Author's Note: I just had a midterm today, and I don't think it went so well… but oh well! Life goes on. I realized that it had been a little while since my last update, so I decided to put this up for you guys. I have a problem set due tomorrow morning though, and I haven't even started yet… probably gonna be pulling an all-nighter again tonight. Not healthy! xD

Chapter 80

"Hermione," Harry says with a smile. "We tried the bedroom door, but it was locked, so we weren't sure…"

"Everything's fine here," I say. "Why have you two come back? I thought you were supposed to be watching over Neville."

"McGonagall's got that under control for now," Harry says. "We wanted to check on you and Ron. Where is Ron, by the way? And Malfoy?"

I look away from Harry, saving his questions for later, and notice that Blaise is looking out the window at the garden outside.

"Blaise, I wanted to talk to you," I say.

"Oh, is this private?" Harry asks. "I can—"

"No, I need you to stay here, too," I interrupt him.

Blaise slowly turns around to face me, and his expression is carefully neutral. He exchanges glances with Harry, and I sigh.

"I think each of you owes me an apology and an explanation," I say.

Blaise grins. "She's back."

Harry looks skeptical. "So it's true."

"Blaise, you'd better be taking me seriously," I say. "This isn't funny. I wasn't myself for almost three days, boys. I'm not entirely sure about you, Harry, but Blaise, I know you had a clue."

"I… didn't want to believe it was true," Harry admits.

"Well, don't you know me at all?"

"Of course I do. But Ron's my best mate! I never thought he would—"

"Well, he did," I say shortly.

"Where is he?" Harry asks, looking vengeful.

"In a minute, I'll tell you. Blaise?"

He sighs. "I'm sorry."

I put my hands on my hips and look at him expectantly. "And?"

He only shrugs.

"I said an apology and an explanation. I'm sure I don't have to specify what exactly I'd like you to explain."

"Well, now that we know the truth, you're going to think my reasoning was stupid, so why should I bother?"

"Blaise, I'm getting impatient now," I say.

"Fine. I knew about the love potion a moment after I saw you kissing him."

"Why didn't you say something?" I hiss.

"This is the part you won't like so much."

Harry looks over at Blaise, curious.

"I… suspected that Weasley was the traitor."

Harry frowns. "Even after Shacklebolt and McGonagall decided—"

"Yes, even after their private interrogation," Blaise says.

"And why did that prevent you from trying to clear my head?" I prod.

"Because even though I don't like Weasley, I've come to know him over the years. I knew that he'd go for the strongest love potion out there. Especially since Harry and I would be around."

"All right, so you didn't want to scare me off by trying to convince me that I was being controlled by a love potion. That I follow. Why didn't you just force-feed me the antidote?"

"You say that like it's so easy."

"Why didn't you?"

"I thought Weasley was the traitor. I was worried that he might have altered the potion with something that would kill you if you were released from its influence. Because I didn't think he'd have the stomach to feed you a love potion without being instructed to do so."

"And why in the world would the Death Eaters want me to be in love with Ron, hmm?" I ask. His reasoning really is turning out to be strange.

"If he were the traitor, then having you under his influence would be like getting two workers for the price of one. Under that potion, you would have done anything he asked you to, simply because it was for him," Blaise explains.

I can't argue that point, because it's true—while under the influence, I probably would have done almost anything he demanded of me.

"See, now that we know it was Longbottom and not Weasley, this all seems irrelevant and overly paranoid. But I didn't want to take any chances," Blaise says.

I sigh. "I just wish one of you had done something. I still remember every time I kissed him, and every time I snapped at you guys, and it really, really bothers me."

"I'm really sorry, Hermione," Blaise says.

"Where's Ron?" Harry asks me. "I need to give him a piece of my mind—he should know better."

"In the kitchen," I reply.

Harry and Blaise exchange glances again before heading toward the kitchen. As they reach the door, Blaise pulls it open.

"Would you like to go first, or shall I?" Harry asks him.

"By all means, go ahead. I can't wait to see this," Blaise answers.

The door shuts behind them, and I start to follow—as wrong as Ron was, I shouldn't let them get too carried away. I know that Harry and Blaise are both relatively even-tempered, but from past experience, I've learned that Blaise gets extremely vengeful on behalf of Harry and me.

