Desperate Times

Summary: A new year brings new dangers and new decisions for everyone. Can people really change, or is it all just an act? Old alliances will be tested and new alliances will be formed as the battle between Light and Dark draws near. Can Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood melt the ice around the hearts of Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini or will they learn that a Slytherin is never to be trusted? Rated M for later chapters. A Draco/ Ginny and Blaise/ Luna fic.

Author's Note: This is my first fanfic so all comments are welcomed and appreciated! The story take place after Order of the Phoenix so the events of HBP and Deathly Hallows should be disregarded.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all things Harry Potter.

Chapter 1: The End of Summer Is Near

Ginny stared out the window of her room in the Burrow, watching her family set up outside. It was the day of the annual Weasley picnic and soon her closest friends and family would descend on the Burrow for a night of food, drinks, and fun. The event marked the end of the summer and the beginning of the new Hogwarts term. In the past it had been one of Ginny's favorite moments of the summer, but this year everything had changed. The constant threat of Death Eater attacks called for increased security and every once in a while Ginny could spot the movement of one of the dozen or so aurors sent to protect the Weasley family moving in the distance. It was like living in a fishbowl, but that was the price the family had to pay for having Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, stay with them over the summer.

Harry. He had never been the same since the battle in the Ministry of Magic and Sirius' death. Dumbledore had allowed him to stay at the Burrow most of the summer, wanting to be surrounded by those who loved him. For the first few weeks he was mostly silent, his face slightly pale, but midway through summer he had acquired an air of determination in his eyes. Harry, Hermione, and Ron had spent most of their time in Harry and Ron's room making plans and doing research on a variety of dark arts issues and Ginny was left to fend for herself. The camaraderie of Dumbledore's Army had already been forgotten and Ginny was once again left outside of the Golden Trio.

With her father busy at the Ministry, her mother getting more involved in her work with the Order, and no one else in the house, Ginny found herself alone most of the time. Not that this was necessarily a bad thing; it gave Ginny time to think and become more independent. A lot had changed over the summer and Ginny wasn't how to handle it all.

The experiences of the past year had left her scarred, but she wasn't sure who to talk to or what to do about it. It seemed like everyone had glossed over her, more concerned with Harry, Ron, and Hermione and, if she was being honest, she resented the three of them for it. After breaking her ankle in the battle, she had spent a few weeks in the hospital wing, replaying the events in her mind. She still had nightmares of that Death Eater reaching towards her, the fear and desperation she felt vivid and clear. The experience had definitely hardened her, but also made her even more determined to be able to defend herself.

Despite all of the training that Dumbledore's Army had provided her, she knew that she had been horribly underprepared to combat the Death Eaters she had encountered in the Ministry. It was shear luck that had saved them and, looking back, she was surprised that Sirius had been the only casualty. Now, she felt exposed and unable to defend herself so she had taken to reading every book on defense against the dark arts she could find, often resorting to practicing her spells late at night to avoid alarming her family. She also brushed up on her potions, transfiguration, and charms work to the point that she probably could have skipped fifth year entirely and just taken her O.W.L.S.

Physically, Ginny had completely transformed as well. She had spent most of the summer in the garden or the old tree house so her skin was tan from sun exposure and her shoulders and back were speckled with freckles. Her ginger hair had been highlighted from the sun and was often left to flow freely down her back. Ginny had also taken gotten into the habit of going on a run every morning. It not only gave her a chance to escape the sometimes claustrophobic nature of the Burrow, but also to think through some of her emotions. She had always been strong from Quiddich, but the combination of the extra exercise with her turning fifteen a week or so ago had turned Ginny from the littlest Weasley into a budding woman in her own right. Even Ron had commented on her physical transformation and he wasn't known for being the most observant.

In all, by the end of summer there was little resemblance to the Ginny Weasley who had been so badly shaken by her brush with Death Eaters. She was more mature, both physically and emotionally, but she also felt more isolated. The people who she thought were her friends had all but abandoned her over the summer. The wall that had come down over the past year between her and the Golden Trio through the their determination to fight against Umbridge was now firmly back in place.

Even her other friends had kept their distance. The only person Ginny had kept in contact with over the summer was Luna Lovegood. Luna had been a lifesaver, both literally and figuratively. She never brushed Ginny off, never ignored her. Although they hadn't seen much of each other over the summer, through owls the two girls became quite close. She was coming to the party tonight and Ginny was sure their bond would become even closer once they were back at Hogwarts.

