The third Friday in January brought the first Hogsmeade weekend of second-term, and Harry was relieved when Ron and Hermione agreed to go with him. He heard from Ginny that Luna and Neville had a date at Madam Puddifoot's to celebrate one of their anniversaries, while Draco was going to surprise Ginny with a carriage ride up and down the streets of the little wizarding village, with full cooperate of Dumbledore and the various employees of the village. There was plenty of snow upon the ground as they walked down the slope from the Hogwarts grounds, along the twisting road, and ultimately across the little stone bridge, until they entered the village and looked around.

Harry felt a burst of laughter escape from him when Ron suddenly darted forward and grabbed Hermione by the hand as she looked longingly into the window display of Tomes and Scrolls, which boasted the latest edition of An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe by Begonia Ironbark, and took off down the street. Harry went off after them, and wasn't at all surprised when Ron took Hermione by the hand and brought her into Honeydukes. Hermione rolled her eyes indulgently but allowed Ron to wander into the sweet shop ahead, and waited for Harry to catch up to them before going inside herself.

"Sure does love his sweets, doesn't he?" Hermione observed softly to Harry, as the pair watched Ron scurry about from display to display, filling a little shopping basket with sweet after sweet, confection after confection, his brown eyes filled with glee.

"Least we know where the term, 'kid in a candy store' comes from," Harry replied ruefully, and snagged a basket for himself, and handed one over to Hermione.

Hermione shook her head, muttered something about 'boys' and 'eating' and 'overindulgence' under her breath, but nevertheless ventured down various aisles, looking at the sweets on offer meticulously, and slowly began adding things to her basket. Harry, from where he stood—adding a few Chocolate Frogs to his basket, after realizing that Ron hadn't gotten to all of them—watched Hermione's progress, and noticed that she had already added Sugar Quills, Licorice Wands, and Toothflossing Stringmints to her basket. Once Harry had completed his own task of getting his hands on some Chocolate Frogs, he himself added Pumpkin Fizz, Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans, Exploding Bonbons, and Cauldron Cakes to his own basket.

Once he, Ron, and Hermione had finished perusing the wares, they brought their baskets up to the counter and handed over the proper amount of wizarding currency for each purpose. After this was done, the proprietor of the shop considerately shrunk down their carrier bags and waved them off, while the trio stuffed each of their bags into their pockets and trooped back out into the snow, which had begun to lightly fall again. Harry, again, suggested a Butterbeer, and the trio then walked off towards The Three Broomsticks, getting a table in the back, with Hermione ordering them their usual.

As they sat down—with Harry and Ron on one side of the four-person table, and Hermione on the other—Harry noticed Leanne Lyre sitting rather anxiously at a table in the front portion of the establishment. Her long, pale fingers were tinkering with her glass, half-full of Butterbeer, and she was looking around, clearly for something. It surprised Harry to see her without her closest friend, Katie Bell, and wondered if her anxiety was connected to Katie in some way. As Harry continued to wait with Ron and Hermione for their Butterbeers to be brought to their table—he ignored their conversation, as well as the buzz of the conversations from the various patrons around them, and was surprised when Draco walked in.

Straightening up, Harry's eyes locked with Draco's, but Draco appeared to be slightly taken aback by the look, faltering in his steps for a moment. When Harry lifted his hand to wave to his friend, the blond Slytherin's eyes narrowed slightly, and he climbed the staircase and went into the door about halfway up. Perplexed, as he'd previously heard from Ginny about her plans with Draco that day, he wondered if something had come up, or if they'd had an argument, which could likely account for Draco's bizarre behavior.

"Harry?"

Harry snapped to attention then, forcing a smile onto his lips towards Hermione, who had spoken, as the waiter put their Butterbeers down upon the table. "Thanks," he said to the man, who nodded, before wandering off to complete another task.

"We were just talking about the Easter holidays, mate," Ron said, lifting his drink towards his lips, the words directed entirely at Harry. "I know it's not exactly for a while, and we've only just come back for Christmas..."

