Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K Rowling.

Chapter 40: Unexpected Meetings

The morning after the dinner, or fight, I found myself seated in the living room. Ginny was sitting in an armachir next to the fireplace, pretending to do an essay, but actually glaring at her mother and her second oldest brother.

Ron, Hermione and I were sitting in a semi-circle -all working on the same charms essay. I wondered if Hermione had neglected doing this particular essay to have an excuse to sit beside me for long periods of time -in other words, keep an eye on me.

Every dinner, she sent me not-so-subtle glances with suspicion lingering in her perceptive eyes. I could swear that her footsteps took a brief pause every time they passed my room.

I couldn't really fault her for it. It was me who lied to her, not the other way around. She didn't want much else than to help me, and to become better. I was the one who didn't allow her to.

"Hermione," I said, breaking the silence with something else than a scratch of a quill.

"Yes, Harry?" Hermione responded eagerly. A little too eagerly.

"The list with all the students who will testify for Umbridge, have you seen it?"

She put her essay down and frowned. "Kind of, it was in the newspaper the other day."

"Okay," I let out evenly. "Do you know who will be there?"

"Uhh, Malfoy and Parkinson, definitely. I think Nott and Flint too. There were a couple of others I can't remember, but if they were in the Inquisitorial Squad, they're bound to be there."

"Alright," I said, trying to sound casual. "What about Greengrass?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "What about her?"

I gave her a dead-pan look. "Will she be there to testify? You mentioned Malfoy and Parkinsson but not Greengrass."

"I don't think so, she wasn't on the list, at least." Hermione turned to me with a curious expression, it looked fake to me, her eyes were slightly narrowed, as if searching for the smallest hint in my face. "Why?"

I shrugged. "She was a central figure of the Inquisitorial Squad, no? It would make sense for her to be there."

"I guess, but she didn't do that much," Hermione responded. "Malfoy was the main threat, Greengrass was just his partner during patrols most of the time."

"If you say so." The picture I had gotten from the situation did not align with what Hermione had just said. If Greengrass hadn't been a large part of Umbridge's schemes, why had she been the one to be with Umbridge when she tortured Hermione and Ron?

Hermione frowned, bit her lips, keen on saying something else. "Harry…" she began a little hesitantly.

Ron rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to focus here," he said sourly. "If you want to have a five hour debate session, please don't have it right here."

The girl rolled her eyes. "You're not getting anywhere, either way." Hermione clapped her hands together, trying to gather her thoughts. "Harry," she repeated. "Is there…something…going on between you and…uhh...Greengrass?"

I could suddenly hear my own breathing and the heart beating in my chest. "I'm guessing you're not referring to our duel and Umbridge's office?" I said calmly, folding my hands neatly.

Hermione refused to look at me, she was staring at something through the window. "No, I meant more like…that you're friends…"

There was silence for a moment.

"That isn't logical," Ron, of all people, said. "Harry wasn't at Hogwarts last year, how were they supposed to have gotten to know each other?"

"I don't know," Hermione said with frustration sticking to her voice like plaster. "But the feast last year…"

"What about it?" I said, eyebrows raised.

"She got her revenge!" Hermione exclaimed.

"She did," I admitted.

"But she didn't though, did she?" Hermione said triumphantly.

"Huh?"

"She didn't get her revenge -you let her." Hermione gave me a pointed look.

"Why would I do that?" I said, feigning surprise. Yet my heart was racing a little. "I don't know about you, but looking like a pig isn't really on my list of things I want to have done in life."

"You tell me why you would do it," Hermione pressed on. "There is no way she could have gotten the jump on you; you almost won the Duelling Days!"

"'Almost' being the key word there," I pointed out.

"It doesn't matter," Hermione almost shouted. "And even if she, against all odds, managed to do it; you can undo that spell more easily than tying your own shoe."

"She is stronger than she looks," I responded with a frown. "Just because she looks like she hasn't slept in three days, doesn't mean she isn't good at transfiguration."

Ron nodded animatedly, finally giving up on writing the essay. "I don't know if she's good at transfiguration. But really, why would Harry even want to be friends with her? Even if we disregard all the evil Slytherin stuff, I swear she doesn't wash her face!"

Hermione sighed in exasperation. "Is this because of the pimples?"

