A/N: Hi! After over a year gone, I've just written this second chapter. I wasn't going to continue it after I published the first chapter last year. I didn't like how it turned out and assumed nobody else would either. But, I logged onto Google Docs the other day and got bitch-slapped with some inspiration. So, I typed on it here and there for a few days, and came up with another short chapter (but it's still longer than the first so yay me). Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

December 26, 1997 | Scotland

Draco rolled over and yanked at his covers. Where in the hell was he? He felt his skin prickle with the presence of magic, but it wasn't cold or dark. It was warm and thick like honey and he thought back to the buzz of it in the Great Hall. It was home.

He buried his face back into his pillow and inhaled. It was a familiar smell and finally caused him to raise his head and look at his surroundings. The first thing he saw was cream-colored canvas and his eyes crossed trying to focus on the woven pattern. Swinging his legs over the edge of his cot, he glanced over and picked up his borrowed wand lying on the end table. The lamp was on despite daylight pouring through the holes scattered over the material of what he assumed was a tent. He continued to sweep his eyes over the room. Two other cots. A table. A camp stove. Old books- did he recognize those from somewhere? He stood and, on wobbly legs, walked to the center of the room and touched the spine of the leather-bound manuscript.

As his fingertips brushed the old thing, it flew open under his touch and began screaming. He immediately covered his ears and backed up, bumping into the table and knocking over a small wooden chair. This, too, was full of books, which joined the horrid screech. He uncovered his right ear and pointed his wand just as all of the chaos stopped. He glanced down at his hand and then up to see the tent flaps open and a slightly unnerved Hermione Granger furrowing her brow at him. She lowered her wand and spun on her heel back out of the tent. Several muffled voices and footsteps later, she returned, but this time with Harry right behind her. She stepped in and her cheeks flushed due to the cold. Standing beside her, Harry gave him a once-over and glanced worriedly at Hermione.

"What do you need?"

Her sharp tone made him wince inwardly a bit, reminding him of his Aunt Bellatrix. He attempted to maintain his cool facade, only to receive a sharp "Well?"

Trying to clear his throat, he gave up and rasped.

Hermione went over to the camp stove and somehow managed to bring back hot tea in about 15 seconds. Draco noted her use of wordless magic. After gulping the majority of the drink down, he nodded and righted the chair he tumbled before throwing himself down into it, sitting his mug on the table.

"Food," he started, glancing at Harry and then back to the witch, "I'd really fucking like food."

Hermione pulled a galleon out her pocket and whispered something. "Ron's out checking our traps. He shouldn't be far."

Draco glanced at Harry and he clarified for him, "Traps. For hunting. He can't have gone far, we have wa-"

"He's here," Hermione cut him off. She brushed past them both and went out the tent door. Draco glanced up at Harry.

"Bit touchy as of late, yeah?"

Draco didn't agree nor disagree with him, just stood and followed her out. She stood at the edge of a knoll, and a fleeting thought whispered, holy shit I'm bloody freezing.

He warily approached her and glanced down the hill towards a mop of flaming hair. In his hands he held a significantly large rabbit and he had a stupid grin plastered on his face. Until he saw the Death Eater.

Making his way up the snow-covered slope, Ron sent a jutting glance towards Malfoy and then a softer but equally as stern glance to Hermione.

"Gotta rabbit, 'Mione."

His tone was clipped but all the same, Draco gave a curt nod and addressed him, more than he ever would have done with such civility. "Weasley," he started.

"Malfoy," Ron snapped, then handed off the dead animal to the Gryffindor princess and shouldered past the blond wizard.

As Hermione turned to re-enter the tent, something caught his eye. A necklace hung around her slender neck, a green embellishment in the center. He shivered and accounted it to the below-zero weather and made his way back inside.

Hoping he hadn't gotten some sort of frostbite, he let the warming charms in the tent wash over him and he sighed. As he did, the other three glanced at him with their hands on their wands.

"Well, Malfoy? No witty remarks for us today?" The redhead shouldered past Hermione defensively and stared the opposing pureblood down. Draco stared back, then glanced at Potter, who was looking at Ron as if he were disappointed in him somewhat.

"Weasel, if I were going to be a dick would I have sought you out? If you want to know why I'm here," he paused then, assessing the room once more. "We can discuss it over that rabbit you landed."

Ron looked on wearily but turned his gaze to his two companions, particularly the one who possessed the animal. She did a few cleaning charms on it and then laid it on the edge of the table before taking her books and putting them away.

After Hermione had made the rabbit and they had all eaten their share with some canned foods the witch had heated up, they sat around the small table with their stomachs full. After an unpleasant belch from Harry, Draco crinkled his nose and leaned forward. Setting his elbows on the table, he started to speak:

"So, why I'm here. The Dark Lord is currently living at Malfoy Manor. If you call it living. Vile thing, really-"

"He's in the Manor?"

"Yes, Potter, don't interrupt-"

"Sorry, I-"

"Harry," Hermione corrected him, looking across the table at the two boys. "Go on."

"As I was saying," Draco huffed, "After being tortured relentlessly for days, with my mother indisposed with shock or grief, I don't know quite what, and father in Azkaban, I was able to snatch a wand off the Carrow brother," Everyone looked at him, puzzled. Ron leaned forward nervously, watching Draco look down at his thin hands. "I was able to stupefy him when he came into my cell. I locked him in and took his Death Eater robes. Luckily, I wasn't seen, and the wards don't alert anyone if someone leaves. Either that, or they don't care very much who gets out.

"I hadn't eaten or had anything to drink in I don't know how many days. My vision was spotty from being in the pitch black of the dungeon for so long. With a few concealment charms, I was able to slip into Knockturn Alley undetected where I stole some horrid clothes from a store there," He glanced up to see all three pairs of eyes fixed on him, so he continued.

"After making my way to Diagon Alley, I was able to slip into the Three Broomsticks where I sat behind some ministry workers. Might need them fired, by the way, because those brainless fuckers completely let it slip that some Order members were camping out at 12 Grimmauld Place. Luckily, I am technically a Black; I was able to get in without any complaint after stiffing the waitress on some food and drink. That's when my arse was almost blown to bits by my lovely estranged cousin Tonks. You," he directed at Harry, "Ought to know her well. Shouldn't come as a surprise to you. She housed me for two days after cleaning up the worst of my wounds. Most of which were torn muscles and the like, due to shackles and the Cruciatus.

"Lupin helped with the mental part of things. Being in that situation definitely fucks you up a bit. After the two days, I left a thank-you note and apparated just outside of this forest. Tonks said that she had a lead from McGonagall that you lot might be here. I traipsed through the woods all day until nightfall when I was forced to seek some sort of shelter due to the cold.

"Around day three I developed something. Fever, vomiting, the like. I don't remember much past that besides being extremely dehydrated and Granger finding me in the woods. What's odd, though, is that I don't think she would have found me if it weren't for a patronus."

"A patronus?" Harry looked at him, somehow even more intrigued than before. "What was it?"

"A doe."

Well? How'd I do? Is anyone slightly interested in a third chapter? If you are, leave some comments/reviews/feedback! Anything you want me to add? I feel like I have an okay thing going. I will definitely try to update every Monday EST (USA) if it's any count. Also, what's up with Hermione? I'm sure you guys know! ~A