A/N: I really tried posting this chapter sooner, but it was not quite finished when the time came for my weeks off from work and I've been travelling and therefore there wasn't a lot of time for writing.

I want to mention one thing that hopefully is not a big spoiler, but which I think should be pointed out at this junction in the story. Regardless of the dark theme of this story, I believe good always triumphs over evil and if it's one thing I care about in a story is a happy ending. So the story will end well, one way or the other, you may count on that. There will be an indication of it in this chapter through a prophecy… so test your Divination skills at interpreting it ;)

That being said, read, enjoy, review!

Chapter 4 – I want to play the game, I want the friction

(Draco p.o.v.)

Draco had a spring in his step as he went down the stairs towards the Slytherin Common Room.

He had just left Granger in the library and revealing to her that he had control over her through the choker had been so rewarding… he'd gotten a heck of a hard on over it, and while it wasn't exactly pleasant to walk so briskly with it, he couldn't help it.

His theory that Granger would be able to make him feel had just been confirmed. In his bleak, black and white world, she was like an explosion of colour.

In truth, while Draco did like having power over the bossy Hermione Granger, he would have preferred to have her company without the constraint of the choker… he just didn't see how that could be possible given their history.

Maybe he could somehow change that at some point but for now, he liked the way things were. Having Voldemort force him into becoming a Death Eater and threatening his life as well as his parents' was something that had affected him deeply and in order to not let that darkness consume him, Draco had to expel it somehow. And he was determined to expel it through Granger… he just hoped she was strong enough to take it… he had to believe she was.

"There he is, the most mysterious sixth year Slytherin", Blaise said instead of a greeting as Draco entered the Common Room.

He was lounging on an armchair by the fireplace, Pansy sitting perilously on the armrest of the same piece of furniture.

Pansy had a somewhat guilty look on her face, and Draco wondered in passing whether she was 'moving on' by making a pass at Blaise. Tough luck if that was her idea – Blaise was very pretentious in the looks department and Pansy didn't get a passing grade. Draco hadn't minded her looks – he was more interested in her adoration and willingness to do anything, anytime.

"Where have you been, Draco?" she asked in a whining voice that grated on his eardrums.

"I think the more relevant question is with whom? Just look at that smirk on his face, I wonder who's responsible", Theo piped in, but Draco just smiled and didn't say anything as he headed toward the boys' dormitory.

"Fine, keep your secrets!" he heard Theo shout after him.

Draco knew he would have to give his friends an explanation soon, otherwise they might get too curious and try to find answers on their own… which could interfere with his plans. Slytherins were cunning that way, so there was a real risk his friends would find out about Granger, which was the last thing he wanted.

It would be easy to distract them though. All he had to do was to tell them he'd become a Death Eater and that he was acting on orders from Voldemort… that would shut them up. Draco trusted them enough not to spill the beans about his Dark Mark. Even Pansy wouldn't be so petty as to tell on him just because he dumped her, especially as they had never officially been an item.

But tomorrow morning would be soon enough to deal with his friends. Tonight he wanted to remember his encounter with Granger and savour it.

In case she planned to make trouble for him, he had something else on her that would be incentive for good behaviour: Draco was sure that during the Gryffindor Quidditch try-outs Granger had confounded McLaggen so that her precious Weaselbee would get the keeper position. It had been a nonverbal spell but Draco was sure of it. He was a good enough quidditch player to be able to tell McLaggen couldn't have flown in the opposite direction of the quaffle at that last penalty unless someone meddled with him.

That night, Draco had dark but intense dreams about exercising his power over Granger and in the morning he had to take a cold shower if he was going to face his friends and explain things.

And just as he expected, no one gave him any more grief about his secrecy once he explained his situation – they were all awed that he was in fact a Death Eater, working for the Dark Lord himself.

They went to the Great Hall together for breakfast, and for once Draco hadn't sent any gift to Granger. Now that she knew about him, there was no point in drawing unnecessary attention.

He did look at her though – she had dark circles under her eyes and wasn't looking up from her plate. She wasn't eating either though, just pushing the food around with her fork.

Draco was sure she was thinking about him and when he might call her and for what reason. He was pleased about it – if he was the only thing on her mind it would be perfect, maybe that way she'd get a taste of what he'd been going through for such a long time.

However, just as he was preparing to get up from the table, he had the surprise of his life… a school owl came to him with a message from the Headmaster himself.

Draco looked around wondering if it was possible that one of his friends had betrayed him after all and Dumbledore was going to inform him he'd be expelled from Hogwarts and sent to Azkaban.