Ron shrugged noncommittally. "I mean, there must be some reason why she is the only girl who looks like she's got mud on her face all the time."

"You're incredible," Hermione said, annoyed. "You do realise that most girls have the same problem, right? But we just wear makeup to cover it."

"Right…" Ron said, seemingly not quite understanding what he was supposed to do with that information. "Girl stuff…"

Hermione looked like she wanted to tear her hair off her head. "Anyway," she said, turning back to me. "Are you friends with her, Harry?"

I had observed both of them with a little amusement. Yet I must admit, I felt a little annoyed at how they spoke about her. Both of them had bullied her mercilessly the past year, they had no right to be that judgemental. On the other hand, Greengrass had been just as bad to them.

"No," I said, honestly, because she wasn't, for once, I didn't have to lie.

"Okay," she said slowly. "Just know Harry, if you ever find…someone, you can talk to us about it."

"I know," I answered.

"Do you?" Hermione pressed.

I gave her a warning look. "I know what, or who, you're referring to here, but trust me, I was not together with her."

"Really?" Hermione pressed on.

I raised my chin, staring her in the eyes coldly. "Yes," I said decisively.

A faint knock was heard on the window pane, a grey owl was perching outside.

I sent Hermione a warning look, daring her to continue. I pushed myself standing and went over to opene the window. The owl flew in and landed on my shoulder, its sharp talons digging into my shoulders. I removed the letter, curious, but apprehensive. It wasn't an owl I recognised. It was a simple envelope with only 'Potter' witten upon it.

I shrugged and opened it.

Potter

You're a brobdingnagian blockhead, but I am inquiring as to whether you want to meet up and have a drink.

Does the Leaky Cauldron at three o'clock work for you?

Greengrass

Who the fuck used the word 'brobdingnagian' in 1996? That was the only thought which ran through my mind for a good ten seconds.

With a shrug, I turned the page over and wrote a quick reply, then put it back in the envelope and tied it to the owl. "Back to the sender," I whispered to him.

The owl took off and flapped away.

All three of the room's inhabitants were looking at me like I had just recited the Declaration of Independence in Spanish.

"Who was it from?" Ginny asked with a knowing smile.

"No one," I said. "Nothing important."

I noticed Ron and Hermione exchanging glances.

"Right," said Ginny dryly. "Because you start smiling when reading Gringotts reports."

I shook my head. "I was not smiling, you're just looking for something which doesn't exist."

"Really?" Ginny said. "To me it sounds like Hermione has the right idea. You're seeing someone, aren't you?"

I met her eyes, frustrated that my glare didn't manage to shake of her teasing smile. "No, I am not."

"Of course," she said and winked at me. She turned to Ron and Hermione. "Are you sure he didn't meet anyone else in Nanshu?"

Both shrugged.

Ginny looked back at me with narrowed eyes. "I will find out who and when and where and why and what. Just you wait."

"Good luck chasing nothing."

"I'll make sure your girl knows you called her 'nothing' when I find out who it is."

"Have fun with that," I said and left.

Strangely enough, I felt more concerned with Ginny looking for who I was dating instead of Hermione.

Ginny had friends everywhere, therefore, she had ears everywhere. Hermione may have ran a organisation, but she did not have many friends. Some things never changed.

Either way, I skipped up the stairs lightly having received the news that I would be meeting my...betrothed.

This very afternoon too.

I had to take a shower first, I decided. And hopefully I'd be able to dig the flask of perfume up from my trunk.

Hold up, why did I care about this all of a sudden?

Because I was trying, I decided. I didn't do it for Greengrass, I did it for myself.

Yes, that was it.

-()-

I had a feeling doing a similar stunt wouldn't work. Dumbledore had been less than pleased last time.

Not that he has any say in my life, I reminded myself. It felt like my master's word to me at the beginning of summer had torn chains off me. I had the ability to move freely, and had possesed it for some time. But now, I knew I had the ability to move freely, which was much more important.

Simplicity was the key, I decided. I got an outrageous idea.

I walked inside the living room, grabbed a handful of floo-powder and threw it in the flames. They turned an emerald green, and then, I was gone.

Simplicity was the key.

I had left a note saying that I had gone on a run, something I imagined none of them felt inclined to follow me on. Therefore, I should have around two or three hours.

