A/N- Thank you all for being so patient while I was neglectful and focussed on my studies. I've taken a break from school today, or perhaps it could be called wagging the school Athletics carnival, and have finished this chapter for you. I hope it's long enough to tide you over until the final installment. That's right, if all goes well, there's only one more chapter to follow. But for now, read this one and please tell me what you think.

Chapter Twenty Six – Preparations.

Hermione exited the Great Hall after completing the practical part of her Charms exam. It was Thursday afternoon, and she had to cram up on her studies for her DADA exam the next day, before she went to the cabin with Draco that night.

As she walked out the doors, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and was pulled against someone from behind. Suddenly she felt someone's breath in her ear as they whispered, "You failed, didn't you?"

She smiled and leaned against the figure behind her. "Yes. There was no way for me to avoid it. I'm prone to failure."

"I've always known that about you, but it's nice to hear you say it." Hermione turned around to face Draco, who continued, "Another thing that I've always known about you is that you're very advanced in being a bitch. Admit that, and you're on your way to recovery."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him and cleared her throat in an unimpressed manner.

"What?" He asked, then he gasped dramatically. "Oh, gosh! Did I call you a bitch? Because you know that I meant to say witch."

"Of course I do." Hermione said in an unconvinced tone. "I also know that you're a-" Draco cut her off by kissing her lips, then by placing a silencing finger over them when he pulled away. "I can probably guess the gist of what you're going to say, and I don't think I need to hear it."

Hermione smiled and let him lead her away from the Great Hall and out into the sunshine. She breathed in deeply and raised her face up to the clear sky. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Draco watched her with a strange expression and reached out to touch her neck with a few fingers. She lowered her face and his hand cupped her chin, which made her smile softly at him. "Yes," he said quietly, looking in to her eyes. "It is beautiful."

Hermione lowered her eyes for a moment before looking back up at him with a slight blush on her cheeks. When Draco noticed this he smiled, and commented, "I didn't know I could still do that to you."

"Depends on the moment." She replied, and kissed him on the cheek. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her, trying not to think of what the next day would bring. His tension must have shown through his body language, because Hermione shifted slightly and she spoke to him from where her head rested on his shoulder. "Don't fear it. What has to happen, will happen. There's nothing we can do about it. We're as prepared as we can be, all we have to do is stand strong."

Draco kissed to top of her head and hugged her tighter. "I can't help fear it." he replied. "Not because I'll be seeing him again, but because you'll be there."

"Am I that scary?" Hermione asked him sarcastically.

"No." he said seriously. "But the thought of losing you is."

"Draco." Hermione's voice became firm and she pulled away from him. "I don't know how many times we have to go through this. You are not going to lose me. Do you think I'm so weak that I can't defend myself? You don't fear dying yourself, because you're so strong and experienced, but me, well I wouldn't have a clue how to fend for myself-"

"Don't you dare try turn this in to me thinking you are weaker than me." Draco raised his voice in warning and a scowl began to creep over his face. "You know that I'm just scared about losing you. Surely it's natural to fear the loss of the one we love."

"It is natural." Hermione said, her voice also raising. "But it's not natural to dwell on it. Get over it Draco, you have to, or it will consume you. I'd prefer you to fear Voldemort than to fear losing me. Do you want to know why?"

"Why?" he demanded angrily, though he didn't want to hear it.

"Because he'll know Draco!" She yelled, unable to control her temper, which had risen unexpectedly. "He will be able to feel it the moment you walk in the room! If you don't want to lose me, then help me by not fearing it. If Voldemort knows what you fear most, he'll go out of his way to make it happen. Do you want to know something Draco? I don't want to die either. It goes without saying that I would give my own life so you could have yours, but I would still feel a little disappointed to die before my life with you had even begun. And to tell you the truth, hearing you talk about how much you don't want to lose me is making me feel a little pessimistic about my future."

Draco's expression was stormy, his jaw was clenching and he looked as if he wanted nothing more than to perform an act of violence, just to make himself feel better. He glared at Hermione, and she could see that although his exterior showed he was pissed at being yelled at like that, his eyes were almost hurt.

Hermione stared back at Draco, daring him to contradict what she had just said, but he didn't. She sighed in frustration and sat down on the grass, staring unseeingly at the Great Lake. Draco ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his eyes. He was unsure of what to do. He wanted to stay with Hermione, but didn't know if she wanted him to leave.

"Come and sit here, Draco." She said quietly without turning around. He moved over, and sat next to her on the grass, leaving a little bit of distance between them. Hermione continued to look at the lake, but said to him, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. My stresses are high, and I'm not good at controlling them. I shouldn't take it out on you."

He nodded, but didn't reply. Hermione cast him a sidelong glance, then shifted so she was lying on the grass with her head in his lap. She gazed up at him and he looked warily down at her. She frowned at him, and asked "What now?"

