Darkness Rising

Chapter 1: Atonement

It had been nearly two years since Voldemort had been defeated and slowly the Wizarding world was beginning to rebuild itself. All the students who had fought in the war were welcomed back to Hogwarts to finish their schooling under Headmaster McGonagall's watching eye. Nearly a year after they finished their last classes at Hogwarts Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were now two of the Ministry's top Aurors and Hermione Granger had been appointed the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. Now it was time for others to atone for what had happened in the war. Draco Malfoy, having still been in Hogwarts his seventh year only had to take his N.E.W.T's and after doing so left to begin his training as a Healer at St. Mungo's. At first it was doubtful he would be allowed in at all, the Malfoy's were of course still widely disliked, but after a few letters from a few key people Draco began his training and as he trained began to earn some respect and goodwill from people around him.

Draco kept his nose down, trying to make up for what he and his family had done, not wanting to give anyone an excuse to hate him more. Still, not a single night went by that Draco didn't wake up in a cold sweat from a nightmare about his part in the war. He kept seeing all the faces of the dead; his cousin, Tonks, who he had never known, his old professor Remus Lupin who had married his cousin. Draco now regretted the distance between his mother and his Aunt Andromeda, but even more than that he hated how he had treated his former teacher. Lupin was the kind of man who genuinely cared about almost everyone and Draco had judged him for something that was out of his control, something he didn't ask for. And of course Draco saw the face of his own friend fall back into an ever growing fire that chased Draco and tried to consume him as well, and of course he always saw Dumbledore's face as he fell from the tower, Snape having done what Draco could not. If nothing else being a healer was helpful for the dreamless sleep potions he now had access to. Everything seemed quiet at Malfoy Manor; Draco was in his study looking over some papers for work when his mother entered the room.

"Draco, another letter has come from them," she held out an envelope to her son. "They want an answer. I know these men, they will not wait and if you don't owl them back I'm afraid they might come here in person."

The young Malfoy took the letter from his mother and read it. It was indeed what Narcissa had feared and after everything the Malfoy's had been through he wasn't about to put his mother through anymore.

"The war is over Mother," Draco tried to reassure her. "They seem to be the only ones still looking for a fight. They are reaching out to me because they have no one else. I won't let anyone bully me into a fight, especially a fight I know they will lose."

With those words he got to his feet and grabbed his cloak.

"Where are you going?" Narcissa wondered.

"To see two of the people who might be able to help," Draco said tightly, not happy about his decision.

"Draco," his mother stopped him as he raised his arm to disapparate. "I'm scared. They will not like you turning them down. I've already lost your father; I cannot lose you as well."

The young man walked over to his mother and kissed her on the cheek. "That will never happen."

With those words he was gone.

DGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDG

"You can go in now Ms. Weasley," Ron and Harry's secretary told Ginny.

The redhead smiled at her and walked into the office where both her brother and her boyfriend greeted her warmly.

"You have some bad timing Gin," Ron laughed a little. "I'm just on my way out, I have lunch plans with Hermione."

"I just came to talk to Harry before I have to go to practice," Ginny told her brother.

"That's right; your first practice with the Harpies is tonight isn't it?" Ron seemed to settle back in like he was ready to talk now. "Are you excited?"

"Ron," Harry looked at his best friend. "You best not keep Hermione waiting; she doesn't have a huge window between classes."

Ron seemed to remember what he had been doing prior to his sister's entrance and hopped to his feet again. "Right you are Harry."

He grabbed his things and was almost out the door when he turned back. "Just don't shag on my desk."

Both Ginny and Harry laughed nervously at his comment and then Ron was finally gone.

"Sit down Gin," Harry transfigured a chair out of a small wooden box on his desk.

"Harry, I need to talk to you about something," Ginny sighed. "I just really don't know how to say it."

Harry took her hands and made her look up at him. "If it is what I think it is then you should just be honest with me."

She nodded, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. "Harry, this relationship isn't working for me anymore."

For a moment or two everything was silent before Harry let out a sigh. "Well I'm glad one of us finally had the guts to say it."

Ginny's eyes snapped open. "What?"

"I have been trying to figure out how to say those exact same words to you for about a week now," he gave her a sad smile. "I just thought it would end in tears, and Ron and your family threatening my life so I have been avoiding it."

"And I thought it would end in me turning into an old maid while Harry Potter was forever the one that got away," she laughed. "I love you Harry, but I'm not in love with you."

"I understand," he told her honestly. "I feel the same way. My feelings for you have become eerily similar to the way I feel about Hermione. I love you; I would do anything I could for you, die for you even but not marry you."

Ginny gave him a much exaggerated frown. "My mother is going to be very disappointed she won't have Weasley-Potter grandchildren."

