A/N: So here is the last chapter that I have ready to post. I will try to write more but since I have yet to receive any feed back (either good or bad) I find I have lost my muse and continuing this story has become very difficult. Hopefully someone will take pity on me and write me a review to help jumpstart my writing process again. If not then I have a few other projects I am working on and will try and post some of those.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. That privileged belongs to the great J.K. Rowling. I am just borrowing them and do not receive any monetary gain from doing so.

Chapter 5

Harry sat on the hard ground listening for any changes in the cold night air. He had first watch tonight and as he shifted himself closer to the small fire they had built for warmth, he heard the soft murmur of Ron and Hermiones voices coming from the tent behind him. He held his wand loosely in one hand and in the other hand he played with a gold galleon.

It had been over a week now since they had broken into the Ministry and stolen the Horcrux from Umbridge. A week of being on the run, never staying in one place for long. A week since he had hurriedly scribbled his last letter to Draco. His thumb gently stroked back and forth along the face of the galleon and Harry found himself staring at it more and more.

Harry worried that maybe his last letter was still too vague. Surely Draco would never guess that Harry Potter of all people would ever right to him and offer him friendship. Or maybe he did figure it out but their history was too much and Draco would refuse his friendship, or even think it a trap. Maybe someone else had read the last letter and figured it out?

Different reasons why Draco had not used the coin spun round in Harry's head. Sadness and worry pressed down on and threatened to overwhelm him. Harry was unsure why it was affecting him quite so much. Harry knew when he sent the first letter that it would be a long shot. That it could very well be that Draco not only turned down his offer, he could even betray him to the wrong people. And yet Harry found he missed hearing from him. They had written back and forth for a month, and now nothing.

Harry let out a great sigh and looked at the gold coin one last time before shoving it in his pocket and looking out into the night. He was miserable enough in the cold, wearing the locket. He didn't need to worry about this too. But try as had as he might to put Draco out of his mind, he found himself thinking of him again and again. When Hermione finally came out to relieve him of lookout duties, she found him staring into space, a haunted look in his eye, caressing a gold coin.

Draco sat down across the desk from Professor Snape. Headmaster Snape now as it were. He had spent the last week going over his options but was no closer to figuring out what he should do about what he knew. He was absolutely sure now that it was Harry Potter who had been writing to him. No one else even came close to fitting the clues he was given. In the letters Harry had warned him that they had history but wanted to move past it. Draco however was too suspicious no matter how much he wanted it to be true.

So he went to the one man he had always been able to talk to. Snape was not only his favorite professor, and the head of his house for the last 6 years, he was also Draco's godfather. The man who bought him his first potions kit when he was 5. He was there to give him his Hogwart's acceptance letter in person, a rare smile on his face. Snape was the also the one who drew his wand that night and finished Draco's mission. The mission he was about to fail, and to fail would have been a death sentence.

Draco turned his thoughts away from that night and looked up at his godfather. Draco had his suspicions that Snape was not the loyal Death Eater that he pretended to be. And now Draco would find out for sure, but he would have to word his queries carefully.

"Draco, what brings you to my office?" Snape sat back in the chair trying to appear relaxed but Draco saw the tension in his eyes and shoulders.

"I apologize for intruding Headmaster but I found myself in need of some personal advice. Do you have a moment?" Draco's kept his face a mask of indifference. He would be sure to keep as much hidden as possible until he knew for sure about where Snape's loyalties were.

"I always have a moment for you Draco." True affection glinted from Snapes eyes and he finally relaxed. Surely advise would not be too difficult.

"I have found myself thinking about my position lately and was thinking about making some changes." Draco watched Snape carefully so he didn't miss the way the tension returned to his godfather but this time tenfold.

"Of course Draco. And just what kinds of changes were you thinking of? I assume that you are not looking to drop lower in the ranks, so must be thinking of ways to raise your standing. Just what were you proposing and how can I help?" Draco thought he saw a quick hint of despair flit across Snapes face but he had no idea for what so he put it out of his mind for now.

"I was thinking recently about my future actually and where I would like to be when things start settling down. My father is adamant that I fallow in his footsteps but I wondered if I might not be more useful in a different position all together." Draco forced himself to keep breathing. If Snape insisted that his fathers footsteps were the way to go then he knew that he could not trust Snape with any more secrets. But if maybe, just maybe, if he could be trusted with this, he could be trusted further.