"Nothing much. I'm just worried that if you get annoyed at me again, from your vantage point you might bite me and I think that if you choose the closest area, I might get seriously hurt." He told her. "So I was just wondering how far away Madam Pomfrey is, and how I would explain the situation I was in to be bitten in such a place."

After a few moments of silence, Hermione started laughing. Draco smirked slightly, but couldn't really find such a situation amusing. When Hermione didn't stop laughing, he said, "It's really not funny Hermione."

"Yes it is." She managed between peals of laughter. "I can just imagine Madam Pomfrey's face." Then Hermione began speaking like Madam Pomfrey, "'Well, what have you done there Mister Malfoy? I'm sorry, I don't do enlargement charms, we must all live with the way we are, not the way we want to be.'"

Draco clamped his hand over Hermione's mouth and stared at her in shock. "You surprise me sometimes, Hermione. Such a sweet thing, no one would ever guess it."

She giggled mischievously and kissed the palm of his hand. He removed it slowly and smiled down at her. "I'm sorry I've been worrying about tomorrow. I never thought of Voldemort knowing what I fear. I didn't realize that I would be putting you in danger by worrying about you being in danger. Does that make sense?"

"Probably not to anyone else, but I know what you're saying." Hermione said. For a few minutes they sat in silence, thinking their own thoughts. Then Hermione sighed, "I'd better get back to the castle and study for DADA tomorrow, seeing as I won't have any time tonight."

Draco nodded, and waited for her to sit up before standing and offering his hand to her. She took it and he helped her up, then they waked back to the castle. They went their separate ways in the Entrance Hall, Draco to the Slytherin common room and Hermione to the Gryffindor.

Draco, although Hermione had told him quite firmly to do otherwise, continued to worry about her. Voldemort was dangerous, and Hermione had never been confronted with him before. What if she didn't know how to respond to his presence? What if she froze up and could not speak her spell? Even one moment's hesitation might be all Voldemort needs to finish her. She's too valuable to have to do such a thing, but she's one of the only people who even have a chance of succeeding, Draco thought. He sighed and resigned himself to the fact that he would, in fact, have to get over it. In approximately 24 hours. He sighed again and began wondering about his acting abilities, and how convincing he could be. Not only to Voldemort, but in front of Hermione as well.

"I'll see you guys in the morning." Hermione said to Harry and Ron later that night, as she stood to go up to her dorm.

Ron looked up at her from where he sat with Harry, discussing something about Dark Arts. DADA was his favorite subject, so he was determined to learn as much as he could from Harry. Naturally he had left this quest for knowledge to the eve before the DADA exam, instead of attempting to learn it all through the year, but at least he was showing interest. "Are you tired already, Hermione?"

"Not really." She replied with a slight smile.

"Oh." Said Harry knowingly. "So if we send Ginny up into your dorm in a few minutes, there's the possibility that she won't be able to find you?"

"That is a possibility, yes." Hermione agreed.

Ron looked at Hermione, then at Harry. "So, basically, you're going up to your dorm, then you'll go somewhere with Draco."

"Basically."

"But you won't tell us where you're going, or how you plan to get there from up in your dorm, without a broom and an open window?" Ron questioned.

"Exactly right." She smiled, and they smiled back at her and shook their heads. "I'll tell you later though."

"Oh really?" Ron asked. "And when exactly is this 'later' going to be?"

"If all goes well, Saturday." She replied simply.

Harry frowned and half-stood from his chair. "Saturday? As in, not tomorrow but the day after?"

"When the present time is Thursday, that's what Saturday usually means, yes." Hermione said, looking at him steadily, as if to say 'don't you say anything in front of Ron. He doesn't know I'm going to be in any danger, and you're not going to change that.'

Harry sat down again after holding Hermione's eyes for a few seconds. "Oh."

"What's the big deal about Saturday?" Ron questioned curiously.

"Uh…I was going to practice Quidditch, but it seems that might have to wait for Hermione's explanation." Harry said, though he was still frowning. Hermione knew that he was wondering what her plans were, to have everything over by Saturday. That would mean she would be facing Voldemort within the next 2 days. But he obviously knew he could do nothing about it, because all he said was, "Have a good night, then."

"Thanks." She said and walked up to her dorm. She took only a few minutes to gather everything that she would be taking, then she touched her amulet and appeared in the clearing near the cabin. She sighed and looked around, taking in the soft moonlight and the smooth ripples that covered the surface of the lake.

"Admiring the scenery?" Draco's voice sounded from the tree line.

"Just had to build up my supplies of beautiful images before I could face looking at you." Hermione said, turning to greet him with a smile.

"We do have a strange relationship, my love." Draco said, placing an arm about her shoulders and leading her towards the cabin. "You insult me any chance you get, yet you maintain that you love me. I really don't know what to do."

"Agree with everything I say." Hermione suggested.

