They called a meeting, the order of the phoenix I mean. Draco had burst into the kitchen brandishing a newspaper and going rather red in the face, then he'd seen all the other newspapers littered about the table and practically had a seizure. After that Hermione suggested that they call a meeting. Harry thought it was a good idea so he sent Ron to phone the other members of the order. Only he didn't say phone, he said 'floo' which I assume is some funky, magic lingo they haven't clued me in on.

So tomorrow afternoon the rest of the order is going to arrive and I assume take a vote or something on what to do with me. I hope they decide to send me home, I reckon if I get home soon I'll be in for a real allowance raise, some of the stuff my mum was spewing to the press was really rather heart wrenching. She was lying through her teeth with most of it though, or else she's more deluded than I originally thought. She and my dad, said a lot of stuff about how I've never caused them any bother, how I worked hard at school and was really 'full of life', all of which is bullshit really. I mean I don't know how many times I've made my mum cry, and my school report always says 'could work harder' and also my dad is always telling me to 'stop moping and liven up'.

But I do think they're genuinely worried that I'm dead, or that they'll have to pay loads of money to get me back, so I asked if there was anyway I could phone them or something. I was told the headquarters didn't have a phone- which led to my general but unvoiced confusion as to how Ron had been phoning people- but I could write a letter and Hermione would make sure my parents got it.

Apparently until everyone can figure out how to handle this Soulmate "issue" it would be very unwise for me to return home. Unknown dangers and that sort of thing.

After the meeting time etc was decided Bill and Fleur left under the ruse of having to go to work, but Fleur had been whispering in Bill's ear just before he declared their departure and I am highly doubtful that she was whispering about work. The rest of the day after that was pretty dull. Although we did have lasagne for dinner which was delicious.

As the day wore on I got the very distinct impression that Harry, Hermione and Ron pretty much detested Draco. Surprise, surprise. Maybe it was the glaring, the general chilly atmosphere when he was around or the clipped way they spoke to him, but you know I was picking up on a bit of hostility. The annoying thing was the bad feelings they had for him seemed spread to me- just a tad. Especially with Ron who was unnecessarily rude to me a number of times.

A prime example:

"So.. Ron.. Does anyone ever make comments about your private areas being ginger?"

"Tomorrow I'm going to make the suggestion that you should be done in. Harry could you pass the grated cheese?"

See? Touchy, touchy.

I'd went to bed straight after dinner simply to get away from the bitter mood that had settled around the house. I was sitting against the headboard biting my nails when Draco came in looking bored and arrogant, he'd slammed the door and was pulling off his shoes before he even realised I was there.

"What are you doing in my bed?" He snapped throwing a shoe into the corner and glaring at me so intensely that I actually felt a little intimidated. My only solace was that he couldn't kill me without killing himself.

"It's not your bed anymore," I grumbled concentrating very hard on biting my thumb nail all to hell. "I sleep here now. Go somewhere else."

"This is I my /I room here!" He snarled as the other shoe was thrown brutally against the wall. It made contact with a sharp bang and I rolled my eye at him. "Look, my clothes are in the wardrobe, my books on the shelf. It's I my /I room!"

"I would put my books on the shelf and my clothes in the wardrobe if I could but you didn't exactly give me time to pack before you kidnapped me." I shuffled forwards and lay down, pulling the covers to my chin defiantly, "Plus I'm already comfy."

"I didn't kidnap you," He sat down on the floor with his back against the radiator and stared at me malevolently, "If you remember correctly I was also thrashing around on the floor and I also passed out. Those two goons apparated us to the dark lord." I opened my mouth but before I could talk he cut across, "And yes I know I was going to burn a message into your skin, blah, blah, old news. Get over it already. Your precious skin is fine." He began to massaged his temples as his anger died down, I just watched him over the blanket noting how worn he looked.

"Why do they hate you?" Hey I was curious. I knew why I hated him but it's nice to know the view points of others.

He looked at me sharply but didn't answer. He let out a long, unnecessarily loud, breath and buried his head in his knees. Then he covered his head with his arms as if he was trying to bury himself in… himself. I wondered briefly if he was having a break down. Not that I care really, but you know maybe him having a breakdown would lead to ME having a breakdown… And I'm too young to have a breakdown just yet. Maybe later when I have nothing better to do.

"Do you want a paper bag or something?" It was my attempt at helpfulness and it went down a treat. Draco began to laugh into his knees, although the laughter sounded more crazy than happy.

After a while I was pretty sure he'd fallen asleep with his forehead pressed in between his kneecaps like that. I was sliding out of bed to turn off the lights when he spoke, I damn near jumped out of my skin in shock, "They hate me because I gave them every reason to."

I was peering at him over the blankets I'd pulled over my head in fright. I wasn't quite sure what to say. "Did you? Well at least they're not just being jackasses then…"

He peered up from his legs, he was smiling rather broadly, "Yeah, I suppose,"

A long silence stretched between us and I wondered if I should ask what he actually did. But I let it go, because he probably wouldn't tell me anyway. "Did you guys used to be friends?"

He snorted and shook his head, "We've always hated each other."

"Oh…" Well that didn't exactly make sense. They always hated each other and they're fighting on different sides of a war but he's rooming with them occasionally? Crazy magic people.