Ginny jumped at the door to her room opened, bringing her back into the present. Hermione's head peaked through the opening as Ginny turned her head away from the scene outside to look at her.

"Gin! You're not even dressed yet and people are already starting to arrive! Hurry up!"

Hermione didn't even wait for Ginny to respond before closing the door. Ginny could hear her footsteps on the stairs as she went down to join the party. Ginny sighed, knowing that the night might end up being pretty draining for her as she crossed her small room and opened up the wardrobe. She pulled a black tank top and jean shorts out of the wardrobe and quickly changed, pulling on her trainers as she thought about how people still expected her to be the little girl who followed Harry Potter and was constantly in the shadow of the Golden Trio, but Ginny was no longer that girl and she was determined to prove it this year.

By the time Ginny made it downstairs, the Burrow was buzzing with activity. She was immediately engulfed in hugs by her extended family and for the first time this summer she felt like she was a part of something. Still, there was a tension in the air that she had never felt before. Her mother and father looked tired and the absence of Percy was weighing heavily on everyone's minds, although none of them were willing to admit it. There were cracks appearing in the usually tightknit Weasley clan and Ginny wasn't sure if she and her newfound independence was a part of the problem. All she knew was that the constant threat of danger that surrounded them was taking its toll on everyone. Hopefully tonight would let them forget about it, if only for a few hours.

After shaking herself free from her family, she scanned the room for Luna, spotting her sitting in a corner of the Weasley's living room, slightly removed from the socialization. She was wearing a lilac jumper and gold tights with her necklace of butterbeer corks and green-rimmed glasses. On anyone else this outfit would have looked ridiculous, but on Luna it looked magnificent.

Luna smiled as she saw Ginny approaching, happy to finally see her friend after a long summer apart. She knew that Ginny was having a rough time dealing with the events that occurred at the end of last year, but Luna wasn't completely sure what to do to make her feel better. The Ravenclaw girl had her own issues that stemmed from that fateful night and Ginny was the only person she felt comfortable talking to about it.

Dumbledore's Army had been one of the best things that ever happened to her. She finally felt like she was a part of something at Hogwarts and she was actually respected by the group for her defensive skills. Luna always knew that, if the time came, she would fight on the side of the Light. The battle had been exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. It had all seemed unreal until she saw that Death Eater attack Ginny; then the world stopped. The struggles between good and bad within the Wizarding World suddenly felt all too real to her and the entire experience changed her profoundly.

Most people dismissed her as quirky and weird, but Luna saw herself as more realistic and loyal than most of her classmates. Luna tried to not to let the things people say about her affect her, but she wasn't oblivious to the things people said about her both to her face and behind her back. She may have different interests than the average teenage girl, but she still has feelings. She hoped that the new year at Hogwarts would bring more opportunities to make friends and less brushes with the darker aspects of the Wizarding World, but somehow she didn't quite believe that her wishes would come true.

The summer had been lonely for Luna as well, even though her father had allowed her to become more involved with the Quibbler. The battle left her more in tune with the evils that existed within her world, but she was determined not to let the fear overtake her. After all, she wasn't just sorted into Ravenclaw for her intelligence. She had spent the summer travelling in Europe with her father, looking for a variety of rare and interesting creatures, but also becoming more exposed to outside cultures. The result was a still quirky, but more sophisticated Luna who carried herself with a newfound confidence.

As Ginny approached, Luna stood and the girls quickly embraced before falling back onto the armchair, catching up on the past few weeks. Luna smiled, spotting the silver moon pendant that hung around Ginny's neck,

"I see you got your birthday present. I hope you like it. It'll protect you from the moon frogs that like to lurk in those woods you are so fond of running through."

She was glad that Ginny had taken her gift seriously, even though she knew Ginny didn't believe some of her beliefs. One could never be too careful, that's what her father said. She had initially considered giving Ginny a string of butterbeer corks like she wore, but the practicality of the moon pendant ultimately won out. Seeing it on Ginny confirmed that it was the right choice to make. It looked beautiful on her friend.

Ginny and Luna were reduced to a fit of giggles; the first real laugh Ginny had had in a while. It felt so natural to be around Luna; there was no need for pretenses around her.

"Then you should be glad to know I never take it off. Are you excited about going back to Hogwarts?"