I arrived at the Leaky Cauldron at two o'clock, instead of three. It wasn't that crowded when I entered. The summer had not quite yet reached the point where every student and their parents emerged from their houses like animals did from hibernation.

My eyes searched for familiar faces frantically, be they friend or foe, I wanted to make sure there was no ambush.

Greengrass may have done nothing to link her to Voldemort, but discarding that possibility for even a moment was naive and stupid. Therefore, until she proved that she was comfortably away from Voldemort, I would be vigilant.

How could she prove that though?

Short of killing him for me, how could she possibly prove that she wasn't on his side?

Even I ever became 99% sure that she wasn't on his side, was it possible to get to 100% sure?

Part of me lamented the fact that I would never be able to trust anyone until the war was over, another part of me saw it as another reason to fight like a cornered animal -not that I lacked motivation in the first place.

I watched the scene before me, wizards and witches passing. I thought I saw Greengrass appear, with her honey-blonde hair. But whoever it was disappeared in the crowd of bodies.

I was seeing things. What was happening to me? Was I looking forward to this? No, I was being paranoid.

At three o'clock on the dot, the flames in the fireplace flared green. Out stepped Greengrass with a scowl upon her face. The glare which she gave the witch who blocked the floo exit would have made even me wince. I hoped she wouldn't look at me like that...again.

Greengrass sat down on the opposite side of the table and gestured to the Barman, Tom, to give her a drink. I observed her discreetly, she was wearing a set of clothes which would have left most people sweating droplets in this heat, but she seemed unbothered. As usual, there was no trace of makeup on her skin.

"Hello," I said after a couple of seconds, realising that she wasn't going to say anything.

"Hello," Greengrass said, not looking at me. "You been here long?"

"A couple of minutes."

Greengrass smiled thinly. "Of course, the black haired boy with a scar my mother saw sitting here thirty minutes ago must have been someone else."

"Must have been, I haven't seen anyone fitting that description around here."

"Of course." Greengrass still didn't look at me, her eyes were watching something going on behind me.

"Was there a reason you wanted to meet here?" I asked, taking a small sip of my beverage.

She rolled her eyes. "What do you think? That I want to spend my time with graceless Gryffindors for no reason?"

"That sounds rather awful," I said dryly. "So what is the reason you humbled me by desiring my company?"

Greengrass glared at me, for the first time, looking at me. "I needed to get out of the house… I had an...uhh...argument with my mother."

"That I can understand, at least."

The girl raised her eyebrows. "Oh?" I got the feeling she was about to say something more, something scathing, but she stopped herself.

"I guess I came for the same reason, you may be a…dim…" I sighed. "A dim idiot, but at least you offer some different company to what I am used to."

"Again, I'm not sure if that insult is actually insulting."

I shrugged. "And again, why can't it be both?"

Greengrass gave me a pointed look. "If you want to compliment me, fine. Just don't go around expecting me to do the same back."

"Trust me, I don't. Let me guess, you only compliment those who deserve it?"

Greengrass' lips curled into the ghost of a mocking smile. "No. I don't compliment people."

I snorted, stared at her for a couple of moments to see if she was joking. "Fair enough, I guess that fits."

"Fits into what?" Greengrass jumped on my choice of words like a tiger.

I raised my eyebrows. "Into this whole haughty, condescending personality you've got going."

"Thank you, you're very nice too."

"I'm serious though, do you insult everyone, or is it just me?"

Greengrass tilted her head. "I don't insult everyone, it's just that you're very easy to insult."

I gave her a headpan look. "Thanks, appreciate it."

The bottle of butterbeer arrived in Greengrass' hand and she took a long sip.

"Greengrass?" I said, slightly apprahensive.

"Yes, Potter?" she said, putting her bottle back on the table.

"I was thinking about what you said last time."

"Huh, who could have guessed, you can think."

I rolled my eyes.

"Which part are you talking about here?" she continued.

"About the part where you said you believed me, about Voldemort's return."

This time, Greengrass didn't wince at the name; my respect for ungrudgingly increased. "I see," she said slowly.

"I was just wondering," I began. "What do you intend to do during the war? I mean, you know what kind of role I'll have to play..."

