For QLFC round 2. Keeper for the Kestrels. Prompt is write a character who thrives in luxury and decadence having to live a minimalist life OR about a high-strung character learning to relax and just be.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Draco stared down at the old musty bed with its patterned quilt scattered with badly sewn patches. On top of the bed lay one pair of pants, one shirt, a jumper, and a few pairs of socks and briefs. He reached out and ran a hand over the jumper, it was itchy, unlike the cashmere ones he had hanging in his closet at home.

Home.

But it wasn't really home anymore, was it? It was His headquarters. It had been run over by Death Eaters and Werewolves. Even if Potter did win the war, Draco wasn't sure the Manor would ever really feel like home again.

"I know its not exactly what you're used to, but you'll just have to make due like the rest of us," Molly Weasley said as she fluffed a pillow and tossed it to the head of the bed.

She turned and looked at Draco, who was still looking down at the bed with something akin to shock in his eyes. A sympathetic smile crossed her face, her motherly instinct taking over as she reached out to pat him on the back.

"Your mother was right in finally getting you two out of that house, Draco. Now that your father is gone…" she cut herself off as Draco's eyes snapped up.

"If you're hungry, there's food downstairs, you can fix a sandwich if you'd like. We'll be having visitors later, but if you're not up for socializing I don't think anyone would blame you."

She turned and walked out of the room, leaving him to his thoughts again. His stomach growled but he didn't want to go downstairs, he didn't want to see anyone. Just his mother. But she'd been taken to a different safe house, with her sister Andromeda. For some reason, much to his chagrin, they'd stuck him here with Molly and Arthur Weasley.

Along with all the Weasley children, Harry Potter, and the person he feared seeing the most…Hermione Granger.

To say that he was uncomfortable was an understatement. He sat at the end of the table, pushing his food around his plate. He'd been so hungry that he couldn't take it anymore, so he'd gone downstairs to make a sandwich. However, the guests were all seated at the table, laughing and having a good time.

Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, Luna Lovegood, and much to his surprise, Theodore Nott were sitting around and laughing with the adults. Harry, Hermione and Ron had yet to come downstairs, apparently up in Harry's room cooking up a plan for a mission they were going on the following evening.

The laughter had died down when he'd walked in, his former classmates had been hungry so Molly had whipped up more to eat, so he'd fixed a small plate and had sat at the furthest end of the table from everyone else. He stared at the old blue plate, cracks staring up at him from between his food.

"You get used to it, mate." Theo said, taking a seat across from him.

Draco looked up at him for a moment before looking back down. "I'm guess I'm not entirely surprised to see you here, Nott."

"It was either join the Order or try and go into hiding. At least this way I'm able to help, I don't feel entirely useless." Theo gave him a small smile.

Draco was about to ask him when he joined the Order when the Golden Trio themselves walked into the kitchen. Harry and Ron both stopped and stared at him, Ron glared and moved to sit with Dean and Seamus, Harry gave him a short nod before doing the same. Hermione though, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw him. Their eyes held, and he found himself unable to look away.

It had been her that had convinced him to finally go to Dumbledore and ask for his help, before the old wizard was killed. She'd cornered him in an empty classroom, said that Harry had been watching him for weeks and that they knew he was up to something. But she told him he had a choice, that it didn't have to be the way his father had wanted. That he could save himself and his mother, all he had to do was say yes.

She'd been so sure he would too, he didn't know why. He'd been absolutely horrid to her all throughout their school years, he wasn't sure why it wasn't Potter himself who had asked, or even Weasley. Either of them would have been better than her.

He'd had his guard down, he hadn't been able to hold it in anymore. He'd cried in front of her, allowed her to see him vulnerable, to walk him up to Dumbledore's office. He'd been failing in his mission, he'd do anything to save his mother, at that point. Even if that meant falling apart in front of Hermione Granger.

Of course she'd done nothing but look at him sympathetically and offer a shoulder to cry on. She hadn't laughed at him, hadn't told him he was getting what he deserved, no she genuinely was just trying to help. Things had been awkward ever since.

Hermione broke eye contact first, and started walking his way. She smiled at Luna in passing, and took a seat next to Theo across from him.

"How are you settling in?" she asked.

"Alright, I suppose."

Looking up at her, a frown crossed his face as Theo threw an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple.

"Draco is used to being draped in silk and jewels, it'll take some time for him to get used to this." Theo said, throwing a wink his way.

Hermione rolled her eyes at Theo. "Like it didn't take you time to get used to it."

Theo grinned at her, "I'm the richest man in the world. I have you, love."

Draco went back to focusing on the cracks in his plate. He certainly hadn't been expecting that.

