A/N So sorry about the delay guys, been really busy and the files don't upload easily onto here anymore. I've tried to act upon the reviews you sent me so hopefully the story's progressing a bit better now. A huge thank you to all of you who do take the time to review even if its just a few words. Anyway, enough of the bit that no one actually reads, lets get right to it!

Chapter 37 - Marks

With a POP, they all landed hard on the smooth, damp lawns of Hogwarts grounds. Draco looked around, breathing fast. He'd been right there, right in front of him. He'd just shown himself traitor in front of his father, his aunt and the Dark Lord, not to mention all of the D.A. If only he'd cast a memory charm on his father and aunt. Now that they were out of any immediate danger, people were starting to stare at him. "You alright?" He asked Hermione in an undertone, who was just getting up from the floor, "It's a miracle you weren't splintched."

"I'm fine," Hermione sighed.

"Who would've known Malfoy is a bloodtraitor," sneered a Ravenclaw kid. Draco spun around, face lived, and shot a hex at the boy, resulting in him sprouting poisonous looking warts all over his face. "WHAT THE HELL?!" The boy yelled as Draco turned and stormed off away from them, fuming worse than a dragon.

"Draco!" Blaise yelled, running after him.

"Fuck off Blaise! I'm not in the mood!" Draco growled.

"Draco!"

"No Blaise!"

Draco listen mate!" Fumed Blaise and Draco spun round to see Blaise right in front of him.

"What?" He spat.

"Just chill -"

"Chill? I've made an entire fool of myself!"

"You'd rather Hermione had been left there to be tortured?" Seethed Blaise.

"Of course not!"

"Then grow up and stop acting your wand length!"

"They all think I'm like them! A happy sodding Hufflepuff!"

"Get over yourself Draco, go help your girlfriend and stop acting like a prat."

"Easy for you to say, you have no reputation -"

"Yeah well at least I care about my friends!" Blaise fired back furiously, "I thought you were better than this, but now I'm just disappointed." Draco stood there, stunned. Blaise turned and walked back to the group of people, some still bleeding from earlier, some crying, some shouting dramatically about seeing Voldemort.

Then he caught a pair of eyes. Hazel, fiery eyes. She was looking at him, possibly pleadingly he couldn't tell. All he knew was that... "You're right," he sighed, jogging up to meet Blaise.

"I know I am. I'm always right. Always," Blaise smirked, then added, "Just ignore them, they're all screwts the lot of them." Draco grinned at this and walked back over too Hermione. He glared at the people around him, who were looking expectantly, and offered Hermione his hand. Hermione grinned halfheartedly and took it, clenching rather tighter than usual. "Draco," Pansy hissed and both head boy and girl turned to look at her. "Give 'em a show," she whispered, causing Hermione to smirk and look at Draco.

"Happy belated Valentine's Day," he whispered in her ear, smirking. They parted enough for Draco to take something small and glinting out of his pocket. The ring. Hermione beamed at him and bit her lip slightly as he took her hand and slipped it onto her finger.

"You brought it with you?" She asked in awe.

"Obviously," Draco smirked. Everyone had fallen silent, waiting to see what would happen.

"Is this the point where we kiss and knock everyone dead with shock?" Hermione whispered back, then added as a joke, "Or is that too much for your reputation?"

"That reputation changed a long time ago," Draco muttered.

"Oh?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah it has, and yeah it is that point," Draco smirked and with that he bowed his head slightly, made sure everyone was watching, and gave her a very short kiss. It felt like a surge of relief to finally stop hiding his emotions from everybody. Now the only people he'd have to face would be the Slytherins, who he'd hopefully not encounter any time soon. He felt Hermione grin as they both heard the intake of breath all around them.

"Holy snitches," breathed a student from amidst the crowd.

They stepped apart and Draco turned to face the crowd, smirked, gave a 'beat that,' kind of face, supported Hermione from under her arm and sauntered off with her hobbling along next to him.

"What the bloody hell just happened," Ron asked Ginny quietly and then the hubbub of voices began.

"Basically, he leaned in and Hermione -"

"I know they kissed, I'm not stupid!"

"Well -"

"Shut up Ginny," Ron glowered. There was a short pause.

"I want an explanation," Harry stated, "C'mon."

"Same," said Neville indignantly from right beside him, "How come no one told me this was happening?!"

"They wanted it kept secret?" Ginny asked, trying not to start laughing because she knew once she did it wouldn't stop.

"Those three know," Neville stated grumpily, nodding at Pansy, Blaise and Theo, who were conversing quietly.

