Harry and I picked up satchels full of seeds and other items of fresh food in bulk at the market, then we headed back to the farm. I was relieved when the pink tulips appeared around my knees again so I could stop staring around in fear of Draco watching us like a predator.

After we'd arrived with all of the bounties, the dispositions of the Order members quickly melted into warmer ones. I had easily won Pansy's silence over with the gifts of richer foods for the evening, and even the rude Scottish boy gave me an approving nod as he chewed on a chicken leg. Ron and Ginny however proved to be the most difficult of all, simply avoiding eye contact with me. Still, it was an advancement. The mood was jovial and conversational, and I made it through the entire night at the table without a single nagging comment.

The rest of the week was mainly characterized by waking up earlier than everyone else; apparently I had the only room without curtains. Although I had to admit having my own private living quarters was fairly elite compared to what the rest of the resistance was dealing with. None of them trusted me to sleep behind closed doors next to them and that distance was more than fine with me.

I would make my way down the stairs increasingly more bold each morning, ignoring the creaking as it became routine. I frequently ran into the twins in the kitchen who were early risers. They would tease me about my stately clothing and attitude before I left to tend to the food production in the fields.

I happily spent countless hours laboriously bending over and pushing seeds into half hearted rows around the perimeter where Hermione's flowers were growing more weedy and less thickly. I would pluck the flowers into a clean arc and save the clippings for later, putting them in old mugs around the main floor of the cottage. This seemed to brighten the spirits of the Order members and I caught many of them pointing out the arrangements in positivity.

Then when a clean arc had been formed around the edge and the barrier of the garden perfected, I would plant more seeds of various edible vegetation. It had occurred to me that protein deficiency was likely a threat to the young group though, and even still with beans and other hearty types embedded in the earth, sure to grow and produce, I was worried. They were frail and thin, and I consistently pestered Harry to start a chicken farm at a minimum.

He was quite busy and would be gone for entire days at a time, not really interested in the affairs of food production. It was unfortunate that he had become my primary source of communication for decision making because Ginny was an obvious second. She however maintained profound and undying resentment towards me and would often act as though I was an inanimate object if I tried to bring up topics with her.

The week had passed in a blur of planting and organization, and finally it was Friday. I'd spent the sunny hours of the day once again planting in the fields and my back was now stabbing with the pain of leaning over for an extended time. I was visibly tanned and my hair had brightened to a dirty-blond version closer to Luna's. I laid in the river in my black dress fully clothed just to feel some sense of cleanliness and then drudged back to the cottage feeling heavy with exhaustion. In only a few hours I would be expected to meet Draco at the top of the old building he'd first brought us to, and I intended to grab bread and run to my room for a long nap beforehand.

Inside of the cottage however tensions were rising for reasons unknown to me. Harry was in the corner arguing breathily with Ginny and Ron, and although it was obvious that they were upset their words were kept masked under shallow tones. I went to the kitchen counter where Seamus - the one I'd come to know as being the brusque Scottish boy - was putting out a small fire he'd created at the stove trying to cook noodles. It was the fourth fire he'd started in just two days.

"What es wrong?" I asked him, gesturing to the small group bickering in the corner.

Seamus turned his gaze briefly back to them before continuing to deal with the mess he'd made before him, "I dunno...suppose you're boyfriend there has caused a ruckus for Potter. Something to do with a camp of prisoners."

I ripped at stale bread greedily, chewing it sideways, "'e is not my boyfriend." I wiped my hands on the navy blue dress I was wearing, having completely given up on my decorum altogether. Narcissa would faint at the sight of me.

Seamus gave me a sloppy grin which was not particularly amiable, "Yeeeh, right, how could we all forget? You's two are married and all." His blue eyes evaluated me for a moment before he returned to scraping at the pot he'd just destroyed.

I glared at him and decided it would be better to avoid responding to the jab, "Where es de prisoner camp?"

He shrugged, "Couldn't tell ya. Potter isn't so lenient with everything he knows, princess." He chuckled to himself at the nickname I'd come to detest. I'd already asked them all to stop using it with no relief. I shoved him violently before making my way up to my room. He toppled, tripping on his shoes and spraying dirty water into his face.

