"I think I've solved it," Hermione said triumphantly, slapping a piece of parchment down on the table between Draco and Blaise during one of their evening homework sessions in the library. They had taken to working together at a large table towards the back of the library as it was one of the few house neutral places in the castle that wasn't just a disused classroom.

"Solved what?" Draco snapped. He was irritated because he had been distracted partway through the arithmancy equation he was trying to work through. It was difficult and fiddly and this was the fourth time he had attempted to check through it.

"The vanishing cabinet."

"What? How?" Draco turned, the arithmancy instantly forgotten. Hermione gestured to the paper. Draco glared at her for a moment before turning to it. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"So it's only the cabinet that's in the Room of Requirement that's broken," she explained. "As that's the one that was dropped. Which means that we can add the part of the spell that's broken on top of the pieces that are still there and then deprecate the broken bits. That will mitigate having to cancel it entirely and re-cast it, and it means that we can do all of the repairs from here."

"And," Draco said softly. "It means we can use the broken pieces as a template. Of course." Hermione nodded.

"I've actually done all the diagnostic spells already," she continued. "And I've written down the component pieces here." She pointed at a place on the parchment. "These are the places where it's out of alignment." She pointed to another place. "And here is how we can re-cast the spells to fix them before deprecating the old ones."

"Merlin, Hermione," Draco said. "You really are the brightest witch in our year." Hermione blushed and shrugged off the compliment. "No, really. You are. This would have taken me months to figure out. And you did it in what? Three weeks?"

"Something like that," she said even though it had been more like two.

"I don't think we should fix the cabinet just yet," Ron said at their next "Remedial Defense Against the Dark Arts" meeting. It was the meeting that Harry still ran just for the six of them, ostensibly so that they could get extra practice, though they spent most of the time refining their plan to defeat Voldemort. Ron even had diagrams of his ideas now.

"Why not?" Hermione asked.

"We don't want any Death Eaters going to check on the repairs and coming through the cabinet before we have a chance to put our plans into action. It's going to have to be fixed on the night of."

"The night of Dumbledore's death you mean?" Pansy asked.

"Merlin, no need to be so morbid," Ron said. "But yes."

"How do we go about bringing that up with him?" Pansy asked. The other five stared at her. "What? It's an honest question. How are we supposed to plan something if we don't know the day it's going to happen?"

"I hate to say it," Hermione said. "But she has a point."

"Perhaps we can ask him subtly if he has all his affairs in order yet," Draco suggested.

"It still seems weird," Harry said. "But I think we'll have to."

"It would be even more helpful if he just volunteered the information without us having to ask," Blaise groused.

"Yes, well," Harry said. "It's Dumbledore. He only seems to tell us things when it suits him, rather than when we might need it."

They didn't have to wait long for the information. Dumbledore called them all back to his office during the first week of March. The snow had finally started to melt and tiny blades of grass were pushing their way through in patches where it was thin enough. When they arrived, the office was entirely full of people, most of whom Harry recognized, including every single Hogwarts professor aside from Binns, but some of whom he did not.

As they made their way into the fold, Harry couldn't help but look around at the assembled group. He spotted Kingsley Shacklebolt at the back, standing a head taller than Tonks who was in front of him. Next to him were Remus Lupin and a witch that Harry didn't know with brown hair pulled up into a severe bun. There was a flurry of movement to the side and Harry turned his head to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley seemed desperate to get Ron's attention and Ron was pointedly ignoring her. The other Weasley boys were also there, along with Fleur, who had a hand possessively placed on Bill's arm.

"I think that is everyone," Dumbledore said once the six of them had found space to stand. Harry made a point to stand next to Draco, who was standing straight and holding his chin high. Harry knew he must be feeling unnerved by the large group assembled, many of whom presumably only thought of him as the son of a Death Eater. Harry leaned to the side and pressed his shoulder briefly against Draco's. It was the best he could do in the circumstances.

"Welcome, all of you, to the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore said. There was a small susurrous. Harry was decently sure that he heard Draco's name amongst the whispers.

