Chapter 1: Secret Boy
Hermione granger, fit and well at 18 years, strode through one of the more the derelict streets of London. Reaching her destination, she stopped directly between two horrible looking houses.
Number 12 Grimmauld place she thought determinedly, and the two houses promptly sprung apart to accommodate a dirty, grimy mansion that had just materialized in front of the girl.
Hermione stepped up to the door and rapped sharply three times. After a moment, the door was thrown open by Nymphadora Tonks
"Wotcher Hermione! Haven't seen you in ages!" Tonks seized Hermione into a tight embrace, but withdrew quickly the draw Hermione into the house.
"Hey Tonks, I'm so Excited to be back, are Ron Ginny and Harry already here?"
Tonks carefully shut and magically locked the heavy door behind them. "Yep upstairs if you want to go see them, dinners in an hour ok?"
"Excellent I'm starving! I'll see you then."
Hermione Bounced up the stairs, positively bursting to see her best friends again. After they had graduated (except Ginny who was about to go back for her 7th year) Hermione had spent nearly the whole summer with her parents, knowing that she wouldn't get to see hem very much for awhile, being fully involved with the Order this year.
She wasn't looking where she was going, and as she bounded around the corner she crashed full on into another person
"oh I'm sorry I-" Hermione looked up from the ground to face Draco Malfoy, the last person she would expect to be hanging around the Order of the Phoenix. Draco was looking as shocked as she felt, but managed to pull himself together much quicker than she could
"I, err, sorry…um here" he offered his hand to help her up, which she took, still too much in a state of surprise to remember that never before would she have taken a hand offered by Malfoy.
As Hermione was pulled to her feet, she had time to notice the change in Draco Malfoy, both physically and mentally. Appearance wise Draco had grown to a height to rival even that of Ron, and Draco's face was more angular, and defined. Growing up had also provided him with broader shoulders, longer legs, and from what she could tell by the ease in which he pulled her from the floor, and young man's muscle and strength. However Hermione sensed something never before felt from Draco. He seemed less superior; his eyes were empty and lonely, ad his brow was furrowed in constant apprehension. This was hardly the Draco she knew from school. However it had been a long time since seeing him. He had returned for his seventh year for only a short while, before disappearing mysteriously. Teachers assured students that he was fine, but refused point blank to give any details.
Snapping back to reality, Hermione realised that had been staring face to face with Draco for long seconds. Malfoy was glancing at her with a mixture of frightened surprise and curiosity, before hastily rearranging his face into a scowl, sidestepping her and striding down the stairs.
No snide insult? She thought to herself this can't be right, he doesn't seem right. But watching Draco's square back descend the stairs, she couldn't help but think this perhaps was a Malfoy she liked.
Oh my goodness did I just think that! Hermione hurried off to avoid her own question and occupied herself in finding Harry and the others.
"Is anyone in-oof!" Hermione opened a door only to be pounced on by Ginny Weasly. Seconds later she felt two more people collide with her and join in the hug.
"Hermione!" shrieked Ginny
"You're here!" yelled Harry
"We all missed you so MUCH!" Shouted Ron at the top of his lungs, gently shaking Hermione to emphasise his point.
"Yes, yes I'm here, and I've missed you all too!" the euphoria of seeing her old friends was creeping back and she was trying not to grin like a clown. They all backed away from her to let her into the room and sat down on two beds. Hermione noted the Ginny was sitting close to Harry, and Harry's and slowly came to rest on Ginny's jean clad leg, just above her knee. Smiling to herself, she turned to look at Ronald Weasly. With a small pang of sadness she felt no lingering attraction beyond close friends, and she guessed he felt the same about her. The two had dated the year before, before breaking up rather messily, then eventually making up to become almost close as ever. It had taken Harry's nearly dying to do it, but nevertheless it was a relief to be on excellent terms again.
"So what have you been up to" inquired Ron
"oh you know, just hanging around my mum and dad, you know I wont see them much this year, so I had to be with then for awhile."
"Of course" replied Harry "But we're so glad to have you back 'Mione, I know Ginny is!"
"honestly these boys are so boring sometimes I'm so glad you've come to rescue me" but even as she spoke her hand found Harry's, and Hermione couldn't help but think that the summer hadn't been entirely a bore for Ginny.
"Well it's good to be back here anyway, just like old times right?" Hermione's Mind drifted to the unexpected classmate she had just met, and her face fell.
Almost as if reading her mind, Ron said "uh, Hermione…did you know there's someone else staying here er from um, Hogwarts?
