A/N: Here's a really long chapter from all of you guys! Hope you enjoy reading!

Dean Thomas stepped down the flight of stairs, counting the steps as he descended them. He could not help but think back to what he walked into in Pansy Parkinson's bedroom. He thought – they all thought – that it was her who was more into Draco Malfoy than Draco was into her. Well apparently, they were wrong. All's fair in love and war, and yet somehow, these two had lost so much.

Draco is now engaged to Astoria Greengrass. Hell, he doesn't even recognize that name, but they all said she was two years younger than him. She's from a rich pureblood family; no doubt Lucius Malfoy betrothed his son to her. Not even caring that it was a different girl he loved.

He loved her, alright. Why else would he make finding her a condition to what he was supposed to do? He was supposed to go head-first into danger. He was going to risk being killed. He was going to betray his friends to do what is right. And even if Malfoy's cowardice gets the best of him sometimes, this is a stroke of courage even Ron Weasley couldn't help but admire.

He sank into a worn leather chair that used to be Fred and George's favourite. It would have been different if they were here; a lot more lively. But George is still mourning his twin's death, and really, who are they to take that away from him? So they let him be, immersing himself in work, trying to perfect the brews that he and Fred began together. Even with Ginny helping out at the shop, George was still isolated in his own island of grief, masking it with his happy face. And no one knows if he's ever coming back.

The one thing that's bothering him is why Draco did not refuse. He is now a consenting adult in wizard years, and yet he let his father do whatever he likes with his life. He is a coward, he told himself. He could've helped it, but he didn't. And for that he is a coward of the lowest kind.

Dean stretched out his legs, not realizing how tired they were until he did so. Tired from walking the slums of London to get into the highly concealed neighbourhood where Pansy Parkinson had spent six months of her life. The buildings were dilapidated, almost ready to collapse in on itself and burry its tenants in boulders of rocks. The streets were filthy with garbage and diapers and rotting food, and even dead rodents here and there. She must have been really desperate, he thought, to stand living in a place like this just to get away from whoever it were that were after her. Her building was a three-storey high industrial type. Dean can tell that the paint used to be a light peach, but now it's more of a grimy dirty-white. It looked like it used to be a factory of some kind, converted by the desperate into living quarters. The hallways were dark and empty except for trash (since he went there at 5 in the morning) but there are voices that seemed to be shouting, arguing, or loudly talking, but since the walls are thick, it didn't quite reach him. She was in apartment number seven, and contrary to the filth outside her doors, Pansy's room was tidy and organized. There was a single bed by the window, a nightstand beside it, a book shelf by the door, a locked suitcase under the bed, and a mini sofa that could seat two and a half. There were eating utensils in her room too, and a box of Chinese food that hasn't been opened yet, and already it was beginning to smell. This was the only flaw he found, since even the linoleum floor which was a faded green with flower prints, was spotless as polished glass.

Dean found Pansy's wand under her green pillow (Green? Green pillow for a girl? I know she's a Slytherin, but really?). He tucked it into his pocket and, knowing that whoever was watching Pansy's apartment for signs of her was probably also watching him by now, aware that the guards have been sleeping and that security had been breached, threw Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder into the air, and apparated back to Grimmauld Place.

"Dean! Why did you do that?" Hermione was half-out of her chair, looking at him like a mother might look at her child if she caught him misbehaving. "You know the risks! That's why we told you you can't apparate anywhere near her place!"

"Really, Mione? What harm could it do? She's safe with us now." Dean instantly wished he hadn't relayed the full report of his morning adventure to his friends. Luna was sitting on a chair by the window, looking at him apprehensively with her orb-like blue eyes open wide, Draco was standing by the kitchen door, sipping his tea, looking every inch a Malfoy, and Hermione was sitting directly across him at the dinner table, looking frantic. "I was merely giving them something to talk about. It's their fault they don't guard the place well enough! I even got through without any concealing charm." Dean boasted, as if this was enough to justify his recklessness.

"I know, alright, I know. But now is not the time for taking risks! If they see her missing, they would be suspicious as to where she is! And that might jeopardize the mission we have for Draco! Or worse, they might think it was him who had been in her apartment, considering he used Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder once too. They might suspect him of hiding her!"

