Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus

Draco awoke with a start. He felt his cold wet shirt stick to him as his chest heaved up and down. He'd had another nightmare and when he came to he realized he wasn't in his room. He was on a dark green couch and an old dusty ceiling filled his field of vision. His heavy breaths were the only sound in the room. His heart skipped a beat when he felt eyes on him.

He reached for his wand but didn't find it, then his knife but it was gone too. It was then that he remembered what he'd done. He turned to his side and saw him. He was standing there pointing Draco's own wand at his heart. Draco sat up slowly, swinging his long legs back down to the floor and watched silently, waiting for Potter to make the first move.

"I should kill you," the boy in the round glasses and messy hair said, "I could do it and I wouldn't lose sleep at night for as long as I lived." In the darkness it was hard for Draco to make him out clearly but he could see enough. The lightning bolt scar Potter was famous for, the wild out of control hair Draco had learned to hate, it was a sign of how different they were to each other, and the lanky outline of Potter. He wasn't as weak as Draco had thought. He'd learned that he shouldn't underestimate his enemies.

Draco was almost panting, his heart still racing from the nightmare he'd had. He ran a hand over his hair and smoothed it back. "I believe you Potter, I wouldn't blame you."

"I'm not going to though," Potter said almost like Draco had laughed at him. He stepped away from the door he'd been leaning against and walked two steps towards him. "But if you cross us, if you do something to hurt them or anyone else I care about I'll do a lot worse than kill you." Potter had pointed Draco's wand to the ceiling.

He didn't mean to say it but he had made him remember the torture, the pain, and the humiliation. "There's nothing you can do to me that hasn't already been done." Draco looked away and stood. He walked to the side of the couch trying to regain his composure. "Nonetheless, I would expect nothing short of death for betrayal." Draco sighed as he neared a window. From the other side of the fabric shielding them from the outside world he could see silhouettes of men. Maybe two or three. They were still there, waiting. Draco turned slightly needing for Potter to know. "I'm not out to get you Potter, or them..."

There was silence for a while when no one spoke but the heaviness of the situation was weighing on them both. "What happened to you?" Potter said taking another step forward. "What was your punishment for not-" he stopped, probably unable to continue or unable to care.

Draco didn't want to look at him. He was afraid of what he'd see.

"You don't have to tell me," he heard Potter say. Draco felt a million miles away. "I can imagine." But his words were too light, too dismissive. Draco had failed to kill Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard that had ever lived. Of course he had failed, who wouldn't have? Severus Snape had an inside advantage. But he? The Dark Lord had known all along he'd fail.

"No, you probably can't.," Draco snapped. "He doesn't just torture you with curses. He get's into your dreams, your thoughts, everything you are." Draco spun around taking a step forward, "I would take hours of the Cruciatus curse over watching the many creative ways he could kill my mother or the heavy threats, the taunts from people you thought loved you. Have you ever been stalked by Nagini Potter? How about heard the Death Eaters talk in detail about what they would do to Granger if they had her?" Potter's jaw clenched and his hand tightened around the wand but he didn't point it at Draco. "I had to learn to go around with a smile on my face because if they thought I didn't want to hear all of their disgusting perverted plans, they'd go to him and he'd make me see it for myself. You can't imagine for one second what they did to me. The things he made me do-" Draco choked back his words.

He hadn't meant to say it all but it had just come out. As long as he was talking he figured he'd let it all out. "I sacrificed everything to make sure those things they planned don't come true. You don't have to believe me or trust me but at least give me the chance to prove I'm not the same idiot who made your life hell."

"I've already given you the chance," he said. Potter looked down at Draco's hands which were shaking. His eyes moved to the one that had held Granger's. It was almost glowing with the faint scars of the vows he had made. "In my haste to secure your secrets I put her in danger."

"She didn't make any vows," Draco said but Potter shot him a glare that stopped Draco short.

Potter took a few steps forward. "If you break your vows and you die, she won't blame anyone but herself." He half turned and stopped for a second. "I'm not the person you have to convince to trust you." He stepped over to the couch and placed Draco's wand and knife on it. He didn't say anything else before walking away.

Draco briefly turned to look at the dusty ceiling, momentarily seeing Granger sitting on a couch with Weasley's arms around her, consoling her and telling her what a git Draco was. He hadn't thought about what this meant for her. She had threatened his life first after all. He figured she didn't care if he broke his vows so long as they were safe.

