Hermione found herself feeling bored of the endless monotony as the days passed. Of course she knew feeling bored was better then the alternative. She shuddered at the memory. She just really hated doing nothing. Everyday she sat in her cell, gazing up at the grey ceiling, the hours only broken up by the same food being pushed through the little flap in the door. And before you ask, no she couldn't get through the flap: she wasn't that small. In the early days Dennis had shoved his head round the door to taunt her but he hadn't in a while. She almost wished she would. She now found herself understanding how Draco had felt during his year away from everybody. Hermione found herself longing to see the sun, the stars. She longed to walk and run outside. If she was in here for much longer she would go mad. What scared her was that she knew it was perfectly possible to go mad, she had read about it. For once she wished she hadn't. It felt different now, an air of tension and fear was floating around the complex, even she could sense it.

Draco was often in her thoughts. She wondered what he was doing now. She hoped he was far far away, somewhere safe. Lavender had said she loved him. Hermione knew she did, but it had taken for Lavender to drag to drag it out into the light before she realised. The hope that she would see him again was what kept her going. She wanted to argue with him; discuss things with him, he always had an answer to her opinions, it was what made him so interesting. She curled up on the floor, tucking her head to her feet, like she had used to when she had been a child. It made her feel safe, or as safe as you could feel in a prison.

Draco sauntered into Harry's flat. Ginny lay on the sofa, pale and wan, her ginger hair a stark contrast to her face. Harry kneeled beside her, his hands in hers. Draco stood awkwardly in the doorway, not sure whether to intrude or to turn away and leave the couple in peace. Thankfully, he didn't have to make a decision as Ginny heard him, looked up, and smiled welcomingly. Draco slowly tiptoed into the room.

"So, what are the plans to rescue Hermione?" She asked brightly.

Draco sat himself on the table in front of the sofa as Harry turned around and whilst not letting go of Ginnys hand, moved himself onto the arm of the sofa.

"Well Harry, you're not going to like it." He said with a shrug and a smirk

"Well that's a great start. Why am I not going to like it?" Harry asked.

"Maybe because it involves you turning into Lavender Brown." Draco laughed.

Harry's face changed, "I can't turn into- into a girl. That's just ew no. I know enough about girls without having to be one."

"Its perfectly possible, a bit of pollyjuice potion is all that's needed."

"Why can't you be Lavender Brown?"

"Because I'm going to pretend to join them and you as Lavender are going to persuade them that I never felt anything for Granger and that I've been working with you this entire time. Then we're going to go and supposedly taunt Hermione about how I supposedly still hate her and we'll actually rescue her." Draco told them both.

The two considered it and, after Ginny gave him a look that said "seriously", Harry slowly nodded.

"Fine. I'll do it. When are we going to do this?" Harry said with a grim smile.

"As soon as we can I guess. We need to make sure we go over everything we can first though. If this fails we won't get a second chance."

"Well this seems like nothing has changed since school. Certainty of death, small chance of success, what are we waiting for?" Harry said with a laugh.

"I know one thing that's changed.", Ginny said with a small smile. Draco tensed expecting her to say something about Ron but he was surprised by her next statement. "I don't know what we'd have done without you lately Draco. I for one would be dead. You saved my life, our lives." She said looking down at her slightly rounded belly.

Harry stood up and walked over to where Draco was standing and held out his hand.

"Thank you."

Draco shook it, and was surprised again by the slight tightening in his throat. He had never had friends before, not properly. He had had cronies not friends and they were different entirely. Well apart from Blaise who had been the only one to write to him after school but Draco doubted Blaise would approve of his new friends. Suddenly feeling awkward he walked backwards and, muttering something about having something to do, he fled.