Disclaimer: All characters herein except those otherwise noted belong to J.K. Rowling, who I think, on occasion, to be some sort of goddess. Inspired by another fic of mine, and throught out while sitting through much boredom at work. Spoilers for all five books, I suppose.

Notes: Thanks so much to Kathy, for beta, and for helping over rough spots plotwise. Love ya, babe. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and given me such wonderful feedback.

Through Time

Ten: The Manor

"Where are they?" Lily demanded. Dumbledore simply looked at the red-haired girl who stood in his office.

"I am afraid that it does not matter. I must send you home," Dumbledore said.

"No!" Lily shouted. "Tell me where Harry has gone!"

"Lily—" Dumbledore said.

"No!" She screamed, her voice harsh. "Tell me where they went!" James reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

Dumbledore sighed. "They have gone to Malfoy Manor," he told her. "But I do not think you should go."

"Voldemort can't kill me," Lily said. She turned and walked out of Dumbledore's office, James, Sirius, and Remus following.

Dumbledore sighed. It was going to be a very long night.

~`~

"Sorry I flirted with your mum," Draco said, out of the blue. He and Harry were standing almost to their knees in snow, in the woods that bordered the tiny village that lay beneath the sprawling grounds of the Malfoy Manor.

"What?" Harry asked, startled. He turned to look at the other boy. Dumbledore's Army, Draco, and Blaise were waiting for night to fall before storming the mansion.

"I want your mum. Can't help it. Beautiful girl." Draco said.

"She's my mum." Harry said.

"I know, which is sort of disgusting." Draco mused. Harry shook his head and tried to block the blond boy out. Hermione and Ginny were sitting on the back of one of the thestrals, huddling together, shivering.

"We're going," Harry said. He drew out his wand as Hermione and Ginny slid from their invisible mount. "Scared?" Harry asked Hermione as she stepped up beside him and took his hand.

"I'd be a liar if I told you I wasn't," Hermione admitted. Harry smiled at her, and turned to Ron, who stepped up beside him.

"If Malfoy touches my sister again, I'm going to avada kedavra him." Ron threatened. Harry turned to see Draco talking to Ginny, reaching out and touching a strand of red hair.

"Can you wait until AFTER we kill Voldemort?" Harry asked. "He's sort of helpful."

"Right," Ron said, still glaring at Draco.

"Come on," Harry said, moving forward. They, as a group, Dumbledore's Army, moved forward, out of the trees and into the shining whiteness of the snow on the grounds around Malfoy Manor. Hermione gripped Harry's hand, as she, Harry, and Ron moved at the forefront of the group.

There was silence. Only the crunching of footsteps in snow and the wind through winter-bare trees. Draco moved past Harry, his black cloak in sharp relief against the snow, until he disappeared into the shadow of the stone wall that rose into the night, blending in until all that was visible was a flash of pale skin, and his silvery hair.

He tapped his wand against the icy stones of the wall, and they seemed to disintegrate, similar to the entrance to Diagon Alley. It opened into the grounds, perfect, pristine snow covering miles and miles of ground, leading up to the massive house. Lights burned in windows on the top floor.

"Follow me," Draco said. "The easiest way in is through that window—" he pointed to a window high up on the side of the mansion, a huge, dark window that was set alone in the wall. "You have to climb the trellis to get there."

"All of us?" Harry asked, skeptically.

"No," Draco said. "Some of us can go up, and I can go down and let the rest in."

"That won't work. It's all or nothing." Hermione said. Draco turned at looked at the brunette girl, then nodded sharply.

"Then all of us go." Draco said.

"Where does that window open into?" Harry asked. "How can you be sure that no one will be in there when you go in?"

"It's my suite," Draco said. "There won't be anyone in there."

"Oh," Harry said.

Draco reached the trellis first, and started up, his hands closing in the icy cold of the vines that wrapped around the frozen wood of the lattice.

"Will that hold our weight?" Harry asked.

"It's held mine as long as I've climbed up and down it." Draco said.

"I just want to point out that not all of us are as scrawny as you, Malfoy," Ron said.

"Crabbe and Goyle can do it," Draco said, his lip curling as he looked back down.

"Well, here goes," Harry said, grabbing hold of the trellis and starting to climb. The cold numbed his hands, and the wood dug into the cut on his palm. They only had to climb three stories. It couldn't be that bad, could it be?

The latticework creaked as they climbed skyward. Draco reached the window first, and balanced himself to pull the wand from his robes. Harry noticed that Draco was left-handed as the blond boy muttered the words of the spell that opened the window. The other boy pulled himself over the windowsill and dropped silently into the room.

"Lumos," Harry heard him say as Harry himself climbed through the window. His foot caught on the sill and he fell with a thump to the floor. Draco spun around, gray eyes wide. "Shh!" he hissed, half of his face shadowed sharply by the light of his wand.

"Sorry," Harry muttered, vaguely aware that he was apologizing to Draco Malfoy.

Hermione and Ron climbed through the window, followed by Ginny, Neville, and Luna. Ginny lit her wand-tip and looked at her hand, which was beginning to bleed again. Luna looked dazed and had twigs in her hair. No one else came through the window.

"What the…" Draco said. "We seem to be missing a few people."

Harry walked over and looked out the window.

"They aren't there," Harry said. "How can they not be there?"

"They know we're here," Draco said. He grabbed Harry's arm and hauled him toward the door. "Come on," he said. "No sense in staying here. Hurry!"

Draco ran into the hallway, pulling Harry after him. Harry drew his wand from his robes as they ran, and Draco let go of Harry's arm to run full out. He lead them down the halls as though he knew exactly where he was going—he probably did, Harry realized. Ginny and Hermione were right behind him, followed by Ron. Neville and Luna brought up the rear.


"Malfoy, where are we going?" Harry asked.

"The library," Draco said. His robes flew behind him like some odd cape as he ran, his perfect hair beginning to fall in his eyes. He skidded to a stop before the doors. "Here," he said, breathless.

"Be ready," Harry said, then threw the doors open.