As Hermione neared the apparation border, the possibilities of the private Malfoy library literally swam before her. For so long, there was nothing. No leads, no whispers of Horcruxes, no hints whatsoever of the next step they should take. Now, she had a renewed sense of certainty running through her body.

This could be the answer we've been looking for! The Malfoy library! How could I have overlooked such an obvious possibility? Why didn't I pay more attention to that hallway? I knew there was something off about it.

Game plan. I need a game plan. Obviously, the library won't accept my 'tainted' blood. There's got to be another way around it. A spell? Another more secret entrance?

A dozen or so possibilities ran through her mind as she came to an abrupt stop at the border. Each scenario seemed less likely that the previous, but it was the thought that she could try to do something that made her apparate quickly, leaving the forest and cabin far behind.

The grounds surrounding Malfoy Manor seemed to Hermione to be quite similar as how Harry described the maze of the third task when he was in the Triwizard Tournament. And as she slowly walked toward the entrance, wand drawn, she felt foolish that she was actually trembling with fear…or was it excitement?

Fear.

Oh, stop it! You've been here dozens of times with The Order before! Getting scared now, Granger? Some Gryffindor, indeed!

With a renewed sense of courage and determination, Hermione stepped onto the porch. It creaked loudly beneath her feet. Her breath hitched in her throat, and her heart thudded loudly against her chest.

Come on! Stop being such a girl! You're an Auror for crying out loud! Remember, the library! Focus!

With a skilled movement of hand and wand, from one that had done it a thousand times, Hermione thought in her mind, "Alohamora!", and the heavy doors parted and swung open loudly.

The moment Hermione's feet stepped through the entryway, there was a slight movement out of the corner of her eye that happened so quickly, she wasn't even sure that she truly saw it in the first place. But as she turned to look more closely, Hermione knew that she had in fact, not imagined anything because she was immediately thrown up against the entry wall with such force and speed that it seemed she didn't even have time to blink.

Her wand arm was pinned against the wall, pointing uselessly down at the floor while her other arm was painfully pinned up above her head. Hermione's assailant stood so close to her that she could barely make out a form at all in the deep blackness of the manor. But as he slowly leaned back to where he wasn't completely smashing her into the wall, she saw a flash of white, blond hair, and as her left arm was released to only be replaced by a wand at her throat, a light illuminated right in front of her and she saw hateful gray eyes staring back into her own frightened brown ones.

"Granger," he said with a haughty tone she had long since forgotten.

You! Can it really be? You slimy coward! You tried to kill Dumbledore!

A new sense of rage burned through her entire body. Hermione gripped her wand tightly, but with all her strength, she could not raise her arm to point it at her attacker, Draco Malfoy.

Sensing her arm movement, Malfoy tightened his grip on her wrist with such strength that she was forced to drop her ward. It landed on the granite floor with an audible "clang".

As Hermione looked beyond the lighted wand to Malfoy's face, she saw him smirk at the loss of her weapon.

Hermione immediately grabbed Malfoy's forearm with the hand he had released to draw his own wand on her throat. She closed her eyes briefly, muttered an incantation with her thoughts, and when she opened her eyes once again, her left hand was glowing brightly, wrapped tightly around Malfoy's arm.

Malfoy stared incredulously at Hermione's glowing hand, but before she could release the power of the curse, his hand closed on her throat.

The lack of oxygen immediately caused Hermione to lose her concentration on the spell, and as she withdrew the magic, her arm went straight to her throat over Malfoy's hand to try to pry it off her. Within a few seconds everything went black.

Malfoy watched as Hermione's eyes slowly rolled back in her head as she drifted to unconsciousness. Her body slumped forward and he caught her before she fell to the floor. In one swift motion, he lifted her body into his arms, and carried her through the entryway, into the living room and laid her on the couch.

Without looking, he flicked his wand at the fireplace, and immediately a fire roared to life.

