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"You look great," Harry smiled, greeting his friend in their common room. Alex smiled, feeling great. She was wearing a sparkling green dress that fell to her knees and perfectly matched both her eyes and her new necklace. She also wore a pair of silver flats so she wouldn't be taller than Harry.

"Thank you," Alex grinned. "You do, as well."

"I suppose we should go, then," Harry suggested. Alexandra nodded, following him out of the common room. The two discussed their classes as they walked to Slughorn's office.

Draco, having been passing through the corridor on his way to the Room of Requirement, hid when he heard their familiar voices echo through the halls. He watched as the pair walked right past him, and his eyes lingered on the girl. He grew annoyed when Harry put his arm around her so his robes would cover her from the cold.

After finishing his business in the Room of Requirement, he couldn't help but linger in the sixth floor corridor in hopes she would leave to use the lavatory.

Meanwhile, Alexandra was busy sharing a conversation with Hermione.

"He's ghastly. He's been trying to corner me under the mistletoe all evening," Hermione panicked, looking around for her date. Alexandra has known for a while now that Hermione fancies Ron, but it wasn't admitted to her until recently. The two were supposed to attend the dance together until Ron thought it would be a good idea to snog Lavendar Brown in an attempt to make Hermione mad. Now, they were going back and forth trying to make each other jealous, which is why Hermione invited the vile Cormac McLaggen to join her tonight. It obviously wasn't going well. "You look wonderful, by the way."

"So do you. I've always loved how you look in pink," Alex smiled. Their conversation was interrupted when gasps filled the room.

"Let go of me, you filthy squib," Draco yelled angrily as Filch dragged him into the office.

The two made eye contact, and Draco's snarl quickly fell. A few people turned to her looking suspicious, but most didn't bat an eye. Hermione smiled lightly, truly seeing the effect Alex had on Draco. Alexandra is able to manipulate love in all it's forms, yet this love is true, and true love is more powerful than anything. Dumbledore knew that, and that is why he did everything he could to make sure Tom and Alexandra's love was true; placing false memories in their heads and assuring them that those memories connected them in such a way that nothing else could. When it didn't work, he turned to her powers as a last resort. Revealing lie after lie, although almost destroying her, heightened the abilities of her powers and therefore made Tom Riddle weak in a sense that he needed her touch every moment of every day. The feeling she unknowingly manipulated every time her and Tom touched was a feeling Tom will never be able to let go of; a feeling that will string him to her in all lifetimes. She truly was his past, present, and future, and that was a danger Dumbledore had accepted long ago. Sacrifices needed to be made to protect the Wizarding World, and he was willing to make them.

"Alex," Hermione said, elbowing her friend to pull her out of her daydream. "Harry said he was going to the loo and heading back to the common room. I'd also like to leave, if you're interested," she suggested, hoping her friend would escape with her. At first she couldn't believe Harry would ditch her, but Alexandra agreed, running out of the office with Hermione as the two laughed. Their laughing was stopped short as they ran into Harry.

"I was right. Draco Malfoy is a Death Eater."