The girl left before morning arrived. For the first time in weeks, I was Harry Potter again. We looked around the now-repaired room groggily for a few moments before coming to our senses and ran in the direction of the Headmaster's office.

We reached the corridor to Professor Dumbledore's office just as he was stepping into it.

"Professor!" I called out. He looked up briefly before continuing a conversation he seemed to have been engaged in before we interrupted. When we saw who he was talking to, we almost fell backwards. It was the old man from last night.

"Yes, I received your letter weeks ago, and had replied as soon as I was able. You shouldn't have come down here yourself, Soren."

"Oh, Albus. If only just to see you! It's been, what, centuries?"

The two old men then laughed heartily.

"It has felt like that, yes."

More laughter.

"And you still have children to send off to school!"

"My great-grandchild, Albus!"

They laughed again. I don't understand what was so funny.

This Soren is cohering with a girl who had sworn allegiance to Voldemort and they're only here to tie up a loose end they called Draco Malfoy. Nothing was funny about it all.

"It was good to see you again, Albus. But I see now I must leave you to your affairs," he gestured towards my friends and me, "as I have to attend to mine as well."

"Of course, of course. Good day, my old friend!"

"And to you!"

They hugged and parted, and I watched him warily as he passed by us.

"Mr. Potter! Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger! You have missed two whole days of classes! Where have you been?" Dumbledore called out.

We ran to meet him at the bottom of the spiralling stairs that led to his office.

"Please, sir, Ron and I have only missed one day of classes!"

"That's not important right now!" I had to voice out. "Professor, we think Malfoy might be in grave danger!"

"Why ever would you think that? Hold on, perhaps we should discuss this in my office."

The stair wound around and up, and when it stopped, we followed Dumbledore through the door into his office.

I was about to begin when Hermione spoke up.

"Please, sir. When we went to look for Harry the day before yesterday, Ron and I came across an enchanted piano that transfigured us into, well, inanimate objects when we touched it. We found Harry to have been stuck as such since just before Christmas break, and had no choice but to wait until someone comes for us. When someone finally entered the room, it was to discuss something about having sworn allegiance to Voldemort and taking care of a loose end. Sir, they said the loose end is Draco Malfoy!"

I was suddenly thankful that Hermione had stepped in when she did. I couldn't have explained it as coherently as she had.

After a brief silence, the headmaster spoke. "You are saying that some former Death Eaters have breached the castle security to discuss the assassination of a fellow former Death Eater?"

"Yes, sir," we answered, and Ron added, "but if you put that way…" he trailed off.

"Can you identify which former Death Eaters they were?" Dumbledore asked, his tone somewhere between seriousness and weariness.

Hermione was quick to answer again, "Actually, sir, it seemed that the one charged with the task of 'taking care' of Malfoy was the only one who had sworn allegiance with Voldemort. We can't say anything for sure about the second one, but the third man was..." she stopped and only looked from side to side between Ron and me.

I decided to tell Dumbledore what I saw. "The man really looked like Mr. Soren just now, sir."

Dumbledore sighed. "Perhaps the transfiguration has affected you in more ways than one, my dears. Hogwarts is safer than ever before, and moreover, I have known Mr. Silversmith for as long as I can remember. He has recently relocated his trade back to its origin in Diagon Alley, and wishes for his ward to continue her studies here in Hogwarts. She was a student here before, too. Rest assured you have nothing to worry about. Now run along, your professors will want to see each of you."

I was about to protest again when Hermione held me back and mouthed "let's go first."

It was lunchtime in the Great Hall. After failing to convince Professor McGonagall about magical pianos, we decided to give up and to meekly accept all sentences from the remaining professors. I looked over to the Slytherin table in search of Malfoy. I found him staring at something invisible that was floating in the air. It was kind of sad, but at least he didn't have the blank look from last night.

I then noticed a small gathering of students at the other end of the Slytherin table. Hermione had her eyes fixed on this group.

I watched her curiously. "What is it, Hermione?"

Her squinted eyes widened then. "It is her!"

"What are you talking about?" Ron piped up, following Hermione's line of sight.

In the middle of the group was a pale girl with dark hair. She seemed to be engaged in a normal conversation from where I was sitting.

"Who is it?"

"Abigail Silversmith! I saw her with Malfoy once in the library, and again at the Lake! I tutored her for a bit, too, up until she just didn't return after Christmas break in fourth year! Harry, Ron! Dumbledore's friend's name was Silversmith! Abigail is the ward he was talking about!"

"What's a ward?"

"Someone put under your care by the law."