"Albus," came a voice from the front. Harry looked over and saw Mad-Eye Moody. "What's the Malfoy boy doing here?" If people hadn't been staring at them before, they definitely were now. Harry saw Draco shift out of the corner of his eye and knew he was standing up straighter under their scrutiny.

"Mr. Malfoy is an invaluable member of the group," Dumbledore said. "He has been working with Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, Miss Parkinson and Mr. Zabini on something that they are here to share with you. But first, I have an announcement to make." There was a ripple as everyone turned to face Dumbledore. "I am dying." Even though Dumbledore had told them this weeks ago, it still felt like a kick in the stomach to Harry. He found it hard to rationalize that this man he'd known his entire Hogwarts career was going to be gone.

"What?" This was Tonks. "Er, sorry. I meant to say, uh, sorry?"

"But how, Dumbledore?" Kingsley asked. Dumbledore held up his dead, blackened hand.

"During an attempt to neutralize a cursed object, the object got the better of me." There were several oohs of sympathy. "Professor Snape helped stabilize the curse and localize it to my hand, but unfortunately that was only a temporary measure. I regret to inform you that before the summer is upon us, I shall succumb to the curse." He paused and allowed for the group to talk amongst themselves for a long moment.

"That's a bit more of a time frame," Ron said quietly to Harry. Harry elbowed him.

"Don't be insensitive," he hissed.

"I'm not," Ron said. Harry gave him a look. "Much."

"Which brings us to," Dumbledore continued once everyone had quieted down. "The plan that these students have devised to lure Voldemort to the school in order to take him out and end the war. Mr. Weasley, if you would?" Dumbledore gestured to Ron. Harry watched as Mrs. Weasley turned to gape at Ron.

Ron thanked Dumbledore and then launched into their plan. Harry listened with half and ear but spent most of the time watching the crowd to see their reactions. Tonks nodded along as Ron mentioned splitting the Death Eaters up around the school. Moody scowled and his magical eye roved the room. Kingsley didn't emote much while Ron spoke but once he'd finished, he suggested a few addendums while nodding thoughtfully. Mrs. Weasley stared at Ron like she didn't know who he was, but there was pride mixed in as well.

All in all, the meeting went well. The Order, after some back and forth discussion, agreed to Ron's proposal. Harry almost couldn't believe it, but they did have both Dumbledore and, shockingly, Snape to advocate for it, which helped.

"Very well," Dumbledore said as the meeting was wrapping up. "I will work with Kingsley and Snape on the timing of the plan. Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Zabini will fix the cabinet in the Room of Requirement in the meantime, leaving the final repair until my last day. Minerva, Filius and Severus will work on strengthening the castle wards to prevent outside communication once the Death Eaters arrive. Are there any questions?" He was met with silence. "Very well. I only want to add that I have a good feeling about this plan. I have every faith in all of you." Then he clapped his hands together and dismissed everyone.

...

"Harry," Dumbledore said as everyone dispersed. "Can I speak with you alone for a moment?" Draco and Harry traded looks but Harry nodded while Draco left.

"What is it Professor?" Harry asked once they were alone in the office.

"I would like for you to have this," Dumbledore said. He lifted a chain off of his neck and handed it to Harry. On the chain was a setting that contained a squarish stone of dull gray. There was an odd shape etched into it: a bisected triangle with a circle in the middle.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"It's a necklace that will protect you," Dumbledore says. "It's very important that you wear it when you fight Voldemort." Harry frowned at the necklace for a moment before putting it around his neck. The stone felt cold against his skin.

"Thank you," he said. "Why are you giving me this now?"

"So that I do not forget to give this to you during the flurry of activity in the coming weeks. There is much to plan for."

"Yes, sir," Harry said. Dumbledore smiled down at him. "Was there anything else you needed?"

"No, Harry," Dumbledore said. "That was all." Taking this as a dismissal, Harry left.

Draco was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs with Hermione and Blaise.

"What did Dumbledore want?" Draco asked. Harry reached into his shirt and pulled out the necklace.

"He wanted to give me this," he said, holding it aloft. "He said that it would protect me."

