A/N Coucou! This is my newest work-in-progress and my second Dramione. I assure you that this will surpass the writing that was in Grey, and will actually have characters and descriptions that are constant. ;) In any case, some info that may be helpful:

At this point, Harry, Ron and Hermione have the locket. They managed to make it back to Grimmauld place undiscovered; Hermione was able to kick Avery off her leg, so their location is still unknown by the Death Eaters.

Other than that, everything else is canon-compliant. Review, if you please!

Intro

Above the ocean and its rolling waves stood the cliffs of Dover. In the fading moonlight they seemed pale, deceptive; almost ghostly. Silence; one could almost hear the frenzied scuttling of beetles as they buried their way through the cliffs of rock. If one were to stand on the cliffs, the only sound she might hear would be the sounds of the rumbling waves, rolling across the cliff's side, crooning sorrowfully.

There had been a storm the night before; the gulls had flown inland, away from the noise and the chaos. They flew peacefully, squawking occasionally. The sound was the only one the rock face had heard for a day; it waited, now, for another sound to approach, to grace its fearful shores.

A scream of agony pierced the darkness like a knife, throwing all appearances of calm away. Draco Malfoy was being tortured, his mind was being controlled and forced to dwell on things he couldn't bear. Bang; the first time he ever saw Voldemort. Bang; the first time he was tortured. Bang; the first time he killed something. Bang; the look on Dumbledore's face as he flew out of the window of his office. In a dark cell in Azkaban, a skinny, pale, blond boy curled up in a ball, thrusting his hands in front of his face, trying to block out the painful images.

"No, no," he moaned piteously. The count was 89. Eighty-nine days of hell. Eighty-nine days of rotting in a prison cell, counting the days by the number of times he was fed. But he had to keep track of the count. The count was the only thing keeping him alive right now. The count was the only thing keeping him sane. The only thing that kept Draco going was the thought that perhaps the Dark Lord would have mercy and save him. Sometimes the thought even gave him a quick flash of contentedness. But it would leave as soon as it came, being sucked away into the darkness by another floating Dementor. So Draco had nothing left to do but count. And hope, but then again, was there any reason to believe the Dark Lord would have mercy on someone who couldn't kill one man?

"Why don't we just lift the Secret Keeper spell and let anyone who bloody pleases come in!" Ron burst out, trying to resist the temptation to hit Remus.

"Ron, control yourself," Remus snapped back. "Listen to what I'm saying; perhaps, after being in Azkaban for so long, he may be able to help you!"

"Malfoy would never help us, no matter the cost," Harry stated blatantly.

Hermione looked up from her map. "Remus, I understand why you think that this will work, but we have no proof! We have the locket now, so I think we should focus on trying to destroy it."

"But think about it, Hermione. All three of you wouldn't have to go and get Malfoy; you have all of the Order of the Phoenix with you. You could potentially split up; Harry and Ron could go and destroy the Horcrux while you help us fetch Malfoy," Remus pointed out.

"Who said anything about splitting up!?" Ron asked irately. "And why Hermione?"

"Because out of you three she has the most intelligence," Remus said bluntly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"She thinks on her feet; she is more capable in situations like that than you two are!" Remus cried.

"Ron, sit down," Harry said, pulling Ron down to his chair. "Remus is right, and you know it." Ron mumbled something unintelligible.

"But Remus, I still don't understand; what would we gain out of having Malfoy on our side?" Hermione asked, still puzzled.

"Something that the Order of the Phoenix has been after for a very long time; inside information," Remus said, his eyes gleaming. "You went to school with this boy; he knows you all. He's not going to betray you, and he is still young enough to be swayed."

"And?" Hermione prompted, sensing something missing in Remus's speech.

"And, I think the fact that a non-pureblood helped him out of Azkaban may do something to convince him to join us," Remus admitted.

"I see…" Hermione said, trailing off. "And if I agree to this? Then what happens to Ron and Harry?"

"We go with you, of course!" Ron exclaimed, rather protectively.

"Remus?" Hermione questioned.

"I think… I think it'd be better if Hermione went on her own—"

"NO!"

"Are you mad?!"

"LISTEN!" Hermione yelled. "I think Remus may have a point."

"Malfoy is more likely to trust you and not the other two, Hermione."

He hates Hermione!" Ron protested.

"He hates you more," Remus shot back.

"No, Ron, it's true," Hermione said, turning towards Ron. "If we do this, I think it'd be best if only I went."

"And she wouldn't be alone," Remus added. "The entire Order would be behind her."

"I'm not asking for your permission, Harry," Hermione said bluntly as she saw Harry's mouth open to say something.

Harry pursed his lips in defeat. "I don't suppose we'll be able to talk you out of this?"

"No, indeed," Hermione said, a lilting smile on her face.

A/N Enjoyable? Any OOCness? Let me know in a review… The next installment will be out shortly. :D Bisous ~ the shattered star