But no, his friends wouldn't do that to him…

"I was called to the Headmaster's office, so I am heading there now. See you in class", Draco told his fellow Slytherins.

Once he got to the gargoyle he gave the password specified in Dumbledore's note ("pink coconut ice"), then braced himself for whatever the headmaster had to tell him. He knocked and entered when he was invited in, but he hesitated before advancing into the headmaster's office… he'd never been there before and he took in the fascinating surroundings.

"Step closer, Draco."

Draco would have stayed there, admiring the portraits and all of the other unidentified objects, for hours on end, but that's wasn't an option. He wanted to get the meeting done as soon as possible so he could set his mind at ease about it.

His father hated Dumbledore, but it was probably less of a personal feeling than the fact that Voldemort was afraid of Dumbledore (although no one was allowed to acknowledge that fact) and therefore it was law that all Death Eaters must hate him – the official reason for that hate being that Dumbledore was trying to interfere with the Dark Lord's plans.

Draco didn't particularly dislike the headmaster, he even admired the powerful wizard up to a point – because if there was one thing he couldn't stand about Dumbledore it was his obvious preference for Potter.

"I hope you don't mind my calling you Draco, but to me your father is Mr. Malfoy – and he did tend to visit Hogwarts often especially when he was a governor of the school. How is your father dealing with Azkaban?" the headmaster asked, with what Draco thought was real concern.

Draco was reluctant to talk about his father… since his imprisonment, Lucius Malfoy hadn't fared very well, but then who would? Azkaban was a horrible place, Draco had visited his father there and he didn't know if he could bring himself to go a second time.

Good thing that Voldemort intended to get his followers out of there…eventually. For now, they were supposed to remain there as punishment for failing to get the prophecy the Dark Lord wanted so much.

Part of his wanting to direct his darkness onto Hermione was that she too was responsible for his father being in prison. She had been part of Potter's group when the battle of the Department of Mysteries took place – the fateful moment when his father had lost it all due to losing the Dark Lord's favour.

"He's as well as can be expected, sir", Draco finally answered. Or as bad as can be expected, he thought bitterly.

"Draco, I hope you know that just because your father has chosen a certain path in life doesn't mean that you have to follow in his footsteps."

Draco didn't know if he was supposed to say something in return but the headmaster was looking at him intensely over his half-moon spectacles.

He didn't feel like talking about something so private with Dumbledore, even if Draco indeed had no intention of making the same wrong choices his father had. He just had to figure out a way to get himself and his parents away from Voldemort somehow.

"Madam Pince commented this morning at breakfast that she saw you and Miss Granger in the library last evening…"

Draco didn't say anything despite the headmaster's trailing off that indicated he wanted confirmation.

"And that after you left", Dumbledore continued, "Miss Granger seemed unwell."

Again, Draco kept his mouth shut. It was the wisest thing to do at the moment. How much had Dumbledore figured out? The old wizard was annoyingly perceptive.

"At the beginning of the term, Miss Granger brought me a piece of jewellery to check for dark magic. While I couldn't positively identify anything on that lovely choker, I did feel that it had known magic… I can only imagine it has been so cleverly concealed that it can't be traced."

Draco tried his best not to let his face show any emotion, lest he betrayed himself. But he was dying of curiosity as to why the headmaster had let Granger put on the choker if he knew it had been tampered with through magic.

As if he could read his mind – and maybe Dumbledore could if he were a proficient enough Legilimens to break through Draco's Occlumency skills – the headmaster told him the information he wanted to know.

"As it happens, over the summer Professor Trelawney made a prophecy…quite the rare event, since it only happens when something significant is about to occur, and I was fortunate to be next to her when it happened so I could hear every word."

Now Draco's interest was piqued. What was the prophecy about? Certainly about the choker somehow, otherwise why would the headmaster be telling him that?

"I'd rather not tell you the prophecy word for word as I believe these things have a self-fulfilling nature which is rather against the concept of free will that I happen to value. Suffice it to say that the prophecy convinced me that it's in everyone's best interest if I let you go on with whatever plans you have with Miss Granger."

Draco was flabbergasted and more curious than ever as to what the prophecy said.

"However", Dumbledore said pointedly, his voice harsher than Draco had ever heard it, "as headmaster I can't allow you to cause real harm to a student. So I will trust that whatever you have in mind, you will keep it within… reasonable limits."

Draco hoped that the headmaster's faith in him would not be betrayed, because there was darkness in him, and he didn't know how powerful it was. But Dumbledore's words about trust had made him feel better.

