Beta thanks as always go to MissyJAnne85 for being overall awesome & just such a cheerleader! You work harder than I deserve!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all you amazing commenters over the last few chapters. I ADORE you all! I get such warm fuzzies from hearing your thoughts! Thank you again!

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You may or may not have noticed that I have now posted the chapter expectation of ALG. You are officially over the halfway mark at the end of this chapter. This could be subject to change as I am only a few chapters ahead of this one in writing & my Muse has added things before, but I have posted it because I don't think this is likely to change.

Trigger Warnings - I am letting you guys know now, ALG is going to start exploring some darker themes & the angst will be cranked up a notch in these next couple of chapters. I will list TW in the endnotes so as not to spoil the chapter. If you are sensitive to things of a darker nature or bodily functions, I urge you to check there first!

My Darling,

I have had a letter from your father. As I suspected, he has received word of your dalliance with Miss Granger. I imagine there is an owl on its way to you right now if you have not yet already received it.

Draco's eyes flicked to the next letter on the pile, his father's familiar scrawl etched across a thin envelope. A thicker, more mysterious one sat underneath that one. Draco used the top end of his fork to nudge his father's letter to the side. He didn't think it was something he particularly wanted to open. His eyes flicked back to the letter from his mother.

Draco, my Dragon, I implore you to do the right thing. You know that you have no future with her. We've discussed this - do not drag it out longer than you need to. The last thing we need is the Golden Girl's death on our hands. I beg you to think about this with your head rather than your heart. And darling, I will be wanting my Grandmother's earrings back.

Your loving Mother.

Draco folded the letter back in half and returned to his omelette. What his mother didn't realise was that he was thinking with his heart and his head. He would find a way to break those curses. In the meantime, he just had to keep his father and his uncle well away from Granger. He eyed the other two letters sitting next to his breakfast plate. He desperately wanted to ignore them, knowing whatever they contained would be unpleasant. However, if he didn't open them, he would be armed with less information to keep Hermione safe. Was it potentially possible that his father might accidentally slip up and reveal some sort of clue in regards to the curses? Get the ball rolling on a train of thought that he had no idea his son wanted to crack? Knowing the chances were slim to none, Draco took a swig of coffee and fit his knife under the seal on the thin envelope, careless of the track of grease it left behind.

Don't be ridiculous, Draco. Is this your way of rebelling after the war?

I understand the temptation - she is, after all, a rare beauty, and you share a living space. Taste her flesh, Draco - if you must. But do not get addicted.

Mudbloods do not become Malfoys.

That was all it said. Draco rolled his eyes and scrunched the parchment into a small ball. He should have known better than to think his father would actually be helpful or supportive.

Tentatively, Draco picked up the last envelope. It was oddly shaped, lumpy even, and was weightier than your average letter. Draco pushed his plate away and opened this letter in the same manner as he had the previous two. The smell was the first thing he noticed; it was putrid. He held his breath and took a peek inside. Draco dropped the envelope on the table with a soft thud, stumbling backwards and nearly off of his seat. Several curious faces turned towards him; their noses pinched in distaste.

Hidden within the thick folds of parchment was a decapitated rat. Reluctantly, Draco picked it up again and took a closer look. There was no letter in the envelope, but the inscription carved on the rat's body was message enough. Mudblood. Draco's breakfast turned over in his stomach, requesting immediate removal from his digestive system.

He took a large gulp of his coffee, hoping that the action of swallowing would keep his stomach contents in place. He stood abruptly, collecting all of his morning mail and hurried from the Great Hall. He left the castle and took to the grounds. When he reached the black lake, he was shivering, but well hidden from prying eyes. He dropped this morning's correspondence to the floor, pointed his wand at it all and set it on fire. He thought that watching it all burn would calm his nerves, give him a feeling of control, but as he turned to the lake and lost his breakfast, he realised that he was wrong.

