What Lies Within

"Exactly a year ago we were just what - two weeks away from being married ourselves?" Draco mutters as he and Sophie sat at the large kitchen table of the Weasley's cramped kitchen. Everyone was lost in discussion as they ate breakfast. They were all anxious yet excited about the wedding tonight. Harry would be taking polyjuice potion of some random muggle in town just in case there was someone there who wanted to harm him. Everyone tried to get Sophie to as well but she refused much to Draco's dismay. She wanted to enjoy the night as herself and she would do that. She trusted everyone around her.

"It feels like so much longer." Sophie confesses, letting out a giggle as she takes a sip of her morning juice. "So much has happened this past year." Draco smiles affectionately at his wife and nods.

"We're still together though, that's the important thing." He leans over, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek before going back to his delicious breakfast. He had to admit, Mrs Weasley could cook up some great food. He was feeling a bit more comfortable and more welcome today even though he knew once more members of the Order arrived for the wedding he would be the odd one out. Part of him wanted to take polyjuice potion, or stay in the house but Sophie wanted to enjoy the night with him so he would do it for her. She promised they could slip away if it became too much or either of them felt unsafe.

"What are you two lovebirds whispering about?" Percy Weasley said as he took a seat across from them, a plate of food in his hands which he rested on the table before him and began to eat.

"Two weeks from now is our wedding anniversary." Sophie explains, unable to keep the grin from her face. Percy smiles kindly and nods.

"Wasn't your birthday recently, Sophie?" Fred calls from down the table, his mouth full of eggs. He and George had arrived a bit ago, ready to help finish setting up for the wedding.

"Oh!" Hermione gasps, her hands coming up to her mouth. "It was a week ago! I completely forgot, I'm so sorry!" Sophie laughs then, shaking her head.

"Let's just say taking Dray and I in is a late birthday present then." She comments and gets smiles from everyone around the table.

"So everyone is of age now!" Ron exclaims, getting a look from Ginny next to him. "Well the important people are, at least." He adds with a smirk earning himself a punch from her in return.

As the morning progressed, Draco and Sophie helped set everything up. Draco was actually a huge help getting the tables and chairs in place. Sophie was grateful to her husband for being so accepting of having to be here. She was afraid Harry and Draco's old rivalry would be too much of a problem as would Draco's dislike for the 'blood-traitor' Weasley's but for her was putting all of that aside simply because he knew that she was safe here. Sophie helped mostly with the decorations and little things here and there before her and Hermione went upstairs to start getting ready. Ginny had already gotten ready so she could be ready in time to greet family as they arrived.

"So, Harry, Ron and I have been meaning to talk to you." Hermione mumbles quietly as she slips into her red dress, looking at herself in the mirror. She tousled her brown curls, trying to get them to lay a little more tame but knew deep down it was a lost cause.

"What about?" Sophie questions as she focuses on getting her own olive-green and black dress on. She had gotten it in a muggle shop her and Draco had ventured into earlier in the summer. She had planned on wearing it for her anniversary but decided to wear it now since she didn't know what her and Draco could even do now to celebrate - if anything.

"We're leaving." Hermione thought about going about saying what she needed to a different way but she wasn't sure how so she decided to be blunt. Her and Sophie had always been that way with each other so she wasn't going to beat around the bush now. "We don't know when yet but we aren't staying here. We know what we need to do to end all of this but we can't do it here." Sophie turns towards her best friend, frowning.

"And where will you be going?" She wonders, unsure how to feel about this. She had just gotten here and now her best friends dropped the bomb that they were just going to leave her. Deep down though she knew they had to do this. If there was a way to end this war, she knew they would and could do it - no matter the cost.

"We aren't sure completely yet but we can't figure it out here. We're..." She trailed off, unsure if she wanted to explain everything now and without Ron and Harry to help her along. "You-Know-Who has split his soul into seven pieces." Hermione knew that made no sense and got the exact confused look she expected. "There's a spell you can do, it's called creating a horcrux. You can split your soul and put the piece in an object to protect it. It's how he survived that night with Harry's parents. His body died but his soul remained and that's how he was able to return eventually. He's managed to split his into seven pieces so we need to find the pieces and kill them in order to kill him once and for all."

