Draco's Redemption

Disclaimer:  JK Rowling still won't let me have the characters *sigh*.  Until she does, they're still hers and I just manipulate them.

Chapter 7

"Lucius put a summoning spell on your dreams.  When you dream you will be taken to wherever Lucius is.  Fortunately the Fidelius Charm worked since you were on Hogwarts grounds so Lucius and Voldemort weren't aware you were there.  I sensed another presence, but you kept yourself hidden enough that I didn't see you."  Snape said.

"Does that mean he knows where I am?"

Dumbledore put his hand on Draco's shoulder.  "No, that means he's trying to find you by summoning you to him when you dream."

"In that case, I hope you brought some powdered root of asphodel with an infusion of wormwood." 

Snape sort of laughed-in that "Snape-like" way of his.  More of a sneer than a smile.  "Not as strong, but it is a Dreamless Sleep Potion.  It's enough to make you sleep, but you won't dream.  In the meantime, I understand that you will need to get to Diagon Alley for this year's supplies?"

Draco frowned and lowered his head.  "The rest are.  I can't go because it will be too easy for either father or another Death Eater to find me.  I was going to give some money to Ginny so she can get my things."

"I have something I'd like you to try.  Miss Granger and I have been working together on creating an invisibility potion.  So far it has worked on a house elf and that awful Crookshanks.  Damn cat.  That scratch almost never healed."  Snape sneered.  "However it hasn't yet worked on a human."

Draco's face fell.  He thought he might have had a chance of spending some alone time with Ginny without a member of the Weasley clan walking in on them.  "What happens to humans?"

"Miss Granger tested it, she became invisible, but her clothing did not.  Wouldn't do to be nude either since it can wear out at any time.  Might be quite embarrassing to be coming out of Madame Malkin's and have the potion wear off."

Dumbledore laughed while Draco tried to understand this sudden 'surge' of humor from Snape.

"There is another option, however it is a quite expensive one."  Dumbledore said.

"Don't worry about money.  I managed to put quite a bit of money away in Gringott's before I left home."  Draco said, sitting up straighter.  "What is it?  An Invisibility Cloak?"

"Similar but much more advanced.  It is a Concealment Cloak.  You can walk into something and not disturb it.  It also can be made with an Exaudio charm so that you can communicate without speaking."  Snape said.

"So I can walk down the middle of the street and nobody would know it?"

"Just those who are there with you, and whoever you choose to use the Exaudio with.  The Exaudio will only work with one person at a time."

Draco thought for a moment.  This was his chance to finally get out of the house and spend some time with Ginny and not worry about Death Eaters.  Then again, if he falls asleep and dreams, he's in danger.

"How long will I need the dreamless potion?  What happens if I fall asleep without it?"  Draco worried.

Snape and Dumbledore looked at each other for a moment before Dumbledore spoke.  "Severus will do his best to make sure he's in the area wherever Lucius is.  He may be under an Invisibility Cloak himself also, so if you don't see him, he's still there."

Draco only thought for a second.  "Get the cloak.  My money is in vault 227.  Here's the key."  Draco started to take a chain from around his neck but Dumbledore interrupted him.

"We won't need that.  We'll just charge it at Gladrags and let you settle up later."

"But what about the money for my supplies?  I can't just go into Gringott's, can I?"

Dumbledore pondered for a second.  "Don't worry.  I'll arrange something to get some money to you.  You should not have difficulties getting new supplies.  I think I'll arrange a few extra Galleons so you can treat Miss Weasley to something special at Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor hmm?" He winked, making Draco blush.  "Take the potion and get some rest.  I'll have the cloak and some money sent here tomorrow by owl."

Snape handed Draco a small vial of potion that Draco drank.  Just before falling asleep, Draco turned to Snape and Dumbledore.  "Thanks"

"I will see you back at Hogwarts soon, Severus.  There are some things I need to look at."  Dumbledore said.  Snape nodded then Dumbledore Disapparated.

Snape silently left Draco's room and headed downstairs.  Hermione met him half way down the stairs.  "How did it go?  Is Draco going to try the invisibility potion?"

"Not yet.  It still needs some work before it's useable in public.  There's still that problem with clothing."

Hermione started to blush, remembering back to the time when she last tested the potion and had it wear off in the hallway outside the portrait hole.

"Dumbledore and I are arranging for Draco to acquire a Concealment Cloak so he can go with you to Diagon Alley for supplies.  He will only be able to communicate to one person while under the cloak, however."

"Are you sure you don't want me to come back to Hogwarts to help in fixing the invisibility potion?  It doesn't feel right me goofing off while you're working."

"Hermione, you'll burn out if you don't take a break.  You didn't even go home at all last year.  Right now you're needed here.  Here's the recipe for the potion I just gave Draco so he can sleep.  He has enough to finish out the rest of the week so I'll need you to make more to go on.  You do have the mirror in case you need to get in touch.  Remember though, if I am on a mission for Dumbledore, you will not get me on the mirror."

Snape and Hermione reached the front door.  Hermione looked at Snape, "Ok.  I'll make the potion and try to have some fun while I'm here.  You take care of yourself.  I'd still like to have my favorite teacher around at graduation."  She smiled.

Snape smiled back at her.  After a small kiss on her forehead, he was gone.

