Secrets from the Past

by A Golden Rose6

During DHish but slightly AU. Draco Malfoy turns up at HQ one night...how will Hermione handle it when the secrets from the past are no longer secret. 2 shot. M for 2nd part.

So here is the first part of the 2-shot...it hasnt been betad so sorry if you find mistakes...please let me know if you do.

Reviewssss please. let me know what you think/if you want me to finish.

Diclaimer: Characters not mine obviously.

The order was buzzing when Hermione woke up. It was probably all the noise that everyone was making that was the reason she woke. She glanced over at the clock, it was 4 o'clock in the morning.
What on earth could be happening at this time that was causing the house to stir at the time?
She got out of bed to see what was going on.
Everyone was running around, whispering to one another. Clearly something huge had happened.
Hermione quickly glanced around looking for harry and Ron to make sure they were safe.
She saw them conferring with each other over by the kitchen sink. Picking up her pace she raced over to them, knowing they would know exactly what was going on.
"what is it?" she said her voice laced with anxiety.
"It seems that Draco Malfoy somehow found our headquarters..."
The mention of that name, as always, sent a mix of emotions through her.
"He is also claiming that he wants to join our side." harry finished with a confused look on his face.
"Where is he?"
He had always been a touchy subject to her. She had never had someone she could talk about him to either. Except for...well that didn't matter. What mattered was that he was here.
"He's being detained in an upstairs bedroom. We were waiting for Kingsley and Lupin to get here. Then we were going to wake you up and go question him."
"When will they be getting here?"
"Should be here soon, they had to grab some veritaserum, just in case occlumency doesn't work."
It wouldn't, she knew that it wouldn't. Draco was one of the best occlumece there ever was. She couldn't inform them of this, at least not yet. She'd have to wait until they were in the room with him. Hopefully then they wouldn't bombard her with questions, at least not until later.
Then there was the problem of veritaserum...but again that would have to wait. Her anxiety had now tripled.
She just needed this to be over with.

-Xxx-xXx-xxX-Xxx

Kingsley and Lupin arrived not too long afterwards.
Hermione wanted to sigh with relief but also hyperventilate. Stupid sodding Malfoy, he was always making her a whirlwind of emotion.
"We're ready to go up, if the three of you are." Kingsley said.
Ron and Harry chorused yes while Hermione could only nod.
The walk upstairs was the longest Hermione had ever endured. Her heartbeat accelerated with each step of her foot.
She was the last to enter the room, taking a deep breath before walking through the door.
He was, of course, lounged across the bed, like he owned the place. But the second Hermione had entered the room he kept his eyes on her, slowly sitting up.
She refused to look at him, there was too much going on in that moment, too much she had to worry about and she knew if she did she'd get lost in his eyes and everything she had ever felt for him would be written all over her face.
"Hermione," Kingsley said in the silent room.
She had almost flinched, the thoughts whizzing around in her brain interrupted.
She looked over at Kingsley.
"If you would, please preform legilimency on him."
Taking a deep breath, Hermione looked at Kingsley and said, "I'm sorry sir but that won't work."
The room looked around in confused stares, except for Draco. His eyes still remained on Hermione and his face was holding in a smirk.
"What do you mean?" Kingsley said incredulously.
"Well you see sir, Draco is one of, if not the most, talented occlumens in the world. Not only has he had lessons from Snape as a young boy through his teenage years but I would also be willing to bet he has been training with Bellatrix lestrange, if not even he-who-must-not-be-named himself."
Kingsley just looked over at Draco, to everyone in the room, except Ron and Harry, it was obvious he was trying to infiltrate Draco's mind.
Kingsley looked away a moment later. That was when the smirk Draco Malfoy had been trying to hold in finally made an appearance on his face.
"Did you not believe Granger?" he asked looking at Kingsley, "she was dead on, except about the Dark Lord. He gave me one lesson but then I chose to not to continue. Everything he tried to teach me I already knew. I also didn't want him anywhere near my head."
"Well then it appears Ms. Granger will have to administer the veritaserum."
At this Hermione did flinch, and the smirk on Malfoy's face became wider, almost a smile.
She sighed loudly and looking at the floor replied, "I'm afraid I can't do that."
Now Kingsley looked angry, "what do you-"
"I'll take veritaserum," Malfoy cut kingsley off, "I won't fight at all. Have my cousin-in-law over there give it to me."
The atmosphere was tense, Harry and Ron were looking at Hermione like they had never seen her before, Kingsley was looking at the ground a puzzled look on his face and Lupin had stepped forward bottle of veritaserum in hand, looking at Kingsley waiting the ok of administering the potion.
"You seem to be very agreeable. I'm wondering which amount we should give you. I think the whole bottle should do." Kingsley said looking at Draco.
Everyone raised their eyebrows a whole bottle of veritaserum, that amount was not usually given because it usually revealed more than what was necessary.
"Ok." Draco said nodding his head.
"Aren't you going to ask why?"
"Apparently you're smarter than you look. You assume that because I am so good at occlumence that perhaps I've gotten more training than that. You obviously know that some wizards have master small amounts of veritaserum and it's wise for you to guess I may be one of them. I know you are all going to doubt me. I would rather take a whole bottle and have you rationally know that there would be no way for me to lie."
Kingsley nodded his head at Draco then looked to Lupin and nodded for him to proceed.
Lupin held the bottle out to Draco, but he tried to take the bottle and Lupin simply shook his head. Rolling his eyes Draco tipped his head back and opened his mouth so Lupin could pour it in.
"Hermione you will help me question him."
Kingsley was always giving commands, he was very good at it, and it was also the hope that, should the Order win, he would become Minister. The only problem was he usually made it sound like a question as to be polite. Since he did not Hermione knew he was suspicious of her earlier behavior and for that she was sorry. She had no problem question Draco, she just could not be the one to give him veritaserum, but he had done so willingly so there was no problem.
Her eyes finally met Draco's, his eyes were telling her that it was ok, and he knew it was necessary.
"Ok," she sighed again, she seemed to be doing that a lot today, "we will start with easy questions first."
Draco nodded his head.
She looked over to Kingsley, "I'm assuming his identity has been verified?"
"We actually couldn't think of a question that only he would know. Since you seem to know him ask a question only the two of you know."
Well that was risky. She needed to make sure it was ok with him that all these people could know. She looked at him knowing the question would be in her eyes.
His response was not immediate, it was a huge thing to ask, having had this secret for so long. To have it come out in the open was going to be explosive but it needed to be done.
Draco spoke up looking at the whole group, "what is about to be discussed can never leave this room, few people know what is about to be said and it could endanger lives if it gets out."
Everyone seemed a little shocked about this and all swore it would not leave the room.
Hermione would only look at Draco for this question and would not look away after her answered because there would be outrage and maybe even betrayal on both Harry and Ron's faces when the truth came out.
"Where was the first place we met?" Hermione asked
Ron scoffed as soon as the question was asked, "really Hermione we ALL know the answer to that."
Draco and Hermione had not looked away from each other and Draco continued as if Ron had not said anything, "we met at a muggle park when we were 4 years old."
"What?" Ron shouted, "What the bloody hell is he talking about? Obviously this isn't Malfoy."
Ron had never been the brightest person in the world and clearly he was not taking into account what Draco had said before Hermione asked the question.
With their eyes still locked Hermione said to no one in particular, "it's Malfoy."

