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

Author's notes: As usual a huge thank you to my beta Denarii for editing and my best friend Aleah for reading it over!

Special thanks to Scrt Vlntn, JBadgr, Q, bageltiger, Phoenix, Forlornhero, Blue Luver5000, Phoenix, Pleasereadmything, Manoirmalfoys, 000janedoe000, lilnedger82, dreamingxofxdior and noone297 for their reviews!

Chapter 51

Neville groaned as he felt something touch his nose and irritatedly waved his hand around his face thinking a fly was pestering him. He had barely slept. He had laid with Graces comfortably for a long time last night before sneaking out of her little bed to his own. He understood that Graces set up boundaries for a reason and while he was hopelessly in love with her he respected that she wanted to protect her own heart. And so he had laid in his makeshift bed for a while and then when he couldn't sleep being so far away from her moved to sleep in the chair beside her.

It hadn't been a decision that provided him with the best sleep. He had been a bit cold and uncomfortable causing him to wake quite often in the middle of the night, but he was able to sleep more there then he would have far away from her. Again he felt something brushing against his nose and with a frustrated grunt he pried his eyes open.

"Oh, so you're my fly," Neville yawned, sitting up in the chair and offering a sleepy smile. Graces frowned at his words, but after a moment realized what Neville meant and just nodded. "Did you sleep well?"

"Better than you," Graces shrugged, eyeing Neville's set up in the chair. "That couldn't have been comfortable."

"You don't worry about me," Neville smiled, reaching his hands up and stretching. "I slept just fine."

"You look cold," Graces argued, clearly not happy. "You're nose is cold," she murmured more to herself than to Neville. Neville watched as she looked sadly to her side, his jacket wrapped up around her.

"Come here," he ordered gently, moving the extra blanket he found in the barn off him and opening his arms to her. Graces eyed him for a moment before hesitantly moving to be on his lap. Neville wrapped his arms around her and contently sighed at how warm she was, before asking what was wrong.

"Nothing," Graces shrugged, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "I just wish you would have kept yourself warm."

"I'm warm enough," Neville lied.

"You're going to get a cold," Graces pouted, clearly not about to let Neville get away with this.

"Maybe," Neville hummed. "If I do though I know this really pretty witch who plans on being a healer. I'm willing to bet if I get a little sick she'll make me a pepper up potion and kiss me better." Neville knew Graces was trying to be cross with him, but he could feel her cheeks move against his neck and knew she was smiling.

"I don't think she'll kiss you better."

"Oh, I think she will. She likes to pretend that she won't kiss me, but she will," Neville affirmed grinning ear to ear. "I'll probably get more than just a kiss if I play my cards right."

Neville laughed as Graces made an offended gasp and hit his chest, but he made no apology.

"You're so bad," Graces scoffed, burying herself more into him closing her eyes sleepily.

"We have to get going soon," Neville informed, kissing her head. "People should be waking up in the next hour. It wouldn't do for us to be missing from our beds and we have class."

Graces nodded, but made no movement to get up. Neville found Graces' behavior to be a bit curious, but just allowed her to continue on where she was. He quite enjoyed her snuggled up on his lap early in the morning and was not about to protest.

"I made a decision," she whispered, still staying under his chin. Neville felt like ice had flooded into his veins and unconsciously gripped the blonde tighter to himself.

"Oh?" he pressed, his voice already pushing against the lump growing in his throat.

"I'm not going to marry Graham."

"I-I just don't feel ready," Graces whispered.

Neville sat there in silence at Graces' words. He wanted to look at her, search her face for sincerity, but the blonde buried herself more deeply in the crook of his neck. It didn't make sense for her to choose not to marry Montague. Montague was the smart choice and Graces had said just the other week after Hermione left them in the prefect's bathroom that she would marry a man if she didn't love him. 'I love my family. I will do what is expected of me.'

Slowly Neville sat up and cupped Graces' face so that she was staring up at him.

"You don't have to turn him down for me," Neville stated evenly. "You know that right? I would much rather you be safe, Graces."

"Trying to get rid of me Longbottom?" Graces asked icily.

