DISCLAIMER: If I owned Dolores Umbridge, she would have been turned into a cow.

The following weeks were rather quiet. I had become comfortable in the castle and learned the way to all my classes. I was generally well liked among my year mates and teachers. I took Potions and DADA with the Slytherins; Snape liked me mostly because I was a Malfoy (he was the only teacher who failed to comply with my request to be addressed as Smith) and I sat in his class with a half-blood girl named Hannah Tyler I rather liked. I took Transfiguration with the Gryffindors, where Professor McGonagall loved me because of my abilities; Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Charms with the Ravenclaws. My electives, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, were taken with mixed groups.

At meals, I continued to sit with Harry, Ron and Hermione. We discussed the day's news every morning, our teachers and classes during lunch and everything else at supper. I generally spent the evenings in the library with Hermione- the methods currently teaching Arithmancy and Ancient Runes at Hogwarts weren't the same I had been taught with, so while Hermione showed me how to do our exercises, I showed her how to really use the letters and runes (she was delighted). The weather was rather rainy, but since my weekends were always occupied, I wouldn't have time for walks even if it was sunny. Homework took up most of my free time. Dumbledore even insisted on two weekly trainings with Harry; generally Monday and Thursday evenings, so every other day I could easily be found scribbling essays madly in the library.

Truth was, I wasn't exactly in love with academic life. I was learning a few things, yes, but hardly one little thing or two a day. I didn't really feel it justified all the hours I had to dedicate to attending classes and doing homework. Most of the time, I was irremediably bored. If it wasn't for Harry, Ron and Hermione's friendship, I would have been utterly miserable.

I missed the theatre life every second, especially Scarlett (to whom I wrote daily) but even Rosalind Hainsworth (who wrote to me about how could she improve her performance of Serena- not much chance, really). And, against all my expectations, I missed both my mother and my grandmother. I often spoke to them through the two-way mirror. My mother seemed to be happier than ever, away from pureblood society and able to attend all sorts of places without being stared at (that just proved it: without me, my mother was actually much happier). To my great surprise, I became my grandmother's confidante in regards to my aunt Aricia, who far from behaving like a respectable maiden lady apparently enjoyed the visits of several gentlemen and was out every night.

I ignored Draco most of the time. I tried to keep an eye on him- sometimes, I saw him sneaking out of the Room of Requirement- but he didn't approach me again. We hardly spoke to each other at all. I preferred the school to still know me as Lavinia Smith, even though all Slytherins gossiped about my mother and my mysterious father. I was working hard at training Harry after all; I really didn't have much time to plan the murder of Albus Dumbledore.

Something that alleviated the gloom was a surprise permission to visit Hogsmeade one October Friday evening. I was allowed to take one companion, and I was considering either Hermione or Hannah (and inviting Scarlett to come up from London so whoever I went with could meet her) but Dumbledore kept hinting that I should take Harry and pick up some books that would help with training. Thankfully, McGonagall intervened and said that Harry Potter and Lavinia Smith alone in Hogsmeade on a Friday evening would surely attract the attention of the press, so I was allowed to take all three of them- Harry, Ron and Hermione. I would have to be heavily disguised and an Auror also member of the Order of the Phoenix who was stationed in Hogsmeade would keep an eye on us from the shadows- after all, this was Harry Potter.

We had a wonderful time. We picked up the books Dumbledore asked us to and I made Hermione buy several plays. I had actually never visited Hogsmeade before, so they took me to all the usual places; Honeydukes, Zonko, the Shrieking Shack (at this point, the Auror chaperoning us became visible- I was startled by her likeness to Draco's aunt Bellatrix, but happily she just happened to be the daughter of their estranged sister) and, finally, the Three Broomsticks.

They assured me that the pub looked quite different now with no students and only the locals in. I enjoyed myself immensely- the butterbeer was delicious and we had a great dinner. And, because I was morphed to look a bit older, we got served whatever we asked. Harry and I sat in front of each other and we flirted the whole evening. I am pretty sure Hermione and Ron noticed it. Still, I felt quite relaxed and happy- and I think that even Harry forgot all about Voldemort and the war.

