"
"Oh my God, you're not back with Malfoy are you?" Mandy asked.
Lilly scoffed, "No way, I'm not stupid enough to make the same mistake twice. Now can I open my presents without being questioned?"
"Oops," Lisa said.
Lilly laughed, the first present she had opened was a pair of earrings with a small note saying, "Diamonds for a diamond! Have a great 17th Lil! - Daphne".
"Oooh, are they from the boyfriend?" Padma asked.
"No, they're from Daphne," Lilly said with a smile as she picked up the next present. It was a long thin box, and Lilly knew who it was from before she had even read the note. The present inside was a Ravenclaw themed charm bracelet, there was a raven, a little tiara clearly meant to be Ravenclaws diadem, a book and a little castle.
"Is that from the boyfriend?" Lisa asked nosily.
"No," Lilly replied as she unfolded the note which said, "Be proud of who you are! Happy 17th Lil! Love Suse."
"Oh come on, open the heart shaped one," Mandy said eagerly.
"Not yet," Lilly said with a slight smirk at how eager they were to see her present, "I'm working my way down."
The next present was clearly a book, and when Lilly opened it she laughed. It was the latest copy of "Hogwarts: A History" which she had wanted since it had been published last year. There was a little note written on the back of the front cover.
"I know you've wanted it forever, so happy birthday! (But please let me borrow it once you've read it!) Have a fantastic 17th Lilly! - Love, Hermione x."
"That must be from Granger," Mandy said, almost irritably.
"What do you have against her anyway?" Lilly asked with a raised eyebrow, "This is a really expensive book, she wants it as badly as I do but she bought it for me instead of herself."
Mandy's cheeks reddened slightly, "I didn't mean it like that. It's just, she's a bit…prissy."
Lilly snorted, "She is not," she said, grabbing the next of her presents. She had a box of limited edition chocolate frogs from Mandy, and a Weasley's Wizard Wheezes gift box from Lisa which she thanked them both for. Finally, she had reached the bottom of the pile, and the present that they were all waiting for her to open.
It was a red heart-shaped box, with a card on top of it. Lilly opened the card first and held it close to her chest so that her nosy friends couldn't read it over her shoulder.
"Lilly,
Happy 17th birthday. I thought for hours about what to get you, so I hope that I've gotten it right.
I'm not great with words, I'm much better with actions. So, meet me on the Quidditch pitch tonight at 7.00pm?
Love,
Harry."
Lilly grinned at the card and was immediately bombarded with questions.
"What did it say?"
"Oh, please tell us who he is!"
Lilly laughed, and told them what it said, but not who it was from. They thought it was impossibly sweet and she hoped they might talk about it so much that she could open the present in peace. But she wasn't that lucky. The inside of the red box was filled with petals, and a variety of different chocolates, sweets and pranks from Honeydukes and Zonkos. In the centre was a small black box. And as Lilly lifted out there was a squeal from either Mandy or Lisa, or possibly from them both.
"Is it an engagement ring?" Lisa asked hysterically.
"What? No!" Lilly said in exasperation, "Jeez, he's only 16."
"He's 16?" Mandy asked eagerly, "So he's in our year but he's not 17 yet! That narrows it down!"
"Oh, just leave it be Mandy," Lilly said anxiously. She couldn't risk Mandy working it out, Harry really didn't want the news out there.
Lisa shot Mandy a warning glance and she simmered down. Lilly bit her lip as she cracked open the box. It contained a necklace, the chain was silver, and a golden snitch hung on it, with silver wings. There was a tiny note in the box with required a lot of unfolding.
"Wow Lil, it's lovely," Lisa said as she admired the necklace.
"Is it because you're a seeker?" Padma asked as she glanced at the necklace.
Lilly grinned at the note, it was so sweet, "We're both seekers, so I think the snitch is an appropriate present. I've caught you now, and I'm holding on tight."
"What does it say?" Lisa asked.
"None of your business," Lilly smirked, "Now do you want to help me get this on so we can get some breakfast?"
"I should blackmail you until you tell me who you're dating," Lisa joked, but she helped Lilly get the necklace on anyway.
"Why are you nervous?"
"She might not like it," Harry muttered.
"She'll love it, will you stop tapping your foot? It's driving me mad!"
