It was bizarre. Harry had no idea the Room of Requirement could create secret tunnels. If he had known that he wouldn't have needed to use the one with the one-eyed witch statue to sneak into Honeydukes. He supposed he really shouldn't be shocked at this point, it was truly a miraculous room.

It was currently one massive dorm room with cots and hammocks and house banners all over the place. Everyone was so happy to see them. They kept asking questions and Ron and Hermione were helping him to answer them as best they could. There was just too much that they couldn't share.

Damn Dumbledore and all of his secrets.

"You don't understand." Harry felt like he had said that phrase a lot recently. "We can't tell you. We've got to do it- alone."

"Why?" Neville asked, his face determined.

"Because…" In his desperation to start looking for the missing Horcrux, or at least to discuss with Ron and Hermione privately what their next move should be, Harry found it difficult to focus. His emotions were like a raging hurricane. "Dumbledore left the three of us a job to do, and he didn't want us to tell-" he paused, trying to be diplomatic as possible "we've got to do it on our own, just the three of us."

"We're his army!" Neville cried in outrage "Dumbledore's Army! We're all in it together. We've been keeping it together while you've been off on your own-"

"It hasn't exactly been a picnic, mate." Ron chimed in their defense.

"I never said it was! But you can trust us, we are on your side. Everyone in this room has been fighting! We've all been driven here by the Carrows hunting us down. We're loyal to you- to Dumbledore!"

"Look," Harry started, but he didn't know what he could say to make them understand.

It didn't matter. Right at that moment, the tunnel entrance opened behind him and people came rushing in.

"Hey there you lot!" Dean grinned. "Long time no see, eh?"

Seamus gave a roar of delight and ran to hug him. When they started kissing Harry moved his attention to the others who were pouring in.

"Hello everyone!" Luna said serenely. "It's quite good to be back."

"How did you-" Harry started to ask but he was cut off by Neville.

"I sent for them!" He grinned, holding up his old DA coin. "I promised all the other members I'd let them know if you ever showed up."

"We all thought that if you came back, it would mean revolution. That we were going to overthrow Snape and the Carrows." The single Slytherin that had joined the throng piped up. Harry thought her last name was Clio, but he couldn't be sure.

"Of course that's what it means," Luna said brightly. "Isn't it Harry? We're going to fight for Hogwarts."

"Listen, I'm sorry but that isn't what we came to do-" Harry started. He could feel a full-blown panic attack coming on and he wondered how he would survive this one.

"You mean you're not going to fight? You're going to leave us in this mess?" Michael Corner demanded.

"Of course not! What we're doing will benefit everyone- it's all about stopping you-know-who-" Ron interjected.

"Then let us help! We want to be a part of it!" Neville snarled, bristling at having to be left out again.

There was another noise behind them, and Harry turned. His heart seemed to fail, Fred and George were leading a whole group of people out of the tunnel and into the Room of Requirement.

"Aberforth's getting a bit annoyed," Fred grinned widely at the entire room "He wants a kip, and his bar's been turned into an underground railway station."

Harry didn't hear the shouted replies. He could only see Fred and George. He wanted to run to them, tell him he loved them- but their need for anonymity kept him in place. When Fred caught his eye it felt as if the world had stopped turning. Before Harry could so much as catch his breath, George and Fred were both in front of him. Fred grabbed him first, crashing his lips onto his and Harry didn't care. He didn't care about the audience they had, he didn't care that Ron and Hermione were right there, all he cared about was pressing himself into Fred as close as physically possible.

Merlin, he had missed them.

When Fred let him go to the sound of wolf whistles and gasps of shock, George took over and Harry lost all sense of reality again. George was much gentler than Fred and Harry appreciated both ends of the spectrum. The burning, searing kiss from Fred, and the soft, loving kiss from George. They balanced each other out perfectly.

"I missed you." He breathed when George finally released him.

"We missed you too." George winked.

Harry couldn't help himself, he buried his face in Fred's shirt, holding onto him as if he were afraid he would lose him. George came up behind him, sandwiching him in the middle as he wrapped his arms around both of them. For the first time in almost a year, Harry felt whole. He had his boys back.

"I love you." He blurted without even thinking. "I- I'm in love with you. Both of you."

"Cheers then," Fred grinned. "We're in love with you too, Harry."

"What in the bloody hell-" Ron started, but Fred cut him off.

