NOTES:

FFN has been really wonky lately. Tonight is the first time in a couple of weeks that it has let me upload things. I highly recommend checking this story out over on AO3, where the updates are coming more regularly.

There actually aren't any trigger warnings for this chapter. Weird, right?

My beta, highlyintelligentblonde is wonderful.

I am not JK Rowling, so I don't own Harry Potter.

Monday, May 11, 1998

There was a pull in his stomach almost like the feeling of apparition but he was flying over the countryside. He was following the magic that called to him, rushing along on his broom with it stretching ever ahead of him. A beautiful song drifted back to him on the air. The magic was charming, sparkling gold, and felt like it was leading him home. It smelled of books, cinnamon, honey, and a touch of mint. There was nothing he wanted as much as to reach out and weave his hands into the magic. It danced around him, playing, teasing. But no matter how much he reached for it, he couldn't get it in his hold. He was sure it would be soft, a brush with heaven, but he couldn't move any faster toward it.

Then it was a little further away. Since he couldn't reach for it any faster, he was losing it. He could no longer feel that sense of home inside, it was now far away and he felt afraid. He couldn't hear its music. The delightful scents of the magic were only a memory. His sight was suddenly going dark as the sparkling golden magic slipped away from him. There was a deep ache and helplessness as he suddenly realized his broom was gone and he was falling. In the background, the Dark Lord and his assembled Death Eaters were watching and laughing.

Draco woke up screaming. It was so abrupt that he caught Blaise completely off guard and caused his friend to give a yelp as well. Hearing voices in the hallway, Blaise reacted before his healer training could kick in, Stupefy, he knocked Draco right back out.

"What's the brat screaming for already?" Dolohov asked with a laugh. He had flung the door open - Blaise hadn't been allowed to lock it - and was leaning against the frame with a grin. "If he's awake, he'll have something to really scream about soon enough."

Blaise was suddenly glad he had stunned his friend back down. It might set back his recovery, but better that than to be tortured again immediately. He might never recover from that.

"It appears he was having some sort of sleeping terror. Perhaps a memory of what happened. He's still out."

"When will he wake up?" Dolohov demanded.

"If I knew, I wouldn't have to babysit him so much. Please send someone to inform our illustrious hostess that her son screamed briefly. It will be my head if she doesn't know every whimper." Blaise put on a great show of rolling his eyes and acting disgusted. He had put a lot of effort into convincing everyone that he and Draco had a falling out in their friendship some time ago, that he was only attentive because the Malfoys paid him generously to be so.

Dolohov and the other guards, lesser Death Eaters, grumbled but pulled back into the hall, dropping the door behind them.

Blaise breathed out a sigh of relief. Informing Narcissa meant she would be here momentarily. He should probably ennervate Draco immediately, but he didn't want to until he had Draco's mother inside a muffling spell with them. His efforts to throw off the guards would do no good if she blew it by gushing about her baby being awake.

When the guards let the immaculate woman through a few minutes later, Blaise bowed to her and kissed her hand in greeting. "Mrs. Malfoy, your son recently screamed. I believe it was a sleeping terror of some sort. It hasn't changed his diagnostics in any way."

Narcissa looked immediately distressed. "I had hoped it might show he is closer to waking."

"Unfortunately, my lady, the diagnostics aren't able to tell us that. It is possible this is a sign he will be waking soon, but all we can do is wait." Blaise was overly aware that the guards hadn't closed the doors after letting her in and were avidly listening to the conversation. With his eyes and a tiny gesture of his hand, Blaise let Narcissa know that the doors needed to be closed.

She dropped suddenly in an anguished heap on the ground, crying prettily. Blaise rushed to her side. "I just...I can't stand to think what if he doesn't wake up, Healer Zabini!?" she wailed. Blaise began murmuring healer nonsense about the patient until he heard snickering from the door.

Narcissa was suddenly up off the floor, her face flushed with tears, "Antonin Dolohov!" she screeched his name angrily. "You will not stand in my home and make fun of my worries. He is my only son!" She put on a beautiful show, passionate and dramatic, furious when they laughed in her face. Finally, she yelled, "Stay out of my son's room," slamming the doors shut with her magic and locking them in one fell swoop.

The wards slammed into place with the locking of the doors. Blaise added a special spell Theo had taught him, to make "regular" room sounds in the wards so that it wasn't obvious they were silenced. Turning to Narcissa, Blaise heaved a sigh of relief, "He was awake."

She gasped, a tentative smile breaking through, "What happened?"

"He woke screaming. When they started to burst into the room, I stunned him back down. I can't be certain what they're waiting outside his room for, but I suspect it is nothing good."

Narcissa nodded, "They want him blamed for Theo's disappearance."

