You'll Be The Death of Me

by Dominikki644

AU. OC: Graces Malfoy, Draco's twin sister. Neville, with his usual bad luck, ends up partners with Graces Malfoy for Herbology, just after landing her father in Azkaban, after the Ministry ordeal. Will this partnership prove to be as awful as it sounds? 6th year. Rated M for sexual content. Now on Ao3 As well.

7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling, except Graces Malfoy, who is my own. I do not claim any ownership of the characters or settings contained within. This story is for entertainment only and is not part of the official story line.

Author's notes: I just feel that it should be pointed out that this was a huge chapter for my betas AurthurDent2 and Denarii. They are truly amazing for making time in their busy schedules to edit it! Seriously, it's so incredibly nice of them to volunteer to edit my work. In earlier chapters it seems that I have spelled a few character's names incorrectly, Denarii has pointed this out to me, and I am going to do my very best to not have that happen anymore. So sorry about that, thank merlin for betas right?

Also special thanks to DamonSalvatorlover, BlueRose22, and Phoenix for their kind reviews! And to Stikking55 for the private messages! I always enjoy discussing my story and I appreciated having a reader to bounce a few ideas on.

Now time to read about Neville's date!

Chapter 7

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Ernie asked, picking out a few acid pops from the display inside Honeydukes.

"No, not really," Neville yawned, following his friend.

Ernie smiled knowingly before nudging the shy Gryffindor good naturedly. "Too excited for your date with Hannah, huh?" he winked, causing Neville to blush and rub the back of his neck, not meeting the Hufflepuff's eye. "Don't be nervous, Nev. Hannah is just as excited. I doubt if she slept any either. You know, she hasn't been able to stop talking about you since Monday. It's really annoying actually. Not that I don't like you, but I definitely don't want to hear about how much she fancies you, or sit there while she wonders aloud if you're a good kisser."

Neville closed his eyes as guilt stabbed at his gut. Any time Hannah was mentioned it felt like a blade was twisting violently in his abdomen. He felt terrible. Hannah held so much affection for him, and all he did was think of Graces. He wished he had never agreed to this date, it was wrong when he didn't hold the same feelings and would only hurt Hannah. She didn't deserve that, she was a good friend.

"Neville," Ernie said soothingly as he draped an arm over the sandy haired boy's shoulders, "don't look like that. I'm sure you're a fine kisser, and even if you're not, Hannah won't know the difference. She's never kissed anyone before."

Neville just nodded, but continued to avoid Ernie's eye. What could he say? Ernie was one of Hannah's best friends. He couldn't tell him that he didn't have feelings like that for Hannah, let alone tell him about Graces.

"So have you?"

"Have I what?"

Ernie rolled his eyes. "Kissed a girl. Have you ever kissed a girl, or should I run ahead and tell Hannah not to have such high hopes?"

Neville blushed, before muttering that he had. Ernie looked as though he were going to ask Neville who, but got distracted by Draco and Blaise's sudden presence.

Draco Malfoy had not been in the store for two whole minutes before he was swarming the shelves, proceeding to buy anything and everything in sight. Neville moved between some shelves as Draco and Blaise made their way nearer to where he and Ernie were standing.

"Merlin's beard," Blaise moaned exasperatedly as Draco proceeded to clear the full shelf in front of him of chocolate frogs, "I highly doubt that Graces needs this much candy, Draco."

Draco shrugged and proceeded to examine the sugar quills, deciding on two white, peacock-shaped ones that had a mixture of pinks and purples. "Graces feels better when she has candy. I want her to feel better."

Blaise sighed, "She likes it when she is not feeling well emotionally. She was physically hurt."

"You know, as well as I, that she hasn't been right emotionally either. Something's been wrong since Saturday and it got worse Monday. So I figure, the more candy she has, the better she will feel. I'll buy the whole bloody store if I have to."

"Draco, you are being absolutely ridiculous, and I will not allow you to buy anymore candy. I can't have the future Mrs. Zabini becoming fat."

"First of all, my sister would never become the future Mrs. Zabini," Draco drawled, casually looking over the Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, "and secondly, my sister could be the fattest girl in Hogwarts and you would still love her."

"I never said that I wouldn't." Blaise was silent for a moment, as though he were debating if he should ask something. "Do you think she is upset over Nott?"

Draco frowned, but put the bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans down. "Why would she be upset over Nott?"

"Come on, Draco, they were dating since fourth year. Then at the end of last year they break up. Maybe she misses him."

"If she missed Nott, she could have him back. It's obvious he still wants to be with her… She didn't seem bothered by the break up over the summer."

"Well, I think she had other things on her mind then, didn't she?" Zabini countered discreetly, causing Draco to look away, obviously bothered. The dark skinned boy looked at his friend sympathetically for a moment, before continuing on with the subject. "Why did they break up?"

Draco shrugged, "She just said that she didn't have strong enough feelings for him."

"Strong enough feelings for him? Can't you two be normal and just say that she didn't love him?"

"Love is a term we Malfoys don't throw around. You may use it all you want to get into some girl's knickers, but we only use it if we mean it. When we love, we love forever."

"Awww, Draco, I didn't know you were so romantic."