"Graces," Neville moved the blonde away from him and tilted her chin up so she was forced to meet his eyes. "I do not want you to marry Montague. I am not trying to get rid of you. I just… I just don't want your safety being compromised for me." Because I'm not worth it. Neville ran his thumb under her eye and gave her a sorry half smile. "I want you to be safe, Graces. I don't want you to hurt. Me telling you that I don't want to be factored into this decision has nothing to do with my feelings for you, other than I want you safe. If being with Montague can secure your safety I think that's the best decision for you."

"Well, I am not factoring you in my decision," Graces shot angrily. "And it's my decision to make and not yours. I'm not marrying Montague because I am too young and I don't want to drop out of school, which is something he would want. At the moment I am confident in my brother's abilities to carry out his task and I do not wish to anchor myself to Montague when there's a chance it is not necessary."

Neville groaned as Graces stood up angrily and tossed his coat on the floor as she began grabbing her own shoes and coat angrily.

"Graces, please don't do this," Neville begged, running his hands over his face and thinking it was way too early for such nonsense.

"I'm not doing anything," Graces grumbled. "I'll see you in class."

"Graces, stop," Neville ordered, taking her by her shoulders and not allowing her to pass. "I know you're hurt and—"

"I am not hurt," Graces barked, trying to sidestep away.

"Yes you are," Neville sighed. "You think I don't care enough to want you all to myself. And that's not the case at all."

"Let me go, Longbottom."

"No," Neville protested. "I want you to actually think about this. What have I done that is so wrong? I'm trying to be a good man here. I'm trying to let you go so you'll be safe."

"Graces, I don't want you to go. I want you here with me, but I can't guarantee your safety like Montague. I wish I could. I wish you could be just as safe in my arms as you would be with him, but you aren't. Do you have any idea how much that kills me?" Neville asked, staring down at her angrily.. "I can't do a damn thing for you. Do you have any idea how pathetic I feel?"

"You're upset because you don't think I want you in your life. I want you in my life more than you want me. I guarantee that. I'm just not willing to sacrifice your safety for my happiness." And with that final sentiment Neville released Graces from his hold. He was beyond frustrated with her at the moment and turned and kicked the wall of the barn to let out a bit of steam. He hated all the complications. Even when he was trying his best to not make things complicated it all just ended up being a mess.

Neville stilled as he felt Graces' hesitant arms wrap around his middle.

"I'm sorry," Graces whispered, holding him tighter despite the way he tensed. "Please don't be mad."

"How can you act like I want to just get rid of you?" he seethed. "I've been the one begging you for affection. Wanting you to stay longer, asking you to give more. Why is it that you have to act like I'm the bad guy because I want to protect you? Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to think of you with Montague?"

"I'm sorry," Graces repeated lamely. "I-I just was expecting a different reaction…I didn't expect for you to tell me to reconsider…"

"You do need to reconsider," Neville stressed bitterly. "You are not safe. I don't think you thought this through correctly."

"I'm safe," Graces reassured. "Really I am. At least for now."

"I have a hard time believing that," Neville deadpanned, referring to the last few days.

"I am," Graces promised. "No more Death Eaters are going to be coming here. Snape can't just allow for people to be coming and going, it's suspicious. The only time I need to be frightened is when the year ends… if Draco hasn't completed his task," she whispered quietly.

"And what will you do then?" Neville asked, still refusing to turn around and look at the blonde.

"Don't worry about that," Graces murmured, nuzzling her chin into Neville's shoulder blade.

Neville turned around and looked down at the girl in front of him sadly. She had been through so much there was no way she wasn't broken. Something was broken in her. He saw it last night and looking at her silver eyes he saw it now. He believed it could be repaired. He knew that it could be, but if something else happened. Something more or similar to what was already done he wondered if they could put her back together again.

"Be honest with me," he began lowly. "Did I not factor into your decision?"

Graces looked down and worried her lip for a brief moment before staring back up at him.

"I want more time," she admitted. "I—you're the one person I can talk to. I need you. I would lose my mind without you." Neville kept still as Graces took his hand in her own. "I know you want me safe. I believe you, but right now I don't need physical protection. I need you."

"I can still be here for you," Neville pleaded. "Graces, I don't need to be having sexual relations with you to be there for you we can just—"

"Longbottom, first of all I think we both know we are not good at not sleeping with one another," Graces deadpanned. "Second of all I do not want to drop out of school. There is still a chance Draco is going to fulfill his task and I don't want to rush into a marriage because I can't wait a few months."

"Graces, think about what can happen in that time," Neville pleaded. "What if—"

"I have faith in my brother," Graces stated. "I understand you are worried about me, but I am not going to marry Graham."