Blaise paled. "I thought everyone was punished for that a couple of days ago. There were so many wounded. Drake had been out for 5 days then. How the bloody hell can it be his fault?"

"It was his idea, you know. He convinced Lucius the prisoners would be safer at Nott Manor with Theo even before his father could be there." Her tone turned to disgust as she continued, "Lucius told our Lord so when...it looked like he might personally be singled out for more punishment." She choked up, "I honestly don't know if Draco had anything to do with it or not. Lucius...he could have just said that."

"I'm not sure what the point would have been. Drake couldn't have known the Order would get in here and have someone tell them where the other prisoners had been taken. And besides, the Order taking a prisoner can't have been his fault."

"You know the Dark Lord still hasn't forgiven him for losing Miss Granger. And for being unable to track her down." Narcissa looked even more worried. "I don't believe he trusts that Draco is on his side any longer. I fear what that means for him."

"For your whole family," Blaise whispered.

Narcissa shrugged. "I would gladly trade myself for him if he would just go."

Blaise sighed. They were both too stubborn for that. "It's time I try to wake him."

OooOooOooOooOooOooOooO

The sky rumbled again and the rain poured down around them. Ron was pacing back and forth in front of the magical cart they had loaded and ready for their mission. Finian was trying to talk some sense into him, that this just wasn't the right time, the right conditions, to find Professor McGonagall. She was in one of the better positions as far as likelihood of being unharmed, so another day wouldn't hurt.

Harry appreciated the calm capabilities of their new member. The man was like a tranquil lake in the midst of chaos. Finian had told them that he had to be, to survive surrounded by Death Eaters. Harry felt that he must have had some natural inclination toward peacefulness to begin with, but the young man had no intention of accepting praise like that from the Chosen One. That was the one thing Harry didn't like about the guy. Fin definitely hero worshipped him, even when Harry repeatedly pointed out that Voldemort got away.

Right now, Harry knew he was distracting himself thinking about Finian. He was really as frustrated as Ron, but trying not to lose it. He had a hard time admitting to himself just how much more than a teacher Professor McGonagall was to him. It was still confusing. Was she a mother figure? A friend? Did his respect for her just make her a little more special than the other Professors? He wasn't certain. She was not someone he could justify leaving as a captive, that was for sure.

Yet, the storm was raging. No one, not even a family as stupid as the Crabbes, would believe a random bakery delivery on a day like today. They had discussed saying it was from the Dark Lord for a banquet that evening at their home, but then the servants might actually alert someone and contact other Death Eaters for confirmation. That wouldn't be helpful at all.

Harry shook his head. "Ron, we've got to give it up for today. You know I don't want to either, but we can't help her in this, mate. I bet you could come up with a clever storm plan, but tonight's not the right time."

Ron glowered at him, but nodded.

"I've got a bottle of firewhiskey in my room. Let's go have a little and forget about this day."

Ron started to shake his head. "Gotta make a report."

"No, you go on with Fin," Harry told his best friend. "I'll handle the report." He wanted to spend some extra time with Ginny tonight while he had it. There were a number of information-gathering missions going on and she was supposed to be leaving on one tomorrow. Technically, he wasn't supposed to know about other people's missions, what they were doing, but he didn't know exactly.

Giving the report hadn't taken long, but the dressing down from Kingsley over going to Headmistress Sprout about their prisoner problem had taken a bit longer. Harry was still glad he had tried. For the moment, the compromise the two adults in charge had come to was that Theo was locked in a perfectly nice bedroom with a proper loo and with house elves bringing his meals. There were lights he could turn on and even a few books to read. He would be ok until the next Order meeting.

Harry could be happy now with Ginny wrapped in his arms. She had flung herself at him as soon as he walked through the common room door. All the young Gryffindors, past and present, were staying there. It was made for it, after all, and the tower had been one of the first areas restored. It had fortunately not been strongly harmed.

There were moments when Harry felt incredibly guilty about how things stood with Ginny. He kept telling her that his task wasn't complete and he couldn't let her pin her future on him until it was done. Ginny told him she would bat bogey hex him if he didn't shut up about it already. So now they were...something. They spent every spare moment together. Harry loved the innocent touches they shared, and the not-so-innocent ones they slipped in when they could get a minute alone, but those minutes were few in a castle full of peers and ever vigilant adults.

With Ron out of the room he and Harry shared, this could be a very nice chunk of alone time. Hopefully Fin would keep Ginny's brother busy for a very long time.

Harry pulled her into the room, both of them laughing over how oblivious Ron could be. As soon as they were out of the hallway, Harry caught her laughing lips with his, darting his tongue into her mouth before she could close it in surprise. Ginny's laughter quickly turned to an appreciative hum as she kissed him back with enthusiasm.

