A/N: Hallo! Thanks for reviewing, everyone that has! While I get out my list of favorite people (digs around), please help yourself to some snacks. I've also brought milk, coffee, and hot chocolate, since it was such a popular request last time (read: TiNk). Feel free to munch while I acknowledge all the people who told me how wonderful I'm doing (and those that told me I'm nothing special).
slyswn28: I love you! You are a wonderful reviewer, leaving encouraging words and, well, everything. I have to know, though: How is it you're always the first to review my new chapters? I don't get it. Tell me please!
Char: I love you and your reviews, you, um, talented woman that is nauseated by me, and I like your stories, too, including the one on fictionpress called 'A Moment in Time'.
hermyandron4evr: Get online more often, you silly. I miss hearing your adoration, plus now I have no one to IM. I'll be waiting.
J.N.Cahill: I love your stories. I also quite enjoy the unasked-for plugs in your story. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Update your stories, too! And yes, I enjoy 'Reducio' on occasions also.
Snowy Winter Tales: I know you aren't reading this anymore, since you told me. However, if you do per chance happen to see this, know that I apologize that I can't please all the readers all the time. The reason Hermione is using slang is because this story is set in about 2002, when slang is more common, and I just can't see her talking about her 'ass'. It's too… dirty for her. I see her as the kind of girl that uses euphemisms because she's just not used to talking about that kind of thing. Besides, she hears enough of it from Ginny. Sorry you won't be reading anymore. Pity yourself for missing out.
InkedWallpaper: I luurrve you dah-ling! Cheers yourself!
cuznhottie: Sorry about all the evil cliffies; I'm not usually that evil, but now that you mention it, I did just recently receive a shirt that reads 'Lead me not to temptation – I can find it just fine by myself'. It's so funny, I wore it to my son's speech therapy appointment just to rub it in the therapist's face because she's so friggin' Catholic. I have no problems with Catholicism, as long as it isn't forced down my throat. Not that I don't believe in God, I just choose to show him I like him in my own way instead of countless, sometimes pointless ceremonies. However, this isn't the place for a religious discussion. I got off track. Back to the cliffies: I'll try harder to avoid them, but no promises. ;)
SlytherinGurl: Sorry to say, but you were outvoted by, I think, six to one, to keep Pansy. Sorry.
twin-v: Crap. hehehe
seeing green: I think it's a little dirty, too. hehehe
xx3amWriterxx: Yes, I think she should just, oh, die. At least I know it isn't just me. Thanks!
Alley Mack: Sorry you think the chapter(s) are too short. I can't please everyone all the time, and to be honest, I'm proud of the fact that they are a lot longer than the first… they average about 2,300 words, where as my first chap was 683. So, sorry, but they're probably going to be about this long.
The Bride of Vegeta: Still amused with your name… it's been a while, but that would be… Bulma?
Pink Opium: Rar to you too!
ever Dracos girl: I try not to be too evil, but sometimes it slips out, like the time I tossed in the crack – oh, I wasn't supposed to say that… oh, no… don't tell anyone about that, okay?
K: K!
alfabiteater: Thanks for reviewing all the posted chapters and reviewing EVERY SINGLE ONE. More people should take your cue (hint, hint, clears throat). I send you warm socks.
Lyndsie Fenele: Thanks for noticing about Draco being in-character; Pansy might still be a slut, I'm not sure, but she isn't after Draco's nuts; sorry about the first sex scene. Hope you like the next better. ;)
Kathe: Sorry (again) about the first sex scene. I will write another in this story (already did one in my other story) and hope it is better.
Kiyoko: Nothing special to say to you, I'm sorry, but I love the name!
The-Princess-06 AND sparklingbrowneyes: I love you both. You make me feel 'specialer' than I already am. Thank you.
krissygirl: Holy ! Thanks!
TakingBackSunday: (sighs in pleasure) Thanks for the confidence. How much more shall I give you until you WRITE ANTOHER CHAPTER?!? (hugs)
xBeautifulLetdownx: Ah, the praise of a first-time reviewer makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside… you're not the only one, but you did leave the longest review. Thanks, doll.
DeLeRiOuS aka CAPTAIN obvious: Are you even reading my story? I think I did that twice. Maybe.