The room was silent after that omission. No one knew where to go from there but Hermione knew there would be more questions about it.
Kingsley cleared his throat. Hermione looked down at the ground waiting to see what would come next.
"Well now that his identity is confirmed we will continue, I do have a question of my own. Why would that put lives in danger Mr. Malfoy?"
"When I was young, my mother missed her sister terribly. She had always wished that I would know what it was like to have siblings, when I was four she made the decision that she would contact Andromeda. We met-"
Draco was interrupted by Tonks bursting through the door. She looked around the room, when her eyes landed on Draco she race over to him and embraced him. This surprised everyone but Hermione.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Tonks practically shouted
"Nymphadora, I'm under veritaserum and we haven't quite reached that part yet, I was actually just explaining how Granger and I met for the first time."
Tonks' eyes widened, "oh, well umm I guess I showed up right in time then..."
Looking around Tonks noticed the tense air in the room.
"Did anyone else notice how she didn't scold him for calling her Nymphadora?" Harry pointed out quietly
But Tonks heard him and quickly pinned him with her eyes. "Well since I can now tell the truth Draco, his mother and my mother are the only ones allowed to call me that! And Remus now of course too, so essentially my family is the only exception!"
Lupin looked a little stricken, "you never told me you had a relationship with the Malfoys."
"I'm sorry love but I couldn't, not without both of their permission. And I haven't seen Draco in years, when he went back to Hogwarts it got much harder to stay in contact and when the war broke out it became impossible. I knew what that disgusting man forced his only child to do and I did not hold him completely responsible, yet I could never stick up for him with all of you bad mouthing him, I can only imagine how it must of felt for Hermione. He was always such a loving kid. He became like a brother to me."
"We need to continue with the questioning." Kingsley interrupted the tense moment between the married couple, "Draco was explaining why it is life or death if this information leaves this room.
"Quite simply, my father would kill my mother if he knew she had contact with her sister. Andromeda should have been completely disowned by my mother. We shouldn't have had weekly visits for years. We would meet at a muggle park, that's how I met Granger she would play there, every time we were there so was she. She did her first bit of magic in that park. It was my mother and aunt that sat down with the Granger's and explained what Hermione was."
Hermione didn't want another awkward silence in the room so continued, "why are you here?"
"To join the order of course."

