A/N: No reviews last chapter...but I hope you'll like this chapter! I enjoyed writing it. Please, please, please review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter 16: The Unexpected Development

That night, Draco and Hermione stayed in the Room of Requirement until curfew, poring over the shelves of books they had discovered that day. They didn't speak a word to each other. They sat silently, immersed in books. They had forgotten their goal that night. The cache of new, fascinating books had gotten to both of them.

Finally, at eight forty five, Draco snapped his head up and exclaimed, "We were supposed to be looking for the spell!"

Hermione lifted her head up slowly and looked at Draco. "Oh, what's one day without looking. Besides, watching you read it quite hilarious."

"Excuse me?"

"Yes," said Hermione, smiling. "You make the strangest faces while you read."

Draco was completely taken aback. "Why were you watching me read?" He asked, trying to keep a note of accusation from his tone.

"Well," said Hermione, getting to her feet. "I've been told I make faces when I read, too. I wanted to see if anyone else did too."

"Okay..." Draco said uncertainly. Her watching him made him feel...odd. But he daren't insult her or tell her off for it because he still needed her help. He wouldn't be able to go through all the books himself.

"Anyway," said Hermione. "Shall we meet here again tomorrow?"

"Okay," said Draco, shrugging. He followed Hermione out of the Room. "Bye," he said as she started to head down the corridor. She turned to look at him over her shoulder at him and raised her eyebrows. Then, she scrunched up her nose, tilted her head to the side and looked at him. Draco was starting to feel unnerved. After a few seconds, Hermione turned away from Draco and headed away.

Draco didn't bother pondering over what Hermione had done. He was too tired. He slumped off to the Slytherin common room, ready to go to sleep. Unfortunately, when he got there, he ran straight into Theo, who was looking rather smug.

"So," he said, stepping in front of Draco so he couldn't enter the dormitories. "I hear you've been hanging around with Granger in the library. Is that what you've been doing all this time you'd been avoiding everyone."

Draco was so tired, he couldn't comprehend what Nott had said. When he did, however, he narrowed his eyes and said, "And who'd you hear that from?"

"Pansy and Blaise. They were in the library one day, snogging, as usual," Theo rolled his eyes here, then continued. "They said they saw you there with Granger."

Draco knew how to get out of this one. "And was I speaking to her?"

Theo seemed at a loss for words. Then, a smirk crept onto his lips. "Why yes, you were."

"Do you have any proof of that?" Draco demanded.

"I'll get some," Theo said evasively, then strode off. He had unblocked the entrance to the dormitories now. A few first years flitted through the door, but Draco stood there for a moment, frozen. How was Theo going to get proof? Finally, he decided that there was nothing he could do about it, and headed up to his dorm, where he changed into his pajamas, hopped into bed, and fell asleep.

The next day, after hours of boring classes, Draco entered the Room of Requirement to find, quite unusually, Hermione waiting there for him. She was sitting in a pile of books, a quill behind her ear, her hair ruffled.

"What're you doing here?" Draco asked, shocked at seeing her there. "You're never early."

Hermione sighed as she snapped a book shut and opened another one. "I am, actually early most of the time, to most other places."

"But never when you're coming to see me."

Hermione looked up at him. "I'm actually never coming to 'see you'. I'm coming to help you. I've not interest in seeing you."

"You seemed to have an interest in seeing me yesterday."

Hermione froze. After a moment, she said, "Yesterday was yesterday. It was...different, I guess."

"Sure," said Draco, rolling his eyes. He sat down in front of her, legs crossed. "So, what are you doing here so early today?"

Hermione continued scanning the pages of an old leather book as she said, "Harry had Quidditch practice, so I didn't have to make an excuse for coming away. Speaking of which, why haven't you been playing Quidditch lately?"

"I've been busy."

"Right," said Hermione sarcastically. "Because you'd much rather be fixing a Vanishing Cabinet that playing Quidditch, correct?"

Draco realized what was happening. "Granger," he said, without answering her slightly rhetorical question. "We're having a conversation again."

Hermione lifted her head to look at him. "Yes, we are. Brilliant observation, Malfoy."

Draco glared at her. "I recall you saying," he said. "That you wished to not have to speak to me."

"That I did," said Hermione. "But I realized, Malfoy, that we can't really finish this project of sorts without communicating with each other."

"I guess you're right," Draco said, nodding. "So, what have you found so far?"

"Nothing," said Hermione, sighing. "I was looking all through my free period, but I haven't found a thing."

