A/N: this chappy might be a little tame, considering the last two.. :/ but it is necessary as it ties up Blaise's part of the story.

Another language warning. But not as bad as the last one.

Chapter 28


Hospital Wing - Evening

"And you thought you could just walk away..."

Blaise's voice echoed in his head like a stone in the bottom of his shoe. He clenched his left fist, "Blaise..."

He didn't know how or what he was going to do, but Blaise was the reason Hermione wanted nothing to do with him, and how McGonagall felt the need that his presence was no longer required in the school, and that couldn't be ignored.

**flashback**

"I'm sorry Mister Malfoy, but... this is... too big for me to just dismiss.." McGonagall shook her head at the broken pieces of jewellery.

"Are you hearing me at all?! I said I didn't do it!" Draco's eyes fell on the chunky jewellery. "I didn't charm anything! Nor brew your great potion"

"Well there's no one else that has! Only Albus and Severus knew of my potion and seeing how they are both deceased there is no other explanation! I have no recollection of Thursday's events, as I trust you made quite sure of that!"

"This is...just swell. You really think I- "

"Not another word Mister Malfoy!"

Draco snorted, "You're joking. I'm innocent you-"

"I'm sure whatever it IS that you have to say, it was a well thought-out, unlikely, yet highly convenient circumstance!"

Draco balked, completely stunned. "So that's it, just going to send me off without hearing me out?!"

"What is there to say? Mister Malfoy, you... you broke the rules once again after I had informed you time and time again of the severity of the consequences should you defy me once more!"

"What about Blaise?! He was the one who... turned her against me! He... he-"

"It is unfortunate what happened between you and Miss Granger, yes, but understand me when I tell you. No one knew of the potion's existence Malfoy. NO ONE. And it really does pain me to say, but you leave me no choice - consider yourself dismissed from this school effective immediately. You depart at ten o'clock tomorrow morning"

"WHAT?! Will you let me explain anything?! Where is your proof?" Draco motioned to the bracelet, "That rusty old thing? Sod it all the hell, you dumb-"

"Watch it!" Barked Pomfrey as she joined McGonagall's side, "My apologies Minerva, but it seems there's a disturbance near the Prefect's Bathroom. Filius just sent his Patronus..."

Draco rolled his eyes and shoved the tray that was near his bedside, causing all of its contents to tumble to the floor.

"Fucking hell,"

**end**

"You're dead, Blaise..."

"Clearly you hit your head harder than we thought. It's me, Theo!"

Draco blinked and then turned his head, seeing that he was no longer alone. Theo dropped his satchel to the ground before he sat atop of the bed stationed beside Draco.

"But you know, now that you've mentioned him, this was is quite the low blow. You look like total shite! And all for what, because you wanted to call it off?"

"Call what off?" Draco echoed, wincing slightly from the ache of it jaw, reminding him it was about the time for his medi-potion. He was not in the mood to deal with Theo's cryptic wordings, especially if it was his final night at the school.

Theo tsk'd, "You know, the bet with Granger! You told me days ago, you... you were going to say to Blaise it was over. That... well, it wouldn't be an issue what with you have against his mother and stuff. Yet look at you!"

Once he finished, Theo looked right to Draco. The look of horror on his face caught him off guard.

"I told you that?" Draco said, confused. What evidence about Blaise's mother? And he also knows about this so-called bet? 'What the hell is going on? Does every one know about it, but me?'

"You know, the old-coot warned me that your mind was a little foggy, but come on this is a little much. It was your leverage against Blaise, you have to know that!"

Draco took in Theo's words, searching his mind for proof, but nothing came. It was completely blank, with the odd appearance of Blaise's smug smirk.

Theo raised a curious brow, at his lack of response, "What? Did I miss something here? What's going on? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I don't..." Draco shook his head, "I don't remember that...or what it was for that matter. Or even conversing with you!"

Theo frowned, "You're joking right? You don't-"

"No I don't! I don't know a bloody thing!" He ran a hand through his hair, "Everything is completely fucked up. And now I-"

"Alright, mate, no need to bite my head off! I was just asking, no need to get Pomfrey over here...wait, hold on, where's the bracelet thingy?"

Draco looked at his arm and then shrugged, "That's a whole other story in itself," he muttered. He was wondering when Theo was going to ask him...

"Well? What's the story?" Theo pressed.

