Hermione smirked as she strode down the hall, hoping she wouldn't be able to find Blaise and that she'd have to put the break up off. She simply couldn't be bothered.

"What happened last night?"

So much for luck.

Blaise stepped out of the shadows in front of her, arms crossed, looking very mad. Hermione sighed.

"I wasn't feeling very well, so I went to bed."

"With Malfoy. I'm sure that made you feel tons better."

"Actually, it did." Hermione folded her arms and lifted her chin.

"So you don't deny it, you little whore."

"I'm breaking up with you." Hermione said with a shrug. Blaise stared, almost in shock.

"What?" He hissed finally.

"I'm breaking up with you. Namely because you're a lousy boyfriend and have the personality of a plastic bag. This is it."

"You little bitch." She raised an eyebrow.

"Did you work hard for that comeback?"

"Crucio!" he said it before she could react, and blinding pain brought her to her knees, clutching her stomach and keeled over with her forehead against the cold stone.

It was so much more painful than when Draco did it, because Draco hadnt wanted to hurt her, but Blaise was furious enough to mean it. Hermione gasped for breath even though it felt like millions of needles were puncturing her lungs, and her ribcage was collapsing.

Then she heard him repeat the curse and blacked out.

&

Draco made his way towards the Great Hall, thinking he may as well get some lunch while Hermione broke up with Blaise. He just wished he could have seen it…as a rule, no one broke up with Blaise, just like no one broke up with Draco. They always broke up with the girl.

There was a shriek that sounded very Hermione-like and Draco broke into a run, skidding to a halt at the end of the hall in time to see Hermione rise from her hands and knees and literally explode into a pillar of fire with a whoosh and a bang. Flames scorched the ceiling and the people in the paintings and tapestries on the walls shrieked and ran. She raised her arms and the fire burned off her in the shape of wings.

"Damn it, Blaise, what the fuck have you done?" Draco yelled, running up to his cousin. The pheonix turned to Draco and waved a wing at him, forcing him to duck, a gesture that obviously meant 'stay back'. The pheonix turned its head to Blaise and blew a spout of fire at him, and Blaise crumpled, his clothes smouldering.

"Shit." Draco swore. And then he ran up to the burning figure, now shaped more like a woman than a bird, and kissed her, feeling his clothes and skin burn. Better him than the entire school.

And pheonixes just didn't understand that humans arent reborn from ashes when they combust.

And then he was no longer being burnt, although his skin felt like needles pricked it incessantly and cruelly. Then the soft song of the pheonix filled his ears, not from the burning woman in front of him, but from Fawkes, who hovered above his head. The burning girl slowly cooled, until Hermione stood before him, her eyes pained and scared. Draco sagged, and nearly collapsed.

"Mobilius corpus." The two students looked to where Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape stood, before both collapsed onto invisible stretchers, and were taken away by Snape.

McGonagall looked around the corridor. The walls, floor and ceiling were all blackened, and the tapestries were terribly burned.

"Reparo." She murmured, and watched in satisfaction as the tapestries repared themselves. She knelt by Blaise, whose soot-blackened form had hidden him from Snape's mobilius charm. He was burnt and unconscious.

"What the hell?" She looked up and saw Ron, Harry and Ginny standing in the hall. Ginny looked at Blaise and her hands went to her mouth.

"She dumped him." She said slowly. "And he crucioed her…and the pheonix took over and burnt him. And everything else. Is she okay?"

"Scared." Dumbledore said gently. "But more worried about Mr Malfoy than anything else, I imagine."

"Oh my god. What happened?"

"Precisely as you said. Except Malfoy kissed her to bring her back and got badly burnt. It took both him and Fawkes to finally calm the pheonix." McGonagall said. "Mobilius corpus." Blaise's body lifted.

"Come with me, if you want to. Although I don't know if Madame Pomfrey will let you in." McGonagall shrugged, and Ginny followed after her quickly.

