A/N: Only one chapter left after this one. I won't keep you in suspense with a long author's note!

Thanks to BiscuitsForPotter and DisenchantedGlow as always!

Enjoy!


Malfoy Manor had always been a dark place. Even when Draco was a child, he had been told what type of magic that resided within those walls. Dark, ancient magic had been built into the house with each stone, but when he was young, Draco had never felt the evil that was in the corridors. It had been a warm and loving place. Even when the Dark Lord took up residence there and darkness hung in the halls more thickly than ever, Draco couldn't bring himself to hate the home he'd grown up in. But now…

As the Manor loomed before him, black and cold in the summer dusk, Draco sensed the evil permeating from where he stood Disillusioned beyond the front gates. Perhaps it was just his knowledge of what waited for him inside that had his blood curdling in his veins, but he no longer felt nostalgic or held any warm feelings for the building before him. Only dread and terror.

He took a deep breath to collect his thoughts. He reminded himself of the facts. Theo was inside. He had Granger, or at least he claimed to. Draco had no backup, and no one knew that he was here.

His thoughts spiralled wildly to all of the potential ways this could go wrong.

It could be a trap. Theo could have dozens of Death Eaters inside waiting to kill him.

It was possible that Theo had placed snares along the way or within the house—dark magic, which could be activated as soon as he entered the gates or the front doors.

Draco's stomach lurched with horror when he thought of the worst possibility of all.

Granger could be dead already.

Draco shook his head, ridding his mind of those thoughts. He was about to face Theo and he had to be focused. He thought of Dolohov's training, pulling every lesson from where he kept them buried in his mind. He brought them forward, letting them drown his concern for himself and Granger. Clenching his jaw and gripping his wand, Draco took two steps forward.

The wards admitted him, and he passed through the gate. He paused, waiting for… something. He wasn't sure. An alarm to blare or a trap to spring. When nothing happened, he made his way up the long walk toward the front entrance. He moved slowly and silently, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of movement.

Darkness surrounded Draco with each step he took. Silence buzzed in his ears.

When he drew close enough that the Manor came into focus, he noticed that the exterior walls were dingy from lack of care and the East wing of the house was no longer recognisable at all.

Blackened. Covered in scorch marks.

The fire.

Theo had told him that Dolohov's rage had set the house ablaze after Draco deserted the Manor. Draco looked up, seeing his bedroom window and noticing that the fire seemed to have started there and radiated outwards. He wondered how extensive the damage was. Was the house salvageable, or would it be condemned—torn down and erased from the map? Just a dark blemish on the Wiltshire countryside, forgotten to the ages.

As he approached the house, he raised his wand. "Homenum Revelio Charta." The map materialised before him, showing that the house was vacant except for two blue dots in the drawing room.

He should have known. Granger was already far too familiar with the drawing room floor, and Draco's heart clenched at the idea of her once again being tortured in his home.

The news of the capture and subsequent escape of the Golden Trio from Malfoy Manor had spread amongst various Death Eater circles in the weeks before the Battle of Hogwarts—first as tawdry gossip and then as a cautionary tale for what not to do with prisoners of war.

If Dolohov trained Theo the same way he had been trained, then Draco knew that Theo had been taught to prey on emotional vulnerability. Undoubtedly, Theo would try to use Draco's concern and affection for Granger to his advantage.

A year ago, this wouldn't have been an issue. He would have strode cooly and confidently to face his enemy. There had been nothing inside him—no special attachments or emotional distractions. Dolohov had taught him to know better than that.

Feelings were signs of weakness that could be easily preyed upon, and Dolohov had been thorough when trying to rid Draco of every last one of them.

Yes, a year ago, Draco wouldn't have felt an ounce of fear in this situation.

But now…

The thought of Granger in distress, in danger, perhaps even dead… Loving her had awoken so much within him that he hardly recognised the man who stood before the burnt Manor.

Weak. Soft. Vulnerable.

But vulnerable or not, there was no choice but to move forward.

Draco reached the front steps and his feet halted. The front doors were not shut tight or warded. They were thrown open wide, acting as a taunting invitation—beckoning him towards the danger that surely waited inside.

He took a deep breath.

And then a step.

It looked exactly as Draco remembered it. The fire had not reached this far. He recalled the way his mother's stylish high heels had clicked on the floor. She'd been so confident and imposing when he was young, so unlike the diminished woman she'd become before she left.

Draco's footsteps made no sound as he crept through the house on his way to the drawing room. The door was open, and a dim light was shining within. As he approached, he heard a deep voice speaking. It was smooth and light, almost conversational, though no one spoke back.

