"You don't bear the Dark Mark, and Professor Dumbledore himself left instructions to give you a chance if at all possible. The Order of the Phoenix has, therefore, accepted your relative innocence. Personally, though, I'm not sure that you can be trusted."

Draco Malfoy snorted. "I don't care what you or your Order thinks. Haven't I explained that already?"

Remus frowned. "You said you came here to be heard."

"Yes. But not by you. You're barely even a soldier in this war. You're nothing but a pitiful half-blood werewolf. The only reason the rest of them sent you to talk to me was because you know me."

"I lot of us know you," Remus countered. "There are even other teachers in the Order who were at the school with you far longer than I was. No, they sent me because I'm one of the few Order members who has no instinct to hex you on sight. You're not a popular young man, I'm afraid."

Draco sneered. "Again, I don't care."

"Then what do you care about?"

"Potter's opinion of me, as much as I hate to admit it. You lot can masquerade as the fighting force of the Light side of the magical world, but I know who's really leading the way. I need you to organise a meeting with him for me."

Remus shook his head. "Harry's the person most likely to curse you half to death if he's left in a room with you for more than two seconds. And you'll be no use to us then."

"Tie him up and gag him if you need to. I just want him to listen to me."

"I don't think he'll be much inclined to believe anything you say, particularly if I have to force him to remain in place."

Draco smiled almost sinisterly. "Let me deal with that."

"How do I know you won't try to kill him once he's vulnerable?"

"I'd allow you to take my wand temporarily, of course. Besides, if you really thought that I was capable of murder, you wouldn't still be standing here."

Remus gave the younger man an appraising look. "No. I suppose I wouldn't."

Draco stood there looking expectantly at him, waiting for him to agree. Remus said nothing for a long time.

"Why should the Order go to all this trouble for you?" he asked eventually.

Draco raised his eyebrows. "What do you want for it?"

Remus bared his teeth at him, and Draco stepped back; whether it was in shock or fear, Remus didn't know.

"I want you to tell the Order all that you know about Voldemort –" Remus noticed Draco flinch, as expected "– and his movements. But I assume that you'll tell Harry as much of your own accord, if you want him to listen to you. So I'll need something more to convince me that you're serious."

Remus pointedly looked him up and down suggestively.

Draco's eyes went wide in comprehension. "You're kidding, right? With you?"

Remus nodded soberly. "You need to be taken down a peg or two, Mr Malfoy. I think that having a 'pathetic half-blood werewolf' touch you would serve nicely."

"You're a pervert," Draco accused.

Remus crossed his arms defensively over his chest. "Not really. You're of age, and you'd be consenting to it. But even so, believe me when I say that I've been called worse in my lifetime."

Draco mumbled something under his breath. Remus chose not to pursue it.

"So," Remus continued, "I'll make sure that Harry hears you out, whether he necessarily wants to or not, and you'll show me that you're willing to humble yourself a little."

Remus reached between them and ran his hand down the front of Draco's trousers. In the moment before Draco jumped away with a disgusted look, Remus was gratified to feel that he was half-hard despite his supposed disdain.

"Do we have a deal?" he asked.

Draco sneered at him. "I suppose I have no choice. But don't fool yourself into thinking that just because I said you can touch me, it means that I want it. I don't. You're less than dirt to me, and I hate even coming into contact with dirt. I won't enjoy it."

Remus stepped forward and grabbed Draco around the hips, pulling their bodies together.

"Good. It would defeat the point a little if you did, don't you think?"

He ground their hips together and relished in Draco's tiny whimper.

"Fuck you," Draco said unsteadily.

Remus frowned. "I don't really want this any more than you do, you know. But I can hardly send you off to Harry as cocky as you are now. You two will kill each other, wands or no."

"You keep telling yourself that," Draco muttered.

Remus wondered for a moment whether Draco was right, whether he would truly enjoy seeing him humiliated. But then he purposefully thrust their lips together clumsily, sealing off any attempts his brain might make to analyse the situation. If he thought too much about it, he doubted he could go through with it.

And whether or not he actually wanted it, it was necessary. Of course it was.

Someone had to put Draco Malfoy in his place.

FIN