"Oi! Ginny! Did you know about this? This is going to make headings this will!" Collin Creevey shouted.

"Of course I knew! I know everything!" Ginny yelled back.

"C'mon, let's find Hermione," Harry said firmly and he, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna (who was pointing out to Neville some weird and probably made up creatures in the grass that apparently only she could see) followed.

The next hour or so all came as a bit of a rush in Hermione's eyes. Draco had rushed her off to the hospital wing, asked Madam Pomfrey fairly rudely to get Professor McGonagall and no sooner than a minute later, the elderly witch had burst in through the hospital wing doors, rigid, pale and furious. Not too soon later, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna had burst into the room, too. Professor McGonagall had given a stifled scream at the appearance of Harry Potter and demanded an explanation. Then, Draco began to explain everything, everything right from the evening of Valentine's Day, all the way to now although he missed out everything involving Snape. Everyone listened with rapt attention apart fromHermione, who was zoning in and out of consciousness. "You should have come straight to me Mr Malfoy! Leaving the castle to find Potter indeed! It was very foolish of you, not to mention then storming into the manor where -"

"It's my house!" Draco snapped, interrupting Professor McGonagall.

"You are very fortunate to be alive, all of you!" Professor McGonagall stated shrilly.

"But -" Draco tried.

"Enough, Malfoy. I am very pleased that Miss Granger is back alive and well, but I am extremely disappointed in you, and you, Miss Weasley. And Mr Potter, Mr Weasley! Leading a group of young people out of the castle to a place crawling with death eaters! I -"

"There won't be any punishment will there, Professor?" Harry interrupted tentatively. Professor McGonagall stared at him.

"Punishment," she echoed faintly, "Mr Potter, along with Mr Malfoy, Miss and Mr Weasley you have flouted at least twenty different rules not to mention put most of the seventh years in mortal danger!"

"Please Professor, it wasn't their fault," Hermione murmured weakly from the bed. Everyone jumped and turned to stare at her with a start. They had all completely forgotten she was there - apart from Madam Pomfrey who had just moved the curtains around Hermione's bed and was now fishing through her cabinets for something.

"Miss Granger I -"

"If it weren't for them, I'd probably be dead," Hermione said shortly, a tiredness sweeping over her.

"Take this Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey ordered, bustling over with bottle of purple potion which Hermione recognised as a draught of dreamless sleep. She took it and drank it in one swig, feeling the contents trickle through her like warm honey. A sudden wave of exhaustion came over her and she smiled weakly at Draco who was watching her carefully through a gap in the curtain, before closing her eyes and falling instantly into a dreamless sleep.

No punishments were given out, but Professor McGonagall had given Harry, Ron, Ginny and Draco a firm speaking to before having a quiet talk with Madam Pomfrey in the corner. Neville and Luna simply watched the drama unravel before them. Once Professor McGonagall had left the room, Draco pushed aside the curtain and settled himself down next to Hermione's bedside, shortly followed by an uncomfortable Harry and thoroughly disgruntled Ron. "So, you and Hermione eh?" Asked Harry heavily as Ginny planted herself next to him and Neville and Luna by Hermione's feet.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Draco snarled.

"Alright easy, I'm just asking," Harry said in defence.

"Yeah well maybe if you hadn't run off at the end of the Halloween Ball you wouldn't need to ask!" Draco snapped, not taking his eyes off of Hermione's face. "She was a right wreck after you left, you know," he carried on after a while. Harry scratched the back of his neck.

"How long have you... been together?" He asked.

Draco clicked his tongue and replied, "Officially, since New Year's Day. But... I mean we started... We first - We were together long before then, I just hadn't asked her." Ron was clenching his knuckles, clearly bothered about sitting opposite Draco.

"Merlin chill out bro," Ginny sighed, eyes flickering past Harry towards her brother.

"And you're alright with this? Letting him -" Ron began, but Draco got there first.

"Kiss her? Yeah, done that quite a few times Weasley. If you like her then you should've kept her while you had her rather than break her into a thousand pieces!" Draco hissed, angrily.

"Calm down Draco!" Ginny hissed, eying Madam Pomfrey warily, "You'll get us all kicked out!" Draco fell silent, eyes back on Hermione's face, then to her arm where the word glistened menacingly. He felt his blood begin to boil again. Why hadn't he killed her when he had the chance? He hated her, hated everything about her. He hated his aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange.

