Draco Malfoy and the Last Year

Level 2.12: The Last Dance

The hardest part of the whole plan was keeping Pansy unaware that a war was being staged around her. Draco rotated out different students to keep her distracted during the Slytherins' training sessions. Jonathan had been roped into taking her to the leaving dance. His spirit had been broken after the last Quidditch match. Draco made it a point to remind him that he still had the next year to look forward, and there would be no Potter to worry about. This did little to cheer him up. Draco felt a tad sorry for Pansy, as she endured long whines from Jonathan about how he was going to have to completely rebuild the team. She was pretending not to mind.

They made a particularly large fuss over the May birthdays. Draco even parted with a couple of galleons to buy Pansy a present. His theory was that she would be less suspicious when kept happy, and it seemed to be working.

Hermione was still sticking to her insistence that everything between them remain platonic. She seemed to have decided to be his patron in the D.A., as though it was her job to keep an eye on him and see that he behaved. Draco did not mind too much. It was rewarding just to work beside her, practice defense, or study for Ancient Runes. She still resisted laughing at his attempts at humor, but her resistance was fading bit by bit. Draco did not know exactly where this thing with Hermione was headed, if anywhere, but right now, they were in a good place.

Potter had even managed to stop glaring every time he came with three feet of her. Though Draco wondered if this was more because Potter could not spare the energy than a sign of acceptance. Draco had been so buried in his own burdens that it had been a bit of an eye opener to realize how much was on Potter's shoulders.

His respect for Harry had been building steadily as he watched him delegate and strategize. Draco had done his best to help with the planning and preparations, attempting to take a little of the weight that Potter carried around with him. They were far from being best friends. It might be a bit of stretch to call them friends at all, but they had become allies.

Weasley held his tongue during meetings, but it was still clear he neither liked nor trusted Draco. Draco decided that it was best to get used to some general disapproval. His friends might be willing to fight Voldemort, but any mention of Hermione made them cringe. It was probably helping his credibility that she was keeping him at arm's distance. Some of them were chaffing under having Potter as a leader, so Draco was careful to phrase things so that it sounded as though they were working with Harry rather than under him.

Crabbe and Goyle who had little aptitude for research or strategy spent most of their time practice dueling with other students. They had each managed to master the corporeal Patronus, a bear and an ox. Normally this would have driven Draco to distraction. He had improved, but a large shield was still the best that he could do. For some reason, though, it did not bother him. They were preparing for war, but not since his early childhood had Draco felt his mind more at peace.

It turned out that Potter, unlike Professor McGonagall, had been impressed by Draco's idea of creating a door that still kept the look of the wall. Potter had chosen Classroom Eleven as the place he would try to lure Voldemort for a private duel, because it was on the ground floor and the trees offered places for Harry to hide while Kagome created a distraction. Harry wanted Draco to create doors in the walls to the adjoining classroom. Potter had every intention of fighting Voldemort to the death this time around, but he had seen the wisdom of providing himself with an escape route or two if things went wrong. At least he had after Hermione spent ten minutes arguing with him about it.

Draco took Blaise and Indigo with him to help make the modifications to Classroom Eleven. Blaise and Indigo set about transfiguring the doors while Draco hid the invisible box with the Marauders Map in the far corner. Had circumstances been different and the time earlier in his school career Draco would have been extremely tempted to nick it, but he decided he should show Harry as much trust as Potter had shown him.

When they were finished, Draco returned to the Great Hall to help the other prefects set up for the dance.

Hermione was already there, along with the rest of the prefects. Draco wanted to speak with her and finalize their plans to meet, but he was intercepted. "You're late," Pansy sniffed and dumped a load of garland into his arms.

"Fashionably so?" Draco asked, attempting to keep things light, though he was miffed at her for blocking him.

"Hardly," Pansy said coldly. "Not that it matters, these are the ugliest decoration I've ever seen for a school dance." She shot an acid look at Harry and Parvati. "You would think a Patil would have better taste."

Pity Granger isn't head girl then, isn't it? Draco as tempted to say but stopped himself. "Well, I'm sure you could have done better, but not everyone has your natural aptitude for these things." He added in a low whispered. "Can't expect Potter was any help to Padma. You've seen how he dresses."

Pansy smirked in spite herself. "But honestly!" she said dramatically and reminded Draco of his desire to get to Hermione. "Forget-me-nots centerpieces. Couldn't we have managed lilies or roses, or something elegant?"

"Well they're symbolic aren't they?" Draco said in a dryly-sarcastic tone. "School memories and all that."

Pansy tutted and dragged Draco toward the wall by the garland. "I'm fond of green and all," Pansy said as she helped him unravel the mass, but if I were in charge, I would arrange for a bit more color." She gave Draco an eyelash hooded look and spoke more wistfully. "Do you remember the Yule Ball?"

Draco nodded. Hermione had worn the prettiest blue dress. It had made Draco strangely angry to look at her, not simply because she was on Krum's arm. That had shocked him. The fact that Hermione was pretty had seemed like such a private thing before that, a secret of which only he was aware. He had been annoyed for it to come out where everyone could see. He wondered if she would wear blue again this year. Surely she would have outgrown that particular dress.

"It was so beautiful," Pansy continued. "Everything glistened." She sighed. "The trouble with these decorations is there's no clear theme to them."

Yes, there is, Draco thought, but again held his tongue. To his dismay, Hermione was heading for the door. He want to race out and catch her, but he knew it was more important to keep Pansy distracted. "Sure there is," he said in an undertone. "They're all very dull."

Pansy laughed. "They need roses everywhere. Laced through the garlands. That would make them pretty. Do you remember the rose garden at the Yule Ball?" she asked slyly. Draco did. He had kissed her there. Even managed to forget Hermione for the rest of the evening. "We could transfigure these," she suggested.

"Best to leave them," Draco said.

Pansy sighed. She and Draco used their wands to levitate the Garland up and sticking charms to adhere it to the wall. "Jonathan's been bragging about taking you tonight," Draco lied.

Pansy looked pleased at this. "Well, we've gotten rather fond of each other," she lied back. "Though we're really just going as friends. We think it would be unfair to each other to form any sort of commitment with me leaving school in a week. Still, I have the entire summer to lose my resolve." She snuck a look at Draco, trying to find some sign of jealousy.

Draco could not resist. "See that's the nice thing about me and Hermione, both of age and out of school soon. Plenty of time to let things develop at a healthy pace."

Pansy flushed. "I hope you invite me over when you take her to meet your parents," she said in a clipped tone. Draco hated the fact her comment had managed to cut him. He had been doing his best to push his parents out of his mind. "Where is Granger anyway?" she asked, finally taking note of Hermione's absence.

Draco shrugged, not wanted to speak to Pansy anymore.

"I think she went to get ready," a fifth year prefect volunteered. "You could too if you like."

Pansy shook her head with an air of noble sacrifice. "My hair doesn't need that much work to make it manageable. I'm sure Granger needs that extra time. Otherwise it would be incredibly common of her to skive off her prefect duties, but then you know how some seventh years can get towards the end."

The fifth year laughed. "Don't worry about it, Pansy. We're nearly done. This is your special night. It's okay to take a little extra time."

"Well, if you're sure," Pansy said, clearly tempted by the prospect of getting away early.

