I was worried about how things would turn out. I got into bed and sat there, turning the lamp on, just thinking. Draco had no idea what he was about to get into, and I was waiting for it to all unfold. I tried to stop thinking so much and turned off the light. I heard the shower running in the bathroom and laid back in bed so that I could try to relax. I could see the night sky through the charmed ceiling, and thought of Hogwarts. For a moment, it felt like I was still a student, sleeping in the girl's dormitories. I started drifting off, and then felt something cool on my legs. I opened my eyes, having not quite been asleep, just dreary.

"Angelina…are you still awake?" Draco whispered very quietly. I started to sit up, finding him sitting in front of me beneath the quilt. I wondered what time it, was but all that I knew was that it was very late at night.

"Draco?" I couldn't quite see him at first, letting my eyes adjust, but I soon felt his hand meet my cheek, the other my lower back.

"What's going on?" I asked tiredly. I could finally see Draco's face. He looked a bit distraught.

"What's the matter?" I asked, placing my hand on his shoulder, which was bare and cool as his hands.

"Can you please promise me something?" he asked.

"What is it?"

"I've been thinking after tonight…I just need you to do as I say, in case something goes wrong, in case I don't make it."

"What?" I asked, "What are you talking about?"

His tone became very grave, "You know what I mean, Angelina. I need to know that if something happens to me, you'll be safe."

I looked at him, his face hopeful in a sad way. My heart started beating.

"But Draco, nothing's going to—"

"Promise me," he said, his hands gripping my waist then.

"Okay," I said

"Say it, say you'll do as I ask."

I nodded.

"Tell me," Draco pleaded.

"I'll do what you say, alright?" I said. I was honestly beginning to feel a bit irritated to have been disturbed. I had just set my mind at ease.

"Draco, what's wrong? What is it, really?"

He closed his eyes and I waited. When he looked at me again, he was much calmer.

"If I die, I want to go out knowing I tried to do right by you," he said. My heart was frantic again. I knew he was being serious.

"You're not going to die," I said, my voice cracking and I choked up a bit, "You don't know that." There was no way I could have known whether or not Draco would survive in the end.

"Shhh," he said comfortingly. I moved closer to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, wiping my eyes. He embraced me and I gasped at first, how cold his skin felt on my bare skin. It seemed that he was always colder when he came back to me, from doing whatever it was he'd been doing, from feeding off the pain of others. It should have turned me off, but there was something in him that I couldn't turn away from, no matter what he did. We stayed like that for a while, and I'd managed to find myself in Draco's lap. After several moments I looked at him again. The moon revealed itself from behind the clouds and shined down. Draco cupped my face.

"I'm so sorry," he said. This apology was different from any one I'd ever heard before. I nodded, and pressed my lips to Draco's. I don't know how it was so easy for me to forget all that had happened and just allow him into my heart. It happened anyway. Draco kissed me back, his hands no longer cold where they were on my back. We started kissing rather intensely and I felt the heat forming between us. This time it was different because we were both really there in the moment. Draco leant forward until my back touched the bed. He let himself down on me slightly, pushing his hands up my knees, pulling the gown over my legs. The way he touched me was much gentler this time, not as desperate. He slowly pulled my underwear off, and the feeling of his nails gently grazing my skin started driving me mad. Draco laid on me carefully and we resumed kissing. This must have gone on a good ten minutes or so. I'd never been kissed that long by anyone, but I couldn't have complained. I felt myself starting to burn with need. I pulled my hand through Draco's hair, lifting my waist up against him eagerly. He pinned my hands down, intertwining our fingers. I felt my body begging then and nearly lost my mind. Draco kept me forced down, but gently. He took off his pants and threw them aside somewhere. I sat up and he guided me onto his lap, entering me in perfect sync, as if we'd rehearsed these motions. I moaned and Draco groaned against my neck, pressing his lips there firmly. He began to move his hips upwards against me and I dragged my nails down his back, pushing myself against him. He kissed me again and bit my bottom lip carefully, rolling forward and causing me to fall back once more. He gazed down at me with those eyes that didn't seem so cold anymore, slowly but firmly swaying his hips. I thought I might explode with ardency. He was much gentler than before, not such frustrated thrusts. This time I knew it was real. I felt if I looked hard enough, I might see his soul, the pale pink lips parted as if to speak, but actions spoke louder than words could have done. Draco pushed his hands down my legs and I sighed. He wasn't just trying to comfort himself, nor was I taking pity on him. He began to breathe heavily, moving faster and with more force. I placed my hands around his neck and he slowed to kiss me again. When he climaxed it was bright enough that I could see him entirely. Sighing against my lips, I felt Draco's warm release inside of me. There was nothing cold about him then. He rested his forehead carefully on mine, closing his eyes with relief written all over his face. He stayed there for a bit, allowing me to run my hands over his body. It no longer felt tense, nor did I detect any wounds, and was glad. I started to feel so sleepy and heavy with Draco's head on my chest, his ear pressed against my heart. It felt like I could have stayed there forever, not moving…

"Angelina," Draco said, and I looked up, the sun shining behind Draco's head. I had to squint at first, as it was hard to see. I started sitting up, aided by Draco's arms.

