A/N: So so sorry for the long time between updates. I've gotten snowed under with university work, so haven't been able to work on this fic as much. Here's the next chapter.
They apparated to Grimmauld Place. Harry, Ron and Hermione started towards the houses. "Ah… guys," Draco said.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Why is there a number 11 next to number 13?" Draco asked.
"Ah, we haven't given him the secret!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Ah," Draco said.
"Draco, the former headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is 12 Grimmauld Place," Hermione told him.
"Thank you Hermione. I already worked that out," Draco said, rolling his eyes. Hermione pushed him in the shoulder, and then winced because her shoulder was still paining from where she hit the wall.
"That's how I gave you the secret so you could see the house while it is under the Fidelius Charm you idiot," Hermione said rolling her eyes. Draco looked up and saw that 12 Grimmauld Place had appeared in between 11 and 13.
"How do the muggles not realise something is up when they don't see a 12 in between 11 and 13?" Draco said.
"I suppose they just think it's a mistake," Hermione said. Draco shrugged.
"Come on, let's get off the street. It's too open here," Harry said.
They entered the house and heard Moody's voice ring out "Severus Snape?" They all jumped.
"We're not Snape!" Harry called. They all felt their tongue curl backwards in their mouths. A moment later, they felt their tongues return to their normal state.
"That… m-must have b-been the T-Tongue-Ty-Tying Curse Mad-Eye set up for Snape!" Hermione stammered.
"Not exactly a pleasant experience that one," Draco said. Harry took the lead and took a step forward into the house. In the shadows at the end of the hall, they could vaguely see some dust circulating. It had risen up out of the carpet and formed a figure. A person. Hermione screamed, and so did the portrait of Sirius' mother. The figure was charging at them, faster and faster. Harry and Draco recognised the figure at the same time.
"No!" Harry shouted as he raised his wand. "No! It wasn't us! We didn't kill you!" The figure exploded in a cloud of dust. Draco looked around to see Hermione crouched by the door shaking. He walked over to her, pulled her up and put his arms around her.
"It's all r-right… It's g-gone…" he stammered. He too was shaken by the sight of the headmaster that he saw be killed in front of his eyes.
"MUDBLOODS, FILTH, STAINS OF DISHONOUR, TAINT OF SHAME ON THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS!" The portrait of Mrs. Black screeched.
"Oh for fuck's sake," Draco exclaimed exasperatedly.
"SHUT UP!" Harry bellowed, pointing his wand at her, a bang ensued and then the curtains swung shut. She fell silent.
"I thought I'd never have to hear the voice of that old hag ever again," Draco said, shaking his head. Harry and Ron raised their eyebrows.
"You knew her?" Ron asked.
"Sadly. She's my mother's Aunt, so I used to come here on visits. She used to sit me down and give me the same lecture every single week about mudbloods and blood purity and used to scold me if I didn't show the right reaction to her lecture. As I once said to Hermione, I may have believed in blood purity back then, but the same lecture over and over, and being scolded for not reacting right gets monotonous very quickly," Draco explained. "I hated the woman."
"Right," Harry said.
"That… that was…." Hermione whimpered into Draco's chest.
"I know," Draco said.
"But it wasn't really him, was it? Just something to scare Snape," Harry said.
"Exactly," Ron said.
"And come on Hermione. Aren't you supposed to be a brave Gryffindor?" Draco said, trying to lighten the tension. Hermione gave a muffled laugh. She pulled back from Draco's chest. Harry went to take a step further into the house, but Hermione stopped him.
"Wait, I think before we go any further, we should check," she whispered. She raised her wand and said, "Homenum Revelio." Nothing happened.
"Well, you've just had a big shock," Ron said kindly. "What was it supposed to do?"
"It did what it was meant to do thank you very much!" Hermione snapped. "That was a spell to reveal human presence, and there's nobody here but us."
"And old Dusty," said Ron. Draco laughed, while Hermione glanced frighteningly at the spot where the dust figure had risen.
"Let's go up," Harry said. They walked to the drawing room. Hermione sat on the couch, but in so doing, put an excessive amount of weight on her sore shoulder and cried out in pain.
"Do you want me to fix that for you?" Draco asked.
"Nah, it's fine like this thanks," Hermione said sarcastically with a dirty look at Draco. She knew Draco saved her life, but it was hard to be grateful when it caused her so much pain. Draco rolled his eyes. He muttered the healing spell and Hermione felt the pain lessen significantly.
"Thank you," Hermione replied.
"How is it now?" Draco asked.