Hermione didn't wake until early the following morning. The first thing she saw was Ginny, bent over double and asleep on her blanket. Then, once her eyes had adjusted to the blaring sunlight, she saw Harry, Ron, Neville and Luna, all snoozing on each other's shoulders and Draco, awake but looking exhausted. "Not get any sleep?" She asked making Draco jump out of his skins. He turned to face her, breathing fast. "Merlin Hermione don't do that!" He hissed quietly.

"Sorry," she apologised, "I'm surprised you two haven't killed yourselves yet." She indicated at him and Ron.

"We nearly did," Draco grunted.

Once everyone had woken up they all had a fair share to say to each other, Hermione in particular was very keen on talking to Harry and Ron, so Draco decided to give them some 'alone time' and find Theo, Blaise and Pansy. On his way out, he bumped into a grave looking Madam Pomfrey. "Mr Malfoy," she said sternly.

"Yes, Miss," Draco replied, turning to face her.

"I have some important news to tell you," she said softly. Draco, sensing something was off, took a couple of steps closer and waited for her to continue. "I'm afraid the mark on her arm... there's nothing I can do about it," she said quietly. Draco's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

"What do you mean? You've got to get rid of it!" Draco whispered angrily.

"I can't, the magic binding it is too strong. I am sorry, Mr Malfoy. I will tell Miss Granger -"

"You don't understand, you have to get rid of it! Try again!"

"Mr Malfoy I know a dark curse when I see one. It is very much like the magic involved in creating the Dark Mark tattoo. It is irremovable. I am deeply sorry," she said sincerely. Draco bit the inside of his lip, thinking. Then, he simply turned and walked out the door, trembling inside with suppressed fury. This was all getting out of hand. The least he could do now was stop his friends from getting that mark. He felt a low throb on his forearm and knew before he lifted his sleeve what it was. The mark had turned jet black. Another summoning.

The Slytherin common room was quite deserted by the time Draco had crossed the threshold into the dungeon chamber. Most people were probably having a Saturday morning lie in. Sighing, he crossed the chamber to the staircase and begun the ascent to the seventh year boys' dorm.

"Get up," he grumbled, pushing the door open wide. Three heads turned to face him sharply. Draco would have found the sight funny if he hadn't been in such a bad mood. Every one of them looked as if they were a rabbit caught in headlights. "Draco man you could've knocked mate!" Whined Blaise insistently.

"Where's Crabbe and Goyle?" Draco asked, "And what're you doing in here Pans, this is a boys dorm!"

"Like I haven't been in here before," scoffed Pansy.

"And as for Dumb and Dumber, they left for breakfast ages ago. Wanted first dibs on the bacon and eggs my bet," Theo yawned.

"And everything else," yawned Blaise. Draco let loose a chuckle. "Sound the alarms! He's laughing!" Blaise cried.

"First time in weeks!" Pansy laughed.

"Not quite that long," Draco grinned. It went quiet for a moment. Then Draco asked suspiciously, "Why're you all in here, awake, all sitting on the same bed like some preschool sleepover party?"

"We were -"

"Nothing!" Theo said loudly, interrupting Blaise and giving him a scowl. Draco, surprisingly, did not buy it.

"It can't be worse than anything that's happened lately," Draco said exasperatedly. Theo nor Pansy met his eyes.

Finally, after what seemed like an age, Theo drew a breath. "The Dark Lord and my father have organised a date for me to get my mark. It's next Saturday. A week today," Theo spoke awkwardly, suddenly very tense and nervous looking, not his usual smart self. Everything in Draco seemed to suddenly come crashing down on each other like the foundations in him had been knocked out of place. Not this, not now! Not when he'd just got Hermione back. "You can't be being serious," the head boy muttered, trying to configure all of this new information.

"It, it is," rushed Pansy, "he got the letter yesterday morning but only opened it about an hour ago." This too was followed by silence. It seemed that the silence was eating their words until they were nonexistent. Into nothingness.

"No!" Draco said suddenly, unexplainable rage coursing through every muscle in his body.

"Draco man you don't have to -"

"No! He can't do it! It's wrong!"

"It's my father's decision," Theo cut in dully.

"Damn him then. Damn all of them bloody death eaters! If I had thought it would work I'd cut this stupid mark off my arm! No don't look at me like that Pansy, you have no idea how much I hate this, this tattoo. Not just the burning pain whenever he's calling us, but the guilt and horror you feel when your reminded what you're a part of! And there's no way in hell I'm letting you get that mark!" Draco finished, furious. He leaned forwards, gripping both ends of the bedpost and something tumbled out of his robes from around his neck.