"Big surprise," Draco muttered as he pulled some books off of the shelf next to him and began reading.

A few days later, Draco was sitting in the Room of Requirement with Hermione once again. He had a horrible headache.

"Granger," he said, getting to his feet. "I can't do this anymore. My head hurts and I honestly have no idea what it is I'm supposed to be looking for."

Hermione laughed. "Nor do I, Malfoy. Fancy a walk?"

Draco raised his eyebrows. "With me? Why?"

For some reason which Draco could not find, Hermione flushed. "No reason," she said hurriedly. "Just thought the snow would clear my head. And maybe your headache," she added.

Draco shrugged. Theo was already making fun of him for having been supposedly seen with Hermione. If he was actually seen with her, it wouldn't be much worse. "Okay," he said. "But aren't you afraid Potter will see you with me? And kill you for it?"

"Please," said Hermione, rolling her eyes. "He'd kill you. And besides, he's at Quidditch practice."

"All right then," Draco said. "Let's go."

It was snowing outside rather hard, so Draco and Hermione grabbed coats off a rack that appeared near the door at their wish. They walked down the empty corridors and left the castle's warmth for the icy cold of the grounds.

They walked until the lake in silence. Chunk of ice bobbed on the surface of the frigid water, occasionally bumping into one another. Hermione and Draco stopped walking near one of the beech trees at the edge of the lake and stared out over the water. After a moment, Hermione broke the silence.

"Malfoy," she said tentatively. "Why are you really fixing the Vanishing Cabinet?"

Draco blinked, sending snowflakes fluttering past his eyes. "I told you, Snape wants me to fix it."

Hermine was quiet for a moment. "Malfoy, I know you're not telling the truth. Why are you really fixing it?"

Draco sighed, but did not answer. He knew that she knew. But he didn't want to tell her.

"Is it because of..." Hermione whispered. "Voldemort?"

Draco felt something expand inside his chest. Fury, maybe. As soon as Hermione had uttered the name, all Draco could think about was his mother, weak and fragile, and how she wasn't going to be able to live much longer if he didn't finish his task. He felt tears prick the corners of his eyes. Her turned quickly away from Hermione and had walked two steps away from her when he felt her grab his arm. He tried to wrench it free.

"Let...go..." He said, trying to keep the sobs from escaping his lips. She didn't let go. She tugged at his arm until he turned around to face her. He looked at his feet, where a sheet of snow and tears was covering his worn black shoes.

"Malfoy..." Hermione said softly. "What's wrong?"

Draco allowed a single sob to escape his lips before he whispered, "He's going to kill me. And my mother." Another sob shook itself out of him.

"Why?" Asked Hermione gently.

"I can't...I can't finish the task..." Draco sobbed. "The one...he gave me..."

Hermione's face was full of concern. "Why did he give you a task?" Hermione asked. Draco only sobbed harder. Hermione reached for his left arm and pulled up the sleeve of his coat.

"Oh," she said simply. Draco looked into her face as she stared at the Dark Mark branded on his arm. She looked slightly repulsed. Draco couldn't stand it. He hated it too, but to see the expression on someone else's face was terrible. Months ago on the train, the Slytherins' reactions hadn't mattered to him. Because only now was he truly realizing what the Mark meant.

Draco turned his head back to the ground as Hermione looked up at him. "When did this happen?" She asked quietly.

"Over the summer," Draco choked. "Bellatrix...she..."

Hermione's expression flickered between hatred and sorrow. "What did she do?"

"She...she...guilted me into taking the...the..." Tears began rolling down Draco's cheeks faster than ever, but as he saw the red-hemmed sleeve of Hermione's coat so close to his Mark, anger began bubbling up inside him. "Go!" He cried loudly, yanking his arm away from Hermione. "Go tell Potter and Weasley! Tell them! I don't care! I'll die anyway..." Draco sobbed even harder now, sliding to the ground, leaning against the frozen trunk of the beech tree. He dropped his head into his hands, his thin and fatigued body shaking with each breath he took as he tried to steady himself.

After a minute, Draco felt hands tugging at his own, prying them from his face. He looked up to see Hermione hovering over him.

"What are you...?" Draco croaked. She was looking right into his eyes.

"I'm not going to tell them," she whispered, replacing his hands with hers, her soft gloves cupping his pale face. "I'm going to help you." And then, she kissed him.

A/N: I'm sorry if that seemed abrupt, but I'll try my best to explain everything in the next chapter!