Chapter 4

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The room was damp and cold. The only light was that of the nearly gone moon. He sat on the stone floor the only blanket pulled tightly around him. He could hear them- the dementors- as they drifted past his cell. He shivered. The night was long but the days seemed longer. At least in the night he was safe, wrapped in the cloak of darkness, hidden away from the light. That is where he belonged after all- in the darkness- a man like him could never dream of being in the light once more. Nor did he deserve to. He deserved this, deserved to rot away until the dementors came and he was sentence to a kiss. He told himself that he deserved the fate worse than death, an eternity of nothing, no love, no happiness, a life of pain and misery. He pulled the blanket tighter around his frail body surrendering to the lull of dreamless sleep.

"Malfoy!" a cruel voice shouted. "Malfoy get up!"

He opened his eyes to see a tall, lanky man with red hair standing behind the cell door. Slowly and cautiously he stood, allowing the blanket to fall to the floor. He shuffled to the door and placed his hands through the bars. The red-haired man clasped chains around his wrists and magically sealed them before opening the Dragon steel door. The man attached two more cuff around his ankles before sealing them as well. He knew who this was yet the name escaped him. Most things did these days for he feared he was slowly going insane.

"Walk." The man ordered. He obeyed knowing it wouldn't end well if he fought them. He had long since resolved to accept his punishment. Rounding the corner, he could see two other men: one much older but similar to the man currently leading him and the other he knew, or at least thought he did.

Why would they come? This must be it. I am on my way to death today, he thought.

"Percy" the older man greeted with a nod.

"Father, Ronald" he returned.

RONALD! As in Ron Weasley?! He is to be the one to take me to my death!

Mr. Weasley turned to Draco and looked him up and down, a grim expression on his face. He pulled out his wand and watched as Draco flinched and visibly shook in fear.

"Scourgify" he cast, all the dirt and grim disappearing from Draco's body. "Come with us Mr. Malfoy."

Draco dutifully followed behind the two of them, thankful for the kindness the older man had showed. Percy's hand tightened on his upper arm as they neared a flight of stairs.

"You're hurting me" he said barely above a whisper.

"Good" Percy mumbled.

"Percy," Arthur warned "he is to be treated appropriately."

"If we treated him appropriately he'd be dead" Ron spat.

Halting Mr. Weasley motioned for Percy to swap positions with him before they continued their journey.

"I am to die to day?"

"It seems Mr. Malfoy you will not be dying today."

Draco felt as if the weight of a thousand giants had been lifted from his heart. He still felt as though he deserved death but could not keep himself from feeling the jubilation at this news. They continued down the many flights of stairs at an excruciatingly slow pace. He was weak and the chains prevented him from taking a proper step. They stayed silent save for Ron's insults periodically cast in Malfoy's direction.

As they rounded the final flight he could see the remainder of the escort party. He looked at each trying to place a name with a face. Ron kissed a witch with long silky brown hair in elegant lavender robes. I dawned on him that witch was in fact Hermione. Another redhead was stood next, this one was easy enough, it was Weaselette. The remaining two he couldn't place but swore he knew. It was then Hermione that came to take Arthur's place.

"Malfoy" she greeted curtly though he could hear a small hint of kindness behind it.

"Granger" he replied with a feeble nod. This had been the longest time out of his cell since he was first thrown into it. He was exhausted, the stairs taking what little energy he had. The two unknowns moved behind him leaving the four others in front. They left the large entry room and entered a smaller one guarded by dementors. He flinched in fear as they walked by them, his monstrous companions these last three months.

"They won't hurt you," Hermione whispered to him, "not while we're here."

"I'm only saying that, even if you offered, he wouldn't take it," Ginned hissed quietly to Ron as they made their way through the door. "I'm starting to think we're losing him."

"Ginny, now is not the time" Hermione reprimanded.

Draco realized that he had missed the first portion of the conversation and tried to consider who they would be talking about. Once they entered the room all conversations ceased. The room looked just like the rest of the prison cold, damp, dark, and void of anything but despair. The only object in the room was a plain fireplace that stood across the room from the door. Ron pulled a small bag of floo powdered from his coat, took a pinch, and passed it to Hermione.

"Be careful love." He said joining Ginny in the fireplace. She took his arm as he threw the powder at his feet. "Ministry of Magic!"

