Two weeks had passed since her confrontation with Ginny and neither of them spoke to the other again. After what had happened in Draco's room, the two of them had got closer, perhaps due to that secret they shared, and one night she woke up at the sound of his loud knocking.

Hermione didn't need to ask what was going on when she'd looked at him. His usual calm expression was twisted into a hard one and his grey eyes were darker than usual. Hermione had let him come in and both of them got back to sleep – or, at least, tried to – and decided, the next morning, they would exchange the key to each other's rooms so they wouldn't wake up the entire dungeon in the middle of the night, knocking. The Heads' room were charmed so only their owners could open it from the outside unless you had a key, so that was the only option.

When, a few days later, Hermione woke up from another nightmare terrified, she didn't hesitate. She took the key from her night-table and went straight to his room. She had slipped into his bed, careful not to wake him up, but she learned he was a light sleeper. It was almost absurd how two people who had done nothing but fight for years got so close because of the fears that kept resurfacing every night.

After a week or so, Hermione learned she could hate Ginny after all. The night before she had forgotten her key in Draco's room and he gave it back during Transfiguration. She had put it in her bag and, when she looked for it so she could put it back in its place, she only found a little piece of parchment in its place.

Remember the A.D. meetings? If you want it back, come tonight.

G.W.

And now here she was, heading to the Room of Requirement, while the staircases seemed to only enjoy moving when she was in a hurry. Once she got to the seventh floor, she only hesitated for a few seconds before knocking on the giant door that appeared in front of her.

She walked into the Gryffindor common room that night. Ginny, Luna and Neville, plus Seamus Finnigan and Hannah Abbott were sitting on the sofas.

Hermione looked around and then turned to face Ginny. "Creative much? Don't think I don't know what you want, Ginny. I'll give you three answers, then I want my key back." She sat in an armchair and crossed her legs beneath her.

"Only three?" Neville frowned.

Hermione's eyes wandered around the familiar room. "I thought about it and there are three things you need to know if you want to win the war," she coldly smiled and her eye caught the only thing that was out of place. "Zabini, get out of there. If you want to vanish, just say the word, but I'm not sharing the merit with that Cabinet."

The boy got out and snorted, "Merlin, how do you do that?"

"You keep on forgetting, don't you? Why didn't you tell them I already know about you?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. Something wasn't right with him. "Actually, don't tell me," Hermione reconsidered. "I don't care and I certainly don't have time." Blaise rolled his eyes and sat next to his girlfriend. "So, three answers with the truthfulness of Veritaserum."

"How can we be sure?" Seamus asked.

"I want my key back," Hermione stated as if weren't obvious.

"What does it open?" Ginny inquired and she landed her eyes on her as she raised the bronze key.

"Is this your first question? The answer is less helpful than you think."

"Yes, it's my first question."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Malfoy's bedroom door," she smirked, aware of how it looked. There was no way she'd tell them about her nightmares. As a Death Eater, she was supposed to adore the Dark Lord, if anything. Ginny already thought they were shagging – as she had so elegantly put it. "The Heads' rooms have their own magic and you can only unlock them if you're the owner or if you have the key. We can go and check, if you don't believe me."

"No, thank you. Why did you join them?" Ginny nodded at the black Mark on her arm.

"Ron said his name," she sighed, remembering the day. "With the taboo, the Snatchers popped up and we couldn't find a way out, so they took us to Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix called the Dark Lord and he killed Harry right away. Then he saw me and asked Draco who I was. He told him but the Dark Lord was surprised by the fact I was such a great witch despite my blood, so he decided I would be useful in his pretty little war. That way I could use my magic for the right reasons, as a Death Eater. He did give me a choice, though. Either take the Mark and live, or give Ron to Bellatrix and die." They all visibly tensed up. Some looked away, other kept their eyes straight on her. "So I condemned Ron to a quick, painless death."

Hermione cleared her throat and looked up at Ginny.

"Why didn't you leave?" She just asked.

That took her by surprise. "Is this your last question?" Ginny nodded. "Well, it doesn't work like that. My mind is forever linked to his. He'd know where I am as soon as he realized I left in the first place. Not to mention what would come after that."

"What would that be?" Luna asked, her voice as dreamy as usual. She looked completely unbothered by everything she'd said.

"Do you think he gives a prize to every Death Eater who to disobeys an order, Luna?"