Draco sent the dark skinned boy a glare, "I am not being romantic; I am simply stating a truth. That's why we don't love very many people. If we love someone, we will do anything for them… Even die for them," he added quietly, looking away to allow his emotions fall behind a cold mask. Blaise reached over to comfortingly clasp his friend's shoulder. At the same time Ernie reached over and dragged Neville away from the shelves.

"Why are you so interested in Malfoy?" he asked frowning.

"I'm not," At least not that one. "I was just hoping to hear if Gra- his sister was alright."

"Oh… I didn't realize you cared," Ernie said slowly, unconsciously tilting his head a bit.

"When you carry someone bleeding to the hospital wing, you're bound to care how they are."

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Graces waited patiently outside the Three Broomsticks for her brother. She was well aware that she could go in and take a seat, but she couldn't bring herself to enter the establishment alone. She knew that the moment she entered, she would look to see if Neville was enjoying his date with Abbott and even now the thought made her stomach clench with emotions she wasn't willing to look into. So she waited outside, nodding occasionally to fellow Slytherins as they passed her, to go through the doors. She wondered what it would take to convince Draco that they should go somewhere else. She considered playing off her brother's worry, saying that she had a headache and wished to be somewhere quieter, but if she did that he would probably take her straight back to the hospital wing. The last thing Graces wanted at that moment was to be back with Madam Pomfrey after the discussion they had just had.

After the mediwitch had cleared her to leave, she insisted that they talk privately about, as Madam Pomfrey so delicately put it, "personal matters". Graces had not expected that those personal matters would be her sex life. Madam Pomfrey had taken out her file, pushed it towards her and right there, highlighted in her patient information, it said 'sexually active'. Graces had cursed herself for not remembering how medical files were updated in the wizarding world. She should have remembered it was done by a spell, to ensure that all patient information was valid and nothing was ever missed. Of course, the mediwitch had been professional about the whole matter, asking how she was preventing pregnancy, if she wanted to be examined and assured her that her medical files were private on such a personal matter, even from her parents. With that knowledge she had accepted the potion, but refused the examination.

She could tell that the mediwitch had wanted to ask her more personal questions about the matter. She was almost sure she was curious as to whom she had slept with, but Graces would not allow it. It was inappropriate and really not any of her business whatsoever. She had played her father's daughter well through the whole discussion. She was sure that she had looked and spoken like a perfect imitation of Lucius Malfoy. She had answered the question with a mask of perfect ice, glaring down her nose at the mediwitch daring her to have the audacity to ask her anything more personal. The mediwitch seemed to have taken the hint and didn't. Graces had thought that she was going to escape this whole situation without any more awkwardness. Pomfrey had dismissed her from the hospital wing, but then right as she was about to step out of the ward the woman had stopped her.

"Miss Malfoy, I doubt you remember much from yesterday, but I thought you would like to know that Mr. Longbottom refused to leave your side until he was sure you were well. He said that he couldn't leave you with someone you didn't trust. I assume that means that you have placed trust in him." Graces had at the time, though her heart was pounding in her chest, and she made sure to school her face completely blank while she waited for the mediwitch to continue. "That being said, I just wanted to let you know that I can think of no other person more deserving of such trust."

"Do not confuse a lack of distrust with trust, Madam Pomfrey," Graces had replied darkly, scowling at the witch before her. She wondered if Pomfrey knew what had happened between her and Neville. She was certain that Neville would not have told, but was his behavior easily read when he had stayed with her? Graces quickly put those thoughts away as she saw Draco coming towards her carrying bags upon bags of sweets.

My gods, what has he done now! Graces thought affectionately, unable to keep a smile from tugging at her lips.

"Is this for me?" she asked, already peering into a large bag that was filled to the brim with chocolate frogs.

Draco smirked playfully, "Who else would I buy such a ridiculous amount of chocolate for?" Graces smiled appreciatively and plucked one of the chocolates from the top. She immediately felt the stress of her conversation with the mediwitch diminish as the chocolate began to melt on her tongue.

"There, feel better?" Draco inquired, shrinking all the bags and handing them over for Graces to pocket.

"Of course, chocolate makes everything better."

"That is not a healthy way of thinking, Graces," Blaise groaned.

"Why not? It helps after being near dementors and dementors suck every happy feeling and memory out of one's soul. They try to reduce you into becoming like them: empty, soulless, evil, rotting from the inside, until you are so decayed from the person that you once were that you are just an empty shell of flesh that breathes. If chocolate is capable of aiding in the recovery from a dementor attack, then I think it is only fair that we utilize it for aiding in other matters," Graces lectured, tearing off the legs of another chocolate frog and popping them in her mouth.

Draco smiled smugly at his sister's logic as Blaise pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine, I don't think it's healthy, but what do I know? Anyways, I better head in. I have a date waiting for me in there."

"A date?" Graces exclaimed in mock hurt, placing the back of her hand to her forehead and swooning. "Darling, say it isn't so."

"Oh my love, you know it means nothing, just fun and games until you are ready to settle down with me," the dark skinned boy winked before entering into the Three Broomsticks.

Draco was just about to push open the door when Graces placed her hand on his arm, causing him to turn around with a small frown.

"Can't we go somewhere else?" she asked quietly, causing her brother to raise an aristocratic eyebrow in response. "We could just shop or take a walk along the lake," she suggested as her eyes avoided Draco's piercing gaze.

