d o v e

s i x t e e n

"He came up to me after charms when we were alone and asked me to make the unbreakable vow," Hermione whispered to Ginny as the two girls sat in their room waiting for Alexandra to return. "He wouldn't tell me why exactly, but he said he needed to ensure Alexandra's safety in the event that something happened here at Hogwarts."

"Did you do it, then?" Ginny asked. Hermione shook her head.

"Of course not. He seemed rather angry when I refused; told me not to tell her," Hermione frowned. "Do you reckon we tell the boys?"

"I don't think you should've told me, let alone Harry. Draco chose to ask you for a reason, don't you think?"

"I suppose," Hermione sighed. "At least we know he's willing to do anything to protect Alex. Maybe we really can trust him."

Alexandra, worried about Draco's safety, decided that meeting Tom once again is in her best interest right now.

"I thought you'd never return," Tom mocked, circling her. He noticed she looked much happier, and her skin seemed brighter.

"Look at me, will you?"

Alexandra walked over to Tom when he stopped pacing, and she cupped his face with her hands. He took a deep breath, feeling a sensation he's been trying so hard to forget. She took advantage of that.

"You look sick," Alexandra said, sounding concerned as she traced with her thumb over the small scars that sat on Tom's face. His eyes were dull, and his hair was losing it's color. He looked much worse than when she last saw him, which means he's made other horcruxes since then. "I'm worried for you, Tom."

"No need," he told her. "I'm stronger now than I've ever been."

"Why are you here, Tom?" Alexandra asked once again. "If I mean nothing to you, why are you here?"

He hated himself for sending her back to her time, but it was imperative for his survival that he did. He did care for the girl, but he cared more about power. If there was a way he could have both, he would, but it was impossible.

He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and sighed. It's a shame, he thought, that someone as beautiful and loving as herself would never live to grow up past her time at Hogwarts.

Not answering her question, Tom left the room. Alexandra took a deep breath, momentarily seeing this meeting as a success.

She rushed back to her dormitory, just now noticing how dark it had gotten. Immediately upon entering her common room, she had been greeted by Hermione and Ginny. Both looked worried.

"Ron's been poisoned."

The three girls rushed to the hospital wing in a panic, worried for their friend but also curious to know how he could have poisoned so easily in the castle. When Harry explained the situation, specifically the bottle of mead, Alexandra's heart dropped.

"You wouldn't know anything about this, would you?" Harry asked her. She clenched her jaw. She knew this was Draco's doing, but she also knew he had absolutely no intention of hurting her friend.

"This isn't the time to argue," Hermione interrupted, sitting beside Ron's bed. "Honestly. You two were the best of friends only weeks ago. This silly argument is affecting us as well, you know, even Ron. You're practically asking him to choose between his sister and his best friend."

"How would you know? You two haven't spoken in weeks either," Harry continued to argue. Once Ron began dating Lavender Brown earlier in the year, Hermione started avoiding him. Other than Alexandra's birthday, they've barely been seen around each other. Hermione thought it eased the pain of seeing him with someone else if she didn't see him at all.  "It's exactly the same. You're mad at him because he's dating someone you don't like."

"Harry," Ginny warned, noticing both of her friends seething with anger and annoyance. Thankfully, the doors opened just in time.

"Well, this isn't one of his better birthdays," Fred said, walking into the hospital wing with George and their parents. The first thing he noticed was the angry look on everyone's faces. "What's got everyone's wands in a twist?" 

Alexandra huffed, crossing her arms as she glared at Harry.

Meanwhile, Draco was in the sixth floor bathroom discussing the parts of his task with Moaning Myrtle that he couldn't discuss with Alexandra. He had confided in the ghost months ago when he realized it was too dangerous to tell Alexandra everything. A ghost, he thought, couldn't die for keeping his secret.

"The girl seems very adamant on helping you survive," Myrtle told him. "Maybe you should let her. Dying is not ideal, especially at the hands of Tom Riddle."

"You're not exactly helping," Draco said angrily, questioning why he began confiding in her in the first place.

"You can always cast her unconscious and hide her deep within the castle where they can't find her. You can even send her through the floo networks, but she might lose an arm or two if she's floppy," Myrtle suggested, roaming aimlessly around the bathroom. "May I suggest enlisting the help of her friends?"

"The Granger girl is a last resort," he huffed, not wanting to depend on her until entirely necessary. He learned from his mistake earlier in the day that Alex's friends aren't the most willing to help him. He isn't surprised seeing as he hasn't exactly been the nicest and most trusting person throughout the years.

Suddenly, Draco's eyes widened as he came up with a significantly more efficient plan. If he could somehow get Dumbledore to take the protective barrier down that surrounds the school, he would be able to easily apparate Alex to the Burrow and return to the castle in such time that his absence would most likely not be noticed. The only risk is the fact that he has yet to fully learn the process of apparating, as he is not yet of age. This, however, was his only option. "You can't share this with anybody. Swear it."

"I already told you," Myrtle smiled, greatly infatuated with the boy. "I'll take it to my grave."