Sadly, my happiness did not last much. After we came back from Hogsmeade safely and I got separated from the trio on my way back to my dormitory, I saw that Draco was waiting for me right at my door.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed. Draco looked at me surprised.

"Lavinia? Is that you?" he asked. I stared at him for a moment, until I realized I was still wearing a trendy, strawberry-haired bob and honey-colored eyes. I had even disguised my features until I was unrecognizable.

"Sorry. Yes, it's me," I said. "Quickly, come in before someone sees you."

We stepped into my living room. A lovely fire was warming the room already. He took a sit right on my favorite armchair.

"What do you think you are doing?" he hissed furiously, reminding me of his father quite a lot.

"Don't talk to me that way."

"I'll talk to you the way I bloody want, Lavinia," he said. "What the hell do you think you are doing, going around with Potter and his friends all over the castle and Hogsmeade?"

I stared at him, unable to come up with an answer.

"You are here to help me, Lavinia! I told you already, you are not here to make friends or get boyfriends! Do you even understand what is at risk here?"

"Of course I do "

"No you don't!" he screamed. "You weren't there the day the Dark Lord moved into my house and he described me what exactly would happen to my mother and father if I didn't succeed on this mission! You didn't spend a whole summer with Aunt Bellatrix she'd do anything the Dark Lord told her to, no matter to whom "

What seemed to have started like a screaming row had now ended with a quiet look of terror. The desperate expresion on Draco's face broke all my defenses and made me feel terrible for having ignored him the last few weeks.

I sat right in front of him and forced him to meet my eyes.

"I'm sorry," I said. With a wave of my hand, two steaming cups of tea appeared on the short table. He took one and handed the other, in silence.

"I am acting," I lied. "I was covering my back. If people thought that I was friends with Harry Potter, they wouldn't be so quick to believe that I murdered Albus Dumbledore."

"Really?" he asked skeptically.

"I'm sorry," I insisted. "I have also been enjoying it. You are right. I should have been helping you."

We drank our tea in silence.

"I'm going to the Manor tomorrow," he said. "I got permission, with father in jail and all. Aunt Bellatrix will be away on a mission."

"That sounds nice."

"Yeah," he got up, leaving his empty cup on the table. He said goodnight, and left.

During the weekend, I was told off several times for being distracted during rehearsals. I am a pro, so the performances were brilliant anyway. Scarlett pressed me for information, and sadly I lied and blamed my feelings for Harry.

Monday evening came, and with it Harry's training. I was still worried about Draco; I had caught glimpses of him at meals and was dying to ask him about his visit home. I hadn't yet thought about the implications of Aunt Narcissa alone with Bellatrix Lestrange and occasional visits from Voldemort, without even the excuse to visit my grandmother and mother to escape from them.

"You look distracted," I was told for the thousandth time, but this one by Harry.

"I am," I admitted. "Do you want to take a break?" He was sweating and short of breath.

"Yeah. Some water would be nice, too." I summoned two glasses filled with crystal clear liquid and a plate of sandwiches from the kitchens. "Cheers. So, what are you so worried about?"

I sat next to him, in silence, trying to figure out how much I could tell him. He looked embarrassed at my lack of answer.

"Oh, sorry, you don't have to "

"It's fine. It's just that it's complicated."

"It's all right."

"It's a family situation," I confessed.

"Oh. Is it the war?" he asked. Nowadays, every family situation was somehow linked to the war.

"They are in danger," I said. "Well, my aunt is. You could say Voldemort is holding her hostage. And I just can't figure out how to get her out of there."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said. "We'll get her out, I promise."

"You are so kind, Harry," I laughed. "Worst thing, is, she's a bitch to me half the time "

"Oh, I know" he laughed, too. "My aunt is a bitch to me all the time, but still I don't want to see her dead "

"Yeah. I heard you lived with muggle relatives "

"I do," he replied. "My aunt, who was my mom's sister, her husband and her son. They never liked me. They don't like magic at all."