Two weeks later brought about the worst Christmas Eve Draco had ever experienced.

He held the itchy green jumper, with a large cream colored D on the front, up to his chest as he looked down at it in confusion.

"What is it?" he asked Theo.

Theo laughed, "Mrs. Weasley felt bad that you probably wouldn't be receiving any gifts so she made you a sweater. She makes them every year for all her kids."

Draco dropped the jumper in his lap, he could now say that he had two to his name.

"You should thank her, I know you're probably used to a giant tree with tons of presents every year, but she didn't have to make you one you know." Hermione said, more sternly than she'd meant to.

But it was the last straw for Draco, who had been on the receiving end of those types of comments ever since he'd arrived.

"Yes, Granger. You're right. I am used to a giant tree with lots of presents underneath. I miss my cashmere jumpers and my silk bedsheets. I miss the food my house elves used to make, bloody hell I miss my house elves! I miss being able to fly on my broom, and the trips to France that my mother and I used to take. I miss Hogwarts and how things used to be! Because at least then I could make bloody sense of the world!

But now? This? Sharing a home with Weasley's, watching you and Theo paw at each other. You, who always seemed untouchable to us Slytherins. Perhaps Theo hasn't told you, but you could have had just about any boy in Slytherin wrapped around your finger if you wanted to. But apparently you already had one, you two did a damn good job at hiding that."

His outburst had drawn the attention of everyone in the room. Hermione just stared at him, cheeks a deep shade of red. Theo was staring at him like he wanted to strangle him.

"None of this is how I imagined my life, Granger. But if I still had all my money, all my riches, if everything went back to the way it was, the Dark Lord would still be at the height of his power. My mother would still be scared to leave her room at the Manor. At least this way, I can help to take him down! This way, I'm on the right side. I'd gladly give up everything all over again to keep my mother safe."

He stood and stomped up to his room without another word. Hermione looked at Theo, wearing an ashamed look, but before she could say anything he stood and kissed her temple before following Draco upstairs.

0o0o0

Theo opened the door to Draco's room without bothering to knock. He was sitting on his bed, wearing the jumper that Mrs. Weasley had made him, throwing a Muggle baseball against the wall and catching it again as it bounced back at him.

"She means well, old habits and all, you know?" Theo said, sitting on the end of the bed.

"She's the one who came to me and told me to ask for help. What did she expect? For me to just accept living with Weasley's and their snide remarks? Why couldn't I have just gone with my mother?"

"I asked her to go to you, Draco." Theo said softly.

The sound of the baseball against the wall stopped, and Theo peeked over to see Draco glaring at him with narrowed eyes.

"You were drowning, mate. I'm not sure what the Dark Lord had tasked you with, but we could all see that it was killing you. Harry had been on your tail for months trying to figure it out. I thought…I thought that Hermione would be the only one that could actually get through to you."

Draco stared at him dumbly. "You used her against me, because you knew how I felt about her? That's low, Nott."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Draco, I've been in love with that little swot since I first laid eyes on her. You never had a chance, mate."

They were quiet for a few moments, then Theo motioned to the jumper Draco had put on. "You really should thank Molly you know?"

"I had already planned on it, why does everyone assume that I have no manners? I actually appreciate having two jumpers to my name now." Draco bit back sarcastically.

"Once you settle in, things will get better and everyone will come around. You did choose their side after all, and they all have a way of getting under your skin. Pretty soon the things we used to think mattered to us, won't matter at all. You'll be begging Molly for more jumpers to add to your collection."

"Where's your jumper then?"

Theo shrugged. "At this point I have like five." Kicking his feet up onto the bed and wiggling his toes he said, "now I get socks."

Months passed, Draco settled in better than anyone would have guessed. He'd taken quite a liking to Molly and helped her a lot in the kitchen and the garden. More people had come and go from the safe house, his mother actually had come to visit more often and it had definitely helped his mood.

He and Hermione had fallen into a camaraderie, and he realized that he didn't actually have feelings for the know-it-all. Just a deep respect.

Another Slytherin had found his way into their house, Blaise Zabini. He was having an even harder time than Draco did, acclimating to his new surroundings. It was his birthday today, and they were all gathered in the kitchen eating the cake that Molly had baked. Draco had helped a little, he'd found he could be quite the baker if he put his mind to it. It was just like potions.

Blaise had a small pile of gifts surrounding him, but he'd just opened up the biggest one and was holding a large red jumper with a gold B stitched into the front. He looked up at Theo and Draco in horror as the two boys shared a look and snickered, replying in unison.

"You'll get used to it."

Please review :)