Snape leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk in front of him. He searched Dracos face trying to get a read on just were he was coming from. Last year when he had tried to talk to Draco about switching sides he was met with resistance. Draco had been to scared to go against the Dark Lord and wouldn't hear a word. Now Snape wasn't so sure that he hadn't been listening.

It was too late now though. Things had happened so fast that Snape hadn't been able to bring Draco around before he was forced to do the unthinkable. Now even if Draco did want to work against the Dark Lord there was very little he could do. Dumbledoor was dead and Harry Potter and his friends had gone into deep hiding. He wasn't sure he would be able to get Draco in touch with him even if he knew both boys were willing. But maybe there was a way to get Draco away from the Dark Lord anyway.

Snape watched Draco's face as he spoke his next words with care. "That does not sound like a completely unreasonable plan Draco. Although it will mean going against your father's wishes for sure and possibly even the Dark Lords. Are you willing to go against them to see your plans succeed?"

"I was thinking about becoming a potions master actually. While having one great potions master working for him, you have other duties to attend as well. Not only would having a dedicated potions master be beneficial, I would also be able to open an apothecary. Everyone needs potion supplies so I would be in a unique position to not keep an eye out for anyone who may be asking for supplies that would harm or help the cause." Draco hoped my saying 'the cause' and not 'my' or 'our cause' that Snape may get the hint that he was not looking to stay within the Dark Lords ranks.

"A worthy goal indeed but your father would never allow it. Are you really willing to go up against him?"

"If it means being of use than I would. I do not relish the idea of my life being mapped out for me. No matter who is doing the mapping. If there is a way to take control of my future even a little I will try." Draco held his breath. This was the turning point. If Snape wished he could tell the Dark Lord what he had just said and Draco knew the punishment would not be light. The Dark Lord had plans for each and every one of his Death Eaters and trying to even try and do otherwise was not productive to ones good health.

Snape stared again at Dracos face. He saw the small hint of fear these words caused Draco and hope bloomed in his chest. If only he knew for sure where Potter was he would do everything he could to get Draco in touch with him. Potter would no doubt find some way to get Draco away from the Dark Lords reaches. He managed to get himself away at least.

"Draco, I see what you are saying and I think there is great merit to your words. That being said you would have to be very sure this is what you wanted. I can try and get you in touch with some people who would be able to help you with this but I do not know for sure if it will work. Talking to the wrong people at this point would be very dangerous." Snape stared into Draco's eyes, willing him to understand that he was talking about more than just becoming a potions master. He was rewarded when he saw the fear fade and something like hope raise in the boy.

"I may be able to help with that. There is someone I corresponded with over the summer. They have offered me help should I wish it but I am not certain if I can accept it from them. I do not know if I can actually trust them yet, or if they are just trying to trap me into doing something to hurt me." The first rush of hope that had come upon hearing his godfathers words was slowly being taken over by doubt. "This person reached out to me first offering friendship but once I realized just who it was I couldn't help but worry over their true motivations."

Snapes eyes widened in surprise. Who was it that had reached out to Draco. He had heard rumors about Draco writing to a girl over the summer and receiving jewelry from her. Had he also found a way to talk to someone else? Or was it the mystery girl and who was she?

"I suppose that would depend entirely on who it was that you were talking to. There are people out there who would like to see you disgrace yourself as to make themselves look better."

"It is someone who we are both familiar with and neither of us like him. I had started to feel friendly towards him during our correspondence, before figuring out who he really was." All this double speak was starting to wear on Draco by this point. He needed answers and Snape showed no indications that he would turn him in for is insubordination. Finally he broke down and pleaded, "Please, Headmaster Snape, is it safe to talk freely here?"

Snape, also being tired of trying to talk without saying what he really meant quickly cast additional privacy spells around the room. "We are now free to talk, but before you do I need to know something for certain. Are you really trying to finally leave the Dark Lords service?" Snape held his breath as he waited for Draco to respond. He did not have to hold it long.

"That is most certainly what I am trying to say. Last year was hell, complete and utter hell, and this summer was no better. I know that by doing this Father and Mother will suffer but they are suffering anyway. Better to suffer once for having a traitor for a son, then numerous times when I continue to fail at the tasks given me. Their choices with be entirely on their heads then. I can not protect them any better being by their side as I could in hiding."

