DISCLAIMER: I don't own the world of Harry Potter.

CHAPTER 1 – First Contact

Draco woke in a cramped, messy room, the same room he had been in since the day Snape killed Dumbledore. Thanks to his mother having convinced Snape to make that Unbreakable Vow, all three of them were now in hiding. So much for Dumbledore having ordered Snape to kill him in order to not blow his cover. The Dark Lord found out anyway when Snape protected Mum and me. We're as good as dead; I haven't seen daylight since that day, the day when I could have chosen to join Dumbledore. If he hadn't popped his clogs, had them popped off for him, really.

Draco ran a hand carelessly through his tangled blond hair, and opened the door to the rest of the house, Snape's dirty little house on Spinner's End. Muck hole. Filthy Muggle house, in a filthy Muggle neighbourhood. I bet even the Mud-Granger lives in a better place than this. Ever since Dumbledore had asked him not to use the word 'Mudblood' Draco had made an effort not to.

In the living room, Draco found Snape and his mother already sitting down to a quiet breakfast.

'Draco,' Snape nodded at him. 'I'm so glad we are finally to be honoured with your company. Is your letter ready? The mist is positively dreadful today, so we can send out your owl.'

Draco groaned. 'I forgot, sir,' he said curtly.

'No you didn't,' Snape smirked.

'Why must I write to Granger!' Draco suddenly exploded. Why can't Mother do it? Or you? She trusted you once! She has always despised and been suspicious of me!'

'Because,' Snape said, his voice becoming deadly cold. 'Potter has doubtlessly told Miss Granger about what happened that night, and she will know that you couldn't kill Dumbledore. Now, do you really think that she would trust me, who killed Dumbledore, or your mother, who had me vow I would finish your deed, which forced me to kill Dumbledore, or die myself; regardless of the fact that the Headmaster had told me to kill him?'

'No, sir,' Draco angrily, gritting his teeth. 'I'll go write the letter.' He kissed his mother good-morning on the cheek, and stormed back up to the tiny room he slept in. Sent back to this broom closet to write a letter to that jumped-up Granger! As if she'll even open it when she sees whose owl it is from. Or maybe she'll jump at the chance to have my whereabouts traced. Maybe she's dead. Draco smirked for a second, before realising he shouldn't be wishing death on someone who could help them, and he wasn't sure that he wanted her dead even if she didn't help him. God, this world has gone to the dogs. I have to ask for help from blood-traitors and Muggle-lovers, and submit myself to their command. Wait till my father hears… Not that he can. Still in Azkaban, or killed by Dark Lord. He being killed would actually be a good thing anyway. Draco finished his inner rant and sat down at the makeshift desk he had set up in the corner with two small filing cabinets and a shelf from the closet. He took out some parchment, dipped his quill in some ink, and began writing.

Granger-

I'm in hiding, as you must have guessed, since my Avada Kedavra-ed body hasn't been found in the middle of King's Cross station or anything, as are my mother, and Professor Snape. You probably know about the night Dumbledore was killed, and what he said to me. He offered my mother and I, and my father when and if he gets out of Azkaban, protection. He said that I couldn't be killed if I am already dead. No, this is not an invitation to murder me, so don't get excited. Professor Dumbledore said he could hide us, and pretend we were actually dead.

Professor Snape, as he told me as soon as we fled from the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, was acting on Professor Dumbledore's orders that night. Dumbledore had told Snape to kill him rather than risk blowing his cover. That's why he gave Snape the jinxed DADA position. Dumbledore had realised he would probably die at the end of the year. Tell Potter not to kill him when they meet again.

Being Potter's sidekick and all, I hope that you can sway him to accept my services, and to let me join the right side. In return for my help to you, I request that my mother and Professor Snape be protected as well. Send reply back with my owl.