"Better. It is still paining, but only a dull ache," Hermione said.
"I've got some stock of pain potions back at home if you want me to get you some?" Draco asked.
"Don't risk blowing your cover just for me having a mild ache in my shoulder Draco," Hermione said.
"Don't worry. I have to go out tonight anyway, I'll just make a detour here on the way," Draco replied.
"Draco, why do you think he won't be angry at you for letting me escape? You were going to explain," Harry asked.
"I can convince him that I was too preoccupied with protecting Hermione from Dolohov. He wants you captured Potter, but he places just as much value on Hermione's safety because Hermione is his source of information on you. He will be much angrier that Dolohov was more concerned about killing Hermione, someone he considers his number two ranked Death Eater behind Snape, than about your escape," Draco said.
"Okay, I have two questions on that – first, why would he be much angrier about Dolohov attempting to kill Hermione than he would be about my escape, and second, why hasn't he given Hermione the Dark Mark if he has made her the second most senior Death Eater, even above yourself and Bellatrix?" Harry asked. Draco looked at Hermione.
"Haven't you explained to these two what we are doing with the Dark Lord Hermione?" Draco asked.
"She has said that she is pretending to be a spy for You-Know-Who on me but feeding him fake information that she can get away with and did tell us everything that went on at that Death Eater meeting," Harry said. "But that still doesn't explain why she hasn't been marked if You-Know-Who has made her such a senior Death Eater and why he'd be much angrier about Dolohov trying to kill her than my escape."
"He has made her such a senior Death Eater because he considers spying on you to be the most important job that he has ever handed out. You are a threat to his very existence Potter, which is why he tried to kill you as a baby. Having someone so close to you feeding him information is invaluable to him. This is why he'd be furious if Dolohov messes that up by killing his source of information. But he can't very well give Hermione the Dark Mark if he wants her to maintain the appearance of your loyal friend and loyal Order member," Draco said.
"Snape has the Dark Mark and You-Know-Who believes he's been a spy for him," Harry pointed out.
"Yes, but Snape was a genuine Death Eater for years before he turned spy," Draco reminded him. Harry suddenly clapped his hand to his forehead and cried out, at the same moment as Draco felt his Dark Mark burn and winced.
"What is it?" Ron asked worriedly.
"I felt anger," Harry said,
"Did you see where he was?" Ron asked urgently.
"No," Harry said.
"But that could be at The Burrow!" Ron asked worriedly.
"No, it wouldn't be Weasley. I felt my Mark burn and the Dark Lord likes to keep me at headquarters unless it is anything to do with Hermione's protection or manipulation," Draco said.
"Well you better go Draco, before he gets angry at you for not responding to him," Hermione said.
"Okay. I'll be back some time tonight with those pain potions for you," Draco replied. He walked over and kissed Hermione the cheek and then walked out onto the street and disapparated.
He landed in the Entrance Hall of Malfoy Manor. "Oi Goyle! Where's the Dark Lord?" Draco called out to Goyle Snr.
"Down in the cellar Malfoy," Goyle Snr. replied. Draco walked down the stairs to the cellar and entered. He wasn't prepared for what he saw – Rowle and Dolohov in a crumpled heap on the floor with Voldemort standing over them with his wand out. Lucius was standing behind Voldemort with his back against the wall.
"Ah Draco, it is nice of you to join us," Voldemort said. It was clear from his tone that he was seething with anger.
"My Lord," Draco said, bowing.
"Do you know what Lucius reported to me once I returned from the blood traitors' house where Potter escaped?" Voldemort asked in a deadly tone.
"From these two idiots on the ground before you, I can assume my Lord," Draco said in a scathing tone.
"Oh, and what can you assume?" Voldemort asked.
"That someone said your name in the muggle world and Dolohov and Rowle went to capture them," Draco replied.
"That's correct. Do you know what else he reported to me and why I called you here?" Voldemort asked.
"No, my Lord," Draco replied.
"Really?" Voldemort asked. "I'd assume from your accurate description of Dolohov and Rowle as idiots that you would know."
"No, my Lord," Draco said again. "That's just my general opinion of them." He looked at Dolohov and Rowle disdainfully.
"Well then, let me enlighten you. He reported to me that not long after these two imbeciles left, you urgently broke off your conversation with Lucius and disapparated – saying that you needed to go on my orders. I gave you no such orders, so I can only assume such orders involved our friend. I have also found that these two have had their memory wiped," Voldemort said.
"That's correct my Lord," Draco said.