Ron and Harry exchanged a glance.

"Professor?" Harry asked. Dumbledore looked at them.

"Yes?"

"What's going on?"

"I believe it would be best to ask Miss Granger that."

Ron and Harry followed Ginny.

She knew something they didn't, quite obviously.

Which led to the question, why on earth hadnt she said?

&

In the infirmary, Hermione stood beside the bed on which Draco lay, unconscious. She was wearing a white sheet almost like a roman toga because any normal clothing rubbed against her skin which was sore and red.

Speaking of sore and red, Draco was blistered and his skin was an angry scarlet. Fawkes perched by his waist, crying tears onto his chest and stomach, while Hermione sobbed by his face, his blistered hand held loosely in her own. Madame Pomfrey and Snape had both told her to cry, her tears blending with the pheonix to become healing tears. Everywhere a teardrop splashed onto Draco's face, clear new skin spread, dissolving blisters and the raw, red skin. His eyes had been the first things to be healed, although his eyelashes and eyebrows were completely gone.

And he certainly wouldn't need to be shaving in a while.

Together she and Fawkes worked to create new skin to replace the ruined cells destroyed by the pheonix fire. Fawkes crooned softly at her and flew out of the room, the door shutting quietly behind him. Hermione pushed the sheets back to reveal his legs and hips.

Renewing her sobs with various dark thoughts, Hermione's tears splashed softly onto his skin, and following the clear water came a silent wave of new pale skin.

When Hermione had finished healing him completely, front and back, she sank onto the chair behind him, clutching the soft sheet around her, exhausted. She'd always known crying tired you out, and now she had proof.

There was a knock on the door, and checking she was completely covered, lifted her head and called for them to come in.

Ginny slipped into the room, followed by Ron and Harry. Through the open door Hermione could see Pomfrey and McGonagall glance at her then look back to where Fawkes was crying over Blaise's torched form.

Morning dear, how was your night? And what time is – fucking hell, I can't leave you alone for ten minutes before you get someone or something killed!

Don't start Amelie. I had a brilliant night, and an excellent morning. It's just this afternoon that's gone a little wrong.

Explain, and quickly. Ron and Harry want answers.

I broke up with Blaise; he crucioed me and the pheonix took over and I collapsed. The pheonix torched Blaise, and Draco got torched by kissing me when I was on fire, but he and Fawkes managed to calm it down. I totally wrecked the hallway, and am completely sore. I've spent the last half an hour crying over Draco to heal him.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ginny took a step forward, looking from Hermione to Draco. "What happened?"

"I thought you hated each other." Harry said, confused. "After all, this is your boyfriend she somehow set fire."

"Don't be ridiculous, Harry. I never dated Draco!" Ginny snapped. Ron and Harry exchanged a look.

"So what the hell-" Ron began.

Might as well tell them. There isnt any way you can get out of it, short of lying. And you've lied enough for one term.

"Draco and I were going out the entire time." Hermione said. The boys' attention shifted to her. "Draco and I 'split up' because he was afraid of what his father would do to me. Ginny suggested that she play decoy to make it look like he and I had really split up."

"So you'd have Lucius kill Ginny instead of you? That's low, Hermione. And how very Slytherin of you." Ron said scathingly.

"I'm a pureblood Ron. Better than a mudblood any day." Ginny retorted. "And it was all my idea anyway."

"So what about Zabini?" Harry asked.

"Another decoy." Hermione answered. "Zabini wanted Ginny, who at that point was 'dating' Draco. Zabini thought it was real, and so his plan was to make Draco jealous of me and him, which would lead to Draco either cheating on Ginny or leaving her completely for me,"

"Which would leave me free and single for him to move in on." Ginny finished. She shrugged. "It pretty much worked."

"Except for the little glitch at the end." Harry added. "So what the fuck was going on there?"

