Draco is due to start his sixth year at Hogwarts with two tasks from the Dark Lord over his head. One to find a certain cupboard and the other to become a murderer. That is just the start of his problems when he starts to see his life and Harry Potter in a different light. AU Year 6. Slash DM/HP

A/N: This story is a little out of my comfort zone and not just with the pairing (normally ship Harry/Severus). This is from a different character point of view that I found difficult at times. Hope you enjoy.

This story starts at the start of year Six and takes in the events up to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix only.

xXx

Draco was dragging his feet as he made his way down the hallway in Malfoy manor. He wouldn't say he was being childish, even if his father would see it that way, he just didn't want to hurry to where he had to be. He paused outside of his father's office before knocking.

"Enter."

Draco hesitated before he opened the door and stepped into the room. There would have been a time when that hesitation wasn't there. That time had passed as he schooled his face carefully. He blanked his thoughts, as his godfather had taught him, and faced his father and his guest.

"You called, father?" Draco questioned softly.

"Yes," Lucius answered with a smile. "Our Lord wanted to see you before you started school."

Draco turned his eyes on the other man and held back in the shiver as he looked into those inhuman red eyes. He bowed as he'd been taught and Voldemort chuckled.

"I can see that the Malfoy line in strong," Voldemort remarked. "I hope your son will be just as loyal as you Lucius."

"Of course, my Lord." Lucius said quickly as Draco straightened.

"We shall see," Voldemort intoned as his eyes looked Draco over. "I have a task for you, Draco."

"Anything, my Lord." Draco answered as he held back his fear.

"The first task is finding a cupboard within Hogwarts," Voldemort told him. "I will provide pictures for you."

"And when I find it?"

"Just report to your father," Voldemort answered. "We are unsure in what kind of state that the cupboard will be in."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Your second task will be explained at a later date," Voldemort continued.

"Yes, my Lord."

Voldemort stepped forward and Draco held his ground. The man before him could have him screaming on the floor with an uttered word and Draco knew that his father would do nothing to stop him. He quickly blanked his thoughts as he stood there and Voldemort's lips curled up in a parody of a smile.

"That is all, Draco." Voldemort purred. "Please me in this and you will do well within my ranks."

"Thank you for the chance, my Lord." Draco replied as he nodded his head.

He took one measured step back before turning and walking to the door. He could hear his heart in his ears but he wasn't called back. He opened the door as calmly as he could and stepped out. Once the door was closed, he took careful steps down the hallway. When he turned the corner, he bolted. Fear pulsing through him. He'd been given his first task and he didn't want to even think about what would happen to him if he failed.

xXx

Draco sat at the Slytherin table on the first night back at school. He was surrounded by his friends and classmates and yet felt alone as he sat there. He glanced around the noisy hall and his eyes caught on Potter seated at the Gryffindor table. Granger sat on one side of him and was talking to Weasley while Ginny sat on his other side. Potter himself was just looking down at his plate. Draco frowned at that behaviour as Potter just played with his food. No one seemed to be talking to Potter and he seemed happy with that.

Potter looked up and Draco frowned at the blank look in the other boy's eyes. He knew that something had happened at the end of the last school year and that it had something to do with Potter but wasn't sure what. He turned his mind away from that, he had his own problems to deal with.

xXx

Draco's eyes caught on Harry Potter sitting alone at a desk in the corner of the library in interest. Lately he'd noticed that the Gryffindor had been on his own more than with his two sidekicks since school had started a week ago. The rumour of Granger and Weasley being found in a compromising position in a classroom had spread through the school quickly. Draco had noticed the way that Potter had placed himself away from the other two since then. He walked down one of the aisles and looked through the gap in the shelf and books at the other boy.

Potter was focused on the book in front of him and had a few more around him. He had always thought of Granger as the smart one of that trio and to see Potter bent over a book had him frowning. The other boy had changed since the end of his fifth year and Draco had a feeling that he was dealing with more than what others knew. Draco crept closer along the stacks and tried to see what Potter was looking at but he couldn't see the titles on the books and he gave up.

xXx

"Where is your homework, Mr Potter?" McGonagall questioned from the front of the classroom.