"You were friends with her then?" Ron ventured to ask.

"And what do you mean, you saw her with Malfoy?" I don't think I like what this could mean.

"Not like that, Harry. She's two years below us." Hermione reassured me unknowingly.

Then my heart jumped to my mouth as I watch the Smith girl excused herself from her group and made her way towards Malfoy. Hermione jumped out of her seat and ran after her.

Merlin, what was she thinking?

Hermione managed to catch up with her before Malfoy could notice anything that was going on. I watched her pull Smith into a hug and started leading her out of the Great Hall, talking animatedly. Ron and I decided to follow them outside.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" I called out her, who was still talking with Smith. She looked up briefly only to beckon us to come join her.

Ron hesitated for a bit before joining us.

"I can't believe I never got to introduce you to each other properly in all of the two years Abigail was here!"

I tried to forget everything I saw and heard in the piano room last night and to greet Smith in as good a manner as was needed. When I saw in her eyes great barriers as I've only ever seen in Snape's before, I knew I had to try harder.

"Harry, Ron, Abigail. Abigail, Harry, Ron." Hermione gestured between us with one hand as she introduced us.

I shoved my hand forward. "Abigail. So you can call me Harry." I smiled easily.

"Walking your pets, Potter?" Malfoy's voice made me freeze. My friends and I spun around and tried to discreetly hide the Slytherin girl from his view.

"Yes, Malfoy, just minding my own business. You should too." I managed to add at least a bit of venom in my tone.

"Oh, honestly!" Abigail managed to push past us then. I nearly fell to the floor from the tension of it all.

"Abigail, stay away from him!" Hermione tried to stop her.

She turned around briefly. "Really, Hermione? You still won't put it past Malfoy?" Abigail rolled her eyes as she said this.

Malfoy was rooted to the floor, his lips slightly parted. He watched her, wide-eyed, as she approached him.

"How have you been, Malfoy?" Abigail asked him conversationally.

Malfoy only silently reached a tentative hand to touch hers. He held it in a firm grasp, basically staring at their joined hands in disbelief.

"You're back."

"I am."

"I thought you were gone for good."

"I was. But I guess I'm not fated to leave you an unfinished chapter." This remark unsettled me thoroughly.

"I haven't heard from you at all." Malfoy's pain was almost tangible.

"I owled you several times, but they kept getting sent back to me. I gave up trying. 'Guess I was too far away."

"Will you stay this time?"

She brought her other hand on their fixed hands. "Malfoy, look," a short pause, after which she released his hold on her hand, "I never come to stay."

"But for now, you're here."

"For now..."

Malfoy looked like he was all ready to burst into tears and hoist her into the air. I hoped with all my heart that she wouldn't go through with her task.

Hermione ignored the delicacy of that moment they were sharing. But of course, there were more pressing matters. Abigail must be stopped.

"Say, Abigail, let's catch up some time. Have you been to Hogsmeade?" Hermione practically squeezed herself in between the two Slytherins. Malfoy was too surprised by the defiance of it all to speak. I wanted to pat his back for the look on his face.

Abigail, however, lit up at the invitation. "I wasn't here long enough before for that! Yes, let's do that!" She actually clapped her hands.

"You're not invited though, Malfoy," Ron told him with a civility I've never before seen between them. Malfoy only gave him a look that said "as if!" in reply. He then took his fellow Slytherin's hand and led her in the direction of the dungeons.

When we got back to Gryffindor Tower, Ron was the first to speak. "Are you seriously going to go catch up with your Slytherin-pet-turned-assassin-Death Eater?" he yelled, utterly increduled.

"She does care for Malfoy! We just need to make her remember that!" Hermione exclaimed.

But I knew what I saw. "You saw it too though, Hermione, what she did in the piano room. Their voices. She does remember, but have probably decided to do it anyway!"

"Yea. She gave that old man her word like it was an Unbreakable Vow." Ron added, and I thought he shuddered at his own words.

"We should tell Malfoy," I suggested.

"What? When even Dumbledore doesn't believe us?"

"So we try to win her over!"

Ron and I thought on this for a moment longer.

[Author's Notes]

I must mention again that I never have my OCs getting romantically involved with the canon characters, so you need not worry about that. I hope I've managed to lay down in a coherent enough manner that part concerning the backstory of my OCs, otherwise, I assure, it doesn't matter. This story concerns Harry trying to save Malfoy. Hopefully they'll end up together, too. I've said before that I'm typing this up as I go. Nauseating randomness and/or cliches may or may not ensue. I don't intend them to, but I can't say for sure, having broken a few personal rules already.