"It will be all right," the fifth year assured her. "I don't have to get ready, so I'll handle your part."

Pansy beamed a smile at her. "Well, if you insist." Pansy left just as Persephone came in.

"Would you help me with Kagome?" she asked Draco. "I've got her in the trunk already," she added quickly when she saw his expression. "But I'm not sure where to put her."

"I'll help you," Draco said, because the fifth year looked curious. Only a few members of the D.A. knew about that part of the plan. He walked Persephone out of the Great Hall and down to the dungeon where Kagome was waiting. They had to pass through the corridor where Draco had seen the boggart appear as Lord Voldemort. The Gryffindors had been good not to tell everyone about that. Maybe Hermione had been holding out hope for him even then.

"We can store her under the refreshment table. The tablecloth will cover her."

He cast a feather light charm on the trunk, and he and Persephone carried it between them back up to the Great Hall.

"Is that what I think it is?" Potter asked them quietly.

Draco smiled, feeling almost fond of Harry at the moment. "Yeah, it's our little surprise for Uncle Tom."

"Are the rooms ready?" Potter asked. Draco thought he sounded a bit anxious, but he could hardly blame Harry for that.

"Yup, all three of them. We made all the modifications you asked for."

"Where's the box?"

"Classroom Eleven, north corner."

Draco thought he saw the muscles in Harry's throat constrict. Potter was not anxious. He was scared. Draco could not blame him for that either.

"It looks like they're nearly done. Why don't you go get yourself ready, Harry?" Persephone suggested.

"What about you?"

"We're gonna stash this under the refreshment table, then I'm heading back to the dorm," Persephone said lightly. "It's gonna be murder finding a free sink in the girls' bathroom."

"Right, well, I guess I could go ahead and change."

"I'll see you at the dance, Harry," Persephone said.

Harry turned to leave, and Draco realized he might never see him again. "Hey, Potter," he called. "Good luck, Potter." Harry did not turn around or even break stride, but he waved to show he had heard.

****************

Draco and Persephone slid Kagome's trunk into place and hurried downstairs to the Slytherin dungeon. Draco showered quickly, and then attacked his nails until none of the cuticles offended. He had trimmed his hair a week in advance, so that it would look neat but not too freshly cut. He had shaved that morning but checked his jaw for any persistent stubble. He brushed his teeth, charming away anything stuck in the spaces between and tested his breath until he was sure it smelled of mint. He applied lotion potion to any part of him that betrayed a hint of roughness. He dabbed on a light cologne onto his collar bone.

His dress robes fit him well. Daphne had been right about the lines and color flattering him. He charmed away anything resembling a wrinkle and brushed his hair again. His shoes were freshly polished, so was the ring his grandfather had given him. He studied himself in front of the mirror, hunting for any imperfections.

Maybe he should have worn black. Silver was a tad garish. Or was it simply sophisticated? Daring? His mother could be trusted to know what appealed to the fairer sex, couldn't she? Then again, Hermione was not remotely like his mother. Draco glanced at the time and felt a surge of panic.

Behind him, Blaise was quietly adjusting his collar. Draco straightened himself, determined to portray an air of confidence. Blaise walked out, and Draco knew he should follow. He started to and realized he had forgotten his wand. He rushed back into the room and slipped it into the robe's clever wand pocket, which was nearly invisible beside the stitch work. He straightened himself before the mirror again and knocked a few wayward hairs back into place.

The other Slytherins were getting their robes charmed in the dormitories to avoid unwanted notice, so the common room was devoted to the waiting halves of couples. Pansy was wearing red dress robes and hanging on Jonathan's arm. Draco was a little surprised to see Blaise milling nearby, until Indigo came to join them. Her hair was pulled up into an aritistic mass of black curls with reddish brown highlights. Like Pansy, she wore red but with a more purplish hue. In all, a nice effect. Zabini certainly seemed to think so. Indigo linked her arm in Blaise's, and Draco watched the four of them walk out.

"They make a cute couple, don't they?" Daphne said as she slid up next to him.

"Pansy and Jonathan or Indigo and Blaise?"

Daphne shrugged. She was wrapped in the green dress with the crinkle texture that she had bragged about ever so many months ago. Her hair was a curious mix of brown and blonde. Her nails were immaculate and her jewelry subdued. She gave off an air of adult sophistication as though she planned to chaperon the dance rather than attend.

"Who are you taking?" Draco asked.

Daphne scoffed. "I told you I'm only going because I like seeing everyone in their dress robes." She fingered Draco's collar appreciatively. "You won't let Granger put too many crinkles in them will you?"

Draco gave a dry laugh, wishing that was his biggest concern. "Daphne, do you have your wand?"

"I could get it," she said, looking at him curiously.

Draco nodded. "Get it and stay close to Pansy, okay?"

Daphne frowned. "Is something going to happen?"

"I don't know," Draco admitted. "But if it does, I want you to stick with her and keep her safe."

Daphne seemed to decide it was better not to ask questions, but she nodded somberly and walked back up to her dorm.

Draco decided that was the best he could do for Pansy. He tried to push her from his mind and focus on finding Hermione.

****************

She was not in the entry so Draco looked for her in the Great Hall. He had managed to be a little early. The band was just finishing their setup and were testing their instruments. Hermione was not in the Great Hall either, and Draco felt a surge of disappointment. Where had she slipped off? And where was Weasley for that matter? Draco pushed the disturbing thought out of his mind. He was early. She was probably busy primping. Weasley was off sulking. They certainly were not together. She was not the sort of girl to do that to him.

He spotted Potter standing by the stage, talking to a band member. Potter was wearing black, which made Draco glad that he was not. It would have felt too much like a uniform. Had times been different, he would have offered Harry the use of his comb, but he settled for tsking silently and wondering if his own hair was too neat. Maybe he should ruffle it a bit to give it a wind swept look. Draco shook his head to clear it. Relax, you nutter. She's just a girl.

"Hey, Potter, have you seen Hermione?"

"Not recently," Harry said, giving Draco's robes an appreciative grimace. Draco decided that was a good sign.

"She was supposed to meet me here," he said, testing to see if she had suggested anything different or more specific to Harry. Hermione's words on the subject had been rather vague. No, you don't have to pick me up at the tower. I'll come down and meet you right before the dance starts.

"It's early," Harry pointed out as Draco searched the room again. "Where's Persephone?"

Draco shrugged. "Probably still fixing her hair." That was certain to be a monumental task.

"So, are you gonna introduce me to your friend, Harry? Or am I just here for ornamental purposes?" a lilting Cockney accent drew Draco's attention to the young woman with shockingly pink hair. A little too old to be a student, the instrument around her neck identified her as a band member. Draco's eyes raked the stage. He did not recognize any of these people.

His eyes finished their search just in time to be puzzled by the wicked grin spreading across Potter's face. "Draco Malfoy, this is your cousin Nymphadora Tonks."

"Don't call me Nymph--" the woman stopped in mid rebuke. "Who'd you say he is?" She looked just as surprised as Draco felt.

"Draco Malfoy. He's your first cousin right?" Potter continued cheerfully.

"We've never met," Draco said stiffly. He wanted to find Hermione, not have estranged relatives thrown at him.

Nymphadora did not seem too excited by the meeting either. "Decide he was alright, did we?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "He's with us." Draco was not sure whether to be annoyed that they were talking like he was not there or touched that Potter so firmly included him.

