Kyla: Yay! I finally got it out!! lol. Anyways, well, here it is! Hey, there's actually some action going on in this chapter! Woot! Ha ha. XP So, enjoy! And don't forget to drop a review!

Draco of the Malfoy's No Longer
Chapter Fourteen
by
Kyla

The day before they were to depart for Hogwarts, the resident students at Grimmauld Place were bustling around and hurrying to finish their packing. Ginny was in search of her jumper that her mother had made her while Hermione was double checking to make sure she had everything.

Ron and Harry were both taking their sweet time, talking about the upcoming school year and Quidditch while they threw their possessions in haphazardly. The two did not even bother to properly fold their shirts or cloaks or anything. Hermione had all ready been by to see if they were packing and had tsk'ed at them, lightly scolding them before she was on her way again.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Not everyone is perfect as her," he muttered. Then, he mocked Hermione, acting like he was a Hermione panicking about something a week before it needs to be done. This earned him a laugh from Harry.

A little while later, Blaise and Draco stopped at the door to tell the two that they needed to hurry up. "Hey, you two, hurry! We have to leave soon," Blaise said. He and Draco sent one another a look of disgust at the mess that the two Gryffindor's trunks were in.

Draco shook his head with a sigh when he saw Ron struggling to get his trunk closed. "Honestly," he scoffed and marched into the room, "it is not that difficult. Everything would fit fine if you took the time to fold your clothes properly."

"Shove off, ferret," Ron grumbled, shooting a scowl at the blond.

Again, Draco sighed. He pushed Ron out of the way and opened the redhead's trunk, where he set about taking some things out and reorganizing it carefully. He folded some of the tossed in clothes, and soon, he had finished. "There you go, Weasley," he said, closing the trunk with much more ease than Ron had earlier.

"Um," Ron was dumbstruck, "thanks.. I guess..."

Draco glared at Ron. "Don't think I'm trying to be all buddy-buddy with you. I merely helped because we have to leave in a few minutes. So, hurry up," he snapped and walked back over to Blaise, who was smirking at the Gryffindors. The blond felt his friend's arm come to rest round his shoulder possessively.

"Hey, Draco," Blaise whispered into Draco's ear, "it looks like Potter might need some help as well..."

Draco glanced at Harry to see the Gryffindor using as much of his weight as possible to try and close his trunk. Sighing, the blond Slytherin walked over and tapped Harry on the shoulder. "Here, let me," he stated in a somewhat bored tone. When Harry stepped to the side rather reluctantly, the blond rearranged the mess that was Harry's trunk.

While he was organizing the Golden Boy's trunk, he noticed the state of the clothes, as well as their size. He mentally compared them to Harry's size and body type, but it was none of his business. Perhaps Harry merely enjoyed wearing loose-fitting clothing. He carefully pulled out a too-big, tatty pair of old socks from the trunk, his nose scrunched up delicately in disgust. "Must you keep things like this, Potter?" he asked, holding the socks up to show Harry.

Harry blushed lightly. Those were two of Dudley's old, worn socks that the Dursleys had "graciously" given him. Scowling, he snatched the socks from Draco's grasp and stuffed them back into the trunk. "None of your business," he said gruffly, pushing the blond gently away from the trunk to close it. "Thanks," he added distractedly as he clicked the trunk shut.

"Don't thank me, Potter," Draco said evenly, making a swift exit with Blaise as the two Slytherins headed downstairs.

"It's odd seeing Malfoy being.. well, being tolerable," Ron observed once he was sure both Slytherins were out of earshot.

"Yeah," Harry answered.

"And, um, have you noticed how Blaise acts with him?" Ron inquired, his face turning red. "You don't think that Blaise and Malfoy are... are..." He seemed to be unable to find the right words.

"Are what, Ron?" Harry asked, hoping Ron was not thinking what he thought he was thinking. Surely Ron was not suggesting what Harry thought Ron was suggesting... No, not now! I'd almost gotten that memory of Blaise and Malfoy out of my head! Don't say it, Ron. Please, don't say it..!

"Do you think they are.. going out?" Ron finally asked, his ears reddening at the thought.

Harry felt like he could just about die at that moment. "I, I don't know, Ron," he muttered, hiding his blushing face by checking to make sure he had not missed something in his hurried packing. He just had to say it, didn't he?

"That would be terrible! Can you imagine it?" Ron had a sour look on his face as he heaved his trunk up.

"Actually, I would really rather not," Harry grumbled. He followed Ron out of the room, both lugging their trunks behind them. They made it downstairs moments later to find that everyone else had gathered at the door all ready.

"It's about time," Hermione huffed, "what took you so long?"

"Sorry, Hermione," Harry apologized sincerely with an awkward smile, efficiently interrupting Ron before the redhead could start an argument. "So, are we ready to go now?" he added and stepped forward to open the door.

Then, he froze, his eyes growing wide. The others behind him peeked outside, and many gasped. For a moment, no one moved as the students plus Arthur, Molly, and Remus all stared on in shock at the group of robed Death Eaters positioned around the front yard of Grimmauld Place.

"Why, hello, Potter," a cold voice said from the Death Eater standing in front of his fellow Death Eaters.

Harry immediately recognized the voice to belong to none other than Lucius Malfoy. From the corner of his eye, he saw Draco tense in his spot standing just off to Harry's shoulder. The others looked just as terrified.