"And what exactly do you put a soul in? I can't imagine it's something he keeps on his mantle to gaze at lovingly." Sophie was at a loss. Was this even possible? How could they find items that housed a piece of a soul? Was there signs, things that indicated it contained something like that? Sophie just didn't know and her head was spinning.

"The diary from second year that Harry destroyed in the chamber.. that was one." Sophie's eyes widened. She had no idea and wasn't expecting that.

"A diary? He put a piece of his soul into a diary?" She questioned, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She knew she should be finishing up with getting ready but this was just too much, she needed to sit. Hermione sighs and comes to sit beside her.

"We think, Dumbledore thought actually, that he probably put it into items of significance to him. The diary, and then Dumbledore destroyed a ring last term. A family heirloom apparently. It's why his hand was black. He touched it and it cursed him. He was destined to die whether Snape or Draco did it that night anyway." Sophie's head spun even more. If term had lasted just a few more weeks Draco's task would have been void because it would have happened anyway. She wished Draco was here with her so he could take in some of this as well. She had no idea how to explain of this again to him later but knew that she had to. After all, she never kept anything from him especially not something this monumental.

"So that's two down... do you have any idea what the others are?" Sophie questioned.

"Well..." Hermione took a deep breath. "Harry and Dumbledore went to retrieve another one the night Dumbledore... died." She explained before continuing on. "But it was a fake. Someone else had taken it and replaced it with a fake. So now our task is to try to determine if the real one was destroyed or not.."

"And do you have any idea as to how to go about doing that?" Sophie's hard sank as she watched Hermione shake her head. "So what are you three going to do?"

"We'll figure that out when we get there." Hermione answered, shrugging.

"Sounds like the usual with you three." Sophie joked, trying to lighten the conversation just a little even though her head was still spinning. "I want to come." Hermione sighed.

"I thought you might say that." She mutters. "I want you to come as well but... Harry doesn't want Draco to come and I understand why. I don't really want him to either." Sophie should have known that would happen the moment she said it. Draco probably wouldn't want to come either but he would never let her go without him.

"I understand." And Sophie did, it just really saddened her that she basically had to choose between her best friends and husband and was left no choice really but to go with her husband as none of them left her any other option. "I'm just so tired of sitting around and hiding, doing nothing to help myself and everyone get out of this mess. Draco baby's me, everyone here gives me these sad looks all the time and I just.. I'm so tired of it." Sophie felt a burst of anger well up inside of her. "I don't want to do this anymore, Hermione." She stands and paces across the room. "I don't want to hide and act all scared. I'm not letting him control what I do with my life anymore. First he made me get married, then he made me sit back and watch as I almost lost my husband as he had to prepare to murder someone, he murders my family and now made me run off and hide because I didn't bow down in front of him."

"Sophie..." Hermione sighed, unsure of what to do or say. She understood where Sophie was coming completely, she did. Her entire life, every step of the way this last two years have been decided for her by Voldemort and she couldn't even begin to imagine what that must be like.

"I'm coming with you three. I don't care what Draco says, I don't care what Harry or you or Ron says. Draco can go back to our house or back to his parents house. I'm done sitting back and having everyone else do things for me. If I want out of his control I need to do it myself or at least help." And Sophie would stand by that, she knew she would. She would stand her ground no matter what anyone said to her, including Draco.

"Okay." Hermione answered, knowing that determined look and knew she could do nothing at this point anyway so there was no sense in arguing. "I have all of our things packed in my bag that I put an extension charm on to hold it all just in case we need to get away quickly - just the essentials and things. I'll go add yours as well. We may need to leave at any second so I suggest you tell Draco as soon as you can." Hermione stood from the bed and came to hug her best friend. "I hope Draco understands." Sophie pulls back and does nothing but nod. She was actually afraid of the inevitable fight her and Draco would have over this but wasn't going to change her mind.

Her and Hermione finished getting ready and as Hermione went to go get Sophie's things Sophie went in search of her husband. She found him finishing up with a place setting at one of the tables. He looked up at her and grinned, eyeing her up and down. He takes in her tall black heels, her dress, and the necklace he had given her two Christmas' ago when they first kissed. He missed seeing her wear it.