I heard Seamus laughing with someone else on my way up the stairs, "She's a real firecracker that one. Growin' on me though, 'ave to say."

I shut my door and crawled into my bed still gnawing at the bread. The moon mocked from me from outside of my window, knowing full well that I couldn't give in to it's alluring qualities to sleep uninterrupted throughout the night. I let myself begin to daze off having charmed my wand to wake me when it was quarter to midnight.

I was almost asleep when a knock rapturing at my door awoke me too early. "Come in," I said bleakly, forcing myself to sit up against the metal frame in objection.

Harry poked his head in through the doorway timidly, "Alright time to talk then?"

He shut the door when I said nothing, gazing at him through hooded eyes. I was so unbelievably exhausted from the tillage I'd performed all day that I hardly cared. "Mmm, okay," was all I could muster.

I rubbed at my face as he sat on the bed next to me, resting his back against the headboard, "Madeleine I won't hide why I'm here. It's come to my attention that Malfoy may be keeping prisoners. Up until this point we didn't assume he would. Do you know where he might be keeping them?" I saw that his eyes were searching mine desperately, and I sighed and slammed my head back against the bars.

"I 'ave never 'eard of any prisoners, 'arry. I only know de Death Eaters keep bodies in de dungeons of Malfoy Manor." My reply was truthful as I figured it would not be controversial in any way.

I watched his face twist in horror, "You can't be serious?"

I slumped and stared at the ceiling, not in the mood for the conversation, "Hmmm, Malfoy locked me in der as punishment. I can still smell de rot in my memory. Et es a massive graveyard." I slid my deadpan eyes to him as his face paled.

"Merlin Madeleine, we never imagined... wait, was anyone alive?" He was hopeful. I knew instinctively he was wishing some of his friends were still alive out there. My stomach flipped as I remembered Neville's skeleton slouching over as a rat dove from it's shoulder.

I shook my head, trying to banish the awful recollections playing in my mind, "Only me and de rats." I shut my eyes and breathed heavily. It would be nice if Harry would leave. He clearly had no useful information on where the camps were, anymore than I did. It was good to know that he was aware of their existence though.

His arms surprised me by snaking around my shoulders and pulling me into his neck. He hugged me tightly and whispered into my hair, "I'm sorry for everything you've had to go through. And I'm sorry everyone downstairs is so mean. I know a thing or two about wanting to hide in my bedroom from a family that hates you." He was smoothing my hair down my back and I collapsed into him. He smelled good and his affection was encouraging, genuine and safe.

I hugged him back for a while, then my voice came out in a crack, "I miss my real family." Tears pricked at my eyes as I dug my face into the hoodie he was wearing, "Dey don' even know what 'appened to me." I started gasping as I caved to the biggest heartbreak of the entire situation I'd woken up to.

"I think we all miss our families," Harry was comforting me, "But we need to win this, or none of us will be able to go home to them. Voldemort will destroy the world; he'll take away everything that represents love or happiness." He rocked me gently.

I began pulling away but as soon as my face was in front of his he was kissing me sweetly. His lips were soft and careful on mine. I was completely petrified for a few moments before I fell backwards in a panic, right off of the small bed. I scrambled backwards on my hands with wide eyes.

"Shit sorry, that was stupid," he said leaping off the bed and helping me to my feet, "I keep forgetting that Malfoy... well I still don't expect you to be recovered from that." He pushed his glasses back up his nose as I bit my lip in mortification. He searched my eyes fiercely, and I was mind blown by his confidence in the moment.

I blinked at him, "Et es okay 'arry, I am just...tired, right now." I patted his cheek and he seemed to relax a bit. I sat back on my bed and stared at the floor in horror, trying to come off as exhausted.

"Right, I bet, I'll-I'll just see you in the morning then," he answered calmly, and then he was gone.

I stood immediately and began pacing with my arms over my head. What had just happened? The entire relationship between Harry and I was moving way too fast. I'd only been there for barely a week and he'd already tried to kiss me. Was I being too convincing? If Draco invaded my mind and saw the kiss he would blow up like a bomb.

