Ch. 12 Deadly Decisions

Hermione walked into class proud of herself. She'd managed to sneak into Draco's room while he'd been showering and retrieved the bracelet. The last thing she wanted was for he and Blaise to have another confrontation especially about her. She sat at her desk and as usual she was one of the first here. She reached into her pocket to look at the bracelet one last time before she gave it back to Blaise. She moved her hand around in her pocket trying to feel for the box but felt nothing but her wand. She digged deeper but stopped when she realized that it wasn't there.

She could've sworn she'd put it in her pocket before she'd left. She looked behind her to see if it had fallen out somehow but she didn't see the box anywhere. Where could it be? She was contemplating rushing back to her room to see if she'd left it there when Blaise came walking in. He spotted her and moved in her direction. He must've gotten up early to talk to her because he was never in class before it started. He sat down next to her and scooted his seat close.

"Did you get the bracelet?" he asked eying her wrists.

"Yes, I did and I can't accept it."

He leaned close to her smiling, "I told you, it's yours. Don't insult me by trying to return it. I was hoping you'd be wearing it."

"I can't accept something so expensive. Why would you spend that much money?" she scolded gently.

He stared into her eyes, "Because I'm rich and you're priceless. I can afford it."

She blushed at his compliment even if she knew it was nothing more than a pick-up line. It felt like he was becoming really serious about wooing her and she wasn't about to string him along.

"Blaise, I will be giving you back that bracelet. I can not and I will not accept it."

He sighed, "Why don't you just wear it once? If you still want to give it back then I'll accept."

She shook her head adamantly.

"No and just so we're clear. I can't be bought."

He looked confused and a bit hurt.

"I'm not trying to buy you Hermione. I just saw how much you wanted it and it made me feel good to buy it for you."

She looked at him wearily trying to guess if he was telling the truth or not. She didn't trust him at all but she also wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. She hoped she would be able to find the bracelet or else she would have to come up with five galleons. As if sensing her thoughts the box fell down on the table in front of them making them both jump back.

Draco stepped around in front of them glaring at Blaise. He put both palms on the table and leaned in towards him. There were only three other people in the room besides themselves but all eyes were on the blond and the brunette.

"Since you didn't get my message the first time I'll say it again," he nodded to her his voice low and menacing, "She is mine."

Blaise stood up and leveled with him his fists balling at his sides.

"Since when? Before or after you constantly insult and demean her? She doesn't belong to you. She's not your property."

Draco's expression chilled and he leaned back, "And you are supposed to be her white knight in shining armor rescuing her from big bad Draco?" he shook his head disgusted, "You'd do and say anything to make a score."

Blaise's mouth set into a hard scowl, "You weren't even interested in her until I was."

She stared at them astonished that they were discussing her like she wasn't even there and pissed off that Draco was treating her like one of his possessions. She stood up angrily.

"I am not some non-entity that needs my fate to be decided by either of you," she poked Draco in the chest, "And I am not something that you own!"

He stumbled back startled. She opened her mouth to say more when she heard Snape's drawl behind her, "Will you three take your seats and save the theatrics for another day," he glanced scornfully at them all, "and preferably another class."

Blaise whispered to her, "I apologize Hermione," before he hurried to his desk. Draco slowly moved to his seat watching him closely. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and glanced at Snape hoping he hadn't exactly heard what they were arguing about.

Everyone began to file into class and take their seats. Harry sat beside her looking as if he hadn't slept in ages.

"Harry, what's wrong?" she looked him over concerned.

He looked at her tiredly, "The voice. It was much stronger last night than it's ever been. I couldn't go back to sleep so I just sat up."

Her eyes widened, "You haven't been to sleep at all?"

He shook his head solemnly, "I couldn't. Every time I closed my eyes I could hear it," he looked at her helplessly, "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

She put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"We'll figure it out Harry. I promise."

Snape cleared his throat getting everyone's attention.