Harry glanced away from Hermione to the doors of the great hall for the umpteenth time, "Why do you think she's not here yet?"
"Uh, probably because she's opening her presents," Hermione said matter of factly, "And what you did was very romantic, she'll have loved it."
Harry sighed, "How am I supposed to get through classes today? I'm freaking out about tonight."
Hermione looked at her best friend in amusement, "Harry, you're acting like you're proposing to her or something."
Harry's cheeks reddened, "Telling someone you love them is kind of a big deal Hermione. Have you ever done it?"
Hermione opened her mouth, "I…well, not…not directly."
"Not directly?" Harry asked, his surprise had momentarily distracted him from his lookout for Lilly.
Hermione blushed a little, "There was a….moment…with, him."
"When?" Harry asked in disbelief.
Hermione was grateful to be saved by Lilly walking into the great hall, "She's here, turn around."
Harry turned around slowly so as not to arouse suspicion and glanced at Lilly. She looked ordinary, the same as she always did, she wore her Ravenclaw uniform and her black glasses, and her hair was in a bun. But there was something different about her, she was grinning. She shot him a quick grin, and Harry turned back around to Hermione, "She's wearing it!"
"I told you she'd love it," Hermione smiled, "Now, stop freaking out about tonight."
Harry blew out a breath, "I'll try," he agreed.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm making that list," Mandy whispered.
She and Lilly were in Ancient Runes, and Mandy was compiling a list of Lilly's possible boyfriends.
Lilly was aware of Hermione and Daphne sitting at the table behind them, and she was worried Hermione might hear and tell Harry what was going on.
"Mandy, that's private."
"Oh come on, it's just a boyfriend," Mandy chuckled, "Why do you want to keep it secret so much?"
"Because he's a private person, maybe?" Lilly said, "Not everybody wants their love life to be gossiped about!"
Mandy shrugged, "Hey, it's just a bit of fun. I bet there are loads of guys in our year who aren't 17 yet-"
Their conversation was cut short there and Lilly was grateful until she heard what Professor Vector had to say.
"I think, the rest of the class would be better spent working in groups of four today. A few of you have told me that you are finding this particular translation quite difficult, so if you'd like to partner up…"
Lilly could have groaned out loud as Daphne and Hermione pushed their table against Lilly and Mandy's.
"What are you two gossiping about then?" Daphne asked conversationally.
"Nothing," Lilly said quickly, "Thank you for the earrings Daphne. They're lovely, and oh my god Hermione, I've wanted that book forever!"
Hermione smiled, "I'm glad you liked it, I thought you would."
"What's that Mandy?" Daphne asked, glancing to the piece of parchment in front of the Ravenclaw.
"Oh, it's my way of working out who Lil's mystery boyfriend is," Mandy said eagerly, "She said he was in our year, and that he's 16. So I've crossed out everyone who I know is 17, and people who are in relationships."
Hermione frowned as she looked at the piece of parchment. It was a list of names, organised into houses. It currently read,
Gryffindor
Harry Potter
Ron Weasley - NO
Neville Longbottom
Seamus Finnigan - NO
Dean Thomas - NO
Slytherin
Draco Malfoy
Blaise Zabini
Theodore Nott
Vincent Crabbe - NO
Gregory Goyle - NO
Ravenclaw
Terry Boot
Anthony Goldstein
Michael Corner - NO
Kevin Entwhistle - NO
Steven Cornfoot - NO
Hufflepuff
Ernie MacMillan
Justin Finch-Fletchley
Zacharias Smith - NO
Oliver Hopkins - NO
Wayne Rivers
"So I've narrowed it down to 10 people!" Mandy said eagerly, "Well 9 really, because it can't be Malfoy. You said yourself you wouldn't go there again."
Lilly groaned, "Look, Mandy leave it please! It's private, I don't want you to find out because you'll just spread it around school if you do!"
"It's Lilly's business who she dates, you shouldn't pry," Hermione agreed.
Mandy rolled her eyes, "So you think you know her better than me Granger? We've been friends since 1st year! You only started speaking to Lilly last year."
Daphne cut in, "Come on, it's Lilly's birthday let's just get on with this translation and not argue," she said diplomatically.