"Wotcher, cous," his stranger relative said and stuck out her hand. Draco stretched out his own hand reluctantly. It was her hair that was putting him off. He had never been a fan of unnatural colors.

"Tonks is an Auror," Harry explained.

"You're kidding," Draco said. The pink hair could not be good for vanishing in a crowd.

"What's that 'spose to mean?" Tonks demanded, pulling her hand back and placing it on her hip.

"Nothing," Draco amended quickly. He was not trying to be rude. He was distracted, and the situation had caught him unawares. "You just expect Aurors to be a bit more..."

"A bit more what?" Her tone was starting to get dangerous.

"Well, I'll leave you two to get acquainted," Potter beamed at them and hurried off before either could object.

"A bit more what?" the pink hair repeated.

Draco finished shooting an accusatory look at the back of Potter's retreating head and schooled his features into something more neutral. "It's just the only Auror we've had much experience with is Moody and you don't seem anything like him."

Tonks grinned, but her eyes were narrow. "Mad-eye's one of a kind."

"Oh," Draco said, trying to sound interested, but he wanted to get back to looking for Hermione. "I'll keep that in mind."

"This your last year?" his cousin forced conversation. Draco nodded. "You ever think about becoming an Auror?"

"I-," Draco paused. Without his inheritance, it was going to be far more urgent that he find employment after Hogwarts. He had not been letting himself think that far, and it was a tad embarrassing not to have a better answer in regards to what he planned to do with himself. "Maybe, when I was ten," he admitted. "Not recently, no."

"Well, it's not for everyone," Tonks said. "But it's not boring. Not all the time."

"So you just play school dances on the side?"

"Something like that."

Just to have something to say in the awkward silence, Draco added, "I write lyrics sometimes."

His cousin finally gave him a genuine smile. "You'll have to show me some time."

Draco felt his throat tighten. All this talk like they were as likely to come through tonight as any other night was making him anxious. He made a noncommittal noise. "I have to--have to go find my date."

Tonks made her own disbelieving noise. "G'on." Draco cringed. "So who's the lucky girl?"

"Hermione Granger," Draco said softly, as though he might break the spell if he spoke her name too loud. It sounded nice and unreal all at once.

Tonks gave him an unflattering look that made Draco feel suddenly very young. "Never thought Hermione would...Never thought you for that matter."

"Hey, Tonks, stop flirtin' and start playin'," one of the band members called out.

"I'm not flirting. He's my cousin," Tonks shouted back. "Oy, look me up when you get out," she told Draco before trudging over to join the other band members.

Draco thought Cockney should be made illegal, but he nodded all the same. The Great Hall was filling with students. The band began playing some tolerably pleasant music.

Draco watched the doors, hoping Hermione would enter. Weasley had appeared. Draco was glad to see him clutching Loony's hand rather than Hermione's, but at the same time it amplified his concern over where she could be.

Mainly to give himself something to do, he filled a punch cup. He was migrating back toward the door when Alice entered in a light blue dress on the arm of a brown haired sixth year wearing royal blue. The boy detached himself to make his own pass at the refreshment table, and Draco took the opportunity to tease Alice.

"You're here with Nicholas Horne?"

Alice answered in a fast, defensive, and very quiet voice. "He's cute, and he asked me, and I don't want to hear it. It's just a stupid dance, and we're all going to die anyway, so I don't see what it matters."

Draco took his third cousin by her shoulders and told her in an equally soft but much calmer whisper. "Alice, we're not all going to die. Voldemort might not even come. And if he does, Potter will defeat him just like always."

"Do you really think Potter can do it?"

"Yes, I do. More than that, I think we can do it. So just relax, take a deep breath, and go enjoy your dance."

Draco knew Alice was truly frightened because she hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders before sending her off after Nicholas.

It seemed like everyone had a partner except him, Draco thought as he nursed his punch. And Potter. Draco considered joining Harry for a moment, but if Ginny Weasley could not get Potter to dance, Draco doubted he wanted his company.

A few minutes after she finished speaking to Harry, Ginny had her arms around Dean Thomas on the dance floor. Draco watched them enviously. He had never understood the appeal of redheads, but it was clear that Dean did. Ginny's radiant smile was outshining her freckles. Draco had to admit she was rather pretty...for a Weasley.

Even Eloise Midgen had fought down her acne, and Crabbe was engaging her in conversation. Draco would have applauded him if he was not preoccupied by his own lack of a conversational partner. People were giving him curious or even sympathetic looks. Where was Hermione?

Draco was wondering if he should try calling her on the mirror tucked away in his other pocket. He had gotten to help Hermione on that project in the end. They had networked together twenty four mirrors (one for each of the prefects excepting Pansy and adding Potter) using a variation on the Protean Charm. All he had to do was speak her name into it. But they were only supposed to use those mirrors when necessary. The magic on them had its limits, and it was important to keep their existence secret from the Death Eaters. The last thing he wanted tonight was to give Hermione a reason to be disappointed in him.

He was biting back his tenth sigh when he finally spotted her making her way through the crowd. He smiled. She was dressed in green, soft and elegant. Her hair was not sleeked down but full and bushy as ever. A simple locket graced her neck. Draco doubted it was real silver. Knowing Hermione it was probably holding a small dose of some potentially useful powder or potion.

"I'm sorry I'm late," she said briskly as though to stave of criticism.

"I was starting to think you stood me up," Draco admitted, sounding far more nervous and relieved than he had intended.

"I had to convinced the house-elves to let us put potions in the refreshments," she explained. "They were very skeptical at first, but Dobby helped me--what?"

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Hermione said doubtfully. "I didn't have time to do anything with my hair."

"I like your hair," Draco said. He did something he had never dared before and touched it. He took a handful of the soft mass and felt Hermione stiffen. Her surprised expression was tinged with fear. Not that he would hurt her, Draco was pretty certain that Hermione knew by now he had no intention of hurting her, but that her perfect resolve might slip, that she might let him let him through her armor if he kept this up, that she might be starting to feel the same attraction for him that he did for her.

Draco thought he could have spent the entire evening with his fingers tangled in Hermione's hair and consider the time well spent, but he did not want to lose his advantage. "Do you want to dance?" he asked. He disengaged his hand from her hair and held it out for her to take.

Hermione looked at it uncertainly. Draco pretending not to notice as her own hand went to her stomach. "I brought gloves, if you need them," he said lightly.

Hermione flushed and sounded embarrassed. "No, no, I don't need them." She put her hand on his. Draco did not betray the rush he received at her touch, though he thought her hand in his would not be a bad way to spend the evening either. He laced his fingers with hers and lead her towards the dance floor.

They were intercepted by Pansy. "Oh, hello, Granger," she said sweetly. "I was starting to wonder if you had decided not to come. Draco would have been ever so disappointed."

"What do you want, Pansy?" Draco asked coldly.

"Nothing," Pansy said. "I just thought it was time to let bygones be bygones. In retrospect, I can understand why Draco felt a need to hide his interest in you, but really, he was silly to think his friends wouldn't support him. We're all very attached to him. And he if thinks you're all right, then so do we."

Hermione was nonplussed, but she tried to force a smile. "Um..."

