Heya, everyone!
I'm sorry this update took so long. I think it's been something like twenty days since I last posted. I have been very busy and this chapter was extremely hard for me to write. But I knew I couldn't put it off any longer. I'm not 100% happy with how it turned out honestly but I knew I had to post another chapter soon because it had been too long since my last update.
So I hope you don't hate this chapter too much it honestly isn't my best work.
Anyways review and let me know what you think.
Thanks so much for the continuing support.
Much Love 3

Hermione's Point of View

I follow.

I follow a lost boy because he is lost even though his feet seem to move in a certain direction. It is in his mannerisms and the nervous looks over his shoulders that informs me how misled he truly is. He continues to walk towards something but at the same time, he is walking away from something. Whether that something is me or the life that he has for himself here I guess I can't say right at this second. I just know that the boy is lost and as much as I want to reach out and grab him and shake some sense into him I follow behind him quite lost myself.

I move as soundlessly as I can and it's in certain moments when my shoes squeak that I wish I had taken them off instead and opted to walk barefooted. On the other hand, I think if I fell and caused a huge commotion Draco Malfoy might not even notice. He seems miles away in his head. His body is there walking to whatever destination he has entered. Autonomous. But his thoughts are far away.

When we come to a crossroads he turns left and I follow swiftly on his heel. Holding the robe up to stop it gathering so much in front of me as I shuffle along. Suddenly Malfoy stops in front of a wall. He looks around and for a second his eyes catch the area I'm standing in and I think that I'm caught but he quickly looks away and turns his attention back to the wall. I walk over to it - a little away from him - and try and get a good look at his face. He bows his head and rests it against the wall allowing his eyes to fall shut briefly. He mumbles something silently and his hands move back against the wall as if it's pushing out against him.

A large old-fashioned door materialises out of the wall and grows up from the floor to the very tip of the ceiling. When it's fully erect Malfoy takes one last look over his shoulder warily as he enters the room. When the door shuts behind him I'm unsure what to do. Surely if I open the door now and try and follow him he will notice me immediately. As if the door heard my predicament it suddenly vanishes as if it was never there.

I move closer to the spot where the door was visible and rub at the wall to make sure my mind hasn't finally snapped or something. But the wall is smooth. No evidence that a large door was ever there. I place my ear close to the wall but of course, I can't hear anything through the thick stone walls. I pull the robe up and slide down the wall, pooling it in my lap for warmth. The breeze coming around in from the courtyard causes me to pull the robe tight around me, tucking it into all of my creases.

I stare out at the darkening sky and it fills me with dread. What could he possibly be doing in that room? What could he have conjured the room of requirement for? When will he come out? The questions come shooting to the forefront of my mind and I pull my knees tight to my chest in an attempt to hold myself together. It futile.

It seems like a very long time before the wall shifts against my back and the door starts to form again slowly from the bottom to the top with a small rumble. I stand up in a hurry and shamble away from the door as I wait for him. When he finally exits the room I try to peak in behind him to see what he could have possibly conjured but his facial expression causes a quick gasp to escape. Luckily he doesn't notice the noise. I didn't think he could look worse or more lost in himself but he does. Whatever happened in that room I'm not sure if I truly want to know.

Malfoy looks over his shoulder at the door and leaves it slightly ajar before hurrying ahead. The action causes my stomach to churn and I move as hurriedly as I can behind him petrified with the notion that he might not be the only person to come out of the door. When we're about to round a corner I look over my shoulder and gulp. The door hasn't disappeared yet and the sound of a small women's voice filters out from the room. I turn the corner pulling the robe firmly around me as I follow Draco Malfoy absently.

Malfoy moves so fast through the labyrinthian maze that is Hogwarts that I chose to lift the robe above my shoes to give myself a chance to keep pace with him. There is no one around to notice two feet roaming around without a body. I think if I was to take the entire robe off and follow Malfoy as normal he might not even notice it.

Malfoy stops outside the entrance to the astronomy tower and looks behind him in an apprehensive panic. I think of taking the robe off and placing a reassuring hand on his. I want to reach out and tell him that whatever happened in that room it's okay to stop now if he wishes. Because I have a feeling that it's not over. Whatever he did in that room feels like the start of something and not the end.

