*Just your average, everyday disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot of this story. While I would KILL to own draco (get off Hermione you can have ron *giggle-snort*) I unfortunately do not, all of the characters location as well as my soul, childhood and apparently my present and future all belong to that writing goddess herself JK Rowling. It would be nothing short of blasphemy for me to even consider owning this so please lay all your applause at her feet, pay homage to the queen herself and then read my little story. Hope you like it!

Back at the mirror, listening to the incessant meowing of Mrs. Norris and the fussing of Mr. Filch on nightly rounds seeking those pesky students who always seemed to be out of their beds Draco again sat with his forehead pressed against the cool surface of the mirror, feeling as though his head was resting in Hermione's lap, raising his head to look up at her kind brown eyes. "So do I… do I really have a chance? It's not too late is it? Just two more years of being an idiot, calling you Mudblood, between this dream and reality, that's not too much is it?"

His mind was the eternal debate between being the man he wanted to be and being the Slytherin that had gotten him in this situation in the first place. Loyalty to his own heart, his own intrinsic identity, versus loyalty to blood, to his family the honor of that family which he would gladly kill for and die for which had gotten him this far. Filial piety was a pain in the ass, making him question whether he was even right to want to disobey the orders of the head of his family, but looking into those brown eyes, knowing that enjoying the silent company of the shadow of her that could have been his all night and staring at the back of her head with a longing that threatened to devour him whole all day was not healthy. In the end she didn't give him a choice.

"I choose you, hell I know after this I will always choose you," laughing at the beaming Hermione looking at him from the glass he could not help but throw the friendly gibe at her, "you had better be worth all of this…" whispering under his breath, "who am I kidding, of course you will. The only question is can I be worthy of you."

…

"Professor, Professor!" Bright and early, 8am with robes wrinkled from sleeping on the floor of the room of requirement for the second night in a row and dark bags under his eyes Draco Malfoy raced throught the corridors of Hogwarts after the far more sedated Professor Snape. He looked more like the school boy he was supposed to be than he ever had, with the weight of upholding family name and traditions he didn't believe in off of his shoulders and the knowledge he was going to be able to fight for what he truly believed in and have a real shot at his dreams freeing him for the first time in a long time.

"Yes Mr. Malfoy? What is it that warrants you running through the halls causing chaos at this early hour?"

"I've… I've made my decision," then lowering his voice he muttered loudly enough for Snape to hear. "I'm going to join the order."

"Good, great choice Mr. Malfoy, as always. Now go inform the head master of your decision, at a more reasonable pace if you please. I would be forced to take five points from slytherin if you were not my godson for such reckless and gryffendor style behavior at such an early hour. No go, there is much to be done."

….

Dumbledore sat behind his desk pensively looking over each and every Bertie Bott Every Flavor Bean in an attempt to be certain to not get a Boogie flavored one again, he had not touched them since everything happened with the Philosopher's Stone but special circumstances and his perfect planning warrented, he thought, a special treat. "Now with the pace gossip spreads at this school I am sure you realize what it is that you have all been called here for…"

"Umm, well no professor." Mumbled Harry as he stood flanked by Hermione and Ron as usual having been summoned to the headmaster's office again. This was not unsual as they were struggling to keep as up to date as they safely could with the doings of the Order without putting those same doings in jeopardy, worry and a weariness that should not darken such young eyes shown on their faces as they waited with the prayer that they were not going to be given another list of the dead. The war was beginning to seriously take its toll as both the fighters for each side were killed, brother fighting brother, and as innocents were slain as Voldemort fought to gain footing and to take hold at the head of a pure blood wizard empire. The only concern was how many people pure blooded or not would be left if the war continued on as it was.

