Fact 1: Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling.

Fact 2: I am not her.

Conclusion: It isn't mine.

AN: I apologize in advance for any grammar/wording mistakes. I have gone over it, but I have a headache, so I probably missed some things.

Draco,

I hope my letter finds you well. I have been pleased by your accounts of the cooperation you are receiving. I trust things are still going smoothly.

For now, I only have a small bit of news for you. We will be coming. You needn't help. When it happens, keep her near you.

Your Father,

L. Malfoy

I felt the parchment drop from my hands and looked up at Draco, but all I could see was the room spinning around me. I sat up slowly and lowered my head into my hands, trying to calm my breathing down.

" Oh, God. Oh my God... this, this is..."

"Hermione, you have got to calm down. It isn't as bad as it seems at first. If you will just -"

I glanced up when he stopped talking, only to see him moving towards me. I kept my eyes on him trying to see what he was doing and watched as he reached his hands out to grab my shoulder and lowered me slowly to the floor. Once I was lying safely on a pillow, I could feel myself calming down and nodded at him slowly, hoping he would understand that it meant I was okay.

He sighed deeply, and situated himself so that he was sitting comfortably, but didn't move from by my side.

"Look, I know it seems... bad, but it doesn't really have to be. I was freaked out about it at first, but I've had some time to think about it, and I really don't think they are going to do anything. Whatever the plan is, it clearly involves us and he told me that I don't have to do anything now, other than keep you near me. So, obviously this isn't it."

At the beginning of his little speech, I prepared myself to do what I usually did when he tried to convince me things weren't so bad- swallow his lies, and arrange my face in my best "I believe you" expression. But this time, he surprised me... for the first time, he seemed to actually believe himself, and that made me want to believe him, too.

Still, no matter how badly I wanted him to be right, part of it just didn't add up.

"If they aren't going to do anything... then why are they coming? I seriously dobt Dumbledore invited them for tea. And besides, who are they anyway?" I knew I shouldn't have sounded so frustrated, after all- this wasn't his fault- but I was so sick of talking about them without actually saying who they were.

I looked up to find that he was laughing at me again, shaking his head slowly. Normally I would find it infuriating to be laughed at, but something about seeing Draco laugh at me in a friendly way, rather than a mean, taunting way, made me feel better- not worse.

"To be one of the brightest witches of our time, you still manage to ask some pretty dumb questions, Granger." He said when he was done laughing, but continued shaking his head.

I rolled my eyes at him in exasperation before trying to explain myself.

"I know that it's Lord Voldermort behind all of this, and I know that Death Eaters are basically carrying out the plan for him- well Death Eaters and us..."

I trailed off because I had unintentionally reminded myself of a question I had been trying to repress since the night I was kidnapped. Something about the way Draco had been with the Death Eaters from the get go -like he wasn't taken with the rest of us, but already there- made me feel anxious. The thought of him being a Death Eater, bowing before Lord Voldermort with his father, being branded with the Dark Mark, made me sick at my stomach. Most of the time it seemed impossible, but then I thought about all the rumors I had heard, and about how he always wore long sleeves.

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to rearrange my thoughts. When I opened my eyes I saw Draco looking at me carefully, trying to figure out what I was thinking, and I suddenly wanted nothing more than to ask him the one question I had been too afraid to bring up in our little games.

It's now or never, Hermione. No matter what his answer is, at least you will know.

"Draco, can I ask you a question?" The words were out before I had thought them through, and I immediately regretted it. There was no way I was getting out of it now, he wouldn't let me out of this anymore than he let me out of choosing between Harry and Ron.

"Well, I thought we were still in the middle of your last question, but sure... go ahead." His face was serious now... careful and calculated, any hint of the laughter from before was completely gone, and I found myself hoping that I wasn't about to mess all of this up.

"I was just wondering... and it may be a stupid question, I hope it is. But, if it isn't, and if it is what I'm afraid it is--" The words came flooding out of my mouth and I knew I probably wasn't making sense, but I had to get it over with.

"I'm afraid I don't exactly follow... but you can ask me anything you want to. I won't lie to you." His face had softened a little, probably in response to how nervous I was, but he was still looking at me intensely, his deep gray eyes staring straight into my hazel ones.

"I'm not afraid that you will lie to me... I'm afraid you will be angry at me."

He lowered his head, closing his eyes as he did, and for a second I was afraid he had guessed what I was about to ask and that he wasn't angry- but hurt. Suddenly, I wanted to cry. Why did I have to bring it up? In the end, it didn't even matter. Death Eater or not, I needed him.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly, hoping desperately that he would just accept my apology and we could pretend this hadn't happened.

"Sorry? What for?" He asked, with a confused look on his face.

"Just ask whatever it is you have to ask me... I promise I won't be angry at you. Even if it's terrible, I probably deserve it."

"Will you show me your arm?" I looked up at him as I spoke, and watched his face waiting for the anger or hurt to set in so that I could apologize, but it never did. He still looked confused.