"I didn't do it, Professor." Potter replied mildly.

Draco glanced over at the other boy as he sat back in his seat.

"This is the third time that you have not completed your set work," McGonagall snapped and Potter shrugged a shoulder. "Ten points from Gryffindor and detention tonight where you can complete your work."

"Yes, Professor." Potter replied.

McGonagall turned away just as Granger leaned over and hissed something to Potter. The boy just glanced at her before picking up a muggle pen and drawing in his notebook.

"Harry!" Granger hissed while Potter ignored her. "You can't keep this up!"

"Do you have something to say, Ms Granger?" McGonagall's voice whipped out.

"Sorry, Professor." Granger said quickly.

McGonagall looked at the pair over the top of her glasses while Draco watched the interaction in interest. McGonagall moved on with the class and Draco noted the way that Potter didn't pay the least bit of attention as he just drew in his notebook. Draco just filed it away as another puzzle piece in his mind as he focused on the class.

xXx

Draco paused when he heard the soft sounds of a guitar. He was in a part of castle that wasn't used often and there were no classrooms in this wing. He hadn't expected to come across anyone and that's why he was there. He crept closer to the sound and noticed a door open further along the hall and the soft sounds of singing. He knew it was a male by the tone as he settled with his back to the wall beside the open door and listened.

The person could carry a tune as he plucked away on the guitar before falling silent as he continued to strum along to a song that Draco didn't know. The person paused slightly before starting another song, showing skill as he made his way through the melody. Draco peered around the door and froze when he spotted Potter sitting there. The other boy was focused on the instrument in his hands as the sound floated on the air.

Draco had never heard anyone mention that Potter played as he strummed through another song and Draco watched. He was enthralled by the way that Potter's fingers danced over the strings and his soft voice. He was sure that the music he played was muggle, since he didn't know it. The fact that Potter didn't work out of a book spoke of practise and time with the instrument.

Potter then looked up and spotted him and didn't miss a beat as he played. Draco had to give him credit for that as he stepped further through the doorway. He leaned into the frame as Potter finished the song. Draco watched as Potter placed the guitar down with care and let it rest against a chair.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Potter questioned. "I would have believed that spying was beneath you?"

"Hardly spying if you leave the door open, Potter." Draco snapped back as his temper flared.

"Windows don't open," Potter replied mildly.

The two boys fell into silence and Draco shifted as he looked around the classroom. It looked like it was being used for storage, much like so many other rooms. A fact that was making his task that much harder.

"Have you ever wondered why there are so many rooms like this in the castle?" Potter asked into the silence.

"What are you going on about, Potter?" Draco sneered.

Potter waved his hand to indicate the room.

"There are more rooms like this one in the castle than the rooms we use," Potter pointed out. "Have you ever wondered why?"

"No," Draco snapped as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Why are you even here?"

Potter picked up the guitar and wiggled it in answer and Draco's temper flared again.

"I don't see any of your adoring fans," Draco said with a smirk. "Did you scare them off?"

"It drew you in here," Potter countered but Draco could tell that he'd hit a nerve.

"Just to make sure that a cat wasn't being murdered," Draco retorted.

"Then feel free to leave," Potter remarked as his hands clenched.

"I kind of like it in here," Draco remarked.

"Then feel free to enjoy it by yourself," Potter snarled.

He grabbed his bag and the guitar and stood. Draco gave him a sneer as Potter came closer and he stepped in his way. Potter just barged past him and Draco almost lost his balance.

"Watch it, Potter!" Draco called after him but the other boy didn't turn.

Draco chuckled lightly once Potter was gone, he always got a thrill from stirring the other boy up.

xXx

Draco cringed when Potter threw a punch and hit Blaise straight on and the boy went down. Yelling sounded on the air as Potter stood there as Blaise stared up at him with blood drippling down his face. The boy then yelled and lunched himself at Potter and the Gryffindor slipped to the side easily. Draco smirked at that, as Potter showed talent as he fended off the taller boy.

"Harry!" Hermione yelped. "Stop it!"

