"What the fuck are you doing in here?!" Draco spat, as he angrily threw his shirt on over his head.

My clothes were in front of me but there was no way I was going to let go of the blanket I had clutched safely around me as long as Crabbe and Goyle's greedy eyes were on me.

"Followed Potter and his little gang in, didn't we? Thought we'd hand 'im in and get a reward from the Dark Lord," Crabbe grinned, licking his lips as his beady eyes danced delightedly down upon me. "Didn't bargain on getting it this soon, though."

Draco immediately shifted himself so he was shielding me, grabbing his wand and pointing it right up in Crabbe's ugly face. "Get your fucking eyes off of her before I hex you into oblivion."

But Crabbe just chortled, without so much as a flinch. "Whatever, Malfoy. You can't tell us what to do. Your family's had it now. Not even screwing the Dark Lord's daughter will get you anywhere anymore."

My heart was beating furiously with fear. I felt so vulnerable being in this state of undress. I inched closer to Draco, trying desperately to shrink myself as much as possible behind his back.

"Bloody hell!"

All four of our heads snapped up to where Ronald Weasley had just stepped out from behind the Vanishing Cabinet, taking in the scene before him. He blushed slightly as he noticed my state of nakedness under the blanket.

"Ronald? What's- oh!"

I clung onto Draco's back, wanting the world to just open up and swallow me whole as Hermione, followed by Harry, both came running around the corner before coming to an abrupt halt in front of us.

"WHAT THE HELL, ASTRID?!" Harry screamed, his face going violet with rage. "You're the worst Horcrux Hunter ever!"

"Will you all just bugger off and let us get dressed, please?!" Draco cried incredulously at our audience.

"So - you hear that you have one hour to hand me over," Harry continued, ignoring Draco, as his eyes blazed angrily into mine, "and instead of thinking - oh, I must use this time wisely to help Harry find and destroy the last Horcrux before he has to face my dick of a father - you decide to go and have a bit of hanky panky with your boyfriend!"

"Dude - what's wrong with you?" Goyle spluttered at Harry, "there's a naked chick right in front of you! Why are you complaining?"

Harry rolled his eyes derisively. "Whatever, I haven't got time for this - I've got a tiara to find!" And with that he whirled around and flounced off.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a withered look before shrugging and proceeding to quickly run off after him.

"Well?" Draco spat up at Crabbe and Goyle, who both blinked down at him stupidly, "didn't you want to catch Potter?!"

"Oh- oh yeah," Crabbe answered dumbly, and with that they bumbled off after the golden trio.

"Please tell me that none of that just happened?" I asked Draco, as he helped me to frantically put my clothes on, his eyes looking furtively round in case Crabbe or Goyle had decided to come back for another gawp.

We stood up, finally fully dressed. Draco immediately took me into his arms, gathering me tightly to his chest.

"Ignore Potter," he growled, planting his lips firmly on my forehead. "Not everything is about him - he doesn't realise what this means to us... what it is you're going to tell him."

My heart twisted horribly in my chest at his words. As I stood in Draco's arms like this, I wondered how I'd ever have the strength to tell Harry the truth.

"Now come on," Draco said, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the direction where the others went, "we'd better go and make sure those two buffoons don't do anything stupid."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a great big serpent made of fire appeared, rising up above from the towering shelves of crap.

Before Draco or I could register what was going on, Crabbe and Goyle came hurtling round the corner, their faces both filled with panic.

"Get the fuck out!" Goyle bellowed, "Crabbe's set fire to the place!"

"You prick!" Draco yelled, his face thunderous as they sped past us.

"Where are the others?" I screamed, panic tearing at me as the serpent morphed into other creatures, their flames spreading at an alarming rate.

But Crabbe and Goyle didn't bother answering, and they disappeared around another corner.

"Come on Astrid, we need to get out of here!" Draco said, trying to pull me towards where the exit lay.

But I dug my heels in, looking back in the direction of the fire where I could hear Hermione's screams.

"We've got to help them, Draco!" I cried, "I can't just leave them there to die!"

"You can't be serious?" Draco spluttered, his face full of incredulous disbelief, "they'll find a way out - they always do!"

The fire was getting fiercer and hotter now, I was already finding it difficult to breathe. But I knew I couldn't leave that room without trying to save the others. Not when I knew I was going to have to die at some point to rid the world of my father anyway. At least I could die saving someone else.

"I'm sorry, Draco," I breathed, "I've got to try." I pulled my hand out of his which wasn't difficult as our fingers were already slick with sweat.

"Astrid!" I heard him call after me as I ran towards Hermione's desperate screams for help.

But I had barely got very far when a tower of burning chairs tottered and started falling down towards me.

I stood frozen, staring up in horror. And then suddenly, I felt someone clasp a pair of arms around me from behind, flinging me down to ground with them as they rolled us across the floor.

The pile of chairs missed us by inches.

"If you must insist on going on a rescue mission," Draco drawled, his silver grey eyes glinting down at me from his already blackened face, his body pinning me down, "then at least do it right. Accio broomsticks!"

The next thing I knew, he was pulling me to my feet as two broomsticks came whizzing towards us through the burning wreckages.

"You're a genius!" I cried in awe, as we each simultaneously caught a broomstick in hand.

He pulled me to him for a quick chaste kiss, and I could feel his heart pound furiously beneath his chest, matching my own fearful, rapid heartbeat.

"I'd do anything for you, Astrid," he growled fiercely down at me, his silver eyes reflecting the raging fire around us.

"I love you," I said with a sudden fervency, cupping his pale face.

"And I love you, too. Now let's do this."

And side by side we mounted our broomsticks soaring up into the air, as smoke billowed around us and flames licked dangerously at our heels.

I just prayed we weren't too late.