The ballroom was immaculate. The tables clothed with silk linens and bore white gold utensils. The centerpieces were donned with crystal and rose arrangements, charmed to sway like there was a breeze running through them. Along the ceiling of the ballroom were floating candles, mirroring those that were at Hogwarts, and was charmed to look like the night sky. The constellations of the Black family names present in it, with Draco shining brightest of them all.

No one could deny it was a lovely constellation.

Music played from charmed instruments that adjusted to the volume of the guest in the room. It appeared anyone who was not in hiding was in attendance. There were guests conversing in the great hall of the manor in addition to the ballroom. The drawing room however, stayed limited to only death eaters.

Voldemort's efforts required many of his followers to travel around the country. Tonight the majority are together in one spot, and their master wasted no time carrying on with business. In an extra line of defense against eavesdropping, the doors to the ballroom were charmed to grant entrance to only those bearing the dark mark.

Malfoy welcomed his guests in the ballroom. Accepting their well wishes and thanking them for attending. Blaise and Theo were with their dates standing near one of the tall windows. Blaise with Pansy and Theo a Slytherin student in the year below them. The group's outfits were all color coordinated with hints of green similar to their school house.

Hermione kept to the outer walls as she maneuvered through the ballroom. She knew the hidden alcoves that the elves used and took advantage of them when she needed a break from dodging through the crowd.

On the left side of the room was Goyle and his date, Marietta Edgecombe, whose reddish-brown hair was pulled tight in a French twist. Her face had nearly completely recovered from the boils she earned when she betrayed the D.A. by turning them into Umbridge. Standing with them was a witch with blonde hair tumbling in soft curls all the way to her waist. Astoria Greengrass. Her gown had long sleeves and was tight around her waist with a dip in the back to show off her perfect, porcelain skin. The bottom of the A-line skirt flared out and the diamonds covering the entire piece sparkling like stars against the dark, midnight blue of the gown. If the guests didn't know any better, they could easily think that this was her party. Every decoration down to the crystal wine glasses complemented her presence.

As unsettling as the numerous unknown witches and wizards were, recognizing former classmates was more sickening. The embodiment of how many students during her time at Hogwarts wished people like her dead. Or thought of them as unworthy of magic. She was standing in one of the disillusioned alcoves when someone walked by and stole her breath away.

Anthony Goldstein.

He was alive.

Her joy in seeing him was short-lived when she realized he was alive, and he was fraternizing with known death eaters and supporters.

Anthony had been one of the first people to sign up for the D.A. and never treated her any differently due to her blood status. He was in the library as often as she was, and they trusted each other more than anyone else to trade notes with when they missed a lesson. He fought alongside her the day Harry had died. Yet here he was now, shaking hands with Dolohov in greeting and engaging in conversation.

It was like a knife in the stomach, but she couldn't take her eyes from him. He was laughing at something Rabastan Lestrange said as she snuck closer to listen in. She walked around the small group so that she could see Anthony over Dolohov and Lestrange's shoulders as they spoke.

"No hard feelings then, boy? You understand the level of scrutiny we are all under," Dolohov was saying when she tuned into the conversation.

"None at all, any of us would do the same thing in your position," Anthony answered flatly with a slight grin.

"You'll get your chance soon enough if you keep playing your cards right. Unfortunate, your heritage. I'd already have asked you to accompany me on a mission if it were up to me. We need as many young men as we can get." Dolohov took a glass of champagne off a floating tray passing by. "The next phase will require a greater amount of skill than the first. Our services, while for a noble cause, are not for the faint of heart."

"Agreed," Lestrange added. "We can hardly reach true purity by playing politics and managing a school. The time of asking nicely has passed. There will be many moments soon to prove yourself. If I were you –"

"Enough, Rabastan. This is not the place for such conversations." Dolohov interrupted, cutting off the beginning of his rant. "Now, Goyle tells me you were quite the clever one in school?"

It took Anthony a moment to unclench his jaw before he answered, "I would like to think so. I got all Outstanding scores save for one Exceeds Expectations. However, I never got around to taking the NEWTs last year."