"My family wasn't exactly thrilled when I came along, either," I explained. "My mother was half-way her seventh year when she had me. Great big embarrassment to the family name. Since then, she raised me in a holiday cottage we barely were allowed to leave."

"Well, my aunt and uncle made me sleep in the cupboard until I was eleven, and then they tried to keep me from coming to Hogwarts."

"That's awful!"

"They even kept the truth about my parents from me."

"My mother never told me who my father is," I told him. "My whole family knows except me."

"We are definitely screwed up, then" he said, and we both laughed.

"And now, I am training you to face down the scariest wizard that ever lived. It just keeps getting worse " we continued laughing.

"Imagine, by the time I'm thirty if I get to thirty "

"Oh, don't say that. We'll make it to thirty," I assured him. "It all ends with Voldemort's death. By the time I'm thirty, I'll be a world-class actress. What about you?"

"An Auror, of course. It's my responsibility."

"Haven't you served the country long enough?" I asked him. "You should do something you like, not something that you feel it's your responsibility. You should play Quidditch!"

"Yeah " he said dreamily. "I always wanted that. Still, I don't know. Auror just feels right."

We stayed in silence a few moments. The water and the sandwiches had been consumed. We were sitting right next to each other, our arms touching. I could feel the heat from his body.

I looked at him and detected some skepticism. I tried to smile as much as I could.

"We will live to see our thirties, Harry," I assured him. He smiled.

"I hope so," he said. He put his arm around my shoulders, and for a few seconds, I snuggled against him.

"We won't if we do nothing all evening, though," I said, standing up. I ignored Harry's disappointed look. "C'mon, up on your feet, let's keep working."

I managed to speak with my cousin the next morning. Actually, it was him who pushed me inside a broom closet between classes.

"Are you all right? Did something happen?" I asked, scared by his abrupt manners. I looked around; it was very small, but two buckets on the floor could definitely do as sits perfectly well.

"You've been lying to me, Lavinia" he said, with a bewildered look on his face. I shuddered.

I could barely stammer an apology.

"But it is all right, because now I understand everything" he then said in soothing tones, slightly amused at my reaction.

"Uh?"

"My mother confessed everything when I visited this weekend" he explained. He was smiling, and I couldn't help noticing that he looked quite relaxed and happy.

Exactly the opposite I was feeling right then.

"What do you mean by everything, Draco? I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Everything" he repeated. "The prophecy, your destiny oh" he then said, the happy look wiped from his face, replaced by a rather comic uncomfortable expression. "My mother told me you might not know yet But I wanted to take the risk "

"What? What prophecy? What destiny?" I demanded. Draco's face softened.

"You will see" he said in annoyingly patronizing tones.

"I don't understand" I told him. I was feeling very sick by then. "What on Merlin's wand are you talking about?"

"I'm so sorry" he said after a moment of silence. "But they've lied to us for years."

"Lied about what?"

"You" he said, as if it was obvious. "They've lied, they've held information, kept secrets "

"I'm tired of secrets!" I yelled on the verge of tears. I felt my powers going out of my control, a time bomb inside my chest, and fought every thought I had in order to control my condition. I might kill us both in a burst of temper. "Please, Draco. Please. Tell me what's going on, or I swear, I will make you."

"You'll know soon enough. It will be revealed to you in the right time."

"But I want to know now!"

"My tongue is tied" he confessed, sighing. "Quite literally. My own mother cursed me."

"I can undo it!"

"Not even you can undo a blood spell with just your hands" he reminded me. "And by the time you are ready to do it, you'll already know."

I breathed hard, and tried to calm myself down. I did my best to stop tears from coming out and used all my power of concentration to start thinking rationally again.

"Why did you tell me all this then?" I berated him. Draco looked down on me with a tender brotherly look.

"I thought you might know, but if you didn't, I wanted to put you on your guard" he said, with a small, sympathetic smile. "And I wanted to tell you that I will support you, no matter what."

I was too confused to say anything.

"I'll see you later, little cousin" he said, reaching for the door.

"Draco" I called him before he could leave, a doubt burning in my heart. "Do you know who my father is?"

Draco's face sobered.

"Yes. And I am very, very sorry."