Luna nodded, but her smile weakened slightly. Ginny knew that Luna sometimes found it difficult at school. The other students didn't understand her and sometimes this manifested itself in taunts and bullying. She often said that she "misplaced" things, but Ginny knew that this was just an excuse for the fact that some of her classmates loved to hide her belongings. Just thinking about it made Ginny's blood boil, but every time Ginny brought up the subject Luna didn't want to talk about it. Luna hid it well behind her quirks, but every teenage girl needs friends. That's one of the reasons she and Ginny became so close. Both of them didn't quite fit in with the rest of their classmates.

"This year should be interesting. Daddy says there has been an uptick in sightings of blibbering humdingers, which he says is an indication that dark magic is being practiced. How have you been holding up?"

That's what Ginny loved about Luna. Most people thought that all of her talk about strange creatures was due to her quirky nature, but Ginny knew better. It was just Luna's unique was of expressing herself. She wasn't ignorant of the grave events occurring in the wizarding world at the moment; in fact, she was probably more tuned in than most of the Hogwarts students.

Before Ginny could respond, Molly Weasley called everyone to dinner and the group moved to the backyard. The long table was covered in a mishmash of plates, silverware, and floral bouquets and a field of candles had been magically suspended above, illuminating the area in a warm, luminous light. Everyone commented on how magical the evening seemed, but Ginny shivered at the sight the shadowy figures of the aurors that lurked at the boundaries of the candlelight.

Ginny took her place between Luna and George and directly across from Harry, who was sitting between Ron and Hermione. The arrangement halted the conversation between Luna and Ginny as they both silently acknowledged that they would continue their conversation at a later, more private time. Now, there was nothing they could do but make it through the dinner, acting as if nothing had changed since school ended.

Although the Trio seemed oblivious to it, both Ginny and Luna inherently knew that this dinner was much different than last years. Neither girl could just forget their experience with the darker side of the Wizarding World. Honestly, Ginny now felt like she understood Harry's mindset for the first time. She wasn't sure if she could have handled the feelings she was having now when she was any younger.

The conversation quickly shifted to the impending school term. Hermione, excited about the prospect of new learning opportunities, speculated on the appointment of yet another Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.

"I mean, who would even want the job at this point? Honestly, the job seems like it's more trouble than it's worth."

Ron shook his head in agreement, "I know. No wonder they can never get any good candidates."

Harry slapped his arm, looking pointedly at Remus Lupin who was sitting two chairs down from him, speaking to Arthur Weasley. Ron blushed slightly and said,

"Oops, I forgot about Remus, but still. Any guesses on who the new professor might be?"

"Hopefully the ministry isn't involved in the selection this time. We all know how well that went over last time," Hermione retorted as a shiver made its way through the entire group as they remembered their previous year under Umbridge.

"Well, I can't imagine it would get worse than that." Ron muttered.

"I wouldn't be so sure Ron," Ginny interjected, "Voldemort always finds a way to infiltrate Hogwarts."

An uneasy silence settled over the group and Ginny wished she hadn't spoken up, but her brother's internal optimism was grating on her. Luna, sensing the tension, tried to think of a subject that would move the conversation into a lighter subject. She considered brining up the new issue of the Quibbler, but she doubted anyone aside from Ginny had read it so instead she brought up the upcoming Quiddich season,

"Well, I know that Gryffindor always has a pretty good team, but I think Ravenclaw could be pretty good this year too."

Her plan worked as Harry and Ron began discussing Quiddich strategy, frequently asking Ginny's opinion with Hermione and Luna interjecting once and a while. The evening passed mercifully fast for Ginny, although she and Luna never got a chance to speak privately again. As they said goodbye, Ginny assured Luna she would owl her before the train ride to Hogwarts. Lying in their beds at night, both Ginny and Luna truly hoped that the upcoming year would be different.

Across England, Draco Malfoy was also lying in bed, contemplating the state of his life and the upcoming school term. The events of the previous year had left him shaken and he wasn't sure the feeling would go away anytime soon. In the beginning, the idea of the Inquisitorial Squad had excited him, finally allowing him to get involved in the activities his father had always been hinting at. The power of the position thrilled him and he reveled in the opportunity to utilize it over Potter and the Gryffindors.

