Draco stood in the middle of Ron Weasley's bedroom, an expression of disgust clear on his face. The midday sun was shining through the window, lighting up the gaudy orange display of the Chudley Cannons paraphernalia that covered the walls. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. Although vaguely amusing, he wanted no part of it.
He ran a hand through his hair, and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Eyes had followed him that morning with looks of distrust and scorn, as expected. He had counted nine witches and wizards. Arthur and Molly Weasley, the two twins Fred and George, who he remembered from school. He'd counted two other redheads; one who was short and burly. Draco recognized him as a dragon trainer from his fourth year. The other was tall and slim with a distinctly cool look about him. He had a fang earing in his ear and Draco had spotted a tattoo on his arm. Every single one of them would put up a good fight, he knew. Being in a room with a bunch of fully capable wizards that had their sister's best interests in mind was both a nightmare and a relief. A part of him was relieved that there were now so many wizards surrounding Ginny who loved her and would protect her, but it was clearly going to be difficult to spend any time with Ginny without someone watching.
Aside from the Weasleys, there was the werewolf, Lupin, who looked much older and more serious than 4 years before. There was also the pretentious blond French girl from the Triwizard tournament, and a man he recognized as being from the ministry of magic.
After the morning's chaos, Ginny attention had been commanded by her parents and siblings who were all eager for updates, and Draco had been led to wait alone. Draco knew it was because they wanted to talk about what to do with him.
Draco sank his head into his hands. How had he gotten into this mess? What the hell was wrong with him?
Only a day ago, he'd had no intention of contributing to the Order, but as soon as he'd arrived and seen the looks of hatred at his mere presence, he had felt the puzzling desire to prove himself. He couldn't believe he'd laid all his cards on the table. He'd told them his worth up front, as well as his fears. How distinctly un-Slytherin, he thought in disgust.
Was it a need to please Ginny? Was he grasping at approval? Or was it just a form of self-preservation that arose at the fear of being sent back to the pit of hell he'd been trying to escape from?
The look of pride in Ginny's gaze had made him feel both guilty and pleased. Maybe part of it was a fear that she would also hate him if he didn't even try.
He sighed, staring at the ceiling. If anything, his speech that morning had made him realize something: he refused to be a coward anymore.
He was currently surrounded by witches and wizards who risked their lives daily to fight against the Dark Lord and his sickening power trip. Draco had a power now that he hadn't before: the ability to use his knowledge to put Voldemort at a disadvantage. Draco glared at the wall. He wanted revenge.
His mother was still trapped. She was in the horrific situation of being a traitor's mother and residing in the Death Eaters very own base camp. Narcissa was strong, but he couldn't imagine how she was being treated at that very moment.
He gripped his hair in his fingers and let out a curse. A hatred burned in his heart for the inhuman monster that had destroyed his life, and killed his father. He had to do something. Why the hell had he thought he could just sit back and watch? He felt as though he would do anything to knock the Dark Lord down. There was no more pretense on his affiliations, so what was there to fear?
"Ahem."
Draco glanced up to see the form of a woman with emerald green hair leaning lithely against the old wooden doorway. She had a face that was vaguely familiar. He blinked in shock, and the hatred he felt was quickly replaced by a strange feeling.
"Nymphadora Tonks," he said slowly, standing up.
Tonks grinned. "You must be the Malfoy brat."
Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise and mild annoyance at her gall. "My reputation precedes me, I see."
"No denial? I'm shocked. I took you for the type to react more strongly to insults."
Draco smirked and shrugged. "Sorry to disappoint, but I don't find the need to react to ones as pathetic as that. You don't want to start an insult exchange with me. You'd never win."
"Maybe not, but I would win in a duel," Tonks said, raising an eyebrow in challenge.
Draco stuck his hands in his pockets, and his eyes twinkled in his own challenge. "You would now. Say that again when I have a wand on me."
She looked at him curiously, twirling her wand in her hand.
They stared at each other. It was the first time he was really meeting her. During his entire childhood, he grew up with the knowledge that he had a disgraced cousin. Bellatrix never had any children, thank Merlin, so he was always alone. But right now, in front of him, stood his own flesh and blood, staring back at him with the same curiosity that he felt.