Neville leaned against the barn wall and tried to not think of the tightening sensation that was growing in his chest. He felt like the air in the room was diminishing and he just wanted to scream. Graces, as always, was stubborn as ever in her decision, and while one part of him said to rejoice that he was going to have her a little longer another kept placing images of her broken in her bed.

"What if you get hurt and there is no Dr. Harris to put you back together again?" he rasped over the tightness. "What if they break you?"

Graces frowned thoughtfully over the question. Neville could practically see the wheels in her head turning on the question. She knew he didn't just mean breaking her physically, that he was talking about her mental state just as much as her body. A while ago Graces would have just dismissed his worry, and now he could see her seriously considering it.

"Do you think I'm broken now?" she asked quietly. Neville looked down at his shoes for a moment, before shrugging noncommittally. "I see," Graces whispered. "Because of last night?"

"Because of lots of nights," Neville murmured still not meeting her eyes. "You've been through a lot. It's normal that you can't bear all that weight."

"I'm not weak," Graces maintained tightly."I just—"

"I do not think you are weak," Neville interrupted. "I think you are the strongest person I've ever met, but that doesn't mean that you can't be broken. I'm worried because I think that the Dark Lord is trying to do that. I think he's trying to break all of you, and I have a feeling you, because of what you did for Thomas and your last name, will be his ultimate target."

Graces nodded her head in sad agreement at his words and quickly wiped her eyes.

"I know I've put myself in his sights," Graces acknowledged, a proud determination taking hold of her. "I know I have. I-I knew the moment I went in front of him to help Thomas that I put myself in this twisted game of chess, but that does not mean I want to succumb to him. I may have my moments of weakness, but a rigid board is more likely to break than a flexible one. I'm bending, but I am not breaking, Longbottom. I feel at times like I am, but I'm not. I'm adapting."

"Everyone has a breaking point," Neville argued. "Montague is a way for you not to ever have to reach that point. Graces, think about this. Really think about this."

"I have," Graces stomped, irritation now coming out over her pain. "I know what my breaking point is, Longbottom. Now you can either respect my decision not to pawn myself off like a prized bitch just to save my life or you can shove off. Either way I am not marrying Montague! The Dark Lord doesn't scare me!" Graces roared defiantly. "Death is nothing compared to living. Death is easy," Graces continued, moving closer to Neville. "I know, because I've died. It doesn't hurt, it isn't even scary, you just slip into the other world. I can't even remember anything beyond that. I know my breaking point and it resides with my brother! So long as Draco is alive I cannot be broken and I will not, WILL NOT cower behind a marriage to keep myself safe."

"You think you Gryffindors are the only ones that can be brave?" Graces cast out. "Watch me!"

And with that the blonde began to stomp out of the room, Neville hurriedly rushed to stop her and barely closed the barn door before she was able to sneak her way out.

"I'm not saying you're not brave," Neville pleaded. "I swear I'm not I—"

"You're asking me to retreat," Graces snapped. "I will not live my life in fear. I will not make choices based on fear. I am going to live before I die!"

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE!" Neville screamed.

"THEN WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME TO MAKE A CHOICE THAT IS GOING TO KILL ME!"

There was a pregnant silence at Graces words. Neville bit the inside of his cheek as Graces began sobbing into her hand.

"Marrying Graham now, accepting that kind of defeat is going to kill me," Graces whimpered. "Draco dying is going to kill me. Marrying who I am expected to was an okay plan so long as Draco was around. I may not have had love in my marriage, but I would have love. I just can't marry Graham. I can't."

"So what are you saying exactly?" Neville frowned, feeling the lump in his throat double in size. "Are you telling me that if Draco doesn't live through this, if he doesn't accomplish this task that you want to die with him?"

Graces faltered for a moment and Neville knew that she hadn't even realized until then what she was saying, but now she realized… He could read it on her face. Slowly the anger and frustration diminished and something more hopeless came and gripped his insides. The blonde moved into his chest and wrapped her arms around his middle.

"Please, drop this," she whispered, nuzzling her nose into him. "Be here for me. Don't tell me what decision to make, just be here for me. I think you know better than anyone that there are worse things than death. Accept what I am choosing for myself."

"I can't accept that, Graces," Neville choked, unable to stop himself from crying. "You're choosing to die, how am I supposed to just accept that?"