"Yes, but why Draco? After all this time, wouldn't that put Narcissa in danger?"
"She was actually the one to suggest it."
"What? What are you talking about, stop leaving out facts!" Hermione said, no one could infuriate her more than Draco Malfoy.
He sighed loudly, "my mother came to me very late last night, being the wife of someone in the inner circle does have its perks every once in a while, she heard my father talking about how now the number one person they were looking for was, one Hermione Granger, naturally my mother came to me in a panic. So-"
"Why would you mother come to you in a panic about Hermione being wanted? She's been on their radar for a while now." Harry said.
"Yes she has but not like this, they want to capture her, and are going to be aggressively pursuing her. And my mother happens to be very fond of Granger, always has been. She doesn't want anything to happen to her. My mother isn't a death eater Potter, she doesn't believe in blood purity anymore, not since she got close with Andromeda again. She refused to lose her sister over something as trivial as her husband's lineage. My mother had always treated Hermione like a daughter."
"You shouldn't have left her Draco," Hermione said with a slightly disappointed tone, "now she is all alone with all of those horrible people. I have plenty of protection here."
Draco's head snapped towards Hermione, "no one here can protect you like I can and you know that."
"Excuse me?!" Ron said appalled at what the ferret had just said, "We can protect her much better than you. You're the one who has called her mudblood all these years. YOU'RE the one with the mark on your arm."
Draco turned to glare at Ron, "have you been listening at all weasel or are the words being said too big for you tiny dense brain to understand? I've never hated Granger, I don't believe in blood purity all of that was just a front for my father, only for my mother sake. And no, you cannot protect her better than I can, I would kill for her. All you use is stupefy and expelliarmus. Unfortunately I've been forced to learn dark magic. Fortunately dark magic is much more effective."
"So you are here to protect Hermione?" Kingsley said, after staying quite listening to all the Malfoy boy had said. He was very good at reading people and could tell that Draco had meant every word he had said. He would kill anyone who tried to harm Hermione. The boy was obviously in love with her, whether he realized it or not was not really Kingsley concern. Although it was going to cause problems with Ron, who thought he was in love with Hermione. Kingsley had already decided that he was going to let him stay.
"Yes I am here to protect Hermione." Draco said slightly exasperated
"We need to have a meeting, everyone downstairs. Only those here will get a vote."
Everyone got up to go, slowly trickling out of the room. Ron glared at Draco as he walked by. It was clear what his vote was going to be.
After a few moments Hermione was the only one left in the room, she stood from the chair she had been sitting in. she couldn't look at him.
"I'll try to get protection for your mother."
She turned to leave but he caught her wrist.
"Aren't you at least happy to see me Granger?" he asked cocky arrogance in his voice.
"Of course I am." she said still looking at the floor.
She heard shifting on the bed he was on and then his free hand was lifting her chin up so that she was looking at his face.
"You could have fooled me." he said
She felt tears stinging her eyes. "You should not have risked your life for me, and certainly not your mother's life."
"Granger, how many times do we need to go over this? First off my mother will be perfectly fine. No one will know she told me. Secondly...and you should already know this by now, I would risk everything for you." He placed a firm kiss on her lips. The tears started to fall, she had missed him. And the last comment had ripped the hole that had barely healed open. Less than a year ago he would not risk everything for her. Less than a year ago she had tried to make him. But now was not the time to think about that.
They pulled apart and he wiped the tears away.
"Go down to your meeting, I'll be here when you get back." He gave her a small reassuring smile.
She nodded her head and gave him another quick kiss before leaving the room.
She was happy that no one had asked about their relationship when they were at Hogwarts. It was inevitable that it would come up but hopefully not until later...much later.
She was not looking forward to this meeting. Harry and Ron were going to go ballistic on her.

-Xxx-xXx-xxX-Xxx

Hermione walked into the room and quickly walked over to her seat. The last time she saw Draco fresh in her mind, it had been the night he let the death eaters into Hogwarts, but now wasn't the time to dwell on that.

"You all know why we are here. The 6 of us are going to vote on if we believe Draco Malfoy and if we want him as part of the order."
"No," Ron was the first one to speak up, "we obviously can't trust him. I mean what was all that about knowing him as a child?" he turned and asked Hermione
"It's not that I knew him as a child Ronald, I've known him since he was a child."
"What's the difference?"
"The difference is that I have kept in contact with him since I was 4. All the way up until and during Hogwarts. He only said horrible things to me when there was an audience. No one could truly know who he was because Lucius would have taken it out on Narcissa. Draco and I would hang out, it was just privately. We had a falling out in 4th year but we reconnected in 6th year."
"So you knew he was a Death Eater?" Harry asked quietly.
"Not until much later, I did eventually go to Dumbledore, but he already knew."
"Why didn't you tell us? You know and should have known you could tell me anything." Harry said, searching her face as if it held the answer.
"It wasn't as simple as that. Right before we went off to Hogwarts we were a little older and realized how serious Lucius' hate for muggle and muggleborns really was. The day before we went to school Draco, Tonks and I decided to make an unbreakable vow. Tonks had recently learned how to do it."

