Hello all! I'm back again and eager to start launching into the next parts of our story! Looking forward to hearing what you all are thinking!


"Couldn't Narcissa and Draco both stay at my house?" Eleanor wondered idly aloud to Harry as she lay across the end of his bed and he worked on summer homework. Harry's least favorite topic was the Malfoy family, he'd never said "I told you so," however he thought it every time Eleanor fret over the future of the two who remained out of prison.

"Isn't all of your money going to be there come the end of summer?" Harry reminded, not looking up at her. Eleanor furrowed her brows.

"I mean, if Narcissa is safe, she won't sell me out." She attempted to reason.

"She's still got a sister and a husband not in the safe house." Harry sounded bored and annoyed with her, but Eleanor couldn't stop thinking out loud. Remus' lesson about her mother was not lost on her, she knew what he was trying to do but she wouldn't abandon Draco when he needed her most.

"Why would she protect them? She knows what they did."

"Why would Draco protect her even if he knew it was wrong?" Harry countered. "Eleanor, please, I'm bored talking about this."

"Sorry," Eleanor huffed, not at all sorry. "Just the future of my boyfriend and his mother hangs in the balance, and it's kind of on my mind a lot."

"You'd tell me, right?" Harry questioned, finally turning around. "You'd tell me if he became a Death Eater."

Eleanor didn't know how to respond to this because she didn't know if she would tell Harry, or anybody. Everyone in her life would be against her. She should have been against it, after what his Death Eater family did to her parents. But she understood Draco, he was keeping his mother safe. A sneaking voice in the back of her head asked if the same understanding could be extended to Lucius and even Bellatrix. Eleanor shook the thought loose. They had a choice in the first place, during the first war. They didn't have to pledge their allegiance to Him, they could have said no, but because they didn't, now Draco couldn't.

"I'm concerned that you aren't answering." Harry gave her a quizzical look.

"I'm not even thinking about that, all of my energy is going to protecting him and his mother so that doesn't happen." Eleanor snapped, "So maybe it would be in your best interest to at least act like you care."

"I care about you, not him." Harry clarified. Eleanor didn't want to be a brat, so she did not point out to Harry that caring about her was by extension caring about Draco. "Do the Malfoys not have a second home somewhere?" Harry pondered. "They have enough money."

"They do have a cabin on the coast somewhere, but I've only heard Draco mention it once or twice. They don't spend too much time there."

"Couldn't they go there, maybe put up some protection spells?" Harry tried to figure it out. "It isn't like she works, she could disappear and the only person who would be able to tell would be Voldemort." Eleanor ignored the unnecessary dig about Narcissa's lack of employment and saw a real possibility.

"That could work. The two of them don't have to disappear together. Draco couldn't drop off the face of the earth without the Ministry badgering him about going to school, but Narcissa could."

"Would she?" Harry pressed. "I mean, for all her flaws, she loves Draco too much to just let him go."

"You don't know Narcissa well enough to speak on her flaws, Harry." Eleanor shot quickly. "She does love Draco, but I think she will see reason. Her staying puts Draco at a greater risk. At school, he will be protected."

"Can we trust her to not run back to Voldemort?" Said a sudden voice from the door. Eleanor and Harry spun to see Sirius standing with an uncharacteristically serious face.

"If she believes that Draco will be safe, I think we can." Eleanor answered.

"Will she believe it?" Sirius continued.

"Will he be safe?" Eleanor countered.

"He can stay here. Me and Remus have wanted that for awhile. Voldemort can't touch him here, and he can't touch him at school. If these are the only places he is, we can ensure his safety. And yours, by extension."

"I'll talk to them."


"Do you think she will see reason?" Eleanor fretted, wringing her hands together in the parlor of Malfoy Manor. She was uncomfortable within the walls, she hadn't been there since before she knew about Lucius' treachery. She couldn't help but think about how vulnerable she had been living under the same roof as the man who plotted the downfall of both her and her precious parents.

Draco reached over and grabbed her nervous hands in his. "I believe my mother will understand that her staying here risks my safety." Draco looked as if there was something he wasn't saying, which put Eleanor more on edge. With her hands that she usually wrung and shook with anxiety now filled with Draco's comforting hands, she began to grind her teeth to release excess worry. "Love, please stop that." Draco murmured lowly.

"Sorry, I'm just a little on edge." Eleanor snapped at him.

"Did you ever stop and think that I might be on edge about all of this too? I mean, I am the one who is being forced to wait and see if the Dark Lord is going to try to kill my family to pressure me into becoming a danger to the girl I'm in love with."

"I know, I know." Eleanor replied sharply. "I'm sorry. It just feels like we are running out of options."

"That's really encouraging, El." Draco rolled his eyes, voice dripping with sarcasm that annoyed Eleanor greatly.

