A/N: Thanks for all the reviews!!! Here we are, finally some action!! Please R&R I want to know what you all think!

Chapter 14

The one hour remaining seemed to go faster than Malfoy wanted it to. They danced a few more dances, and Ron insisted that they ate some more, claiming that there was no sense letting all the food go to waste!

Ten minutes before Malfoy was due to lead them out into the forest, he excused himself, telling the trio that he needed to use the 'little wizard's room' and that he would be back soon.

While he was gone, Harry, Ron and Hermione moved to a quiet corner to reflect on what fun they had had that night.

"I wish we could have more balls like this!" Hermione sighed as she watched the other students dance around.

Harry nodded. "Me too, I had a lot of fun tonight! My favorite part was getting my hair to behave!" he said grinning.

Ron made to touch Harry's hair but Harry dodged his hand. "Gerroff Ron!!"

"Well, I think too many weird things happen at Balls!" Ron declared.

Hermione and Harry frowned.

"What do you mean, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"Well, think about it! Malfoy being friendly, and Snape smiling?!! Come on! That never happens!" Ron replied waving a hand at Snape and accidentally smacking Lavender in the face as she was passing.

Ron didn't appear to notice, and stooped down to tie his shoelace, unknowingly dodging a return blow from a miffed Lavender.

Harry and Hermione laughed as Lavender stalked off with her nose in the air.

Hermione turned to Harry and handed him her cup of punch. "Here, Harry, hold this for me, please. I have to go and powder my nose!"

Harry nodded and he and Ron watched Hermione leave.

"She looks fantastic tonight, doesn't she mate?" Ron said proudly.

"Yes, Ron, she does." Harry replied.

Just then, Malfoy appeared beside them. "Hey guys, there's something I want to show you –"He stopped when he realized Hermione was missing.

"What were you saying mate?" Ron prompted.

"Where's Hermione?" Malfoy asked, looking around the hall.

"Went to powder her nose." Harry replied, frowing slightly at the panicked look on Malfoy's face.

"Dunno why girls can't just admit that they need to pee!" Ron said shaking his head. "But no, they have to 'powder their noses'!"

Malfoy looked impatient and kept scanning the room for Hermione's return.

Harry, noticing this, frowned again. "Is something wrong, Malfoy?"

Malfoy snapped out of his reverie and turned around hastily. "What? Wrong? No, no nothing's wrong!" he said quickly, flashing a smile. "Whatever made you think such a thing, Potter?"

Harry shrugged, still looking curious. "you just seem a little upset that Hermione went to the bathroom." He replied.

Malfoy faked a laugh, "Don't be ridiculous, Potter! Why would such a thing upset me?"

Harry shrugged again. "I only meant –"

"Ah! Here she is!" Malfoy cut him off as he waved his arm in Hermione's direction, smacking poor Lavender as she was passing.

Lavender got up off the floor and screamed in Malfoy's face. "THAT"S THE SECOND TIME TONIGHT THAT'S HAPPENED!!!!"

Harry swore he saw Malfoy's hair lift with the gale coming from Lavender as she screamed at him.

Malfoy arched an eyebrow and Lavender seemed to realize who she was talking to (or rather screaming at) and composed herself quickly, patting her hair and smoothing her dress, then dashed away from him as fast as her legs could carry her.

Malfoy watched her run and shrugged at Harry and Ron. "Women, weird things aren't they? Always screaming and flying off the handle at nothing!" he remarked in an offhanded manner.

Hermione arrived and Malfoy turned quickly to the trio, feigning an excited expression. "Listen you guys, there's something in the forest that I want to show you!" He said eagerly.

"Wharisip?" Ron said around a mouthful of a sandwich he had just taken a bite of, spraying bits of it everywhere.

"I can't tell you, I want to show you! It's the coolest thing, you guys must see it!" Malfoy replied hurriedly. He didn't have much time left to get them there.

Harry looked dubious. "Can't it wait until tomorrow, we'll see better in the day."

Malfoy shook his head. "No, it only comes out at night, if we don't hurry we'll miss it!"

Hermione was looking wary. "But Proffessor Dumbledore said that the forbidden forest is..well...forbidden!"

"He's having too much fun to notice!" Malfoy told her. He was losing patience. If he didn't get them there at the arranged time, his father was going to be very angry.

Ron and Harry exchanged glances. "Mione's right, we shouldn't go out there, it's not big, and it's not clever!"

Malfoy played his final card. He stepped forward to Ron and Harry, one eyebrow arched. "Not afraid are we?" he challenged.

Ron puffed his chest out indignantly and Harry frowned.

"No, we aren't afraid." Harry replied jutting his chin out.

Malfoy smirked. "Then lets go!"

"Your on!" Ron said.

Harry, Ron and Malfoy started toward the doors.

