Hey, everybody! Time for another chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Chapter Eleven

I finished it. The path was formed, and the Cabinet was repaired, but I didn't know if the passage would hold. I left it alone for a few days to see if it would remain stable. I didn't want to put undue stress on it. I checked up on it every day for a week, and the magical pathway never faltered. It was time to test it, but with the mid-term exams coming up, I had no time. I was overloaded with school work, and some of my friends wanted my help with studies, which was ironic because they wanted help with Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Word quickly spread that Professor Slughorn's Slug Club was throwing a Christmas party for its members, and I used that as a distraction. Most of the professors would be there, and many of the students were either invited, plus-ones or waiters for the party, so the halls would be empty.

I swiped an apple from the dinner table, and as the other students filed back to their common rooms to get ready, I moved to the decorated hall near the room that the party as being held in, the Room of Requirement residing in the corridor just above it. I took shelter behind a column as students began to appear and waited for the last of the invited students and their dates to head in.

I had to wait for an hour before Potter finally arrived with his date. I still can't believe that he took the Lovegood girl.

"I've never been to this part of the castle. At least not while awake," she said dreamily. "I sleepwalk, you see. That's why I wear shoes to bed."

I chuckled softly at her entertaining ridiculousness as they passed, disappearing around the corner and into the loud party.

I took the chance and came out of my hiding place, ascending the stairs to the other corridor and coming to the wall that would form the Room's doors. I closed my eyes and summoned the Room, the two birds tweeting loudly in their twin cages.

I tossed the apple up and down in my anxiety as I entered, pleading that it would work. I quickly found the Cabinet and ripped its patterned covering off, letting it fall to the floor. I opened the creaking doors and placed the apple on the floor of the Cabinet, locking it inside.

I closed my eyes and focused on the Cabinet's spell. "Harmonia Nectere Passus," I whispered, forcing the apple through the passageway I had formed.

A whooshing sound came from the Cabinet, and I snapped my eyes open, a spark of hope lighting inside of me.

I cautiously opened the Cabinet doors, praying that my hope wasn't in vein.

The Vanishing Cabinet was empty. It had worked, but making something disappear wasn't enough. It had to come back, too.

I sealed the Cabinet doors once again, and shut my eyes, reciting the spell. The first time, it had no effect. The apple stayed in the other Cabinet, and I almost panicked. I muttered the spell again, picturing myself dragging the apple through the passage.

After a moment, the same whooshing sound came again and I quickly opened my eyes and clicked the Cabinet doors open.

The apple had returned, and I picked it up to examine it. There were no signs of damage other than the bite taken out of it. That was the signal that we had arranged. It had gotten through.

The corners of my mouth twitched upwards, and I took a bite on the other side of the apple in celebration.

It tasted so was the first time in in weeks that I actually noticed my hunger.

But I couldn't finish my reward. The time passed a lot more quickly than I though it would, and it was much more difficult getting out than going in. Patrols from the professors and other staff were minimalistic getting to the Room of Requirement because of the party, but it was halfway through that party, now, so the security was much higher.

I took one last bite of the sour green apple before I tossed it to a random place in the Room. The apple crashed into a wall of junk, dislodging several small pieces as I exited.

"Malfoy!" a voice called as the Room's doors disappeared.

I turned to find Filch charging towards me, grabbing my upper arm once he got to me. "Sick again, are you?" he demanded, a little saliva flying off of his mouth. "No friends this time, I see. You're coming with me."

"Hey! I was heading to Slughorn's party! I was invited." I protested, quickly thinking up a story.

"Oh, really?" Filch wondered. "Well then, let's be sure you get there."

Filch marched off, his hand still gripping my arm. It didn't take long for him to tow me into Slughorn's party. "Get your hands off me, you filthy Squib!" I shouted as we entered, trying to pry my arm from his hold with my shaking hand.

All the action in the party froze, and everyone turned towards us.

"Professor," Filch addressed as Slughorn approached to see what the commotion was. "I found this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party."

"Okay, okay. I was gate crashing!" I conceded, changing my story before I could panic. I couldn't get caught. "Happy?"

Snape calmly walked up to us, cutting through the party's tension like a knife. "I'll escort him out."

Filch tossed my arm away as I looked up at Snape. "Certainly. Professor," I agreed. I spit the last word, though I couldn't have been happier to leave that room.

Snape walked briskly out of the party with me at his side, leading me down the next hall.

He told me not to tell him anything I do, but I had to get it off of my chest.

"Maybe I did hex that Bell girl," I breathed. "Maybe I didn't. What's it to you?"

Out of nowhere, Snape rushed at me, pressing my back into the rough stone wall. "I swore to protect you," he hissed. "I made the Unbreakable Vow."

"I don't need protection. I was chosen for this. Out of all others. Me," I responded, desperately trying to hide my fear. "I will not fail him."

"You're afraid, Draco," Snape countered, seeing something my own father never could. "You attempt to conceal it, but it is obvious. Let me assist you."

"No!" I quietly protested, pushing him off. "I was chosen. This is my moment."

Now, I regret refusing Snape's help, but back then, I didn't think I needed help.

Christmas Break will come, and Draco will journey home. But there, he'll have to face his father.