Hey everyone, sorry for the long time it took for me to upload this chapter! I have been busy with funerals, writing short stories for contests, ect. Check out 2cool4you's fanfic because it's amazing and a genius piece of creative writing. Thanks to all my readers and amazing beta! Without further ado, (ado...that's a funny word.) Here is chapter 11!

Chapter 11: The Room in the Library

Snippets of loud music, talking, and laughter became more distinct as I neared closer to the party, however, it did not completely muffle the sound of voices coming from the first classroom to my right. I didn't make a habit of eavesdropping so I continued walking, bu the very familiar voice stopped me cold-

An invisible Harry pressed his ear against door after door as he dashed down the corridor until, with a great jolt of excitement, he crouched down to the keyhole of the last classroom in the spacious hallway as he heard the voices,

"...cannot afford any mistakes, Draco, because if you are expelled-"

"I don't have anything to do with it, alright?"

Harry's eyes widened in surprise as he saw Astoria Greengrass stop cold and turn toward the door, seemingly as entranced as he had been in listening at the door. Harry quieted his breathing so she wouldn't hear him under the visual concealment of his invisibility cloak, moving back slightly, enough to still hear the classroom occupant's voices but also enough so that if Astoria suddenly moved she wouldn't accidently touch him, bringing on a lot of uncomfortable question if he was revealed.

"I hope you are telling the truth, because it was clumsy and foolish. Already you are suspected in having a hand in it.," came Snape's voice. Harry cautiously watched Astoria as her hand flew to her mouth as if to choke back a sound, her eyes widening as she recognized the voices. What was she doing here, anyway? She hadn't been invited to Slughorn's Christmas party...however, she seemed just as surprised as he did at the beginning of Snape and Malfoy's conversation which added to his growing suspicions. He was surprised that not only Astoria but also Snape and Malfoy couldn't hear his thumping heart.

"Who suspects me?" Malfoy bursts out angrily. "For the last time, I didn't do it, okay? That Bell girl must have had an enemy no one knew about-don't look at me like that! I know what you're doing, I'm not stupid, but it won't work- I can stop you!"

"Ah..." Snape said quietly after a moment's pause. "Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master, Draco?"

"I'm not trying to conceal anything from him, I just don't want you butting in!"

Harry edged a bit nearer to the door, still wary of Astoria making a sudden movement...or even worse, barging in...

But what had happened to make Malfoy speak to Snape like this-Snape, toward whom he had always shown respect, even liking?

"So is that why you've been avoiding me this term? You have feared my interference? You realize that, had anybody else failed to come to my office when I had told them repeatedly to be there, Draco-"

"So put me in detention! Report me to Dumbledore!" Jeered Malfoy.

After a pause, Snape continued. "You know perfectly well that I do not wish to do either of those things."

"You'd better stop calling me to your office, than!"

"Listen to me," Snape's voice had suddenly taken on a low tone, and was barely audible. "I am trying to help you. I swore to your mother I would protect you. I made the unbreakable vow, Draco-"

"Looks like you'll have to break it, then, because I don't need your protection! It's my job, he gave it to me and I'm doing it, I've got a plan and it's going to work, it's just taking a bit longer than I thought it would!"

"What is your plan?"

"It's none of your business!"

"If you tell me what you are doing, I can assist you-"

"I've got all the assistance I need, thanks, I'm not alone!"

"You were certainly alone tonight, which was foolish in the extreme, wandering down the corridors without lookouts or backup, those are elementary mistakes-"

"I would've had Crabbe and Goyle with me if you hadn't put them in detention!"

"Keep your voice down!" Snape hissed, for Malfoy's voice had risen excitedly.

"If your friends Crabbe and Goyle intend to pass their Defense Against the Dark Arts OWLS this time around, they need to work a little harder than they are doing at present-"

"What does it matter? Interrupted Malfoy. "Defense Against the Dark Arts- it's all a joke, isn't it-an act? Like any of us need protection against the Dark Arts-

"It is an act that is crucial to success, Draco! Where do you think I would have been all these years, if I had not known how to act? Now listen to me! You are being incautious, wandering around at night, getting yourself caught, and if you are placing your reliance in assistants like Crabbe and Goyle-"

"They're not the only ones, I've got other people on my side, better people!"

Maybe it was the increase of their voices as they moved closer to the door, that told Harry the conversation was near it's end, and maybe it was just a feeling. Whatever the cause, in a spontaneous burst of action he ripped off his invisibility cloak, lunging at Astoria and covering her mouth as she opened it to scream of gasp. Then one-handedly, he grabbed the invisibility cloak and pulled it over them both, thankful that Astoria wasn't putting up a struggle once she realized it was him.