"So I finally get to meet the infamous Draco Malfoy." Tonks walked towards him. "All I heard about you growing up was that you were a bit of a prat," she grinned. "To put it lightly."
"Funny. All I heard growing up was that you were a troublemaker."
She held back a grin. "A family trait."
"Seem so," Draco laughed, surprising himself, and feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time since he'd arrived. This was an unexpected twist. "I suppose you're in the Order."
"Yes, I am. I'm also an Auror, so you'd do well to keep on my good side." Tonks pointed her wand at him as she said this.
"Opposite ends of the spectrum, I see. Dark wizard, and dark wizard catcher," he said with a hint of bitterness.
"Cheer up, cousin, you'll be catching dark wizards soon enough, too."
He couldn't tell if she was being serious or not. He shook his head. "I'm sure that would be comforting if the thought didn't already make me ill," he said dryly.
They fell into silence, and Draco scanned her face, noticing some of his mother's features.
Tonks broke the silence. "Look, Draco, a family reunion was not actually my reason for coming up here. Considering, you know, who you are and the fact that you are – were – a Death Eater, and the tiny detail of you kidnapping Ginny, the consensus is that you need to take a truth serum. Do you consent?"
Draco sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Fuck." He sighed, defeated. "Yeah, fine. I'll do it."
Tonks grinned. "Perfect. I knew you wouldn't be as difficult as they said. Follow me."
Draco stood up and followed her out the door. Downstairs, he could hear Ginny arguing with somebody.
"Professor! Isn't that too extreme? Just trust me –"
"I do trust you Ginny, but you are not the one we have reason to mistrust."
"But –"
Draco descended the creaky staircase into the living room to find Ginny sitting across from Lupin by the crackling fire.
"He has to take Veritaserum," Remus said with a tone of finality, as he watched Draco and Tonks approach.
Ginny protested, grumbling.
"Don't worry so much, Ginny," Tonks sat on the arm of the sofa and threw an arm around Ginny, eyes twinkling. "Your mysterious Malfoy has already agreed to it."
"Really?" Ginny met Draco's eyes in surprise, and he felt instantly comforted by the warmth and caring that emanated from them. He suppressed a smile that wanted to surface, and shrugged.
"I expected this. It's not a big deal," he told her.
She searched his eyes for a minute, and then nodded.
Suddenly the tall redheaded man entered the living room. "We're all set downstairs. Moody gave me his spare vial. He wanted to lead the interrogation himself, but I figured sweet Gin here wouldn't approve," he grinned, teasing his sister.
"Damn right," Ginny added fervently. "There's no way I would let" – She stopped and glared when he ruffled her hair.
"Relax, Gin. You have nothing to worry about," he smirked, "I'll be doing it myself."
"That's hardly any better," she mumbled, but her gaze softened as she looked between Draco and her brother.
He walked up to Draco and clasped a hand on his shoulder. "Follow me, Malfoy."
With one last glance at Ginny, Draco let himself be led through the house.
They descended into the basement. The floorboards creaked as he walked down the stairs. There were cobwebs in the dusty corners of the dimly-lit room, and the air was musty. In the middle of the open space, there were two old wooden chairs dimly lit from a single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling.
"You know, if your plan is to kill me, there are better ways," Draco said wryly, looking around him with mild disgust.
The tall brother snorted. "It's a basement, Malfoy. Basements are dirty. Get over yourself."
"Mine isn't," he muttered. "Who are you, anyway?"
"Bill Weasley Ginny's oldest brother." Bill smirked and motioned to upstairs. The basement is soundproofed. "It's just for privacy so the rest of the house won't eavesdrop on your innermost secrets."
Draco wondered whether he was joking.
"Sit," the redhead commanded, motioning to the chairs.
Draco narrowed his eyes and hesitated. He had to quell the impulse to snap at him, but just clenched his fists and sat down without a fuss.
