So, this chapter, and the emphasis of Draco working on the wardrobe, was never in my original story. I hope you all like it! ;) ;)

Chapter 14

Draco stared up at the transportation wardrobe and his gut twisted into a knot. His mother received the owl that he sent her, and she sent him back a reply that evening. Needless to say, she wasn't pleased with his response. He's been mending the wardrobe since the school year began, so he has been at it for about five months. It's been long enough, and the person on the other end was getting impatient as well. There has always been a person on the other end at Borgen and Burkes, another random Death Eater, who has been receiving what he has been transporting, and then sending it back.

Not wanting to displease his mother or anyone else, he is going to take the next step and try and transport himself in the wardrobe. He might as well. Who else is he going to ask? None of the other Death Eaters wanted to help him with this since he has to do it on his own. There is only one other person helping, and that's the one at the other end. But they just send back what he sends to them. That's all.

Draco opened the wardrobe, and a piece of splintered wood caught his black sweater vest, pulling out a string. Good thing he chose to just wear his casual clothes and not anything fancy, or his school uniform, mainly because he didn't know what to expect with transporting himself. That little bird died, so what could happen to him? He might get hurt, singed, or... worse. This magical wardrobe hasn't been used in around one-hundred years, so the magic might be faulty. Maybe he should have said goodbye to his friends... what he has left, that is. And Hermione. She cares about him, that much he knows, so if he suddenly dies, she would be distraught about it, right?

"Alright, it's now or never," he muttered and stepped into the wardrobe and shut the door. All became pitch black. His heart hammered for fear of what might happen. He said the spell that allows the wardrobe to work its magic—literally—and he waited. A second passed and the wardrobe shuttered a bit, then stopped. He opened the door and found the old, dusty furniture shop Borgen and Burkes, with hundreds-of-years old furniture in it. It worked! Relief coursed through his system, making him relax to the point of wanting to sit. But he didn't. He heard footsteps. He might as well meet who's been helping him.

He got out of the wardrobe and stepped onto the aging wooden floor to the shop. He saw who entered the cluttered room, and the blood drained out of his face when he saw black, scraggly hair and ratted clothing. She cackled her evil laugh. "Aunt Bellatrix?" he breathed, not believing it. "You have been helping me all this time?"

"Yes," she screeched. "And I have to say, it's about bloody time that you transport yourself. I was getting rather bored with your trinkets and birds and whatnot. The apple was fine, though, since I was a tad hungry at the time."

Draco inwardly shuttered in disgust at the fact that he held an apple that his crazy aunt bit into, as well as the fact that the wardrobe can successfully transport people. Actually, that second one made his stomach turn over, making him feel ill. He had to ask, "So... this means that I'm done with the wardrobe?"

She moved her pointer finger back and forth. "Tsk, tsk, Draco. No, this just means that you made one large step. We need to transport more than one person in it when the time comes. You just transported yourself. You need to make sure its capable to transport two or three people. That may mean recruiting one or two of your friends. Maybe those large boys Crabbe and Goyle?"

Has she not heard what happened to them? Better to leave her in ignorance. "No, they aren't an option. I'll figure it out."

"Good boy," she said, like she was talking to a dog obeying a command. That's basically what he is at the moment—a loyal dog for the Dark Lord."

"Okay, now off you go." She made a shooing gesture, which he didn't appreciate. He got into the wardrobe and muttered the spell again. It shuttered, then stood still. He stepped out of the wardrobe and back into the cluttered Room of Requirement. He stared at an old globe as he thought about who could help him with this. Crabbe and Goyle are completely out of the picture now, as was said. Pansy? No, she doesn't talk to him anymore, not since she found out the he fancies Hermione. No one in Slytherin talks to him now, so all of them are out of the question. Who's left?

His mind went to Hermione. No, that's not a good idea, even if she's the only one in the school, besides Snape and Annabelle, who knows about him being a Death Eater. One, she doesn't want to talk to him, or even be around him, since she's in denial of her feelings for him; and two, she would use that intelligent brain of hers to figure out that what he's doing has to do with him being a Death Eater, and that it's something he was commanded to do by the Dark Lord. That would lead to her berating him about why he was asked to mend an old wardrobe. Maybe he'll just say that all this is just a hobby... No. She wouldn't believe that. Plus, she could be hurt after his crazy Aunt sees her in the store after they transport. But Annabelle said in the beginning that all this ends fine.

Maybe he should just risk it. He doesn't have any other choice.