Draco cast Dean a grave look, as if saying: Congratulations, 'I'm now as good as dead. Nice work.' And Dean felt an involuntary twinge of guilt inside him. "We already took a risk by taking her here, Mione. They already know she's missing and maybe it's best if they suspect someone of hiding – "

But Dean never got the chance to finish because another voice rang out of the room as sharp as broken glass, and just as beautiful.

"They might suspect who of hiding who?" It was a question, but Pansy Parkinson made it sound like an admonishment, like they were all close friends and they kept her out of the secret they all knew and she didn't. It was partly true. Even Hermione looked uncomfortable. But Draco, dear Draco, looked at her as if he was a saint worthy of his personal army of angels, and that she should give him thanks and praise. She looked back at him with blank brown eyes as if to say: Credit only where it's due. To give it now is premature. Die for me first.

Draco cast his eyes downward, color flooding his pale cheeks. For a while there was an awkward tenseness in the air that nobody seemed eager to touch.

It was Luna who broke the silence.

"Dean went into your muggle flat to retrieve your wand this morning." Her voice was calm and steady and devoid of any awkwardness, her expression as serene as the surface of a stagnant lake. "And he had to take muggle transportation to get there because someone booby-trapped the whole area. Ginny went there last night while you were sleeping and figured out this much."

"And?" Pansy prodded. "Booby-trapped how?"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but Ginny appeared on the kitchen doorway, looking worn out and still wearing her Quidditch Robes from morning practice (for the Holyhead Harpies try-outs), nudged Draco aside to let her pass, and said, "They know you apparate almost all the time. I'm guessing they have you under surveillance for quite a period of time now, so they rigged the place with magic. Anytime someone apparates, an alarm goes off. And before you know it, hell has already descended upon you."

Dean looked at her ex-girlfriend, who was now preparing for herself a bowl of cereal and a tall glass of pumpkin juice, with a mixture of surprise and admiration. Ginny has indeed grown up, matured, and had become a lot wiser than when they'd dated. No surprise that Harry was head-over-heels. Shaking himself out of the reverie, he added, "They also set up guards to watch the apartment in case you were wise enough not to apparate. It was smart, but well… Obviously not smart enough."

Hermione looked at Dean as if she might say something about being careful but seemed to think it was useless. Draco turned to Ginny. "So Weaslette, how did you manage to get hold of this information?"

"Not so easily. I went there dressed as a nanny. And I dyed my hair black as well." She looked at Draco pointedly, who was going to say something. He clamped his mouth shut. Ginny touched her hair as if to make sure it's back to its natural colour, which was fiery red in the morning sunlight, and went on with the explanation. "The moment you were gone, the rigging started. Not so covertly, but not open enough to attract so much attention. To the untrained eye, nothing would pass as uncommon, but I knew better. There were no people outside. Everyone went to a "birthday party" and they don't even know whose it is. And everybody seemed drunk, even the women. And the children were dazed." Continued Ginny, eyes wide, as if she can't believe anyone would have the heart to harm the children. But my lot is different. They would use anyone, everyone, Draco thought. "They were imperiused to stay indoors until the rigging was over."

"Does the ministry know?" Hermione sounded as if she might deliver a baby any minute now. "This is wide scale use of an illegal curse to more than a dozen muggles! Surely someone is thinking of doing something!" Hermione was shrieking. Luna made her way to her to calm her down.

"I informed the ministry by owl –"

"And how were you not imperiused?" Pansy asked, cutting Ginny off.

For a moment Ginny looked bewildered, but then she just took on an expression of resignation. "Because I was wearing George's new invention: a curse-repelling ring. I took it with me just in case, you know." She raised her right hand to show them the ring she was wearing on her index finger. It was normal-looking enough, silver with swirling patterns of vines and flowers. "It's not yet for sale but it now works on the Imperius Curse, but only for three tries. On the fourth the protection will break and you're going to be done for. But it doesn't give any sign that the spell didn't quite work so it's perfect for short-term use. And uh," Ginny took a swig of her juice, set it down on the table and began folding her hands on itself, something she did when she's nervous or uncomfortable.

"What is it, Gin?" Hermione slid further down her seat. Two inches more and she would surely hit the floor.

Ginny sat down at Hermione's left side on the table. "Harry gave me his invisibility cloak yesterday to bring it home. He passed by the shop to drop it by and went on his way with Ron. So when I went at Pansy's last night, I used it without telling him."