"Accio Granger's wand," he commanded quietly, as the wand flew into his hand. He studied the design of Hermione's wand closely, felt the wood with his fingertips, and then quickly stuffed the wand into his cloak, and turned his attention back to his prisoner.

Wandless magic. She was about to do wandless magic on me. Granger. Always was a know- it- all. What did Snape use to say? Insufferable-know-it-all. Could Dumbledore even do wandless magic? I've never seen the Dark Lord use it.

He looked down at her hands, at the small bandaging that was on her burnt fingers, and smirked.

I knew you would come, Granger.

And as Malfoy looked down at her, he realized with a sudden clarity that this was not the Granger he remembered from school. This was a woman.

A woman?

He struggled to even comprehend the thought, but there was no denying it. Her horrid bushy hair had finally been tamed. Or did she finally realize she could put a charm on it? Brightest witch of our year, indeed. Her emerald green robes beneath her black cloak reveled that she definitely had a womanly figure. Did she always? Those ghastly Hogwart's robes could have hidden an elephant beneath them.

And then there was her face. It was…pretty. Shocked at this frightening revelation, Malfoy sank into the arm chair that was next to the couch. She was certainly never pretty at Hogwarts…or was she? His father's deeply bound prejudices were beaten into Malfoy, quite literally in fact, since birth. Did I never notice because she was muggleborn?

And as he was pondering these disturbing revelations, namely that Granger was, in fact a woman, she stirred on the couch and her eyes began to flutter open.

Malfoy immediately flicked his wand at her, and the moment she made eye contact with him, Hermione realized that she was unable to move.

"I apologize for stupefying you, Granger, but we don't have a lot of time and I would prefer to get through this as quickly as possible, because no doubt, your little entourage will be joining us shortly," Malfoy started.

"I will do this as quickly and with as much detail as possible, but it is imperative that you listen to me…thus you being unable to scream at me at the moment, or badger me with the thousands of questions that you most likely have bounding around your brain at this moment," he continued as he gestured toward her.

Malfoy walked to the fireplace and paused with his back to Hermione. It was a moment before he spoke again, this time, somewhat softer.

"I am not a Death Eater," he began. He turned towards her again, "Well, technically I am," he back pedaled, and moved silently towards her. Malfoy pulled his cloak up above his right forearm to reveal the Dark Mark. Her face could show no movement, being stupefied, but he was quite certain that her brain was reeling.

"No doubt, you recall everything that happened in our sixth year. I have no doubt you heard from Potter that I was supposed to kill Dumbledore. I saw, by the way… since I know that you're dying to ask me, Dumbledore glancing back at some random spot on the tower, and I knew that Potter was frozen there, under his invisibility cloak."

"I also have no doubt that Potter failed to mention what I told Dumbledore that night. He never told you, did he? I had to kill Dumbledore that night. Why? If I failed to kill Dumbledore then the Dark Lord told me he would kill me and my family. If it was just Lucius, I could have cared less, but my mother. My own mother, Granger…he would have killed her."

Malfoy paused as he observed Hermione's face. She couldn't move, but he kept waiting for the moment when she would suddenly sit up and begin accusing him with a pointed finger and start asking every question that had wandered into her mind thus far in his revelation. He was quite certain, by now, they were in the thousands.

"Anyway," he continued, "you know the rest of the story. I still couldn't kill Dumbledore, and Snape had to come and finish the job for me. Let me just tell you quickly, for you're sure to be thinking about it now, that Snape is still serving your precious little Order of the Phoenix. And yes, I know about your Order as well."

Malfoy took in a brief moment of satisfaction in that, because he was centain that Hermione had to be screaming to ask him something. Anything. Or to accuse him…which he knew would eventually come later.

"How, you surely would like to ask, can Snape possibly be serving your Order and have killed Dumbledore…who I've been told was it's last leader," he continued, "Well, to make a rather long story short, Snape had made an Unbreakable Vow to my mother that he would protect me as best as he could, and finish the task which I had been given, if for any reason I wasn't about to do so."

Malfoy was now pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace, as if thinking of how to best continue.

