Thanks so much for adding to those who have added this to your favorites, as well as river of the sand, for the helpful reviews. Hopefully, this is long enough for you. I have some other chapters that are almost ready to be added, so keep checking the story out! Hope you enjoy it and I'd love some feedback as well. :)

Chapter 4: Clearing the Air

Draco found that the first two weeks at Hogwarts went much better than he could have ever dreamed. His classmates seemed content to let the past be the past, and they were eagerly welcoming Draco into their lives. Even Neville, who was almost as terrified of Draco as he had been of Snape, was happy to have Draco around. Neville had taken to tutoring Draco in Herbology, and Draco was helping Neville become a better flyer.

Draco found that it was easy to be friendly and natural with all of his classmates, except for Harry Potter. They had been sworn enemies since their first day at Hogwarts some eight years prior, and Draco had done some truly heinous things to Harry and his friends during that time. While Harry was cordial to him, Draco couldn't help but feel that things were unresolved. They had yet to say more than a couple of words to each other since they had returned to school, and Draco couldn't help but feel that he would not be able to move forward with his life until he hurdled his issues with Harry.

Draco had worked hard over the summer to distance himself from his former life and from the reputation that his life gave him. He had been a terrible person, Draco knew that, but he was committed to moving forward and spending the rest of his life trying to make up for it. How could be possibly do that without talking to Harry, the person whom he personally harmed the most? And as much as Draco hated to admit it, the thing holding him back from talking to Harry was fear. Fear that Harry wouldn't hear him out, or that if he did hear him out, Harry would lash out at Draco and make his time at Hogwarts miserable. Begrudgingly, Draco admitted to himself that he was most afraid that Harry would cut ties with him and that Hermione and the others would follow suit. But mostly Hermione.

This was the first time in his life that Draco felt like he actually had friends, not just lackeys who feared him and his father. He couldn't imagine his daily routine not involving these new and unexpected friends. Even Headmistress McGonagall pulled him aside to tell him how impressed and proud she was of him for his transformation, which she hoped was genuine. Being cowardly was what got me in to this mess. Draco realized, I was too cowardly to stand up to my father, and look at where that put me-I'm a reformed Death Eater who's making his first ever friends at the age of 18. Pathetic.

Draco vowed to speak to Harry as soon as he found the opportune time. He found his chance one evening when Harry was on his way back to the Lupin Tower from the library when Draco saw him. Running up to him, Draco yelled, "Harry! Wait up-I've been meaning to speak with you."

Harry look puzzled, but nonetheless stopped. "Is everything alright?" Just like Potter, Draco thought, ready to fix a problem right away.

"Oh, I'm fine. I was just hoping that we could speak for a moment. I feel as though there are some things I need to say to you." Draco looked at his feet, half hoping that Harry would refuse to talk to him and save Draco the embarrassment he was sure to face in their conversation.

"Erm…okay. Let's find a classroom, yes?" Nodding, Draco followed Harry to Professor Flitwick's classroom, and after entering, the boys both sat on desks facing each other. "Right, well, umm…how to say this?" Draco awkwardly began. He was sure that this would be extremely uncomfortable for both of them, but nevertheless, he continued, "I wanted to apologize. For everything. For everything that happened in nearly the decade that I have known you. I was a right wanker, and you had every right to loathe me, and you still have every right to loathe me if you want, but I truly am sorry. I have no idea why you haven't ratted out all of my darkest secrets to our classmates, but I'm grateful that you haven't. I'm sorry my father tried to kill you more than once, and that he gave Ginny the diary, and I'm sorry that I ever let that bastard convince me that following the Dark Lord was the wise move for my life. I'm sorry for being intentionally ruthless and malicious, and I have no idea why you have been nice to me, but I am understand if you want to hate me. But I want you to know-I am doing all that I can to distance myself from my father. I sold our manor and have cut ties with every Death Eater I know. I understand that this doesn't change what I've done, but I feel like I had to tell you this, so that you at least know."

Draco had blurted his speech faster than expected and found himself breathless at the end. A look of comprehension crossed Harry's face. "I appreciate the apology. Truly, I do. And I'm glad that you are making steps to get your life back on track." Harry paused, "But I owe you a great deal of thanks as well. You knew that it was me at your manor. You saw my face and you could have told them that it was me, but you didn't. You saved my life. And for the longest time I had no idea why you did that. Until now. You never liked the side that you were on. You had just about as much of a choice in the matter as I did in opposing Voldemort. And your mother saved me in the forest because she needed to know that you were alive. As much as it might pain me to say this," Harry said half-laughing, "I owe a great deal to the Malfoys."

Draco chuckled, thankful that Harry hadn't lashed out at him. "Don't worry-that can be our little secret."The two boys laughed, and Draco rose and in an unprecedented move between them, extended his hand, "My deepest apologies, Harry. Truly." Harry gladly closed the distance and shook Draco's hand, smiling, "Thank you, Draco. And I think this is the first time that either of us have ever used each other's first names."