"But," Hermione said, noticing when her boyfriend was faltering, "we were wondering where you planned to go, or if you would be staying at Hogwarts."

Harry swallowed, staring into the amber depths of his drink. "I thought I might go to Grimmauld to attempt to figure out all this with Sirius," he replied.

Ron nodded, clapping Harry good-naturedly upon the back. "Good on you, Harry. Want us to come with, or do you want to be alone?"

"I'd love it if you guys came, honestly," Harry said, knowing that Ron and Hermione could potentially act as a good buffer, in an attempt to diffuse any situation that led south, when it came to his godfather. "Maybe Draco can bring Ginny."

"That sounds lovely," Hermione replied with a smile. "Mum and Dad will probably ask me what my own plans are in the next few weeks. As long as it's all right with them, and Sirius, of course, I'd love to go to Islington."

"And I'm sure Mum won't mind if Ginny and I come," Ron assured Harry. "I think she likes extra alone time with Dad."

"Honestly, Ronald, you act as if your parents aren't close anymore," Hermione said with a giggle which burst forth from her lips.

"They've had seven children already, 'Mione," Ron said, turning red to his ears. "Maybe it would do Dad some good to keep his distance from Mum..."

"How do you think their marriage has survived this long, Ron?" Hermione asked, deliberately being patient with him.

Ron swallowed, clearly uncomfortable. "Dunno... Maybe because they can talk about things with each other?"

"Clearly, they still sleep together, Ron," Harry put in, watching as his best mate had taken a sip of his drink before saying anything.

Ron blew his drink all over the table. "Harry! Bloody hell," he sputtered, and Harry smirked at the outcome, with Hermione rolling her eyes and vanishing the spill.

"Well, they do share a room still, don't they?" Harry queried, looking innocently at Ron, who immediately narrowed his eyes.

"Both of you, enough," Hermione said, and Harry and Ron turned to their drinks, but Harry knew that it wasn't over.

Once their Butterbeers were paid for and they'd decided to eat lunch back at the castle, the trio left The Three Broomsticks and made their way back towards the school. As they neared the bridge and cleared it, through the mist of snow ahead, Harry saw Leanne and Katie, the former of whom was whispering something, and the latter was bent over a parcel she was carrying, and walking with determination back to the school. As Ron and Hermione talked beside him, Harry was soon invited to join in the conversation.

"What do you think, Harry?" Ron asked.

"What?" he asked.

"What do you think I should do after NEWTs?" Ron wanted to know.

Harry swallowed. "Let's see how well you do on your NEWTs first," he joked, and Hermione hid her smile, and Ron appeared as if he was about to grab Harry and throttle him—in a brotherly way, of course—when a sharp scream cut through the air, causing the trio to turn towards Leanne and Katie.

"I warned her!" Leanne cried out, staring at the three of them, her voice trembling, while Katie was lying in a snow drift behind her, the parcel partially open, and lying beside the witch. "I warned her not to touch it!"

It was then that a muffled scream cut through the air, as dark magic pumped through Katie's entire body, and she was pulled this way and that along the snow, via an invisible force. She was then thrown up into the air by nothing, a second scream coming out of her mouth, as her hair plumed all around her, her arms and legs stuck out every which way. All Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Leanne could do was watch, horrified, as Katie then plummeted back into the snow like a ragdoll, and fell unconscious.

"Get back, all of yeh!" came Hagrid's authoritative tone, as he stepped into the fray, coming from the direction of the castle, and effortlessly lifted up Katie. He turned over his shoulder then, just as Harry had gotten closer to the package, to see some sort of necklace inside. "Don't touch tha' except for the wrappings! Do yer understand?" the giant demanded.

Harry gave a nod and stood back, permitting Hermione to levitate the necklace back into its parcel, and shut it up with a complex Locking Spell he'd never heard of, while Ron sent off an emergency Patronus, hoping beyond hope that a member of the staff would meet them at the gates to collect the necklace. Harry then dove downwards and gathered it up, stuffing it into his coat pocket, as he, Ron, and Hermione took off after Leanne, who was running after Hagrid, still holding onto Katie. Once they cleared the wards of the school, he spotted Professor McGonagall waiting for them, and she ushered the two of them into Remus's classroom.

