disclaimer: i have no rights and these characters aren't mine.

Thanks for the reviews everyone

strawberrylemonade520: great! thanks :( my melodrama, soap-style story had you laughing. Yeah, i tend be over dramatic :) I could not help the whole burning at the stake thing...i mean they are witches, ect, but it is a VERY muggle thing to do. I know, I know...

"My Lord, I can not be held responsible for the safety of everyone in this household if I am not allowed to be in absolute control" Draco Malfoy bowed before Voldemort in the dinner hall.

Voldemort sat in his usual throne looking down at the three servants who had failed him.

"How could a mere house elf cause this much trouble?" Voldemort roared.

"My lord, someone allowed the house elf to enter the grounds. We were betrayed from within. I have a plan to deal with the culprit. I promise to hand him to you tonight" Malfoy looked up, to gauge his reaction.

"Clean yourself, Young Malfoy, you are dismissed. You may do as you see fit to ensure the safety of your home. Go get those wounds take care of" Voldemort motioned with him away with his hand. Draco could tell he was displeased, with him- for the first time ever.

It would be better tonight, when he handed the old man a couple of his own death eaters as traitors. If Rockwood had allowed Dobby in, the dark lord would know he was lying when he replied that he had nothing to do with house-elf break ins. So if he let one in to get Granger to cause some trouble, why wouldn't he let in the other one to rescue Ron? Ah, poor Rockwood- the traitor. Malfoy smiled as he headed up towards Granger's room.

The ceremony for tonight had been cancelled. It was post-phoned for a couple of days. He had to get Granger to bind herself to him, soon. Today, though, today she had been free to run. She could have left with Weasley, but she had kept her word and stayed behind- without having to. Malfoy slowed his step as he got closer to her room. She was free to roam around Malfoy Manor now, with limitations- so he wasn't surprised not to find her in her room. What did surprise him, however, was his disappointment.

Nothing seemed out of place. Pinky had performed well this morning. Zabini had given him the parchment with everyone's names listed. He just needed Granger to work the spell impeccably. Then they would see traitor on the face of anyone who had allowed a house elf in. His original idea was to find anyone who had allowed someone to escape- but there were obvious flaws with wording it so ambiguously- might catch himself in that net. Zabini had opposed the idea of asking to show anyone who had tried to save one of our enemies….well enemies, Zabini reasoned, could have many definitions.

Malfoy looked around the room as he waited. She hadn't left with him today. He smiled weakly to himself as he noticed the ingredients she had strewn around the ground. Why in god's earth was he trusting her?

The hesitation returned. What if she was plotting something of her own? He wasn't stupid; he knew she had her own motives for doing what she was doing. Weasley was free, Longbottom was going to be moved to Azkaban now- no more of Bellatrix's dungeon capers… she was getting something out of this, he just had to make sure he got more. He had to make sure that he could sense things about her…he heard footsteps. He needed to catch her off guard. Why had she stayed today? Why hadn't she gone with Weasley? He took a deep breath and cast his spell as soon as she walked through the door.

"Harry I don't think that we should go in so fast" Ron stated uncomfortably.

"What are you talking about?" Harry didn't look at his friend.

"I agree with Ron, Harry, we need to formulate a more solid plan, with a few more alternatives" Lupin nodded.

Hermione was watching Harry for a reaction.

"It will work, trust me" Harry didn't look up from the maps lying on the table. "With Bill and Neville making sure to guard the doors…"

"What if they follow us back, Harry?" Ron asked, again submissively. Draco could tell the red-head did not want to be asking those questions, but there was too much doubt.

"And we also don't know exactly what security measures they have in place…"Lavander Brown shifted in her seat.

Ron glanced at her. Hermione didn't miss it. Draco smiled as he watched Ron blush when his eyes shifted to Hermione's un-approving gaze.

"Plus, with all the …" Harry pounded his fist and stood, this silenced Seamus.

"I am the head of the order" he announced. "With Dumbledore gone I call the shots"

"I think you are mistaken about that, Harry" Lupin argued.

"Don't even give me that. I am the one who has to decide and I am the one who has to live with the choices. I am tired of listening to everyone. I told all of you that Malfoy was up to no good, before- and no one believed me. I told all of you that…""Harry, stop" Ginny said gently, trying to put her hand over his. Harry pulled his hand away and gave her a warning look.

