DISCLAIMER: All characters, settings, and magical occurrences were all conceived and created in the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Nothing except the glorious plot is property of mine. No profits are being made from my writing.
Chapter 3
His classes that day seemed to drag on painfully long. He wanted nothing more than but to lock himself away in the dungeons and not deal with the pain he was feeling. He knew that it was not a plausible decision but given his current mindset he was bound to ponder such things.
"Are you alright, Draco?" Blaise questioned, a hand reaching out and touching his shoulder. It was meant to be a reassuring gesture but instead Draco flinched at the contact and jerked away.
"I'm fine. I have a meeting with the Headmaster." He spoke rather quickly, escaping the room as soon as he'd been instructed to do so. He needed answers. Anything that could help him deal with what he knows had to.
He knew he'd told Lupin he'd been considering spying but he hadn't given the prospect much thought. He doubted very strongly Dumbledore would accept him let alone St. Potter who would no doubt do anything to prove that he couldn't be trusted. It wasn't that he thought so lowly of the boy anymore. It had just become easier to continue disliking one another than to try to form some uncomfortable friendship they both knew wouldn't work. Instead silence had replaced insult and passing glances, glares. Draco still knew there was a deep seated dislike towards him and his father that would never be overcome. In the grand scheme of things, getting on Potter's good side had never been a goal he'd wanted to begin with.
He felt bad about brushing Blaise off as easily as he did but what he was dealing with even he wouldn't understand. He wasn't sure if there was anyone who honestly did that wasn't in his position already. With the exception of course falling to Professor Lupin. The man had known about Draco's involvement, against his will or not. He'd not breathed a word of it to anyone either. Or at least not to his knowledge. Above all, he'd helped him. Given him the sanctuary he need for the evening and hadn't made a harsh comment against him. That very rarely happened to him.
He finally found himself in front of the gargoyle he'd been dreading meeting. He looked around for a moment contemplating a quick get away but instead he recited the password (Cockroach Cluster) and entered. It seemed the Headmaster had been waiting for him, as he sat idly at his desk, doing near nothing.
"Mr. Malfoy. I had a feeling I'd be hearing from you soon. Please, come in and take a seat." Dumbledore waved his student in and the blonde reluctantly took a seat on the opposite of the desk from him.
"I take it you know why I'm here then?"
"It is true that I know most if not all of the happenings in the school but it is impossible for me to know what is on your mind. And from what I've observed, you haven't spilt those contacts to anyone. What seems to be troubling you, Draco?"
"Sir, I took the Dark Mark over winter holidays. I hadn't wanted to but as I stood before The Dark Lord I didn't have another option." He looked down at the ground, utterly ashamed on his revelation.
"You've nothing to fret over. I know you wouldn't have come to me if you indeed planned to join Tom in his quest."
"Sir, I thought that maybe you could use my place in his Inner Circle as an advantage. I know Sev…Professor Snape is already involved in something like it and I could be of help."
"Mr. Malfoy, I'm afraid that is a rather large risk I don't think I can take."
"But it's my risk to take. I will find some way to get you the information otherwise. I want to help."
"I'm confident you do but this would be more dangerous than what Severus is doing now. You'd be betraying your family and friends. Are you up to such traitorous decision?"
"I believe I am."
"This is not going to be easy. I've noticed you leaving the castle and in fact planned on approaching you about it. I need a safe place for you to go after your meetings. From what I've been able to tell, the damage done isn't something that could be easily explained in class the next day." Draco just nodded and let the older man continue. "You will need a place to recover and someone who can come to me with the information rather than you looking suspicious."
"Professor Lupin?"
"Do you think he'd do such a thing?"
"Last night when I got back from the meeting that's where I went. I knew I couldn't get all the way to my common room and he'd told me once that his door was always open. I took him up on it and he helped with the healing, although I'm still rather sore. I believe he'd help, sir."
"I take it you suggest him because you trust him then?"
"He's known for a while and has yet to turn me in to the authorities so I'm developing a bit of trust for him."
"Then I'll approach him on the subject."
"If it's easier sir, I'll do it myself. I need to properly thank him for helping me anyway."
"Very well Mr. Malfoy. I will leave you in charge of that."
.-.
"Just a moment." He set down another of his 4th years essays on his desk and stood, massaging his head softly as he approached the door. He might need a headache draught after all. "Mr. Malfoy. I didn't expect to see you here again so soon."
