"Don't worry. He'll be here in a minute." Ron said stuffing his mouth with jelly as Hermione stared at the Great Hall's doors.

Y/N, Hermione and Ron had gotten off the Hogwarts Express and attended the welcome back ceremony without Harry and now Y/N had joined the other two back on the table.

Hermione held her book tightly in her arm while glaring at Ron. Y/N sat across from them next to Ginny, playing around with his bowl of jelly.

"Will you stop eating?!" Hermione scolded angrily, smacking Ron with her book after every word.

"Your best friend is missing!"

"Sometimes they look more like an old married couple." Ginny teased, noticing Y/N's tense expression.

"Traitor." Y/N scoffed, stealing some of her jelly and eating it.

"He's covered in blood again." Ginny said, watching Harry finally enter the Great Hall with a bloody nose.

"Why is it he's always covered in blood?"

"Looks like it's his own this time." Ron spoke in a low voice.

"Where have you been?!" Hermione instantly questioned Harry as soon as he got to their table.

Y/N moved over to the side, allowing Harry to sit next to Ginny.

"What happened to your face?"

"Later." Harry waved her off.

"What've I missed?"

Y/N turned them out at that point, instead mindlessly playing around with his jelly once more.

He's have to tell them at some point. At least Hermione. There's no way she wouldn't notice something was off. He was always with her. The only problem was, how would he tell her.

"Y/N, what's wro-" Hermione began to speak as her gaze fell on her troubled boyfriend.

"Very best of evenings to you all." Dumbledore spoke from the front of the hall, interrupting Hermione.

Y/N took a glance at Hermione's worried expression. He gulped before turning to Dumbledore. Though it was a formal occasion, they had already eaten dessert so Y/N decided it was best to remain at the Gryffindor tables.

"First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff... Horace Slughorn."

The students all clapped loudly as the new Professor stood up for everyone to see. He wore a friendly smile, waving at the students.

"Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say... has agreed to resume his old post as Potions Master." Dumbledore spoke up once more as the clapping died down.

"Meanwhile, the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts... will be taken by Professor Snape."

Everyone shared questioning looks except for the Slytherin students who clapped loudly at his success.

Y/N on the other hand was still lost in thoughts, trying to figure out when to tell Hermione and how along with what he and Draco could do to fulfill their mission.

"Now, as you know... each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight. And you have the right to know why." Dumbledore began.

Y/N and Draco were both searched by Snape who they knew to be close with their family.

"Once there was a young man, who, like you... sat in this very hall... walked this castle's corridors, slept under it's roof. He seemed to all the world a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle." 

The room filled with whispers and gasps.

"Today, of course... he's known all over the world by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight... I'm reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every hour... this very minute, perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls. But in the end, their greatest weapon is you. Just something to think about. Now, off to bed. Pip-pip."

"That was cheerful." Ron said sarcastically as the students began to leave.

Y/N snapped out of his thoughts by Hermione placing her hand on top of his across the table.

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"No way. You can't tell her." Draco whispered as he and Y/N made their way to potions class.

"I kind of have to, Draco. She's my girlfriend." Y/N sighed, stuffing his books into his bag.

"I know she already knows something is going on."

"No. If we fail this mission, you know he'll kill us. He'll kill mother." Draco said angrily, pulling Y/N into an empty hallway.

"Just act like usual. Don't say a word about it."

Y/N pushed Draco's hand off of him and glared at him. Draco sighed, not really knowing what Y/N's next actions would be. Even Y/N didn't know.

"Listen, I've figured it out." Draco switched the subject, looking around them to make sure no one overheard.

"Figured it out?" Y/N questioned, fixing his robes up.

"Remember the cabinet from Borgin and Burkes?" Draco asked in a whisper.

Y/N nodded.

"I got some information from Montague. He got lost in another cabinet last year and told me it's power. It's broken right now but I reckon we can fix it." 

"You're not thinking-" Y/N began speaking in realizing.

"We can let a few of the Death Eaters in through the one at Borgin and Burkes to help us kill Dumbledore." Draco finished for him.

"Draco that's extremely risky." Y/N furrowed his eyebrows.

"I know." Draco replied.

"But it's the only plan we've got."

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"Attention to detail in the preparation is the prerequisite of all planning." Slughorn explained in front of the class.

Y/N actually tried to pay attention to class. If he didn't, everyone would be suspicious of how their year's 2nd place would fall far behind.