The girl leaned back in her chair, she was staring into thin air, her shoulders a little tense. "Do you want me to tell you the truth?" she whispered.

"Please do," I said, gesturing for her to continue.

She paused for a moment and a strange look went over her face. "I know that you're surrounded by people who would die for you, gullible Gryffindors that they are." Greengrass paused and took a sip. "I won't. I have no plan to fight for either side. I get that you need to do it, but don't expect me there beside you just because we are betrothed."

I nodded. "Good to know, and for the record, I wouldn't want you anywhere near a battle either way." I twirled my own bottle between my fingers. "You need to understand though, they will come after you to get to me."

"If anyone ever finds out about this, that is," Greengrass said, but it lacked real conviction.

"You've told Malfoy," I said. "He knows about us, right?"

"Yes, I trust him."

I arched my brow. "You're smart, you know who his father is. Do you expect him to keep quiet?"

She sighed. "Maybe not. Either way, our wards are strong -my father is the best ward-creator in the country- they will keep You-Know-WHo out if it comes to the worst."

"I'm not so sure about that…" I said. "He can be pretty persistent."

Greengrass gave me a warning look. "Potter, it is my family on the line. Trust me when I say that our protections are strong enough to keep him out. Our manor was built four hundred years ago. It has gone through more civil wars than you know about wihthout ever being breached, our protections will hold."

I shrugged. "If you say so, but don't come complaining to me if you come home one day to find a pile of ashes, or worse."

"I do say so," she said with finality. Greengrass bit her lip. "There was something I wanted to ask you too, actually." She said it as if her admitting this fact was a great defeat for her.

I feigned surprise. "Really? You want to know something about this poor person?" I said and gestured to myself. "Consider me humbled," I finished dryly.

Greengrass gave me an exasperated glance, and took another sip from her bottle.

"Why did you do it?" she blurted out and put the bottle back down softly. "Why did you activate the contract?"

I was going to make a joke about how I just wanted to annoy her, something I appeared to be great at, but I didn't.

It was in her eyes, in the way she chewed slightly on her lip, in the way she was fidgeting with her hair. There was a haunted desperation in her eyes, praying to know the truth. I weighed the options in my head.

In the end, I came to the choice as to whether she deserved it or not.

"I've told you," I whispered. "I needed something in my vault. It was either both this thing and the contract, or neither."

"And you decided that our futures weighed less than whatever that item was?" I could see the disappointment written in her usually composed face. It was as if a candle had been snuffed out.

"Yes," I said, my throat suddenly felt dry. "Greengrass, I would have died if I didn't do it," I said earnestly. "I know you don't care about that, that you'll think that I was selfish. And you're right, but I did it, and here we are."

Greengrass' gaze was locked in mine, her head was slightly tilted. "Strangely enough, I belive you. And-" she bit her lips, gave me a hesitant glance, one almost fearful. "If I was ever faced with a choice between my ruining my future and death, I don't think I would have chosen death."

I opened my mouth, about to say something, but closed it and let it be unsaid. I downed the rest of my bottle in one go.

"Another, a little more personal, question, if you don't mind?"

I put the bottle back at the table gently. "How on earth can it be more personal than the last one?" I wondered aloud.

She rolled her eyes. "Is your decision to take this item the reason why you have become…estranged from Granger and Weasley?"

I blinked. "No." I exclaimed. "That's something else…or well, I don't think we are that estranged in the first place."

"If you say so," Greengrass said, clearly in disbelief. "I guess they would have been upset with you, Gryffindors that they are, if you had taken some strange item for no reason."

I raised my eyebrows. "I already told you why I activated the contract. Also, you seem to pay an awful lot of attention to us."

Greengrass smiled thinly. "It is as I said, you and your friends remain at the centre of all activity. It would be difficult to avoid, even if I wanted to, and trust me, I do."

"Whatever, and also, for the record, they don't know about us ,and it should stay that way."

Greengrass' eyes widened in surprise, her mouth hung uncharacteristically open. "You haven't told them?" she whispered.

"I thought I just said so…"

"You did," she responded. "But it's just…Gryffindors are all about friendship and trust and teamwork."

I arched my brow. "Well, going by that logic, Slyherins are all about being plotting, scheming and smirking prats." I gave her a sweet smile. "Yet here I only see a prat, so perhaps the stereotype isn't accurate after all?"