August 31, 1991
"Are you sure we really want to do this?" Tonks asked the almost 11 year olds.
"We need to, that way my father can never ever find out, not without mine and Hermione's permission."
"Ok, you understand how serious this is? You die from breaking an unbreakable vow, it is not a joke."
"Yes we're sure." Hermione answered.
"Grasp each other's wrists."
Hermione and Draco did as they were told.
"Do you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, swear to never tell anyone about your visits to the muggle park? You may only talk about it with permission from Hermione."
"I swear."
"Do you, Hermione Jean Granger, swear to never tell anyone about meeting Draco, his mother, my mother, and me at a muggle park? You may only talk about it with the permission of Draco."
"I swear."
"Draco Malfoy, do you swear to never tell a soul about your friendship with Hermione unless she says it is alright to do so?"
"I swear."
"Hermione Granger, do you swear to never mention your friendship with Draco, until the day, if there ever is, that he consents you may?"
"I swear."
"Hermione you must also swear not to tell anyone that Draco and I know each other, unless two out of three members of the party consent for whatever reason."
"I do."
"Draco, you must swear to not tell anyone about knowing me, unless for whatever reason you and I or you and Hermione need to share."
"I swear."
"I think we should also swear to never use veritaserum on each other." Draco added.
And they did.

"Draco had the idea to add veritaserum at the end." Hermione said, she then looked at Kingsley, "I'm sorry sir but that is why I couldn't give it to him earlier."
"You made an unbreakable vow at the age of 10?" Lupin asked.
"Yes we did, Tonks was the one to preside over it and then I preformed it for Draco and her."
There was a moment of stunned silence, Hermione had been a child yet she had performed one of the hardest and most dangerous spells there were.
"She was brilliant," Tonks said quietly, she had just relived the memory as well, "even then."
"It's time to vote. Ron, do you still vote no?" Kingsley asked
"Yes I still say no, that bloody ferret should not be here. He doesn't belong."
Hermione only rolled her eyes ,she decided that she would save her breath.
"Tonks, what is your vote?"
"I say yes, I trust Draco and I know he is good."
"Lupin?"
"I trust my wife."
"That would be a yes then?"
"Yes."
"Hermione?"
"I say yes, I trust Draco with my life."
"You trust him with your life? What happened to 'you'll be next mudbloods'?"
"Ron when are you going to understand? You obviously never will. And I am not going to waste my breath trying to explain it again." There was an air of finality to her statement.
"That's three yes's, to settle it I will tell you that my vote is also yes. I believe the boy is trying to act honorably."
Ron stormed out of the room. Hermione sighed, wondering when he was going to grow up.

Everyone left the room except for Harry and Hermione, he was looking at her but she couldn't meet his eyes. That seemed to be happening a lot lately.

"I'm sorry," she said still not looking at him, "I hope you understand why I couldn't tell you. I did ask Draco once. But we were children then and he didn't like or trust you and Ron. The three of you never really got on." She said with a small smile.

"That's a bit of an understatement don't you think?" Harry said with a slight smile of his own.

A small laugh bubbled its way to Hermione's lips. Before they knew it both Harry and Hermione were laughing hysterically, it released the rest of the tension that was in the room.

Hermione looked at Harry and turned very serious for a moment, "please forgive me?"

Harry's laughter immediately stopped, he looked at the girl who had become a sister to him, the only person he really considered family, "Of course I forgive you. I couldn't live without you and you know it."

Their laughter resumed.

-Xxx-xXx-xxX-Xxx

Draco laid down on the bed in the small room he had been confined to, confined until further notice. He wondered if the Order was going to allow him to stay. His thoughts drifting back to Hermione as they so often did, he honestly wondered what her vote would be.

She had kissed him back, had even initiated a kiss of her own but that didn't mean anything. They had a long rocky past and he knew that the last time they had seen each other would be in her mind. And that was not a pleasant time, for either of them.

There had been pleasant moments but the overall last encounter was shitty. He had let Death Eaters into her beloved school, her home, the place where she had felt safe.

It had also been the night when he had finally realized that he loved her, more than he had ever loved anything before. What an idiot he had been as a child, specifically 3rd and 4th year, if he hadn't been such a git they could have been together longer. He should have treaded carefully with Hermione in 4th year, especially after she punched him in third year but it didn't matter. Fourth year was all a blind rage to him. Viktor Krum had made everything so difficult.

November 1994

"What is he even doing hanging around the library so bloody much?" Draco grumbled quietly behind a stack of books.

"I have no idea. It's not as if I talk to him, although I do see him staring at me quite a bit. It's a little unnerving." Hermione whispered back.

Draco felt his blood begin to boil. So Krum was just here to look at Hermione then. He had no right.

Draco and Hermione had been secretly meeting in the library since they were 10, in the restricted section where most people did not go. They had found a table hidden in between the shelves, no one but them knew where it was. But then Viktor Krum had apparently been following Hermione because he sat at their table, presumably waiting for Hermione to get there.

"That doesn't mean he saw us though," Hermione said thoughtfully, "I don't think we've had a chance to meet since before the other schools got here. I just always sit at that table."

Hermione's face started to turn bright red and Draco did not understand why.

Hermione started to turn red because she had just said she always sat at that table. What Draco didn't know and what he never would know was that she sat there because it made her miss him just a little bit less when she sat there. Going over all the memories they had there.

"What are we supposed to do?"

There was sadness in Hermione's voice. But Draco had been too furious to hear it.

"Why don't you go sit over there with your new boyfriend" He sneered at her and stormed out of the library.

Draco shook his head hoping to shake off the memory. That had been the last time they had really spoken up until 6th sighed, they had been through a lot together. He only hoped that somehow, some way, he would be able to make up for all that he had done.

-Xxx-xXx-xxX-Xxx

It had been 3 days since Draco had showed up and switched over to the Order. 3 long days, Ron was still acting like a child, Harry couldn't help but eye Malfoy skeptically whenever he was in the room and Remus was not speaking to Tonks.

Tonks, Hermione, and Harry were sitting on the couch, Draco sitting in the arm chair, when Ron stormed into the room.

"I'm sorry but I just can't accept this!" Ron shouted pointing at Malfoy, "You are trying to tell me that his arrogance and pigheadedness was all just act and I don't know how I am supposed to believe it."

Hermione started laughing while Tonks tried to stifle her giggles, "No Ron, that is not what I was saying at all. Draco is arrogant, and pigheaded. He is just not an arrogant blood supremacist."

Draco looked up indignant, "I am not arrogant."

This only made Hermione and Tonks laugh louder, Hermione getting close to hysterical and Tonks fully laughing.

"Of course you are Draco," Tonks said in between laughs, "don't you remember exactly how it was we met Hermione. I took the empty swing next to her and you walked up right behind her and shoved her off of the swing she was on."

The three were all slightly smiling at the memory, not paying attention to how Ron's face was turning redder and redder by the second.

"How could you be friends with the wanker then?"

"Are you kidding me? Ron we were children. Yes Draco may be arrogant and pigheaded but he is a lot more than that. You can be quite pigheaded yourself. So I wouldn't be so quick to judge the actions of a 4 year old that felt entitled because he was a spoiled brat."

"I'm not judging the actions of a four year old, I'm judging a Death Eater."

The whole room went silent

-Xxx-xXx-xxX-Xxx

"Kingsley, I need to speak with you." Hermione said trying to pull Kingsley over for a private word.

"Of course."

Kingsley and Hermione walked into the empty kitchen, Hermione nibbling on her lip as was her habit, whether she was nervous, concentrating or anything else.

"I need to talk to you about the protection of Narcissa Malfoy."

"What about it? What do you supposed we do? Barge into Malfoy Manor, where more likely than not you-know-who will be there, and take Narcissa without any trouble what so ever?"

"I think we can make some sort of plan to get her, have Snape give her a letter."

"We will all have to discuss it but it doesn't sound like a bad idea."

-Xxx-xXx-xxX-Xxx

A few days later found Hermione and Draco alone.

Hermione was sitting on the couch reading a book when Draco walked into the room. He looked around and saw that Hermione was completely entranced, not even glancing when he walked into the room.

He moved to sit next to her on the couch. He sat as close as he possible could have and when she still did not look up he realized that she had in fact heard him enter the room, she was just choosing to ignore him.

He decided instead of trying to get her to speak to him he would just look at her. It had been so long since the two had been alone. There was so much between them with all that had happened and he just wanted to bask in her presence, even if she was angry with him. Just letting his eyes absorb her was enough…for the moment anyway.

Hermione was pretending to read, it was honestly too hard to read when she could feel his eyes on her. It was as if his eyes were able to caress her. She could feel them moving over every single bit of skin, every contour her face had. She still did not look away from her book. Then suddenly she felt his hand or more accurately his fingertips softly skimming her face. First outlining her jaw line from her ear down to her chin, then his index finger tracing her nose, she closed her eyes relishing his touch.

Draco could not even muster a triumphant smirk, this was not about her submitting and letting him touch her. This was about them, this was about his need to feel her. He then took his finger and traced her eye brows. He heard her release a shaky breath.

Taking his hand he cupped her face and traced the place he most wanted to touch with his thumb, her lips.

Hermione leaned into his hand and opened her eye. His face was so close to hers, it would be so easy to lean in and close the distance between them. Especially with his eyes begging her to do it, his eyes could be so vacant and so cold but when looking at her his eyes were always intense, always swirling with emotion. Even back at school when he had to sneer at her and call her a mudblood she could see, deep down in his beautiful grey eyes that he regretted it, he hated it more than he hated his father. But she had seen the cold look more than once, in fourth year when all of the stupid things with Victor Krum had happened he looked at her as if he didn't know her. Looked at her as if he really thought she was beneath him.