Mandy glared at Hermione who purposefully looked away, Lilly tried to resist the urge to roll her eyes. Harry's surprise at the Quidditch Pitch was the only thing getting her through this day.
After Ancient Runes Lilly jogged to catch up with Hermione after breaking free from Mandy's clutches.
"Hermione," Lilly said a little breathlessly as she fell into step with her, "Don't tell Harry about Mandy. I don't want him to get worried, I'll tell him myself tonight."
"My lips are sealed, don't worry," Hermione said with a glance behind her, "She's a bit obsessive though isn't she?"
"You think Lavender Brown is bad for gossiping?" Lilly muttered with a shake of her head, "She can't work it out, she doesn't know enough. I'll bluff my way through this."
Hermione smiled, "You'll be fine, are you looking forward to tonight?"
"I'm nervous, I've no idea what he has planned. I don't even know what to wear," Lilly admitted sheepishly.
"Well I can help you there," Hermione admitted, "Wear something warm, but nice."
"Warm but nice?" Lilly mused, "Sounds…interesting"
Hermione laughed, "I can't say anymore sorry, he swore me to secrecy."
Lilly grinned, "I'm looking forward to it, tell him thanks for me, if you see him. His present was so sweet."
"Sure," Hermione agreed as they reached the point where they had to go their separate ways, "Enjoy the rest of your birthday Lilly!"
At 6.50pm Lilly found herself walking through the grounds, which were still light, nervously awaiting Harry's surprise. She was wearing something warm but nice, as Hermione had suggested, in the form of jeans, heels and a black sparkly top she reserved for special occasions. But that was all covered by her cloak at the moment. Despite it being the middle of April it still wasn't warm yet, but it had at least been dry today.
Once she got to the main entrance of the pitch Lilly saw the beginnings of Harry's surprise. There was a path leading towards the centre of the pitch, and it was lit by fireflies in jars on the ground. She grinned as she walked along the path to the centre where Harry had set up a little table.
"Happy Birthday," He said sheepishly as he stood to meet her.
Lilly was normally quite composed but she couldn't contain herself. She launched herself at him and held him tight, "This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me," she whispered.
Harry smiled weakly, "Well, you deserve it," he said as he pulled out her chair for her.
She sat down, and he sat across from her at the little table, "I had to square this with McGonagall and everything, she swore she'd keep it quiet though."
"You really didn't have to go to all of this trouble, Harry," Lilly said honestly.
"I know, but I wanted to," Harry said, "I know you had a pretty bad time of it growing up, and you said you'd never been out for dinner before. I wanted to be the first person to take you out for dinner, but there aren't any restaurants in Hogsmeade, so I thought I'd bring dinner to the Quidditch pitch."
Lilly smiled tearfully, "And I really appreciate it," she said shakily.
"Are you crying?" Harry asked nervously, "Oh no, did I do something wrong Lilly?"
Lilly laughed weakly, "No you idiot, you did everything perfectly right. I'm just a little emotional."
Harry shot her a smile, "Sorry, it's just…dates don't normally go well for me, I get nervous when I see tears."
"I'm just happy," Lilly assured him, "This is amazing, and the present is perfect, I haven't taken it off all day."
Harry grinned, "It took me so long to work out what to get you, then it came to me in a brainwave."
"Well, it's perfect," Lilly said happily, "Just like tonight."
"Hey, you've not tasted the food yet," Harry joked.
"Did you cook it yourself?" Lilly asked in surprise.
"I wish I could say yes, but that would be a lie," Harry said with a smile, "I can cook bacon, and eggs and fry ups. But that's about the extent of it. I got my house elves to help."
"You have house elves?" Lilly asked in surprise, "Well I mean, of course you do. You're Harry Potter, you must have a mansion somewhere."
Harry snorted, "I wish. I was raised in the muggle world remember? I do kind of own an ancestral home, it's just not my families…"
Lilly raised an eyebrow at him, "You have got to explain that one."
Harry frowned, "Well, my Godfather died last year, and he had no children. So he left me… well everything, including his house. But before you start thinking it's cool, it's not."
"Any house is a good house," Lilly pointed out.
