Ginny Weasley found it impossible to navigate the Hogwarts library. The place was like a labyrinth and she was sure that the books weren't the only things enchanted. She could swear the shelf of Herbology books was here the last time she'd looked but as she turned right she came to a dead end. Groaning Ginny retraced her steps. She should have never agreed to fetch Neville his stupid book. Who the bloody hell wanted to read about dragon-dung composting anyway? As she was about to give up she came across a familiar row.

Thank Merlin, she thought. At last, she had finally managed to find the right shelf. As she searched, she mentally cursed Madam Pince for her nonsensical shelving method. It was like the old cow picked the most complex system so that no one could find a bloody thing. After what felt like forever skimming the shelves she found it. Relieved she pulled it out and as she did so she saw a big mane of curly hair. A smile lit her face as she saw Hermione sitting some distance away with her back turned. Ginny began walking through the maze down the few rows to her table, but when it came into view again she was gone. Looking around, she thought she caught another glimpse of her conspicuous hair disappearing into a stack of isles. She smiled to herself with baffling wonder. Considering Hermione already had four books on the table, how many more could her friend possibly need? It took Ginny a few moments to find her again browsing a shelf. Peering through the books a shock of blonde hair caught her attention. Malfoy. She watched as he turned toward Hermione to stand behind her. He took the book from her hand and slid it back into place.

Ginny reached for her wand. It seemed like one Bat-Bogey Hex wasn't enough to teach him a lesson.

Then something happened that made Ginny stop dead in her tracks and hide behind a shelf. Malfoy slid his hands around Hermione's waist to rest on her stomach and she was smiling. He whispered something in her ear. Whatever he said made the smile widen and she laughed. Then his head dipped to kiss her neck. He was nuzzling her and Ginny watched dumbfounded, as one of Draco's hands dropped down to her thigh and under her skirt. Ginny tore herself away from the shelf and rushed out of the library so fast that she almost left with the books still in her hand. Madam Pince called out to her and accused her of trying to steal them. She was so flustered, she practically threw them to her without a word and ran out. She kept on till she had reached the Gryffindor Common Room her mind spiraling.

She entered so abruptly and out of breath that everyone stopped to look at her.

"Where's my book then?" asked a voice.

Her attention snapped to Neville whom she hadn't seen sitting on the armchair.

"Oh," she said catching her breath. "I… I couldn't find it."

He simply shrugged and thanked her for trying.

A hand was on her shoulder.

"Gin, what's wrong?" demanded Ron worriedly.

Harry was next to him with the same look of concern on his face.

"I was… I was in the library... looking for Neville's book and…"

Her eyes darted between them.

"I almost forgot to check my book out and Madam Pince screamed at me."

They both looked at each other with deep-set frowns.

Harry stepped toward her, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You sure you're alright?" he asked.

Unable to voice her lie she simply nodded. She gave a nervous smile and excused herself to get ready for bed. Almost two hours had passed when Hermione returned.

"Gin," she said surprised to see that someone was still up. "Sorry I thought everyone had gone to bed."

"No, I was waiting for you," replied Ginny as she rose from the sofa. "Where were you?"

Hermione shrugged. "Studying as usual."

She frowned. The lie, she noticed, came easily to her. She spoke smoothly and without hesitation.

"Do you want to head to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" asked Hermione. "I thought we could—"

"Is there something going on between you and Malfoy?

She watched as Hermione flushed a brick red. Ginny supposed that she wasn't a good liar after all, as long as you caught her off guard.

"No," she scoffed. "What makes you—"

"I saw you two in the library."

Hermione stood speechless, growing redder by the minute.

After a few moments, she spoke. "We were just—"

"Declaring your undying love for each other?"

Hermione barked a humorless laugh. "That's… absurd."

"You're right, it is, yet, still, here we are. What's going on?"

Her friend was having a difficult time looking at her.

"Nothing, he was just—"

"Please don't lie to me again."

At that point, she began to look around nervously toward the stairs leading to the dormitories.

"I really can't talk about this here," she whispered.

Ginny took her by the hand leading her into one of the bathrooms and locked the door.

"Talk. Now."

Hermione released a heavy sigh as if she was painfully extracting some unforgivable truth.

"I don't know where to start."

"Well, the beginning would be good."

"Please," begged Hermione. "Please don't tell Harry and Ron. Promise me."