"Remus," she said, her tartan robes billowing out behind her.

"Minerva?" came Remus's voice, and he came out from within his study, his brow furrowed at her tone. He gave a glance towards Harry, Ron, and Hermione, before looking at the Head of Gryffindor house and came down the stairs. "I was doing some marking while the students were down in Hogsmeade; thought I'd take advantage of some of the quiet. Is everything all right?" he queried, his dark eyes filled with concern.

"No, Remus is it not," Professor McGonagall said, turning to Harry. "Potter, please take the parcel out from your jacket," she ordered firmly.

Harry nodded and strode forward, removing the parcel from his jacket pocket and placing it carefully onto Remus's desk at the front of the room. "It's a cursed object," he informed Remus softly, and Remus nodded in understanding, as he drew out his wand.

"Alohomora," Remus said, and the parcel and box within opened and unlocked for him respectively, and he quickly levitated the necklace, looking it over, his eyes darkening. "What's happened?" he whispered. "Who had this?"

"Katie Bell, sir," Hermione replied.

"Leanne Lyre was with her in The Three Broomsticks, and they were talking about something as they left the pub together, professor," Ron put in.

Remus looked up at Professor McGonagall. "Perhaps Leanne can be sent for, Minerva, so as we may have as much of the tale as possible?"

The Head of Gryffindor House nodded. "I shall send my Patronus to Poppy at once," she said, and crossed to the other end of the room, allowing the cat bathed in silver light to come out to play, and sent it off to the hospital wing, where Leanne had likely followed Hagrid, to bring Katie to Madam Pomfrey for care.

"Is that all the three of you know of this?" Remus asked, looking over Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as Professor McGonagall summoned Leanne through Madam Pomfrey.

Harry shrugged, not wanting to sell out Draco, not without knowing everything. "I think Leanne got a more complete account of what happened, sir," he admitted, and Ron and Hermione nodded from either side of him. "She'd be of better help than we are."

"Thank you, Potter," Professor McGonagall said, nodding at Harry in approval. "Ten points will be awarded to each of you, for keeping a level head in a crisis."

"Thank you, professor," Hermione said, although her tone was solemn.

"Why don't you three go back to Gryffindor Tower?" the woman suggested. "Have Dobby bring you something to eat, if you're feeling at all up to it, and get some rest."

"Yes, professor," Ron said, and immediately moved to steer Harry and Hermione out of there, and the three nodded to Leanne as they met her on the way.

Harry said the password to the fat lady and they all trooped inside; it was still fairly early in the day, so the third-years and up were still in the village, while the younger years were likely getting some studying done. The trio plopped down into their favorite chairs beside the fireplace, relieved for something to distract them. As Harry stared into the orange flames, he realized he did feel a bit hungry, and looked up.

"Fancy some lunch?" he asked tentatively.

Hermione nodded. "Soup and sandwiches, with perhaps some Gillywater, and something light for pudding," she put in.

Ron let out a small sigh. "Sounds brilliant," he said genuinely.

"Dobby," Harry said into the silence.

Dobby immediately popped into the common room, and promptly threw himself at Harry's legs and let out a wail. "It is all over the kitchens, great Master Harry Potter, sir, what befell Master Harry Potter's good friend, Miss Katie Bell!"

"Yes, Dobby, and we saw it," Harry told the house-elf softly.

Dobby let out a further wail and looked over Harry. "Is great Master Harry Potter sir quite all right?" he asked, before turning towards Ron and Hermione. "And, naturally, Master Ron and Mistress Hermione were there to see it as well! Oh, no, no, no," the little elf sobbed, putting his face into his hands and sobbing.

"Dobby," Hermione said tentatively, and stroked the house-elf's head, causing him to look up at her, with tear-filled eyes, "we're all going to be all right."