-Draco Malfoy

Draco sighed, and folded up the letter. He dripped some wax onto the flap, and sealed it with the Malfoy crest using his signet ring. Draco carried the letter downstairs to the living room. Snape took it from him without a word. He tied it to the leg of Draco's eagle owl, and extinguished the lamps. In the pitch darkness, Snape opened the window. 'Deliver this directly to Hermione Granger,' he told the owl, and released it into the dreary outdoors. Snape closed the window, the blackout curtain, and the lit the lamps again with a wave of his wand.

'Thank you, Draco,' Narcissa told him. 'I'm sorry you have to speak to that girl, Draco, but at least we'll have a way out.' She laid a slender hand on his, and squeezed it, smiling. Then she stood up and went upstairs.

A way out. Is that what this is? A way out of what? Only death. We'll still be cooped up like sardines in a tin. Probably with the Golden Trio and all their pals. I can't go back to school. Couldn't take Transfiguration again anyway. I stupidly didn't study for it at all. I probably failed. And I've lost my spot on the House Quidditch team by now, having missed matches. I won't be a fully certified wizard, and I'll be an outcast. A way out? It doesn't seem like that.

'Draco,' Snape began. 'I would like to relate something to you. You know that there exists a prophecy concerning Potter, of course.' Draco nodded. 'Well, I heard part of that prophecy.'

A gleam appeared in Draco's eye. 'What is it, sir?'

Snape frowned at him. 'It isn't a good thing that I know!' he snapped. 'That's how the Dark Lord knew to try to kill Potter! I told him what I heard!'

Draco was confused. 'But, sir, I thought that you were loyal to Dumbledore…'

'Not yet! Not at that point I wasn't! I was young and stupid. I didn't know what the prophecy meant! I heard the Dark Lord mentioned and reported back to him. I didn't know it was about Potter! About a helpless infant! I didn't know it would mean James and Lily Potter would be killed in cold blood!'

Draco was stunned. 'But sir, I thought that you hated Potter's fath-'

'So I did! And so do I still! But I didn't want him killed! I didn't want a baby attacked and rendered parentless! I may have been in league with the Dark Lord, but I still had human decency. Would you really want Potter, or Weasley, or Granger killed?'

Draco had to think about that one. Do I? If Granger were dead, would I care? What if she was hurt worse than that, and then killed? What if I saw her tortured, lifeless body? Suddenly, Draco felt sick. 'No, I don't think so,' he finally answered, weakly.

'You think?' Snape said bitterly. 'What if you had helped to kill them? I know you couldn't kill Dumbledore. If you couldn't kill him, you couldn't kill one of them.'

'I almost killed Weasley,' Draco muttered. That sucked. It's a good thing he didn't die.

'Anyway,' Snape continued. 'Potter has most likely found out about that by now. The likelihood of Miss Granger getting him to help us is miniscule. I owed Potter's father my life, since he once saved mine.' The look in his eyes dared Draco to ask why, but Draco knew better than that. 'I got him killed instead of repaying him. Now I'm trying to repay him by helping his son. My attempt to save Potter's life when Quirrell jinxed his broom wasn't enough, since something else stopped Quirrell. We have to get through to the Order.'

'So, this is just to save your skin, then?' Draco asked, bewildered. 'I thought you were Dumbledore's man because it was the right side, because you were doing the right thing to help the greater good.'

'I was. And I am,' Snape sneered. 'But I still have my life-debt to pay. Now, go do something useful. Draft a letter to Pansy if you get bored.'

Draco's flushed red-hot. 'I do not fancy her, Snape.'

'You sure had a funny way of showing that,' the former Potions master smirked.

Draco turned, and left the room. He stalked up the stairs, and flung himself onto the dingy bed in his room. Pansy was just fun for snogs and laughs. As if I would ever want to really talk to her. He shuddered. His mother had tried to convince him that he should marry Pansy when it was all over. Ugh! Spending the rest of my life with that pug-faced, gormless twit would be as bad as the Cruciatus curse. Draco gave in to his imaginings. There was nothing else to do, after all.

