Hermione looked at Draco, and asked, quietly and a bit slowly (tact Malfoy wouldn't have expected from a Gryffndor), "Are you mad that your parents lied to you?"

Draco looked at her, frowned, looked down, and then his eyes lifted to hers again. "Not as such. It was politics, and stretching and bending the truth is expected in politics. I just wish they'd trusted me enough to let me in on the truth. Can you imagine letting your son delude himself about something truly dangerous?" Draco took a shaky breath, "They saved me, I don't have any right to be mad at them."

"But you are."

"Unfortunately, yes." Draco sighed, "It's not even the lack of trust, not really. It's the lack of time to prepare."

Hermione looked at him, a question that didn't need to be asked on her face. Maybe that's what caring looked like.

"I feel like I've been dropped in the deep end - like we all have, really." Draco Malfoy said, stopped, and sighed.

"You realize I can't go out in public?" Draco said, covering his eyes with his hands for a moment.

"You're worried..." Hermione started.

Draco shook his head, "No, I'm terrified. If I was seen in public, there's a good chance I'd be kidnapped. If not, my parents would pay for my indiscretion."

"Was that why you were out in Muggle London? Because people wouldn't see you?"

"Among other things, yes." Draco Malfoy said, "I'm not sure what we'll do after this year."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"My parents paid a price to get me out..." Draco Malfoy said, "What do you think their orders are going to be after Fortress Hogwarts lets out?"

"To take you home..." Hermione breathed.

"Yeah, and It's not like I can say that i wasn't here. He's got a few true loyalists here."

"What are you-" Hermione started, then paused, "What are we going to do?"

"I'm unsure. I need help, and we need to think this through."

"How many of you are there?" Hermione asked.

"Most of Slytherin. which shouldn't surprise, as my House doesn't generally like to take sides. More than you'd expect out of Ravenclaw." Draco said, pondering.

[a/n: This would be a far different story if Draco was the only one his parents rescued. Leave a review?]