Ron was pacing his office, muttering to himself; every so often he stopped and scribbled something on some parchment, but then started up again.

“You’re going to fall through the floor pretty soon,” Harry commented, walking into the office and closing the door behind him.

Ron gave him a wry look, and sat in his seat cautiously. “I’ve got a bit on my mind, you know.”

“Really?” Harry commented, cocking his head to the side. “Like what?”

“Shut up,” Ron laughed, sighing; he closed his eyes and opened them again.

“Everything set for tomorrow?” Harry questioned, swallowing; he looked worried all of a sudden.

“Yeah,” Ron breathed out slowly. “As ready as it can be.”

Harry nodded solemnly. “What’s happening with Malfoy?”

“Bugger if I know,” Ron replied blankly. “Hermione came in yesterday for about twenty minutes and said she was ‘working on him’ and would have an answer by tonight.”

“I suppose he’s denouncing before the Hogwarts attack?”

“I imagine so,” Ron stated stoically. “We’ve got the students evacuated and we have Aurors all through the place; we can Apparate as soon as the alarm goes off.”

“I assume you’re Apparating to Hogsmeade, because you know you can’t Apparate or Disapparate on the Hogwarts grounds.” Hermione entered the room, looking rather smug.

Harry and Ron turned to look at her.

“Yes, thanks,” Ron answered, giving her a sarcastic smile.

“Well? What’s going on with Malfoy?” Harry asked, standing up and stretching. It was nearing midnight now and everyone had already gone home, but Harry and Ron had been at the Ministry for over twenty-four hours without pause.

“I’ve heard he’s currently on the run; trying to escape some deranged murderers,” came a voice from outside the room; Draco strode in, looking worn and weary. Not to mention completely rigid and uncomfortable.

Ron and Harry were obviously shocked; Hermione looked apprehensive, but glad at the same time.

“Er, Ron, Harry. You remember Draco, I assume.”

Ron nodded; he nudged Harry, who curtsied and then realized he was being too ‘cute’ and would probably get slugged.

“Malfoy,” Harry muttered, clearing his throat.

Hermione sighed; Draco glanced at her, wondering if she’d had any sleep in the last few days. “Draco owled his father. He’s officially out.”

“Oh, you’re gay?” Harry questioned curiously. “Didn’t know that---”

Draco got out the Patented Malfoy Sneer. “Shut up, Potter.”

“Harry, this is serious!” Hermione pleaded. “We need to get him to a safe place.”

“Well, that’s easy,” Ron stated, looking at Harry, who shrugged. “He should stay at the least likely place possible; the place where no one would expect him to be.”

“That’d obviously be at a pet store with puppies and things,” Malfoy answered thoughtfully. “I guess I could get to Diagon Alley without being seen….”

“You can stay with me,” Harry said with gritted teeth.

“Good,” Ron nodded, all business like. “Harry can be your Secret Keeper, as well.”

Draco didn’t look very pleased, but Hermione was getting quite weepy around the eyes for unknown reasons.

Harry sighed. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Don’t let me put you out, Potter. I’d be happy to go live on the streets with some Muggles. I can probably find some tatty robes in Weasley’s closet, and maybe a sign that reads ‘will do anything for food’.”

“Draco.” Hermione made a slicing-the-throat motion with her index finger. “Do be quiet. This isn’t a joke, this is your life at stake, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

“I know. So---sorry.”

“I didn’t know you knew that word,” Harry stated, amazed.

Draco sneered again and dropped into one of Ron’s chairs. “When are we going to Hogwarts?” Hermione asked, clearly annoyed at the boys.

“Should probably go now and…” Ron swallowed hard. “…and get prepared.”

“I can help you at Hogwarts,” Draco offered, shrugging.

“No, you can’t,” Hermione replied without thinking. “You’ve got to go to Harry’s and hide.”

“I don’t want to hide like a dog with its tail between it’s legs, Granger. I’d rather go out with a fight, as I explained to you earlier when you made me breakfast in bed.”

One of Ron’s eyebrows rose into his hairline, but he didn’t say anything.

“He could keep a hood on or something,” Harry said. “Or take some Polyjuice Potion and be someone else.”

“Oh, yes, because we just have Polyjuice Potion lying around,” Hermione stated sardonically. “I don’t want him fighting.”

“Are you his mother now?” Ron asked, dipping a quill into some ink and writing something on a piece of parchment.

“No, but I care about him, and I---”

Draco, Harry and Ron stopped what they were doing to stare at her.

“I---I don’t think you’re taking this seriously,” Hermione finished lamely. “So I’ll mother him for now.”

“That’s very sweet of you,” Draco mused. “But you needn’t bother. I have a mother. Or did, until about twenty minutes ago.”

The room was silent for a moment; it was finally sinking in what was going on, and what was about to happen.

Draco stood up and looked expectantly at the others. “I wish we didn’t have to be so gloomy just as the world’s coming to an end. Shouldn’t we be shagging like rabbits?”

“No, thank you,” Ron replied, disgusted; he rolled up the bit of parchment and moved towards the door. “I’m off to send an owl to Dumbledore telling him we’ll be arriving shortly. When I get back, can we not talk about shagging? Also, try and figure out what you’re going to do with Malfoy,” he added to Hermione, who nodded.

“Shall we shag now?” Draco asked once Ron was gone.

Harry made a barfing motion. “I’ve just eaten, Malfoy.”

Draco blinked, his face blank. “Yes, so?”

Hermione stepped in between them. “Draco, would you stop being so nonchalant! You are narrowly escaping death here! Take this seriously! We’re trying to bloody help you! And you’re being so casual about it and I’m scared out of my mind!”

Draco reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about me.”

She gave him an aggravated sigh and narrowed her eyes at him before turning round to Harry. “Harry, do you think it’s safe for him to fight with us?”

“Yeah. As long as he isn’t going to switch sides in the middle of it and wipe us all out.” Harry leaned around Hermione to look at Draco sternly. “Are you?”

“No.” Draco answered honestly. “That’d be a lot of work, and I’m too lazy to bother.”

“Be serious, Draco,” Hermione begged, shaking her head and suddenly feeling light-headed.

“I’m done with them. Take my word for that. I never wanted to be with them in the first place, but when you’re eleven and you’re living with your parents and they’re threatening to kill you unless you bow down before the Dark Lord, you tend to do what they say. And think it’s the right thing, until you get a mind of your own.”

This seemed to satisfy Harry, but Hermione whimpered and then dropped down to the floor just as Ron came back.