Greengrass looked at me, unimpressed. "Yeah, yeah... Haha, it was just a simpler way for me to say that I thought you trusted them, I suppose."

I looked around the bar. The activity had increased a little, as time had gone on.

"What do you want to do?" Greengrass asked. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

I searched my mind, rummaged through it, like Ron usually did in his trunk to find socksinside.

"Uhh…Since you asked me, I can ask you: what classes are you taking next year?"

Greengrass' lips curled a little. "What a personal topic you settled for," she said dryly. "But to answer, I'll do Arithmancy, care, transfiguration, charms, defence, potions, herbology."

"Wow, that's a lot, well done."

The girl shrugged, tugging at her hair a little. "I want to have options."

"I don't think you'll lack them," I said. "You don't seem entirely stupid, contrary to what one might think."

Greengrass smiled sweetly. "Thank you, you're so sweet." Then she raised her eyebrows. "And why do you think that I'm not entirely stupid? Something specific you've seen?"

It gave her a pointed look. "Apart from you leading the Inquisitorial Squad? Well, after we got…betrothed, I started to watch you in class."

Greengrass looked at me warnignly.

I held my hands up. "Don't worry, not in a weird way."

Greengrass hummed, nodding slowly. "I hope so, for your sake."

"Anyways, I could only watch you for a short time before I left for Nanshu, but still… you seemed fairly proficient."

Greengrass smiled mockingly. "Perhaps you only saw what you wanted to see?" she suggested. "You didn't want to have a wife who was a dunderous dumbwit and therefore you made yourself believe that your wife wasn't a dunderous dumbwit."

I tilted my head and looked at her in a new light. "Are you trying to call yourself stupid?"

"I don't need to, you're doing that more than enough." She took a sip of her bottle, it was almost out, only a couple of drops remaining. "I am just telling you that appearances can be deceiving."

I smiled triumphantly. "Aha! But by that logic, you can't say that you know me, only based on what you have seen."

Greengrass looked at me for a couple of seconds with a blank expression. Then she closed her eyes, she looked in great pain. "I guess you're right," Greengrass spat out, as if she was under torture. "My logic was flawed." She held a hand up to silence me. "Only this once though, this won't become a pattern, trust me."

"Great," I said. "That means I've won three battles out of three against you, how will you possibly get your revenge?"

She sighed. "I guess I'll have to get to know you, then," Greengrass said with a tone of defeatism.

"Really?" I said in fake disbelief. "You honour me, miss Greengrass."

Greengrass shook her head. "No, I don't, I am simply doing what I must, for humanity's sake."

"Thanks…I think."

We descended into comfortable silence. The two of us only watched the chaos of people going around for their day around us. Occasionally, I would send a glance at Greengrass. She looked deep in thought, almost satisfied about...something. I didn't know what, but I felt about the same, not that I would ever admit so.

Greengrass looked clever, but every time someone looked at her from the crowd, I would notice that her eyes would dive to the ground, terrified.

As she had said, appearances could be deceiving, I didn't know why she did that. Although, based on everything I had seen from her in classes, I had a pretty good idea.

"I think I understand," Greengrass uttered all of a sudden. "I think I get what you mean when you say that it can be both."

-()-

-Draco-

Silence. That was my summer in one word.

Every day I woke up, I walked down the stairs and expected my mother to sit by the table, painting her nails or turning the pages of the latest issue from 'Daring Decorations'.

Yet she never did.

The table was cold and empty. I didn't even use it anymore, every second inside the kitchen or the living room or the garden was a reminder of what I had to do.

My father was rarely at home. He would come and go every few days, sometimes, he wouldn't even say a word to me when he came home.

More times than I wanted to admit, I snuck inside his room and stole a bottle of alcohol.

More often than not, I would find that one or two bottles which had been full last time, were empty.

I sighed and finished putting my tie on.

I had an important meeting that day, a crucial meeting for my mission.

It had to go well.

Knockturn Alley was dark and grim, despite the sun standing high in the sky. I payed no one any mind, I could feel gazes following me like insects as I walked towards my goal.