He grabbed his wand and knife and felt a lot more confident. He could do this. He'd been preparing for months for this moment or something like it. He never imagined he'd confront them personally, the Golden Trio. He thought he'd break away somehow from the dark side and run into someone like Arthur Weasley. He could bet his life that he was in the Order. His father had only ever spoken cruel things about the man but Draco still remembered the brawl oh so many years ago in the book store. Arthur Weasley had stood up for Muggle rights and Potter. He'd defended them so fiercely that his father's personal vendetta had grown exponentially.

He thought he'd try to convince him and if he had Arthur Weasley convinced of his loyalties then the rest of the order would follow. In reality he had jumped to the front of the line. If he managed to get on Potter's good graces then he was in all the way, right?

I'm not the person you have to convince to trust you. Granger. What was the way to Granger's good graces? The Weasley boy? Everyone knew she harbored a deep seeded crush for the red headed freak. It's all anyone talked about for the past few years. He'd seen her moping around during prefect duties himself. It was almost comical how much he avoided her during those times and they'd always end up doing prefect duties together. He'd make sure to have three floors separating them but even back then he knew she was special.

Special in a way that made his stomach turn. He had known they'd all be doing something important, but this, he looked at the hand that had held hers, this took it to a whole other level.

He sat on the couch and rested his head on the untouched and unvowed hand. The weight of the realization was sinking in. He was in the Order's headquarters. One set of stairs, not three, separated him from three people who would rather see him burned at the stake than try to find a way to extinguish the flames.

Potter had said he'd already given him a chance. When Weasley had begged for them to leave, abandon Draco, Potter had taken his offer of the vows. What exactly had Potter seen the night of Albus Dumbledore's murder? He wondered if he'd seen Draco's hesitation, that moment when Draco had wanted more than anything to trade his life and safety for that of his parents. The promise of a different life had seemed too good. Had the hesitation been enough? Or had Potter seen something else?

Draco suddenly felt sick. He rushed up the stairs and turned into the room he had seen when he'd been exploring. He found the toilet and let out months of stress and panic leave his body in that days breakfast. He realized he hadn't eaten anything since leaving the manor. He clutched the porcelain and tried not to think if the trio could hear him. He continued until he could only dry heave. When there was nothing else for him to do he rested his head against the cold surface of the tub next to the toilet. He closed his eyes and tried to breathe normally.

He remembered how often he'd been in this exact same position. He had done this a few times in the prefects bathroom but the fear of being caught by another prefect had made him seek out a more solitary place. A place he could be weak and not be judged by an overprotective parent, an insane aunt, or a nosy teacher.

He remembered being caught by the very same boy that had just threatened to do more than kill him. He had almost succeeded that day as well. If it hadn't been for Severus he'd be nothing more than a rotting body buried six feet deep.

Potter had seen the stupid little boy. He wasn't so sure he wasn't him anymore.

There was a knock on the door and he stood up abruptly. He flushed the toilet and dried his sudden wet hands on his pants. Another knock came and he realized he was just standing there, unable to move.

"Malfoy, open the door." It was Granger and she sounded small, almost nervous. He pushed past his own demons and reached for the handle. When he swung the door open he saw her standing there, circles under her blotchy eyes and a red nose. She'd been crying.

He wondered if he looked similar but he avoided turning to see himself in the mirror.

"I couldn't avoid noticing that you um...were sick." His stomach turned again and he leaned against the sink. "I only packed for Harry, Ron and I so I couldn't very well give you one of our toothbrushes but I found a pencil and I managed to transfigure it." Her hands had been crossed but when she unfolded them she revealed a nearly perfect toothbrush. It still had an eraser at the end. He hadn't actually held a pencil ever but he had seen one in Diagon Alley in a shop that specialized in muggle items. His mother had scolded him for being curious and taunted muggles and their silly pen contraptions. He wondered why there was one in the Black's house, a house he knew to be very anti muggle.

"Normally when someone does something nice for someone else, the person usually thanks them." Ah there was the Granger he knew. She shoved the toothbrush at him again and reached behind her. There was a package of toothpaste in her hand that she also shoved his way.

The hand holding the toothpaste was the hand that had made him make those vows. It was glowing much like his. He stared at it briefly before taking the items from her. He wondered if she could still feel the hot golden strands around her hand like he did.

