"It's freezing! Weather this cold should be illegal!" Ginny shouted, pulling her cloak tightly around her as she walked with Grace and Luna on either side of her. Large snowflakes were quickly falling from the sky, covering the path before the girls in a magnificent, sparkling white.

"It's wonderful! The Nazzle Mumphs will be out!" Luna exclaimed with great excitement.

"That sounds like a sneeze," Grace said with a laugh. "What on earth is a Nazzle Mumph?"

"Oh, they're amazing little creatures!" explained the blonde girl, her eyes lighting up at her friend's interest. "I'll have to show you a picture in The Quibbler when we get back to Hogwarts!"

"Enough about Nasal Mumps! Let's go get a butterbeer," Ginny suggested as the girls finally arrived in front of The Three Broomsticks. Butterbeer was a great way to start off another Hogsmeade trip.

Grace pushed open the door, her friends close behind her. Ginny kicked her boots against the doorframe before entering. Luna had a piece of her blonde hair between her fingers, counting how long it would take the snowflakes to melt now that they were inside.

Grace found an empty table and she glanced around the room, taking off her cloak. She saw Dean on one side, probably waiting for Ginny. A few tables down she watched Hermione carry three drinks, setting them down in front of Harry and Ron. A table in the back corner had two empty glasses on it. Grace couldn't wait until her own glass was empty and her stomach was filled with sweet butterbeer.

"I'll go grab us some drinks," Grace told her friends, walking towards the counter where a woman was busy preparing treats. Grace waited patiently, resting her arms on the counter as the worker asked for her order. "Three butterbeers, please. One with ex-"

"-extra ginger."

Grace's heart stopped. She knew that voice. She hadn't heard it in weeks, but that voice was not easily forgotten; not when that voice had said so many sweet things to her before. She turned her head to face the boy.

"Noah," Grace uttered quietly, locking eyes with him.

"Grace," the Slytherin replied. "How have you been?"

The girl sighed, bringing her gaze to her feet. She heard three glasses being set down on the counter. "I've been better."

Noah nodded in agreement. "Do you think maybe we could talk?"

Her heart fluttered in her chest and she grabbed a butterbeer in each hand. "I'm actually here with Ginny and Luna. I don't want to just ditch them."

Noah picked up the butterbeer with extra ginger, helping Grace carry her order to her table.

Ginny shot Grace a pair of wide eyes at the sight of Noah, trying to stifle a smirk. She quickly grabbed her butterbeer, saying, "I'm going to sit with Dean. Come on, Luna."

Luna picked up her own drink, sitting in a chair across from Neville, who was staring at a small potted cactus.

"There's no one to ditch anymore," Noah said with a shrug. He pulled a chair out for Grace. "Please sit," he added, his brow furrowed slightly. The Slytherin let out a quiet sigh of relief once Grace settled into the chair. He walked around to the other side to sit across from her.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you around," Grace pushed, not touching her butterbeer. She was much more interested in the boy in front of her.

"Just busy, that's all," Noah mumbled. "Honestly, have you been doing alright? I've been worried."

"Why are you worried about me? I'm not your concern anymore. I never was, I suppose."

"Grace, I fucked up," Noah admitted, running a distraught hand through his hair. "I shouldn't have ended things with you. I haven't stopped thinking about you since that day in my common room."

"You ended them for a reason, Noah. It's not me you're thinking about. You just haven't stopped thinking about the fact that I don't trust you, which is completely untrue, by the way..."

"It's not that. I know you trust me. I know that."

"Then what is it?" Grace asked, her brows pinching together. She heard the door to the lavatory open before watching Draco walk to the back corner, pick up his Slytherin scarf from the table with two empty drinks, and exit The Three Broomsticks.

"It's just-" Noah sighed. "It's complicated."

"I can't deal with all the secrecy anymore, Noah," Grace confessed, leaning back in her chair. "You want me to trust you, right?"

Noah nodded gently, staring at Grace with soft eyes.

"Then don't give me a reason not to."

Noah looked down in defeat, staring at his hands. He nervously twirled one of the rings around his fingers, his mind racing.

Grace studied the boy carefully. He looked exhausted. His eyes were cold and dark. He seemed on edge. "You can tell me anything, Noah. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

Noah clenched his jaw, slowly looking up at Grace. "Okay," he finally answered. "I have to show you something, but not here, alright?"

Grace nodded, slowly standing up from her seat, eager to carry on their conversation elsewhere. The two of them pulled their cloaks on and walked out of The Three Broomsticks, not saying a word until they were in a secluded area. Noah wiped the thin layer of snow off a wooden bench, and they sat down.

"The morning after that party when everything fell apart, I-" Noah took a deep breath. "I started an argument with you...on purpose."

Grace glanced up at Noah, not saying a word.

"I'll admit I was upset that you didn't completely trust me. It hurt that you thought I would tamper with your drink, but I know how hard trust is for you. I can't blame you for that. You've been through more than a sixteen-year-old girl should ever have to go through." Noah played with the edge of his sleeve. "So, yes, I was upset, but not upset enough to want to end things. I ended things because I had to. I blew up our little discussion into a huge argument so that it would be easier."

Grace narrowed her eyes. "Easier? If it wasn't because of trust, then why did you want us to be over?"

Noah bit the inside of his cheek, sending Grace an apologetic expression, before slowly dragging up his sleeve, the Dark Mark etched on his forearm.

Grace's stomach dropped. She stood up, slowly backing away as she shook her head in disbelief. "No. No, no, no. That's not what I think it is! It can't be!"

Noah quickly stood up, walking towards her. "It is, but it's okay! I promise. It means nothing!"

"It means everything!" Grace shouted, tugging at the roots of her hair. "Why do you want to be a deatheater, Noah? You told me you were done! You said you weren't going to follow in your father's footsteps!"

Noah took another step closer. "I didn't have a choice!" His eyes narrowed, slightly glossed over. "Do you really think I want this, Grace? You think I want to be a part of a group that murders Muggles, Muggleborns, and everyone that stands in the way of the Dark Lord?"

"What did you have to do to get it?" Grace questioned, crossing her arms.

Noah's heart stopped. "What are you talking about?"

"You had to do something for them, right? Ron was talking about Draco and some 'initiation'. What was yours, then?"

Noah's throat was dry. His lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

"Your mark, Noah. It was a reward for something. Tell me what it was," Grace pushed, staring at the black ink on his arm.

Noah simply shook his head, breaking eye contact with her. He heard her stepping closer and closer to him.

"Noah."

He shook his head again.

"Noah!"

"It was after I used the dagger on you, okay?!"

Grace's mouth fell open slightly, her eyes instantly brimming with tears.

"Everyone knew I saved you from the Dark Lord that night when I apparated us away from the Carrow Estate. He was going to torture you. Maybe even kill you. I couldn't let that happen." Noah inched closer to her.

Grace clenched her fists, digging her nails into the palm of her hand to try to hold back her emotions. "Why would they give you the Dark Mark if you helped me?"

Noah sighed, pulling his sleeve back down to cover up the mark. "Because they knew it was the last thing I wanted." He stared deeply into her eyes, his heart pounding against his chest. "The Dark Mark wasn't a reward, Grace. It was a punishment."