Draco wiped his mouth; the panic was far from gone. Rodolphus had made his move far quicker than Draco had ever anticipated. There was no question of it now. He had to end things with Hermione. The time he had asked of her was up before the clock had ever even started ticking. Her life was in danger in a far more real way than it had been before, with someone actively coming after her - because of him. His mother would get her wish. It was time to end things; for good. The game he had been playing was more dangerous than he had realised.

Trepidation and heaviness in his heart weighed him down as he made his way back to the castle, through its halls and up its stairs. When he staggered through the portrait hole of the Head dormitory and saw Hermione, he nearly lost his nerve. She was sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table. Textbooks, parchment, and ink pots surrounding her. Her hair was pulled high on top of her head, curls spread in every direction, and three quills stuck through the middle. He watched her searching the table, looking for something to write with. She blew out a frustrated breath, and thin curls flew back off of her face. He entered the room, and her face lit up. His heart shattered just a little more.

"Good morning," she said. "I didn't see you at breakfast. Everything alright?"

"Not really," he said. Draco took a seat on the sofa behind her, he plucked a quill from her hair and handed it to her.

"Oh," she said, surprised. She reached up and patted the top of her head, extracting the other two quills with one or two sharp intakes of breath as they pulled on her locks. She turned around so that she could better see him. "What's happened?"

"I've had some mail from my mother, father, and my uncle. The time I asked you for, Hermione, it's over -"

"Like hell it is!" Hermione was on her feet in an instant. "Who the hell do they think they are? Dictating your life in this way?"

Draco pushed off the couch and slipped his hands over hers. She pulled away from him, choosing to stand a good distance away - out of arm's reach.

"Let me know if I'm hearing this right - you got a letter from daddy dearest, and now our relationship is over?"

"Granger, it's not that simple. You don't understand -"

"Do not patronise me, Draco Malfoy! I don't understand because you refuse to explain!" Hermione's voice was shrill as she tangled her hands in her hair.

Draco watched on, feeling deflated. What was he supposed to do? Come out and tell her that he'd put her very life in danger by loving her? That was sure to go down a treat. He opted to stay silent on the matter.

"Quite frankly, Malfoy, I am sick of this shit. I never know if we're coming or going. What makes me so different from you? My blood status? Is that what this is all about?"

"I -" Draco hesitated. The answer was yes. Because that was all his father and his uncle cared about, regardless of the fact that he didn't give two fucks about blood purity. It was all bullshit. Hermione had been proving that since their first year. But maybe, if she believed that, she'd hate him enough to let him go. "Yes," he finally said. "It's about blood status. You know I can't marry someone other than a pure-blood. My time with you has come to an end. Better now than later. It's already hard enough."

"I've got nothing left to lose, Malfoy - and everything to prove! Do you think you're fooling me with these ugly words? I see right through you!"

"You have everything to lose, Granger!" Draco was uncharacteristically pink around the neck and ears, his eyes slitted in rage. Do not tell her about Rodolphus' message, he reminded himself. "Do you want to lose your parents again? Erase their memories, again? Risk their stability, send them into hiding? You and I - we could run away, try and make a life somewhere away from all this shit, but what about everyone else in your life? We're just kids, for fucks sake. We need to stop and just let it go!"

"What's inside your head, Malfoy? What are you hiding from me?" Hermione demanded.

For fucks sake, why did I have to go and fall in love with such a brilliantly clever witch? Evade, evade, evade!

"Don't pretend that I've misled you, Granger! I told you from the very start that this was a bad idea, that we were fucking up! We knew that we messed up at the gala, and it's come to bite us on the arse!"

Hermione scoffed. "That was all your fault!"

"Believe me, I know! I made all of the mistakes that night! You were - are - flawless. But let me assure you, Granger - this is quite serious! My mother, she - " Draco's red face drained of all its colour. He swallowed. "She wants the earrings back."

Hermione felt the incredulous laughter bubble up through her throat. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Seriously? That's what is affecting you most, here? I'm not going to listen to you pretend to compromise with me, Draco. Your fucking flattery will get you nowhere! I can take care of myself. Haven't you learnt anything from what we have already survived? It's time to change your family's views!"

