Disclaimer: I bow to the greatness that is JK Rowling and in no way claim any of her characters or ideas.

Authorette Note: Special thanks to my creative assistant Bridget!

The Newest Member of the Order

"You did WHAT!" Three voices roared in disbelief. Ginny, Ron, and Harry were shouting in the kitchen of #12 Grimauld Place, but Hermione was too shocked to respond for a couple of minutes. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she found her voice. "I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore, I just hallucinated. I thought you said you asked Draco Malfoy to join the Order of the Phoenix."

"Yes, Miss Granger. I did say that. The Order needs him."

"But…" started Harry, but Dumbledore cut him off. "Harry, I would like to see you try to make an effort with Draco. He's coming through a tough time right now, and I think you'll find you have more in common than you know."

"Something in common with Malfoy?" Ron asked incredulously. "But Harry's not a ferret."

"Not funny, Ronald" scolded Hermione. "It was you and Harry who turned him into a ferret in the first place." Ron had enough decency to look embarrassed.

"Draco is staying at Hogwarts until the start of term for his own safety. He knows that we have a headquarters, but I did not tell him where it is, since this house now belongs to Harry. With your permission Harry, I'd like him to spend Christmas holiday here with you. This house is just as protected as Hogwarts, and is almost impossible to find. I think you all may be able to help him. Is that all right with you?"

"Do I have a choice?" muttered Harry under his breath.

Dumbledore glanced sideways, "Yes, Harry, you do have a choice. Draco is always welcome at Hogwarts during the holiday, just as you always were. Will you let me know by the first Hogsmeade visit whether or not he will be spending the Christmas holiday here, with you?"

"Yes, Professor, I will let you know by then," replied Harry grudgingly.

Dumbledore nodded, and disapparated with a loud POP. Harry rolled his eyes. "It's a good thing Kreacher took Sirius' mother's portrait with him when he left or that would have woken her up."

"Does anyone know where Kreacher is?" asked Ron. "No," replied Hermione, "but I get the feeling Dumbledore does, and that's enough for me. And Dobby is here now, which is helpful, but unnecessary. He really shouldn't have to clean up after us."

"Hermione, Dobby's free," said Harry. "He's working here because he wants to! I've given him the option of leaving a couple of times, and still he stays. And don't start spouting off the virtues of SPEW! We've heard it all before." He had interrupted Hermione before she even got a chance to speak.

Hermione got up from the table in a huff, and stalked out of the kitchen with Ginny close behind her. Ron looked sheepishly at Harry. "Go on then Ron, check on her. It's okay." Ron walked slowly out of the kitchen, and stopped at the doorway to give Harry a smile before leaving to look for Hermione.

Harry stared after him, lost in thought.

I can't believe this. I just got here a few hours ago and Dumbledore springs this on me?

Draco Malfoy. A member of the Order. And possibly staying at my house. WHY? I'm sure that Dumbledore has his reasons; I just wish he had shared them with me. What is Malfoy up to?

Why is he staying at Hogwarts? … Dumbledore said it was for 'his own safety'.

What's that supposed to mean? … Malfoy needs protection.

Why does Malfoy need protection? …He's in danger, somehow.

Why is Malfoy in danger? … Because he is joining the Order.

Why is Malfoy joining the Order? …

For this question, Harry didn't have an answer. Harry could not come up with any reason as to why Malfoy would want to join the Order.

This is ridiculous. Malfoy's a pureblood, a Slytherin. He has to be up to something. I trust Dumbledore, but I do not trust Malfoy. I know he's been going to Death Eater meetings. He's the son of Lucius Malfoy, for Merlin's sake!

Harry was getting angry. A flash of pain shot through his scar, and Harry shook his head to clear the thoughts.

Harry climbed the stairs of the house he would inherit from his Godfather. Upon returning to the Dursley's after his fifth year, Harry discovered that once he turned eighteen, he would own #12 Grimauld Place in London. Until then, the house was under the ownership of Professor Dumbledore. The house was still used as the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.

Members were coming and going at all hours. Molly and Arthur Weasley were living in the house. It was a shorter commute for Arthur, who was recently appointed to Deputy Minister of Magic, by the new Minister, Amelia Bones. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were all at the house as well. Harry liked knowing the Weasley's were living in and taking care of his house. He considered the Weasley's family, more so than the Dursley's. Harry had joined his friends at the end of the summer, after his time spent at 'home', on Privet Drive.

Harry had been excited to come back to Grimauld Place. But once he arrived, each room, each portrait somehow reminded Harry of Sirius. At seventeen, Harry was more solemn than most wizards his age. He did not laugh as much as Ron or Hermione, and sought solitude more often. His scar twinged many times a day now, but in learning Occlumency, he was able to keep Voldemort out of his head.

Walking down the hallway, Harry heard raised voices coming from Ginny and Hermione's room. He opened the door, and walked into the middle of a shouting match.

"Well I don't trust him! He has got to be up to something, like spying for You-Know-Who!" bellowed a very pink-faced Ron.

Hermione's fists were clenched by her side, "I trust Dumbledore! And he's the one who asked Malfoy to join! That should be enough!"

Ginny was sitting cross-legged on her bed, rolling her eyes at everything Ron said. "We agree with you, Ron. None of us trust Malfoy. But Dumbledore does, and that's good enough for me."

Ron looked to Harry for help. "I don't trust Malfoy either, Ron, but Hermione is right. I'm sure Dumbledore has his reasons. He should have told us why, though. I still can't believe that he's asking us to help Malfoy. I really don't want to."

"Harry, remember how hard it was for us to trust Snape?" said Hermione. "It took some time, but I trust him now. Don't you?"

"I suppose," replied Harry.

"Trust him? Yes. Like him? No. He's still an evil git," muttered Ron. Ginny rolled her eyes again.

"But he's proven himself time and time again. He's on our side. Remember how fast he was to act when Harry thought Voldemort had Sirius and…" Hermione trailed off. Harry stared at her in stony silence.

"Well. Uh..." said Ron, quickly. "Well, we could try to help Malfoy. For Dumbledore's sake, that is. And keep an eye on him too. If we see anything suspicious, we tell each other, okay?"

"Agreed." Harry said curtly, over his shoulder as he left the room. The other three just watched him go.

"Damn it," muttered Hermione, "Why did I mention Sirius?"

"Don't feel too bad; it has been over a year. He will have to learn to deal with it eventually," Ron's voice was calm.

"I wish I could figure out what that veil is, the one in the ministry," pondered Hermione. "I just can't shake the feeling that there is more to it, that it is not just a one way curtain. Harry and Luna said they heard voices behind that veil, so it must go somewhere. And might be a way back."

"Well, we will be back at school in two weeks. I could help you search the library for information, if you'd like," Ron offered, hoping that this would provide some alone time with Hermione.

"Ron, I have searched that entire library last year looking for something. Even the Restricted Section! Don't you think I would have thought of that already?" Hermione said, irritated.

"But, you never mentioned any –"

"Of course I didn't mention it." Hermione interrupted. "I did not want to get Harry's hopes up. But, there's nothing in that library that even mentions that veil."

As Hermione left the room, Ron turned to Ginny, "Why does she always seem so annoyed with me?"

Ginny snorted, and rolled her eyes. "Because you're annoying!"