Disclaimer; I own nothing!

A/N Hi all! Here is the next chapter of my story. I have a feeling this is going to be a long one because of where I am taking it. I hope you enjoy it. It will not be all fluffy like some of my other stories. This is the first story I have attempted to write where Voledemort is still alive and it is proving tough. Happy reading and don't forget to review!

Harry's Apology

Hermione sat in rapt attention as Draco told his story. He told her of being brought to the dark lord by Snape after the ministry fiasco at the end of their fifth year. Voldemort had told him of his assignment. To kill Dumbledore. He protested, saying if the dark lord himself couldn't do it, how would he be able to. Voldemort laughed saying that if he didn't do it both his father and mother would be killed and he would be forced to watch before his own impending death. He left the room and vomited outside. His mission started. He had to get Death Eaters inside Hogwarts. Voldemort assigned Greyback to keep an eye on him. He tried to fix the vanishing cabinets all year with no success. He knew his mum had went to Snape pleading for his help and he made an unbreakable vow to help him but Draco didn't trust him with the lives of his family. He tried to have the necklace sent to Dumbledore, then the mead only to fail. When he fixed the cabinet at the end of the year he thought he was going to succeed. He was wrong. When he had Dumbledore trapped he couldn't do it. The old man looked so frail, and he had always treated Draco fairly. But then Snape showed up and finished him off. Draco crumbled at that point. He knew his family would die. He told Hermione of Snape dragging him off and then about his mother's death. By the end he was in tears. He wiped them quickly so that Hermione wouldn't see. But she did. Her heart felt heavy by the end of his tale.

"So where have you been since that night?" she sniffed.

"I have been traveling." he said "Town to town, not staying long. Working and begging for food. Some glamorous life eh?" he joked trying to make her feel better.

"I'm so sorry." she said sincerely. "No one should have to go through something like that."

His silvery blue eyes were glazed with tears that he just couldn't stop from coming. Hermione reached around his shoulder and pulled his head down onto hers.

"Shhhh…" she comforted. He nestled his head into her warm neck. He hadn't felt so safe since his mother was alive. Then he came to realizing that she was holding him much too tightly for his own comfort. He pulled back and wiped his face.

"I'm sorry." she said "Are you alright?" He felt rage all of a sudden.

"I'm fine." he said shortly. "Just go." Draco turned his head towards the window and stared out.

"Do you need anything?" she asked as she stood up.

"Nothing." he replied.

"Fine." she huffed as she left the room. Hermione made her way down to Harry's room and threw herself on the bed. She was torn about what had just happened. She had actually felt sorry for him for a moment, but then he went back to his former cynical self. Just then she heard someone come in.

'Must be Harry.' she thought sitting up and making her way down the staircase.

"Hey 'Mione." Harry said tossing some things on the table.

"Hi Harry!" she said relieved to see his face. "How was the meeting?"

"It went ok. A few more deaths over the weekend in the town where you were spying. Muggles. But this time they killed kids as well. Lupin says it looked to be Greyback's work."

Hermione covered her mouth with her hands in utter horror.

"Oh Gods!" she cried. "Will this ever end?"

"3 more Horcruxes and I pray to the gods that it does." he said pulling her into a comforting hug. "How is Malfoy doing?"

"Ok, I got some information from him." she said proudly.

"Really? I didn't think he would ever talk to you."

"I actually think he was relived to be somewhere safe." she replied. "He has had a bad year since Dumbledore's death. Worse than you could imagine."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"The death eaters killed him mum practically in front of him. She gave her life to save his. It's a long story." she said sitting at the table and leafing through the papers Harry had brought home.

"Care to fill me in?" he asked.

"Not now, I promised him." she replied.

"Since when do you make promises with Malfoy?"

"Since I wanted information. Don't worry. I know what I am getting into."

"Wait Hermione; is he in still in danger?" Harry asked.

"I think the death eaters are still after him. They are going to kill him." she said.

"You don't think they can find him here do you?" he asked.

"If you are asking if he has the dark mark the answer is no."

"Well that is somewhat of a relief." Harry shrugged.

"Yeah, somewhat."

"So Malfoy's mother actually died to save him?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Hermione replied rolling her eyes. All the questions were getting on her already frazzled nerves.