"We always go into the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer, always. It's like a tradition for us. You usually look forward to it. What's going on?"

"Nothing," Graces denied, "I just thought we could do something different."

"You've been acting so strange lately," Draco hesitated for a moment, "Is this about Nott?"

"Nott?" Graces asked in surprise.

"Yes… do you miss him?"

"Of course not." Graces scowled and opened the door while shooting her brother a dirty look over her shoulder. "You should know me better than that."

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Neville sat in the booth across from Hannah, trying not to feel so awkward with the situation at hand. He kept telling himself that this was Hannah, they had been friends for years, but a nagging voice in his head kept pointing out that he had never had any real expectations from her before. Ever since he had accepted this date he was beginning to see more and more that Hannah liked him, possibly was in love with him, and she wanted him to feel the same.

"You... uh, you look really nice Hannah," Neville complimented nervously, trying to break the silence that had ensued the moment they sat down. He didn't lie, though. It was true, Hannah did look very nice. Her hair wasn't done in its usual braids and she was wearing a very nice green top that accented the green in her eyes.

"Thanks, I'm so glad that we are doing this, Nev," Hannah gushed, smiling joyously at him. Neville gave a tight smile and nodded in return. "Aren't you happy?" she asked nervously, her smile starting to waver.

"Of course, I guess I'm just nervous," he lied, not wanting to see Hannah hurt. It seemed to quell the worry that had briefly touched her and she reached out, placing a comforting hand on Neville's wrist.

"You don't have to be nervous with me, Nev," she said, smiling sweetly, "after all most people are only nervous on dates because they don't know if the other person fancies them or not and, well, I already fancy you."

Neville winced at Hannah's confession. Luckily, she didn't notice, as she was blushing scarlet at her own boldness and looking away. They sat in awkward silence for a moment. Neville tried to focus on anything but Hannah. He listened to the quiet chatter of the room and looked at all the pictures hanging around the pub that he had never given much thought to before.

"Have you... have you ever been on a date before?" Hannah asked conversationally, though Neville suspected she was genuinely curious.

"Yeah... sort of." He murmured, not really liking where this conversation was going.

"Oh? Who?"

"Well... I, uh, took Ginny to the Yule Ball in fourth year..."

"Does that really count?" Hannah inquired skeptically.

Neville frowned, "Yes, it does." For some reason it bothered him that Hannah didn't seem to think that counted. Maybe it was because he wasn't the most popular guy, to say the least, but he always comforted himself that he at least could find a date to the Yule Ball.

Hannah seemed to realize that she had offended Neville and quickly let the question drop. "Have you ever kissed a girl?"

Neville narrowed his eyes at Hannah, "Why are you asking me this?"

"I... I just want to know..." Hannah admitted, nervously playing with a strand of her hair, "I... I'm sorry if I'm ruining this. I've just never been on a date before. And I, well, I suppose I just didn't know what to talk about, and I've been wondering if you have or not. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." she murmured quietly. "I just figured, since we already know one another as friends, maybe we should talk about more personal things."

The sandy haired Gryffindor sighed, "Yes, I have kissed girls." Hannah looked up as though to ask who, but Neville cut her off. "I don't kiss and tell. It's private." And it was private. He had awkwardly kissed Ginny after the Yule Ball, he had thought he should. Seamus, Dean and all the other boys had been talking about kissing their dates like it was expected. It was a total disaster, he had no idea what he was doing and Ginny obviously wasn't expecting it. It was even more mortifying when she made it clear that she just wanted to be friends. He just thanked the Gods that she had never told anyone, especially any of her brothers. Then there was Graces... No, I will not think of kissing Graces with Hannah right here.

"H-have you done anything else?"

Neville, who had just pressed his butterbeer to his lips, ended up almost spilling its contents all over himself at the question. "That is extremely private."

Hannah nodded, and before she could let the subject drop, as she should have, she just continued on with her nervous babbling. "I... I haven't done anything. I've never been on a date before. Did you know that this was my first date? I didn't have one for the Yule Ball, not really. Ernie took Susan Bones. Zach wanted to go stag, but he did dance with me a few times. You did too for that matter; you're a really good dancer." Hannah smiled shyly up at him through her hair. "Though I'm sorry you couldn't say the same for me."

Neville chuckled at the memory, "You weren't that bad."

"I'm pretty sure I broke your toe at one point."

Neville smiled warmly at her, "You just need to practice, that's all. Besides, my gran was dragging me to formal dance lessons the moment I turned six. I had an unfair advantage."

"Maybe you could practice with me?" Hannah suggested hopefully.

"Maybe," Neville repeated distractedly as he noticed Graces walk by him. She didn't even turn or move her head. Neville wondered idly if she even saw him.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Neville looked to his side and saw Draco looking down his nose at him, a nasty sneer on his lips. "Could it be, Longbottom, that you actually managed to get a date?" Draco then turned his cold, gray eyes to Hannah, giving her a predatory grin. "Well, if one could call a half-blood a proper date, but I suppose that isn't too bad for you now is it, Longbottom? I mean, it is one step up from a mud-blood and two from a dog. Though, a dog may look better."

Neville let out an angry roar, pouncing up from his seat and whipping out his wand and pointing it at the blond git in front of him. Draco just smiled sadistically at Neville's fury, he already had his wand poised in front of him. "Oh look, the kitten has claws."

