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"Pansy!" Deanna waved to her, grinning as she made her way to the four Slytherins who grinned as well at the sight of her.

"Why look here, the little badger decided to grace us with her presence." Blaise stood up, towering over her.

"Who are you calling little?" Deanna pouted and tried to stand on her tip toes though failing to do so and falling on her bottom. The four Slytherins laughed, making Deanna pout even more.

"You're becoming smaller and smaller every day..." Theo joined in the teasing.

"Or maybe we're just growing and you're not." Pansy's remark made the four laugh harder.

"Gits." Deanna mumbled under her breath, crossing her arms.

"Oh, stop that, will you?" Daphne tried scolding the three who were still laughing though she too couldn't control her laughter. "You're just too adorable, Deanna."

"Hey." Pansy frowned, not pleased at that. Deanna smiled victoriously, sticking her tongue out at Pansy, and the five of them continued talking about relationships and their days.

"Draco's been acting strangely these days." Theo commented with a frown. Deanna and Pansy immediately exchanged glances. All of them knew Draco was a Death Eater and that he was doing something, but none of them knew what his mission was.

"Why? What has he been doing?" Daphne asked him.

"He goes off with these two girls, doing Merlin knows what." Blaise sighed and shook his head. Deanna remembered what Harry had said about Malfoy. He was visiting the Room of Requirement, and Crabbe and Goyle were taking the Polyjuice Potion to act like girls.

But she shouldn't be focusing on Malfoy now. She should be focusing all her attention on taking the memory from Slughorn. Dumbledore had reminded her that they would not have any lessons until she and Harry got the memory from him so yeah, they were getting more pressured as the days passed by, and it didn't help that he was trying to avoid the topic every time he and Deanna talked.

"Well, Merlin knows what he's doing, but maybe, he just wants to have his dates in peace." Pansy said, successfully making them laugh and diverting the topic from Draco Malfoy. She and Deanna shared a secret smile, knowing that they dodged a bullet.

As they talked and changed the topic, Deanna couldn't help but worry. Would Draco Malfoy be okay? She knew that whatever happened, the mission should not be carried out, but Voldemort... She just hoped they could find a way for everything to turn out right for everyone. Even if it was difficult, she would try her best to save Draco Malfoy from the dark path laid out for him.

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

Deanna paced around her room, looking at the clock from time to time while Fawkes watched her curiously with his head tilted. It was already midnight, and Deanna was just waiting for the steps of her father for her to finally go to the kitchens where Hermione Granger was waiting for her.

The two of them planned to meet at half an hour past midnight, and Deanna wanted to get there first to prepare Hermione's favorite snack, some Panera Bread... She was going to ask the house-elves for help... They were going to make it, and she would cheer on them as they did so.

Finally, the sound of her father's footsteps came, and Deanna grinned at Fawkes excitedly. "Not a word, all right, Fawkes. Let's keep this a secret between us."

Fawkes just let out a cry that Deanna took as his agreement. She gave him a kiss on the top of his head before she opened the door carefully and walked down the stairs on her tiptoes, not making a sound as she went. When she had opened the door to the office, she knew it was safe, and she quickly made her way down.

"Miss Dumbledore?" The gargoyle asked when Deanna got out. "What are you doing up this late?"

Deanna cursed mentally for forgetting about the gargoyle before smiling as innocent as she can. "Good sir, please. I just want to get some hotdogs, and I'll come right back. Please don't tell my father about this."

The gargoyle just laughed at that. "All right then, I know how stressful school must be, Miss. Go on then."

"Thank you!" Deanna whispered to him, using the shortcuts she knew to get to the kitchens quickly. She tickled the pear and walked in with confidence. Her eyes had widened though to see that Hermione was already there with plates on the table.

"Hey, darling." Hermione stood up, walking over to Deanna who was now pouting. "Why are you pouting like a baby?"

"I wanted to get here first and prepare something." Deanna wrapped her arms around Hermione's waist, burying her face into Hermione's neck. "You're such a lovely girlfriend, and we have been together for 3 months already, but we haven't been able to go on a proper date."

Hermione blushed at Deanna's words, and she smiled softly, kissing Deanna's forehead. "We don't have to go on a proper date. Every moment I spend with you is precious enough. These three months we've been together are more than enough. I just... l-like you so much, Deanna Dumbledore."

Deanna noticed the slip up and wondered what it was about, but the beautiful smile on Hermione's face made her forget about it, and naturally, she smiled back. "I like you so much more, Hermione Granger."

Hermione grinned and pulled her to the table where their food was waiting. "I think they've warmed up to me." She smiled at the house-elves who were cleaning up and doing whatever they were doing in the kitchens.

"Who wouldn't warm up to you?" Deanna spoke with her mouth full of food. "You yourself are warmth."

"Stop it." Hermione smacked her lightly on the shoulder, her cheeks slightly red. "But if it weren't for you, they wouldn't be this kind to me."

"All they need is kindness." Deanna smiled at the house-elves who were finally resting. "They may not understand yet exactly what rights they have, but right now, all they need is kindness, and we can slowly work on it from there."

Hermione turned her gaze to Deanna and she couldn't help her smile from growing wider. "You're amazing, you are."

Deanna blushed and pushed away her finished plate, hugging Hermione and resting her head on Hermione's shoulder. "I want to be a Professor here one day."

"Really? Which class?" Hermione intertwined their fingers.

"Maybe, Potions or Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"You'll do good in both. You're a genius in Potions, and you've got natural talent in Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione moved slightly to place Deanna's head in her lap, running her hands through Deanna's hair.

Deanna closed her eyes at the relaxing feel of Hermione's fingers through her hair. "How about you, love? Do you still want to work in the Ministry?"

"Y-Yeah." Hermione spoke even if her heart was beating hard against her chest at Deanna suddenly calling her love. "I want to improve the house-elves' status and change the Ministry."

"Yeah, they're being stupid right now." Deanna mumbled.

Hermione chuckled at that. "Indeed. They're being blind as they've been the past year. That's why I want to change it."

Deanna smiled softly, her eyes still closed. "I'm looking forward to the future then."

"Why?"

"I can see my future." Deanna opened her eyes, still having that soft smile that was for Hermione only. "We'll have three children, and we'd sit by the fire. We'd tell them about our stories when we were young, and when they'll be asleep, we'll talk about our jobs and live happily for the rest of our lives. Doesn't it sound nice?"

Hermione smiled back at her with the same affection and gentleness. She leaned in and placed a soft and chaste kiss on Deanna's lips. "It sounds perfect, but you have to take your Apparition test first, darling."

Deanna pouted at that. Since Hermione was going to take her Apparition test soon, she kept on teasing Deanna because Deanna could not take the test until November 11 when she would become of age.

However, despite Deanna being unable to take her test, one thing was for sure. Deanna and Hermione saw a future in each other, and they had their promise then that they would do everything for that future to happen.

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

"Oh, Rubeus." Deanna gave the half-giant a hug as soon as he opened the door. Despite the failed attempt with Slughorn earlier, she rushed immediately to Hagrid once she heard of the news. It was late, and she might have a detention, but Deanna did not care. Her friend needed her, and she had to be there. "I'm so sorry."

"Deanna." Hagrid cried into Deanna's shoulder, holding onto her tight. He knew only Deanna could understand him at that moment. She was the only one who had managed to become friends with Aragog besides him, even visiting him at times when the Acromantula was sick.

"He will rest now, Ruby." Deanna whispered comfortingly. Her words would not give much comfort because to lose a friend was to lose family. Hagrid was feeling the same thing she was feeling when she returned. Finding out that everybody was gone pained her so much. Aragog had been one of Hagrid's first friends, and she could only tell him that she understood and she would be there...

"W-Will he be all right, Dee? Will he be fine up there?" Hagrid asked shakily, still holding on to Deanna as if letting her go would make her leave.

"He will, Ruby." Deanna smiled softly, wiping away the tears that fell down his cheeks. "He is happy now, watching you from above, and I know they'll take good care of him. Let's go now, shall we?"

Deanna supported Hagrid as much as she could, and the two of them went to the hill where Fang was waiting with Aragog's body. She bent down and patted Fang before sighing and patting Aragog's head as she did the time they became friends. "Rest well, Aragog. Rest well."

"Merlin's beard. Is that an actual Acromantula?" The familiar voice of Horace Slughorn made Deanna stand up, and she was surprised to see Harry with him. "Deanna?"

"Hello, Professor." Deanna smiled slightly at him and motioned to Aragog. "Yes... An Acromantula who died recently."

"Good God. Dear fellow, however did you manage to kill it?" Slughorn asked the still sad Hagrid.

"What are you doing here?" Deanna whispered to Harry.

"Felix." Harry grinned at her. Deanna smirked at that, sending him a thumbs up.

"Kill it? Me oldest friend, he was." Hagrid said incredulously.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't..."

"Don't worry yourself, you're not alone." Hagrid quickly dismissed it, giving another sniff. "Seriously misunderstood creatures, spiders are. It's the eyes, I reckon. They unnerve some folk."

"Not to mention the pincers." Harry clicked his tongue, mimicking the pincers of spiders.

"Yeah, I reckon that too." Hagrid sniffed once more, trying to keep his tears at bay.

