Before I start, I have to ask a huge favor. I'm horrible at making summaries, so if there is anyone out there that would like to make one for me I would be SO GRATEFUL! Thanks again, now on with the stroy!

Chapter 13

Induction

(A/N) I would just like to say thank you to all of the people that read and reviewed or messaged me. You are what keep me writing! Mucho thanks to all of you! I seriously love all of you, even if you don't review (Though I'd like it a lot! Chuckle.)

"You're early..." Hermione said. They fumed and sputtered a bit. Why was she not acting as surprised and outraged by the fact that there was a Malfoy in the Order of the Phoenix's Headquarters! How could she be so blasé about it when Dumbledore's near killer stood a mere three feet away from all of them at this very moment?

"We finished early so..." Harry started, through clenched teeth, "Wait, we shouldn't be the ones explaining, you should!" Ron seemed too beyond words to even agree with him.

"Lets all sit down, shall we?" Lupin cut in. I believe everyone, including myself, has a little bit of explaining to do." He then ushered everyone into the small kitchen, keeping a careful eyes out to keep Draco, Harry, and Ron separated. Draco looked angry but surprisingly remained quiet.

When everyone was seated at the overly large table in the too-small kitchen, Sirius walked in. He blatantly ignored Draco's look of shocked amazement and took a chair next to Harry.

"Just finished my evening run. Stretching my legs, you know. You'd be surprised how good it still feels to be able to walk amongst the public again, after being in hiding for so long. Plus, I don't even have to deal with Kreachers mumbling." Harry and Sirius both grinned.

"Kreacher?" Draco frowned.

"Shut your mouth you scum!" Ron bellowed out of nowhere.

"What do you mean? Did he run away?" Hermione wondered sadly, ignoring Ron. She had always thought it unfair how the elf was treated.

"Well, actually..." Harry began, "I was visiting about a week ago, you know, and Kreacher was, as always, spewing horrible things about whatever, whoever, and basically anything that moved. Well, when he spoke about my parents, I-I just snapped and went at him. Buckbeak was nearby and has recently taken quite a liking to me, for some reason. It seemed he wanted to help with whatever I was doing and he, well, accidentally beheaded him in mid screech about filthy half-bloods." Harry tried to look even remotely saddened by this ghastly turn of events, but he ended up grinning even wider. Sirius beamed as well. Hermione was angry, but figured there was nothing she could do about it, so she settled on huffing every few seconds. When everyone had calmed down about Kreachers beheading, Lupin decided that it would be better if he did the talking from now on.

"Attention everyone, this is a very important meeting, as it concerns young mister Draco Malfoy," Lupin began. Ron and Harry snorted rather loudly. Lupin went on to explain nearly everything that Hermione Draco, and himself talked about back at the cabin in immense detail. It seemed that every other word, Ron or Harry had something to say such as, "Lies" and "But he's a Malfoy", and most tastefully, "Scum of the Earth!" However, after many tantrums and outbursts by the dynamic duo, Mrs. Weasley dismissed every one of the kids, except Hermione and Draco. She very deliberately ignored the cries of "But we're of age!" Lupin, Sirius, Tonks, Kingsley, Shacklebolt, Mrs. And Mr. Weasley, Mad-eye, and several others stayed as well. There was suddenly an intense silence and almost all eyes were on Draco. He stared at the floor, as it seemed he did so often lately.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, Kingsley, the Veritarserum if you will." Hours later, and seemingly a million questions and test later, they arrived at the near end. The question he had been dreading had finally been asked.

"Do you have any strange or outstanding magical abilities or abnormalities that you are aware of?" The truth potion was forcing him to say what he did not want to, but there was no stopping it. He suddenly found himself going into a huge explanation about the dragon's blood and what happened to him the night Hermione had saved him. Everyone stared at him in awe and some in disgust, but he could still not stop himself from saying the words that were coming out of his mouth. When he was finished, Kingsley nodded sadly while everyone else was in shock. Hardly anyone had ever even heard of this. After everyone had stopped gasping and gaping and Draco had suffered the most extreme displeasure, Kingsley decided it was time to explain.

"This is indeed not a lie, my friends. In my home country, these intense rituals were more like a rite of passage for women in the olden days. My mother and my sister were both victimized by these strange transfusions of blood. The same man forced the Sphinx's blood, so powerful and dominant, into both of these women's bodies unwillingly. Adiaj Bakrou was the tribal chief at the time. My mother died some fifteen years after her first dosage. My sister was on the brink of death when, miraculously Adiaj Bakrou died of old age. The person who actually did the transfusions is directly linked to the receiver of blood and therefore, when that person dies, the curse is lifted. She was straddling the line of death and it could have been mere days until she finally perished. Therefore, Draco, it is very crucial that you tell me who did this to you."