"Impressive. Which subject was the Exceeds?"

"Muggle Studies."

Liar.

Anthony got an Outstanding in muggle studies, his Exceeds was for Care of Magical Creatures. They studied it just the two of them for weeks. Anthony was determined to beat Hermione's score since, he joked, she had an 'unfair advantage'.

The death eaters laughed, "It's almost an embarrassment that you did so well. A testament to your dedication we'll claim it," Dolohov said with a wink. "Your former classmate mentioned you also took part in uncredited curricular activities during your time at Hogwarts?" Dolohov has a way of saying simple things laced with venom. As innocent as the question may be coming from someone else, the subtle threat did not escape herself or Anthony.

"I played a bit of quidditch during my time, not well enough to start on the team. Then there was the D.A. club in fifth year." Anthony answered casually.

"Yes. That's the one." Dolohov practically hissed.

Anthony forced a chuckle. "Fudge, what he lacked in politics he made up for in abysmal administration for the school. Of all the creatures he elected that toad of a woman to teach a class. Do you know she forbid us to use magic? As if anything could justify such a thing."

"Hmm yes, dreadful woman. So much so you were driven to join Dumbledore's Army?"

Anthony laughed, "the name was an abbreviation for Defense Against the Dark Arts. I don't know when Potter and his friends decide to self-proclaim themselves warriors."

"And Dumbledore just accepted this club in his name?" Dolohov asked, nearly as a rhetorical question.

Anthony scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Any glory the old man could get his hands on."

Dolohov, pleased with his answer and about to speak again, was interrupted by the clinking of glasses, directing everyone's attention to the middle of the room.

Malfoy was standing in the center, commanding the attention of all his guests. Nearest him are Theo, Blaise, Goyle and their dates, along with Astoria, who was whispering something to her sister Daphne.

"Thank you all for joining me this evening. It is a pleasure to see the great people of the Wizarding World come together in joy after such a historic event." Applause broke out across the room.

Anthony lightly tapped his hands together, hardly making a sound, while his eyes and jaw were tighter than they were just a few moments ago.

"I am humbled that the Dark Lord grants me the honor of hosting him in my family home. And in his greatness, extend the hospitality to you all for the evening." He gestured around the room to his guests. "I hope to see much more of you fine magical people as we continue our endeavors to save our world from those who wish to take it from us. Those who wish to rob us of our magic and force us to hide from the world, in shame of our greatness."

Murmurs of agreement and applause filled the room once again.

"That is not the world the Dark Lord has promised you, and he will not stand for your oppression any longer. It may not be tonight or tomorrow, but change, real change, is coming. The rebels claim that this war continues as a battle of good versus evil, but I know you all are too clever to believe that."

Malfoy took a glass off a floating tray and raised it in the air as he finished his speech. "As we all know, there is no good and evil. There is only power, and those too weak to seek it."

The roar of the applause combined with Hermione's racing heart caused an uncomfortable pounding in her ears.

Malfoy downed the contents of the glass in one gulp before reaching for another. He held it in his hand while waiting for the noise to die down again.

Someone from the crowd made her way to Malfoy's side, the diamonds in her gown twinkling magically as she strides. She hooked her arm in Malfoy's while holding her untouched glass of champagne in the other.

"I also owe thanks to the lovely Astoria for her efforts in making tonight a success. Filling the ballroom with the beauty and we hope to see it reflected in the world around us very soon."

With his final words, he tapped his glass with Astoria's and they both took a modest sip. When they put their glasses back on the try, Astoria tilted her head up and stretched on her toes. Malfoy only hesitated for a moment before closing the distance between them and touching his lips to hers.

Hermione was going to vomit.

The blue on his vest wasn't a simple design detail, he coordinated his outfit with his date. With Astoria. Who was a pureblood and for all evidence provided his beautiful, flawless, pure girlfriend.

