Eighteenth chapter – I have to finish this soon – start of school here – I'm gonna get busy – I seriously hope I finish this fic on time… Oh yeah, really mushy and cheesy stuff ahead, WARNING… I mean, it's February in this chapter…

I am panicking already, do you notice?

Title: The Future is Waiting

Chapter 18: Black Valentine

February came in furious pink. Bridgework students, as Harry had seen, declared love and affection in very vulgar ways. A day into the so-called month of love and Bridgework boys were giving flowers and sweets to the girls. Some chose to send their greeting anonimously, while others declared in front of the whoel school.

Hogwarts students seemed to have caught the epidemic, too, for couples were to be seen walking hand in hand all along the corridors, including Ron and Hermione.

"Could you just quit it?" said Harry, turning to them.

"What?" said Ron.

"You two! You're already holding hands and all! Why do you have to smirk, smile and stuff!" hissed Harry.

"You're just jealous 'cause Rose's not with you!" Ron hissed back.

"Shut up, you two!" said Hermione, pushing them both forward so they'd start walking again. "But really, I wonder where Rose is."

"Oh, you know… Probably with Malfoy," teased Ron. He achieved the effect he wanted, so that Harry walked faster and did not talk to him until they reached the dining hall for lunch.

"Look! What're those boys cueing for?" said Ron. A long line of both Bridgework and Hogwarts boys stood along the center of the dining hall. The boys were carrying all sorts of flowers, wrapped in pink, baby blue, purple, etc. The front of the line ended with a table seating girls.

"Cueing for their girls," said Hermione. Harry noticed Alex Yu halfway down the line.

"What're you lining up for?" said Harry as he and Ron approached Yu.

"What? Oh…" he seemed to busy staring at the front of the line. "Er, Rose," he said shortly.

"What?" said Ron.

"Rose – Rose Ashworth…" Yu replied. He seemed rather shy than usual.

"What? Rose's getting these from you?" said Harry, pointing at the red roses Yu was carrying.

"Huh? Oh, well she isn't actually – getting them… She hasn't arrived for lunch yet… I don't know when she'll come…"

"These guys are mental," said Ron, shaking his head as he and Harry walked away.

Harry had not exactly give to Rose on Valentine's Day. He was just wondering if she'd agree to go with him when Rose came storming into the dining hall, obviously in a bad mood.

"Rose, these guys just won't settle down! They've been waiting for like an hour for you!" said a blonde girl on the table, obviously wanting her voice to carry around the hall.

"We told them you really didn't need those stuff they're carrying but they won't go away!" said Iris Lair.

"Tell them to go away, will you? They've been bugging us and we can't eat our lunch with them staring," said Raven Lyndon.

Alyssa Wu sat down the table. "Almost a hundred of them. Honestly, I didn't know you had these much admirers, Rose – "

"Shut up," said Rose.

"What?" Wu looked affronted.

"I told you to shut up," Rose said simply. She started on her food.

"What are you going to do about all these people?" said Lyndon, irritated.

"Let them stand there. They'll get tired and go away."

"What is your problem?" said Wu.

"None of your business," said Rose, gulping juice.

The girls on the table had no choice but to start eating. The boys in the line realized that Rose was not in the mood to entertain them so they sulked back to their dining tables. Was the first to get up from the table. She left the other girls behind and disappeared through a corridor. Harry followed.

"Rose!" said Harry, catching up. Rose turned. "Er, I was wondering – "

"If it isn't innocent little Harry Potter!" said Rose in a rather annoying tone.

"What?"

"What do you want from me now?"

"Er, I – I was going to ask whether – whether – "

"Whether I'd gotten my memory back? Ha ha…"

"Do you want to go out with me on Valentine's Day?" said Harry hurriedly. Rose smirked.

"Three in the afternoon at the sixth years' common room," she said, and then she walked away. Harry stared, unable to believe what just happened.

February fourteenth, three o'clock in the afternoon came and went, and no Rose appeared in the sixth years' common room, so that Harry was to be found alone on a chair by the fire, slouched. It was already four twenty, and Harry was now feeling stupid. Perhaps Rose did not really want to go with him. Maybe she had already agreed to go with someone else, and just thought it would be funny to make Harry wait. Harry did not want to think that Rose intended to "hurt" him, but all the signs seemed to point only to it.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the boys' dormitory. The footsteps grew louder and louder until Harry saw Draco Malfoy emerge on the foot of the stairs.

"Malfoy?" said Harry.

"What're you doing here, Potter?" Malfoy replied rather glumly; not at all his usual self.