Neville bared his teeth as he considered whether or not he could hex Malfoy before he could put up a counter curse; unfortunately he did not get the chance to see. Graces calmly stepped between the two fighting boys, placing her delicate hand on Draco's wand and slowly lowering it until it was pointing at the floor. Draco gazed at his sister with an expression that you could have taken as betrayal, confusion, or both.

"Does my life mean so little to you, brother?" she asked quietly. Neville could only see the back of her head, but he imagined she was staring imploringly at Draco, whose eyes never wavered from hers as his face darkened.

"How could you even ask me such a question?"

"How could you insult the man that aided in saving my life yesterday if you value me? You should be giving thanks to him, not insulting him in this manner." Neville admired how cool and calm Graces could be. She didn't look back at him to see his reaction, and if she minded that he still had his wand out and was pointing it towards her back, leaving her incredibly vulnerable, her body language did not give her away. She acted as though he was not there. "You owe Longbottom an apology, Draco."

The older Malfoy's face hardened at that suggestion, "Absolutely not, Malfoys do not apologize."

"Malfoys also do not act in a way that is dishonorable," Graces countered coldly, sending a shiver along Neville's back. Draco just stared at his sister, clearly unable to believe that she would ever question him like this in public. Graces let out an impatient huff and whirled around so that she was facing Neville. She raised a poised eyebrow at his wand which was still suspended in the air and pointed at her heart. Neville blushed and put it away.

Graces gave him a bemused smile as she took out her own wand and sliced open her palm. Neville couldn't help but admire how she didn't even flinch. Draco took hold of her arm as though to stop her, but she sent him a venomous look that immediately had him backing away. "Thank you for saving my life, Neville Alastor Longbottom. I owe you a life debt and by the blood that flows so freely from my veins, thanks to you, I swear to repay that debt. And I ask also for your forgiveness on behalf of my brother for insulting you earlier."

Neville could not believe that Graces was presenting him with a formal life debt; if he did not accept it her hand would continue to bleed until she died. Wizards and witches rarely gave formal life debts. Not only did she just place her life back into his hands, but as part of the formal life debt he could choose how she would repay him. He had a feeling that she was only doing this because her brother had insulted him in such a way that if she did not their honor would be at risk. If Draco had just apologized, she probably would have just allowed a normal life debt to be between them. One where neither of them had to acknowledge the bond, but if the opportunity ever presented itself she would have to repay the debt.

"I accept, and thank the Gods that life is still within you and that I had the honor to preserve it," Neville replied, thankful that he was raised with some pureblood customs and for once remembered the words to such old rituals.

Graces' hand immediately healed and a faint scar was now visible on her palm, a scar that would not leave her until she repaid her life debt to him. Neville looked up at Graces. Her face was still composed, but it lacked its usual coldness.

"I'm glad to see you're well," the sandy haired boy said giving her a timid smile. "You really scared me yesterday."

Graces actually gave him a genuine smile, "I thought Gryffindors didn't get scared?"

Neville grinned, remembering their conversation in the Greenhouse. "Who told you such a vicious lie?" he asked feigning offense.

Graces actually giggled at the banter and Neville felt something in him stir at the musical sound that was escaping her lips.

"Shouldn't you still be in the hospital wing, though?" Neville asked, concerned.

"Do you think Madam Pomfrey would let me leave if I wasn't well?" Neville was happy to see that Graces was still being friendly towards him.

"Well... no, but you're a Malfoy. I doubt she could stop you."

Graces just smiled warmly at Neville, who couldn't help but give her a shy half smile in return. This was the girl he was falling for, the girl he wanted to see more and more of. She was funny, charismatic, bright, beautiful and had a smile that could instantly make him catch his breath.

An impatient noise from behind Neville shattered their moment. Neville turned to see Hannah impatiently tapping her fingers on the table. Graces, who had not even glanced at Hannah until this point, immediately went back to her original cold demeanor. She nodded formally to Neville as he took his seat back in the booth with Hannah and then turned to leave.

"Wait!" Draco called, looking infuriated beyond belief. "Longbottom has not named how he wants the life debt repaid. Surely you are not going to just walk away without discussing this?"

"Draco," Graces warned darkly staring at her brother with piercing eyes, "that will be between me and Longbottom. Life debts are very private matters, as you well know."

Draco growled and took the seat opposite of Neville, so he was sitting by Hannah who gave an indignant cry. "What are you going to ask my sister for, Longbottom?" Draco's eyes looked almost wild as he glared at him. Neville, startled by how ferocious Draco was being, just stared at him not knowing what to say. "Well?"

Graces calmly came over and sat by Neville placing a hand on the Gryffindor's shoulder. "Draco, stop this. You are behaving like a mad man, what is wrong with you?"

"You made a formal life debt with a known blood traitor! Do you have any idea what kind of power you have given him! Think of what he could ask of you, Graces!"

Graces stilled, as some color seemed to have drained from her face. "Longbottom would never ask anything of me that is too much. He is a Gryffindor, not a Slytherin."

"He is friends with Harry Potter, Graces; do not think for a moment he wouldn't ask something of you for the light."