"Do you mean the Cruciatus Curse?"

"Hell, sometimes I wish it was the Cruciatus," she murmured. Neville frowned but motioned for her to continue, although visibly uncomfortable. "Has Harry ever told you why Dumbledore was so weak, the night Snape killed him?" When Ginny nodded again, she continued, "The damn potion is like his favorite toy. It feels like going mad, only worse. Whatever can happen to those you love, whether they're dead or alive, you see it. It's not like hallucinations or daydreaming, because deep down you know those are not real. But you drink that potion and you don't even distinguish the dead from the living anymore, you just know it's real."

The room was dead silent. Hermione took a deep breath and stretched her arm towards Ginny. "I'd like to have my key back, if you don't mind."

Ginny handed it back to her and, once she had it again, she put it in her pocket.

"Why did you do this? You could have had a copy done."

"The rooms have their own magic. It would be kind of pointless if anyone could get a copy of the keys." Hermione shook her head and watched every person in the room. "I can't believe you wasted your chance," she laughed, unamused.

She got up and left the room before anyone could stop her, or say anything more. Hermione closed the door of the Room of Requirement behind her and rushed to the dungeons. Her day was becoming absurd. She managed to get to her room without being spotted past curfew by Filch and avoid Peeves. Once she opened her bedroom door, she was surprised to see Malfoy sitting on her bed with his elbows resting on his knees.

"What happened?" She was almost afraid to ask.

"Where were you?" He glanced at her. He looked… upset.

"It's a long story," she sighed and took her pajamas, heading to the bathroom. Except you couldn't just impose a decision on a Malfoy, because he'll make sure to show you his dismay and completely ignore it. Draco followed her to the bathroom and left the door open behind him, staring at her. "I have time."

She rolled her eyes, "Can you at least turn around?" He did it. "Ginny took my key, this morning, in class. I got it back."

"I guess she didn't hand it over for free," he murmured.

"No, she wanted answers." When she saw he was about to turn around, she covered her breast with the top piece of the pajamas. "Don't turn around!"

"Sorry. Well, what did she ask?" He sounded quite impatient.

"Nothing relevant."

"So she gave you back the key?" He looked at her in a way Hermione couldn't decipher.

"Yes, sorry I lost it, I won't let it happen again." She was suddenly feeling guilty about it.

"It's fine," he simply said and made a move to leave, but Hermione took his hand, stopping him.

"Stay."

He just nodded, when a loud knocking made them both jump. Hermione cleared her throat and opened the door. Snape was waiting for her, holding a small parchment.

"This came for you from the Dark Lord," he looked at Draco on her bed and made a face, "I need an answer by tomorrow morning."

"Of course," she murmured, but he was already long gone.

As she closed the door, she opened the parchment, shaking, and read the black words on it.

"Granger?" he heard Draco ask, but she couldn't find the voice to answer, still staring at the few lined the Lord had written instead.

Draco stood up and reached her, stopping right behind her so he could read the message. He sighed as he finished reading and put a hand on her shoulder. "You can say no."

She shook her head and a sob broke from her lips. "Will you go with me?"

He nodded.

Draco had to dress like a Muggle, with a plain black t-shirt and jeans she had Transfigured for him and was now waiting for Granger in the common room. She had thrown the basics in her charmed bag, while Draco only took his wand with him.

"We can go," she murmured approaching him.

As they crossed the common room, basically everyone was looking at them. Besides being them, they were the only ones not wearing the school uniform or robes, so the attention was expected.

"Wait a second, where are you two going dressed like that?" Daphne asked, appearing in front of them.

"New orders," he just answered and rested an arm on Granger's shoulders. Everyone thought they were off to kill someone anyway, might as well put up a little show.

"Nothing to worry about," she added, "It'll be easy."

Plus, he had seen Ginny Weasley getting closer and, apparently, so had Hermione. Her voice was a little louder, but not enough to sound fake.

He got what crossed her mind and refrained from smirking, "Yeah, a shame he wants them alive."

Daphne chuckled, looking at his arm around her, then at the little audience they had, and hugged her, while Theo only wished them good luck. She eyed Ginny, the little snake, and smiled, "Have fun!"

Hermione visibly held back a laugh, and Draco finally looked at the Weaslette with a smirk. "Oh, we most certainly will."

When they were out of the dungeons, he laughed and put his arm down.

