The antique Grandfather clock in the parlour of Malfoy Manor chimed eight o'clock. The tall man swept down the hall in a swift, fluid movement, his robes flowing behind him. He walked with a spring in his step towards the door, where he waited and impatiently tapped his foot.

"Narcissa, dear, do hurry up. The Ball shall be starting soon. We wouldn't want to keep our Lord waiting, now do we?" he said with a twisted smirk. Lucius knew full well that his wife felt ill every time she had to see Voldemort. The party held down the road with the Marlows' was no exception. She was no Death Eater, but one of the flock that followed him begrudgingly.

Narcissa paused at the top of the stairs leading down into the parlour and scowled. Lucius was so patronising; she just hated it. She readjusted her brilliantly glittering shawl around her shoulders and reluctantly began down the stairs.

"Heavens no, Lucius. Whatever was I thinking," she said bitterly and turned to see her son at the other side of the room.

"Goodbye, Draco. We'll be home late. Be good," she said with a smirk and a wink, and hurried out the door. Lucius merely nodded to him and slammed the heavy oak door with a thud.

Draco's heart gave a great thump along with the door. He stood in silence for a few minutes, listening carefully for his parents to depart. Then, all at once, his mind screamed, 'NOW! Now's your chance!'

Heart trip-hammering, Draco took a deep, shaky breath that was intended to be calming but only succeeded in making him feel decidedly dizzy and lightheaded. Adrenaline was rushing through his body as he gulped, and began to run. He had lived at the Manor ever since he could remember, but now, as he ran towards the dungeons underground, everything looked different. Shadows he had never taken notice to before loomed out at him, and the hallways that seemed regal and familiar to Draco in the past were now cold and distant, as if the walls themselves were trying to convince him that what he was doing was wrong and stupid.

'NO,' he told himself firmly, 'what Lucius is doing is wrong. I'm going to stop this right now'. Three minutes later, he was standing outside her door.

The door itself was heavy oak, but it needn't have been. There were enormous locks on the door, but they were all undone. Any muggle would have thought this stupid, to have a dungeon with a prisoner inside completely open. But Lucius was a wizard, and a clever one at that. His altered Cruiatus curse stripped the victim, Aurora, of all her free will. All she could think about the pain she was in, and so she had no means of getting out herself.

Presently, Draco pushed the door open hesitantly. A small shaft of light filtered into the room, illuminating a small and crumpled figure sitting curled up in the corner. As he stepped into the cell, he could hear nothing but her ragged breathing punctuated with sobs and the frantic beating of his own heart in his ears. Shaking, he slowly inched towards Aurora. Her whole body was stiff as a board, and her breathing paused. He took a breath.

"Aurora?"

There was no response, except that she started to quiver a little. He tried again.

"Aurora, it's me, Draco. Can you hear me?"

There was nothing for a few seconds, which to Draco seemed like an eternity. He felt despair begin to eat at him. Then, his stomach felt like it dropped to the floor when he heard the whispered, accusatory reply.

"One of them…"

Draco's eyes widened as he quickly thought over his whole life. Never had he ever been told something as terrible as this. Now, going to school with that stupid oaf Weasley, Draco Malfoy had been called all manners of terrible things, and been accused of many awful things. But Aurora, sweet Aurora, he never thought he would hear this kind of accusation from her. Then, his eyes narrowed.

"NO! Aurora, look at me." He demanded, and grabbed her shoulder as he swung her around to face him. He took hold of the other shoulder with his spare hand and began to shake her slightly. He took one look at her face and gasped slightly.

Her normally pale face was ashen, and her beautiful blue eyes were dull and full of pain. They were out of focus and gave Draco the impression she was slightly hallucinating at the same time. There was a trail of blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Aurora's face was horribly thin, as she had not eaten for a couple of days. Only a small, merciful spell cast by Narcissa when Lucius wasn't looking was keeping her from starving to death. Draco bit his lip and a look of pain and worry washed over his features.

"Listen to me, Aurora. I am here to save you. I am not, and will never be one of the kind Lucius is. Don't ever, ever think that. I'm here for you. You need to believe me. Do you want to come with me now? I can take you somewhere safe, free from this. Do you trust me?"

He spoke this passionately, with a look of fierce determination etched upon his features. Draco's silver eyes searched through her blue ones, looking for and answer. She focussed on him for a moment, nodded mutely, then burst into tears and clung to him helplessly, burying her face in his chest.

A look of pure relief crossed Draco's face. He pulled her up from the floor and supported his dear cousin with a feeling of elation and hope.

"Great. Can you walk? We need to go right now." Draco's voice held a slight edge of urgency to it. He waited for a second and then frowned when she gave no indication of hearing him.

"'Misia?" he called her the pet name that he had started using when they were young. It was easier for him to shorten Artemisia than use her full name. The use of this name reminded Draco of happier times and it gave him comfort. Still, she gave no response.