Dobby sighed, before he nodded to himself. "Lovely Mistress Hermione Granger is a good and kind witch, and intelligent to boot. She would never lie to Dobby, not after giving him all of those beautiful hats and socks."

"You're welcome, Dobby," Hermione said gently.

Dobby then launched forward and hugged Hermione's legs, and she patiently stroked his head, and smiled to herself, never realizing how soft it was.

"Dobby," Harry said gently after a few moments, "we were hungry, and wondering if you could possibly bring us some lunch here."

"Dobby can do that, great Master Harry Potter, sir!" the house-elf crowed, letting go of Hermione's legs with a final squeeze and turning back to Harry. "What can Dobby get great Master Harry Potter sir, and his friends?"

"Potato soup for us all, please Dobby, with a roast beef sandwich for me, a bacon one for Ron, and a chicken salad for Hermione. And then three Gillywaters, and Arctic rolls for our puddings, if you please," he said, and Ron and Hermione nodded in approval at what he'd selected for their pudding.

"Dobby will go straight down to the kitchens, great Master Harry Potter, sir, and get your lunches immediately!" he said, and snapped his fingers, and was gone.

It was just a few moments later that their food appeared before them, and Hermione performed an Extension Charm to the table, so as to accommodate everything, and a Stasis Charm onto their pudding, so as the ice cream wouldn't melt. As they ate, they chattered about the events of the day, and slowly but surely began to thaw from it all. Harry wondered what was up with the necklace, and it was clearly enchanted with dark magic, and there was something eating away at him, that the necklace was connected to Draco, but he couldn't understand why.

About a quarter of an hour later, the portrait swung open and Ginny stormed in, her beautiful eyes red-rimmed, and her face pale as she stumbled slightly on the set of stairs, just managing to catch her footing before she fell. She hesitated for a moment, gazing at the trio, her lower lip trembling with a sudden onset of emotion, as she likely debated whether or not to say anything to them all. Not to won out in the end, and she stormed towards the stairs.

"Oi!" Ron called. "How did things go with Draco?"

Ginny promptly whipped around then, her eyes blazing with a combination of rage and devastation, and pointed a thin, pale finger in Ron's direction. "Never mention that name to me every again, if you know what's good for you, Ronald Weasley!" she shrieked through her teeth, before she took off upstairs to her dorm, a sob tearing from her throat before she managed to slam the door behind her.

~*~

"Stop it, Ron," came Hermione's voice over breakfast on Wednesday morning before their double potions class with Slughorn. "You're making it snow." She set down the morning edition of The Daily Profit, her porridge breakfast forgotten, and turned to face her boyfriend. "Are you feeling all right?" she asked him.

Ron worried his lower lip before giving a shallow nod. "Just... Hogsmeade got to me over the weekend, you know?"

Hermione nodded. "Of course we know," she replied. "Don't we, Harry?" she asked, calling attention to her best friend, who had his nose in the morning copy of The Quibbler.

"Of course," Harry replied, looking up, wondering if Mr. Lovegood and Luna would ever solve the mystery of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack.

Ron sighed, rolling his shoulders and putting his wand into his pocket, as he pulled his plate of breakfast back towards him, which consisted of fried eggs, sausages, rashers, and a couple slices of toast. "Just suppose that snow is the only weather my wand can make these days," he said to his girlfriend and best friend softly, stabbing a sausage before he hesitated. "Guess I'm just worried that the Dark Arts could potentially take over everything..."

"Dumbledore said that he, Professor Lupin, and Professor Flitwick were leading the investigation into the necklace," Hermione said calmly, which Professor McGonagall had told the entirety of Gryffindor House in their common room Sunday evening. "Whoever gave the necklace to Katie, surely..." Hermione broke off then, looking up, and her brown eyes widened slightly then, before she turned to look at Harry. "Harry," she whispered, "there's Katie. Looks as if she's back from St. Mungo's," she went on.

