Draco breathed a sigh of relief as someone else fell to the floor screaming. He thought the man might have been Avery, but he wasn't too bothered by that fact. Harry had gotten back to his aunt and uncle alive. Despite all of the Dark Lord's plans and all of Draco's nightmares about it, Harry was safe.

The Dark Lord, after seeing his followers return empty-handed from trying to intercept Harry, had lashed out violently. If it was Avery on the floor, Draco was fairly certain he had nothing to do with the plot to capture Harry, he had just been sitting in the direction of where the Dark Lord's wand was pointed.

"Where is he?" The Dark Lord snarled, releasing his spell and pointing his wand at Crabbe, one of the ones responsible for bringing Harry to the Dark Lord.

"The Order had him surrounded. No one could get close," Crabbe said with the faintest hint of a tremor.

The Dark Lord fired an unfamiliar spell at the end of the room where Crabbe, Goyle, and the others who had gone the King's Cross stood. It was a wave of flames, passing over the heads of everyone else who was seated. The standing Death Eaters tried to dodge, but there was frantic scrambling as robes still caught fire. Goyle was rolling, panicked, trying to dampen them before they caused serious damage.

Draco's wariness rose as time passed and the Dark Lord's fury didn't lessen. Anyone who even moved unexpectedly was promptly cursed or screamed at.

"Don't draw attention to yourself," Regulus hissed, and Draco held back a scowl. He didn't need Regulus to tell him that; it was obvious.

Draco wasn't sure how long it went on for. He was just thankful that ire was never turned on him, but eventually, the Dark sat back in his chair, seemingly calmer, and Snape stepped forward.

"My Lord," Snape said as he took a deep bow. "We still have an opportunity to retrieve Potter when he leaves the house. The Order will not keep him there once he comes of age." He started to rise from his bow, but the Dark Lord cast something unspoken on him, forcing his back to lower further.

"We should already have him," the Dark Lord hissed.

"Yes, my Lord," Snape grunted under the invisible weight, "but I know of the Order's next plans. I know when and how they plan to move the boy."

Draco was surprised. From what he had gathered, Snape had been ostracised from the Order because of his role on the night Dumbledore died. Now that the headmaster wasn't around to vouch for him, no one wanted to trust him. Truthfully, it was shocking that it took them this long to recognise Snape for what he was.

"Tell me," the Dark Lord demanded and Snape immediately started describing the plan, slowly lifting himself out of the bow.

Regulus was hyper-attentive to every word Snape spoke. Draco also listened closely but was distracted by how frustrated he was at Snape. The information he was giving could get Harry killed. Apparently, Harry was going to leave two days before he turned seventeen. There was a whole scheme with disguises and safe house and portkeys and Draco was irrationally angry at the Order for trusting Snape with any of the information.

Draco continued to sit stiffly as the Dark Lord questioned Snape, temper dying with each assurance Snape gave. Eventually, the Dark Lord dismissed his followers, and his mother had never pulled him so fast out of a room despite it being in their own house. She gave him a wordless hug and let him return to his chambers.

Regulus was quiet as they walked. Assuming he was deep in thought, Draco let him be until he was ready to sleep and take off the ring.

"What are you planning?"

"Was I being that obvious?" Regulus asked and sighed. "I was thinking that we need to find what safe houses the Order plans on using. If we can get into just one of them, we can open up communication to Harry."

Draco nodded as a thrill shot through him. He finally had something other than reading and speculating that could help Harry.

Over the next few days, Draco was determined to figure out the safe houses. The Dark Lord was convinced that the best course would be to get Harry as he was leaving his aunt and uncle, and it was a fair assessment. The safe houses would be warded, meaning it would take far too long to break into them, so if the Dark Lord was going to get Harry, he had to do so before he could reach any of them.

Unfortunately for Draco, it meant that it took days to figure out what houses were possibilities. It wasn't until someone had thought to plan the routes that they would take that Snape finally stated the houses and where they were.

