A/N- Thank you everyone who reviewed, your reviews mean a lot! They are very much appreciated. I hope you all like this chapter, I am trying very hard now to update and make my chapters longer and better, please tell me how I am doing! Thank you all!

Chapter 7

Draco sat at the Slytherin table one morning, about a week after he had talked to Blaise. He was considering all the things he had said. He tried over and over to convince himself that it was for Hermione's own good, but he felt miserable now and knew he was making her the same way.

Draco was drifted from his thoughts as his eagle like owl flew down and perched itself on Draco's shoulder, demanding payment for the letter it dropped on his empty plate. Draco reached across the table and grabbed a bit of bacon and gave it to the bird. The owl ruffled its feathers in disgust and gripped Draco's shoulder before taking off again. Draco rolled his eyes at the bird and looked down at the letter.

He closed his eyes and sighed slowly, it was once again from his father. Draco had begun to get the letters the day after he had not arrived with Hermione one week ago. Draco had read the first one, but not dared to answer, and then he had began to just rip up the pieces of paper every time he got one, not wanting to know what his father had to say.

Before he could rip this one up however, something caught his eye. The wonder Trio had just walked in laughing and looking like they were having a grand time. Draco cursed Blaise, she looked fine without him. But as he continued to stare, Hermione also looked his way and turned a scarlet red when she noticed he too was looking her way. They both turned away from each other. Draco grabbed the letter and tore it apart, how could his father do this to him? He couldn't just take her to him like everything would be alright, because it wouldn't, Voldemort would kill Hermione without a second thought, she was not needed to get Potter, she was just something Voldemort saw was in the way of his death eater.

Draco cringed at the thought of being some what of a slave to that...he couldn't think of a word bad enough to describe the dark lord who Draco had always know he would one day serve. He looked around the hall most kids were still trying to wake up, others were wide awake and enjoying their conversations and their meals. He put his arm under the table so no one could see it. He lifted up his robe a little to reveal the dark mark, violently burning on his arm. He had never seen it this dark, not even when he had first gotten it.

Draco bit his lip; it was only a matter of time before his father came and dragged him back home. Then they would most likely kill him for being a traitor. He let the robe arm fall back over his pale skin. He looked up again and stood up. He wanted to go back to his room and think a little more privately.

Hermione waited a few moments after Draco had left the great hall to make her exit. She had hoped no one would notice Draco's departure so she could leave without any questions. As she stood however, Ginny caught her eye and the young girl smiled and winked at her. Hermione smiled back and told Ron and Harry she would be back later. They said their goodbyes and she hurried out of the room.

It didn't take long to find Draco. He was walking slowly down the hall keeping his eyes glued to the floor. Hermione drew a breath and walk closer to him, he obviously didn't hear her; otherwise he would have acknowledged her presence. He was too deep in thought to hear her footsteps rushing up behind him.

It wasn't long before she was walking next to him, she eyed him closely. His eyes were frantically searching through his head. She loved how she could read his every thought with his eyes. She placed a hand on his shoulder. He jumped back his face coming back to the real world. He looked at her for a time before he finally realized who he was looking at.

He rolled his eyes, "what do you want?" he asked coldly.

Hermione stood tall, "I was wondering if you were alright, I mean, wasn't today the day you had to go back for training?"

Draco hadn't realized it was two weeks from his last visit to the manor, which meant that he was supposed to go back last Saturday as well, he had missed two meetings, his father would not be in a good mood. What was he supposed to tell her? He quickly thought up something, "No, I don't have to take anymore lessons for the rest of the school year, and mind your own business Granger." He mumbled and shoved his hands into his pockets before continuing down the hall.

"Draco, I need to ask you something,"

Draco stopped in his tracks as if telling Hermione she had his permission to speak to him, but he wouldn't turn.

"I was wondering," Hermione began, "if you really did want to become a death eater."

Draco sighed and closed his eyes cursing his fate, "Too late to go back now," he stated coldly.

"I know," Hermione said quietly, "but think Draco, the only person that has control of your life is you. You don't have to do anything you don't have to."

Draco turned back to Hermione. He filled in the space between the two of them and pushed her against the wall, "You do not understand anything about this," he growled violently, his words were slow and dark.

Hermione looked up into Draco's eyes, they were scared and worried. She felt her own eyes filling with tears. She shook her head.

Draco sighed, "Don't cry,"

"Why shouldn't I?" Hermione yelled, "ever since our first year here, you have been nothing but awful to me, making me feel like I was worth nothing, because you know what, your words did hurt Draco," tears now began to roll down her cheeks and Draco looked at her in awe. Hermione continued however.