Now, if I were to pick a wife, it would be someone much more sensible. She would definitely not be blond-haired. Anymore pale, blond Malfoys and we'd look truly inbred. She would be gorgeous, naturally. And she would have to have a fiery temper when she gets riled. I couldn't stand a meek little wife. That way we could have blazing rows with all that comes afterwards. He grinned. An intelligent, fully qualified witch to boot. And not afraid of or obedient to me. Headstrong. He rolled over onto his back and started laughing.

My Goodness! I've just described Granger! Heaven forbid! Well, she isn't really gorgeous anyway.

Yes, well, not gorgeous, but pretty, I suppose I can allow her that.

And she's got a temper, but I wouldn't want to shag her. But what if she was good in bed?

Urgghh! I don't need to even consider the possibility of that! Draco stood up, and went over to his 'desk.' He yanked open a drawer and pulled out a copy of Advanced Potions. Snape had reminded him he should keep up on schoolwork, so it was as good a distraction as any, and he sure had a lot of homework and revising to prepare for his N.E.W.T.s

The next day, Draco and Snape were in the sitting room, reading, when Draco's eagle owl returned. He flew in, and went directly to Draco, whose jaw dropped. Tied to the owl's leg was a bright red envelope. Hermione had sent him a Howler. Snape smirked and closed his book, as Draco untied the letter, allowing his owl to fly upstairs. He opened the letter with great trepidation.

'DRACO MALFOY!' Hermione's voice yelled in his face. 'AFTER ALL THAT YOU DID! ALMOST KILLING KATIE AND RON! PUTTING ROSMERTA UNDER THE IMPERIUS CURSE! YOU DARE TO ASK FOR ME TO HELP YOU!'

'AND YOU! PROFESSOR SNAPE! I KNOW YOU'RE THERE TOO!'

Snape's face fell, and he looked uneasy.

'YOU KILLED PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE AND YOU EXPECT MERCY! AID FROM THOSE WHOM YOU BETRAYED MOST TREACHEROUSLY!'

'YOU SHOULD BOTH BE ASHAMED OF YOUR AUDACITY IN SENDING THAT LETTER TO ME WITHOUT AN APOLOGY!' The letter shredded itself up.

Draco was stunned. 'Reckon I should have sent her an apology, then. I would have if I had known she would throw a fit.' Snape, whose face was white, pointed behind Draco. Draco turned, and came face to face with Hermione in the flesh.

'Oh dear,' Draco muttered.

'Hello Draco,' she said smoothly. 'You think that was a fit, do you?' she asked, raising and eyebrow.

She swept past him, and sat in the chair, which Snape had recently vacated. 'Like my invention?' she said, looking smug. 'The Apparating Howler for my own personal use.' Draco and Snape were still silent. 'Well, I must assume that you will offer me some form of refreshment,' she hinted.

Snape left the room for a moment. Hermione used the time to scrutinise Draco, and Draco used it to stare at the carpet.

Snape returned and poured out tea.

'Haven't you two anything at all to say?' Hermione asked steadily, after sipping her tea.

'Sorry,' mumbled Draco.

'Sorry,' Snape managed to choke out, mortified, but not he saw he had no other choice.

'That's better, isn't it?' Hermione said, smiling. 'Now, as envoy to the Order of the Phoenix, I shall, of course, require meeting with Mrs. Malfoy as well, and speaking to her about what will occur if we acquiesce to your request.'

'Draco, go fetch your mother,' Snape told him. Draco was only too glad to leave the room.

'Professor Snape,' Hermione started. He looked at her questioningly. 'Why did you not return to headquarters and explain yourself at once, instead of having Draco write to me instead? It was most inconvenient to receive a letter from Draco's owl, as Harry, Ron, and Ginny know it well by sight. They didn't say anything, but it is quite clear that they're doing a lot of thinking.'

'Mr. Potter's first reaction upon seeing me would be to kill,' Snape replied with a signature sneer. 'And I can't say that Lupin or Arthur would act any differently. I'm sure Moody has been waiting for the chance to send me to Azkaban for years. So, you see, this was our only option.'