"I wonder if he has any protection from it. You know like I did?" Hermione's eyes widened.

"You may be right." Hermione said excitedly. "I am going to look a few things up." she stood up and darted into the study grabbing several armfuls of books.

Upstairs Draco was planning how he was going to leave. He knew the room was full of charms and enchantments so trying to leave from there was impossible. A minute later he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in." he said quickly crawling back into bed. He expected Hermione. He got Harry.

It had been over a year since Harry had set eyes on Draco. Those final images of him up in the astronomy tower were burned into Harry's mind forever. That slight drop of his wand right before the death eaters arrived had totally changed Harry's mind about the person that was now sitting in bed in his house. Draco looked up and saw Potter's face. Draco's composure dropped as he looked up at the sparkling clean, well fed golden boy of the wizard world.

"Well?" Draco finally managed to blurt out as Harry just sat there staring at him.

"Well indeed." Harry said twirling his wand in his hand.

"Look Potter I know this is your house and I will be our as soon as Granger says I am well enough."

"I need to tell you something, well a few things. And I need to apologize." Harry said. Draco's face fell in shock.

"An apology from Saint Potter? What did I do to deserve this?" Draco asked.

"You didn't kill Dumbledore. You could have. You were supposed to. But you didn't. That means something to me." Harry said. Draco simply stared.

"I know about Voldemort's plan to kill your family. And you."

"Granger's big fucking mouth." Draco swore.

"I knew about that before hand." Harry corrected. "I just wanted you to know that I think that took real courage to stand up to Voldemort like that."

"Big deal. A lot of good it did me and my mum. And Dumbledore too for that matter." he said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry about your mum. And no Hermione didn't tell me that either." Harry lied. "The order knew."

"The order." Draco mimicked.

"Look Malfoy I know you are not thrilled about being here, and neither am I, but if you need to stay this is the safest place in the world. It is unplottable, and every enchantment known to wizard kind is in place to keep it secret. The Blacks did love their privacy." Harry joked. Draco feigned a smile.

"I don't think I should stay Potter. I appreciate Granger finding me and healing me but I need to move on." Draco sighed.

"Why?" Harry asked, eyes sparkling.

"I just…look, it's complicated." Draco said attempting to stand.

"Do you remember the first time we talked in Madam Malkins?" Harry suddenly asked.

"Of course." Draco said.

"I hated you." Harry said flatly. "From the first moment we met I hated you."

"Wow, I think I want to stay now." Draco said sarcastically.

"No, listen. Then on the Hogwart's express you wanted to be my friend, and I hated you even more."

"I can feel the love." Draco smirked.

"And for the next six years all I could think about was getting revenge on you for all of the mean things you did. And then, in the bathroom in our sixth year I got my chance. You were going to use the cruciatus on me."

Draco turned red.

"And I used a curse on you that I never bothered to find out the effects."

Draco remembered that day. A flash and searing pain before he fell to the ground.

"And?" Draco remarked.

"And I am sorry for that." Draco blinked twice and stared at Harry. "Now look, I want you to stay here. Hermione thinks you are planning to leave. I know we have not always gotten along but I think now that we are both adults we should let bygones be bygones. You will be safe here. Order members are in and out of here all the time. And like I said no one will find you here. Well?"

"Well what?" Draco asked.

"Are you going to stay or not?"

"For a while." he smirked.

"Good." Harry said before leaving the room.

Draco sat there for a moment. Harry freaking Potter had just apologized to him and asked him to stay in his home. He had not planned on it at first but decided it was as good of a place as any. And maybe much safer. He laid back and slept soundly for the first time in over a year.

Downstairs Hermione was pouring over books when Harry came in the room.

"Hey." she smiled looking up only briefly from her piles of books.

"Just talked to Malfoy. I think I convinced him to stay." he said.

"How did you do that?" Hermione asked in a stunned voice.

"I apologized and asked him to. I didn't tell him that you told me anything. Let him think the order knew everything already. But now we can keep an eye on him and maybe get some more information."

"Is that the only reason Harry?" she asked knowingly.

"Uh…well no.' he mumbled. "I feel bad for him. Losing his family. It had to be harder on him. He grew up with them. I never really knew mine. And he defied Voldemort. That had to be just as tough knowing who his father is."

"You are something Harry." she smiled.