"Don't smile at me like that." Sophie mutters, leaning in as he presses his lips to hers, careful of her lipstick. He pulls back, frowning. "We need to talk and I don't think you're going to be happy with me." She tells him and takes his hand.

"You're scaring me, love." He comments as he allows her to lead him away from everyone milling about and to the side of the house to have some privacy. "Did something happen with you and Potter that I should worry about? He's always had a thing for you. I will punch the bloke if he-"

"Dray, shut up." Sophie cuts her husband off causing him to raise his eyebrows in shock. "Nothing happened with Harry and I. Nothing happened at all... yet." She sighed and continued on before he could think more about what it could be. "The trio will be leaving, they don't know when but it could be at any second. They are going to work on killing the Dark Lord." Draco stares down at his wife, examining her blue eyes for a second before he nods, his lips pursed.

"I don't even have to ask. I already know you've made up your mind that you are joining them." Draco knew his wife well enough to know what she would do. He would expect nothing less than for her to want to help in something like this, especially after all He had done to her life. That didn't mean he was happy or agreed to this though.

"Hermione is already getting my things with their's just in case we have to leave in a split second." She explains with a nod. "I'm not asking for permission Draco. We both know I'm doing this, whether you like it or not." Sophie was preparing herself to fight as she knew it was inevitable.

"Do you not realize how dangerous this is, Sophie? You're going off to try to kill the Dark Lord. The same person who is out trying to kill you as well as the three people you'll be with." Draco argued, crossing his arms over his chest and shakes his head. "No. I won't let you go, not this easily. I'm not going to just give in and let you leave where you are safe to go out risking your life and probably get killed."

"You'll know I'm alive." She tried to reason, pointing at the bracelet on his wrist but Draco shook his head.

"And what do I do when it goes cold and black? I won't know where you are or what to do. I'll just know that you're dead and can do nothing about it. So what does a bracelet have to do with keeping you alive?" Draco tried to not raise his voice at his wife but he had no control at that point. He has worried for his wife's life far too much over the last year. Marriage should be only full of worry about when to have kids, what to name them, and what to have for dinner that night not if one of you is going to die or not.

"I'm sorry, Draco but I'm going." She reaches out for him and he actually allows her to take his hand. She grasps his large hand in both of her small ones and holds it close to her heart. "You know as well as I do that I'm not going to change my mind so don't fight me on this, okay?" She frowns up at her husband, gripping at his hand tightly.

"I'll always fight with you, it's what I do best, remember?" He mutters, giving a small smile when he sees her answering grin. "I'll go to our house. I won't tell anyone that I'm back so when and if you can... come to me. If I let you go, that's my one requirement. Don't just disappear for the next however long, even years possibly. I need to know that you are okay with more than just a bracelet." Sophie nods.

"I can't make promises that it will be often but... I will try I promise." And she meant it. She needed to go off and do this but she also needed to think about her marriage. She was still a wife with a husband she couldn't completely abandon so she would do what she could to see him as often as possible.

"Now, let us enjoy tonight. We can dance and drink all night long in early celebration of our own wedding anniversary." Draco decided he wasn't going to fight about this any longer as he knew her well enough to know once she's made up her mind that was it. She was never one to sit back and do nothing, she needed to help so he knew she needed to do this. If he thought there was any possibility of him being able to go he would fight for that but knew the trio would never go for that and he didn't want to come between the trio and Sophie more than he already had over the last two years.

"Sounds like a plan." She answers, smiling. She releases his hand and instead brings her hands up to his cheeks, sliding her hands back into his hair as she pulls his lips down to meet hers. He kisses her deeply for a few seconds, his arms tight around her waist before he pulls back.

"I must be insane. Letting my wife run off with Potter, Weasley and a mudblood." He mumbles but smirks none the less. Sophie gasps and playfully punches his chest.

"Be nice." She scolds but smiles none the less. The two then link hands and rejoin the group of people as more and more begin to show up. The couple get a lot of looks and are avoided for the most part but neither of them really mind as they just focused on each other.

