When I woke up the next morning, I was a mess. Literally.

My hair was frizzed up and it still had hairspray in it. My lips were still swollen from last night. But the worst part was that Draco and I were so into it last night that he left a hickey on my neck. Another hickey like before. So now, I was going to have to do extra work with my hair in order to be able to cover the bloody thing up. The last thing I wanted was for Harry to find out about it. As far as I knew, Harry had no idea about me being with Draco whatsoever.

I knew that I had to tell him about us eventually. But it wasn't like we were a couple or anything. I wasn't even sure if we were friends with benefits. The way we were both acting towards each other was really starting to confuse me now. Would we ever be a couple? If so, when? Did Draco even want to be with me?

"Hey, Max, can I--" Hermione began to ask me a question before she widened her eyes at me. "What happened to you?"

"Long story," I quickly said. "What do you need?"

"I was going to ask you if I could borrow your hair brush, but I can tell that you need it more than I do," Hermione replied, trying to hold in her laughter.

"Go ahead, Hermione. Laugh all you want. I haven't had time to take a shower yet."

I walked past her, carrying my towel, shampoo, conditioner, hair brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, my wand, and the clothes I was planning to wear back to the Weasleys for the holidays. I took off my pajamas and stepped into the hot shower, sighing in content.

As I was washing my hair, I was planning out in my head on how I was going to tell Harry about what happened this past summer and what happened last night. He was the only person that I was worried about telling. Even though Harry was my twin and me and him were super close, I wasn't sure how to approach the subject with him. The last thing I bet Harry wanted to hear about was my sex life.

When I got out of the shower, I wrapped my towel around me and brushed my teeth. I got dressed and then began on fixing my hair. I used my wand to dry it off and brushed it out with my hair brush. Because of the love bite that I had on my neck, I decided to keep it down. People would start asking questions and I didn't want that.

I placed all of my personal items in my trunk and closed it up, picking it up and taking it downstairs in the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry was waiting for me downstairs. We headed out to the Great Hall with all of our stuff with us because we were leaving for the Burrow with Ron and Ginny right after breakfast. Harry and I sat next to each other and Hermione and Ginny were sitting across from us. As we began to eat and talk, Draco entered the Great Hall. For some reason, everyone's eyes went to him. People sprang into whispering and staring as he went to sit down at the Slytherin table.

"Why is everyone looking and talking about Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"Well, I heard from some of the other girls in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff that Malfoy is now sleeping around with some mystery girl," Ginny informed us, looking at me.

"What?" I whispered. How did everyone find out?

"When did this start?" Ron questioned, joining in our conversation as well as Lavender.

"Apparently, one of the Slytherins saw him going upstairs with a girl. But the person couldn't recognize her."

"I bet that girl is a slut," Lavender added.

I rolled my eyes.

"If that's the case, then I bet Malfoy is her new boy toy," Harry said.

I stayed silent. This was not happening. The entire school was talking about me and Draco. What was I going to do? I looked at Ginny, who didn't say a word to me, knowing that was exactly what I wanted her to do.

"We should head out to the train," Ron suggested. "We don't want to miss it."

The six of us walked together to the train. Lavender gave Ron one last snogging episode before parting ways with us. Ginny and Hermione went to their own compartment. So it was just the three of us.

We found an empty compartment and sat down, making ourselves comfortable. I sat by the window, stretching my legs across Harry's lap and Ron plopped down in his seat across from us.

He sighed happily, giving us a goofy smile. "Great, isn't it? Going back to the Burrow for the holidays, I mean."

"Great," I stated.

"Max, are you okay? You're not getting sick, are you? You seem a bit off today, and it's only morning." Harry shot me a concerned look.

I shook my head. "No, I'm fine, Harry. I'm just tired, that's all."

"Okay," he said, nodding his head and rubbing my legs. "Ron, there's something I wanted to tell you. Last night, when Max and I ran off from the party, we overheard Snape and Malfoy talking about an Unbreakable Vow."

"An Unbreakable Vow? You sure that's what Snape said?"

"Positive. Why?"

"Well, it's just that you can't break an Unbreakable Vow."

"Gee, Ron, I bet that's why they call it the Unbreakable Vow," I retorted in a sarcastic tone, rolling my eyes at him.

"Yeah, I worked that much out for myself, too, funnily enough," Harry added.

"You two don't understand, do you?" Suddenly, Lavender came up to our door and let out her breath, making it foggy. She drew a heart and their initials inside it.

"I miss you," she muttered to him from the other side of the door, then walked away.

"Lovely," Harry and I said at the same time.