"Really?" Hermione asked. "It has some sort of protective charm on it?"

"Uh," Harry said. "I didn't ask." Hermione sighed but didn't look overly surprised. Harry wasn't sure if he should be offended by that or not. He decided to let it go.

"Only, I've never heard of a defensively charmed object that actually works for the wearer," she said as they began walking down the corridor. "Most of those amulets and charms you see peddled in Diagon Alley don't do much."

"Hermione," Harry said firmly. "If Dumbledore told me to wear it for protection, I'm going to wear it for protection."

"You know where we haven't had a party yet," Ron said on Thursday night. The six of them were sitting at the Gryffindor table along with Seamus and Justin. Seamus immediately perked up at the word party.

"Where?" he asked, leaning forward to stare at Ron with excited eyes.

"The Shrieking Shack."

"You're joking," Seamus said, pausing with his spoonful of peas partway to his mouth. "We can't go there."

"Yes, we can," Harry said. "We went there during third year."

"How do you have all these adventures without me?" Seamus demanded. Harry shrugged and buttered a piece of his dinner roll.

"I think you were probably asleep at the time."

"That's it," Seamus said. "I'm never sleeping again."

"Don't be silly, Shame," Justin said, reaching up to massage the back of Seamus's neck with one hand. "Sleep is important."

"Sleep is for the weak," Seamus insisted. Justin shook his head, but there was a bemused smile on his face. After a moment, he leaned over and kissed Seamus quickly on the cheek.

"You're an idiot," he said.

"But I'm your idiot," Seamus said, tapping the tip of Justin's nose with a forefinger. He turned back to Ron. "So, party at the Shrieking Shack this Saturday then?"

"But the Shrieking Shack is filthy," Hermione protested. "And all the furniture is broken."

"I'll ask Kreacher and Dobby to help," Harry said.

"There's no talking you out of this, is there?" Hermione asked.

"No," Harry said. "So you'd better work on your disillusionment charms. Because all the sixth years are going to need them."

"What is it with you and tunnels, Potter?" Draco asked as they made their way down the passage to the Shrieking Shack on Friday night. They were alone, so Harry had Draco's hand in his. At that comment, he pulled Draco close and pushed him against the wall of the tunnel.

"I'm still working on besmirching your family name," Harry said, leaning in to nibble Draco's lower lip. "As I said before, that requires properly despoiling you."

"You're not fucking me in this tunnel," Draco said flatly, turning his head to the side.

"You say that now…"

"Merlin, you're impossible."

"So it's a good thing you love me?" Harry asked.

"It's a good thing I love you," Draco agreed. Harry smiled and kissed Draco one last time on the lips before letting him away from the wall. "You'd better not have gotten dirt in my hair."

"You look great either way." It was at this point that they rounded a corner in the tunnel and walked straight into Ernie MacMillen. Harry immediately dropped Draco's hand.

"Uh," Draco said, looking around wildly.

"Hi Ernie," Harry said.

"You two are together?" Ernie asked, pointing first at Draco and then at Harry.

"If we said no, would you believe it?" Draco asked.

"Probably not. I did just hear you say that you loved him."

"In which case, yes," Harry said. "We're together." Draco put a hand up and massaged his temples.

"Don't tell anyone," he said a moment later, looking up pleadingly at Ernie.

"Well," Harry said. "I suppose you could talk to Justin about it. He knows."

"Finch-Fletchley knows?" Draco asked, his voice higher than normal.

"Didn't I tell you?"

"Oh, Merlin, why are we so bad at this?" Draco slapped his hands over his face and wailed.

"I won't tell anyone," Ernie said. He reached out and tentatively patted Draco on the arm. "But say, if you could put a good word in for me with Daphne, I would very much appreciate it."

"Just ask her out, MacMillen," Draco said. He dragged his hands down his face and then dropped them to his sides. "Life's too short to waste it worrying." Then he stalked off down the tunnel, leaving Harry standing with Ernie. Harry grinned at his retreating back. At this rate, he'd be able to make out with Draco in front of their entire year by summer.