I twisted my wand in my fingers - I could obliviate the day's memories. It would be a pretty severe risk though as I was far from a skilled obliviationist. In fact I had never performed the spell before. I could end up wiping out my entire life for all I knew and just remain in a vegetative state for the rest of my existence. That, or even if I was successful, he would be horrifically suspicious when he noticed the void in my time at the farm.

My heart started to race with the painful reality that I was in trouble. Draco would be vicious; he was possessive and jealous, and had already taken time out of his personal day to stalk us at the market. There was no way he would accept the kiss, even if I hadn't reciprocated it.

I thought back to my conversation with Harry; "...we need to win this, or none of us will be able to go home to them..."

He wasn't considering the fact that my family was in France, and I would have time to kill before Voldemort even took over England entirely. I was panting and pacing, probably keeping up the entire house in confusion.

Finally when I'd worked myself up far too much I grabbed my bag and shoved everything inside of it that I owned. I felt like a floating head as my body buzzed with anxiety. I was going to see them if it was the last thing that I did. I had to - it'd been two years. This wasn't my war to fight in and I was fed up of being used like an object between the two sides, constantly being forced to lie and feel guilty.

I stood in the center of the room and pictured the Dover Straight crossing in my mind, and raised my wand to my nose. The familiar whooshing of disapparition ripped at my clothing and skin and then I was careening forward into a concrete wall with the ungraceful landing, having never done it on my own before. I steadied myself in the pitch black area. The stink of the sea channel nearby wafted offensively in the air.

I was below an overpass and small European vehicles were lining up not far away to enter the EuroChannel. I took a deep breath and started running along the pedestrian pathway that led to the train and ferry stations. The wind was strong near the channel and my hair flew out behind me like a blond sheet of waves. I was grateful to be in a raven black dress that evening so as not to be noticed. My hands gripped the invisibility cloak in my bag as I prepared to whip it out before I reached the public areas where the pole-mounted lights were blaring down.

I ran for almost ten minutes before someone stepped out from behind a concrete overpass support and tripped me, then flawlessly grabbed the front of dress and spun me against the pillar. I choked from the impact already knowing it was Draco from the fresh scalding of the mark on my neck. He had pointed his wand between my eyes.

I looked up cross-eyed for a moment at the sleek wood before my gaze landed on his expression beyond, which was calm but disappointed. He was staring right back at me, "I should've known you'd run. You've outdone yourself with the deception this time, Madeleine." It was quiet save for the horns of cars on the overpass and the distant bickering at the stations nearby.

I panted from the cardio of the running, "Et es not like dat." I held my hands up in a show of innocence as he searched my eyes, his eyebrows knitting together in fury. The Death Eater glare danced on his face with cruelty and emptiness. My bottom lip began to tremble knowing he was without emotion, and my voice came out tiny, "I just want to see my family, at least one more time." I felt a hot tear run down my cheek and his eyes followed it's gradual decent.

He growled impatiently, "There's no sense in pining over your family. You can't go to France, you know it's not permissible." I tried to distract myself from the growing pain in my throat as it tightened by watching his loose, platinum strands blow messily around his head. He was wearing a maroon sweater and black jeans, looking bizarrely pedestrian. I had never seen him out in public dressed to fit in so well.

"Can't you just take me, just once? You could meet dem too," I begged, breathing heavily as I fought the urge to bawl in front of him. His face faltered at the invitation to meet my family and he dropped his wand, now clearly uncomfortable.

He ran his fingers across his straight bangs to clear them from his eyes and laughed, "A splendid idea, until you consider introducing me as your Death Eater husband." His eyes looked wicked in the darkness as he entertained the question, "And how do you propose we explain your lack of communication with them for two years?"

He waited patiently while I chewed on the inside of my lip. "We'll just make something up. Dey would rather see me wit' hardly any explanation den never see me again," I strained.

He nodded his head aggressively and sarcastically, his eyes were wide as he spoke, and a mean grin appeared on his pretty face, "Great. Sounds like you've really thought this through." He snorted as I fumbled with a counterpoint for over a minute.