Before any of them could say anything, Lucius raised his wand, aiming straight for Harry Potter. "Avada," he began to form the words that would end the Gryffindor's life and this war. Without the Boy-Who-Lived, the rest would follow until none were left except those who supported the Dark Lord or feared him far too much to rise against Lord Voldemort. Lucius did not get to cast the spell and rid the world of one Harry Potter, however, because, at just the right moment, something happened.

Blaise, being the first to come out of his shock, jumped to action. "Get back, Potter, are you that stupid?!" he exclaimed and rushed forward. He grabbed Harry by the arm and jerked the boy back inside Grimmauld Place. Then, he hurried to shove the door close and lock it, before casting a locking charm on the door.

By the time Blaise backed off the door a little, his wand held up cautiously at the door as the Death Eaters attempted to get in, everyone else was madly chattering. Arthur, Remus, and Molly were all whispering feverishly, keeping close eyes on the door, which suddenly started to experience the crushing force of magic trying to break it down. Hermione had grabbed hold of Ron's arm almost instinctively while Harry had fell back onto his rear from when Blaise had tugged him roughly. Draco looked pale, his skin loosing more color every time there was another rebellious creak from the barely-holding door. From inside the house, they could hear the muffled voices of the Death Eaters.

"Tell me there's another way out," Blaise said in a forced but calm voice and trained his eyes on Remus Lupin as he wrapped his arms around Draco, who slumped into his fellow Slytherin's arms, legs like jelly.

Lupin looked around quickly before saying. "Right, everyone to the fireplace then," he said briskly and herded the group of people back into the kitchen, "we'll floo."

"Floo where?" Hermione asked, wearily listening for any sounds of Death Eaters.

"Floo to The Leaky Cauldron," Arthur instructed, "and once we are there, Tom and I will personally make sure this place is blocked.

"But, this is Sirius's house!" Harry suddenly entered into the conversation. "I am not letting Voldemort get this house! Who knows what he'll do to Sirius's things!" he exploded angrily and came to a halt at the kitchen doorway, scowling at the others that huddled around the fireplace.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Remus sighed, "but at the moment we need to get out. There's nothing we can do if they storm in and take control of Grimmauld Place, but we can't very well let them get any of us!" He stepped forward and grabbed Harry's arm, trying to literally pull the boy over to the fireplace.

Harry tore his arm from Remus's grip. "You mean me, right? Can't let them get me? That's what you mean.. isn't it?" He glared fiercely at Remus, then at Molly, who tried to coax him over to the fireplace.

"Come on, Harry," Hermione shrieked and gripped Ron's arm tightly. She looked at Harry with imploring eyes, begging him to hurry because that door would not keep the Death Eaters out that long. If they could find Grimmauld Place, it was only a matter of time before they got in.

There was suddenly a loud boom from upstairs as the door fell. Death Eaters stormed in, and the group in the kitchen could hear their voices and the thundering of footsteps. Molly rushed Ginny into the fireplace first, then hurried to push Ron and Hermione in as well. Though the two fought to stay and make sure Harry came with them, Arthur convinced them that he and Remus would not let Harry remain to fight all those Death Eaters and that the three of them would be along shortly. So, after some coaxing, Blaise and Draco were bustled into the fireplace, soon followed by Molly.

Remus ran over and pulled Harry further into the kitchen before immediately shutting the door. He did this while the others flooed out of Grimmauld, and he placed as many protective charms and spells on the door as he could remember. "Harry, we have to go," he said, voice stressed and eyes glimmering in a bit of a panicked way. Tugging on Harry's arm, he managed to get the stubborn boy within two feet of the fireplace, but Harry again pulled his arm out of the werewolf's grip with a defiant "no!"

It was at that moment that Death Eaters were working on getting through the door to the kitchen. Harry, Arthur, and Remus all looked at the door with wide eyes. When Harry turned to look back at Arthur and Remus, he saw them beckoning him over. Truth be told, he was terrified, but he couldn't just let the Death Eaters walk in here and take away one of the few places Harry felt safe!

Arthur held his hand out to Harry. "Harry, come on, please. I promised Ron and Hermione, as well as, Molly, that we wouldn't leave without you. If you insist on staying, so will we, and there is no possibility that we can take on the large number of Death Eaters.. Now, come on!"

"But," Harry began to speak. He was not sure of what he had planned on saying but he was interrupted by the flare of green flames in the fireplace took the three by surprise. All three instantly turned their gazes on the fireplace, half-expecting more Death Eaters to find a way to get in through the floo, but instead, Draco Malfoy stood there, pale but proud.

Draco stormed over to Harry and grabbed his arm in a bruising grip. "Enough is enough, Potter, come on!" He hauled a surprised Harry into the fireplace and hugged the Gryffindor to him before throwing some powder into the floo and exclaiming "The Leaky Cauldron!" In a rush of green flames, the two were gone.

Arthur and Remus looked at each other in momentary amazement before following, one after the other. Just as Remus disappeared into the green flames, the door gave way and Death Eaters hurried inside, spotting the fact that they had missed the group by seconds.

When they attempted to get through, they found the fireplace to be blocked, and in a fit of rage, Lucius Malfoy cast Crucio on one random Death Eater. They had failed their mission, and Voldemort would not be happy, especially not with Lucius, who was in charge of the whole thing. So, the Malfoy cursed his luck before finally ordering the Death Eaters to return with him to the Dark Lord.

Kyla: I had thought about making this chapter longer, but this is about all I could squeeze out of me today... I haven't felt that good.. Hey, maybe I should be sick more often! Ha ha, seeing as I had writer's block till today. XP Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Keep an eye out for the next chapter..! Not sure when that next chapter will be out.. sorry, ha ha. Well, guess that's all. See ya later!