harry pov

I adjusted my dress robes as I waited for Florence in the common room.

Today was Slughorn's Christmas party. I'm not so excited to go, but being with Florence will make everything better.

She appeared into my view and began walking down from the girls dorm stairs.

Wow.

As soon as I saw her in that dress all I wanted was to take it off her.

She had on a dark green dress that complimented her ginger hair perfectly. I smiled as I noticed she was wearing a familiar gold heart necklace.

Without warning, my cheeks began to blush as I thought back to last nights activities. It was my first time, and hers too.

It was the perfect first time.

"Wow. You clean up well." I complimented, feeling nervous for the first time in a while.

"Thank you." She blushed furiously. It was adorable. "You look very handsome yourself sir."

"Why thank you m'lady."

She giggled and took my arm as we began walking to where Slughorn was holding his party.

We walked through the set of double doors and into the party. I stared around in awe. Everything was brightly decorated and mountains of mouth watering food was displayed at every table. Cheery Christmas music filled the room.

After greeting Professor Slughorn and taking a quick picture, Florence and I sat at an empty table. Abba's "Dancing Queen" began to blast at full volume and Florence leaped off her chair and onto the dance floor.

"Come on!" She urged me.

"I don't dance. You know this."

She huffed. "Fine. Suit yourself."

She spun on the spot, smiling, her head tipping back with her arms in the air. I couldn't help but smile. Her joy was infectious. The beat of the music picked up and my pulse quickened. She swivelled her hips and my gaze lingered just a little too long on her.

She turned to me. Smiling because she knew I was watching. "Come on, you bore!"

I stood up, grinning. "What did you call me?!"

She giggled as I seized her hand and waltzed her around the floor, spinning in circles until she got dizzy.

I felt happy, I realised, for the first time in a while. Although, I was always happy around her.

"Okay! Okay!" She laughed, trying to catch her breath. "I need a seat."

"Was that too much for you?" I grinned.

She took a sip of water. "Absolutely not!"

I laughed.

She put her hand on my neck. "It was perfect. Thank you."

I gazed at her and smiled, feeling lucky to call her mine.

She gazed back at me until her eyes landed in something. "Is that............"

Her voice trailed off as I turned around to look at what she was looking at. A silhouette of a girl could be seen behind the curtains.

Wait.

Is that.......

Hermione?

Florence and I looked at each other in confusion and quickly walked over and ducked under the curtain with her.

"Uh Mione........explain? Please?" Florence asked through a laugh.

"I've just escaped." She whispered. "I mean, I left Cormac under the mistletoe."

"Oh don't tell me you brought him." Florence groaned.

"What happened to bringing Neville?" I asked.

"Well he didn't make it into the slug club. Cormac was a last resort and.........I thought it would annoy Ron the most." She buried her head in her hands.

Florence rubbed her back, trying to comfort her.

"He's got more tentacles than a Snarflump plant." Hermione cringed.

One of the waiters ducked underneath the curtain with a plate of food. "Dragon tartare?"

"We're fine, thank you."

"Just as well. They give one horrible bad breath."

Hermione's eyes widened. "On second thought." She grabbed the entire tray. "Might keep Cormac at bay."

"Here he comes." Florence said as she pointed to a figure approaching the curtain.

Hermione shoved the tray into my hands and ducked out just as Cormac ducked in.

"Have you seen Hermione?" He asked us.

"She's just off to powder her nose actually." Florence quickly lied.

"Slippery little minx, your friend. Talks a lot. Reminds me of you, Princess." He laughed, as he shoved a few of the dragon tartares into his mouth.

Princess?!

Florence glared at him and crossed her arms. "I'm not you're princess."

"That you fucking aren't." I said, taking a step towards Cormac.

Cormac ignored me and turned to Florence. "You look good in that dress, princess. Did you wear it for me?"

I lunged for him as he jumped back but Florence grabbed me and pulled me away.

"Stop it!" She whispered angrily. "Not here. It's not worth it."

"Woah calm yourself Potter. Hey, what's this I'm eating?"

"Dragon balls." I snapped.

The curtain was pulled away to reveal Snape. Cormac's stomach rumbled violently and he hunched over and vomited right on Snape's clean shoes.