Harry rolled up his copy of The Quibbler and put it into his back pocket, before he took off after Katie and tapped her shoulder. "Katie?" he asked.

Katie turned around then and gave Harry a tentative smile; her raven hair was done up in an understated plate down her back, and her Gryffindor robes were all in place. "I know what you're going to ask me, Harry."

Harry blinked. "What?"

She continued smiling good-naturedly at him. "I know you're going to ask me about the necklace and Hogsmeade and me being cursed," she went on, her London accent, normally so enthusiastic on the Quidditch pitch, now formal and subdued. "But, in all honesty, Harry, I just don't remember what all happened to me, and I like it better that way. The only thing I do remember is being determined to give the parcel to Dumbledore, whatever that means..."

Harry looked up then, past Katie, and saw that Draco himself was standing there, looking shell-shocked, but his gaze was entirely trained upon Ginny. He then let out a sigh before wrapping his robes around him and pulling his copy of Advanced Potion Making close to his chest, before he left the Great Hall. "No, Katie, I believe you're right," Harry told her with a nod, knowing that he would have to get to the bottom of this, sooner or later.

Harry barely listened to Ron and Hermione's conversation as they headed to Professor Slughorn's classroom for potion about a quarter of an hour later. They also barely gave Draco any attention as they slipped into their assigned seats, as the potions professor was flitting about the room, humming a merry tune to himself. Once the hour chimed and everyone had scurried into their seats, Professor Slughorn charmed a piece of chalk to write down their lesson plan for their brewing that day.

"Today, we will be utilizing these two hours to begin to brew a Polyjuice Potion," Professor Slughorn said as the chalk continued writing furiously behind him. "Now, who can tell me how long this potion must take to be brewed correctly?" he asked, and his eyes landed immediately on Hermione, who raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Granger?" he asked.

"In order to be brewed correctly, sir, Polyjuice Potion must be brewed for at least a month," she replied effortlessly.

"Excellent, Miss Granger. Ten point to Gryffindor," he said approvingly. "Now, please get your books out and turn to the correct page, wherein you will find the ingredient lists. Don't hesitate to take out your potions kits either, and all your necessary ingredients will be available in the student storeroom," he went on patiently.

That day, according to the chalkboard, they would be only performing step one of the potion, which took over an hour, once the brewing process was to begin. The necessary ingredients needed were three measures of fluxweed and two bundles of knotgrass, the former of which needed to be picked upon the full moon. Once Harry added the necessary ingredients, he stirred the potion four times clockwise, and then one additional time counterclockwise, as that was what the Half-Blood Prince advised in his copy of the potions textbook. As Harry, as well as the rest of the class, were using pewter cauldrons, the potion was instructed to brew that day for a total of eighty minutes, meaning that, once finished, Professor Slughorn would check them over and, once deemed a success, would levitate them onto high shelves, before putting markers on them, so as to indicate which cauldron was whose.

Harry was shocked when Draco left to go to the loo, and Harry immediately resolved to do the same, following the sixth-year Slytherin quickly. Once he stepped into the loo after Draco, he saw that he had removed the vest upon his uniform, his hair was mussed, and he was bent over the sink, sobbing. "Draco," Harry said as he stepped forward, "did you hex Katie?"

Draco's eyes immediately met Harry's in the mirror, the silver color tinged with fear. "Don't say things that you don't understand, Potter," he spat.

"It's Harry," Harry countered, stepping into the main portion of the loo. "My name is Harry, and you know it. We've been friends for over a year now, Draco, and I was sure that our differences were now behind us."

Draco gripped the sides of the porcelain sink, his entire body trembling. "I shouldn't even be discussing this with you," he whispered.

"Why not?" Harry cried out, tentatively stepping closer. "You declared for the side of the Light, Draco, quite some time ago, I might add. You willingly gave up information about Death Eater meetings and your own parents' political leanings, to Dumbledore, all for protection and to save your relationship with Ginny..."