He stood next to Hermione, who hugged her book tightly when Harry and Ron finally entered class.

"Ah. Harry, my boy, I was beginning to worry. We've brought someone with us, I see." Slughorn turned his attention to them.

Y/N felt Hermione's hand grab his, giving it a light squeeze.

"Y/N." Hermione whispered while the class' attention were on Harry and Ron.

"Granger." Y/N whispered back, meeting her gaze.

"I don't know what it is that you're hiding from me but I can tell it's hard." She said, studying his face.

Y/N felt a lump in his throat as his guilt grew.

"You don't have to be alone."

He wanted to tell her. Truly he did. But how could he? He can't just walk up to her and say, 'hey, my family might get murdered so I took on the task of murdering the headmaster hahahah.'. No. It was much more complex than that.

"I love you." Y/N spoke gently as he desperately held the tears back.

"I love you too." Hermione replied softly, knowing not to press on.

Surely he'll tell her when he's ready.

"Now, as I was saying, I prepared some concoctions this morning." Slughorn cheerfully said, showing off a few different sizes of cauldrons on his desk.

"Any ideas what these might be?"

Hermione's hand shot up and just to tease her, Y/N's shot up too.

"Yes, Miss and Mr...?"

"Granger and Malfoy, sir." Hermione replied, letting go of Y/N's hand to hug her book once more.

Y/N followed after her towards the potions.

"That one there is Veritaserum. It's a truth-telling serum." Y/N identified before Hermione could speak.

"Tastes very foul."

"That one would be Polyjuice Potion." Hermione spoke up before Y/N could continued.

"It's terribly tricky to make. And this is Amortentia... the most powerful love potion in the world. It's rumored to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them."

Y/N took a glance at the pink potion before staring at Hermione. He smiled, gaining a cheeky smirk.

"For example, I smell..." Hermione took a sniff of the potion.

"...Musky cologne and new parchment, and... minty shampoo."

Hermione turned red at the last sentence as the image of Y/N's naked figure, fresh from the shower flashed in her head.

"Move over, Granger. Can't smell anything over your perfume." Y/N joked, pushing her gently to the side.

"Very good, very good!" Slughorn chuckled at the two's banter.

"Now, Amortentia doesn't create actual love. That would be impossible. But it does cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. And for that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room."

Y/N and Hermione got back into their spots, watching as a few girls crept closer and closer towards the Amortentia. 

"Sir? You haven't told us what's in that one." One of the Gryffindor students pointed to a small vial.

"Oh, yes. What you see before you, ladies and gentlemen... is a curious little potion known as Felix Felicis." Slughorn unscrewed the potion from it's stand.

"But it is more commonly referred to as..."

"Liquid luck." Hermione answered.

"Yes, Miss Granger. Liquid luck." Slughorn praised with a smile.

"Desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. One sip and you will find that all of your endeavors succeed. At least until the effects wear off."

Y/N stared at the potion. Liquid luck is just what he and Draco would need right now.

"So this is what I offer each of you today. One tiny vial of liquid luck to the student who, in that hour that remains... manages to brew an acceptable Draught of Living Death... the recipes for which can be found on page 10 of your books. I should point out, however, only once did a student manage to brew a potion of sufficient quality to claim this prize. Nevertheless, good luck to you all. Let the brewing commence."

The class quickly got to their tables, starting on the potion. Y/N and Hermione never helped each other much in potions due to their competitiveness with each other.

Y/N was much better than Draco in potions so it was up to him to try and win the prize. He quickly set up his cauldron next to Hermione and began getting everything ready.

The whole class struggled with the first bit of the task, getting the juices out of the Sopophorous bean. It's shell was extremely hard making it slip away when trying to cut it. It didn't help that the bean jumped around, trying to escape their grips.

Y/N looked at the instructions once more. It definitely said to cut it but that just didn't seem very efficient. He turned to look at his struggling girlfriend who seemed to grew impatient as time went on. If Hermione couldn't figure it out, how could he?

"How did you do that?" Hermione's voice snapped Y/N out of his thoughts.

Y/N turned to see Harry, crushing the juices out of the bean.

"Crush it, don't cut it." Harry replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No. The instructions specifically say to cut." Hermione said, pointing at the words in her book.

"No, really." Harry said sarcastically, looking at his own worn-out book.

