Chapter Fourteen – Draco's Explanation

"What?" Neville asked incredulously. "What do you mean?"

"What I said, Longbottom," Draco said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't want to talk about this in the open. May I come in?"

"Of course, Draco," Luna said quietly. "What's happened?"

"My-" Draco started and trailed off. He stepped inside the Greenhouse and closed the door behind him. "You know those attacks yesterday?" he asked quietly.

"The ones at Diagon Alley?" Neville asked.

Draco nodded and looked down at the floor. "My mother…she was killed in the attacks yesterday."

"The papers didn't mention any fatalities," Neville said.

"That's because they're only concerned about Aurors or Enforcers being killed now," Draco said.

"Are you all right?" Neville asked.

"Am I all right, Longbottom?" Draco said, with a short laugh. "I just spread my mother's ashes over the lagoon. How do you think I am?"

"Draco…" Luna said.

"He's taken everything from me!" Draco shouted so loudly that Luna quickly cast a silencing charm on the Greenhouse. "I've lost my parents! I have no money. No friends. I've lost everything because of him and if you're fighting him, I want to help!"

Neville suddenly felt very naïve. In the six years he had known Draco Malfoy, he never once considered that he actually had feelings. He always assumed that deep down, Draco was a monster. But everything changed once Neville looked at his face and could see the depth of his angst. He was completely broken. And Neville felt no triumph at his expense. Only pity.

"Luna, take him to the Room of Requirements," Neville said softly. "I'll go to the Gryffindor Common Room and get everyone."

"You'll talk to Potter?" Draco said hopefully.

"No," Neville said, shaking his head. "You will."

"Have you lost your head?" Ron said, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Talk to Malfoy?"

Neville looked into the fireplace at the Gryffindor common room. He had been in luck, and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were all working on homework when he came in. "I think you'd like to hear what he has to say," Neville said firmly.

"You're really not joking, are you?" Harry asked. "Malfoy wants to help fight?"

Neville nodded. "Look, just hear him out, please?" Neville asked. "And if you don't like what he has to say, then that's it."

"Let's go," Hermione said, putting her books in her bag.

"You want to talk to him?" Ron asked, his jaw dropping. "After the number of times he's called you-"

Hermione cut him off. "Frankly, Ron, we can use all the help we can get. Especially from someone who knows the other side."

"Fine," Harry said finally. "Let's get this over with."

They walked to the Room of Requirements in silence. Harry had the invisibility cloak draped over his arm in case they were out past curfew.

As Harry walked back and forth in front of the painting, Ron muttered, "I can't believe we're doing this," under his breath.

The door opened, and Luna and Draco were sitting in two of the arms chairs that sat in a circle. Neville was impressed; Luna had managed to duplicate the chairs that Harry always thought of.

Draco stood up nervously when everyone entered. "Potter," he said, nodding his head. "Weasley. Granger. Weasley."

Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "Let's get right to the point, Malfoy. Why should we trust you?"

Draco's face fell a bit. Neville guessed he thought the first question would be why he wanted to join. "You have no reason to trust me, Potter, other than I want to help fight him."

"Why?" Ron practically sneered.

"My mother, the one who you think looks like she's smelling dung all the time, Weasley, was killed fighting for the Death Eaters yesterday. He's taken everything from me, and I want to help destroy him," Draco said.

"So this is some twisted form of revenge on your master, isn't it, Malfoy," Harry said angrily.

"He's not my master," Draco said quietly.

"I didn't quite hear that, Malfoy," Ginny said.

"He's not my master!" Draco shouted. "Don't ever say that again. My parents might have been his slave, but I'm not!"

"You were willing to be last year," Harry said.

Draco pushed up the left sleeve of his robe. "Do you see the Dark Mark, Potter? Do you?" he challenged.

"Maybe that's the plan!" Harry said. "How do we know that you're not working on Voldemort's orders to get close to me?"

"I'm not," Draco said adamantly. "I was in Azkaban for more than half the year, Potter. They couldn't tell me anything. After that I was at your Headquarters, and then I was here. No one had the chance to get me a message."

"How do you think you'll actually work with us? You're a pureblood, remember? You think you're better than all of us," Harry said angrily.

"Don't you get it, Potter?" Draco yelled. "You've won! I'm no better than you! I'm no better than Granger! I'm no better than anyone!"

Draco looked slightly ashamed after his outburst. He sat down on one of the chairs and stared at the floor. "Potter, I don't know what else to say, except I want to help you," he said softly.

Harry looked around, as if asking for help. Neville could tell that Draco was sincere. Draco wasn't that good of an actor to pull this off.

"If we let you in, you can't question me, Malfoy," Harry said firmly. "And if we get the slightest idea that you're working against us…" Harry trailed off, the meaning clearly there.

Draco looked up and nodded. The room was silent for a moment. Then Ron said, "If you ever call Hermione that term again, you'll regret it."

"Ron, I can defend myself," Hermione said briskly. Then she turned to look straight at Draco. "If you ever call me mudblood again, you'll wish all I would do is slap like third year."

"I'm sorry," Draco muttered.

"What?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"I'm sorry," Draco said, more pronounced.

Hermione looked slightly conflicted for a moment. "I accept your apology," she said finally.

Draco nodded and leaned back in his chair. "So what do you do? How do you work against him?" he asked.

Everyone sat down in the chairs. It was clear that no one was sure how much information to share with Draco right away.

"Neville and I practice Occlumency and Legilimency," Harry said after a moment's thought. "Voldemort tries to put visions in my head."

Draco visibly shuddered at the sound of Voldemort's name. "So it's true? You two have a connection?"

For just a moment, Neville thought Draco knew about the connection he and Harry shared. But then he realized he meant the connection between Harry and Voldemort.