Pansy's eyes fell on the punch cup in Draco's other hand. He had been looking for a place to set it down. "Now, Draco, don't tell me you're neglecting your date. Here--" She held out one of the punch cups in her hand to Hermione. "I've lost Jonathan for the moment, but he's a big boy and can get his own. You should try it. It's very good punch."

Hermione accepted the drink. "Thanks."

Pansy smiled broadly. "Well, I best go find him. You both have a lovely time."

There was a moment of stunned silence after Pansy slipped off before Draco caught Hermione's eye. "You're not actually going to drink that, are you?"

Hermione smirked and cocked her eyebrow. "I thought we'd agreed that I'm not stupid," she said and dumped the contents into the bowl of a nearby the centerpiece. They left their empty cups on the table and moved to the dance floor.

"Where do you think Jonathan is?" Draco asked, silently thrilling that he had managed to keep hold of Hermione's hand.

"Probably hiding," said Hermione.

Draco chuckled as he placed a hand on Hermione's back. Her smile faltered, and she stiffened again, going oddly quiet. Draco repositioned their fingers so their hands were clasped lightly. He smiled genuinely now. This was something he could do well. Hermione was not bad, but he was clearly the stronger of the pair. She was making no effort to compete though and simply let him lead. She relaxed gradually and even smiled after the first song. The next song was faster. Draco tried trickier step work, but Hermione kept up.

This was bliss.

He was holding her, her hand in his, her hair gracing the knuckles of his other hand, and she was smiling, genuinely smiling now, as he lead her through a turn. Her eyes were on him and for these few, precious minutes he had her full attention.

A slower song followed, and Draco was more than...happy was not the right word. He was not unhappy. He was hyper aware. He had changed to more simple footwork and closed the distance between himself and Hermione. She did not protest. Her fingers had slid up his shoulder to lightly touch his neck. His eyes explored her features ever so much closer than normal. Hermione was looking at him differently. He could not be imagining it. She was watching him, dropping her eyes to his neck demurely now and again but her gaze crept back up to his face.

The song ended. Other couples broke apart to applaud the band, but Draco did not release Hermione. She did not push away. He did release her hand, bringing his own up to touch her hair on the pretense of pushing back wayward strands. The music started again, but they stayed still. He closed the distance between them slowly, titling his head, testing. She stayed frozen, her hand resting lightly on his elbow.

His pulse was alarmingly fast, and he seemed to have forgotten how to breath. His peripheral vision had gone fuzzy, and the music sounded like it was being played three rooms away. Two inches, an inch and a half.

"Don't," Hermione breathed.

Draco paused, confused. Then he felt a flush of anger. Hermione's eyes were on his mouth. Her lips parted beseechingly. His hand on her back told his she was breathing more deeply and quickly than necessary. Why would her words tell him one thing and her body another? It was not fair. It was cruel. He should ignore her weak protest and kiss her anyway. She would probably like it if she let him. She would have no right to be angry with him after leading him on. The stupid mudblood...

Draco shut his eyes against himself. She was asking him, requesting. Did he need her to beg? He had to decide if he was a prince or a dragon.

"I'm sorry," he said, stepping back to give her breathing room. He had promised her this was just a dance after all.

Hermione nodded, looking embarrassed but grateful, and not angry. Draco fought back the protests of his body and offered her his hand. He indicated the dance floor, and she silently took his hand, allowing him to lead her back to it. I'm a prince, he told her silently.

It was nice just dancing after all. And what had he told Pansy? This was not necessarily the end. They were leaving school, but that was just the beginning of a whole new life. Maybe not kissing Hermione today meant she would be a part of his life tomorrow.

Provided they survived the night.

There was a murmur breaking out among the dancers. "He's coming!"

Draco and Hermione froze, for a few seconds they stood with their hands linked, looking around before they snapped into action.

Hermione raised her voice above the murmur. "Everyone get into your Houses. He's coming!"

Draco decided to lead by example and pulled out his wand. He used it to point at individuals and direct them towards their positions. The dancers moved slowly at first as though waking from a dream, but Draco had to admire how silently and efficiently most of the students were falling into place. He saw Laurel and Nott embrace before breaking apart to take their positions. He wished he had thought to hug Hermione, but no time now. He would have to hope for a chance later.

"Clear the stage!" Potter shouted. "Tonks, clear the stage! Get everyone away from the windows!"

Draco admired how quickly and decisively his cousin reacted. She had the band off the stage in a matter of seconds. The silence of the students was not a natural reaction of course. They had been drilled to be quiet so they could hear instructions.

Potter's magically amplified voice sounded across the room. "Space out so your wand's not pointed directly at anyone's back."

Draco saw Daphne grab Pansy around the waist. Daphne's wand was out and her face was serious, the magnitude of the situation must have settled upon her. Jonathan had reappeared and was quietly indicating that the girls find a place along the wall. Pansy, apparently wandless, was wide-eyed and uncomprehending, but Daphne pulled her towards the wall. "What's happening?" Pansy whimpered. Daphne held her firmly but protectively and whispered a response.

Draco had worked his way towards the front of the Slytherin column, he checked to see that the students were properly spaced behind him. He spotted Victoria as she slipped into the Great Hall and stood with the older Slytherins. He shot her a reproachful look but decided it was all for the best.

"Get ready," Potter called, and Draco turned to face the windows. "REICIO!"

Draco and the other prefects echoed Potter, creating a shield that should protect them from physical objects. It was put to the test a second later. The windows of the Great Hall shattered, pelting the shield with lethal looking glass shards. Some of the students lost their resolve and let out screams, but the shield held.

Six Death Eaters flew through the glassless windows. They set down amidst the unnatural silence that followed. Draco felt his lip twitch as he imagined their confusion.

"ONE!"

The count had been an ingenious little idea. The prefects had worked out the spell combinations together. By Hermione's insistence each house was ignorant of the spells the other houses were using. The Slytherins had the honor of delivering the first round of stunners. The Draco was pleased to see four of the Death Eaters drop. The Ravenclaws shot disarming spells, and the Gryffindors in the middle column cast another round of shielding charms, this one to guard against spells.

Unfortunately, the shields were not as effective as they may have hoped. One of the Ravenclaws, maybe Michael Corner, was knocked down by a spell one of the Death Eaters had managed to get off.

"TWO!"

"RICTO SEMPRA!" "EXPELIARMUS!" "STUPEFY!"

"THREE!"

A third barrage knocked out the last of the first six Death Eaters. Before anyone could feel cocky, five more entered to replace them.

"FOUR!"

Draco recognized Lord Voldemort as the center of this new group. He did not feel the same rush of fear that he had on Halloween, though. He was not alone now. He was ready.

"RETREAT!"

Draco grimaced. They had drilled up through seven numbered spells, and he would have liked to go through the whole list. The retreat had been planned as well though, and it was an impressive sight. Draco's Patronus still did not have the good grace to be corporeal, but he had to admit that Goyle's ox was bloody impressive and Granger's otter irreverently adorable. The sight of it scampering around Lord Voldemort's feet was oddly satisfying.

Draco doubted the Dark Lord took any notice. The teachers had entered the fray now, as the students began bottle necking at the doors of the Great Hall. Voldemort had obviously surrounded himself with his best duelists. They were targeting the teachers first and ignoring the students. Voldemort's eyes were only for Harry, but as he raised his wand, Myrtle flew in his face and began raging at him. Draco watched Harry disappear under the invisibility cloak.

