"…Malfoy?" I waited. He said nothing but raised an eyebrow. "You never gave me a straight answer before. Why are you helping me?" He looked annoyed. I thought he might turn and leave without another word.

"There are reasons. Don't question everything."

I felt my blood start to boil. "I have answers for nothing Malfoy! I need answers, I need to question. I need for something in my wretched life to make sense right now; you're showing me I can rely on you for some reason. I want to know if I'm putting my faith in someone whose worth it!"

He still looked annoyed, and if I accomplished anything in my tiny rant it was only making him angrier. "My reasons. Are mine." How could I make him understand?

"Please." I whispered "It's important to me."

He was facing the wall, I thought he was leaving, but he reeled around to face me. "You think your life is wretched Granger? That makes me sick! You don't have to fear the very people youre supposed to trust the most, the very people that claim to love you wouldn't kill you for going against their wishes. Don't you dare cry to me about how horrible your life is. I'd kill for your life. Is that reason enough for you Granger? He hissed. I could almost see his blood getting hotter with every word he spoke.

I was speechless. I'd never really thought that he lived a life like that, never having anyone he could trust, fearing for his life at every turn. He couldn't even be sure of who liked him for who he was and not who his parents are. Of course he lived a life like that; Voldemort lived in his house for Merlin's sake. What must that do to someone? He turned to leave again.

"No, wait! Please stay." He turned his head to face me and smirked.

"Miss me already?"

"In a way, ill admit it gets rather lonely in here , would you stay for a while?"

"I suppose it could." He looked at the dungeon door "but not for long." He looked as if he couldn't decide if he should stay or make a run for it. I don't get him. Hell help me but hes not comfortable speaking with me? "So what do you want Granger?"

"Hermione. You've spared me a great deal of pain, we should be on a first name basis." He simply shrugged. "Youre right know, about my life. Aside from being trapped in here and such, my life hasn't been a bad one. Its been a mostly happy one actually." He nodded slowly and after a moment he took a step closer to the cell bars that separated us and sat down.

"You've been here three days, I bet you're wondering where your fearless bodyguards are?" I was suddenly on full alert. I think I felt my heart stop for a split second, and I quickly tried to prepare myself for whatever news be told me of my dearest friends. "Don't worry they're all right as far as I know. I know they're not dead and we don't have them, be thankful of that. They came for you last night, about 5 of them, Weasel, Potter, and older Weasel, the werewolf and that blond chick who couldn't save her sister in the Triwizard Championship." I barely breathed. " They didn't make it very far, we knew they'd be coming for you being part of the 'Golden Trio' and all, but Potter and Weasel fought hard, ill give them that much."

"So im stuck here, they failed and im going to die here…"

"You could look at it like that, or you could open your damn eyes and look to me, ive been working out you 'escape' since they brought you in here. Smartest in our class indeed!" he scoffed at me.

"You're serious? You're really going to go against all of them and help me escape? What happened to all those years of hurting me and all the names, trying to make my life hell. Heres your chance, and you want me to escape?" He simply nodded, his face emotionless once more. "So how am I going to escape?"

He smiled now and didn't look at me. "In time. You'll know in time."

"Draco…I tried calling a house elf friend of mine to me, but he didn't come. He's never not come before."

"No. I don't suppose he would, this particular dungeon is charmed so that nothing can apparated in our out. It's also sound proof to anything outside of the Manor. I put a silencing spell on the dungeon before I come in every visit, wouldn't be too good if they heard us talking."

"Smart boy, so when am I going to 'escape' exactly?

"Not tonight. Voldemort's still here, any other questions? Wait, forget I said that. Youll never stop talking if I say that." I blushed but I knew he was right.

"sorry"

"No, I am. Of course you have questions, I just have very few answers I can give you. Not to mention to give away knowledge is to give away power and you can imagine how keen I am on that." I couldn't help but giggle. So the regular old Malfoy was still in there. He stared at me with a peculiar expression I couldn't read. I immediately stopped giggling.

"What?" I asked.