"So you wish to simply go into hiding? Or do you wish to save your parents from the Dark Lord all together?"

"If I thought going into hiding would last very long I would but we both know that the Dark Lord does not let people go. He hunts them down and he kills them. No second chances after you run."

"How do you propose then to help take him down? Like I said I MIGHT be able to get you in touch with someone, but it would take a lot of time, and be very very dangerous for me to even try. I would do it though if that is what you really want."

"As I said, I have been corresponding over the summer with someone. Someone who has offered friendship and is in a unique position to fight against the Dark Lord. He and his friends gave me a way to get in touch with them." Even knowing now that Snape was on his side, Draco still could not say Harry's name out loud. It was too dangerous not only for Draco, who should have told immediately, but Harry as well. How easy would it be to steal the coin and trick Harry into a trap?

Snape sat back again in deep thought. Never in a million years would he have thought that things would have turned out this way. Not only did it seem that Potter had heard much more of the conversation that night than he first thought, but he was taking the first step. Potter had reached out to Draco. It was an extremely risky thing to do and Snape couldn't fathom why Potter would even try.

"You will not say his name so I guess it falls to me to make sure we are both on the same page. You are telling me that Harry Potter has not only been writing you but also gave you a way to communicate with him even now?" Draco inclined his head a fraction of an inch but it was all Snape needed to be sure of the truth. "Then I say you use it and use it fast. The Dark Lord has plans for this school and I can only do so much to hold him back. We are both in very dangerous situations right now. But better for you to be in a dangerous situation on the right side of things, then to face the future you are being forced into now."

"So you think I can trust him then?" Draco waited with bated breath. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel. The shining light of hope in the darkness his life had become. Still though he refused to believe in it until someone else said that it was right as well.

"I believe you can. He put himself in great risk by contacting you. He had to have known there was a chance that you would just turn him over to the Dark Lord. He is already trusting you by revealing who he is and giving you the means to contact him."

"Yes but he both know Har...Potter was never the brightest."

"If he is doing this you can bet his friends are in on it. While Weasley lacks even more brain cells than Potter we both know that Granger is too smart for her own good. She will have had to help him with this. If they, all three of them, are willing to put their safety in your hands then I see no reason you should trust them in return. However if you repeat any of what I just said, especially about Granger being smart, I will completely deny it." Snape finished with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. If Potter and his friends could take Draco away and hide him it would be one very large part out of the mountain of stress that Snape was under. He was loath to admit it, but he to trusted Potter to keep his godson safe. Or at least safer.

"I will contact him tonight than with the..."

"Stop! Don't tell me. While I know what you are doing you can't tell me the details. If I am even suspected of helping you I will be questioned. The less I have to hide the easier it is to conceal."

"Yes sir. Then I will just say thank you." Draco looked at his godfather knowing this would be the last time in a long time, if ever. Malfoys did not show emotions, and they most certainly did not cry, but it took everything Draco had to keep his mask in place.

"Good luck Draco. And now I believe its time for you to go. It wouldn't do to get caught out of bed after curfew by the wrong person." Snape gave Draco one last small smile of encouragement as the boy stood. With a final nod of acknowledgment, Draco turned his back on his godfather and made his way back down to his dorm.

He entered the common room with minutes to spare. Slytherins were lounging here and there talking in hushed yet excited tones about the privileged they found they had with the new school order. Draco eyes swept the room looking for his bunk mates. Miraculously they were all present which meant that he could have the room alone for at least the next few minutes. He quickly headed for the door to the boys dorm when he noticed Pansy coming towards him, a suggestive promise shining in her eyes.

Draco picked up his pace and practically ran to the entrance to the boys dorms. It had been expected of him to date the Slytherin Princess. Now though he had no time for her possessive and domineering attitude. While they had dated for a while ever since she finally got him drunk enough to spend the night with her half way through last year, he could hardly stand to be near her. Draco refused to look closely at the reason why he had never felt any attraction to the pretty girl.

He made it through the door just as Pansy got close enough to call out to him. He ignored it and quickly made his way into his room. Draco got up into his bed and drew the curtains, a quick privacy spell later and he was pulling out his lucky charm. Not giving himself time to talk himself out of it he gripped the coin firmly in his hand, bringing it close to his lips he quietly whispered to it, "Harry Potter".

A/N: So there it is. Please leave me a review and I will try to re-find my muse to continue the story.