Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Harry Potter that will be used, unfortunately.

Summary: Harry was captured by Death Eaters and taken to Voldemort. Can he defeat him and come out alive?

Warning: Torture, Blood, Death, Slash

Title: The end…or the Beginning?


Chapter Five

Albus Dumbledore was in his office at Hogwarts when an owl came for him. Looking to the window in his office he casually waved his hand and the window opened allowing the owl to fly in. the brown owl was sporting the St. Mungo's logo and he quickly took the letter from the owl's leg, gave it some owl treats and water and focused on the letter as the owl departed. Unrolling the scroll he held in his hands and read the contents.

A. Dumbledore,

You asked me to contact you as soon as the patient, Draco Malfoy, had awoken and he has just awoken. If you would like to come and see him he is open to visitor for a few hours but must get rest.

Healer Mackenzie

Dumbledore quickly stood from his chair, dismissing the papers he had been looking over and, grabbing some floo powder he went to his fireplace and tossed it in flooing to St. Mungo's. Once there he made his way as quickly as possible to Draco's room. Just as he reached the door Healer Mackenzie came out of the room.

"Ah Albus there you are you can go right in he's awake but hasn't said much since waking up." Mackenzie said with small shake of his head.

"Thank you Healer Mackenzie. Could you inform," here he dropped his voice to a whisper conscious of the partially open door. "Mr. Potter, Snape and Lupin of the development?" the healer nodded his head.

"Yes I can do that, I'll send off an owl now." the man said quietly before walking off.

Dumbledore walked through the open door, closing it behind him, to see Draco sitting up a bit against some pillows staring out the enchanted window. A small smile on his face he walked in and took a seat in a conjure armchair. He stared at Draco for a moment silently looking at the young man who'd been through so much. "Its good to see you finally awake Draco," Dumbledore finally said in a soft voice.

At first there was silence that greeted his statement as Draco kept looking out the enchanted window. Then in a voice so low and soft that Dumbledore almost didn't hear it the blonde said, "I'm not sure it's good to be awake." The voice was hoarse from disuse and the drawl that usually accompanies it was lacking severely and the tone was flat.

Dumbledore frowned some but understood that the months of torture would have an effect on even the strongest of people. He sighed and looked at the blonde again. "You have three other visitors coming to see you Draco. Severus is one of them Remus Lupin, you had him for DADA third year is another and Harry," Dumbledore said and saw Draco turn his head slowly too face him. It wasn't a surprise to the old man to see the dull and dead look in the blonde's eyes, torture did that to people.

"You told them?" Draco asked quietly and while the voice was still flat and monotonous there was a hint of anger, hurt and fear just under the surface.

"No Draco I didn't tell them or anyone as you had requested. They know nothing of you being Maverick," Dumbledore answered giving the young man a smile of reassurance. Draco tried to return the smile but it came out as a grimace instead.

"Then why are they coming? To visit me, I mean." Draco questioned softly.

"Everyone has reasons for doing things they normally wouldn't do." Came the cryptic reply that Draco knew was meant for him as well as his incoming visitors.

Deciding he could deal with that when his visitors arrived he looked at Dumbledore a resigned light coming to his eyes. "So when are they shipping me off to Azkaban? Everyone believes me to be a Death Eater and no matter that I was a spy I still participated in horrible acts." He said turning to looking back out the enchanted window. He had lost hope when he was found out of living and now that he knew he was alive he knew he would go to Azkaban. No one would ever believe that he, a Malfoy would spy for the light willingly or not. And since he didn't want to reveal his true nature in the war he was sure to go to Azkaban. Right?"

"You're not going to Azkaban Draco," Dumbledore stated gently. Draco's head snapped in his direction a wince of pain crossing his face as he looked at the old man with wide eyes. Dumbledore shook his head slowly. "You don't deserve it after what you've done. I have convinced the ministry –for now– without telling them your secrets that you don't deserve to go to Azkaban. Listen to me Draco. If you submit yourself to veritaserum, which I will monitor the questions beforehand, they will not send you to Azkaban and let you keep the manor and your inheritance but only if you take veritaserum. Other than that they will throw you in Azkaban." Dumbledore concluded.