"I am not choosing to die," Graces sighed. "I believe Draco will succeed. I am choosing to dismiss the back up plan."

"You said Montague was nice, you said you two would be a good match, you said-"

"I was scared! I was terrified, now I'm—"

"You should still be scared, Graces!"

Graces made some gesture of frustration with her hands and gave out an exasperated cry which resulted in the two students just standing in silence. Neville knew he was right on everything. That he was being the voice of reason and found himself torn between hating himself for pushing her away and content that she had no argument.

"I am very scared," Graces murmured after a while. "But not of the things you think I should be scared for. Do not place your fears and ideals on me," she continued staring up at him. "I know what I can bear and I know what I can't. So I am going to ask you for the last time, Longbottom. Respect my wishes. I understand a lot more than you do about my situation and I am making a choice based off all the things I know."

"How does Draco feel about your decision?" Neville asked, clearly reaching for a reason to disagree.

"He doesn't know yet." Neville glared at her and was about to open his mouth and scold her, but Graces hurriedly continued. "I'm going to tell him, just after I speak with Graham."

"Maybe you should tell him before."

Graces was once again beginning to flood with a feeling of rejection. Neville said he wanted to be with her all his actions until this point had said he wanted to be with her and now all he was doing was pushing her away.

"Draco's going to respect my decision," Graces declared sourly.

"Is he, now? Good for Draco."

"You're being an asshole."

"And you're being naïve."

"Well, you're being a pompous, patriarchal, chauvinist ass!"

"A what?" Neville asked in surprise.

"You heard me," Graces snarled. "Telling me I have to get married, that I need to rely on a man to save me. Heaven forbid I refuse a marriage of convenience. A few months ago you found that distasteful, and now you're practically pushing me into the arms of someone despite the fact I don't want to. Well, go ahead continue on punishing me for having a mind of my own, for making a choice based on what I want."

Neville's cheeks burned red for a moment and Graces felt extremely smug as when he looked at her uncomfortably before diverting his eyes away.

"You're right," Neville murmured quietly.

"I know I am."

"I just—" Neville paused and seemed to be trying to gather himself. "I don't want anything like this to ever happen to you again. I want you to be safe."

"Draco will keep me safe." Neville gave Graces a look that made her want to scream out her frustrations. "What happened to me was my own fault," she informed slowly. "I was safe and then I went behind Draco's back and accompanied Thomas to his meeting. If I had listened to my brother then nothing like that would have happened to me. And I don't appreciate you blaming my brother for this," Graces added. "This is all my fault. Not his. Draco has done nothing but deal with situations he has been handed."

Neville shook his head, but didn't argue. Instead, he sat down on a lonely stool and made some noise of exasperation.

"I don't know what to do right now. I have no idea how to feel about any of this."

"Be happy." Neville scoffed and looked up at her like she was deliberately toying with him. "I'm serious," Graces stressed. "There is nothing you can do about my decision, so be happy with the time we just gained. Be here for me the way I am asking you to be." Graces bent down in front of him and laid her head on his knee, making it impossible for the sandy haired boy to continue looking away. "I still want you. Don't you still want me?"

"We've been through this. I do, you know I do, but—"

Neville was at once silenced by Graces' warm lips over taking his. He thought about protesting, but that thought diminished slightly when the blonde climbed into his lap and continued on.

"You're being manipulative," Neville murmured, groaning as Graces trailed down to his neck.

"How is this manipulative?" Graces asked, kissing him heatedly on the mouth. "My mind's made up. Decisions have been made. Now I am just basking in one of the benefits of it."

"We were discussing—"

"You were discussing," Graces corrected. "It's done, Longbottom. I'm not doing it, I have my reasons and you know that you should respect them."

"I'm terrified for you," Neville stressed, cupping her face in the palm of his hand. "Terrified."

Graces stared at him for a few moments, before biting her lip thoughtfully.

"I'm going to make you a deal," she said, looking at Neville seriously. "The moment—the very second—I am in danger I am going to tell you."

"You will?" Neville asked skeptically.

"I will," Graces promised, taking his hand in her's. "I'll tell you. Even if I have to owl you, I'll tell you."

"You don't need to be scared for me," Graces reassured, her silver eyes pleading with him to believe her. "Because I am going to tell you the moment you should be."