"Oh, piss off. We've been dating."

"For just about two years now." George piped up.

"And we don't want to hear any shite about it." Harry growled.

Everyone looked awe-struck, and a number looked confused or disgusted.

"Right, you lot," Fred addressed the rest of the room, not letting Harry go. He held him by the waist and George slung his arm around his shoulder and Harry was grateful for their support. "We heard the tail end of what seemed to be an argument about what Harry and the others need to do to win this war. From what I gathered, you all were giving the man we love a load of shite about completing his mission. Well, I've got something to say to you. Our darling Harry, He-Who's-Kisses-Are-Divine-"

"My heart and soul." George shot the room a cheeky grin.

"-is doing everything he can to defeat You-Know-Who, so sod off, yeah? If he thought clueing us all in would help defeat the right bastard, Harry would clue us in. If he is keeping secrets, there must be a very good reason. So why don't we all just shut up, put all of our personal feelings aside, and listen to The Boy Who Can Take Two-"

"Oi! You can stop right there!" Ron sounded panicked. When Harry glanced over at him he looked like he might faint.

"Can Take Dating Two Weasleys." Fred glared at Ron before continuing. "If there is anything we can do to help, you need to trust that The Saviour of My Heart, and the wizarding world, will let us know. Alright?"

"Why can't they help?" Hermione said thoughtfully.

"What?" Harry and the twins chorused together, turning to look at her.

"They can help! We don't know where… it is. We've got to find it quickly. We don't have to tell them what it is." Hermione's hazel eyes were alight with the sort of fire Harry had come to associate with exam week.

Harry looked from Ron to Hermione, his face full of skepticism.

"I think Hermione is right," Ron shrugged. "We don't even know what we're looking for, we need them."

Harry bulked at the thought of putting more people in danger. As usual, Fred and George seemed to read his mind.

"You don't have to do everything alone, love." Fred said softly.

"We are here to help you in any way we can." George agreed, placing a quick kiss on his neck.

Harry thought fast, his scar prickling painfully. Voldemort knew they were after his Horcruxes now, and he was in a towering rage. Dumbledore had warned him against telling anyone but Ron and Hermione.

Secrets and lies.

That's how Dumbledore had lived. Was he turning into him? Keeping his secrets close to his chest, afraid to trust? Yet Dumbledore had trusted Snape. And what had that led to? Death at the top of the astronomy tower. His panic from earlier hit him full force and George pulled him into a full hug.

"It's alright, Harry. We've got you." He soothed. "You don't have to do any of this alone."

"We will support you no matter what you decide." Fred agreed, kissing Harry's temple.

"Alright." He choked into George's shoulder. "Ok, I need help."

His admission seemed to both lessen the weight on his shoulders and hurt his heart as he thought of the danger they would all be in.

"Then let us help you." Fred pleaded, pulling him out of George's arms and into his own. "We have your back, oh Chosen One. Just tell us what to do."

Draco couldn't stop the convulsions,

The Dark Lord had crucioed the lot of them when he arrived at Malfoy Manor only to find that they had let Harry escape.

Then he did it again.

And again.

And again.

For almost two months straight the residents of Malfoy Manor were tortured on a daily basis. After the break-in at Gringotts, even his aunt was subject to the Dark Lord's displeasure. The worst was when he forced them to torture each other; through the imperious curse or through coercion via death threats. Of course, Aunt Bella was always more than happy to dole out punishment, no coercion needed for her.

Draco spat on the floor and wasn't shocked to see blood. He was pretty sure he had bit his tongue during the last round. He gingerly ran his tongue across his teeth and winced when he found the sore spot.

Fear gripped him when he felt his dark mark burn. The Dark Lord was standing on the other end of the wand that had been the cause of his suffering, so it could only mean one thing.

Harry had gotten himself caught again.

Draco sent a silent prayer to whatever gods were listening to keep Harry safe. He was good at getting himself out of tight spots. Merlin, please let him get out of this one too. Before the Dark Lord tortured and killed him.

"Freshen yourselves up." The Dark Lord hissed gleefully. "I think it is finally time for this silly little game to come to an end. Potter dies tonight and I want you all to look your best."

Draco schooled his features into a mask of indifference as he followed his parents upstairs. Perhaps if he were allowed to go he could find a way to save Harry.

He would either save him or die trying.

