Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN IT NOW SHUDDUP!
AN: Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George are a tad bit OOC here. Ever get the feeling when you've bottled up so much hate and anger that you can't keep it in anymore? Yeah, it's like that.
...
Three more days had passed before Esmeralda let Draco out of bed. It was hard, at first, to keep him there. She had had to lay across him, or his feet, or pace the door, or growl menacingly whenever he tried to get up. The only exception, of course, was the bathroom.
Until one day, near noon, when Draco woke up to find Star absent. He got out of bed slowly. He felt a bit better, but still sick, as if he had a bad bout of flu. He started to make his way downstairs.
He went about lunch in a bit of a daze, he was aware of everyone being there, eating, talking, and eating more, and he was aware of Star being there, but he was not aware of the glares being shot his way. He was starting to feel a little tired.
"Hey, er, Angel – we need a word." Tonks said, beckoning the wolf into the living room along with Kingsley, Mad-Eye, Sirius, and Remus. Star followed quickly.
Draco didn't really notice when he heard a slightly familiar, feminine voice start speaking softly with them. But he was still rather tired, of course, so nothing bothered him. So he didn't exactly notice when most of the teenagers left – Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George – just Hermione stayed, flipping through a dusty book.
She had raised her eyebrows slightly and frowned when they left. She may have even paled a little. "This won't end well." She muttered under her breath.
After a few minutes of silence – for now it was Draco, Hermione, Bill, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley left in the room. Mr. Weasley would shoot Draco a few sympathetic glances, but he could tell the sympathy was strained. Mrs. Weasley just kept offering him more food. Hermione kept reading, and Bill twiddled his thumbs.
"I think I should get some more sleep. Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." He pushed away from the table, and slowly made his way to the hall. He had no idea what was coming.
He found himself surrounded by the five of them. His brain didn't register in time, and they all had their wands out against him.
"We want you out, Malfoy!" George sneered. "You don't belong in the same house as the Order!"
"Wha-" "Yeah, why are you here, anyways? Because your precious pureblood parents can't stand up for themselves? You need a petty half-breed to deal with you?" Ron snarled.
Fred gave Ron a slight warning glance at 'half-breed' but let it slide, "How could you possibly have thought that we would've respected you and allowed you to come here?"
"Wasn't my idea," Draco muttered. "S'not my fault… didn' plan on comin'…"
"Shut up!" Ginny said, anger seeping into her soft voice, "You have no right, no real reason to be here. You are below us, Malfoy. Your family has nearly cost me my life!"
"Sorry… it's not like I did it…" he said softly, still not completely registering everything.
Finally, Harry had the stage. He was nearly trembling with unspoken rage. He closed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a slight noise of exasperation.
"I've given you chances. I've tried to play nice. But you and your filthy family have taken it too far, too many times to count. And we're sick of it. I don't know how Hermione's dealing, but evidently you're getting off easy."
His fists clenched, and he yelled "EXPELLIARAMUS!" Draco's wand flew out of his hand, and he shot back a few feet. He, now realizing the danger he was in (as he saw the others advance on him menacingly, it was only a matter of time before they cracked), flinched, and screamed "Fur to flesh!" There was a loud bang as the five of them shot a curse at him, when a large shadow jumped in front of him.
Star skidded to the bottom of the stairs, dazed. But she got back up, fur ruffled so that she looked twice her size. She, furious, morphed into a human. She stood protectively in front of Draco, who had fallen to the ground, staring at her in shock.
"You- You're an animagus! My father's friend, Esmeralda Lupin! Pr-Professor Lupin's cousin!" "Quiet Draco, we'll clear this up later." She brandished her wand at the five teenagers, who had all started to look guilty.
"I can't believe it, I leave him alone to attend an Order meeting and you guys attack him! I swear…" she looked like she was about to explode, but all the power drained out of her. "I will talk to your parents – and Sirius! You five ought to be ashamed! And you Harry… I thought you especially would be able to help ease Draco into this! What with you living with the Dursleys for all these years… You've been bullied for so long, you've been trapped in a place you know you don't belong, a place where you're mistreated! Now, come, Draco, you're due for another session."
She grabbed him briskly, practically dragging him up the stairs, leaving everyone else feeling guilty.
