Draco

Draco slumped back in the nearest available seat, knowing he was in for a long, uneventful evening. Not even a rat crawled through the tunnel anymore. Members of the Order weren't just going to start on this very night. Besides, he thought, even if they did because of that shout-out, they would need at least a day to prepare. I shouldn't have to worry about this.

Harry

The door finally cracked open silently on their third try. No one knew how Neville managed it, until they found the tiny handle just beneath where the frame was. Harry stepped through first, straightening up on the other side. The room looked just like it did last time he came; a full battle room, complete with plush bean bags and bathrooms. Except, there was one difference.

"Malfoy?" The blonde boy jumped a mile in the air, grasping at his robes. He didn't make a peep, though he looked around the room as if someone were attacking him already. Harry knew what would happen once he became the normal Malfoy.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Draco's body became rigid, his legs and arms locked against his body, and he fell to the ground in a huge thud! Harry hoped the sound wouldn't attract anyone.

"How—why--where--" He gasped out through his open lips, the words coming out slurred. He couldn't even form a complete sentence out of shock. Finally, he managed to say, "Why aren't you dead?"

Harry almost laughed out loud at his enemy, who was shaking despite the curse.

"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked him, refusing to give Draco what he wanted until he got what he needed.

"I asked first. An answer for an answer?"

Harry nodded, lowering his wand. He hadn't even realized he had raised it until that moment. He took the body-bind off of Draco, thoughts running through his head at why Draco Malfoy would think of helping him, in a castle full of Death Eaters.

"I was never dead. Woke up a few days ago." Had it really been that short of time ago? "Now, Ginny?" Harry could feel eyes on the back of his head, and realized Bill and Charlie must have gotten out of the portrait.

"Ah, more Weasleys. She's down in the dungeons, though it'll be like a battlefield just to get down there. Every precaution is being taken. Why do you think I'm here?" He spread his arms wide and gestured to the filthy, dark Room of Requirements that had once been Harry's, and Draco's, home.

Draco

"How is she doing?" Harry felt himself moving closer to Draco, absorbing all this vital information. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a small voice was telling him not to trust Draco, but he ignored that part, allowing his brain to be filled with thoughts of Ginny.

Draco started laughing, but stopped himself at the three boy's expressions. "I'm taking it you've been in Hogsmeade? You tell me how you think she's been doing while you've been hiding. The Dark Lord's not exactly making it a walk in the park for her, you know." He faintly remembered the first day he walked in Ginny's cell, before she was even tortured. According to her, the Dark Lord had tortured her enough by taking 'her' Harry away. He pushed that thought to the back of his head, focusing on Potter and his two redhead bodyguards. Was this how he looked with Goyle and Crabbe all those years?

Draco backed away from Harry, who was stepping forward towards the door.

"Where the hell are you going? You'll get yourself killed." Draco was surprised the words were coming out of his mouth. Though he knew all he cared about was getting Ginny to safety, and whether that was at the hands of him or Potter didn't matter.

"I'm going to get her. And why do you care, Malfoy?" He obviously didn't feel the same way. Draco thought of the most logical excuse he could find on such short notice.

"Watching her has been keeping me in the castle. I don't have to go out on patrol each night. Instead, I get to sit here and relax." There, that sounded like something a non-love struck Malfoy would say. Harry scoffed and turned back to the door. Draco could see the two eldest Weasleys contemplating their situation. They stood in the dead center of the two fighting boys, glancing at each one before turning towards each other. Draco figured that 'twin telepathy' thing worked on all members of their family, not only the twins.

"Harry, as much as I have to admit it, I think Malfoy is right." Draco cringed at the way he said his name; it was almost if he were blaming Draco and not Potter for what happened. Harry stopped dead in his tracks, spinning around to face his friends and obviously not looking at Draco on purpose.

"What? How the hell can you think he's even telling us the truth? We shouldn't believe a word he says, and you're going to follow his battle plan?" Harry was almost yelling, though in a whisper, so his voice sounded hoarse and if he hadn't talked in years.

"Harry, it's the only chance we have. We have to trust Draco."

Sorry, this one's a little shorter than the others, but I haven't updated in so long and I figured I should get something out, and I had a good cliffhanger so I decided something's better than nothing. I'm almost done with it, and I'm working so hard to make the last few chapters REALLY REALLY good. Well, review please! I'm getting depressed b/c I'm only getting like 2 reviews a chapter, and that's not too big coming from a story that got at least 8 a chapter. So please, don't do it for me, do it to beat my other stories!! this one's currently in second to last place of my active stories (with reviews).