Pansy waited until they had both disappeared out of view.

It had been close. Too close.

But that bloody cow Longbottom simply wound her up something rotten and she couldn't seem to control the words that fell out of her mouth.

Oh, how she couldn't wait to see the look on that toad freaks face when she and Draco announce their engagement.

She should have done it earlier but she wanted to give him until the last possible moment to agree to do it willingly.

And yes, Obliviation seemed somewhat drastic. But the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. It was a lot more 'fun' than the Unbreakable Vow, somehow.

And this way he wouldn't spend their marriage pining over that little freak. Not that she really cared. She never wanted Draco in the romantic sense; she just wanted the weight in gold that his name carried.

But the problem with Obliviating his mind, was that there was a good flipping chance he still wouldn't marry her. And she'd have to keep him in hiding longer whilst she convinced him they were in love and set to wed.

And now the castle's repairs had finished, she was expected to return home, and hiding him would be a lot more tricky.

Turning on the spot, she decided not to waste anymore time. She'd ask him one last time to do the Unbreakable Vow and if he doesn't agree, it'll be goodbye memories.

And she knew he wouldn't want to forget her.

Not his frog princess.

*****

"I just can't put my finger on it, but her whole attitude towards Draco's disappearance is ringing alarm bells."

"I know," Narcissa immediately agreed, much to my relief. "I felt it too. And the whole volunteering herself for an entire year, never sat right with me."

My head started hammering in my chest. I suddenly felt so hopeful for the first time in a year. I felt close.

"Do you- do you think it's possible that he's here?" I asked, looking around as if he would materialise just from my words.

When Narcissa nodded, I could have wept with relief. But my relief quickly turned to fear when I realised with a panic that we could be too late.

"We need to speak to Harry," I said frantically. "He may be able to help us."

But Narcissa remained mute, her face pinched apprehensively. "I'm just worried about who we can trust," she said, her voice full of an anxiety I had never heard before.

"We can trust Harry." I said earnestly. "I know he and Draco didn't get on at school but Harry recognised the war hero in him, Narcissa. When it mattered, they were there for each other."

Narcissa took my hand as we both looked up at the castle, both of us united in our quest to get Draco home.

*****

"You think he's here?" Harry scoffed when I told him of my suspicions. "I'm not being funny Neve, but this place has been swarming with volunteers all year round and I think they'd know if Malfoy was hiding out."

I flinched at Harry's re-use of his surname. To me it meant that he had reverted back to seeing Draco as his rival, and I didn't like that - I needed Harry to remember that Draco was worth saving.

"Hang on a minute, mate," Ron piped up, who stood arm in arm with Hermione, his eyes still bloodshot from the tears he had shed about his brother. "What about the map?"

"What map?" I asked, looking curiously between Ron and Harry.

"Oh, it's nothing," Harry said dismissively. "Just some old map that someone once gave me."

"That my brother gave you," Ron said, his tone surprisingly fierce. "It'll tell us if Draco is here and exactly where."

"Really?" I asked, my heart fluttering hopefully, turning back to Harry who nodded with seemingly great reluctance. "Then we must look at it at once!"

"It's not on me," Harry said bluntly. "It's currently residing in a vault deep underground in Gringotts and the goblins require five working days notice for me to access it."

I looked at him, my mouth gaping open disbelievingly. "You've got to be kidding me?"

Harry gave a nonchalant shrug. "It's a security thing."

"Well if that's all it is, then tell them that this is an emergency," Narcissa said at once, her face furious with anxiety. "My son could be alive and trapped somewhere here. That map could help us rescue him! I will not wait five days knowing this!"

"Fine," Harry huffed, "I'll see what I can do. I'm not happy about having to cut short Memorial Day, though. I had a few more speeches up my sleeve."

"Harry, this is important," Hermione implored. "We could save someone's life here."

That sold it to Harry. He does like being a hero.

Whilst he went off to Diagon Alley to try his luck with the goblins, Narcissa, myself, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all started searching the grounds and castle ourselves.

We decided not to recruit any more help, fearful that Pansy would panic and do something drastic if she discovered we were all onto her.

I chose to search down in the dungeons, opening every door, looking for any kind of secret entrance, in every nook and every cranny; but to no avail.

Harry returned with the map and we poured over it together, my heart thudding in the desperate attempt to find the name of the boy I loved with all my heart.

"See, I can't find it anywhere," Harry said in a 'I told you so' voice. "He's not here, as I said."

He went to remove the map from under my nose, but I grabbed it before he could pull it away.

"But look - there's Pansy," I pointed out to the footsteps on the seventh floor. "What if we watch where she goes and- hey! Where's she gone? Her name's just vanished!"

"Huh?" Harry frowned looking down closely at the map now, his face pinched as he studied it with sudden curiosity. "But that can't be..." he breathed, "it was destroyed in the fire."

"Harry, what are you talking about?" I asked, my heart pounding furiously.

Harry looked white as a sheet as he slowly looked up at me.

"Neve, you need to get Narcissa." he said, his voice visibly trembling. "I think we may have found her son."

*****