Though he was close to the open doorway, Draco could just make out fragments of sentences.

"—simple really—know he'll come for you—"

Draco halted in the doorway and took in the scene before him. Theo stood in the center of the room, Granger bound on her knees at his feet. He was speaking to her softly, his wand under her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his. Draco fought the murderous rage that bubbled up within him at the sight.

He thought of the last time she'd been in this room, over two years ago. Small, defenseless. A different maniac looming over her.

Theo looked at Granger like a snake about to devour a mouse. His brown eyes glinted maliciously as he spoke quietly to her, whispering malicious words Draco couldn't quite hear.

Draco had expected to see Granger looking fearful or perhaps teary. But she was no damsel. Instead, her eyes were filled with the most hateful rage Draco had ever seen. Her wild hair seemed to crackle with it as she glared at her captor.

Gripping his wand tightly, Draco tried to line up a shot, but Theo was too close to Granger. He couldn't be sure that she would be out of harm's way if he tried to hex Theo from his current location. But he could wait. He could have patience. This was what all that training was for. It had prepared him for this exact moment, when everything was at stake.

So he watched in silence, taking his time, though he was sure the staccato of his heartbeat would give him away. He squinted, looking for something—anything that might help him. A way to begin.

That's when he saw it. A pale shimmering between himself and where Theo held Granger. Thin. Barely noticeable. Ethereal, almost.

A Shield Charm. Of course.

Even if he tried to hex Theo from here, he would be unable to. He would need to disable the shield first, and doing so would certainly give away his location.

Draco immediately began recalculating. He allowed himself to dive into thought, though his eyes never left the scene in the drawing room.

And then a cruel voice rose from beyond the door, raising all the hair on his arms.

"Isn't that right, Draco?"

Theo.

His former friend—The Reaper—turned to face him, a sickening smile stretched across his face and a crazed glint in his eye.

Granger's head snapped to the side, the fire in her eyes immediately evaporating and giving way to terror as she searched for him.

Draco released the Disillusionment Charm and stepped into the drawing room properly. He kept his wand trained on Theo and did his best to keep his eyes from flicking to Granger. He couldn't let himself be distracted by the sight of her.

Theo smiled at him, twirling a wand in his fingers—Granger's wand. His own wand was trained steadily on Draco. "Granger thought you'd bring the Order along, but I knew you wouldn't be stupid enough to risk her life like that."

Draco ignored Theo and directed his attention to Granger. "Are you alright?" he asked, barely taking his eyes off of his enemy.

Granger nodded, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly. Theo had silenced her.

"Let her go." Draco's voice was low and cold. "This is between us."

Tilting his head, Theo pretended to consider it. "No, I don't think I will." His tone was mocking as he placed Granger's wand behind his ear. "You see, once I've finished with you, perhaps I'll have a bit of fun with Granger." His fingers twisted around one of her curls and she pulled her head away with a grimace. "She's gotten so pretty… for a Mudblood."

Draco knew Theo was trying to get him to lose focus—lose control. He knew this was all a trap designed to bring him to his death. He knew it was more important than ever for him to push his rage aside. And yet no matter what he told himself, his mind continued to conjure images of what would happen to Granger if he lost this battle—Theo forcing Granger down, holding her still as she tried to scream through the silencing spell, turning her face to make her look at Draco's dead body nearby…

His jaw clenched. A muscle in his cheek twitched.

Theo must have seen, for his lips curled back in a vicious grin.

"It may disappoint you to hear that Charlie Weasley is alive," Draco said, hoping to keep Theo's attention away from Granger. Perhaps if he could just keep Theo talking for a while, Draco would have time to think of a plan. He knew a duel was coming, but if he could gain the upperhand over Theo, it could make all the difference.

He had to figure out how to disable the Shield Charm quickly. He only had one shot at it, and if Theo saw it coming, he was likely to kill Granger before Draco could get her to safety. What Draco needed was time… time to properly assess the situation.

"Oh, I never intended for Charlie to die. Maybe I've grown soft with all the time I've spent pretending to be him, but I just couldn't bring myself to dispose of him." Theo paced around Granger, his fingers dancing through her curls and running along her jaw. "Not yet, at least."

Draco's eyes followed the movement, but he forced himself not to let the anger seep into his bones. It passed over him like a shiver, but then he sent it away. "But you have his hair. You could have simply replaced him."

"Charlie Weasley is far more useful to me alive, for now. I cast the severing hex with the intention of simply removing him from the battle. I knew that if he wasn't badly wounded, he'd likely be revived and return to the fight. So I needed him hurt badly enough to ensure that he wouldn't be coming back too soon.