Once he was safely in his room, Draco pulled out his most recent sketch pad and flipped to the last page. He allowed himself only a few fleeting moments, but it was enough. He drank in the familiar lines of Harry's face and his hauntingly beautiful eyes. His fingers lightly traced the outline of Harry at Dumbledore's funeral, eyes determined and his expression fierce.

It was in that moment he realized Harry might actually win this war.

He heard footsteps echoing in the hall and shoved the sketchbook under his pillow, pulling on a fresh set of plain black robes. By the time the knock came, he was ready. When he opened the door it revealed twin expressions of fear on his parent's faces.

"Come, Draco. We're returning to Hogwarts." His father said stiffly.

He nodded briskly, then fell in line behind him and his mother. They walked in silence down what was once an exquisite grand staircase. It only held memories of pain for Draco now. The Dark Lord met them in the foyer, looking positively delighted. Draco had to stop the shiver that was trying to slither its way up his spine. Whenever the Dark Lord smiled, death and destruction were sure to follow.

"Excellent, my loyal followers." He beamed at them. "You all have a chance to redeem yourselves tonight. If any of you bring me Potter, all will be forgiven. Lord Voldemort is nothing, if not merciful."

"Yes, my Lord. Thank you for this most gratuitous opportunity." His father knelt before the Dark Lord and the others followed suit.

"Thank you, my Lord." They droned in unison.

"Very well, you may go. If you do happen to run into Potter, bring him to me alive and unspoiled." He demanded before opening the front door to the manor and taking off into the night.

Draco shuddered as he watched him go, like a bizarre bat-like creature taking flight. They started marching silently towards the front gate so that they could apparate to Hogsmeade. Even in the Dark Lord's absence, no one dared to speak a word.

They arrived in one of the private rooms in the Three Broomsticks without incident and were directed out of the bar and down the lane. Of course the Dark Lord would want to set up camp in the Shrieking Shack. When they finally found a way inside Draco almost turned right back around. His murderer of a godfather and the other death eaters were already in council together. Draco was sickened by the sight of Severus. He supposed he should be grateful. If he hadn't killed Dumbledore Draco would have had to. That logic failed to reach his churning stomach, but nevertheless, he had to endure. Sod the world, save himself. Harry too, if he could help it.

"Ah, Draco. Welcome back." Severus sneered. "The Dark Lord wishes you to infiltrate the castle. Your friends are already waiting for you at the other end of this secret tunnel." He strode purposefully across the room and moved a large crate to reveal the entrance to a small tunnel. "Your orders are to watch the Room of Requirement and to follow and thwart Potter should he enter it. Thwart, not kill. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir." He gulped, eyeing the mouth of the tunnel. It was tiny. He would have to crawl all the way to the castle. He was rather unenthused about the prospect, but anything would be better than sitting in here with a bunch of murderers. He started walking towards it when he felt a hand grasp his elbow. He looked back into the terrified eyes of his mother. He could see her spirit fighting to breakthrough.

"Be careful, Draco. Come back to us alive." she begged.

"I will." he vowed, not breaking eye contact until she nodded and released him. Sod the other death eaters. He wrapped her up in a tight hug, kissing the top of her head. He was a few inches taller than her now. He was shocked when his father joined them, pulling them both to his chest.

"Safety first, son. Orders second. Don't martyr yourself for him." He whispered so softly Draco hardly dared believed he had said anything. Something about his words echoed Pansy's mantra of 'sod the world save yourself' and Draco gave a small nod.

"As touching as this display is, you need to go." Severus drawled, yanking Draco away from his parents and shoving him towards the tunnel.

Draco squared his shoulders and held his head high as he approached the entrance. He crouched down, spine still erect. If he was marching to his death, he would not let the last time his parents saw him be marred by cowering in fear. He crawled into the tunnel with as much dignity as he could. He was grateful when it turned into a steep slope, obscuring him from the other's view. He heard his godfather move the crate back in front of the entrance and he gulped.

Thoughts of being trapped down here for the rest of eternity spurred him to move faster. The scent of damp earth and moldy wood assaulted his nostrils, getting stronger the farther away he crawled from the shrieking shack. After what felt like an eternity he understood the source of the smell. A wall of interwoven tree roots blocked his path.

"Bombarda!" He hissed, trying to point his wand with accuracy despite the lack of space.