"Ok, that's one of the few things I know not to do." He told her, jabbing her in the ribs with a finger. "Or else one day I may find myself agreeing that I'm an oven baked onion with springy hairs and a smelly inside."

"Why would I call you that?" Hermione asked, opening the door to the cabin and stepping inside.

"I don't know. But I don't know why you say most of the things you do." Draco said, also stepping in and closing the door behind him.

Hermione put the things she had gathered from her dorm on the table and sat down. She yawned widely and then blinked at Draco in a tired manner. "I'm sleepy."

"You can sleep all you want on Saturday." Draco told her, causing her to slump. "Now, what have you brought?"

Hermione picked up a folded piece of parchment. "This is my written spell. I'll speak it once he's been Weakened. Have you got the potion ready? For Credere, I mean?"

"Sure have." Draco replied. "It's been sitting in the corner for weeks. It should be incredibly strong by now. I hope Credere will last."

"I'm sure she will. How about the potion to counteract the eternal powers of Unicorn blood? Have you mixed the Glowing Oak sap with the dishwashing detergent?"

"Just this afternoon, actually." He informed her, pointing to a few vials on the bench, full of brownish liquid. "Those bloody trees screamed like hell when I cut them open to collect the sap. They just wouldn't shut up. I felt like chopping one down completely to kill it so it would stop yelling."

"You didn't though, did you?" Hermione asked him.

"Of course not." He said. "I knew you would kill me if I did."

"You know me well." She commented, then she looked around. "Where's the journal?"

"I could only imagine that it's on the bookshelf. I haven't moved it from there in a while. I suppose there must be something else in it by now." He walked over to the bookshelf and rummaged around for a few moments, before making a triumphant grunt and holding up a small maroon journal. "I am so good." He commented himself quietly, smirking and nodding his head.

Hermione raised her eyebrows and stared at him. He sat down opposite her, still smirking to himself over his wondrous discovery of the journal. He looked up at her and went still. "What?"

"Don't you dare come near me."

He pulled back from her slightly, alarmed. "Excuse me?"

"Don't come near me." Hermione repeated. "With a head that big, you're bound to knock me out, and I don't feel particularly partial to a concussion right about now. Although you wouldn't have to worry about anything like that, your head's so thick it would protect you from such an injury."

Draco sat staring at her for a few moments, then he laughed. "Ouch. That one hurt."

Hermione smiled and took the journal from him. Flipping it open, she turned the pages until she reached a page that had new writing. "So they have another message for us." She commented.

"What does it say?"

"Draco is stupid and needs to be whacked on the head by a large cauldron." Hermione said, looking up from the journal and glancing around the room. "Is there a cauldron in here, darling?"

"Uh…no." He replied, staring at the cauldron in the corner, which contained the Weakness potion he had made several weeks previously. "None at all."

Hermione smiled at him, and looked back to the journal. "It says,

'Hermione and Draco,

I do hope neither of you two are nervous about tomorrow, because Esmerelda and I seem to have the nerve side of this confrontation covered. I think Esmerelda is being sick in the lavatory at this precise moment. Poor dear. Now, getting down to business. You have everything prepared for the confrontation. Make sure you keep a sharp eye for evil around Hogwarts tomorrow. You don't want anyone to capture you by surprise, when you're not ready for them.

Your creature will be loyal during the confrontation, but she will be very scared, so you must remain supportive. She will go knowing it will be her death, so try to be sensitive.

There really is nothing much for me to say to you at this time, except you both have our love and blessings. You have done us proud, and we wish we were alive to see you.

Good luck, Derek.

P.S. Take this journal with you.'"

Draco looked at Hermione and shrugged. "It's what I expected."

She nodded. "Me too. We'd better not forget this journal though. I don't know why we have to take it, but I suppose they wouldn't tell us unless it was important. Here." She handed him the journal.

Draco took it from her and slid it into his robe pocket. He patted the outside of his pocket twice, and said "There. All safe."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but glanced towards the door when it started to open. Draco stood and waited warily for a moment or two, but he sat back down when he saw that it was just Credere. Credere, in the form of Hermione.

"Good evening." Credere greeted them both with a smile, as she turned and closed the door behind her. "I am here."

"Yes, we see that." Draco said to her with raised eyebrows. "How are you feeling?"

"I am trying not to think about tomorrow." She replied, moving over to the couch and sitting down.

"Good idea. And after we have this quick discussion, you can go back to doing that." Hermione told her. "But we just have to make sure we all know what is going to happen tomorrow."

"Ok." Credere agreed, twisting around so she faced Draco and Hermione, who remained seated at the table.

"Well, Hermione and I were seen together in public, and one of my friends is ensuring that Voldemort hears about it." Draco explained. "He's already waited one day, he won't wait till the end of another before he captures us."

"Why will he capture you?" Credere asked curiously.