Draco repeated them in his head - Moody, Tonks, Shaklebolt, Weasley. He hoped Regulus was already planning how to infiltrate one of them, and Draco was almost positive that he was.

Regulus's determination should have made him feel better, but he was still annoyed at him for keeping Draco's attention away from himself. He kept re-directing Draco into thinking about Harry rather than the ring. He was so set on the inability to bring himself back, something that infuriated Draco. He hadn't spent all that time researching for nothing.

That night, Draco made a list, and Regulus started scheming.

"We can use Andromeda." Draco frowned but put a tick mark next to Tonks.

"Pretty sure she hates the Malfoys," he reminded Regulus, although he must have known since he would've been around to see that fallout decades ago. Andromeda was his mother's sister and, as far as he knew, had married a muggle-born wizard, been immediately disowned, and never looked back.

"Probably, but she escaped the Blacks. Not an easy feat, and I am willing to bet that she would have a soft spot for anyone in a similar position."

"So I should just owl her with a sob story about how my family forced me to be a Death Eater?"

"Well, I might tweak it a bit. You'll want to make it seem like you aren't a Death Eater yet, but essentially," Regulus said with a shrug.

Draco hated the idea, but he would do it. He would do just about anything for a chance to keep Harry safe; he owed Harry that much after everything he had done in the last year to help. Besides, Draco didn't think he could handle Harry getting hurt right now. Even imagining it was painful enough. The charmed parchment Regulus had taught him to make was taunting him from where it was on the desk. He wished he could warn Harry about the impending danger now, but if he could get the parchment to Harry, future attempts could mitigated.

It was embarrassing to write the letter. Firstly, because Malfoys never admitted they needed help, and secondly, he should have written it the previous summer. It was far too late, and it was salt in the wound to be doing it now.

All the same, he forced himself and three days later, he received a reply. Luck was finally on his side, as the owl came late afternoon while he was alone in the study away from his parents. He didn't know how his mother would react to hearing that he contacted her sister.

"She wants to meet me," Draco said after a glance.

"Looks like we have our in," Regulus said, satisfied.

He waited another two days before he attempted to visit Andromeda Tonks. Bella was away doing some secret assignment that Draco wanted no part of. His father was attempting to return to work at the ministry under the guise that he had been wrongly imprisoned for the last year, so he was lobbying his old contacts. Even his mother reluctantly left on an errand. He wasn't going to get a better opportunity.

He decided to take the floo, refusing to apparate if he didn't need to. "Tonks house," he said and stepped into the green flames.

He brushed off the ash as a woman stepped forward with a soft smile. His instincts made him brace, ready to dodge a spell, but he quickly realised he wasn't in front of Bella, but it was her look-alike.

His expression must have given away his thoughts because the woman said, "I know it's a bit uncanny how similar we look. You can call me Andy."

She held her hand out and Draco took it hesitantly.

"I'm Draco." He had never given his first name so quickly before, but Regulus thought it might soften her to their plea.

"Please, sit," she said gesturing to the nearby table.

Clearly, she had prepared, there were biscuits and tea set quaintly on the tablecloth. It was such a contrast to her sisters he almost laughed. She was being kind, and Draco started to feel even more guilty for lying to the woman. At first, they talked awkwardly about Hogwarts and Andy talked about her husband and daughter. She mentioned off-hand that she knew of a group that could keep him safe. Knowing she was talking about the Order, he let the conversation shift to more serious topics.

Draco explained how his father had been punished. Regulus suggested he talked about his own punishment last winter holiday, so he did. Andy looked a bit sick but listened without interruption.

"I need to ask something, and I need you to be honest," she said when he had finished. After his nod, she asked, "Did you kill Dumbledore?"

Draco tried to hide his shock. He should have guessed that she would ask that, but he hadn't thought of it since it was never published in the Prophet. Her face fell. He'd taken too long to respond.

"Lie already," Regulus hissed.

"No," he said quickly. "I didn't."

"Why do people say it was you?"

Who was saying that? The Death Eaters were the only other witnesses. "I was there."

