Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other recognizable works or characters.

A/N: Another little chapter for you! Enjoy!

Chapter 21

Draco
past

The plan was simple enough, laid out in such a way that Draco would look suspicious without actually doing anything illicit- as Potter had taken to reminding him not to do. Putting the plan into action so that they would attract the attention of whomever was behind the attacks while avoiding Granger's wrath, however, was a different story entirely.

This was how Draco found himself standing on Potter's doorstep, waiting for him to answer the door and feeling wholly unnerved. Of course he had been here before, with Granger, but coming alone- to visit Potter of all people- was something completely out of his comfort zone.

"Ah, Malfoy, was wondering if you would show," Potter said suddenly, pulling him out of his reverie as the bespectacled man opened the front door.

"I said I would, didn't I?" Draco muttered, following the man inside the large foyer and shrugging off his cloak.

"Er- right," Potter said, "We don't have much time, 'Mione should be here soon for dinner-"

Draco steeled himself and gave a curt nod, "Let's get on with it then."

Potter, to his credit, became slightly less awkward as he led him through the house and into the kitchen and Draco nodded at the men already sitting at the table, ignoring the red haired and equally as red faced weasel sitting farthest from the door.

"Mister Malfoy," a pudgy man with a receeding hairline said jovially at his entrance, "So glad you could make it, if you wouldn't mind taking a seat and we can get right down to business."

Draco did as he was told, sitting down in the empty chair in front of him and pulling the cup of tea towards him. Potter slid into the seat at the head of the table then and nodded his head as he began, pulling out his wand and tapping the table once as a map appeared out of nowhere. "As I previously discussed with Malfoy, tomorrow at first light he will find his way to Knockturn alley. You two will be located here, and here," he pointed his finger at the two shops on either side of the alley, "You will discreetly trail Malfoy while maintaining a safe distance. While myself and auror Weasley tail…closer."

Draco nodded, remembering the cloak that Potter had that would allow the two to follow at his side.

"How can you be sure that whoever is doing this will even try anything Potter? It could be a waste of our resources." Another wizard asked, his dark brows furrowed in question.

"We can't, you're right Auror Broadmoor." Potter nodded, "However, Auror Weasley has spread the word that the auror department and the minister sided with his team on closing the Malfoy and Zabini case. He's been working to make sure that everyone in the ministry knows it too. It's our hopes that this will encourage those behind the attacks that it's safe to strike again."

"And if they don't?" the stubby man from before asked.

"Well, that's where Malfoy comes in," Potter explained. "It's our hopes that in having Malfoy acting… questionable it will lead whoever this is out of hiding."

"And how are you covering for these sudden change in actions?"

Potter opened his mouth to speak but instead Draco leaned forward, "That is where I come in," he said, meeting the gaze of the other two wizards in the room, still ignoring Weasley, "While in Knockturn alley I will pay a visit to Burgin where I will settle up some debts. While there I will be sure to mention how unfairly the ministry has treated me and how they can expect retribution. I will continue this trend at the other stores I visit and then finally at the pub. It's sure to get back to whomever rather quickly."

The two wizards sighed largely, as though they weren't certain but finally each gave a nod, "We'll trust you on this Potter," said the dark haired auror and Potter smiled wanly at him, accepting that before he left to show the two men out. Draco finished the last sip of his tea before he pushed his chair out from the table.

"It won't last you know," Weasley said, his voice low and dark.

Draco turned to look at him, noting the man's red rimmed eyes that were more pronounced thanks to the dark circles lining them.

"She's not in a good place right now and she'll figure it out. She'll come back-" Draco quirked a brow at the man's words. It seemed more that the weasel was talking more to himself than to Draco. "Whatever spell you've got her under, it won't last."

Draco scoffed and shook his head but bit back the retort on his tongue as he turned away from the man before him.

"Because at the end of the day, you're still one of the lot that killed her dad and drove her mother mad. You're still the filthy death eater that watched her be tortured on your living room floor. If it wasn't for Azkaban I wouldn't even think twice about-"

"Ron," Draco craned his head to see Potter standing beside him, his mouth pulled into a thin line and his shoulders stiff as he glared across the room at his best mate, "That's enough."