"Hermione, you should laugh more" The air caught in my throat. I didn't know how to take that and thankfully he didn't wait for me to say anything. He nodded towards the food by the door still uneaten. "You need to eat." I scooped up the sandwich, as well as an apple, a pumpkin cookie and a chocolate frog. I smiled gratefully to him and proceeded to devour everything in about 5 bites, except the apple which I was now nibbling on.

"I failed to kill Dumbledore." He whispered. I stopped chewing and started to question him with my mouth full, it only came out as mumbles. "Just listen for once Granger. Just eat and listen… It was my job to kill good ol' Dumbledore but I couldn't do it and Snape had to do my job for me. The Dark Lord wasn't too please with me, hasn't been ever since and ive been locked in this hellhole since I haven't proved my loyalty. I cant be allowed to fail anymore missions. I have to take special lessons with the Dark Lord himself now. He wants to make sure his future right hand is properly trained." He scoffed.

"so many think im to become his heir. Havent they figured it out yet? He wont let himself die. Hes a nightmare that wont go away, wont end." I debated if I should tell him about the Horcruxes, but immediately decided against it.

"He brought a couple of children in months ago, muggle children. He took them straight from their own home. I didn't find out until later but he fed the younger one to his damned snake that night and the other was only 7. He left her in here until it was hungry again. I don't know why I came in here in the first place but I did and I came back every night and talked with her. She was so sweet, so pure and scared. She was so scared for her little brother, 'Do you know where Maxxy is Draco?' I could never help her and her mother, she didn't want her mother to be worried about her. She was called Lucy. She sang and she loved cinnamon cookies." Draco spoke with a far away look in his eye and his voice cracked just once. "She was the first muggle id ever just sat and spoken to. I have to say she made me think. Id do magic tricks for her just to make her laugh, and then one night I came down to see her and she was gone. When I heard what happened to her, it was the first time in my life id ever cried for someone besides myself."

" After that I started thinking for myself. I wiped clean everything I'd ever learned, everything I thought I knew, believed in. I re-taught myself. I have to accept the 'lessons' our precious Dark Lord gives me and Ill continue to use it to build up all the hatred I can for him. With any luck ill be the one to take him down and rebuild my families honor. Hell, maybe ill even join your S.P.E.W. cause. I think its crazy but then again, I do have a lot to redeem myself for. THAT'S why im helping you Hermione. Because I have no reason to hate you, because you have everything going for you, everything ive ever dared to dream of having and someone in this world should be happy." He stopped and shrugged again "Youre still a bossy goody know-it-all though." He finished with a smirk.

If there hadn't been bars separating me from him I would have thrown my damaged arms around him and made sure he never felt alone again but all I could say was "Im proud of you Draco. It takes an extremely strong person to do that, and lead a double life as well. If it counts for anything, you have my respect." He gave a cloudy smile as an answer but it was the happiest id ever seen him. " and when you do decide to kill Voldemort," I continued " Be sure to let us know and you will have help."

"Save it , you know you and your precious 'Order of the Phoenix' will never help the likes of me. Potter and Weasel hate me too much."

"Well, it would help if you didn't call him Weasel" I scolded.

"Besides, no one would give me credit for it, it would be all about Potter, hes the chosen one right?"

"Does it matter who gets credit for it as long as it happens?"

"It bloody well does Granger! I still have my pride. Like I said, I have a lot to redeem myself for and taking out that bastard would go a long way to restoring my name." with that said he stood once again and made his way to the door. "By the way, I loosened a brick in the left corner, hide the potions there."

"ok,…and thank you"

"Hermione?...Do you still hate me?"

I couldn't help smiling. "No, not at all"

He stood silent and still for a thoughtful moment. "good, just….just remember that tomorrow, remember that no matter what I have to do to you tomorrow….please" I was scared now and I wanted badly to tell him he didn't have to do it, but we both knew he did. 'double life' the words echoed in my ears "ill remember, I promise" He bowed to me slightly and left with out another word.

I found the loose brick and hid the potions after taking another few sips of the numbing potion. With too much to think about and full for the first time in days, I somehow found much needed rest.