A/N: Hi all! A thank you too jacpin2002, LLyvers6, renowned-warrior, viola1701e, takingflight4, ZoeyOlivia, decadenceogmysoul, and Royan Granger-Nott

Also, thank you too everyone who's followed this fic, we have officially reached over 200 followers which is INSANE. So thank you, thank you to everyone.

To be honest, I struggled with this chapter a bit and I had to re-write it a few times. I'm still not entirely happy with it but its better than what I had originally. I'm hitting a bit of writers block with this story (along with getting randomly busy at work), so I'm trying to push forward but forgive me if I miss a week or just post on Fridays if I forget to post on Thursdays.

Disclaimer, I do not own Harry Potter

As always, enjoy!

Chapter 7

Late November 1995— 6th year

Hermione closed the portrait door as softly as she could, careful not to wake the Fat Lady. The Fat Lady jerked in her portrait, Hermione froze, but the women in the painting mumbled about her singing and settled back to sleep.

Hermione's shoulders sagged, relief washing over her. She pulled her book bag higher on her shoulder and walked on.

She was already late. She didn't need to be more late.

She headed down the corridors and took the now familiar twists and turns in the castle. This had been going on for almost a month, after all. She would sneak out and find Malfoy in their abandoned classroom.

Nothing scandalous ever happened, the two teens would sit and study together. Occasionally, Hermione would bring food to make sure Malfoy would eat, and she would try to see what was going on with him.

She knew now that Harry was right. Malfoy was up to something for Voldemort, but she couldn't pinpoint what. All she knew what that they would be studying in silence one moment, then Malfoy would be silently crying or panicking the next.

Hermione was sad to say that she was used to it by now, and she would usually talk him through it, telling him it was okay to ask for help.

He never told her what was wrong. When he was upset, he wold move from his spot across the room to Hermione's side, sitting a hair away from her. There were a few times, however, that Malfoy ended up falling asleep, slumped over onto Hermione's shoulder.

Hermione let him sleep. Even if it was for a little while. Merlin knows that he needed it.

But today was different. When Hermione got to the room, Malfoy was asleep on the floor, huddled where Hermione would usually sit. He had his books and parchment scattered around him.

Hermione sighed. She gathered the books and parchment, carefully stacking them onto one of the dusty desks. Most of the books, to Hermione's surprise, were Arithmancy, and Advanced Arithmancy to add to the already difficult subject matter.

Hermione sat by Malfoy, pushing his blond hair from his face.

"Granger?" Malfoy muttered.

Hermione looked down and she was amused to find that he was still asleep.

Apparently the Slytherin Prince talked in his sleep.

Hermione pulled out her portions text, deciding that it was the best place to start since Slughorn wasn't the best of teachers. She read quietly, jotting down notes as her questions came up, the fingers of one of her hands still working on Malfoy's scalp in soothing motions.

Malfoy stirred, moving closer to Hermione before his eyes fluttered open.

"Nice nap, Malfoy?" Hermione whispered as she saw clarity reach his eyes.

Malfoy sat up, rubbing the sleepiness of his eyes, "I didn't think you were coming," he said in an almost child like way.

"So you curled up on the floor and slept?" Hermione asked.

Malfoy gave a one shoulder shrug, leaning back against the wall. Hermione took his silence as 'I don't want to talk about it', so instead she reached into her bag and pulled out an apple.

"Here," Hermione said, handing the blond the apple, "eat."

Malfoy swallowed thickly, reaching over and taking the fruit. He paused before eating it and pulled out his wand instead, cutting the apple in two, and giving one to Hermione.

They ate in silence, Hermione looking down at her text, taking notes as she read the directions for Amortentia. Through the corner of her eyes she could see Malfoy watching her, a soft blush high on his cheeks.

Hermione felt her own face warm.

"Granger," Malfoy whispered. Hermione turned to Malfoy, prying her eyes away from the page, "Why do you keep coming here?"

Hermione considered him for a moment, but ultimately spoke her truth, "I don't know… because I want too."

Malfoy's pale brows furrowed, "After everything I've said? After what I've done… Will do?" By the end of his questions his voice was small, Hermione had to strain her self to hear.

"Well…" Hermione said, fiddling with the hem of her skirt, "you haven't done anything unforgivable yet… at least not in my eyes."

Malfoy snorted, rolling his eyes, "you're delusional, Granger."

Hermione turned to Malfoy fully looking straight into is eyes, "then tell me, why do you keep coming back."

Malfoy averted his eyes.

July 1997— Present

The room was thick with tension. Harry stared at Riddle and Riddle stared back. Ron reached for the tray of macaroons that the elves had set on the coffee table. He pulled one, then another, and in the awkward silence that Harry and Riddle were using to size each other up, Ron ate all the macaroon. The elf, who had been waiting for instruction, danced in its place, pleased that Ron thoroughly enjoyed the dessert.

The elf brought another plate.

Ron reached for another macaroon.

Hermione gave him a look.

"I'm sorry, 'Mione," Ron said sheepishly, "they're so bloody good."

Hermione rolled her eyes, her lips pulled together awkwardly in disappointment. Narcissa, however, had her lips pressed together for a whole other reason. The Lady of the Manor was fighting a smile, pushing the back of her hand to her mouth stop from laughing out loud.

"Does Dumbledore not feed any of you?" Lucius spoke up.

