The next day, everyone was surprised to see Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy eating lunch together, even more so when they smiled and laughed together. Later, when they patrolled around school like they were supposed to, they kept on talking together and had a lot of fun. No arguments, no fights, no points taken unfairly. Just two students getting along and doing their duty, much to everyone's surprise.

Hermione had asked him what his house mate thought of this and if this wouldn't get him in trouble with his parents, despite his ruse and he simply replied that he told them that he was going to try and infiltrate Harry Potter's inner circle through either his sister or his best friend. Voldemort had apparently bought it and Draco had received congratulations from his aunt Bellatrix on his quick and smart thinking. Draco didn't hide that he was waiting until after Christmas, where he'd find time to speak alone with his mother, before speaking to Sirius Black about changing sides. So far Hermione had heard part of it from Rose only and she was happy to find out more from Draco, especially since they'd have to spend a lot of time together.

They needed to be honest with each other, which is why she insisted on the importance of telling each other the moment they feel in love for someone else.

Of course he agreed, thinking that it wouldn't happen for him anyway, not before a long time. He thought maybe she was thinking of herself, and he was fine with it. If it happened, they'd break up and stay friend for his aunt or something like this. They'd find a solution.

Draco also told Hermione that he was spending several hours of the week that should have been free hours studying Occlumency with Snape, because his Aunt had ordered it. He did so happily, because then nobody would be able to see the ruse in his mind.

Ron, on his part, wasn't happy at all and it was obvious to everyone.

He didn't understand why everyone thought it was his own fault that Hermione spent so much time with Malfoy and he didn't understand why he didn't have a right to complain. They all believed him to be jealous and no matter how hard he tried to correct them, there was no changing their minds. Even Harry, his best friend, tried to explain to him that he had wasted his chance to be with Hermione. He claimed to everyone that he didn't care about that, that he didn't want to be with Hermione, she was just his friend, he didn't see her that way… But nobody believed him and the more he tried to convince them the less he believed it himself.

Of course Malfoy had come clean to Hermione immediately, telling her that he was just interested in being her friend, that he was just doing this to help her torture Ron, which she was thankful for. Knowing that neither of them were interested romantically made things easier for them and since his house believed he was trying to seduce her in order to have someone close to Harry Potter to spy for them, they played along well and everyone who wasn't in the known was convinced they were truly getting together. They even started holding hands whenever they waited for a common class to start.

"Draco Malfoy, please stay after class, I need to speak with you." Sirius spoke after class that day, pretending to read over an assignment.

Hermione, Rose and Draco exchanged a look.

"Yes, Professor Black?" Draco asked once they were alone.

"I want to know what your intentions are with Hermione." Sirius asked in a very serious voice, not taking any detours.

Sirius knew that he didn't have any true rights to ask him this, but Hermione was close to Harry and Rose, she had even helped save him in her third year, and he wanted to make sure she'd be safe. He figured that if her father was from the same world they were, if he knew everything, he'd want to make sure his daughter was safe, and so Sirius decided to do it. He wasn't her head of house, nor was he her uncle or her godfather, but she was a family friend and she didn't have any magical guardian, so he decided to take on that role, even if it wasn't his place to do so.

"Rose didn't tell you?" Draco asked, surprising Sirius with this answer.

"Tell me what?" Sirius asked back.

What could Rose have to do with this? Sirius was confused.

"Are we really alone? Can I speak without being overheard by anyone?" Draco asked for confirmation.

Sirius waved his wand, performed a spell and said:

"You can now."

"When Rose spoke to me about putting up her poster in our common room, she reminded me that I had other options. I planned on speaking to you only after Christmas, I want to know if my mother would come with me or not. My mother is the only reason I'm staying on their side... Then Rose told me that Hermione vowed to go out with the next person who asked her out because Weasley was clueless, asking me to do it so it would annoy Ron Weasley. I agreed, you must know how things are between Weasley and I, this was a great opportunity and so I told my aunt Bellatrix, who told The Dark Lord, that I was trying to charm one of Harry Potter's close female friends in order to have a spy near him. I was convincing enough because they believed me and even congratulated me on my great and quick thinking. I'm just doing this to help Hermione out in her decision to annoy Weasley, she knows it and now she's helping me too, pretend to my housemates and Aunt that I'm succeeding." Draco explained.

"And Rose came up with this idea?"

"Some of it. It was kind of like a combined idea from her and me. Started small and grew." Draco nodded.

"You really want out of this?" Sirius asked him.

"I do, but not without my mother. I know that my father wouldn't come, he believes in the Dark Lord and deserves to end up in jail for everything he's done but my mother doesn't. I want to be sure that my mother will be safe. I'll know that after Christmas." Draco replied.

"Alright, I'll speak with Dumbledore, to prepare him and... When she decides that she's ready to break out of this life, to step away from Voldemort, I'll help her. I can't speak on Dumbledore's behalf but I know he'll help her as well. Tell her, tell Narcissa, remind her, that she still has another sister, one that would be happy to help her start over as well. And that no matter how different she and I are, I'll help keep her safe if she wants to change. I'll help her hide from Voldemort and his followers until the war is over. Even if she doesn't follow, know that you have a spot among us, a safe one." Sirius assured Draco.

"Thank you professor." Draco nodded.

"Now go to class. If you hurry you won't be late. If you are late, tell your professor to contact me. If your Housemates ask you what I wanted, say that it was about your latest homework, that I accused you of copying your answers from a book or something." Sirius said, letting Draco go before he allowed his next class to walk inside.

What did you think of Sirius's intervention? Was it out of place?

I just finished writing chapter 55, chapter 56 will be the summer, with lots of events happening over the course of a few chapters. I had plans for Dudley, a pairing decided for him, but I might have changed my mind.

Hermione's pairing, well, sorry, it won't be Draco, simply because a lot of people expect it to be him and I want to do things differently. A few suggestions have been made and I might follow one of them, or make one up on my own...

Draco will be with someone too, and I'm still hesitating on this as well.

Lorelei Candice Black