Ginny swore she wouldn't breathe a word of it to them and so Hermione began to relate to her what had happened since she first sat down to help Draco with his Transfiguration homework. She listened intently without once interrupting, but by the time Hermione had finished Ginny was deeply concerned. It was quite obvious by the way Hermione would pause and pick up that there were details being left out and Ginny was too afraid to ask fearing the answers would only upset her further. Ultimately she was left with a nasty feeling that things would end very badly for the two of them.

"So, he was the one who sent you the bracelet?"

Hermione nodded her fingers brushing the thin gold chain reverently. Ironically, Ginny had never agreed with Lavender that Krum had given her the bracelet but it shocked her to discover that it had been Malfoy all along. It shocked her, even more, to realize that she'd not taken the thing off once since she'd received it.

"I'm just worried that this will end badly," she found herself saying. "You can't keep this up. Harry and Ron will find out and when they do… what about Ron—the last time he found out you kissed someone he started dating Lavender Brown—"

"That's not fair, I didn't plan for this to happen. I've been waiting since fourth year for your brother to realize I'm the opposite sex and—"

"I know," said Ginny abruptly. "My brother's a fool and he's had plenty of chances to admit how he feels but you're secretly running around Hogwarts with Malfoy—the ferret himself— how do you expect him to react? And Harry— he'll flip, especially with his Malfoy-is-a-death-eater theory."

Hermione swallowed nervously, her arms came to wrap around her.

Sighing in exasperation she lamented. "I just don't know what to do anymore."

Ginny was reluctant to voice her true opinion; she didn't want to burst whatever bubble Hermione was obviously living in but she'd have to face the music eventually. Surely she had realized she couldn't hide this forever, she knew how everyone would react to their relationship. Malfoy had been making life difficult for all of them since they first started school. In fact, she couldn't recall one single memory where he wasn't making someone's life a living hell. His aunt had killed Sirius, his father had almost killed her and Harry... his family was poisonous.

"I think you should end things," she said softly. "Before anyone else finds out."

The look that came over her friend's face was hard and cold.

"No. Absolutely not."

"I'm just saying Harry won't be happy—"

"I wish your first reaction to this wasn't to think about how Harry would feel!" she snapped. "Don't my feelings count?"

Ginny was taken aback. She hadn't realized her affection for Harry was so ingrained in her that she'd immediately thought about how he was going to take the news.

"Besides," Hermione continued. "Harry won't find out. You promised not to say anything and we'll just have to be more careful."

She frowned. "So you're just going to keep lying to everyone?"

"Y-you know what his family is like. It's best no one knows right now."

She scoffed. "Hermione, why are you letting him treat you this way? If he won't stand up to his family, then what's the point of all this? And he's made you hide it from us, your friends, people who love you and care about you—"

"It's a lot more complicated than that."

Ginny was suddenly incensed. Who was this brainwashed girl and where was Hermione Granger?

"No, it's really not!" she spat losing her temper. "What? Is he afraid that his Death-Eater daddy will disown him, doesn't want to be a blood traitor like us Weasleys, so he just slags around with the Muggle-born in secret instead?"

She regretted her words immediately.

Hermione's eyes were glistening. She turned around quickly to unlock the door.

"Wait, I didn't mean it like that," Ginny winced trying to reach for her friend's arm but she snatched it away.

Whirling around with teary eyes she spat, "At least I'm not snogging Zabini and dating Dean Thomas while I'm clearly in love with someone else! I love Draco and have the courage to do it, which is more than I can say for you!" Then the door slammed shut, the sound of it ringing in her ears. Ginny slowly turned her head and saw a sad reflection of herself in the bathroom mirror. Pale and ashamed she leant against the cold stone wall feeling very much like a hypocrite. A few minutes later when she was crawling into her own bed, it occurred to her that Malfoy must've been the one to tell Hermione about Blaise, which meant tomorrow she was going to track down and kill a certain Slytherin.

Her head was in his lap and she was reading Rita Skeeter's column in the Witch Weekly. Frankly, he found the entire publication to be full of drivel but he quite liked how she'd burst out in maniacal laughter whenever she read something funny.

"Look at this," snorted Pansy. "Rita's ripping apart Flint's mother again... well, if you're going to wear that, then you're asking for it."

She tilted her head back to look at him. "Never buy me anything in orange, is that clear?"

"Crystal," he grinned.

Pansy laughed flipping the magazine closed and tossing it with a dramatic flourish onto the grass. Daphne who was speaking with Tracey picked it and began leafing through.

"It is rather horrid," she murmured to Tracey as she flipped to the column. The girls began to devour the magazine like leftover food scraps.

"What's my favorite color?" challenged Pansy who had evidently grown bored of gossip.

