Elaine's POV:

After our breakfast in the Great Hall, it was time to say goodbye to Hogwarts for the time-being. I was excited to see my parents and Jason, but really sad to be leaving school at the same time. I would be staying at the Burrow for the entire break for safety reasons, along with Harry and my sister, so, unfortunately, I would only be seeing my parents and Jason once a week when aurors are able to escort them to and from the Burrow.

Once we boarded the train, Harry, Ron, Hermione and I found an empty compartment. Hermione, throughout the train ride, had to take shifts with the other prefects to keep watch on all the other students. During Hermione's final shift of the train ride, Harry, Ron and I began talking about Slughorn's party. "I have to tell you something...something I heard last night at the party," Harry said, standing up and closing our compartment's door. Harry then began explaining how he overheard Malfoy and Snape talking about a task Voldemort had given to Draco. Then, Harry mentioned the fact that Snape made an unbreakable vow to protect Draco. "Unbreakable vow? You sure that's what Snape said?" Ron asked, looking nervous and paler than usual. "Positive...why?" Harry asked. "Well, you can't break an unbreakable vow," Ron explained. "I've worked that much out for myself, oddly enough," Harry replied sarcastically.

"Oh bloody hell," Ron said, shifting our attention to Lavender who was standing outside our compartment door. She blew hot air from her mouth onto the door so it fogged up the glass, then she drew a huge heart with the initials 'R+L' inside the heart. Lavender blew a kiss, then walked away. "What was that all about?" I asked Ron as she walked away. "All she wants to do is snog me. My lips are getting chapped...look," Ron said, leaning closer to my face in the process. "I'll take your word for it," I said, moving my head far enough away from his as possible.

Seconds later, our attention was again brought to someone standing at our door. This time it was Hermione. She took one look at the heart Lavender drew on the door and stormed off. Harry took this as a cue to change the subject back once more. "So what happens when you break an unbreakable vow?" Harry asked, curiously. Ron, who was looking hopelessly out the door where Hermione had stood, answered, "You die." "Why would Snape make that vow?" I asked the boys, wondering if they could come with with anything better. "I think he's one of them...Malfoy. I think he's a Death Eater," Harry said. "It's very possible. I mean, think about it, You-Know-Who gave him a task...maybe it's a way to initiate Malfoy as a Death Eater," Ron said, looking down at his arm. "Do you think he has the Dark Mark?" Ron asked. "Probably...when was the last time he wore short sleeves?" Harry asked. "Not sure...he's always in long sleeves," Ron said, turning to me for my input.

"Well as interested as I am in knowing the last time Malfoy wore a t-shirt, I'm going to use the restroom," I said, laughing as I smoothed out my shirt as I stood up. "Your loss you might miss out on some ground-breaking discovery while your gone," Ron said, laughing it off. I laughed too, and gave them a quick wave goodbye before heading to the restroom.

I found Hermione on my way to the bathroom. She was in a compartment with Ginny and Luna. "You alright?" I asked her, sliding open their compartment's door slightly. "Yea I'm fine," she said, quickly wiping away a tear from her cheek. "I'm gonna run to the bathroom but I'll be back in a minute," I said, promising to return to talk things out with her. Luckily, I knew she was in good hands with Ginny and Luna there.

I finally reached the bathroom and it was occupied...familiar right? When the door slid open in front of me I jumped back when I saw Draco standing there. Of course it was him...that's just my luck. He tried pushing past me, but I blocked him. I'm not sure why I did, but I saw his sleeves were rolled up. That's when I saw it...the Dark Mark. It was inked on his arm. "Draco..." I said, feeling my heart sink to the floor. He noticed I saw his arm, but, to my surprise, he didn't hide it. I took his arm and ran my fingers over the mark, staring up into his eyes. "Come here," he said, taking my arm and pulling me into the nearest empty compartment. I didn't even get a chance to say anything before he started to speak. "Well...now you know..." he yelled. "Do you see why I can't be with you? Do you see what my father fucking forced me to do!" he yelled louder, ripping his sleeve up to reveal the entire mark. I was at a loss for words. I quickly took my wand and put a sound-proof spell around us, so no one else could hear what we were saying. Then, I tapped the compartment door with my wand and a curtain fell down so no one in the hallway could see us. It was completely private now.

When Draco noticed what I had done, he sat down across from me. He ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "I don't even know what to say Draco," I said, utterly shocked he would confide in me with something so serious. "Why are you going home for break? Why didn't you stay at Hogwarts?" I asked him, moving myself across the compartment to sit next to him. "Voldemort is at my house...I have no choice," he replied, shaking with fear. I gently put my arm around him and gently scratched his back...Jason always used to do that when I got frustrated or worried. This seemed to relax him. From what I've gathered, I don't think he's got people in his life that are comforting. "He's going to kill us both if he knows that we were friends," Draco whispered, looking out the window of the compartment. "So you did all of that just to protect us?" I asked, referring to our constant fighting and past encounters. "Yes...I even sent that bludger your way because if Voldemort reads my thoughts he'll see that I tried to hurt you...he'll be pleased with it," Draco added.

"Oh shit! Go!" Draco said, pushing me out of the compartment before I could answer him. We were pulling up to Platform 9 and 3/4 and parents could be seen from the platform trying to look into the train. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye since I was in the hallway of the train filled with other students. "Elaine!" Hermione yelled from a few compartments ahead of me. "Ron's got your stuff!" she yelled, giving me the okay to jump off the train empty-handed. When I did jump off, I bumped right into Lucius Malfoy. He stared at me...I knew he was deciding whether or not to just grab me right then and there and bring me to Voldemort. "Move Mudblood," Draco's voice said from behind me, pushing me a few feet away from his father. "You idiot," I heard Lucius hiss at Draco. I just hoped he wasn't going to get into too much trouble for what he just did. "Elaine!" Mr. Weasley's voice called over to me. He quickly escorted me even further away from the Malfoys as Harry, Ron and Hermione met us on the platform. Fred and George soon followed. "You alright?" Fred asked as he helped me carry my stuff. I nodded my head 'yes'. I wasn't going to tell anyone what Draco had just told me. If I did, Draco could be killed...