"All she wants to do is snog me. My lips are getting chapped. Look!" He came up to our faces.

"And we'll take your word for it," my brother told him.

Hermione came by and stopped at our door. Just when she was about to come in, she spotted Lavender's artwork and stormed off, shooting Ron a glare.

"So what happens to you? What happens if you break an Unbreakable Vow?" I asked Ron.

"You die," he replied.

"I owled your dad last night as soon as I got in from the party. He might have some information as well," Harry said.

So that was why Harry was still in the Gryffindor Common Room when I came in. He was writing to Mr. Weasley about Draco.

I sighed, looking out the window and watched as we went past all the snow that covered the ground. I loved snow when no footprints were in it.

"Ron, could you give Max and I a moment alone?" Harry asked him. The redhead nodded and left the compartment, sliding the door behind him. My twin then looked at me. "What's wrong, Max?"

"What?" I questioned in confusion.

"What's the matter with you today? You're not your usual self. Is there anything bothering you?"

"No. I told you that I was just tired."

"I know that, considering you didn't come back to the Gryffindor Tower until four o'clock this morning."

I froze. "How--"

"I'm not that stupid, sis. I heard you come in and saw your dress as you were going up the stairs. Now please answer this next question honestly, okay?" I nodded. "Where did you really go last night after you told me that you were going back to the tower?"

Crap. What was I supposed to do now? I couldn't tell him the truth. No way. He would kill me.

"I-I went walking around the castle," I lied. "I was upset when I left the party with you."

"Why were you upset?"

"Ginny and I broke up last night." Well, I didn't tell him a complete lie. We did break up.

Harry gave me a serious look. "Why didn't you just tell me that last night instead of lying to me?"

"I don't know, Harry. It's hard talking to you about relationships and stuff like that. Do you know how awkward that is? Sometimes, I need to talk to a girl about this kind of stuff. I bet you feel the same way about the topic, don't you?"

He sighed. "I do, Max. But that still doesn't change the fact that you lied to me. I thought we were closer than that."

"We are, Harry. We really are. I bet we're closer than other siblings here at Hogwarts."

"Probably because their parents weren't murdered by Voldemort," he muttered.

"Don't say that. Even if our parents weren't murdered, do you think we'd still be this close?"

Harry looked down at my jeans and started picking at them. "You know I didn't mean to say that. Of course we'd still be this close if they were still alive. In fact, we'd be the perfect family if they were here, and Sirius as well."

I bit my lip, taking Harry's hand. "They're still with us, Harry. In our hearts. Remember what Sirius said back in third year before he left?"

"The ones that love us--"

"--never really leave us," I finished. "Look, you and I are going to fight every now and then. But that's okay. Because we'll still have each other in the end."

We smiled at each other. "You can always count on me, sis."

"Same here, bro." I paused for a moment, then continued talking. "I know I keep saying it, but I'll eventually confess everything. I promise."

He nodded in approval. "Okay, and I promise not to judge you once you tell me."

I nodded back. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being a good brother."

Harry grinned. "You're welcome, Max, and thanks for being a good sister."

"Anytime," I said. "So are you still interested in Ginny?"

He blushed slightly. "Maybe."

I laughed at his embarrassment. This was going to be fun.

Harry and I fell asleep on the train after our conversation earlier. I was dreaming about Harry finding out about Draco and I. He started to yell at him, then he yelled at me. But because I lied to him, he raised his wand at Draco and shouted a spell. But before he could say anything, Harry shook me to wake me up.

"What is it, Harry?" I asked sleepily, rubbing my eyes.

"We're here. Come on, we've got to find Ron and Ginny." Harry helped me out of the seat and I followed him out of the compartment.

We got our stuff and found Ron and Ginny with Mrs. Weasley. Her face lit up when she saw us coming her way.

"Oh, Harry! Max!" She pulled us into a tight hug, making it hard for us to breathe. "It's good to see you two again."

"It's good to see you, too, Mrs. Weasley," Harry exclaimed, flashing a smile back at her.

We headed for the Burrow in the flying car. When we got there, Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, Tonks, and Lupin were in the house, sitting in a circle and chatting away about nothing. Ron, Ginny, Harry, and I went upstairs and placed our things in the bedrooms that we were staying in. Harry and I were in Charlie's room this time.

"It's great to be back here," Harry told me.

"I know. I've been wanting to come back here ever since the day we left to go back to Hogwarts," I admitted.

Harry didn't respond. He looked sad, so I gently placed my hand on his shoulder.

"It's already the holidays and we still don't have what Dumbledore needs from Slughorn," he said.