"Well, this felt much like when I talk to myself but I am sure my message got through", Dumbledore concluded. "If there isn't anything else you wish to tell me, you may go now. Professor Snape will be expecting you in Defence against the Dark Arts class".

When Draco didn't say anything, the headmaster continued.

"See yourself out, please, Draco. I have to go see to Fawkes, it's his Burning Day and I want to watch as he rises from his ashes. For me it is one of the greatest proofs of hope rekindled".

As he sat up from his desk, the headmaster bumped into something on his desk that was hidden from Draco's sight behind a stack of books. As Dumbledore steadied himself and then went up the winding staircase, Draco craned his neck to see what it was and to his surprise it was a pensieve.

The headmaster was already nowhere in sight…so while Draco knew it was a risk, the pensieve was right there and it was sure to contain the prophecy Dumbledore had heard.

He couldn't resist. Draco went around the large desk and leaned down, touching the clear substance inside the pensieve. And then he was falling…

When he stopped falling, Draco was on the grounds at Hogwarts, not far from that oaf's hovel, Hagrid, the so called game keeper and professor of Care of Magical Creatures. Draco was glad he didn't have to take that class anymore.

Someone was moving on the path towards the castle and as he moved closer, he saw that it was the headmaster himself, greeting the Divination professor – yet another silly professor and even sillier subject.

'Professor, how pleasant to see you out of the tower when it's not a mealtime. What made you go out for a walk?'

'Oh, Headmaster, I just fell a pull towards the outdoors and I had to follow and see where it would lead'.

'But of course…', Dumbledore asked, smiling indulgently. 'As it happens, I don't often walk the grounds either, I prefer the seclusion of my office, but you could say something pulled at me to go out as well. It is, after all, such a beautiful summer day."

"You've been to visit Rubeus?"

Trelawney said it in a way that sounded more like a statement than a question.

'Why, yes, professor. Did the Sight tell you that?'

Draco had the distinct impression that the headmaster was teasing his Divination professor, but if so, she didn't notice.

'Of course, it was the Inner Eye. I also think I have something I need to tell you, but whatever it is eludes me at the moment.'

'Ah, the whimsical nature of this gift of Sight… Then by all means, let's walk to the castle together, perhaps you will see more clearly by the time we get there.'

Draco followed them and listened with increased annoyance as they made small talk. But then suddenly, Trelawney grasped Dumbledore's forearm, her expression frozen in place, her eyes vacant and her gaze distant.

She drew several raspy breaths, before finally talking in a monotonous and grave voice: 'Soon the one who will turn the tide of the final battle shall turn on his peers and join the righteous. Through she who would stand hardship and constraints to save a lost soul will he join the light and make things right.'

Then she suddenly coughed and shook her head and then looked inquiringly at Dumbledore.

"What was I saying?"

"Just that this year Hagrid's outdone himself with the vegetable patches", the headmaster said smoothly.

"Oh yes, he certainly…"

Draco didn't hear the rest as he was suddenly pulled out of the memory.

He noticed the headmaster had not returned yet, so he quickly left the office, wondering whether all that 'self-fulfilling prophecies are against free will' rubbish hadn't actually been a clever way of making him so curious he would go for the pensieve which had been conveniently left in an accessible place… Dumbledore might have been a Gryffindor in his time, but he probably would have fared well in Slytherin too, he certainly was cunning enough.

Not to mention, he didn't seem exceedingly concerned about the means to an end: he'd basically conveyed to Draco that he could do what he wanted with Granger if that would eventually make him switch sides and help fight against Voldemort.

Well, all right, the headmaster had warned him not to cause Granger real harm, but still, wasn't that a very lax way to treat such serious things?

As he hurried up the grand staircase to get to the Defence against the Dark Arts class that had probably already started, Draco wondered why Dumbledore had connected the choker, Granger and himself to the prophecy.

It was clear the headmaster thought the prophecy referred to him and Granger, but how had he figured out that the 'constraints' and hardships were connected to the power the choker gave Draco over Granger, and the nefarious ways in which he planned to use it?

Draco wasn't convinced that it was the choker the prophecy was referring to, but then everything else fit well with that theory.

Not much got past the headmaster, that much was clear.

He felt decidedly unsettled after the meeting and with what he'd found out from the pensieve. If he were being honest, Draco himself didn't really know what his intentions with Granger were. All he knew is that he wanted to exchange his darkness for her light, his colourless world for her coloured one.