I smirked.

"You've just bought yourself a months detention McLaggen." Snape hissed.

I leaned down beside Cormac. "That's karma for speaking to my girl." I grabbed Florence's hand and tried to slip out from under the curtain.

"Not so quick Potter."

Brilliant.

"Sir, we really should rejoin the party-"

"You'll survive for another minutes or two. Besides, I only wish to convey a message."

"A message?"

"From Professor Dumbledore. He asked me to give you his best, and he hopes you enjoy your holiday. You see, he's travelling and won't return until term resumes."

"Travelling where?"

My question wasn't answered. Snape lingered for a moment, before walking off.

"That was odd." Florence said as she watched him leave.

"It's Snape. What did you expect?"

"Take your hands off me you filthy squib!" A voice yelled.

We turned to the front of the room to see Malfoy being dragged in by Filch. He tried to shake out of his grip and continued yelling angrily.

"Professor Slughorn sir, I just discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party." Filch explained.

"Okay, okay! I was gatecrashing. Happy?" Malfoy asked quickly.

Before Slughorn got a chance to reply, Snape pushed past us and grabbed Malfoy's arm. "I'll escort him out."

"Certainly, professor."

The way Malfoy said that, it gave me a strange feeling. He almost seemed........glad.

The two exited the room and my first instinct was to follow them.

"Uh, all right everyone, carry on, carry on." Slughorn said to us all.

The music began to play again and people in the room completely forgot about the strange incident. I began to make my way towards the door and Florence grabbed my arm.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Nowhere. It's not important."

"You're an awful liar, Harry."

I sighed and looked around the room to make sure that no one was listening. "Okay fine. I'm going to see what Snape and Malfoy are up to."

"They're not up to anything."

"Well, only one way to know for sure. Right?"

"Will this get you to drop the whole Draco's a deatheater thing?"

"Yes. If they don't say or do anything deatheater like, then I'll never bring it up again."

She let go of my arm. "Fine, but I'm coming."

"What? No you're not."

"Yes. I am."

"No. You're not."

"Pleaseeee." She gave me her famous puppy dog eyes that she knows I can't resist.

I gave in and took her hand. A smile grew on her face as I led her out of the room to where Malfoy and Snape had went off to.

Once we crept along some corridors and had caught up with them, we hid behind a large pillar where they wouldn't see us.

There were murmurs and mutters coming from them, but as soon as we heard Malfoy speak clearly, my suspicions were confirmed.

"Maybe I did hex that Bell girl. Maybe I didn't. What's it to you?" Malfoy's words echoed through the hall.

"I swore to protect you. I made the unbreakable vow." Snape hissed.

I've heard about unbreakable vows before. It can't be broken, and if it is, then whoever has broken it will die. Whatever this was about, it was serious.

"I don't need protection. I was chosen for this. Out of all others. Me. I won't fail him."

Chosen? Him? He must mean Voldemort.

But........what was he chosen to do?

I looked at Florence. She was staring at the ground, her eyebrows furrowed, her mind spiralling.

"You're afraid Draco. You attempt to conceal it, but it's obvious. Let me assist you."

"No! I was chosen. This is my moment."

If this isn't proof then I don't know what is.

Draco Malfoy is a deatheater.

Malfoy shook loose of Snape's grip and stormed away from sight. Snape stayed a moment longer, before leaving in the other direction.

I turned to Florence. Her hands covered her mouth in shock. Her face was wet with tears as she stared straight ahead.

"He-he did it. He-"

"Flo-"

"Don't. I know what you're going to say. Are you happy? You were right all along. Merlin I'm so stupid."

"You're not stupid Florence, you're not stupid. Don't say that. And I was just going to ask if you were okay."

"Of course I'm not okay! I-I trusted him. But he's a-a ................" She choked out through a sob, unable to say the word he had become. "H-he promised me he'd never join them. He promised me."

"Don't cry, please don't cry." I attempting to pull her in for a comforting hug but she pushed me away and took a few steps back.

"I-I need to be alone right now. I'll be in my dorm if you need me."

Before I could say anything else, she turned the corner and disappeared from view.