"Have you found out anything about his mum's sacrifice?" Harry asked.

"A little. Seems like he will have some protection against Voldemort or any of his followers for a while. How long, I can't say." she said shutting a heavy book with a green leather cover. "How is the horcrux hunt going?" she asked.

"Not well. No new leads on the cup. And the mirror of Erised has disappeared completely from Hogwarts."

"What did the other member's say when you told them we discovered it was Rowena Ravenclaw's?" Hermione pondered.

"They were amazed at your detective work as usual." Harry smiled.

"I just wish I could help you find it." she sighed. "I am going to talk to Malfoy and see if he needs anything." she said standing up and stretching.

"Alright." Harry said not looking up from his piles of papers.

Hermione walked up the creaky stairs and knocked lightly on the bedroom door.

"You awake?" she called softly. Draco looked up and saw Hermione standing shyly at the door waiting for an invitation to come in.

"I am." he said.

"I need to check your wound." she said.

"Great." he pulled off the sheets exposing his abdomen. Hermione peeled away the wrap and looked over the cut.

"It looks much better. How do you feel?"

"Okay." he said.

"I need to tell you something Malfoy." she said staring into his pale eyes.

"What?" he asked.

"I did some research in the library. Your mum's sacrifice may have left you with a slight amount of protection against the death eaters." she said.

"Really?" he looked shocked.

"Harry had protection for 16 years from his mum's sacrifice. I don't know how long yours will last seeing as you are older, but I think it's worth looking into." she said. "Do you need anything else?" "Look is there anyway I could shower or take a bath?"

"Do you feel up to it?"

"I guess."

"Well come on then I will help you down the hall." she extended her arm and he cautiously took it. He made a slow journey down the hall with her holding up his weak body. He stumbled twice and her face looked concerned.

"I don't think you should stand and shower Malfoy. I will run you a bath. Have a seat." she pointed at the closed lid of the toilet. He sat down and she bent over in front of him and turned on the faucets. Being a man his eyes were drawn to her behind. He caught himself and quickly looked away. The tub filled quickly and she stood up.

"All set!" she said. "Yell for me if you need anything." She walked towards the bathroom door. Draco stood up and attempted to remove his pajama bottoms.

"Ohh…" he cried. Hermione ran back in.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." he said embarrassed.

"Need help?" she asked.

"I'm not a fucking child!" he spat. Hermione furrowed her brow at him.

"Fine." she started to walk away again.
"Granger!" he yelled. "I'm sorry. I just hate not being able to do things for myself. Can you help me get these off?" She nodded kneeling in front of him and pulling them off quickly. Soon he was left in just Harry's boxers.

"You are on your own with that." she smiled. "Bad enough I had to put them on you." Hermione blushed, Draco looked mortified.

"I will just wear them in." he said. "Are there any more lying around here?" he joked.

Hermione nodded again.

"I will get you some fresh clothes." and she ran down the hall.

Draco stepped into the bath tub. The water was hot and full of scented bubbles. His whole body relaxed immediately. He had not had a proper bath for so long. Hermione returned a minute later and placed some fresh clothes on the sink.

"There you go." she said proudly. She looked over at the tub and blushed. Draco was struggling with washing up. He had no muscle tone anymore and every move he made looked painful.

"Not to treat you like a child or anything but do you want some help?" Draco thought about saying something smart with sexual undertones but decided against it. He nodded meekly. She grabbed the sponge and lathered it up generously. She washed slow circles on his back. Lots of bruises that were in various stages of healing were highly visible once she washed the dirt off. The more she washed the paler his skin became. He tuned to face her and she did the same for his chest, letting her finger graze across certain areas. Her skin tingled. Hermione grabbed a soft washcloth and wet it. She leaned closer and gently washed his face and neck. He stuck out his hands and she washed him as well, cleaning his nails. His formerly soft hands were rough and calloused. Once they were cleaned she had him dunk his head underwater and wet his hair. She shampooed it three times until his white blonde hair shone. She thought he looked like a small child, frail and unhappy sitting there among the suds. By the time she was done he felt better than he had in a year. Unfortunately he was unable to stand up on his own. Hermione averted her eyes and grabbed his hand helping him to stand up. She handed him a towel. When he wasn't looking she glanced at him for just a second. He looked beautiful.