I huffed a sigh. "I know, I know. We'll get it, Harry. But it's the holidays. Let's just enjoy it while we still can."

He nodded in agreement and walked out of the room, with me behind him.

*******

For the next few days, we were downstairs a lot, eating, talking, laughing, making jokes about things. It was perfect. But that night, while Mrs. Weasley, Ron, the twins, and Ginny were cleaning everything up, we were talking with Mr. Weasley, Lupin, and Tonks about Snape and Draco the other night.

"Voldemort has chosen Draco Malfoy for a mission?" Lupin asked.

"We know it sounds mad--" Harry began, but Lupin cut him off.

"Has it occurred to you two that Snape was simply pretending to offer Draco help so he could find out what he was up to?"

"That's not what it sounded like to us," I stepped in.

"Perhaps Harry and Max are right, Remus," Tonks added. "To make an Unbreakable Vow, it's--"

"It comes down to whether or not you trust Dumbledore's judgement. Dumbledore trusts Snape, therefore, I do."

"Dumbledore can make mistakes," I blurted out. "He said so himself."

"You two are blinded by hatred!" Lupin screamed.

"No, we're not!" Harry shouted back.

"Yes, you are!" He took a pause and then spoke again. "People are disappearing, you two, daily, I mean. We can only place our trust in a handful of people. If we start fighting amongst ourselves, we're doomed."

"I think we're already doomed," I retorted, shooting up from my seat and storming out of the room.

Lupin was being completely ridiculous. Why would Snape pretend to offer Draco help? Snape had to be one of them, he had to. He was always one of them. How could Lupin be the blind one?

I leaned my forehead against the wall, sighing in frustration and confusion. Lupin had a point about one thing, though. We could only place our trust in a handful of people. How did I know that I could trust Draco if he really was a Death Eater and if Voldemort really did give him a mission? I couldn't just simply ask him about it, he'd deny it for sure.

"Max?" I jumped and spun around only to see Harry behind me. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," I nodded quickly. "Everything's fine."

He nodded back in response. "Okay, good. Mr. Weasley wants to talk to us outside."

I followed Harry outside and into the little shed out back. "You two will have to forgive Remus. It takes its toll, his condition."

"Are you alright, Mr. Weasley?" Harry asked him.

"We're being followed, all of us," he said. "Most days, Molly doesn't leave the house. It hasn't been easy."

"That's awful," I added.

"It certainly is, Max. But only time will tell what will happen next."

"Did you get my owl?" Harry spoke up.

"Yes, I did," the man replied, sitting down in a chair. "If Dumbledore's traveling, then that's news to the Ministry of Magic, but perhaps that's the way Dumbledore wants it. As for Draco Malfoy, I know a bit more.

"I sent an agent to Borgin and Burkes. I think, from what you described, what you two and Ron saw at the end of the summer, the object that Draco is so interested in, is a Vanishing Cabinet."

"A what?" we asked at the same time.

"A Vanishing Cabinet. They were all the rage when You-Know-Who first rose to power. You can see the appeal. Should Death Eaters come knocking, one simply had to slip inside and disappear for an hour to two. They can transport you to practically anywhere. Tricky contraptions, they are. Very temperamental."

"What happened to it? The one at Borgin and Burkes?" I questioned.

"Nothing. It's still there," Mr. Weasley replied.

I thought about the Vanishing Cabinet a lot after talking with Mr. Weasley. I had to find the bigger picture in it. The Vanishing Cabinet was merely a tiny piece. There was more to it than that. The object meant something. Not just to Draco, but to Voldemort himself. What made it so valuable? Mr. Weasley said that the Vanishing Cabinet was able to transport a person anywhere.

So that meant there had to be more than one cabinet.

"Ginny and I managed to get alone after you left the room," Harry said after we left Mr. Weasley alone.

"Oh, yeah? And what happened?" I asked him.

"Ron got in the middle of it," he sighed.

"Don't worry, dear brother. You'll get her. She likes you. I know she does."

He smiled weakly at me and exhaled once more. "I'm going upstairs. You coming?"

I shook my head no. "I think I'm going to chill down here for a bit. I'll come up later." Harry nodded and began to go upstairs. But I stopped him. "Hey."

Harry turned around, facing me. "Yeah?"

"Merry Christmas, loser." I smiled.

He shot me a smile back down at me. "Merry Christmas, you idiot." With that, he turned back around and ascended up the stairs, leaving me to my thoughts.

I went to the window and stared off into the yard. It was dark, peaceful, and quiet. But there was something about the field out there that made me shiver a little bit. If anything happened, I had my wand in my back pocket.