Her eyes were still wide with fright and confusion as harry slowly dropped his hand-he put a finger to his mouth, thankful that the increased volume of Snap and Malfoy's voices covered the noise of the scuffle.

Astoria nodded as if she understood, but confusion still clouded her eyes. Better Harry have to do a bit of explaining than for them both be caught.

"Then why not confide in me, and I can-"

"I know what you want to do!" You want to steal my glory!"

After a pause, Snape said in an emotionless voice- "You are speaking like a child. I quite understand that your father's capture and imprisonment has upset you, but-"

At this, Harry and Astoria stood stock still under the invisibility cloak as Malfoy's pounding footsteps reached the door, which flew open, banging off the wall inches from where the two concealed students stood. They watched as both Malfoy and Snape strode past in opposite directions, and when they were a safe distance away Astoria ripped the cloak off.

"What was that, Harry? You almost gave me a bloody heard attack!" Astoria whispered feverishly.

"I was, erm, headed for the bathroom and-"

"Invisibly? Unless someone was following you, I hardly think a trip to the bathroom merits such camouflage, but of course that just might be me." she gave him a small smile, but she was looking rather pale and Harry could tell that something beyond the limits of the conversation had bothered her-maybe the implied meaning of the whole thing?

"Erm...well...I was just...you see, I got this from the joke shop, Fred and George's." Harry's voice grew more confident. "It's an hour long charm, and I was testing it out. It just flew in for me as I was headed for the bathroom and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products are banned, you know, so I...you know..." Harry trailed off.

"Sure, Harry...well, I've got to go...have fun at the party..." he couldn't believe his luck at not being further questioned as Astoria passed him. She had looked extremely troubled, and Harry almost considered calling her back but after concluding that he didn't know her very well anyways he returned to the party, his mind racing.

There wasn't much time that went by that I hadn't thought about that night with Harry and Draco.

But the more I thought about it, the more the black pit of dread grew in my stomach, the more I realized how much it made sense that Draco was in league with the Dark Lord.

And how much I still loved him.

And the day before we left for home on Christmas Break was the first time I had spoken to him since the break up. And not only him, but the annoying, ever mean and ever present Parkinson. She had an uncanny talent for showing up just as you're in the mood that you're set on thinking the entire world is out to get you.

As I walked to go to the library and return a book, I was deeply engrossed in my Draco\Voldemort Theory.

As soon as I had returned to the common room the night of Snape and Malfoy's conversation I had quickly scrawled down as much of that conversation that I could remember, and I was rather proud of what I had gathered.

Snape had asked Draco if he was the one who had tried to kill Katie Bell, and he had denied it. And he couldn't have...could he?He had been with me. Well, part of the time, anyway...

The next thing that also fell into place with what I had heard this summer-Draco had been given a mission, And Snape was trying to help him. And probably, one of the death eaters had given it to him. I considered the possibility of it being from Voldemort, but I wasn't sure that he would place his trust in a sixteen year old boy. No, it must have been some trivial task from one of the death eaters.

But about Snape...was he a death eater?He hadn't;t been to my house this summer, but I supposed not every death eater had. But why else would he have offered to help Draco if he wasn't one? Or maybe I had it all wrong, and the task wasn't from a death eater at all...

My thoughts snapped back to Draco again as I entered the library- I had to confront him, or somehow find a way to figure out what his mission was-and if it was evil, then talk him down.

After returning my book about healing (a subject I was quite interested in: I was taking all the classes required to be one, and had been interested in healing since I was young.) I returned to the same section, looking for the next volume in the healing portion when I saw none other than Draco and Pansy holding an intense discussion in one of the less occupied corners of the room. Neither had noticed me as I stood about 10 meters away, running a finger slowly along the spines of the book but really trying to catch a snippet of their conversation.

An uncomfortable feeling settled in my stomach as I realized I wouldn't be seeing Draco until after the New Year- I was going to miss him more than I cared to admit out loud, but now I was quite used to admitting these types of Draco-relating things in the comforts of my own mind.

I continued down on toward the end of the row slowly, subtly moving closer to them with every step.

Then as my toe caught on the upturned corner of a persian rug I went sprawling on the floor, hitting the floor with a loud thump and a muffled yelp.