I want to scream at him but this robe feels suddenly 10 inches thick. It feels as if I were to scream he wouldn't even hear me. I want to tell him it's okay to just walk away if he wishes. That we could go down to the lake for the rest of the night and sit close to the edge and listen to the soft lapping of the lake water and talk about nothing and everything. I want to tell him that it's okay to want that. There is nothing wrong with wanting something for yourself. Screw being selfish.

He turns quickly and takes the steps painfully slow. The narrow stairwell echos the frequent clap of his shoes off each step. I wait till he's halfway up and take my shoes off, following behind him as quietly as possible. When I get to the first landing of the astronomy tower I hear the sound of owls perched on the rim of the opening. I look up through the gap in the landing to the top story and I see Malfoy walk into the opening and take out his wand.

I look to the other side of the landing but I don't see anyone. I scan around the room but in my present position, most of the top story is hidden behind a large astronomy structure that twists and turns in the breeze. I move around as much as I can to get a better view of Malfoy. It would be too risky to walk up the last flight of stairs as the top story is fair too narrow and the chances of bumping into Malfoy are far too great.

"Good evening, Draco," a familiar voice sounds through the astronomy tower. I bump into a large wooden crate and rub furiously to stop the stabbing pain in my hip trying all the while to see who else is up there. Out of the corner of the room, Dumbledore walks into the frame, the darkening sky seeming to illuminate his face. He looks much worse than he did this morning, weaker and more like the age he tries to hide.

"Who else is here? I heard you talking?" Malfoy asks, raising his wand towards Dumbledore. What is he doing? Dumbledore disregards his question as Malfoy raises his wand higher pointing it directly at him.

They both seem to sidestep around the astronomy structure in the centre of the room, never breaking eye contact. Dumbledore mumbles a few questions to which Malfoy ignores before a weighted silence fills the air.

"I guess you didn't take my advice at the start of the year, Mr Malfoy? Otherwise, I wouldn't be currently in the pleasure of your company," Dumbledore says airly. His words seem to suck up the oxygen in the room and I match Malfoys bated-breathing. What does Dumbledore mean? Did he know something like this was going to happen? Malfoy shakes his head, ignoring the question.

"I thought maybe given the choice you would have chosen the latter," Dumbledore muses. Malfoy raises his eyebrows.

"What you think I wasn't aware of the circumstances? That you had been asked by the Dark Lord himself to take up this task? I mean with all the failed attempts it would have been easy to put it together regardless," Dumbledore smirks. His face turns serious then.

"I gave you a choice, Mr Malfoy. Why didn't you take it?"

"There was never a choice. Not really. We were always going to get to this point," Malfoy explains, shuffling nervously. He holds his voice though. If he is fearful it is not shown in his voice, but rather in his face. Dumbledore weights up his words before smirking. He leans back against a collum, resting his weight.

"Why are you smirking?" Malfoy snaps. Dumbledore lets out a smug little laugh.

"What was wrong with the choice? You didn't like the girl I picked?" Dumbledore questions. I step back bumping into the wall. I turn my head to stare at Malfoys expression. It drops. Mine follows.

"What do you mean the girl you picked?" Malfoy says, speechless. He outstretched arm shakes.

"I mean picking Miss Granger to play that role was a bit daring but I believed she could do it. I mean she always had a somewhat fascination with you. You know what they say about the fine line between love and hate. Perhaps I saw myself as too much of a matchmaker back then. But I thought who better to change your mind then the girl you claimed to hate the most? Would you have preferred someone else? But then again, I don't think the practice would have had as big of an impact if it hadn't been so hard in the first place? Didn't you enjoy the challenge, Mr Malfoy?" Dumbledores rambles on.

I stare dumbfound up at Malfoy as his arm quivers and starts to lower. I can feel the darkness I have been dreading all day start to claw at my thoughts. The fear is about to be realised. Between a rock and a hard place, something has to eventually give.

"What are you trying to say, old man?" Malfoy shouts readjusting his arm back and pointing furiously with his wand.

"I thought I could crack you. I thought how hard can it be to change the mind of a teenager when they are known for changing their mind every day," Dumbledore explains.

