Again, I unfortunately do not own Harry Potter!

Chapter II: Unbreakable Vow

Bellatrix's eyes widened as she felt the most evil curse she'd come to love strike her in the chest. For a moment, time stopped. All she could see was the blurry outline of Draco, the only thing in focus his grey piercing eyes, full of determination.

"Traitor.." She whispered, as she fell backwards, her legs still folded underneath her from her kneeling position on the floor. Her head smacked off the wooden floor, the sound reverberating around the hollow grand room of Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix Lestrange was dead; her dark eyes glossy and no longing taunting as they stared but didn't see.

Draco let out a breath of relief, then hurried over to Hermione. She had propped herself up against a pillar during the duel, her arm bleeding rapidly, her breathing short rasps.

"Granger." Draco said as he dropped beside her. She shielded away from him, narrowing her eyes at him with distrust. "Granger." He said more forcefully as he grabbed her non injured arm. She tried to yank it away but he held it firm.

"What the hell are you doing, Malfoy?" She hissed at him, staring at him with bewilderment. "Where's Harry and Ron?"

"I'm helping you. All of you." Draco said through gritted teeth, still a bit put out that she didn't trust him, even after he killed his own flesh and blood. "Bellatrix is dead. The Dark Lord is coming and Potter and Weasley are safe."

Hermione let out a sharp painful breath of relief.

"Thank god." She whispered.

"We have to get out of here Granger, I know where to apparate too." Draco hoisted her up, his arm wrapping around her waist as she thankfully leant against him tiredly.

Hermione froze. She could hear something, the sound of a swishing cloak. She felt Draco tense beside her.

"He's here." She whispered, clinging onto Draco's dark suit as he turned on his heel. "Oh God, he's here!"

"Draco..." Hermione heard Voldemort coo, she could see him as he swirled in front of her vision.

"Get them!" Voldemort crowed, as one of his Death Eaters sent a stunning jinx in their direction.

A stunning jinx? Hermione thought blankly before the red jinx hit her and she fell limp, forcing Draco to catch her in both hands as they were squeezed and catapulted through the atmosphere.

xxx

They fell forwards onto cold sand, their clothes and hair bathed in it. Draco coughed, spitting out the sand that had found it's way into his mouth. He rolled over onto his back and blinked rapidly, dull blue sky looming overhead. He moved his head and noticed the sea crashing close to them, lapping at Hermione's head.

Draco sat up and crawled over to her. She was unconscious and her injured arm was at a funny angle. He cast a glance around him. He could see a little cottage not so far away and mused that it was Shell Cottage, thankful that even though he hadn't known what it looked like when he disapparated, his determination was enough to transport them here.

Draco could hear voices coming towards him, as he scooped Hermione up in his arms. She was limp as he walked towards the people, having recognised the black and orange blobs across the sand.

"Malfoy!" Potter shouted as he came near them. He snapped his wand up to his face and looked at him threateningly. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Potter." Draco replied calmly. Ron swivelled his eyes back and forth between the two of them before they rested on Hermione's still form in Draco's arms.

"Hermione!" Ron shouted, as leant over her. Draco instinctively pulled back.

"She's been hit with a stunning jinx and I think her arm is broken." Draco said. "Are you going to get your damn wand out of my face, Potter?"

"Give me one damn good reason to do so, Malfoy." Harry growled.

"I just saved your lives." Draco snarled.

"Not good enough." Harry raised his wand higher.

"I killed Bellatrix." Draco announced calmly, amused at the sudden expression on Harry's face as his wand faltered.

"You killed Bellatrix? Your own Aunt, flesh and blood?" Harry looked bewildered.

"She is nothing to me." Draco replied. "She nearly killed Granger."

"Oh, so you thought you'd save Hermione and we'd immediately welcome you with a giant bear hug?" Weasley shouted while Harry nodded in agreement with him. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Look, I don't expect a bloody welcome party, just a chance to explain-"

"Explain! Malfoy-" Draco cut across him.

"We need to get inside, put up wards before they follow us here." Draco started off towards the cottage with Harry and Ron hot on his heels. "By the way, where is here?"

"Wales." Ron answered, automatically, still weary. "Bill and Fleur's cottage but we're staying here for now."

"Wait." Harry said, raising his wand again. "How do we know that you're really Draco?"

Harry cursed himself for not asking that sooner.

"I tried to befriend Harry Potter in first year in Madam Malkin's, Diagon Alley." Draco replied nonchalantly. Harry lowered his wand.

"You never told me that Harry!" Ron gasped, surprised and rather miffed. Harry shrugged and they hurried into the cottage.

"Weasley cast some wards, if you're magically capable, that is." Draco smirked to himself. Weasley stormed back outside again, muttering under his breath. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Who jinxed her?" Harry asked as he watched Draco lay Hermione down on the couch.

"Death Eater." Draco replied, producing his wand from his pocket.

"What do you mean, a Death Eater?"

"I mean one of those masked wizards that follow the Dark Lord around like a lost sheep." Draco replied irritably.

"I know what a Death Eater is!" Harry shouted exasperated. Malfoy was starting to aggravate him. "I meant was Voldemort there then?"

