Disclaimer: Disclaimed!

Squigglius – Thanks a lot!

Emily – It's true, there are many many plot-lines running concurrently at the moment that I am desperately scrambling to keep up with.

High Serpent King – Draco may be nice now, but he's definitely going to retain some of his characteristics that'll keep him recognizable as the character he was, just as a changed one.

Dancerrdw- Thanks!

Tria Marie Val – Ron and Hermione have certainly been neglected of late, yes…

Chapter 43 – The Confession

"He found us!" Lupin exclaimed. "And broke through?"

"And another thing – he looked livid as soon as he saw my silver hand. As if he suddenly understood something he hadn't previously…"

"It doesn't matter at the moment," Woodbury intervened. "I suggest that Remus go alert Dumbledore."

Lupin didn't even nod before throwing Floo powder in the fire, yelling "Dumbledore's office!" before vanishing into the fire. A breathless and worried Hermione gave Ron a warm hug.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine." Suddenly, Ron felt a slight shockwave emanate through him from his silver hand. Waves of slight pain cascaded through him. Ron tensed.

"Ron? Are you alright?"

"I'll tell you later. I can't explain it myself now." Hermione looked confused but didn't push, feeling that Ron would prefer to leave the subject alone for now. She finally let go of Ron, and turned to Woodbury.

"Ron?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember what happened to Tom Riddle's diary?"

A week earlier…

Why the hell is this Saturday any different from any REGULAR Saturday? Draco asked himself for the fifth or so time, surveying himself in the mirror. Draco finally shook his head, unwilling to acknowledge to his own subconscious his self-awareness – and terror – at the fact that it was Valentine's Day. A Hogsmeade Valentine's Day. He didn't even know what had drove him to ask her to go with him. He hadn't been thinking, obviously – not that he thought Ginny unattractive or anything (although he hadn't really admitted yet how very not unattractive he found her at the moment), but he was torn up inside by guilt. He had been the key to the attack, the attack that had murdered his favorite predecessor, that had murdered her brother (despite the apparent failure to do so), and had left her bed-ridden and injured for weeks – the spells that did so might as well have been cast by his wand, as opposed to Peter Pettigrew or his father's, or Dolohov, the man that had sidelined the girl herself. He knew that he wouldn't allow himself to even kiss her on the cheek before he told her all this, in detail. And he knew just how unromantic that would make the perfect day for his wishes concerning her – a Hogsmeade Valentine's weekend? Those only come once a year. But what was most eating at him was not that – it was his gnawing, encompassing fear that she would never forgive him.

Harry was in another, somewhat similar dilemma, way up in Gryffindor Tower. He had asked Parvati to Valentine's Day, and she had accepted. He intended to make this day the day that he asked her to be his girlfriend. And as was always the case with such affairs, he found butterflies exploding in his stomach. Still, he thought, it could be worse. He liked Parvati, and he thought she liked him. He had even surreptitiously approached Lavender on the subject, who had evasively said that she "had made a promise" and that by saying that she "might as well have given it away already," and then proceeded to wink at Harry and left. Harry interpreted this as Lavender's effort to simultaneously stay loyal to her friend's secret emotions while telling him the answer – which was thankfully, the one he, wanted to hear.

In fact, what was unnerving him more was how to do it. Some guys gave lavish gifts on such occasions – diamond rings, pearl earrings, and the like. Harry, however, didn't really think such an affair would impress Parvati overmuch. Harry had quickly dismissed Madam Puddifoot's as rapid memories of Cho flooded his mind (the same reason he strenuously avoided the Room of Requirement) and thought that the best place would either be in a quiet, solitary place outside, or in a set-off locale in The Three Broomsticks.

Just go with your feeling, Harry. Just do what feels right – right?

Ginny Weasley woke up and immediately heaved a huge sigh. She had been dreading and looking forward to this day for ages now, achingly rethinking what exactly she should wear, what hairstyle she should do, if any accessories would be necessary. She had known Draco for well over a month now, and felt it now useless to not acknowledge at least some of the feelings under the surface she held for him, and that it was well about time to reveal them. Ginny finally decided on a green butterfly clip on her ponytail along with some pretty deep blue robes. What exactly is so pressing that you feel the need to look as good as you ever have, today, of all days? Ginny silently answered herself – she wanted this to be the day. Maybe not the day that that she became Draco's girlfriend, perhaps not the day the two kissed, if they ever will, but she did want it to become the day that they started moving toward it. And she was going to damn well make sure it would be.

Parvati Patil had no idea what Harry was doing. While she and Harry had become increasingly more friendly as time went on, and as her feeling increased into more than a mere crush, Harry had asked her to Hogsmeade. On Valentine's Day! Lavender had remarked that she thought, personally, that Harry was planning to ask her out. When Parvati dismissed this thought, firmly stating that Harry had no romantic interest in her whatsoever, Lavender simply grinned but didn't say anything. Parvati pressed but Lavender kept her mouth shut. What if she had told Harry about her feelings for him? Would he be scared away? Parvati's butterflies increased as she got ready to descend down the stairs, to meet Harry.

Ginny met Draco in the Great Hall.

"Hey! How's it going?"

"Pretty good, you?"

"I'm doing great, actually."

"Good."

Awkward pause.

"So…shall we?"

Ginny nodded, brushing a stray hair past her ear.

Draco hazarded a compliment. After all, despite never having a girlfriend, he certainly wasn't stupid where this was concerned.

"You look very pretty."

Ginny turned a trademark Weasley red and muttered a "thanks" under her breath, smiling nonetheless. The two made their way into Hogsmeade on the carts, both well and able to see the Thestrals, and the two stood on the snow-blanketed grounds of Hogsmeade. It would have been very romantic, however all the space was completely saturated with Hogwarts students.

"Would you like to take a walk?" Ginny ventured. Draco nodded and the two set off towards the woods, the crowds thinning as they got further to the outskirts of Hogsmeade, not talking, just wandering.

Just do it. She might forgive you, and it'll be far better than if she finds out from somebody else. This is the moment!

"Look, Ginny," Draco started uncomfortably. "There's something I need to tell you, and I understand if after this, you won't want to talk to me any more."

Ginny looked confused, but nodded, allowing him to speak.

"Look, Ginny, I used to be a Death Eater. I was, until after the attack, a Death Eater. I'm a spy now, for the Order. I took Snape's place."

Ginny nodded, but this information only confused her more. "Alright…so what's the problem? You're not a Death Eater anymore, and you're doing really important work."

Draco's heart sunk upon hearing her appraisal of what he was doing now, knowing that her opinion of him would only plummet in a minute. "Right…but when I was a Death Eater, I was Voldemort's main link to Hogwarts." Draco turned straight towards Ginny, looking her straight in the eye. "I was the key to the attack Ginny. I let the dementors in, let the Death Eaters in – I'm the reason Snape and Ron died. I as good as killed them myself."

Ginny's eyes turned stone, her face hardened, her lips set tight against themselves, pressing until they were almost white. When she spoke, her voice showed a total lack of emotion, other than one falter. "I – I have to go now."

Draco understood all too well, and nodded without saying anything. Ginny swept away and turned around, moving at a fast pace, in a bigger crisis than she had ever been in her life before, and having no idea how to fix it.

This chapter was originally intended to be a lot longer and I debated at length whether it was better to leave at it this and post it or instead work on it tomorrow and post it then. I figured, though, that chapters on time have become enough of a rarity to warrant one right now, and posted it also on the off-chance I wouldn't have the opportunity to work on it tomorrow.