"Voldemort and his followers, including my own father," The words streamed out of his mouth unwillingly. Many around the table visibly cringed at the name.

"Yes, I believed as much, but who actually PERFORMED the task? I know you were a child, but think hard now, if you can, "Kingsley implored again.

Draco paused. "Voldemort."

At this point everyone around the table had gone silent, except for Hermione who at once began rambling incessantly about how he was going to die. Draco looked stricken and even more pale than usual. Hermione wasn't helping much.

Hermione took the chance and squeezed his hand from underneath the table. She realized what she was doing again and almost dropped it but he squeezed it back and said, "Its okay Granger. She visibly relaxed, but her mind went into a frenzy.

What was she doing? Here she was, holding hands with someone she hated. But… did she hate him, really and truly? N was the honest answer, but she didn't really like him either. Sure he was here; going against basically everything he had ever known or was taught. He had made very clear, however, the he was not necessarily for everything the "light" side of the war was for. The only thing he really was going to fight for was the destruction of Voldemort. Even more so now with the knowledge that the Dark Lords death basically gave him his life back. But, even if he was for this, he was still prejudiced, right? Still angry and self involved. Still a little mal-ferret. But he had come to her. That was enough for now, and she supposed, just this once, she would give him the benefit of the doubt. She smiled inwardly, but little did she know that Draco's insides were squirming and his mind was racing, just as hers had been moments before.

What was he thinking holding Hermione Grangers hand in secret? I t wasn't as if he necessarily liked her in any way. A certain fondness may have appeared only because it was she who helped him in his escape from the Malfoy Manor. If anyone was asked "Why does Draco Malfoy hate Hermione Granger?" They would more than likely answer "Because Hermione is a mudblood, or because she is of muggle decent." He has always let this assumption run wild. He enforced it, even. That was, no on would know how much hell she had put him through at home. Even she had never known. He was always getting into trouble for not being at the top of his class, for that position was always reserved to her. The little grade whore. This, as well as the fact that she and her friends were some of the only people to challenge his word. She had always hated him and so he had happily returned the feeling with equal vigor. It was stupid really, now that he thought about it. Maybe from now on he would give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe. He smiled inwardly. Both Draco and Hermione were brought out of their thoughts by Lupin clearing his throat loudly.

"Well Draco, I suppose there is nothing left to do but to accept you into our care. We cannot let you leave our sight or this place, but then again I doubt you would want to be seen out in the public eye right now, what with the story about the tower… well anyways. I have things to discuss with Harry and Ron, as well as all of the older order members. Hermione you can stay if you like, but as Draco is not in the order, he must leave. If you would like to go with him, you may, and I can have someone relate all of the information back to you at a later time. Draco in case you were wondering, your intentions have been proven and the truth potion should be wearing off. You have been cleared of everything as of thus far."

Mrs. Weasley, suddenly overcome with emotion said, quite loudly, "THE POOR THING! NOT ONLY HAS HE BEEN CAUGHT UP WITH HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED, BUT HE'S AS THIN AS A RIAL! CHILDREN! DINNER, QUICKLY! Lupin, the other meeting can wait until after dinner."

"Of dear Molly, you're going to scare the poor boy away, "Lupin mumbled. She didn't hear him, but everyone else laughed, even Draco. Of course, he stopped himself before anyone had noticed.

During dinner, Lupin had told Harry and Ron about Draco's innocence, but they would still have none of it. Hermione tried to ask Harry how Sirius had felt when no one would believe his innocence either. Harry claimed that this situation was completely different and Ron refused to believe that Draco was even in the room with them in the first place. Hermione scoffed and called them both hypocrites. When dinner ended, Hermione opted to go with Draco, much to the displeasure of Ron and Harry, to show him where he would be sleeping. The room was furnished with three small beds.

"Fred and George should be arriving for the meeting any minute now. You will be rooming with them. "She tried to keep her voice as nonchalant as possible as she knew Draco didn't like the twins, or so she had heard. They sat down and passed the hours while the others were in the meeting by talking about all sorts of different things. Draco wanted to know whose house this was, how she was involved with Sirius Black, all about the house elf heads, who was Kreacher and Buckbeak, and was that the REAL Mad-eye Moody in there? Meanwhile, the meeting that everyone was at downstairs was quite possibly the most important meeting in the modern day Wizarding world.

From downstairs, McGonagall's voice sounded, as she had just arrived.

"I am here to inform you all of the six horcruxes have been found and destroyed. I am very happy and very nervous as well, to tell all of you that it is now time… for action…"