Graces stared at her brother for a moment, before turning slowly to Neville with her quicksilver eyes. She looked as though she were searching for something as she stared at him, but he didn't know what. Graces had a way of making him feel like his head was open for all his thoughts to be read by her stare.

"You should ask for information about You-Know-Who, Neville," Hannah chided from the booth, unhappy about being ignored for so long. Neville turned and looked at her; she was staring at Draco with a look of utter disdain.

Draco's eyes met his and Neville knew in that moment that he could very well ask such a question. He could see the fear that was etched in Draco's face, how nervous he was despite the glare he was giving him. Part of him knew that asking Graces would be the right thing to do; he could help Harry and possibly save lives, and yet he knew he couldn't ask such a thing. If he did he would endanger Graces.

He turned and looked at the proud girl sitting next ; she looked almost bored as she stared at him waiting for his price. "Would you... if you don't mind... tutor me in potions?"

Graces frowned; clearly she was not expecting such a request. "Tutor you?"

Neville blushed, "Yeah... "

"Don't you have Granger for that?" Graces asked scowling.

"I hear you're a good tutor..."

"Where did you hear that?" Hannah asked clearly as surprised by Neville's request as the rest of the table.

"Just... well... you tutor the younger years, don't you?" Graces nodded, her eyes still studying Neville. "I just thought that maybe you could help me..."

Graces sat back a puzzled look on her face. "I accept."

"Graces," Draco hissed, "you can't spend that kind of time with a known blood traitor! And especially not one that aided in sending our father to Azkaban!"

"Shut up, Draco! You know, considering the things Longbottom could have asked for I would say that I got off extremely lucky. Do not forget that if you hadn't been such an arse, I never would have had to make such a formal vow!" Graces was now standing, trembling with rage. "You said you wanted to spend time with me, that you wanted to make me feel better. You brought me here for a good time, and all you have done since entering this establishment is care more about bothering Longbottom! Do you honestly care more about making his life miserable than making my life happy?! Now I am upset, angry, in debt to Longbottom here and I have a headache!"

Draco and Neville's eyes widened at her last statement. Draco immediately stood and took his sister's arm. "You have a headache? We should go see Madam Pomfrey, how long have you had it?"

Graces wretched her arm away and glared at her brother. "Don't touch me! You don't get to decide now that you want to be my loving brother. I can make it back to Hogwarts without you, thankyouverymuch."

"I can walk with you," Neville offered, standing as though to begin walking with her right then and there.

"Neville!" Hannah cried outraged, "We're on a date!"

Neville flushed, "She can't walk alone, Hannah. She really was hurt yesterday. She had cerebrospinal fluid leaking from her nose; I can't just let her walk alone."

Graces raised an eyebrow at Neville, clearly impressed that he had known what the fluid was, but then schooled her features back into a scowl. "I don't need you playing hero for me anymore, Longbottom. Just stay on your date." She spat the last word out as if it left distaste in her mouth just saying it.

"Graces, you are being unreasonable. I am taking you to the castle." Draco looked as though he would just grab her right there and then, but Graces took her wand out threateningly.

"I'll have Blaise take me," she then turned and called Blaise who was in a dark booth a few tables away snogging some Ravenclaw girl senseless.

Blaise stopped his endeavors and smiled, standing up and striding over to the very upset looking group. "My desert blossom! You called and I am here, ask me anything and it shall be yours."

Graces rolled her eyes at Blaise's antics while Neville tried not to show his own jealousy. "Blaise, will you take me to the castle? I have a headache and am mad at my prat brother."

"Zabini is on a date," Neville pointed out, not at all liking the thought of the school casanova taking Graces to the castle. "Why would you allow him to take you and not me?"

Graces stared at Neville as if he had grown another head. She would have thought it obvious as to why she was allowing her friend to take her over him.

"Because Longbottom, Graces is my future wife and not just a fun shag. She knows that I will tend to her every need." The Ravenclaw girl that he had been sitting with looked on the verge of tears at the handsome boy's proclamation. Graces scoffed and said something about arrogant Slytherins who need to get a grip on reality. "Come, my dear, off to the castle we go."

Draco stood for a few moments, seething in rage, before stomping over to Crabbe and Goyle a few tables over and going on a tirade about how awful it was to have a sister.

Neville returned to his date with Hannah, but it was obvious to both students that it was ruined. Neither one was really focused on each other, both were thinking of the events that had occurred earlier. After a while they made their way back to the castle.

"Why were you willing to leave our date?" Hannah asked, hurt evident in her voice, "You and Malfoy aren't even friends."

Neville sighed. He really didn't have a good answer for that, at least one that would spare Hannah's feelings. He knew he couldn't tell her the whole truth, either. "I guess I just feel responsible in away."

"What do you mean?"

"I was the one that should have been watching the plant yesterday. It's my fault that it attacked her like that."

"That's not your fault, Neville," Hannah comforted softly, her face no longer hardened.

"I know, but I still feel guilty."

They walked silently for a while the castle in the distance becoming bigger, little by little, at their every step. "Neville, why didn't you ask her for information? This war is going to be awful; you could have got information that would have saved lives."

"Information that would have cost her hers." Hannah winced at how cold Neville sounded. "I do not want Graces Malfoy's blood on my hands. Having it on me once was enough."