I wanted to go after her so bad. More than you can imagine, but I knew she needed space. I wanted to respect that.

I can't believe Malfoy actually did it. I mean, I've never really liked him and I sort of expected it to happen, but now that it has........

I can't even begin to imagine how Florence must be feeling. She trusted him so much, and he just betrayed her without a thought.

He's a Malfoy. I should've seen it coming.

----

florence pov

"Florence?" Lucius's voice asked. My mother was standing behind him.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes as if I had been sleeping. "Yes?"

"I have someone I would like you to meet." He opened the door fully to reveal Greyback.

"The Carrow's had to leave, and your mother believes that this may......further convince you." He walked further into the room. "It's time."

"Your father has grown impatient with you, as have I, sweet child." My mother smiled nastily. "You must become a deatheater or-"

"You die." Greyback interrupted.

"Now now Greyback. The dark lord wishes only to torture until she obeys. We must not kill." Lucius reminded.

Greyback growled, with a snarling smile that showed off all his sharp teeth.

"C-can't I just have a bit more time?"

"You have two options. Be tortured to insanity and have your memories taken, or be tortured until you agree to join us. Either way, torture is the only option. The dark lord would rather have it this way because of your relationship with Potter. We must weaken him by any means possible." Greyback answered.

"If you were to join us and work against Potter, you'd become of use to your father." My mother said. "You could save yourself Florence, and we wouldn't have to torture you or remove your memories."

Remove my memories? They were going to make me forget everything? Hermione? Ron? Sirius? Draco? Hogwarts? Harry?

For a moment, it sounded as though my mother actually cared. Maybe she would, if I wanted to be a deatheater. But that's the problem, I don't.

I can't take it. All the lying. All the pretending. It's not who I am and I'm done hiding it.

"I-I-"

"Yes?" My mother asked, widening her eyes.

"I'm not joining you and I never will! Torture me all you like, I'm not giving in!" I yelled.

My mothers eyes fell to the floor. "Stupid girl."

Lucius sighed and nodded at Greyback, gesturing for him to enter the room. "As you wish, Florence."

An evil smile formed in Greyback's face as he cracked his knuckles.

Lucius walked out of the room, joined my mother, and slammed the door behind him.

I turned to Greyback who looked hungry for blood. I don't have my wand nearby, all the windows and doors are locked. I have no way to escape.

I'm going to be tortured until I can no longer fight back. Until I have no control over what happens to me. Then my mother will come and take my memories.

This is worse than death.

I backed into a corner and tears filled my eyes as I realised this was it. This is my life. Other people will always control me and I have no power over it.

Greyback raised his razor sharp claws and slashed across my shoulder. I let out a scream and fell to the ground.

My eyes burst open and I sat up straight in bed. I was drenched in a cold sweat and my breathing was rapid.

"It's just a dream, it's just a dream, it's just a dream." That's what I muttered to myself as I paced around my dorm.

After finding out about Draco, things like this have been happening a lot.

I can't believe he joined them. I mean, he actually did it.

I thought he was my friend. I thought he truly hated them. It..............hurts.

I shouldn't have been so foolish.

"Flo? Is that you?" Hermione whispered from her bed. "What are you doing up?"

"Oh, n-nothing. Just another nightmare, it's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Go back to sleep. We have a long trip in the morning."

Tomorrow Christmas break begins and we get to go to the Burrow. I was so excited. I need a break from it all.

Hermione opened her covers and scooted over in her bed. "Come on." She nodded to the empty space beside her.

I slid beside her and lay my head against her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around me as silent tears began to fall from my eyes.

"It'll be okay." She comforted me. "What was it about, your nightmare?"

"Draco. It was about Draco." I lied. I couldn't tell her what really happened to me.

"Everything will be okay. He'll figure things out. Promise me one thing?" She asked.

"What?"

"Stop thinking about him. He sucks."

I chuckled lightly.

We lay in silence for a few minutes. I hate to admit it, but it feels better to be with someone than be alone. Especially you're best friend.

"Hermione?"

"Hm?"

"I love you. You're the best friend I could ever have."

A smile spread across her face. "I love you more. Always more."