"Because, I am a Death Eater. One of his followers. He will hate it that I have been with a mudblood; in his opinion, one of the dirtiest creatures on this earth." Draco told her. "I'm sure we have until after our exam, because he wouldn't want the school to be alert of our absence. So, I'd say we have till just after lunch until they'll come to get us."

"I will come out here to the cabin to meet you when the sun is directly overhead." Hermione said. "Then I will take you to the castle, where you will change into me. Then, you can wait for the Death Eaters to capture you. We hope that it all goes according to plan, and if it doesn't, just do as much damage to them as you can."

"I understand." Credere said. "Meet here tomorrow. Go back to the castle with you. Wait. Then hope to see you soon after."

"That sounds about right." Hermione agreed. "I'll tell you more details tomorrow, but for now, just make sure I can find you if I need you."

"I will stay here tonight. I won't leave. I'll still be here when you come tomorrow. Is that good?" Credere asked.

Draco stared at Credere and then at Hermione. His eyes wandered over to the bed in the corner of the cabin, which had obviously been a part of his plans for that evening. Hermione glanced at him and he pouted slightly, and indicated to the bed questioningly. She sighed and took a few moments to think. Eventually she looked back at Draco and shrugged helplessly.

"Um…that sounds great to me." Hermione answered, turning to Credere with a smile. "We have two potions that we'll need you to take at different times tomorrow, but someone will be with you at both those times, so you don't have to remember. Just be willing to take it."

"I will be." Credere said, then she yawned. "I am tired."

Draco stood up, now a bit irritated. "We'll leave you to sleep then. I think we need to try and get some rest as well. I hope to see you tomorrow."

Hermione also stood and smiled. "Goodnight Credere. See you tomorrow."

"Yes. Goodnight both of you." Credere smiled and watched them as they took hold of their amulets and disappeared from the cabin. She sighed, lay down on the couch and tried to her best to sleep.

Hermione walked through the Gryffindor portrait hole and rubbed her eyes warily. She knew sleep would not be possible tonight, but she may as well try. She was half way across the room when she heard her name. "Hermione!" She turned and was startled when someone enfolded her in a tight hug.

"What the...?" she muttered. She pulled back and looked into her friend's face. "Harry? What's wrong?" she noted that he looked pale and was shaking slightly.

"I thought you were gone." He stated softly, and Hermione was shocked to see tears in his eyes.

"Harry. Tell me what's wrong." She demanded, and walked with him to the couch and sat down.

"I…was just getting ready for bed, when I was hit by a terrible pain in my scar. The last time it hurt that badly, was when Voldemort was angry. Very angry, Hermione. There's no doubt that he's angry again. I don't know how he found out, but I'm sure he's heard of Draco being less than loyal to him by being with you." Harry wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "I thought you two were gone. I thought you had both left to face him tonight, without telling anyone. Hermione, he was so angry, I thought I might never see you again."

With this finally being said, Harry sniffed once more as new tears started to squeeze out of his eyes, no matter how badly he wished to keep up a manly appearance. Hermione hugged him tight and kissed him on the cheek. "Harry, you silly boy. I told you when we were going to meet Voldemort. We're more prepared than that. He found out when we wanted him to. We don't think he'll come after us until after exams, or else the school will know that we are missing."

Harry leaned back into the couch and nodded. "So you expect to be taken sometime tomorrow after our DADA exam?"

"Yes." Hermione said. "At least that's what we hope."

Harry looked at her like she was crazy. "How can you hope to be taken hostage by Voldemort?"

"We have been preparing for this for months Harry." Hermione informed him. "It's our perfect way in to see him. We'd never be able to find him ourselves, so we may as well make it seem like he's got the upper hand by capturing us unawares. Then we'll fight."

"Hermione," Harry whined. "You're worrying me. I'm the one who deals with this sort of thing. Not very well, mind you, but I deal with it all the same. To be on the outside and not have a clue what is going on is not normal for me."

"It's the way things have to be, Harry."

"Do you need help with anything?" He asked her, now leaning forwards eagerly. "Anything at all? Please, give me something to do."

Hermione thought for a few minutes, then she looked up with a smile on her face. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial and another small object. Handing them over to Harry, she said, "Yes, there is a small task that you can do. It would help us a lot. Will you do it?"

"Of course."

"Shit." Ron's voice sounded from behind Hermione as the seventh years filed out of their final exam. "My last exam is over and I already know my results. Ruins the surprise, that does."

"And what are your results Ron?" Hermione asked over her shoulder, although she already knew what he was going to say. Pansy was walking next to Hermione, and she glanced back to hear Ron's reply.

"I already told you." He said. "Shit. On each exam paper will be the word 'shit.' I don't think there's any other term to describe it."

Pansy laughed and said, "I don't think that's an achievable score to receive on NEWT's. Though I suppose you could take the 'T' further, and call it Troll Shit. So I suppose you haven't been completely unsuccessful in your schooling. You managed to invent a grade that no one has ever achieved before."