"Not this one. My Godfather came from a very dark, very pure-blood family, quite similar to the Malfoy's," Harry explained, "Malfoy and my Godfather were related actually. The house is disgusting, it's dirty, it's full of dark magic and dangerous objects, and the hallway is lined with the heads of dead house elves."
"Good luck getting a letting agent to evaluate that," Lilly joked.
Harry laughed, which was something he didn't often do when talking about Sirius, "Anyway, if we're done talking about creepy houses, do you want to eat?"
"Sure," Lilly said in amusement.
Harry clicked his fingers and two house elves appeared, "Lilly, this is Kreacher my house elf, and Dobby. I freed him, so he's not actually my house elf but he likes to help me out."
"Harry Potter freed Dobby," Dobby said eagerly, "Dobby will do anything Harry Potter orders. Dobby has been cooking for 24 hours Harry Potter."
"You didn't have to do that Dobby," Harry said gently, "I said something simple would be fine."
"Kreacher hates to obey his master, but he must," Kreacher muttered as he helped Dobby put food on the table, "Kreacher is disgusted to see the master of the most ancient and noble house of Black on a date with dirty blooded scum."
"Kreacher," Harry barked, "That's enough. I order you to go back to the kitchens, and I order you to tell no one who I am with tonight. That includes writing it down, miming it out, or communicating that piece of knowledge with anyone, in any form."
Kreacher looked furious at the fact there was no loophole and he disappeared with an angry crack. Dobby on the other hand beamed at Harry, "Is there anything else Dobby can do Harry Potter? Anything at all?"
"No, you've done more than enough Dobby, go get some sleep," Harry said kindly.
Dobby bowed and disappeared.
"Well, that was interesting," Lilly said.
"Kreacher was left alone for years," Harry explained, "Hermione thinks he went a bit crazy while the house was unoccupied."
"Well, it wouldn't be unheard of," Lilly admitted, "I'm guessing your Godfather's family weren't so keen on muggle-borns?"
"Put it this way, my Godfather was disowned for being sorted into Gryffindor," Harry said, "Can you imagine what would have happened if he had brought a muggle-born home?"
"Probably the same thing that would have happened if Draco's parents had found out about me and him," Lilly said.
"Yeah, it wouldn't have been pretty," Harry said, "But let's avoid creepy, or remotely dark subjects tonight."
He lifted the lid on one of the platters and offered her some food.
Their dinner went well after that, they made small talk and found out more about each other as they ate. When it was coming to an end Harry still hadn't done the thing he'd set out to do with this date, and oddly enough it was Lilly who brought them around to the subject.
"So, Mandy is telling everyone my mystery relationship is getting serious," Lilly joked, "They asked if you'd signed my birthday card with love or not, and apparently because you have we're now officially serious. She's also trying to figure out who I'm dating, just a heads up, I don't think she knows enough to figure it out though."
Harry laughed nervously, "It's funny you should say that actually, about the card. I did this for your birthday, but I also had something else I wanted to say-"
"Oh God, you're not going to propose to me are you?" Lilly asked anxiously.
"What? No!" Harry exclaimed, his cheeks going a little red, "I'm only 16!"
"Thank God," Lilly laughed, "That's what I said earlier when they started suggesting that was what was in the box."
Harry smiled weakly, "The thing I was going to say…well I was going to tell you…that, well. The thing is, the way I feel about you…I've never felt like that before and I'm pretty sure that I'm falling in love with you."
It had tumbled out, very quickly, just like it had when he had asked Cho to the Yule Ball. But Lilly didn't say she hadn't caught what he'd said. She just smiled at him for a moment.
Harry cleared his throat, and looked away, trying to focus on anything but her face.
"Harry?"
The softness in her voice made him turn around, and when he saw her smiling at him it made him feel a little less embarrassed.
"I feel the same."
"So, how was your-"
Hermione cut herself off when she saw the grin on Harry's face.
"She loves me," He said, flopping down onto the sofa in between Hermione and Ron.
"She told you that?" Ron asked.
"Yep," Harry said happily.
"And you two haven't even…done the deed yet?"
"Ron!" Hermione scolded, "You can fall in love with someone without shagging them!"
Ron's ears turned scarlet, "I didn't mean…well I wasn't…never mind!"
Harry sniggered, "She loved the dinner too, and she loved her present."