Things turned sour fast though and the image of Dolores Umbridge threatening to use the Cruciatus Curse on Potter still haunted him. Draco was all too familiar with the effects of being Crucioed; his father had first used the spell on him in second year after he was ranked below Granger in every subject. As Draco screamed in pain, Lucius informed Draco coolly that Malfoys do not come in second to mudbloods. The fact that Draco was constantly ranked below her led to numerous sessions that always ended with Draco crumpled in a heap on the floor, his voice hoarse from screaming and his body physically exhausted from the pain.

When Draco heard that he had been captured in the Ministry of Magic, Draco was torn. He loved his father and hated Potter even more, but maybe the summer wouldn't be so bad. It was not to be, however, and not even two weeks later his father was free. The power and influence of the Malfoys was in effect once again. The first night back in the Malfoy Manor, Lucius had subjected Draco to a long torture session, constantly berating him for letting Potter and his friends escape and blaming Draco for him getting sent to Azkaban. The evening left Draco broken physically and psychologically, but his father refused to allow him to go to St. Mungo's. Instead, Draco was holed up in his room for the first two weeks of summer, attended to by a private healer.

Even after he was fully healed, Draco was not the same. The society events that used to thrill him with their displays of wealth and power now left a bad taste in his mouth. He used to enjoy the reactions people had when they learned he was the Malfoy heir, but all he wanted now was to be left alone. It took all of his will power not to snap at Pansy every time she fawned over him. Even the presence of Crabbe and Goyle drove him crazy, even though they were more like robots than actual people.

The only person he had any patience for was his best friend, Blaise Zabini, but even he had abandoned him. Blaise's mother had gotten married to husband number six over the summer so she shipped Blaise to France for the summer in order to spend some "quality time" alone with her new husband. They had owled, but it wasn't the same. If Malfoys were emotional, he might admit that he missed Blaise's company a little.

Usually Draco spent summer surrounded by the same people he spent time with at school, but this summer was different. The beauty of the Malfoy Manor was its grounds. Acres upon acres of rolling landscape open for Draco to explore. He spent most of the day outside, either on his broom or just exploring the landscape. The silence was profound; he realized that, there were few times in his life when he was truly alone. He was always surrounded by people watching his every move, making sure he lived up to the expectations of being the Malfoy heir. Of course, there were the daily evening engagements that his parents required he attend, but the glorious summer days almost made up for them.

The benefits of Draco's new routine were twofold. Physically, the time outdoors had removed the pale, sickly quality to his skin. He was by no means tan, but he no longer looked pasty. The physical nature of his days allowed him to bulk up slightly, although he maintained his slim figure. He was still a little vain, but he no longer insisted on keeping his hair slicked back. Instead, he allowed it to grow a little longer, giving him a less uptight appearance. The change manifested itself in the way he dressed as well. No longer so buttoned up, Draco's clothing became more suited to a teenage boy and less so a thirty year old man like it had previously. Now, he was more likely to be found in a Quiddich kit or merely a pair of black trousers and a t-shirt.

Emotionally, Draco was more withdrawn than ever before. He still firmly held his position as the Slytherin Prince, but anyone who looked more closely would see that he wielded his power more through previous reputation than current actions. He was still as callous and biting as ever, but he no longer felt the need to spend all of his energy plotting against others. To be honest, most people just weren't worth his time. He had bigger issues to deal with.

The clock struck one in the morning and Draco was making no progress towards falling asleep so he got up, put on his cloak, grabbed his broom, and exited through his bedroom window into the cool evening air. The rush of flying helped him think, but even the thrill of flying could not remove the uneasiness he felt.

That evening, his father called him into his study and told him that he would be attending a Death Eater meeting with him the next evening. It took all of the training and the strength Draco had to keep his face neutral. He wasn't sure how he felt about the whole ordeal. He definitely didn't like mudbloods and believed in blood purity, but he wasn't sure if he was willing to go to Azkaban for life just because of it. Not that he had a choice in the matter. He was attending the meeting whether he liked it or not. Draco suddenly felt very tired; all he wanted was the ability to make his own choices.

Arriving back at his window, he dragged dropped his cloak and broom and dragged himself into his bed, weighed down by the responsibility and knowledge he held. He slept restlessly, constantly twisting and turning, unable to relax despite how tired he felt.