"Only one person saw me cast the curse. That Hufflepuff girl—Susan, I think her name was. She ran to help Charlie and took him away to get help. When she came back, I took care of her. I couldn't have her telling anyone that Charlie was at death's door, now could I?"

Theo had killed Susan Bones. Draco filed the information away. "But, the code words…" Draco prompted. How could Theo have gone so long undetected?

"I never tried to fight as part of a group, so I didn't need to use them. I spent most of the battle looking for you, Draco. But when I couldn't find you, I settled for Granger instead." Theo knelt next to Granger and used one finger to turn her chin to face him. Draco saw her strain against her bonds, her fingers flexing from where her wrists were tied—reaching out in an effort to summon her wand.

Theo continued, not noticing or caring that she was trying to subvert him. "I'm sure you noticed her weaknesses, the way she gives herself away ever so slightly as she duels. I just had to wait until she was alone. Oliver Wood saw the Stunning Spell hit her, but didn't see me cast it. I told him I'd take her back to Headquarters and take care of her. Then I brought her here. She's very easy to carry." His eyes swept over Granger's face and body. "I'm sure you've had a wonderful time throwing her around the bedroom."

Granger spat in his face, the hateful rage back in full force. Theo chuckled and wiped the spittle from his eye. He looked back to Draco. "I can see why you like her."

Theo stood up and took a few steps closer to Draco, still staying within the protective barrier. "Then I just had to make sure you knew where to find us. I planned to just slip the note into your pocket, but when I discovered that you had Potter's cloak as well… It was just too tempting. I knew I couldn't leave Granger for long, but I couldn't resist using the cloak for a couple more kills. Some of your older Order members should have been retired ages ago."

"Why not just kill me on the battlefield when you took the cloak? Why bring me here?" Draco could feel his fingernails digging into his palm from gripping his wand so hard, but he didn't dare let up.

Theo smiled. "Once you put a plan into action, you shouldn't change it. There wouldn't have been any thrill in killing you there, where you'd never know it was me. No, Draco, when you die, I want to make sure you know exactly who got the best of you."

Theo's head cocked to the side, something chilling glinting in his eyes. "Do you wonder what your father would think of your interest in Granger?"

Draco felt rooted to the spot; his blood pounded in his ears. "He'll never need to find out, given that he's dead."

Theo grinned. "Oh, he found out."

"What?"

"I told him all about it. Or at least what I suspected. I wasn't sure about you two until after Lucius died, you see. But your interest in her was obvious. Do you wonder what he had to say about it?"

Despite the warm, July air, Draco felt cold. "You killed my father."

"Don't seem so surprised," Theo scoffed. "I escaped Azkaban, remember? Sneaking in to murder your dear old dad was just a warm up for that."

Draco shook his head. "Why kill him? Was it just payback for attacking the safehouse?"

Theo shrugged. "That was the official reason I gave Dolohov, but the truth is that I've been itching to make you hurt for as long as I can remember."

Draco's brow furrowed, still unable to believe that everything he'd ever shared with Theo had been a lie. Their entire friendship had been nothing more than an act. Though he had mourned his friendship with Theo weeks ago, he couldn't stop the clenching in his heart. "Why?"

Theo's lips pulled up in a sneer. "I've been in your shadow my entire life. At Hogwarts you were always the one in charge. All the other Slytherins worshipped the ground you walked on, though I could never figure out why. And then the Dark Lord chose you to mark as his youngest Death Eater. Even Dolohov chose to train you first. I did my best to stand out, to learn what I could in the background, but it wasn't until you left that I had my true opportunity to prove myself. To step out of your shadow for the first time and rise above by becoming far more powerful than you.

"I studied hard and practised day and night until I had surpassed your skill level. And, with time, I was even able to grow beyond Dolohov's capabilities. You see, nothing's impossible when you're a motivated student. If you hadn't been so reluctant, there's no limit to what you could have achieved." Theo tilted his head, assessing Draco with curiosity.

"Did you know they started calling me 'The Reaper'?" Theo seemed proud. He puffed out his chest as he twirled his wand in his fingers. "Did you ever get a title?"

"I never wanted one."

"Well, I suppose that's the difference between you and I. I was never ashamed of what I am, whereas you… your shame makes you weak," spat Theo, eyeing Draco with disgust.

"Killing dozens of innocents isn't something to be proud of."

