After Harry's run in with Snape, he returned to the Gryffindor common room. How much time did he have? Surely Dumbledore would say something to him before they took Draco. Then again, maybe not. Harry felt the unwavering trust he had once placed in the elderly wizard rapidly waning.

Not long after Harry got in, Hermione landed next to him. Her face was flushed from the cold and she was smiling gently. She'd spent the day in Hogsmeade with Viktor; they'd gone Christmas shopping and had had a vigorous snowball fight before finding a quiet, warm corner in a tea shop. Her expression faltered slightly as she saw Harry's frown.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"I... Hermione what if we've been wrong, about Dumbledore?"

"Dumbledore? I don't think I understand." Harry looked up. He took in the almond eyes and the bushy hair and in that moment realised just how much he missed having real friends. When had he stopped telling them everything? It was longer than this year; it probably stemmed all the way back to his lonely summer before fifth year.

They always used to be so close – the golden trio. But now Ron wasn't talking to him, and Hermione suddenly had her own friends that had nothing to do with him. Maybe that was why he'd started reaching out to Draco in the first place. He was desperate for someone to connect with.

"Can we go somewhere private? I've got a lot to tell you." Hermione nodded and stood at once, offering a hand to help pull him up.

A few minutes later they found themselves in a disused storage space near to the History of Magic classroom. Hermione had transfigured a couple of the piles of old text books into comfy armchairs and was now sat, silent and expectant.

Harry took a deep breath. He might as well start at the beginning as he remembered it.

He explained all about fainting at Slughorn's party, the quidditch match and understanding that Draco had modified his memories. He spoke about going to the hospital wing in the middle of the night and about Draco's plan to let the deatheaters in. Hermione paled at that part, realising how close the castle had come to a blood bath.

It was nothing however, next to her reaction when Harry explained about Voldemort's horcruxes and how Bellatrix had seemingly taken in the freed part of her master's soul. Once Hermione had exhausted her questions on horcruxes he went on. Now he had begun he was finding it hard to stop. There was just so much to say. The only thing he left out was Draco's self-harm. He didn't feel that was his to tell.

She seemed to take the news about Dumbledore planning to give up Draco with less shock than Harry would have expected, and about Snape's elusiveness over sides. He had felt so betrayed by his realisations about the old man. Like with Lupin, it seemed she had worked it out before him however.

It became Hermione's turn to talk. The subject of Grindelwald had come up at one point and Krum had heard some interesting tales which he passed on; that Dumbledore had been just as power hungry as his once friend and had been in the scuffle which had killed his sister. She also said she thought Dumbledore had let Harry go to the match in the hope that Harry's attentions might be diverted from Draco.

She also mentioned being in the hospital wing after Romilda Vane had attacked her. With a wave of guilt Harry realised he'd been so wrapped up in his Draco problems to even ask how she was.

"I'm sorry I've been such a lousy friend Hermione. I should have been there for you." She put a friendly arm around his shoulders and flopped her head onto him.

"Yes, you should have. But I should have been there for you too. I was lost in the whirlwind of love and chose to write off my concerns about you because I thought you were fine. What are you going to do about Lucius Malfoy?"

"I wish I knew. Kind of hoped you could help, being the brilliant one and all." He smiled weakly.

"We will make something work, we always do. How much time do you think we have to get him out of the castle?"

"A couple of days? Snape seemed to think Dumbledore would make a show of putting up a fight for a few days to appease me, but then again he seems pretty keen to get it over with. I don't really think we have time to waste."

"Would Snape help do you think?" Harry pulled a sceptical face.

"Merlin only knows whose side he is on. He seems pretty intent on protecting Draco, but I don't know if it is worth the risk. He may be a good occlumens but he is in both Dumbledore's and Voldemort's pockets."

"Then we will have to come up with something ourselves. Viktor would help, he still has a couple of days before he has to leave for another match." Harry noticed how conspicuously absent Ron's name was from any of these plans. He didn't feel the same draw to seeking out and confessing in his old friend as he had with Hermione. In all honesty they'd been rocky since Harry's name had come out of the goblet of fire, and it seemed that Harry had pushed it too far. Ron had moved onto Lavender and Harry didn't find himself mourning the loss. He had always been too flighty, too quick to jump to conclusions then refusing to accept he was wrong. At least Krum seemed a little more loyal.