"Draco what's that?" Pansy asked suddenly, pointing at the shiny object. Draco looked down sharply and saw, to his slight discomfort, his ring.

"Something my mother gave me," he mumbled, tucking it back down his front.

"Odd thing to carry around," she muttered. Draco scowled at her. She scowled back. Blaise rolled his eyes.

"And how do you propose delaying this then mate, as you said you would before Christmas or whenever it was?" Theo asked heavily after a while. They were still sitting there, Draco standing at the end of the bed, Pansy cross legged and playing with her hair absentmindedly, Blaise levitating one of Crabbe's shoes up onto the top of the wardrobe, Theo staring hard at Draco. "I... what if you don't turn up?" Draco asked wearily.

"Then we have a very angry snake man on our tail," Blaise joked. Draco turned to stare at him, admiring his ability to not give a damn.

"I agree with Blaise on this one Draco, if we wait it out who knows what'll happen," Pansy reasoned.

"You could break a bone, get tied up in the hospital wing," Draco suggested.

"Yeah awe mate can I just knock you off your broom in practice today?" Blaise asked eagerly. Draco turned his whole body to face Blaise this time, shock plastered over his face.

"We have quidditch practice today?" He asked in horror.

"Mate you booked it, don't ask me. Ten o'clock in the changing rooms, it's on the timetable," Blaise stated flatly, suppressing a yawn.

"Damn it," Draco said, scrunching up his face and feeling as though the world was against him.

"Gee Draco ease up, you've got the best broom gold can buy! And Neville's face these last few practices have been priceless," Blaise smirked. Neville had indeed been extremely shocked at the superiority of the broom ever since Draco had got it for Christmas, as had everyone else.

In the end, they decided to ignore it. They'd make up some excuse as to why Theo didn't go to get it and none would be any the wiser. All they needed now was food, and then a nice session of flying in the air (or in Pansy's case watching from the stands). The other three were very anxious to know how Hermione was getting on, so Draco told them all he knew, including the part about the scar on her arm being irremovable. Pansy had gone quite stiff at this point and said how that was, "absolutely terrible" and how she hopes that she's "holding up well".

Breakfast was eaten in silence. No one really knew what to say. They seemed to have some sort of unspoken understanding and no one felt like bringing up anything that had happened in the past few hours. They didn't see Harry or Ron, but Ginny, Neville and Luna were sitting separately at the end of the old Gryffindor table, eating rather quickly. Draco supposed McGonagall didn't want the rest of the school finding out about Harry being here, but it had spread like wildfire. Someone must've said something because the story of Harry being here and Hermione being kidnapped and found again was common knowledge amongst nearly every student in the school. Each telling of the story varied drastically from the last and rumours had gotten out about Draco kissing the head girl. Almost as if on cue, Crabbe and Goyle walked right up to Draco, who was sitting between Blaise and Pansy, and stopped mere centimetres away from him. "Can I help you?" Draco sneered coldly, all four of them swivelling around in their seats to face them.

"Blood traitor," Goyle spat, grinning malevolently.

"Excuse me?" Draco growled, breathing hard.

"I said, blood -" but Draco had stood up and slapped his former friend right across the face. Crabbe strode over and shoved Draco backwards as Goyle rubbed his forehead.

"Draco leave it!" Warned Theo but Pansy had already gotten to her feet.

"Grow up you two, got a problem spit it out," she said snidely. Crabbe and Goyle both stopped to think about this statement, their stupid little minds trying to process it.

"Get lost the pair of you," said Draco threateningly, seeing a teacher watching them from the corner of his eye.

"Were you kissing the mudblood?" Crabbe asked slyly.

"Get out!" Roared Draco, loud enough to draw some people's attention as Blaise grasped Draco's arm to restrain him.

"Dark Lord's not gonna be too happy is he?" Chuckled Goyle smugly.

"What's it to you," sneered Draco, fighting Blaise's grip angrily. Both Crabbe and Goyle pulled up their sleeves as one, revealing the unmistakable black swirl of a serpent protruding from a skull's mouth.