Hermione sniffed disapprovingly and sipped her tea. Draco then returned with his mother. Hermione rose out of her seat to meet her.

'Mother, this is Hermione Granger. Granger, my mother,' Draco introduced formally. Hermione remembered the last time she had seen Narcissa, which had been at Madam Malkin's.

'How are you, Mrs. Malfoy?' Hermione inquired politely. From the look on the other woman's face, Hermione could see that her pride had indeed given way to a fall.

'As well as anyone could possibly be under the circumstances. And yourself, Miss Granger?' Narcissa had the self-command to ask in return.

'About the same,' Hermione replied. 'And please, call me Hermione. It's so discomfiting to be called Miss Granger out of school.' Now it was Narcissa who sniffed disapprovingly. They all sat back down, except for Snape, who stood behind Narcissa.

'Mrs. Malfoy, I need to know if there is anyone whom you trust, aside from Professor Snape,' she said.

'No one,' Narcissa answered, as Snape passed her a cup of tea.

Hermione nodded, and looked thoughtful. 'And, forgive me for being impertinent, but are you, by any chance, an unregistered Animagus or a Metamorphmagus?'

'No,' Narcissa said, scandalised. 'Certainly not. Do you really think the Dark Lord would have tried to assure my son's death is I possessed such valuable powers?'

Hermione paused before speaking again. 'I would like to take you three back to Headquarters, but I cannot until I have spoken with the others. And, I will need to stage your deaths.'

'Are you in partial control of the Order of the Phoenix?' Narcissa broke in.

'I am not, Hermione said crisply. 'However, I am in charge of making Harry see reason, and I am one of the people in the Order who is most likely to be sympathetic towards you three,' she continued firmly. 'I know that dealing with me must be a blow to you, but I am trying to help, so please don't act so disdainfully towards me.' Narcissa looked as if she would like to say something, but held her tongue. 'I am in partial control of Headquarters itself though,' Hermione mentioned, surveying the looks of disbelief on Draco and Narcissa's faces

'Where is this Headquarters?' Draco asked.

'She can't tell you,' Snape interjected. 'Dumbledore was the Secret Keeper, and he's dead. So no one can tell you.'

'Actually,' Hermione started quietly. 'I am the new Secret Keeper. Headquarters was abandoned after…certain events…and after the repossession of the grounds, Dumbledore's original protection proved useless.

Draco's jaw dropped. A seventeen-year-old witch is the Secret Keeper for the headquarters of the underground movement against the Dark Lord?

Hermione drained her cup and rose. 'I must be going for now. I have other things to attend to,' she explained. 'I will return when I have more news. Goodbye, Draco, Mrs. Malfoy. Professor Snape.' And after that she Disapparated with a pop.

'Well,' Narcissa said when Hermione had gone. 'That girl has got quite a bit of power if she could break through your Fidelius charm, Severus. Not even the Dark Lord could do that.'

'A clever bit of magic with an "Apparating Howler."' Snape said dryly. 'And Miss Granger is almost eighteen. She is hardly a girl anymore, regardless of her age, though, from what she has gone through.'

'What do you mean?' asked Draco ignorantly.

'Draco, you honestly don't know?' Snape asked, smirking. 'She was in the Department of Mysteries that one night, and survived a nasty curse from Dolohov. She fought at the Battle for Hogwarts just recently. She was there at the night of the Quidditch World Cup, and has been helping Potter since first year. She has seen more danger than you have!'

'But so swotty and plain,' Narcissa said, determined to find something Snape would agree on about Hermione. 'If only she did something with her hair…'

Well, Mum's starting to warm up to her already, despite herself. But Granger's not all that plain. Alright, I'm not going down that road again.

'There is no doubt that Miss Granger is an insufferable know-it-all,' Snape said. 'She takes greats pleasure in spouting off entire passages from textbooks, and showing off at every opportunity. Narcissa, satisfied with this answer, went upstairs. Snape gave Draco an enigmatic look.