Bill took a seat across from him and leaned back to observe. Draco mirrored his position and met his eyes coolly. Both men weighed each other in their minds.
Draco could see that this man already had a cooler head than any of his siblings. The roughness of his hands told him that Bill was not unused to physical work. He had a deceptively strong physique, and his eyes held a glint of something Draco couldn't explain. It was as though he knew and saw more than he let on. He wasn't lanky like Ron, and Draco was sure that this man could throw a strong punch as well as a curse.
After a few minutes, he pulled something out of his pocket and handed Draco a small vial. Draco took the cool glass in his fingers and looked at it.
"This isn't a licensed bottle. Who brewed it?"
Bill watched Draco curiously. "Mad-Eye did."
Draco looked up. After a moment, he asked, "How do you know he's not trying to poison me?"
"I don't. But I can tell you that he prefers much more direct and physical methods of punishment. If he wanted to kill you, he'd have done it already."
Draco's lips quirked in response, and he opened the bottle and tipped it back, draining the contents. He settled his eyes back on the redhead. "Do you worst," he said. There was no going back now.
Bill seemed to find amusement in that, and leaned forward, elbows on his knees.
"Then, let's get started. Are you Draco Malfoy?"
"Yes."
"Are you a Death Eater?"
Draco raised an eyebrow. "I was, yes. That's not a secret. If you wanted to know, you could have just asked to see my arm."
Bill watched him, his face neutral. "Why did you become a Death Eater?"
Draco paused for a moment, considering his answer. "Because the Dark Lord required it of me as punishment for my father's failure. I had no ch –," Draco paused and frowned. "He had a target on my head, as well as my parents. I was the youngest Death Eater ever, and he just wanted to make an example of me and make a fool out of my father. Everyone expected me to fail, and it was his plan to torture my parents as they watched helplessly. I initially thought I could help restore some respect to the Malfoy name. I was wrong." Draco ran a hand over his face.
"And why did you leave?"
"Because I hated it."
Bill contemplated his answers carefully, his expression calm.
"You kidnapped my little sister, Malfoy."
Draco leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. "I know that."
"Do you really think that we're going to let you off without repercussions?"
He looked Bill squarely in the eyes. "You don't want to, but you will."
"Why's that?"
"Because of Ginny, and because I have information that you may need."
"Such as?"
Draco smiled sinisterly. "Knowledge that could help you win this war."
Bill frowned and pursed his lips. "Malfoy, why did you really come here?"
Draco looked down at the bottle he still had in his hands. "It was Ginny's idea. And I realized it was the only way."
"The only way for what?" Bill frowned.
"For everything. My survival. To save my mom. To stay with Ginny." Draco cringed, wishing he hadn't shared that bit of information.
Bill raised his eyebrows.
"Do you love her?"
Draco's eyes widened and then narrowed. He looked at Bill in astonishment. Draco crossed his arms and asked dryly, "Shouldn't you, I don't know, be asking questions about the dark lord or something?"
"I'm not blind, Malfoy," he said, his expression suddenly as cold as steel. "I saw the way Ginny was looking at you, and how strongly she was defending you. Answer the damn questions. Are you tricking her in any way?"
Draco felt a strange respect for the other man. "No, I'm not tricking her," he admitted.
Bill seemed to relax a bit at that. "Then, what exactly is the nature of your relationship?"
"I like her. I want to be with her," Draco said quietly, wondering how he was going to be able to keep his dignity after this. He felt too vulnerable, sharing his feelings with the enemy. But, they weren't really his enemies anymore, were they?
Bill raised his eyebrows, and crossed his arms. "Does she feel the same?"
"I believe so."
Bill watched him curiously. After a few minutes, he spoke again.
"I feel obligated to tell you that I'm a curse breaker, and I will curse you into oblivion if you hurt her."
Draco swallowed, knowing he was probably serious. He didn't know the man across from him. If he said he would hurt him, he had no reason to doubt it. Bill looked positively menacing as he twirled his wand in his hand, eyes fixed on Draco.
"You're an intriguing wizard, Malfoy. Not what I expected. I can tell you're a gifted occlumens."
