See end for notes.

Draco Malfoy, high security prisoner #1, Death Eater prisoner #394, distantly registered that it was Christmas. The guards outside his cell were cheering and teasing other prisoners in the same corridor as him loudly. He could hear yells of "Hey, filthy! Look what happens when you join Voldie!" followed by the sounds of grunts, kicks and moans of pain.

Moans.

Suddenly, a new voice, a voice he maybe has heard somewhere, a voice he maybe knew shouted:

"Stop!"

"Do we have any use for this useless minister?" Cygnus Black growled, circling around the man bound to chains, stripped of magic and his mind, his privacy, his memories and most importantly, his self-confidence and dignity. "Oh, the irony!" Cygnus laughed mirthlessly at his own words.

He abruptly stopped laughing. "Well, I've got some good news for you." Noticing that the man had not looked up, he halted in his pacing. "We've decided to let you free."

The man looked up at this, his expression held a look of disbelief.

"Ah, I expect you to think so, as I've not exactly been...kind towards you." While speaking, he walked closer to the man.

"But I've one more little gift to give."

Ronald Weasley was nodding off during a meeting in which the leads to where the minister of magic could be were being discussed. The meeting had gone for a total of 3 hours and still they had nothing. The only interesting thing was that he had finished 12 packets of biscuits. His head was drooped low and he it nearly about to fall on the table when a noise made him jerk his head awake.

"Sir! Sir!" A woman entered the meeting room running, banging the door open and stopping breathless in front of the Minister's secretariat, who was giving "logic".

"There's been an explosion at Madam Malkin's. There's a lot of rubble, and even more people buried beneath it. But that's not all - the Aurors have found a hidden basement! The minister could be in it! I've managed to delay them for searching, saying that there might be another bomb down there, as the reporters are there and we have to protect the minister's dignity!" The woman rasped, speaking very vastly. It was clear that she wanted to say more, but the people in the room understood the unspoken better than the spoken.

Ron was an excellent chess player. He knew strategies when he came across them. If the Aurors who are currently at the site of the explosion found the Auror, and if he knew those type of Aurors well - they will spend their time in the on-site interrogation by the reporters and they will be able to get a picture of the Minister. They don't even know in what state he's in. If he looks too gruesome, they will just save the picture for "personal use". If not, they will publish it. And the entire wizard world will see the vulnerable Minister. This would affect the Ministry's dignity and how people view it. It would also affect the Minister's rightful privacy. They couldn't risk all of it.

In one second the entire room was empty, the people apparating in less than a fraction of one.

Harry Potter had started to visit Malfoy in prison almost weekly, but he was under pressure from the work at the Ministry, which was, at the moment, completely dedicated to find the Minister. Today was Christmas, and he was supposed to be spending time with his family at home. If there was any, he thought. Remaining. At home. He added instantly with a pang of regret.

As he walked through the desolate hallways of Azkaban, he could hear the greeting and wishes of "Merry Christmas!" echo all around. As he reached cell #394, he noticed the Auror who had first shown him the way here, Grinfred Laylight, standing in front of the cell door, which was open!?

"Ah, Merry Christmas, sir. I was informed that you'll be coming to visit prisoner #394 today." Said Laylight, approaching Harry, "But I'm afraid he's been shifted to another cell - High Security and in solitary. His ranks are now: Draco Lucius Malfoy, High Security Prisoner #1, Death Eater Prisoner #394."

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out, so he closed it. Swallowing, he opened it again, this time saying, "High Security? Solitary? Why?"

"You see," Laylight replied, "You see, the Ministry had taken extra precautions since the abduction of the Minister. They had a growing suspicion that the Death Eaters here in Azkaban, somehow, communication with the outer world. They could, or rather would, not take any chances. I'm afraid that you cannot visit Malfoy Junior." He stated the last sentence monotonously.

"I can't visit him!? What? Why!?" Harry yelped in surprise and disbelief.

"Safety precautions, sir, and the lot." Laylight looked like he wanted to get out of this situation and never face Harry ever again.

"Safety precautions my foot! What else bad could happen to me, when the worst's already been done?"

"Sorry, sir, but was that a rhetorical question? Anyways, I must get you out of here, or else the head'll fire me from my job-"

"Your job isn't worth the life of one prisoner!"

Silence. The dumbfounded Auror stared at Harry with a stupid expression, and blinked thrice. Suddenly Harry heard a scream.

Before he could realize, cold dread and emptiness had settled in, and then there was darkness.

He had forgotten to cast his Patronus.

"Stop!"

Draco could hardly see clearly, but anywhere he would recognise those green eyes, that voice, and that reckless Gryffindor bravery.

Harry Potter stood in the hallway, glaring at the guards who were hitting him.

"It is so shameful of you to abuse a prisoner like that! This makes you no better than a Death Eater!"

Those words.

Draco had wanted to hear those words aimed at the Aurors for hitting him. Merlin, he had been desperate.

"Come on, Draco, you're coming with me."

Things went by too fast for him to process. He was hoisted up, and then fell back into oblivion.

Well, well, well. It's been a lot of time. This story will be year old sometime after April, I reckon. *Ducks from stones thrown* Dear readers, you have sincere apologies. And no, it's not sarcasm. I'm as horrible at apologies as Harry is at dates. Hehe. I completed my class!!! Session begins in April, so I'm just might update sooner. No guarantees with me.

Please review and read my other stories! Sorry for any typos and mistakes. I know English very well - been studying it since preschool. But I'm human!!!

Until the next chapter, we will never meet. Unless you post a review! And favourite and follow.

P.S. The last line holds the clue to what will happen next.