Maybe in the process he would find his way to the 'right' side as the prophecy suggested, but at the moment Draco didn't see how it could come to be.

He felt somewhat guilty about trying to fix the vanishing cabinet so that the Death Eaters could get into the castle. It wasn't right that Dumbledore had tried to help him and Draco was instead trying to find ways to get him killed, but too much was at stake – his and his parents' lives – and he couldn't back out.

He decided that he'd leave Granger alone for now, so that she could build up anxiety about when he was actually going to call her. That way, she might be more amenable when the time came.

A couple of weeks passed without him using the power of the choker and Draco saw Granger's restlessness increasing each day. He had other things to worry about though: he'd been caught up in the conundrum of fixing the vanishing cabinet.

Draco had made some progress, because the cabinet was finally communicating with the other one at Borgin and Burke's but nothing living seemed to be able to pass through…not while remaining alive, at least, and Draco was sure the Dark Lord wouldn't be happy if he got his most powerful Death Eaters killed.

His frustration was getting the better of him. He wasn't snapping only at Gryffindors or first years, lately he was snapping at fellow Slytherins too and a couple of times he'd taken a not so polite tone with the professors too, and a detention was the last thing he needed.

So he decided it was time to set up a meeting with Granger and get some of that frustration out of his system and at the same time perhaps obtain some information he could pass on to Voldemort.

It was a weekend, so there wasn't the risk of them missing any class, and he could take his sweet time with her.

Draco was still in his bed so all he had to do was reach out a hand to the nightstand next to his bed and pick up the paper snake he had enchanted to communicate with the paper lion he'd given her. The two objects, although made of paper, were enchanted so that they wouldn't get creased, no matter how they were folded or pressed.

And they were true masterpieces: the snake was emerald green with a silver belly, while the lion had a scarlet mane while the rest of it was golden. However, depending on the light, the shades would change beautifully and the black eyes of both the snake and the lion would glitter darkly like obsidian.

Draco spent a couple of minutes admiring the snake as it changed shades in the eerie green lights that were the only source of illumination in the Slytherin Common room and dormitories given that they were located under the lake. He then used his wand to inscribe on the paper snake a time and place for his meeting with Granger: Eleven AM, The Shrieking Shack.

He couldn't have chosen a more secluded place, and he knew Granger could get there either from Hogsmeade (there was a school trip planned for ten AM) or from the underground passage underneath the Whomping Willow – Snape had told him that Granger knew of that tunnel ever since their third year.

"Is that a present for me, Draco?" Pansy suddenly purred, materializing as if from thin air next to his bed, and plopping down on it, without waiting for an invitation.

She reached for the paper snake, but Draco quickly moved it to his other hand, keeping it away from her so that Pansy couldn't reach it.

"Most certainly not. And what are you doing in the Boys' Dormitory?"

He threw the covers off him and got out of bed quickly, before she got any ideas of joining him there.

"Like I've never been here before", she said petulantly. "In fact, I've been in this particular bed more times than I can count if you'd care to remember."

Draco smirked at that: he was sure he'd never had Pansy there for more than a dozen times, but she wasn't the brightest of people, so no wonder she couldn't count to twelve…

But more likely she was simply exaggerating. What would it take for her to finally get it in her head that he simply was not interested anymore?

"While it is Saturday, Pansy, I am sure you can find something better to do than waste your time where you're not wanted", he said sourly as he turned from her and started taking off his pyjama top, anxious to get dressed and out to breakfast where Pansy would have no choice but to behave – even she didn't dare be too bold with the professors present.

"Are you sure I'm not wanted?" she said in what she probably thought was a seductive voice, as her hands went around him, touching his chest, her sharp nails just shy of marking his skin.

He deftly pried her hands away and headed towards the showers.

"Quite sure", he replied calmly while shutting the door in her face. He heard her screaming through it 'You may not welcome me here but that doesn't mean others feel the same way!'

As water poured over him, Draco smiled, knowing that if anything, all the other boys will be cross with her for shouting in their dorm so early on a Saturday.

When he entered the Great Hall, he was pleased to see Granger staring at him. So she'd gotten the message. Good.

He directed a smug smile her way, then proceeded to ignoring her for the rest of the meal. Draco lingered in the hall with his friends, making small talk, even if his mind wasn't on it. He had to keep up appearances.

Once it was close to ten o'clock, he told his friends he won't be going to Hogsmeade but will see them off. His true interest was, of course, to see if Granger was going. She wasn't, although Potter and the Weasel were. She'd come to see off her own friends.

