Hermione startled from her thoughts. Draco was now staring at the wall. "Yes. The last is for Oliver." Her throat felt tight. "Only if there's an opportunity, of course. I just… want to be prepared."

His expression gave nothing away. "I'll put in the request for Ginny. You should get ready. I need to—" He cleared his throat. "I need to speak to my mother about Bellatrix."

A memory shot to the surface before she could stop it, flitting through images of wiry curls and bared teeth.

I'll get you another one. This one has poisoned you.

Bellatrix had known about Draco's feelings for her as well.

Something sparked in her veins, but Hermione forced herself to focus. "Were Blaise and Pansy able to hide the body?"

"Yes. There weren't any problems there." Draco ran a hand through his hair. "But Mother should know."

"Not yet." His eyes snapped to her, and she felt her pulse race. "Let it wait till tomorrow."

His brows pulled together. "I really think—"

"Trust me. Your mother doesn't need to hear this before she is required at Edinburgh. It's best to wait until tomorrow."

When he and Narcissa would be gone.

She could grieve for her sister while knowing her son was safe.

Tearing his eyes from her face, Draco nodded. "Leave Daphne's wand on your bed once you're finished with it. She was asking for it earlier."

Hermione felt him slipping through her fingers again as he moved past her, reaching for the door.

"Wait."

His hand froze on the doorknob.

"About last night. Please don't be embarrassed by what the Horcrux said to you. I've come to care for you quite a bit as well." The words came tumbling out of her. "And I know that the world is upside down, but if the circumstances were different, you should know that I would have—"

"Don't. Please."

She stared at him, waiting for him to turn around. To look at her.

He didn't.

"I'll leave you to get ready." He wrenched open the door, and when he closed it behind him, something cracked inside her chest.

Hermione wasn't sure how long she'd stared after him before she realized she was crying. But there was no time for her tears. Or heartbreak.

She Occluded while she took a few bites of dinner, while she bathed and curled her hair. When her locks finally resembled something Pansy might approve of, she set Daphne's wand on her bed and returned to the bathroom to paste on her makeup.

She emerged half an hour later, her books firmly tucked away. Daphne's wand had vanished, and when she opened her wardrobe, she found the dress Pansy had sent with the elves.

Gold satin. Hermione ran her fingers over the material. It felt like water on her skin.

She shimmied into the dress and stepped into the matching heels. She slipped three mini-vials in the inner seam, and clicked the gold collar into place.

A knock on her door at a quarter till ten, and she opened it to find Draco in his Death Eater robes.