It worked. He quickly vanished the molded bits of soggy root and continued on his way. At long last, the tunnel started sloping upwards and he could see faint light filtering down from an oddly shaped exit hole. He scrambled up it, desperate to feel the wind on his face.

He was unprepared to find that the tunnel dumped him out at the base of the whomping willow. He stared at the violently twisting limbs for a moment before he heard something sailing towards him. He threw up his arms to shield his face, but it was unnecessary. With a loud thwack next to him, the whomping willow stilled and he looked around curiously.

"Hurry! It doesn't stay frozen for long." Gregory Goyle called out to him. Draco ran toward the voice. He made it out of the willow's reach just in time. It started swaying and whipping its branches about as if angered by the lost opportunity to pummel him.

"You look terrible." Vince snorted by way of greeting and Draco almost smiled.

"I feel terrible." He admitted, pulling them both into a rare hug. They both returned it a beat too late and when he released them they looked shocked. "I'm glad you two are alright."

"Yeah, we're alright." Greg coughed to hide his surprise.

"As long as we do what we're told it 'ain't too bad. We were worried about you when you didn't come back after Easter holiday." Vince eyed him speculatively.

"I got… held up at the manor." He grimaced, sidestepping the sore subject. "Clever of you two to follow orders and keep out of trouble."

"Well, we've had plenty of practice taking orders from you." Greg shrugged and guilt washed over Draco.

"I'm sorry I made you two feel that way." He choked. He had never meant to make them feel like he was ordering them around. Now that he thought about it, though, they were right.

"We didn't mind. It was easier to listen to you than trying to figure stuff out on our own." Vince shrugged. "We like orders."

"Well, as long as you're sure." Draco made eye contact with each of them in turn and found no resentment in their eyes. His shoulders sagged in relief. "We have orders to steak out the Come and Go room for Potter. We aren't supposed to hurt him, just bring him back to the Dark Lord."

"Yeah, one of the Carrows told us something like that before they ran off shouting about Ravenclaw tower. I can never tell them apart." Vince nodded.

"They also said the Dark Lord would be coming here tonight." Greg failed at hiding the fear in his voice.

"He's on his way." Draco confirmed. The shiver of terror that ran through him was mirrored in both of his friends. "Come on, we better get going. How are we supposed to get inside? I heard Snape telling my parents that McGonagall barricaded the entrances."

"Ah, we got that covered." Vince nodded towards three broomsticks that were laying half a foot away in the grass.

Draco walked towards them, picking up his old Nimbus 2001 reverently. He hadn't flown since he quit the Quidditch team back in fifth year.

"We figured you'd appreciate using your own broom. We grabbed it while all of the prefects were ushering the rest of the house into the great hall." Greg beamed.

"Thank you." He ached to be back on his broom again.

Without further ado he hopped on and took off, spiraling upwards as fast as he dared. A feeling of weightlessness consumed him and he let loose his first genuine laugh in what seemed like ages. It felt good to be airborne again, just what he needed after the claustrophobia of the tunnel. When Vince and Greg caught up to him he grinned over at them.

"What do you say we race around the castle, for old times sake?"

"Last one to the Astronomy tower is a poisonous toadstool!" Vince shrieked as he took off without them. Draco wasn't far behind.

"Cheaters!" Greg cried as he took off after them.

Vince had a decent head start, but Draco was faster. He leaned forward, flattening himself as much as possible to gain more speed. He passed Vince in a blur as they rounded the first corner. He had forgotten how much he truly loved flying. The exhilaration, the sense of weightlessness, the freedom. All too soon he was landing lightly on top of the Astronomy tower, turning to watch Vince and Greg flying in circles above him to slow down their descent. They landed at the same time, grinning and out of breath.

"I guess that makes you both poisonous toadstools." He teased.

"I don't even care. I haven't had that much fun in forever." Greg panted, resting his broom against the ramparts.

"Me either." Vince grinned as he and Draco followed suit, leaning their brooms next to Greg's.

"We deserve a little fun." Draco motioned for them to follow him over to the door that led down into the castle. "I know it's been a rough year for everyone."

"I can't believe they still leave this door unlocked after everything that has happened." Vince snorted as Draco tried the door and it swung inward at his touch.

"Their stupidity works in our favor tonight." Draco muttered as they started down the endless staircase.