But before I can reach the door, the fireplace crackles to life, and I immediately cast a Disillusionment Charm over myself. I turn around to see Fenrir Greyback's ugly head floating in the flames.

"Come out, come out, little Malfoy!" he calls. "I know you're hiding in your filthy little hole like the stinking rat you are!"

I move toward Draco's bedroom and reach the door just as he pulls it open. I push at his chest, sure that he'll understand I want him to stay out of the room. But he brushes my hands off.

"Let me go," he says.

"Ah, I hear you," Greyback says. "Show yourself!"

Draco smiles faintly in my direction before walking into the living room, in sight of the fireplace.

"Hello, Greyback. Nice of you to show your furry face here," he says.

"The Dark Lord wishes to see you, Malfoy."

"Does he really? I'm honored," Draco says sarcastically.

"If you don't give yourself up, all the Death Eaters in Britain will be marching on Hogwarts, and we will not stop until every single thing in the castle that breathes is dead," Greyback threatens.

"What, does he think that that is a threat to me?" Draco responds coolly. "He's seen what I've done. He knows what I care about. Does he honestly think I betrayed him to join a group of blockheaded, self-righteous warriors willing to die for Mudbloods?"

I resist the urge to punch him. This is an act, and I know it, but I still hate listening to those words coming out of his mouth.

"Then enlighten me, young Malfoy, why did you defect? What did you want that the Dark Lord could not give you?"

"That is none of your concern. If he wishes to speak to me, he can do it himself."

Greyback scowls.

"What, is the Dark Lord above using the Floo Network?"

"All those lives will be on your hands, Malfoy. You have until tonight to decide. In a few hours, if you do not show yourself, Death Eaters will surround Hogwarts. How many people are you willing to sacrifice to save your own hide?"

Draco's smile is cold. "Voldemort could kill all the women and children in the world and say that it was because of me, but it's just because he's a bloodthirsty maniac. The blood won't be on my hands; it'll be on his."

Greyback scowls again.

"Why do you think the Dark Lord chose to send you, Greyback? Do you know the reason?" Draco says. Greyback begins to speak, but Draco cuts him off. "He remembers that I was once afraid of you. That's why. Well, tell him this for me. When I see you, all I see is a creature that used to be a man. A creature that prides itself on how disgusting it is. You're like a Mudblood who's proud of his blood status."

Greyback's now pointing his wand at Draco, furious.

"You don't scare me, you overgrown mutt," Draco finishes.

A jet of bright yellow light flies at Draco, but he repels it immediately and then extinguishes the flames in the fireplace, forcing Greyback out.

I wait a moment before revealing myself. "Why is that connection still open?" I ask him.

"Would you rather have had Voldemort and his Death Eaters show up at Hogwarts with no warning?" he responds.

"I suppose that's a good point," I say. "What are we going to do, then? You can't give yourself up."

"I could. But I'm sure it wouldn't do much good in the long run—he'll work his way back to Hogwarts eventually, whether or not I give myself up."

"Exactly. So you can't just surrender."

Draco nods. "Do you think Blaise and Potter are finished yet?"

I frown. "You were listening to our conversation?"

"Was I not supposed to?"

"That was the point of asking you to stay in the bedroom," I say.

He grins. "If I say that I'm sorry, will you forgive me?"

"Maybe."

"I'm sorry," he says, giving me his most charming smile.

I sigh and try to hold back a smile but can't. I lean up to give him a quick kiss, but before I can back away, his arms lock around me, pulling me close. He deepens the kiss, and I moan into his mouth. The room instantly feels ten times hotter.

I feel like he's a drug, something that I won't ever be able to get enough of. I never want to stop kissing him, never want this moment to end.

But eventually, our need for oxygen pulls us apart.

"God, I want to fuck you right now," I whisper breathlessly.

He shudders at my words. I can feel the bulge in his pants, and I wonder if I just spoke his thoughts.

"Do we have time?" I ask.

"I think Potter and Blaise could use some more time with Weasley, right?" Draco replies, glancing over at the kitchen door.

I nod. "Right."

