Last Resort

Chapter 2

Draco Malfoy's summer was also not one of his best. His father had been caught in the midst of Death Eater scandal and was currently locked away in Azkaban, much to Draco's shock, mainly because the idea of the formidable Lord of Malfoy Manor being caught was unthinkable. Draco had no illusions over his father's activities nor did he hold any thought that he would not soon be required to join him in the same activities (he was 16 after all). Indeed his mother had been dropping not so subtle hints all summer about expectations and duty to the Malfoy name. It was these comments that suggested a timescale that was threatening to ruin his summer.

Anyone who spent any time at all watching the Malfoy heir would be shocked to consider that the opportunity to step up from Death Eater in training to the real thing would be unwelcome to him. Not that Draco looked evil, indeed with pale blonde hair falling softly over his face, defined cheekbones and gentle pink lips, the boy had a face that was almost angelic in its beauty. His eyes were the palest grey blue almost the colour of silver and currently glistened with unshed tears of frustration with the situation he was in because unknown to almost anyone, Draco Malfoy did not want to become a whipping boy for the Dark Lord.

He was under no illusion that anyone would believe this after all, he was a Malfoy and his behaviour was that required of the son of Death Eater number one. Draco was currently wracking his overtaxed brain on a way out of this doomed mess and as anyone would at his age, he had resorted to cursing everyone else over his situation.

Damn his father who apparently was too incompetent to handle a bunch of kids his age. Damn aunt Bellatrix for getting away and leaving his father to be captured, bringing this whole matter to a head. Draco had thought he had another year to come up with a plan to avoid the dreaded branding. Damn his godfather for not coming up with a solution to this mess. What was the point of having a god father who was a death eater spy if he couldn't come up with a plan to save his beloved godson. Damn Dumbledore the old fart, for binding his father in the ministry. Damn the Evil Lord Snake for being an evil bastard who wouldn't bloody well die; and damn Harry Potter who kept miraculously escaping the said evil git and not actually killing him like he was supposed to. Honestly, what was the point of having a saviour if he wasn't going to do the job properly.

Draco squirmed a bit at this last thought, knowing he was being a little unfair, but god damn it he was 16, it was his job to be unreasonable after all. It wasn't the boy who lived who's left arm was at risk here.

Draco threw himself into the chair at his desk in disgust, mainly with himself if he was honest, after all, he knew better than most what Potter was at risk from. His situation didn't seem any more fair than the one currently causing Draco's misery. The blonde felt a pang of sympathy for the green eyed boy, after all he hadn't exactly made things easier for Potter over the years. Of course Draco was Slytherin to the core and the self preservation instinct was strong, he knew he had to keep a certain reputation but it was becoming harder and harder to see the anger and pain in those green eyes after one of his insults.

Draco thought back to that day in Madam Malkin's when they had met, he had been such a prat, trying to impress the small boy with the shy eyes and too big clothes. Neither of his parents had been around and Draco had taken the opportunity to try and make a friend of his own. Of course having had very little practice due to his parents hand picking his friends and only having those same parents as an example, Draco knew he had made a right royal stuff up of the thing. At the time though it had hurt, making it easier to be the cold arse he had to be later when he'd found out that the boy was the same one his parents kept ranting about.

It was as he was sat pondering these thoughts that Draco looked out his window to see a white snowy owl approaching. Confusion battled with instinctive alarm. Potter's owl, what is Potter's owl doing approaching the manor, had anyone seen it?

With not a little panic Draco quickly opened the window and tried to hustle the owl in, shushing it at the same time. Detaching the letter Draco quickly thought back to his last exchange with the Gryffindor Golden Boy trying to work out why he would be owling him. Yes he had threatened Potter over his father's capture, his own internal panic over his current situation had maybe made him seem a bit harsh but really, no more than previous years. Something else then, well Potter's godfather had died by the hand of his Aunt Bellatrix, surely he wouldn't hold Draco responsible for the actions of that mad witch.

Chastising himself for his internal panic he resolved to read first, panic later, after all, this may offer him a way out for his other panic of the summer, the impending branding of his freedom.

Dear Malfoy

Firstly, sorry about Hedwig, I know she's a bit visible but I didn't have an alternative way of sending you a letter as I'm not really allowed out much over summer.

Well that was a surprise that Potter had even considered such an issue, seemed a bit of a Slytherin thing to think about. Hang on, what does he man, not allowed out. He's the bloody boy who lived, who's going to stop him doing what he wants?

Why am I writing, well I guess to say that I'm sorry about your dad being locked up, that is, not that he's locked up but that it's a crappy thing to happen to you. I'm not being very clear but this is a difficult letter to write. I think what I'm trying to say is that I don't blame you for what your dad did and I'm sorry for the effect on you that his actions may have (I'm not an idiot, I know that the snake faced git will want some sort of punishment for the failed mission). Anyway, based on our last conversation you've probably already cursed me from here to Azkaban and an apology must seem pretty weak, I just thought it was still important to say. I hope you have a good summer and I am sure I will see you in September.

Harry

Draco sat at his desk in shock, even having re-read the letter 3 times he was still in shock. He would have suspected some sort of elaborate trap if it hadn't been for the presence of the large snowy owl over on the perch in the corner. There was no faking Potter's owl.

Shock was rapidly being replaced by indecision. Should he reply? Did he want to? What should he say? Argh, didn't he have enough things to stress about this summer? Draco wasn't a fool, Potter was right – something alarming in itself - the evil lord red eyes would want some sort of punishment and Draco was becoming increasingly suspicious that it would involve his left arm and a (short) lifetime of pain and kissing arse. What surprised Draco was the hidden concern that Potter also suspected something. Concern. Potter? Maybe there could be a salvation on the horizon. Steeling his resolve, Draco reached for his parchment and quill and then proceeded to write a cautiously worded reply.

Standing by the window, watching the retreating white owl, Draco felt the knot in his stomach that had been tightening all summer finally start to slacken. Hope was not a word in Draco's vocabulary, he would settle for possibility. That was it, finally Draco sensed a possibility, with that in mind he settled back in his desk chair to finally start his summer homework, something that up to this point he had dismissed as unnecessary for those to be branded with no future, he even allowed himself a brief grin at his own melodramatics.

The end?

I thought that I might end it there, leaving the rest of what could happen up to the readers imagination.

This is my first story. Please review and let me know if it was any good.