"Please don't be offended, but are you sure we can trust him?"

"Yes." Hermione's answer was immediate and unfaltering. Harry considered it all for a moment.

"I'm not sure I could put my faith in someone I don't really know with something as important as Draco. But I trust you. And if you trust him then I guess that will have to be enough." Her answering smile was broad and beautiful. While he'd stopped looking Hermione had transformed from awkward teenager to a brilliant young woman. He grabbed her in a tight hug. They were all growing up too fast.

"I love you 'mione. Don't let me forget it again. Krum is so lucky to have you."

"You too, Harry, you too. And if Draco doesn't appreciate what he's got I'll hex him into his next life."

.

.

They'd remained in the cupboard for two more hours, working out the flaws in each new idea until a plan was finally formed. It was well past curfew when they slipped out and back to the common room. Just as Harry moved towards the stairs to his dorm, Hermione grabbed his wrist. She was biting her lip.

"Harry… You weren't planning on leaving too were you?" She seemed to assume the worst from his hesitation.

"I don't know. I don't want him to have to face this alone, and I'm going to have to go horcrux hunting sooner or later. I also don't want him that far from me, stupid as it sounds. If I don't go then the threat I made to Dumbledore would prove empty, but if I don't stay I might be unable to find all the horcruxes when the time comes. I might not be able to fight well enough, or miss something vital in my haste to leave. My brain is telling me to stay put, but my heart's screaming back." She nodded, a sad understanding in her eyes.

"Do what you have to Harry, but try not to do anything you'll regret. Leaving means never coming back." Harry hadn't thought of it like that. Hogwarts was his home after all; he didn't want it all to be over so soon. But…

"I think my night will be sleepless enough as it is, 'mione. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

.

.

Draco was surprised to get a visit from Harry midmorning, even if it was Sunday. With the exception of yesterday they had only ever meet in the cover of darkness. He was even more surprised to see Harry was clutching a broom.

"Fancy a fly, Potter? I must say, its fine weather, even if your plan is flawed." When Draco's sarcasm failed to get any reaction out of Harry he frowned. "What's happened?"

Harry moved into the little tower room and landed heavily on the bed after propping the broom up. Draco moved to sit next to him.

"Your father has worked out you're here, and he is trying to take you away." Draco visibly paled. It was not so much the thought of his father which scared him, it was the certainty that he would be handed straight over to the dark lord.

"But Dumbledore could stop him surely!" He burst out, aware of how much he sounded like a petulant child. "He's supposed to be all powerful, a saviour and all that!"

"I'm sure he could. We don't think he will though." Harry wrapped his arms firmly around the shaking boy. He was taking this worse than he'd anticipated. "That's why we are going to get you out."

"How?" Draco croaked, his eyes were wide with fear. Gone was the snide arrogant boy Harry had first met. The boy who expected everything to be handed to him on a platter without thinking twice about it. The man who stood in his place seemed so much more real. He displayed real emotions, even if they were solely for Harry.

"Me and Hermione have come up with a plan. It's not ideal but it's better than nothing, I'm going to make sure you're safe Draco." He was running his hand though the silky platinum hair, trying to soothe him as much as possible.

"Why? Why does my safety matter so much?" The question which had been plaguing Draco during the dark of night bubbled to the surface now.

"Because I can't bear to lose you." The answer was much simpler than Draco had expected and it left him speechless. He understood fully what the raven haired boy was saying – he felt it too.

Draco lent in without hesitation. He had meant it to be a soft kiss, gentle. His imminent departure however left both boys feeling desperate for the others warmth. Harry's arms tightened around Draco's waist. Slender fingers tightened in black hair, holding Harry to him.

They fell back onto the hard bed, Harry leaning over Draco as he rained a flurry of kisses over the sharp jawline, the pale neck. A soft moan escaped as Harry gave a soft nip just below his ear. Draco pulled Harry's head back up, eager to feel more of the hot, soft lips on his own.

"What the hell are we doing?" Harry tried to say, it came out more as a breathy moan.

"I don't know and I really don't care, shut up and kiss me." Harry was more than happy to oblige.