"The very moment?"

"The very moment," Graces vowed, kissing him sweetly.

"Okay," Neville relented, resting his forehead on her's. "I swear to the Gods Graces if you don't, I'll—"

"Hey, I said I will," Graces interjected, standing up and picking Neville's discarded coat up. "Now, we should go." Neville nodded and stood up from the stool, stopping to pick up an old Drooble's wrapper that had fallen out of his coat.

Graces frowned at the wrapper. She remembered seeing Drooble's wrappers in Neville's bag when she was getting the clothes to cover herself while pruning the plant. They were in that box with the broken wand and funny coin. Come to think of it she had seen another wrapper once after they had "fooled around". It had fallen out of his pants, but the odd thing was she had never once seen Neville chew gum. Ever.

"I'll walk you to the dungeons," Neville yawned, putting his coat on and massaging his neck. "I don't want you walking alone."

Graces nodded and followed Neville out of the barn, allowing him to loop his arm around her waist once she disillusioned them both. With every step she took leaning on Neville's side strolling around the castle she solidified her decision in her head. As wrong as it was, she needed him. He gave her a calm tranquility that she knew no one else could. She knew she was playing with fire, that she was bound to get burned, but at the same time isn't that what she and Neville did? They burned, passionately and desperately, they burned for one another.

sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

Graces was the first to arrive inside the Great Hall for breakfast. She had snuck up into her dorm and left before anyone was able to even fully wake up. Thank the gods, no one would have noticed her absence. Everyone could just assume she woke up early and left. She sat at the Slytherin table quietly waiting for food to appear. She imagined breakfast should be appearing in about five minutes, but she wasn't at all interested in eating.

"Miss Malfoy." Graces looked up to see Professor McGonagall staring down at her, clearly surprised at seeing her after a week. "How are you?"

"Well."

The professor stared at her a few moments, her usually severe face taking on a more empathetic expression, before looking around the hall and moving to take the seat across from her. Graces frowned and found herself inching back in her own seat, uncomfortable with what the woman in front of her was doing, but after a few moments lifted her chin and waited.

"I don't know how close you are with your head of house," the woman began gently. "I realize Professor Snape isn't the most comforting of sorts and—"

"He's my godfather," Graces said shortly, wanting this conversation to end before it began.

"I think we both know he isn't very suited for the title."

Graces clenched her jaw, but did not make any argument.

"That being said," McGonagall continued. "I want you to know my door is always open. I realize that this tragedy must be very hard on you, not to mention your father's incarceration as well. I know I am not your head of house, but I am your teacher and if—"

"Thank you," Graces interrupted, wanting the woman in front of her to leave. "But I'm fine."

The older woman nodded and sat there for a few more moments clearly wanting to discuss matters more, but not holding her breath that Graces would want to open up.

"Well, you know where my office is," she dismissed, standing up to leave. "I hope I will be seeing you there, to at least catch you up on the material you missed."

"That's not necessary," Graces dismissed, taking out her satchel and rummaging through it. "Here are the papers that were due in my absence and I am well prepared for the practical test today."

"Oh, you didn't have to do this while you were away. I would have understood if—"

"Granger is not the only one who studies ahead," Graces pointed out, grabbing a piece of toast idly as it appeared in front of her. "I finished that paper long before what happened; I've just been waiting to turn it in."

The professor stared at the blonde in front of her. Graces was a bright witch, she had never doubted that. She was coldly quiet in class and didn't seem to get as excited about subjects as Hermione did, but she had not missed the certain liveliness that would come to the girl's eyes. The older woman began to wonder if maybe she had dismissed Graces' brightness. Hermione was almost always praised by her teachers, Graces, however...

"I don't need your validation," Graces scoffed looking up from the jam she was spreading. "I'll need a letter of recommendation next year, but that's it. Tea?" Graces asked, holding up the pot.

"No, thank you," Professor McGonagall declined, finally standing to leave. "I shall see you in class, Miss Malfoy."

"Class," Graces repeated, in a way that told the older woman she should never expect to see the blonde in her office.

Graces gave a small relieved breath as the older Gryffindor took her seat at the front of the hall. Students had now started to trickle in, taking their usual seats at their usual tables. It all seemed like a dream to Graces, fake even.

"Y-You ok-kay?"