"How do you know that?" It was Draco's turn to be surprised.
"Because you have unusual control over your answers," he said pointedly. "But even though you are an occlumens, you still can't lie with truth potions, just omit things. Whatever you're hiding, I want you to tell me right now."
Draco suddenly felt like he was in trouble. "I have nothing to hide, Weasley," he said, running a hand over his face. "I'm not lying."
"Then tell me what it is that makes you think you have any value to us?"
Draco sighed and glared at a cobweb on the ceiling.
"It's the same reason why the Dark Lord wants to kill me."
"Go on."
"Malfoy Manor is the location of headquarters. I know all the secrets and magic of that place. I know how to get in and out undetected. I know all the people, and the evil things that they do, and where they do them. The Dark Lord knows that I have the knowledge to betray him, which is why he wants me dead."
"Why haven't you acted against him until now?"
"As a one-man army?" Draco scoffed. "He's not so easily killed, you know. And knowledge is nothing without the means to use it effectively."
"Do you really hate Voldemort? Have you left his side forever?"
"Weasley," Draco explained, anger bubbling up in his chest. "He killed my father, took over my house, blackmailed me into becoming a Death Eater, ruined my family and uprooted my life. He's abused, tortured, manipulated and threatened me. Of course I hate him. He still has my mom, assuming she's still alive. No, she must still be alive."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because she's the last one there who knows the secrets of the Manor. He needs her."
"Well, Malfoy. This has been… enlightening. I suggest to stay down here for another half-hour or so to avoid talking to anyone while you're under the influence, or you could end up telling the whole house you're in love with our precious Ginny."
Bill smirked, and Draco opened his mouth in shock. He glared at Bill as he walked up the stairs.
Draco stood up and took a deep breath, walked over to the table and slammed his hand down in a fist.
That did not go well.
But then again, was there ever any possibility of it going well? He doubted it.
He was stupid. He shouldn't have revealed that he was an occlumens. Now they would always have a shred of doubt.
His relationship with Ginny was probably in jeopardy now that he knew that also.
He heard the basement door creak open, and a figure approach down the stairs, but he kept his head down.
"Hey."
It was Ginny. Draco whipped around and looked at her in surprise.
"What are you doing here?"
Ginny walked to him, stopping a few feet away. "I overheard that you were down here alone."
"This has nothing to do with the fact that I've taken a truth serum, does it?" He smirked.
"No, not at all." Her innocent expression said it all.
"Your brother knows about us," Draco told her, looking resigned.
Ginny looked surprised. "Bill knows? What did you tell him?"
"Many things. He knows I like you. He also asked me if I love you. Fuck," Draco swore, visibly frustrated. "Fucking Veritaserum. I didn't mean to tell you that."
She giggled but quickly became serious. She rocked from heels to toes, fidgeting on the spot. "Does that mean I can ask you anything right now and you'd have to answer?"
"Don't you dare," he warned with narrowed eyes.
Ginny's expression turned contemplative and she turn away, scared to see his reaction.
"Draco, do you regret coming?"
After a few moments, she felt Draco's arms circle her from behind. His warm chest pressed against her back, and he linked his fingers with hers. He spoke quietly, his breath on her neck. "I did, for a second, when they were talking about trading me like a bloody bargaining chip. But now, I don't regret it because every time I see you, I'm reminded about how beautiful and warm you are. You're here with me, and that's all I care about."
She smiled and squeezed his hands. "I'm so glad you came."
He hugged her closer still, and rested his chin on her shoulder. "You know, I hadn't really considered that me coming here would make me part of the Order, but after thinking about it, I know this is the right thing to do. I can't spend my time sitting around and watching from afar. There are still many people I care about being controlled by the Dark Lord, like my mother, and my best mate. I have to find a way to help them. And kill him." The danger in his voice gave her chills.
Ginny suddenly turned around in his arms, and linked her arms around Draco's neck. "You know, you're sexy when you're determined," she whispered coyly. Draco moved his hands to her hips, a wolfish grin starting to form.