The next day in the morning before breakfast, Draco walked through the corridors with his hands deep in his slacks pockets. People were giving him looks and whispering to each other as he passed. He could use the voice enhancing spell to find out what they're saying, but that would be moot since he already knows anyway. The whole school knows what he did for Hermione, and his whole house probably knows that he fancies her since Pansy probably told someone and that someone told someone, and so forth. There's nothing he can do about that.

He rounded a corner, but stopped. He saw Annabelle floating there near the entrance to the Great Hall talking with a couple of Ravenclaw girls. Annabelle is indeed pretty, but he only thinks of her as a friend now and doesn't fancy her like he did in the beginning. It makes it easier to talk with her, and he feels that he can talk to her about anything now since she knows enough about him.

She spotted him and gave him a gleaming smile. Well, he still can react to seeing a pretty girl, but he's not going to do anything about it since all he wants is a certain bushy-haired girl with hazel eyes.

Annabelle said something to the Ravenclaw girls and disappeared right in front of them, but then reappeared right in front of Draco. It didn't phase him at all since he's used to her appearing and reappearing places. "Hello, Draco," she greeted him with that smile.

"Hello." He got right to business. "Could I talk to you about something? And not here because I don't want anyone to overhear. People already know enough about me as it is." He looked around at the people eyeing them, confirming his statement.

"Alright," Annabelle said with one nod.

Draco turned and walked down the corridor, and he knew that his ghost friend would follow him. He passed people, and the courtyard, and walked right out of the school and down a path to the Black Lake, a different path that he and Hermione were on that time. He stepped onto the rocks, and they crackled under his black school shoes. A cool wind blew. The weather was overcast, and he could see the clouds low over the mountains surrounding the lake. He looked down at the rocks and picked one up, examined it, then flicked it off over the water, and it skipped five times.

"Golly, that was amazing," Annabelle enthused as she floated up next to him. It was overcast, but she still glowed a bright blue.

"I practiced rock-skipping as a child," he explained. "There was a lake near my house that I would skip rocks on."

"I see. That's an interesting little fact about you that I'm guessing not a lot of people know."

"Only you and my parents. They would always have to call me in from the lake most summer days because I would spend hours skipping rocks. I think I flushed the shore of all the rocks there."

She giggled. "That's really adorable." Her face turned serious and she turned to face him. "What is that you wanted to talk to me about, and away from any listening ears? Is it concerning Hermione and the vision?"

Draco slid his hands into his pockets and looked out over the gray surface of the lake. "Yes, it has to do with both. I want to know if you ever revealed anything about my task or your vision to her."

"Of course I haven't. If you remember, I almost slipped that time you were standing right behind her, but... I've never said a thing."

He nodded. "I just wanted to make sure since you two are such good friends and all." Thoughts of the transportation wardrobe came to mind. "Well, what I wanted to ask of you is... I want you to ask Hermione to meet you at the Room of Requirement tonight. I would ask her to meet me there myself, but she wouldn't go if I asked her."

Annabelle leaned in and gave him a sly look. "Are you planning something special for her, hm?"

He had to crack a smile at that. "No, nothing like you're thinking. I..." He took in and let out a large breath, not believing himself that he wants to actually do this. "I want her to help me with the task that I was assigned to do. I have to mend this hundred-year-old transportation wardrobe in the Room of Requirement. It's to transport other Death Eaters here via another wardrobe in a different location. Those Death Eaters will make sure I fulfill my task. I've been successful in transporting smaller objects, and myself, I just need to see if it can transport more than one person. Hermione's the only other person here who knows of my being a Death Eater, so I thought she would be the best person to help me with it."

Annabelle's expression turned thoughtful. "Then... wouldn't this reveal what you have to do to Dumbledore? Are you ready to reveal that to her?"

Draco's chest started to pinch at the possibility that she may be hurt by him doing this. "Honestly, I'm not sure. You said before that everything turns out alright in the end, so if I ask her to help me with this, no harm will come to her, right?" He looked over at her and saw her purse her lips. His heard pounded sharply in fear. "What? What are you thinking? Does Hermione get hurt?"

"No, no," she said, shaking her head. "I said before that everything turns out fine in the end, but that doesn't mean that things can be difficult in the middle. In my vision, I saw this, you and Hermione working on that wardrobe."

His hands clenched into fists in his pockets. "And?"

"And... things just turn out fine in the end. I shouldn't give you the details."