~~The next morning~~

Draco shuffled into the dining room rubbing his red tired eyes.  Only Ginny was left at the table.  Draco sat next to her with a sigh and rested his head on his arms.

"Rough night?" Ginny asked as she started rubbing Draco's shoulders.

All Draco could do was grunt and stretch his neck while Ginny rubbed.

"Either Snape or Dumbledore should be here soon with your Concealment Cloak.  Hermione is in the basement working on the potion, and Ron and Harry are out with Lavender and Cho.  Mom's out shopping but if you're hungry, it won't be much to conjure a sandwich or something.  It is nearly lunch time."

Draco looked up "I slept until lunch time and I still feel like I haven't slept in a year." He let his head drop again.  "I'll never make it through this."

Ginny sat next to Draco, put her arm around his shoulders, and gave them a slight squeeze.  "You'll do fine.  Look on the bright side, you could be beaten by Muggles."

Draco smiled.  "Muggles can't catch me.   Toss me a mug please, Gin"  He put his hand out to catch the mug that Ginny tossed to him.  Ginny poured a cup of coffee and set it in front of Draco.  He took the cup and sipped while Ginny continued to rub his knotted shoulder muscles.  "So...we basically have the house to ourselves?"  Draco looked up at Ginny with a wicked grin.

"Hermione's in the basement"

"But she's working on something, we won't see her until late tonight."  Draco grinned at Ginny.

"Draco, behave yourself!  I promised Mum before she left otherwise she'd have taken me along with her."

"How about a kiss?  We haven't been alone in weeks.  I hate sneaking around under Harry's Invisibility Cloak."

"Well, you'll have a cloak of your own soon.  Don't forget about that."  Ginny said, "But I think we have time for a quick kiss."  She leaned down and pecked Draco on the cheek then started cleaning the dishes off of the table.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Just at  that moment;  Professor Dumbledore Apparated into the room.  "Good afternoon.  I have the package for Draco.  Professor Snape informed me that Voldemort was calling him just before I was just about to Apparate here."

"Well, my father can't do anything since I'm not sleeping, right?" Draco was looking worried.

"Possibly not, but I wouldn't take a nap.  I hate to rush off, but I do need to be at Hogwarts just in case Professor Snape has new information."  Dumbledore said, then Disapparated.

Draco placed his package down on the table and started unwrapping it.  He pulled out a thick iridescent cloth cloak.  He held it in front of himself for inspection. 

"Definitely looks better than Potter's cloak."  Draco put it around himself, covering his body but leaving his head uncovered.  "Cool.  Maybe I'll scare some first years at the Shrieking Shack."

"Draco, that's not nice.  You didn't seem to like it when Harry did that to you." Ginny reminded him while she took a booklet out of the box.

"Did you have to remind me of that?  I still owe him a dirt clod to the back of the head.  What's that?"

"Looks like your instruction manual.  How to set the Exaudio charm, setting extra charms for better concealment.  Looks simple yet complicated."

Draco looked over Ginny's shoulder, still wearing the cloak from the neck down.  "Doesn't look that hard."

Ginny looked behind her, "Will you take that thing off before somebody walks in and sees Draco Malfoy's head floating in the kitchen."

Draco laughed and took the cloak off and carefully placed it back in the box.  He moved around some more tissue paper and found a green velvet bag with a gold cord tie.  He opened the bag and found it filled with wizard money.   "I guess they did get into my Gringott's vault after all."

Ginny almost couldn't help gaping at the amount of money that was there.  Even with only 2 Weasley's left at Hogwarts, they still didn't have that much money, and anything more than a few Galleons was impressive.  "So, now what?"

Draco looked up from the instruction manual for the cloak.  "How about we try out the cloak and do a little snogging?"  He said with an almost evil gleam in his eye.

Ginny laughed. "Do all boys have one track minds?"

"Of course not.  We think about Quidditch too."  Draco said as he put his arms around Ginny's waist and started to pull her closer.  Just as he was about to kiss her, Molly Apparated in the kitchen.  "I hate it when mothers Apparate home from the store."

~~Meanwhile, at the Ministry~~

Arthur Weasley had just returned from his lunch break when his secretary stuck her head in his door.  "Lucius Malfoy to see you sir."

A/N:  Some of the reviewers were a little 'squicked' about Hermione and Snape together.  I am a Hermione/Severus shipper along with Draco/Ginny.  The biggest reason I'm for Hermione/Severus is that they are the only two characters (IMO) that really understand each other.  Harry and Ron don't understand Hermione's need for constant high marks, but Snape can.  I don't write anything sexual until Hermione is of age however.  At this point she's still too young, so it won't be anything further than favorite teacher/favorite student relationship.  Also, this is still a Draco/Ginny fic so there won't be all the 'gory details' of Snape and Hermione's 'relationship'.

The Concealment Cloak idea belongs to Riley's Pawn to Queen, the best Hermione/Snape fic I've ever read.  The Exaudio charm idea belongs to R.J. Anderson's Darkness and Light trilogy.  Invisibility potion I've read in several fics.  The dream summoning was my own idea.

If this reads a little more "British" than previous chapters, that is because I now have a beta who lives in Europe and is kind enough to correct my "non-Britishness" in my fics.