"No Harry, it's not!" Ron argued back, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the wand in his hand, "I don't know how you can stand there and think it's okay that this ferret is even talking to Hermione-"

"Because it's Hermione's choice Ron, not mine. Not yours. And for whatever reason…" the man sighed and glanced sideways, an apology on his face, " for whatever reason Malfoy brought her back. She hasn't- she wasn't the same but she's back now and I will never forget that it was Draco that did that. I owe him."

The man before them seethed but finally, relenting, lowered his wand and moved around the chair. He moved towards the kitchen door but stopped with his hand on the wooden surface, turning his head only enough to speak over his shoulder, "I can't do it Harry. Find yourself another lackey mate, I'm not helping him."

And with that, he was gone.

Potter groaned and moved to lean against the nearest counter, rubbing his hand down his face roughly, "He's… he hasn't been the same. After Fred-"

"You don't need to explain to me Potter." Draco said quietly, "I- I don't exactly blame him."

Potter chuckled darkly at that and moved to look at the blonde haired man before him, crossing his arms over his chest, "I didn't either- at first. I uh... I actually told Hermione to stay away from you. I thought that was why she was spending so much time with you. Because we told her not to…"

Draco smirked at that, his gaze dropping to his toes as he thought of the bushy haired witch who would so willingly go against everything her best friends, her family, told her to do.

"But I don't think that's it," Harry continued and Draco looked up to meet his soft green gaze, "Before it was like… she was a shell. The grief, of her parents, of everything. She put on a brave face, poured herself into her work but it was… it was never the same. There was something missing. Until she came here that first day. She showed up here, after, cursing your name," Harry stopped, chuckling softly before he sobered, "you lit that fire in her again. I can't fault you for anything. Not after that. Just… don't hurt her."

Draco knew then, as he stood in the kitchen of Harry Potter's home, that it was no longer a secret. Everyone else could see it too and there was no coming back.

"It's the last thing I want to do," he said softly and Harry nodded, the corner of his lips pulling up in a smirk as he reached out his hand, a truce waiting in the palm of his hand and tentatively, Draco reached out. Accepting.

Draco apparated into the foyer and slowly made his way up the steps. He wondered, as his hand slid up the banister if it was his last night to make this trek and as such, his feet grew heavier and slower.

When he made it to his room he stopped, his hand hovering over the detailed knob that would lead him to his bed and instead he turned, his feet carrying him down the dark hallway to the door at the end. His mother had moved into the room after his father had been sentenced, not able to bear being in the room that held so many memories. He could see the light filtering from under the door and he smiled to himself as he reached out to gently tap on the door.

"Come in," her soft voice called from within and he opened the door to find her sitting up in her bed, reading a book, "Oh, Draco. You're home, I wasn't sure when to expect you- what's wrong?"

He sighed as he met her eyes and she held her hand out, beckoning him closer. He obliged as he slid into the room and perched on the end of the bed.

"My boy, tell me what's wrong," she said softly and he took a deep, steadying breath before he told her everything. Of his plans, of Hermione, of his guilt at everything he had ever done wrong. When he was done she simply smiled at him and reached out, pulling him down beside her on the bed and smoothing his hair back like she had so often when he was a child. "My sweet baby."

He scoffed at that but she shushed him gently before placing a kiss on his forehead.

"I know you feel you must do this but there has to be another way," she said after some minutes of silence, "I can't- I can't lose you too."

He pulled away from her then and sat up straighter, shaking his head, "This… it's the easiest way mother. Before anyone else dies… it's the right thing to do."

She smiled then, reaching out to cup his cheek and she nodded, a lone tear rolling down her cheek. "I understand. I don't like it, but I do… I do understand."

"I just wanted you to know and… well I had an idea."

She listened as he told her of what he wanted her to do before she nodded and kissed his forehead once more, promising to act upon his wishes first thing in the morning. He wished her goodnight and tried not to think of the possibility that it was also goodbye as he walked out the door and back into his room, realizing he wasn't alone as soon as he stepped foot inside.