I slide my hand down the wall as my body starts to drift towards the floor. The weight of Dumbledores words continue to slowly process in the back of my head and I know the answer is there already but I am too terrified to say it out loud. I look at Malfoy's face and it hasn't clicked with him yet. My stomach churns suddenly as the heat starts out on my neck and back.

A squeak on the floorboards sounds, barely audible as I see Harry step into view from the shadows. I squeeze my hand over my mouth as the panic kicks into high gear. How much has he heard so far? I search his eyes as much as I can from my present position. They're cold and empty. I think that he's heard enough to know that I have lied about a lot more than he could have ever imagined. Perhaps it is over now. Finished with words spoken by another. Has my time in the golden trio come to an end because I had simply been curious. I guess curiosity really did kill the cat. I can't think rational with the shock. I can't feel the pain of knowing the more Harry listens now the less he will listen to me later. It was not supposed to go down like this. He wasn't supposed to find out this way.

"What do you mean?" Malfoy finally shouts stopping Dumbledores unintelligent rant.

"It was but a farce, Mr Malfoy," he says finally but it doesn't touch me. His words rush right over me like water. I am too numb to be touched by the impact of his words right now. I know exactly what he means but he may as well be speaking parseltongue. They don't hurt now because they are meant to hurt later.

"What do-"

"Between you and Miss Granger. It was a lie. Everything you saw in that Pensieve was a lie. The whole award was just a fabrication of my doing," Dumbledore explained. Malfoy drops his arm gradually and takes an unsteady step backwards, almost losing his footing.

"A lie?"

"Yes, I made up the entire thing in hopes that showing you an alternative outcome to your life might lead you away from this outcome," he says sadly. Dumbledore pushes his glasses back up on his nose as he watches Malfoys expression warily.

"Maybe it was inevitable or perhaps the way I went about it can be misconstrued as malicious but my initial intention shall not be lost. Years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices because he was never shown otherwise. I tried to help you. Please understand that," Dumbledore explains urgently.

"Why her? Why bring her into this?" Malfoy questions.

"She's a smart girl. But that is not the only reason. She sees the good in everyone. I thought she could help you see the good in you. Especially when you can't see it yourself," Dumbledore clarifies.

A creaking noise fills the astronomy tower followed by the noise of movement in the stairwell. Someone is coming and by the sound of it, it's more than one person.

"You're not alone?" Dumbledore states. "How?"

The sound of footsteps on the stairs breathes a new sort of panic into Malfoy.

"Vanishing Cabinet in the room of requirement," Malfoy explains quietly, listening out for the sound of the approaching footsteps.

"A sister?"

"In Borgin and Burkes. They form a passageway."

"Ingenious," Dumbledore revels.

I watch as several dark figures walk past the small opening into our landing as they make their way to the top floor. I spot Bellatrix amongst them. Harry steps back into the shadows until they're gone. He takes out his wand and points it up at the newly arriving guests. I watch as Bellatrix makes her way over to Malfoy and praises him warmly. Malfoys extended arm sits even more rigidly straight the nearer Bellatrix gets. Harry walks around the small aperture we watch them through as he raises his wand trying to find a good position.

Another figure appears on our landing, emerging from the darkness of the stairwell. Snape appears and lets his wand follow Harry around the room. Harry all the while unaware of our new visitor, his eyes stay fixed firmly on Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Bellatrix I believe introductions are in order," Dumbledores voice fills the silence.

"Would love to Albus, but I fear we're running out of time," she explains. She turns frantically towards Malfoy and beckons for him to do it. Malfoy steps forward pointing the wand at Dumbledore who only smiles sadly back at him.

Harry turns around and notices Snape standing by the doorway. Confusion crosses his face as he lets the wand fall down to his chest. Snape motions for Harry to keep quiet as he makes his way back to the stairwell. Harry stares dumbfounded after him as he disappears.

"Do it, Draco," Bellatrix sings. Malfoys arm starts to shake and a bluish tint fills his cheekbones. Perhaps this was something I was never ever supposed to see. The side of himself that he had desperately tried to hide. Maybe I should have listened. It would have been easier to hear about this from someone else than to stand here and witness the fact that someone I possibly loved would be capable of killing a man I looked up too.