"Ah..." I swore quietly as I sat up, grabbing my ankle which had twisted in on itself as I had fallen. Soon, as I was dreading, their amused faces (well, Pansy's was amused, I couldn't read Draco's face-whatever emotion he was feeling he was hiding it well.) appeared over me as I looked up to meet them, glaring as a mortified flush spread through my cheeks.

"Yes?" I snapped through clenched teeth.

"Oh, hello Astoria!"" Pansy said, a giant grin plastered to her smug face. "What are you doing down there? Were you feeling just a wee bit clumsy, or were you trying to eavesdrop on Drakie and my conversation?"

"Sorry Pansy, I was so distracted by you trying to suffocate Draco that I fell." I smirked as she crouched down, dropping her face to my level but not offering a hand to help me up.

"Smooth, Greengrass," Draco drawled, I glared at him, seething.

"Sod off, you two." I growled, limping away. After walking a while through the gargantuan library, it suddenly dawned on me that I had forgotten the book. Groaning, I turned back, only to be confronted by a rather nervous looking Draco who had come after me.

Without Pansy.

My heart skipped a beat as I looked into his eyes. Was this the moment? Was he going to fight for me, for us?

"You...forgot your book," He muttered, holding it up from behind his back. My mouth fell open as I looked at him disgustedly.

"You keep the bloody book," I snapped, turning away and stalking off so he wouldn't see the red rushing to my cheeks. This was even more embarrassing than the fall, even if he couldn't read my thoughts. Whatever barriers I had tried to maintain concerning moving on, my hopefulness had trampled over them like they were nothing.

Get a grip, Astoria! I snarl to myself. It's not like the boy knew why you freaked out at him, it's not like he can read minds!

I was extremely upset and feeling oddly let down as I exited the library, a pang going through my heart as I realized that was probably the last time I would speak to him for several weeks.

I looked over my three sleeping friends in various positions sprawled in our shared compartment. I bad my back up against the wall with the window, knees drawn up to my chest to hide the piece of parchment I was hiding. It held the quickly scrawled conversation between Snape and Malfoy that I had managed to write almost all of before it seeped from my memory. I looked up at the soft rapping at the window, surprised to see Daphne standing there. Nodding to her I quickly stashed the piece of parchment in my pocket, slowly moving to stand up as to not wake my friends. I slid the door shut as quietly as I could with the gentle rocking of the train.

"Hey Daphne," I said cautiously, still a bit wary of why she sought me out when she would see me when the train stopped, anyway. Unless whatever she had to say couldn't wait to be said in the company of others. She tucked a strand of strawberry blond hair behind her ear, looking both ways before she opened her mouth to speak.

"Hello Tori. How are you? I don't get to see you much in school."

"I'm good. And yourself?" I wasn't used to such small talk with my sister.

"Fantastic," she said hurriedly. Then dropping her voice to a whisper, "Do you know who's going to be at our house this Christmas?"

"No, I was wondering that, actually. Do you know?" she shook her head regretfully.

"No. But if it's going to be the same...sort...that has been coming recently-well, I just wanted to say be careful. Have you warned Julie to behave?"

"Yes."

"Good. I haven't quiet put my finger on it, but it almost seems to me like they're hanging onto mum and dad 'sand your every move, and if any of you do something wrong they'll snatch you up. It's probably just silly, but you never know with these people. Think before you act."

"That's a Slytherin trait."

"Well then act like a Slytherin. You'd better be ready to act like a clown so help me, if it helps you get out of their clutches."

"Daph, I'm not in their clutches."

"But you could be."

"Why me?" I asked suddenly.

"I don't know, Tori, I really don't know. I wish I could tell you. I wish I could take this on myself, because for some reason they seem to have it in for you, and not for me. Which makes no sense whatsoever,"

"Because you're the model Slytherin."

"That shouldn't have anything to do with it," she rubs her temples, troubled.

"Daphne? You don't...support him, do you?" I asked suddenly.

"No Astoria, you should know that I do not. But you should also know that I prefer to not make that particular view blatantly known, and I prefer not to oppose him."

"Maybe you should," I say quietly.

"See?" she burst out, pointing her finger at me, eyes flashing, like she'd been waiting for me to say this very thing. "That...that Gryffindor thinking is what's going to get you in serious trouble someday! You must learn to keep that to yourself!"

"But it's who I am, Daph. I can't just hide my opinions like that, especially ones concerning him."

"Just be careful, Tori," her voice once again took on the tired quality. "If not for yourself, for me."

"I will." she looked defeated as she gave me a small smile, returning to her compartment.

