"Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger. I was wondering if I would see you today." Dumbledore said with a slight smile.
The two students shared a look, Draco looked paler than ever.
Hermione was the first to speak. "Sir, we need help. Well, Draco needs help."
"Headmaster, I need a way out." He mumbled lowly.
Dumbledore took Draco in for a moment. He was hoping that this would happen. He always had faith that Draco could be saved. "Mr. Malfoy why don't you tell me what's going on."
The silver-eyes boy seemed to be looking right through the older wizard. "He marked me, Sir. I didn't have a choice And...and he gave me a task. Something I have to do or he'll kill her. He'll kill my mother unless..."
"Unless you kill me." Dumbledore finished.
Dracos mouth dropped. "How..how did you know?"
"I told you, Draco. He just knows things." Hermione said.
There was the smallest of smiles on Albus' face. "Mr. Malfoy I can protect you, the Order can protect you. But you need to understand that there is no neutral side. A war is coming and you either stand with the Dark Lord or you oppose him. I'm afraid there's not much room for in-between. I need to know that you will be prepared to stand up against Voldemort and against your father."
"I will fight for any side that keeps my mother safe."
Hermione flinched. Deep down she was hoping that something in him changed. But it was just about survival.
"Mr. Granger, please wait before you pass judgment." Dumbledore said softly.
She felt her face heat up and looked done at her lap. "Yes, Sir."
"Draco, I understand your wish to protect your mother. But if she has no desire to step away from the Dark Lords agenda, then I'm afraid we can't do much. The Order wants to protect as many people as possible but we cannot put ourselves and our mission in danger. So I ask you, Would your mother be willing to step away from all of that?''
Draco nodded quickly. "She doesn't agree with it, Sir. She has some reservations about muggle-borns and half-bloods, but she wants to understand. She is only working with the Dark Lord because my Father made her and she wants to protect me. I trust her, that she would break all connections."
Dumbledore looked at Draco for a moment and then nodded. "What I need from you is to send an owl to your mother. Get her to Hogwarts and we can sit down and discuss the future and some options. In the meantime, I think it is wise to stick close to Ms. Granger. As for you Ms. Granger, I advise against telling anyone what is going on. However, I have a strong feeling Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley will find out."
"Sir, I don't relish the thought of keeping something so important from them. But I'm really not sure if they would believe Draco and want to help." She admitted.
"Childhood feuds...they can run deep. However, we are in a time where those feuds need to be forgotten. There are more important matters at stake. Give them time and a reason to believe, and they will come around."
The young Gryffindor nodded and glanced at Draco. He was gathering his things with a blank expression on his face.
"You two are dismissed. We will get things figured out. And...thank you for coming. Draco, this took a lot of courage." DUmbledore said with a smile.
Draco nodded and then left, following Hermione out of the office.
"Potter and Weasley won't believe any of this, you know that. They'll hex me to bits."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "They have all the reasons in the world not to trust you. So you need to give them a reason to change their minds."
Just as Draco was about to respond, the two Gryffindors came around the corner. The looks on their faces showed Draco that he a lot of work to do.
"Hermione! Are you okay? You missed first period. What did the ferret do?" Ron yelled.
Harry scowled at the blonde boy. "Get away from her, Malfoy."
"Stop it both of you. We were actually coming to find you, we need to talk. Now." Hermione said firmly.
"Just let me explain myself." Draco sighed.
Harry and Ron glanced between each other but Hermione gave them a pleading look.
"Well let's go I haven't got all day." Draco scoffed.
He stalked off and Hermione quickly followed, urging Harry and Ron to come. The four arrived back at the empty corridor and Draco summoned the door to the Room of Requirement. This time when they walked in, there was no fireplace or couches. Just an empty table.
"Give me your wand, Malfoy." Harry ordered.
Hermione thought about protesting, but Draco could still be playing games. Better to be safe. She thought that he would make a fuss about surrendering his wand, but he very willingly handed it to Harry.
"Now what the bloody Hell is going on?" Ron asked. "Hermione why were you so willing to follow him?"
She was thinking about the best way to respond when Draco spoke up."I needed help and I didn't know who else to go to. Hermione is helping me. And Dumbledore and the Order. I don't want to follow the Dark Lord or my father."
Harry shook his head. "What are you playing at? You expect us to believe that you've turned a new leaf?"
"Even if it's true why would we help you?" Ron sneered.
Hermione instantly got angry. "Ronald! He will die if he is found out. His mother will die. I don't care what past someone has, they don't deserve death. Especially by Voldermort!"
Harry gasped. "You believe him? Hermione, did he threaten you?"
He raised his wand to Draco and Ron quickly backed him up.
"This is getting nowhere." Draco said, gathering his bag. "Nevermind I said anything."
"No, stop" Hermione yelled. "Yes, I believe him. And Dumbledore does too. We already spoke to him!"
Harry shook his head. "I don't believe it and I won't. He's up to something this year. Why else would we have seen him at Borgin and Burkes. He's trying to trick us, Hermione!"
SHe couldn't hold back her laugh. "Do you really, honestly believe that Draco could trick Dumbledore? Please, Harry, listen to yourself."
"Draco? You're using his given name?" Ron questioned.
Draco felt his fists clench and before he knew it, the words were out of his mouth. "He wants me to kill Dumbeldore....he ordered me to kill him this term. If I don't he'll kill my mother and probably me shortly after. I don't want to do that. I can't do that."
Silence erupted in the room. Hermione knew already, but couldn't believe he blurted it out to the other boys. Harry and Ron were shocked that he admitted Voldemorts plan to them. Draco was shocked that he confided in Potter and the Weasel.
"How do we know you're not lying? This could easily be part of your plan. Trying to get us to gain your trust." Harry countered.
Ron nodded in agreement.
"I'm not going to stand here and beg for your trust. I know I don't deserve it. But really, I don't need your trust. Hermione trusts me and Dumbledore trusts me. That's all I really need. Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard around and Hermione is well on her way to being that. I don't need the likes of you. I only agreed because she wanted you included. Now give me my wand so I can get out of here."
Harry skeptically gave him his wand and Draco stalked out. Hermione felt drawn to him once more.
"Stay here." SHe ordered.
She ran out to stop Draco quickly. "Why did you use my given name?"
He stopped and turned around. "Well...it is your name why wouldn't I use it?"
"You've only ever called me Granger or...or mudblood."
"I have no qualms about blood or purity. I told you, I don't want to be like my father." With that, he turned around once more and was gone.
She returned to the room to see Harry and Ron glaring.
"What's your problem?" She snapped.
"Our problem??" Ron yelled. "You think we have the problem? You're fraternizing with the enemy!"
Harry nodded in agreement. "Hermione you are the brightest witch in this generation. How could you possibly be dumb enough to fall for whatever he's planning."
She was fuming. "If I'm the brightest witch then maybe you're the dumb ones for not believing me. You weren't there! You didn't see his eyes. You didn't see the fear and desperation he showed me. I saw real feelings in him. And I don't care who he is. We are on this path to save the entire wizarding world from the darkest wizard of our time. We don't get to pick and choose who to save. That's not how hero's work and if you think it is, then you are no hero to me."
She was gone after that. Part of her felt terrible, so guilty, for taking Draco's side over theirs. But it was right. They couldn't let Draco or his mother die for wanting to leave the side of evil. She hoped the would come around as Dumbledore said, but she wasn't so sure they would.