"Thanks," he said trying not to sound awkward but he was failing miserably. "I apologize if I woke you."

"Wow, a thank you and an apology all in one sentence. I didn't think I'd live to see the day, how does it taste like Malfoy?" He wasn't sure but he could almost see her spirits lifting? Did she like tormenting him?

"Like vinegar," he responded seeing the quickest of grins and then what he thought had been a smile was replaced with a scowl.

"When you're done," she placed her hands on her hips and squared her shoulders, "I want a word. Down the hall, last room on the left. We need to talk." With that she turned and left. He leaned over the threshold and watched her enter the room she had specified. He wasn't sure if he wanted to meet her. He wondered what she'd do if he never showed up?

He signed almost involuntary and begin to brush his teeth. He wouldn't avoid her. Not if she was the one he needed to convince of his loyalties. And especially not if she was the one seeking him out. He finished quickly and left the toothbrush and toothpaste in the bathroom. His wand, his knife and that toothbrush were the only things to his name. He could wash and even transfigure the clothes on his back but other than those three things, Draco Malfoy had nothing. He was nothing. Not a student of Hogwarts, not a death eater. He no longer saw blood when he was in the presence of others.

His blood, their blood. It was all the same. He'd seen enough of his own to know the only difference was their thoughts. He'd done enough evil with his hands to know true monsters laid seed in the brain and not the veins.

He stood outside the door of the room Granger was in for more time than he cared to admit. She must have known he was outside but she didn't badger him to come in. She let him go in on his own terms. All of a sudden this wasn't a meeting she had demanded, it was a mutual gathering.

He walked in and saw her sitting on a plush chair pushed into the corner. There was nothing else in the room except this one chair and a few feathers strewn across the floor. They looked like bird feathers but much too massive to be any regular bird. An image of a gigantic chicken kicking him suddenly clouded his memories.

"Buckbeak," he heard Granger say as he remembered the stupid hippogriff from third year. "I believe you've met."

"Yeah, it broke my arm in two places." Draco's arm gave a twitch almost like it remembered the pain.

"Madam Pomfrey had you fixed up in two hours yet you pretended to be hurt just so Hagrid would lose one of the animals he loved the most-"

"That's not why," Draco tried not to sound defensive but the two steps he had taken her way and the way his voice had lifted someone would think they were arguing about something other than a flying chicken.

"Then why?" Granger stood and crossed her arms. She had a fierce look upon her. That feeling that he often had when he looked at her, like she could chop him up into tiny pieces just for breathing the same air she inhaled enveloped him.

"Because of the bloody status quo," Granger seemed confused, she even dropped her arms to her sides. "I was an idiot back then. I thought I needed to level out the scales or something. Potter had ridden that bloody turkey like he'd ridden a broom the first time. Everything just seemed to come so easy to him and nobody cared that what he does so naturally, others – me, takes every bit of concentration to complete. I wanted to make sure he knew there were consequences to his behavior. I wanted him to suffer so yeah I startled the hippogriff but I never meant for it to be sent off to be killed. At most I wanted Potter to watch his friend be sad that he had to get rid of it and know that it was because of him."

"It would have been because of you," she said a bit deflated. He hadn't expected that. He had seen her angry and explosive in his minds eye when telling her. "Hagrid wouldn't have blamed Harry, he never did. You couldn't just leave it alone. It even gave you pleasure to know that Buckbeak was going to be killed, or don't you remember? You make a good punching bag Malfoy."

"There was nothing I could do at that point. I was 13 years old and Potter was finally getting his. I didn't even understand what it would mean."

"And I'm supposed to believe you do now?" Granger stepped a bit closer. He could see her freckles and the light shining from behind her through the window made her glow a bit. She looked dangerous. "You know the difference between life and death now?"

"I do," he nearly growled. An image of Gibbon appeared in his mind. Then one of his aunt ratting him out to the Dark Lord and how he had grimaced at the conversations the others were having. Her laughing while the Dark Lord tortured him. Of Peter Pettigrew stroking his new arm and looking away while Draco convulsed and begged for mercy. Of his hands...his own hands. He'd kill them all when he was given the chance.

Whatever Granger had been doing while he was lost in his thoughts he'd never know but when he came back down she was looking at him strangely. They'd never been so close or so tense except for the time she had hit him so hard he had almost lost his balance.