Draco laughed in agreement, and the two boys headed for the common room. On the way, Draco mentioned, "You know, if anyone had ever told me that I would live in Gryffindor Tower and actually ENJOY it, I would have thought they had lost their minds."

Harry smiled, "If anyone had told me I'd be on good terms with a Slytherin, I would have assumed they took one too many Bludgers to the head."

The pair entered the common room, and saw that many of their classmates were still awake and doing homework. Harry walked over to Ron and Hermione and joined them in their Potions homework. Draco smiled at the three, and continued up to his dorm room, just being able to hear Ron say to Harry, "Did Malfoy just smile? Merlin's beard, I thought that was impossible for him to do…"

Draco laughed to himself at the comment and realized that he had smiled more in the past two weeks than the rest of his time at Hogwarts combined.

And it was CERTAINLY the first time that one of his smiles didn't come at the expense of one of his classmates. I think this year is going to go quite well, Draco mused to himself. Hell, I might even like it.

Draco climbed into bed, shut his eyes, and immediately drifted into the most peaceful sleep he'd had in years.

Draco woke up early the next morning to a light tapping sound on his window. Slowly, he rolled over and was surprised to see a small black owl fluttering outside the window, staring right at him. Hoping that it didn't wake the others, Draco rose, crossed the room, and opened the window, allowing the bird to come fluttering around the room.

The owl cooed quietly in thanks and flew over to Draco's bed, where she immediately began nibbling at his sheets. Hoping he could make her stop eating his bed, he rummaged through his trunk and found a few treats which he gave to her, before he untied the letter from her leg.

Who wouldn't just send me an owl at morning post like everyone else? And whose bloody owl is this? Immediately free of her letter, the small owl flew out the window and was quickly out of sight. Well, I guess that eliminates the need for a response… Draco unfurled the parchment, and felt his blood run cold.

Written in the menacing script that was a trademark of Voldemort's followers, Draco found himself having to read the message three more times before actually understanding what it said.

Remember the vow you made to the Dark Lord. We will rise again and expect you to rise with us. If you stray from our ranks, the penalty will be more gruesome than you can bear.

Draco suddenly had the feeling that he was going to vomit. His palms were sweaty and he could tell that his face had a sheen of sweat on it. His stomach twisted in knots as he stared at the letter. Who had sent this? What Death Eater was planning another uprising? Draco had honestly believed that he would be rid of the Death Eaters when Voldemort had finally died. And now he was expected to still follow him, even in death? Or maybe Voldemort wasn't really dead? Wouldn't be the first time…Draco shuddered at the thought.

He ran his hands through his hair, trying to think of what he could do. How did a Death Eater know that he was already straying from the cause? Did they even know that, or was this sent to every Death Eater as a rallying message? Draco feared that there might be someone at Hogwarts following him, but who? He was one of the few Slytherins who had returned to Hogwarts. Most of his classmates went to other schools or had completed enough N.E.W.T.s that they didn't need to come back. And of the younger students who had returned, Draco didn't think that he recognized any of their names as children of Death Eaters.

He needed a plan-but how could he possibly form a plan when he didn't know what he was up against? Desperately needing to calm his nerves, Draco headed for the shower. He let the water run over and tried to let it wash his brain as well. He tried to clear his head, to think of anything but what he had just read, but every thought he had went back to the message. More like a warning than a message, Draco thought, starting to panic. He knew he couldn't let the other students know what had happened, especially considering that he didn't know what had just happened.

He had just cleared the air with Harry and denounced his former life, his life as a Death Eater. And now this? Draco had finally felt like he was on the right path-he may never be able to atone for his sins, but he certainly didn't want to keep making them. Was someone outside of Hogwarts expecting him to be an inside man for them? Again? Fear of his father, and of the Dark Lord, had been more than enough motivation for Draco to fulfill his task last time, but now? He wasn't so sure. He was free of his father, and Voldemort was supposedly dead, so who was running the show? And what would happen to him should he refuse to aid the Death Eaters? He thought of his new friends, especially Neville. And Hermione. He couldn't fathom fighting against Neville now-the two had become quite good friends since the start of term.

And Hermione? The thought of betraying her and going back to the Death Eaters made Draco's blood boil. He felt protective over her, even though he knew he had no right to feel that way at all. Pained, he thought of what she would think if she knew about the letter. This has to be a secret, at least until I decide what's going on and what I'm going to do. Life will continue on. Draco decided, at least until I hear something else. I don't want to go back to that life, but until I get more information, everything will stay normal.

Summoning his courage, he left the shower, got dressed, and decided to brave his classmates. I've been spending far too much time with the Gryffindors, he thought with a smirk, I might actually become somewhat brave.