Ron shrugged, "Not really," he said, "you eat if you deserve too and in his eyes, I don't deserve too."

The room grew cold and Narcissa's failed attempt to stifle her laughter stopped, here eyes going wide in horror. Hermione averted her eyes and Harry stiffened in his seat. Even Bellatrix who had been fiddling with her wand with boredom looked up.

Narcissa stepped "Is that why you're so thin?" The question was directed at Hermione.

Hermione didn't answer. She crossed her arms and clenched her jaw.

"If they didn't feed her—" Harry began.

"— Harry, dont," Hermione hissed.

"If they didn't feed her," Harry said, a little louder, eyeing Hermione with such intensity she was afraid he would burn through her, "then she couldn't think straight. She would be too weak to fight, and she would be easy to control."

Tom Riddle, who had been listening in silence, leaned forward and pushed the plate of macaroons towards the trio. Harry took this as a cue to take a handful of macaroons. Ron sighed in relief, taking a handkerchief and filling it until he could barely fold it over.

"Bill and Theo will want some," Ron said, tying the top of the handkerchief, "Theo loved mums pastries… so I think he'll like the macaroons too…"

Hermione felt her lip quirk up. Ron had changed in the last year, and the devotion that he had to his family, blood or otherwise, warmed her.

"Mossy!" Narcissa called.

The little elf popped into the room, bowing fully in front of Narcissa. "Yes, Mistress?"

"Please prepare food for our guests," Narcissa said.

Hermione sat up a little, "If there's meat, a little on the rarer side for Bill… and no peanuts for Theo… he hates peanuts."

It was Harry's turn to scoot up on the couch. "Would it be possible to pack some small stuff for us to sneak back? Those on our side can handle rationing the food away from Dumbledore but the Slytherins still at Hogwarts don't get much, even if we take them food… It would really help."

The elf nodded enthusiastically, popping away when she was dismissed.

The trio sighed, and Hermione realized for the first the how tired they were, the excitement of seeing each other draining them faster than anticipated.

"So," Harry said, straightening up, looking at Riddle with a new found determination, "we want an agreement between us."

"As I've deduced," Riddle said smoothly.

Harry huffed, and Hermione put her hand on his knee to ground him. "We want to ensure that we have an understanding. We know that you don't want what Dumbledore told us you do… and one is not stupid enough to doubt Hermione when she is adamant about something… so essentially when we kill Dumbledore… when we find out how… the war is over…"

Hermione squeezed Harry's leg, "You're rambling, Harry, that's my job."

Harry gave a nervous laugh, "Right, right."

Ron gave a chuckle, "What Harry means that when we find a way to kill Dumbles, that the war is over, that you get to be Minister, and everyone gets to get on with their lives."

Riddle leaned back in his seat, "and if I agree… what do you want from us now?"

"We were kind of hoping that you would help us end it," Ron said, "you know… seeing that he tried to kill you, your granddaughter and your great-granddaughter—"

"—Grandson," Harry interrupted.

Ron turned to Harry and made a face.

Hermione ignored her two friends and watched how Riddle's eyes darkened at the mention of attempting to murder her. Hermione took the opportunity to reach into Harry's bag and pull out a few important items.

The Gryffindor Sword, Dumbledore's original wand, his sisters family ring, and finally, the resurrection stone.

These were his Horcruxes.

Well… some of them.

Hermione arraigned them on the coffee table.

"These are the Horcuxes we have in our position," Hermione said, "the ones that we know of so far…"

Riddle reached out to touch the resurrection stone before he pulled his hand away, the dark magic radiating off of it eating away at anything good.

"And you thought it was wise to bring them here?" Riddle asked, eyeing Harry.

Harry shrugged, "Better than keeping them around Dumbledore," he said, "so the farther away from him, the better."

Riddle nodded, "Well, I cant disagree."

Hermione settled back into her spot on the couch, sighing. This was going better than expected.

Hermione huffed, willing her body to stay awake, "Apparently Grindelwald took care of most of them. He might-of been crazy, but Merlin did he recognize Dumbledore's crazy."

"As far as we know, after these four there are two left… we suspect Fawkes the Phoenix, and the last… well… we were hoping you might have a clue…" Harry said, scratching the back of his head.

Riddle's brows rose, "and why would you think that?"

The three Gryffindors side eyed each other.

"Because— er— you've been enemies for a long time and we thought you would know something?" Ron said.

Riddle look bewildered.

Harry sighed, "So we take it that you don't know."

Riddle shook his head.

"That's a bummer," Harry muttered under his breath, "I thought the Horcrux hunt was over with you— no offense"

Riddle coughed out a laugh, and Hermione's stomach sank straight to the floor.

"How do you intend to destroy these?" Lucius asked, waving his hand over the items on the table.

Harry smiled, he was almost beaming, which, to Hermione's joy, sent a look of terror to the Death Eaters and their leader. Harry reached in his back and pulled out a large fang, presumably from the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry handed it over to Riddle.

"I thought that you might want to do the honors… consider it a gift." Harry said. Ron sorted, reaching for another macaroon.

Riddle took the fang and smiled.

"I think we are going to be great allies," Riddle said before he raised the fang and stabbed the resurrection stone.

Dark magic flared, and the room was consumed in a dark smoke before an ear shattering shriek echoed off the walls. The smoke cleared and the shrieking stopped.

The room was brighter than Hermione could remember it being minutes before.