"Wait!" Hermione protested. "What about my dress? I can't go into the forbidden forest in this! It'll get ruined!"

Malfoy waved an hand nonchalantly. "A simple cleaning spell will take care of it if it gets dirty! Now let's go!"

Hermione hesitated. They weren't supposed to go into the forbidden forest. Dumbledore wouldn't be very pleased with them if he found out. On the other hand, she didn't want to be left behind. She bit her lip and glanced over her shoulder at the teacher's table as she followed her friends out of the Great hall.

Meanwhile, at the teacher's table, Snape sat brooding on his own, watching the school celebrate his birthday. He noticed Potter, Weasley, Granger and Malfoy talking in the corner, and he noticed also how wary the trio looked at what Malfoy was saying. Finally, he watched them leave and Hermione hesitate before following the boys out. He frowned. What were they up to?

Malfoy led them out of the school and they walked towards the Forbidden forest, which looked even more forbidden that evening.

"What is it exactly that we are going to see, Malfoy?" Ron asked as they reached the outskirts of the forest.

"You'll see, Weasley!" Malfoy replied.

"Is it an magical creature?" Hermione asked curiously. "One we haven't seen in Care of Magical Creatures yet?"

"Yeah, you could say that!" Malfoy said.

Hermione's curiosity was thoroughly sparked now. "Oh I wonder what it is!" she said happily.

"Just wait and see!" Malfoy told her, taking her hand and helping her over a large fallen tree branch.

They walked and walked deeper into the forest, and as they got nearer to their destination, Malfoy was dealing with inner turmoil. He really didn't want to do this anymore, he wanted things to go back to normal, he wished he hadn't thought of this stupid plan over the summer holidays when he hated the trio. He had finally learned to love and enjoy true friendship and he didn't want to give that up! But he knew his father would literally kill him if he turned back. He would be deemed a traitor to the dark lord and that would result in a miserable existence for him. That would be made sure of!

His heart felt like it was going to beat itself out of his chest as they got nearer.

"Are we almost there, Malfoy?" Harry asked wearily.

"Yes, Potter, almost." Malfoy replied quietly.

Hermione put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay Draco?"

"Uh, yes, I'm fine!" He lied.

Hermione smiled at him. He studied her beautiful face, full of concern for him. For him, Malfoy, who had made their lives a misery at school for five long years, who had hated them with such passion and fury it had almost consumed him, who up until recently had a heart of stone. This was too much for him to deal with. His heart felt like it would burst. He had to betray the only true friends he had ever known, not to mention the one he had come to love.

He stopped, they were here.

He took Hermione's hand. "I..I'm so sorry!" he blurted out.

Hermione frowned. "Draco...what.."

Harry and Ron frowned.

"Please...all of you...forgive me."

"Mate, what are you talking about?" Ron demanded.

Just then, Harry gave a yell and put a hand to his head, his face twisted in pain.

Hermione and Ron went to him and held him up.

Then they saw them, emerging from the trees, like shadows.

Hermione gasped in horror. "Oh no! Please God no!"

The Death Eaters surrounded them quickly, forming a circle around the four of them, staring menacingly behind their masks.

Ron and Hermione clutched Harry tighter and the three of them huddled closer together.

One of the Death Eaters stepped forward and removed his mask.

"Well done, son! I knew I could count on you. You shall be rewarded." Lucius Malfoy said putting a hand on Malfoy's shoulder.

The trio looked at Malfoy. They were shocked for a moment but their expressions quickly turned to anger and betrayal.

Malfoy looked away, he couldn't bear to see them look at him like that.

Lucius smirked evilly and gestured to the other Death Eaters, upon which three of them moved in and seized the trio.

"I KNEW IT!!!!" Ron yelled as he struggled against his captor. "I KNEW HE WAS UP TO SOMETHING!!!"

Harry kicked and fought against the Death Eater holding him. "LET ME GO!!! MALFOY YOU"LL PAY FOR THIS!!!" he shouted.

Hermione was struggling furiously against her captor too, her dress making it difficult to kick out. "WHY?" She screamed at Malfoy, tears flowing down her face. "WHY DID YOU DO THIS?!!! I THOUGHT YOU HAD CHANGED!!!"

Malfoy winced as they yelled at him, they're sense of betrayal evident, Hermione's words cutting into him like a knife.

Hermione managed to bite her captor hard on the arm and he let out a yell and she managed to escape. She bolted forward but was grabbed around the waist by Lucius Malfoy.

She screamed and tried to bite him too, but he avoided it and tossed her onto his shoulder so she struggled fiercely, squirming and kicking and yelling, beating her fists on his back. "PUT ME DOWN!!!"

"LET HER GO!" Ron yelled still struggling.

"Oh, shut up!" Lucius Malfoy sneered. "No-one can hear you anyway, you are too far away from the school, and besides, the music from the ball you were attending will drown out your screams."

