I do not own Harry Potter and pleas read the note from Chapter 1. Ignorance is so NOT bliss.

Some of you have sent me messages concerning how you don't like the fact Harry is giving his former friends a chance. I will repeat once again. Those stories you like where Harry just hates them all to me, are a DIME A DOZEN!

I even started making a C2 and went looking for the ones I could remember that were different. Flames of Betrayal is one I would highly recommend. In it he is friends with Ron...

Chapter 47

Issues

To say that Ginny wanted to return home was true. To do it on the arms of the man she loved would be even better. Hence Draco, one of the few Death Eaters, who maintained a business façade, had left to not only check on them. But he had gone to hopefully contact one Harry James Potter.

That was a three days ago.

Getting lost in memories, he remembers an event that has meant a lot to him. So much to the point that his Patronus is a reminder of that moment eveytime he casts it. Much to Ginny's delight, it was a fox...

Once when he had to stop Dean from going to far, he had used an excuse that the red headed woman was with him to help her escape. Sensing that the insane man had been following, the pair had acted like lovers as they returned to her apartment.

In the process of the chatting, the red head had asked him if he would allow her to show him something. Something that was precious and that she wanted kept safe. He found out those secrets that the youngest of the Weaselys held that night. Especially one big one that if Voldemort ever found out.

She would be killed on sight. She was not only for the light as he was, but she had managed to hold on to her reasons for why she had joined the Dark Lord.

Vengeance...

The red head was going to get close to him. Close enough to kill... For Voldemort took away her dreams and being who she was...

Well...it was understandable. For all intents and purposes that last year he was there, it was obvious to many of the growing relationship between the Golden one and the youngest of the Weasely clan.

And although many of Potter's things were destroyed as no one had any use for it. Not all of it was apparently...

It seems Ginny treasures the photo album that was once Potter's with all her heart, and had kept it safe, despite what she had been told to do. Although she in the long run had given in and condemned Harry as the others had done, a part of her could not. Harry was just not to the type to do it. It was why she had even shown it to Draco. The blonde a little surprised that she was trusting him, with the knowledge of what she had, point blank asked her why? Why show it to him?

Her answer is what surprised him.

It's because I trust you Draco.

Trust...it is something that he has not often given or even really been the recipient of. He wants to hold it and never let go. At once you might have thought of his closeness to the red headed woman as love, but it wasn't. They were more like brother and sister now then boyfriend and girlfriend,

So now he was hoping to return that trust she had given him, and find Harry for her. Ginny does not need to be with the Death Eaters at all. She is a good young woman who takes far too many risks to protect those who are targeted by their ever loving master. Twice she has head to transfigure the bodies of the pets or of those already killed to protect children.

These children whom were targeted simply because they were Muggleborn... It was through him, despite his belief that she had managed to get the money to send them and the rest of their family who survived to a safer location. In one case the mother, although she had been raped and beaten, had told Ginny that should she need some place to hide others to come and find her.

Ironically the woman ran an Abuse shelter in the Muggle world and had a network of people muggle and wizard alike to hide the victims from those who would kill them.

Through her, Ginny and Draco had continued to fake the deaths or beatings of some people, to get them to safety through this brave woman.

It has been like that for quite some time.

Now as he wanders through Diagon Alley he hopes to find someone, anyone from that meeting who is close to Harry Potter. Well closer then most of the others...

He knows not to bother with Dumbledore himself, or even Weasely and Granger for they had burned their bridges years ago. But according to the rumors that were spread, he had three he could possibly look for. Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks and Fleur Delacourt...

All three according to the rumors may have an idea on where Harry is. One of which whom he meets regularly to give information to for the Order...

It is also now the main reason why all three are now marked high on the Dark Lord's list of capture on sight. Hence, it is the reason why he was wearing some of the heavier glamours when out among many people whom had the potential to recognize him. Like his father, he was known to be a death eater, but yet he had enough wisdom unlike said parent to stay out of the more obvious traps.

Draco was no fool... Not only was he going to try to contact Harry Potter, he was going to warn his cousin that he has grown fond of, despite not being able to talk to her as he wishes to.

It was the only way to survive...and considering that at the meeting it was Tonks in association with Remus and the elder of the Delacourt sisters talking about him. He knew he could kill two birds with one stone...so to speak.

Therefore at the moment he was sitting outside Fortescues in Diagon Alley. He watched the passers by with a mixture of boredom and curiosity on his features, when truthfully he was waiting. This was where he was to usually meet with the metamorphagus on the days he was to report to her.

That bar ages ago was in case of an immediate protection for something only the Order could do.

Waiting as he was, he looked up to see a hooded person standing beside him. Laughing at something as he orders ice cream for himself and his companion, Draco pays no notice as the woman with him laughs in amusement and pleasure. Thinking nothing more of them, he can't help but think that voice has arisen in him feelings that he thought were long gone.

Competitive feelings to be precise...

Ones that only had emerged, making him feel alive when Harry was around...it was at that moment, though that the hooded figure had returned and promptly sat across from him. His companion pulled into his lap in playfulness; he notices she is hooded just as much as the male was. Watching in annoyance as she escapes to grab the chair next to Draco, he is about to say it was claimed but instead watches as she pulls it closer to the other person.