"Annabelle, c'mon."

She shook her head. "No, I already said I wouldn't reveal anything. I can just tell you that Hermione doesn't get her, not like she got hurt by those two boys."

"But she does get hurt in a different way," he bit out.

He glared at the lake, rethinking his idea about asking Hermione to help him. If she is going to get hurt in any way because of this, she's going to have no part of it. He already vowed that he would make sure that she's safe. This is not doing that.

"Draco," Annabelle said as Draco's jaws were clenched tightly, making his jaw hurt. "You know that you go against your family traditions with Hermione. How do you think they find out about the two of you? This—mending the transportation wardrobe. This is the start of the rest of the story for the two of you."

Draco shook his head, not reacting to the fact that she revealed more of her vision like he wanted her to. "No. No, forget it all. I'll just find Snape and ask him to help me out with this. I'm not going to risk Hermione's safety again, no matter if it's emotional or physical."

Annabelle floated in front of him and he refused to look at her. "Draco..." she began gently, "I understand that you don't want her to get hurt, by your family or anybody, but... can you honestly keep all the hurt away from her? That's impossible."

"I may not be able to keep it all away, yes, but I can in this situation." He looked up at her eyes, his starting to sting, and his throat tightening. "I found out who was on the other end, at the other transportation wardrobe, sending thing back to me as I was mending it. It is my Aunt Bellatrix, another Death Eater, and who who, like the Dark Lord, has no qualms about hurting people, especially muggle-borns. The moment she sees Hermione with me, she'll hurt her." He sucked in a breath and let out shakily. "I was a damn fool to want Hermione's help with this... what was I thinking?"

Annabelle rose her hand and he felt a cool sensation on his cheek as she had her ghostly hand against it. He met her bright eyes. "You want to spend some time with her, and you want to have someone next to you... someone you care about deeply. Yes, she's hot-headed and may not want to help you at first, but once she sees just how important this is, and just how much pain it has caused you, she will be willing." She smirked. "And she will be willing also because she fancies you, too."

She put her hand down as Draco's head began whirling with the desire to have Hermione help him and be with her, and the desire to keep her as far away from this as possible. "I just want her to be safe."

"She will be. You and I both know that she's a brilliant witch. She will know what's coming and can be prepared for it, unlike the times that she was caught off-guard by those two boys. And with you there, too, you'll be set. You're a fine wizard yourself, you know."

He smirked at that, flattered. Maybe this won't be as bad as he thinks. "So... I suppose I should just go and ask her myself."

She shook her head and smiled deviously. "No, I think I rather like the first idea of having me ask her to meet me there. Leave this to me. I'll make sure that she's there."

"But then she'll run the moment she finds out that you brought her there to see me."

"She's just embarrassed to see you because you know how she feels. She may not know that you heard her say that she fancies you, but girls can sense when the object of their fancy knows how they feel. And I think it makes it a tad more difficult because of the history that you two have."

He doesn't need to be reminded of that. "Alright, well, I'll leave you to get her there."

"What time?"

"Tonight at eight, after everyone would have retired to their common rooms for the night."

"Alright. It's a plan."

She began floating back up to the school, but Draco watched her back as she did. He should tell her how he truly feels about her. He ran up and caught up with her. "Annabelle." She turned and looked at him. "I wanted to say something else, um..." He's not accustomed to doing this. "Well, I suppose I just want to say thank you for being there. For being a good friend when I literally have none."

Tears developed in her eyes, and he momentarily wondered how that was possible. "Draco... thank you. That means a lot. You're a good friend to me, too, a better friend than I think I've had when I was alive or dead."

He smiled at that, flattered. "Well, see you."

He walked on up the path, feeling a lot lighter than he has in a while. He has a good friend, who is a ghost girl, and he has a girl who he's in love with that at least fancies him back. She's not going to be happy with being manipulated, and Draco's still a little shocked that he's going along with this, knowing what Hermione—and him—might face. But, she's the only other person, aside from Snape, who knows about his identity, and she will most likely figure out why he has to mend the wardrobe. Maybe it's better that she knows so he can have another person there who knows what he's really going through... and knows that he really doesn't want to do it. She may be stubborn and a twit at times, but she's a good person. She'll understand once she figures out just how important this is, and that his life literally depends on it.

This isn't a date. This is just him and Hermione being alone, just the two of them in that massive room late at night, working on mending the transportation wardrobe. It's not a date when it has to do with something terrible.

Draco did up his dark green tie and slid it into place against his black collar shirt. He made sure that it, the tie, his black slacks and suit jacket were wrinkle-free, and made sure that there wasn't a hair out of place on his head. Satisfied by his appearance, he left the tall mirror in the bunk room and descended the stairs down into the main common room. People caught sight of him, especially the girls. If he had to say so himself, he looked pretty darn dashing.

He reached the common room door, but heard his name said behind him. He turned and saw Pansy walk up to him. "Hey, um... quite the outfit," she said with reddening cheeks.

"Thanks."

"Are you off to see that mudblood of yours?"

It's shocking now that hearing that name makes him shudder, when he had no problem calling people that before. "What's it to you? You haven't spoken to me in ages."

She pursed her lips and hurt appeared in her brown eyes. "I'm just worried for you, that's all. What is really going on with you, Draco?"

Pansy is a pretty smart girl, and she's known him for years, so she can sense that there's more to what's gong on than just fancying someone he wouldn't have dreamed of fancying before. "It's not something to worry yourself over. Look, I'm just going to meet Annabelle. She wants to talk to me."

"You mean that ghost girl who's mad about you?"

"She's a friend, and I don't think she feels that way anymore." She does, but he needs to put Pansy at ease.

Pansy stepped up to him, desperation in her eyes. "Draco, please, stop all this. You have friends here. You don't need to go and make friends with ghosts."

Draco's expression turned grim. "Pansy, Annabelle is my friend for many reasons, but mainly because she's the only one who is accepting of the fact that I'm in love with a muggle-born. Are you and anyone else in this house accepting of that?"

Pansy remained silent, and that was enough answer for him. He turned and exited the common room without another word. As he walked down the corridors, his heart hurt at the fact that he really did lose all of the friends that he had before just because he fell in love with someone they didn't approve of... someone that they hated and found disgusting. Well, he doesn't need them if they think such things.

Not too many people were around, walking about the corridors. It was about five-to-eight, and his heart pounded at seeing Hermione. Well, hopefully seeing her if she doesn't figure out that this was all a ruse.

He made it to the corridor that the Room of Requirement is on, and the moonlight shone into it through the glass in the windows. He walked more near to the wall the door appears in and stood there for a minute. Those two girls should be here any moment. What will Hermione do when she sees him?

Voices started to be heard—female voices, and voices he recognized. He hid behind an outing in the stone wall so he couldn't be seen immediately. He heard the girls' conversation as he leaned against the cold stone, and their steps came closer to him.

"Annabelle, what is it you wanted to show me, and this late?"

"This. You know what this place is, don't you?"

"Of course I do. It's where the Room of Requirement door appears. Didn't you know that I was in Dumbledore's Army last year?'

Draco forgot about that. He remembers traipsing around with Filtch, Crabb and Goyle, trying to see if they could catch students going into the Room of Requirement to practice their defense spells. He kicks himself now for doing what he did while he was in Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad. He helped torture students, mostly Hermione's friends.

"Yes, I knew that," Annabelle said to Hermione. "I remember you and your friends sneaking around, as well as a group of Slytherins who were trying to follow you and catch you all at what you were doing."

There was silence for a moment, and Draco knew that Hermione was thinking about that squad. "Yes," she said. "I remember that all too well and what they did to Cho Chang. If I recall correctly..."

She trailed off, and it made Draco's chest pinch because he knew what she was going to say. Annabelle said, "Yes. Draco was a part of it all. But you and I both know that he's not like that anymore. I think the thought of hurting anyone causes him pain."

Hermione was silent for a few seconds, then, "Yes. I admit that he is nothing like the horrible git he was before. Well, he's still annoying and likes to joke around now and again, but... he's changed for sure. It's actually really shocking how much he has changed."

"And he has changed because of you. You know that."

"I suppose I do, but... I just don't know why. I know there's something, and he's not telling me, and neither are you."

Annabelle chuckled. "Well, for one, you're not even giving him the opportunity to tell you since you run from him all the time, and... it's not my secret to tell. Well, maybe it is my secret, but I don't want to tell it."

"This has to do with you, too?! Tell me."

Draco would let off a groan in frustration if he wasn't trying to be quiet. Hermione's not going to let this one sit now that Annabelle revealed that to her.

"Nevermind, Hermione. You'll find out eventually. Now—about why I really brought you here..."

