Okey, so I know it's been ages. But you know. Christmas and new years and all. I've worked a lot on the story, just not exactly where we're at. I've written two endings and gotten a lot of ideas of what is going to happen. But here you go; chapter 32 that finally is finished!

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Chapter 32

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The silence of the night was falling over Hogwarts as the sun set. Footsteps were heard ever so often, but other than that, nothing disturbed the peace. Even the weather was smooth. Draco put on his shoes before he left the sleeping bedroom behind. His heart was racing a bit, but not as much as he'd expected.

"Do you have the password?" He asked the floating ghost that had appeared next to him.

"Honey beans", said Myrtle. Draco gave her a glance as if he wondered why she hadn't left him alone. But she floated beside him, perfectly happy with the company she had.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked and gave her an unwanted look. She understood the hint and disappeared, crying, through the roof. He couldn't feel guilty over her feelings, he didn't have time to. It was just passed midnight, the corridors were supposed to be empty as far to the teachers on their nightly rounds. He rounded the corner right outside Slytherin's common room, where Crabbe and Goyle were waiting. They stood silent, as two lost trolls as they waited for him to come.

"Vincent, Gregory", Draco said and nodded quickly at each of them. It was the first time in very long that he'd used their first names.

"Draco", said Crabbe and nodded back. "There are only two of them tonight, Slughorn and Flitwick."

"Goyle, you stay here. Make sure no one finds out where we are", Draco instructed him. Goyle nodded his big head almost too quickly and looked a bit dizzy for a moment. "Crabbe, you'll stand guard outside with me. But only for five minutes, then you have to go back here, go to bed and pretend like nothing. Understood?" he nodded as well, a bit more discrete than Goyle. The three boys looked at each other for a moment.

"Well", Draco said then. "If everything goes alright; this is probably the last time we'll see each other." He felt a bit sentimental; they had after all been with one another for almost their entire lives.

"I'm going to miss you", Goyle said – then he remembered what he'd said and walked in to the common room quickly. Draco and Crabbe exchanged looks before they walked down the corridor quickly. It was dark, but they'd been walking these corridors so often lately it didn't matter. And it would make it much harder for others to find them. Crabbe was following Draco as a dog, not making any noise – except from his heavy breathing. Someone turned to corner ahead, with his wand lit and made his way down the hall. Draco's heart started beating, they couldn't be found, not now. He glanced over his shoulder, Crabbe stood frozen as solid ice. Without really thinking, Draco took three large steps to his right, in to a crossing corridor and pressed himself at the wall. Crabbe looked at him in confusion, but Draco hushed him silently.

"Oh, what are you doing up here my boy?" Professor Slughorn said and lowered his wand. Crabbe's face had gone red and he had no idea what to say.

"Um, I don't know...?" Crabbe said without looking his professor in the eyes.

"Well, you must have been sleep-walking then. Let's get you back to the common room", professor Slughorn said and lead Crabbe down the corridor. Draco breathed out. Jolly luck the old fool didn't understand better. As the corridor was dark and empty again, Draco made his way through it. He was only a few steps away from the headmaster's office. The big stone statue stood still as ever but Draco could feel it's eyes following him as he approached.

"Honey Beans", Draco said, loud and clearly. The stone statue moved and looked at him.

"It is nightfall, students aren't supposed to be out of bed", it said and moved back to its original pose.

"I have a note from professor Dumbledore, asking me to come here", Draco said and held out a piece of parchment. The stone statue stepped aside and revealed the spinning staircase behind itself. Draco stepped on one of the steppes and had it take him all the way up. The door was unlocked and for the first time Draco stepped in to the headmaster's office. It was a bit smaller than he thought it'd be and round. It was very clean in a way, and for a moment all Draco could think of; was how suiting it was to the person Dumbledore portrayed himself to be. Unfortunately, that was about to end. Draco looked around in the office; there were no hidden areas where anyone could hide. Then he heard the scraping of a foot behind him, someone was there. Instinctively he pulled out his wand, turned and raised it towards whoever was behind him.

"Blaise?" He said in surprise and lowered his wand.

"You think she'd forgive me if she knew I let you do this alone?" he said and laughed a bit.

"No, probably not", Draco said. They looked at one another for a moment and then shared an understanding smile. They walked in to the room, almost pushing themselves against opposite walls. It was clear though, no one was there.

"Only one place left to look", Blaise said and nodded towards the staircase. It would be perfect if the old man was asleep. No conversation, no screams, just a simple last breath. Hopefully they'd think he'd died in his sleep. Draco went first, with Blaise closely after him. A ticking clock was all that could be heard. Draco took a deep breath before he entered the room which the stairs lead to. It was a rather small room, not more than the bed, the nightstand and the closet fitted in there.