"Of course," Graces jumped, blushing from her surprise. She had no idea how long Thomas had been sitting there, or when he came in. She still couldn't see him. He was sitting on her bad side… Graces reached over and hurriedly gulped her pumpkin juice, praying to drown the feeling that had welled up in her throat. Her bad side. That's what she had began calling the side of her that was blind. Her bad side. Her bad side used to be the side of her face she didn't favor in photographs and now it was actually used in a real way. "Are you catching up with your classes?"

"I'm d-dismissed f-from th-the w-w-work I m-missed."

"Well, that won't do," Graces sighed. "Finish the work, Thomas. It shows a certain amount of strength. You don't want to look weak."

"I-it's a l-lot to m-make up."

"Then you shall look stronger for it."

"I h-have O-octavian," Thomas groaned. "I d-don't h-have th-the w-weekend to c-catch u-up."

"Learn time management," Graces instructed, taking another drink. "Octavian will now always be around. One day you will have a job and need to catch up on work and make time for him. Think of this as a learning experience for later."

Thomas scowled, but nodded his head in agreement. Graces looked over a few times and saw him playing with his food, clearly trying to work out his schedule in his head.

"I'll take him for the weekend," Graces caved, already feeling bad for being so hard on him. "Octavian will stay at the castle this weekend and I will watch him when you're catching up on work."

"Y-yeah?"

"Yeah," Graces smiled. "There's no rule about infants being here and it's the weekend. It's not like we are taking him to class."

"Th-thanks," Thomas grinned, giving her leg an affectionate squeeze under the table.

"Yep, now back to being silent," Graces winked.

"I p-put up a s-silencing ch-charm."

"Did you now?" Graces asked slightly surprised.

Thomas shrugged and murmured about how he's gotten so good with them he's doing it a lot more often so he can speak more in public.

"People are going to think you're up to something," Graces teased, taking a sip of tea.

"I'm a S-slytherin, th-they already d-do."

"Well, since you have the charm up, I've been meaning to ask. What's going on with you and Wendalyn?"

Thomas faltered for a moment a look of discomfort coming to his face before he went cold.

"Nothing. We broke up."

"Must have been pretty fast considering her whole family were at the funeral and she never once came up to you. Not even when the rest of them did." Graces peeked over and saw the dark haired boy tighten his grip on his fork, but he didn't say anything. "You going to tell me what she said?"

"Sh-she didn't say anyth-thing," Thomas murmured tightly.

"Nothing?" Graces asked, the blood inside her veins going up a few degrees.

"J-just l-leave it."

"I absolutely will not leave it, Thomas," Graces snapped. "I expected her to break it off with you. She's an idiot child and is in no way ready to take on the responsibilities that come with dating you now. I didn't really want her around Octavian either, to be honest, but she didn't even say anything to you? She's just avoiding you? After everything that has happened to you she—"

"It's n-not l-like I'm exactly s-seeking her out," Thomas defended, keeping his eyes glued to the table.

"Why would you when she didn't even bring her condolences to you at the funeral."

"I d-don't w-want to t-talk about th-this," Thomas whispered quietly.

Graces bristled at the request, but decided to let it drop. She really didn't want Thomas getting emotional at the table and now more students were arriving, including the girl of the hour. Graces watched unflinching as she huddled close to her group of friends, even when the other girl noticed her hostile stares she didn't look away.

"S-stop it," Thomas pleaded.

"Stop what?"

"Y-you know wh-what."

"Oh, Thomas, I'm just being kind. At least now the poor girl knows I'm out to get her. It's like giving someone a warning before you hex them."

Thomas rolled his eyes and muttered something about Malfoys under his breath before finishing his tea.

"Glad you're back, Gray," Blaise greeted seriously, kissing her cheek and taking a seat beside her.

"Thanks," Graces blushed, looking over at the Gryffindor table and being incredibly thankful that Neville was not there. "Where's Draco?"

Blaise paused for a moment before murmuring that he was busy.

"Did you see him this morning?"

"No."

"He has to eat. Where—"

"Graces," Crabbe broke in. "He's busy. Don't expect to be seeing him."

The blonde frowned at Crabbe's statement and looked over to Blaise questioningly.

"I don't know anything," Blaise stated. "Crabbe doesn't know anything and you best just maintain that you don't know anything. All we know is he is working and after recent incidents will not be doing anything other than."

"He has to go to class," Graces argued.

"That's about it though."