"This means that these two failed to capture Potter, as did you," Voldemort said dangerously. Lucius looked surprised at this.
"That's correct my Lord. However, I was more concerned about following your orders about protecting our friend from these two than capturing Potter. There was always a chance that Potter would get away, even if he was my main focus, in which case we'd still need Granger to pass information," Draco said, trying to sound confident. "I just saved her in time from being killed by Dolohov." Voldemort walked over to Draco. Draco knew what was going to happen before it did and was ready. Voldemort entered his mind. Draco allowed him to see the battle, but nothing after that. Voldemort pulled out of his mind and turned back to the two Death Eaters crumpled on the ground.
"Draco, come on here," he commanded. Draco obeyed. "Make sure Dolohov understands our displeasure and that this is his last warning. Do not kill him or make him unfit for duty for too long though." Draco understood what Voldemort was ordering. Voldemort was at the end of his teether with Dolohov's disobedience. He was giving Draco free reign to do as he pleased, as long as it didn't permanently incapacitate Dolohov. Draco looked down at Dolohov. He could hear the screams of Rowle. Voldemort had taken to punishing him for letting Harry escape. Draco felt white hot rage and hatred bubble inside him as he stared at the man. In that moment, he knew how Harry had felt at the Ministry after Sirius had died and had attempted to use the cruciatus curse on Bellatrix. He knew how Hermione had felt when she had successfully been able to use the curse after Dolohov had cursed her father. He knew how Ron had felt back in the café.
"Crucio!" Dolohov screamed and writhed. He held the curse until Dolohov must have fallen unconscious because his screams had subsided. When he released the curse, he was breathing heavily.
"Very good Draco. You are dismissed," Voldemort said.
"Thank you, my Lord," Draco replied. He left the cellar, still boiling with rage.
"What's wrong Draco?" Hermione thought to him as he was getting his potions bag with the pain potion for Hermione. She must have felt his rage.
"I'm on my way to give you the potions. I'll tell you then," Draco thought back. He disapparated and landed in Grimmauld Place.
He went to the door quickly and opened it. He found the trio sitting around the kitchen table. When he entered, Hermione immediately got up and enveloped Draco in a hug. This calmed Draco. After a moment, Hermione pulled back and they went over to the table.
"What did You Know Who want and why did I feel your anger?" Hermione asked.
"In a moment. Take these," Draco said, getting the pain potions out of his bag.
"Tell me while I'm taking them," Hermione said. Harry chuckled.
"She's a stubborn one Draco," Harry said. Draco smirked while Hermione glared at Harry.
"Okay," he said and told them what happened when he responded to Voldemort's summons. "I just got so angry with Dolohov."
"Never thought I'd say this Malfoy, but I understand completely with that git. If I had my way, he wouldn't be breathing right now," Ron said.
"Ron!" Hermione admonished.
"Don't worry Weasley. If the Dark Lord hadn't ordered me to let him live, he wouldn't have been walking out of that cellar when the Dark Lord let me loose on him," Draco said. He and Ron exchanged a fierce glance.
"Draco!" Hermione once again admonished.
"Hermione, think back to how you felt when the Dark Lord told you to punish Dolohov for torturing your father. Think back to how you were able to produce such a powerful cruciatus curse on your first attempt. You'd understand how Weasley and I feel if he had killed your father," Draco said. Hermione fell silent in thought for a moment.
"I do understand. Partially my reason for going on the mission is to see the end of Voldemort for ordering the killing of my wider family. I suppose that's not much different to what you and Ron are saying," Hermione said. Draco wondered to himself whether Hermione felt that way about his father given that Lucius had been involved in the mission that saw her family killed. He didn't ask her though.
"But quite seriously, we're no longer in school. The game has changed quite significantly since this merry band of heroes was formed. Even since I came over to your side last year. Dumbledore's dead, the dementors have abandoned Azkaban and have joined the Dark Lord, and the Ministry has fallen in the control of the Dark Lord," Draco said.
"We know all this. What are you trying to say Draco?" Harry asked.
"What I'm saying Potter is that this is no longer the time to be worried about morals. The Death Eaters are going to be aiming to kill when they fight you. You have to be prepared to return in kind. If you manage to stun the Death Eaters, there's nowhere to lock them up," Draco said.
"No, absolutely not," Hermione said.
"Hermione, you're supposed to be the logical one here. There is no where to lock up Death Eaters that you defeat," Draco said.
"Mad-Eye, the most respected Auror, never killed if he could avoid it," Hermione pointed out.