Voldemort sent Myrtle flying and took a step forward. Draco held his breath. Good, good, he thought. Follow Harry.

Voldemort paused however, eyeing the sea of students distastefully. He slashed his wand through the air. A hundred knives appeared and launched themselves at the students that had been trapped by the bottleneck. A booming "REICIO!" rang through the air. It was Snape. The Death Eaters had ignored him, probably assuming that he was a student, but the school enchantments amplified Snape's spell a hundred fold, creating a barrier that blocked the deadly projectiles.

Draco shot a few Reductor Curses at the fallen knives, so they could not be used again. Voldemort, angry that he had failed, sent out another barrage. Draco joined Snape in casting the shield this time. It was mostly effective, but Snape had been off just enough to let a few slip through. Pansy and Daphne scream as a knife narrowly missed their heads. Severus was not so lucky. To Draco's horror, he took a knife in the gut and was hurled back by the force of it.

Satisfied, that he had finally made his point, Voldemort strode forward with a look that dared anyone else to stand against him. "Get out of his way!" Draco screamed at the students blocking the door. They scrambled to comply, and Voldemort chose to ignore them as he passed.

Draco hurried to Snape's side as Voldemort passed out of the room and looked around wildly. "Longbottom!" he screamed catching sight of Neville. Neville wheeled around and ran over. "Help him!" Draco pleaded, cursing himself for not attending one of Pomfrey's sessions. He had been so busy.

Neville was just kneeling down to tend to Snape when a manticore burst out from beneath the refreshment table. Everyone remaining in the room screamed, except perhaps Snape, whose eyes were shut against the pain, and Draco, who knew that the manticore was Kagome. The manticore however tore out of the room after Voldemort. No one tried to stop it.

"Breath," Draco told Neville, who looked like he might hyperventilate. "It's on our side." Neville gave Draco an astounded look. "You have to help him." Neville looked back down at Snape and composed himself. He worked quickly. Using magic to remove the knife and conjuring bandages to staunch the blood flow.

"He's going to need more than I can do," Neville said grimly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial. "Give him this. It will help."

Draco took the vial. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Persephone crawl out from under the refreshment table. It had been her job to release Kagome at the right time. Her eyes widened with horror when she caught sight of Snape, and she scrambled over to kneel with them on the floor.

"Here, give him this," Draco said, handing Persephone the vial.

Persephone took it and nudged around to lift Snape's head. "Severus, you have to drink this." She lifted the vial to Snape's lips. He grunted with the movement but managed to swallow. Longbottom leapt to his feet, his wand pointed at the windows. Draco turned his head and realized more Death Eaters had entered. The teachers and a few students were engaging them, but one of them had slipped past and was stalking towards them. The Death Eater knocked Neville back with a stunner. He turned his wand on Draco, but by that time, Draco was on his feet and had his wand leveled.

"Lower your wand," the Death Eater ordered him smoothly, almost gently. Even before he had pulled back his mask, Draco knew he was facing his father.

"No," Draco said with enough resolve to surprise himself.

"We don't have time to play games, Draco," Lucius said as he closed the distance between them.

"I'm not playing," Draco said, and Lucius stopped short.

His father's grey eyes flickered briefly across the Great Hall and back to Draco, putting the pieces together. "This was a trap?" Draco said nothing, and his father's face grew angry. He spoke in glacial tones. "You've betrayed us."

"No, father. You betrayed me."

His father stared at him nonplussed.

"You brought him into our lives! Our home!"

The anger was gone now. There was the faintest hint of regret in his father's eyes, but Draco did not think it was enough to make him change. "I did what I thought was best," he said coolly.

"So did I."

There were only a few feet between them, but Draco felt as though he was staring at his father across a great void. It might be easier if he could hate his father, because he could not. He loved his father. He wanted to believe his father loved him. But he could not support what his father was doing anymore. He hated the mask and the robes and the tattoo and all the other things binding his father to Voldemort. But those things were not his father, those were things holding his father prisoner.

He wanted to tell Lucius this, but he did not think he would be able to make him understand. His wand hand was trembling.

"I don't have time for this--"

"Lucius!" Persephone's cry interrupted him.

Lucius finally became aware of the two figures on the floor. "Persephone?" Draco vaguely realized how surreal a moment it had to be for his father. These two ghosts of his youth staring back up at him. Persephone's tearful silver eyes were holding back volumes. Snape's eyes were narrowed and distrustful but curious. Draco realized they were providing him with the perfect distraction.

"Stupe-"

But Lucius was too alert. He turned back to Draco, swiftly casting the counter curse.

"Petrificus Totalis!" Persephone's spell hit Lucius in the back. Draco watched his father fall to the ground. He stunned him to make sure he was out of the fight. Snape's eyes had closed. Persephone laid his head down gently. She exchanged looks with Draco, and he could tell she had the same idea that she did.

Using a combination of levitation and old-fashioned heaving, they stashed Lucius in the trunk that had held Persephone. Draco added an enchanted sleep to the stun, and they locked trunk magically. Draco hoped this meant Lucius was effectively out of the fight and out of harms way. As a last measure, he snapped his father's wand into three pieces and stuffed them into his pocket.

The Great Hall had thinned considerably by the time they were done. Between the Death Eaters, the teachers, and the students, there were less than twenty left fighting. Most had fled. A few like Neville, lay unconscious on the floor.

Draco ennervated Neville, who rolled woozily onto his side, then returned his attention back to Snape. "Is he conscious?"

"Unfortunately," Snape muttered, opening his eyes.

"We have to get him to the hospital wing," Persephone said. Draco knew better than to argue with her. He helped her get Snape to his feet. Snape hung on their shoulders, but the potion must have done its work because his legs held.

"Oh, no," Longbottom moaned behind them. Draco did not have to look up to know what was coming this time. The cold chill that heralded a dementor was creeping into his bones. The broken window allowed the living nightmares to swoop inside. Draco felt as though an icy fist was clenching his heart. Snape tensed and jerked his arm off Draco's shoulder.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Snape shouted. A fully formed Patronus, amplified by the school magic that still recognized Snape as a professor burst from his wand and swooped down on the dementors. It beat them back, chasing them through the window and out into the night.

With the dementors gone, Draco was able to let a smile tug at his lips. "Was that a butterfly?" Draco asked Snape innocently, and Snape glared at him. Draco turned away to hide a broader smile. The thing had been gigantic, but the form was unmistakable. He turned back to find Persephone looking up at Snape with pure delight and admiration and Snape blushing furiously.

The two remaining Death Eaters had jumped on their brooms when the dementors fled. Flitwick and the Muggle Studies Professor borrowed brooms from the unconscious Death Eaters and tore after them. Professor Sinistra had a bad limp, and Firenze was helping her towards the door. Longbottom went to intercept them. "We're using the hospital wing as a fall back point," he explained.

Sinistra shot them all an accusatory look, but Firenze was indifferent as though the events of the evening were unfortunate but to be expected. "Hospital wing?" Draco suggested.

Firenze nodded. Neville conjured a splint to take the pressure off Sinistra's leg, and the lot of them hobbled out of the Great Hall. There were several students lying in the entry hall. Draco hoped they had simply been stunned.

