I could scarcely breathe, waiting for Draco to continue.

"Not here," he murmured, glancing pointedly around the library. "We can go to my room."

Keeping hold of my hand, he stood up and pulled me to my feet with him, already tugging me towards the exit.

"Wait- the books!" I cried, not wanting to leave a mess. That would be a black mark from Madam Pince. Three, and you're banned from the library for life.

Without hesitation, Draco swiftly removed his wand from his pocket and flicked it down at the table. The books all flew up into the air at once, and zoomed off back amongst the bookshelves, presumably to find their correct places.

And then he was pulling me along with him again, gripping my hand tightly in his as he raced us along the castle's hallways, not seeming to care about the curious glances we were receiving from the other students.

"Draco," I panted breathlessly behind him, "slow down - there's no rush."

"I'm terrified I might change my mind," he gritted as we skidded down the steps to the dungeons.

My heart was racing furiously by the time we reached his room, and to my alarm, the second the door slammed shut behind us, instead of talking, he began unbuttoning his shirt, fingers fumbling clumsily in his urgency to get it off.

Now, if I hadn't had Harry in my ear for the past six months going on and on about how Draco is a Death Eater, I might be blowing my rape whistle right about now.

But of course, I knew exactly what he was doing and so it was no surprise that when he pulled his tie up over his head and yanked away his shirt from his body, I found myself looking down at Draco's new tattoo.

"You knew, didn't you?" He growled, his fists clenched by his sides as his chest rose and fell. "I can see it in your eyes, you're not surprised."

"It was a guess... really," I shrugged, keeping my voice light as I defiantly met his gaze, trying not to blush at his remarkably toned abs. "You never took your shirt off, you were clearly hiding something, and I didn't think it was likely to be a third nipple."

"Why aren't you angry?" He asked as his brow creased in a frown, clearly puzzled by my casual reaction. "Why are you not drawing out your wand or running away and screaming for help?"

"You sound almost disappointed," I mused, and, despite the situation, a small smile flickered at my lips. Because even though I wasn't surprised, I found I was experiencing another emotion, one that made me feel almost giddy, leaving me with a feeling of not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

It was relief. Relief that at last he felt he could trust me, and therefore I could finally trust him too.

"God damn it, Granger!" He snarled, evidently not amused. "I'm a fucking Death Eater! I'm part of a cult based around ridding the world of people like you! Why the fuck are you still standing here?!"

I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes.

"Because despite what you think, Draco," I said slowly and calmly as I boldly took a step closer to him, "I do know you. And I know that you do not want this, that you don't want to rid the world of people like me at all. You are not a monster. You are a victim."

He flinched, turning away from me. "Don't call me that. It makes me sound pathetic... weak."

I shook my head and reached out to clasp my fingers around his left wrist, lifting up his arm so that his Dark Mark was visible to us both.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you want this then," I said, my voice steady as I stared unwaveringly up at him. "Tell me that you think people like me have no place in this world, and I will turn around and walk away now."

He hesitated, his eyes looking back at me, panicked. No, in fact, he looked close to tears, like he couldn't take this anymore and was on the verge of a breakdown.

"I- I can't," he confessed, the tremor in his voice apparent as he slowly shook his head. "I can't do that, Hermione, because the last thing I want is for there to be a world with you not in it."

I stilled as the breath caught in my throat. I was so close to him that I could feel the heat radiating from his body, hear the beat of his wildly racing heart, and smell the alluring scent of his citrusy cologne that I always seemed to catch in Potions, even when he is not there.

"Draco," I breathed as he slowly lifted a hand and brushed his fingertips to my face. I closed my eyes and nuzzled against him, his touch causing my body to tingle in happiness.

Lips closed against mine then, and he pulled his arm free of my grip to wrap around me and hold me tightly against him as he deepened the kiss.

He groaned into my mouth as I responded, and it vibrated right down my tongue, making me shiver. I pulled my own arms around him, running my fingers over his back, revelling in the smoothness of his skin and the contours of each and every muscle which tensed beneath my touch.

He shuddered quite violently and our kiss suddenly took on a new, heated urgency. I could feel the rapid hardness growing beneath his trousers and I felt my stomach knot in longing.

But before we could progress this any further, Draco pulled away, tearing his lips from mine, and looking down at me with a look of deep regret, despite the swirling hunger in his eyes.

"There- there's more," he said between rasping breaths, his arms tightening around me, as though he was afraid I'd try and escape him.

"Go on," I encouraged, sliding a hand up to cup his face. "Tell me."