"What d'you mean what am I doing here?" said Harry.

"Aren't you with Rose? Aren't you going out with her today?" said Malfoy, his voice muffled. He had sat down on a chair opposite Harry and placed a pillow over his face.

"Is that what you're depressed about?" said Harry rather teasingly.

"She agreed to go out with me, y'know," said Malfoy. "She didn't come and I thought she's probably with you – "

"She agreed to go out with you?" said Harry. "When?"

"A few days ago… Why?" said Malfoy suddenly, removing the pillow. He straightened up. "What're you doing here? Why aren't you with her? Don't tell me you didn't ask her out?"

"I asked her on February first, for your information," said Harry. "Long before you did."

"But she didn't turn up on you either. That makes us equal – "

"But why would she say yes to both of us and not turn up on either of us?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe she just doesn't feel like going out – "

"Or maybe she's already going out with someone and she said yes to us just to get back at us for irritating her because we've been telling her that she's lost her memory!" said Malfoy. Harry hated to think Rose would be able to do that.

"You think she'd really do that?" said Harry. He glanced at Malfoy and saw his eyes widen, as though in horror. He, too, turned and saw Lucius Malfoy standing at the top of the stairs leading out of the common room.

"What're you doing here!" yelled Harry, getting up from his chair.

"Funny you should ask, Potter," he replied quietly.

"Father," Draco got up from his chair and approached his father.

"Were you having a chat with Potter, Draco?" harry knew it was time for some smart cover-up or Lucius Malfoy would brand his son as a traitor and Voldemort would kill him in no time.

"What? Oh no, Father! Me? Chat with Potter? Only when the raven turns white!" exclaimed Malfoy.

"Why would I have a chat with your son?" said Harry.

"We never know," said Lucius. "Draco, you need to help me… You need to help us."

"Who 'us'?" said Draco.

"The Death Eaters, Draco," came the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange from downstairs.

"Father, how did you – "

"Now is not the time for questions, Draco. I need you to stay here. Help guard Potter at the least," said Lucius.

"Help?"

"Miss Lair?" called Lucius. Iris Lair went up the marble steps.

"You!" said Harry, pointing at Lair.

"Yes… Me… Believe me, Harry. It was hard acting like I was actually interested in you… But anyway, show's over so…" Lair took out her wand. "One wrong move, Potter. You know, you may think I'm powerless compared to Ashworth but I can still do Avada Kedavra…"

"Miss Lair, I suggest you go look for Rose first. Draco will remain here to guard Potter. I will be downstairs, attending to other matters."

In the swish of his cloak, Lucius Malfoy had gone. Lair followed shortly to look for Rose. Harry and Malfoy were alone in the common room once more.

"What the heck is all this about!" said Harry.

"I don't know, Potter!" hissed Malfoy. "But I think I'll have to pretend I'm not on your side, at least until I find out why they're here, how they got here, and what they're after!"

Hours passed and still nothing happened. Malfoy was pacing the length of the room. Harry was sitting on the carpet by the fire. At around seven thirty in the evening, Lucius Malfoy appeared at the foot of the marble stairs and summoned them both.

"Draco, take Potter to the dining hall. Bring him along to the others. I will meet you there shortly."

Harry had no idea what Lucius Malfoy meant by "the others" and looking at Draco Malfoy, he hardly knew as well. He just followed orders and brought Harry to the dining hall, where they found the rest of the sixth years bound and some, gagged. Malfoy looked at Harry meaningfully and Harry gave a small nod. Malfoy pushed him onto a chair and tied his hands with a rope. Looking around, Harry saw signs of struggle. Broken chairs, upturned tables, shards of broken glass. Familiar looking sixth years (probably from Slytherin, and others from Bridgework) were standing guard over the other students.

Just then, Lucius Malfoy came into view.

"Good evening, everyone," he said, sporting a malicious smile.

"I don't know much of good!" yelled Ron suddenly from the tangle of people in the center of the hall.

"Shut Weasley up," said Lucius conversationally. Crabbe approached Ron and tied a long piece of white cloth around his mouth.

"I can see you are all – very uncomfortable right now… You see, this is rather an emergency. As soon as certain matters are settled, you are to be brought to a more comfortable position," said Lucius, sneering.

Goyle approached and whispered something to Lucius. Lucius straightened up and turned back to the crowd.

"Bring them to the common room now," he said shortly. More than thirty students got up and ushered the rest who were tied up. Draco immediately placed a hand on Harry's shoulder as Crabbe approached.

"I'll take him, Crabbe. Take care of the rest," said Draco. Crabbe turned and left.