"Language, Mr Potter." Dumbledore walked into the room, Fawkes on his shoulder. He turned to Hermione.

"Mr Zabini will be alright, after some recuperation. How much were you planning on telling them?"

"I think a better question would be how much are you planning on holding back." Ron sneered.

"Calm yourself, Mr Weasley." Dumbledore admonished. "Much of what Miss Granger has been keeping a secret has been a secret out of necessity."

"She didn't want you to go round telling people." Ginny said with a shrug. "Or worse, she didn't want you to try and fix her problems for you."

Would you like me to talk?

Shock them full on? Go ahead, I haven't got the energy to argue. Amelie took control.

"You know, Albus, I could have told them a lot less until you walked in. You spoiler of plans you."

"And how are you, Amy?" Dumbledore asked, looking at her over his glasses.

"Irritated since I obviously can't leave Hermione alone for twenty four hours without her getting into trouble. I honestly don't know how she's lived this long already, especially when following you two into trouble." Amelie looked at where Harry and Ron stood, wands out. "And put your damn wands away, you two. They won't do you any good."

"Who the hell are you?" Ron demanded heatedly. "And what the fuck have you done with Hermione?"

"Mr Weasley! Ten points from Gryffindor!" McGonagall walked in. Ron stared at her openmouthed.

"But professor! There's something…in Hermione!"

"I am well aware of Amelie's and Hermione's position already, Mr Weasley. All of the staff are."

"So who isnt?" Harry asked quietly. "Ginny knows, Draco knows, the staff know. Is that it?"

"Of course." Amelie answered. "And that's quite enough to be getting along with, thank you."

"Why couldn't you tell us?" Ron whined.

"Because I really wanted to avoid this kind of irritation." Amelie snapped.

"Amy, calm down." McGonagall said gently.

"Sorry Minerva. Where's Severus?"

"Fixing the damage to the hallway." McGonagall replied with a shrug.

"Sorry about that." Amelie said. Dumbledore smiled and patted her gently on the shoulder.

"Not your fault, Amy."

"So who are you then?" Harry asked. "You're on first-name basis with all the teachers, and you can completely torch people. What are you, pyrokinetic?"

"What I am is one of three beings in this body." Amelie said carelessly. "The other two being Hermione Granger and a pheonix." Fawkes crooned softly, flying into the room and landing on the back of the chair Amelie was sitting on.

"A pheonix! So that's how you torched Malfoy and Zabini." Harry said slowly. Amelie nodded.

"Right. As to who I am, well. My name is Amelie Lily AnnaBella Marvolo Voldemort, and I'm Lord Voldemort's only daughter."

Several things happened at once. Ron and Harry yelled, jumped back and drew their wands, again. McGonagall rolled her eyes. Draco woke up, looked around and closed his eyes again with a groan. Pheonix flew into the air with a sharp call, and a black crow sailed through the open window, a black parchment held in its claws.

Amelie sprung to her feet, pushed the others out of the way and leapt into the air, arms outstretched. Flaming wings formed around her arms and she flew over Draco's bed, landed, and then grabbed the parchment, talking very quickly in the deatheater language. The crow squawked several times, and Amelie kept on talking, her voice making it clear she was giving the bird a message. Then the bird turned and flew out the window.

Amelie hurtled out of the infirmary, pulling her founders ring off and shoving it into Ginny's hands. Ginny jumped and dropped it, and Amelie ordered them sharply to stay put. She grabbed Snape's arm as she passed him just coming into the infirmary, and he followed her into the hall, sealing it off instantly after glancing at what Amelie was holding.

Then Amelie opened the parchement, and several pieces of jewelery fell out of it. The moment they hit the floor they fused with a flash of light into a silver ring studded with emeralds. Other than that, the parchement was blank. Amelie bent and scooped up the ring, sliding it onto her right thumb, ignoring the fact that it obviously wanted to go on her left thumb.

Then the parchement filled with writing in an elegant hand, scored in black ink.