"It's ruined," Draco said, suddenly doubling over and crumpling to his knees, hiding his face in his hands as he suddenly sobbed. "It's all ruined..."

"Draco?" Harry asked, stepping closer still, while all the while Draco breathed unsteadily, and Harry was coming to the conclusion that he was becoming hysterical. "Draco, you can't go on like this, you can't," he whispered. "You're not eating, and you're barely able to keep your head up in class. What's come over you?"

"I hexed her, all right?!" Draco growled, suddenly leaping to his feet, his face filled with a combination of rage and madness. "I bloody well hexed her, Potter! Now, leave me alone, or else I could ruin someone else as well!" he thundered, making a grab for his vest before he stumbled out of the loo without looking back.

"He admitted to it," Harry said, staring into the dying embers of the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room later that night, beneath a Silencing Charm that Hermione had conjured. "Draco admitted to being the one who hexed Katie."

"Blimey, mate," Ron whispered. "I thought we'd pegged him wrong all these years, given his falling in love with Ginny, but maybe we were right..."

"Ronald, haven't you been listening properly?!" Hermione demanded, her patience, apparently, waring thin. "Draco was clearly distraught when he gave Harry the information."

Ron rolled his eyes. "I won't have that slick git running his hands all over my sister again, 'Mione. I won't," he told her.

Hermione appeared to want to say something else, but was suddenly cut off when Ginny stepped into the common room, and automatically settled down in the same area that they were. Almost automatically, Hermione go to her feet and sat beside Ginny, looking her over, before Ginny's face crumpled and she threw her arms around her.

"Gin?" Harry asked, his tone soft.

Ginny's face turned slightly, and there were trails of tears coming down her face and out her eyes, without the intention of stopping. "Draco..."

"What in Merlin's name did he do to you?!" Ron growled, launching to his feet.

"Ronald! Please!" Hermione yelled, and Ron began pacing before the fire.

"What happened, Gin?" Harry wanted to know.

Ginny sobbed aloud then, before she shook her head. "He told me what he did to Katie, so I broke up with him," she said, a soft wail escaping her lips before she turned her face inwards, and Hermione did her best to comfort her, while Harry had to physically hold Ron back so as he didn't get points taken for defending his only sister's honor.

~*~

Harry was relieved when Remus granted Harry permission to invite Ron and Hermione to keep him company during the full moon. Hermione performed the Portal Spell this time, and the trio were all on standby with happy memories chalked up within their minds in case an emergency Patronus needed to be sent. Even though Remus had been getting Wolfsbane from St. Mungo's and not Severus, Harry had seen that the transformation had been bearable, somewhat, although his heart ached for his lover and how they'd left things, given that Harry hadn't received a response to the birthday gift he'd sent him.

It was on Saturday, two days later, that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were unexpectedly summoned to the headmaster's office. After giving the password, Acid Pops, to the gargoyle, they were let inside the place and Ginny nearly bolted from the office. Inside, Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, while Remus and Professor McGonagall were standing by, and Draco was sitting in the provided visitor's chair.

"What's going on?" Ginny demanded, her voice testy.

"Miss Weasley, you must be respectful—"

"Now, now, Minerva," Dumbledore said, raising his hand. "Given the animosity between these two, I believe that Miss Weasley is acting honestly and, therefore, appropriately."

Professor McGonagall sighed. "Whatever you think best, Albus."

Dumbledore sighed before getting to his feet, yet remaining behind his desk. "Remus was able to figure out what was going on that day in Hogsmeade," he said steadily.

Harry inched forward. "He was?"

"Yes, my boy," Dumbledore said softly, "although, since it is Draco's tale to tell, I believe that he should be the one to inform you of it." The headmaster lowered his eyes to Draco, who slowly got to his feet to face his ex-girlfriend, plus the trio. "Whenever you're ready, Draco," he said gently to the haunted-looking Slytherin.

"Through Veritaserum, it was confirmed that I was not in my right mind when I delivered the parcel to Katie Bell," he began.

Ginny crossed her arms. "I'm listening," she said.

