As Draco came down to dinner he replayed the Quiditch game in his head. Especially the end and what had happened after. He still wasn't sure if he would be accepted by those he had insulted for so long, though hoped he would be. He doubted they would become friends, but to just be accepted by them was enough.
When he entered the dining room half the table was empty. Tonks was already seated but people were on either side of her. Dumbledore was on her left and Professor Sinistra was on her right. Since he couldn't sit next to her, Draco decided to sit opposite Tonks. Just as he sat down the rest of the Quiditch players trooped in. Charlie sat down next to Draco, across from Dumbledore, and, to his surprise, Ginny sat down on his other side. Fred and George eyed him suspiciously for a few moments but Ron was so relieved that Hermione wasn't sitting next to Draco that he didn't notice that Ginny was there instead.
When everyone was seated, Draco had noticed that the table always seemed to be the right size, Mrs. Weasley levitated the food out onto the table. People started passing food around and Draco took a portion of everything. Although Draco had been present for only one dinner he had already noticed that all the food tasted wonderful and that if a person neglected to take seconds then Mrs. Weasley got a worried look.
Draco listened to the conversations around him as he ate. Once again he compared this dinner with those he had had at home. Most times he had eaten alone or with a house elf to keep him company, Dobby had been his favorite although he'd never admit it to Potter. Some days he would be required to eat with his parents and listen to their either boring or frightening conversations. Sometimes he wondered what they talked about when he wasn't around then found he preferred not to know.
He felt a hand on his shoulder shake him, "Are you alright?" broke through his thoughts. He looked over at Ginny, then down at her hand on his shoulder. Her gaze also traveled down to her hand, then seeming to realize it was there she pulled it away as if scorched. Clearing her thought she asked again, "Are you alright? You looked really sad for a moment. Do you miss your family?"
Draco let out a grimace, "Not at all. I was just thinking how much different it is here." After uttering those words he turned back to his plate of mashed potatoes, feeling nervous to be talking to the youngest Weasley and wanting to stop for fear of saying something stupid.
As he ate his potatoes (I've decided that mashed potatoes will be Draco's favorite food in my fic.) Draco began to listen to conversations again. Snippets came to him all jumbled together, one caught his attention for no obvious reason.. It was Tonks talking to Professor Sinistra.
"Did you see him when he entered the house today?" asked Tonks.
"How could I not, I was standing in the front hall and he took the opportunity to once again send a sarcastic remark towards me. He said 'Ah, professor, just the thing I wanted to see after an especially grueling day, your lovely bushy hair.' with that voice that drips sarcasm like a snakes fangs drip venom. I don't know why I haven't jinxed him yet," answered Professor Sinistra.
Tonks laughed, "As strange as it sounds I think that it's because of people like you and me, and that Dumbledore demands it, that he stays here at all. He loves harassing us, although we certainly do are part as well."
Draco thought back to the conversation he had had earlier with Charlie. From what the two women had been discussing it didn't sound like there was any affection between Sinistra and Snape. The more Draco thought about it though the more it sounded like the way his cousin might have greeted Charlie or vice versa.
Draco then remembered what else Charlie had said, 'If you listen quietly sometime to Snape when Sinistra is in the room you an hear him muttering under his breath about her' and turned his attention to Snape. As Draco watched Snape he thought he saw him glance quickly glance toward Professor Sinistra and move his lips. Draco was too far away to actually hear is Snape had said something. He watched his potions teacher closely for the rest of the meal and was starting to think that Charlie had been right with his suspicions.
Finally everyone had finished eating and people were starting to leave the table. As Draco also stood up to leave Dumbledore glanced over at him and asked, "Draco, do you think you could stay for a few minutes?" Draco nodded and sat back down. He felt the stares of the other people in the room as he did so.
When Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and the twins had gone Dumbledore turned to Draco once again. "We don't have much for you to do but it would be very helpful if you would draw a map for the Order of Malfoy Mansion, including the secret passages and hiding places. If you know of any other things that would be important or useful for entering Malfoy manor it would be helpful if you intonated those as well."
Draco looked at Dumbledore for a few moments, processing what he had been asked to do. It would be simple and he would be helping the Order and that had never occurred to him before. A sense of belonging and duty filled him, his father and mother had never trusted him with anything important and this was his chance to redeem himself and not just be an encumbrance.
He noticed all the people were watching him, "Yes, I'll do it."
Dumbledore smiled, "Good, very good. Now I have to ask you to leave us now, you are still underage. When you are done please give the drawing to Molly, but please take your time. We value accuracy above speed, unlike Tom." It took Draco a second to realize who Tom was but then he walked through the door and up to his room to start on his job.
"Just promise never to try to save my life again"
Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets