Stumbling into Draco's bedroom, I catch glimpse of Francesca and Grayson, who are both sitting on the ground against the wall and whispering quietly. Once they hear the crash of me falling, their heads snap up and they look relieved at the sight of me.
"You're alright," Grayson says in awe.
"We didn't know what had happened to you. I mean, you were taking so long and we heard screams from downstairs . . . we sort of thought the worst," Francesca admits sheepishly, wrapping her arms around me in a sweet hug.
"Amelia . . .," Draco says entering the room. "Why are you still here? How dumb can you possibly be?"
"Is the Dark Lord here yet?" I ask impatiently.
Draco shakes his head. "He's traveling abroad somewhere for something, I don't know the specifics. He's sent a letter to my father that you can continue at Hogwarts."
"It's a trap! He has Death Eaters at Hogwarts!" Francesca protests. "He's tried to kill you once and surely he'll do it again!"
"I agree," Grayson nods.
"Then I'll return as Daphne. You haven't said anything about that situation, right?" I ask Draco nervously. He gapes at me.
"You know I wouldn't."
"Then it's settled," I announce. "I'll return to Hogwarts next week and continue as Daphne."
******
The next week, I return to Hogwarts with Grayson, Francesca, and Draco. Unfortunately, my identity remains as Daphne Greengrass. I'm getting quite tired of her to be frank.
The weeks pass by and the beginning of May approaches. The weather is beautiful, oh yes, but the atmosphere throughout the school is alarming. Everyone knows that something incredibly scary will happen soon enough.
"Amelia!" Draco says urgently in the common room. It's just the two of us so he can use my real name.
"What is it?" I ask him, alarmed at the urgency in his tone. I've never seen him this paranoid.
"The Dark Lord is here," He whispers.
My mind drifts to the prophecy. "Draco. . . if anything happens . . . you know we'd have to —"
"I don't want to discuss that," He snaps. "I'm just warning you that he's here and that — that I love you, Amelia. And if we both manage to survive this, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. . ."
Draco grabs my hand gently and pulls me out onto the balcony so that we're overlooking Hogwarts. Slowly, he gets down on a knee and his silver eyes look at me with hopefulness and nerves.
"Amelia Grey, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"
I gape. "Yes," I say without thought.
I let him slide the beautiful ring on my finger and we embrace each other whole heartedly. I love Draco Malfoy, more than anything in the entire world.
"You need to leave. They're evacuating students now. Once you've left Hogwarts, I need you to Apparate somewhere. Preferably back to America or some muggle town. And then, if I survive this, we'll meet again. Perhaps the Three Broomsticks we can meet . . . I'll wait there everyday for you," He says quickly, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead.
"I'm not leaving!" I retort.
"Draco!" Pansy shrills. "Oh, hello Daphne. . . Potter and his friends are in the Room of Requirement. Crabbe and Goyle are on their way now, you need to go!"
"Looks like you're coming with me, Greengrass," Draco says huskily, winking at me. He grabs my hand and the two of us sprint to the Room of Requirement, where Harry Potter is.
"Draco, where's your wand?" I whisper as we run.
"Long story — Hold it, Potter! He has my wand! That's my wand you're holding, Potter!"
"Not anymore," Harry responds, tightening his grip around the hawthorn wand. "Winners, keepers, Malfoy. Who lent you theirs?"
"My mother," Draco says. My heart warms at the thought of Narcissa.
"So how come you three aren't with Voldemort? And why is Daphne with you three?" Harry asks, throwing me a curious look, knowing my true identity. Crabbe and Goyle remain oblivious.
"We're gonna be rewarded," Crabbe says softly.
Harry slowly edges backwards. "So how did you get in here?" He asks, clearly trying to distract us.
"I virtually lived in the Room of Hidden Things all last year, I know how to get in," Draco responds, his voice brittle.
"We was hiding in the corridor outside!" Goyle grunts. "We can do Diss-lusion Charms now! And then, you turned up right in front of us and said you were looking for a die-dum! What's a die-dum?"
"Harry? Are you talking to someone?" Ron's voice echos from the wall on our right.
"Descendo!" Crabbe shouts, pointing his wand towards the wall.
"No!" Draco scolds, grabbing his arm. "If you wreck the room, you might bury this diadem thing!"
"What's that matter?" Crabbe asks defiantly. "It's Potter the Dark Lord wants, who cares about a die-dum?"
"Potter came in here to get it. So that must mean—"
"Must mean what? Who cares what you think? I don't take your orders no more, Draco. You an' your dad are finished," Crabbe mutters.
"Harry? What's going on?" Ron shouts.
"Harry? What's going on — No! Crucio!" Crabbe mimics before noticing that Harry had lunged for the tiara.
"STOP!" Draco bellows. "The Dark Lord wants him alive, so —"
A jet of scarlet light passes all of us by a few inches. Draco pulls Crabbe out of the way so that he dodges the spell, much to our relief.
"It's that Mudblood! Avada Kedavra!"
"Don't kill him! Don't kill any of them!" Draco shouts furiously. Crabbe and Goyle have raised their wands towards Harry and I desperately try to pull them back away from him.
Harry takes their hesitance to his advantage. He stuns Goyle, causing all of us to panic. Draco and I drag a stunned Goyle away, with Crabbe shortly behind us. I'm more than fine with letting them win.
"We can't let them do this to us! We can't let them win!" Crabbe screams angrily.
"There's nothing we can do now!" I retort.
"Why are you even here, Daphne? You have no affiliation with us . . . unless — you aren't Amelia Grey, are you? It makes perfect sense! She's alive, after all!" Crabbe shouts angrily.
"That doesn't matter!" Draco snaps.
Crabbe rolls his eyes. "I'm tired of you telling me what to do. In fact," A smirk plays upon his face.
"Fiendfyre!"
——-
Ooooooooo