Sleeping with Friend Or Foe- Story 2
Disclaimer: Characters, actions, words etc... taken from JKR's Harry Potter © and used in this fanfiction do not belong to me. Even though I'd love to have Draco Malfoy…..nomnom LOL!
A/N: OMG so so sorry this chapter took so long, working full time really takes all your energy. I hope everyone is doing well. So I have a request, please go look at my new poll that is on my profile. It is concerning whether you guys would like me to record my stories for you as mp3 files, so that you can listen to the story when you are unable to read it online. I'll make them available for download so it'll be almost like an audiobook. I'll only do this if you guys want it. Anyway, read and review & vote on my poll. Thanks and enjoy the chapter xoxo TBG
Chapter Recap…..
"Stay safe Malfoy," Harry replied. Draco nodded as he looked at all the others in the hall. He would be back because he was one of them and they had his heart. She was upstairs and he wouldn't be able to stay away for long without her.
Draco went out the front door and out into the street. He walked a block away, the cloak he had covered his face and when he'd reached a dark spot on the street, and he spun on the spot and Disapparated away.
Chapter 23: Double Agent
Draco caught himself as he reached the woods surrounding Malfoy Manor. He immediately got onto his broom and made his way with it through the dense trunks and foliage. He burst through the trees and noticed the manor deep in shadow. Only his parents' window light was on.
Draco hurried to the front door and opened it. As he did, four Death Eaters immediately ambushed him, and pushed him inside the house. They pulled off his robe and caught sight of his face.
"Master Draco," one whispered. They immediately let go of him and left him to stand on his own.
"We'd thought they had taken you hostage," a voice said. Draco sneered.
"They had, but they were so weak they only tried to bring me onto their side. When I pretended that I was, I immediately hexed two of the people watching me and tried to run. I got knocked in the face with one of the stray curses." A whisper went through the group and suddenly footsteps from upstairs were heard.
Draco turned to see Narcissa running toward him. She caught him in her arms for only a moment, and then stepped back. Lucius came over and stared at his son.
"Are you alright?" He asked. Draco nodded. His father only stared at him a moment longer before he turned away. His mother rushed him out of the room so he could have his nose healed.
"Come Draco. I'll fix you up." She led Draco into the kitchen away from the others and began to use magic to bandage him up. He didn't say anything as his mother did so, he only answered questions that she asked him.
After she was finished, he quickly kissed her cheek and then went up to his bedroom. He shut his door but did not lock it or put a silencing charm on it. He didn't usually do that and it would seem suspicious that he would start now. He decided that the next day he would get back to Hogwarts to sabotage the cabinet. He'd also have to think of a way for it to happen slowly so that it wouldn't look like he did it, because if the cabinet suddenly began to malfunction while Draco was at Hogwarts when it had been fine all along, it would look suspicious.
As Draco got ready for bed, he couldn't help but still feel the touch of Hermione's lips on his. He already missed her and he had only left her a few hours before. But having been in such close quarters with her for such a long time, he couldn't think of being away from her for such a long time.
Before he got into his bed, he quickly wrote a time that he would be arriving at Hogwarts and sent his owl Marquis off to Hogwarts. He needed someone waiting to let him onto the grounds when he arrived.
When he got into bed, Draco sighed as he looked up at his ceiling. Right before he fell asleep, he thought of Hermione's smile and her last words to him. Tomorrow would be the beginning of his double life.
The next morning, Draco got up bright and early. He was very meticulous about getting ready to go back to Hogwarts. He was very focused and didn't want anything to ruin his concentration. His father was not up when Draco was getting ready to leave, but his mother looked worried.
At the breakfast table she spoke up to Draco.
"Darling, I don't think you should be going back to Hogwarts so soon. Isn't it a bad idea? We need you here. And what if the Dark Lord asks for you?" Narcissa asked.
"Mother, don't question what I do," Draco answered. He quickly finished his breakfast and made his way up to his room.
He had decided to make a Portkey instead of using the cabinet. He thought it would be a better idea than going back the way he had come. He had come through the cabinet as a Death Eater but he was going back as an Order member.
He took out his wand and performed the Portus charm on one of his metal bound books stacked on his desk. It glowed an odd blue color for a moment and then it became its normal coloring again. Draco didn't say goodbye to his mother or even let his father know he was going. He only had his one goal and he didn't want them involved.