She understood know why he was like that, he had been mad, hurt and maybe even a little jealous that someone was giving her attention, someone that could openly show her attention.

All of this was going through Hermione's head while Draco just sat there, waiting to see if she would kiss him or not.

Hermione was torn on what to do a very big part of her wanted to close the distance but another part of her was recalling all the pain that he had brought her. She knew that one day they would need to talk about it but there was time for that, right now she just wanted to feel his lips. She started to lean in when Ron burst through the door.

"What the fuck is going on here?!" Ron shouted, looking bewildered.

Draco was livid the stupid weasel had interrupted just as Hermione was making up her mind, a scowl morphing his former very open and emotional face to one of anger and annoyance.

"Nothing's going on weasel so bugger off." Draco practically growled.

"You were about to kiss Hermione. What is wrong with you? You think you can just come here and do whatever you want? I know for a fact that Hermione would never kiss you of her own free will. What did you use the imperious curse on her?"

Draco turned to Hermione the moment Ron had said that she would never kiss him of her own free will, that was how Hermione knew exactly what it was that Draco was going to say and she wanted to stop his desperately. Ron had been showing signs that he was starting to fancy Hermione and she had not found a way to put him down gently yet. With what Draco was about to blurt out it was going to break his heart.

"Really? You don't think she would kiss me of her own free will? You sure about that?" Draco's scowl had turned into the triumphant smirk he had been absent earlier.

"Draco don't-" Hermione started to say but was cut off by Ron.

"Yes I'm bloody well sure of that!"

It seemed like Ron kept forgetting the fact that Draco and Hermione had had a secret relationship for years, one that he did not know much about especially considering he had only learned about it recently.

"Well," Draco said, smirk mysteriously missing, "I have a brilliant idea. Why don't we just ask Hermione?" Draco looked over at her with a falsely innocent face, "Hermione, love, would you ever kiss me of your own free will?"

Ron turned red when Draco called Hermione love and quickly whipped his head to look at Hermione.

"Umm…well…I…" It seemed as if the eloquent Hermione Granger could not formulate a sentence.

"I have a better idea." Draco said with a smile on his face. "Why don't you ask Granger who her first kiss was…I think that will be enough answer for you Weasley." Draco said with a wink.

"It was Victor Krum. Fourth year." Ron said with complete certainty.

Draco looked over to Hermione, anger flashing in his eyes.

"You kissed Krum?! I thought you didn't even like him, you made him sound like he was just an annoyance to you the ONE time we actually talked about it."

The tone that Draco had used with Hermione pissed her off, how dare he speak to her that way.

"EXCUSE ME? Don't you speak to me that way! As I recall you stopped speaking to me that year. How dare you presume things? Especially since you avoided me like you thought I really was a filthy mudblood after that one time of discussing Krum!"

Ron looked slightly satisfied with the fight he had just caused between the two. It seemed like he did know something about Hermione that Malfoy didn't.

As if Draco could read his mind, before he answered what Hermione was shouting about, he turned to Ron and said, "Just so you know you're wrong. Her first kiss, and yes I mean real kiss was me, in third year." He then turned to face Hermione, "How could you kiss Krum when he was the reason I wasn't speaking to you? Did I really mean that little to you then."

Hermione gasped at the outrage that question had stirred in her, "ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?!"

Both Ron and Draco were taken aback by Hermione's choice of words. It was a rare thing for Hermione to swear.

"Merlin forbid that I kissed Victor Krum. Especially since I believe that was the year you started on your reputation as the 'Slytherin Sex God'. So did I really mean so little to you that you went and slept with half of the school?!" Hermione was shouting by then end of her small tirade.

Draco's face morphed into one of shock and hurt he opened his mouth to respond when Hermione quickly shut him down.

"Don't you dare respond Draco Malfoy." There was venom in her voice from opening old wounds.

Ron started to smile again. The shock of finding out Malfoy was Hermione's first kiss wearing off, before Hermione turned her angry glare on him.

"I want both of you to stay away from me. I am so bloody infuriated with the both of you that if you come anywhere near me I swear I will hex your balls off!"

Hermione slammed through the door leaving the two to glare at each other.

-Xxx-xXx-xxX-Xxx

The next day Hermione and Harry came down the stairs in whispers. Their first order of business was to grab Tonks and tell her the plan. Arthur, Fred and George were all briefed the only one left was Tonks.

After long discussions with most of the order members it was decided that Narcissa should be rescued, with her, Draco and Snape on their side they would have a lot of valuable information. The second thing that was decided was that Ron should not go on the mission. It would be too much of a hassle to get him to cooperate and they could be walking into a dangerous decision. They needed to know that everyone going understood how important the mission was and Ron would just not understand. He had been in on the discussions when they were deciding if she should be rescued at all. It soon became clear where he stood and there could be no productive meetings while he was there so he was left out of the loop, assuming that the order had decided they could do without her.