"This week we're going to focus on counter-attacks to curses," he cast an annoyed look at Harry then eyed the box on the table, she hadn't even realized it was still there, "Who's is that?"

Harry looked at the box for the first time and shrugged while shaking his head. Snape turned to her sneering.

"This is neither the time nor the place for hook-ups."

A few people snickered at her and Harry. She lowered her eyes and grabbed the box, "It's Blaise's. He left it here," she said pathetically wishing her seat could swallow her whole.

Snape snapped his head to Blaise, "If it's yours come get it. We've wasted enough time already."

Blaise reluctantly retrieved the box and returned to his seat. Snape then turned to Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy you have detention tonight."

Draco snapped his gaze from Hermione to stare wide eyed at Snape.

"What?" he exclaimed in shock.

Snape eyes lowered, "One more word and I'll deduct house points."

Everyone stared in awe at the exchange. No one had ever seen Snape reprimand Draco and certainly not threaten to deduct points from his own house, what was worse was no one knew why. If he was punishing him for the argument at the start of class why wasn't he also giving her and Blaise detention?

She watched Draco stare in shock at Snape who ignored him and began to teach the class as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. Harry was completely awoke now and looking at her questioningly. The class was deathly silent not knowing how to handle a Snape who seemed to have just turned on his own house.

Throughout the rest of class she watched Draco's expression turn from one of shock and confusion to one of cool tamed anger. She could almost feel the effort it took for him not to say anything. He'd glared at Snape as if he wanted hit him.

When class was over she noticed that Draco didn't move from his seat. She assumed he was going to confront Snape about his detention. She'd headed down the hall with Harry and Ron when Seamus Finnigan had ran around the corner shouting.

"Hey, everybody! There's a lot of parents in the Great Hall! They're all threatening to take some of us home!"

Everyone looked at each other for a moment before rushing to the Great Hall to find out if Seamus was telling the truth. Many kids were already standing in the doorway and she, Harry, and Ron pushed their way through to find Dumbledore and many of the other teachers in front of a hoard of parents who were angrily shouting.

"What the bloody hell's going on?" Ron said.

She shook her head speechless. She'd never seen anything like it. Dumbledore waved his arms trying to calm everyone and despite the situation he didn't look the least bit perturbed. He had the perfect calming manner. McGonagall stood beside him staring disapprovingly at the upset parents. They seemed to be completely oblivious to the students in the back watching the whole thing.

"Please, please. Quiet down everyone!" Dumbledore spoke forcefully and the shouting parents ceased their rambling, "What happened to the Griswald's last night was horrific indeed. We are all grieving for them," he shook his head sadly, "Such fine people did not deserve what happened," he paused briefly with his head bowed before continuing, "This incident in no way jeopardizes your own children lives. If I felt that they were truly in danger I would have sent them home myself as their safety is of the upmost importance."

"If you-know-who strikes again I don't want my kids to be here where I can't protect them!" a man in a long green robe spoke.

"It's best to just shut the school down. Everyone should go into hiding!" a short portly woman with frizzy red hair shouted.

Dumbledore shook his head gravelly. No one else spoke and the hall fell silent waiting for his next words.

"Closing the school is not an option unless it is absolutely necessary," he raised his head regally in a commanding voice, "Times are fierce but we must not cower. Going in hiding would only be admitting defeat," he eyed the frizzy haired woman, "If any of us, heavens forbid, had to meet the same fate as the Griswald's may we be as brave as them but until then life should go on as normal as possible. You have my word that if I suspected Voldemort," many gasped at his use of the word, "of breaching these walls and harming these children the school would be shut down immediately and all of you will be notified."

Many of the parents began to murmur and a small Ravenclaw boy stepped out of the crowd.

"I don't want to go home, mum, I'm safe here!"

The frizzy haired woman turned in surprise as did the other parents.

"Gerald? You're coming home. It's not safe here," she hurried over to the boy and began to talk in hushed tones with him.