"Is that so?" He raised an eyebrow. Draco leaned down and pressed his lips to hers lightly. Ginny let out a tiny sound of impatience and pressed into to him, deepening the kiss. Draco's hands went to her hair, then moved down her spine, over her curves and down her thighs. Ginny gasped in surprised when he lifted her effortlessly. He walked over to the table and sat her down on the edge so their faces were a similar height. Ginny pulled back, and saw Draco's eyes glinting playfully. Ginny ran her hands down his back and pulled him closer, enjoying the look of desire on his face.
Draco groaned. "You're evil," he whispered, before pulling her harder against him and kissing her below the jawline. "You know how many people in this house will kill me if they see us."
Ginny bit back a moan. "I can't help it. I want to kiss you every chance that I get," she whispered into his ear.
Draco chuckled and kissed her again on the lips as his hand inched under her shirt.
"Ahem."
Draco froze and rested his head on her shoulder for a few seconds. He bit back a curse and looked up to make eye contact with Ginny in regret at the interruption. She was biting her lip in worry.
He turned to face the staircase. Tonks was standing there, her arms crossed, and wearing a very amused look on her face. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I thought I should tell you that McGonagall's just arrived with some news, and there's an emergency meeting starting in five minutes." She turned and left before either could say a word.
Ginny covered her face with her hands and cursed to herself before glancing at Draco. She reached out and ran a hand down the side of his face. "We'll get through this," she told him gently. He sighed, before wrapping his arms around her securely. "This may be the last time we get to hug," he said.
"Why?"
He tucked his face into her neck. His breath tickled her. "Because they are going to kill me."
She laughed. "Don't be so dramatic."
By the time they were upstairs, Ginny could hear McGonagall's voice from the dining room. "Everyone… Luna Lovegood has gone missing. We believe that she's been taken by Death Eaters."
Ginny froze in place, shock going through her. Gasps sounded throughout the dining room. "Are you sure?" Someone asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid. The evidence supports a kidnapping against her will. Very much like that of Ms. Weasley."
Ginny felt Draco grab hold of her hand and squeeze. She looked at him fearfully, silently asking what the reality of Luna's situation was. He shook his head, looking grim, and looked back to the conversation with his jaw tightened.
Ginny suddenly let go and ran into the room. "No! Professor! We have to do something! It's Luna!" She cried. The room was silent as McGonagall put her hand over her heart in shock. "Oh good heavens! Ms. Weasley, you're back?" She looked around the room, in disbelief. "When did this happen?"
"This morning," Someone answered, but Ginny wasn't paying attention to anyone else.
"It doesn't matter!" Ginny said to her professor. "What happened to Luna? How can we find her?"
"We don't know yet, Ms. Weasley. We've just learned of the situation."
"Ginny, I think it would be best if you were kept out of this." Molly said suddenly. The room went silent.
"What?" Ginny stared incredulously at her mother.
"You're still not part of the order, dear, for good reason, and you're much too emotionally involved."
Ginny stared at them in shock. "No, no way! That's not fair. Luna is my best friend! How can you possibly keep me out of this? I deserve to know! I want to help!" She looked around wildly. Her parents were the deciding factor, so no one spoke up.
"Ginny, please leave, we can discuss the issue later."
She felt like crying. How was it that no one was on her side for this? She looked around at everyone's faces. Bill, Fred, and George were looking awkwardly away, Lupin was looking grim with his mouth set in a firm line. McGonagall was watching her as if to see her reaction, and Tonks was giving Ginny a sympathetic look. It seemed like her parents had the final word after all.
Feeling like she was going to cry, yet finding no one on her side, Ginny turned on her heel.
As she made past Draco standing in the doorway, he grabbed her arm, stopping her. Ginny look up at him to see the anger emanating out of his glare as he watched the room. "Stay," he said quietly.
All eyes were now on him, and McGonagall gasped in her second shock of the day. Draco seemed to ignore her.
He spoke with anger lacing his voice. "Ginny has as much invested in this war as any of you. She's almost of age, already a fully capable witch. If anything she should be out on the front lines. Maybe she's not an Auror, but she's got a steady head on her shoulders. Her best friend's life is at stake, and if nothing else she deserves to be involved in the conversation."
