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Thanks JK for your characters, except Eska and her Dad who are mine.

I ran into the room and straight into my Dad's arms. "I've missed you so much" I whispered in his ear as I hugged him. I instantly felt a lot safer with him around. After a minute I pulled back, though he kept an arm around me protectively. In the room were Lucius, Narcissa, Severus Snape and, my heart skipped a beat, Voldemort. I looked up at my Dad, his countenance was grim.

"Now you've seen that we've been treating her well, can we get down to business?" said Lucius, impatiently flicking his long blonde hair out of his face.

My father nodded, "go with Draco now Esk."

"But - " I started, I didn't want to leave so soon now that I'd found him.

"I'll come see you in a bit," he said with a quick look at the others for confirmation. Voldemort nodded his head slowly. Reluctantly I pulled away from my Dad and walked back out of the room with Draco. I looked back over my shoulder as we left and saw him watching me leave with a relieved look on his face, he must have been really missing me I realised.

Without speaking Draco and I got to my room. I sat down on the sofa and stared at the fire. "Hey," he said softly, coming and sitting down next to me "don't worry, they're just talking about ways your Dad's research can help us. He's not going to be hurt in any way, in fact he's a most welcome guest."

"Because he's useful?" I asked, giving him a mischievous smile so he'd know I was joking.

He smirked back at me and leant in for a kiss. "Esk, what I was trying to say earlier was that I really like you, I have done for a long time, and I think maybe you like me too… So I was wondering if you wanted to make this a bit more formal - be my girlfriend?" I just stared at him for a moment. "Not quite the response I was hoping for," he said nervously, the first time I'd seen him nervous I realised, in fact he'd been very nice to me, not been mean once since I kissed him earlier.

"Sorry," I grinned, "I was just thinking that if someone had told me six months ago that you'd say that to me I'd have laughed at them. I'd love to be your girlfriend." I stretched up for another kiss and felt a starburst of happiness, I'd only really got to know Draco in the last few days but I liked him a lot, he could still be a jerk but underneath he did seem to care… and he was fit which helped a lot. We sat on the sofa chatting for about an hour, then there was a tap on the door and my Dad came in.

"Dad!" I shrieked and ran at him again and he swept me up into a bear hug.

Draco tactfully left, saying "I'll come back and get you for dinner later Esk."

"That gives us about an hour," I smiled up at my Dad. "How did you find out what had happened to me?"

"I didn't know for two days, when you didn't come back that evening I was frantic, I searched the whole of the university. It wasn't until Harry came back that we had any idea what had happened. Then I got the owl with the message about you… I didn't have any choice but to help them, I hope you don't think I'm a traitor." He stroked my hair back off of my face and kissed me on the forehead, "I'd do anything to save you sweetheart."

"I'd never think you were a traitor!" I exclaimed, "I went for a walk that day, to the old lake."

"I should have guessed that," he groaned, "sorry I didn't find you sweetie."

"Sorry I got caught and worried you so much."

"Just glad to have you back now." He hugged me and we sat on the sofa for a while catching up.

"Dad," I said suddenly, glancing at the door to make sure it was shut. "I need to tell you something."

He looked around the room, "whisper to me so that if anyone's listening in they don't hear."

I shuffled up closer to him and whispered in his ear, the whole story, what Harry had said to me and about the portraits and what they'd asked from me. He regarded me with a look of horror. "What?" I said nervously, "I've not agreed to anything yet Dad."

"No but you must," he said quietly, "Harry will arrive hear tonight, he's bringing the Order of the Phoenix and some ministry wizards, he has faith that you'll have destroyed the portrait." He got up and paced. "I can't let them hurt you though, maybe there's another way…"

"Dad," I got up and tugged his sleeve, "I'm prepared to do anything, I want to help, stopping Voldemort is more important than anything."

He gave me an odd look, "yes, you're right, we'll see what we can do. Listen, I was going to lock you in here tonight after dinner to keep you safe but now we need a new plan. Go to bed straight after dinner, dress in dark clothes and wait for me. I'll come get you and we can go see the portraits before Harry arrives, we should have an hour or two to make a deal."

"Ok," I nodded, unnerved by his nervousness, I was a little afraid, but I didn't mind giving a piece of my soul so that Voldemort could be destroyed.

"Good girl," he ruffled my hair like I was three again. "Now, I'm going to go get ready for dinner, I suggest you do the same. I'll meet you down there." He dropped a kiss on the top of my head and walked out.

I ran to the closet excitedly, I couldn't believe tonight could be the end of the deatheaters, I had to act normal throughout the dinner though. I picked out a dark red dress, not too showy but smart, and put on matching suede shoes with a little heel. I brushed my hair through as Dad had made it fluffy, smoothing it down again. I went to the bathroom and put on a little makeup. When I came out, Draco was there, in a smart shirt and black robes. "Hey," I greeted him, he kissed me and held out his arm to me.

"Come on, let me take you down to dinner."

I giggled, is this a posh affair then? Am I dressed up enough?" His eyes swept up and down me.

"You look gorgeous, come on." He gave an impatient tug on my arm.

We got down to dinner to find about twenty people there. All the top death eaters I noticed with a shiver. My Dad gave me a kindly nod, he was sat opposite me. Draco was next to me and on the other side was a man I didn't know. It was one of the dullest dinners I had ever been to, everyone was falling over themselves to outdo each other in compliments to Voldemort, no one really talked, they were all just holding on to see if he'd say anything that they could interpret as a joke and laugh at. "Sorry about this," Draco whispered to me, "after desert you'll be able to run off. I have to stay sadly. Aren't they embarrassing?"

As promised, several people got up to leave after the third course. "See you tomorrow," Draco whispered to me as I passed, squeezing my hand. I got up to my room and dived into the closet. I pulled on dark grey jeans and a thick black sweater because the house was getting cold already. I swapped my lovely shoes for black runners. I jumped in to bed and grabbed a book, this way if anyone did come in they'd not know I was dressed. I'd been reading for about two hours when the door clicked open and shut again quickly. It was my Dad, he looked about the room. "Come on Esk, we need to be quick, they'll be here by midnight."

I jumped up and led him out the door, looking both ways, checking that no one was there. I put my finger on my lips to indicate to Dad that he should be quiet and crept along the corridor, slipping into the portrait room, the door swung shut after us.