"And then you come into my world, and maybe just maybe you change, and then you made me feel again, but it wasn't the dirty feeling like last time, Draco-"

Draco couldn't let her finish, she would surely be in more danger. He hushed her, "Don't say it." He pleaded.

Hermione shook her head and narrowed her red wet eyes, "no, you listen to what I have to say," she demanded.

Draco clenched his jaw and turned his head. Hermione wouldn't let him do that though; she grabbed his head and turned him to look at her, "I know you know how you made me feel, because I think you felt the same way with me."

"I didn't feel anything," Draco insisted. Hermione had never seen him so quiet, and at such a loss of words, it gave her power. The Slytherin Prince would crumble at her feet.

"But you did Draco," she continued staring into the boy's eyes they were full of a little bit of everything, "I felt love, no one has ever made me feel anyway that you have always made me feel." She smiled through her tears.

Draco closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, "you can't feel this way Hermione," He said slowly.

"You can't help who you love Draco." Hermione said putting a hand on Draco's shoulder.

He shook it away, "No you have to try, don't you understand, we can't be together, ever!" Draco yelled.

Hermione looked down, "what did I do to you?" she asked quietly.

Draco gritted his teeth in annoyance. He couldn't stand this anymore, he turned and left. Half way down the hall, once Hermione's sobs were out of ear shot, Draco leaned against the wall next to him and pressed his forehead to the cool surface, breathing deeply.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Draco jumped at hearing his name called, but he calmed when he saw Snape walking closer to him.

"Good morning professor," Draco greeted half heartedly.

"I would like to speak to you Mr. Malfoy, my office please," Snape gestured with his hand the hallway that would lead to the dungeons.

Draco shrugged and followed his teacher. They were silent when they walked, but Draco heard small mutters coming from Snape, and he began to really wonder what this was about.

The door to Snape's office creaked open and Draco followed his professor into the dimly lit cold room. He chose a seat across from the desk in the middle of room. He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest; this had to be important; anything that wasn't could have been said there in the corridor.

"Mr. Malfoy," Snape said calmly, but his voice was colder than his usual, it sent chills down Draco's back, "Your father sent me an owl earlier this week, do you have any idea what it might be about?"

Draco looked down at his lap, he knew. He slowly nodded his head not making eye contact, "yes sir, I do."

"Then you must know the situation that I am placed in," Snape pushed a neatly folded piece of paper across his desk towards Draco.

Draco looked at it for a moment, and then gingerly picked it up. It was the letter his father sent to Professor Snape. Draco looked up at his teacher before quickly reading over the parchment.

Severus,

I am sorry to write to you about my son, but it turns out that he has missed a very important meeting with our lord. I am displeased to bring you into this my old friend, but under the circumstances, this dealing with our lord and everything, I would be very grateful if you would so kindly put him on the next train back home, anytime will be necessary it would not be a good idea to keep our lord waiting, you know how it is. Warn Draco, if you can, about the seriousness of his actions, he will be punished for this act of his.

Lucius

Draco sighed, he set the paper back down, "I will go pack then," he muttered.

"One moment please, Draco," Snape said suddenly, "I know for a fact that these are Death Eater meetings, am I correct?"

Draco nodded, "That is correct professor I have been going now for a while now."

"Just as I have suspected," Snape sat silently staring at his hands, which where folded on the table.

Draco felt nervous, he twisted in his chair, figuring now was a good time to speak, "Professor Snape," he began, "I would have gone last week, and today, but I couldn't, please, maybe you could explain something to my father,"

Snape cut him off by raising a hand to silence him, Draco was suddenly reminded of Professor Dumbledore, "I am not going to send you back boy," he said.

Draco opened his mouth and then closed it, unsure of what to say, "You're not sending me back?" he asked, stunned.

"Sooner or later I must, you understand that the winter holidays are coming soon, sooner than you would like, I am sure, and no matter what, you will have to go back. But that was not the point of this visit; I actually wanted to ask you a question." Snape said.

"Miss Granger, why the tears?" Hermione sniffed and looked up at her headmaster standing over her, he had a smile of sympathy and his eyes gleamed happily.

"I'm sorry Professor, I tried," Hermione cried getting to her feet, "but it didn't work, I failed, I am really sorry,"

Dumbledore put a soothing hand onto Hermione's shoulder, "you tried Miss Granger, and that is all that matters,"

Hermione shook her head and wiped at her damp eyes, "I should have tried harder, I'm sure I could have gotten him."