I slipped quietly back into mine, closing the door quietly and sitting back down slowly. I watched the hills roll by and the scenery shift as we travelled by, my mind racing.

The train's repetitive, gentle rocking motion eventually made me drowsy, sending me into sleep to join my friends.

I opened my eyes, stretching out my limbs like a cat as I felt the train lurch beneath me. Looking out the window at the darkening sky I concluded that we would be arriving in King's Cross Station in less than 10 minutes. I quickly looked around, remembering what I had been holding as I had fallen asleep. Snatching it from the floor and shoving the scribbled conversation in my pocket I shook Julie awake.

"Are we there already?" Sarah yawned, opening her eyes. We got everything together over our goodbyes, punctuated with yawns still frequent from sleep.

Suddenly, the Hogwarts Express came to a great, sliding stop with a hiss inside the train station. Then the commotion began in a flurry as compartment doors were thrown open and voices carried throughout the train.

"Well, we'll see you in a couple weeks," I smiled as we did another round of hugging. After leaving Lucy and Sarah I murmured in a low voice to Julie as we stepped off the train-

"Remember to be careful about what you say in front of the...visitors. If they're here yet."

She nodded as we began to scan the crowd, and the train gave a long whistle and a puff of stream as our luggage magically appeared next to us on the platform. Now pulling our suitcases behind us, we searched the crowd for my family.

"I still can't believe your parents are letting you spend the entire Christmas with us," I told her as we walked to the edge of the crowd.

"Oh, I can. Personally, I think they're going through a mid-life crisis type ordeal- they're off to hike in the jungles of-South America, maybe? Or was that last month...I'm not sure," julie laughed.

I scanned the crowd and did a double take as the faces of my parents stood out among the rapidly thinning crowd. They were already greeting Daphne and hadn't seen us yet.

"There they are!" I pointed out, secretly relieved that they at least hadn't brought any death eaters to the train station.

After enveloping us both into quick hugs Daphne first dissaperated into the foyer of our house, and I grabbed my father's arm for side-along while Julie went with my mum.

I felt like I was being twisted and squeezed through a constricting tube too small for my body, extremely uncomfortable but not painful when the scene abruptly evened out around us. Now we stood in the familiar, polished-looking foyer of our house.

"Every time I see your house I have to remind myself how big it is," Julie announced as several house elves arrived with a pop and levitated out bags to my room.

"I'd rather have the homey feel than a cold mansion," I say a bit wistfully.

"You'll get plenty of "homey" at my house," Julie snorts.

"I love your house, Jules!" I protest as we trail behind my parents as they lead us to the dining room.

"Hey, why are we so decorated?" I call ahead to my mother as I notice that the table-and everything else-has been recently polished, cleaned until it shined- and not to mention, set up to accommodate large amounts of people.

"We'll be having guests over for dinner tonight, and some will be staying over for the next couple days," my mother responded, causing a knot of worry to begin twisting its way around my stomach. I looked nervously to Julie, who gave a reassuring nod.

"Who?" I called cautiously.

"Bellatrix, the Averies-" whatever she said next I must have missed as a picture in my mind's eye formed of Bellatrix. Her wild black hair swirling around her razor sharp facial bones stretched over ghostly white skin, her maniacal grin, the crazy glint in her cold black eyes that seemed to say; Azkaban only contributed to the madness that was already there.

"-And the Malfoys."

I almost choked on my own spit.

"The-the Malfoys? Will-will they be staying over?" I splutter incredulously.

"Yes, they will, and we expect you to be on your best behavior," my father's low voice came. "We have some important things to discuss, so tonight you children will be eating in the library."

My jaw dropped. Downgraded to the library. This was low, even for them. I tried to ignore the way my heart had begun to race excitedly.

"The...children?" I prompted.

"Oh, sorry, 'young adults,'" Dad says sarcastically, misunderstanding my statement.

"I meant who," I clarified.

"Why all the questions?" My mother threw me a glance over her shoulder.

"No reason," I said.

"Is Draco coming?" I can hear the smile in Julie's voice.

"Why yes, he is."

Crap.

Julie and I were wandering the grounds under the inky black sky. The full moon was shining off the white snow, making everything easy to see.

Wait-the full moon. My mind did a double take as I smiled.

"I don't think Fenrir will be joining us tonight!" I remarked happily.

"No, your parents didn't mention him," Julie replied, reaching her hand up to knock the powder off of a snow-laden branch.