By the time the house elf came to wake him for breakfast, Draco had given up trying to get a good night's sleep. Throwing on a robe, he padded down to breakfast, yawning and rubbing his eyes. Thankfully, his father was nowhere to be seen, probably already at a business meeting. This meant that Draco wouldn't see his father until this evening, a merciful reprieve from his watchful eye, condescending comments, and physical abuse.

His mother, Narcissa, was already seated, completely put together wearing a cream dressing gown, her hair perfectly coifed and her face perfectly made up, despite the early hour. She looked up as her son entered the room; a slight smile graced her face as she rose to greet her son with a kiss on the cheek before sitting down again.

"Draco, you really need to get more sleep. You're looking absolutely dreadful and we're going to the Greengrass' for dinner tonight and you can't go looking like that," she said, staring inquisitively at her only child.

Draco began to dig into the plate of food before him, not wanting his mother to begin questioning him about the events going on in his life. He loved his mother, but he also knew she was aware of the events that landed him incapacitated earlier in the summer. He also suspected that his father had done the same thing to her throughout their years of marriage, but the feeling of betrayal hadn't left him. Malfoys didn't share their feelings and he wasn't about to tell his mother that he was afraid to see the Dark Lord that evening. He had to stop his mother before this turned into a full-fledged inquisition.

"Nothing to worry about, Mother. I've just been doing some extra flying to prepare for Quiddich this year. I can't let those Potter think that they are getting better than me," he replied, his eyes noticeably hardening at the mention of his enemy.

His mother seemed to accept his explanation and turned back to the mail that had just arrived by owl. She sifted through the stack, probably full of invitations to various social events and correspondence between her and her various girlfriends, picking out a small cream envelope and handing it to her son. Draco could tell from the elegant cursive script that it was from Blaise. He noted that the return address was near London, odd since Blaise wasn't due back for another week. He quickly tore open the envelope and quickly skimmed the letter inside:

Draco,

It seems like Mother finally decided to allow me back into the country. We need to talk.

Blaise

The letter was stereotypical Blaise, short and to the point. Still, Draco was glad his friend was back in the country. He was the only person among his group of friends who Draco respected and he had been greatly missed over the summer. Not that he would ever admit that to Blaise; they were still Slytherins after all.

The day passed quickly and soon Draco found himself standing in front of the mirror in his room, impeccably dressed in black and silver trimmed dress robes. Staring at his reflection in the mirror, Draco's mind drifted back over his years at Hogwarts, the power of being the Slytherin Prince, the rush of Quiddich, the embarrassment he felt always coming in second to Granger, the chaos of the night of the battle in the Ministry. Was it all worth it?

Draco pulled his gaze away from the mirror and to go meet his parents in the entry hall of the manor. When he arrived, only his father was there. Lucius Malfoy's hard stare centered on his son as Draco felt a shiver run down his spine. Lucius approached Draco, lowering his voice as he said,

"Tonight you will have the honor of being in the presence of the Dark Lord. I trust that you will not disappoint me son."

Draco was saved from having to respond by his mother's grand entrance. Narcissa Malfoy always had to make a scene and wasn't satisfied until her husband and son had adequately complemented her on her dress and jewels. By the time that ritual was done, it was time to floo to the Greengrass'. As soon as Draco stepped through the fireplace, he had to smile. Standing in front of the fireplace, was Blaise Zabini smirking at him.

Blaise Zabini had had a rough summer by all accounts. One week before school ended, his mother owled him announcing her sixth marriage the following week. Blaise wasn't surprised that the wizard in question was rich or that he had never met the man. Blaise was swiftly shipped off to the family chateau outside of Paris after the wedding, a property acquired through husband number two, Blaise's father. Although Blaise loved the French lifestyle and was a relatively introverted person, living in the large house alone except for the house elves got to him after a while.

While there, Blaise had immersed himself in one of his favorite subjects, Defense Against the Dark Arts. The irony did not escape him, but the ability to defend himself was useful due to the large amount of enemies Slytherins had. His proudest accomplishment was the mastery of wandless magic, which he was sure would come in handy during these increasingly dangerous times.

Blaise did not consider himself to be the stereotypical Slytherin. The ostentatious displays of wealth and power most of the Slytherin families felt compelled to demonstrate on a daily basis made Blaise gag. He considered himself much more low key. Yes he had money and social status, but he didn't have to put it on display for everyone to see. Although he was a part of the Slytherin elite, he preferred to stay on the periphery instead of getting involved in the petty bickering and jockeying for position.