Then she slumped slowly next to him and he swore as he quickly swept her up in his arms, his Quidditch reflexes coming in handy. Because she had no eaten in so long, she was freakishly light and weak. She was smiling in a weird way, looking up at her cousin in an unseeing manner. Draco's brow furrowed with confusion. What was wrong? Then her mouth opened and she began to speak in a sinuous, sing-song voice very unlike her own.

"Who rides there so late, through the night dark and drear?

The father it is, with his infant so dear.

He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his arm,

He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm."

At this she giggled maniacally. At once Draco realised that she was delirious. He swore and began to make his way to the fire as fast as he could. When he got there he grabbed his wand and summoned all his belongings to him. He wasn't overly concerned about breaking the Underage use of magic law – in Malfoy Manor, no spells could ever be detected by the Ministry. He shrank all his things into a pocket size lump and shoved it into the deep folds of his cloak. Then, grabbing a fistful of Floo Powder, Draco Malfoy threw it into the fire and yelled, "Hogwarts!" before disappearing with Aurora held in his arms into the flames. He never once looked back.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rose was brushing her teeth getting ready for bed when she felt a headache coming on.

"Oww!" she cried, and clasped her hands to her temples. Finishing up quickly, she walked into her bedroom and sat upon her bed cradling her head in her hands with her eyes firmly shut. She began to groan softly, and groped around for her crystal. It had to be there somewhere. When she felt the cold, smooth surface touch her fingertips, she grasped it firmly and began to let her mind wonder to where all the fuss was about.

Surprisingly, she found her mind had taken her to the Great Hall. There, lying on the floor unconscious, was a very sickly looking blonde girl. Next to her was a boy. Rose frowned when she realised this was Draco Malfoy. What the heck was he doing here?

With a rush, Rose's mind took her back to her body in the tower. She opened her eyes and began to rub the crystal thoughtfully as she began to use her telepathy. Dumbledore would know what to do.

Professor? She began timidly. Are you there?

There was a pause, then she heard him respond.

"Yes, child? What is it, sweetheart?"

Ah…well, Draco Malfoy and a girl I don't know are both in the Great Hall. I really think you need to talk to him. Oh, and bring Madame Pomfrey. The girl needs some medical attention.

A stunned silence developed for a second before he answered, "All right, thank you very much, child." And then he was gone. Rose shook her head. This was weird.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Draco Malfoy opened his eyes and saw Aurora lying next to him in a heap on the floor of the Great Hall. He jumped up and started to help lift her up as well. He picked her up and turned around to see Professor Dumbledore, the very person he needed right now, standing right behind him. This caught him off guard.

"Professor! Erm…hello. Could we talk?"

Albus's eyes twinkled as he nodded and said simply, "Of course. My office. However, I think your friend here needs some attention in the hospital wing." At this he sobered, and conjured up a stretcher that hovered in the air. Madame Pomfrey came rushing around the corner, and looked at Aurora with shock.

"Albus, what…?"

"Poppy, could you take care of her in the hospital wing please?" The old Nurse tutted softly, and pulling out her wand directed the form of Aurora towards the Hospital wing. Draco's eyes followed her as her levitated body was guided out of sight.

He looked back at Dumbledore and the old man gestured silently for Draco to follow him. As they swept along the various corridors and hallways, Draco's mind was swimming. What if he was in trouble? Where would he go now, since he couldn't go home? Would Dumbledore let them stay? What if Aurora never got better?

At this last thought he choked back a groan. Malfoys never groaned. But, considering what type of person Lucius was, he wasn't too sure he wanted to be one any more. Before he knew it, he was sitting in Dumbledore's office. He started when he heard the old man speak.

"Mr Malfoy. I believe there is something you need to tell me." From then on, it was all a dull blur. Draco let loose everything and poured his troubles out.

The boy told Dumbledore how his father was a Death Eater, how he escaped Azkaban and that wanted Aurora to join Voldemort. Lucius' cruel treatment of her and her present condition was a main point. He told of Aurora's past and her powers, and emphasised how much she was innocent and needed help.

At the end of his monologue, Dumbledore's eyes held no sparkle; only sadness.

"Of course you two can stay here. Aurora can enrol here as a student, where she will be safe. Now, Mr Malfoy, we need to talk about you." Draco's heart made a huge ka-thump sound and he could have sworn it jumped into his throat. 'What about me?' He thought, and raised an eyebrow that did not reveal his panic. Dumbledore frowned.

"I am very pleased that you have decided to join the ranks of good, despite your circumstances. You and your cousin, Aurora, can stay in your dorm and are free to go about the grounds as you like until term begins. There is one condition though, Mr Malfoy."

Draco swallowed. This was better than he expected.

"And what might that be, Professor?"

"That you trust me and do what I say."

Draco grinned. This was almost too perfect. Almost.

"Sounds good to me."

A/N

Helloooooo! You know, if people actually REVIEWED every once and a while I might have something interesting to say here. Oh well, I'll make do.

Disownership in this chapter apart from the regular: The poem Aurora recited when she was delirious was an extract from "The Erl King", by Johann Wolfgang van Goethe, 1782.

When delirious and/or hallucinating, quote ominous poetry. Hey, works for me.