"He's not here", Draco said in shock. "How can he not be here?" Blaise put a hand on his shoulder.

"Were you sure he'd be here?" Blaise asked gently.

"Yes, he was supposed to be her. She confirmed it, he was supposed to be here", Draco said and just stared blankly at the empty bed.

"Let's go Draco, before anyone notices", said Blaise and tried to pull his friend with him.

"No, you go. I have to wait and see if he's coming." Blaise let his hand drop and Draco's shoulder and left him there alone. Draco walked up to the bed and put his hands on it, only to make sure the old man wasn't invisible or something. But nothing was there. He's planed this so well, everything had gone so smooth. Except this, was he really such a fool? Draco turned around and walked down the stairs. If he was coming, it would be through the office, and Draco would be ready. Ready for anything, all possibilities had already played themselves out in his mind. Even the ones where everything had gone wrong and he ended up in Azkaban or dead for that matter. Draco sat down on one of the lower steps with the wand in his hands and waited. The pictures behind the desk were deeply asleep. A chill crept up Draco's spine. He was going to do it; he was actually going to kill someone. Even though it'd been reality for some time he hadn't been able to feel it like he did now. This wasn't what he wanted. This wasn't him. Well, it didn't use to be him. Then he heard it, footsteps outside the door. He stood up, straightened up and raised his wand in direction towards the door. But it wasn't Dumbledore who stepped in.

"Draco", said Alice and closed the door behind her.

"Go away", he said firmly and lowered his wand. She was worried, her blue eyes told so. Those beautiful blue eyes one could drown in.

"No Draco, I'm not leaving without you." She walked up to him. "Tonight isn't the night."

"I have to do it. The sooner the better", Draco defended his actions. Alice took his hands in hers and sought out his gaze.

"I need to know you'll be safe. Tonight isn't the night", she said again.

"Why isn't anything working out for me?" he said, he felt himself break down. "I had everything planned out and still... Here we are, and I still..."

"Everything is going to be fine", Alice comforted him. "But we need to leave now, before anyone gets here." Still with a hold of his hand she lead him out from the room.

"No one can know about this", Draco said in his shock. Alice turned to him with a soft smile.

"Which part?" asked Alice gently.

"Well, both." Suddenly he pulled Alice closer to himself and looked her in the eyes.

"And which is the other part?" Draco took a firm grip around her waist with one arm and put his other hand gently on her cheek. Then he bent down slowly, always watching her eyes before catching her lips with his own.

"I need you Alice", he whispered. "You're the one that's going to save me from this."

"Actually Draco, I think it is the other way around." Alice didn't have time to explain herself before a wand lit next to them, revealing a third person in the dark corridor.

"Even though both of you mostly are superb students, I do not find it in any of you interests to stroll around after nightfall, Mr Malfoy and Miss Gaunt", professor Snape said in his usual, cold tone. "Though I'm feeling a wee bit gentle tonight and will let you both go with a warning." They stood still for a moment before Alice turned back to Draco.

"This doesn't change anything", she said and stepped away from him. "Severus, a word please." Professor Snape followed his student unwillingly, leaving Draco by himself in the dark. They walked quickly down the corridors, professor Snape always one step behind Alice. She had her mind set for his office, they had matters to discuss.

The clock rang three just as they entered professor Snape's office. Severus took his place behind the desk in his comfortable chair and pushed one out next to him for Alice. But Alice had the habit of walking back and forth while thinking and started doing so now.

"Exactly what did you see?" Alice asked without looking at him.

"Perhaps a bit too much", professor Snape answered slowly.

"Obviously the a bit more emotional part of our discussion", said Alice.

"If you want to put it that way, yes", he said. Alice found him hard to read, not only had e blocked his mind for her, but also because of his absolutely neutral face.

"But I trust you won't tell him..?"

"Tell who?" The silence was absolute.

"My father of course", Alice said and for a moment Severus face gave him away. He had the expression of "how do you know" on his face. Alice stopped, looked at him and tapped her temples before she spoke. "He told me so. That you would keep an eye on me." Alice started walking back and forth again. "Then again, if it weren't for Dumbledore you'd have a lot more to rapport to him."

"I do not see how professor Dumbledore has anything to with our agreements", Severus said and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be a fool", Alice said and smiled. Once again she tapped her temple. "I know everything."

"You know what exactly, Miss Gaunt?" Severus folded his hand under his chin and waited for her reply.

"Let's not pretend, Severus. We are after all on the same side here", she said and smirked. "I know a lot of things that you as a teacher never will find out."

"Miss Gaunt, what is it that you want?" Professor Snape asked coldly. Alice took one step closer to him and stared intensely in his dark eyes, they'd shown a second of interest in her words.

"I want out", she said in complete determination. "And you are going to help me."