Dumbledore smiled, "Would you please come to my office?"

"Of coarse professor," Hermione said and allowed Dumbledore to lead her up to his office.

"Hermione," Dumbledore began sitting down behind his large wooden desk, "you know that I do not blame you at all for anything."

Hermione hung her head, "But I couldn't get him to turn, he will become a Death eater like his father."

"I still believe he can be reached," Dumbledore smiled.

Hermione looked up, "you do?" she asked.

"Yes, of course, I have seen a dramatic change in him ever since you two have become friends; I believe you may have broken any barrier that may have blocked him from seeing the better side of the world." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"I don't know what else to do though, he came back from one of his meetings and he was changed, he wants nothing to do with me, how will I repair any of that?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"I think you are smart enough to work that one out, but just in case, I had professor Snape talk to the boy a little." Dumbledore said then placed a hand onto Hermione's which were folded on the desk top, "you are making a difference," he said quietly.

"You want me to be part of the Order?" Draco asked bewildered. Over the past hour he had listened to Snape describe to him all about how he was a spy and worked in the Order, which was full, of course, of the wonder trio itself and all their happy little friends. Why Snape was telling him all this was beyond his imagination.

"Yes Draco, I have spoken to Dumbledore and he recommends that you would be an excellent addition."

Draco shook his head in disbelief, "Professor," he asked, "why are you telling me all of this, my father is one of the most respected Death eaters of his time, and you have just told me everything right down to you are a spy, how do you know I wont go off and blab to my father?"

Snape smiled, if you could call it a smile of course, "I know you despise your father Mr. Malfoy," Draco clenched the hem of his robes that he was holding, "why would you go off and give him information that would help him if you didn't have to?"

Draco considered this a moment, "so, you are telling me, that Dumbledore trusts me enough to want me as a member of Potters Fan club?" he figured he probably shouldn't have been so sarcastic about this, but he couldn't help it.

"I assure you, this is not a fan club," Snape said coldly his eyes went blacker than usual, "and yes, once you become of age we would ask that you joined, instead of becoming a Death Eater."

Draco paused, what would his father do if he ever found out that his son, his only heir, became a spy against his Lord. More importantly, what if he was ever caught by Voldemort, what would he do to him? He grinned inwardly, he loved challenges. But still, nothing made much sense, there had to be a twist somewhere. But then again, what was better, becoming a Death Eater and probably getting the Dementor's Kiss in the end, or becoming part of this so called Order and having to live with working with Potter. He despised both ideas.

Snape waited patiently while Draco though of all possible reasons to join and not to join, but he finally broke the silence, "It is up to you Draco, I do not expect you to give me your answer now."

Draco sighed, "Listen professor, I am not to sure right now, but thanks for you time it has been wonderful." He said a little more in a mocking tone than was necessary. He stood up and headed for the door.

"The offer is always there Mr. Malfoy," Snape said as Draco exited the room.

"A member of the Order," Draco wondered quietly out load while wandering the empty corridor, everyone was at Hogsmead, and, if he was lucky, mudblood Granger and her two brainless cronies were there as well.

"Father would love this," he laughed to himself. And then a sinking feeling came into the pit of his stomach, his father was furious, no doubt, with him and with how he was not upholding his mission.

He grumbled to himself, why was he given this stupid command anyways, Granger wouldn't do anything; it would probably be this stupid Order that saved her. If he did do it for his father, he probably wouldn't be able to take up that offer from Snape ever again. Which was fine with him, it wasn't like he cared about it at all.

He sighed again and leaned against the wall, staring outside at the large shimmering lake. His brain was beginning to hurt. There was so much going on. Why had Snape told him so openly about him being a spy, it made no sense, was he giving him clues as to what he himself could be?

Draco ran a hand through his golden silvery locks and considered once more the proposal. It would make his father angry, and the last thing he wanted to become now, after everything this year, was his father. But then, he argued with himself, I do not want turn goody goody with the rest of them. Maybe he could give up on both ideas, maybe he wouldn't even live over winter holidays, his father being so angry would probably curse him as he walked through the door.

He pushed himself away from the wall and kept walking, he shouldn't be thinking about any of this stuff so early, who knew what was going to happen anyways. They wouldn't want him anyways when their precious Hermione Granger dies of his hands.

He froze for a moment and thought, when she dies... had he really thought that? He pushed it out of his head angrily muttering to himself.

"Draco,"

Draco stopped dead in his tracks. His heart stopped. He slowly looked up in front of him. Lucius Malfoy stood tall and proud, his snake cane placed in a firm grip in his hand. He rose and eyebrow at his son and sneered.