Realizing this, the trio stopped yelling.

"Let us go!" Harry demanded.

Lucius merely laughed, a cold eerie, evil laugh. "I think not, Mr Potter!" he said, very amused by Harry's demand. "You see, there is someone who wishes to settle a score with you and your friends, he's very anxious to meet you! I wouldn't dream of depriving him of such a thing!"

From her position over Lucius' shoulder, Hermione was face to face with Malfoy. She glared at him. "You betrayed us!" she spat. "And I hate you more now, than I have ever done before!"

Malfoy turned away from her, his new found heart aching.

"You should not speak in such a manner, Miss Granger, while you look so exquisite." Lucius remarked. "It ruins your beauty!"

"I hate you too!" Hermione replied with a hiss. "And Dumbledore is going to come here and find us and then you'll be sorry, coz he's gonna kick your ass!"

"You think so?" Lucius said in an amused tone.

The death eaters holding Ron and Harry hostage, bound and gagged them and threw them onto their shoulders and began to walk even deeper into the forest.

Lucius followed with Hermione, who was still hissing threats at him.

Malfoy remained followed his father, who turned to make sure he was with him, then satisfied, he turned and continued to follow the others.

Malfoy looked up at Hermione and then turned and ran silently back towards the school.

Lucius didn't notice, he was too preoccupied with trying to think up ways of torturing Harry and co and the reward that the dark lord would give him for bringing Potter to him on a silver platter, and his two best friends as a bonus!

Meanwhile, Malfoy ran as fast as he could back towards Hogwarts, his sides throbbing in pain. He was so stupid! Why did he go through with it? He didn't care about the dark lord anymore, or his stupid father! He hated himself for what he had done, he didn't blame Hermione for hating him, not one little bit!

He got back to the Castle, and entered the entrance hall, gasping for breath. He could hear the ball still in action. He gathered what breath he had left and burst through the doors of the great hall and sprinted towards Snape.

Snape saw him coming and frowned. Something was very wrong if Draco Malfoy looked so frantic.

Malfoy reached Snape and tried to catch his breath. "Proffessor!" he gasped. "Potter... Weasley....Hermione....forest....father...you..have !"

Snape frowned down at Malfoy in confusion, then it hit him.

"What have you done, Mr Malfoy!?" Snape demanded before standing up and signaling to Dumbldedore to come over.

When Dumbledore arrived, Malfoy was able to talk a bit better, having caught his breath.

"Now, what's the trouble here?" Dumbledore asked.

"Apparantly, Mr Malfoy did something he regrets and has come to tell us about it!" Snape replied.

Dumbledore looked at Malfoy who was still clutching his side.

"My father has Potter, Weasley and Hermione in the forest!" he said. "I did a horrible thing, Proffessor!" he wailed.

"Then there's no time to lose!" Dumbledore said hurriedly. "Severus, you know what to do!"

Snape nodded and swept out of the hall, shoving students out of his way to clear a path.

Dumbledore turned back to Malfoy and looked down at him with pity. "Now, Mr Malfoy, what exactly did you do?"

Malfoy hurriedly explained what he had done, tears sliding down his face all the while. "And now they are going to be dead because of me! I didn't want to do it, Proffessor, I realized that after I became friends with them! They showed me so much trust and faith and I let them down, I betrayed them!!" He wailed.

Dumbledore put a comforting hand on Malfoy's shoulder. "There, there, Mr Malfoy, all will set itself right in due course. In the meantime, You should get back to the forest before your Father figures out where you went! I will handle the rest!"

Malfoy nodded and made to run out, but Dumbledore stopped him.

"Mr Malfoy, take this." Dumbledore held out a portkey to him. "It will get you there much faster!"

Malfoy seized the copper kettle and felt a tug in his navel as he was pulled forward. Within seconds, he had arrived behind his father, who was looking around frantically.

Malfoy hastily flung the kettle aside.

Hearing the noise, his father spun around. "There you are." He remarked. "Where did you get to?"

Malfoy tried to look innocent. "I've been here the whole time, Father!"

Lucius cast his son a suspicious look. "Really? I couldn't find you a minute ago."

Malfoy stared up at his father, thinking of an excuse. "I was lagging behind a bit, I must have been hidden behind a tree!"

Lucius raised an eyebrow, and gestured for Malfoy to walk ahead of him. "Come, Draco, they are waiting."

Malfoy took a deep breath and went ahead of his father, who followed him with a knowing look on his face.

They got to a clearing and Malfoy saw the trio sitting on the ground, still bound, but their gags had been removed. The death eaters surrounded them in a half circle, so he had a clear view of them.

The trio were sitting back to back with each other, looking down at their legs. All hope of escape gone.

