Draco's Redemption
Disclaimer: Since she beat me to it, the Harry Potter universe belongs to JK Rowling, and JK Rowling only.
Chapter 2
Ron Weasley's face was turning as red as his hair. "You want me to do WHAT?" He looked at the group of people in the room. His parents, Professor Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy, and for some reason his sister, Ginny.
"Ronald, " Ron always hated when Dumbledore called him that "Mr. Malfoy believes he may have been followed her by Death Eaters. We need you to agree to perform the Fidelius Charm with Mr. Malfoy so he cannot be found."
"I will NOT be ferret-boy's secret keeper!! Give me one good reason why I should?"
Arthur put his hand on Ron's shoulder. "Ron, Draco came to us for help."
"Dad, why us? Why didn't he go to the Ministry, or to Snape?" Ron practically spit out Snape's name.
"Weasel, your father is one of the few at the Ministry who aren't in that poor excuse for a father of mine's pocket. I couldn't go to Snape because it was he who suggested I come here if anything ever happened."
"Will you quit calling me Weasel!!"
"When you quit calling me ferret-boy."
Ron and Draco stared each other down for a while, neither wavering. Finally Ginny spoke up.
"Why don't you guys talk it out for a few minutes. I'm sure if the Death Eaters traced Draco here, they won't try anything with Dumbledore here." Ginny looked at the elder wizard. "Besides, Dumbledore comes with so many security hexes, I'm sure I wouldn't even find this place and I live here."
Draco and Ron looked at each other, well more like glared, for a few seconds before agreeing to talk it out. Ron led Draco up to his room. Why should he let ferret-face get off without the exercise.
Draco looked around the outrageously orange color scheme. "Nice orange. Although I'll take the Wimbourne Wasps over the Cannons any day."
"The Wasps?!?!?!?! They haven't won a championship in almost 5 years."
"Well, the Cannons haven't won in 10."
Ron and Draco stared at each other for several minutes. Ron finally broke the silence. "Ok, ferret-boy, give me one good reason why I should be your secret keeper?"
Draco took the liberty of sitting on the bed, even though Ron never invited him to sit. "Basically, Weasel, I'm sick and tired of all the crap that comes with being a Malfoy. I can't change my heritage, but I can make damn sure I can break the cycle."
Ron said nothing, only sat on the chair behind his desk.
"Before I came to Hogwarts, things at home were, well, normal in Malfoy terms. When my bastard father heard the "great Harry Potter" would be attending Hogwarts in my year things took a turn. Day in and day out all I heard was 'Harry Potter this, Harry Potter that"
Ron started to say something, but Draco stopped him. "Yes, I know you and Potter are best friends, but what would have you thought about Harry if all you heard daily for nearly six months was how great Harry Potter was and it was my job to show him what a 'real' wizard was like?"
Ron turned the chair around, sat on it backward, rested his arms on the back of the chair, then rested his head on his arms. "So why did you come here? Dad's not officially the Minister of Magic yet, and there are plenty of other Ministry wizards who could help you."
"It's like this, Ron" Draco made a point to stress Ron's first name. "A large majority of wizards heading the Ministry of Magic are actually in my father's" Draco spat out the word father "pocket. Your father is one of the very few, and the highest in command. I knew he would be smart enough to contact Dumbledore, and being full-blood wizard he wouldn't fall under Voldemort's suspicions."
Ron cringed when Draco used Voldemort's name. "I can understand that." Lucius Malfoy's money caused a lot of problems at Hogwarts, from Dumbledore almost losing his job in Ron's second year, to Buckbeak the Hippogriff almost getting killed in their third year. Good things usually went bad when the Malfoy money was involved. "So, why me for secret keeper. Why not somebody else?"
"I wouldn't trust Crabbe and Goyle with my used chewing gum much less my life." Draco smiled slightly and Ron chuckled. "Harry is already wanted by Voldemort. That would only give that bastard one more reason to come after him. The last person anybody would expect would be a Weasley. Especially the Weasley everybody thinks is my enemy. Besides, you'll be at Hogwarts all year. As long as you're there, Voldemort and his followers won't know I'm there. My father could look me in the face, and not even know it's me."
"But wait a minute, if Fidelius works against Lucius, how is it he's able to see Harry, even after HIS secret keeper started working at Hogwarts?"
"Fidelius works to hide you from your worst enemy. Right now mine is Lucius Malfoy. Harry's is Voldemort." Draco started inspecting his shoes. Suddenly he looked at Ron. "So…will you do it?"
Ron had already made his decision, but asked one more question. "What makes you think I won't go to Lucius and tell him where you are?"
Draco narrowed his eyes and stared at Ron. "Because you aren't that dense. My father wouldn't care if your family died while he got his revenge."
Ron stood up and held his hand out to Draco. "I'll do it"
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. This is a short chapter, but nothing much really happens after this for a few weeks. I know it's a little OOC for Ron and Draco, but we're trying to redeem Draco here, he'll have to be OOC. ;)