Theo laughed, taking a languid walk around Granger to stand behind her. "And yet, you have killed dozens of innocents, haven't you, Draco? Do you think you're any better than I am?"

Shaking his head, Draco readjusted his wand in his hand. "No, but I want to be."

Theo's lips curled in unmistakable hatred before he glanced down at Granger. "And you think she's the ticket to your redemption, do you?" He paused, eyes flicking back and forth between Granger and Draco. He pulled Granger's wand from behind his ear and twirled in his fingers. "You know, now that Dolohov is dead, I think I'll take up the reins myself. It'll take a while to recoup the losses sustained today, but I think that over time I can continue the work my predecessors started."

His arm lifted, raising his wand and aiming directly at the back of Granger's head. "And I think I'll start right here… with Granger."

He was out of time. Without hesitation, Draco released the most powerful ward-breaking spell he knew. It hit Theo's Shield Charm with blinding force, but Draco didn't dare blink away from the flash as the barrier burst apart.

As Theo stumbled in surprise, rearing back to return fire, Draco flicked his wand at Granger and sent her sliding across the marble floor away from the center of the duel. Still bound, she slipped onto one side and grimaced as she curled into a tight ball instinctively. Draco took another split second to cast a Shield Charm around her, and in that moment, a hex from Theo hit him in the leg. He staggered back with a gasp, feeling the leg of his trousers soak through with blood.

Gritting his teeth, he pushed the pain away from his mind and swirled his wand, conjuring a whip of purple flames. They shot towards Theo and wrapped around his left wrist, wrenching a wand from his hand—Granger's wand. Theo's face contorted in pain as the flames forced him to his knees, bending his arm into an unnatural shape.

Just when Draco thought he might have gotten the better of Theo, the man's mouth opened in an enraged snarl and his wand sliced through the air like a knife cutting through rope. He was on his feet in a flash, and the next thing Draco knew, fire was barrelling down upon him from all directions. Each of the dozens of oil lamps in the room was spitting its flames at him. Draco quickly shielded himself against them, still feeling their heat licking at his skin through the barrier.

The flames didn't stop coming, and Draco could feel his shield growing weaker with each passing second. With a mighty push, his shield bounded up, deflecting the flames, and they went scattering around the room before disappearing with a wave of Theo's wand.

As Theo was momentarily distracted by dousing the fire, Draco shot another disarming spell and managed to hit Theo directly in the chest. His wand flew through the air and landed under the wingback chair on the far side of the room. Theo's eyes widened as Draco bound him and forced him to his knees before advancing on his former friend.

"What's your plan now, Draco?" Theo hissed as the ropes tightened around his chest. "Will you send me to Azkaban, even knowing that I'll escape before midnight? Or will you just kill me now?"

Draco faltered. He couldn't send Theo to Azkaban. Somehow, the prison couldn't hold him. He was too slippery—too powerful to be contained within those walls.

Theo's voice slithered into his mind, wrapping itself around his doubts. "You see? The logical answer is right in front of you. In order to defeat me, you'll need to do what you do best. The only thing you're good for."

Draco faltered. The only thing you're good for. He'd said something similar to Granger many months ago. But it wasn't true, was it? Granger hadn't fallen for an assassin, she'd fallen for him. All of him. The good and the bad.

Theo chuckled. "I don't know what Dolohov ever saw in you. You're nothing like me. You'll never be strong enough to do what must be done."

Then, out of nowhere, Theo's bonds snapped and whipped away from him. Theo rose to his feet, a burst of magic throwing Draco backwards through the air until he hit the far wall with a thud. Hand slicing through the air, Theo sent Draco's wand soaring. It skittered across the floor and out of sight.

Draco landed on the floor in a heap, only to be dragged into the air by the same ropes that had held Theo a moment ago. They wrapped around him, squeezing tight and constricting his air.

Theo held up a hand, one finger curling to beckon Draco to him. Like a magnet, Draco hovered over to The Reaper, toes dragging the floor until Theo's fingers curled around Draco's throat. His brown eyes flickered over Draco's face, a hint of confusion behind them. He scoffed and shook his head slightly. "Fool. You should have killed me." Theo released his grip and sent Draco crumpling to his knees.

Draco struggled against his ropes, fear seizing his body as Theo turned his back on him and stalked towards Granger, summoning his wand to his hand as he went. Draco's muscles screamed with the effort to free himself, but the magical ropes only squeezed tighter. Blood from Draco's wounded leg began to pool on the floor beneath him, hot and sticky.

Granger thrashed as Theo approached her, scrambling to find shelter that she would never reach. Theo waved his hand over her and a gasp escaped her. He'd lifted the silencing charm.