'But make no mistake, Draco,' he said. 'There's more to her than meets the eye.'

'Sir?' Draco asked, hoping for more of an explanation.

But Snape merely downed the rest of his tea, smirking to himself, and left through one of the doors concealed din the bookcases.

Hermione really didn't have much to attend to. She had only wanted to get away so that she could get a plan organised. Harry was right. Draco couldn't be a killer. He's a prat, an absolute prat, but not a killer.

'So?' Ginny asked from her place beside Harry, on the sofa back at Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Hermione sank into a chair, with Harry, Ginny and Ron's eyes upon her. Hermione had become rather involved with reorganising Headquarters, and convincing Mrs. Weasley to let her be Secret Keeper for Headquarters, and Ron, who had been trying to distract his mind from those sorts of things, had gotten rather involved with Luna. Hermione realised she had never fancied him, really, and knew that Ron was not right for her in any case.

'Hermione?' Harry called her name, breaking her out of her reverie.

She sighed. 'Snape is still Snape, and most definitely loyal as ever to Dumbledore and the Order. He apologised to me, for his failure to contact me himself and to come back here in person,' she said, grinning.

'Voluntarily?' Ron asked, nearly falling off the sofa.

'No,' Hermione laughed. 'I guilted Draco and him into it. Speaking of Draco, his mother wasn't very polite to me.'

'Well, she has love for her son,' Harry said quietly. 'If she convinced Snape to make and Unbreakable Vow, and went against Voldemort's orders, she loves him. Love is all we have got over Voldemort.' Ginny squeezed his hand comfortingly.

'I'd like to bring them here, to put them into hiding,' Hermione said. 'What do you guys think, before I go to McGonagall?'

'Yes, I say we do it,' Harry agreed.

'Yeah,' Ron seconded. Ginny just nodded.

'Wish me luck, then,' Hermione said, and left the room to see if McGonagall was in her study.

Hermione knocked on the open door before entering. 'Professor?' she called out.

'Yes, Hermione?' McGonagall responded, motioning for Hermione to sit. 'Have a biscuit.'

'Thank you, Professor,' Hermione accepted, taking one. 'I juts received a letter from Draco Malfoy.'

McGonagall looked startled. 'Oh really?' she asked. 'And what did he say?'

'He asked, on behalf of himself, Professor Snape, and his mother, that the Order remember Professor Dumbledore's offer to him. And he confirmed our suspicions about Professor Snape. Dumbledore did order Snape to kill him, rather than to risk blowing his cover.'

'I see,' McGonagall said thoughtfully. 'And did he give a reply address to visit them in person?'

'Well, no, but-'

McGonagall interrupted her. 'Did you already go and see them?' she demanded sharply.

'Yes Professor,' Hermione admitted quietly.

'Hermione! After all these protections have been placed on this house to keep you safe!' McGonagall admonished.

'Sorry, Professor,' Hermione said. 'But I managed to slip some Veritaserum into the tea before Professor Snape gave some to Mrs. Malfoy. Unless she went around it, which I sincerely doubt, considering Professor Snape poured it out, then we now know that she trusts no one else but him, and that she is neither an Animagus, or Metamorphmagus.'

'Hermione, I will discuss this with the rest of the Order at tonight's meeting,' McGonagall told her.

'Professor, I was hoping that Harry, Ron and I could come-'

'No. Certainly not,' McGonagall said firmly.

'But, we aren't going back to school,' Hermione reasoned.

'That is your choice, Hermione, but I do wish you would stay at school, and become fully qualified,' McGonagall said, a bit worriedly.

'Can't we study on our own, and come into school just to take N.E.W.T.s?' Hermione asked hopefully.

'Yes, but it will be very difficult,' McGonagall said. 'This is my final word. You can't join the Order until you've completed your seventh year studies.'

'But Fred and George-'

'My final word,' McGonagall told her. 'You all help enough as it is.' She motioned for Hermione to exit.