Harry ran his hands up her sides. He loved how muscular she was despite her smaller stature. She was by no means short, but she wasn't abnormally tall and scrawny like most of her brothers, leaving Harry a good few inches taller. He felt Ginny's arms go around his neck, her hands playing in his wild hair.

As they snogged, Harry was slowly backing Ginny toward the bed when she surprised him by spinning around him, shoving him playfully down onto the bed, and throwing herself half beside him and half on top of him. Harry was absolutely not complaining. They were fighting for dominance, both laughing and pushing the other back and forth when Harry decided he was going to win this time. Still rubbing up her sides, he made sure to snag the material of her shirt and pull it up as well, almost to the bottom of her breasts. Then, completely innocently, of course, Harry's hands slid sideways. He brushed just under her breasts over and over until Ginny impatiently brought his hand under the rest of her shirt to fully hold her bare breasts. She hadn't bothered to wear a bra today. She often didn't, yet her breasts were still pert and perfect. He had a handful right now, so he was quite certain he could report that accurately.

Ginny was purring beside him, and allowed him to roll mostly on top of her. He knew she must feel how hard he was, pressing so close against her, but he wasn't even embarrassed by it anymore. She seemed to relish the feel of it, since she nudged her body harder against him there, making Harry groan. Ginny giggled in return and began kissing down his neck, feeling for the bottom of his shirt so that she could rip it off of him, which she managed moments later.

While his hand switched to her other breast, Harry's other hand trailed down to her thigh. Ginny was wearing a skirt today, which he was ready to use to his advantage. He began letting his hand slide up under her skirt until he touched her damp knickers and ran his fingers up, down, and around the growing wet patch. She was panting now, and he repeated the motions that got the biggest reaction from her. She reached down and put a hand on his aching hard cock, rubbing it through his pants. When Harry could breathe enough to do so, he hooked a finger around the side of Ginny's knickers and began to pull them to the side, his fingers stroking her slowly.

"OI! Get off my sister!" Ron shouted as he stared at them incredulously from the doorway.

OooOooOooOooOooOooOooOooO

Draco was on his broom again. He was trying to outfly the Death Eaters chasing him. The magic was singing to him, that pathway of shimmering gold that would bring him home, but he couldn't follow it. It would be safety. It would be the best plan, the surest path of survival. But something inside him said it was no longer his path. He had to survive somehow in the darkness. He suddenly realized he couldn't see the Death Eaters anymore. He was on his broom in a nowhere of blackness. Pure dark in every direction, pulling at him, trying to eat away at what little brightness remained of him. Darkness ate everything.

Draco woke up panting but managed to hold back the scream. This time, too, he was able to orient himself and not get knocked back out. His eyes were greeted with the sight of his mother and best friend staring at him with worried expressions. His head was pounding and his stomach felt empty, but nothing intense enough for those expressions.

"What happened now?" he asked.

Narcissa and Blaise exchanged a look. "What's the last thing you remember?" Blaise asked.

It took Draco a minute to remember much of anything. "Voldemort and pain, mostly," he responded, "because of Granger's escape, I assume."

"That," Blaise nodded, "and the Order breaking in later that day and breaking Longbottom free."

"He tortured me for that?"

"He tortured everyone for that. I even got in on that one," Blaise said, with Narcissa confirming as well, "but you and Bellatrix received special punishment. And then Greyback was rewarded for catching a rogue auror. What he wanted was you."

What little color Draco had in his cheeks drained out and his eyes were huge. He was seconds from ripping his clothes off and checking his body when his mother reassured him, "He didn't bite you, my darling. Or do anything...repulsive," Blaise snorted behind her, that she could live with the Dark Lord, witness all his atrocities, and still just call rape something 'repulsive.'

Blaise cut in, "They - Greyback and all his friends - beat you until you were a bloody pulp on the floor. I honestly didn't know if there was enough of you left to bring back, Drake."

Narcissa was crying at the memory. Draco reached a hand out for her. Even with his pounding head, he felt well enough that it was hard to relate to what they were telling him. "I'm feeling pretty good, Blaise. You must be getting better at this healing stuff."

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Learning all the time, thank you, but a solid week is helpful for that level of damage, too."

"What!? I've been out for a week?" Draco asked, astounded. He had a hard time healing from some of their Lord's attacks on him before, even from some of his father's more intense punishments, but he had never lost consciousness for more than a day or two at most. While he took a moment to process, Blaise began running diagnostics again. A moment later, he handed Draco a pain potion, "For your head."

Draco nodded his thanks, appreciating that he hadn't needed to ask. Blaise really was an excellent healer, for all that he had been awful at first. Needs had won out for him once they were thoroughly entrenched with the Death Eaters.

"Son," Narcissa began, "a lot has happened in that week. Your father says it was your idea to move the prisoners to Nott Manor - a wise idea or they would have been here when the Order broke in."