"Cut that out..." She giggles. "We have to behave..."

About to make a scathing comment, half ignoring the woman's words, that is when bright green eyes look at him in contemplation.

Silvery blue eyes widening in shock, Draco finds himself staring into the image of his rival.

"Potter...!"

"Malfoy..." The young man spoke quietly. "A friend of ours regrets that she could not come and take your report. So she asked me to come in her place." The former Gryffindor replied.

Just stunned at the fact that Harry has yet to hex him or anything; Draco just sits there in stunned surprise. He had thought it would be a while before he could talk about possibly meeting with his former nemesis. Only to find that it was him sitting in front of him...

Considering the likelihood that this was a fake as Harry would never willingly sit with him... "Tell me...who and what kind of animal did a certain wizard turn me into in our fourth year."

"It was Mad-eye Moody...or should we say Barty Crouch Jr, who turned you into the bouncing ferret during that year because you attempted to hex me while my back was turned."

"It really is you..." Draco replied in shock before anger hits him. "What the hell are you doing out in the open! You do know Voldemort has a price on your head!"

"I know..." Harry said with a sly smile.

"That's why the pride is here with us..." His companion voiced at that time. Whirling to the bright blue eyes looking at him from underneath the hooded shadows of her cloak, which was the moment the multiple sounds albeit faint of growls hit him. Stilling at the footsteps of not one but five men come forward to grab seats at his table.

Draco finds himself staring into the amber eyes of not one but five werewolves. Their power directed towards him, so that he knows of their presence, it shuts off as others become wary and shiver reflexively in fear.

"As you see Malfoy, I am not without aide...and neither will be the ones that I care for, or who in turn come to me for aide."

Despite him wanting to sneer in response, a hint of a smile crosses Draco's lips. "Same old Harry...still have a hero complex don't you."

Chuckling in amusement, Harry nods his head in amusement as Draco is stunned when his companions speak up. Harry's guards for lack of a better term were agreeing with smiles upon their faces. The amber eyes fading now to show speckled versions of their others half's.

"Does he ever!"

"Quite irritating really."

"Pain to look after him!"

Comments such as those shooting back and forth, the blonde man watches as Harry's hand is taken by the other's beside him. Laughter that is soft and definitely female filling the air, as barbs are traded back and forth by Harry and the others. Draco is just stunned by all this change in his rival. He is still the same Golden boy that he remembers...

But there is something different now about him...something that is strong while at the same time...a little frightening.

"You've changed, Potter."

Silent, now the others look to Harry who has gone quiet. "Azkaban can do that to you... But you have changed as well Malfoy. Before you would have not hesitated to try and curse me..."

Somehow the understanding of that statement went clear through to Draco's soul. Reflexively he finds himself looking back at his memories and finding himself nodding his head in agreement. "You're right Potter...we all have changed..." He murmurs, but he is startled a moment later as something starts to glow around Harry's neck. Enough that it gains the attention of the others with a worried look...

"Harry..." Said the voice of the young woman beside him, Draco watches as another hand emerges, from underneath the table. Except upon it is a ring...a kind of ring that a woman hopes to receive only once in her life time. "Harry it's all right..." She murmured over and over, neither her nor Harry noticing the intense stare of Draco's upon the ring finger of her left hand.

"Potter...tell our friend to be careful now as well as the others who were at the meeting with her. Voldemort has them now on his capture on sight list."

"I will...and Draco..."

Startled by the sound of his own name coming from the lips of his former rival, Draco turns around to find a hand being offered out to him. The symbolism of this offer is not lost to Draco who is stunned by this...

"Potter?"

"A clean start Draco..." The dark haired man replied. "A wise man told me that sometimes the best way to forget one's beginning...is with a clean start. Are you up to the challenge?"

A familiar scowl crosses the blonde's features as he takes the offered hand within his own, the dark haired one seems to light up as he shakes it with a smile. "Watch it...Harry. I still don't like you very much."

"Feelings mutual...after all this...quidditch match? Never did find out who the better seeker was." Harry asked. The intent and questioning look in his gaze is nothing but honest and forthright to the young Malfoy Lord. That there was a genuine sneer from way back when crossing his features as he answered.

"Me of course..." The blonde retorted.

"As if!"

Promises of more contests and rivalries to come were in that single handshake that had passed between them. Still as memories of the red head who is more then likely dodging Dean at this very moment, Draco moves to ask something but refrains from doing so. Before he tries to intervene to save her...he must know.

"Harry...who is your lady friend...?" Draco asks. The smallest of the group surrounding him at that moment, moves close to Potter. He almost regrets asking as those emerald eyes stare at him with a quiet and guarded nature.

"To keep her safe, no one you need know at the moment Draco..." Harry stated in such a way as to not press him further.

"I see...Potter..."

"Back to Potter are we...?" Harry chuckles as Draco shoots him a murderous look.

"There is something you should know...something that you should not tell the Weaselys should you come up against us in battle."

"What is it?"

"Ginny...Ginny joined the Dark Lord."