Disclaimer: I don't own any of the orginial Harry Potter character because I am not that creative...but I wish i was...I only own the plot and my characters.

THE SHADOWS FROM THE BACKGROUND OF THE MORGUE

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were wandering around Diagon Alley purchasing what they needed for the next school year. Hermione kep staring off into space thinking about what the year might bring. She had went to the salon with her Mom over the summer to learn how to take a more direct approach to change her image. She still loved books and practicing to become the best witch she could be but couldn't help but want a more active social life. She had decided to grow her hair out and straighten it and had put some honey colored highlights to frame her face as a well as using a small amount of makeup. When she finally caught up to her friends, she noticed the increased attention the boys had paid to her and mentally gave herself a high five for her efforts. In addition, she had grown a couple of inches and filled out into a more shapely and athletic frame. No longer was the conversations solely about books and spells, suddenly, they wanted to know if she'd met anyone while on holiday. She hadn't yet but was for the coming year.

"You look great, Hermione!" Ginny gushed.

"So do you, Ginny. I am so glad that the new year is almost here. I have missed you all terribly." chimed Hermione.

Harry began explaining to Hermione that he had spent the first part of summer beating himself up over Sirius but that Ron and Ginny had convinced Dumbledore and the Weasley's to let him stay the last two weeks at the Burrow. He still misses Sirius greatly but it was easier to take while surrounded by friends and Mrs Weasley's care.

Just then they went by the quidditch(sp?)supply store and Harry, Ron and Ginny went into a tirade abouth the Quidditch Cup and stragedies for the coming year. Hermione had started to wander a little further down the street when she noticed something moving in the shadows in between to shops.....

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After Draco's dream last night he sat thinking about how we would put his plan into motion but he kept wondering how he could convince anyone that he had changed without raising suspicions(sp?) by his father or the Dark Lord. He wasn't worried so much for himself as he was for his mother. She had tried so hard to persuade Lucius to let him (Draco) make his own decision about the Deatheaters last night only to be cursed into submission by his father. This morning when he went downstairs for breakfast, his mother had told him to go pack his things and that they would go to the Leaky Cauldron until school started to avoid his father. Draco couldn't stop wondering about what would happen if his father found them.

Over the summer he had grown up so much and was fast becoming as tall and as strong as his father but he was missing something crucial...an evil defined by no one other than the Dark Lord. He was going to have help but who was strong enough? That answer was simple...Potter. Would Harry listen and believe him or was this just a useless cause?

Suddenly Draco had an idea of how he could gain their trust but he would need to find Granger. She was his only chance of finding what he needed and how to pull it off...........

Draco was struggling to remember the potion that was used to resurrect the Dark Lord a little more than a year ago. The dark lord had needed Potter's blood, flesh from a servant (Pettigrew) and something from his father..he thought. Maybe Granger could help him find the potion so that he could help resurrect someone for Potter..maybe Sirius perhaps from the Veil. That would surely prove to Potter that I can be trusted..wouldn't it?

Finally, the Malfoy's were settled into the Leaky Cauldron under the assumed name of Patterly and Draco was trying feverishly to divise his plan. His father thought that they were just traveling around until school started. He would watch for Granger to come to Diagon Alleyand approach her when no one else was around. But how would he gain her trust? Surely she would be suspicious but he would just have turn on the charm and make her come around. Then he thought of his own so called friends at the Slythrin house, if they caught him trying to talk to any of Potter's group he would done for
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Hermione crept along the wall the the shop to try to see what was in the alley. Her heart was beating so fast she could hardly hear anything but it. As she rounded the corner she felt a hand curl around her mouth. But before sher could scream she heard a deep voice say, "silencio", behind a black hood. Her heart leapt into her mouth and fear encompassed her until the hood was lifted and she saw the face of her attacker.

With a voice as slight as a whisper Draco told her to calm down and pay attention.

"I don't want to hurt you Hermione. I just need to talk to about something involving Potter and the Dark Lord." cautioned Draco." "I am going to explain just, please, don't scream." He lifted the curse and proceeded to explain it all to her.

"At the end of this year, my father wants me to join the Deatheaters but I refused and it became clear to me that I need to away from him..and my mother does too. So I started sneaking away at night to London to see what the rest of the world had to offer. It was amazing, Granger, as I am sure you know. Anyway, I got to thinking about playing Quidditch professionally or maybe working abroad somewhere in the runes or with dragons. But as the time went on and my father pushed more and more about the Deatheaters, I realized that I would never be able to do those things unless you-know-who was gone..Forever." explained Draco.

"What does that have to with Harry? Are you sure you're not up to something Malfoy?" she replied

"I can't do this on my own so I thought if I could do something for Harry then maybe he could get the Order to help me and my Mum." he said while looking around nervously.

"What's wrong with you, you're acting strange? And what could you possibly do FOR Harry?" she replied.

I can try to get Sirius back for him but I need your help."

"But Sirius is dead. We can't bring him back," said Hermione.

"The Dark Lord came back, maybe we could use the same potion to do it." retorted Draco.

"That's dark magic and we can't use that," Hermione stated,"let me go get Harry and then we can all talk."

"I can't right now-maybe after we get on the train. Oh and Hermione, please don't tell Harry yet. He'd probably just tell me "no" and I would nver get to explain." Draco pleaded as he put his hood back on and disappeared into the shadows.