Dread washed over Draco like a disease. "No!" he shouted. "Leave her alone."

Theo just grinned over his shoulder at him before reaching down and curling his fist into Granger's curls. With a tug, he dragged her across the floor as a strangled cry left her throat.

"Don't touch her!" snarled Draco, struggling against his ropes to no avail.

Theo wrenched Granger to her knees a few metres from Draco and then knelt beside her, hands wrapping around her jaw to force her head up. He murmured in her ear loud enough for Draco to hear. "I think I'll give you two a moment to talk. It's only fair that you have an opportunity to say goodbye.

As Theo stood and looked between his two bound captives, Granger's eyes met his. "I'm sorry, Draco."

Draco's heart constricted in his chest as he watched her fingers flex as if trying to no avail to summon her wand. "Granger, listen. It'll—it'll be alright. Don't give up, just—" He wanted to reassure her that they would get out of this somehow, but he didn't see how. Bound, wandless, held captive by a madman with incredible power. The pounding of his heart seemed to know.

This was the end.

Granger's lip quivered as her tearfilled eyes darted over his face, as if trying to look at every bit of him for the last time. "I'm so sorry." Her voice was no more than a whisper, and a tear fell from one eye and trailed a path down her cheek.

He longed to reach out to her. What he wouldn't give to hold her in his arms one last time. To wipe away her tears and kiss her. To protect her from whatever Theo had planned. To steal time for just a moment and spend it telling her everything he never had.

"Granger… Hermione… it's okay. I—I love you."

A sob erupted from her lips and her eyes closed as more tears escaped them. "I love you, too."

"How touching," Theo drawled from nearby, twirling his wand in his fingers.

Granger flinched.

"Theo," Draco said as Theo took a step towards Granger, "you don't have to do this."

Theo laughed coldly. "Oh, I know I don't have to. But I really want to, you see."

And then, without further preamble, Theo's wand sliced through the air. "Crucio!"

Draco jumped as Granger's screams pierced the air, high and shrill. Her body bowed, contorting into an impossible position as her muscles spasmed. The sound shot through Draco, scalding him from the inside out with grief and rage.

He felt the pain as if the spell had been cast on himself, blinding and hot, blistering and burning.

With a jolt, he realised that he was truly aflame. The ropes that bound him were on fire, turning to ash in a flurry of accidental, wandless magic. He could feel it simmering under his skin as Granger writhed on the floor.

Dolohov had only begun to introduce these advanced wandless techniques when Draco defected, but he focused his energy inward, pulling forth his power until it settled in his chest like a bomb. Then it exploded from him, knocking Theo back and filling the air with a deafening storm of magic. The man crashed into the wall with a crack and slid down, his head lolling side to side in a daze.

Rising to his feet, Draco forced his magic against Theo's chest, holding him to the wall as he made his way through the whipping winds to wrap his hands around his enemy's throat.

Theo's eyes widened in shock and fear as Draco rechanneled his magic, pulling inward instead of pushing out. He could feel Theo's magic draining, seeping into Draco through his fingertips. It was a temporary spell, one Draco had never attempted before, but as Theo paled and his eyelids began to droop, he knew it had worked.

Theo was at his mercy, wandless, drained of his magic, his thin neck beneath Draco's hands. It would be so easy to throttle him—to snap his neck and leave him here to rot.

The only thing you're good for.

Draco's fingers loosened, and he backed away from Theo enough to summon his wand to his hand.

"Kill me," Theo challenged, his voice hoarse.

"No," Draco said. "Because you're right, Theo. I'm not like you." He lifted his wand to Theo's heart. "Stupefy."

Theo crumpled to the ground, unconscious. For good measure, Draco bound him tightly and warded the ropes against any magic Theo may still possess.

Draco wheeled around, racing to Granger where she lay panting on the floor, her eyes wide with shock and confusion. "Finite," he murmured, and her bonds faded away. He knelt, helping her stand up onto shaky legs. His fingers trailed along her jaw, examining her for signs of abuse before cupping her cheek tenderly. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, her eyes darting around the room as if trying to piece together what had happened. She glanced at his bleeding leg and her brow furrowed with concern. "You're hurt," she gasped.

"I'll be alright," Draco assured her, tucking a wayward curl behind her ear and dropping a kiss to her forehead. "I know a great Healer who can patch me up later."

With a watery smile, she stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his middle and burying her face in his chest. She clung to him desperately, her breath shuddering. "How did you do that? That magic…"

Draco buried his face in her curls, feeling the warmth of her body against his. "I don't know."