Ginny looked so embarrassed and a blush was spreading from her neck to her face which was making her look like a ripe tomato. Hermione sat back on her seat (THANK MERLIN!) and started laughing. For a while nobody said anything, but Pansy followed suit and now everyone was laughing. It was pleasant, more so, because a year ago if people told them they'd ended up laughing with each other on a house that used to be Sirius Black's they would tell them they were mental. But now it is happening. Rivals, united for the common good.

"Oh, my gosh!" Hermione started. "Harry would be so proud of you!"

"He would be so turned on, Weaslette. Trust me, guys like misbehaving girls."

"Oh shush, you two!" Ginny scolded, looking revolted, and Pansy and Hermione doubled over with more laughter.

Dean was also laughing, but he noticed Malfoy, who stood there smiling, looking as if this was something he wanted to happen in a very long time.

"This is pleasant," said Luna, panting slightly, "we're all friends now." She smiled her innocent smile, eyes shining like the celestial body she was named after. She said it like it was a fact, like it had been proven right there and then. And for a moment everybody seemed to feel warm inside, like friendship was something they would all like. And looking at Pansy at that moment, at her heart-shaped face and honey-colored eyes, smiling with simple but genuine delight, Dean knew that he might just go for more than just friendship.

Pansy and Luna had gone to bed, leaving Ginny, Hermione, Dean, and Draco talking in the kitchen.

"I think she knows who's chasing her but she wouldn't tell us." Ginny started.

Draco looked at her, eyebrows knitted closely together. "It's just because she doesn't know who to trust."

"I know that, Malfoy. But she has to tell us. Harry said Crescent Valley had been quiet for weeks. Who knows? Maybe your pals went downtown to look for something… Or someone."

"Are you saying… That they're looking for her?" Draco's voice was quiet, but there was something terrifyingly venomous about the calm way he delivered his words that Ginny quickly tried to explain.

"All I'm saying is that we don't know where she'd been when she ran away from the war. There's a big chunk of the puzzle missing, Draco. Too big to ignore."

"What I'm really curious about is what they want from her." It was Dean, and Draco looked up at him so quickly that it was as if his head had snapped.

"Will you take a seat, Thomas? You're too tall and it's hard to look up at you and play Giraffe."

Dean took the seat beside Draco, and they are now facing Ginny and Hermione, who was wearing a faraway look on her face, filled with determined concentration. The three of them exchanged looks.

"Is she always like this?" Draco inquired.

"Shut up!" "Yes." Ginny and Dean said at the same time. Draco smiled.

Then they all jumped, because Hermione began to talk.

"She ran away from the war, the moment Filch opened the dungeons for the Slytherins to get out. But I think she went home first, to her parents." At the mention of her parents, Draco huffed. He hated them, and what they did to her all those years when she was too young to defend herself against the physical and verbal abuse. If she turned out to be a bad person, it was mainly because of her harsh upbringing. But that was just what she admired about Pansy most. Deep down inside, she has a heart, a conscience. "And she found them dead. And all of their money in the bank was gone, like it said in the reports."

"It was my father. He took it. Voldemort killed Frank and Patricia but my father took the money. He imperiused Frank to allow him access to the vault before they slaughtered him and his wife."

"Does Pansy know?" asked Hermione, worry darkening her pretty face.

Draco shook his head no.

"But why would they need that much money Draco?" asked Ginny.

"Because they needed finances, and when the war was over and Voldemort succeeds, he will need all the galleons he could get to build himself an empire that will last forever. The Parkinsons, during the last three years, had become richer than us, if you haven't known, thanks to my father's continuous messing up. As for my father, he was hoping that maybe if he got his master some money, he would spare him a little of his own. He wasn't so wise, my father. I always thought."

And then he added, as if an afterthought, "That's why he can't stand her to marry me. Because he knows what he did to her parents, and what he watched Voldemort do to them, even if they're not one of his own."

Now it was Draco's turn to be stared at, as the other three exchanged but another look. Draco bowed his head, as if the truth had defeated him in a duel. It was Dean who spoke at last.

"I take it, that this is also the reason why you won't marry her?" Draco looked at Dean with such intensity that his eyes seemed to freeze the edges of his humanity, and he said,

"Yes. Even if I want to."

And Dean thought, that maybe, just maybe, Draco was not as cowardly as he thought he was.

A/N: Reviews would be awesome!