Once Tonks was located the plan was moving, they were leaving that afternoon. It was risky to do this in the day time but it would be harder for Narcissa to sneak out at night. During the day she could make up a valid excuse for leaving the house, though in times like these reasons for leaving the house were becoming slimmer and slimmer, most people just wanted to hide and pretend they were safe and nothing dangerous was going on in the Wizarding World.

It was decided that the Weasley red hair was much too noticeable and too well none. With a quick cast of colovaria, causing their red hair to be different colors, and a few other charms to slightly change their appearances would be all they would need. Harry and Hermione would be under the invisibility cloak so there would be no chance of them being recognized. Tonks, though a full time order member, would not be as easily known as all the others. She knew that she would have to keep a tight rein on her metamorphmagus abilities, keeping her true hair color and features to not tip anyone off.

After discussing a few fine-tuned details of their plan, Harry and Hermione were off. Because they were under the invisibility cloak they went an hour before they were supposed to meet Narcissa to scope out the going ons of Diagon Alley. The spot had been chosen so it was reasonable for Narcissa to be there but also because Death Eaters, and more to the point Voldemort, were vain people. They would never imagine Order Members would be walking around and in the middle of the day no less.

Hermione and Harry walked around the area for half an hour. Everything seemed to be ok and they found a spot behind some wooden pallets to hide behind with a good vantage point of the spot Narcissa would be apparating to. Harry cast a silencing charm around them so no one would be able to hear them talking.

"Well we have about a half hour before she's supposed to be here. And 20 more minutes before the others come." Hermione said leaning against the wall behind her to get comfortable.

"Well now that we have some time alone…I've been very patient with not asking you questions about Malfoy but Ron said something to me the other day that I think now is as good a time as any."

"We're about to save a woman from her Death Eater husband and you think now is a good time to be asking me questions?

"Come on Mione, we both know that there's barely ever a chance to be alone at Grimmauld place, and even if you think you're alone chances are there's someone at the door eavesdropping."

Hermione sighed, "ok Harry, what is it?"

"Ron told me that umm…well that Malfoy was your first kiss."

Face turning red Hermione replied, "I thought you said you had questions Harry."

Harry's face started to turn red also, clearing his throat he said, "Well what I meant to ask is…Do you love him?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that." A sad smile on her face, Hermione looked to the wall across from her but was not really seeing it. She was thinking of the best way to answer Harry's question, "I…I do love him, although I have never actually told him that. There are things we haven't been able to talk about since he got back. The last time I saw him, the night he let the Death Eaters in, I asked him, well I begged him really, not to do whatever he was going to do. I told him the Order could protect him, that we could protect Narcissa. He turned me down, said he needed to do this. I could tell he was scared, who wouldn't be with you-know-who living in their home. I haven't had much time to think about that night, well more of I haven't had much time to think about the reasons why he wouldn't let me help him. I convinced myself that he wanted to be a Death Eater, that he had never really cared for me. Now with him here and the reason being to protect me, everything is so confusing. My head has been a mess since I walked into that room with him sitting there."

"I'm sorry." Harry said after taking a little while to absorb all that she had just said, "It all sounds very confusing. I'm here for you, no matter what, even if you just want me to sit next to you in silence holding your hand."

They embraced for a long time. After embracing they did what Harry had told her he would do for her. They sat silently, hand in hand, waiting for the others to come.

-Xxx-xXx-xxX-Xxx

Narcissa Malfoy apparated right on time, being born and breed into the pureblood life made it so certain things just happened. She was always on time, if not early. She always looked perfect, not a hair out of place. Many named her the ice queen, for her cool manner and always in proper dress attire.

When she first got the letter from Severus, her immediate reaction was that it was a trap. A test in her loyalty to the 'cause', as the Death Eaters called it. The look in Severus' eyes and closer examination showed it was not. This was real. The Order was offering her protection.

She could breathe for the first time in days when she received the letter and knew it was not a test. The letter meant that Draco had somehow found their Head Quarters. It meant he was alive and mostly importantly he was safe.

There was no hesitation in her to leave her life behind. Her life was with the Order. She had started to resent Lucius years ago that resentment had turned into hatred. Draco was her life, her whole world. Many people did not know this based off of appearances. Lucius forbid any kind of open affection in his house, 'Malfoy heirs should not be coddled' was one of his favorite sayings.

When Narcissa had made the choice to reconnect with Andromeda she knew that it had to be kept a secret, Lucius would have beat her if he knew she was seeing her blood traitor sister. That is how the resentment started. Andromeda and Narcissa had been the closest growing up, Bella had always been about pureblooded supremacy. Cissy and Dromeda hadn't cared much about it in their younger years and later in life didn't care at all.

Narcissa gave up completely on it when she had met her half-blood niece, an extremely talented witch and metamorphmagus. The love for her niece had cleared away any more doubts she had had.

Being in Malfoy Manor with all the other purebloods and Death Eaters she had never been able to be open about her feelings. Only when she was in the muggle park with her sister, son, niece and the charming Hermione Granger had Narcissa ever been able to truly be herself. It was a sad life she had been forced to live and with the faithful letter also came a chance to be liberated. To truly be able to be whoever she wanted and a chance to do and speak whatever she wanted.