Harry didn't miss Draco flinch at the Dark Lord's true name, and Harry wondered exactly how scared Draco was of him.

"He was there. I'm surprised he didn't kill us both immediately." Draco pointed his wand at Hermione's chest and whispered; "Enervate."

Hermione's eyes flickered open and to her utter dismay the first thing she saw was Draco standing over her with his wand still pointed at her.

"Scourgify." Immediately the sand and the blood and sweat disappeared off Hermione. Draco pointed the wand to himself and then to Harry, repeating the spell.

Harry ran over to Hermione and hoisted her up and she cried out in pain, clutching her broken arm.

"I did tell you her arm was broken. Move, Potter." Draco shoved Harry aside and pointed his wand at her arm. "Brackium Emendo."

Hermione gasped as the bones in her arm snapped back into place, leaving only a dull twinge.

"You'll have to take Skelegrow too." Draco said as he stepped away from her and pocketed his wand. Hermione nodded.

"Thank you." She whispered. Draco nodded curtly and went to stand by the window.

"Harry." Hermione whispered, dragging Harry down so she could whisper in his ear. "Has Malfoy switched sides or something?"

"I'm not sure." Harry whispered back, shrugging. Ron came back through the door then and scowled at Malfoy.

"The wards are up, your Highness." Ron said sardonically before kneeling down beside Hermione.

"Everything alright?" Hermione nodded in response and frowned at Draco's dark back.

"How can we trust you?" She asked him. Draco turned around.

"I saved all three of you, and fixed your arm, killed my Aunt and disobeyed the Dark Lord. What else could you want?"

"An Unbreakable Vow." Harry stated suddenly. There was a strange silence as everyone looked at each other. "If you refuse to make an Unbreakable Vow, then we cannot trust you."

Hermione thought that wasn't a bad idea. She'd never seen an Unbreakable Vow being cast before and she desperately wanted to see it. But that would mean, if she did get to see one, that Draco Malfoy would be on their side which meant that the whole world had gone insane.

"Very well, Potter." Draco said and moved towards Harry.

"Wait!" Ron said, looking between the two other boys. "I don't understand."

"Does not surprise me, Weasley." Draco smirked.

"No I mean, why would you want to make an Unbreakable Vow? Why would you want to fight with us, against everything that you believe in?"

Draco sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Because I never believed in any of it. I began to realise that it wasn't right. You could use me on this side, an alliance, who knows the ins and outs of everything on the other side." Draco replied. Hermione sighed inwardly. She knew he was bloody right.

"He's just what we need, Ron." Hermione whispered, knowing full well that Ron greatly disapproved. Draco smirked at that.

"Fine." Ron mumbled, not looking at Draco.

"Just know this, Malfoy." Hermione said, sitting up properly on the sofa. "We're going along with this because we trust Harry. If Harry trusts you enough to do this, then so do we." Hermione breathed out. Ron nodded in agreement. Draco just stared at her before turning back to Harry.

"Do you know how to cast one?" Draco asked him. Before Harry could reply Hermione had jumped up off the sofa.

"You need another person to cast the Unbreakable Vow, which would be me, the Bonder." Hermione said.

"Always doubting my abilities." Ron muttered as he collapsed on the couch to watch. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"Can you cast an Unbreakable Vow, Ronald?" She snapped indignantly.

"Can you?" Ron replied.

"I've read about it thoroughly and Ronald, I am the greatest witch of my generation." Hermione grinned despite the clipped tone.

Draco had to smirk at that, as did Harry.

"Put a sock in it Weasley." Draco said as he clasped Harry's wrist, rewarded with Harry doing the same to his own. "Watch and learn, Weasley." Draco's stomach clenched together at how much he sounded like his father then, remembering how Lucius had whispered them to him when Hermione was being tortured. He shuddered involuntarily.

"Seconds thoughts, Malfoy?" Harry smirked. Draco frowned and pulled their arms so their thumbs were facing the ceiling.

"Never."

Hermione moved next to their clasped arms and pointed her wand at their hands. She muttered the incantation, three wispy bonds of magic coiled around their entwined hands like a snake. Harry stared at the magic as it swirled around his and Draco's hands and arms, and his breathing quickened. He hoped to bloody God that he was doing the right thing.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione looked at Draco.

"Will you, Draco Malfoy, swear your alliance to Harry James Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Jean Granger and Albus Dumbledore in attempt to destroy Lord Voldemort?"

"I will." Draco replied, not moving his gaze from Harry's. Hermione breathed out.

"And will you, help us to locate and destroy all Lord Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes?"

"I will."

"And finally, will you swear to only use the Dark Arts against Voldemort and his followers?"

"I will."

The bonds around their arms suddenly tightened, and Harry had to bite his tongue to stop him from making a noise. Ron watched wide eyed as the ropes loosened. Draco had his head held high as Hermione sighed in relief, the bonds disappearing. Draco and Harry let go, but Harry still had his hand out in front of him. Draco shook it without hesitation.

"You understand the terms of your agreement?" Hermione asked.

"I do." Draco replied.

And so, the Unbreakable Vow between Harry James Potter and Draco Malfoy was done.