When Narcissa walked into the room, Eleanor could tell a noticeable difference in her weight. Her collarbones stuck out sharply, her eyes seemed to sink into her skull. Her normally polished attire was replaced with a baggy sweater and jeans. Eleanor could not recall a time she had seen Narcissa ever wear jeans. Upon a closer look, she realized that the sweater she wore was Draco's from a year or two before that he had grown out of. Eleanor was shocked by her thick layers, her and Draco were both clad in summer clothes to avoid the heat. Narcissa looked as though it was the dead of winter.

"Draco," She cried, her eyes red as she approached them. "Eleanor! Oh my how things have gotten so mixed up!" Eleanor wanted to scream at her then. It didn't take long for her temper to flare beyond control. Draco sensed Eleanor's back stiffening and squeezed her hand tightly to shut her up. If they wanted this plan to work, Narcissa had to trust them. "Where have you been?" She sniffled to her son.

"That's not important, I've been safe." Draco assured.

"We need to talk about that." Eleanor continued for him. Draco shot her a look that said she should have eased into it a bit more. But it was said, and Eleanor didn't regret trying to get the show on the road. She wanted to be out of this house and have her mind be at least a little at ease.

"I don't want you to feel unsafe here…" Narcissa trailed, looking miserable and helpless.

"Mother," Draco started. "You can't live here anymore. He knows you're here."

"We can't just leave." Narcissa spluttered, her eyes becoming manic. "N-no, no." She shook her head hard. "You're father, he needs us."

"What does he need from us?" Draco tried to keep his voice gentle. "He's in Azkaban. His trial has come and gone, there is nothing we can do for him now."

"My family-"

"They are all Death Eaters." Draco cut her off. "If you don't want me to join him, then you need to be out of reach. I would only serve him to keep you safe."

"Where would we even go?" Narcissa demanded. "This is irrational, you can't just run away."

"The house on the coast. If you put up protection spells, you could stay hidden there. Mother, please, we need to keep you safe, and that means away from him."

"You still have the Trace on you, and you need to attend school. We will take the risks we need to so that you might succeed in life." Narcissa said stubbornly. Eleanor could have rolled her eyes but didn't. Instead she gave a small, reassuring squeeze to Draco to give him the courage to deliver the final blow.

"I won't be going with you." Draco let out, so quiet it was almost a whisper.

"What?" Narcissa asked. "And where do you suppose you'll be?"

"At Hogwarts, and with Eleanor. Either place I'll be safe."

Narcissa stared back blankly. Eleanor couldn't read her face at all, she looked like a poorly sculpted wax figure of the woman Eleanor once knew. "You're too young to be living with your girlfriend. You aren't married." Narcissa finally let out with no tone to her voice.

Draco's eyes bore into his mother's. In a million years, he never expected that to be the answer. "Mum, I think this is a little more complicated than living together out of wedlock." Narcissa continued to shake her head, refusing to listen.

"No. I won't have it, I won't have that sin on my hands." Her lips were trembling but the rest of her face stayed blank. Eleanor watched Draco closely as his mouth fell open. All gentleness from before left his eyes.

"You are being ridiculous." He said firmly. "If I become a Death Eater, I will have to hunt down and kill people, force my girlfriend to marry me and give all of her family fortune to a cause neither of us support, and torture innocent people. You're worried that people will think if I am secretly living with Eleanor that that will be the greatest shame that can come upon this family name? I will not become my father, I do not wish to be like him and for some reason you still want me to be." His voice grew in volume now, his face red from anger.

"Do not speak about your father that way." Narcissa shot back. "He was doing what he could to protect you both, he is a good man!" Eleanor's hand clamped down instinctively at mention of Lucius' 'goodness' and immediately regretted it as it seemed to push Draco's anger at his mother further.

"A good man would not have done what he did. He was offered a way out and he didn't take it, a good man would have. Let me be the man he wasn't by taking the way out. Let me protect this family in the way he couldn't." Draco was breathing hard, keeping his eyes fixed on his mother who was shrinking under his gaze.

Narcissa was silent for awhile. She gave nothing away, she just sat with a blank face. Eleanor was going crazy trying to figure out what she was thinking and Draco's breath was still heavy as he attempted to reconcile with what his true feelings for his father was.

"I can't go to the coast." Narcissa finally breathed out. Eleanor and Draco crumpled.

"Mother…" Draco began to beg, tears nearly forming. He was terrified of what the future held.

"I want to. Well, I don't want to, but I know I must. But Bellatrix knows about it. She'll suspect it."

"The protection spells—"

"My Magic is too weak, His is far too strong. They will get to me." She put her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do."

Draco looked at Eleanor desperately, they needed something. Then it dawned on her.

"Malibu. M-my mother loved Malibu when she was younger, my father bought a cottage there. We went once and I hated the waves, they scared me so my parents never returned. I was looking in my father's office a few weeks ago and saw the deed for it still. Go there. No one knows it's there." Eleanor spilled out before fully thinking it through. "It's surrounded by Muggles, no one will know who you are so you'll be free to roam. It could be like a vacation really, by the beach every day."

