Things had never gotten this bad for Draco Malfoy.

He could not stand it but there he was- locked in a room, deprived of his wand, a bloody prisoner.

"Imprisonment" by the Order of the Phoenix would have been pleasant enough had he not tried to steal Weasley's wand, made three escape attempts or had shouted a boat load of obscenities when Granger had tried to pass stew to him the other day but unfortunately his unruly behavior had cost him his initial freedom and he had been locked up in a room since Wednesday.

He did not regret his actions, did they really expect him to sit tight and not try and escape when Voldermort could be torturing his parents? Didn't they understand that he did not have a choice and that he simply must return to the Dark Lord?

Draco shuddered as he sank into his chair, he could barely think about what his mother must be going through, the Dark Lord had been angry enough when his father had lost the prophecy at the ministry but with his capture-

His thoughts were interrupted suddenly by a knock on the door and it's subsequent opening. Hermione Granger stood at the door with her wand pointed at him.

"Well Malfoy, Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the Order have agreed that it is indeed inhuman to keep you locked up like this and think that you should be let out", she started," but before that they want assurances of your good beh-",

"Sod off, Granger." Draco sneered, interrupting her as he stood up and glared at her.

Hermione looked affronted as she drew herself up and spoke with a grimace," very well then, Malfoy." She turned to leave and was about to close the door when suddenly-

"Look, you people don't understand, the Dark Lord will kill my mother and father if I don't return to him, he will think I abandoned him, just let me go... please," - Draco had stepped forward and was breathing very fast with a hint of desperation in his voice.

Hermione, taken aback by the lack of slurs came into the room again and looked at Draco, "Draco, it is you who does not understand, the Order has no choice. We cannot let you go, you are our only bargaining chip if You-Know-Who takes anyone of us hostage," she then spoke in a kinder tone," We don't know where your mother is but we are trying ou-"

Draco sat back down with a slump as he gave her an icy look.

"Just shut up, Granger, just... leave me alone, I don't want bloody assurances from filth like you."

Draco looked up to see a shadow of hurt pass through Hermione's eyes as she slammed the door. He was left alone again.

--

Draco didn't know what to do anymore, he was bored out of his mind, he wanted an ounce of sunshine or atleast some human contact.

Things had not improved for Draco, he was starved of human contact and the arrival of SaintPotter had hardly cheered him. He had made out from the crying and morose atmosphere of the house and its members that somebody had died and it was someone important to the Order.

The news of death had sparked his musings once again and his fear for himself and his mother's safety had again led to hours of his solitary existence spent on thinking about means of escape.

He sat alone on his bed and looked up at the ceiling, he had tried everything but there was no escape- anti apparition spells prevented apparating, he was never allowed near the fireplace, his wand was still being kept by McGonagall, things certainly looked bleak.

He resumed his daily activity of counting the floor tiles- seven, eight, nine, ten,ele- when suddenly he saw in the midst of all of the dilapidated tiles, a particularly chipped tile which was letting in a streak of light into the room through a sizeable crack.

Draco moved towards it and pressed his eye onto the crack to see a speck of the sunlit garden of the Weasleys clearly visible to him.

A wide array of ideas started exploding in his mind's eye as his imagination ran wild. He might be able to find a route if escape at last, all he needed was a spade, a spoon or a-

His musings were again interrupted by a loud wrenching of the door opening. The suspicious face of Ron Weasley looked down at him,

"What are you up to, Malfoy?" He demanded.

"Nosy much, Weasley? Why dont you go and stick it up Potter's arse instead?"

Weasley's ears reddened as he took a step forward, " You are lucky the bloody Dementors have joined You- Know - Who otherwise you would have been locked up in Askaban just like your Death Eater father and we'd be having a laugh."

Draco launched himself up from the floor at Ron but quickly stopped when he saw Ron raise his wand.

"Scared Malfoy? Not so brave now without your Death Eater friends, are you?" Ron sneered as Draco shook with suppressed fury.

"Ron!" The shocked voice of Hermione Granger interrupted their volatile stare-off , "What in the world are you doing?" Weasley stowed his wand hurriedly as Hermione's bushy hair came into view.

"It was him, he provoked me and-"

"Ron! You know the rules, No harm comes to Malfoy whatever provoking he does", Hermione looked at Draco and gave him an icy look of disdain.

Ron nodded, ears still red, " Okay, fine, 'Mione".

"Scared of Granger, are you now Wea-" Draco started but Hermione silenced him with a flick of her wrist pointing her wand at him, "You'd do well to be scared too Malfoy, anyway... coming to the point, you are supposed to come with us to the sitting room, the Order wants a word with you and-" she flicked her wrist again," believe me when I say this, I would not be sorry to jinx you if you try any funny buisness."

Something about the coldness and indifference in Hermione's voice irked him and he didn't know why. He gave a sneer as he put his hands up mockingly.

The Burrow's sitting room was packed with people, there was Potter, most of the Weasleys, Lupin, a woman with vivid pink hair he knew to be Nymphadhora, his mother's niece and a very pretty girl with silver hair whom he recognized as the Beaubaton Champion.

"Zees is Ze boy? I do think he needs so'me sunshine", started the girl as he entered the room while the rest scanned him with calculating eyes.

"Sit down Draco," Lupin commanded as he got up and walked towards a chair opposing a vacant one.

Draco took his seat and leaned back staring at Lupin waiting for him to speak.

" So.." Lupin started," There is to be an event, a wedding here -"

Draco scoffed, " A wedding? Do you not realize that the Dark Lord is back?"

Nymphadora pursed her lips before saying softly, " We believe that during theses troubled times, the Wizarding world could do with a little bit more love", she gave a slight smile to Lupin which he did not return.

Draco shook his head as he muttered , " I dont believe this, you-"

"What you believe or don't believe is hardly the matter here, my son is going to get married and that is what is going to happen regardless of your thoughts, Draco", Arthur Weasley spoke, getting up and giving him a steely look through his horn rimmed glasses.

Draco scoffed again and then sank back into his chair with a shrug, " Yes, Yes, do whatever poppycock you all wish to do but what has that got to do with me?"

Lupin leaned forward," Yes, that IS the topic of this particular meeting, Draco, you see ... the house will be quite empty during the wedding and we feel that keeping you in front of our eyes would be more advisable as opposed to letting you stay alone in the house."

Draco raised his eyebrows as he raised himself up into a better posture.

" You will have to be a guest at the wedding Draco, we do not like it any much more than you do," Lupin added at the look of outrage from Draco," but yes, you will be given polyjuice potion and will be accompanied by a member of the Order during the entire wedding at all times so that we can keep an eye on you during the event."

Draco thought about protesting but knew that there was no point and just shrugged as he sank back into the chair again.

The long haired Weasley brother, with a scar on his face came up towards him and sat down, " Although your attitude towards us is that of a prisoner towards his captors, I trust you will enjoy our wedding and wish me and Fleur the best," He smiled at Draco and patted his shoulder before walking away and sitting beside the girl from Beauxbatons.

Draco shrugged and got up, wanting to get away from this pack of delinquents as quickly as possible.

"Now that I am going to be attending a wedding, I will be needing a suit, black if it suits you people," he said as he turned and walked away towards the stairs.

--

Ah, thats the third chapter done, if your wondering when the dramiones gonna start , I am still setting up the stage, so wait, it ' ll be worth it.

Do follow the fanfic if you and you can tell me what you think about the chapter in the review section.

Vex