He touched the book and felt the Portkey activate. The familiar tug behind his navel made him even surer about what he was doing. He pictured Hermione's face as his feet hit solid ground and knew that what he was doing was right.
He opened his eyes and could see the castle a bit way off. Draco wrapped his cloak around himself tightly and slowly made the trek to the castle gates. When he got there, Professor Snape was waiting for him.
Snape waved his wand and the charms that had surrounded the castle opened an entrance for Draco to step through. Immediately after he did, he heard the powerful sound of the protection charms close up behind him. He didn't look back, but Snape turned his wand and pointed it at Draco.
"How old were you the first time I ever visited your home?" Snape asked. Draco thought for a moment. He remembered that day quite vividly since he had tumbled down the stairs in the mansion that day.
"I was nine years old." Snape's black coal eyes glinted into Draco's for a moment before he spun on his heels, his stride causing his robes to billow around him. Draco followed silently, assuming he'd passed whatever test Snape had just given him.
They walked up to Hogwarts and entered through the Great doors. They separated and Draco quickly made his way through the castle to the Head girl and boy dorm. When Draco had made it to the familiar portrait and had entered the dorm, his throat closed up with the emotions that hit him as he looked around. He thought back to the last time he had been there, the moment he'd finally gotten Hermione back.
Draco took a deep breath and went up to his room. It was eerily quiet without Hermione's presence or the chance of her coming back to the dorm. He felt lonely just thinking about it, but he knew he needed to do this.
Draco decided to keep a low profile for the time being. He didn't go to any classes and didn't let anyone know he was in the castle. Of course the Order members knew, but no students or otherwise knew he was there. He did not inform Crabbe & Goyle and made it so that he didn't see them.
When Draco got to the Room of Requirement, he stayed in the space, walking around the cabinet trying to figure out a way to damage it. Suddenly something he'd seen Hermione do once inspired him. He decided to set up small jars of the ever burning flame that Hermione used sometimes in her room, around the cabinet so that it would slowly catch fire and begin to incinerate. It wouldn't happen immediately and this was what Draco wanted. He'd make sure to find it in ruins and inform the other Death Eaters of the mishap. He had to make it seem like it happened by accident by someone else.
Draco was a recluse within Hogwarts. He didn't leave his dorms unless he needed to go to check the cabinet or get some food from the kitchens. Every day he would set a new jar which would burn more and more of the cabinet away. He also allowed it to eat at some of the items in the room, so it looked like a fire had started and eaten more than just the cabinet in the room.
But everyday, Draco would write Hermione a letter and send it via owl post. He didn't use Marquis who he assumed was either in the Owlery or back at the Manor. And everyday she would write back about her health and how she missed him. Just knowing that she'd touched the parchment he touched and that she was thinking of him, made him feel that much stronger.
A week after he had arrived, Draco almost got caught by Crabbe and Goyle. Since no one knew Draco was there, he hid behind a nearby tapestry as he heard the two young men bumbling over how to get into the room. Draco rolled his eyes. How he had ever been able to put up with their idiocy he had no idea. He waited until he heard them finally enter and then waited.
It didn't take long before they both came out in a panic. Crabbe spoke first.
"What do we do? We had nothing to do that but we have to tell someone." Goyle nodded in agreement. Draco decided this was the moment to make his position known. He swooped around the corner and grinned as both Crabbe and Goyle saw him and ran up to him.
"Malfoy! We're so glad you're here. Something has happened," Goyle said. Draco looked confused and then followed the two boys into the room. He listened to them as they explained what they had found, and as Draco looked at his handy work. They were quite frantic and didn't know what to do. Draco raised his hands and stared at Crabbe and Goyle. He could see them cower under his stare.
"Whatever has happened here, I will inform the others. They will not be happy since this will delay the Dark Lord's plans. Let's hope we can offer alternatives or else we may be in very dangerous trouble." Both boys nodded. The three of them left the Room of Requirement and went down to lunch.
They discussed different things that could be used as alternatives to the Dark Lord's plan. But at the end they decided they'd have to somehow remove the enchantments around the castle for the Death Eaters to enter the castle.
Crabbe and Goyle were stuffing their faces as Draco spoke. He looked at them in slight disgust before Goyle spoke up.
"How do you think we're going to get those enchantments down?" Goyle asked, spewing food particles out of his mouth. Draco thought for a moment.
