Chapter 51
No Title

Author's Note: I am very sorry that I haven't been able to update sooner than this. My home computer is not working correctly, so I had to go to the library. I don't normally write chapters at the library, but I decided to write this one.

It took about forty minutes to get back down the mountainside trail. While he was walking with Hermione behind Draco, Ron kept looking around, thinking that Draco was not alone. When they were nearly at the end the trail, Hermione had finally noticed what Ron was doing.

"Ron?" Hermione whispered, "What are you doing?"

"What?" Ron whispered. He looked at Draco, then back to Hermione and said, "I am not doing anything."

"Yes, you are," Hermione whispered, "You keep looking around."

"I just can't help but feel that we are not alone," Ron whispered, looking over his shoulder.

"Malfoy didn't bring anyone with him," Hermione said.

"How do you know?" Ron said in a little more than a whisper. He sighed and looked up at Draco who was still looking forward as he followed Harry and Ginny down the path. "How do you know Malfoy wasn't lying?" Ron said, lowering his voice back to a whisper, "After what has happened for six years, do you honestly think we can trust him now?"

"I think we have to trust him, Ron," Hermione said, "I think Harry trusts him, if only a little bit. So we should trust Malfoy as well."

Ron sighed again and was about to say something, but Draco spoke up.

"Hey!" Draco said, "I thought I told you all to come alone! What is that oaf doing here?"

Ron looked down the path and noticed that they could indeed see Hagrid and the carriage at the end.

"We needed a lift," Harry said, "We couldn't get up to the cave if we had come any other way. He will be our ride back to the castle."

"No way," Draco said, stopping in his tracks, "I am not going anywhere with that big oaf!"

"Call him that again, Malfoy," Harry said, turning around, "And you won't have to worry about it."

"Is that a threat, Potter?" Draco said.

"Listen, Malfoy," Harry said, "Our beginning deal was that we would go to the cave and get Hermione. But now that the deal has changed, the circumstances have changed. You will go with us into that carriage and we will go to the castle, and there will not be any more trouble. Do you understand, Malfoy?"

Draco paused and looked at Harry. He then looked around at the others. He scoffed. "Fine, Potter," he said, "Yeah... I understand."

"You'd better not hope you don't change your mind, Malfoy," Harry said.

"I don't think you want to be making threats right now, Potter," Draco said, "You see, I know something that you don't know. And if you want me to tell you, then you will not threaten me anymore."

"Spit it out, Malfoy," Harry said, "What haven't you told us."

"I knew we weren't alone," Ron said, "He has someone following us."

"I do not, Weasel-bee," Draco said, rolling his eyes, "I told the truth from the beginning. I came here to save myself and get away from my father. I would have known if someone was following me. No one is following us, I assure you."

"Then what haven't you told us?" Harry said.

"Only that I think you need to make a little stop before we go to the castle," Draco said, "You see, I was really hoping that no one would get hurt. But complications arose. I had to go into the Three Broomsticks to find a fireplace to contact you and that hag Rosmerta showed up."

"What did you do?" Ron asked.

"I just stunned her, Weasel-bee," Draco said, "Relax. I couldn't have her alerting everyone in Hogsmeade, or my plan wouldn't have worked. You can wake her up now."

"Then I suggest we get going," Harry said.

Harry and Ginny started walking, and Draco followed them. As Ron walked behind them with Hermione, he noticed that Hermione had taken out her wand.

"What are you doing?" Ron whispered.

But Hermione hadn't heard him. She pointed her wand at Draco. "Stupefy!" she yelled.

The spell hit Draco in the back, and he fell to the ground, stunned.

Harry and Ginny turned around. Both looked at Draco, then up to Hermione.

"Hermione!" Ron said, "What in the bloody hell did you do that for?"

"I felt he was going to be a problem," Hermione said, "Besides, I have wanted to do that since he kidnapped me."

Harry and Ron snickered, but Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Someone has to carry him now," she said, "We are still one-hundred yards from the carriage."

"You do it, Ron," Harry said.

"What?" Ron asked in a whine.

"It was your girlfriend who stunned him," Ginny said.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Thanks a lot, Hermione," he said, grumbling.

Hermione just looked pleased.

Ron picked Draco up and, with a bit of trouble, put him over his shoulder. It took them about ten minutes (Ron was moving slowly cause of Draco) to get to Hagrid and the carriage.

"What happened ter 'im?!" Hagrid said at the sight of Draco.

"Ask her," Ron grumbled, nodding to Hermione as he dropped Draco on the ground, a little harder than he intended.

"I stunned him," Hermione admitted, "He kidnapped me! I couldn't let him get away with it!"

"Well, put 'im in da carriage," Hagrid said, "We won't wake 'im up till we reach da castle. Probably better tha' he is like this anyway."