Hannah nodded in understanding. "You're a good man, Neville. Most people wouldn't think of the consequences." She worried her lip for a moment as they entered the castle and stood by the staircases to say their goodbyes. "I know this wasn't the most... well... it wasn't what I expected our first date to be like, but I'm still glad that we went." Hannah had moved closer to Neville so that they were practically touching chest to chest. Her head was tilted up towards him like a sunflower to the sun, and she was so close he could feel her breath mingling with his. He remembered what Ernie had said earlier about her wanting to kiss him and she was sending that message rather bluntly as she stared into his eyes.

The sandy haired Gryffindor became instantly uncomfortable with the situation. He looked away trying to think of something to say, "Listen Hannah, I-" Neville's words were immediately silenced by Hannah's lips pressing against his. It wasn't a long kiss, just a gentle goodnight kiss, completely innocent, but as innocent as it was Neville still couldn't help feeling wrong about it. Hannah's flushed face lingered near his and it was obvious that she enjoyed/appreciated the kiss. Neville wondered if she even realized that he didn't participate. Her arms continued to remain wrapped around his neck and she had a gentle sweet smile on her as she looked down bashfully, clearly not realizing that he wasn't comfortable with the intimacy. This must be how Ginny felt when I kissed her.

Slowly, so as not to offend Hannah, Neville pulled away. As he did, Hannah moved down from her tip toes and gave him a dazed smile, letting her hands fall from around his neck to against his chest. Neville wished that he could enjoy this. He desperately wished that he could choose to fall in love with Hannah. It made sense to fall in love with Hannah. She should have been everything he could ever want. She was cute, sweet, kind, light, patient and was not from a family where her father tried to kill him months ago. Neville stared down at the girl with sincere regret. He realized that Hannah never would be able to make his blood boil with a fever he never knew existed and that when her lips pressed against his he had felt no compulsion to continue kissing her. He knew that if Graces was standing this close to him his heart would be pounding in his chest with anticipation, and if she had been the one to offer him a gentle kiss good night he would have held her close and kissed her as though she were the anchor to the living world. Hell, if Graces had kissed me goodnight I probably would have taken her to a dark corner and would still be kissing her. Kissing Graces was so different in comparison to kissing Hannah that Neville felt it shouldn't even be called the same act.

"Neville?"

Neville pinked, realizing how much time had passed, and forced himself to give Hannah a small half smile. Not knowing what else to say or do, just knowing he needed to get away from this whole situation to think, Neville wished Hannah a good night, before starting up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower.

Neville was halfway up the stairs, still lost in thoughts about Graces, when he noticed that the very person he could not get out of his head was sitting in the middle of the staircase watching him. Graces Malfoy was looking directly at him, a look of hurt fleeting over her face before she schooled it away. It was so brief that Neville thought that maybe he hadn't seen it, but as he drew nearer to her he saw the remnants of a tear on her cheek.

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For the first time in a week, the small aching pain she felt whenever she thought of Neville had disappeared from her. It had fled away since their encounter at the Three Broomsticks. She had been so surprised by how pleasant the encounter was and then even more so when Neville had not taken advantage of her life debt to him. Foolishly, she had decided that she wanted to thank him and even more, foolhardily, she was excited to tutor him. Then she saw him kiss Hannah. Graces cursed herself three times for being so upset. She knew very well that she, Graces Bellatrix Malfoy, should not be crying over Neville Longbottom, but she was. As much as she wanted to believe that she didn't care, she knew now that she did. She hurt somewhere so deep inside her that she was convinced the area had not existed there before.

I'm an idiot, such an idiot. What's wrong with me? I knew this couldn't be and now here I am crying like some stupid girl over a guy I have no right to want. I shouldn't be here... I shouldn't be here.

"I shouldn't be here. This was a mistake." All Graces wanted was to disappear from Neville's stare. She moved from where she was and tried to maneuver past him so he couldn't catch her eye, but the Gryffindor wouldn't let her. He caught her shoulders, in the way that only a Gryffindor would, the way that made a person have to look at them, that forced someone to face them, and did not allow them to move their gaze away.

"You're upset. Why are you upset?"

Graces tried to turn away from Neville's eyes and wished that his voice didn't sound so genuinely concerned. It just made everything hurt more, made her want him more, regret things more.

"I'm not upset. I just... this was a mistake."

"Why is being here a mistake? I don't understand. Graces, what's wrong?"

Graces could feel all her emotions beginning to bubble under the surface of her skin, it felt like ants were crawling from her stomach through her veins, she could barely breath as the feeling in her chest became tighter and tighter. "DON'T!" She pushed away from Neville with such force she almost toppled from the stairs herself. "Just don't," she whispered, feeling a lump in her throat beginning to grow.

She stared at the stones in the wall while she desperately willed herself to get a grip. She couldn't look at Neville, not when he looked at her like that. Like he cared. He probably does care. Neville Longbottom is the kind of guy that cares when a girl cries. The lump in her throat began to throb painfully at that thought.

"Graces, what are you doing here?"

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"Don't say my name," Neville sighed and would have protested, but then Graces looked at him and he saw the same brokenness in her eyes he had seen in the greenhouse when she cried and asked him to help take her pain away.

Despite what he wanted, when she looked like that, he couldn't bring himself to protest. "Fine," he said gently, moving up a few steps so that they were closer. "Malfoy, what are you doing here?"