Potter turned at the voice and Blaise pulled his wand. Potter turned back just as Blaise flicked his wand. Draco winced as Potter was thrown across the hall by the spell and students scattered. Potter hit the wall hard beside him but quickly jumped to his feet.

Then Severus Snape appeared and the noise dimmed.

"Enough," Snape hissed and everything froze. "Mr Zabini and Potter my office, now!"

The two boys nodded and walked that way, casting glares at each other.

"File into the classroom," Snape ordered, sharply. "Sit at your desks and open your books to page three hundred and five and start reading."

Draco glanced down the hall to Potter and Blaise, waiting outside of Snape's office door, before stepping into the classroom. He hadn't heard what the other Slytherin had said but he knew that it took a lot to get Potter to lash out physically. Though lately, Potter seemed to spend more time in trouble and in detentions than in class.

xXx

Draco found himself in the unused part of the castle that night and wasn't surprised to hear the sound of a guitar. He crept closer and stood next to the slightly open door and listened to the music. There was a different tone to the notes tonight, softer and slower and when Potter started to sing. It had a haunting quality to it as Draco listened. He leaned back on the wall and let the sound run over him.

Potter had skill with both the instrument and his voice as he moved from haunting song to slow ballads. It was very different to the last time Draco had heard him and a frown stole across his face. When the music paused, he waited for it to continue. He started when the door beside him opened and Potter stepped out.

The other boy froze when he saw him before a hard look came across his face and he continued down the hall.

"Nothing to say, Potter?" Draco called after the boy.

Potter just kept walking without breaking stride. Draco bristled at that but didn't call out again.

xXx

Draco only saw Potter in passing for the next couple of weeks and he hadn't caught him at the unused classroom. He frowned as he looked around the classroom and Potter's question came back to him. Why were there so many old classrooms filled with furniture?

xXx

"There were more students when the founders started the school than now," Draco announced and Potter looked up from his book in the library with a frown. "That's why there are so many classrooms filled with furniture."

Potter sat back in his seat.

"Is that so," Potter drawled.

"Yes!" Draco exclaimed smugly.

"Why is that?" Potter countered and Draco felt deflated at those words.

"There are," Draco replied lamely and Potter's lips twitched up.

"You would think that it would be the other way around," Potter pointed out. "Since muggle populations have expanded in the last thousand years. Why hasn't the wizarding world?"

Draco paused at that.

"We don't breed like rabbits," Draco stated with a sneer. "Unless you're a Weasley."

"Then why are there less magical children now?" Potter questioned.

Draco stared at him as his face flushed in anger.

"They let in more people with magic than they should!" Draco retorted.

"How many would be here if it was just purebloods then?" Potter asked with a smirk. "I wouldn't be here."

"That's the way it should be!" Draco said without thinking.

"That would be taking inbreeding to new levels," Potter retorted.

"You don't know anything!" Draco spat then stalked off.

He could feel Potter's eyes on his back as he stormed out of the library.

xXx

"About half the school," Draco declared then paused when Potter looked up from his book and he noticed the black eye. "What happened to you?"

"I don't believe that is any of your business," Potter replied mildly as he leaned back in his chair at the table.

"Did you get into another fight?" Draco pressed.

Potter gave him a glare that was offset by the bruising.

"What do you want?" Potter spat and Draco reeled back.

"How many students would be pureblood," Draco expanded and Potter frowned.

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?"

Draco crossed his arms over his chest.

"If they took away all the half-bloods and muggleborns," Draco said slowly. "It would be about half the students."

The confusion lifted from the other boy and Potter looked him over.

"You have spent the last two weeks looking up students' family trees?" Potter said in disbelief.

"Yes," Draco replied. "This is important!"

"Maybe to some," Potter grumbled as he looked back down at his book.

Draco looked down and frowned at the complex runes on the page. He knew for a fact that Potter didn't take that class. Not to mention the fact that the book looked too advanced even for him and he was in the sixth-year Runes class.

"What are you looking up?" Draco asked without thinking.

Potter slammed the book closed and they both cringed when the librarian looked over with a glare.

"None of your business, Malfoy." Potter hissed and gathered up his books. "Stay in your own little pureblood world!"

Potter stalked off towards the restricted section and placed the book back before leaving the library.