All feelings of lighthearted banter vanished as they reached the seventh-floor corridor. The Dark Lord's cruel voice seemed to emanate from the walls themselves and the three of them flinched.

"I know you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile, you cannot fight me. I do not wish to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood, but I will if necessary." There was a pregnant pause and Draco felt his anxiety skyrocket. "Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will all be rewarded beyond your wildest imaginings."

Draco leaned against the closest wall, gasping for breath. It was one thing to know the Dark Lord wanted Harry dead. It was another to hear him demand for Harry to be handed over to him on a silver platter like it was nothing.

"You have until midnight." The Dark Lord's voice reverberated through the castle.

"Shite, Draco are you ok?" Vince was squinting at him.

Draco tried to answer but he couldn't find the breath to say anything. He couldn't even nod or shake his head. Flashes of the past two months rendered him motionless. Greg and Vincent's voices sounded like they were getting farther away the more he tried to focus on them. Draco couldn't move a muscle. It was like he had been petrified, but this wasn't due to any type of magic. Pure panic rolled off of him in waves. Greg wasted no time in slapping him across the face.

Draco gasped at the outside source of pain, drawing in as much air as he could. When his head stopped swimming he looked up.

"Thanks for that." His voice sounded weak, even to him. "How did you know that would work?"

"Had to slap a couple of kids out of shock during their detentions. I recognized the signs." Greg said sadly. "What did he do to you while you were stuck at the manor?"

"Imagine the worst torture you can think of, then imagine him forcing your mother to do it to you." He said bitterly. "After that, imagine him forcing you to do it to your mother in return."

"Fuck." Vince swore and Greg's jaw dropped.

"Draco-"

"I don't want to talk about it. Can we get a move on? We've got a job to do." He snipped.

Their jaws snapped shut and they nodded for him to lead the way. Draco took off without another word, already feeling guilty for yelling at them. He slowed as they approached the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy and his ballerina trolls, motioning for the others to stay close to the wall.

The whole castle shook as the sounds of battle echoed through the air.

It had begun.

The stretch of wall was still blank. If Harry was in there, he had been smart enough to cover his tracks. Draco sent the second prayer he had ever made to whatever gods were listening that that was the case. He cursed inwardly when they heard someone shout Harry's name just a little ways down the hall. He nodded at the tapestry when he caught Greg and Vincent's eyes, ducking into the hidden alcove behind it. They followed wordlessly. It was a tight squeeze with all of them, but Draco didn't care. He was busy deriving what pleasure he could from hearing the sound of Harry's voice.

"I've had hundreds of kids thundering through my pub, Potter!" the same voice snarled.

"I know, we're evacuating." Harry's voice was like a cooling potion poured on a raw wound and Draco tried not to react. "Voldemort's-"

"-attacking because they haven't handed you over, yeah. I'm not deaf, the whole of Hogsmeade heard him! Did it ever occur to you to keep some of the Slytherins hostage? There are kids of death eaters you've just sent to safety! Wouldn't it have been smarter to keep them here?" The disembodied voice sounded again. It was oddly familiar and yet completely strange to Draco.

"They're kids, Aberforth! They're innocent in all of this. Their parents' choices are not their own." Harry said heatedly and Draco's heart broke just a little.

"Now is no time for your idealism! This is war, boy!" The man called Aberforth argued.

"It wouldn't stop Voldemort." Harry's voice sounded hard and Draco could imagine the fire flashing in those green eyes. "Your brother would have never condoned it."

The man's reply was lost in the sound of an explosion but Draco didn't care. Of course Harry would never consider using hostages. Wasn't it just classic Harry to defend Slytherins- the children of the same death eaters that were ready to kill him on sight. It was asinine. It was idiotic. It was completely and utterly Harry, and Draco loved it. He jumped When Harry started shouting. He sounded much closer than he had been just a moment ago and Draco's anxiety kicked back into overdrive.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Chamber of Secrets," The Weasel's voice came from the other end of the hall.

"Chamber- what?" Harry sounded lost.

"It was Ron's idea! Wasn't it brilliant? After you left I said to him that even if we find the other one, how are we going to get rid of it? We still hadn't destroyed the cup! And then he thought of the basilisk!" Granger's voice joined the fray.

Absolutely nothing she just said made sense, and apparently Harry thought so too.

"Basilisk? What-?"

"Something to get rid of the Horcruxes." The Weasel said in a very matter of fact tone.