"It was a phony. Someone had changed it, so that person could use magic against me"

"You... you're serious? How did that even happen?!"

Draco proceeded to tell Theo what McGonagall had told him. Someone switched the bracelet with a fake one, which she doesn't believe could be done but either than Draco himself, refusing to listen to his reasoning, and then how he got into a fight with Granger where she attacked him because of the memory Blaise showed her.

Theo released his breath slowly, "This is more... complicated then I thought. Hang on, why didn't McGonagall believe you?"

"She is the only one who knows how to deactivate it... and... well, even though she isn't sure how it happened, she knows when it did. Never mind the fact I was nowhere near her, as I am sure Hermi-" he broke off when he felt a sharp pain in his chest, "Oh forget it, it's futile. I'll be leaving here soon enough,"

"What do you mean you're leaving?"

"Shall I spell it out for you?! I broke her precious device remember? I broke the rules, once again. Completely tossed off my beloved promise to being a good boy! So I... I'm going to get expelled. End of story."

Theo shook his head, "No, no that's complete bollocks! She can't do that! Where's her proof?"

"Don't you mean the," he cleared his throat, "unlikely, yet highly convenient, circumstance?" he muttered in his best personation of the old-bat. "Believe me, Theo I've heard it all from the bitch's mouth. I leave in the morning, at ten"

"But that's... that's..." Theo trailed off when he got struck with an idea. It was clear as day! 'Of course!' "Wait, what is the last thing you do remember? About Blaise... Granger...the bet you name it,"

Draco groaned, 'Just kick the man while he's down why don't you?' he flailed his working arm, "I just told you-" but wait, he mentioned the bet! Did this mean what he thought it meant? If so, the sooner he knew the truth, the sooner he could fix it. With Hermione and McGonagall! Hope filled his system as he sat himself up straighter in the bed. Perhaps he won't get expelled after all?

"Oh for crying out loud mate, there is a reason why I am asking! I mean, it might not be obvious to you, but it sure as heck obvious to me!"

"Well?!" Draco muttered. He was usually a patient person, but when it came to the truth, he became rather anxious. "Can it help me from not being expelled?!"

"Of course! Mate, don't you see? Blaise Obliviated you, that's what!"

Draco's eyes shot wise, as a wave of uneasiness rendered him mute. Would Blaise really go that far to make him and Hermione at ends?

Theo took this moment to lean closer to his house-mate, "Look, your memory is a bit foggy, what do you think that tells you?! Side-effect to a concussion my arse! And she's our Healer? Bloody hell..."

Theo gave Draco a knowing look, "So out with it! What do you remember?"

Draco sighed, quickly trying to recollect his thoughts, "Blaise was going to harm her... Hermione, somehow, I can't be sure..."

"He was going to give her a Hateful Potion!" Theo chirped in.

Draco just stared at him oddly. Theo rolled his eyes, "I was the one who told you, that's why I know!"

"Yeah... but... we talked about it? The...thing."

Theo sighed, "Well I was curious to know what you and Blaise had going on, and soon enough, I guessed it correctly. Anyway, moving on, so you know of the potion..."

Draco chewed his lip, "but I... I changed the potion into Amortentia."

Theo barked a laugh, "Oh please tell me you remember that!"

"Well...it is a bit blurry. Something about... Potter" he looked at Theo who just motioned for him to continue, "He... no. I don't know why Potter was involved..." Draco itched his chin, "Wait a minute, she helped me!"

"Yeah okay, let's move on to Granger then. What do you remember about her?"

"With her-" with her, it was different. He remembered sitting beside her in Potions, going with her to Hogsmeade... and other parts of the world. Imperiusing Red so he could be alone with her in the Astonomy Tower. How she...ended up half-naked in the corridor, to forcing her to skip class to switch the potions.

"Everything it seems," he mumbled finally. His mind falling on the last words she spoke to him, "A true Death Eater! Heartless..." His eyes fell over to the faded Dark Mark on his forearm.

"Everything," repeated Theo as he tapped a finger on his chin, "And... the potion thing is all you remember about Blaise?"

"Well no we were... in the Hog's Head having a celebratory drink about... being accepted to come back here. And how he was going to use a potion against her, so I thought to have a bit of fun"

Theo released his breath slowly, 'Of course!' "You mean the night where it all started?"

Draco flinched, "Listen, it's an interesting theory and everything, but it's not like I can pay him anything! Nor will this be enough to get McGonagall to change her mind. She loves Granger remember? I'd rather toss myself into a pit of Dementors. I mean, why would he even bother?"