"I told you she would," Hermione chuckled, "You are a closet romantic after all."
"I'd never have done that for Lavender's birthday," Ron mused.
"Probably because you'd rather have shagged her in a broom closet," Hermione remarked, "Did you love her?"
Ron faltered, "Well she was a great girl-"
Hermione scoffed, "Honestly Ron, she was head over heels for you. The way you led her on was quite cruel."
"Since when were you on her side?" Ron asked in disbelief.
"Since you started acting like an idiot about it!"
"Guys-"
"Stay out of it Harry," Hermione said irritably as she got to her feet.
Ron rolled his eyes, "Are you jealous Hermione? Is that it?"
"That's what you think?" Hermione asked incredulously.
"Well why else were you so against me and Lavender from the start?"
"Ron, I don't think she's-" Harry began.
"I'm definitely not jealous," Hermione cut in, "There are far more interesting people in the world than you Ron!"
Before Ron could hurl more abuse at Hermione she headed upstairs.
"Is she dating someone?" Ron asked Harry.
"I dunno," Harry said, "Why would she tell me if she was? I'm not a girl, we don't talk about stuff like that."
Ron narrowed his eyes, "Well, why else would she have said there were more interesting people?"
"Maybe because she was annoyed with you," Harry suggested, "Are you jealous"
Ron scoffed, "No."
Harry got the distinct impression that one of them was jealous, and he was fairly certain that it wasn't Hermione.
After Lilly's birthday Harry was more lovestruck than usual, and with the rate that he was sneaking off to see his girlfriend Hermione barely saw him. She still hadn't spoken to Draco since he had left the last meeting, and she was starting to think he was seriously avoiding her. She, Ron and Lilly all headed into Hogsmeade together for their apparition tests, and Hermione finally managed to grab Draco alone as they made their way back to the castle afterwards.
Ron was grumbling to Lilly about how he had failed because he had left behind half an eyebrow, and Lilly, who had more patience than Hermione at the moment, was humoring him.
Hermione spotted Draco sitting on one of the fallen stones in the stone circle and she seized her chance, "You guys go on, I'll catch you up," she said, walking as quickly as she dared towards him.
"You've been avoiding me Malfoy."
Draco jumped when she spoke and looked up from what he was doing, which seemed to be sketching a vanishing cabinet in his notebook, "What brings you here Granger?"
"You haven't spoken to me in weeks," Hermione said quietly, "Is it because you overheard what I said to Harry? Because it's not like you and I were ever…officially anything…"
"I'm busy," Draco said, "I'm finally starting to get somewhere with my project."
"Oh," Hermione realised, "Well, I don't feel quite so ignored then. I just passed my apparition test by the way."
He smiled slightly, "Of course you did. Have you ever failed anything?"
Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but Draco cut in, "It was a rhetorical question, Granger."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Of course it was, Malfoy."
"I heard about Potter, dating Lilly," Draco told her, changing the course of the conversation entirely.
"Did you?" Hermione asked curiously, "Who from, Daphne?"
Draco nodded, "I thought he was being careful, in case Voldemort finds out?"
"He was," Hermione said, "He still is. They're keeping it quiet, not many people know. It is possible to have a relationship and keep it secret you know Malfoy."
Something flashed in Draco's eyes, "Not around here, it won't last long, trust me."
"We'll see," Hermione said, sitting down next to him, "I miss your company you know."
"Do you?" Draco asked, a glimmer of hope slipping into his voice.
Hermione nodded, "I do, and up until now I've been content with not talking about all of the things that have happened but that last kiss in the bathroom, and then the things you said under veritaserum…I don't know how long we can not talk about it for."
Draco looked a little uncomfortable, "We can't Granger. We can't talk about it, we can't act on it. We just can't, as soon as I fix the vanishing cabinet everything is going to kick off. Then you'll finally realise how different our worlds are."
"I realise how different our worlds are, trust me," Hermione whispered.
"You clearly don't or we wouldn't be having this conversation," Draco muttered, "What do you think is going to happen? Do you think I'll just be able to run away and live my life without them finding me? I've got the mark, that means he can track me wherever I go."
"What?" Hermione asked in disbelief.