Draco opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him, he closed it tightly when nothing would come out. His father had actually come to get him. He felt a lump in his throat; it burned his neck and gagged him.

Lucius put out a finger and gestured his son to him. Draco felt his legs moving before he had realized what his father had wanted. Lucius glared as his son stood now directly in front of him.

"You were not at our meetings that I told you to be at," Lucius said coldly and much too quiet for Draco's taste.

Draco opened his mouth again regaining his courage, "I know father," he paused, "forgive me,"

Lucius sneered once more and grabbed his son by the collar of his robes and threw open the door beside him; he tossed Draco into the empty room roughly.

Draco stumbled as he hit a lone desk in the room; he collected his posture and stood straight once more. Lucius stalked into the room after him, the door swinging shut by magic after him.

"Do you have any idea of the humility I was put through thanks to your no show?" Lucius yelled in a deadly whisper.

"I'm sorry father, I got distracted," Draco stammered, "I was going to-" but he was cut off as his father's fist connected with side of his head knocking him over the desk and landing sprawled out on the ground.

"Do not make up poor excuses, you will face your punishment like a Malfoy, not some five year old mudblood," Lucius yelled again picking up his son.

Draco winced as his father's hand squeezed at his neck bringing him to his feet. Blood from where he was hit began to trickle down his face.

"Where is the girl?" Lucius asked in a slow deadly drawl.

"She," Draco could have kicked himself for getting her hooked up in all of this, "she is here."

"Bring her to me, do you understand boy?" Lucius sneered.

Draco was silent for a moment staring into his father's eyes, the same cold ones he had inherited. His father tightened his grip on his throat. Draco grinded his teeth, "I will do it," he choked out.

"That's right," Lucius said and brought his snake cane down onto his son.

Draco's vision darkened as the cane hit him on the head. He blacked out instantly.

Hermione walked down the hall she had just finished her meeting with Dumbledore and she felt much better now that she had. She briskly wiped away the last of her wet face and smiled. It didn't matter if Draco was becoming a Death Eater, she would still try to be his friend and maybe he could change his mind about his future.

She was almost to the stairs that led up to the Gryffindor common room, when she paused. A door stood ajar to her left, she slowly made her way to it and peered inside.

She gasped when she saw Draco in a sitting position by the wall; his head was covered in blood. She ran inside as she recovered from the shock.

"Draco," Hermione yelled kneeling down by him. He squinted up at her obviously trying to make her out; blood was running into his eyes, "What happened, are you alright?" she burst out grabbing his hand.

Draco shook her hand away from his arm, "I'm fine Granger, just a bit dizzy, nothing bad."

"Not bad, Draco, what happened?" Hermione looked at a deep gash on the side of his head that hadn't started to scab over yet.

She reached into her bag rummaging for a handkerchief or something that she could wipe away the blood with.

"Nothing happened," Draco grumbled struggling to his feet. He had to hold onto a hook in the wall to balance him enough to get to his feet, but he slipped and fell back to the ground with a quiet moan.

"No Draco, stay down, I can go get Madam Pomfrey down here and she can-"

Draco grabbed her mouth making her silent, "It is none of your business or anyone else's, do you hear?" he said quietly.

Hermione nodded and Draco's hand was reluctantly removed. She bit her lip, "Draco, you really should get it checked out though; I mean it looks really deep, and it could et infected- what?"

Draco was laughing, it wasn't a true hilarious laugh, it was more of a quiet slow laugh, almost as if it was hurting.

"What's so funny?" Hermione asked, a bit offended by his sudden outburst of her concern.

"You Granger, pretending to care," he looked away and stopped laughing.

Hermione was silent for a moment and then returned to rummaging in her bag, "You know Draco," she said in her matter-of-fact tone, "maybe if you let people care about you, they would,"

"What's the point?" Draco began to get back to his feet, determined to get back to his common room and think of a way to get away from his father, and Hermione. The winter holidays were in a couple of days, and he would have to bring Hermione back with him.

"The point, Malfoy, is that you could be a lot happier," She frowned.

Hearing Hermione call him that made him cringe. Hermione lifted out a clean white cloth from her bag, she looked at him coldly and then handed it over to him. He reluctantly took it and put it to his head. It quickly absorbed the red liquid. He looked down, avoiding Hermione's stare.

"I just don't understand you sometimes Draco," she said quietly shaking her head, "now, are you going to tell me what happened, or do I have to get Madam Pomfrey?"