"So I hear you're joining us on our trip." Sophie turns to see 'Harry' behind her. He was now changed into the long-lost Weasley relative he was acting as for the night. It was quite odd but not as strange as it had been second year when he and Ron changed into Crabbe and Goyle.

"Is that alright? Too bad otherwise because I'm coming." 'Harry' grinned and shook his head.

"You'll be of great help so no argues from me. The four of us work great together so I think you joining us just cut our work in half." Sophie laughs and shakes his head. "Sorry to steal your wife, Malfoy." Harry didn't seem to mean it in the slightest. Truthfully, Harry was more than willing to get Sophie away from Draco. Had she never gotten involved with him then she wouldn't have been staying with the Malfoy's and inevitably drug into all of this. She could have come to stay with the Weasley's after her father died and none of this would have happened but instead Draco drug her right into the middle of things and Harry was just fine with getting the two apart for a while.

"Yeah, you look it." Draco sneered, rolling his eyes accompanied with a shake of his head. Sophie bit her lip in discomfort of the exchange but said nothing.

"Well, looks like things are about to start." With that 'Harry' took his leave and left the two alone.

"Still such a prat." Draco muttered as he watched him leave. He couldn't believe his wife was going to run off and go into hiding with him and that he was going to let her.

After the ceremony was over the real fun began. Draco and Sophie danced and drank just like they did on the night of their own wedding. Neither cared that most people were unhappy with their presence as they all still thought they were both in league with Voldemort but the couple could care less. They were together and since that was soon going to change for an uncertain amount of time they cared for nothing but the other.

"You know..." Draco muttered as the two of them swayed back and forth to a slow song that played around the large tent the wedding had taken place in. Couples danced around them as well and the chatter of other guests also filled the space. "We have a bedroom upstairs all to ourselves. We can go relive the end of our own wedding night." He keeps his lips close to her ear and pulls her body just a little closer to his, his hands low on her back. She shudders in his arms and was just about to take him up on that when suddenly gasps and screams rung out in the space.

The couple jump apart and look around as Death Eaters began to swarm the place. Spells were shot back and forth as the Order jumped into action. Guests were screaming and running all about. Draco held Sophie tightly but they both pulled out their wands, ready to protect themselves. These men would surely kill Sophie the second they recognized her so Draco did his best to keep her hidden but knew as soon as they saw him they would know it was her.

"We need to get out of here!" He yells and was just about to turn and rush from the tent when there was a hand on his arm, pulling him to a stop. He turns to see his Aunt Bellatrix smirking at him. "Sophie, go!" He pushes his wife away from him forcefully causing her to stumble. Bellatrix's eyes scan over to the red-head beside the blonde who looked at her with pure shock and terror on her face. If any Death Eater would kill her on the spot it would be Bellatrix even if she was family.

"Sophie!" She heard Ron's voice call out behind her. "Come on!" She glances back to see the trio rushing at her, their hands locked together as this was clearly it. This was the moment they were waiting for.

"Draco!" Sophie exclaims as she is grabbed by Ron and pulled into his side. Hermione grips at the two boys from between them and begins to turn everyone on the spot. Just as Draco reaches out for his wife she was sucked away and was left with the image of his terrified face as he watched her leave, unsure if they would ever see each other again.

One second they were in the chaotic tent and the next they were in a busy and crowded street full of muggles. As the four of them navigated their way through the crowd, the three others discussed their next plan of action while Sophie followed in a daze still. Harry gripped at her hand as they walked since otherwise she fell back and almost got lost in the crowd a time or two.

"Are you alright?" He finally asked her after they had changed from their wedding clothes and took refuge in a coffee shop to figure out where to go next. Sophie sighed, taking a deep breath and shrugged. She met Harry's green-eyed worried gaze before she nodded.

"I just... I don't know what is going to happen with Draco." She voiced her worry. "He was going to go back to our house after I left but if Bellatrix had him..." She feared that he would be back at the manor now and would be tortured and punished for his wife's whereabouts and their actions for the last month.

"He'll be alright, Sophie." Harry assured her, pulling her into a tight hug. "It was you He wanted... not him." Sophie tried to believe him. She really wanted to trust that her husband was safe and alright but she just couldn't be sure and that terrified her.