"He has to eat and he—"

"If you're worried grab him a muffin for later."

"Did he even come to bed last night?" Graces asked.

There was a pregnant silence from the 6th year boys that were around her. Graces looked over at Crabbe hoping he would offer her some insight, but the large boy just looked down uncomfortably.

"Right," Graces breathed, her mind beginning to make the connections. "I better go. I want to get to class early."

"I'll walk you," Blaise offered, discarding his napkin and standing.

"No, I umm—"

"Can it, Malfoy, I'm walking with you," Blaise insisted, grabbing a few pieces of toast and coming to her side. "Come on."

Unable to really argue, Graces nodded and walked out of the Great Hall with Blaise by her side. The dark skinned boy was silent at first, taking bites out of his toast and smiling at other Slytherin's entering and a few pretty girls here and there. Graces remained just as silent, though hers wasn't a casual easy silence like Blaise's there was a distinct heaviness to it that was impossible to ignore.

"Your brother is a wreck, you know," Blaise said casually as they left the interior of the castle and started to the greenhouse. "He blames himself for everything, even though you were the one that went behind his back and sought out the Dark Lord with Thomas. In my opinion you brought this all on yourself, not that I don't think what you did was necessary or damn admirable," Blaise added quickly. "You saved Thomas' life, even those calling you an idiot have a great amount of respect for you after what you did: saving a child and a whole pureblood line, taking a punishment like that in stride. You're a tough one, Gray. No one can deny that now. Especially since you survived."

"I expect your mother is going to be hearing about this soon enough, so many of us have written to our own parents about it, not to mention you know this community does enjoy it's gossip. I'm willing to bet some of the Death Eaters that saw it all are discussing it. It's not like the Dark Lord doesn't want the publicity of what he did to you, trying to scaremonger us all into joining…"

"Is there a point to this?" Graces interjected impatiently.

Blaise eyed her from the side for a moment before stopping in the middle of the lawn.

"Don't expect to see your brother anymore," Blaise said stiffly. "Don't expect to see him in our common room, in his bed, at meals, nothing. I think class is the only way you will know he is still living. He is now solely dedicated to sneaking around the castle trying to save your life."

Graces sneered at Blaise's words and turned to leave, but the tall boy stopped her grabbing her arm mercilessly and turning her around.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't have done what you did," Blaise pointed out. "Thomas needed you and you, by some miracle, saved him. What I am saying is that your choices have consequences, Gray, very big consequences. I am telling you this because I have the feeling you are going to turn down Montague's proposal." Graces tightened her lips at Blaise's words, but didn't argue. "Yeah, I knew it. I get it. I really do. People think that because of how I was raised I can't appreciate what marriage is, but I do. I think I appreciate it more than most people, because I never had the stability of my parents' marriage like all of you. I have strangers living in my home that are supposed to be considered family. Family isn't supposed to be temporary, though, and I know that."

"I know you don't know Montague well enough to connect yourself at the hip with him for the rest of your life, but Graces not choosing him will have consequences. I just want to make sure you realize your death will not be the only one. You will take away Draco's peace while he still lives."

"So you think I should marry Graham," Graces summarized, the pit in her stomach becoming greater.

"No, Graces," Blaise whispered gently. "I think you have every right to decline that proposal. I am just asking you to really consider the consequences."

Graces nodded and looked up to the heavens for answer. Each decision she had gone over thoroughly in her head. There was bad with each. Even when she factored out Longbottom.

"If I accept it's like admitting defeat. Draco will think I have accepted his death."

"You're right," Blaise agreed. "He could also take comfort knowing you will be all right and not work the way he is working now. I don't think his death alone kills him the way yours does. I just really want you to be sure about what decision you make," Blaise advised.

Graces worried her lip for a few moments and once again found herself second guessing her decision on this.

"I don't want to marry him," she declared, almost close to tears.

"Are you okay with the consequences that comes with that?"

"Not Draco being a wreck, I don't want him to suffer."

"Graces," Blaise snapped, pulling her chin up from the ground and meeting her eyes. "Then be a damn Slytherin and figure out a plan C."

Don't forget to follow/review! ALSO, something really exciting will be happening soon. One of my readers, Jbadgr, has asked if she could do some illustrations from some of the scenes in this fic! I for one am extremely pumped! I'll let you all know when they are completed! Also, happy holidays to all of you!