After a few seconds I realized that he didn't understand what he was asking. I didn't want to just come out and ask him if he was a Death Eater... I couldn't. Instead, I reached over and lightly rested my hand on his left wrist. I kept my eyes on his as I took hold of the hem of his shirt and slowly moved the sleeve up his arm. Once I had revealed his arm up to his elbow, I was satisfied that there was nothing there and took a deep sigh of relief.

Draco pulled his arm away from me and readjusted his sleeve. I pulled myself up so that I was sitting across from him and looked up to see a stony expression on his face.

"You're mad at me. It's okay if you are... I knew you would be."

"I'm not mad."

I waited for him to expand on that, but finally I realized he wasn't going to. I studied his face, hoping I could figure out what he was thinking, but his expression gave nothing away.

"It's not that I thought you were... its just that I've heard rumors, and I needed to know for sure. I rarely even think about it, I just reminded myself earlier and I knew I had to ask you now or I never would. You have to understand, Draco, I just needed to know." I said in a rush, practically pleading with him not to be angry at me.

"It's okay. I'm not mad.. I understand." He smiled, trying to convince me, but it was an empty smile and his words fell flat.

I felt like I was going to cry. I was ruining everything. Now the one person I could talk to... the one person that made me feel even a little bit safe was upset with me and probably wouldn't want to speak to me again. I tried to blink back the tears, and was standing up to go when his strong hands stopped me.

"Please... don't go."

I sat back down, and looked at him expectantly. He was still staring at the floor, and I noticed that he was rubbing his left arm absently.

"I'm really not angry at you. I'm just upset because you reminded me of how people see me. So few people actually know me, and everyone else just sees me as my father in younger form. I shouldn't be bothered by it.. its my own fault. For so long I was turning into a carbon copy of my father, and I never cared enough to tell people otherwise. I guess I just thought you wouldn't think of me like that anymore."

He finally looked up at me, and I could feel the knot in my stomach tighten and tears well up in my eyes again. I had hurt his feelings. He was right, I shouldn't have thought of him like that anymore. I should have known better.

He reached out and brushed his hand across my face, wiping a tear away from my cheek.

"Don't cry. I really am glad you asked."

"I'm sorry. I really don't think about you that way anymore. I just... I wish I could explain it in a way that will make sense." I was trying desperately to work it all out in my mind quickly enough to explain it to him, but I couldn't find a way to explain this without telling him more than I wanted to. Finally, my desire to make things okay with him, to make him understand, beat out my desire to keep my pride.

"This has been really hard for me... this whole thing. I know it hasn't been easy for you, but this is just all so different for me. Suddenly, I'm forced to work with the very people I planned to dedicate my life to helping destroy. I'm having to work towards a goal that goes against everything I believe in, and the only person I can talk to ... the only person I can trust is someone I have considered my enemy for five years. At first it was hard for me to even consider you my friend... but eventually... now, it seems absurd to try to deny it. You are the only person I really even talk to anymore. Staying here with you on Wednesdays is the only time I can relax... its what I look forward to all week. You make me feel safe, and comfortable, and happy almost."

I could feel my face getting hot, and I suddenly wanted to stop talking and just leave. This was all way too embarrassing. But when I looked at Draco, the expression on his face had softened and there was a warmth in his usually steely eyes that gave me the courage to go on.

"I guess what I am trying to say is that I like being with you... but then the rest of the week, I am left alone with my thoughts, just trying to figure things out and wishing that time would go quickly and get me to Wednesday again. I don't trust many people, and it scared me when I started trusting you and depending on you so much. I started looking for signs that you were tricking me somehow." I bit my lip, hoping he would somehow understand what I was trying to say. "I got paranoid." I finished.

I held my breath, waiting for him to say something, but he didn't. I followed the pattern on the pillow between us twice before I looked up at him and saw that he was staring at me. I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words. My eyes traced over his pale features- his blond hair, his silver eyes, his smooth skin, his front teeth biting his lower lip... I couldn't stop myself from laughing when I realized that I was doing the same thing. Briefly, I wondered if it was something I had picked up from him or something he had picked up from me.

Draco looked at me like I had three heads... no doubt due to my sudden laughing spell. After a few moments he lowered his head into his hands and sighed heavily before speaking.

"This is absolutely absurd." He murmered, quitely enough that I wasn't sure if he actually intended for me to hear him.

"You are nothing like I thought, Granger." He said, shaking his head and looking at me with a curious expression on his face.

"I'm sorry." I muttered. I knew it sounded silly, but I couldn't think of what else to say.

"Jesus!" He exclaimed suddenly, causing me to jump slightly at the elevation of his voice.

"I didn't mean to yell, its just... stop apologizing to me, okay?"

I nodded mutely, fighting back the ridiculous urge to apologize for apologizing.

"Can I ask you a question? It seems only fair." He asked, the expression on his face daring me to say no.

"Want to see my arm?"

"Very funny." He scoffed.

"Are you..." He stopped midsentence, and for a second he looked torn over if he should continue or not. I inclined my head towards him slightly, hoping he wouldn't back out. Now I was curious.

"Are you scared of me?"

The expression on his face was so full of pain, so disheartened that it was heartbreaking.

I was shaking my head before I even formed the answer in my mind. And as I spoke the word "no", I realized how true it was. I couldn't even remember the last time I had been remotely scared of him.