"Longbottom, you help Professor Sinistra. Firenze, would you try to summon the Ministry?"

"I can manage," Sinistra said irritably. "I'm going to stick with Firenze. He hasn't got a wand. You three get Severus some help." She touched Snape's forehead as though checking for a fever, then turned and stalked off down a hall with Firenze.

"We've got to--for pity's sake, Longbottom!" Draco groaned. Neville was attempting to ennervate some of the students. Two of them were groggily pushing themselves up.

"We can't leave them!" Neville growled as he helped Lavender Brown to her feet.

"They're-" but Draco was cut off, by a small troupe rounding the corner. It was Victoria and a small cloud of sixth year girls.

"We decided to try to hold the Great Hall," Chesann explained.

"I'll help," volunteered the second student that Neville had revived.

Loony of all people came to Draco's aide. "Neville, why don't you and Lavender help them get to the hospital wing. It looks like Professor Snape has lost a lot of blood." Neville seemed less apt to argue with Luna than with Draco.

He and Lavender charged up the marble staircase with their wands drawn. Draco let Persephone lean on the rail as the two of them helped Snape up. Luna was right. Snape did look frighteningly pale, even for him.

They had only gone a little ways when Neville held up a hand for them to stop. "Death Eaters," he mouthed. Draco jabbed his wand at a classroom door, and they all hurried inside. He had no idea how long they would need to hide, so he and Persephone laid Snape out on one of the tables. Persephone smoothed the hair back from his face, one of her hands clenched in his. Neville was giving them a curious look, but Draco indicated that he would do better to watch the door.

Then Draco noticed a pendant on a long chain that had slipped out from under Snape's robes when they laid him back. "What's that?" he asked. Snape did not strike him as the sort to wear jewelry.

"Time Turner," Snape grunted. "McGonagall got it for me, so I'd have time to study for the exams and teach all the classes."

Draco eyed the pendant, his mind slowly clicking out ideas. Snape put his free hand over it protectively and shot Draco a look that said 'Don't think about it'. To remove himself from temptation, Draco walked over to Neville. "Any sign of them?" he whispered.

"No," Neville said. "I think they were going the other way. Towards the hospital wing."

"Lovely."

"Think we ought to just sit tight for a moment?"

"You knew, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me?" Draco heard Snape's voice speaking softly to Persephone.

"I'm sorry," Perspehone murmured back. "Harry had this whole big plan, and it was important the teachers didn't know. I'm such a dolt. I should have told you earlier this evening. Do you forgive me?" She had his hand clutched against her cheek, and Snape uncurled his fingers to touch it with his knuckles.

"Where's Potter?" Snape ask as he coiled his fingers.

"He was going to try to lure Voldemort to Classroom Eleven," Draco supplied.

"Why Classroom Eleven?" Lavender asked.

"He thought the trees would make for good cover."

Snape sat up, inhaling sharply. "There are trees in classroom eleven? Why are there trees?" he asked in a panicked voice.

"Hush, hush. Lay back down," Peresphone pleaded, but Snape would not. "They fixed up that classroom for Firenze. It looks like a lovely bit of forest, nothing sinister. Please lay back down."

"And Potter's there?"

"Hopefully," Draco said, frowning with confusion.

"That idiot," Snape muttered, as he finally let Persephone ease him back onto the table.

"It's okay," she soothed. "He's got a plan." Snape seemed lost in thought. Persephone dropped his hand and joined the group by the door.

"How long do you think we should wait?"

"I don't know. I suppose one of us should go out and check."

"Two of us."

"We may as well all go then."

"Oh bloody--" Draco had turned to check on Snape just in time to see him raise the Time Turner and vanish.

"No!" Persephone cried. She ran to where Snape had been as though she could catch him.

"He vanished," Lavender said, and Draco bit back a sharp retort.

"Suicidal git," he muttered. "When do you think he went? He wouldn't try warning himself, would he?"

Persephone shook her head. "No, he's not that stupid." She looked around wide eyed but did not seem to be taking anything in. "I think I know where he went." She ran to the door and flung it open, before they could stop her.

Draco did manage to grab her arm. "Where-?!"

"You three get to the hospital wing," she ordered. "I have to get Severus."

"I'll come with you."

"No, I'll be fine," Persephone said calmly. "They need you in the hospital wing. Go now. I need to get Severus."

Neville and Lavender decided there was no point standing in the door any longer and started edging towards the next corridor.

"Persephone," Draco growled. "You can't run off by yourself. We have to stick to the plan."

Persephone touched his cheek gently. "You stick to it. You have to understand. Nothing matters to me more than Severus. I can only think of him. You have to think about everyone else. You have to clear the way to the hospital wing."

Draco let her go, knowing it would be useless to argue. "Be careful," he muttered before running after Brown and Longbottom.

****************

Draco, Neville, and Lavender hurried down the corridors towards the hospital wing. They skidded to a halt behind a makeshift barricade barring the hall. Crabbe, Goyle, Millicent, and Indigo were hurling spells at three black robed figures. The barricade was comprised of four suits of armor crouched with their shields held in front of them.

Draco nearly tripped over Blaise who was sprawled out on the floor. Somehow he managed to leap over him. He thrust out his wand and shouted, "ONE!"

The Death Eaters dropped under the unified volley of stunning spells.

"Get their wands," he ordered. Deciding it was worth a shot, he added. "Armor, forward!" To his pleasant surprise, the suits of armor stood and march forward in a line. He shook his head with wonder and looked down at Blaise. "What happened to him?"

"A stunner, I think," Indigo said nervously, crouching over Blaise.

"Ennervate," Draco tried. Blaise twitched only briefly and lay still. Draco grimaced. "Something more than a stunner. We may have to leave him."

Tears sprung into Indigo's eyes.

"We'll come back for him, but we have to secure the hospital wing."

"What if more come?" Indigo whimpered.

"He's pureblood and unconscious. They'll probably leave him alone."

Indigo shook her head. "That's just it. He's a half-blood. If they find him..."

Draco's mind whirred. Trying to drag Blaise along would slow them down, and they might need to run. "Armor, halt! Crabbe, tie up the Death Eaters and take their wands! Wait for us." He pointed to the nearest door. "In there."

He cast a feather light charm on Blaise, and he and Indigo maneuvered him into the room. Not having a lot of options, they stuffed him into a cabinet. Indigo tried to adjust Blaise so that he would be comfortable. Draco closed the doors. It was a decent hiding place.

They ran back into the hall. "Come on," Draco called to the others as he ran past them. "Armor, forward to the hospital wing!" The armor progressed, but it was slow and clunking. They soon left it behind.

Almost there, Draco turned the last corner to the hospital wing and jumped back. Indigo knocked into him, but he managed to stay on his feet. "Sorry," she gasped. Draco motioned for the others to stop. "Four of them," he mouthed. He dug the mirror out of his pocket. "Anastasia Case," he whispered.

Anastasia's face appeared. "Kinda busy, Malfoy," she muttered.

"Where are you?"

"Inside the hospital wing. Got Death Eaters at our door, trying to hold them shut."

"I see them," Draco murmured. "We're just outside. How many do you have in there?"

"Maybe fifteen."

"Any prefects?"

"Just Aaron."

