Author's Note: Thank you to Isis for the beta job.

oOoOoOo

The Bodyguard

Chapter 2: Stay Close

A surge of confidence went through Harry as his fingers closed around his wand. Silencio! he thought, then touched his wand to the manacles. They fell silently to the floor. Stiff and cramped, he got to his feet.

On the other side of the bars Draco stood up and backed away, as if unable to believe what he had done.

Alohomora! Harry thought, pointing his wand at the cell door, which clicked and flew open.

Draco's face was frozen with fear, but he didn't reach for his wand.

Harry spared him a smile, reached into his robes and pulled out his invisibility cloak from a secret pocket, which thankfully Amycus hadn't found. He beckoned. "Come on Draco, get underneath. We need to leave."

The frozen look of horror changed to amazement. "You're serious?" asked Draco, his voice dangerously loud with surprise.

"Shh!" whispered Harry. "Of course I'm serious. Did you think I was just making all that up just to get out of the cell and I'm going to kill you now?"

Draco looked worried. "Maybe you are."

"You're such a Slytherin, Draco." Harry fought the urge to laugh.

"I had to do it," said Draco quietly. "I had to get you out of there. Even if you were going to kill me, I had to give you a chance."

Harry stared at him. "I've changed my mind. You're not Slytherin, you're Gryffindor after all." The look of horror on Draco's face made Harry grin and he tossed half the cloak over the Slytherin's head. "I'm not going to kill you. I'll look after you, I promise." He slipped an arm around Draco's waist and felt him tense. "We need to stay close," Harry explained, not letting go. "Otherwise the cloak won't be big enough to cover us both, and we need to get out of here without being seen - fast!"

"I know the way," said Draco. His voice was unsteady and Harry could feel him trembling.

"Wands at the ready then. I'll follow you," said Harry.

oOoOoOo

Slipping out of the cell proved to be the easiest part. The dripping, labyrinthine passages (part of an old sewer, Harry guessed) were dimly lit with candles and treacherously slippery. But worst of all, they thronged with Death Eaters, and rang with their malicious laughter and heavy footsteps. Many times, Harry and Draco had to flatten themselves to the wall as black robed, white masked figures lumbered by.

Harry gripped his wand. If Dumbledore could see through the cloak, surely Voldemort could too, and if they were spotted, they were dead. He glanced at Draco beside him. The Slytherin's face was waxen, and running with sweat. Harry gave him a smile and he smiled nervously in return. But then they both tensed and a stab of pain went through Harry's scar.

Many footsteps and a high, cold voice could be heard in the darkness ahead.

"Amycus, I trust everything is in readiness?"

"Of course, my Lord," came Amycus's fawning reply. "We only await your presence."

oOoOoOo

Author's Notes: I'm looking forward to your comments. Especially if they're positive! ;-)