Mira followed Ron's lanky figure out the door of Number 12, and found herself falling behind the group. She flipped her black hair out of her face and watched the people in front of her. Hermione, Ron, and Tonks walked together, chatting happily. Ginny and Harry were walking side by side, having a quiet conversation that appeared to be serious.

Arthur, Molly, and Remus led the way, Mira bringing up the rear. Draco would be meeting her at the entrance to Kings' Cross, so they could board the Hogwarts Express together. Mira sighed. As much as she used to want to go to Hogwarts, she know understood that her life there was going to be nothing short of absolute hell. Perhaps this was the reason her mother and father never allowed her to go to the magical school.

Mira remembered, still, the day she had received her letter...

*Flashback*

"But it says they want me!" Mira cried, jabbing her finger at the parchment letter that lay open on the table in front of her.

Natasha set down her cup of tea and looked at her husband. "Mira, you know it's not a possibility." Foster said wearily, rubbing his temples.

Natasha nodded in agreement. "Your reputation would be against you, dear. Besides, the Dark Lord, it was his wish for you to learn from your father and I. Hogwarts will only befuddle your mind, distract you."

Mira glared at her parents, swooping down to pick up her letter. "This is bullshit." She declared, before she stormed up stairs to her room, stomping her feet as loudly as she could up each stair, not allowing the thick, plush carpet under her feet deafen her reverberating steps. As she reached her bedroom, she gave another loud stomp before slamming her bedroom door behind her.

Natasha again looked to her husband. "It isn't fair, Foster. She should know the truth."

Foster sighed and took his wife's hand. "You know that isn't possible, Natasha. If Mira knew the truth it would blow our cover. She would not want to live a lie. It's only a matter of time before the Dark Lord returns..."

Natasha nodded, and drained her coffee mug. "She is the answer Dumbledore is looking for…remember when Lily said that? At the hospital, the day Mira was born?"

Foster nodded. He remembered, all right.

"Dumbledore said that after the prophecy was made, it was lucky that Sybil did not See that far into it, or it would be our heads and Mira's life."

Foster held up a silencing hand to his wife. "No more. If Mira hears…."

Natasha nodded, and stood up from the table. "One day she will know the truth," She said, her young face now weary, and aged, "And when she does, it will be hell to pay."

Foster nodded. He knew, all right.

*End Flashback*

"Mira!" Remus called from the head of the group.

Mira shook her head, clearing her memory, and walked briskly to catch up with him. "Yes?" She said, keeping stride with his quick pace.

"I have to tell you one thing, for the coming year. Stay with Draco. Only with Draco are you safe, do you understand me?"

Mira shook her head. "Hold it. First I thought Gryffindor was the only safe place, and now it's with Draco?"

Remus nodded, and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Dumbledore says Draco will be your only protection at school. You wouldn't know of his reputation, but he is, as it is put, the prince of Hogwarts."

Mira rolled her eyes. "Like the kid needs a bigger head."

Remus chuckled, and nodded. "Yes, but his power there will be to our advantage."

Mira, still thinking of Draco's sneering, scowling outer core, smiled. God, she was pathetic, but she couldn't help the way her heart swelled when she thought of him.

"You love him?" The werewolf questioned.

Mira sighed. She knew the answer. The answer was the same from the first time she had met him, until now. "Draco Malfoy is my world... he always has been. Yes, I love him." She said, staring at the ground ahead of her.

Remus nodded. "We all sense your love is deep for him. Even Dumbledore has said that he must be extra careful to not fall into the enemy's hands, for you care so much for him that you would gladly give your life. I wonder...do you think, Mira, that he loves you, in return? As much as you love him?"

Unwanted tears sprang unexpectedly to Mira's eyes. To this question, she also knew the answer. She had known it since day one, until this very moment. "No." She managed, in a small, defeated voice.

Remus nodded again.

---

The group precariously entered the train station. Mira spotted Draco, and though she had thoughts of vague regret for her nights with Hermione, she could not feel the same when it came to the time she had spent with Charlie. Her fingers flew to the necklace concealed underneath her shirt, and she smiled to herself.

Draco hurried over to her, took her trunk from her, and without acknowledgment from the rest of the party, grabbed Mira's hand and led her away, towards a platform ahead of them. "Morning." Draco said briskly to her.

"Morning, Draco." She answered, relishing in the feel of her hand in his.

"On the train you must appear to be as Slytherin-like as you can." He said as they neared platform 10. "Do not even acknowledge the presence of the Gryffindors, and you must act as arrogant as possible."

Mira nodded. "But look, everybody has been saying that I'm supposed to be in Gryffindor….what happens when the Sorting Hat puts me in Slytherin?"

Draco looked oddly at her. "Erm….guess we'll just have to see what happens." He said briskly, shrugging, as he stopped at the brick barrier between platforms nine and ten. He wasn't going to waste time arguing with Mira over which house she needed to be in. A selfish part of him secretly hoped that she would, indeed, be in Slytherin. She would be so much closer to him.

"You know I've got about a million questions?" Mira commented, tilting her head to one side, taking in Draco's blond hair, highlighted by the sun streaking in through the sky-lighted ceiling of the station, and his vividly grey eyes that were scanning the crowd with concentration.

Draco turned his eyes to her. "Listen," He said, dropping his voice, "it's easy to understand. Foster was more my father than that absolute bastard Lucius. He and your mother were my family, Mira, and I don't care if you think it's wrong of me to turn against Voldemort."

Mira shook her head, the familiar confusion clouding her skull again. "Okay Draco, that's fine, but don't you think your revenge should be aimed at the actual murderer?"

Draco pursed his lips, but didn't answer.

"Hello!" Mira cried, waving her hand furiously in front of his face.

Draco sighed, then regarded her question. "Look, Mira, there are many, many things you don't know, and truthfully, I don't think I'm the one to tell you." Draco stared at the floor of the station, not daring to look Mira in the face. "That night your parents died, I thought I was going to die. I didn't want to let you say the truth, my father would have killed you, Mira."

Mira stared intently at his profile for a moment. "Draco…" She said softly, putting her hand on his arm. Draco looked up at her, scared at the anger that might burst forward at any moment. However, he was surprised when he saw with striking clarity the vulnerability there, reflecting in her jade eyes, that he knew came from lack of compassion to her on his part.

"I love you, Draco. But whatever you're hiding inside is killing me." She said, her green eyes shining.

Deeper, thought Draco, I'm getting in deeper.