The four of them goggled at the two marks, to stupefied to say anything. Then, Draco let out an insane laugh full of all the emotions he'd compressed deep down including anger, annoyance and now ridiculousness. "The Dark Lord, gave you two the mark?" He laughed. Crabbe and Goyle didn't know how to respond to this unexpected response. They both looked at each other stupidly which made Draco question Voldemort's judgement even more. "The most powerful dark wizard in the world wanted you two in his ranks?! Fine! Fine by me! You go and take orders from a psychopath. See where it gets you in life. Now sod off, go report to your leader or whatever," Draco laughed, saying the last comment with a sneer. Glancing at each other again for help, Crabbe and Goyle shrugged and walked off, clearly unable to think of anything to say back to that. "I hope Potter hurries up with whatever crap he's getting on with. Sooner that snake face dies the better.

Quidditch practice went well. It was perfect flying conditions, according to Draco, meaning he was a lot happier resulting in his team being happier. Ginny scored some spectacular goals and even Neville, who had improved dramatically since the start of the year managed to get some good shots. Seamus had blocked a fair few goals and Dean had managed to score from an impressive fifteen feet away. Blaise and Theo successfully kept the bludgers at work and well away from their team mates during all of practice and Draco had managed to catch the snitch in a shocking three minutes and twelve seconds. All in all it had been a very good practice and by the time they'd got to the changing rooms they were well and truly exhausted. Exhausted but happy.

After changing, Draco lead Theo and Blaise back outside to meet up with Pansy and together they walked over to the lake to talk more about the mark and everything wrong with the world. And still, still they had their N.E,W.T.s to revise for! Along with everything else, this was probably the least of their concerns.

Meanwhile up in one of the empty classrooms, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna were discussing everything that Harry and Ron had been up to lately. Neville and Luna had insisted that they should be told and Harry really couldn't see why not to tell them. Voldemort knew they were hunting the horcruxes as he could see Voldemort delving into his brain every time they destroyed one. It had taken a while to explain to Neville exactly what a horcruxes was, but Luna seemed to understand rather quickly ("Like a blood sacrifice! Maybe he had to sacrifice his nose...").

"So you've destroyed this locket, cup and Tom Riddle's diary, and you say Dumbledore destroyed the ring..." Ginny began slowly, "but you still think that there are two more things, probably to do with Ravenclaw and Gryffindor."

"Yeah, they'll be small and easy to hide. We thought of Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, but we have no idea where that could be," Harry said in agreement. There was a short silence. Then, Luna coughed and rose her hand slightly. "I think, I think I heard Helena talk about it before," she said quietly.

"Who's Helena Luna?" Neville asked encouragingly.

"Oh, she's Rowena's daughter, ghost of Ravenclaw. We talk quite a lot. She often floats around the courtyard where I study..." Luna replied dreamily, petering out into silence.

"That's great Luna. Did you say you knew where the diadem was?" Asked Harry, waiting for her answer with bated breath.

"Oh, yes. I think she mentioned it being in the Room of Requirement," she smiled. Harry and Ron exchanged looks.

"We should find that as soon as possible Harry," Ron said in an undertone.

"I want to help! You left me on Halloween. I'm helping you find the rest of them," Hermione said stubbornly.

"Hermione you're needed here -" Harry began.

"So are you! We all need you!" Hermione snapped.

"You know that's not -"

"Of course it is! Just let me help you, I'm sick of writing letters which are getting riskier and riskier to send. Besides, this ones in the castle," Hermione reasoned. Harry thought about this.

"Fine, but not now," Harry sighed. Everyone looked at him.

"What?" Asked Ron startled, when no one else seemed to voice anything, "We have to. He could declare war at any moment!"

"Not now, because now we are going to sit here and talk. Because Hermione's right. We abandoned everyone here without telling them and I want to know how Hermione ended up with an idiot like Malfoy," Harry said, sounding serious but grinning all the same.

"He is not an idiot!" Hermione said shrilly.

"Whatever you say," Harry grinned.

So Hermione told them everything, not bothering to miss out any of the details. Starting with that fateful night where Ron attacked her, carrying on to the Halloween ball and the bickerings of an old married couple they shared, explaining how Lavender had been such a bitch and how he'd been there for her, describing in detail Draco returning from his house with a blood soaked bandage and a hole in his stomach and finally their first kiss. Ron seemed absolutely disgusted, Harry fairly amused and Neville downright shocked. Ginny, having already heard the most of it just watched her brother and boyfriend with amusement plastered over her face.

She then went on to explain when she obliviated her parents which made both Harry and Ron widen their eyes and say things like, "You didn't," and "Merlin Hermione why didn't you say?" She explained everything; why she did it, Dumbledore's portrait (to which Harry swore saying, "There's been a portrait of him all along?"), and Draco's understanding and kindness which followed, including all the admissions and tears shed and the deadly questions of 'will you be my girlfriend?', to which Ron snorted.

