Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling.
Officially, it started during the Battle of Hogwarts, but really it all started during 4th year. We could tell the whole story now but that would be no fun!
Draco Malfoy was terrified. Other than the Golden Trio, not a lot of people see him that way. Especially not his hang of goons. But, here he was, sitting in the Great Hall, the pit of his stomach wrenching two different ways.
He shouldn't have been there. He was supposed to be with his family. His dark mark was on fire. Voldemort was screaming for him.
"What are we doing, Draco? Other than a few sniveling, half breed first years, we are the only ones in our year that are here." Crabbe snarled, sneering around the Great Hall as the rest of the students tittered about nervously. Everyone was waiting for word from McGonagal. She had yet to enter.
"I have a plan, Crabbe. So shut up or leave. My plan doesn't need a partner."
Crabbe's eyes glinted.
"My mark is on fire, Draco. You're is not? We need to leave-"
Crabbe jumped as Draco flew around and have him a cold, haughty stare.
"Leave. Tell the dark Lord that I am following his orders. I am his threat to Hogwarts." Crabbe snickered.
"I am not going to lie to the dark lord. I am leaving, though. Be careful, Draco, lest you wish to die with these filthy half bloods and mudbloods. Don't forget whose side you're on. Wouldn't want your mum to be hurt-" Draco whipped back around and suddenly Crabbe found the painfully, sparking tip of Draco's wand poking him directly in the nose.
"Leave. Now!" He snarled. Crabbe stumbled up from the Slytherin table and wandered out of the Great Hall. The room rumbled louder still from the other house tables.
Out of the corner of his eye, Draco Malfoy saw a familiar trio's heads pointed his direction. He turned to look and see all three of them staring at him intensely, confused and angry.
They think that I mean to hurt them.
Draco continued to stare back, looking each of them in the eye once, but staying firmly planted in Hermione.
I am here for you. He thought hard to her, hoping maybe she was a Legilimens and would hear him. He did not care of she didn't understand, so long as she was safe. He could see confusion in her eyes as they stated back at him, and distrust. She was uneasy. As she should be. He was coming.
"Attention! Attention students!" He started in surprise. McGonagal was here. And there seemed to be some new faces standing around her podium. He recognized one as Professor Lupin, the DADA teacher in their 3rd year. He looked rather worn and ragged. He held hands with a small woman with pink-no blue-no red hair, oh god. He could see her hand wrapped around his own tightly and her brow was furrowed. Something about her was familar to him, but he couldnt place his finger on it. Then, he made the connection. Nymphadora. His half blood cousin, the one who had married the werewolf.
Blood traitor.
"Students. These are grave times, indeed. Voldemort is coming to Hogwarts. Now is the time to leave, if you do not want to fight him or are not able to fight back.."
Draco knew that he was expected to leave, but he couldnt. The other students were still looking towards McGonagal, awaiting instruction. He slouched down at his spot in the Slytherin table, empty save for him. He saw more than a few glares his way but ignored them. His left forearm was on fire. He set his head down in his arms and clenched his teeth to the pain.
He can't make me leave. I can't.
He could hear Mcgonagal address the students, telling them what was to happen and what they were awaiting. Suddenly, he felt a resounding bass deep within his chest and echoing the Great Hall. He saw the look of terror and rage enter McGonagal's features and transform her face into a snarl.
It was Voldemort.
Hogwarts. I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight.
A deep chill ran down Draco's spine.
But they will fight. And everyone will die. He is coming.
He could feel a steady, sharp pressing on his mind and focused to guard against it. He needed Voldemort to believe that he was trying to bring Potter to him. The fact that the dark lord was peering into his mind was not reassuring to him.
He knows I am a traitor.
As chaos surrounded him, he felt the eyes on him as if they were fire. The Golden Trio once again.
While everyone around them were assembling and preparing for the horrendous fight that would ensue so frighteningly soon, Draco Malfoy just sat where he was, looking lost. He knew they also hadn't moved and were watching him closely. He could feel her trying to analyze his motives. He turned his head to stare directly into her quizzical green eyes, startling her. He saw the surprise in her face. He continued to stare at her, trying to draw on her Gryffindor courage to give him the strength to fight on the correct side.
Triwizard tournament, remember. He silently projected to her. His Legilimency was weak, but he hoped his raw emotion would give that message a little push. He needed her to have even the smallest speck of trust in him, even if it's based off of a fuzzy, chaotic memory.
Hermione started as a rushing flow of emotion hit her. She did not recognize the feelings as her own. Presently, she was still staring daggers into crystal blue eyes not far far away. Malfoy had caught Harry and Ron glaring at him. He always see them. Usually, as of the last year or so, he had begun ignoring them rather than antagonize much to Ron's dismay. However, this time he had turned to stare back at them, although uncharacteristically softer than expected, and directly at her.
She had been thrown off by that. He was giving her such a worried and helpless look. Suddenly, a vague memory drifted into her subconscious. She recognized that at this moment, that memory had been plucked from the depths of her mind on purpose. She saw fire and... flags. The triwizard tournament.
But why.. what has that got to do with anything?
Malfoy's face, three years younger, appeared. He was panicked and running. He ran into her. He grabbed her and pulled her in the direction he was running. It was still so fuzzy, like all she could see was the dark, black smoke from the enflamed tents and forest. She felt his sweaty hand clasped into hers tightly and remembers her anger and confusion.
"Malfoy, let me go!" She snatched her hand from his grasp and dodged a particularly nasty fireball from an unidentifiable death eater. He grabbed her again and flung them both behind a large tree. "Stop it! Stop touching me!" She shrieked and suddenly his hand was over her mouth.
"Granger, don't bite me! I'm trying to get you out of here-ow! Damn it quiet!" He stammered in frustration, releasing his grip on her.
"Let me go! Help! Heeell-" Draco tackled her to the ground and rolled them back behind the tree. He grasped her firmly to him, her body flush against his own. Hermione was uncomfortable.
"Granger be quiet or they will hurt you!" He whispered frantically. In the distance, they could hear screams of terror. Hermione stiffened.
"What is this?" She whispered back, seeing in the distance, four human bodies floating violently and sporadically. The little girl was screaming. Draco held her tighter.
"Death eaters," he exhaled softly, as if it was only a sigh. Hermione didn't not fight him anymore. He felt her lean slightly further into him. The family's screams grew louder and more hysterical. They stayed where they were and waited.
Stay tuned for the next chapter!
Coming soon!