Smirking cockily, he answered. "Trick question. It used to be emerald green but now it's midnight blue. What's mine?"

"Easy," she smiled, sitting up. "Violet. Always has been, always will be."

Her arms wrapped around his neck and she leaned in to kiss him.

"Honestly Pans, we're in the courtyard and everyone's looking."

She snickered and gave him a mischievous grin. "Let them look," she hummed. "They might learn a thing or two."

"Revolting," cut in Theo as he tossed an orange into the air and caught it again. "Seriously."

Blaise rolled his eyes. His friend had been on edge recently. He seemed to take offense to the slightest thing these days and hated any public displays of affection—which he had learnt yesterday, included hand holding. What perplexed him more was that Theo was actively avoiding Draco. Pansy had realized it too. It wasn't anything obvious but he'd find a reason for leaving the room whenever Draco was around and when they did speak it was stilted as if the conversation was forced. Considering how busy Draco had been lately it wasn't a difficult feat to achieve. In fact, Blaise didn't even think the blonde had even noticed his friend's odd behavior.

"Alright, alright," huffed Pansy. "Don't get your knickers in a twist. We have to go for divinations now anyway." She pecked him on the cheek before snatching the magazine from an unexpecting Daphne who whinged when she was told she could have it again after class. Blaise watched them leave and waited. Pansy turned to look at him and when she did he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.

Theo made a noise of disapproval and began peeling his orange. "Why don't you start calling her Princess Pansy and feed her grapes or whatever the hell it is she likes you to do behind closed doors?"

"I thought you had realized by now that Pansy prefers to leave the door open," he chuckled stealing an orange wedge out of his hand.

Theo remained unamused.

"What the hell is with you these days? Take a joke and get off Pansy's case, it's starting to aggravate me."

He shrugged allowing Blaise to steal more of his fruit. "Nothing, I just don't see why you two have to snog every bloody minute of the day."

"Considering Draco was the one actually dating her, only he has the right to complain about anything we do and guess what? He doesn't care, so why the bloody hell do you?"

Theo pushed himself off the stone wall, one continuous curl of orange peel falling onto the grass. "I kissed Granger," he blurted.

Blaise began choking. "Say that again."

He watched his friend run a hand through his brown hair tousling it.

"Why? Of all the witches in Hogwarts, in all of England, why would you kiss her?"

The response he received was a half-hearted shrug. "Was testing her."

"Testing—?" Blaise began to shake his head. "Actually you know what, I don't want to know. I don't want to know a single bloody thing—Merlin—he'll actually kill you."

"Who?"

"Who do you think?" spat Blaise.

"Oh," said Theo feigning ignorance. "Last time I checked with Draco, she was just a filthy Mudblood."

"Fuck off Nott, you know better than I do that he's been obsessed with the Gryffindor chit since... well since, I can remember!"

Humming he said, "I don't recall..."

"Dragonshit! I don't know what sick game you're playing. You know perfectly well how he feels about her. Don't you think he has enough on his plate without you making a move on his girl?"

"Says the fucking pot to the kettle," he hissed. "I'm sorry, did you not know he was with Pansy when you took her from him?"

Blaise's eyes narrowed. "That was different."

"How?"

"I love Pansy."

"And?"

"And you don't give a toss about Granger! At this point, I'm beginning to wonder if you even care about Draco."

Theo whirled on him, enraged. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! Draco's like family and while you've been off playing tonsil-tennis with Pansy, I've been looking out for him! ME!"

Blaise looked around and saw that Theo's shouting had attracted some curious third years.

"Calm the fuck down," he hissed.

Gathering himself Theo waited a little while for them to pass.

"He's with her y'know," he said after they were out of earshot. "You'd have realized by now if you didn't have your head so far up your arse!"

His eyebrows furrowed. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Granger and Draco. That's why he's barely around—"

"We both know why he's barely around!"

"I'm telling you, they're together. I caught him with her at the Three Broomsticks over Christmas."

"What, like on a date?"

"Looked like it."

"I don't believe it—Granger wouldn't—she hates him."

"You could talk to him, get him to see reason."

"I'm not getting involved."

"Or maybe he'll listen to Pansy—"

Blaise gripped Theo's arm and drew him close. "Listen to me very carefully," he hissed. "I don't want Pansy anywhere near Draco while he has that thing on his arm. You don't say a word to her about any of this. Draco made his bed and now he has to lie in it. In fact, this conversation never happened."