"Where are your parents?" A sudden panic wafted through him and he stumbled a bit backwards. It must have been the magic from the vows. He had sworn to answer all the questions they asked about his family and the Death Eaters but he feared what they would do with information about his parents.

"I honestly don't know," Draco said looking down almost whispering, "my mother didn't tell me. We took off at the same time, separate directions. I didn't even speak to my father. I-I haven't spoken to him since..."

"Since?" She asked carefully.

"Since he and the others were broken out of Azkaban. He was there when-," Draco turned around prepared to run for the bathroom again but he breathed in deeply and tried to finish. "When I was punished. I don't know where they would go."

"Do you own any other properties," she could have asked more about the punishment but she didn't. "Maybe there's a place they mentioned before and you just don't remember?"

"Maybe," Draco said turning back around, "the Dark Lord would know of our other properties, they wouldn't go to any of them and my parents rarely spoke about places we didn't own. They could be on the moon for all I know."

She nodded. He wondered if she had asked out of curiosity or because his parents whereabouts truly mattered to her. Perhaps she was just testing him to see if he'd break his vows this early.

"I asked you here because I heard your conversation with Harry." She crossed her arms again and tried not to meet his eye, "Everything, including the bit about me."

"I didn't know what doing this would mean for you and if it's too much we can try to find a way-"

"What? A way out?" She laughed and stepped away going over to the window. Again he felt a bit of panic at her brazen behavior. Could anyone outside see her? "I don't want a way out Malfoy. I let it go with Harry because he's just looking out for me but I want you to understand you don't intimidate me." She turned and glared at him. "If you break your vows it'll be because you're a coward, not because I bound you to me. Not making you turn yourself into Voldemort wasn't proof of our mercy, it only means you ARE a lot more valuable to us alive than dead."

"How does that make you better than him? If he knew I was here he'd use me for information on you and then kill me. Is that what you're saying? As soon as I'm not valuable anymore you'll find a way to get rid of me?" She seemed shocked at his words but then she was right in front of him pushing him with her small hands.

"How dare you! We are nothing like him-" he grabbed her wrists and held her in place. A fire inside him broke out and he knew he could do it. He could turn her around and break her neck, he could push her so hard she'd die on impact with the ground. He could do it.

"I risked it all and you're telling me it was so I could go from one hell to another?!" Draco could see the tears rimming her eyes as he shook her. "I'll tell you everything you want to know, every last detail but I'm sick of the threats. I'm quite familiar with them now. The reminder of what a vile foul creature I am. I'm trying to help you goddamit!"

She broke down but he couldn't let go. His hand was burning bright and so was hers. A sharp pain was traveling through his body and he tried not to panic.

"Am I hurting you?" He groaned. They were both breathing rapidly. He could feel shocks of electricity and static fill the inside of his head.

She stopped crying for a second to look at him. His eyes closed and he felt what he could only describe as a tiny prick near his heart.

"N-no," she whispered, "Malfoy are you okay?"

He breathed heavily and managed to let go of her. The prick was gone but the reminder of how close he had been to hurting her and breaking his vow loomed over him. He walked around her and sat down on the chair she had just used.

"What just happened?" She whispered turning in her spot instead of going over to him.

"Never hurt anyone on our side," he rubbed his hands together and stared up at her as the realization dawned on her. "You must have felt something because I definitely did. It was like someone was pointing a spear at my heart waiting for you to say yes."

They were quiet for minutes or hours he wasn't sure. He could hear his heart beating fiercely and he was hyper aware of her movements. He wasn't sure what time in the night it was or how long he had slept before Potter had woken him with his presence but he thought that maybe it was around three am. He was exhausted and aware all at the same time.

"Things can't get out of hand like this anymore," she said what he felt was years later but in reality maybe only fifteen minutes. "I've made this commitment, we need you no matter what the circumstances of our past. We're on a mission and your past with the Death Eaters, with Voldemort, even the ancient magic that surrounds your family; will be beneficial to our search. Harry knows it. He must know other things too because when I asked he refused to tell me and I'm not sure it's for my sake."

"You think he genuinely wants to help me?" Draco said knowing how sarcastic it sounded. A real question masked in years of prejudice.

"I don't know and I don't care," she said not sounding at all untruthful. "I meant what I said, you don't intimidate me but I'm also not going to sell you out for our gain. For that you'd have to earn our wrath. We don't just give it out for the status quo."

Draco looked away ashamed. He knew he'd regret that story.