He reaches down and pulls me up against him, thrusting his hips once against mine. The bit of contact, even through our clothing, sends a jolt of pleasure through me as my body remembers the feeling of being filled up by him.

I start unbuttoning his shirt, and he walks me backward toward the bedroom. When my back hits the door, I pause halfway down the shirt and start groping behind me to find the doorknob.

But then he breaks our kiss and pulls me away from the door and into his arms. I freeze, sensing a change in his emotions. I slowly run my hands along his sides and then over the muscled expanse of his back, but he only continues to hold me to his chest.

Yes, there's definitely been a shift in his mood. I want to know if he'll tell me what this is about…

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he says softly.

I back up a tiny bit in his arms and turn my head, feathering soft kisses over his neck and shoulder. "No, Draco, you're not fine," I reply. "There's something about you that's different from before."

"Oh really?" he replies, a hint of mockery in his voice. "How come I don't know anything about it?"

"Be honest with me," I say. "I… I know that you've suffered a lot. You were working with Voldemort. Of course you suffered. I want to help you."

The desire that ruled my actions just moments ago has faded away, replaced with concern. Though I would have no objection to bedding him this instant, I sense that he needs to be comforted, even though he insists he doesn't want to be. Draco has such a strong sense of pride that he would never admit to needing consolation.

"Draco, you know that I care about you," I say. "Please don't shut me out now."

"What am I supposed to do, then? What do you want from me?"

His voice sounds the same as usual, but there's a hint of sadness in his tone that I'm completely unaccustomed to hearing from him.

"I want to know what happened to you after you left," I say.

"I left a lot of times. Which time are you talking about?"

"The last time I saw you before Ron got to me with that damned potion."

After a pause, he says, "I went to Russia."

"So you were in Russia," I say.

"What do you mean?"

"We heard that Voldemort had gone to Russia, and I wondered if you were there with him."

"I was," he says.

"What happened in Russia?"

"Nothing worth telling. He tried to recruit some more men to his bloody cause."

"Was that all?" I ask.

"Yes."

I push lightly against his chest to get him to loosen his hold on me. Then I back up a bit so that I can see his face. His expression is guarded, and I feel a pang in my chest.

"Draco, you're not telling me everything, are you?"

He smiles. "I wouldn't lie to you."

"But that's already a lie. You and Blaise are both liars who always act like they're telling the truth."

"If I'm always lying, why do you bother asking?"

"Why can't you just let me in?"

He doesn't respond.

I heave a sigh. "You have no idea how frustrating this is for me," I tell him. "Don't you trust me?"

He closes his eyes to avoid my gaze.

"What did last night mean to you?" I demand.

He stiffens slightly but still makes no response.

"Don't tell me now that you've been lying all along about your feelings," I warn him. "I won't believe you."

"It's not because of you, Hermione," he finally says. "There are some things that I'll never tell anyone."

"If you keep them buried away, you'll never give yourself a chance to heal," I say. "Don't you think you deserve that?"

He shakes his head. "No."

I bite my lip. "Why not?"

"Don't ask."

"I already did. Just tell me."

"No. I'm sorry."

Disappointment wells up in my chest, and I wish that I could throw a temper tantrum and make him tell me everything. But I know very well that that'll get me nowhere with Draco, not with his personality. I'll just have to let it go, for now. Maybe I'll be able to convince Blaise to wheedle it out of him.

"We should talk to Blaise and Potter," Draco says, letting go of me. "We have to discuss our options."

I nod and back up a step, still wishing that there wasn't this strange gap between us. I thought that after last night and this morning, we'd be able to share more of ourselves with each other. Clearly, he doesn't feel the same.

He moves toward the kitchen, buttoning his shirt up again. When he finishes, he pulls the door open. A loud shout emanates from the kitchen.

I walk over and join him just as Blaise appears.

"What happened?" Blaise asks.

Past Blaise's shoulder, I see that Harry has turned to face the doorway. He looks angry.

"Let's talk outside," Draco says, backing up.

Blaise follows Draco into the living room, and I stand in the doorway, waiting for Harry. He glances back at Ron again before moving toward me. As he passes by me, I get a glimpse of Ron, who's been silenced. It's clear that he's protesting, but no sound is coming out of his mouth. His nose looks crooked.