When the dust settles how much will be left? Shall I be the same person when the final words are spoken? Will he?

"I am speaking to you now Mr Malfoy. Only you," Dumbledore starts. Bellatrix snorts.

"Don't let him get inside your head," she whispers in Malfoy's ear.

"I said there was a fine line, remember? It doesn't matter whether or not what you saw was real or not. Because that fine line was severed? Was it not?" Dumbledore asks with a raised eyebrow. Malfoy freezes up. He checks himself.

"What is he talking about Draco?" Bella huffs in Malfoy's ear.

"Nothing! It's nonsense," Malfoy argues.

"You haven't lost your chance, Mr Malfoy. Every step forward you take that choice will follow you," Dumbledore implores.

"Don't listen to him, Draco. Do it. Do it now!" Bellatrix warns, her patience wearing thin.

"Whether you make the choice right now or later. You will make it at some point and for that, I forgive you," Dumbledore sighs. Malfoys face rises in surprise. A sort of twisted, complicated disbelief. That a man he is about to murder could forgive him before the act had even been committed.

"Now Draco!" Bellatrix screams. A dark figure appears into the room just as Malfoys arm begins to budge.

"Stop!" Snape calls.

Malfoy steps awkward back as Snape pulls on his shoulder. A roll of thunder can be heard somewhere off into the distance as Snape steps forward to meet Dumbledores solemn gaze.

"Severus," Dumbledore starts. Bellatrix eyes Snape suspiciously as he and Dumbledore watch one another.

"Please," Dumbledore reasons.

I lean away from the wall and move forward to get a better view.

"Avada Kedavra," Snape says firmly, a long green stem emitting from his wand and travelling at lightning speed, sending Dumbledore flying over the edges of the Astronomy tower. I look away blinded from the spell briefly. There is a silence before a small thud can be heard in the distance below us. Harry drops back away from the gap in the floor and stumbles clumsily.

Snape grabs Malfoys shoulder and I watch as the shadows move frighteningly fast down the stairwell. I barely see his blonde hair pass. My knees feel weak beneath me as I sway uneasily unsure of what to do with myself.

Dumbledore is dead and it was almost Malfoy who did it. I think back on all the moments we've had together and that fact that that knowledge has been there the entire time. He knew all along what he had to do and I understand more now why he worried so much about my opinion of him changing. He had almost murdered a man who had been such an inspiration to us all growing up. Like a second father or mentor to Harry.

But he is still dead. The shock of it wrecks my insides and a sort of derealisation crystalises over me. I float up, up and away from it all as if I was suddenly filled with air.

I look over to find Harry but he's already gone. When and where had he disappeared too? I scramble up from the ground and fly down the stairs three at a time in an attempt to catch up with them. Once I'm at the bottom floor I feel for possibly the first time in a long time that Hogwarts isn't safe. The candles that light some of the hallways have been extinguished. I run as fast as I can and when I reach the windowed courtyard I look up and see 'his' symbol animating in the sky.

I follow- without really thinking- the extinguished candle route because at the back of my mind I know that's the way they've all gone. I don't know why I follow it. Perhaps I don't understand that I can stop now. That I don't have to follow him anymore because the choice that Dumbledore gave him he walked away from. He walked away from me.

So why do I keep following? What do I hope to gain? Only more pain surely.

But a part of me- like any rational person- wants there to be an actual conversation between us. That's usually what makes life so hard. When someone chooses to walk away and you're left arguing their side too. Words left unsaid can eat away at you harder than anything else. There is so much I never said. Maybe now it is too late. Maybe now they would just fall on deaf ears. Maybe now they are not worth saying at all. Do I even recognise the person who stood atop of the astronomy tower?

When I'm a few hallways away from the Great Hall I spot the end of footsteps rounding a corner up ahead. I push myself harder than I thought possible as I try to reach them before they disappear around another corner like some sort of endless nightmare. I spot Malfoy at the back of the group with Snape moving just ahead of him, Bellatrix leads.