Dear one,

I have finally found you, although it took some doing. You have learnt your lessons well. On hearing you were at Hogwarts, I thought you had betrayed us, although I now know you merely help our cause. I send to you now the emerald jewelery that should have been Lily's before she betrayed us both for the Potters. And while I know you would dearly love Potter's death to be at your hands, I can only offer you his friends…Potter and I have our own battle to fight. I shall call for you soon, to discuss plans, and you can tell me who is loyal to our cause, and who will betray us…like Lily did. Until then, know you have an ally in Severus Snape, who is one of our own. Destroy this with your fire after reading it.

Your father, Tom.

Amelie silently handed the parchement to Snape, who read it through quickly. Then he nodded.

"Destroy it." Amelie nodded, and then threw the parchement into the air, set fire to her hand, then blew a fire-kiss at the falling parchement, which caught, combusted, and disappeared before it even hit the floor.

"Are you alright?" Snape asked. Amelie nodded.

"I'm fine. But things are moving faster than we thought they would." She waited while Snape released the wards, and then she followed him back into the infirmary.

When she got back to where everyone stood around Draco's bed, she saw he was awake, sitting up, and lookin annoyed, already.

"How are you?" She asked.

"I think I can safely say I've been better." Draco said drily. Amelie smirked.

"Indeed. Voldemort will call for me, and I will go-"

"You cant! What about Hermione? I'll go." Harry burst out. Amelie and Draco looked at each other, looked at Harry, looked back at each other. And then burst out laughing. Harry looked a little injured at their ridicule. Even Ginny was smirking slightly. Ron just looked confused.

Be nice. Hermione admonished.

You cool?

I'm cool. Get on with it.

"Don't be ridiculous Potter." Amelie snapped. "Sorry, I meant Harry. It just slipped. Anyway. It's a deatheater meeting, Pot-Harry. And we do actually want you alive for the last battle. I have to go and report, so to speak. Because I've been doing a wonderful job as an undercover spy here at Hogwarts. Because absolutely no one but Snape actually knows I'm here, and that I'm me, not Hermione."

"Of course." Dumbledore said, nodding.

"What…why?" Ron asked stupidly. Amelie sent him a withering glance.

"Do you want me to die?" She demanded. Ron shrugged. "If I die, Hermione dies. She's here too. Anyway. I'll go to this lovely little deatheater meeting, cast some doubt on some of his more loyal members, stress how loyal Snape and Mr Malfoy junior really are, and then come back. I'll be gone most of the day and probably the night as well."

"And the last battle?" Ginny asked.

"I'll find out about it when I'm gone. Times, dates…plans, people, numbers, etcetera. After all, I am Voldemort's heir and successor."

"All hail the dark queen." Ginny said with a grin.

"That's got a really nice ring to it." Amelie said thoughtfully. Draco snorted.

"I'm sure you'd make a wonderful dark queen." He said sarcastically.

"Lead me not into temptation, Draco Malfoy. I am perfectly capable of finding it myself, thank you." He grinned.

"Amelie, are you normally this…odd?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"I get it from my father's side. My mother was quite sane. She left him."

"Amy." Dumbledore said warningly.

"Who was your mother?" Harry asked curiously.

"She was a wonderful person and a story for another day." Amelie said with a smile. "She didn't agree with daddy's meglomaniac tendancies, so she left."

"Not a bit like you, then." Ron said.

"All I want is a kind word, a soft bed, and unlimited power. She wanted love and a family. She got hers, and I could get mine, except I'm too busy saving your ass!"

"Point made, Amy." Pomfrey said, walking briskly into the room. "You and Mr Malfoy need to get rest, now. Everyone else, out."

Amelie slid into one of the beds besides Draco, glad she could finally rest. Being a wonderful person could be so stressful. She really didn't know how Hermione managed. Cruelty, insanity and sadism was so much easier.