Hermione smiled and Ron looked at Pansy in mild shock. "Uh…" he paused. "Thanks?"

Pansy smiled at him, said "No problem," and walked off to the Slytherin common room. Hermione made eye contact with Ron and raised an eyebrow. He flushed very slightly and began mumbling to himself about the many kinds of failure that he had managed to achieve in his lifetime. "Then there was the time Fred and George were playing Quidditch and I asked if I could play, when they finally said yes, I whacked the quaffle so hard it smashed mums bedroom window upstairs. All it took was a spell to fix, but she knew it was me and she yelled at me for at least five hours. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but it's what it felt like. I'm sure that could be called failure…"

"Or shit?" Harry suggested, also walking beside Hermione and Ron as they headed towards the Gryffindor common room. Ron nodded, but scowled when he realized he was being mocked.

"You two just don't understand." Ron said grumpily.

"Don't understand what?" Harry asked. "What it's like to wield the ability to complain so often it even wears thin on your own ears?"

Ron nudged Harry in the ribs. "Shut up. That's not funny."

"I'll shut up if you do, mate." Harry compromised.

"Yeah, whatever." Ron muttered. Hermione shook her head at Ron and his pessimism. Then her stomach lurched when she remembered what she was going to be doing in only a few hours. If all went well anyway. If things didn't go the way Draco and her hoped it would, by the end of the night, one or both of them would be dead.

Hermione paled and her walking became unsteady as they reached the portrait hole. Harry glanced over his shoulder at her as he waited for Ron to enter the tower. "Woa Hermione!" He exclaimed, and reached out to hold her shoulder with a steadying hand. "Are you ok?"

"Not really." She replied weakly. "Just realizing the facts."

"That your time has come?" Harry asked dryly.

"Exactly." She entered the Gryffindor tower and let Harry walk her towards the girls' dorm. "You will be here, won't you?"

"I won't move until you walk back down those stairs." Harry told her firmly. He pointed across the room to a large, empty armchair. "I'll sit there and watch the bottom of this staircase like a hawk."

"If you fall asleep, I'll kill you." Hermione threatened.

"I swear." Harry placed a hand over his heart. Then he leaned forward, wrapped an arm around Hermione and hugged her tight. As he pulled away, he gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek. At this, Hermione felt her lip begin to tremble. "There's no time for that, Hermione. They'll be here soon. Go quickly."

Hermione nodded, swallowing her tears, and trying to ignore the fact that she may never see her friend again. She rushed up the stairs and took hold of her amulet when she was sure Lavender and Parvarti weren't around, then pictured the clearing by the cabin. Moments later, she felt her feet lift off the ground and when she opened her eyes it was to the sight of a crystal clear lake and Glowing Oaks.

She moved quickly through the trees, and was soon opening the large wooden door to the cabin and stepping inside. "Credere?" she called.

"Yes Hermione. I am ready." Credere replied, standing up from the couch and approaching Hermione. "I am already in your form to save time. In fact, I stayed like this all night, just to save time."

"Well, the time has been saved." Hermione smiled slightly, as she grabbed a vial from the bench on one side of the cabin. "Before we go, you have to swallow this. I'm almost positive it will taste repulsive, but you have to try get it all down."

"Yes." Credere said, taking the vial from Hermione and attempting to remove the stopper. It came out with a pop and she raised the bottle to her mouth. Tipping it into her mouth, she began to swallow. Halfway through, she made a gurgling noise and her face screwed up in distaste. When she was finished, she made a run for the door.

Hermione followed her outside, where Credere knelt beside the river with her head submerged trying to rinse out the taste by drinking water. When she had removed as much of the foul tasting potion as she could, Credere stood up and faced Hermione. "What was that for? It better have been worthwhile."

"It was." Hermione nodded. "That potion was made to counteract the effects of your blood. Within the next half hour, your blood will no longer hold eternal powers." She crossed her fingers. "I hope it works."

Credere looked at Hermione's crossed fingers in confusion, then she held up her own hand and attempted to twist her own fingers. She found this task to difficult to complete, and her hand fell limp by her side. "What now?"

Hermione sighed. "Now, we go back to the castle, where you will wander and hopefully be taken by Voldemort's followers, Death Eaters."

"What does death taste like, I wonder?" Credere pondered to herself, as Hermione took hold of her arm with one hand and her amulet with the other.

"I'm not sure, but hopefully you'll never find out. I could only imagine it would be worse then that potion." Hermione smiled while Credere shuddered. "Now close your eyes for a moment, you might feel a little bit ill."

"Draco."

Draco heard his name called from the door of his dormitory. He ignored it, and continued to sit on the end of his bad and stare at his feet.

"Draco. What are you doing?"