"Quite a scene, huh?" Hermione laughed.

"Nothing will happen to them, Granger," he reasoned. "He can't afford to lose you."

Dumbledore was noticeably surprised to see them together when they entered Snape's office. Clearly, the new Headmaster hadn't spilled all the details.

"I suppose the two of you being here together means no?" He half asked. Still, he paid no more attention to them than he would to Hermione's raised hand in one of his classes.

"Actually, it's a yes. But I won't leave without him."

"And does the Dark Lord know about this?"

"The Dark Lord ordered me to help her and that's exactly what I'm doing," Draco answered. Snape finally looked at them. "We need to Floo to the Australian Ministry and we can only do that from here."

"Go, then. And don't be out more than necessary." He got back to his writing and waved them away.

Once out of the Floo, in Australia, Hermione and Draco left the Ministry with no problems. Draco, on the other hand, had been wary during the whole time, looking around suspiciously and making her nervous as well, although she knew there was absolutely no need to be. After they finally found an alley they could Disapparate from, Hermione walked to the front door of the building she knew her parents lived in, took the lift – with some complaining on Draco's side – and stopped at the sixth floor.

She knocked and her mother opened the door.

Merely a month later, snow fell on Hogwarts. They had managed to return just in time to meet the new Dark Arts professor. They hadn't been able to attend that class up to that point because no one wanted the job, seeing the track record of Hogwarts DA professors.

After hearing the first "Hem, hem," Hermione hoped with every cell of her body that Dolores Umbridge was not there. She had soon learnt that class was entirely formed by Gryffindor and Slytherin seventh-years. Professor Umbridge didn't quite seem to understand her role in the war, as she continued to treat her with the same sweet disgust as ever.

Her mood had improved since Australia, though, as her parents decided to stay there, because they couldn't just, "Drop everything and move back to London from day to night." They would meet the Dark Lord another time, they said.

Hermione suspected they were doing that for her, to protect her from any repercussion over them. Plus, Muggles had a history of wars meant to "preserve the purity of the race," and they weren't quite fond of any of them.

On Friday afternoon, Daphne had earned her first ever detention and Professor Umbridge's detentions were all but nice. Everyone would have preferred to help Lockhart answer his fans, plant Mandrakes for professor Sprout, or even reorganize Snape's ingredients room.

However, after Dolores Umbridge spotted Pansy and Daphne chatting while they were supposed to silently read the assigned chapters, the latter came back in the common room with her hand bleeding and an open scar that said, "I must not speak during class." No one understood why Pansy Parkinson didn't even get a scolding over it.

The moment Hermione saw Daphne cry – Daphne, the only one who had stood by her side and befriended her when she'd become a Death Eater, with no regards for her blood – she decided she had to do something about it. So, as she was leaving for dinner with Theo and Draco, Hermione let a note fall on Ginny's lap.

D.A. tonight. Burn this.

H.

That night the Room of Requirement was the Gryffindor common room again, with Ginny and Neville waiting for her inside.

"I'll make this quick," she started, "If only a word about this gets out of here, I will find you, and it won't be nice. Do you understand?"

Ginny and Neville looked at one another and nodded.

"What is this about?"

"Umbridge. You may not care, but Daphne's my friend, and having that woman out of here will be a win for everyone. You in?"

"Depends," Neville leaned forward.

"You will only have to confirm she's on your side, if needed, nothing more. You're not risking your life, your rebellion was never a secret, but, if anything goes wrong, Blaise and Luna have to stay out of this, or they will find out I helped them and I'm not getting punished for you. I'll deal with the rest."

The two of them looked at each other, then at Ginny's hand, that was basically still an open wound.

"We're in."

Hermione smirked – probably Malfoy's influence – and left, heading to Snape's office, where she entered without even knocking. The Headmaster was studying an oddly colored vile and raised his eyes as soon as she stepped into the room.

"Knocking is a sign of civility even among Muggles, I'm sure."

"Dolores Umbridge has to go." She closed the door behind her and sat in an armchair near the desk.

"And how do you plan on getting that done? I'm not disobeying an order for your whims." He merely looked at her and stared back at his vile.

"It's not a whim!" She burst. "The witch does nothing but create more and more troubles and the Ministry is already under the Dark Lord's control, we don't need her here."

"So?" He asked, unimpressed.