SlytherinGurl176: Yeah, I'm all about torturing evil bastards. To be modest, though… oh, hell to modesty! It was all my idea, I did it, it's true, I had no help! I can be so smart sometimes! I like to play it up when I am, on account of it not usually happening. hehehe
magictrousers830: (snickers behind hand) hehehe
DeeCohan: Please don't burst, think about the poor guy that's got to clean that up ; )
kaiba3: Are you the Kaiba from the animated show I'm thinking of, including some cards and monsters? If so, I hope you're the elder, 'cause he's kind of cute (though he has nothing on Tom Felton) not the little boy. If not, sorry, I'm mistaken.; )
ALSO TO: spychick989, dithering-prat (a loyal reviewer for the most part, who gets an extra hug), Fallen4HPTF, jezebellerd15, SaTiNk06 (again),i own u eddie stack, parcheezie (another good reviewer), x g r e e n e y e s x, x3near-perfection, Long.Past, nooneinparticular, sallymander, sailor101, Sarah-Lynn, DrAcOsUsAgAl, shimby, Amanda Tuck, blinknena182, Kara Black, Jean B, Elizabeth223, merry247, callista, babygirl1832z, charmed piper (whom also gets an extra hug for reviewing BOTH stories), AquaCherry66, Carla Fox, piperhaliwellwyatt, sunnysweetie, possumgurl, sally, choccygirl223, denise4, bleezie, Bodo, shimby kori, and xoxobriTtanyxoxo13 (I think you need to calm down, and if I'm not mistaken, you aren't seventeen or older, and this is rated 'R'… though it isn't so far doesn't mean you can just ignore the rules… okay, not that I can do anything about it, but you seem a little too hyper, judging from your penname): thanks for your support, well wishes, and love. I do appreciate it, just wish it came… more often… maybe… please?
OKAY THE STORY STARTS HERE!
The three of them were just getting settled with their drinks (true to word, Hermione had refused to give Draco any chocolate, so he was having a butterbeer) when Dumbledore arrived. His face looked a little pinker than usual, but his hat was on straight and he had the twinkle in his eye. All three stood up as he walked to the table.
"How is everyone doing today?" He looked around the table. Ginny appeared to be the only one not annoyed at something. She had a benign smile on her face and was looking at the wall. Hermione's brow was furrowed, as though in thought, and Draco looked like there was a little raincloud raining on him and him alone. He sighed inwardly, then cleared his throat to get their attention.
"Well, the men you caught this morning are now sitting at the Ministry, awaiting trial. They will not go to Azkaban until they have been sentenced. Now, I understand there are a few things that need to be cleared up. Am I correct?" He looked at Hermione, who wouldn't meet his eyes; then Draco, who looked as though he was about to explode from excitement.
"Mr. Malfoy, would you like to have your questions asked as you answer them, or would you rather I tell you the entire story, then give you time to ask any additional questions you may have?"
Draco blinked, looked at Dumbledore, and said, "The story, please."
"All right. It starts over almost thirty years ago. Voldemort was on the rise, and the Ministry was doing all they could, but nothing seemed to be working. A group of wizards and witches decided to band together to fight against the evil that was attempting to take over our world. We called ourselves the Order of the Phoenix. Basically, we spied. We gathered information when possible, passed some on to the Ministry, and also took some matters in to our own hands. Some members, such as the Longbottoms and Alastor Moody were Aurors, and they were prominent members of the Order. However, we were outnumbered and were being killed slowly at first, then more and more often. We were losing hope when Harry Potter happened. All of a sudden, the immediate threat of death was gone, people were coming forward, and we were discovering more and more Death Eaters every week. Things became much safer.
"That was twenty-two years ago, when Voldemort fell. You were only a year old, if I recall correctly." Draco nodded. Most of this he already knew, his father and other Death Eaters had told him. "Things went back to a kind of… blissful ignorance. People were so relieved they wouldn't have to worry about coming home to a Dark Mark over their homes, they almost completely forgot the kind of terror our entire world had been living in. Then, at the end of your fourth year, Harry witnessed Voldemort being reborn. Voldemort –"
"The Dark Lord meant to kill him, but it didn't happen. He went back and told you, which really kind of sucked for him."
"Yes, quite right. About an hour after he was reborn, I had already recalled the surviving members of the Order and we had a meeting that night." That was something Draco hadn't known. He knew it had been reformed, but he didn't know it was that soon. Impressive, old man. "We began to recruit more members. Things continued on like that for most of the year, but the task was made difficult because of Mr. Fudge's attitude. He did not believe Voldemort had returned, and those working at the Ministry had to watch where they tread so they wouldn't find themselves fired or brought up on charges. Then, at the end of fifth year, well, you remember." Dumbledore paused for a minute, either gathering his thoughts or allowing Draco to recall the events of that night. Draco didn't need time; he already knew, but wanted more answers.