Arthur Weasley stood up angrily. "You have no say in this Malfoy, leave it be."
Ginny caught Draco's eyes, and he gave her a look that at once was an apology and a show of confidence.
Draco stared down Mr. Weasley. "I have every say in this, Mr. Weasley. Didn't I tell you before? You need my help." He looked evenly at the lot of witches and wizards glaring at him.
"What do you know?" Arthur asked carefully, holding back his anger. "Do you know where they've taken Luna?"
Draco's face turned solemn. He shot a glance at Ginny. One that showed regret.
"Assuming it was indeed Death Eaters, then she's in the Malfoy Manor dungeons," he said. "They are heavily guarded." Shock resounded in the room as realization hit them.
"Do you mean..." Remus trailed off.
"Yes. The Dark Lord's headquarters are at Malfoy Manor. But that's not all."
The room was silent as everyone hung on to his words in anticipation.
"The Dark Lord has put incredibly strong protection magic on the manor. He's completely taken it over. No one is allowed in or out without permission. Except, that is, for wizards with Malfoy blood." He let the words sink in. "Malfoy manor has much older, stronger magic attached to it than even the Dark Lord can fathom. I can pass by the Dark Lord's barriers unnoticed. I also know every secret there is to know about the grounds and secret passages, not to mention where they keep the prisoners, and the levels of security."
They all stared in shock.
Tonks was the first to respond. "Does this mean we can save Luna with your help?"
"It is never a certain fact whether someone can be rescued from Death Eaters, but yes, you do have an advantage."
They started chattering with hope. Draco looked at Ginny, who was blinking teary-eyed with determination.
"If you want to save Lovegood," he said to the rest of the room, "I have one condition."
Everyone stopped and watched him with suspicion.
"You must allow Ginny to fight, and be part of the Order."
Shouts of, "Absolutely not." "No way!" resounded throughout the room.
Arthur stood up angrily. "I've had enough of your manipulation, Malfoy. This isn't your decision."
"That's right, Mr. Weasley. It's yours. Do you want to protect Ginny so badly that you'll lock her up until the war is over, or do you want to work together to save Lovegood?"
The room was silenced in shock and anger. Everyone was silent as the two men stared each other down.
After a minute, Bill stood up. "He's just taken Veritaserum not long ago, Dad. I don't think he's bluffing."
"But how is this going to work?" Remus Lupin said.
After a minute of silence, Draco replied. "I'll sneak in unnoticed."
"Just you? You're still just a boy."
Draco let out a sound of contempt. "Just a boy? Do you think I've lasted this long from being coddled and protected? I might not have had the mark for very long, but what I've seen and done in that time is probably unimaginable to you. It's been months that the dark lord's been hunting me, and I'm still alive. I'm also a decent occlumens, so even if I were discovered, I wouldn't give anything away. I'm offering to risk my neck for Lovegood, considering everything."
"No," Mr. Weasley spoke suddenly. "It's too risky. We need a team."
Suddenly, everyone was eager to speak. "At least two to get the job done and two to stand guard."
"- We'd be walking into Death Eater headquarters. Some kind of interaction is likely. If we encounter He Who Must Not Be Named, the chance for survival is low."
"We have to put a lot of thought into this. We need at least one of our strongest fighters, but -"
"It's not that simple," Draco tried to amend, but they were not listening. He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall with a disgruntled expression.
Ginny noticed him and yelled, "OY!" She had tons of practice catching their attention. Draco looked over at her and winked. She grinned in return.
Everyone looked at Ginny, and she nodded her head towards Draco.
Draco cleared his throat. "You don't understand. It's not as simple as choosing a team. The Manor is protected not only by centuries-old family magic, but also the Dark Lord's own handiwork. You can't just walk in there undetected."
"Then how are you suggesting to sneak in?" Molly Weasley asked.
"Because I have Malfoy blood, I can get in undetected. But you can't." He ran a hand through his hair. "If you're not going to accept me going alone, we have to find a way to get a team inside. That's going to be hard without setting off any alarms."