"What? I didn't say anything about what to do with them, just that I thought it was too obvious we would keep them here. I was thinking it also made them too easy to access for the Revels. They're too important to be used up that way. And when I said that, I was hoping they would take Granger away, too. That was before I had to fight those three for her."

Blaise and Narcissa exchanged a look. "Well, they were taken to Nott Manor, just being held by Theo and a bunch of lesser guards." Blaise explained, his tone cautious. Draco had a feeling whatever came next was going to upset him. "Two days ago, all the guards were found poisoned, most of them dead and the handful still alive completely unconscious."

"No! Theo!" Draco cried. Theo didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps. He hated the man. He could easily have fled to another country if it hadn't been for Draco and Blaise staying. "He stayed for us, Blaise! He stayed for us and look what happened to him."

Narcissa was trying to hush him, but Draco was nearly in hysterics at the loss of such an old and true friend. Blaise finally grabbed him by his shoulders and forced their eyes to meet. "We don't know what happened to him. The guards were taken down and the prisoners are gone, but Theo wasn't there either. His room is wrecked, and several all around it. It looks like there was a fight, like he may have been taken. No one knows what happened. The ministry Aurors, the ones loyal to us, can't figure it out. No force seems to have been used anywhere except Theo's suite."

Draco was taking in deep gulps of air. "So...so you're saying he could have left instead?" The thought hurt, but Theo had been split up from the two of them for some time. He was often sent to do nasty, cruel work. It went against Theo's intellect and his nature. Plus he hadn't been marked yet but would be soon. If he had escaped before that, fled the country like he should have in the first place, Draco was proud of him for finding the strength to go. He just wished he knew for sure.

"That's not all, Drake. The Dark Lord wants to blame you for all of it - the prisoners' escape, the dead guards, Theo missing."

Draco dropped his head into his hands. "I wasn't even awake for it."

"I think that's part of the fun," Blaise said darkly. His voice was even lower than normal, reminding Draco of the way darkness had been ripping away at him in his dream, draining out all the color until there would be nothing but dark.

"Can we go yet, Mother?" he asked wearily.

Narcissa looked, for the first time, like she might break. She wrung her hands before finally answering, "You know I won't go without your father, Draco. Talk to him, man to man. He might see reason."

He shook his head at her. Perhaps at the beginning of this, he might have considered leaving, but Lucius was in too deep now. Draco personally thought that the man's beliefs on the matter also would have made it an impossibility then, but it was too far in the past to know. Draco's mind was whirring with things he could have done differently. In the end, though, he knew none of it had mattered. He had been marked for death since his father failed their master at the end of his fifth year. Fifth year. And this was just the end of his last year. He should be sitting for NEWTs soon, not wondering if he would live through tonight. The Dark Lord had ruined everything he thought his life could be.

Draco almost laughed at that thought. A few short months ago, he would have blamed it all on mudbloods and everyone trying to pull the Malfoy family down. He had always been told they were wizarding royalty, that they had even consorted with muggle royals once upon a time, and only chosen to step away from them when they were sickened by their inferior ways. His father had always blamed any troubles they might have on those pathetic muggles and the mudbloods who stole away their magic and wanted to do away with all of the old magic ways. Draco suddenly found himself wondering how such inferior beings were capable of bringing down such a powerful family as his. He shook the thought away and tried to focus on what to do now.

"Why hasn't he just killed me already?" Draco wondered aloud. Narcissa burst into real sobs. Blaise looked grim. Draco looked at his friend, "It's coming isn't it?"

His low voice rumbled, "I don't see how you can keep living through all of this. For whatever reason, he wants you to keep playing the scapegoat."

Draco gave Blaise a long look and put his hand on his shoulder. "I don't want you caught up in this. If they do that again, I want you to stop patching me up, Blaise."

"Draco, NO!" his mother cried.

"You listen to me, Mother. They're out to get me. You know they are. I'm not going to survive much longer. I don't even want to survive anymore." He felt so empty anyway. There was a far off ache in his magic, his soul. He couldn't explain it to himself much less her. He was just tired and unable to fight anymore. He had done what he needed to do for Hermione but he couldn't go through all of this alone. He wasn't even sure what that thought meant, but it was there. "Father will protect you and it will be easier for him without me around. I'm letting go." Turning again to Blaise, Draco met his eyes, "Blaise, promise me you'll get out of here once I'm gone. Find Theo and get the hell away from this war."

Blaise set his mouth in a grim line, "How can I…"

Draco cut him off, "Just promise me. You can't hide that I'm awake and you know what's going to happen when you tell them."

With a tight nod, Blaise agreed, tears in his eyes.

"Good. Let them know I'm awake."