"Because you care about her!" Theo threw up his hands in defeat, "It's our motto you know, always look out for each other, and well... Blaise has always been a hateful person, seeing people acting all soft boils the blood, you see? And of course there's the whole leverage you have against his mum... but that's not really important here. You wanted out. Blaise didn't like seeing you succeed so...he pins you against Granger, making you to be a bad guy"

"I still don't get-I mean the bracelet, Theo, how would he-"

"By being crafty of course, you know, disguise himself into a Professor...cause McGonagall was the only one who knew how to break it, right? It's what you said..."

Draco, on the other hand, was at a loss for words. Everything Theo said sounded so outrageous yet plausible at the same time. Could this be his ticket out from being expelled?

"Alright you, out!" Barked Pomfrey as she sauntered over, "Mister Malfoy needs his rest!"

"Look, I'll track down McGonagall, alright mate? There's no way I'm going to let her expel you from that bastard's doing!" he muttered, trying to fight off Pomfrey. "Will you stop? I can leave on my own, granny, thanks"


Head Girl Dorm

She didn't get much sleep. She woke up every hour, almost on the hour. Her mind replaying what she had seen, what she heard.

Her heart ached with each breath. Her eyes could shed no more tears. Crookshanks sat on the pillow next to her, peering into her eyes, to her soul. It was oddly comforting.

Hermione took a breath as she reached over to the ginger cat.

"How ever am I going to face him in class, Crooks?"

Potions wasn't a problem, she would just sit next to Ernie like she had before. But all the other classes...

"I need to gather my thoughts." She pushed herself up and slipped out of bed, gathering some blankets and pillows. "Come on Crooksy, let's go star-gazing"

Crookshanks mewed and then pounced down on the floor, following his Master obediently.

She got to the Astronomy Tower. She wanted to be here for two reasons. One, so she didn't have to deal with the overwhelming craziness of her Common Room on a Saturday morning, and two... it was one of the lesser option people will know where to find her.

"I suppose there is a third reason," she sighed, sitting herself on the open windowsill. The cool autumn air made her whole body shake, "This was the place where I played him."

She welcomed Crookshanks as he leapt up onto her lap. She scratched behind his ears and stared up at the wide open sky of the tower.

"You remember that story, don't you Crooks?" A soft smile played on her lips, "It was great fun wasn't it? Making him believe that I was... that I wanted him." she smirked, "and you know what's funny? I actually... undressed him then. Can you believe it? How I was so unaffected by his presence... his touch..." she released a very breath, "kiss" she sniffed as a rush of air brushed against her face, strands of her hair danced in the air around her. "I wish I could recall that strong girl now."

She felt Crookshanks nuzzle his head into her chest causing her to chuckle, "You're right. Enough of the pity-party! Look, there's Cassiopeia!"


Saturday Morning, October 20th

Draco sat up, flexing his arm, up and down, and rolling his shoulder. It felt a bit stiff, and uncomfortable to move, but he was glad it no longer hurt.

"Ah Mister Malfoy, you are awake!"

Draco turned over to look over his shoulder, McGonagall was standing there, giving him a harsh expression.

'Just...perfect...'

"Why are you here? It's not even eight. My train leaves at ten remember?" He sneered before turning his back on her.

It was bad enough to be informed he was leaving the school, he really didn't want to deal with her two more hours than he had to. Apart of him hoped that Theo had knocked some sense into the aged witch so he didn't have to do this, but he knew from her expression alone, he did not.

"Well I see that sleep had done nothing to your attitude..." McGonagall muttered. "If you must know, Mister Malfoy, I'm here to owe you an apology"

Draco studied the Headmistress intently. First she was stern of his behaviour and now she goes and apologizes to him? 'What's the old-bag going on about now?'

McGonagall nodded slowly, "It seems your house-mate, Mister Nott showed me great concern about your dismissal..."

Draco rolled his eyes, not really having heard what she said, "Now what? You'll resent me for having friends?!"

"Actually he had quite the information pretaining to Mister Zabini, that we, the Staff, had looked into. Now, of course, most students shouldn't be privy to such information, but as in this case, you were the victim, so the consequences will be dismissed in this matter."

Draco remained perfectly still, not really sure what to expect next. 'What does that mean?'