"At the same time, Snape also made an Unbreakable Vow with Dumbledore that if it came to it, Snape would kill Dumbledore to unsure his place as spy with the Death Eaters, while continuing on to search for the Dark Lord's remaining Horcruxes."

He stopped speaking, walked over to where Hermione lay on the couch, and bent down to her face…close enough for an intimate whisper and said, "Yes Granger, I know about the Horcruxes."

Malfoy looked over her face as she stared blankly ahead of him, and then continued, "And Dumbledore knew that he was dying, so it worked out well for him too. Instead of facing a long, agonizing death, it was over rather quickly. Of course, I didn't know all of this at the time, but I have since been informed by Snape."

"And so this is the predicament that we find ourselves in, Granger. I don't want to be a Death Eater. I never did. Weather you choose to believe that or not is up to you, of course, but it would be much easier for the both of us if you just take my word for it. Snape is the only contact that I have had with the Death Eaters since the night he killed Dumbledore. I have been in hiding from them and have been trying to come up with where the remaining Horcruxes are so that I can help you and Potter destroy them and then free my mother," he paused, "And now I need your help."

I can't believe that I just admitted that to Granger. She'll never let me live it down…

"So, Granger," Malfoy concluded, "I am now going to release you from the spell. I strongly advise you not to scream…your throat will hurt from where I grabbed you, which I wouldn't have done, by the way, if you wouldn't have attempted wandless magic on me. And so Granger, I'm asking you again for your help," he finished, and then as almost an after thought he added quietly, "Please."

With a quick movement of Malfoy's wand, Hermione suddenly found herself capable of movement. She sat up quickly, massaged her throat, and glared at the man that stood before her.

Malfoy.

Hermione stared at him for several moments before she spoke, "Do you really," she started, but then stopped quickly, wincing, as she rubbed her throat once more. It felt as though it were on fire.

"Here," Malfoy said, walking towards her, "let me." And before Hermione could even protest, she watched him move his wand in front of her throat. He closed his eyes, briefly, and muttered a healing spell to himself. Instantly the pain was gone, and she looked up in surprise as Malfoy walked back over to the fire. She had the fight the urge to say, "Thanks."

"Do you really," she spat in a low voice, "expect me to believe all that? Do you think that I've forgotten everything that's happened, and what's more, do you really believe me to be that stupid?" she asked, eyes flaring as she stood up from the couch.

"No, I don't think you're stupid at all," Malfoy said, indifferently, "Which is the reason that I'm asking for your help. I need someone with some brains to help me figure this out. Have you not noticed that Potter isn't here? I'd be better off asking a pig to help me," he added, snidely.

Pigs are actually very intelligent creatures, Hermione almost retorted, but decided not to.

"Granger, I need your word that you'll help me. It won't be long before your precious Potter figures out that you're here,"

"I thought you just compared his intelligence to that of a pig?" Hermione spat back. "And no, I'm not giving you my word. Why do you want my help now? It seems all a little too convenient. I'm sure you'd be just as happy to take me back to your Death Eater friends to-"

But she was cut off by a near scream, "I AM NOT A DEATH EATER!!"

Hermione, for probably the first time in near recollection, was stunned into silence.

"If I had wanted to take you to the Death Eaters, don't you think that I would have done so already? Why do you think that I would have bothered to bore you with that little speech? For my own good? Trust me, Granger, if I wanted to take you to the Death Eaters, you would have been there the moment my hand was around your neck!" He was yelling, and inches from her face.

"Malfoy," Hermione started, her voice rising with each word she spoke, "Then I want you to explain something to me. You hate me. You always have. Wasn't it me that you wanted the Basalisk to kill in our second year? I'm a mudblood! Don't you dare patronize me with your seemingly new 'views'." She was pacing the length of the floor and waving her hands wildly in the air as she spoke.

"What was your favorite phrase back in school? Oh yes, I'm surprised it escaped me because you were so creative in using it every time you saw me, 'Filthy little mudblood!', wasn't it? And now that you have turned over a new leaf, as it were, you want the mudblood's help?" Hermione demanded. Her chest was heaving from the frantic breaths she was taking.