"I have no control over that, Granger! There is nothing that I can do!" Draco threw his hands in the air and paced the room - his anxious habit.

"Here we go again, another loop! We just go in circles! Maybe you're right - maybe this isn't worth it. I love you, Draco, but you just continue to hurt me. You've hurt me more than anyone ever has before. I'm over it, I'm just so fucking over it! " Hermione swiped at the tears falling from her eyes and raced up her staircase to her bedroom.

Once safely sequestered in her bedroom, Hermione threw a locking charm at the door, then two more just to be on the safe side. She traced the length of her room, once, twice, three times until she came to a stop in front of her bed. Her thoughts were scattered, she could barely collect them above the screaming mantra of heart-shattering pain. Just two fucking days ago he had asked for time, and she had let herself hope, and dream of making it through. Apparently, she wasn't so bright after all! Hermione could feel her disappointment, hurt and rage crackling around her, her magic sparking to life. She heard something shatter, and something else splinter. Ignoring the sounds, she pulled her empty trunk out from under her bed and hoisted it onto the mattress. She flipped the latches open, lifted the lid and began to fling items of clothing into it, careless of what she was packing and how she was packing.

When the trunk was full, and her wardrobe almost empty, Hermione flicked the fasteners down, pointed her wand and shrunk the suitcase until she could slide it into her pocket. Malfoy hadn't come knocking on her door. She hadn't even heard him follow her up the staircase. She moved to the door, stopping at the sight of her desk. The precious earrings were safely ensconced inside. She opened the drawer and retrieved the diamonds, wrapped in silk. She clutched them in her hand, squeezing tightly. She wanted to destroy them as badly as she had been. The diamonds did not budge in her grip. Of course, they didn't. Something crashed loudly behind her, but she didn't care enough to look. With a firm resolve in place, Hermione marched down her stairs and stopped by the sofa. He was still there, hadn't moved an inch, it would seem. Hermione took one last look at the jewellery sitting in her right palm. He looked up at her, eyes glistening. Her heart stopped for just a moment before her fury returned, and she hurled the earrings at him. She didn't wait to see where they landed before she fled the room.

Draco plucked the diamonds off of his lap where they had fallen after hitting him on his chest. The silk had fluttered to the floor somewhere between him and where she had stood. The tears fell unbidden from his eyes.


Hermione wound her way through the castle halls, glad that it was a Saturday and so many students were enjoying the snowy weather outside. She didn't encounter a single soul as she made her way up to the seventh floor and stopped in front of the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Oh, Hermione Granger, my dear! It's such a pleasure to see you! Head Girl, and all - not that I'm surprised. You so deserve it, my dear! What can I help you with today?"

Hermione looked up at the Fat Lady and wished she could bring herself to be polite, but she couldn't. "Devil's Snare," she said, refusing to look the portrait in the eye.

"Well, I never!" The Fat Lady replied, indignant. She swung outwards to allow Hermione entry to the Gryffindor common room, wondering at the scathing tone and cold expression of the Head Girl.

To Hermione's immense relief, Ginny was sitting in her usual spot, curled in front of the fire, a butterbeer cradled in her hand. She smiled warmly when Hermione came into view.

"Hermione! What are you doing all the way up here?" Neville appeared in her direct line of sight. "It's been ages since you were last in here! I was supposed to go and meet Luna, but I can let her know I'll be a little late," Neville blushed profusely, and Hermione tried in vain not to imagine Neville and Luna's limbs twisted together in uncomfortable ways. "How long will you be here for?"

Please, Neville. I just need to get out of here. I'm about to fall apart.

"Oh, that's ok, Nev," Hermione patted his arm. "Go and catch up with Luna, I'll still be here when you get back. We can catch up then!"

"Alright then," Neville said, a winning smile on his face. "See you later, 'Mione!"

I just need to make it to somewhere quiet. Ginny, help! Hermione pleaded with her eyes. Even her thoughts were gasping for air, drowning in despair.