Borgin and Burkes stood in stark contrast to everything else in the alley, where every other house had flaking paint and dirty windows. Borgin and Burkes looked like it was built yesterday, with panes I could reflect my face in. I looked like a ghost in the reflection.

"Mr. Malfoy," Borgin said the second I entered the shop. "Is there something I can help you with?"

The man reminded me of a beetle, with his large, black eyes and greasy, sweaty hair.

"Yes," I said, trying to push confidence into my voice. "You will repair the vanishing cabinet you've got."

Borgin froze for a moment, then he walked over the the cabinet in question. "This one?"

I nodded looked at the cabinet. "Yes, this one."

"It will be done, sir, at the usual fee."

I swallowed thickly. "No," I whispered.

I clenched my hands into fists to stop the shaking. I revealed my forearm to him, where the tattoo squirmed and writhed to break free from my skin.

Borgin gulped, his eyes darted up to mine for a moment. I made my eyes show no emotion, like I had no problems with torturing the man if I had to.

"I see," he said. "It will be done...without a fee, of course, my lord."

I folded my arms behind my back, feeling them shake slightly. "Good," I croaked out. "Make sure it is done before I go to Hogwarts, I'll be back to check on your progress."

-()-

-Harry-

There were only a couple of days left of summer. Strangely enough, I was looking forward to the school year.

To reach that part, I would have to walk over a dangerous bridge.

That bridge being the trial. The trial which was that very day.

I had met Dumbledore and parts of the order yesterday to talk about the security details around the whole arrangement. Tonks and Kingsley, who were aurors, would be guarding the cell where I would be held until my trial.

The order didn't expect Voldemort himself to be in the ministry when a great many people would be there, so Tonks and Kingsley should be a challenge for any of Voldemort's followers. All of this assumed that the Death Eaters would make an appearance; something which wasn't guaranteed in the slightest.

Additionally, Sirius had asked me to give him my invisibility cloak. He hadn't said why, saying it was better if I didn't know. I had given it to him, albeit reluctantly.

I stepped into the red phone booth after Dumbledore and waited patiently to reach the Ministry of Magic. I had been there once before and to be quite frank, it was like my purpose of being there: it hadn't changed in a year. The statue stood tall and people were milling about like ants. There were more ants today than last time, the trial was a grand occasion, although not for a good reason, but still, half of wizarding Britain had come to watch as if it was some great spectacle.

A wizard at the entrance to the lift took my wand. I felt naked without it. Exposed and vulnerable. That thing was the source of my power, of all my abilities, of everything I had learned.

I was a lion without its claws. An eagle without its wings. A sun without its warmth.

A quartet of aurors joined me, leaving Dumbledore to make way to the Wizengamot chamber. As a headmaster, he had to be there for everything regarding Hogwarts. There had been whispers that there would be serious changes at Hogwarts due to this whole spectacle with Umbridge, though I doubted that there would be anything significant.

I recognised Kinglsey and Tonks, but the other two were unknown. I was led into the elevator and descended down to a floor, I don't know which one, and stepped out.

From there, I was led into a small room and instructed to wait. To wait and wait and wait some more.

This was stupid, I decided. I hadn't done something, but I was treated like a criminal. I wondered if Umbridge had received the same treatment. I doubted it, somehow.

I had never really contemplated the fact that I might get convicted; this treatment pointed to the destination that I would be proven guilty to some extent.

If I was convicted for a crime, what would happen?

Was prison too much? Was it too little? I had assaulted ten aurors, after all. I had felt pretty satisfied about that back then, but in that cell, my thoughts were a little more sombre.

Dumbledore hadn't seemed worried though, he had appeared calm and confident. But could I really put all of my faith in him?

It was stupid of me to leave this big of a thing up to others. Why hadn't I made sure to be involved in the process more?

It was something which would have to change after this, if there was an after this.

I stood up and started to pace the room. How long could this trial take, realistically?

An hour? Two? Five?

I heard a knock on the door. It seemed that about thirty minutes was the answer; I didn't know if the short wait was a good thing or a bad thing.

There was complete silence for a moment, only the slight buzzing of the lamps kept me company.

The door flung upon to reveal Bellatrix Lestrange.

A/N: Apologies for the cliffhanger. . . or not. I'd love to hear a review or a comment about your thoughts about this! Cheers!