A heat abruptly bursts out of my chest and I scream his name down the hallway. It echoes so loudly it makes my ears hurt and I can't help but clutch at my throat after the noise stops. The group halts suddenly and I regret my decision immediately. I move deliberately forward as the group searches the empty hallway for the noise. Snape wears a composed but somewhat knowing expression as he watches Malfoy. Malfoy, on the other hand, recognises my voice and doesn't even try to hide the shame from his face as he looks around the hallway for me.

"What was that?" Bellatrix calls over her shoulder.

"Nothing of concern," Snape answers.

"Come on so," she says as she makes her way into the Great Hall. The other Death eaters follow close on her heel.

"One minute," Snape warns Malfoy as I get closer. Malfoy barely acknowledges him. When he too disappears into the Great Hall Malfoy continues to look around the hallway.

"Where are you?" He calls out rather loudly.

"I'm here," I answer in a low voice. He juts back, obviously shocked at how close I am. He waves his arms out and I step back, not wanting to be touched.

"What are you doing?" He asks, dropping his hands back to his side before running a nervous hand through his greasy hair.

"I could ask you the same thing," I throwback. Malfoy grimaces and it is so rare to see him unsettled and so shapeless like this.

The sound of smashing and thrashing emits from the Great Hall as Bellatrix's toe-curling scream erupts. Malfoy visibly flinches.

"Go back to your room, Granger," Malfoy commands as he starts to turn around. I grab his arm and pull him back. Stepping back just as quickly so he can't grab me. His arms enclose around thin air.

"Is that all you have to say to me?" I say unbelievingly, trying to keep the tone of hurt in my voice quiet.

"What do you want me to say?" he requests. I pull the robe off my face and bundle it at my side. Malfoy stares down at the ground.

"I was there. I followed you," I explain. Malfoy freezes and slowly draws his eyes to mine.

"Why?" He questions. "Why would you be so stupid!" He barks.

"Watch your tone with me," I snarl back at him. His expression softens as mine hardens.

"Do you know what she would have done to you if she had found you there!" Malfoy berates in a hushed whisper as he watches over his shoulder.

"Should I be afraid of her or should I be afraid of you?" I say sardonically. Malfoy twists his mouth and averts his eyes.

"Why didn't you just tell me? I could have helped you, Malfoy!" I explain.

"Didn't you hear what Dumbledore said?" Malfoy yells, throwing his arms out in exacerbation.

"It wasn't real, Granger. He made it up to fuck with my head. Didn't you get that? Are you that stupid to think it was actually real?" Malfoy argues.

"What are you even trying to achieve here? Did you not see what I almost did up there? Why are you even talking to me?" He asks curiously and it's a good question. What am I even doing talking to someone who would be capable of that?

"Because I want to hear you say it," I clarify.

"I am," he argues.

"No, I want to hear the Malfoy I knew to tell me what happened. Not this person. Because I never knew this person," I say.

"Oh, but you did. This was the person you knew more than the other version. This was the person I was for the first 5 years of being in this shithole," Malfoy says his voice rising.

"No, it wasn't. That was a different person too. Definitely not capable of that." Malfoy huffs in response.

"Is the person I knew gone?" I question solemnly. Malfoy allows the question to sit in the air for a moment before nodding his head in agreement.

"Look at me when you say it," I argue. Malfoy drags his eyes away from his shoes and looks at me.

"Go back to your dormitory Granger and hide. That person you knew is long gone." He says convincedly. I bit my bottom lip and nod my head slowly a couple of times before smiling dejectedly.

"Okay," I say. Malfoy looks a little shocked at my acceptance. I knew he had expected me to argue but if the person I knew is gone then where is the argument.

"I don't want to argue with a stranger," I declare. Malfoys eyes close for a moment and when he opens them again I see exactly that. A stranger. I smile softly at him because I can't stop my face.

More sounds of smashing and screaming fill the Great Hall and amongst the chaos of noise and shouting we stare at each other for just a split second. Perhaps at this moment if things had been different we could have shared words with our eyes but his remain closed off and I think mine might be too.

"Goodbye, Draco," I say softly. I take three steps backwards, looking at his face for the last time.

I commit it to memory and I turn my back on the first boy I truly loved.

I don't follow anymore.