He was by no means a saint, but he felt that there was more to being a Slytherin than worshiping the Dark Lord. To Blaise, being a Slytherin was more so about being ambitious and acting in one's best interest than bowing down to the whims of a Dark Lord. The Zabini's had been Slytherins long before Voldemort was and Blaise wasn't sure if his involvement with the house was such a good thing. His family was less involved with the Death Eaters than most of his classmates due to the fact that his mother was a black widow, more concerned with knocking off her wealthy husbands than terrorizing the Wizarding World. This let Blaise see the problems the Dark Lord caused in their families. It was especially clear with the Malfoys.

Draco and Blaise had grown up together, but had never been particularly close until one night, in third year, Blaise found Draco broken and bleeding on the floor of the third year boys dormitory, the effect of one of Lucius' torture sessions. That night, Blaise had seen another side of Draco and determined he wasn't the brainwashed society prince thought he was. Over the next year, Blaise and Draco had slowly opened up to one another. Slytherins do not trust easily so it had taken a while for their friendship to develop, but now Blaise considered Draco his closest friend.

Still, there were things Blaise knew he couldn't tell his best friend. Draco was much more involved in the doings of the Dark Lord on account of his father's involvement with the Death Eaters. Blaise never brought up his thoughts on the Dark Lord with him. He knew Draco wasn't as indoctrinated with the lifestyle as he let on, but that didn't mean it wasn't dangerous to reveal his true feelings about the dark arts. Sometimes this frustrated Blaise; no matter what, as a Slytherin, he always had to hide his true feelings or risk having them used against him.

Blaise knew that the past year had been trying for Draco; it had been trying for him too. The collision between the light and the dark became more and more imminent and Blaise began to doubt that he would be able to remain neutral once the conflict broke out. He had avoided becoming involved with the Inquisitorial Squad and the subsequent battle in the Ministry, but his fellow Slytherins were beginning to question his allegiances, despite his friendship with Draco. He knew that he would have to prove himself somehow this year.

To be honest, Blaise was slightly shocked when he saw Draco emerge from the floo. He had expected some change in his friend, but this was more drastic than he thought. Draco was obviously troubled by something and Blaise could see the need to talk burning in his eyes. The two boys approached each other and shook hands, the epitome of good breeding and manners.

"God Malfoy, you really let yourself go while I was gone," Blaise drawled, acutely aware of the people around them, probably eavesdropping on their conversation. The more honest observations would have to wait until they were sure they were alone. Unfortunately, this type of frankness would probably have to wait until they returned to Hogwarts and something about Draco's demeanor made Blaise think that whatever was bothering his friend could not wait until then. Draco's mouth twisted into his trademark smirk as he replied,

"Why Zabini, I wasn't aware you were so concerned with my well being. If I didn't know you better, I would think you were starting to fancy me."

Blaise narrowed his eyes and sent a well-placed punch into Draco's stomach. Draco had anticipated the physical attack, but it still took quite a bit of self-control to conceal the pain he felt. Blaise ignored Draco's reaction, instead turning to Draco's parents to pay his respects.

"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, it's lovely to see you again."

Lucius shook his hand firmly before disappearing into the crowd of people. Narcissa gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek before saying,

"Blaise, darling, we've missed you this summer. Is your mother here?"

Blaise pointed Narcissa Malfoy in the direction of his mother and her new husband who were holding court in the sitting room. Narcissa quickly departed, eager to infiltrate the full on gossip sessions that were occurring around the room. The empty chateau he just left seemed more and more appealing to him all the time.

Draco knew if he wanted to talk to Blaise privately tonight it would have to be soon. Now that his parents were making their rounds around the room his so called friends would descend upon him to pay their respects. The boys' eyes met and they inconspicuously moved towards the side of the room before slipping through the door and into the empty hallway. They slipped into an empty room and waited a moment to ensure that they weren't being followed. Blaise magically locked the door while Draco put a silencing charm on the room. Only then could they speak freely. Draco got right to the point.

"Father wants me to attend a Death Eater meeting tonight."

Blaise was glad his back was still turned towards the door and away from Draco because even he, the Slytherin, needed a split second to compose his face. What was Draco saying? Blaise knew that his friend wasn't as brainwashed as the rest of their group, but he had never outright said that he did not want to follow Lucius' path. Was this a test? Blaise's Slytherin self-preservation instinct was surfacing. He turned to look at Draco his faced a perfectly composed mask, but it softened when he saw the fear in Draco's eyes.