"We attack them, before they attack us" Harry spat. "No more waiting, as they pick us off one by one. There is not going to be more death"

Mrs. Weasley dabbed her eyes. Arthur had died yesterday. George had been taken captive last week. Their numbers were dwindling, their hope was fading.

"You have been obsessed with getting Snape" Ron added. "I just don't think that the fact that he is going to be there makes it the perfect time to strike. What if it's personal and not rational?"

"That's the most complete thought you've had all year, Ron, thanks for sharing" Harry glanced at him. "For now, though, why don't you let the rest of us do the thinking"

Ron sat up straight. The rest of the room shifted uncomfortably. Ron took it. Malfoy smiled. He was going to take it alright…that was probably the reason Harry was going to go bang his fiancée later on that night- this was the evening before the last fight. So it had been Snape who had helped him change the prophesy, it was Snape who had given him the binding spell. Snape had been close enough to the dark lord to cast it… not even Granger had known.

"You need to settle down Harry…"

"No, Remus, you need to follow orders" Harry looked around the room. There were about 12 people watching him. "I respect you as an elder. I respect you as a person who knew my parents and someone who has risked his life for this cause. Now you have to respect me as someone who has been chosen to take him out. It is going to be me against Riddle and I'm done playing by his timeline. Not losing anymore friends"

Harry walked away from the table. Hermione followed, Draco being tugged by the memory.

"Harry!" she called as slammed the door to Sirius' old room. Without knocking she made her way in.

"Not, you too Mione" he had his back to her.

"No, I'm with you" she told him.

Harry turned, surprised.

"I am with you all the way" she tried to smile but there were tears in her eyes. "I think I know what you're trying to do…its do or die"

"I can't sit around and wait for him to kill me. I must go in..."

"and not give him the chance to do it on his terms. I understand"

"I want to make sure you got my back" he approached her. "That I can count on you…I don't know how much support I have left and if others will…"

"I'm with you Harry. I'm with you all the way. I swear I will always have your back" she smiled before walking out.

"Why the bloody hell did you do that?" she demanded pushing him back.

Draco was silent. They were both exhausted from the memory. He noticed now that her eyes were red, she had been crying.

'It was Potter', he thought biterly.'Potter was the reason she had stayed behind. Bloody Potter, couldn't leave her hero behind'

"Where were you?" he demanded, his voice low.

"You couldn't just ask me that?" she sneered.

"Where were you, Granger?" he tossed himself on the chair by the window.

"I was getting supplies" she tossed a couple of small packets of crushed leaves at him. They scattered like potpourri on his chest and legs.

"Why don't you tag me, Malfoy?" she demanded condescendingly. "Make me wear a little homing device?"

"You know you have boundaries" he replied reaching to brush the dry specs from his shirt.

"No!" she stood up. "Don't do that! Damn, you Malfoy" she rushed to him. "Gregious root is very rare…won't be able to finish the spell without it"

Draco looked up from his shirt. His silver eyes watched her as she leaned down and began to carefully pick out the leaves from his shirt. Her honey colored eyes were focused on his chest. There was a scent of smoke on her hair.

"Been brewing potions again, Granger?" he asked.

"Nothing that will harm you" she didn't meet his eyes. "Yet" she smiled faintly.

Draco grabbed her hand, gripping it he yanked her forward. Hermione fell upon his chest, her face inches from his. He remained calm as she stared at him with shocked eyes. She had been this close to him before, but not ever had she felt so conscious of it.

"No games, Granger" he growled. "No games, or what little you have left won't survive. I don't mean just your Potter and your little friends, I mean you. I can use any curse I want on you and I can remove my protection at any time. You have your dignity, your sanity, yourself…don't play with that"

Hermione was frozen staring at him. There was something burning between her chest and her stomach. It felt like shards of glass were being dragged in circles inside.

"I have been more patient with you than I should have. Don't push me" he stood up, making her fall to the ground. Hermione remembered to breathe again and the remembered the task at hand.

"Malfoy! I needed those! How in god's name am I supposed to finish the potion now?" she chided him.

"You figure it out!" he shouted, angry at being questioned."That is your problem! That is the only reason you are here, remember that" he hissed. "I want that done in an hour. Everyone needs pulls their weight to stay alive, and you are no exception. If you are of no use to me, there is no reason for me to keep you around"