Obviously from the look on his face he expected her to say "oh really? Well blast, I can't imagine for the life of me who it might be… oh go on then….Luna Lovegood?"
Instead she just sighed and said tiredly "Yeh. Malfoy. I er, bumped into him earlier…" venturing onto unsafe ground she continued "he seems to have sort of changed a lot, don't you think? I saw him and it seems he has, for the b-better…I um, I…I-think" Her voice got higher and shaker near the end as she saw Ron, Harry And Ginny's Faces change. Ginny looked thoughtful, Harry looked sarcastically skeptical ad Ron's face looked outraged
"Malfoy? Change, f-for the BETTER? What's wrong with you Hermione?" Ron spluttered
"Well really there's no need for that, its possible right? Right?" Hermione was taken aback and strangely upset by Ron's remark, and not knowing why just made her angrier.
"Hermione, this is Malfoy you're talking about…" Harry tried to reason.
"I just..." Hermione suddenly felt close tears "I-honestly cant you two be a little more open minded? A-And its not as if I'm even defending him is it? I was JUST saying alright? Don't jump down my throat!" She turned away ashamed of her burning eyes.
"Um DUH yes you were defending him 'Mione! This is the Guy who made our lives hell? A guy like him with a family like his will NEVER CHANGE!" Ron was on his feet and yelling before he even realised. It seemed that Ginny had noticed that the situation was getting out of hand, and stood up too, but could not decide what to say, and before she had a chance to say anything, Hermione rushed from the room wiping her eyes.
"NICE GOING IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU YELL AT HER WHEN SHES JUST GOT HERE! SO SMOOTH! AND YOU HARDLY HELPED THE SITUATION EITHER HARRY. HONESTLY!"
Hermione could hear Ginny yelling from halfway down the hall. She found a room that looked uninhabited and threw herself on the bed. Why on earth did I say those things, she thought bitterly and why did I get so upset? Then she suddenly remembered Draco looking at her in the hall, with without a trace if hatred, and just a hint of angst. She thought of his glinting eyes, messy hair, toned arms and angular jaw. Forgetting all about dinner, and hunger, she fell asleep watching her meeting with him replayed over and over in her eyelids.
The little room was dusty, devoid of furniture and dark, barely any light penetrating through the small, high set grimy window. A crumpled figure wearing torn wizards robes lay lifelessly on the stone floor. Just visible was a head covered in mussed blonde hair.
"Get up Draco" commanded a tall figure in a doorway that hadn't been there moments ago. He bore the same mane of white blonde hair, and wore similar robes, in much better condition
The figure on the floor stirred. Slowly, and with much effort, the head turned and rose slightly from the floor. The face was one that once must have been handsome, but now was covered in dirt, blood and multicolored bruises.
"Nott, get him up" a tall burly man stomped in the room, grabbed the young man by the arms and dragged him violently up. Still he hung limp from Nott's grip, hardly able to support himself. His previously lean muscled limbs were now thin and weak. His collarbones jutted out alarmingly from below his neck and the skin on his chest was stretched tightly over fully defined ribs. Dark circled hollowed his eyes where they weren't bruised, and his lips cracked and bled.
"The dark lord is not happy with you son. Ohh no" Lucius drawled malevolently "first failing to kill Dumbledore, then saying you will not kill Harry Potter's close friends. Why you will not, I will never understand I suppose. Still. Crucio." He stated almost casually. Nott was forced to release Draco Malfoy and he slid to the ground, writhing, but not uttering a sound, for that would be showing weakness, what his father hated most.
Finally the curse was lifted. Draco lay panting with pain and exhaustion on the floor again.
"Now we must go, the Dark lord Summons me" Lucius sneered. But first he leant forward and dragged his only son up by the front of his tattered robes
"You are being punished rightfully boy. And until you agree to do what the dark lord wants, this I how it's going to be" he leered at Draco, then dropped him to the ground. He turned to leave, then, very suddenly turned around and kicked his son hard in the gut. Draco merely grunted in pain. Then his father swept out the door.
However Nott remained.
"The Dark Lord says its time for more punishment for disobedience mister Malfoy" he discarded his wand, smirked at Draco, drew back his balled fist and slammed it down…
Draco woke tangled in sheets, drenched in a chilly sweat. He found himself breathing heavily as he glanced round his bedroom on the top story of the Headquarters. They can't get me he told himself they won't find me here, they can't, please don't let them find me…