Many other students were finding their parents in the mass of protesters and most if not all were pleading to be able to stay. Dumbledore said nothing else and allowed them all to congregate the parents still slightly in a panic. Harry pulled her and Ron to the side his face a mask of worry.

"Who are the Griswald's and what's happened to them?"

A curly blonde haired girl in Hufflepuff heard Harry's questioned and handed him today's Daily Prophet shaking her head, "Bad news," she muttered before walking off. Harry watched her for a moment before focusing on the paper in his hands. He began to read aloud.

"Wizarding Family Slain," he paused to look at their gasping faces, "Last night at midnight cloaked Death Eaters descended upon Andrew and Jane Griswald's modest estate and demanded they join You-know-who's side or perish. The Griswald's put up a fight but were inevitably outnumbered and overtaken by the killing curse. They are survived by their children Malcolm 8, Lisa 5, and Nate 2, who were hid in a secret room in the house during the massacre and are now staying with their grandparents," Harry gripped the paper tightly, "It goes on to discuss who they were and there's little snippets from friends and family."

"Is there a picture?" she asked reaching for the paper.

He handed it to her and she saw two middle aged smiling people amidst three laughing children. She'd never met the people but she felt a pang in her chest and her eyes moisten. She glanced at Ron and Harry's perplexed faces. The war had officially started. So it begins............

Draco strode down the halls bypassing many admiring stares from girls trying to get his attention. He hadn't even looked at a girl in weeks. The only girl that seemed to preoccupy his thoughts was Hermione. He didn't even know what to call what they had but just the thought of her brightened something inside of him. He smiled and a seventh year Ravenclaw grinned thinking it was directed at her. She opened her mouth to say something to him and he walked on by ignoring her.

This morning Hermione had went into his room to get the bracelet back while he'd been in the shower. She'd thought she had him but he'd said accio before she'd left the dorm. There was no way that Blaise was going to continue sending her expensive gifts just to soften her up to his flirtations. If it was up to him he wouldn't even be able to come within 50 feet of her. Despite the fact that last he saw her she was spitting mad at him for staking his claim to Blaise he didn't regret it.

There had only been a few others in class but he was positive that they hadn't heard the topic of conversation and even if they had he couldn't muster up any part of him that cared. Every day she became more important to him and even though he knew that for safety reasons alone they should be discreet the thought that no one but Blaise knew that she was his annoyed him to no end. He knew that if word got back to his father about his odd growing relationship with one-third of the golden trio there would be nothing but hell to pay so for now, for her safety, he would play along. He'd realized a while ago that no one's not even his own father's opinion mattered when it came to what he thought or wanted.

Every day the thought of being called a pure-blood traitor became less and less important which astonished him. For so long he'd been caught up in the identity of being a royal pure-blood of sorts that nothing else mattered. He had been the perfect Slytherin Malfoy heir and now he was questioning it all. Now he was re-evaluating what he wanted and who he was. It wasn't an easy process because it took a while to break a mold that you'd been born into but he was feeling the uneasy shift and he felt caught between duty and loyalty and an ever growing identity that he wasn't even totally familiar with yet.

He stopped in front of Snape's door and knocked roughly and impatiently. He was still miffed about the fact that he had detention and for reasons he still didn't understand. He'd stayed after class this morning to ask his long time mentor and he'd simply said, "Make sure you're on time," before walking out of the class leaving him sitting there alone and more confused than ever.

"Come in," Snape's voice sounded on the other side of the door.

He opened the door and stepped in. Snape was leaning against his desk as if he'd been caught deep in thought. He walked to the front of the class and stood in front of him.

"Before you make me do something completely repetitive and annoying can I at least know why?" he asked curiously.

Since he'd never had detention and certainly not from his favorite teacher he had no way of properly handling the situation. He was completely out of his comfort zone.

"You don't have detention Draco," Snape drawled, "At least not in the traditional sense."