Draco swallowed. "I was on my way back from the village, after clearing with everyone that we could take a Hogwarts carriage through there a few times, when I was attacked."

Ginny gritted her teeth. "Attacked?"

"Yes," Draco replied, trying to keep his tone steady. "I was attacked by my own father, who gave me the parcel, and told me to give it to someone to give to Headmaster Dumbledore. I didn't want to do it, but... But..."

"You were under the Imperius Curse, weren't you?" Hermione asked, stepping forward, her tone gentle, and her brown eyes filled with sadness.

"Yes, I was," Draco replied brokenly. "My father got wind of me defecting from the Dark and going onto the side of the Light, after everything the headmaster did to protect me. All I could do was stand there, once he immobilized me, and took the parcel. Katie was the first person I saw, as she was due to meet Leanne in The Three Broomsticks, and was coming out of Spintwitches Sporting Needs," he continued. "I just handed her the package, and was able to bewitch her with the Compulsion Spell that my... That Lucius ordered me to use against the person I gave the parcel to, and then I just..."

"He wandered off," Remus supplied helpfully, from where he stood, leaning against the back wall of the headmaster's office, still weak from his transformation two days before. "We were able to view his memories in the headmaster's pensieve, and it showed he got near to Dufftown, without knowing where he was..."

"I'm sorry," Draco said, although his eyes were trained upon Ginny. "I'm so sorry for everything, Ginny, please..."

Ginny hesitated for a moment, her eyes filled with tears, before she turned on her heel and walked out of the office.

"Gin!" Draco cried out then, running after her.

"Oh, bloody hell," Ron said, taking off after Draco.

"Ronald!" Hermione shouted, and ran after him.

Harry turned to Remus, the headmaster, and his Head of House. "I... I think I'll just..." He said, and stumbled backwards towards the door.

Dumbledore nodded. "Naturally, my boy. Go on."

Harry ran from the office and nearly tripped down the spiral staircase, becoming dizzy for half a moment before he stepped into the hallway, seeing Hermione barely managing to hold Ron back, and moved to join her, as the three of them listened to Ginny and Draco.

"You know I turned my back on the side of the Dark over a year ago, Ginny!" Draco said, standing a couple of inches behind Ginny, and making no move to touch her. "The moment I realized that there was another option, and that I was not as safe and loved as I believed myself to be, I left, defected. I went to you."

Ginny turned around slightly then, her eyes still filled with tears, as she worried her lower lip. "I thought we could tell each other everything, Draco," she whispered.

"I literally couldn't tell you this, Ginny, because I was cursed not to do so," Draco said, wanting to get the point across. "I would never withhold information from you."

Ginny swallowed. "What if it's meant to protect me?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I want to protect you, Ginny, more than anything, because I love you more than anything. And yet I know that you would go on and on about how you can protect yourself, and I know you can, because I know you, and I know your heart, and I know your soul, Ginevra Molly Weasley."

Ginny tentatively turned fully around then, shaking her head and stepping forward. Then, without hesitation, she hit at Draco over and over again, and yelled, "Do you realize how much of an arse I thought you were being, Draco Malfoy?!" she demanded, her expression that blazing look of hers. "I thought that, not only was my boyfriend and the love of my life turning to the side of the Dark again, but I also thought that you didn't want me anymore!"

Draco caught at Ginny's hands then, and gently smoothed out her fists so that her fingers unraveled themselves from her hands. "Listen to me, Ginny," Draco whispered to her, and Ginny's cheeks immediately flushed at the intimacy of his voice. "I will never not want you, do you hear me? In fact, I'm going to ask your mother and father for their blessing as soon as you're of age, because I fully intend upon making you my wife when that time comes."

"Now, wait a—" Ron began.

"Belt up, Ron!" Hermione hissed at him.

A watery smile overtook Ginny's face then and she gently took her hands from Draco's in order to cup his face. "And when that day comes, Draco, my answer will be yes," she said softly. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Ginny," Draco whispered, and lowered his lips to hers.