"What does Voldemort know about it?" Hermione asked.

Again, Draco shuddered. "Do you all throw his name around casually like that?" he asked in disbelief.

"Only Harry and Hermione," Ginny answered. "I've only said it a few times."

"But you're getting better," Harry said.

"I know," Ginny sighed.

"You've never said his name, Weasley?" Draco asked.

Ron looked like he wanted nothing more than to punch the day lights out of Draco. "I can say his name," Ron said weakly.

"Have you ever said it?" Draco seemed to challenge.

Ron took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Voldemort," he said very quickly.

"Good show, mate," Harry said softly.

"Have you said it?" Harry asked Draco.

Draco stared at Harry for a minute. "Potter, from when I was born until my time in Azkaban, I was raised to look at the Dark…You-know-who, like a God," Draco said. "That's all I was taught. That You-Know-Who was the best thing to ever happen to the wizarding world…" Draco trailed off, obviously leaving something out.

"What else?" Hermione asked. "Everything you know can help."

"Do you really want to know?" Draco asked. "Do you want to know what I was taught about you, Potter?"

Harry's eyes widened. "What?" he asked.

"Up until we started Hogwarts, and it was obvious that you fell under Dumbledore's spell, you were regarded as the most powerful wizard alive," Draco said. "That you would grow up and take his place and lead the Death Eaters to glory."

"That's why you tried to be friends with me first year, isn't it?" Harry asked.

Draco nodded slowly. "My father was most displeased when I reported that you were better friends with Weasley than with me. I tried to explain that we were different houses, but he didn't care."

"How could the Death Eaters think that?" Hermione asked. "The prophecy says-"

"Hermione!" Neville, Ron and Harry hissed at the same time. Hermione covered her mouth with her hands.

"What prophecy?" Draco asked.

"There was a prophecy, Draco," Luna said dreamily. "That a wizard would be born at the end of July that would defeat the Dark Lord."

"And it's Potter?" Draco asked.

"Looks that way," Harry said grudgingly.

"My parents certainly didn't know of a prophecy involving Potter," Draco said. "I grew up hearing stories about Potter and how he would finish the work that The Dark Lord could not."

"Is that why you hate me so much?" Harry asked, looking surprised at the question.

"Potter, I couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts because I couldn't wait to meet you," Draco said uneasily. "I've been friends with…well used to be friends with Crabbe and Goyle since I was a little kid. We used to laugh and joke that the great Potter would join our gang and that we would be his greatest supporters."

Harry let out a low whistle. "I had no idea," he said in a low voice.

"Of course not," Draco said. "I couldn't believe it when you wouldn't shake my hand on the Hogwarts Express. Every childhood fantasy came crashing down around me."

An uneasy silence settled over the room. Draco looked around, as if he was measuring them all up. "So this prophecy," he asked after a moment. "Was it any kid that year born at the end of July? I was born July thirtieth."

"That's my birthday," Neville said, sounding slightly surprised. Could Draco have been a candidate as well?

"There were a few other things, Draco," Ron said. "I doubt your parents ever defied you-know-who."

"Probably right about that," Draco said. He then stood up suddenly. "Look, I've said everything I need to say. Am I in or not?"

Neville glanced at Harry, who then glanced at Ron, who glanced at Hermione. "You're in," Harry said simply. He stood up and quickly shook Draco's hand.

There wasn't much to be said after that. Draco and Luna headed towards the Ravenclaw Tower, while Neville, Harry, Ron and Ginny went to the Gryffindor Tower.

They were in luck; the common room was practically empty. "I can't believe you just shook hands with Draco Malfoy," Ron said in a low whisper.

"Well, Sirius shook hands with Snape for the good of the Order…" Harry trailed off.

"I can't believe that Draco grew up wanting to be your friend," Ginny said. "It's kinda sad in a way, isn't it?"

"I think it's good he wants to help us," Hermione said. "He even went to meetings with Death Eaters. We'll be able to learn a lot."

"We're getting to be a pretty big group," Harry said. "That's seven people total."

"Really?" Ron asked.

"Harry, you, me, Ginny, Neville, Luna and Draco," Hermione said, counting them off. "That's seven people."

"We should give ourselves a name," Ginny said brightly. "The DA within the DA."

"I don't think so, sis," Ron said, smiling.

"I was joking, bro," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. She took a ribbon out of the pocket of her robe and pulled back her thick, red hair. Neville thought he caught Harry staring at her just a little too long. He briefly wondered if he had a crush on her. He told himself to ask Harry about it later.

"I'm going to bed," Harry announced suddenly. He stood up quickly.

"Me, too," Ginny said.

"I've still got homework to do," Neville said glumly. Neville, Ron and Hermione stayed in the common room, working on homework for the next hour or so. Finally, Neville was ready to sleep. Ron and Hermione said they were going to stay downstairs for a bit, no doubt ready to take advantage of an empty commons room.

Neville walked into his dorm and to his surprise, saw Harry and Ginny in an embrace on Harry's bed.

"Sorry," Neville said quickly, blushing, as he started to exit the room.

Harry and Ginny split apart very quickly, and Ginny practically ran out of the room, bright red.

"I thought I saw something going on between you two," Neville said, shaking his head. "Why haven't you told any of us?"

"I don't know, mate," Harry said truthfully. "But now that you know, everyone else might as well know."

"Sorry," Neville muttered again.

"No, it's fine. Ginny was getting fed up keeping it a secret, anyways," Harry admitted.

Neville nodded and quickly changed into his pyjamas. Draco Malfoy was now their ally. Harry and Ginny were dating. As he fell asleep, Neville briefly wondered what life would throw at him tomorrow.