Then she went on about the Pansy incident and how they became friends, the quidditch teams that were made (which Ginny butted in with, "Yeah, you'll be playing against me at the end of the year!"), Draco's occlumency lessons, buying him a firebolt (which both Harry and Ron gawked at), the snowball fight which secured hers and Ginny's friendship with Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Theo, then of course Christmas, one of the most magical days of Hermione's life finishing with the beautiful ice skating experience.

After Christmas she explained how Draco had asked her out in the Hogs Head and how some days later he'd some back to their dorm covered in blood having returned from his house. She then described Valentine's Day, showing off her ring she'd been given and then relaying the fight they'd had. Harry and Ron were outraged by his unreasoning but seemed to somewhat forgive him given that he'd been there for Hermione all year. Hermione then explained how she'd been kidnapped, tortured and thrown in the dungeons. "But I didn't tell them a word. Narcissa helped me though, Narcissa Malfoy. She's actually really kind. She sneaked me in food when Bellatrix wasn't there," Hermione went on.

"Wait she did what? I thought she was an enemy?" Neville asked.

"No, she's not. She's just married to a foul man and practically does his bidding," Hermione replied.

"Makes you think why she doesn't just leave," Ron muttered.

"You Know Who would kill her Ron!" Ginny said indignantly. Ron rolled his eyes.

Then Ginny explained her little episode with Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Theo, dramatising the whole scenario. "He was practically dying, honestly. Crying and everything, completely ashamed of ever shouting at you and wanting to single handedly get you out of that house," Ginny spoke enthusiastically. She explained how they'd came up with the plan, found the paper, figured out that it was horcruxes they were after and how they'd gone to number 12 Grimmauld Place and found Kreacher. "Then they came back and found me," piped in Luna.

"What?" Neville asked, thunderstruck.

"Yeah, the pair of them wanted to know how to call Dumbledore's pet Phoenix. I am sorry that I wasn't much help," Luna added, blushing.

"Yeah so we ended up asking Snape," Ginny grinned.

"What?!" Neville, Harry, Ron and even Hermione asked, startled.

"Yeah, he's alright, Snape. Took a while for me to trust him but he's alright. I'm pretty sure he didn't want to kill Dumbledore. I'm not actually quite sure about anything but he's alright," Ginny said fervently. Shen she explained for Neville's , Luna's and Hermione's benefit the Phoenix ride and the discussion with Harry and Ron. "Oh, and Draco saved Harry," Ginny added, smirking.

"He what?" Hermione asked, dumbfounded.

"Well, um, Ron lost my wand," Harry began, twisting his hands in his lap.

"And the dementors were coming," Ron added.

"So he managed to perform the best god damned patronus I've ever seen, after Harry's obviously," Ginny smirked. Hermione's jaw dropped. This was brilliant news!

"What is it?" She asked, stunned.

"An eagle," Harry said. Hermione thought.

"Suits, I think. Yep, definitely suits," Hermione smiled.

Finally, Harry explained how they got the D.A together and practiced in the Room of Requirement and how they left the following morning to rescue Hermione. "So there you have it," Ginny smiled, "You four know what's really been going on this year and you Hermione know how much you mean to Draco and the rest of the D.A. Hermione laughed at this. "And it was your idea to find Harry to do this?" Asked Hermione.

"No, Theo's," replied Ginny brightly. Hermione nodded. Ginny and Harry exchanged looks, for about the hundredth time in the past half hour.

"Merlin if you want some alone time just go!" Hermione laughed, staring at the pair of them. Ginny looked away from Harry as if she'd been electrified. Harry too looked away, reddening slightly.

"Bloody hell ew no that's gross," Ron moaned.

"Grow up mate," Neville chortled.

"Go!" Hermione insisted to Ginny, who smiled thankfully and got up, walking gingerly out of the room. Harry followed, even more awkwardly. Once the door had shut, Hermione let out a laugh.

"She's my sister!" Ron moaned indignantly.

"So what," Neville grinned, pecking Luna on the cheek.

"Oh whatever," groaned Ron.

After what seemed like an age, Hermione finally got up and said rather finally, "Well I'm going up to my dorm unless anyone has anything else to say, I'm really behind in an Arithmancy assignment. See you... see you after dinner outside the Room of Requirement ," she finished.

"Yeah Luna and I are off too, something about a nargle infestation?" Neville smiled wearily. Luna smiled broadly and took his wrist, standing up and practically skipping to the door. The door swung open, two people left, and it swung shut again.