"We can get some help. And because we'll have some inside help, it may be just what we need to remove them. Let's discuss this more tonight in my dorm and this will allow us to speak more freely," Draco said.
"What about that mudblood?" Crabbe asked. Draco nearly hexed Crabbe for that comment, but he just stared at him for a moment before he replied.
"She's gone," Draco said simply. Both boys could see the look on Draco's face and decided not to ask anymore questions about it.
The day passed quickly and Draco spent a lot of time trying to figure out a realistic plan for him to send to his father.
As Draco was getting ready for Crabbe and Goyle to come to the dorm, a small tap resonated through the room. Draco looked up and noticed the small brown owl at the window. He went over and opened it to let the owl in. He ducked as it swooped in and landed on the back of the armchair.
Draco went over and removed the letter tied to the leg. The owl hooted softly and Draco lightly stroked it and then gave it a few of the nuts he'd been munching on. It nipped him friendly and then swooped to sit on the armchair near the fireplace. He guessed it was waiting for a reply.
Draco sat down and noticed the beautiful cursive of Hermione on the parchment. He unfurled it and began to read.
"Ferret, I miss you. It's been a week and I feel so lonely in this house without you. I know you don't want me coming because of the danger and my condition but I need to see you. I'm coming back in a few days. I don't care what you have to say. I just need to be near you for awhile. Love you, M."
Draco finished reading and felt himself beginning to panic. He did want to see Hermione. His body, soul, heart and mind ached for her and it was almost painful to be in his bedroom alone at night. But he didn't know what was going to happen in terms of The Death Eaters attacking the school and he didn't want Hermione there in the crossfire. And he hadn't gone back to Grimmauld place because he didn't want to lead anyone back to the house.
Draco sighed in frustration. He needed to stop Hermione from coming to Hogwarts. He could see that things were going to get dangerous and he didn't want her getting caught up in it. Draco pressed his temples, he wished that he had some support.
A knock came at the portrait hole. Draco put Hermione's letter in his pocket and opened the portrait.
Crabbe and Goyle stood in the gloom, looking sulky. Draco stood aside so they could come in.
When they had, he closed the portrait and went to the armchair. He sat with Crabbe and Goyle around him. He stared at them for a moment, and then spoke.
"So do you have any thoughts?"
"Well we need to know the counter spells for the castle enchantments. How would we get them?" Goyle asked.
"Snape can help us, right?" Crabbe suggested. Draco smiled.
"You are very right Crabbe," Draco said. He thought about that for a moment and realized that would be perfect, especially since Snape knew about the Order. He was better at being a double agent than even Draco was.
"I'll speak to him tomorrow to see if he will agree to help with that side of the plan. And I'll be writing home tonight to let them know about the cabinet. I'm not looking forward to reading the response," Draco said. Both boys looked grateful that it wasn't them.
"Do you think we should try to fix the cabinet even though it's been so badly burned?" Goyle asked. Draco nodded.
"Yes, we should still try and see if it can be salvaged. If we cannot have it back and ready to use by next week, we will use our alternative plan which is to remove the external enchantments from the castle. Either way the Dark Lord will have access to the castle." Both boys nodded in agreement.
They discussed a few places in the library where they could find spells that could possibly restore the cabinet and decided to also re-use the ones they had used when originally restoring it.
When everything had been agreed upon, Draco decided to go and speak to Snape the next day, but he knew he had to write to Hermione as soon as he could. He dismissed Crabbe and Goyle and then sat in the armchair where the owl was still perched. He took a piece of empty parchment off the table and quickly wrote his response.
"Mione, I miss you just as much. And I do want to see you but right now things are very fragile. I'm trying my best to set in motion the things that were discussed when I was there. It would be very unwise for you to come back here when things are getting more and more dangerous. And you know you have to think not only of yourself but the baby as well. I love you so please don't come. Love, your ferret."
Draco re-read the letter and decided that he would send it. Hermione had to understand that she had to keep herself safe. He rolled the parchment up and put it on the owl's leg.
"Take this to Grimmauld place, to Hermione." The owl hooted and Draco stood up and opened the window. The owl took flight and flew out the window. Draco watched it for a moment as it faded into the night. He just hoped she would listen to what he said, Draco didn't know what he would do if something happened to her and the baby.