Y/N and Hermione both struggled with the potions. They weren't sure if it was their own lack of talent or if the instructions were not very good which made them both more stressed. Unlike usual, Y/N was less stressed about beating Hermione and more stressed about how difficult his task would be without the prize potion.

Y/N tried his very best to complete the potion while Harry seemed to finish it with ease which was surprising as he was never that good at potions class.

Y/N sighed, ruffling his own hair. It was hot in the room but he couldn't roll his sleeves up which made him even more stressed than before. Giving up, he took a look at Hermione who's hair was all puffed up. Y/N grew a faint smile on his face watching her.

Abandoning his potion, he decided his girlfriend was more important. He leaned in behind her, hugging her from behind as her expression grew more anxious.

"It's alright if you're not number one for once in your life, 'Mione." Y/N mumbled, letting go of her.

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows as Y/N tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. He knew failure was Hermione's biggest fear.

"Merlin's beard! It is perfect." Slughorn exclaimed, staring at Harry's potion.

"So perfect I daresay one drop would kill us all."

Y/N perked up upon hearing that. Perhaps if he managed to brew one of those potions later on, he could use it to aid in his and Draco's mission.

The students were brought back to the front as Harry received the prize.

"You look even more like a lion now." Y/N teased, looking at Hermione's poofed up hair.

Hermione sighed, facing Y/N and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I'm a failure." She mumbled into his embrace.

"You're everything but that." Y/N coaxed before pressing a soft kiss onto her forehead.

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After all classes were done that day, Y/N retreated to his and Hermione's spot. By the tree next to the lake.

He snuck off before anyone could follow him, taking the moment to think. Of course he was cheerful in class. In front of everyone. But alone he couldn't take it.

Y/N rolled up his sleeves, tracing around the Dark Mark on his forearm with his finger as he sat down, leaning against the single tree.

He never wanted to become a Death Eater. He had no choice. It was either that or his family dies as traitors to Voldemort.

But now he's faced with the most difficult task. Killing Dumbledore, one of the most powerful wizards of all time. Y/N and Draco weren't killers. They were just boys.

Y/N felt tears drip down his cheeks.

He was lost.

Y/N began to scratch at his tattooed forearm, desperately trying to make it disappear.

A boy of 16. Tasked to kill or be killed. Forced to lie to the girl whom he loved so dearly. To his friends.

Y/N scratched so hard, his arm had turned red.

He can't leave Hermione. He can't lie to her. He has to tell her. But what if she left him? If the other half of him is gone, how could he ever live as one again? She is the best part of him. She is what made him who he is.

Blood began to drip out from tiny spots that he had scratched too hard on.

If he fails. Everyone he loves will be gone.

Y/N's arms left his arm. He stared at the tiny spots that had begun bleeding before hugging his knees and crying to himself.

His father. His mother. Draco. Voldemort would kill them all if they didn't succeed.

Y/N didn't notice small footsteps approaching as he was lost in his thoughts.

If he did succeed. Hermione would hate him. He'd just be another one of those monsters.  He didn't know what to do or which side he belonged in anymore.

He's just a boy.

"Y/N?" Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Hermione's voice.

"Y/N, talk to me." Hermione kneeled down in front of him, speaking patiently.

Y/N looked up at her with his tear-stained face. She wore the most worried expression he had ever seen on her. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her lips curved to a frown.

It was always her that was there whenever he needed the most.

"Hermione." Y/N's voice cracked.

Hermione looked at him with a sad expression. She didn't comment about the mark on his arm. Instead her eyes were locked onto his. She was always the one who was the most patient with him. The one who trusted him the most.

It was always her.

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A/N: Hi welcome to this chapter's A/N where I talk about random things. (Sorry to leave this chapter on a cliffhanger but I'm sleepy.)

Okay first of all. Idc what anyone says, Y/N Malfoy would 100% be protective over red-eyed Y/N from my other book.

2nd. "What I've been looking for" from high school musical, Y/N and Hermione. That's all.

3rd. Y/N and Ginny have the best brother-sister dynamic even tho they're not blood-related. I'm not taking criticism.

4th. Narcissa is actually so fine. Like. Thanks mum for giving Y/N Malfoy your hot genes.

5th. Reading comments actually make me so anxious like if I see a hate comment I will actually cry.

6th. You guys wanna be friends? Like I could create a discord server and we could all hang out and yknow. We can all be friends :)