Instantly fear bubbled up inside him. The Ministry! "No, no I can't go there please no" he begged taking a step back. Unfortunately, the chains prevented him from completing that step and he fell backwards into one of the unknowns who helped him to stand again.

"Malfoy calm down!" Percy said sternly.

Draco looked to Hermione, "please."

Hermione was taken aback. This was a whole new Draco she had never seen before. He was fearful and begging. Malfoy was actually begging her. If there had been any doubt in her mind after first seeing him, it was now gone, Draco Malfoy was a broken man.

"The four of you go on ahead. I'll follow behind."

"Hermi-" Arthur started.

"Absolutely not," Percy cut in "this is not the plan."

Drawing her wand, she released Draco and turned towards them. All four stiffened and stared wide eyed at her. "I don't think I'll be needing to repeat myself."

They nodded and each in turn went through the floo. She then turned to Draco, looked him up and down, and said "right now where was I? Ah that's it. Frigidus en temporus."

There was a whirl of color around them and suddenly everything was standing still, even the mist in the air. Feeling slightly dizzy Hermione rubbed her forehead sending away the discomfort. She took a small bag from one of her pockets and removing a handful of small wooden marbles, setting them on the floor. Silently she began to transfigure them into a table, chairs, two lanterns, and a wooden dressing screen. From her bag she pulled out a miniature trunk which she returned to normal size: a set of clothes and a small basket seated within.

"Firstly you need to get dressed. Then you can eat while I explain a few things."

He raised his hands indicating his silent question.

"Ah yes." She said and with a wave of her wand they fell to the floor.

"What about the others? Aren't you worried about me?" He asked bewildered.

"Not in the slightest" she mused. "I've cast a time freezing spell. Once I take it off they'll still be precisely where they were beforehand, give or take a minute. Now go get changed."

Once Draco had dressed behind the screen and taken his seat Hermione motioned to the plate of food that she had made for him. He looked at it, incredibly appreciative of the gesture, but looked to her apologetically. "I can't eat. I'm sorry."

"You must eat something."

"I- I can't."

She did her best to hide the worry that she felt. She couldn't understand why he would refuse to eat the first decent meal he had been given in months. He was skin and bone, no practically about it. She feared that if he didn't eat he would die from starvation at any moment. His face was sunken, his eyes dark and cloudy, his hair long and unruly. This was not the Draco that she was used to. Hopefully, he wouldn't be like this much longer.

"I'm not entirely sure why I felt this was necessary, but I've already started, so now you must listen closely to everything I'm about to say." Not waiting for a response she continued, "the ministry has ordered that for the sake of the wizarding world each Auror is to take on a child of a convicted Death Eater and help to teach them how to become a part of our world again. Each of them depending on their involvement, as you know, has endured months here in Azkaban and will be released under the custody of an Auror. The ministry has remained unaware of a few… complications… and have assigned you to Harry. He is extraordinarily busy you see and so while you are technically under his custody you will be under mine and Ron's supervision. We are under orders so you must understand we really have no choice in this matter and you have no choice at all. I should warn you though Ron is infuriated at the idea of you being in the house with us so I wouldn't be expecting any kindness from him. He is and Auror now and as such will be gone throughout the day. Additionally, I am a professor and deputy headmistress so I will also be gone as well. We both return to the house after our respective duties are complete at nearly the same time. I don't think I need to warn you about how thin of a line you are on with Ministry. They are all too pleased to have you rot in here forever. You will be put through three inquires to determine the conditions, length, and other such nuances of your, shall we say, parole. That is where we are headed: your first inquiry. Depending on how it goes I have heard rumors that they intend to offer you a deal. If you successfully complete your parole, they will reconsider your mother's life sentence. Apparently, someone spoke to them on your behalf. Now my suggestion is that you say nothing during the inquiries and allow me to do the talking for you. Understood?"

It took him a moment to grasp what all she was saying. Harry. Living with Weasley and Granger. Inquiries. His mother. It was all too much. He felt his head spinning and nausea beginning to take hold.

"Draco, do you understand what I said to you?"

Gathering himself, "Ye- yes. Can I ask who it was?"

"That did?"

"That spoke on my behalf."

She sat a moment contemplating her next words, "I'm told that it was Harry."