"It was incredible." She lifted her head, her honey eyes swimming with tears. "Why didn't you kill him?"

Draco's heart clenched. In truth he didn't entirely know why Theo still drew breath. If anyone deserved to die, it was Theo. And yet, he couldn't stop thinking about the way that Granger had looked at him after their escape from the Longbottom house. Like he was nothing but a soulless killer. He couldn't quell the fear in his heart at the idea of being someone like Theo. "I… I couldn't prove him right."

Granger nodded, her brow furrowed slightly. "I wanted you to kill him," she admitted, her eyes shining.

Draco paused, feeling a shiver run down his spine at her confession. He didn't know how to respond. Was she upset with him for letting Theo live?

She opened her mouth, a small smile gracing her lips. "I'm really proud of you." Her arms tightened around him and she nestled into his chest.

Resting his head against her curls, Draco felt the hammering in his heart begin to slow.

"What should we do with him?"

Her voice brought Draco's attention back to the unconscious madman against the far wall. "I don't know. If we take him to Azkaban or the Ministry, he's likely to escape again. I drained his magic, but the spell only works for an hour or so. And Dawlish mentioned that the Aurors' magic-suppressant bonds didn't work on Theo for some reason. There's no telling if they would be able to hold him."

Granger nodded and pulled away from Draco to pick up her wand from the floor nearby. She approached Theo, head tilted to the side thoughtfully.

"Maybe I should just kill him," Draco said, his stomach twisting at the thought of killing an unarmed, unconscious man. He could probably do it. Theo certainly deserved it. It would hurt, but he could come to terms with it in time.

It was the only way Draco could think of to keep Theo from coming after him and Granger again. He'd come so close to watching Granger be murdered today, and he would do whatever it took to prevent that from ever happening again. If that meant crossing a line he swore he never would, so be it.

"We could…" Granger trailed off, glancing sideways at him. "We should Obliviate him."

A shiver ran through Draco's bones. "Obliviate him…"

"I could erase everything. All of his memories from the war, us, Dolohov, Hogwarts… I could even erase magic from his mind completely."

Draco watched as her half-formed idea began to take shape. Her furrowed brow relaxed as her jaw clenched in fierce determination. "He would have an entire set of false memories. We could send him far away to live as a Muggle. He might still have moments of accidental magic, but if I do a good job, he won't have enough knowledge to harness his true power or understand what's happening. He would be like a child… like a muggleborn before finding out what magic is."

"You can do that?"

Granger nodded. "I did it with my parents, remember? It's not just about erasing what you don't want them to remember. You have to plant memories so that they never realise that something is gone."

Draco considered this. Leaving Theo alive was a risk, but this was a far better option than sending him to Azkaban. In many ways, this would be a fate worse than death for Theo. He would live a life without knowing who he was, not knowing what he was. A life of false memories and grasping at half-forgotten dreams only to feel them slip away like water through his fingers. But it was a life, and it was far better than Theo deserved.

If anyone could pull this off, it was Granger. She was the most skilled and brilliant witch he'd ever met in his life. If she believed this was the right course of action, he would follow her lead.

He'd saved her life enough; maybe it was time to let her save him for a change.

"Are you alright doing that?" he asked, placing a hand gently on her upper arm. "I mean… after having to Obliviate your parents…"

Granger's lips twitched up slightly. "You're very sweet to be concerned, but I'm not such a delicate flower." She squared her shoulders. "This has to be done. I have no qualms whatsoever about erasing everything that once made him him."

Draco nodded, once again filled with pride for his warrior lioness. "Do it."

Granger set to work, kneeling close to Theo's unconscious form and murmuring, "Obliviate." She closed her eyes as she pulled the memories from Theo's mind.

Draco watched her work for several minutes, admiring her concentration as she filtered out Theo's memories of anything he could no longer keep. She kept her eyes closed, shaking her head and biting her lip every few minutes. Draco stood nearby, not daring to move away from his post in case Theo began to stir.

But he lay quite still, and Draco allowed his mind to wander to what they would have to do next. They couldn't tell Shacklebolt what they'd done. The Order would never accept that they let Theo go, memories or no memories. They would need to tell them that Theo had died in the struggle.

But how could they explain the lack of a body?

The black soot-covered ceiling above him offered an eloquent solution. Fire. The Death Eaters had used it on the Westenberg House. It could be entirely plausible for Theo to try to use Fiendfyre in a duel. But they would need to contain it somehow. Granger had managed to contain the flames from the wardrobe, but how much could she handle? If it got out of control, the magical fire could ravage the entire countryside.