When her wits came back to her, she realized the people around her had already wandered elsewhere. She whipped her head around to find the nearest exit when she saw Anthony walk out the north entrance. Her instinct had her running before she lost sight of him completely.

Anthony turned a corner and she struggled to keep her feet silent while she ran to catch up. She realized he was heading for the main exit when they were one turn away from the front door.

Due to the security, guests wouldn't be granted reentry once they left. She didn't know what to think of him. She thought he was dead, but now she knows he is alive, but she doesn't know if he was still her friend, and Malfoy was kissing Astoria, and he's about to turn another corner-

"Anthony!" She yelled.

The past few minutes were just too much. He jumped at the sound of her voice and spun around, searching the hall for the source.

They were too exposed out in the open, Hermione grabbed his arm from within the cloak and dragged him into a disillusioned alcove. She tore off the cloak and just stood there. Terrified and panting. Anthony blinked at her for a few seconds, before he pulled her to him and suddenly, she was in his arms.

"Bloody, fucking, hell Hermione! How the fuck?! how are you-"

Hermione put her hand over his mouth to silence him and nodded her head towards the hall. Anthony made quick work of a muffliato and then pulled Hermione back into a hug, lifting her feet off the floor.

"I thought you were dead," he breathed.

"I thought you were too," she replied, her voice cracking over every syllable as tears fell freely down her face.

Hermione hadn't been around or spoken to a friend since the battle. She didn't know how much she needed someone she trusted to hold her. To simply touch her and remind her that she still existed.

Anthony cleared his throat and huffed a laugh. "You promised if I behaved, you'd take me with you when you escaped, tosser."

"I never left." She whispered back.

Anthony put Hermione down and looked at her. He seemed to be a mixture of happy and shocked at her good condition.

"You've been here the whole time. How is that possible?" He was still staring at her with wonder and his eyes started to water.

They both took a minute to laugh at one another. Wiping their eyes and giggling every time they tried to speak again, and the tears started back up.

"Look at us, we're a couple of Hufflepuffs," Anthony said with a final sniff and shake of his head. "How have you been hiding here, why haven't you left?"

"It's a long story. Malfoy has actually been helping me," she said cautiously.

"Draco?" He says finally.

"Not Lucius, obviously."

"Well, I can hardly believe it's the one who just performed a magical version of 'Heil Hitler' out there." Hermione both laughed and cringed at his statement.

"Is this his, then?" He said, grabbing the edge of the cloak.

"No this was Harry's. I had it with me when I was captured." He responded with a sympathetic smile. "Draco doesn't know I have it. I only use it to leave the room when he's gone during the day."

"The room?"

"His room, or suite actually. No one else can enter so it is the only safe place for me to stay. I've been staying in the study."

Anthony thought about it for a moment. "The wards. You can't leave. They had us all moved before they put them up so they wouldn't have to add any of us."

She let him think it over a bit longer while she tried to figure out how she was going to say her question next. After a few moments, she remembered herself. This wasn't Malfoy, she didn't have to tiptoe around the question.

"What are you doing here Anthony? I almost didn't say anything to you…"

"Weasley's idea. Trying to get a man on the inside. I'm half-blood and my father's family has remained neutral, so he figured I'd be the best shot. I had already convinced them enough to let us go after we were moved from the Manor. Told them we were just fighting to protect the school, not a side in the war. I just had to hang around Diagon Alley and they were trying to recruit me soon enough."

"Ron? He's alright?!"

"Christ, yeah! Oh my god… when I tell him you're still alive… He's been going mad, Hermione. Between his brother, and Harry, and then you- but not really you now." He smiled widely at her before it faded away. "When I got in touch with him after they let me go, I asked if I could talk to you and he said he hadn't seen you since the battle. I knew if you had actually escaped like they said you did, that you'd find him and the Order. We thought they just lied to us about what happened, that someone took you and-"

His words got caught in his throat. "Greyback. When we first noticed you were gone, he went feral and said he would find you and kill whoever tried to take you from him. When I got to the Burrow and you weren't there I thought…"

"I'm fine. Really." She tried to say with a steady voice, but the mention of Greyback instilled fear in her. He hasn't been back since that day, as he oversaw the packs under Voldemort's command and Lucius refused to give anymore wolves access to the manor.