"Oh, well then I guess I will have to inform you… and ahh perfect timing Mr. Malfoy, come on in." A sly smile on his conniving features that would have made the golden trio question whether or not Dumbledore had actually been a Slytherin and not a Gryffendor in his youth colored his features as he watched the shocked looks on their features as he invited their enemy into their midst as their equal. He had to give the young Mr. Malfoy his due as the boy walked into a room filled by those he knew hated and mistrusted him, of his peers who he had readily abused for six years of their lives and whose innocent plans for putting the world to rights which he had fought to end until recently still holding his head high despite the dark mark showing on his forearm, a constant reminder that he had made one of the greatest mistakes any wizard could make, a mistake that would be readily seen by all who looked at him despite is honest attempts to rectify them.

"Mr. Malfoy here has had a change of heart. He has now actively rejected the dogma of the death eaters and has become one of us. I expect you to treat him as such, I can see only good things from this course of action and refuse to allow him to be punished any more than his own conscience does for his past just for obeying his family and trying to protect them." But his words turned on deaf ears as the shock that had locked kept the boys quiet for this long loosened just enough for their outrage to show through.

"What? No he is a death eater! He has taken the mark, he is one of them, this is a trick. It… it has to be."

"Professor he has been working on something in the Room of Requirement, I …. I tried to warn you already about him, this no good ferret wants nothing more than for Voldemort to succeed. Tell him 'Mione."

"No, you seem to forget that professor Snape did the same thing. People make mistakes, and yeah Malfoy made some pretty spectacular ones but if he is willing to join us I say let him. We need him. Harry, just think of all the good that would come from having the Slytherin Prince on our side. Think of all the death eaters who would stop following Voldemort just so they didn't have to fight their own children. Harry, Ron, think about all the lives we could save just from forgiving the past mistakes of one man." Big brown eyes looked up at her friends pleading for them to see some sense.

"Miss Granger is right, boys. As always the wisest witch of her age. I will leave it to her words and your conscience to make you do the right thing. You all are excused."

"Hey Hermio… er… Granger," uncertain of whether or not he had permission yet to call her by her first name dispite what she had said Draco held back, holding onto her arm to stop her from leaving so quickly and accidentally making the others stop as well. "Could I talk to you for a moment? Alone?"

Grabbing her other arm Ron stopped her, making her turn back to face him as he tried to answer Draco for her, "No, come on 'Mione, you don't need to listen to this git."

"Ron right now you are the one acting like a git. Yes Malfoy, I will gladly talk to you, unlike some childish people I am not going to hold a grudge for the admittedly stupid things you have done, you are going to help us now, that is all that matters."

"Well that is sort of what I wanted to talk to you about. I… I…er wanted to apologize for all the things I said, for calling you a mudblood and all." The word tasted caustic on his tongue, how he had ever managed to just throw that word around was beyond him now and he knew she could tell, could tell from the way he said it and the face he made as he tried to spit out a word more nauseating to him than anything else now. Sincerity oozed from him in the same way the sickly superior charm once had.

"Apology accepted." Simply put as she smiled up at him with those big brown eyes in a way he never thought she would outside of the glass, reality melting and running haphazardly with the dream of what he wanted as he lost himself in her eyes, raising a hand to cup her cheek as she melted into his touch, forgetting for a minute who he was or that he had just apologized for six years of torment before he caught himself, pulling away with that ruddy blush coloring featured paled from too much time spent in the dungeons (a slytherin occupational hazard).

"So…er…" trying to smooth over his sudden affectionate actions which he knew had to make next to no sense to her he fought to change the topic and to calm the racing of his heart that came with the knowledge that she hadn't pulled away from his touch and that even now she didn't seem repulsed by him.

"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah… see you tomorrow." With a smile on each of their faces they went their separate ways as Draco felt a little less afraid, maybe his dreams would come easier than he had ever dared to dream.

*Well what do you think? It took me much longer than expected to get them to actually talk but I think it was worth the wait. I just cannot wait to see what happens next…

Thanks again to all my reviewers! Love you all!

Xoxo

a-stranger-angel