I shut the door after Harry and turn around to face the boys.

"Who broke his nose?" I ask.

"I did," Blaise says.

"Good punch, by the way," Harry says.

Blaise nods to acknowledge the compliment.

"I'm actually surprised that you didn't hurt him, Hermione," Harry says. "He… he poisoned you."

Blaise grins. "And we know you can throw a good punch, don't we, Draco?"

Draco chuckles at that memory.

"Shut up, Blaise," I say. "And I was more concerned with damage control than anything else, once I was back in my right mind."

"Damage control?" Harry asks, raising an eyebrow. He glances at Draco.

I take two steps over to Draco and reach over to take his hand, watching to see what Harry will say. I know that he's level-headed and that he's grown out of House prejudices in the past few years, but Draco was still a Death Eater…

But there is no angry outburst, no cynical quip, no mildly surprised comment. Instead, he and Draco lock eyes for a moment, and it seems as though they've already reached an understanding.

How? Have they talked about me before? When?

But before I can comment, Blaise begins to speak.

"So, what was important enough to interrupt us?" he asks.

"Hogwarts is in danger," Draco says.

Harry immediately looks concerned. "How do you know? We only left maybe twenty minutes ago, and everything was fine."

"Voldemort wants to capture me, so he said that if I don't go to him by tonight, he'll send Death Eaters to Hogwarts."

"But the Death Eater barrier—" Harry begins.

"If Voldemort comes himself, I doubt that barrier will do much to stop them," I say. "Remember what happened at the Battle of Hogwarts? It was a nightmare."

"Let him come. We could kill him tonight," Harry says impulsively.

"Harry, don't be daft. Greyback said that all the Death Eaters in England would be there," I say.

"Greyback? He was here?"

"He spoke through the fireplace," Draco says.

"We need to figure something out," I say. "Do you think it would help to evacuate everyone? Would we have enough time?"

Harry shakes his head. "I don't think so. There are a lot more people now. It'd be impractical to get them all to move. Did he say what time?"

"He only said 'tonight.' I'm going to assume that he means nightfall," Draco replies.

"That gives us a good two, maybe three hours, then," Harry says.

"I don't think we'll need that much time," Blaise says.

Draco nods in response, and I frown. How do they always reach the same conclusions so quickly? Is it because they were such close friends, or were they such close friends because they thought so similarly? Maybe it's a bit of both.

"What are you planning?" I ask, looking between the two of them.

"I need some time alone. I've got some people to contact. You three can go to Hogwarts and warn them of a potential attack," Draco says.

"You should tell us what you're thinking, Malfoy," Harry says.

"I have to be sure that it'll work. Otherwise, it'd be pointless to suggest."

"Let's just go," Blaise says.

"Do you know what he wants to do, Blaise?" Harry asks.

"I only have a vague idea of what's going on up there," Blaise replies. He turns to Draco and says, "Don't do anything stupid."

"Yes, Draco, don't do anything stupid," I echo.

"I won't. Don't worry about it. Be back in about half an hour, and if you haven't come up with anything, I'll let you know what I've got in mind—if it'll work."

"Fine. Let's go, then," Harry decides.

I turn to Draco and get up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Be careful."

"You should be careful," he replies. "I'm not even leaving the house."

I nod, looking back and forth between his beautiful silver eyes. He'd better not give himself up. I'll kill him myself if he does.

I hear the pop of Disapparition and see that Harry's gone.

"Bye, mate," Blaise says.

"Bye," Draco says without taking his eyes off me.

Blaise Disapparates, and we're alone again. For some reason, I feel a strange urge to cry.

"You aren't going to do anything stupid, are you?" I ask him.

He grins and throws one of my own questions back at me. "Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you."

He smiles. "Good. Now go."

I draw my wand and lift it to Disapparate, pausing so that I can look at his face for just a moment longer. Why is it so hard to imagine spending any length of time away from him?

"I'm not going anywhere," he says reassuringly.

I smile—this is one of those rare moments when he looks completely sincere.

Damn, Harry and Blaise are waiting on the other side.

After one last glance at him, I Disapparate.

Author's Note: And the war returns.