"Who else is alive, please tell me everything."

They talk for another hour, hidden and silenced from the rest of the party. Seamus, Pavarti, Cho, Neville, Luna. They all lived and continued to fight. He told her of how they have been taking power back in the villages and gaining more supporters every day.

"I can't believe this. From everything I hear, I thought everyone would be dead if I ever made it out." She said incredulously.

"Have you heard anything important? Anything useful we could use?"

Hermione jumped so quickly it scared Anthony into taking a step back. She started rambling frantically while she pulled the rolls and rolls of notes out of her beaded bag. As Anthony combed through them, she warned about the attack on Saint Mungo's and how there wasn't much time left to prevent it.

"Going after the hospital, they really are getting desperate," he took a deep breath. "These are brilliant Hermione. I can't believe you got all of this. It is more than we could ever imagine."

He stacks them into one roll like he used to do during school. "Just like old time, eh?"

"I won't nag you to return these ones," she looked at the large stack of notes. "Do you think you can sneak them out without them knowing?"

"Fuck. They searched me on the way in, they may do so when I leave as well. I could probably transfigure something- wait! This is perfect." He pulled a galleon out of his bag. "We made these like your D.A. coins. We can't put messages or numbers on them in case they get taken, but they heat up or zap depending on the warning."

He transfigured the notes into a galleon and put the other in her hand. "The warning won't mean much to you, and you won't be able to respond without a wand, but we could at least send you something now and then, so you don't forget you're not alone."

She grasped the coin within the palm of her hand before flinging herself into another hug.

He squeezed her back and spoke while still in an embrace. "I wasn't sure I could go through with joining them. But I won't let you down, Granger. I am so close to getting in, just hang in there a little longer." He pulled back and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"These people, they're the fucking worst Hermione, some of the things that they say…" He started to get angry and took a calming breath. "Don't trust any of them, not even Malfoy. Do what you must to stay alive. I'll be back soon, I promise. I won't leave you behind again."

As he was walking out, he turned to look at her, bewildered, one more time.

"Hermione Granger, alive." Like he still couldn't believe it. "The girl who lived."

"Please don't start that," she laughed, embarrassed.

"Molly will be putting it on all your Christmas knittings." With a wink he took his leave, and Hermione went back to the suite to pour herself a celebratory drink from Malfoy's cart.

Hermione was several too many glasses of fire whiskey in when Malfoy finally returned from his party, flopping face down on the couch and held out his hand.

"What?" she bit coldly, the liquor giving her more courage than was wise.

"Cake." He mumbled onto the cushions.

She didn't respond.

"My bloody cake," he sat up suddenly and looked around. "You wicked thief, you did eat it didn't you."

Hermione pointed to the mantel where she set the sweet and Malfoy laid back down relieved. Her earlier feelings towards him felt like annoyance thanks to the alcohol, and she didn't feel like hearing all about his night. Regardless of what she could learn from the conversation.

"It's late, I'm getting ready for bed." She got up and walked to the bathroom without looking back.

Malfoy had moved to his own private sitting area within his bedroom when she exited the bathroom. "Join me for a drink?" He asked, pouring two glasses.

"No, thank you. I'm not in the mood." She said shortly.

"You're in a mood. The drink will help. I promise." His words were a little slurred, and had she not drunk so much herself, she may have noticed right away that he was completely pissed.

She rolled her eyes but took a seat on the chair opposite of him, grabbing her drink from him on the way. He didn't wait for her before he took a large swing of his own. He set it down to grab the cake she made him, and she was annoyed with herself that she was nervous. Even pissed, Malfoy took an elegant bite. He closed his eyes while he leaned back in the chair.

"Don't watch me eat this."

"Why?"

"It's too intimate."

Damn him. A small smile betrayed her.