"But you know who is coming?" she smiled devilishly. "The Malfoys. Don't you dare lie to me! I know something happened between you!" she said giddily, as if she were a small girl in a candy shop.

"Of course something happened! I had to kiss him under the mistletoe, didn't I?"

"Oh, right." she sounded slightly disappointed. "I'd been thinking you two had been acting strangely, and I'd completely forgotten about the mistletoe. Ugh, I can't believe I overlooked such an obvious detail!" she groaned, smacking her forehead. "And I call myself a Ravenclaw."

"Don't beat yourself up, Jules. Draco and I aren't meant to be anything other than enemies."

"I just thought you were finally going to get together or something," she sighed.

The truth is-I wanted to tell my best friend everything that had happened between Draco and I. But my foolish hope was this-if he ever diddecide to fight for me, I'd be able to tell him that I hadn't gone around blabbing about it. Then, like a lightning bolt it struck me- I had to talk to him about his mission. I had to get it out of him. For all I knew someone might end up getting hurt...but I doubted that Draco would honestly do something like that. When it came down to the bare bones of it all, Draco wouldn't actually hurt someone in a way that his father was capable of doing.

But I knew-almost with certainty-that Draco was involved with Voldemort. But my hope was that his only connection to him was through his father. And know that his father was in Azkaban...well, hopefully, the connection had ceased to exist.

I also knew that I still loved him. And I was going to figure out what was going on, and improvise from there.

Suddenly, the voice of Daphne drifted out toward us-

"Julie and Astoria, come inside!"

My heart took a plunge.

Walking numbly to the foyer, armed linked with Julie's for reassurance, I realized it was a false alarm-only the Lestranges were here, not the Malfoys. My heart began pounding against my ribcage in fear as well as anticipation.

Bellatrix had a grip on a strand of Daphne's hair, cackling and exclaiming over the color while Daphne stared on ahead, jaw clenched. I could tell she didn't want the witch anywhere near her head. Mr. and Mrs. Avery, meanwhile, were showing mum and dad in compliments, telling them what a "love ly home they had" and, "what beautiful daughters they had raised." Ha. In Hogwarts, that's called sucking up, I sent invisible thought waves to them. I wondered if mum and dad could see through it as well as I, and surely Julie, could.

They probably did, but this was like a very intricate, complicated dance done on a wire stretched across two skyscrapers with a one hundred meter plummet. With toddlers holding the wire on either side. One missed step and the whole thing falls down.

I glanced at Julie, who was looking a bit pale. Looking at "Wanted" posters come to life would make anyone look a bit peaky, I supposed. I could tell she was trying not to stare at Bellatrix especially, but her eyes kept flickering to her every few seconds.

My hands grew clammy as I heard the muffled yet unmistakeable pop of apparation just outside our door.

A firm rapping sounded at the door and I took a couple steps back as it was opened by a house elf. Narcissa greeted the lot of us, and I could see the strain in her eyes. From what, I didn't know. Draco gave his greetings with what was obviously false cheeriness. He was wearing a suit; he looked formal and aloof.

I caught his eye and he held my gaze a moment too long, looking away quickly.

During our meal Draco and Daphne struck up a conversation, both of them becoming more relaxed and friendly. I clenched my teeth at every flirtatious smile Daphne threw his way.

This is mutiny! I screamed in my mind. But then again, my more sensible conscience piped up, she's oblivious to anything that happened between you two.

But he wasn't.

I knew our parents wanted us to marry into wealthy, pureblood families, and realized with a sinking feeling that Draco would be a perfect match for my older sister.

After we had finished eating, Daphne showed Draco around only the library as we were under strict orders not to leave. After their low voices faded away I stood up with Julie, unclenching my teeth.

"Whoa, you're seriously tense," Julie remarked.

"Ha, ha," I barked a laugh. "Want to come to...the room with me?" A devilish smile pulled at my lips, and the light of understanding filled Julie's eyes. We were speaking of a place only the two of us knew existed. We had been playing in the library one day as children and had discovered the secret panel which swung out, leading to an ancient spiral staircase, which then in turn led up to a small, circular room with a cozy fireplace and books and maps that seemed to be older than time itself.

"How are we going to get past Draco and Daphne?" she asked doubtfully.

"Oh, I think they're preoccupied," I said, straining my ears to make sure they were far enough away to not hear the creaking groan of the panel as it swung open.

The library was huge. It was quite possible that they had wandered off too far for their voices to carry back to us.

"What do you mean?" Julie asked as we stood.