"Well, I don't believe you," Hermione spat.

Malfoy sighed, "I thought that you had more sense then Potter. What more do you want me to tell you, Granger? Shall I get some Veritaserum?"

Although Malfoy was obviously being sarcastic, Hermione's face immediately lit up.

"Oh, you can't be serious," he said.

"Of course I am. Why, do you have something to hide?" She accused.

"I've told you everything, Granger. But quite unfortunately for yourself, I forgot to put Verisaterum on my shopping list last week," Malfoy replied, snidely.

"Oh well, lucky for me I brewed some not long ago. Now give me my wand," Hermione demanded as she stood in front of Malfoy, arm outstretched.

"Not a chance. You think I'm that thick, Granger? I'm actually quite insulted," Malfoy retorted with a mock look on his face.

"So, you just expected me to help you and Snape on your little Horcrux quest without giving me my wand?" Hermione asked, both hands resting on her hips.

"When I know that I can trust you, I'll give it back to you. Now, Granger, we don't have a lot of time. Let's move," Malfoy emphasized the last word loudly.

"Fat chance," Hermione argued. She took three large steps back away from him, closed her eyes briefly, and said with her arm outstretched, "Accio Hermione's Verisaterum!"

Hermione's hand glowed a brilliant blue as she stood staring at Malfoy, never breaking eye contact with him. It wasn't until a few minutes later when the bottle of Hermione's Verisaterum broke through on the main entry windows that Hermione looked away from Malfoy.

"Nice one, Granger. Now that the window's broken, everyone will know that someone has been here!" Malfoy yelled angrily. "Moody was already paranoid enough about this place!" He pointedly ignored the fact that Hermione had performed magic that he had never before witnessed in his life.

"And that matters to me because…? Wait, how did you know that Moody had been here?" Hermione asked as she uncorked the vial that contained the Veritaserum.

Malfoy merely shrugged, folded his arms and smirked at her.

"Sit down, and drink this," Hermione said forcefully, as she walked toward him.

"Granger! We don't have time for this! Not only for your precious little Order, but Death Eaters as well! We have to move!" Malfoy yelled, stepping towards the fireplace and waving his hands in frustration.

"I don't care. You either drink this right now and let me ask my questions, or it will be Azkaban for you, Malfoy!" Hermione yelled back.

I can't believe that I've actually sat here this long anyway. Malfoy should be in Azkaban! Curse my insatiable curiosity…

Malfoy did nothing but stare at her. They were both only inches apart from each other. Hermione could feel his heavy breathing on her face. "Fine," he said smugly.

"What?" Hermione asked. This was not what she expected to happen. Malfoy was supposed to tell her that he wouldn't do it, that she should go to hell, and then she was supposed to cart his sorry arse off to Azkaban. This definitely wasn't in the cards.

"You heard me, Granger. Just hurry, okay? We really have to get out of here," He added nervously as he sat in the arm chair.

Hermione just stood there. Several feet in front of him, holding the bottle of Verisaterum and stared at his face.

Is he being serious? He's going to willingly take Verisaterum? That means that he's telling…the truth…

"Don't just stand there like we have all day, Granger! Hurry! Let's do this. Ask your questions so that we can get the hell out of here!" He yelled angrily.

Hermione seemed to snap out of whatever it was that she was actually "in", and walked stupidly towards Malfoy with an odd expression on her face. She couldn't believe it. His eyes met hers, silently begging her to get on with it, and so she emptied the vial in his mouth.

Malfoy sat silently for a moment, smacking his lips together as he downed the rest of the Veritaserum.

"This stuff tastes foul," He said, honestly.

Hermione continued to sit in silence, as Malfoy started at her expectantly. Finally, gaining some nerve, she stood directly in front of him and spoke.

"Tell me your name," She demanded.

It was always best to begin with the starter questions, to make sure the serum was working properly.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy."