"I wanted to properly thank you for what you did for me last night."
"Please come in." He moved aside giving the blonde passage. "You needn't thank me, either. I was just doing what any other might have done."
"That's not true, sir. Many might have just left me out there and gone back to bed."
"No one with any heart at all."
"Be that as it may, I'm grateful that despite some of the terrible things I've done you would allow me to take refuge here last night."
"I've told you before this door is always open for you."
"That is partially why I've come in the first place." He sat down upon the couch he'd rested on earlier that day. "I had a talk with the Headmaster and I've agreed to gather as much information as I can for him to use. At the same time, I need a place to recover as my own dorm might not be the safest option. I was hoping that I might be able to come here for those evenings following the meetings. He asked me in one way or another whom I would trust and I suggested you. He seemed to think it was a great idea." He could feel himself rambling and he hated when his mouth ran away with him.
"It would be no problem for me to open my quarters to you." He was surprised that when questioned with trust his first option would be him. Snape possibly, even McGonagall but never him. The blonde never seemed to trust him after learning of his abnormality.
"Thank you again. I'm not the only of my dorm mates that have received the Mark and I don't need more suspicion on myself."
"You don't have to explain any of it to me. Just know that when you return from these 'meetings' there will be room enough for you to recover upon this old couch. It may not be the most comfortable thing but as you can tell, I don't entertain much and don't have a need for one of the plush sofas you may be used to in your common room."
"It'll suit me just fine."
"How many of your friends know?"
"I'd hardly consider most of them friends but everyone in my year and up. I've only talked about it with Pansy and Blaise but I know the others have been filled in. Most of them were told to watch me and a lot them just fear me now. It's rather unnerving trying to study with the stares constantly in your direction."
"I know the feeling, I did grow up a Werewolf I'll have you remember. It was the only reason I spent so much time in that blasted library. I always hated that place. I felt as though the librarian always kept a firm eye on me. Probably afraid I'd snap and transform and eat one of her precious books."
At that comment, Draco cracked his first smile in the rooms Lupin occupied. It was a sure sign that it might not be the last.
"She is rather picky about her collection. A look of pain crosses her face every time she sees you studying and a liquid within a five kilometer distance."
"I always found the back much easier to avoid her and much quieter if that helps at all. Or of course you're welcome to spend your studying time here. I don't see what it would hurt."
"Have you always preferred seclusion like this?" Draco motioned to the area around them. It was decorated in a very simple manner and nothing too fancy of any sort. It was rather homey he would admit, if he was even a good judge of that. The Manor certainly didn't have a homey quality about it.
"I didn't used to. Until everyone found out what I was. Sometimes it was just easier to hide than to be subjected to the sneers and fear. I think you can understand where I'm coming from."
"Rather unfortunately, I can."
"After long enough, you become more comfortable in the silence than the hushed whispers and it's easier to escape and no one notice. Especially now." His expression seemed to change drastically as he concluded his statement. He looked as though his heart had broken all over again and Draco felt very guilty for it. He didn't know much about the man at all. His transformations were the extent of his knowledge and he felt with such little information he shouldn't pry. Especially about something as touchy as it seemed that particular topic might have been.
"I think I ought to get back to my room before anyone starts wondering. We don't send out search parties like Gryffindors but my parents could very easily be informed." He stood from the couch and met the man's eyes once more. Something threatened to hold him sternly in place and he shifted his gray eyes away quickly.
"Remember, if you need anything, Draco."
"Thank you, Professor. For everything."
"I should think by now it'll be ok for you to call me Remus here. No need for the formality."
"Ok. Thank you, Remus."
.-.
A/N: Ahh…so proud of myself, another chapter. I'd say glorious but I'm not quite sure. I might need a little encouragement from ANYONE and EVERYONE! Well it would be greatly appreciated anyway. I really like this story and with all this time on my hands this summer who knows what might become of it. Again, sorry for such a short chapter. With the layout I have, the first several chapters managed to contain some pretty important stuff but it doesn't require a lot. So please stick with me. The longer chapters will come soon. :-D
And to my reviewers…
HPSlashfan4evr: Thanks bunches again for a review. Sorry it took so long. I'll 4 out much sooner as it's pretty much ready as is.
Rocky Vladimir: There is no where near enough of this pairing. Thanks bunches for the encouragement!
Kira: Hope this can help fulfill what little there is out there. We need to get more people writing it that's for sure! Thanks bunches for the review!