He looked up slowly to see Pansy's troubled face watching him from across the room. "Go away. I'm busy." He then looked back down at his feet and continued to stare at them with a slump of his shoulders.

"Oh yes, I can see that. It must take a lot of concentration to state at your feet." She said sarcastically. "They grow as quickly as your head does, so I suppose there's quite a lot of foot to look at. Is it interesting? Can I have a go?"

Without waiting for a response, Pansy walked across the room and sat down next to Draco. She looked down at his feet and stared. After a few moments, she said, "Oh. Now I know why you find this so captivating." She looked up at him, and waited for him to raise his eyes to meet hers. Then she whacked him over the back of the head with her palm. "Because you're an idiot."

"What?" Draco exclaimed, for he had been expecting sympathy. "Why?"

"Draco." She said in frustration, and she looked out the window. "Let's go outside."

"Huh?" Draco made a noise of confusion. "Why do you want to go outside?"

Pansy shrugged and opened her mouth to respond, but for some reason no words came out. Draco watched her closely, and noticed when Pansy's face suddenly became scared. She looked over her shoulder and grabbed Draco's wrist tightly in her own. She leaned forward, and whispered in his ear.

"Because they're here for you."

"Now, you'll go directly down the stairs and enter a large room. When you walk into the large room, Harry, who you've met before, will come forward to meet you. Remember to act like me. All the people in this large room know me, and will find it suspicious if I've all of a sudden changed my character." Hermione explained to Credere as they stood alone in her dorm.

Credere nodded, her face rapt with attention. Hermione continued, "Harry knows what to do, and where to take you. Just follow him and you'll be ok. He has to give you the second potion, but you don't swallow this one. Let him give it to you, even though it might hurt a little." She paused and looked at Credere. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." Credere replied without even thinking about the question. "I have always been ready."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears and she hugged Credere tight. "Thank you so much. You're the bravest creature I have ever, and will ever meet. You're giving your life to save ours. You will be the reason Voldemort falls tonight."

"I will fall tonight too." Credere stated.

Hearing that, Hermione couldn't keep the tears from spilling over and running down her cheeks. She sobbed and raised a hand to cover her mouth. Credere watched her, but didn't know what to do. She said, "I did not say that to make you sad. I was just stating the facts. I am happy with the facts. They are how I wanted them to be. Now, I must go now, yes?"

Hermione nodded, unable to talk. She pointed to the door and watched Credere turn calmly, and leave the Gryffindor girls dormitory.

Harry sat staring at the staircase that led to Hermione's dorm. He didn't know how long Hermione would take, but however long it took, would be however long he sat and waited. In his wondering, he didn't notice the form of Hermione walk down the stairs until she paused at the foot of the stairs and look around the room nervously.

He jumped up and moved forward to meet her. "Hermione." He greeted her, knowing that it wasn't actually Hermione. "I've been waiting for you. Do you want to go for a walk outside?"

"Yes." Credere replied, taking Harry's arm that he extended towards her. "I like it outside."

Harry smiled and led her through the common room. As they were passing through the portrait hole, Harry heard from behind him, "Hey Hermione! Harry! Where are you both going?"

He called over his shoulder to Ron, "Just going to the library. Hermione wants to check an answer from the DADA exam. Do you want to come?"

That stopped him, Harry thought. Ron stopped walking towards them, and made a grunt of distaste just at the word 'exam.' He replied, "Oh. Have fun. I'm going to stay here and not go anywhere near books for the rest of my life, thank you very much."

"See you later Ron." Harry called back, and followed Credere through the portrait hole and out into the corridor. Harry led Credere through the castle and out onto the school grounds. He led her exactly where Hermione had instructed him to the night before.

Credere walked very steadily on her feet, and Harry wondered how an animal that was used to walking on four legs, accustomed itself to walking on only half that. Soon, they reached the edge of the forest and Harry looked into the trees, but couldn't see or feel anything close by.

He turned to Credere and pulled a vial and another small object out of his pocket. "Hermione, I have to give this to you. I've been told it will feel unpleasant for you. But you have to stay strong. Not for long, but until the end, remember your strength." He said the last bit as if he was reciting, and Credere knew that those words came from Hermione.

Credere nodded opened her mouth. But Harry shook his head. "I'm afraid this one isn't swallowed. It has to go directly into your bloodstream." He unstopped the bottle, and held up a small syringe.

Credere stared at the needle in apprehension. "What is that?"

"Nothing important." Harry told her. "Now if you could, please hold out your arm, but face the trees. Tell me what you see."

She took a few moments before she turned away from him and stared deep into the forest. Harry took Credere's extended just above the elbow, and held it firmly so she couldn't flinch away. Credere began describing what she saw, and Harry put the syringe into the vial and filled it with the Weakness Potion. Dropping the empty bottle to the ground, he made sure there was no air in the syringe, and carefully lined it up with one of Credere's veins.