"Ron will be a different story. To him you're still the traitor, the spoiled brat, the Death Eater. The only difference between Harry, Ron, and I is that Harry and I don't care about those things right now. Not when there are things to gain from you. We won't dump you if you don't give us a reason to."

Draco ran a hand over his dark mark and wished with all of his might that it would be gone. It had burned, sometimes uncontrollably so, since leaving but his year with it had taught him how to ignore it.

"Like I said, this can't happen again. With him or Harry or me. My own words have backfired on me."

"You only hit when you're provoked?" He asked. He stood and watched her take a step forward.

"Are you mocking me?" She smiled gently, something he thought she'd never do in his presence. Maybe she did enjoy tormenting him.

"Maybe I'd like to see if you still have a good hook, after all, it's not against the rules for you to hurt me."

"Like I said," she whispered slowly and dangerously, "you have to earn our wrath."

"Mudblood," he taunted her. The word came so easily but the satisfaction it once gave him was gone.

"And proud of it," she hissed. He walked around her sizing her up. She followed him, only turning her head. Always keeping an eye on him.

"Know it all," he smiled when she laughed.

"You can do better than that Malfoy."

He stopped in front of her and stared her down slowly, starting her from her shoes, up her pants, across the plane of her chest which was heaving rapidly. He tilted his head when he came upon her neck and jaw. The muscles tight and stressed. Her lips in a straight line and her eyes narrowed.

"Virgin," he had enough time to tense when her fist hit his arm so hard it was close to the feeling of being hit by bludger. "Hit a nerve I see." He rubbed his arm. It wasn't worse than being hit in the face and the feeling of victory made it sting less.

"I'd love to see you bring that attitude with Ron. He hits a lot harder." She was fuming but the image was all too real. He would have to watch himself. He wouldn't be able to defend himself against the Weasley boy. He'd croak right as the first punch was delivered.

"Would he do it on purpose?" The sudden realization shocked him. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"What?" Granger was confused, he could see it. But he remembered all those times he had bullied the red headed boy and his entire family. He even recalled calling his mother a fat cow once.

"Would Weasley provoke me? On purpose knowing I can't do anything about it?" He ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes. He'd been the reason Weasley had spit out slugs. He'd set off a sparkler in one of his potions that had gone off during one of Snape's classes and he had received 1 week detention. He had abused and bullied the girl he was clearly in love with.

"No," Granger said, "he wouldn't do that..."

Draco glanced at her but she didn't look so sure.

"I'll talk to him."

They were quiet again but this time Draco couldn't help the pull towards sleep. He wanted to find a corner in the house and curl up until noon even though he knew that wouldn't be possible.

"Are we done here?" Draco asked turning to head for the door. "Any threats you missed? Any questions you have?"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. He took that as a sign that they were done.

When he was at the door she stopped him. He didn't even feel her coming up behind him.

"Tomorrow we'll all talk. You'll have to answer a lot of questions." She stood there with a worried expression. They were probably thinking the same thing. It could all go very bad if someone lost their temper.

"I'm surprised it didn't happen today," he said. They'd all sort of went their separate ways after his vows. The adrenaline crash had hit him hard.

"We've all had long days. One major plot twist at a time I think." He nodded and reached for the door. "Use the room on the second floor. Last door before the attic opening. He was a Slytherin and Sirius's brother. I think you'd feel more comfortable there than on the couch next to Mrs. Black's portrait. We'll talk tomorrow."

Draco nodded and head off to the third floor. Having space from Granger made him feel better. He didn't know what had happened but he did know he didn't feel like a boy anymore. They had come to an understanding. He didn't want to die and she didn't want him dead. He knew Potter wanted the same. Whatever mission they were on was more important than school rivalries.

He reached the room with the plaque that read R.A.B and stepped inside. It looked like one of the dorms back at the dungeons. It reminded him of Blaise's room. Always so spirited yet dark and organized. This room also seemed to have been ransacked but for the most part it was still in better shape than the other rooms. He picked up the floor and set things back where he thought they belonged.

He got in the bed and before he knew it he was asleep, haunted by the memories of unforgivable curses and laughing witches.

Meaning of title: Never tickle a sleeping dragon.

I've been working pretty hard on writing this story, even digging into concepts I've never written about before. I hope you all are liking it and if you are please please please leave a review and let me know. I know this is still early on but I have really big plans for this story.

Please leave a review :)

-Maria