Before Theo could say another word he gave him a rough shove and stormed off into the castle. He couldn't decide which was more ridiculous Theo kissing Granger or Granger liking Draco. Both were equally unbelievable. Shaking the entire episode out of his mind he thought he might as well make his way to class even if he was early. As he was climbing the stairs it began to move. Groaning he realized he'd have to walk all the way around but as he reached the landing Ginny Weasley was there with her arms crossed and a furious look in her eyes.

"Brilliant," he sighed. "This day just gets better and better."

Without a word, she began to walk down the corridor and into a room. Regretfully he followed. There was something about Ginny Weasley, other than her beauty, which always made him falter. As soon as the door closed behind them he expected her to start yelling. She was angry with him the last time too. In fact, there was usually always yelling followed by snogging. This time though, he'd make sure there were zero liplocks between them.

But when she began to speak there was a note of sadness in her voice.

"I knew never to trust a Slytherin. I asked you not to say anything and you told Malfoy, of all people, Blaise you promised—"

"I-I didn't."

Her face crumpled. "Is it a compulsion or a deliberate choice when you lie to me?"

A pang of crushing guilt overwhelmed him. "Look," he started nervously. "I'm not sure—I can't remember much but I might've let it slip—I was completely hammered. One night the two of us got sloshed and—I promise I haven't said anything to anyone else—wait, how do you know? Did he say something to you?"

"Nevermind how I know." she clipped avoiding his gaze.

Blaise closed his eyes. It was a simple mathematical equation. He had a vague recollection of telling Draco about cheating on Pansy, but he knew his friend would never rat him out to a Weasley, purely on principle... and Ginny and Hermione were very close friends so... Merlin.

He opened his eyes and noticed she was halfway to the door.

"Gin, wait," he said clasping her arm. "I don't know what Draco's done to convince Granger to be with him but you have to get her away from him."

"I never said—"

"He's like a brother to me, but he will always be the son of Lucius Malfoy... do you understand?"

Her eyes danced across his face deciding whether or not to believe him.

"I already tried."

"Try again," he deadpanned.

She gave a slow nod and then her eyes fell to where his hand gripped her.

Releasing her quickly, he stepped back. The guilt was so consuming that he found he could barely look at her when he spoke.

"I love her," he said. "I want to be someone she deserves."

Ginny crossed her arms and cleared her throat. "Look—"

"I can't meet you again like this, even if it's just to talk, it's not fair to Pansy."

"Sure," she shrugged, flicking her hair back. "Whatever."

Before leaving he put his hand deep into his pocket and extricated something small. "Here," he said holding it out to her.

Taking it she asked, "Why do you have my scrunchie?"

"You dropped it," he lied.

She eyed him curiously. "So it's a deliberate choice," she said softly as she gathered her hair and tied it into a ponytail.

He moved toward her, pausing to take one last close look at the freckles which sprinkled her face and then walked out.

The sun was hot and beaming down on them. Draco felt the soft sand beneath and the weight of Hermione atop of him. She was wearing a white cotton summer dress, laughing and holding his wrists down. Her hair cascaded framing her face, shading him from the light. He could hear the ocean. The water reached his toes.

"I'm protecting you from the sun so you don't get burned," she chuckled amusedly.

He grumbled about wanting to go for a swim.

"But it's high tide soon," she tsked. "And we still haven't built the sandcastle you promised me."

Then suddenly the light shifted becoming overcast. He told her they should leave, it was about to rain. There was a crack of thunder and it began to pour drenching her. Little droplets of water rolled down the tendrils of her hair and onto his face. Her thin dress stuck to her skin and they both looked up into the darkened sky. Hermione's gaze fell on him and she was smiling again. "A little rain never hurt anyone."

Another crack of thunder, this time followed by a sharp rip of the sky; a luminous rod of lightning, gone so fast Draco wasn't sure if he'd imagined it. There was something niggling at him.

"We should go," he said again.

"But you promised—"

The thunder bellowed so loud it made them shudder. Then lightning began to crackle like fireworks rippling along the sky. The light was an ominous green. Within seconds he had her on her feet, his hand gripped like a vice around hers running. The sand turned into mud and he looked up and they were surrounded by thick forestry, only the rain still fell through the canopy of trees. He turned to look at Hermione but she was gone.

"Hermione?" he called.

Panic took over him and he began to scream her name weaving around the trunks of trees. A movement caught his eye, a man wearing a mask. A sound heard on his left made his eyes dart around as he realized he was running amidst a storm of Death Eaters. Then a cry stopped him in his tracks. A woman's cry. He sprinted toward it and bounded out of the forest falling upon wet grass. Water could still be heard falling but it was no longer raining. Looking up he found himself near a large water fountain. Draco was home. He stood and found a peacock staring at him intently. His father's voice snapped him from his daze. He was standing outside by the door.