I chose to focus on small weedy flowers that were poking out of the old concrete around us, cracked and forgotten. I needed him to understand the importance of seeing my family. He was afforded the pleasure of living with his every day, whereas my family and my identity had been stripped from me. I felt like a stranger in my own skin. "I can't keep doing dis, not wit'out seeing dem again. I am losing myself," I muttered in a wiry tone.

He exhaled sharply and cursed under his breath, pacing in front of me with his hands on his hips, "What will it take to please you Madeleine? This is a fucking war, and your family is safe in France. Learn to cope."

"I can't. I've reached my limit. You treat me like an object Draco. You can't just sell to me 'arry and expect me to cope wit' it." Warm tears streamed down my face now as I stepped forward, trying to catch his eyes in mine. I was toying with the notion of just admitting outright that Harry had kissed me.

He shook his hair and kicked at pebbles around him in frustration. "Ohhh okay, I'm treating you like an object, am I? Do I need to get into a fucking public fountain and soak myself too? Do you want me to coddle you at the market?" His voice pitched with angry mockery and he finally looked me, his nose scrunching with betrayal.

"Why are you wasting your time stalking me?" I jabbed back with a growing frown.

He snarled deeply, now pointing his finger at me with agitation, "I hardly have the time or energy to show up and watch you flirt with Potter. But it's a good thing I did. Now I'm discretely aware of how correct I was in assuming you would stray." His finger shoved into my chest and I pushed him away with both hands on his chest.

My eye caught the faint, red glow of a cigarette butt a few meters away as a man with a huge backpack approached on the path. I turned my back to Draco feeling embarrassed about the physical abuse we were portraying.

When the man had passed, albeit slowly and with his head over his shoulder, I didn't spare a moment, "You set me up to be whored out as your father so kindly framed it. And as it 'appens, 'arry is de only person at de camp even fighting to keep me der so what choice do I 'ave but to lead 'im on."

Draco let out a short, menacing laugh and I knew he was about to explode, "Well if it walks like it and talks like it..." I turned to him in shock, dropping my arms at the cruel implication. He was now sneering at me, his pointy noise pulled tight at the corners and his eyes like lasers, "I've warned you about what will happen if you let that filth get his paws on you. It's out of the question." His tone was dark and foreboding.

My heart began to ache as I looked at the boy before me, filled with rage and pain. It had only been one week, but we were already drifting apart from being separated and exposed to the elements of the war. "Potter kissed me," I bluntly stated, not with any intent to harm him, more or less to make a point about how out of control my situation was.

He inhaled sharply, hissing between his teeth and his eyes bored into me. He didn't move but I could see his jaw grinding furiously then. When he eventually spoke his voice was dangerously low, "And..? What else?" I knew him well enough to know there was panic deep within the words.

I stepped towards him with my hands outstretched for his crossed arms, "And nothing else. I pushed 'im away. But I'm afraid, Draco. I feel trapped." My fingers twisted in his sweater as I looked up at him with wet eyes. He relaxed slightly, but his eyes went skyward as he exhaled, ignoring my pleading gaze. His breath blew strands of my hair around my eyelashes. I put my head against his chest mildly hovering due to his crossed arms, hoping he would take me into a hug. The military watch on his left arm dug painfully into my chest.

"So I'm expected to believe he kissed you completely out of context? You didn't encourage him?" He asked shortly. I wrapped my arms around his waist despite his closed off figure.

"Non, I only want you," I muttered into his sweater pathetically.

He sighed and finally undid his arms, pulling me into him. I cried into his sweater with overwhelming relief. I buried my nose in the familiar smell of his clothing and dug my fingers into his back. He rubbed my hair, seeming faraway still with the hesitation of the movement.

Then he finally gave in to the moment and squeezed me tightly and I smiled into his chest. He was looking down at me over the bridge of his nose as he spoke, "I suppose I can take you to France, then. Only once. If it will help you tolerate Potter. And on the condition that you don't ever let him touch you like that again. He can suffer through whatever pitiful lust he has towards you in his private time." I nodded at the agreement eagerly, biting my lip in excitement. He kissed my forehead gently and stared out at the straight behind me, towards where the shoreline of France was waiting across the way.