"So I could hint that she works for the Order and, with such an accusation, she wouldn't live long enough to even know who did it."

Severus Snape finally put the vile down and looked at her. "Dolores Umbridge hated Harry Potter, their past isn't obscure to the Dark Lord."

Hermione smiled, "Still, you weren't a fan of Harry's yourself, nonetheless you are a member of the Order."

Snape raised his eyebrows.

"Severus, I told you she knew. She wouldn't have sold us out otherwise," Dumbledore said from his portrait.

"On the contrary. I eavesdropped, or else I would have never imagined he was a spy. Thank you very much, by the way, it's quite the leverage." She turned back to the Headmaster, "So, you'll say you saw them leave the Room of Requirement with me, or I will tell him your little secret. I'd kill two birds with one stone."

She leaned into the armchair and ignored Snape's comment on threatening the Headmaster.

"How will you justify us being on the seventh floor this late?"

Hermione shrugged, "The stairs like to move."

She put up her left sleeve and touched the Mark with her wand. The burning was immediate. The Dark Lord arrived mere moments later.

"I am sorry to bother you, my Lord, but I have some important news for you."

Hermione saw his red eyes brighten up at her words and refrained herself from smiling.

"Continue, Hermione."

"I met the Headmaster in the hallways by chance, while I was coming here to discuss some Heads business, but the stairs like to move and we ended up on the seventh floor, where we saw Professor Umbridge."

"And?" He sat in the other armchair and stared at her.

"Well, she was leaving the Room of Requirements with Ginevra Weasley and Neville Longbottom, among others. It was the same group that formed Dumbledore's Army in fifth year, so I thought it was suspicious. They were talking about a spell but I've never read of it anywhere."

Anger made its way on the Dark Lord's features and that was the moment Hermione knew she'd won. Now the hard time was going to be compelling him into not killing the students. She looked at Snape and hoped he'd do his part.

"Severus, why were you in the hallways this late?" The Dark Lord asked and turned to look at him.

"Peeves was planning on filling up the Great Hall ceiling with charmed buckets that would have us all soaked up tomorrow morning, I was looking for the Bloody Baron. As I am sure you remember, my Lord, he's the only one who has a hold on Peeves."

"Of course, that little poltergeist," he murmured, and there was a sort of amused look on his face.

"If I may, my Lord, I don't think it would be wise to kill the students involved in this. Their behavior is well known, and I wouldn't worry too much about some children, they are nothing without Harry Potter. A good punishment, that's what they need." Snape was emotionless, as usual. Of course, he was thrilled at the mere idea of punishing Ginny and Neville, and his voice was giving away a certain amusement.

"What kind of punishment?"

"I seem to understand Professor Sprout has a little issue with some carnivore slugs and I happen to have finished my reserve of desiccated slobber. I think that will be enough to make sure they won't try anything again."

The Dark Lord nodded absently, as if he didn't really care what happened to the students, as long as he had the traitor in his hands.

"Dolores Umbridge has deeply disappointed me," he sighed, not sounding anywhere near hurt, "Bellatrix will deal with her."

"Will you kill her, my Lord?" Hermione asked, trying not to sound too eager. Just to make sure.

"That I can assure you. Thank you, my dear, once again you have proven yourself an excellent Death Eater. My bests to Mr Malfoy as well."

As Hermione nodded, feeling quite proud of herself, the Dark Lord stood up and disappeared without a word more.

Finally, she let a chuckle slip through her lips. It had been ridiculously easier than expected. She wondered for a brief second what Umbridge could have possibly done to make the Dark Lord question her loyalty so much he'd believe her without a hint of doubt. She got up as well and waved at Snape goodbye, but his voice stopped her.

"The Slytherins' company has done you good, Miss Granger. If you were in my House and a Pureblood and if it wasn't me who you've just threatened, I would almost be proud."

Hermione blinked a few times, then blurted out a sort of thanking and left. What in Merlin's name was that? She shook her head and headed to the secret passage she knew would lead her straight to the portrait near the Great Hall entrance, then proceeded towards the dungeons and stopped by Daphne's room to give her the news.

"How's your hand?" She asked.

"Better, thanks. How did it go?" Hermione had told her about her plan before she put it in action, just in case.

"Perfectly. The matter is going straight to Bellatrix's hands," Hermione smiled. Dolores Umbridge would no longer be a problem for anyone.