"I know," Harry chuckled a little. "But she will love any kids of mine even if they don't have Weasley blood in them. That was another reason I hesitated to say something about breaking up. Your family is my family and I don't want to lose you or anyone because of this."

"Harry, you're stuck with us for life," Ginny assured him. "This break up was mutual; look at us, no tears, no begging or pleading, no promises to change. This was just two adults who realized that they have a far better relationship as friends than they do as a couple."

"Agreed," he smiled at her giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, I best be off to practice," she got up and flicked her wand so the chair went back to its original form. "Don't worry, I'll break the news to my family and let you know when the dust clears."

Harry nodded and Ginny left.

"Bless the man who gets her," Harry smiled to himself. "He will be very lucky indeed."

"Auror Potter," his secretary stuck her head through his door. "A gentleman is here to see you and he says it urgent. "

"Who is it?" Harry wondered.

"Draco Malfoy."

"Show him in," Harry finally told her after a moment or two. "And please contact Ron and ask him to get back to the office as soon as possible."

She nodded and opened the door so that Harry's old school nemesis could walk into his office.

"Potter," the blond greeted him with a curt nod.

"Malfoy," he said returning it. "What brings you to my office today?"

"I have some information that you and Weasley might like to have," he told him. "I didn't want to go to anyone else with this."

"Why is that?" Harry wondered crossing his arms.

"You, Weasley, and Granger know dark wizards better than anyone," Draco told him. "If the news I have is any indication you three will need to put your knowledge to the test."

Harry looked at him for a moment or two. There was something different about this Draco Malfoy that Harry couldn't quite place. He had of course heard about all the good things Malfoy was doing with his healer training and unbeknownst to Malfoy he was also aware of some of the good deeds the Slytherin preformed for the DA during his seventh year. The Draco Malfoy that was now standing in his office was a Draco who only wanted to make things right and Harry knew how hard it must be for him to take that first step out of hell.

"Have a seat Draco," Harry told him once again transfiguring a chair for his guest.

"Oi, Harry," Ron's voice came through the door. "What is so urgent that I had to cut off lunch with Hermione?"

It was then that Ron spotted the white blond hair. "What's Malfoy doing here?"

"He has some information to share," Harry told his best friend and partner. "Ron, why don't you sit down so we can talk to him together?"

Slowly, cautiously, as if he was afraid Draco would turn evil on the spot, Ron slide back into his seat behind his desk.

"I hear you've been having some trouble catching some of the Death Eaters from Voldemort's inner circle," Draco spoke.

"And where did you hear that?" Ron asked suspiciously.

Draco pulled the letter out of his pocket and handed it over to the two Aurors.

"That is a letter I received from Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange today, the latest in a series that started three days ago. They want to recruit meto take my father's place in a new ring of Death Eaters,"

"But why?" Ron wondered as Harry passed him the letter to read.

"Voldemort might be gone but that won't stop some people from rattling cages," Harry responded.

"He's right," Draco nodded. "These men backed Voldemort because they truly believe that the Wizarding world has been polluted and even with him gone they still want to purify it."

"Out of curiosity Malfoy," Harry looked at him. "How do we know you haven't allied with them already and are coming here to trap us?"

"Well you could always pull out some Veritaserum," he suggested.

The two friends looked at him closely. Draco sighed, his head dropping into his hands for a second or two before he met their gaze again.

"I'm just trying to make my way in this world again," he confessed to his former enemies. "My father made some bad choices that in turn put me and my mother in harm's way. I don't want to do that to anyone, I was shite as a Death Eater and no one ever let me forget that. I couldn't perform an unforgivable, I couldn't kill anyone, I was weak. The Lestrange brothers don't want me because I was a good Death Eater they want me for the name of Malfoy, they want the money. I refuse to be someone's puppet, my father was one for far too long and he died still trying to untangle himself from Voldemort's strings."

Ron and Harry leaned in and exchanged a few whispered words before looking back up at their informer.

"We have a proposition for you Draco," Harry looked him over. "You could be our spy. Help the Lestrange's gather followers, spread the word and then when they are all in the same place at the same time we could show up and catch them all when they least expect it."

Draco took a deep breath. He had just promised his mother that he wouldn't get mixed up in any of it but if anything could help the Malfoy family atone for their deeds it would be this. Draco was torn, he wanted to help but he wouldn't risk anyone's safety. He had keep himself out of the spotlight, out of the public eye and now was he really ready to be thrust back into the fray.

"Can I think about it?" he finally asked.

The two Auror's nodded and all three men got to their feet.

"If I was to agree," Draco turned back as he started toward the door. "Would you be able to guarantee my mother's safety?"

"Of course," Harry told him. "Narcissa Malfoy saved my life. Hell she probably saved the whole Wizarding world with one word. The last thing I would ever want was anything to happen to her."

