Chapter 7: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Draco came out of the receiving room looking less than pleased. Michelle had been waiting in the hall while he spoke to his parents. Hearing the door open, her heart jumped anxiously. Draco didn't say anything as he walked past her.

This was not a good sign. Michelle followed wordlessly, turning back once to catch a glimpse of Narcissa stepping into the hall looking like the cat who'd just caught the mouse. Draco motioned to her and she joined him in his room.

"Well?" Michelle tossed her backpack on the bed as she began to pace.

He shut the door softly before speaking.

"You can leave..."

Michelle cut him off happily.

"Really! Ohhhh, thank you, thank you, thank you..." She would have continued, but the way Draco was pressing his lips tightly together made her stop her mantra.

"Tomorrow."

"What? You have got to be kidding me. Why tomorrow?"

"Mother says she doesn't think you should be travelling when it's getting so close to dusk."

"And the real reason is what?" Michelle slumped onto the bed.

"She wants to know why you are here and she needs time to figure that out."

"You didn't tell her?"

"No, why should I?"

Michelle shrugged. It seemed odd that Draco would keep something like this from his parents. It's not like she'd come there to hurt him...far from it.

"You could have just told them I'd had a vision. I'd seen you injured and I came to tell you what not to do."

"Mother wouldn't have believed me. Besides, it's better for you if they don't know you had a vision about me."

Michelle thought for a moment.

"I guess you're right. Your mom obviously has some serious issues with people like me." Michelle leaned forward towards the chair Draco was sitting in. "Why does your mother have issues by the way?"

Draco regarded her carefully.

"I don't know the whole story. All I know is right after my parents were married a Seer came to tell my mother about a vision he'd had. Mother either didn't believe him or didn't trust him so she took care of him."

"She's a touchy one isn't she. You know, there are a couple of other possiblities. She didn't want to know the truth or she gave him up to Voldermort."

Draco's eyes went dark at the mention of Voldermort's name.

Weird how the name bothers him and he probably hears it all the time, Michelle thought to herself.

"Do your parents talk about being Death Eaters at all?"

"My parents haven't been Death Eaters for years..."

Michelle laughed caustically, "Maybe not openly..."

Draco shot her a hard look.

"You don't know anything about my family..."

Michelle didn't want to admit it, but he was probably right. She had certainly seen some strange behavior today. Behavior she would not have been able to fully predict with the knowledge she did have about the Malfoys.

They fell silent for several minutes. Draco relaxed into his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. Michelle continued to sit, her fingers tugging at the tiny bits of lint on Draco's bed coverings.

"What if I just apperate out of here? How much trouble would that cause?" Michelle still wasn't sure she had convinced Malfoy not to go to the meeting, but she didn't relish the idea of a sleepover.

"That's not possible." He answered simply.

"Sure it is. I apperated here. I can apperate out of here."

"You can apperate if you're outside the gate. Once you're on Malfoy land and you're not a Malfoy..."

Michelle finished the sentence for him.

"...you can't apperate off the land. Great. I'll give your family one thing...your security is pretty solid." Michelle fell silent as she continued thinking. She could try and slip past Worth once everyone had gone to sleep, but it was likely the Malfoys had other ways of keeping people inside their place. And, if Worth was the most normal of these "ways," she wasn't sure she wanted to mess with the alternatives.

"I need to send an owl to Dumbledore. If I don't contact him soon, he's going to think something has happened. I'm sure your parents wouldn't want him coming here unannounced to check on me."

"Hardly." Malfoy stood and went to the door. "Come with me."

Michelle walked beside him as they went downstairs. Reaching the living room, Draco checked first to make sure they were alone. He lead Michelle to the fireplace. He took down a small bowl and handed it to Michelle.

"It'll be faster if you talk to him this way."

"And, I'm guessing your folks will be able to hear everything I say."

He gave her a snitty look. "Then you'll just have to be creative. It's this or have your owl stopped before it leaves the grounds. The note could end up being altered or..."

"Fine." Michelle took a handful of the powder and tossed it into the fireplace. The green flames shot up and she shoved her face into the eerie waves.

Man, she thought, this is so funky. She called out the directions for the fireplace and in moments was speakng to Dumbledore. Michelle kept it brief. She said she was still "visiting" Draco and would be heading out the next day. Michelle gave Dumbledore several meaningful glances. He nodded in the right spots, so Michelle was hopeful that he understood she was not thrilled that she would be spending the night at the Malfoy's. Michelle promised to speak to him again in the morning before she yanked her head out.