She waited for him to continue.

"I helped Professor Snape get the other Death Eaters into the castle. He thought it would be good for me to prove myself."

"Then who did it?"

This was a gamble, but he couldn't admit that it was him. "Bellatrix."

A strange emotion crossed her face, but she schooled it quickly watching him carefully. "I believe you."

"I didn't want to do any of it," Draco said for good measure.

She nodded and said fiercely, "You shouldn't go back."

"I have to."

"You don't know when you'll get a chance to get away again. I trust your ability to be discrete but what if someone learns that you came here today? They will never let you leave."

Draco knew it was a valid concern, but his defensiveness rose.

"No one will know."

"I can't protect you from far away," she said leaning forward like she was about to grab him. Draco stood instead.

"I'll return, I -" He backed up, he would return, but only at the right moment. "There is stuff I need to do. I need to get my things."

She looked like she was going to protest, but she must have concluded that he wasn't ready to leave yet. All she said was, "The wards will be open to you," as Draco grabbed a handful of floo powder and returned to the manor. He considered that mission a success.

Tensions were rising as they got closer to the date of Harry's supposed departure from his aunt and uncle's. Despite the danger, almost every Death Eater volunteered at the opportunity to be involved. Draco had a sinking suspicion that maybe he should too, but he couldn't bring himself to ask to be involved. He justified it weakly by telling himself that he needed to be free to get to Tonk's anyway.

A meeting had just ended when he heard his father say his name.

"You've seen how Draco has benefited. I see no reason why Theodore shouldn't be involved. Imagine the opportunity."

Draco turned to look. His father was already turning away from Heir Nott. His point was proven about how handing over his son to the Dark Lord saved his reputation, but something inside was screaming at Draco to clarify. He hadn't thought much about his housemates and how they were going to be dragged into this soon enough. The thought bothered him more than he assumed it would.

He walked stiffly over to Nott who had already turned to leave and grabbed his arm, hissing, "Don't make him join."

Nott turned to look at him, surprised. "Theodore wants to prove himself."

"Then don't let him."

"Why?" Nott asked, genuinely curious.

"Wait till he is out of school. He'll be more useful then."

Something unspoken passed between them. Draco's words had been appropriate, but Nott must have understood what he really meant. Draco was here because he had to be, not because he wanted to. None of his classmates should be involved either. Nott left and Draco hoped he never saw his son's face at the manor.

"You're with me tonight," his mother said. Draco almost jumped, he hadn't realised she had even come into the room with him. It was the morning of July 29th, the day either Harry was going to get brutally murdered or the day Draco might find a way to talk to him again.

"What do you mean, I am with you?" He asked, suspicious.

"You are helping me around the manor tonight," she said firmly.

"You don't want me to fight?" Draco had wondered when his parents would approach him about it. He's wrongfully assumed that it took so long because he was of age or because of his rank after killing Dumbledore.

"I don't want you to have to choose between killing and being killed."

Draco snorted. "Bit too late don't you think?"

"I will not be too late again," she walked forward and slapped behind his head. "And you will not speak to your mother with that tone."

Before Regulus, he would have been ashamed to get that reprimand. Now, he was indifferent. Mouthing off to her felt like such a small thing compared to what else he'd done. She should have punished him for almost killing a student or bringing a werewolf into Hogwarts, not the way he talked.

He ignored her for the rest of the day. She must have kept the others away from him. He heard both his father and Bella shouting but never saw them in person. Morning turned afternoon turned evening. It felt like his heart was going to give out to nerves. True to her word, his mother kept him busy with arranging the manor to accommodate more guests.

When it got dark, he snuck off the moment her back was turned. Tonk's floo was probably shut if they were to be a safe house tonight, so he needed to apparate. He ran through the house and out to the grounds, thinking about how important this could be. This could save Harry's life if he got the parchment out.

Eyes clenched shut, he filled himself with determination and apparated.

He appeared just outside of Tonk's house. He started to walk towards the front door when a voice shouted, "Stop."