Narcissa and Draco looked at Eleanor and neither said a word. Draco was so grateful for her help, but wouldn't dare let himself hope he was in the clear. He couldn't force his mother to leave, and he knew that he wouldn't have the will power to ignore her if she stayed - no matter how much he disagreed with the cause.

"Can I bring an owl to write you?" Narcissa asked quietly.

"It's probably best to use the Muggle mail system, and to talk in code, just in case." Draco admitted. "We can use their lack of knowledge on Muggles against them."

"But I don't have any Muggle knowledge either." Narcissa sounded defeated.

"I know someone who does." Eleanor told her reassuringly. "I'll ask if they can write up some tips for you." Narcissa looked more crumpled by the moment. Draco's heart broke at the sight of his disheveled mother, but he knew it was the only way. The further she was, the safer they both were.

"Mum," Draco said softly, reaching out to take her hand in his, "you're doing the right thing, you're keeping us safe, and you're keeping yourself safe. When this is all over, we'll be together again."

"I'll leave tomorrow night, I just need to pack a bit and get things in order. Will one of you exchange some galleons for Muggle money." Narcissa found her conviction in the reassurance of her son.

"I can do that." Eleanor offered. "I'll leave you two for the night and be back tomorrow evening."

Narcissa fetched her a large bag of galleons and gave her a swift hug, whispering into her ear before she left. "I hope I can make you proud of us again."


Draco silently packed alongside his mother. They determined that she could only take what was necessary, and it was frustratingly amusing to watch his mother try to decide what was and wasn't important.

"Once they realize I've gone, this house won't be safe for you. They'll start using it as headquarters, remember that." Narcissa told him. "If your father gets out, don't tell him where I am, just tell him I love him." She then turned to him holding a long, winter robe. "Do you think I'll need this?"

"I think you are going to be very hot, and stick out like a sore thumb." Draco teased. "Only bring summer clothes, you're going to be living on the beach."

Narcissa was flustered as she ran around the house trying to hide things of value that she couldn't take with her, giving some to Draco to store in Cordarri Castle, and ordering the House Elves to make sure this Manor never looked abandoned. Draco watched his mother with fascination. She was a complicated woman, every quality seemed to juxtapose the other. She was so resentful of leaving, but trying to do it as quickly as possible. She was upset at Draco for asking her to not be in his life, but so relieved that he had figured out a way to stay safe. She was soft and feircesome, kind and ruthless, put together and also a mess.

"Draco," Narcissa let out softly in the parlor in the early morning hours, her four bags that she had proven she could hold onto and Apparate with at the same time were scattered around her, all messily packed to the brim. "I'm so sorry that we have let you down."

Draco didn't know how to respond to this so he remained quiet for a moment. "It's all going to work itself out. I just need you to be safe."

"I wish you would have known him before." Narcissa continued, her eyes welling up in tears. "Before the war, before he got mixed in with all of this. He wasn't without flaws, but he was good, there was no denying it." Draco cringed for a moment, not wanting to speak about the man who had gotten them into this mess in the first place. "He loves you so much. Everything he did was to protect you. Maybe he went about it wrong, but he loves you."

"It's hard to believe that after all he has done." Draco admitted.

"I know." Narcissa whispered. "Darius and Olga, they were the best thing to ever happen to us. He shouldn't have betrayed them. Those two people did more for us than anyone else ever did. I hope that you can repay them on our behalf by taking care of their daughter."

"That's the plan, Mum." Draco half smiled.

"Be a gentleman to her, remember your manners." Narcissa chided.

"Only if she does." Draco joked in return.

The two continued to talk, and Narcissa would offer him random pieces of advice or information. Draco had a large pile of things to take back to Cordarri Castle after his mother had left, documents and contracts and other important artifacts and information that didn't need to be lost. Eleanor returned in the evening with a large amount of Muggle money. Larger - Draco suspected - than the sum of what Narcissa gave her to work with. He assumed she put a large amount of her own money into this trip for his mother. She also had a few rolls of parchment in her hands.

"Alright, so I have your money. My Muggle intel wrote down how the money works, though the American system is a little different but if you pretend to be a tourist they should help you out. There is also information on the mail system, we will get Draco a post office box in Hogsmeade when we return to school. A lot of the Muggle born students use them so their parents don't have to deal with the owls. I'll have him send the first letter so you know when to start. There is some other information in here like how to use a television and things that all Muggles know how to do. I also packed some of my mother's favorite books for you to read while you're there." Eleanor was trying to give her all of the information she could in as little time as possible.

Narcissa looked overwhelmed at everything Eleanor handed to her, and simply hugged the girl she had watched grow up with sorrow, gratitude, guilt, and hope. "Thank you." She whispered. "You're just like her."