"Okay, in five minutes I want you to open the doors."

"What?!" Draco was glad the Death Eaters were making a fair amount of noise in their attempt to break through the doors.

"Five minutes exactly. Call you back."

Draco ignored further noises of protest and questions of his mental health. "Jules Parson," he tried. A sixth year Hufflepuff replaced Anastasia.

"Here," he huffed.

"Where's here?"

"Um, we got cut off from the hospital wing. We were coming from the north angle. Trying to figure out if we should fight our way through or retreat to the library."

Draco had a pretty good idea where they were. "Can you be back at the hospital wing in two minutes?"

"One if you need us."

"How many of you are there?"

"Eight."

"Perfect. In exactly one minute from now, I want you to you back at the hospital wing, hurling hexes. We're on the other side. We'll try to catch them in a crossfire."

"Right on our way," said Jules.

His reflection vanished, leaving Draco's own. Draco angled the mirror around the corner to check that the Death Eaters were still at it. He mouthed instructions at the others, keeping one eye on his watch. When the minute was up, they charged around the corner. Half of them cast protection spells while the other half slung spells at the Death Eaters.

From the other side of the hall, two seconds behind, Parson and his group rounded the corner with a war cry. Three of the Death Eaters went down quickly. The last one put up a terrific fight. With his back against the hospital wing doors, he managed to send the students' curses back at them, knocking down two and taking a big chunk out of one of the walls. He was just starting to look cocky, when the doors of the hospital wing opened behind him. The barrage of stunners from the fifteen students within knocked him flat.

"Inside! Inside!" Draco ordered, trying to make himself heard over the victory cry of the other students. The approach of clanking footsteps signaled that the armor had finally arrived. Draco had the armor set up guard around the doors. He put about ten students outside the doors with them and left the doors open just enough for a single person to slip through.

A pounding of feet up the stairs, announced the arrival of Weasley, Granger and their party. They seemed to be having something of a running battle. "INCOMING!" Weasley yelled as he topped the stairs. Draco sent the defenders forward. They rushed to the rail and sent spells down at the Death Eaters who had been chasing the Gryffindors.

"They're down!" Crabbe announced to Draco as Hermione's bushy head came in view. Draco ushered the Gryffindors inside, but Hermione clung onto his arm as they passed.

"Where'd the armor come from?" she panted.

"Built in school defense we didn't consider, I think," Draco said. "Gather up the unconscious Death Eaters. Get their wands and tie them up. We'll dump them just outside the door here."

"Mm, you're really enjoying this, aren't you?" Hermione said giving him a shrewd look.

"Oh, yeah," Draco panted. "We should do this every day."

Hermione grinned and went to collect the Death Eaters' wands.

****************

Four Ravenclaws appeared shortly after. They had taken the long way and managed to avoid running into any resistance. Draco was just getting the last of them through the gap when a loud whoop rose from inside the hospital wing.

Draco pushed his way inside in time to hear Weasley announce. "It's Harry. He's fine. He's done it."

"Thank goodness," Hermione said.

"Is that Hermione?" Potter's voice came from Weasley's palm.

"Yeah," Weasley said. "She's here with me. We're at the hospital wing. Where are you?"

"First floor," Potter said. "I'm heading toward the Great Hall."

"We'll come to you." Draco was hoping to catch Hermione's eye and exchange looks, but she was nodding.

Potter seemed to share Draco's view of things. "No, you stay put. You have to hold the hospital wing."

"Malfoy's got it under control," Weasley said, shocking Draco. "We'll meet you at the Great Hall."

"Weasley, don't you--!" But the tall, freckled fellow had pocketed his mirror.

"Potter's right," Draco said, putting himself between Ron, Hermione, and the exit. "We have to hold the hospital wing."

"We've got full confidence in you." "Know you've got it covered." They split to walk around him on either side, making it impossible to block both.

Draco gave up. "Watch yourself!" he called after them.

A few minutes later Potter's voice issued from his own pocket. "Draco Malfoy."

Draco pulled the mirror out. "I'm here. Hospital wing's under control at the moment."

"Persephone's on her way up with Snape," Potter said quickly. "They're under the invisibility cloak, so make sure no one stuns them by mistake."

"Gotcha."

"Check in on all the fifth year perfects for me. Call me back only if one of them is having a problem."

"Right," Draco said. What he had heard earlier was finally sinking in. "Weasley said you got Voldemort. Is it true?"

"It's true," Harry said.

Draco stared at the part of Potter's face visible in the mirror. "Thanks," he said lamely. Potter's face vanished, and Draco decided it was time to make a proper announcement. "HE'S DEAD! VOLDEMORT'S DEAD!" The students cheered. Madam Pomfrey clutched her heart and sat down on one of the beds.

Draco checked on the fifth year prefects. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were sitting tight and waiting. The Gryffindors were only having trouble keeping the younger students in the dorm once they figured out what was going on. Two Death Eaters had managed to break into the Slytherin common room and soon regretted it. Draco did not ask for too many details.

A few more student groups showed up, some of them with injuries. It was lucky that Potter had warned them. Persephone had somehow managed to cover both Snape and herself with Potter's invisibility cloak. They were riding a levitated stretcher, and she seemed to appear out of thin air when she jumped off a few feet from the armor guard. Draco had too many questions to even try to put them into words, so he simply helped her get the unconscious Snape onto a bed.

They exchanged stories while Madam Pomfrey fussed over Snape.

The students by the windows were nervously watching a cloud of dementors pass by. It was too dark to see clearly, but flashes of light from cast spells implied that there was a fair number of wizards fighting on the castle grounds.

Draco tired of listening to the reports of giants and stuck his head back out in the hall. He saw Tonks pink hair round the corner with two serious looking wizards trailing behind her.

"Aurors are coming!" Draco shouted back into the room. As he turned back around, a stunner hit the door just past his head. He gave out a startled yelp. "What the hell?!"

"Dawlish, you idiot! He's on our side."

"What? The Malfoy kid?"

"No, the unconscious Death Eaters at his feet," Tonks said sarcastically. "Yes, the Malfoy kid. You okay, Draco?"

"Yeah, I'm all right."

"Nice work," Tonks complimented them. "Okay kiddies, all of you inside."

The others were grudging, but Draco was all too ready to take a break. He dropped into a chair besides Snape's bed. Persephone was smoothing Snape's hair in a motherly fashion. "You all right?"

"Fine," Draco said wearily.

"What is it?"

"Wondering what's going to happen to my father," he admitted. Draco was trying to fix the image of his mind of Lucius in his Death Eaters robes, coldly watching the murder of Evra Tomes, but it would not stick. He had too many other memories. Memories of his father reading to him, holding him close when he was little, playing Quidditch when he was older, and talking, so many times when they just talked. "It makes me sick to think of him prison."

Persephone swallowed, and he knew she was the only one who would have any sympathy for Lucius. She stroked Snape's hair again and trailed her hand down his neck to the chain that held the Time Turner. Draco twitched. What was she up to? Persephone lifted Snape's head gently and pulled the Time Turner off his neck. She placed it around hers and tucked it away beneath her robes.

"What-?"

"Shh."

Indigo nearly pounced on Draco. "What about Blaise? He's hurt!"

"Er..."

"We'll go fetch him," Persephone said, getting to her feet. "Come on, Draco."