"I told you it was no ones business what happens to me,"

"See what I mean," Hermione almost yelled her face began to get a little pink in her cheeks, "some people do care!"

"Yeah, well you shouldn't be one of them," Draco would have yelled back, but his head was still throbbing, he lost his balance and caught himself on the hook before he fell back down.

"What is that supposed to mean, you know I care," Hermione stood up ready to catch him if he fell again.

"Yeah, I know, that's why you can't," Draco dapped at his head one more time with the cloth.

Hermione placed her hands onto her hips, "and why can't I," she asked.

"Because you would only be in more danger," Draco closed his eyes to make the room stop spinning.

"Danger," Hermione asked. Her voice sounded as if she was trying to understand what he was saying.

"Yeah danger," Draco sighed, he had to tell her now, it was now or never, "Listen Hermione," he couldn't say it.

"What are you talking about," Hermione asked.

"My father," he paused, "he wants me to...bring you to him," Hermione furrowed her brow in thought, "as...bait, for Potter,"

Hermione opened her mouth, she was silent for a few moments, "what," she asked.

"I haven't been going to my usual meeting anymore, because I have been avoiding my father,"

"Because, he wants me as bait," Hermione asked, still not understanding.

Draco looked away, "listen, at the last couple meetings I went to, Voldemort was there," Hermione let out a soft gasp, "they did this...test on me, a fear test, so I could over come all my fears," he looked up at Hermione and she knew she didn't want him to go on.

She shook her head, "please Draco,"

"You were it," Draco continued, "I was so afraid you would hate me for being what I was, you were disappointed in me, I saw that look on your face,"

Hermione's eyes were blurring as she thought about what Draco was saying to her, but he continued.

"Then, my father found out about you, and he was going to kill you," he paused, "that is now my only fear, and he has, he found out about you shortly after that,"

Hermione stood silently by Draco's side, "and," she said slowly, "what did he do,"

Draco looked into her soft brown eyes, while his strong grey eyes were storming with rage, hatred, and fear, "he wanted me to bring you back with me, he was going to use you as bait so that Voldemort can get at Potter easily," it pained him to be telling her this.

Hermione looked away, "what did you tell him," she asked quietly.

"What would you have told the most evil wizard in the whole world and your crazy Death Eater father," he asked coldly.

Hermione nodded, "so, he did this to you then," she gestured to the blood and bruises, Draco turned away, "because you hadn't brought me back yet,"

"Yeah," he said. Suddenly, he became aware of Hermione's arm around his neck, her head buried in his chest. He looked down and didn't know exactly what to do.

"Thank you," she whispered, "for telling me this,"

Draco felt ashamed, he had been keeping this from her all along, when Blaise was right, he should have told her from the start, or at least someone, "I didn't know what I was going to do, so I separated myself from you, I thought I was protecting you,"

"How can driving me worried for over two weeks be protecting me," Hermione scolded, but then apologized at seeing Draco's hurt reaction, "you have to tell someone," she said.

"I did," Draco muttered.

"I don't count," Hermione said, "Draco, this is serious, one of us could get hurt,"

"Well, what do you want me to do," Draco snapped.

"You could tell Dumbledore,"

Draco knew he owed it to her to tell someone, besides, he would be protecting her even more, "I will think of something," he pushed himself away from Hermione and clutched his ribs.

"Draco," Hermione said worry sown into her words, "you should get checked out,"

"I have some potion," Draco said, "I'll feel better by tomorrow," he began to walk away.

"Draco," Hermione called as he reached the doors, Draco sighed and stopped, "the winter holidays start on Monday,"

Draco nodded; like he didn't know that already. He proceeded out the door.

Hermione stood silently for a moment, she contemplated on telling a professor, or Harry and Ron, but, she was sure he would tell someone himself. She trusted him to do the right thing. Still, as she walked through the corridors, she became a bit paranoid as if Lucius, or even Draco was going to jump out at her, it was a relief to see Ron and Harry finally.

Draco stood in his room, he couldn't tell anyone, no, he would do this his own way, and it would not involve Hermione. He walked slowly over to his bed and lay down. He did love her, but maybe their love was something that could never happen, maybe it was his destiny to become a splitting image of his father to only be killed by the Order themselves, or locked up in Azkaban for the rest of his life.

As he thought about this, he came to a decision; he probably would not survive his winter holiday. He was going to do something, he never imagined ever doing, he was going to go against his father's wishes.

A/N- I am so sorry for making you all wait, but I swear, I wrote pages and pages of crap before I came up with this, I am sorry if you don't like it, if you have any suggestions, you are welcome to share! LPI3