"Why you really brought me here? What does..." She paused, and Draco only imagined the annoyance on her face. "This has to do with Draco, doesn't it? He told you to bring me here, didn't he?" Annabelle remained silent. "I'm leaving."

This was as he expected. Draco heard footsteps down the corridor, and he about came out from his hiding place when Annabelle said in haste, "Wait, Hermione. Please. He needs help, and you're one of the only people in the school who can help him."

Silence, then, "Help with what?"

Now would be a good time to make his appearance. He walked out from his hiding place, hands in his pockets. "You'll find out," he said as Hermione's cheeks flushed pink. She didn't perform that anti-blushing spell on herself. She stared at him with flaming eyes.

"The two of you manipulated me!"

Annabelle disappeared, leaving just him and Hermione alone in the corridor. "So maybe we did. You wouldn't have come if I asked you myself."

"You're right—I wouldn't have."

He took a couple steps up to her and only now noticed that she wore her school uniform, and her hair was its usual bushy mess. But she was pretty. The moonlight coming in through the windows reflected off her skin, making it shine in places. Maybe the correct word to describe now isn't pretty, but radiant.

"Just hear me out for a moment, alright? Putting all the other stuff aside." He took a breath, readying himself to reveal this secret to her. "Look, what Annabelle said was correct. I need help with something, and you are really the only person I can turn to since you know what I am. The only other person who knows is Snape, but I don't want to go to him because he'll think I'm incompetent."

Hermione stared at him, so many questions in her hazel eyes. He could tell that she was thinking about this, and the incredulous glare that suddenly filled her eyes told him that she figured it out. "You want me to help you something you were asked to do as a Death Eater? Are you mad?!"

He knew she would have this reaction. "Yes, I'm mad! But I'm desperate here! Do you have any idea the kind of pressure I've been under tying to do what has been asked of me? Do you have any idea the hurt and pain that I have suffered because of it, with one of those instances being Potter trying to kill me?!"

Tears came to her eyes, and he instantly regretted saying that. "Well, he didn't know what he was doing!" she shouted at him and it echoed through the empty corridor. "Plus, you did what you did to Kate Belle! She almost died because you hexed her!"

"Only because I was forced to give her that bloody necklace in the first place! She was supposed to not open the package, but she did anyway. She was supposed to take it wrapped up and bring it right to Dumbledore!"

Hermione's eyes widened at that revelation, and shock filled her features. Draco wasn't expecting to reveal his command to her in this manner, but it was bound to come up in some way.

"Dumbledore?" she squeaked, confused, then paused as her expression turned thoughtful. "Wait... Ron drank from that cordial that was poisoned, not knowing that it was. It was meant to be a gift to Dumbledore." She met Draco's eyes, eyes that were starting to sting with tears at Hermione figuring out his dark secret. "We suspected, but... you were behind that, too, weren't you?!" He didn't respond. He didn't need to. Tears filled his eyes as they did hers. "That, along with the necklace... The Dark Lord commanded you to kill Dumbledore!"

There. It was out in the open. He gulped down something thick and made just one nod of his head. He really fought the urge to burst into tears at the reminder that he really has to get rid of the headmaster. The tears welled in his eyes and they fell, and his chest tightened to a painful degree. "I... have no choice," he chocked out. "I have to do it."

He kept his gaze off of her and stared at the stone floor, at her school shoes. "But you don't want to," she said in a small voice. "I'm... so sorry, Draco, that you have to do something so horrible. I guess I never realized just how much pressure you were under."

He didn't respond. His current state is evidence of just how much he wants to break because of all this.

"And you want me to help you with killing him."

There was no question in her voice. "I know..." he started after he took a massive breath to alleviate his emotions, "that it's terrible and unthinkable, but... if I don't so this... there are serious consequences." Should he reveal this to her? Well, he's already revealed enough. "I and my family could die if I don't accomplish this."

The silence that followed was thick and suffocating. He was the one who wanted to run now because of how he feels he seems to her now. She probably pities him to a massive degree, and that is incredibly embarrassing. He should just go to Snape and demand of Hermione not to tell a soul about all this.

"What did you need my help with?"

Shocked at hearing those words suddenly, he looked up at her, at her teary eyes. "What?"

"You wanted my help, so I'm giving it to you."

"Are you sure? You know that what I have to do will lead to the death of the headmaster."

More tears welled in Hermione's eyes and she nodded. "Yes. I understand that. I also understand that my help could decrease at least some of the pain and stress that you're going through at the moment."