He closed his eyes and let out a shuddering sigh, as though to prepare himself.

"I've been set a task... and if I don't do it then- then-" His voice broke as a sob choked his words.

"It's okay," I whispered soothingly, trying to hide my alarm at his wretched state.

"It's not," he shook his head. "It's not okay, because someone has to die and I'm too much of a coward to let it be me."

"Who?" I asked, this time not being able to hide the shock. "Draco, who has to die instead of you?"

But he just shook his head again, his body beginning to tremble and shake. "No, I can't- I can't tell you anymore. I won't do that to you."

"And this task," I swallowed, "it's what you've been doing in the Room of Requirement?"

He nodded. But still, he said no more.

But I knew all I needed to know. That Draco was a Death Eater - not by choice - and upon him, he'd been cruelly bestowed a task which would result in either his death or this other person's. Kill or be killed.

A sickness swooped low in my stomach. It was like some sort of vile gladiator sport.

"Merlin, Draco," I breathed, the blood in my veins thrumming as I closed a shaking hand to my mouth. "I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry."

"Don't- I don't want your fucking pity," he seethed, pulling away from me and wiping his eyes. "I don't want anyone's pity. I've done- I've done terrible things."

"Katie Bell," I murmured, recalling the cursed necklace.

He winced but said nothing. What else could he say?

I was suddenly struck by a cold, hard realisation.

"Dumbledore... that was meant for Dumbledore." I said to myself as I began to pace the room, my mind racing as everything started falling into place. "It's him you've got to kill, isn't it? You-Know-Who wants him dead and, for some sick reason, he wants you to do it... perhaps as a punishment for your father tripping up at the Ministry last year? And that's why he's Marked you... so you can't runaway."

Merlin, I was good.

"Look," I continued, when Draco said nothing but just stared at me wide eyed, like a deer caught in headlights, "I know this is going to sound crazy but why don't we go to Dumbledore himself and tell him? He'll know what to do. He won't let you come to harm, and perhaps he can find a way to save himself at the same time."

To my surprise, Draco gave a loud sycophantic laugh, giving him the aura of a mad person. "Not let me come to harm? Do me a favour - a student died only two years ago after he let in a bloody Death Eater to teach the lot of us. So, I'm sorry if I lack the faith that you do."

"But surely it's better than this?" I said, gesturing to his tired and wracked body. "You look positively done in already, Draco."

"I'm not going to Dumbledore, Hermione," he said vehemently, his eyes flashing, "and neither are you. Fuck, this was a bad idea," he added, driving his hands through his hair and twisting away from me, "I shouldn't have fucking said anything, now I've dragged you into it and-"

I had reached out and grabbed his arm, lowering it down from his head and forcing him to face me. "I'm glad you told me, it means you must trust me. And I promise I won't do anything to break that. If you say don't go to Dumbledore, then I won't."

His hardened face seem to fall in defeat, and he let out an anguished sigh as he rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"I'm so tired," he said suddenly, his voice full of utter desolation, "so fucking tired."

"Well then, get some rest," I said authoritatively, motioning over to the bed, "sleep, Draco, because if you don't, it will kill you anyway."

He didn't move, but instead continued to survey me in a way that said he couldn't quite believe I was standing there before him.

"Stay with me," he said croakily, his throat giving a prominent bob as he looked pleadingly at me, eyes red-rimmed and sunken. "Please."

I answered by kicking off my shoes and holding out a hand to him. Relief flooded his features, and he took it, heeled his own shoes off, and together we climbed onto the bed, not even bothering to get in between the sheets as Draco pulled me into his arms, me still in all my clothes and him still shirtless.

Our bodies immediately relaxed against each other and I felt a sort of calmness sweep over me.

"Thank you for this," he murmured, exhaustion in every syllable of his words as he held me tightly against him, "thank you for being you and no one else."

"You don't have to thank me, Draco," I whispered, pressing a cheek against his bare chest, sighing at the hypnotic rhythm of his heartbeat. "I like being me."

Even though I couldn't see his face, I could sense the smile lift at his lips and I felt my heart flutter as he gave a soft chuckle and stroked a hand through my hair.

"I missed you, Granger. I missed you very much."

"Get some sleep, Draco," I said, lifting my head off his chest and tilting my face up to brush my lips against his. "And know that I missed you too."

It wasn't long before his gentle snores were puncturing the silence, and while I lay there in his arms, my mind whirred, recalling every spell I'd learnt, and every book I'd read, determined to find a way of freeing Draco from the tight clutches of evil.

*****