He would discuss it with her when she finished with Theo's memories.

Draco couldn't say exactly how long Granger worked, but it felt like the better part of an hour had passed before she stood up and turned to him with tired eyes. "Finished."

Draco nodded. "We should check him for any magical objects. Wouldn't want anything to spark uncertainty or questions in his mind."

They both patted Theo down, checking his pockets. Draco found Potter's Invisibility Cloak and slipped it into his own trousers pocket. Otherwise, Theo's pockets were empty. His wand was across the room. Draco summoned it, feeling the dark magic hum through him as he held the ebony wand in his fingers.

How many souls had The Reaper claimed with this wand? How many people were tortured at the end of it?

"I think we should take him to Wales," Granger suggested, standing up and brushing her hands off on her trousers. "International magical travel is heavily monitored, so that's as far away as we could take him without suspicion."

It seemed that she had also realised what would need to be done. Draco could scarcely believe that she was willing to lie to everyone—even Potter—about what they'd done. But he could tell by the set of her jaw and the hard look in her eyes that this was not something that was going to haunt her.

"I agree," Draco said. "As far as faking the death goes, I was wondering about Fiendfyre…"

She glanced sideways at him. "The whole house?" Her eyes were wide with fear.

"Whatever you can handle for the containment. It just needs to be big enough to convince the Order that he couldn't have escaped."

Granger flexed her fingers on her right hand as if they ached her. "I can't do the entire house. But I could do just this room."

"Are you sure? You've just done a great deal of advanced magic. If you're tired—"

"I'm fine," Granger assured him. "I can contain it in this room. I'm sure of it."

Draco nodded and levitated Theo to the doorway. He looked around the drawing room, eyes drifting to the spot where Granger had been tortured on two separate occasions.

He couldn't wait to watch it burn.

"Do you know the spell?" Granger asked him, moving towards the wall and raising her wand.

A shiver passed through Draco as he realised that he would have to be the one to start the flames. "I do."

Granger nodded appreciatively. "Use Theo's wand. Then cast it into the flames."

"When you're ready."

It took several minutes for Granger to prepare each wall, the ceiling, and floor for the flames. She spent extra time on each of the drawing room doors, finally moving to the exit with Draco. She cast him a confident look. "Ready."

Nerves settling in his belly, Draco raised Theo's wand, aimed it at the floor in the center of the room, and murmured the spell he hoped he'd never have to use.

The cursed flames erupted from his wand, colliding with the spot where Granger had been screaming moments ago. The room caught immediately, going up in a blinding blaze. Draco tossed in Theo's wand and then slammed the doors shut.

Granger kept her wand trained on the door, knuckles white as she clutched it in her fist, her jaw set in concentration.

From within the room, Draco heard the flames licking the walls. The fire roared, causing the house to creak and groan.

Would Granger's containment hold?

Sweat beaded on her brow with the strain of magic upon her. Draco wished he knew how to help her. But it seemed that all he could do was stand ready to Apparate her away to safety if the fire raged out of her control.

Inside the room, Draco knew that the flames were burning everything away. All of the fine finishes that had greeted the Dark Lord on his first visit to the Manor. The decor that had graced the walls for generations and proven to everyone they hosted just how wealthy the Malfoy family was.

It would all be gone after this.

Good, thought Draco. Let it all burn.

After many minutes, the fire had nothing left to destroy, and Draco could hear the flames dying down behind the heavy, wooden doors. Granger didn't relent or move her wand until the creaking and groaning of wood was silent. She was shaking from the exertion, and Draco grabbed her arm to keep her upright as she stumbled.

"Well done, Granger." He pressed his lips against her temple.

She let out a shaky breath before waving her wand to open the doors.

The flames were gone, and the drawing room was destroyed. Every bit of the room was black and bare. Ash filled the air, settling on piles of charred remains of furniture.

Draco observed the scene with morbid satisfaction. This house hadn't felt like home to him in years, but this… this felt like a step in the right direction. The Fiendfyre had destroyed the room, yes, but with it Draco felt as if it had wiped away some of the darkness that had settled into the very bones of the house.

Draco and Granger used Potter's cloak to Apparate with Theo's bound, unconscious form to the tiny city of St Davids in South Wales. The streets were deserted, illuminated only by the occasional lamps that dotted the side of the road. For the first time, it occurred to Draco just how late it had gotten. Early, even.

"Should we just leave him in the street?" Granger hissed as she, like him, took in the scene before them.