Draco felt like ice had just been dumped down the back of his shirt.

Of course!

That's how the Dark Lord had survived the rebounding killing curse all those years ago. He had committed the greatest atrocity known to wizardkind. He had made a Horcrux. The Weasel's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he immediately became nauseated. He said another Horcrux down. As in the Dark Lord had multiple. The thought of it was enough to make him gag. Greg and Vince shot him worrying looks but he shook his head. There was a massive explosion nearby and a high pitch scream cut through the sounds of battle.

"I know what the diadem looks like, and I know where it is, "Harry was talking fast and their voices were drawing ever closer. "He hid it exactly where I hid my old potions book, where everyone has been hiding stuff for centuries. He thought he was the only one clever enough to find it. Come on!"

The sound of raging battle filled the corridor and Draco couldn't make out any more voices. He peeked out around the tapestry and jerked back immediately. The Weaselette was storming out of the come and go room, defiance etched onto her features.

"And then you come right back! GINNY! YOU HAVE TO COME BACK!" Harry's voice filled the corridor again.

Chaos.

There were multiple voices shouting and screaming, there was a loud roar coming from outside and the castle shook violently. Draco peaked out from behind the tapestry and spied a giant passing by the window. Three Order members ran off, leaving Harry and his friends alone. Harry started pacing and Draco held his breath. This was it.

A door appeared and the trio was talking amongst themselves but Draco couldn't hear what was being said over the din of battle. Once they disappeared, the door stayed visible and Draco swore. He was supposed to cover his tracks! Now he had to follow him in there and try to stop him. Draco cast one last sweeping glance up and down the corridor before motioning for Greg and Vince to join him.

"The coast is clear, come on." He called.

The three of them dashed across the hall and through the door, shutting it firmly behind them. They could hear multiple sets of footsteps echoing through the towering piles of junk; bottles, hats, crates, chairs, books, weapons, broomsticks, and even a few live bats.

"We should split up. Follow the sound of their footsteps, alright? Remember, we need to bring Potter back alive." He whispered. Greg and Vince nodded, each taking a different flank. That left Draco to go down the middle. He grimaced as he passed the vanishing cabinet he had used to sneak death eaters into the castle last year, the night he almost became a murderer.

"Somewhere near here…" Harry's voice rang out a few feet ahead and Draco almost felt hopeful. If he were the one to capture Harry, he could help him escape.

He found him in an alcove of junk off to the left, staring at a blistered old cupboard with an old bust of Merlin on top wearing a wig and a discolored tiara. Harry rushed over to it and picked up the tiara. It must be the diadem they were talking about.

The Horcrux.

"Stop right there, Potter." Draco's voice shook. He squared his shoulders as Harry turned around.

"Malfoy." He snarled, clutching the diadem.

Draco froze, unsure of what to do. He didn't want to capture Harry. Or stop him from destroying the Horcrux he was holding.

"Is that it, then? Ravenclaw's lost diadem?" He said instead and he kicked himself internally. What an idiotic thing to say in this situation!

"What's it to you?" Harry looked mildly surprised.

"Did he really turn it into a… a Horcrux?" Draco retched on the word.

"How do you know about that?" Harry snapped, taking a defensive stance.

"You said so, just outside." Draco tilted his head back towards the entrance.

"You were following me?"

"More like laying in wait. That's not the point. You said 'another Horcrux'. How many did he…." he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"Why does it matter to you?" Harry looked torn.

"Is that the last one? Can you destroy it?" Draco sidestepped the question.

"The snake is the last one, and yeah I can destroy it." Confusion was now the winning emotion playing at Harry's perfect features. "Why am I telling you this?"

"You have to." Draco whispered, unintentionally taking a step closer. "You have to destroy it. Please."

"That's the plan." Harry didn't retreat as Draco moved closer.

Draco stopped mere inches away. He could feel Harry's body heat rolling off of him.

"You're the only one who can kill him." Draco choked. "The others- he has the others out looking for you- you need to hide! They have orders to leave you alive, but I-"

"Harry?" The Weasels' voice echoed suddenly from the other side of the closest wall of forbidden objects. "Are you talking to someone?"

Draco swore, jumping away from Harry and drawing his wand. If the Weasel had found them then Greg or Vince wouldn't be far behind.

"Greg and Vince are coming. You have to get out. I can try to distract them-" He hissed out of the side of his mouth but he was cut off by the arrival of all four of their friends.