"It appears only your Potions Master had the last conversation with him, so with his permission, we searched his memory. Although we have hit a block as far as requiring any useful information, as your classmate was very careful to cover his tracks"

'Figures!' Draco groaned to himself. He curled his lips, ready to retort, but McGonagall beat him to it.

"However," she said sternly, not wanting to endure another out-cry from the young wizard, "it was also brought to my attention that you were equally as effected. And even though I have no solid evidence of the matter, yet, it is rather obvious that your classmate was the one who had removed the device,"

McGonagall took a deep breath, "As Headmistress, it is my duty to make sure the safety of my fellow students, and I offer you my sincerest apologies for having put you in such danger and henceforth, will lift your ban, Mister Malfoy. You can resume use of magic outside classes, which means you are not expelled. I apologize for having doubted you in the first place. Furthermore, I also wish for you to accompany me in questioning with Mister Zabini, by means of Veritaserum,"

Draco looked at the older witch with incredulity. Too many things were going through his head. One, Theo got to McGonagall after all - he wasn't expelled! Two, he can use magic again, and three, he was finally going to get his revenge on Blaise! And then... maybe... he can patch things up with Hermione.

"Is there anything you wish to say, Mister Malfoy?" McGonagall said after a long comfortable silence.

Draco flexed his right hand and sighed, welcoming the wave of calmness surging through his body, "Thank you, Headmistress. For... this, for not expelling me"


Headmistress' Office

"What is the meaning of this?!"

He should've known Theo was lying to him. Blaise was ready to leave his seat, but got pulled down by his collar.

"Belt it, Zabini!" Theo barked into his ear.

"I swear if you and Draco think this is the way to get me to talk you're sadly mistaken you-" He tried to leave again, but was hit with resistance. Blaise glared over to Theo who abandoned his side, waving his wand like a metronome.

"Handy little spell that. Non-verbal... my favourite."

Blaise sneered his teeth, watching as his house-mate walked to the side of the room, "Nott!"

He smirked, "What, thought I would say the incantation? Right, I'm not that stupid! Neither will I say what exactly holds you to that chair! Nope mate, seeing how you're so smart you figure it out!"

"You-" his voice stopped in his throat when he saw McGonagall and Draco in the doorway.

"Ah Blaise you look like you could use a drink," Draco said storming over to the invisibly bounded wizard and shoved the vial of Veritaserum right to his lips. He yanked Blaise's head back for good measure so he wouldn't be able to spit it back out.

Theo watched with glee as the Italian struggled with the liquid.

"How did you accomplish this without being caught?" Draco then inquired. His eyes flashing dangerously.

"That is quite enough," warned Theo, as she joined Draco's side, "he will be no use to you if he chokes to death!"

Blaise sneered, his fists tensing as he glared at Draco, mentally wishing he had the ability to use Legilimency - one of the two ways to ward off the effects of Veritaserum easily!

Draco stepped away from him, with his eyes never straying. McGonagall was ready to proceed, but Theo halted her. "Allow us Professor."

"Answer the question Zabini!" Sneered Draco, "How did you do it?!"

Blaise shook, his face was pure agony as he tried to resist the effects potion but quickly lost the battle as his mouth worked on its own, "Simple." His face was now, completely deadpan, "You pushed me over the edge with your damn cocky attitude, about that stupid bracelet, I had no choice but to react! McGonagall knew how to break the bracelet, but I knew just asking her was out of the question, as she would know if she would be Imperiused in a second, so I needed a cover. A Professor, actually, and who other than the less suspecting, Potions Master Slughorn, himself? So I used our Potions class to steal one of his ready-to-use Polyjuice Potions, nicked a couple of his hairs and then made sure he never left his office."

His eyes flickered over to McGonagall, "I used a meed laced with my own special brew to overtake my control of you instead. It was a perfect cover. Merlin knows why Slughorn finds you such a catch..."

"Get to the point!" snapped the impatient blond wizard.

Blaise sighed before he returned his gaze to Draco, "I convinced her to give me the steps of how to deactivate your bracelet and then borrow her Pensieve as I needed to gather my memories. Then I gave her the antidote and Obliviated her thoughts after I got my answers" he finished with an evil grin.