He had his head back in his knees, I could hear his breath coming out all shaky then he said, "They hate me but they're all I've got," OK, so he was way over sharing now. But I was getting the distinct impression he really needed to talk. This guy had some serious issues that he needed to resolve, I didn't want him talking to me about them but what can you do? I know the feeling of needing desperately to just get stuff off my chest but not feeling like anyone can be told. They'll judge you. They'll think you're weak. All this bullshit. It's just bullshit that's all but I unloaded to a complete stranger and it helped. I was pretty much a complete stranger. So I'd listen. And only judge a little. "I fucked up bad and now I'm in a complete mess, I honestly don't know what I'm going to do. I'll end up dead, I can feel it. The only chance I have is if I completely ally myself to the dark but my only chance of happiness is if the light win… you can't understand. It's crazy." He was rubbing his fingers along his skull as he spoke, I think it was an agitated movement. "And now I'm pretty sure the dark lord is going to kill me even if he doesn't find out that I'm unfaithful,"

He was unfaithful? So that's why he was here with the order of the phoenix? Was he some sort of double crosser? It figured. Slimy git. But I stayed quiet. Go me. Well almost quiet, "Why do you think he's going to try and kill you?"

"Well because he tried to poison you and that would ultimately kill me seeing as we're connected now." He was finally looking at me, there was a fierceness in his gaze, a wildness and I was again reminded that he was quite possibly a lunatic. "You can't understand, you're a muggle. You haven't grown up knowing about Soulmates but I have, he has. We have the ability to become powerful Naomi. Powerful in ways you can't even comprehend. We have the potential to take over, to become so strong that no one could come up against us, not the dark lord not anyone. Soulmates don't die naturally. They're practically immortal unless killed, murdered. They- we- don't age, we don't contract illness. We heal incredibly fast- you saw what happened at Reuben's. Short of poison or a breezeblock dropped on our faces we're going to live forever. So how come there are none left? They we're destroyed. The people rose up and destroyed them because of their power, they feared it so they destroyed it. Until we can figure out how to control our connection, how to build our power we are completely vulnerable. That's why I wanted an alliance with Reuben, and I know that's why you offered yourself up to him. You sense it too. We're sitting ducks."

He uncurled himself and shuffled over to the side of the bed on his knees, he held out his forearm were the rose tattoo shone blackly on his pale skin, "Right there." He moved his arm and I watched the tattoo carefully as dread steadily mounted in my stomach, "There used to be a mark there. The dark mark. The Dark Lord brands his followers with it when they join him. It's his way of contacting us, of keeping tags on us. The Dark Lord fell from power sixteen years ago and death eaters, powerful, intellectual wizards worked tirelessly trying to find ways of riding themselves of his mark but none of them ever could. Their magic was never powerful enough to overcome his. But then you come along and all you do is touch me. Suddenly his mark disappears and is replaced by your family crest. Our magic, the Soulmate magic beat his when no other magic could. He knows we could become stronger than him, he knows it because of the mark and while he has the chance he's going to destroy us."

"Why didn't he do it back in your manor?"

"I don't know. Maybe he did try to poison you, I'm not sure but I know that he desperately wanted an alliance with the vampires. Without me that would be nearly impossible, perhaps he was planning on doing it once that deal was sealed? I doubt we'll ever know."

I was shivering now but not because the room was cold but because I was realising what kind of mess I was in. I wasn't just kidnapped. I was in life threatening danger and it wasn't going to go away. If everything Draco was saying was true- and I had a feeling it was- then the only chance I had was to be on his side and quite frankly I doubted that would work. He'd tried to kill me the first time we'd met after all. You can't go from being the almost murderer of someone to their best friend just because someone else wants to murder you both. But I was just going to have to deal.

"Well…" I smiled bravely and slid out of the bed, "I'm going to go get us both a cup of tea and then… well we can figure out how to get super powerful and quickly. There's no way I'm going to die just because I was unlucky enough to punch you in the face."

Draco stared at me, "Tea? You're going for tea?"

"Everything becomes clearer with a cup of tea." I defended feeling my cheeks heat up a little, "A cup of tea is a cup of life you know!" Then I flipped him off, "Oh fuck off I'm going for tea. Do you want one or not?"

"Yeah, milk no sugar."

"A man after my own heart." And I left. To get tea.

The journey to the kitchen was not a fun one. I kept thinking I could see the dark lord everywhere, looming in the shadows ready to pounce. The back of my neck was tight with tension, the hairs on my body standing in nervous attention. I was relieved when I got to the bottom of the house and could see the welcoming glow of the kitchen. I pushed open the heavy door and jumped a mile when I spotted Harry sitting at the table.

He glanced up and wiped his eyes quickly before shoving on his glasses, "What?" He said somewhat snappishly and I was pretty sure I'd walked in on him crying. Shit. Was everyone having a breakdown tonight?

"I just came down to get some tea… I can have some tea right? Actually you know what.. I'll just go-," I started backing up but he shook his head and cleared his throat.

"No, no it's fine, it's fine. Tea sounds good. You can have some tea, anytime." He got to his feet and pulled out the kettle, he was very clumsy and shaky as he filled it and popped it on the stove. I really wished I was anywhere else. I was so not up to this whole emotional man thing that came with the magic.

I sat down awkwardly at the table and Harry came to sit facing me. We both looked away from each other with nothing much to say. Eventually the kettle started whistling and Harry filled us both a cup of tea, I then requested one for Draco and said of course. So I picked up both cups and left, I turned back at the door and tried to give him a supportive smile, "You OK?" He just nodded and sat down with his tea. I almost felt bad leaving him there. But not really. He wasn't exactly a friend.

So there I was. Leaving one emotional wreck to go to my emotional wreck kidnapper and not only that but I was bringing him a cup of tea. Sometimes life is so strange.