He had the urge to embrace her because of her willingness to ease his burden, and at the fact that she cares enough about him to do so. He wants her to admit it. "Is that the only reason?"

She stood there, their gazes locked as his heart pounded against his ribs. She knew what he was asking, and the answer he wanted. Maybe he was too hopeful to think that she would actually reveal it to him. She's too proud.

"Nevermind," he said. "What we need to do is in the Room of Requirement."

He turned to head to the wall where the door would conjure itself in.

"Draco."

He stopped and turned around, and found her walking up to him, her cheeks pink and her eyes still filled with tears. He wasn't able to think another thought before she took the back of head and slammed her mouth on his, causing mild pain from the impact. Shock pulsed his whole system as she started to move her mouth on his rapidly, and he had to take a second to realize what was going on. Her soft, warm lips moved on his again... His will and sense completely left him. He took her waist, pulled her more to him and wrapped his arms completely around her small form as he started moving his mouth all over hers, and he got lost in her hot breath and flowery aroma. A pleasurable shiver ran up his back as he felt her fingers run through the hair on the back of his head, and he caught some hers in his fingers.

He didn't want this to stop.

He backed her up against the wall and lifted her up onto the ledge of the window. Her arms took hold of his neck as he did so and her legs wrapped around his thighs tightly as she sat on the window ledge, against the glass of the window. Something he hasn't felt before took over his system and he grabbed her bare leg, pushing it more against his side. She let off a small gasp through her nose at that, but it didn't stop her from gripping his hair or nipping at his mouth constantly.

He felt sweat develop in various places around his body, and he knew if this went on, he would take full advantage of being in an empty corridor at night, alone with the girl he's in love with... who feels the same way.

Their mouths disconnected, and heavy breaths left both of them, and he could feel her hot breath enter his opened mouth. He smirked. "I totally knew it," he breathed. "I knew you were in denial this whole time."

"I... suppose I was." She smacked his shoulder. "But it's your fault! You're the one who wouldn't leave me alone."

He smiled full-on, and he took her waist again, slamming the front of her body more against his, which made her gasp. He said in a low tone near her mouth as their foreheads touched, "I couldn't help it. You drove me mad. And I drove you mad, too."

She got out of his hold and hopped off of the window ledge. Her back faced him. "Yes, you did. And I hated it."

"So, does this mean that you no longer fancy Weasley? The whole school knew about you two fancying each other, and I admit being jealous out of my mind because of it." He smirked pridefully. "Well, I wanted to compete him for you, but there's no need to anymore because I won."

She whirled around, her face still very flushed, and her hair more bushy than usual because of what they just did. "Will you get that smug look off of your face? Fine, yes, I fancied him before, but that changed when you started following me around and became my rescuer. After all that, I couldn't keep my mind off of you."

"Is that right? So, at the lake... that was your first kiss, wasn't it?"

With his look, he dared her to say yes. She stood tall. "No, actually."

His heart pulsed in surprise. He wasn't expecting that. "What? Who was, then?"

Jealousy overcame his system and he had the intense urge go and find that Weasley, since it was most likely him, and sock him. He heard laughter. "Golly, you really don't know? I'll give you a hint: hospital wing."

His blue eyes widened. No way... That devious little witch! "You were awake?!"

"I was. I heard someone come in and I saw that it was you, so I closed my eyes pretending that I was asleep. It was only about ten minutes after I woke up, after all."

He couldn't believe this! She was awake that whole time! Embarrassment took hold of him, making him grimace. "You heard everything I said."

"I did." A small smile crossed her pink lips, and a soft look grazed her features. "That was actually the moment I really started to become mad about you, after you said that you cared about me suddenly, against your will, and that you would go mad if you didn't know I was safe. I was touched. And then you kissed me... honestly, I was tempted to just kiss you back."

The truth was out now and he was glad of it, because now he can confess something that he's wanted to confess. He stepped up to her, his gaze not leaving hers. "I don't just care about you now, Hermione... I'm in love with you. And I know now that you feel the same way."

She didn't respond, but her eyes told him that what he surmised is true. She left him and walked up to the wall. "Let's go on in. You said what we need to do is in the Room of Requirement, right?"

He came up and stood next to her, loving the new feeling between them now. "Yes. Are you still sure you want to help out with this?"

"I said I would help. Now, are you going to tell me what I'm helping with?"

"You'll find out."

The door conjured into the wall and the two went on in. Draco took Hermione's hand and she didn't let it go as they wound through the clutter.