"Come quickly," he instructed. "Everyone's waiting."

Walking into the Manor, warmth enveloped him; candles floated everywhere filling the room with yellow light. A violinist was playing music in the corner and when he looked closer he saw it was Professor Snape. An elf he didn't recognize apparated before him and offered to take his robes, another appeared with a crystal wineglass. His mother walked in gracefully and came to stand at his father's side.

"Honestly Draco, hold the glass by the stem. Have I taught you nothing?" she chided. Obediently he corrected his mistake and entered the drawing room.

It was a formal gathering of some sorts and everyone was dressed in black, speaking in whispers. Their eyes looking on him with cold malice. A polished mahogany casket was laid out in the center. A veiled woman was crying by it. Curious, he began to approach her but was stopped by Weasley who was dressed immaculately. Reaching out a hand he straightened Draco's robes. "Listen, mate, it's a difficult day for all of us, don't make it harder than it has to be. I'm taking the bird."

Frowning with confusion he asked, "You want Arnold?"

"Name your price," winked Weasley. "The Missus wants the peacock and you know better than I do how they are once they have their eyes set on something."

Draco's eyes snapped again to the crying woman. Ignoring Weasley, he brushed past him. Reaching out he placed a hand on her shoulder as her body wracked with sobs of grief. Upon his touch, she turned and lifted her veil. Pansy peered out at him from beneath, her expression full of fear.

"You shouldn't be here Draco." Placing a hand on the wood she whispered, "She'd want you to run."

A sense of dread seized him as he stared at the casket. His mouth went dry, he couldn't swallow. His veins were beginning to grow hot, a stinging sensation coursing through his body till it was burning him from the inside.

He gasped awake into the pitch dark.

Hermione stirred in bed. Turning over she heard Draco mumble something in his sleep. She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and stroked his cheek to quieten him. His skin had felt hot against her lips. Then suddenly he jolted up, startling her. He was gasping as though he couldn't breathe. She heard him stumble out of bed. The room flooded with light as she found her wand.

"Draco, what are you doing? What's wrong?" murmured Hermione sleepily.

"Nothing," he clipped continuing to search his pockets.

His eyes were half closed and red, his eyelashes damp as though he'd been crying.

"Tell me," she pressed.

He was quiet for a while, his jaw clenched so tightly she could see his mouth working.

"It's the Mark," he grimaced. "It's burning again."

"W-what should I do?" she stuttered getting out of bed.

All of a sudden Draco clasped his hand over his forearm, his eyes screwed shut.

"Bookshelf, bottom, the large tome."

"A book?" she exclaimed. "How will that—"

Draco's face twisted in pain, beads of sweat on his forehead as he collapsed back onto the bed. She sprang up and retrieved the tome.

"Open it," he winced. "Just open it."

Without entirely understanding what he wanted her to do, she opened the book onto a random page. The pages were cut to create a large square pocket, a housing for a stash of small vials containing a dark murky liquid. Tears were flowing freely down Draco's face as he cried out in agony, his body coiled tightly inward as though to stretch a limb would kill him. Raising his head, she gently coaxed his mouth open and poured the liquid down his throat. He coughed, some of it trickling down his chin.

The potion was beginning to take effect. His body became slack and his pupils dilated giving him a glazed look. She caressed and spoke to him in calming whispers till the potion rendered him unconscious. With a gentleness she didn't know she had she slowly turned his arm over. The Mark was red and swollen, glowing like the embers of a dying fire. Her eyes glanced back to the empty vials sitting in the hollowed out tome. This had been going on for some time and she couldn't believe how well he'd hidden it from her. Chewing her lip, she thought about his abrupt exit the last time they tried to have some time alone with one another. It was yet another thing he'd kept a secret, and to her, it was the darkest of them all. It was a stark reminder that even when they were alone together, Voldemort was always nearby and it was only a matter of time before he grew tired of waiting. Hot angry tears fell upon her own face. She hated Tom Riddle, hated him so completely and she couldn't say she'd ever felt such burning rage toward any one person. He tortured Harry this way, haunting him in his own mind and now he was beginning to do the same to Draco.

"It's okay," she whispered into the silence. "I won't let anything happen to you."

She pressed her lips to his temple and for the first time since she'd discovered she was a witch, she prayed.