"See you - Ron," Hermione choked, leaving the room as quickly as possible. She had a sudden image of a foot coming down on her face and slammed the door shut with a bang.

Heart hammering, Hermione sprinted up the flight of stairs leading her to the third floor and legged it down the corridor to the painting of the waterfall, where she muttered, "Spero," and stuck her hand into the frame to press the button. The portrait swung open with a click and she tumbled in, tripping over the rim of the frame and only just preventing herself from falling.

Draco looked up from a book he was reading on the sofa and stared at her. "Hermione?" He asked uncertainly.

"Yes?" She gasped, restoring herself and straightening her back. Draco was unconvinced.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Nothing," Hermione said evenly.

"Stop this. Tell me what happened," Draco repeated, getting up from the sofa and walking over to her. Hermione was quiet for a while.

"I don't know," she said finally, "I was talking with Harry and everyone else and it was absolutely fine, but then Harry and Ginny left and Neville and Luna and it was just Ron and I and I don't know why but I just saw... I saw - Why is this happening to me?!" She wailed, burying her face in Draco's shoulder who instantly wrapped his arms around her small, brave torso.

"Hey calm down," Draco said calmly, "It's alright. You're just getting used to it. He's not going to hurt you."

"I know that," muttered Hermione from the crook of Draco's neck.

"I know you do," Draco muttered back.

They stayed like until a full minute passed in an unthinking state of bliss. Then Draco unwrapped his arms and lead Hermione over to the sofa, gripping her left arm. Hermione winced and Draco let go quickly as though he'd been electrified. "Sorry!" He rushed, face a mixture of horror and panic.

"Don't be silly I'm fine," Hermione said briskly.

"It's not fine! You're not fine! She can't get rid of it!" Draco burst out in anger. Hermione closed her eyes and tried to ignore her aching arm and the aching truth of it all.

"I know Madam Pomfrey can't remove it, she told me this morning," Hermione said unemotionally. Draco stared at her. She had to be putting on an act. She had to be. No one in their right mind would take this news as well as she was.

"Hermione of you want to talk about it -"

"But I don't want to talk about it! I'm sick of all the sympathy looks! It's just - it's just a label that's all! I knew I was a mudblood before I got eternally branded with it by your aunt! Just stop talking about it!" Hermione burst out, angry tears welling in her eyes. Draco stared at her, trembling with anger. Not anger at her, but anger at what she was saying and what his aunt had done to her.

"That label does not define who you are, don't you dare think that for one moment," Draco said very seriously.

"Doesn't it?" Hermione shot back.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Draco asked horrified, furious Bellatrix.

"Mudblood! Open your ears Draco! Do you not hear what the death eaters think of people like me?! I heard them upstairs for hours on end, practically begging Bellatrix to let them come in and - and have some of what they called 'fun'."

"Did they touch you?!" Draco asked outraged.

"No! Merlin no Draco but that's what this mark means! It means I'm labelled as nothing better than a toy for -"

"No it doesn't!" Draco cut across furiously.

"Yes it does!" Hermione cried through bloodshot eyes, "And you know it. I found out something during my wonderful stay at the manor you know." Draco stayed silent, heart pounding. "The reason I hate the word mudblood. It all started in Diagon Alley before the start of term. I was just going in to pick up some last minute school supplies, as any normal witch or wizard would. But because of this!" She pointed at her arm, "Because of who I am, I got cornered by a death eater right in the middle of the street where he - where he groped me and said, and he asked whether I'd like to shag him and, and he said that was all I was good for because of my blood and, and, and... and I'd shouted but... and I just can't Draco! You see why I hate that word? I'm not just some slut to be used for fun just because of my blood or -" but Draco had heard enough. He was shaking with uncontrollable anger, fists clenched and breathing hard.

"Who?" He breathed, cutting Hermione off. "Who was it?!" He roared, staring imploringly into her eyes, begging an answer. Hermione bit her lip and shook her head. "WHO WAS IT?!" He thundered, every particle in his body full of venom.

"He didn't take off his mask, but at the manor he came to the cell door. I recognised his eyes. I see them everywhere whenever I hear the word. The cold slits of amusement. He recognised me. He started talking about that day and I knew it was him for certain. He - he - I can't Draco you won't understand."

"Please Hermione tell me who it was! I'll kill him!"

"You can't kill him," Hermione moaned.

"Why the hell not?! He - did you say he groped you?!"

"He's your father Draco!" Hermione sobbed desperately.