Draco turned to face her, fear clouded his grey eyes, "Wherever I go he'll find me, so once we're out of the walls of this castle I can never see you again. I won't put your life in danger, so whatever you think is going to happen… it isn't."
"Draco-"
He had gotten to his feet, and she jogged after him as he headed towards the bridge back to the castle.
"Draco, there must be a way-"
"There isn't a way," Draco muttered angrily, "I can't cut it off, or burn it off, it protects itself."
"How do you know that?" Hermione asked quietly.
He shot her a desperate look, "I've already tried everything Granger."
"There must be a way, something you haven't tried yet," Hermione said optimistically.
"There isn't," Draco hissed, he glanced behind them to make sure they were alone, "So whatever was going on between us, it's over."
"But if he can trace you everywhere you go," Hermione whispered tearfully, "Then you'll have to pretend like you're still one of them. You can't run away."
"I know," Draco said as they came to the end of the tunnel.
"And we'll be on opposite sides of the war again," Hermione uttered so quietly that she wasn't sure Draco had heard her.
"No," He said, and when she looked up she was surprised at the pain she saw in his face, "I'll always be on your side. I have two choices when this ends, I go back to them. Or I run, and hope they don't find me. I'm leaning towards the latter."
"But then this is a suicide mission Draco," Hermione whispered, grabbing his wrist so he couldn't walk away from her, "I won't let you help us if you're going to die because of it!"
"Hermione," Draco hissed, pulling his arm out of her grasp before somebody could see them, "For once I actually have something worth dying for."
Hermione was so stunned by his words, and so shocked by his revelations that she didn't stop him from walking away. She just stared after his retreating form wondering what on earth to do with the information she had just received.
Hermione was walking around in a daze when she finally ended up where she needed to be, the dungeons. She found Daphne exactly where she thought she would be, working in the potions lab.
"Oh hey Hermione," She said, "What brings you down here?"
Hermione shut the door, and the snap echo-ed around the empty lab.
"Did you know?" She asked quietly.
Daphne frowned, "Did I know what?"
"That they could track Draco because of his mark," Hermione said, locking eyes with the Slytherin girl.
Daphne dropped her knife, "What?"
"He just told me," Hermione said, sitting down heavily on the bench next to Daphne.
Daphne let out a long breath, "I knew he'd been trying to get rid of it," she admitted, "He asked me not to tell you. But he'd tried burning it off, and cutting it off. The skin around it was damaged, but the mark just healed it."
"I don't think he would be able to get rid of it unless he cut off his arm," Hermione said miserably.
"Well, it is on his left arm," Daphne mused, "He'd still be able to use a wand."
"But he wouldn't be able to fly a broom," Hermione said, "And he's always wanted to be a Quidditch player."
"If it's his only option-"
"He won't go for it, you know that as well as I do," Hermione said firmly.
"What's he going to do then? If they can track him, is he just going to go home for summer and pretend none of this happened?" Daphne asked coolly.
"I don't know, maybe," Hermione admitted, "I like that option about as much as I like the second one though," she added darkly.
"What's the second option?" Daphne asked.
"He takes his chances and goes on the run," Hermione said.
"They'd catch him, he wouldn't make it 5 miles before Voldemort found him," Daphne said instantly, "and they would kill him."
"I know," Hermione said, her voice slipping away from her, "If that's his choice then helping us is a suicide mission. I told him that."
"Did it convince him to change his mind?" Daphne asked hopefully.
"No," Hermione said quietly, "He said that he finally had something worth dying for."
"You," Daphne said softly.
Hermione nodded tearfully, "But I don't want to be the reason that he dies Daphne," she choked out.
Daphne nodded, "I know," she said, grabbing Hermione's hand, "But we'll work something out, alright? Do you think we ought to call an emergency meeting?"
Hermione shook her head weakly, "There's no point, we'll all stay behind after the DA meeting on Friday anyway."
Daphne nodded for what felt the umpteenth time, "Okay. Will you be alright Hermione? This is a pretty hard bombshell to deal with."
"I'll be fine," Hermione said as she took a shaky breath and got to her feet, "I just need to go to the library, I need to see if I can find an alternative option."
"Alright," Daphne said tentatively, "Well, I'm here if you need me."
Hermione smiled weakly, "Thank you Daphne."
TBC :)