Draco got to his feet. "Just the two of us?"

"We can't fit anymore under the invisibility cloak. Particular not after we have Blaise."

"You will go get him, won't you?" Indigo asked Draco piteously.

"Go distract the Aurors," Draco muttered to her, and Indigo hurried towards the door. Draco took a few quick steps to tell Anastasia, "We're going to fetch Blaise. Think you can hold down the fort?"

Anastasia nodded absently. Her attention was drawn towards the windows.

Indigo was already outside, asking the Aurors nervous questions. Draco and Persephone wrapped the invisibility cloak around them and carefully slipped out into the hall.

When they were a safe distance away, Draco whispered to Persephone. "What are we actually doing?"

"We're going to rescue, Lucius," she whispered back. For some reason Draco was not surprised.

"What about Blaise?"

"That's what the Time Turner is for."

Draco decided not to ask any more questions. He knew what getting caught would mean. Besides the fact Hermione would never speak to him again, he and Persephone might earn their own little spot in Azkaban. Weasley would be delighted, but Draco thought of several others who would not take it so well. The thought of Potter's reaction was the only thing that made him consider giving up the enterprise. But Voldemort was dead. What good was it to free his father from that chain only to lock him in others? Once the dust had settled, they would arrest his mother too. A sick weight settled in Draco's stomach at the thought of her in chains.

They crept into the Great Hall and hid under the table with Lucius's trunk. They waited for a long time, probably hours, before the sounds of battle began to die down. Persephone fell asleep on Draco's shoulder. Draco wished he could be that relaxed. He was feeling weary but too anxious to close his eyes. At about three a.m., he nudged Persephone awake. There had been a loud groan he could only associate with the front doors of the castle being opened. Aurors came in to investigate the statues of Death Eaters that had appeared in the Great Hall. They began levitating them out.

Draco saw an opportunity. He used his wand to levitate the trunk and pushed it forward as he and Persephone huddled under the invisibility cloak behind it. They followed one of the streams of Aurors removing people and things from the castle. There was another stream bringing the wounded inside.

Once they were out of the castle, Draco and Persephone nudged the trunk out the gates, which had been broken open and lay crumpled and twisted to either side. "Giants," Draco murmured. They pushed Lucius's trunk up a rise. Dawn had begun to break when they felt they had put enough space between them and the castle.

The trunk made a soft, squishy noise as it settled on the dewy grass. Draco made Persephone stand a good seven feet back, before he unlocked the magical bonds that held his father. "Get up," he said hoarsely. His hood and mask had fallen away in the trunk, his black robes were twisted and crinkled, and his muscles obviously stiff, but Draco thought his father looked oddly majestic rising with the gold and crimson sky behind him.

Draco kept his wand trained steadily on Lucius. Persephone had hers in hand but was letting it hang at her side. Draco kept one foot in front of her in case his father tried anything.

His father however simply stepped out of the trunk onto the damp grass. "You can put your wand away," he said soothingly.

"I'm not stupid," Draco said.

"Do you really think I would attack you?" Lucius asked.

Draco did not answer.

His father's eye wandered off him and onto Persephone. From the sniff that came from his right, Draco knew she was nearly in tears. "Oh, Lucius..."

"Persephone, it's good to see you alive," his father said stiffly. "Assuming you're actually her. You look just as I remember."

"Oh, Lucius, how could you?" Persephone gasped.

"How could you?" Lucius answered coldly, but he could not remain unaffected. Draco watched something almost like guilt creep into Lucius's features. "Time's changed. You couldn't know the power he had gathered. I had to look after my family. To refuse the Dark Lord's summons was to invite death on them."

"Well, good news then," Draco said flatly. "Voldemort's dead. You're free."

"Dead?"

"Potter killed him. Properly this time. You picked the losing side, father." Draco felt his eyes sting, but he refused to let tears cloud his vision.

His father's eyes searched his face, looking for signs that Draco was lying, but there was nothing for him to find. "Why then am I not in the hands of the Ministry?"

"We couldn't," Persephone said sadly. "We had to stop you, Lucius. We had to! But we couldn't--"

"You're getting a second chance," Draco said. "There's no doubt the Ministry will be after you once things settled down here. I suggest you go warn mother. Maybe leave the country."

"Not the most appealing option," Lucius said dryly.

"Would prefer Azkaban?" Draco snapped.

His father shuddered slightly. "No, no, I wouldn't. I suppose I have no choice but to take you up on your offer." Draco wanted to hug his father, to say goodbye properly, but he did not dare. His father could have quite the temper when things did not go his way, and he had just suffered a severe shock. The mask of calm Lucius wore was not always a good indication of what was going on underneath. "I don't suppose you have my wand?"

"I may."

Lucius gave him a thin smile. "May I have it back?"

Draco nodded. He slipped his hand into his pocket and handed his father the broken pieces. His father's grey eyes widened as he stared at them. "You snapped my wand?"

"I said I wasn't stupid."

Lucius stared at Draco as though he had not seen him properly in a long time.

"You should go now," Persephone interrupted.

"I don't suppose you'll tell me where you've been all this time?" Lucius asked.

"Closer than you know," Persephone said. "But I can't say more than that."

"That's hardly an adequate explanation after-," Lucius began impatiently.

"It will have to do," Draco cut him off. "You should leave now before we're noticed. I'm trusting you to take care of mother. I will have to testify against you, if you're caught."

Lucius jerked as though Draco had struck him, but at the same time, Draco could see that he understood the urgency.

"Goodbye, Draco," his father said.

"Goodbye."

And Lucius disapparated.

****************

Under the invisibility cloak, Draco and Persephone snuck back to the room where they had left Blaise. There they used the Time Turner and traveled back several hours. A check of Draco's watch had allowed them to time things well. They listened to the hall outside until they heard bodiless footsteps that match their own. When they were sure their past selves had gone, they retrieved Blaise. A second application of the ennervate spell caused Blaise to resume a groggy consciousness. They half carried him back to the hospital wing. Indigo ran forward to embrace Blaise as they approached. He woke up for that. Draco's pink haired cousin gaped and irritably ordered them back inside.

They were only too happy to obey. With Draco standing close to shield what she was doing, Persephone slipped the Time Turner around Snape's neck and tucked it into this robes. Draco was glad Severus was unconscious, as he doubted he would approve of what they had just done. Draco was not so sure he approved of himself.

He was so tired that he barely noticed what was going on around him. He managed to coordinate and give directions with an automatic detachment. He knew by morning the Aurors would have the upper hand.

Eventually Potter arrived with a large group. He caught sight of Draco rubbing his eyes and gave a dry laugh, "Yeah, me to."

After a few hours they had rounded up all the wounded, and what was left of Voldemort's forces were retreating. Weasley was consoling Hermione over the death of her cat, but Draco could not drag up enough energy to be jealous. The two were friends after all. He was just glad Hermione was alive. Pansy had survived the night, but the Aurors had taken her off for questioning. They had wanted to question him too, but Dumbledore had told them to leave him alone until he had gotten a little sleep.

Decent fellow sometimes, Dumbledore.

Draco had sat down to catch his breath and drifted off for a few minutes. He woke up again in time to see the sunrise for the second time. As the gold and red light poured through the tall windows, Draco found himself reflecting that it was good to see a new day finally come.