A/N: Disclaimer: I, of course, am not J.K. Rowling. So I don't own anything she does. Special thanks to bekahbeebee, and Another Witty Ninja for the favorites and reviews! Your encouragement has really driven me to keep writing. :)

Draco stared at the entrance to Knockturn Alley, trying to ignore the tense knots that were forming in his stomach. Too many of his father's friends would kill him if they had the chance. But, after all The Order did for him, he felt as if he owed it to them to see what information Lucius's goons potentially had. Although, he reckoned to himself, any member of the order would tell you to get back up. He pushed the thought away with the realization that he might have to talk to Potter. Sure, he'd turned against Voldemort and joined the enemy's side. That didn't mean he had to like Harry, or Granger, or any of the hundred and twelve million Weaselys. He'd learned to be cordial with them, but that was about the extent of it. They'd worked together to end the war, and then they went their separate ways. The only people in the Order he'd ended up being remotely friendly with were Remus and Tonks. And they'd been killed. He hadn't spoken to any of other Order members since the end of his father's trial.

Once he took the first step down the dingy corridor, it didn't seem so daunting. He passed the front entrance to Borgin and Burkes, making his way to the back door. Two rather large looking men were standing there, but they didn't intimidate Draco. He'd filled out considerably in his 7th year, and maintained a strong physical stature (acquired playing Quiddich) doing laps in the family pool. He enjoyed swimming immensely, and the best part about the Malfoy pool was that it was enchanted to maintain itself. It never got dirty, the water never needed to be tested for chemicals or temperature. The pool was always perfect.

Draco instinctively sneered as he approached the two men.

"We're here on behalf of your father." the fatter one said.

"I'd never have guessed." he sarcastically replied.

"Oh." The second man cackled. He then explained himself quite unnecessarily. "Yeah, Lucius sent us." Apparently, he was not too bright. Draco sighed.

"What exactly does he want?"

"He, eh, asked us to give you a... little present." the bigger man grinned, showing several gaps where teeth once were. The rest of his teeth were not exceptionally well kept; this did not come as a surprise to Draco, seeing as the man was an overall slob. Draco shuddered, swallowed to stop himself from gagging, and said, "Get on with it, then."

The smaller man made a noise that could have been a laugh, a cough, or a cackle. Draco was beginning to get a bit nervous.

He heard footsteps behind him, but for fear of turning his back on the two men in front of him, he decided against looking to see who it was. This turned out to be a mistake, as there was a sudden sharp pain on the back of his skull. The world went gray as he hit the pavement, and Draco Malfoy blacked out.

"Shit, shit, shit! Fucking, hell-ass, mother of... fucking dammit!" The slur of curses flew out of Beverly's mouth as she studied her handiwork. The fatter man was stupefied, the cackling one was suffering from a nasty case of Petrificus Totalus, and the third man had run off after she'd disarmed him. She turned to the problem at hand.

"Draco, wasn't it?" Bev said, shaking him. She thought about it for a second, then shrugged. "Come on, Sunshine, wake the fuck up! We've got to move."

He groaned and tried to sit up. Beverly grabbed his arm and helped hoist him up against the wall of the building.

"What in bloody hell!" He exclaimed. Beverly noticed how delicate his hands seemed as he touched the back of his head. When he looked at them, they were tinged red.

He stared at his bloody fingers intensely until Beverly broke the silence.

"What, surprised it isn't blue or something? We've got to go! Those curses won't last forever, you know."

"What did you do to them?"

"Later!" she promised. "What part of let's get the hell out of here are you having trouble understanding?"

He looked at the two men he'd been speaking to only moments before, and he visibly stiffened and stood up.

"Right." he said, and added with a slight grin, "You're much more verbal when you're upset." Then, without warning, he grabbed her around the waist. "Hold tight," he whispered. Her eyes went wide and she opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by the sudden jolt of apparation.