Draco looked startled at what was said. He wouldn't have to go to Azkaban and could keep the manor and his inheritance but at the price of admitting he was Maverick under veritaserum. He wasn't sure he could do it. Before all this he would have jumped on the chance of getting out of trouble like any Slytherin would. But after all the torture and abuse he'd been through he really wasn't sure he was up to the media circus that would accumulate from his confession.

"You don't have to decided now Draco, recover a bit more before you decide on what you want. But Draco, know that I don't believe that you deserve to end up in that place." Albus said with a soft smile.

Draco nodded his head deciding to think about it later. A knock on the door interrupted them and Dumbledore kept his eyes on the ex-Slytherin. "That's probably Harry, Severus and Remus. Just a few things Draco, Harry was the one who found you and he, along with Severus were the two who healed you as best they could before bringing you here. I'll let them explain the rest." Dumbledore said and seeing the tense shoulders of the blonde, and the anxious look in his eyes he added, "They've been worried about you that's all," the old man said gently. Eyes still on the blonde he called "Come in!"

As soon as the words were said the door opened. For Draco it felt like the door was opening in slow motion. He wasn't looking at it but instead looking out the enchanted window.

Severus entered first followed by Remus and then Harry. Harry closed the door behind him before walking over and taking a seat next to Remus that had been conjured. His eyes were looking at the back of Draco's head as he did so. The three gave brief greeting to Dumbledore before looking at the young man. Silence rang in the room, uncomfortable and heavy in its stillness. Draco was keeping his eyes on the window as he didn't know what to actually make of his visitors. Severus, perhaps he could understand a bit but the other two he couldn't understand at all.

Clearing his throat lightly Severus's smooth voice sounded. "How're you Draco?" he was looking at the back of the blondes head intensely, black eyes boring into silver blonde hair as though they could see through to the other side.

Draco bit his lip, though no one could see it and silently sighed. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply, steadily, he saw images of his time as a prisoner flash before his eyes. Lids snapping opening and breathing slightly accelerated he answered quickly to banish the image. "I'm…" he stopped not knowing what to say. How he really felt? He felt stiff and ached something fierce. He felt like his life was shattering all over again in front of him. He felt trapped and scared and vulnerable. Swallowing thickly he looked to his hands and sighed. "I'm…as well as could be expected." He finally answered.

"Which is understandable, all things considered." Said the gentle and matter-of-fact tone of voice of what Draco presumed to be Lupin. He knew Harry's voice to well to not know what it sounded like. He nodded minutely as what Lupin said eyes still on his hand. The room descended in silence once more.

"Would you like to know how the whole thing ended?" Harry spoke up in a quiet voice that sounded almost indifferent in its tone. Draco looked up at the group in front of him from under blonde fringe and long lashes before directing his stare to Harry, looking at the black haired young man more fully. Harry just managed to stifle a gasp at the dull and dead look in the grey eyes. Remus gave a sharp intake of breath from beside him.

Draco looked at his visitors for the first time since they had entered. Severus didn't look much different from the last time he'd seen him. Lupin looked a bit different, hair slightly longer and not as shabbily dressed as before but really not much change unless you counted the increase in silvery grey streaks in his hair. Looking at Potter he saw the boy, no man, looked much the same. The wild black hair that always looked like he just had a fabulous shag and the emerald green eyes that seemed to search a person's soul to the lithe muscular build with broad shoulders and chest. He hadn't seen the other in awhile but he looked to be doing well. Draco blinked, suddenly realizing he had been staring a little too long and cleared his throat. "You mean how you defeated v-vol," Draco stopped irritated with the way he couldn't say the name. Taking a deep breath he began again. "You mean how you defeated Voldemort?" he stated the wretched name firmly.

Harry was silent for a moment silently glad to have seen a spark of life in those eyes, no matter how short a time. Harry nodded his head and gave the blonde a smile. Draco was momentarily distracted by the smile Harry graced him with but got himself together and nodded back. "Ok," Harry said simply and went into detail about how they were out stopping a Death Eater attack that was actually a trap and how they captured him and everything that happened from there.