"What's going on?" I asked. Draco had a worried expression on his face, and I found that he was already fully dressed when I sat up.

"We need to go—I need to take you somewhere safe," he said, "so try to hurry. We've got to go now."

"What? Wait, Draco, what are you talking about?" I asked. Draco had stood and pointed his wand at something. I looked at the quilt to find that he'd already laid something out for me to wear, and my suitcases were on the floor closing themselves. Draco rushed over to the closet and opened it, pulling out what appeared to be a safe. He set it down and knelt on the floor, beginning to unlock it manually.

"Draco…you're scaring me," I said. He turned his head to look at me.

"Please," he said, "remember what you promised me, Angelina? There's no time to explain."

I got up and went into the bathroom, washing my face and brushing my teeth quickly. I peeked from inside the bathroom to find Draco putting the safe back into the closet. I was curious as to what had been inside. I got dressed and Draco grabbed my hand, an elf appearing to get my things and disapparating. Draco walked with a hurried pace through the halls until we made it into the dining room, where Narcissa was standing there, having what appeared to be an argument with Pansy and Blaise.

"There was no way we could have helped him," Pansy explained, "Goyle should have known better," said Pansy.

"Someone is figuring us out, and now the Ministry's suspicious. If they use veritaserum, we're screwed," Blaise added.

Draco clutched something inside his pocket nervously for a few seconds.

"Draco, what are you going to do about this?" Narcissa asked, crossing her arms.

"Everyone just stay calm," he said, trying to remain so himself.

"We don't know whether they've gotten any serious information—"

"What do you mean? What else could explain the last intervention?" Blaise asked, and I thought about Draco coming home the previous night, looking a mess. The sudden rise in action was starting to drive me mad, but I knew things were getting serious. I pulled Draco's hand as a few more Death Eaters appeared and started in on the conversation. I pulled Draco into the corner.

"Draco, what's going to happen?" I asked, feeling a bit scared. He placed both his hands on my shoulders firmly.

"Nothing's going to happen to you. Just stay by me, alright?" he said, nodding. He kissed my forehead and let go of me to try and bring order to the bustle that was becoming the dining room. Everyone was worried. Several Death Eaters complained that they felt they were being followed, perhaps even watched, and that they were about to endure a serious blow to their missions. Finally Draco shouted and everyone was quiet. He gave orders for everyone to go to back to their stations and to try and stay under the radar, which meant no magic. I'd never seen wizards disapparate so fast. The only people that stayed around were Blaise and Pansy, and a few other familiar looking young men I'd seen before.

"What do you want us to do, Draco?" a black eyed, redheaded man asked, stepping towards him.

"Stay by me. We can't just let Goyle rot in Azkaban if they get him to confess."

"I say we let him rot," Pansy piped up, "the Ministry couldn't possibly condone veritaserum. Goyle pretty much committed murder in a public place. I say we erase our tracks so they can't trace him back to us." There was silence and Draco stepped up to Pansy. He was glaring at her.

"I've got a better idea," he began, "how about you stop trying to run the show and let me sort it out. I'm the one in charge here, and I'll be damned if I let my best friend go to Azkaban—or worse—over one bloody little mishap. So shut your mouth and do as I say."

Pansy backed off and did not say another word. Draco led me out of the room.

"I'm going to take you home," Draco said, "and I want you to stay there until—"

"No," I said firmly, crossing my arms, "Didn't you just tell me to stay by you? I'm not going to hide away just because things are getting serious. I know how to defend myself, Dra—"

"Damn it, woman, you promised me you'd do as I said." Draco's hands were on my face and he was glaring down into my eyes, but I knew that it wasn't an angry glare, if that made sense at all. I grinned up at Draco comfortingly, "It'll all be fine. Are you forgetting that I fought at Hogwarts? I'll be perfectly fine. Don't doubt me," I said, placing my hands on his chest. His expression softened, "weren't you the one who said I was strong? Don't doubt me, Draco." He just looked at me for a bit and then sighed, pressing his forehead to mine, his nose smooshing against my nose.

"Don't leave my sight," Draco said.

"I won't."

"I don't mean to interrupt, but we've got to do something, now. Have you seen this?" Blaise asked. Draco turned away from me and took the paper that Blaise was holding. Draco's eyes scanned the Daily Prophet and his face lost all possible life.

"Yes," said Blaise, "they're suspicious they've caught a Death Eater, meaning Goyle. They're not saying it's official yet that that's what he is, but they are sticking to the new law; they won't stand around idly and wait for the next power surge. Anyone found to be guilty of practicing after Voldemort will not be sent to Azkaban, he will be put to death."