He peered closer at his professor. Snape looked tired and withdrawn as if he would soon be unleashing a heavy burden that he wasn't prepared to share.

"Then why am I here?" he questioned.

Snape stood up from his desk and took in a sharp breath. He reached for Draco's arm before he could do anything and lifted his sleeve. When he saw that his arm was bare he gave a ragged sigh and let him go.

"You don't have the dark mark," Snape said seemingly relieved.

He eyed him suspiciously, "Are you disappointed?"

Snape's eyes became uncharacteristically weary as he watched him.

"You have no idea of the burden that comes with carrying the mark of death on you. You should be glad that you don't have it."

Draco took a step back. Snape had been at a few of the Death Eater meetings he'd attended during the summer and he'd been nothing short of vicious now he was speaking to him as if being a Death Eater was a terror instead of a joy. He'd always put Snape in the same category as his father as he was a close family friend but now he felt himself doubting.

"Are you questioning your oath to the Dark Lord?"

He was on the offensive. He had no idea if he could trust Snape with how he truly felt. He'd never seen him be anything but loyal to the 'cause'.

Snape sighed, "I have seen you as more than a student Draco. I have often seen you as a son and because of that I am going to trust you. In these times that is not easy to do not even with the people you are closest with," he stopped in thought before speaking again, "I am not loyal to Voldemort I don't think I've ever been."

Draco stared stunned at the man in front of him. Snape not loyal to Voldemort? It was almost too much to handle. All his life he'd known Snape was as passionate about things as his father was now he was standing here telling him that he all he knew to be true was wrong.

"I am a discreet member of the Order. I want to stop Voldemort and his followers not help them."

Draco leaned into the desk behind him trying to digest the information he'd been given, "Why are you telling me this?"

"You do understand that if what I've told you leaves this room I am a dead man," Snape said more as a statement than a question.

Draco nodded, "You haven't answered my question. Why are you telling me all of this? How do I know you're not testing me to see if I'm loyal?"

Snape not being a blind Voldemort follower was too good to be true. He couldn't trust it just yet he had to weigh the situation.

"Narcissa is worried about you. She said she overheard your father talking about you receiving your mark. She sought out my solace, she is the only person other than Dumbledore, and now you, that knows who I really am," Snape scrutinized him his eyes deadly serious, "She wants you to join the Order."

The request seemed to drop like a bomb in the room. He'd never for once thought about joining the Order the entire idea had never even been a possibility to him. Just by having this discussion he knew that he and Snape were in grave danger and the older man watched him wearily unsure of how he felt and what he'd say. He still felt uneasy about trusting him even though he felt he could. One wrong move and he could be dead and he wouldn't doubt if his father would be the one to deal the final blow.

He decided to go with the safe bet for now. If his father had sent Snape to prove his loyalty and he responded incorrectly he would have to go into hiding and recoup a stream of events he wasn't in the least prepared to do at the moment.

"You're a traitor and you want me to trust you? You want me to join the Order?" he feigned incredulity, "My mother would never ask that of me."

Snape sighed and lowered his head as if defeated. He looked back up looking ten years older than he was.

"Whatever you decide...whatever you feel....my fate is in your hands. If you let your father or any of the rest of the Death Eaters feel that I am not loyal to Voldemort they will kill me without a second thought and the Order will have lost a much needed insider."

"You've been working with Dumbledore this whole time?" Snape nodded, "Even this past summer?"

He nodded again and his eyes reflected what he knew was in his. Torture. Death. Barbaric killings. Not only had Snape been a witness he'd been an active participant. Could he really be like himself? Was he to be trusted?

"How is my mother?"

Snape's face lightened slightly with a twinge of a smile.

"She's essentially Narcissa but like I said she's terribly worried about you. She's desperate she doesn't want you to ruin your life."

"Who says I'm ruining my life?"