"They've got good webs though, Ruby." Deanna tried comforting him and it seemed to work because a small smile made its way on Hagrid's face.

"Hagrid, the last thing I wish to be is indelicate," said Slughorn. "But Acromantular venom is uncommonly rare. Would you allow me to extract a vial or two? Purely for academic purposes, you understand.

"Well, I don't suppose it's going to do him much good now, is it?" Hagrid answered shakily.

"My thoughts exactly." Slughorn went to Aragog's body, taking out a vial from his coat. "Always have a ampoule or two about my person for just such occasions as this. Old Potions Master's habit, you know."

"I wish you could've seen him in his prime." Hagrid wiped away his tears. "Magnificent, he was. Just magnificent."

Slughorn had accidentally taken one of Aragog's legs off. "Oh, dear." He went back to his spot beside Hagrid, the vial back in his coat. "Would you like me to say a few words?"

"Yes." Hagrid picked up Deanna like a doll, giving her a tight hug and burying his face into her back. Harry and Slughorn looked surprised at that sudden action, but Deanna just patted Hagrid's arms, already used to him carrying her.

"He had a family, I trust?" Slughorn asked.

"Oh, yeah." Harry answered, the memory of their second year haunting him once more.

Slughorn put his hands together. "Farewell..."

"Aragog." Hagrid croaked out.

"Aragog." Slughorn repeated, speaking in a somber tone. "Farewell, Aragog, king of the arachnids. Your body will decay but your spirit lingers on. And your human friends find solace in the loss they have sustained."

Fang let out one last whimper as they all grieved for the loss of Aragog.

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

Deanna and Harry sat side by side, smiling as Slughorn and Harry sang drunkenly. When they finished, Deanna and Harry applauded them.

"I had him from an egg, you know." Hagrid said as Slughorn took another swig of his beer. "Tiny little thing he was when he hatched. No bigger than a Pekinese. A Pekinese, mind you."

"How sweet. I once had a fish. Francis." Slughorn smiled drunkenly. "He was very dear to me. One afternoon I came downstairs, and he'd vanished. Poof."

Hagrid frowned at that. "That's very odd, isn't it?"

"It is, isn't it?" Slughorn let out a sigh. "But that's life, I suppose. You go along and then suddenly, poof!"

"Poof." Hagrid repeated, his eyes a little cross due to all the alcohol he had drunk.

"Poof." Harry repeated quietly.

"Poof." Deanna repeated too, watching Hagrid lean back and drift off to sleep, making her and Harry smile.

"It was a student who gave me Francis." Slughorn smiled at the two students in front of him. "One spring afternoon, I discovered a bowl on my desk with just a few inches of clear water in it. And floating on the surface was a flower petal. As I watched, it sank. Just before it reached the bottom, it transformed into a wee fish. It was beautiful magic. Wondrous to behold. The flower petal had come from a lily. Your mother."

Harry took a sharp breath, Deanna immediately squeezed his hand in comfort.

"The day I came downstairs..." Slughorn gulped, his eyes a little teary. "The day the bowl was empty was the day your mother... I know why you're here. But I can't help you. It would ruin me."

"Do you know why I survived, professor? The night I got this?" Harry pointed to the lightning scar on his forehead. "Because of her. Because she sacrificed herself. Because she refused to step aside. Because her love was more powerful than Voldemort."

"Don't say his name."

"Professor." Deanna spoke up firmly, a small smile on her face. "We're not afraid of his name. We're not afraid of him. Look, Harry... Harry is the chosen one, and only he can finish this war. I don't know what my role is yet in this war, but to win against him, we need that memory... We need to know what he asked you and what you told him."

Deanna walked to him, holding his hands and staring at him with only sincerity and pleading. "I've been gone for 50 years, I lost 50 years of my life because of him who I loved. So many people have died and suffered because of him, you included. Aren't you tired of having to walk the streets with fear that you might be the next target?"

"Be brave, professor." Harry pleaded. "Be brave like my mother. Like Deanna. Otherwise, you disgrace them. Otherwise, she died for nothing. Otherwise, the bowl will remain empty forever."

Slughorn stared at his two students, gulping and taking his wand out of his coat. "Please, don't think badly of me when you see it. You've no idea what he was like, even then." He closed his eyes, the memory coming out of his head, and this time it didn't look like the tampered one. It was silver as all other memories were.

"I told you I don't want you to think badly of me." Slughorn said to Deanna, handing her the vial of his memory. "I'm sorry for disappointing you, Deanna."

"I will never think badly of you, Professor." Deanna smiled slightly, patting his hand. "To me, you will always be the Potions Master Horace Slughorn. That will never change."

Slughorn gave her one last smile, a tear falling from his eye before he gave a deep sigh, falling asleep.

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