"You found Potter!" Greg roared victoriously.

"Harry! Look out!" Granger shouted, running towards them.

"It's the mudblood!" Vince snarled "Avada Kedavra!"

"Vince!" Draco cried in shock, eyes going wide at the jet of green light that had erupted from the end of his wand. Granger dove to the side and Harry sent stunning spells in their direction. Curses were flying every which way and Draco was appalled to see more green join the throng of reds and oranges.

"Don't kill him! DON'T KILL HIM!" He roared.

Greg and Vince both blinked at him in confusion. It wasn't much, but it was all Harry needed. He shot off the disarming spell and Greg's wand went flying into a pile of junk. He lept after it, diving foolishly into the wall of forgotten relics. Draco dodged a stunner from Granger and the Weasel fired off a body bind curse at Vince. It was pandemonium. Draco considered stunning his friends just to make all of the shouting stop. He couldn't believe Vince had tried to kill Granger. What happened to them while he had been stuck at the manor?

Harry and his friends were shouting at each other while firing off spells to hold them off. He had been so close to getting Harry to listen to him and escape. How had it all gone to shit so quickly? A roaring, angry noise had Draco turning his back on the lot of them and cold dread spiked in his heart.

Fiendfyre.

He grabbed for his friends in a panic, but it was hard to see. The massive room was already filling with smoke.

"I didn't know it would go up so fast! I can't control it! I'm sorry!" Greg was crying, white ash sticking to the wet streaks down his face.

"We need to move!" Draco screamed but his voice was drowned out by an explosion nearby.

The fire was devouring centuries worth of contraband, feeding on it hungrily and only growing with rage. Draco dragged one of them by the robes, hoping the other would follow until he found a pile of debris that looked climbable. When he reached the top of a pile of charred desks he turned to see that Greg was the only one with him.

"Where's Vince?" He asked weakly. Greg shook his head and then screamed as a fire serpent crawled up his back. Draco cast a shield charm around them, wildly hoping it would work.

It did.

The flamed serpent fell off but Greg collapsed in his arms.

Vince was gone. Greg was critically injured. They were surrounded by an uncontrollable dark fire with no foreseeable way out. Draco let out an anguished cry. Was this really how it would all end? Being burned alive? What a terrible way to die. He tilted his head up, pleading with whatever deities there may be to help him. Movement caught his eye and he turned.

Harry was flying towards him on an ancient broom, Granger and the Weasel sharing one behind him. He couldn't believe his eyes. As they drew closer Draco realized he was coming to save them.

Vince had tried to kill them. Yet they came back to save them.

Draco reached up, holding onto Greg with one arm. Harry grabbed onto him, but they were too heavy. Draco's hand slipped from his grasp and he pulled back around.

"IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!" the Weasel shouted before diving down so Granger could pull Greg onto their own broom.

Now that he was unencumbered he climbed up behind Harry easily, wrapping his arms around his waist. He selfishly took a moment to relish in the sanctioned closeness, resting his chin on Harry's shoulder.

"Get to the door! We can negate the fire by vanishing the room!" He cried.

Harry merely pushed the broom faster, racing after the others through the billowing smoke. It was getting hard to breathe, even above the flames. With one final violent whoosh, the last few objects that hadn't been incinerated by the ravenous flames were flung into the air. Harry dodged the falling debris; cups and shields, a sparkling necklace, and an old, discolored tiara.

"Harry! The Horcrux!" Draco screamed.

Harry made a hairpin swerve and dived after it. With the unerring skill of a seeker, he caught the diadem around his wrist, saving it from the maws of flaming chimera. Harry swerved again as the chimera lunged for him, soaring upwards and straight towards where the door should be. The Weasel and the others were already gone. A patch of light became visible through the smoke and Harry angled them towards it. Moments later clean air filled his lungs just before they crashed into the opposite wall. Draco let himself fall off the broom, coughing up soot. Ganger and the Weasel sat panting on the floor beside Greg who was still unconscious. Draco crawled over to him, rolling him over to check his wounds. He gagged at the sight.

"Ep-episky!" He cried, patching up the raw skin as best he could. He fell back against the wall, tears blurring his vision. "Vincent…"

"He's dead." The Weasel snapped harshly.

Draco didn't respond. He buried his head in his arms and mourned for his friend.