"How old are you?" she asked.

"Twenty-four."

"Who was your least favorite person at Hogwarts?" she questioned, curious to know.

"Potter."

Hermione had figured that it would be either between herself or Harry. But still, she couldn't believe that she found herself in this position…questioning Draco Malfoy by means of Verisaterum! She would learn the whole truth of everything that had really happened! And as she silently regarded Malfoy, she truly noticed him for the first time since everything began.

He was tall. She was quite tall herself, for a witch, but Malfoy was like…Ron tall. And when they had stood apart, minutes before in their raging argument, he had towered over her. He also wasn't the scrawny wizard that she remembered punching at Hogwarts. He was really quite…built. And just like at Hogwarts, he still had his handsome, albeit, smirking face.

She visibly shook her head as she returned to her questioning.

"What happened the night Dumbledore was murdered?"

And he told her, almost word for word, exactly what he said had happened earlier that evening.

Hermione was stunned.

"How do you know that Dumbledore was dying?"

"I saw one of Snape's memories. His blackened arm was killing him slowly. It would have taken months to reach his heart," he replied.

"How do you know about Horcruxes?"

"Snape. He wants them all destroyed as well. He still beats himself up over Dumbledore. Dumbledore was the only person who actually really cared about him. It killed Snape to do it."

Hermione stood dumfounded. It killed Snape to murder Dumbledore? Can it be?

"Do you want to destroy the Horcruxes and in turn, Voldemort?"

"Yes."

"Tell me about the Unbreakable Vows," Hermione demanded.

And almost verbatim, Malfoy reiterated the story of the Unbreakable Vows that he recited earlier.

Hermione sat down on the couch. She had to. She was stunned.

Malfoy was telling the truth. He wants to help destroy Voldemort.

She massaged her temples before continuing.

"Do you hate me?"

"No."

"Then why did you treat me like that back at school?"

"My Father. Everything with him is pure blood or scum."

"And do you care about blood?"

"Not any more. When we die, we all bleed the same, Hermione."

It was the use of her name, more than anything that evening, sent shockwaves down her spine. Was she in some kind of alternate reality? Can this really be happening?

"Why do you hate your father?"

He had never actually told Hermione that he hated him, but the manner in which Malfoy regarded his father tonight seemed to indicate the reason she questioned him.

"He loves the Dark Lord. He wanted me to be his perfect little Death Eater. I never wanted it. I was too scared of the Dark Lord and my father to rebel or question anything he said. If I ever did, I paid for it."

"Is that why you became a Death Eater?" Hermione asked, quietly.

"Yes, that and the Dark Lord threatened to kill and ravage my mother."

"Oh."

Malfoy said nothing, but looked at her intently. And in that moment, Hermione couldn't help herself.

"Do you think…that I'm…pretty?"

She wasn't sure why she asked it. But there it was, out on the table.

Malfoy quirked an eyebrow, "That's not playing fair Granger."

She waited for the serum.

"Yes, I do," he said quietly.

Almost as soon as he had finished, there was a rapid pounding on the front door, and Hermione heard several voices in succession.

Malfoy jumped to his feet and grabbed her arm, "Happy Granger? Had to cut it to the last minute?"

"Are those Death Eaters or Order Members?" she asked, mostly to herself, as Malfoy was hurrying her down the hall toward the ballroom.

"Neither are good, but Death Eaters would be worse, I'm afraid," he answered. His voice seemed shaky.

"Do I have your word, Granger? Now that you're satisfied with my answers, do I have your word that you will help me, that you won't betray me?" Malfoy asked. There was a slight tremble in his voice that made it seem almost as if he was begging.

Explosions were going off at the entrance of the house and then…more shouting.

"Is he here?" One shouted.

"Find the blood traitor!" Shouted another.

Definitely Death Eaters.

Hermione looked up at Malfoy and saw fear in his eyes.

"You have my word," she said firmly.

It was the first smile that Hermione had ever seen on Malfoy. And with that, he grabbed her arm, and they apparated.