As Neville left, Ginny got to her feet and made her way up to her dormitory. She had overheard what Hermione had said to Neville and noticed what Neville failed to, the unmistakable track of tears on her friend's face. Hermione swallowed and followed her friend up to the girl's dorm.

"What's happened?" Ginny asked the moment the door swung shut behind Hermione.

Hermione produced her miniature trunk from her pocket and showed it to Ginny. "Got room for one more in here?" She asked, a sob escaping her throat.

"Oh no," Ginny said, rushing to Hermione's side and folding her into her warm embrace. Hermione sank to the floor still wrapped in Ginny's arms. They stayed there until Hermione's tears had dried, her breathing evened out, and Ginny's knees were dead. She refused to move until Hermione did.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ginny asked her, taking Hermione's luggage, setting it on a spare bed and enlarging it for her. Hermione took a seat next to her trunk, while Ginny sat on the bed opposite.

"I just feel like it's all too much. We're all still in school. It's too early to be talking about marriage, and laws, and expectations -"

Ginny sucked in a large breath. "'Mione, did Malfoy ask you to marry him?"

"Gods, no," Hermione shook her head and looked around for something to wipe her nose. Ginny conjured her a handkerchief and Hermione continued. "He's broken it off with me because he's not allowed to marry me. Mummy and Daddy dearest forbid it. I jumped into this relationship wholeheartedly, never asking why - even when he warned me. When he kissed me for the first time, Gin, it - it was like I fell under his spell. I put him so high up in the sky, and now I feel like I'm ashes on the ground. I," Hermione paused to hiccup. "I'm sorry. I know I'm not making sense. I can't seem to get my thoughts in order."

"You're doing fine," Ginny assured her.

"He can never say that I was the one who walked away, though. Every time we have come up against an obstacle, it's him who runs. Oh Ginny, will I always want him? Even when it hurts this much?" Hermione's voice cracked when she talked about the hurt. Her eyes were gritty and swollen. Her voice strained, grappling to keep up with her muddled thoughts. She either spoke at great speed or struggled to get anything out at all, lost in her mind.

"I don't think I can answer that for you, 'Mione. That's something you'll need to discern for yourself - after you've had some time. You're saying he's broken up with you? Because his parents have asked him to? I call complete and utter bullshit on that. I've seen how he watches you when he thinks no one is looking. There's more to it than that, I'm sure."

"I'm sure of it, too. But he won't tell me any more than that. There are things in place to stop us from getting married one day. He won't tell me what they are or how to help. I don't even want to think about marriage yet. All I wanted was to break down his stupid fucking walls, and all he's done is wreck me. I," Hermione stopped, shrugged and wiped the fresh tears from her eyes.

"Thanks for letting me stay here, Gin. I don't think I can be in the same space as him for a while. Merlin only knows how I'll handle classes and Prefect duties. It's like, shit, if people knew we were together, then they could know that we'd broken up and it would be fine that I don't want to be anywhere near him. But at the same time, I feel like I've been ripped in two and if I could just get close enough to him, just his proximity would stitch me right back up. Shit, there goes my errant thoughts again. I think I'll just get unpacked, maybe put my head down on the pillow and cry again for a while. Oh no! I've forgotten my books! And my homework! And all my notes! Damn it all to hell, I have to go back!" Hermione stood from the bed.

"Like hell you do," Ginny said fiercely. "Give me the password and I'll go. I've got some words of my own for Draco Malfoy."

More tears slipped from Hermione's exhausted eyes. "Wait a minute," she said, conjuring an overnight bag. "For my books," she explained. "They should fit if you shrink them."


When Ginny gave Anne Boleyn the password, the witch didn't even blink. "Give him hell," she said, instead. Obviously, this was one portrait who paid far more attention than she'd admit. Ginny nodded in solidarity and stormed her way into the common room.

Draco had only moved once in the last hour, and that was to gather the bottle of Firewhisky and a glass from their hidden shelf. He had poured himself two fat fingers worth and left it sitting on the coffee table, surrounded by Hermione's untouched studies. He looked up hopefully as Ginny entered the room, his face falling when he saw that she wasn't who he was expecting.