"What are you going to do?" Blaise asked, the normally self-assured boy suddenly unsure of the correct course of action to take.

"What choice do I have? I have to go." Draco replied, confused by Blaise's reaction.

Although they didn't talk about it he thought Blaise was less inclined towards the Death Eater lifestyle than the rest of their friends. Now he wondered if he had made a mistake in talking to Blaise about it. There was a reason Slytherins did not share their true feelings; it tended to be dangerous. Draco went into damage control.

"Of course it's an honor to go. Most don't get chosen until after their sixth year," he continued, showing no emotions.

Draco was good at hiding his emotions, but Blaise was his best friend. He could see through Draco's bullshit and now it was obvious to him that Draco was hiding his true thoughts on the subject. Blaise took a chance and responded,

"Just keep your head down and stay quiet. They probably won't expect anything of you your first time."

Draco let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. His suspicions about Blaise were correct. He was on his side.

"Let's hope so," he replied.

The two boys stared at one another for a moment before hearing noises in the hallway that indicated their moment of privacy was stretching on too long. Draco the charms on the room while Blaise unlocked the room and peered into the hallway, checking to make sure the path was clear. The two boys slipped back into the party unnoticed and joined their friends, but neither boy was truly there. Draco was thinking about what was to come and Blaise was wondering just how different Draco's stance on the matter was from his father. Maybe it was time to come clean to Draco about his real ideas.

The rest of the evening passed just like it always did. The conversation was bland, the food unmemorable, but Draco still wished it would drag on longer because what would happen after was even worse. Draco and Blaise said their goodbyes quickly. Both boys unsure of what to say that would acknowledge the gravity of the situation in a publically appropriate way.

When the Malfoy's returned home, Lucius immediately summoned Draco into his study. His mother wouldn't even look at him as she went to her room and at that moment Draco hated her. She knew what was going on, but was too cowardly to even acknowledge him. As soon as Draco entered his father's study, the door shut and locked behind him. His father held out a black robe and mask, the same style that he had seen his father wear countless times before going on raids. Draco quickly put on the outfit, trying to suppress the mixture of emotions swirling around in his stomach. He took hold of his father's arm and felt the tug of the apparation before darkness encompassed him.

They landed in a dark forest, a place Draco was unfamiliar with. All around them were Death Eaters wearing the same long dark robes. Draco could identify a few of his father's friends, but most of them were just anonymous faces in the crowd. There was a sort of tension in the air and Draco was afraid that everyone else could feel the fear radiating off of him. His father leaned closer to him, whispering,

"Just stay silent boy, you're only here to watch tonight."

Draco was relieved. The rest of the evening passed by in a blur. The Dark Lord did not make an appearance so very little actually was accomplished. The failure of the raid on the Ministry of Magic meant that the Death Eaters were lying low, trying to decide what their next move would be. Still, by the end of the night Draco was exhausted. By the time he and his father apparated back to the Manor, Draco was about to collapse. Before he could retreat to his room, however, his father turned to him and said,

"You did well tonight Draco. Maybe now you are starting to finally live up to the Malfoy name."

When Draco finally made it to bed, he wasn't sure what to think. The physical and emotional abuse he suffered at the hands of his fathers over the past few years was not forgotten, but the pride in his father's voice had deeply affected him. If becoming involved with the Dark Lord was the price of his father's love, was Draco willing to make that sacrifice?

Blaise was also in bed after settling in at home once again. It was strange coming back now that there was another man living there again. Blaise hadn't spent much time with his mother's new husband, but he seemed like an okay guy. Blaise was torn between telling him to run and letting the inevitable occur. Blaise just hoped his mother waited to knock him off until he was back at Hogwarts. Then he could avoid the hassle of being dragged into the Ministry of Magic and being interrogated like he had for husband number five.

Blaise also wondered how Draco had fared at the Death Eater's meeting. Draco was much more deeply entrenched in the Death Eater lifestyle and Lucius Malfoy was no fool. Blaise knew from the moment he heard Draco had been invited that Lucius was once again manipulating his son. Draco wanted his father's love and attention so badly and Blaise wasn't sure if Draco could see through the manipulations or not. The upcoming year would be interesting, but it would also be dangerous. Was his friendship with Draco worth the personal risk involved?