Everyone seemed to look at each other in worried glances.
"If it's a rescue mission, it's too risky to set off alarms and summon Voldemort," Bill said. Everyone looked at the redhead. "We have to get in and out quietly."
"He's right," Draco said. "Not only because if he finds us, we're all dead. But there are other problems. If he thinks the manor has any weaknesses, he's going to tighten up the security. And there's also the issue of my best mate. Blaise is one of the Death Eaters guarding the dungeon cells. If he's blamed for anything, he'll be killed, too. I'm not willing to trade his life for hers."
Remus Lupin interrupted him. "He's a Death Eater, Malfoy. This is a war."
"No. He's my best mate. I know him well. He's not like the others."
Draco sighed. He glanced at Ginny. "There is a way we can get more than one person inside."
"Well say it, then!"
He hesitated, looking at each one of them carefully, considering the options. "The blood brothers spell," he said with a grimace. It killed him to be suggesting this. He was not close to these people, and sharing his blood magic was not appealing. But he couldn't see an alternative.
The room filled with chatter again.
Professor McGonagall stood up. "This is a very serious spell with more implications than many of you don't even know," she scolded the room. "It's quite clear that Draco Malfoy has to be the one to choose who to make this bond with. Not the rest of you."
Draco looked at his old professor in surprise. He nodded at her.
"So the question is, who are you going to choose, Mr. Malfoy?" She asked.
Draco looked around the room, uncertainty written on his face. Who the hell was he supposed to choose? The blood brothers magic was not something one does without careful consideration.
"I need time to think about it," he told them.
Mr. Weasley nodded. "Think about it hard, Malfoy. Let's reconvene tomorrow morning. That should give us some time to formulate a strategy."
After the meeting, Draco dressed in his cloak, and ventured outside in the chill winter air. He made his way to the yard. About a hundred feet from the house, he found a lone swing under a large towering willow tree. He sat down and stared out at the late afternoon clear blue sky.
Nostalgia filled him. He thought of his summers as a child, playing in the beautiful gardens of Malfoy Manor, but it had been a very long time since he'd felt that kind of peace and freedom in his own home. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to see his mother. He wanted to have a conversation with her without worrying about who might be listening. He wanted to talk about things that had nothing to do with death or pain or suffering.
"Hey, Malfoy."
Draco whipped his head around to see Tonks approaching. He sighed, and looked back at the sky. "Can't get a minute alone, can I?"
Tonks walked up and leaned against the tree trunk. She watched him with her hands in her pockets. "Sorry," she said. Draco looked at her in surprise at the sincerity in her voice. "I know you have a lot of things to think about. But you're going to be watched for a while. People don't trust you yet. I volunteered because I figured I would be the easiest for you to handle," she teased.
Draco let out a snort. "Well, you're probably right about that. But next time, do me a favour and send Ginny instead."
"She's not in the Order. Well, I suppose she will be now, but I doubt Molly or Arthur would let her watch you." Tonks looked at him evenly. "So, you and Ginny, yeah?"
"Yeah." It obviously wasn't a secret anymore. Tonks and Bill already knew, and who knows who else they would tell.
"Unless you want one of her irrational redheaded brothers to put you in the hospital, I'd probably keep the snogging to a minimum. Or at least behind locked doors." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, and Draco rolled his eyes.
"I'm surprised you're not telling me to stay away from her," he remarked, a bit surprised. He had been expecting a lot more resistance.
"It's Ginny's life, who am I to tell her what to do?"
Draco felt something akin to appreciation. At least Tonks had her head on straight, unlike some of the others.
They fell into silence. Draco had a lot of think about. Where would they enter from? How could he keep Blaise out of trouble? Who would be working and where? He had to draw maps and brief them about how to get around as well as the dangers and traps set in place. But most of all, he had to choose.
"Tonks?" He looked at his cousin. She raised her eyebrows in question. "How would you feel about becoming a Malfoy?"
"Ew."
"I'm serious," he sent her a dirty look.
She laughed. "You want to choose me? Really?"