"Scared is the very last thing I feel when I'm with you." I spoke quitely, embarrassed that I was once again saying more than I needed to... more than he had asked, and undoubtedly more than he wanted to know.

"I'm glad." He said simply, smiling at me softly.

I yawned, realizing how tired I actually was. I wasn't sleeping any better through the week, and these nights were really my only opportunity to catch up on sleep. I reached behind me, rearranging the pillows so make myself a little nest of cushions and laid back on them, settling myself in. Draco did the same, lying down about a foot away from me.

He pointed his wand at the fire in the fireplace and lowered the flames so that the room was considerably dimmer, but the temperature was still comfortable.

"Goodnight.' He murmered, quietly.

"Night, Malfoy."

"Hey Granger?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't be afraid to ask me things, okay? No matter what it is... I would rather you know the truth."

"Okay. I promise."

--

Thursday mornings always felt a bit akward. Somehow our gaurd was always down at night, but in the morning when we had to get ready and go to breakfast or class, with our "normal" friends, things never seemed quite as effortless between us.

So, as I opened my eyes and stretched my arms above my head, I went back and forth over whether I should wake Malfoy before I left, like I usually did, or just leave and avoid all the akwardness.

"Morning, Granger"

Or maybe I didn't have to make that decision afterall. I immediately shot up, reaching all around me, trying to put my hand on my watch. How could I have overslept? I never overslept!

"What time is it?" I demanded, completely panicked. Had I actually missed class, or just breakfast? I could easily do without food, but I was behind enough without missing Transfiguration.

"A quarter till." Malfoy answered dryly, watching my clumsy attempt at grabbing all of my stuff.

"A quarter till, what exactly?" I asked with the slightest bit of hope... if it was a quarter till eight, I would still have time to get to class in time.

"Seven." He answered, a small smirk playing across his face as he leaned lazily against the wall, completely ready... school robes on, hair fixed.

As soon as it registered what he had just said, I was completely confused. It wasn't even seven? Then I wasn't late at all... but why was Draco awake this early? I usually had to all but hex him awake. More than once I had wondered how he managed to wake up at all when he was alone. I could only assume that one of his room mates doused him with cold water or shot sparks at him.

"Don't look so shocked, Granger. I managed to get up without you for years, you know." He was clearly very amused.

I rolled my eyes at him, and knowing that there was no need to rush, sat down against the wall to relax for a few minutes before getting ready.

"I never got a chance to tell you my plan." He said casually, still leaning against the wall, lazily.

"Plan? What plan?" I asked, my brow furrowed.

"I assume you don't want to just 'wing-it' when my dad and his cronies show up."

How had I managed to forget about that? Normally, hearing news that a gang of Death Eaters were coming to Hogwarts would cause me to lose sleep, at the very least, but somehow it had completely slipped my mind. Even now, as I waited for the panic to set in, for my heart to race out of control, for my breath to come in the now familiar ragged gasps... it never happened. I felt oddly calm.

"Winging it would be... bad." I nodded, trying to match his smirk.

"So here's what I've been thinking: the Professors will do one of two things when they come. They will either send us to our common rooms, or they will keep us all in the Great Hall. If that is the case, it won't be difficult to keep you near me. Just stay close... not that you can attach yourself to my hip, but I don't think that will be necessary. As long as I can see you and get to you easily in case something does happen.." It was the first time he had acknowledged that something could go wrong, and my eyes widened in response. "Not that it's going to." He assured me again, looking at me for moment before continuing. "But anything is possible. The problem is going to come if they send us to our common rooms. I can't very well waltz you into the dungeons with the Slytherins, and I doubt your common room would be any more accepting of me. So, if something happens come here as quickly as you can. What we need is a place that you and I can hide, but still know whats going on. So, I think we should just have to say exactly that."

I nodded mutely, feeling the familiar uneasiness swirl through my stomach. He was nervous. He was trying to hide it... but I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. And all of this talk of plans and hiding made me feel anxious.

"I know its not perfect" He continued, pulling me out of my thoughts, and for that I was strangly grateful. "People will wonder where you are, and probably assume that I am helping my dad- but I don't know any other way to stay together."

"No, I think it will work. But... " I didn't want to say it. I knew I would want to take it back as soon as I did, but I also knew that if I didn't say it I would feel horribly guilty. "You don't have to stay with me. I'll be fine, and I wont cause any problems. I don't want you to get in trouble because of me... I don't want people thinking that about you." I said, shyly, suddenly embarrassed that I even cared what people thought of him.

"That part is non-negotiable, Granger. My father says I am to keep you near me, and I know better than to try anything else." He stated, simply.

Briefly, my stomach dropped in... dissapointment? But why should I be dissapointed that Malfoy was following his dad's orders. Of course that was the only reason he would stay with me. He had no other obligation to me, and any time he spent with me was sure to be due to pure obligation. I knew that. Still, I couldn't stop my face from falling slightly.

"Besides... I'm not just going to leave you alone while there are Death Eaters in the school. Some of them aren't exactly thrilled that you are working with me. I don't trust them, and if something happened to you... I don't think I could forgive myself."