"I will never get used to that feeling..." Michelle shook her head and ran her fingers through her mussed hair. Michelle backed away from the fireplace and went towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Draco followed her with his eyes.

She looked at her watch. "Best I can figure, we have a few hours to kill before we eat and before I can graciously retire to my room. I want to check out the grounds and stuff." Michelle paused with the door half open. "You can stay here if you want."

"You're kidding right? Like I'm going to let you run around here without supervision." Draco moved briskly to catch up with her as she exited the room.

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Narcissa rose from her place when she heard the front door opening. Going to the window, she watched as her son and his guest made their way to the gardens at the side of the house. Narcissa had listened to the conversation in the fireplace. Draco must have warned the girl beforehand. The chat with Dumbledore revealed nothing. Narcissa was becoming more and more disappointed in her son's behavior. He knew how she felt about Seers. He also knew how she felt about his disobeying orders. She returned to her workspace. Paging through her book, she found what she had been looking for. Draco was going to be reigned in before he went to the other side.

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Michelle and Draco spent the next few hours walking the grounds. Michelle tried to engage him in conversation in hopes of keeping him on her side. She'd been lucky so far, but she would need his help in the morning.

She asked him about Quidditch...until he groused about Harry and the topic came to a grinding halt. She asked him about his classes...until he complained about Hermione. She was on the verge of starting a new topic when he began ranting about the Weasley family. Frustrated, Michelle fell silent.

It took a few moments, but Draco finally noticed her disinterest.

"So you've learned all you need to know about me then?" He seemed to bark at her.

Michelle moved her gaze from the ground to his face shooting him an annoyed look.

"I haven't learned anything, except you go out of your way to slam Harry, Ron, and Hermione. For not wanting anything to do with them, you sure spend a lot of time thinking about them."

"You can't tell me they don't make you ill sometimes. Hermione always doing Weasley's homework. Ron trying and failing in his attempts to help Harry out of trouble. And Potter, don't even get me started. The three of them together...it's too much."

Michelle laughed. "And you're telling me the power trio of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle are so much better?"

"Of course, we are Slytherians after all. We are purebloods and should be treated as such."

"No offense, but I think some of the pureblood families have dipped into the same well a few too many times...they are not the best of the best anymore."

"I would trust Crabbe and Goyle over your lot anyday."

Michelle burst out laughing again. "Are you insane? I'm not saying they aren't loyal and all, but Crabbe and Goyle couldn't find their way out of a room with an open door in front of them."

"You had better watch what you say about my friends..."

"Friends! You have people who either fear you or want to impress you because of the name...you don't have friends."

Draco stopped walking abruptly. Michelle felt her cheeks flush as she looked at his face. Even if what she said was true, it was cruel.

"Okay, that did not come out right..." Michelle struggled to backpedal as Draco brushed past her. "I just meant, based on what you and your friends do...they don't seem like real friends to me." She jogged to catch up to him. "Listen, maybe Crabbe and Goyle are your friends, but you know as well as I do that a lot of kids at school are scared of you and do whatever they can to keep on your good side."

Draco slowed down his pace. His hand went to the back of his neck. His fingers kneaded the tensing muscles as he listened to Michelle. Maybe she did have a point. He'd spent most of his school career lording over others. But, he had friends...they just weren't her friends.

Michelle came closer cautiously. "I didn't mean to be so harsh."

He slid his eyes to hers, "Yes, you did."

Michelle felt herself blushing again. "Okay, maybe a little. It's not like we've ever gotten along and I suppose I had some things to say. I just shouldn't have said them that way and not now."

"Not now because you know you can't get out of here without me."

Michelle sighed. "Partly, but also because I need to make sure you don't get yourself hurt." She smiled just a little. "Guess I'm not very good at sweet talking am I?"

The corner of Draco's mouth twitched. He almost smiled. "Certainly not."

Michelle checked her watch, "We should probably head back. I don't want to piss off your mom by being late for supper."

As they reached the front door, Draco touched her arm briefly. "Quick suggestion..." He pulled his hand away when her eyes met his. "Let mother do all the talking..."

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A/N Sort of an abrupt ending but I got a little stuck. Thanks to the usual gang of suspects for keeping up. Ch. 8 is almost done so I may actually update sooner than I usually do!