Snape eyed him coolly, "Do you really think this is the right path? You really enjoy killing people who weren't even aware that people hated them for their non-magic abilities to begin with? Do you want Voldemort to take over the world so you can you worship him in everlasting glory?" he spit out the words with calm venom, "I'm not going to push you into making a decision, hopefully you are already questioning what you've been taught as right all these years if not, I guess this is one of the last times we'll speak," he motioned towards the door, "You are dismissed."

He stared at Snape perusing him before finally leaving the classroom. The trek down the hall was a long one and he was completely immersed in his thoughts contemplating what to do. Everyday his reality and view of the world changed just a little bit more, tonight it had completely shifted with Snape's confession, 'if he can be trusted,' he thought wryly. Snape had seemed entirely sincere but trust was something he wasn't accustomed to feeling especially after someone had revealed themselves to be an entirely different person than he thought they were.

"Draco!"

He looked up and saw Cynthia Drew. He hadn't seen or thought of her since she'd invited him to her room weeks prior and he wasn't interested in seeing her now. She moved in front of him completely blocking his walk-way.

"Is there something you want?" he asked impatiently.

She nodded pouting, "I want you. I haven't heard from you in a while and you didn't accept my invitation."

He resisted rolling his eyes and looked over her shoulder. Blaise was watching them interestedly.

"If you'll excuse me," he said trying to get around her.

She blocked him as he tried to move and he stared down at her irritated. She looked completely oblivious to the fact that at the moment he wanted her nowhere near him because she continued to pout and flirt.

"With all the commotion going on I'm sure we can find a nice quiet place somewhere," she puckered her lips suggestively and he had to restrain himself from showing his disgust with her.

"What commotion?" he asked stupidly.

She rolled her eyes as if he'd asked the dumbest question possible.

"In the Great Hall. There have been parents coming in and out all day," she peered at his confused expression, "You didn't know?"

"No, I didn't. I'm not allowed to go to the Great Hall," he impatiently ran his hands through his hair and tried to walk around her again and she stopped him twirling a hair between her fingers.

"I almost forgot about your punishment. I can't believe you're in trouble for fixing Blaise about that mudblood," she exclaimed astonished before giving him a lewd once over, "Some kids may not be here after the day's over. We should be able to pick up from there."

Kids weren't going to be here?

"What are you talking about? Why are parents in the Great Hall?"

She shook her head in amusement, "You really are on punishment. The Death Eaters struck last night killing a family who refused to join the cause. All those parents are in there crying and whining about their pathetic children. They think you-know-who is going to sneak into the school and eat everyone in their sleep," she scoffed haughtily.

His mind was focused on what she'd just said. Death Eaters had struck a wizarding family. He knew his father had been there not that this would've been his first time killing someone. Lucius Malfoy was well acquainted with death and dealing it out to those he thought unworthy of living. His father had not informed him of the attack and he wondered what his next meeting would entail.

They were onto the wizarding world now. Voldemort must be getting really impatient or even more cocky than he already was. If the Ministry suspected him of being a part of the killings he'd most definitely pull him out of school and try to force him into hiding with him.

"So are you coming?"

He refocused on Cynthia's nagging voice.

"What?"

She rolled her eyes dramatically again, "Are you coming tonight? It'll be the perfect time," she whispered hopefully.

"No, I'm not."

He stepped around her without saying anything else and continued down the hall. He could hear her small gasp of surprise at being turned down by none other than Draco Malfoy. It'd probably take months for her self-esteem to return to normal.

Blaise leaned against a wall with his arms crossed having watched the entire interaction. Draco was prepared to ignore him just this once but his smug smirk was one he couldn't resist replying too.

"What the hell are you so happy about Zabini?"

Blaise shrugged, "You're an ass-hole."

He blinked, "Repeat that?"

He shrugged again, "You heard me the first time. You want to go around staking your claim on Hermione and then flirt with Cynthia. You're an arse."

Draco glanced behind him at a still pouting Cynthia and back at Blaise.