"Go on."
"Ah, yes. Well, ever since then, we in the Order of the Phoenix have been headquartered here in Grimmauld Place." All of a sudden, a weight seemed to leave Draco's shoulders. He didn't pay it any attention because he wanted more answers. "I am head, and Hermione and Ginny here are members."
"Why didn't they tell me that?" He sent them a hurt glare. Hermione glared back in return.
"Because we used a spell that encloses a fact within a person's soul. What that means is… it doesn't matter how many people know the fact because only that one person can reveal it to anybody. I am the Secret Keeper. Ginny and Hermione knew, but only because I told them this was headquarters to the Order. You didn't know it was because I didn't tell you."
Draco remembered something Hermione had said earlier.
"You don't understand. I, even if I felt so inclined, can not tell you what's going on. If I did, it would sound something like this: 'This is the Hermph mmf dr Erfr a Fffncks'." He put it together with the information he had just received and realized she said 'This is the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix'.
So she really couldn't tell me. For some reason, it made him feel a bit better.
XXXXX
"Wait," Pansy interrupted. "Hang on a sec. If she couldn't tell you, how is it you can tell me?" She was really puzzled.
Draco was a little surprised she caught this. "After we defeated Voldemort, there was no need for the Order's headquarters to be kept secret, so the spell was lifted."
"Oh. Well, okay."
"Can I continue now?"
Pansy sighed. She was getting quite tired. "If you'll hurry it up."
"Well, I'd be a lot closer to done if you'd quit interrupting me."
"Well, sorry, I just like things to be clear is all. Excuse me."
"Well, shut up so I can get on with it." Draco was becoming a bit bored himself and quite tired of Pansy's whining. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and continued.
XXXXX
"Okay. You're Secret Keeper, so only you can tell people how to find this place. If that's true, how come I got here without any problem?"
"Well, that's a bit different."
"How?" he asked Dumbledore.
"You learned the location of this house from your mother. She was not aware of the fact that the Order's headquarters were here. You knew only of the house, not that there were already other inhabitants doing other things."
"Okay." Draco felt something tugging at the back of his mind. He finally figured out what it was and questioned Dumbledore some more.
"Yesterday, when I got here, the kitchen felt a bit warm for it to be only Hermione in here. Were there other people here?"
"Yes. Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks were both down in the kitchen with you. You couldn't see them because they, being in the house, were under the same spell. Only I can reveal any information concerning things or people inside Grimmauld Place that have anything to do with the Order. When you arrived, I knew you needed time to calm down and rest. Therefore, I told you there was one other person available – Hermione. That's why you could see and interact with her."
Draco considered this. "When I got here, you told me I would be safe, that I would be hard to find. That wasn't the case, though, was it? You lied to me, and put my life in danger, and –"
"Shut up, you wanker! He didn't have to let you in here in the first place, and you're the one that ran away; he didn't make you do it! How dare you say –"
"Hermione, that will be enough. Draco has posed a few questions that need to be answered. If you can't hold your temper, I will ask you to leave." Hermione pouted, but closed her mouth and waited.
"Now, Draco," Dumbledore said quietly, almost sadly, "I am going to ask you to think back to yesterday. We spoke, of course. Do you remember exactly what I said?"
Draco thought for a minute, then said, "You said I would be hard to find here. But I wasn't. It hasn't even been a full day and they found me. Now they know where I am, and where the headquarters is, and it isn't safe –"
"Draco. Calm down, please. I said Voldemort would be hard pressed to find you here; that is true. However, I did not take into account your connection with him."
"What connection?"
"The mark on your arm."
"What about it?"
"The Dark Mark isn't just to summon you; Voldemort can also find the location of any Death Eater he wants simply by focusing on the energy pattern he or she emits. Each person has a different one, kind of like a fingerprint. Being able to sense an individual by that pattern requires powers similar to those that are needed to read auras. It takes a powerful witch or wizard to do it, but as we all know, Voldemort is not lacking in power at the moment."
"So, no matter where I go, he'll be able to find me?"
"Yes, until you have it removed."
"What do you mean, removed?" Draco had never heard of this before. He had always been told the Dark Mark was forever, just like being a Death Eater.
"There is a Healer located near Wales that has recently invented a spell that will remove most magical scars. The magic used when imprinting the Dark Mark can be removed, and topical potions can be used to fade the appearance of the tattoo. He attempted to remove one a few weeks ago and had great success. It can also be used to get rid of scars from various curses."