"Good acting," Harry muttered.

"Shut up. This isn't funny. I really don't know what's happening. Listen, you can work out signals, can't you? I mean, I know you're slow but you're not that slow, are you?" said Malfoy.

"What!"

"Shh! Just, work it out when I do signals okay?" said Malfoy.

"Yeah, okay, I get it. I'm not slow."

Malfoy pulled Harry up from his chair "harshly" and led him to the back of the crowd. They walked silently back to the sixth years' common room. The "captives" were thrown to the center of the room, and the "Death Eaters-to-be" spread around them. Malfoy made it a point to stand in front of Harry. Harry could not help but feel grateful to him, however, for he had placed Harry between Ron, who was gagged, and Hermione. Lucius Malfoy arrived shortly afterward and surveyed the crowd.

"You do realize why we have kept you here?" he said, staring around. The crowd made indefinite noises but no one said anything distinct. "Perhaps you should blame Harry Potter being born," sneered Lucius.

"So it's me? Why don't you just set them free then?" said Harry. Goyle moved forward, as though to gag Harry, but Lucius stopped him.

"Let him talk. He is… ahh, our guest of honor…"

Iris Lair climbed up the stairs, pulling someone up with her. She was holding a girl by the forearm; Rose. Rose's hair was messed beyond recognition, and her clothes had an awful lot of dirt.

"Rose!" Draco hurried forward.

Rose had sank to her knees beside Lucius Malfoy. Draco, too, knelt and held Rose's face. Rose looked up at him and Harry thought that her eyes looked peculiarly blank.

"Rose? What – what happened to you?"

Rose looked frightfully at Lair, who had settled herself on a chair not far by, and started weeping all over Draco.

"Rose! Why're you – What did you do to her!" Draco yelled angrily at Lair.

"I caught her," said Lair smartly.

"Caught her?" said Lucius.

"She was in the owlery. My suspicion is that she went there to send, or might have sent a letter to Dumbledore," replied Lair.

Draco seemed to think things over. Harry was sure Rose had been to the owlery to indeed send Dumbledore a letter, but worming her out of this through Draco was not easy; Draco was on Dumbledore's side as well.

"Rose, did you go to the owlery? To send Dumbledore a note of any kind?" said Draco in a rather fatherly fashion. Roes shook her head, still sobbing into Draco.

"Miss Lair, you have not duelled with Rose, have you? For her to be in this state?" said Lucius.

"I must say we did duel."

"So you're all proud and glorious, aren't you!" yelled Draco. Lair looked offended and was not able to speak. "Father, you don't believe her, do you? Do you seriously think Rose could – could go over to their side?"

Harry was convinced Draco was a really good actor.

"What!" exlaimed Lair. She seemed to be taken aback by this news, and so was Harry.

"Miss Lair, I must inform you that Rose is one of the most powerful supporters of the Dark Lord. It was kept secret among us, especially commanded by the Dark Lord," said Lucius Malfoy.

"She can't be one of us," Lair hissed.

"She is one of us, who believe the Dark Lord."

"Father, I think Rose should go and rest," said Draco, getting up. He pulled Rose to her feet. She had stopped crying now, but she was still clinging onto Draco as though afraid something might attack her.

"Lead her to her dormitory, and make sure she rests well," said Lucius, agreeing. "And Draco, do take care of your fiancee," he added, smiling rather proudly.

"Fiancee?" said Lair, standing up. Again, Harry felt the same surprise.

"Shut up, will you?" said Draco to Lair. Harry wanted to speak up, to ask Draco about it but he just could not give away. "Rose, what do you want to do? Do you want to eat? Or perhaps you'd rather clean up and rest?"

"I want to sleep," said Rose unexpectedly. Her voice was rather strong, considering her physical state. Draco gave Harry a swift glance, and Harry immediately knew what it meant; Rose was trying to say something. But what it meant, Harry did not understand.

"You want to sleep?" said Draco pointedly.

"Sleep," said Rose shortly.

Harry was starting to wonder how on earth he'd work out what "sleep" meant when Hermione nudged him in the elbow. He turned and saw Hermione staring meaningfully at him. He gave her a questioning look, but no answer came. He looked at Ron, and he gave a quizzical look as well. Harry decided that his best chance was for Hermione to whisper to him. Slowly, he leaned his head on Hermione's shoulder. He faked a yawn and closed his eyes. He felt Hermione's hot breath on his cheek, and on his ear.

"She wants you to sleep," she said under her breath. Harry had no chance to ask why he should sleep. He gave Hermione one confused look, and Harry willed himself to fall asleep, leaning on her.