"Yeah! What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron spat from behind Neville with Harry and Hermione close to him.

Neville turned back to see that whatever was exposed of Graces earlier was vanished now from her face. There was no trace of hurt, vulnerability or brokenness, just a contemptuous sneer and cold eyes.

"That is none of your concern, Weasel."

Neville sighed at such a drastic turn of events; this was not supposed to be happening. "Ron, please can you just give us a moment?"

"A moment? Neville, why on earth would you want a moment with Malfoy?" the red headed boy asked, flabbergasted. "What is she even doing here?"

Neville didn't know how to answer that, so he turned towards Graces. Hermione and Harry watched, just as surprised to see a Slytherin so close to the tower. They usually kept far away from one another's common rooms.

"Not that it is any of your concern, but I owe Mr. Longbottom a life debt, we made a formal one earlier and he asked me to tutor him," Graces answered coolly, "I came here to discuss that."

"Why didn't you just discuss it with him in herbology?" Hermione inquired looking at the Slytherin suspiciously.

Graces blushed and looked as though she didn't know how to answer that.

"Wait a minute," Ron broke in, "Neville, she offered you a formal life debt?" Neville nodded slowly. "And you asked for tutoring?! Nev, why didn't you ask for information on You-Know-Who? You saw her father at the ministry. You know her family has information."

A look of realization hit Harry, "He could have asked for that?"

"It's a formal life debt," Hermione said slowly, never removing her eyes from the pair in front of her, "He could have asked her almost anything and she would have to answer or she would die. Neville, I tutor you, why would you ask for tutoring? Do you have any idea how valuable that information would have been to us?"

Neville knew this was not good. Ron was looking at him with betrayal, while Harry and Hermione were just waiting for a reply, obviously waiting to make their judgment.

"I… I..." He looked over at Graces, who was staring at him with such intensity that he wondered if she knew the reason already. "I didn't want her to die. If I asked her to give me that information she would have been killed."

"That information could have saved others!" Ron scolded, his face turning red with frustration and fury. "Her dying would just rid us of another death eater that we would have to fight in the final battle!"

Ron had never seen Neville look so stern; he never thought the shy boy he shared a room with could ever look so much like Snape. "She is not a Death Eater," Neville hissed with venom before turning and grabbing a startled Graces' arm and pulling up her sleeve to expose her bare, pale forearm for them to see. "Look. No mark, she is not a Death Eater, she doesn't deserve—"

*Smack*

Neville put a tentative hand on his burning cheek as the echo from Graces' assault sounded in the stairway. He looked over at Graces in utter shock. She had smacked him. He was trying to defend her and she smacked him.

"You had no right," she said, voice trembling with emotion, before she departed from the group, leaving four very stunned Gryffindors in her wake.

"And you want her to tutor you?" Harry gawked, his green eyes wide with shock. "Merlin's underpants, Neville, she is crazy."

Neville closed his eyes. He could still feel the heat mingled with a sting from Graces slap. "She may be crazy, but she isn't a Death Eater." He turned and looked at Ron. "You had no right to insinuate that her life was not worth saving."

"Come off it, Nev," Ron said, rolling his eyes, "Her father and Aunt were at the Ministry. You know better than anyone where her life is heading."

"She's not there yet," Neville said, standing tall. He was slightly surprised to see that he was almost taller than Ron. He usually was slouching and trying to make himself as small as possible; it was quite the change for him to be standing so tall against Ron. It reminded him of first year when he first stood up to the trio, "and I'm not going to be responsible for her death."

"She's a Malfoy!" Ron protested, looking to Harry to back him up.

"She's a person!" Neville bellowed, heading down the stairs. He decided that the last thing he wanted to do was go up to the Gryffindor tower and be with his roommates.

Neville faintly heard Hermione scolding Ron in the distance, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Everything with Graces was just so complicated and frustrating. It seemed that for every good moment they had there were five terrible ones. And now she was going to be tutoring him. He silently wondered how that was going to pan out. So far it seemed as though it would be a disaster.

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By the time Graces reached the outskirts of the lake, she realized that she was crying. Everything had just gone so wrong. She had wanted to catch Neville before he reached the tower and thank him. It sounded so foolish now. She knew he was on a date, that Hannah would probably walk with him to the stairs, but she wanted to see him and thank him for not taking advantage of her life debt to him, and for saving her life. A life she now realized was valued so little by others in the school.

But he values it.

We'll see how much he values it when you have the Dark Mark on your arm, a snide voice said in the back of her head.

Graces closed her eyes and tried desperately to will the tears to stop flowing from her. It didn't bother her so much that Neville was defending her; she honestly was flattered that he was so willing to stand up against his friends for her. And it was surprisingly hot to see him go so cold and angry, but he defended her on the grounds that she was not a Death Eater. And he had exposed her arm out to them as though he needed to prove that she was worth defending.

I need to stop caring; this is getting out of hand. So what if he doesn't think I am worth defending with the mark? It shouldn't matter to me. Odds are one day I am going to be pointing my wand at him with an unforgivable on my lips. I should be thankful that he won't care about me then. It will make it easier to do what I need to do.

Why would him not caring make it easier? It shouldn't matter to you anyways. You should be able to kill him regardless of his feelings towards you.

