After a few more quiet minutes, Ron closed the book and sighed, "blimey; how are we supposed to pass these OWLs exams?"

"Apparently without magic," Jinx answered with frustration.

Just then, Draco entered the library walking right up to the group. He stood for a moment, obviously in a awkward place. "Weasley..Granger," he greeted with distaste, but that was all he said to them. "Jinx, would you come with me?"

Jinx stood, trying to hold back her amusement of everyone's awkwardness. "I'll see you tomorrow in class," Jinx waved to her Gryffindor friends with a smile and left, taking Draco's hand in her own.

Ron and Hermione watched them leave. "I don't understand what she sees in him," Ron spoke in utter confusion.

"None of us do, Ronald," Hermione answered in awe, "but she's happy..and it seems like he is, too."

• • •

Jinx had a skip in her step as she walked beside her love. But he wore a conflicted look on his face. "Why do you hang out with that mud-blood?" He asked gently, not trying to be offend Jinx.

But she only smiled, "because she's a good friend. And she's very smart, you know." She paused and frowned slightly. "Honestly, I don't understand why wizards like her are put down about their genetics," she further explained, "I think it's quite a miracle if a magical child can be born of muggles."

Draco had never thought about that before. It was a sort of miracle, he had to admit. Were muggle borns really as normal as Jinx believed? He found himself nodding as he thought.

"So where are we going?" Jinx questioned.

"McGonagall asked me to find you for her," Draco began, looking down at her with suspicious eyes, "are you in trouble?"

"I doubt that's why she wants to see me," Jinx assured, "we've known each other for a very long time; she looks at me as an equal, not a child."

"Right," Draco replied, recalling how old Jinx truly was. "Any idea what she might need you for?"

Jinx sighed. "I'm sure it has something to do with Voldemort," she spoke stressfully, "or maybe she thinks I can answer a question of hers?"

Before long, the two arrived in McGonagall's office. "Ah, thank you Draco, you may go now," she spoke hastily.

When Draco hesitated, the professor looked from him to Jinx. "Actually, he knows what I am already," she explained, "he can stay."

"..How much have you told him?" McGonagall asked.

"Just about everything," Jinx answered. There was a moment of quiet as the two shared a silent conversation with their eyes.

McGonagall sighed and looked to Draco and back to Jinx, "very well. As you know, since your arrival at Hogwarts, Voldemort has been on the lookout for you. I suspect he has some poor student here watching you for him. The...connection, you share with him," the professor went on carefully, "I suspect that's what he's after. He doesn't seem to want you dead..perhaps he wants you to join him."

Jinx felt her heart pound, even ache. She recalled when Tom was just a baby, when he was still her son, when he existed innocently and happily. Did he truly want her back in his life as a mother figure? She stopped her thoughts immediately, reminding herself that he was no longer her son.

"Just be careful.." McGonagall concluded, "..of temptation."

• • •

After McGonagall's worryful warning, Jinx and Draco left her office. Draco was feeling on edge at the professor's words, The...connection, you share with him. What connection? Although he respected Jinx's dire need to keep it secret, he couldn't help but feel that if he knew, he could help.

But that would mean having to tell her his own dark secret.

Conflicted, Draco eventually made his decision and asked hesitantly, "Jinx, I know that you think it'd be dangerous to tell me, but I think I can help--"

"No," Jinx inturupted. When Draco looked down at her face, he realized that her eyes watered. "You don't understand, I've already told too many people," she explained in a wavering voice, "and you heard McGonagall; I'm being watched. Right now Voldemort is unsure if I am who he thinks I am, and I cannot let the truth out."

Draco sighed nervously and stopped walking. He took Jinx's hand in his and squeezed it. Noticing the quiver in his hand, she looked up at him with concern. There was something hidden in his eyes, begging to be found. "..What is it?"

"Jinx," he began in a shakey voice, "..my father is a Death Eater..and my mother. I've seen the Dark Lord myself, even talked with him. Before I met you, I was going to follow in my father's footsteps...but I don't want to anymore. Anything that you tell me, I promise that I will make sure he believes the opposite."

At a loss for words, Jinx simply stared up at him with wide eyes. "You were--" she choked out, "you were initiating to be a Death Eater?" Her voice was heartbroken.

"It's a mess that I got myself into, and it won't be easy to get out of, but I'll try my hardest," he explained, "when I met you, I felt like I could make my own life, like I had a choice. I want to stay with you forever, in a world free of that awful wizard. I want to grow old with you, have a family, live in peace. I'd give up anything for you now, Jinx."