Draco listened quietly as the whole tale was spun out to him. He cringed slightly at the part about Dolohov, familiar with his methods and techniques. When it came to the point where Harry cast the spell just as Voldemort cast the killing curse he listened in fascination as Harry told him what he remembered happening. Remus, Severus and Dumbledore told about what happened after they realized Harry was captured and then the 'rescue' of sorts once they were able to find him. Harry and Dumbledore explained the crystal to the blonde also.

"…then we went and searched the place and found you along with three others," Harry finished saying. Draco looked faintly astonished about the whole thing. He wished he could have been there to see the bastard die and told Harry so with a bit of his old vehemence in his voice. "If you want I can put it in a pensieve for you to see?" Harry offered casually. Draco looked at the black haired young man in surprise as did Remus. Severus only quirked a brow and gave Harry an odd look while Dumbledore smiled kindly. Draco was at a loss for words for a moment, the kindness from Harry unbalancing him. Didn't Harry know he was a Death Eater? And Dumbledore said he hadn't told anyone about him which, funnily enough, he believed. So why was the other being so kind?

"I…would like that actually," Draco answered slowly blinking owlishly at Harry. Harry nodded and Draco looked at him intensely for a moment, grey eyes boring into green. "Why are you being so kind to me?" he asked eyes narrowing.

Harry looked briefly taken aback before regaining his calm look. "Well," he said slightly uncomfortable and not knowing what to say. Luckily or unluckily, depending on how it's viewed Draco took the choice of answering from him.

"If its pity you can just sod off Potter because I don't want nor need pity! Not from you or anyone else," Draco said his voice flat and tone weak with indignation. It wasn't half of what he used to be capable of but it was enough.

"Its not pity Malfoy, can't someone be nice without it being some kind of crime!" Harry said exasperatedly.

"Oh please Potter your probably here out of some guilt or obligation. I mean why else would you be here, next to Draco Malfoy's hospital bed, who was a marked Death Eater, after finding out he was tortured for months if it isn't out of pity?" Draco snapped back, eyes sparking with some of his old self.

Harry would have been happy if it wasn't for the fact that the anger in those eyes was directed at him. "Damn it, why do you have to be such a fucking prick? Someone decides to care about you and you act like their offending you or something. Well you know what, I'm sorry if my ca-" Harry broke off realizing he was probably digging a deeper grave for himself. Emotional masochist. Yes that was what he was alright. "Just forget it," he spat, his anger and hurt shining in his words as he rose from his chair and stormed out of the room.

"I'll go after him," Remus said to Severus and Dumbledore as he rose from his seat also. Passing an unreadable look at the blonde on the bed, the werewolf left the room also in search of his upset pseudo godson.

Severus kept his eyes on the door as it was closed again by his lover. He sighed as he turned back to the blonde who was also looking at the door with a puzzled but otherwise unreadable expression. Staring at the younger man a moment Severus pursed his lips.

"Listen to me Draco and listen to me good," Severus said and Draco turned to look at his former Head of House in faint surprise. "He wasn't here out of pity for you. I can't tell you why he was here without betraying his trust in some way but you need to listen to me when I say he wasn't here out of pity. He is much different from what you've perceived him as; I should know having gotten to know him. But I can tell you one thing about Harry," the man paused smirking as Draco looked at him oddly for the use of first name.

"He's been here almost every day since you were brought in; he's ignored his friends to come here each day to spend hours with you. Granger and Weasley have no idea that he's coming here to see you or why he is. He also made sure you got this private room, saying something about you wanting to have comfort AND he bound the staff of St. Mungo's under oaths to keep anything about you, your condition or any visitors out of the tabloids. now, can you tell me why he would be ignoring his best friends and going to such lengths to spends hours on end with your unconscious form if all he did was pity you?" and with that Severus Snape swept from the room, robes billowing behind him.

Draco was looking after the potions master in shock completely thrown with the speech that was given to him. He only snapped out of it as movement from the side caught his attention. Dumbledore looked at him, eyes twinkling merrily.

"I'll leave you to rest and think over things Draco, good day!" the man said jovially before walking out and leaving the confused blonde alone.