Chapter 2:

Alliances with the Enemy

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the traitor: Granger. What are you here for? Going to double cross me, now are you? I'm surprised you didn't crawl back into the hole you came from. You would have been doing a lot of people a big favour, you know," mocked Malfoy.

Trying vainly to ignore the verbal blows Hermione diverted her attention to the wall opposite her. It was a striking shade of green and admittedly not as interesting as Hermione hoped it to be. Speaking quietly she said, "I need your help."

Faking deafness Malfoy asked, "I'm sorry Granger what was that? Could you speak a bit louder? It would seem your little escapades have weakened your voice."

Hermione narrowed her eyes while turning her attention back to Draco Malfoy's face. Through gritted teeth she replied, "I. Need. Your. Help." As an after thought she added 'you conceited bastard'.

Smirking Malfoy placed his hands behind his back and started walking around the pale figure. He admitted he had far more pleasing sites in his young years: dripping, bushy hair, ripped cloak, drenched clothes, haunted eyes, bruises, cuts and general unpleasant expression created a distinct and rather objectionable appearance.

Under the young Malfoy's scrutinising gaze Hermione stilled her anger; it would not be in her own best interests to lash out now.

Still smirking, Malfoy met Hermione's steady glare and replied smartly, "What do you need my help for Granger? You've got yourself into a bigger mess that I could have created for you. I'll tell you how it is Granger: I could turn you over the Ministry right at this very moment. They would lap any false story wouldn't they Granger?" Hermione's mouth turned down at the corners in an obvious gesture of distaste. "They would believe me without question and you word would be worth shit."

Hermione stood still and just continued to glower, knowing he was perfectly right. Her word was worth, as he put it, shit and anything offensive she said could change Malfoy's mind to her proposal.

Malfoy continued smoothly on, "There is nothing in the world I would like more that to hand you over Granger and see you thrown into Azkaban but… fortunately for you I'm curious. Why are you coming to me, Granger? Shouldn't you be back trying to convince your goody, goody friends that you're innocent? It worked really well last time. Instead you're on my doorstep, dripping wet and not a pretty sight I might add. You are going to tell me why and if not… well then you can say a little cheerio to the Dementors for me."

Hermione felt a icy finger run down her spine at the mention of the Azkaban guards. How close she had been last time…

Straightening herself mentally, Hermione opened her mouth to speak when she was sharply cut off.

"Oh, and spare me the melodramatics Granger. I'm already very familiar with what you did to get you here. What possible help do you think I would give an senseless criminal and why don't you start with how you got past the gate without setting off any alarms?"

Sighing Hermione began her tale, "To start with, I flew over the gate."
Malfoy who had been standing perfectly at ease suddenly straightened his position and then unexpectedly started chuckling to himself. The part of Hermione's brain that was not currently feeding off stress was shocked to mark that the sound carried no hint of anger, malice of cruelty.

"Tsk, tsk Granger! You can't take me for a fool! Any half-wit, such as you would know that the alarm spells are triggered when a human presence comes in contact with the barrier. Since my family can afforded the best, the spell barrier spans at least fifty metres in the air. Not to mention certain other precautions we take. You would have set of the any number of the alarms! Then there is the fact that I hardly doubt you're capable of full human transfiguration. Modify your story and try telling me the truth this time." Malfoy leaned casually against the door and started to play, quite deliberately, with the dark wand in his pocket.

'Will nothing satisfy this man! I give him truth and yet he still proceeds to insult and taunt me like some stupid first ye,ar' thought Hermione angrily. However the deliberate gestor did catch her attention and she realised that she had perhaps been stretching the time a little too thin. Needless to say she wasn't going to pass a chance to get the better of the greasy-haired wizard, "Like I said Malfoy I flew over. I didn't set off the alarms because I wasn't human was I?"

Glaring furiously at the blonde Malfoy Hermione resisted the urge to yell that if he were the half the wizard he thought he was, he would have figured that out by now. 'But nooo! I needed to spoon feed this bastard the information because he was the only one left who was in the only position to help me.'

"You're an unregistered Animagus. You didn't set off the alarms because only registered Animagi set off the alarm or any animal logged into the alarm's code," Malfoy muttered darkly.

'Bravo genius!' reflected Hermione irritably, 'Give the boy first prize!'

Realising Malfoy expected her to continue she started on the story, "Malfoy, I'm here because I need your help. As much as I despise the fact you're the only one left in any position to help me," not waiting for any sort of answer Hermione continued straight on, "I do need the resources you can provide.To put it simply you have connections and I need to clear my name."