"I told you that you could have that whore, I could care less. As far as Hermione is concerned, I meant what I said. You stay away."

Blaise pushed off of the wall to stand upright in front of him.

"What if that's not what Hermione wants? You heard her this morning, she's not your possession."

He clenched his fists his eyes becoming dark.

"Go ahead and test me again Blaise but if you send one more gift or ask her out on one more date, it's over."

Blaise scoffed, "What are you going to do? Hex me?" his gaze lost its intensity, "So I was right to begin with."

"Right about what?" he grit out he was so annoyed he could barely stand.

Blaise smiled knowingly, "About you and Hermione. No wonder you're not interested in Cynthia you're too hung up on the brave Gryffindor," he looked astonished, "Amazing."

"Screw you Blaise."

He began to walk off and Blaise hurried to keep up beside him.

"If you really care about her maybe I'll forgive you for hitting me."

"If you don't get out of my face I'll hit you again," he growled.

Blaise chuckled, "I never thought I'd see the day. You know instead of fighting one of your bestest and oldest friends all you had to do was tell me."

He glanced at Blaise the thought never occurring to him not even now. He could tell that he was trying to rekindle their friendship but he still didn't trust him around Hermione. He didn't trust any guy around her.

"Now you know, so you can give that bracelet to whatever bimbo you're shagging tonight."

Blaise laughed and went in the other direction. He hurried on to his room wondering about the commotion in the Great Hall. He could vaguely hear loud talking but wasn't in the mood to satisfy his curiosity. His mind was weighed down with the burden that Snape had so kindly given him. Hermione wasn't anywhere around and he assumed she must be apart of the chaos erupting in the Great Hall.

He stepped into his room and nearly jumped when he heard a distinct, "Ahem." He walked over to the fireplace and saw his father staring impatiently back at him.

"It's about time you showed up."

He stared at his father wondering if he'd tell him that he passed Snape's test. He waited for the nod of approval but never got it.

"Things are going to be moving faster than we originally planned. Crabbe and Goyle are recruiting their boys so that they can help you when the time comes."

"When the time comes for what?" he could almost sense whatever his father was going to say and he knew he wouldn't like it.

"Our Lord wants to strike the school first. We need someone to provide as a distraction and you and Severus are not enough."

Strike the school? That meant that hundreds of kids would no doubt be killed. He gazed at his father intently.

"Voldemort wants to take the school? Why?"

Lucius frowned in distaste at using the name so ordinarily, "Our Lord wants to take the school to signify our power. If Dumbledore falls the rest of the world will follow. I'll explain the details at a later date."

He kept his expression as calm and nonchalant as possible lest his father know how he truly felt.

"You want me to work with dumb and dumber in a plan to take over the school? What if they mess up or do something stupid?" he was hoping his father would find a chink in the plan and convince Voldemort to drop the thing entirely.

His father's mouth curled in a sneer, "Consider them your responsibility. You make sure that whatever task they're given they carry it out otherwise it's on your head and your punishment will be more than severe."

He wasn't exactly sure his father was threatening him with death but even so his words chilled him. Whether or not his father would ever actually really hurt him he knew for a fact that Voldemort would without a second thought. He'd have to find a way to buy himself some more time.

"As you wish Father," he nodded in acquiesce.

"Do not disappoint me."

His father's face disappeared and he struggled to retain his appall. Killing adults was one thing but he expected him to go along with a plan that would not only endanger but kill children? The line had been unconsciously drawn for him. It was obvious that Snape was telling the truth now. He would have to go to him and tell him that he would join the Order. It was the only choice.

(A/N) I think it's been like two days since I updated, sorry about that. I've had school and I've been a little sick. Once again I want to thank anyone who has reviewed and read the story. You have no idea how much you are all appreciated.

I think the story is gonna get a little bit darker from here on out, not too much though, just as a warning. Hope you all continue to enjoy. :-)