For the first time in a very long time Narcissa Malfoy could say she was happy.

Being trained in hiding her emotions Narcissa strolled around without the slightest bit of anxiety showing outwards. She was a picture of cool indifference, the one thing she would thank Lucius for. She was looking for any kind of sign that the Order was there to take her away when she say Nymphadora walking towards her. She was so close to being free she could hardly believe it.

Tonks saw her aunt and had to fight the smile that was trying to take over her face. She was happy that her aunt would be free of the tyrant she had the unfortunate fate of calling 'uncle'.

Everything was going according to plan when suddenly, as if thinking about him had conjured him, Lucius Malfoy was behind Narcissa. He grabbed her arm roughly and Tonks froze not knowing what to do. She did not think that Lucius would know who she was but they had both worked at the Ministry and there was a small chance that he just might know.

Tonks' moment of indecision was decided when Narcissa looked over to her and her normally emotionless face was one of pure terror and panic. Her eyes and face were telling Tonks to leave, quickly, that something terrible was about to happen.

Harry and Hermione from their vantage point could hear the conversation going on. Lucius knew, somehow he knew that Narcissa was leaving him, going to join the order.

"Do you really think I am that stupid?" He sneered at her while trying to pull her away, "Our son turned traitor recently and then you need to go to Diagon Alley to pick up a few things? Where is he? Are you helping him stay out on the run or are you going to join him my dear?"

"Unhand me right now Lucius. I do not know where this paranoia came from but I only came out to get a few things, I will be back to the manor shortly."

"Honestly Cissy, you know me better than that. And you think I don't see that's you're filthy half-blood niece walking this way, frozen at what she is seeing."

Narcissa quickly turned to Tonks, she knew her mask was gone and terror was taking up her features. She did not want anything to happen to her beloved niece, she needed to leave now.

When Narcissa turned back around Lucius was no longer alone, two fully robed Death Eaters were flanking him.

From seemingly out of nowhere a stunning spell hit Lucius square in the chest, catapulting him backwards and making him relinquish his hold on Narcissa.

Not a slow thinking Narcissa quickly pulled out her wand and started dueling one of the Death Eaters while Tonks ran up and attacked the other.

5 more Death Eaters appeared, Hermione and Harry moving cautiously out of their hiding spot started throwing spells at whoever they could see without a chance of injuring Tonks or Narcissa. The three Weasleys then came around the corner and joined the fray.

Soon there was a mini battle in the middle of Diagon Alley. People not involved fled the streets. More Death Eaters had joined as well. The Order was now very much out numbered. With a battle of 12 to 7 it was the Order's plan to try to pull back and return to headquarters.

Hermione and Harry came up behind Narcissa to take out the two Death Eaters she was dueling. She was the only one who did not know how to get to Grimmauld place and it was Hermione and Harry's job to get Narcissa there safely.

When the two Death Eaters were down Harry and Hermione threw off the cloak and both took one of Narcissa's arms. Right as they were disapperating a spell, one Hermione knew right away, was shot at Tonks hitting her in the arm. They realized that the Death Eater dueling Tonks was Antonin Dolohov.

-Xxx-xXx-xxX-Xxx

Harry, Hermione and Narcissa were the first ones back to headquarters.

"We need to go back!" Narcissa was shouting, "We need to go RIGHT NOW!"

Many people came at the sound of the commotion. The first to end the room was Andromeda. She ran to Narcissa, embracing the sister she had not been able to see in years.

"What is it Cissy? What's wrong?"

"Dolohov had just hit Nymphadora! He didn't hit her straight on but it hit her arm! We need to go back!"

Dromeda looked stricken at the news but quickly recovered, "Dora's very talented. She knows Order protocol I'm sure as soon as she's able she will apparate back here." She started rubbing comforting circles around her sister's back.

Narcissa burst into tears, "If anything happens it will be my fault. I shouldn't have come here."

"It's all going to be ok Cissy."

Hermione walked over to the two sisters embracing. Narcissa gasped as she saw Hermione, quickly releasing Andromeda and pulling Hermione into a tight hug.

"I'm so happy you're alright dear." Narcissa said sniffling at the end.

Hermione smiled and pulled back looking into Narcissa's face. "If anything happens, it won't be your fault. Almost all of the Order voted and we came to the conclusion that you are very much needed and welcome here."

Narcissa smiled slightly at Hermione, tucking one of Hermione's out of control curls behind her ear, "Where is Draco? Is he doing alright?"

Draco figured it was probably about time he went to check to see what all the noise was about. Walking down the stairs he stopped mid step. There, talking quietly talking to Hermione, was his mother.

"Mother?"

Hermione and Narcissa turned to find the source of the awed voice. Draco was standing at the stairs just looking at them. The two women who know him best could not believe his expression. Draco Malfoy was close to tears.