"It makes sense. I don't know you well, but we're already related by the Blacks, and you're a trained auror. So far you're the least repulsive choice, aside from Ginny."
"I'm going to let that remark slide."
"So?"
"Yes, of course I'll do it," Tonks said, inspecting her nails.
Draco nodded.
After a while, he heard footsteps, and turned to see Ginny making her way towards him. As she approached, she glanced at Tonks awkwardly. "Tonks, can you give us a minute?"
"Sure thing. I'll be inside, but still watching, so be careful." Tonks winked at Ginny, and walked back towards the house.
Ginny walked over to Draco and procured a green scarf, wrapping it around him. "I thought you might be cold," she said.
"Did you just happen to have a Slytherin-green scarf lying around?" Draco teased, and Ginny blushed.
"Of course not. I just didn't think you'd appreciate a scarlet red one, so I changed the colour for you."
Draco chuckled, and reached out to grab her hand. "It's okay," he said. "No one can see from this angle."
Ginny squeezed his hand. "Draco, I – I can't believe you would risk so much to save Luna. Thank you."
Draco fidgeted, uncomfortable. "Don't thank me."
"Ah," Ginny grinned. "Right. The big bad Malfoy would never admit to doing something good," she teased.
"I'm not doing it for her. I'm doing it for you. I know I'm committing sacrilege by sharing my family's sacred magic with others. My mother is going to hate me. I'm starting to hate myself for coming up with the idea."
"No, she won't. I also didn't get a chance to thank you for standing up for me," she said quietly. "I can't believe you did that for me, and if we were somewhere private right now, I'd kiss the daylights out of you."
Draco smirked, "So where can we go that's private?"
Ginny laughed, and looked around. She sneakily pulled him up to standing and pulled him around the tree. They were not totally hidden, but she didn't care. They would all find out soon enough anyway, as much as she was dreading it. Ginny wrapped her arms around him, and leaned her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat.
"Ginny?"
"Yeah?"
"I have to ask you something important, but you have to promise me you won't get mad."
"I definitely can't promise that," she chuckled.
He looked up and wrinkled her nose as his frown. "What? I'm terrible at containing my emotions. Just tell me."
Draco stepped back so he could see her clearly. "When we… slept together the first time, was I by any chance… your first?"
Ginny blinked. "Why are you asking that?"
"It's important," he told her, searching her eyes. "But please be honest. If the answer is no, it's okay. But I need to know."
Ginny took a deep breath, confused. "Yes, you were my first," she admitted softly.
He blinked at her in surprise. "Are you serious? You never slept with anyone before me? Even Potter?"
She looked down and he regretted asking. He suddenly didn't want to know, but Ginny answered before he could stop her. "Yes, even Harry. I mean, I've fooled around with boys before, of course, but…" She trailed off, cheeks flushed. "Why is it so important?" She looked up at him suspiciously.
"You're amazing." Draco planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. He cupped her face in his hands gently. "It's old wizarding magic from back when people were expected to remain virgins until marriage. Not many people know this anymore, but after marriage, that was how husband the husband and wife would magically unite as a single family. You… we… since you were a virgin, we've already created the blood bond." Draco searched her eyes. "Which means we can fight together."
Ginny's jaw dropped. After a few moments of shaky breathing, she squealed in happiness and jumped into his arms. Draco caught her in surprise, and laughed, holding her close. "So much for keeping this hidden," he managed before her lips cut him off.
After a while, Draco and Ginny walked back to the house.
He wondered if anyone had been watching them again, and why exactly he hadn't been cursed by the angry redheaded mob yet.
He almost expected it as he walked in the door, but when he entered, he could tell something was amiss.
Nobody could be seen, and there were excited voices coming from the living room. Ginny glanced at Draco and hurried to see what was happening. After a minute to calm himself down, Draco followed to the living room.
He stopped dead. An uncontrollable feeling of anger filled him.
There, standing in front of the fireplace covered in soot was none other than the bespectacled, obnoxious Boy-who-lived, staring at him.
Harry.
Bloody.
Potter.