Afterwards she headed to the library and Draco followed, covertly. He wasn't in the mood to study but he did look around to see if he could find any new reading material about the Vanishing Cabinet or about ways of fixing broken magical objects.

He didn't find out anything useful and after half an hour he gave up. He quietly took his wand out and whispered 'Accersio' and watched as Granger's hand flew to the choker, her eyes looking wildly around, searching for him.

Draco allowed himself to be seen and he gave her a mocking salute by lifting two fingers to his brow and then slightly bowing in her direction.

He quickly headed to the Whomping Willow, immobilized it so he could get in and then waited patiently for Granger to join him.

He checked his watch impatiently, and wondered what she could possibly be doing that was keeping her away, when it was already eleven sharp. Did she want to get burnt?

It was seven minutes past the hour when she finally arrived.

"Feeling hot under the collar, Granger?" he asked as he watched the flushed skin of her neck.

"Not anymore", she said and then quickly chanted 'Petrificus totalus!' and Draco immediately fell to the floor, unable to move or to speak.

His eyes, however, were staring daggers her way. The nerve of her to put the full body bind curse on him!

"There… let's see how YOU like it when you're deprived of your freedom", she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction.

She took his wand and then continued "I'd like to see you try to use the choker against me when you can't move a muscle or utter one word."

Draco didn't let his anger consume him. After all, she wouldn't be Granger if she went down without a fight. He knew the curse wouldn't last for long and then he'd have to be quick about recovering his wand and disarming Granger of hers, so that this unfortunate situation wouldn't occur again.

He'd also make sure he relieved her of her wand first thing on their next meeting.

"Now what?" he heard her mutter to herself. "I haven't thought that far…"

It was obvious she hadn't thought things through and she started circling around him.

Draco wasn't pleased to be immobilized on what was probably dirty ground, but a cleaning spell would take care of that.

"I can't really keep him here forever…" Granger was muttering to herself, clearly at a loss. "Someone's bound to look for him eventually…"

She suddenly stopped to look down at him.

"I could just hex and jinx you every time you call for me, you do realize that?" she asked but then realized he couldn't answer and resumed her circling.

"And I know you can retaliate by choking the life out of me, but I rather think you wouldn't go as far as to kill me… I realize you could hurt me, but it'll be worth it as long as I can just escape these 'meetings' where I'd technically be at your mercy – or lack thereof, as you pointed out yourself the last time we talked."

Draco let her talk on, listening to what she was saying but at the same time trying to move his arms and legs, testing when the full body bind curse would weaken, and soon enough he could move his fingers and toes.

Granger was still talking, to herself this time, her voice too quiet for him to understand what she was saying.

It was enough though that she was so caught up in her thoughts as she circled around him that she didn't see that he moved his right leg just enough to trip her, and then he jumped up, taking both wands from her hands which she had been using to avoid falling face first onto the ground.

She looked positively aghast at having been caught by surprise.

"No more spells out of you, Granger", Draco said with a nasty grin, his wand pointed straight at her chest as she lay on her back on the ground, her upper body slightly raised on her elbows.

He cast Tergeo to make himself presentable once more.

"And now that I've recovered the ability to speak – and you seem to have lost yours for a change – let me tell you why you can't jinx or hex me. I won't make the mistake of being caught unprepared a second time. From now on, I will disarm you first, and everything else I have in mind will come once you're safely without a wand."

"What makes you think I won't be prepared next time, when you've so clearly stated your intention of disarming me?" she parried, as she stood up and brushed the dust off her Gryffindor uniform.

"Because, just like you pointed out, while I won't outright kill you, I can still inflict severe damage with that beautiful choker, so unless you like pain and want your skin forever marred, I suggest you willingly hand me your wand the next time we meet."

"But what's the point of these meetings? Is it a game to you? Do you really want to increase this friction that's existed between us ever since our first year at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, I want to play the game, I want the friction. And you're helpless to stop it, I hope you realize it."

Draco knew he was being unreasonable, irrational even, but that's how she made him feel, and luckily he didn't have to explain his reasons. That was one of the many advantages of having the upper hand.

Granger was thinking hard, trying to find a way around what probably sounded like pure madness. She had a frustrated look about her and then she started biting her lower lip, which Draco suddenly felt the need to do as well.

He quickly reached for her and drew her body flush against his, then took advantage of her surprise (which had made her part her lips) to bite down on the lower one.

Draco didn't give her time to protest, he then simply covered her lips with his as his tongue plunged deeply into her mouth, tasting her for the first time.