"You cried wolf, so I came running. Question: am I the wolf or the savior? Is my smile too sharp or just my teeth? Answer: come a little closer." –Efb

*

Draco has never been more anxious during the school day. He jumps at small noises and walks quicker than usual. It isn't because he's nervous about being caught, he's afraid of losing Darcy in more ways than one. He doesn't want to lose her help (without it, he may fail); he doesn't want to lose her to Azkaban (he knows how much she doesn't want that); and he definitely doesn't want to lose a friend (perhaps his only friend).

So, sneaking around that night, Draco is extra careful and constantly checking behind his shoulder. He had to give Blaise another pop in the mouth because he threatened to tell on him if he didn't say where he was going. Draco didn't care; Blaise could go to hell; this is none of his business.

Luckily, Draco doesn't see anyone on his way to the passage. He nearly sprints down the dark pathway, hoping that Darcy will be somewhere he can find her. Where did she say she's staying? With Aberforth, right? Either way, he'll find her.

Like he suspected, Darcy is not waiting for him on the other side of the door. It's cold and blustery out, and Draco wraps his coat around himself tighter as he makes his way to the Hog's Head. He's fairly certain she said Aberforth, and that's where they met that day in Hogsmeade.

He doesn't bother knocking (it's a pub) and goes right in. Aberforth is still at the bar, cleaning dishes with a dirty rag.

"I have a feeling you're not supposed to be here," he says.

Draco ignores this. "Is Darcy here?"

Aberforth glares at him before going upstairs without a word. Draco hears muffled voices and two sets of footsteps coming down the stairs. He sees Darcy's familiar boots and feels his heart leap.

Darcy doesn't say anything once she's in front of him, but Draco doesn't need her to. She's pissed. Draco follows her when she steps outside and over to the fence by the Shrieking Shack. He offers her his coat, as she is in nothing but jeans and a long sleeved T-shirt, but she declines.

"Explain."

Draco exhales. "I was coming to get you, I swear, but Mrs. Norris saw me out of bed and ran to get Filch." Draco has explained to her who all the teachers and caretakers are, so she knows who he's talking about. "I ran downstairs to the passage, but Snape caught me and made me go back to the Common Room. I didn't want to risk getting either of us in trouble, so I waited until tonight. I'm really sorry. I should've sent you a letter or something."

Darcy doesn't say anything for a moment. "I thought Snape knows what you're doing?"

"He does, but I was making a lot of noise, and he was in a bad mood, and he knew that Filch was coming, so he got angry."

More silence.

"I understand if you're pissed at me—you have every right to be—and I also understand if you don't want to help me anymore." Draco holds his breath, hoping she'll agree to finish the Cabinet.

"I'm still going to help you," she says first, sounding almost insulted that he'd insinuated she would quit. Draco almost cheers. She goes on, "And I forgive you for not coming; I would've done the same thing."

"...so we're okay?"

Darcy nods with a slight grin. "Yeah."

Before Draco can stop himself, he pulls Darcy into a hug. There are many reasons he might've done this, and he isn't sure which one it is. He might've done it because he was completely relieved that Darcy agreed to help with the Vanishing Cabinet despite what happened, or it might've been because he likes her and has always wanted to hold her in some way, to inhale her sweet scent of cinnamon and slight smoke. Or maybe it's because he hasn't had any physical contact in years from anyone but his parents.

To his delight, Darcy embraces him back with just as much enthusiasm. When he pulls away, she has a small smile on her face.

Maybe she needed that, too.

*

The two work in silence, but it's a comfortable silence. Besides asking for certain tools or an opinion, there isn't much talking. Draco is okay with this. He finds it hard to keep up conversations, especially when he's stressed out.

"How's school coming along?" Darcy asks during a food break.

Draco shrugs. "I always do well. None of it's difficult, just time consuming."

"I've always wanted to learn more Astronomy, but it's hard to find books that you don't need a teacher for."

Draco perks up. "I could bring down some of my old stuff for you. If you have questions, I can help. I dropped it because it was too easy."

"Would you really?" Draco nods. "That'd be awesome!"

They call it quits around midnight. Draco is just about to leave when he turns back.

"Darcy, can I tell you something?" he asks.

"Sure."

He wants to say: I'm really glad I decided to ask for your help because I'm pretty sure I'm falling in love with you, and I can't help but wonder if you have even considered the idea that I'm a decent person and that I'm capable of caring for someone.

Instead, all that comes out is: "I'm really happy you're helping me, and I've grown to really like you."

Darcy grins. "I like you, too. And I feel like you're really hard on yourself." She crosses her arms. "You're a likable person, Draco."

Draco smiles at her. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

*

"What's that for?" Draco asks. Darcy had been fiddling with an apple when he entered the Room of Requirement the next morning.

"We're reaching a milestone, Draco," she says with a big smile. "We need to test the cabinet."

Draco feels his eyes widen in excitement. "We're ready to test it?!"

Darcy just opens one of the rectangle doors and sets the apple in the center. She closes it again and pulls out her wand.

"There's a spell?"

"There's a spell. Harmonia Nectere Passus." There's a sort of warping sound, and Draco holds his breath as Darcy opens the cabinet again. She gasps in delight, and when Draco peeks in, the apple is gone.

"We did it!" he exclaims.

"Wait, not yet," Darcy says calmly. "We have to make sure it can come back. Otherwise all we've done is give it a one way trip. Do you want to try the spell?"

Draco takes her spot in front of the Vanishing Cabinet. "Harmonia Nectere Passus."

The warping sound comes again. Hopeful, Draco opens the door. The apple is back, and on the other side of it, someone has taken a bite.

"It works!" Draco exclaims again, feeling some of the weight on his chest lift.

"Not quite," Darcy says.

"What? It works, Darcy."

"It works on nonliving objects," Darcy points out. "We need something alive, and sometimes those are trickier to work with. Can you get us something?"

Draco thinks about nicking Longbottom's toad to test, but getting it would prove a challenge. Longbottom watches it like a hawk. Then he remembers the two birds at the end of the seventh floor corridor. He can take one of those.

"I can get us something."