Graces closed her eyes to the cold voice in her head. It was right, it was logical, it made perfect sense in her head, but for some reason it felt wrong. The thought of killing Neville, or even hurting him, made her insides feel as though they were twisting so violently in her that she was going to die herself. The thought of him not valuing her made her want to break down like the girls in soppy veela novels and cry.

"What's wrong with me?" she moaned aloud to the darkness around her, not truly wanting an answer.

"Graces?"

Graces turned, not bothering to hide the tears on her cheeks, and threw herself into Draco's arms. The blond boy was surprised at first, but quickly embraced his sister who began to sob uncontrollably into him.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, "I didn't mean to... to make you feel like this..."

"Oh Draco, it's not all you," Graces sobbed into his chest, hiding her tears which were beginning to soak his shirt.

Draco stood there for a moment in silence, the only noise being his sister's soft hiccups. "But some of it is..."

"I just wanted to be with you today," Graces said, her voice thick with anguish, "I wanted to spend time with someone who knows and loves me. I'm so scared that you won't be here that much longer, and when you're gone I'll have no one. No one to care about me, to value me, to love and to love me unconditionally."

She clung tighter to Draco as she spoke, using his body to anchor her to the world that she no longer cared to be in.

"This war is going to take everything from me. I've lost father, mother is just a shell without him, and I am going to lose you. I want it to end, can't we leave? Can't we take our money and run away. Live somewhere far away from this war, where no one can find us?"

"And leave mother?" Draco asked with no emotion, "Give up and let father rot away in Azkaban?"

"They made their choices!" Graces wailed pulling away. "Why should we be responsible for saving the damned? Father chose to bow down to that half-blood. We didn't! We still have a chance Draco, please!"

Draco growled and pulled up his sleeve exposing the Dark Mark to his sister, "I have made my choice, Graces. I choose family. I choose the opportunity to gain back what we have lost. I choose father, I choose mother and I choose you. If they are damned, I choose to be damned as well. To run away will seal their deaths, and ours, if we are ever found."

"Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard alive," Graces whispered, not caring how much of a coward she was being. "The Dark Lord is afraid of him. How will you manage to kill him? The Dark Lord gave you this mission to kill you. When you are gone he will turn and come after me next!"

"You don't think I know all this?" Draco hissed, "Do you not think that I lay in bed contemplating what will happen to you, to mum, if I fail? I am well aware of the situation we are in. Father's responsibilities to our family have fallen onto my shoulders! Your life is now in my hands! If I fail your death is on me! The only thing I have to be thankful for is that I will at least not have to witness it, BECAUSE I WILL BE KILLED FIRST!"

Draco watched as his sister cried freely into the palms of her hands. He had no idea what comfort to give her. Any comfort he gave her would only soothe momentarily, she needed to accept what was happening and live with it. He could not lie or sugar coat what was to come, because doing that would be doing more harm than good in the end.

Why does she need to prepare for what is to come? Her arm is unmarked, she is the youngest and there is no responsibility on her shoulders yet. You want her to stay and be strong for you, because you, despite your facade, need her. She still has a chance to go away, to flee and to live out a life far away from this destruction.

Draco closed his eyes and willed the next words out of his mouth. They felt heavy on his tongue and he could feel them even as they escaped his lips trying to choke him. "You can leave. I will empty a vault for you and you can leave. Live among muggles for the rest of—"

"I'm no coward!" Graces screamed, wiping away the remnants of her tears and facing her brother head on. Her eyes, despite the redness encircling them, looked as savage as fire. "Where you go, I go. If you are to stay, so shall I. I love you, I would rather die living out my time with the ones I love than hide away and live without. I was willing to run if it would mean you running with me. If you won't, I won't."

"You don't have to, though," Draco knew he was close to tears; his voice was thick from not allowing them to come. "You were right, we are not responsible for saving the damned. I have made my choice, but you still could choose another path. And I would be happy knowing you were alive and well somewhere far away."

Graces let out a strangled sob before throwing her arms around Draco's neck in a tight embrace. "Not without you. We will face all of this together." Graces forced a small, encouraging smile. "Maybe it will all work out and you will kill that old bat. You did, after all, manage to break Potter's nose before school even started.

Draco chuckled, "Yes, too bad he fixed it before everyone could admire my handiwork." They sat down by the lake, both acknowledging without words that this discussion was over. They knew that if they allowed it to, their worry would overtake their lives, that this would be the center of their thoughts to the point where they would drive themselves mad. The future was up in the air; the best course of action was to allow what comes to come and live their lives without the shadow of death darkening it.

"I really need you now," Draco admitted softly, admiring the night sky over the lake and wondering if he would be allowed such comforts for much longer.

Graces just leaned her head down on her brother's shoulder in reply. She was there, she wasn't going to leave, they were family. She didn't need to say pointless assurances to tell Draco that. He knew because she was sitting there now. Everything else in her life she was unsure of, but Draco was a constant. She now at least knew where she stood with him and with this war. She stood not on the Dark Lord's side, but on her brother's. If he stood beside a crazed mad man, then she stood there too. Everything else was complicated, but at least this was not.

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The next chapter is my personal favorite! I'm extremely excited to have you all read it! If I could I would post it right now, but if I did then you would see how awful I am with commas.

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