Draco couldn't believe it. It just sounded way too good to be true. I can get rid of this disgusting reminder of that filthy bastard AND eliminate his connection with me? "How much does it cost?"
"A lot, but if you think you will have a problem finding the funds, we will cover it. This isn't something to rush in to, though."
Draco didn't spare another moment. "I'll do it."
Dumbledore surveyed him through his half-moon spectacles. "Okay, then. I will contact him and we will set an appointment." He looked to the two women who had reseated themselves at the table. "I will leave now, but expect other members to show up soon. There will be extra people here from now on, for security reasons. If you need anything else, contact me and I will be here as soon as I can."
Hermione nodded and Ginny smiled. Draco was staring at the floor, a far away expression on his face. Dumbledore walked over to the fire and Flooed back to Hogwarts.
"Well, that went well enough, didn't it?"
About two hours later, ten members had shown up, been briefed on the situation, and had been set specific assignments. Those that were already doing other things, like Arthur Weasley (who still worked at the Ministry) and Lupin (who would still be incapable of doing anything terribly productive for another two days), would be caught up when they could. There would be two more permanent residents at Grimmauld Place; Ginny Weasley and Paul Figg, Arabella Figg's nephew. They would occupy the third floor, while Hermione and Draco remained on the second. The four of them would take turns, in pairs, patrolling at night on the ground floor.
Several hours later, when things had settled down a bit, Hermione decided to prepare dinner, but realized she would be feeding more people than she had food. Considering what had happened when she left earlier, she wasn't very keen on the idea of going shopping again. Instead, she sent Ginny with Paul to pick up more pasta and chicken. While they were out, she counted nine people would be there for most of the night. Hermione was kind of hesitant to go check on Draco; she didn't know how nice (or rude) he might be after this morning, but no one had seen him in hours. She wanted to make sure he was okay.
Well, I can't start dinner until Ginny and Paul get back anyway, so I'll just go peek on him. She nodded to herself in agreement and started up the stairs. She reached the second floor landing and turned left. Suddenly, she halted in her tracks. What do I say to him? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She turned to leave, but just as she did, Draco stepped out of the bedroom. His face looked a little puffy, like he had been crying, and he had dark circles and bags under his eyes.
Immediately, her 'mothering' instincts took over and she rushed up to him. "Draco, what's wrong?"
He looked up, realizing she was there, and averted his face so she couldn't see him properly. "Nothing. I'm fine, just a bit tired."
Oh, you are such a liar. "It's okay, you know. Having feelings and all." He looked up sharply.
"Feelings about what? Malfoys don't have feelings," he sneered.
"Oh, so that's how it's going to be? You're going to bite my head off because I asked a question? Because I felt sympathy for you? Because I tried to show you that someone cares about you? Fine. Be like that." With that, she turned and ran down the stairs, leaving a slightly stunned Draco behind her.
- - - - -
What's she playing at? First she hates me, then she shags me, then she hates me for asking questions, then she gets upset when I don't want to spill my deepest, darkest secrets to her? WHAT IS IT? ARE ALL WOMEN LIKE THAT? He sighed. He just didn't understand women.
He looked down the hall, to the stairs she had disappeared down, and thought about what she had said. 'It's okay, you know. Having feelings and all.' Well, maybe it was for her, but he wasn't used to it. It was just too hard, too difficult to have all these strange emotions running around. He wanted it to stop. He wanted it to be done. He wanted out.
Why am I lying to myself? It's not like I can think worse of myself, anyway. What he really needed was… someone who cared. He thought Hermione had said something about that. Maybe she would be the person that would care about him, not Draco Malfoy, the dirty, filthy Slytherin façade he put on for everyone else. There was someone under that mask, someone only he knew about. His 'friends' hadn't cared to find out; they just liked to be associated with the 'cool guy', to feed off his popularity. It was something they could owl their parents about. 'I'm friends with the Draco Malfoy.' They probably didn't even suspect he had interests besides killing people and hating Potter. And there was something about Hermione… something he'd never encountered in anyone else he'd ever dealt closely with. Integrity.
He realized how rude he'd been to the person that had hated him for making fun of her, yet stayed with him through the night when the nightmares had started. He felt so… dirty. Like he'd done something terrible but didn't know what. He wasn't sure what to do now, but he thought he should do something to try to make it up to her.
He couldn't believe it, but he thought he might actually… need her.