"Look at your friends, son," Lucius told Draco "take a very good look at them, Draco, you aren't going to see them anymore after tonight, and you won't have to put up with them at School anymore. Isn't that wonderful!?"

Malfoy didn't say anything, he felt something wasn't right.

"Why, are you not happy about that, Draco?" his father continued. "I thought you would be celebrating by now!"

Malfoy stared at the trio.

Lucius paused before continuing. "You wouldn't happen to actually like them now, would you? I think you have a soft spot for these three, if I am not very much mistaken!"
Malfoy looked up at his father as he said these things. He was so busted!

Lucius' face was sneering and full of disgust. "You do, don't you!" he sneered. "Well, my boy, that is very disappointing!" he grabbed Malfoy roughly by the neck and tossed him into the middle of the circle with the trio, who had heard the whole thing. They were staring at Lucius then at Malfoy who was staring at his father defiantly.

"What? I thought Malfoy betrayed us!" Ron said, confused.

"Oh he did, Mr Weasley, but he went soft somewhere along the line!" Lucius said in a dangerous voice. "And we all here know that a Malfoy cannot let emotions get the better of him as my so-called son has done!"

Hermione looked at Malfoy and then at Lucius. It was obvious that he had betrayed his father now. Was this betraying malarkey Draco Malfoy's new pastime? Just who's side was he on anyway?

Harry turned his head to look at Malfoy too. "Now what did you do?!" he demanded.

Malfoy didn't reply, he glared at his father instead. "I'm sick of being evil!" he cried. "I don't want to be a death eater, I don't want to serve Voldemort, EVER!"

"Well, then, have it your way." Lucius said softly, he turned to the death eaters. "Bind him and put him with his beloved friends!" he spat and turned away in disgust.

Malfoy was roughly bound and pushed down to the ground with the trio. They had to rearrange the trio to fit Malfoy in, so now Harry and ron were sitting back to back and Hermione and Malfoy were positioned the same. Then lucius lifted his wand and ropes shot out of it and wound themselves tightly around the trio.

"For what it's worth," Malfoy said meekly "I really am sorry."

"We really trusted you! You totally betrayed us!" Hermione said tearfully.

"I know! And I am so sorry! Believe me!" Malfoy begged.

"Believe you?!" Ron said incredulously "After you did this? Are you mad?"

Malfoy hung his head. "I understand if you never trust me again. I let you down big time! But I really want to be your friend now. I've seen the light so to speak, and now I am paying the price for turning my back on the dark side! Please, forgive me?"

There was silence for a few moments, and it was Harry's voice that broke it. "It will take a very long time to forgive you, but we can be your friends." He said softly.

Malfoy looked at Harry and he looked back at Malfoy.

"I don't deserve to have friends like you three" he said.

Harry smiled faintly. "friendship is something that is given freely, you don't deserve it, it's a gift."

Ron and Hermione smiled faintly too. They couldn't disagree with Harry, he was absolutely right. Sure, Malfoy had betrayed them initially, but he proved that he didn't want to in the end, after all, he had just turned his back on his own father and had declared that that they were his friends. He had in essence, just proven that he was a true friend.

Suddenly, they noticed that the Death eaters had proceeded to gather around the four students pulling their wands out.

Having mended the friendship, or at the very least patched it, the four students felt a little braver. Whatever was coming their way, they could take it.

"What are they doing?" Ron asked.

"They are going to torture us, have some fun until Voldemort arrives." Malfoy replied calmly.

"It's routine, you know." Harry stated as-a-matter-of-factly. Having been through similar treatment last year, he pretty much figured their routine out.

'Erm, do we still have our wands?" Ron whispered.

"I think so." Hermione whispered back. "Never go anywhere without it!"

Hermione felt Malfoy fiddling his hands around behind her. She knew he was fiddling with the rope that bound his hands together.

Malfoy managed to slip one of his slender hands out of the rope that bound his hands behind his back.

Then, he began to tug at Hermione's rope, and soon she was free. Realizing this, she slowly slid her hand out behind her back and tugged at Ron's rope, as Malfoy undid Harry's.

The death eaters apparently didn't notice, as the four hadn't changed position or appeared to move at all!

Ron and Harry looked at Malfoy and smiled the faintest of smiles at him.

Malfoy squeezed Hermione's hand with one of his and used his other hand to squeeze Harry's.

Harry in turn, squeezed Ron's hand and their silent communication was understood by them all. They just had to wait for the right moment.

Still the death eaters had no clue.

Just then, another death eater appeared, and lowered his hood. "Sorry I'm late, I couldn't get away!"

All the death eaters turned to look at the latecomer and welcome him.

Proffessor Snape! This was their chance!

Quickly and simultaneously, Malfoy and Hermione pushed against each other's backs, helping each other to their feet, Harry and Ron did the same. Hermione managed to get her wand out and broke the rope that was around them all.

Free at last, now the fun could really begin!