"Oh, Hagrid," Harry said, as Ron picked up Draco again, and put him in the carriage, "We need to go to the Three Broomsticks."

"We don't got time fer a drink!" Hagrid said.

"No," Harry said, "Draco stunned Madam Rosmerta. We have to revive her."

"Why in blazes did he do that fer?" Hagrid said, looking at Draco's unconscious form.

"Apparently she got in the way," Harry said.

"Well, then we'd better get goin'," Hagrid said, "Get yerselves into da carriage, the lot o' ya."

Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny piled into the carriage, making their way around Draco.

"Get goin'!" Hagrid ordered the threstral.

The carriage started up again, and they made their way into Hogsmeade and up to the Three Broomsticks. Ron and Harry walked into the Three Broomsticks and found Madam Rosmerta inside the front door, unconscious. Harry took out his wand and pointed it at Madam Rosmerta.

"Ennervate," he said.

Madam Rosmerta's eyes blinked open and Harry and Ron helped her sit up.

"I was attacked!" Rosmerta said, "Draco Malfoy! He's somewhere around here."

"Relax, Madam," Ron said, "It is okay. We have him. We are taking him up to the castle."

"Oh," Rosmerta said, "Did he take anything from here?"

"No," Harry said, "He just wanted to use one of your fireplaces. I think you'd better get some rest. We need to go back to the castle."

"Do you need to me to take you?" Rosmerta asked.

"No," Harry said, "We are with Hagrid."

"Oh, okay," Rosmerta said, "Well, thank you for helping me."

"You are welcome," Ron said, turning to Harry, "We had better get going."

Ron and Harry left the Three Broomsticks and went back into the carriage. The carriage started again and twenty minutes later, it arrived at Hogwarts gates.

"Coast is clear," Hagrid whispered, "No sign o' aurors."

"Reckon we should wake him up?" Hermione asked, nodding at Draco.

"I am not carrying him again," Ron said.

"We had better wake him up, yeah," Harry said, taking out his wand and pointing it at Draco, "Ennervate!"

Draco blinked and opened his eyes.

"What?!" Draco said, "Who stunned me?!"

"I did," Hermione said, "And you deserved it, you git!"

"We are at Hogwarts now, Malfoy," Harry said, "We have to get into the castle before any aurors see us."

Draco sighed. "You are lucky I want to get this over with," he muttered.

"Let's get going," Ginny said, "I would hate to get caught."

Everyone left the carriage and hurried toward Hogwarts. It took them ten minutes to get inside the castle, and another twenty to get up to the McGonagall's office. They knocked on the door.

"Come in," McGonagall said.

Harry opened the door, and Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Draco followed him in.

"Oh, good, Miss Granger is safe," McGonagall said, then realized Draco was there, "You brought him back with you?"

"Draco has requested to talk with you, Professor," Harry said.

"What is this about, Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall asked, looking at Draco.

"I need your help, Professor," Draco said, "When I spoke to Dumbledore before he died, he said he could get me help if I came back to your side, to the good side. Well, I ask that you help me."

"What is it that you want from me, Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall asked.

"I need you to help me get into a safe-house," Draco said, "Where no one can find me. I don't care what you have to do. Get the Order to help me. Get me a Secret-Keeper."

"You don't want your parents to know?" McGonagall asked.

"No," Draco scoffed, "I tried to get them to come with me. They just hurt me in the end."

Draco showed McGonagall the injury on his stomach.

"What will you give me in return?" McGonagall asked.

"In return?" Draco said.

"You escaped months ago with known Death Eaters, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said, "You kidnapped a student of mine. You obviously know where Death Eaters are hiding. I want information. I am not going to put you in a safe-house without a reason to do so. You have to give me that reason."

"I will give you information then," Draco said.

"Good," McGonagall said, before turning to Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, "You will hear from me tomorrow. For now, I want you all to return to the Common Room. You have been in for a rough night. I wish to speak to Draco alone."

"Alone?!" Harry said, "Professor, do you trust him enough to do that?"

"Yes, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said, "I do. Now... please leave my office."

Harry was about to speak again, but just sighed.

"Come on, guys," Harry said to Ron, Hermione and Ginny, who followed him out of the office.

"What do you think Malfoy will give McGonagall?" Ron asked.

"Enough information to get him into safety," Hermione said, "I think he just wants to be put into a safe-house away from his parents. He can't trust them anymore."

"So you really think he is on our side now?" Ginny asked.

"Only time will tell," Harry said.

------------------------------------------------------
Weird way to end a chapter, but I decided to end it that way. There will be a lot more to this story, and a bit more with Draco. You will find out what he tells McGonagall and what McGonagall is deciding to do. Also... Harry has some thoughts brewing inside his mind and his plan will come out. Surprises will come with this...

I am not sure when I will get the next chapter up, but I hope you liked this one!

Feedback is welcomed!