"You called me, my lord?" Draco asked, his head bent as he sat on his knees.

"You are going to woo Potter's Mudblood," the Dark Lord hissed, and Draco tensed visibly. "Not fond of her, are you?"

"No, my lord. I hate her." He really did. She was friends with Pothead and the weasel for goodness sakes, and the biggest bloody prude in the history of the world.

"Good. I won't have to fear that your…feelings for her will change. You are to make her fall in love with you, and you are to break her heart to pieces until she cannot think. Love is always the best enemy," he hissed. "Look where love took Potter's parents." He laughed and Draco twitched. "Through love I'm going to take Potter's soul away. You told me earlier that they were inseparable?"

"Yes, my lord. Potter, Weasley, and the Mudblood were always together in school."

"Very good. We will dispose of the blood-traitor and we will break the Mudblood's pitiful, dirty heart, leaving Potter defenseless and vulnerable." Voldemort laughed again, a horrible sound.

"Rise, Draco Malfoy."

Draco obeyed and looked into Lord Voldemort's red, beady eyes.

"You may go."

Draco nodded and turned on his heel, his boots clicking on the stone floor as he walked to the door.

"Oh, and Draco?"

Draco stopped and turned his head. "Yes, my lord?"

"You have failed me once, and I've been kind enough to give you another chance. Do not fail me again." Voldemort's face sneered at him. "Your family's life depends on it."

"Yes, my lord. I will not fail you." Draco bowed lowly to his master before walking out. He was trembling.

Saturday. Hermione burst into the Shrieking Shack and shrieked, "Draco Malfoy, I know you had something to do with this!" She was still holding the Australian paper in her hand. Draco looked up, confused, and Hermione glared at him. "Don't you dare give me that innocent look! You're the only one I told about my parents!"

"Merlin, I don't know what you're talking about," Draco said, and snatched the paper out of her hand to read it.

"My bloody parents are missing! That's what I'm talking about!" she yelled at him.

"Your parents?" Draco said, gaping. "How…how did that happen?" He looked up at her, incredulous.

"That's what I'm asking you, you bloody prat! Where did you take them?"

"Me? I had nothing to do with this! Who else did you tell besides me?"

"Why do you need to know?"

"Did you tell Weasley?"

Hermione choked up. Discussing both her missing parents and her dead boyfriend was hard. "I…yes, of course I did. He was my best friend!"

Draco's face was solemn. "That's probably who told them then."

Hermione stared at him and furrowed her brows. "What?"

"You know the only reason why they'd go after him would be to get information out of him on Harry and probably you to hurt you. And then they would torture him to get stuff out of him."

"Ron would never tell," Hermione said confidently. "He would never betray me like that."

"Maybe. But he would involuntarily if they were performing Legilimency on him."

Hermione covered her mouth for a moment. Why didn't she think of that before? Oh, Ron! If only they'd all become Occlumens.

"Do you know what else he knows?" Hermione whispered.

Draco shook his head. "I swear if I knew, I'd tell you."

Hermione frowned at him. "Do you really swear? Swear on your life and honor?"

Draco gave her a stern look. "I swear on my family name."

"How can I trust you?"

Draco stared. "How can…haven't I been telling you things this whole time?"

"You haven't told me anything useful in two months!" Why hadn't she realised it? She was so naïve!

"I have! I warned you about the Death eaters coming after Weasley—"

"After he was already attacked!"

"—and I told you about the Dark Lord's anxiety and suspicions! It's not my fault I can't just look at the Dark Lord and know what he's thinking!"

Hermione set her jaw and whipped her wand out at him. "Tell me everything you know."

Draco glared at her. "I've told you what I know!"

"Don't lie to me!" she shrieked, and he took three strides towards her and grabbed her upper arms. Hermione didn't react. She knew he wasn't going to hurt her. Did she really trust him?

"Calm down, Hermione. I know the Death eaters have taken so much away from you, and for that I am so sorry. I'd help you find them, except there's a whole war going on here. My parents are in danger as well, though they're technically trapped of their own volition now. I want you to understand that because I'm practically in love with you, I want to help you, not the other side. Do you understand?" He shook her, snapping her out of her daze.

"I understand," she whispered. "You're in love with me?"

Draco sighed. "Yes. I just…wish you'd acknowledge it."

Hermione took a deep breath. "I'll acknowledge it."

She wrapped her arms around him and she could feel his trepidation even as he returned the embrace.

"You all right?" she asked his shoulder, and he didn't respond for a moment.

"I'm fine," was his clipped response, and Hermione frowned, but didn't say anything. She pulled back and kissed him. She kissed him and her thoughts drifted to Ron. How could she forget him? And Ron's face, his adorably round, freckled face and red hair and blue eyes…she pulled away and looked at Draco. How different they were. Hermione touched Draco's white-blonde hair as if seeing it for the first time, and looked into his grey eyes. He was so different.

Draco leaned it and kissed her again, and Hermione tried to forget. That's all Draco Malfoy was to her, and would ever be. A tool for her to use. How could she forget Ron?

A.N. Sorry for the long wait. I've been trying to think up more things to add! It seems like so much so fast! Sorry again. Any ideas? Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love them in a review. :) Thanks for reading!