And that was when it came. A ball of fire fell from the sky and landed in the grass, circling the Burrow. Before I could even blink or process what was going on at the moment, I saw her. There she was, flashing her smirk.

Bellatrix Lestrange.

Without thinking, I dashed for the door and ran after her. The adults were calling after me, but I wasn't planning on stopping. I leaped over the fire and disappeared into the field. I heard the others yell Harry and Ginny's name as well, which meant they weren't far behind me. But I wasn't going to wait for them. My blood was boiling. I wanted to kill her. I wanted to kill Bellatrix. She took away Sirius' life. So now, I was going to take hers.

"I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!" she sang out loud, causing it to echo throughout the entire field. "Maxiiiinnneeeee! Harrrrrrry! Can you get meeeeee?"

I suddenly stopped in my place, panting from all the running I just did. Of course, I managed to get lost, having no clue where I was at. Harry and Ginny were nowhere in sight. I was about to call out their names when I decided that was a bad idea. What was I supposed to do now? Just stand here and wait until I run into someone?

Snap!

I gasped, jumping a little and turning around in panic. My breathing was picking up. Someone was out here. Someone knew I was here. It wasn't Harry or Ginny.

Snap!

I was starting to get scared now. I clutched my wand in my right hand, gripping it tightly. My heart was racing, my blood was pumping, my palms were sweating. I began to walk backwards when I bumped into something. Before I could do anything, a pair of arms grabbed me and pressed my back against them. Their hand clamped over my mouth. I attempted to scream, but the hand caused it to sound muffled.

"Shh, it's okay, Max. It's okay. It's me. It's Draco," the voice said.

I stopped struggling to get out of his grasp and he let me go. I turned around to face him. "Draco?"

"Yeah, it's me. Are you alright?" I nodded. "What the hell were you thinking?! Did you think going after my aunt was a good idea?!"

"Well, why the hell did you guys come here tonight?!" I hissed back at him. "Where's Harry and Ginny? Did you see them?"

But Draco grabbed my face and looked at me. "Hey, calm down. They're fine. I won't let anything happen to you, okay? I promise." The boy pulled me in for a hug, holding me close to him.

"Someone saw you with me the other night," I said.

"I know. It was Goyle. The bloke doesn't know how or when to keep his mouth shut," he cursed to himself.

"What are we going to do? Everyone at Hogwarts now thinks that you're shagging a slut, who is only using you as their new boy toy."

"Am I really your new boy toy?" Draco smirked.

I shocked his arm. "It's not funny!" I pouted, folding my arms over my chest.

"I'm kidding! I'm only kidding, Max. You're not a slut. Believe me, you're far from being one." He looked at my neck in shock. "Did I do that?" he asked, poking at my hickey.

I quickly put my hand over it and blushed. "Don't touch it, Draco!"

He laughed at me.

I sighed, shivering from the cold. "Merlin, I'm freezing out here."

"Come here." He took my body and clung it onto his, rubbing my back. "Everything is going to be alright."

"Harry! Max! Ginny!" We heard Mr. Weasley's voice echo from a distance.

"You have to go," he told me.

"What? No. I want to stay here with you," I protested.

"No, Max. Go find the others. We'll talk more when we get back to Hogwarts. I promise."

I hesitated before nodding my head. "Okay. I'll see you soon." He nodded in agreement and watched me as I ran and disappeared into the night.

I heard the sound of spells being shot at each other. Harry and Ginny were surrounded by Death Eaters everywhere. I ran over to them and began to dodge spells.

"Max, where have you been? We've been looking for you!" Harry told me.

"Sorry, I got off track," I said.

Lupin, Tonks, and Mr. Weasley joined us shortly after the spells stopped. Harry linked his elbows with Ginny and I as we looked around in every direction. Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters flew up to the sky and headed straight back to the Burrow. The entire place burst into flames. The six of us ran back to the Burrow. When we got there, the others were already outside. We all watched as the entire house was burning.

Voldemort was not going to get away with this. That was a promise that I intended on keeping.

~~~~~~~

A/N: Hiiii! updated again!

AND NO MAX IS NOT PREGNANT. And for those asking about why she didn't cover up her hickey another way: the hair is more convenient for her in the moment.

So from now on, I will write and try to update Closer to Love on Mondays and Thursdays. So the story will get 2 updates a week.

Anyways, what did you think? When will Max finally spill to Harry about her and Draco (even though they're not even a couple yet, lol)?

Comment, vote, and be prepared! BYE!

-A