Draco's jaw slackened. He looked away, this new information zooming around his head too fast for him to process it. It was if a part of him had died. So he wasn't only a shit father, a shit husband and a coward, he was a pervert too. He was the reason she hated that word. He was his god damned father! And he'd groped Hermione.

Hermione watched the truth unravel in Draco's eyes, eyes so similar to those cold slits of laughter yet so different it was like a whole new world. Draco's eyes were filled with specks of blue, Lucius' were just cold, gleaming orbs of grey.

"Draco," Hermione spoke softly.

"Don't talk to me," Draco said harshly. Hermione flinched.

"Sorry," she mumbled. Draco's head shot up, his very eyes alert with anger.

"Sorry? Why in Salazar's name would you need to be sorry! Damn it Hermione! Im sorry! I'm sorry I've got a fucked up family! My father assaulted you, my aunt drove a dagger through your arm! I'm so sorry, and what I don't get is how you still accept me."

"Don't be sorry. Besides -"

"No I am sorry -"

"No shut up! Your mother's not bad," Hermione reasoned. Draco looked at her confused.

"My mother?" He questioned.

"She came in once to give me food, a drink and apologise for Bellatrix. She used a spell to warm me up after seeing how cold I was. She asked about you. She's really worried about you Draco," Hermione smiled tearfully.

"She - she risked a lot just to give you food. And here I thought she was too scared," Draco murmured, stunned, "she was worried about me?"

"She asked how you were, so I told her you were fine. She's a good mum, Draco. You should stop blocking her out," Hermione said timidly.

"She still chooses father over me," Draco muttered. Hermione didn't know how to reply to this.

"I'm meeting Harry after dinner. I shouldn't be too late," Hermione smiled after a while. Draco nodded and kissed her briefly.

...

"You say you have news, Bellatrix?" Voldemort hissed silkily.

"Yes, my Lord," Bellatrix agreed. Voldemort had called a meeting, yet again, to discuss things over. All the death eaters had sat around the large table in Malfoy Manor, including the two new members.

"Crabbe? Goyle? I'd like to welcome you to our ranks. Bellatrix, please continue," Voldemort spoke, voice laced with silkiness.

"My Lord, you know of course that Harry Potter and his little army of blood traitors came here to rescue his mudblood, he was being lead by none other than Draco Malfoy. And that's not all. I saw three other Slytherins there too," Bellatrix grinned happily. Both Lucius and Narcissa looked shocked, Lucius more outraged whereas Narcissa had a pleased sort of look, but anyone looking could have easily mistaken it for mild horror.

Bellatrix waited for a total hush before continuing. "Pansy Parkinson, Nott's son and the Zabini boy." There was a muffled silence.

Then, "Impossible," said Mr Nott shortly.

"Care to enlighten us, Nott?" Asked Voldemort.

"My son would never associate with a mudblood," Mr Nott said simply.

"How dare you accuse my daughter of such treachery?" Asked Mr Parkinson, dumbfounded yet angry all the same.

"My boy is due his mark soon, he wouldn't embark on something so foolish," Mr Nott said certainly.

"The younger generation are full of traitors I'm telling you," Amycus Carrow spat.

"True," Alecto agreed.

"Ask him, he's the one watching the kids," growled Antonio Dolohov. There was a silence as everyone looked to a man in a seat halfway down the table.

"There may have been an opportunity for the students to have left the school but I assure you, Potter and Weasley are not and have not been seen at the school since the end of October," the cold voice drawled.

"Thank you, Severus," Voldemort said icily. Snape' face hardened. "In any case," Voldemort continued, "I am growing tired of waiting. I confess myself, bored. We shall not wait for Saint Potter any longer. We shall teach these Slytherin children a lesson. A new dawn has fallen my friends. We shall rise more powerful than ever, and anyone stepping in our way would be no fore than a fool. We shall attack Hogwarts tomorrow night!" There was an eruption of cheering and laughter, cold and myrthless. Snape's face looked more stony than usual as he looked away into the night beyond the darkening windows. There was a hiss from beneath his chair and he bent down to see a long snake, protruding from under the chair. Nagini. Voldemort raised his wand and a blanket of silence fell. "We shall begin the siege at nightfall tomorrow."

A/N Yep, Draco's stepped out of his comfort zone, more betrayals and shocks and we're so near the end of the story! Only a few more chapters to go guys, and to think that I started publishing this nearly a year ago! Wow. I'd like to say well done to anyone who's made it this far in the story as I know some chapters drag on a bit. See you all soon for the next chapter!