Draco chuckled. "Well Potter, it looks as if we finally agree on something. I'll owl you both in a few days."

As he closed the door behind him Ron turned to Harry. "Do you think he's telling the truth?"

Harry leaned against his desk. "I think he is Ron. If he wasn't he could have gone to any Auror but he came to us, you know that had to be hard for him."

"But he's Malfoy Harry," Ron tried to remind him.

"But look at what we thought about Snape," Harry countered. "I was the king of the 'Snape is everything bad and evil' club my entire life at Hogwarts and I was wrong. Narcissa Malfoy was willing to risk everything by telling Voldemort I was dead, I owe her so I'm going to trust him."

Ron just nodded and smiled at his best friend. "You're the boss."

"I think I'm going to head home early," Harry told his partner grabbing his things.

"Why not come over to the Burrow for dinner tonight mate?" Ron suggested.

"I have a lot of work to do at Grimmauld Place," Harry told him. "But another night for sure. I'll see you tomorrow."

Harry needed a little bit of a break between Malfoy and Ginny it had been a trying day.

DGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDG

Draco was just finishing his rounds later that night at St. Mungo's when he was paged to see to a Quidditch injury on the second floor.

He entered the room. "Well what seems to be the problem here?"

"Malfoy?" came a female voice.

Draco looked up from his papers. "Weasley?"

Ginny had to laugh a little to herself. "Well this is just what I get."

"I can go get another Healer if you prefer," he told her his hand on the doorknob.

"No, don't bother," she waved her hand. "You're already here and I have heard that you are a good Healer."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," he smiled. "Now what happened?"

Ginny sighed. "I had my first practice for the Holyhead Harpies today and I was trying a Wronski Feint just for the hell of it and my hand slipped off my broom and I landed on my shoulder."

"How far do you think you fell?" he asked as he gingerly began to pull the sleeve of her jersey up.

"Maybe 20 feet," she told him wincing slightly.

"Don't they have team Healers for this kind of problem?" he asked waving his wand over the injury to figure out how bad the damage was.

"We do," she bit her lip. "I was however not supposed to be on the pitch. It was after everyone else had left, I hung back to get a little flying time to myself and this is what happened."

"Well," he finished waving his wand. "I've mended the bones but you should be careful of that arm for a few days. It is going to be sore, tender, and hard to deal with. If you want I can write you an excuse so you can sit out your next practice."

"No that's okay," she told him. "I don't have practice again until next week so I should be okay."

"You're very lucky Weasley," he told her. "A fall from 20 feet in the air wouldn't always mend this nicely."

She nodded. "I've learned my lesson, no more unsupervised flying."

"Let me give you a few potions just in case the pain gets bad," Draco said feeling the need to help her even more than he normally felt.

"I was sorry to hear about your father," Ginny told him when his back was to her.

Draco snorted a little. "Sorry you couldn't dance on his grave?"

"No," she looked at her hands. "Just sorry. Death is hard and even if your father wasn't the best of men I know you and your mother must miss him."

"Thank you," Draco gave her a small smile. "I'm sorry about your brother, Fred. I never told anyone this before but the Twins always used to make me laugh."

Ginny tried to hold back a tear. "It's not the same without him, George isn't the same without him."

Draco looked down. "I understand."

"Look, I know our families have hated each other for a long time but this is now and that was then and maybe we can try to be on good terms," Ginny suggested.

"I'd like that Weasley," he told her.

The redhead held out her hand. "Ginny Weasley, nice to meet you."

"Draco Malfoy," he played along shaking her hand.

Their eyes met for a moment or two and they both smiled.

"Well Ginny," he handed her a few vials. "You should be all set but if anything else happens feel free to owl me."

"Thanks for the mend Draco," she started for the door before stopping. "You know if you would ever like tickets to a Harpies game just let me know."

"Thanks, I think I might just take you up on that," he smiled at her.

"Bye Draco," she smiled back and was out the door.

As she left the young Malfoy couldn't help but think that he really liked hearing her say his name. As Ginny started home she couldn't stop herself from realizing that when he smiled her heart melted a little bit. Both parties kept these thoughts to themselves but smiled as their nights continued as if they knew something no one else did.

DGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDGDG

Welcome to Chapter one of my new fic everyone! I know I promised a new Me and Emily Universe Fic but right now I am trying to iron out some plot details with that one and this just wouldn't stop playing in my head. I wanted to write a fic where Harry isn't the bad guy because I noticed I do that a lot. So look out for this one and keep an eye on my Mid Hogwarts Year's Detention story as well. I'm trying to write as much as I can because it just seems like I work nowadays and I need to keep myself sane. If you liked the beginning to my new tale drop me a review. Much love to all my readers and followers!