Credere had trailed off, because there wasn't a whole lot to describe when all you could see were trees. Harry asked her a question to get her mind off the pricking feeling the needle made as it entered her arm gently. "So Hermione, what is your favorite thing?"

Credere closed her eyes tightly, and focused on the question the human had asked her. "My…my favorite thing?"

Harry agreed, "Yes. Please tell it to me." He had nearly completed injecting the Weakness Potion, but needed Credere to stay alert for him.

"My favorite thing is life." She replied, causing Harry to feel a pang in his heart. Hermione had told him that Credere wasn't going to live out the night. "Not my life, but all life. Anyone who seeks to destroy the thing I love, does not deserve to posses it."

Harry removed the needle from Credere's arm, and applied pressure to the point with two fingers. "All done." He told her, and Credere wilted slightly from relief.

"I don't like that." She told him, turning to face him. "It feels bad."

"I never liked it much either, but it was the only way Hermione could think of to get it directly into your blood." Harry said quietly, then he glanced over his shoulder at the castle. When he looked back at Credere, a movement in the trees caught his eye. "I have to go…it's nearly lunch."

Credere had seen his eyes dart behind her, and knew that they were there. As soon as Harry left, they would take her to wherever the Evil was. Just as the Weakness potion now flowed in her veins, a wave of determination washed over her. It would work. She would make sure of that.

"Ok Harry. I think I'll stay here for a few more minutes. I need to think a few things over. I'll meet you later on." Credere said, for the benefit of the Death Eaters in the forest than for anything else.

Harry nodded, and just before he turned to leave, he held her eyes and whispered, "Good luck."

Credere lowered her eyes in thanks, and when she looked up again, it was to the sight of Harry's retreating back. She waited for only a few minutes before wizards in masks surrounded her, with their wands pointing at her heart. Acting scared and confused, she took a step forward and shouted out, "Harry, help me!"

Even if he had heard, he would have ignored it. This was meant to happen. It was all part of the plan. It came as no surprise to Credere when she was hit by a curse in the chest that made her lose all control of her body. As the evil humans began leading her away, Credere watched the forest, her home, and thought, "So the end finally begins."

Hermione took hold of her amulet and tried to clear her thoughts. Breathing deep, she couldn't stop herself shaking or the tears that continued to stream down her face. She had never been this scared in her life. She was going to face the most evil wizard in the history of the world. With a spell, a lover and an animal to assist her. Things could have been better, but this is how they were.

She focussed on Draco. Pictured him in her mind, then thought about his mind. His beautiful mind, that loved her so much. Soon, she felt her feet life off the ground, and when she felt them touch down again, she was hit by a wave of sickness that threatened to escape through her mouth.

When she had calmed herself down enough to open her eyes and become aware of her surroundings, she realized that she was walking. She was outside, quite far from the castle, with the forbidden forest close by on her right. Pansy was walking next to her, talking very quietly and glancing into the trees with regularity.

"Dad says he's angry." Pansy whispered. "He told me not to go near you because they'll be coming for you. But the next owl he sent me was just after the exam, telling me to bring you outside, by yourself so they don't have to come into the castle to get you."

Hermione felt her mouth move as Draco replied. "You'd better go then."

"Be careful Draco." Pansy whispered, hugging him tightly. "I love you, please don't die."

"I'll try my best, but you have to go quickly before they get here. Go now." Draco told her, glancing into the forest, looking for trespassers. Pansy whimpered slightly, leaned forward and kissed him briefly on the lips.

"Goodbye Draco." She turned and ran off towards the castle, not once looking over her shoulder.

'Bittersweet goodbye.' Hermione commented dryly to Draco in his mind. He glanced around him, and peered into the trees, but saw no sign of Death Eaters. Seating himself on the ground, he positioned himself to make it look as if he was thinking about something, not waiting to be captured.

'She's scared Hermione. We've been best friends since we could walk. You'd be scared too.' He told her silently. Then added, 'Though I suppose it's not far off the mark to say, you are scared.'

'Not too far, no.' Hermione replied, then explained to him about Credere. 'Harry's leading her out towards the forest, giving her the Weakness Potion, and leaving her there to be taken. I hope it works.'

Draco saw movement from the forest. 'I'm sure it has.' He paused and casually reached into his pocket. Hermione felt as he did, and felt the ends of two wands stowed there. Draco's wand, and her own. 'They're here.' Draco thought, and Hermione watched as wizards started apparating around him, with their wands pointing at him threateningly.

Draco quickly stood in alarm, as if he hadn't expected them to be there at all. "What's going on here?" he demanded. "You have no right to-" He was cut off when he was knocked hard in the back of the head with something heavy. Draco stumbled to the ground and was pinned there by at least four Death Eaters.

As they bound a piece of material around his eyes, Draco gloated to Hermione. 'They are so scared of me that they need four grown men to hold me down. I always knew I was scary, but this shows just how much.'