Before Draco could bring himself to look for a quiet corner to dump Theo, a high peal of laughter echoed down the city streets. Both he and Granger jumped at the sudden sound. His first instinct was to draw his wand, but that impulse died the moment he saw two young women approaching, smiling and chatting as their high heeled shoes clacked against the cobbled street.

Yes. They would do nicely.

Draco wasn't sure why he knew it was the right thing to do, but a small voice in the back of his head told him that it was better to get this new Theo started on the right foot than to leave him in the gutter.

Quickly, Draco unbound Theo and levitated him out from under the Invisibility Cloak.

"What are you doing?" Granger whispered as he dropped Theo's body unceremoniously in plain view of the approaching young women.

Draco felt an unexpected lurch of pity as he watched the shell of his former friend crumpled on the ground, knowing he'd given Theo a life sentence of confusion and unrest. Never quite feeling like he belonged, but not knowing why.

"Giving him a chance."

Before Granger could say another word, Draco murmured the spell that would set Theo's new life in motion. "Ennervate."

Within moments, Theo sat up, eyes bleary and dazed. He clutched his forehead, as if suffering from a horrible headache.

From underneath the safety of the Invisibility Cloak, Draco watched as the two women spotted him. They drew back at first, but his piteous state led them to kneel at his side.

"Are you alright?" one of them asked.

"He's probably drunk, Lizzie. Let's go." The second woman eyed Theo nervously.

The first girl, Lizzie shook her head. "No, I think he's hurt." She reached out, placing a hand on Theo's shoulder. "Do you need a doctor? What's your name?"

Theo opened and closed his mouth a few times, as though trying to remember how his tongue worked. "I'm… Th—T-Thomas," he said finally. "And I'm… okay, I think."

Satisfied, Draco grabbed hold of Granger's arm. She held on tight as they prepared to Apparate back to Headquarters.

Draco didn't need to know the end of this story. There were much better ones to live.


Despite the late hour, Headquarters was still bustling with activity when Draco and Granger walked through the front door. The Healers were still flitting quickly between camp beds in the sitting room, and Aurors and Order members alike were talking quietly over steaming cups of tea or coffee. Potter was speaking urgently with Bill in the sitting room, his brow furrowed as they talked. His eyes flicked to Draco and Granger as they entered the house.

"Where the hell have you two been?" he shouted, stepping quickly around camp beds to approach them. "We've been worried sick."

"Theo took her." Draco's voice was calm as he responded, though his grip on Granger's arm never loosened. He watched Potter's eyes widen and sweep over his best friend from head to toe as if checking for injuries. "He held her at Malfoy Manor."

Shacklebolt swept over to them from his office. "Where is Theo now? Did you transport him to the Ministry?"

Draco shook his head and swallowed thickly. Now was the time to put their lie into action. Beside him, Granger squeezed his bicep. "He's dead."

They recounted their carefully practised story to Potter and Shacklebolt. They explained how Theo had cast the flames to try to kill them, but had been unable to control them. Granger had managed to contain the spell to one room as they escaped, but Theo had been consumed by the inferno.

Potter and Shacklebolt listened closely to each detail. As the story left Draco and Granger's lips, it became apparent that they would not be questioned. That their word was to be accepted as truth.

How strange, to finally be trusted, when in fact, this was the biggest lie he'd concocted to date. Still, it was for the best. At least that's what Draco had been telling himself since Granger erased Theo's memories.

When they reached the end of their tale, the Minister sighed and scrubbed his face with his palms. His hands fell to his sides, revealing a rare, soft smile.

"Well then. I am grateful that the two of you made it out alive. And what's more, you've done us all a great service. We are, all of us, in your debt."

To that, Draco had no response. He simply nodded, choosing to accept the praise rather than vehemently deny it on instinct. Beside him, Granger's cheeks were flushed and stained with the beginnings of tears. She didn't say anything either.

In the silence that followed, Draco almost expected to hear the Minister say something else. To speak about next steps or follow up with another plan of action. When none came, Granger was the first one to find her voice.

"What's next?"

Shacklebolt shrugged and gestured to the living room. "Have a bite to eat, get some rest, whatever you'd like. Relax. All of our most wanted Death Eaters are either dead or behind bars."

"What does that mean?" Granger's eyes were wide, though her voice remained small.

It was Potter who answered her. His eyes were wet, too.

"It means… the war is over."


A/N: Final chapter will post September 28th!

If the angst of this story has been getting you down, I invite you to check out my newer WIP, Bad Books and Second Looks. It's just fun and light and fluffy. And I can promise lots of future smut!

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