Ginny's indignant rage lessened to something more akin to pity as she took in his countenance. He was a mess. His clothing was crumpled, hair completely askew, angry red lines down his face; indicating that either he or Hermione had clawed at it. Ginny suspected the former. Hermione could certainly stand up for herself, but Ginny surmised that Draco's current state of dishevelment was self-inflicted. She eyed the still full glass of whisky on the desk, wondering just how much he'd had to drink.

"I haven't touched it," he said, catching her gaze. "Is she - is she alright?" He asked, pulling at the collar of his jumper.

"She looks about the same as you do," Ginny admitted, the fire returning to her voice. So what if Malfoy was clearly in as much pain as her best friend? He was the one inflicting it!

"You must think that I'm stupid," Draco said, picking up the tumbler and twisting his hand around it.

"I think that you're a fool," Ginny hissed. "Hermione is the best thing that could ever happen to you, Malfoy, and you're throwing her away. Don't give me this mummy and daddy pure-blood bullshit. We know there is more to it than that!"

Draco slumped back in his seat, finally sipping at his drink."You wouldn't understand, little Weaslette." Draco considered the liquid in his glass before promptly draining it. The liquor burned on its way down, the sting feeling more than appropriate. Every fucking time he opened up, he was hurt. Its heat seeped through his cold bones. "I can't let her close ever again, even though she means the most to me."

Ginny sighed. She located a second glass, poured herself a finger and joined him on the couch. "She's tough, Malfoy, but every time you hurt her, the less she will cry. And every time you leave her, the quicker those tears will dry. She was ruthless in moving on from Ron. The war changed her. She doesn't let herself wallow in pain. Every time you walk out on her - well, eventually she won't allow herself to love you. You're a ferret, Malfoy, not a cat. You don't have nine lives here, and by my count, you're already down one or two. Figure this shit out and make it right. She'll be staying in the Gryffindor tower for the foreseeable future. I'm just here to collect the things she left behind."

Ginny swallowed her drink in one gulp, the fire racing through her veins. Merlin, it wasn't even eleven o'clock in the morning yet. She gently placed the glass on the coffee table and started to gather the parchment and books. "Where else does she keep her homework and study materials?"

"In her bedroom, probably stacked high on her desk. She does most of her study up there, but sometimes brings things down here to work on by the fire. Or with me," he swallowed and ran a hand over his face.

"Right then," Ginny stood. She shrunk the pile down and placed it gently in the bag before making her way upstairs to Hermione's bedroom. It was a sight to be seen. Like someone had set off several of her brother's Wildfire Whiz-Bangs. Ron's room had never even looked this atrocious. Ginny set about fixing the broken vases. She gently closed the wardrobe doors and slid drawers back into place. She repaired the hangings on the four-poster and made the bed. Finally, she collected the rest of Hermione's many, many books, shrunk them down and added them to the rest in the bag.

She paused to look at Malfoy on her way out, still slumped on the sofa. He met her eyes.

"I know you think that I'm heartless, that I'm a self-centred prick and an arsehole. You're not entirely wrong, I suppose. But I'm doing this for her, not for me. I'm trying to protect her very being and her soul. She's better off without me."

"I know that's what you want to think, Malfoy. Maybe it's even true. But it's not what she wants. Not what you want either, by the looks of it. Quit making problems and start trying to solve them."

"Granger and I never stood a chance, Weasley. It's sad but it's true. By now Granger must think that I'm very good at giving up and quitting, but I'm just too good at goodbyes." The last was whispered as if he could barely bring himself to say it.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. Thinking and regarding him for what he was; a broken man. She left without another word.

TW - Death Threats, animal mutilation (rodent), vomit/ gagging.

Song choices: Circles by Yours Truly, Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus & Too Good at Goodbyes by Sam Smith.

You might be pleased to know that I have agreed to write the McGonagall spin-off, but she will have to wait until ALG is done with posting, I'm afraid. I hope it will be worth the wait!

If you're new here, your comments & kudos feed my soul! Thank you for reading!