"Not that complicated of a potion, to tell you the truth, takes just twelve hours to make. Anyway, my next victim was Teddy here. It was a safe bet to have him approach you, Draco instead of me. So using the same meed I used on McGonagall, I was able to take over control of him, where he struck you with a syringe to render you unconscious. I did the same thing as before, gave him the antidote. I saw no reason to Obliviate his mind as he wasn't a threat to me in any way. I just needed Draco to not suspect something was going to happen to him. Then after he was unconscious, I Obliviated his mind of anything pertaining to our...agreement about Granger and the evidence against my mother being a killer!"

"Ha, I told you he Obliviated you!" laughed Theo.

Draco blinked and then turned to Theo, but he tried to keep a level head to further his questioning, but Blaise just kept on talking.

"It was time for the last step in my glorious plan to work. To show Granger the memory that Draco was only after her for money."

McGonagall shifted rigidly after hearing such an attitude toward her favourite student.

Draco refused to make eye contact with the Headmistress, as she was Hermione's favourite teacher, rather he just glared at Blaise.

"Why?" was all Draco could manage himself to say.

Blaise shrugged and tried again to resist the urge to speak, but failed, "Well, you wanted out of it. You said the Galleons weren't worth it anymore. That the whole thing wasn't worth it anymore, really. Like you grew a bloody conscious and suddenly cared for her! And then you threatened to throw my mother to the Ministry and earn your money that way! Well I wasn't going to have it! I wanted you to suffer! And hell, Granger was so blind to think that you weren't some kind of monster, anyway, so I made sure to crush her dream. I took away your memories so you would get blindsided, pretending to be honest and sincere, when she saw the truth."

"What about getting me expelled?" Draco said, his lips barely moving.

Blaise shook his head, "Didn't plan for it to end like that, really. It was just supposed to make you... well pathetic. Grovelling to Granger for her affections..."

"Well. I have little to say," McGonagall said with a heavy sigh as she approached the dark wizard. She had heard enough! "The antidote, Mister Nott, if you please" she held out her hand to Theo.

Theo quickly placed the vial into her hand, where he and Draco both watched her thrust it to Blaise, much like the way Draco did it - minus the forcefully tossing the head back part. It took him a few moments to regain his focus, and a few more before he faced McGonagall and sneered.

"I am extremely disappointed in you, Zabini. Magically thwarting, not one, but two minds of Professors! One of which is your Headmistress! Also two students, both of which are in your house, and one who happens to be a Prefect! Not to mention, effectively disengaging a highly qualified Ministry Approved Anti-Magic Device, to use for your own personal gain of this... pitiful arrangement against one of the school's top students. Let's not even regard the fact you stole a Pensieve, which happens to be a very dangerous item, if used improperly!" She huffed a deep breath, pointing a gnarled finger right at his face, "Consider yourself expelled Mister Zabini."

Blaise's jaw dropped.

Theo's eyebrows shot right up as he stared over to Draco. Draco had hoped to have his own way of revenge against Blaise, but somehow found himself pleased with him expelled.

"But-"

"Not another word," she spat acidly. "I will be writing to your mother the second you are on that train! Which actually leaves in twenty minutes. So it would be of your best interest to pack up and get out!"


"How did you do it?" Draco said, as the two of them rounded the corridor to the Great Hall. "How did you get McGonagall to believe you?"

"Showed her the memories, what else?"

Draco stopped walking, as he tried to think of which memory that would be. "What ones exactly?"

Theo smirked, "Well the one Mister Arrogant didn't feel the need to take from me." Theo shoved his hands in his pockets, "When he told me to scram as he was hovering over your unconscious body. Didn't though, I wanted to see what he would do to you,"

"Well thanks, Theo." Draco said as he began to walk again, "I uh... didn't expect that,"

"That's what McGonagall said. And she watched him break the bracelet... it was kinda cool, really, it stopped changing colours, and then he did the spells, and it just snapped right in half! Then he charmed one to look like the real thing so you wouldn't know! That's how Granger was able to attack you!"

"Don't remind me..."

Theo grinned, "Come on mate, it's funny! Of all the times she's threatened you to hex you... she actually did it!"

"Ha, bloody ha"

Now all that was left, was to get her to forgive him.


E/N: as this story reaches it's end.. (I'm thinking about 5 or so chapters to go maybe less) I am starting to think of another one :)

And yes, it on purpose that Draco didn't realize he could use Theo's knowledge about the bet until he said it again.

According to research Dumbledore used the 'invisible ropes' spell against Death Eaters, but it had no incantation. It was described as a non-verbal spell, so I thought to make use of it here.