"Don't you think he might fancy her?" I asked timidly. "Think about how he's been acting."

"Fancy her?" Julie laughed. "He treats her like any other pureblood Slytherin. Besides, its you he fancies," she winked as we began to walk toward the north wall of the library.

"You always say that. Why does everyone always say that?" I ask exasperatedly, checking to make sure that they weren't coming this way.

"'Cause it's true! What, don't you fancy him? Oh wait, let me guess. 'No Julie, the boy's a git and I absolutely do not-"

"Hey, I don't talk like that!" I laughed at her high, nasally impression of my voice.

Looking both ways I crouched down and felt for the Slytherin crest that I knew was molded into the wood paneling, such a small trigger to open to such a magnificent hiding place.

With a low grumbling, grinding sound the bottom panel swung inward, providing a wide, albeit short, entrance to the stairs. We both crawled under, ignoring the cobwebs and giggling like the first time we discovered it, the spring break of first year. We quickly pulled the lever, closing it once more. Smiling excitedly we padded quietly up the dusty spiral staircase in anticipation. The walls were plastered with intricately drawn, complicated looking diagrams of wands that were covered with dust and yellowing with age.

The stone walls surrounded us immediately on either side; the steps carved into the stone were about three feet wide.

We opened the heavy oak door, hinges creaking quietly as the slightly musty smell tickled our noses.

Once it was fully opened and we walked in the braziers magically flickered to life with fire, bathing the room in a soft golden glow. I hadn't been in this room since last summer. I opened my mouth to talk but Julie clamped her hand over my mouth, an urgent look in her eyes.

She excitedly crushed her finger to her lips in the universal "Shh" sign. I looked at her oddly as she motioned me to follow her to the wall. She pressed her ear against it, listening.

"What?" I mouthed, confused.

She motioned for me to do the same.

Cautiously, I put my ear up to hers...

"...hear something?" I almost jumped back at the faint voice that penetrated the stone wall.

"Nothing to worry about, Narcissa. It's probably one of the house elves," my mother reassures her.

My eyes widen, and I have to clamp my hand over my mouth to contain my gasp-

We had found a way to spy on the death eaters.

"Now about your son, Narcissa," same an eerily familiar voice.

Was that...? Julie and I exchanged frantic looks.

Professor Snape.

"Yes, Severus?" came Narcissa's anxious voice.

"Cissy, Cissy-"

"I do believe the dark lord has made the topic open for discussion now, Bellatrix," Snape interrupted in an oily voice. "As he has confided in-most of, pardon me-present company, the plan."

"I was not going to say that. Severus, hold your tongue!" Bellatrix shrieked.

"Cissy, Draco is honored to be chosen by the dark lord to accomplish such a mission, and if he were to die in the midst of the task, he should consider it a great honor to perish in the noble service of the dark lord! And you, Severus-"

Narcissa let out a wail of despair at Bellatrix's easy dismissal of her nephews death. I pulled my ear from the wall and whispered in Julie's ear-

"I'm going to talk to Draco," I said as softly as I could.

"No!" she whispered back fiercely.

"Trust me, Julie. Please. Now, you stay here and see if you can catch anything else. Come down if they suspect anything and be careful." she nodded gravely as I tiptoed with precaution toward the stairs. I flinched at every little creak and groan, nerves set on edge.

Now it was confirmed-Draco had been given a mission. And I was going to find out what it was.

I quietly pulled the section of the bookcase down after crawling out, standing up quickly.

I briskly walked around for several minutes, and after passing Daphne alone I thanked my lucky stars because that meant Draco would be alone as well.

I finally spotted him standing, with his hands in his pockets, gazing out at the grounds out of a large window.

What was I going to say? I should have thought of-

Calm. I made myself breath. Calm. This boy works for...Voldemort. I could barely even stand to think Voldemort's name now.

"Draco," I called. He turned around, surprised.

"Astoria," he nodded curtly at me, turning back around.

"No, don't you "Astoria" me!" I said, mixed emotions boiling up from my insides.

He turned around, surprised, and I could see the surprise and amusement in his grey eyes.

"That is your name, is it not? What would you prefer I call you?"

"Cut the crap, Draco. I know what's going on," I said, deadly serious.

"Enlighten me," he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Draco, this is serious. I know about your mission."

All traces of emotion disappeared as a cold mask of indifference set in.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Thanks again to all my faithful readers and reviewers! :) keep doing what you do! And of course, thanks to my amazing beta and 2cool4you:) -Cassia