"Yes. There's some keywords there. 'If he could avoid it.' He was fighting in a very different context. The Ministry was still in control of the light side, as was Azkaban. He had somewhere to put Death Eaters that he captured to take them off the battlefield. We do not. We are in a much worse position," Draco said.
"He's right Hermione. What do we do with any Death Eaters we run into? Just leave them to rejoin You-Know-Who?" Ron said.
"Wipe their memories like we did tonight," Hermione said.
"That was necessary to cover your tracks, but look where they are now – back with the Dark Lord ready to fight again after they recover from their punishment," Draco said. "Hermione, you're the one that told me to think with my head, not my emotions. Take your own advice. We're in a war here, not a friendly duelling club." Hermione still looked uneasy with the idea.
"What if it was you on the end of one of those fatal spells that we cast?" Hermione said quietly.
"Well, obviously Snape and I are the exception. You know that we're on your side," Draco said.
"Draco, that's not what I mean. What would become of you if I didn't take a chance on you? You changed, don't you believe any of the others can?" Hermione said.
"Yes I do, but you have to look at this logically. What made me change was years of your kindness and a long chat in a bathroom. You don't have that luxery of that amount of time on the battlefield. All you can do is neutralise the threat in front of you to reduce the numbers of your opposition. There's only one way to do that now that the Death Eaters have Azkaban," Draco said.
"Okay, but we don't know the Killing Curse," Hermione said uneasily.
"You don't need the Killing Curse. Potter you've got that spell that you used on me last year, plus Bombarda is pretty destructive," Draco replied. Hermione nodded. On that heavy note, Draco excused himself from the house, saying he had other places to be before turning in, and apparated to Hermione's house in Lavenham. Merula was already there on the footpath.
"Snyde," Draco said.
"Malfoy," Merula replied.
"Shall we go in or stand out here in the open?" Draco asked rhetorically.
"What does it matter? We're in a muggle suburb," Merula stated.
"You'd prefer to conduct sensitive affairs on the sidewalk?" Draco asked sceptically with a raised eyebrow. Draco walked towards the front door without waiting for an answer. He unlocked the door with an "Alohomora," and entered. Merula followed closely behind him silently. Once inside, he sat at the table where he had had the meeting with Hermione's parents. "Sit," he said, indicating the chair opposite him.
"What is this place?" Merula asked.
"It is the house of one of the Death Eater associates," Draco said.
"Granger?" Merula said at once. Draco raised his eyebrow.
"How do you know about Granger?" Draco asked.
"Mother and father talk," Merula replied.
"Hmm. I'll be having a word to them about revealing classified information only meant for the Inner Circle outside of meetings," Draco said.
"Well? Is this Granger's house?" Merula asked.
"I can't give the identity of this associate. That is classified," Draco said. Merula nodded knowingly.
"So, what did you ask me here for at this time of night?" Merula asked.
"I know from our conversation this morning that you are not a Death Eater willingly," Draco said.
"Of course, I am," Merula stated emphatically.
"No, you are not. You are like me – forced to become a Death Eater because our parents are Death Eaters," Draco said.
"You're not a loyal Death Eater?" Merula asked, clearly on guard.
"Not in the sense you're asking. I'm not playing the war straight," Draco said, deliberately cagey. "I was forced to become a Death Eater after my father failed in a mission for the Dark Lord. If I am right about you, I want to help you."
"Oh, and how will you help me?" Merula asked.
"I know people who can help keep you safe. Of course, if you want to help end the war and not have to do what we have to do anymore, these same people can use information," Draco said.
"How do I know I can trust you?" Merula asked. "You're forth in command. You could be here on the Dark Lord's orders to test my loyalty."
"You're right Snyde. I could be. But if I was, would I place a tongue-tying curse over this house to prevent either of us from repeating this conversation?" Draco said. Merula looked surprised, but still suspicious.
"How do I know you're not just saying that?" Merula asked.
"Check it. Cast the spell which identifies wards," he said. Sure enough, Merula did and saw that Draco had indeed placed the curse over the house which ties a person's tongue in a knot if they attempt to repeat a conversation which took place in a dwelling on which the curse is in place.
"What would I need to do?" Merula asked finally.
"Do you want to help end the war?" Draco asked.
"Yes," Merula said.
"In that case, any information you hear when the Dark Lord sends you on missions, pass on to me and I'll pass onto my contacts," Draco said. Merula nodded.
"I think it is time that we turned in," Draco said. Merula agreed. They went out to the footpath and Draco disapparated back to the Manor.