'Yeah, you're the scariest damn thing I ever saw.' Hermione told him. 'And dangerous when someone gets in the way of you and your reflection.'

Draco was silent for a second, and Hermione felt him processing her comment as the Death Eaters raised him off the ground with a levitating charm. 'That's nasty Hermione.' He conceded.

'So you're scary, and I'm nasty. What a match.' She commented, as one of the Death Eaters roughly grabbed Draco's face and apparated with him to someplace that Hermione immediately noted to be very cold. The surrounding Death Eaters footsteps could be heard next to them, as the group walked while levitating Draco.

'I think we're being led to him.' Draco said, then fell silent. Usually, when in this state of one being inside the other, Draco and Hermione could hear each others thoughts, but at this point in time, both were so scared, that their thoughts seemed to have stopped as if their minds were frozen.

A few minutes of silent walking passed, and soon a door was opened and Draco was taken through it. By the sound of the footsteps echoing, Hermione figured them to be in a large stone room. Suddenly, the levitation charm was removed and Draco fell heavily to the ground, an act of which Hermione also felt the pain. 'Shit, that hurt.' They both thought in unison.

Draco's hair was grabbed and his head was pulled back brutally, and the blindfold was removed. Draco and Hermione looked up into a pair of deep gray eyes. A pair of eyes which was familiar to them both. Though he glared down at them, they both noticed the wink that Lucius gave. Lucius stepped back from his son and faced the front of a large hall. "He is here, my Lord. To do with whatever you wish."

"Thank you for your permission, Malfoy." Voldemort's high-pitched voice said sarcastically from across the room. "Now stand aside."

Lucius backed away, and returned to his position along the side wall. Draco glanced quickly around the stone hall, and noticed four Death Eaters lining the right wall, and four Death Eaters lining the left wall. No one was behind Draco, but he saw a door closing, and knew that there would be more Death Eaters waiting outside the hall, if they were needed.

He looked then, to the front of the hall. About fifteen meters in front of him stood Voldemort. Possessor of the most disgusting mind the wizarding world had ever known. Voldemort smiled wickedly and waited for Draco to speak. When he didn't, Hermione spoke to him, 'I think you should say something.'

'What?'

"Anything. Just speak before we get to dinnertime and have to order Chinese. If you didn't notice, I haven't brought any money with me, and I hate watching people eat when I'm hungry.'

"What am I doing here?" Draco demanded, as harshly as he could manage it. He stood up off the damp stone floor and squared his shoulders.

'Wasn't too hard, was it?' she asked encouragingly.

Voldemort's smile widened; a disgusting sight, and he raised the wand that he had been holding loosely in his hand. He didn't aim it at Draco, but to the back corner of the hall, where Draco hadn't noticed a lump of black material.

Suddenly, the lump gave a frightened yelp as Voldemort struck it with the Crucius curse. Draco watched as the material was pushed aside, and Credere stood from under it. Her face was contorted with agony, but her eyes burnt bright with anger. Voldemort lifted the curse and waited to see what Draco's reaction was. He widened his eyes, and turned to stare at Voldemort.

"Why have you brought her here?" he asked, pretending he was unaware of Voldemort knowing he was with her. "She's just a mudblood. She doesn't scare me."

"No, she doesn't scare you, does she?" Voldemort said coldly. "But she does love you."

Draco froze, then looked from Voldemort to Credere. "No…"

"Yes." Voldemort said victoriously. "I know about you, and your affection for that filth. I must admit I was extremely disappointed when I found out that you had been lying to me. And angry. But I can feel that you love her, which is repulsive. So, to make me feel better about this whole situation, I will have to kill you. But first, you have to watch me kill her."

He raised his wand once more, and pointed it at Credere, who moved forward to stand next to Draco. She grabbed his hand in her own. Draco felt the way she held on to him, and realized it was not out of fear, but for support. The Weakness Potion must have been effecting her. 'Hermione, she's getting weaker.'

'I can feel it too, Draco. Tell her it's nearly over.' Hermione said silently to Draco.

Draco concentrated very hard, and pushed his thoughts out to the creature standing next to him. 'Credere? Stay strong for us, it's nearly over. You have been great to make it this far. Just think about killing this fucking piece of evil. That thought should give you strength, even in moments as dark as this.'

'Yes.' Her thought replied to him, and he felt her stand a little bit taller next to him. 'It is nearly over.'

From across the hall, Draco and Hermione both heard the dreaded curse being yelled.

"Avada Kedavra!"

A/N- And that's it until the final chapter! It should be coming your way any time now because I seem to be on a roll. I love you all for continuing to review even when I stopped updating! Please let me know how my conclusion is coming along, and I'll let you know how it ends as soon as I can…laughs evilly as all readers squirm in frustration…No seriously, I'm working on it already.