"This has been the only thing keeping me going all night." He sat back up straight and took another large bite. "How was your evening?"

"Do you like it?"

He laughed. A real laugh. "Yes, yes, Granger, 'Outstanding' for you."

She relaxed a bit in her chair and decided conversation wouldn't be the worst thing.

"My evening was fine, lovely in fact. I felt kind of uneasy knowing how many death eaters were nearby though."

Malfoy grunted and took another mouth full of apple cake. "It was worse down there, trust me. Felt like at any moment they would smell you on me and force me to hand you over."

"And would you?"

"Pft. Crabbe tried to take my training snitch once when I was a child. No one dared try again to take what is mine."

"And you think I am yours?" She said, crossing her arms.

"Better mine than any of those bastards down there."

He had eaten all the frosting off the cake in the first few bites. The rest of it falling apart into pieces without it, the bits of apple causing natural separations in the cake.

"My mother used to make me this cake," he said finally. "Or had it made, I never really thought to ask."

"Oh." She said dumbly. "I don't know that."

"I figured you didn't when I saw it. It was a bit of a secret last year. Father said it seemed childish to have a treat for breakfast. Mother had Neddy bring it to my room before I woke up so I could have it before joining the others for breakfast."

He tore apart the cake a bit with his fingers. "I suppose this year is a bit of a secret too."

Hermione didn't know how to respond. There was only one thing she wanted to ask.

"Where is your mother, Malfoy?"

"She's gone."

The finality of the words hung in the air. Hermione had a good idea that something horrible happened. She saw Narcissa once the battle was over, and she was in perfect health.

After a few more moments, Malfoy carried on. "My first year at school I was trying to be so tough, but I know she could tell I was homesick in my letters. She owled me a piece before it was even the middle of term." He kept breaking up small pieces and then laughed to himself.

"Open your mouth."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, just do it."

Hermione furrowed her brow but did as he asked. He got a small piece in his hand and held it up.

"Is that as wide as you can go?" She closes her mouth and gives him her best glare. "It'll be a tight fit, you're not making it easy on me."

"What are you playing at-" she snapped as a piece of cake hit her face. Malfoy burst into laughter and grabbed another piece.

"I said open up!" he exclaimed through his laughter.

Hermione rolled her eyes but obeyed, and even tried to maneuver to catch the next piece. By the fourth try she succeeded and threw her hands in the air victoriously.

"Well done little Gryffindor, took Crabbe all night to finally catch one."

"You're telling me while we were theorizing you to be the Heir of Slytherin, you lot were spending your time catching treats?" Hermione raised her brow.

"The Heir of…- you flatter me." Malfoy said with his hand to his chest. They really were both completely smashed.

"But yes, all different kinds of pastries though, obviously."

Hermione got up and grabbed a couple pieces off the plate and sat back down, signally to Malfoy that it was his turn. He caught her horrible throw on the first try and then winked.

"When my mother sent the cake in first year, Goyle asked to try some. I threw a piece at him to be a little git but the bastard ended up catching it anyway. It became a bit of a tradition after that." Malfoy caught the last piece and then went to finish the rest that was on his plate.

Hermione found herself memorized as he was licking the remnants of frosting and apple cinnamon from his long fingers. When she finally realized what he was doing, she gasped comically. The scolding he gave her when she did the same thing at dinner one night.

He looked from her to his hand in sudden realization. "Bloody hell. Look what you're doing to me. Years of flawless manners and one month with you has me dining like Weasel."

He pulled out his handkerchief to finish cleaning his fingers, and the cloth matches the midnight blue his dates dress. He caught her looking at it and gave her a questioning look.

"I never really took you for a blue person. It is beautiful though," she said as neutrally as she could, thinking of Astoria.

He slowed his cleaning and stared at his hands. "I didn't have a choice. It was- well… just some traditional obligations."

He was quiet and Hermione could tell he was deep in thought. He glanced up at her for a moment and then looked back at the handkerchief.

"It's not really my color though, it is."

It didn't sound like a question.

Hermione just shrugged in response.