Her heart beat faster as she watched him. She needed to convince him. If he could find a way to get his mother and himself to safety, she could go to Romania and destroy the Horcrux. She wouldn't go without ensuring their safety, but she needed to go.

He set the black-tinted vials back on their shelf and closed the cabinet doors.

She ran through the conversation in her mind, curling her sweaty palms into fists.

Draco, I have to do this. Don't try to stop me, please.

The lock on the cabinet clicked into place, and she watched as Draco ran his fingers down the dark wood.

We need a plan to get you and your mother to safety. He won't be happy, but we can leave a note for your father. But he knew the defeat of the Dark Lord was a possibility. That's why these memories were kept. It has to be.

Draco turned back to her, looking at her with a tight jaw. His eyes flickered over her, concern in his gaze. She felt tears blur her eyes.

I know I said I was going to stay, but this is more important than all of us. This is why Harry died, and I can't let that stand. I have to go. I have to do this, please don't stop me—

"How do we destroy it?"

She blinked, her sight clearing as he looked up at her — grey eyes inquisitive, open. Trusting.

"What?" Her voice cracked on the word.

"It can be destroyed, like the other ones, yes? We can destroy it?"

Her heart beat quicker.

We.

She took a sharp inhale, like cresting the water's surface after drowning. "There are a few options, but…" Her eyes flickered over him, searching him. "You would… you would help?"

He tilted his head, frowning. "It's what you want, isn't it? To go?"

She felt her heart lodged in her throat. "I guess I didn't think that you would go with me — that you would go against Voldemort."

He stepped closer and bent to his knee in front of the chair. His hand raised to her cheek as a tear fell down from her lashes. "I didn't know there was another choice. I didn't know he could be killed. It didn't even cross my mind."

She sniffed. "And that changes things?"

His grey eyes looked up into hers. "There has to be something better than this." His jaw clenched and he shook his head. "When I heard that he'd won and that Potter had died…" He swallowed and took her hand. "I thought it was an immovable fact. And now you're saying it doesn't have to be this way."

Another tear splashed down onto his fingertips. She bit her lip, her blood pounding in her veins. "Draco, if you do this, there's no way the Order won't pardon you."

He searched her eyes. "That's not why I'll do it." He pushed a curl behind her ear, and as she stared back at him, he leaned up to press a kiss to each of her eyelids, temples, and cheeks.