"It's Draco Malfoy," he called back, pausing with his hands up.

"He shouldn't be here," a voice whispered a little too loudly. It was Andy. Draco tensed knowing that he needed them to not turn him away.

"They are going to make me do it tonight! I can't go back!" Draco yelled, hoping his faked panic was convincing.

The two walked further out of the house. He could see the worry and uncertainty on their faces lit by the light of the open door behind them.

"We have to." Draco barely heard the man say. Andy bit her lip.

"Fine. Inside," she finally said and Draco quickly walked into the house. Their hesitation only made him more certain that Snape had been correct about the plan. Someone was going to come to this house tonight.

As she shut the door behind him, the man came forward. "I am Ted Tonks. It's a pleasure to meet you. Andy explained it all to me."

Draco resisted the urge to snort at his name and shook the offered hand, trying to keep his fearful charade. Andy led him to a side room.

"You have to stay here until we figure out what to do, alright?" Draco nodded. "What happened?"

Draco took a breath, time to test his skills. "The Dark Lord, he's angry. And my father wants him to favour us and I heard him talking to my mother about how tonight was going to be the night and how I had to prove myself and it was going to be the perfect opportunity to do so and they wanted me to get the mark," he let it all out in a rush hoping the speed made them question less.

"Take a breath," Ted said. "I'll get you some water."

Andy was still standing looking nervously around.

"Did I interrupt something? You look upset that I am here," he asked Andy.

Her face broke. "No, I am thrilled you are out, it's just… I wish you had come sooner. There is something happening tonight. I need you to promise to stay in this room, no matter what you hear."

Like hell, he was going to do that. "I promise, just don't make me go back."

She gave him a small smile as Ted returned with a glass of water. They offered food, which he politely refused and then they left him to talk alone. Regulus acted as the eavesdropper.

"They are nervous, but they don't think you're behind it. It sounds like they are suspicious you've been traced or someone is pulling the strings, but you should be in the clear."

Draco nodded. As long as they didn't kick him out, he was happy.

Ted had brought him some hot tea when they heard a crashing noise from outside. All of them jumped, but Draco moved the fastest.

"Stop!" Andy yelled. Draco ignored her, running towards where a fire had started out of the back of the house.

Behind him, he heard Ted shout, "I think they landed in the pond."

Draco paused, eyes searching. There was a large body lying several paces out. Hagrid?

"He's over there," Regulus said pointing to a spot nearby the pond.

Draco rushed to the prone figure, and his heart skipped a beat when he heard a muffled, "Hagrid." It sounded like Harry.

He knelt, turning the body, but he already knew it was Harry by the mop of hair. "Harry, what happened are you hurt?" He asked breathlessly, eyes already scanning for injury.

His bleary eyes blinked at him. "Whe - s - Hag…" He trailed off and Draco started to panic. "Draco?"

He reached for Harry's hand. "What happened?"

Harry passed out and Draco screamed.

"Get over here! He's hurt!"

Both Tonks ran, Andy pushed him back as she cast some spells.

"He'll be okay. He's hit his head, but I've already fixed it. Dear, will you check Hagrid?" Ted nodded and left to go to the other figure.

"We need to get him inside," She eyed the edge of her wards where sparks were being thrown at the shield. Draco's heart rate rose, Harry had been close to not making it. If he had crashed just a little further out…

Andy yanked him out of his thoughts by levitating Harry. He followed swiftly. Once back inside, she laid him down on the sofa and turned on Draco.

"You promised you'd stay away."

"I had to see. I care for him." Draco spoke earnestly, but she still looked at him warily.

"Go back to the other room." Draco planted his feet and shook his head. "Fine. Sit," she ordered pointing to a nearby armchair.

He sat staring at Harry. A very alive Harry. He almost couldn't believe he had foiled the Dark Lord again. Regulus watched him intently and warned Draco when he seemed to be stirring. Draco moved closer despite Andy's protests, but she quieted when Harry looked at her and promptly freaked out.

"It's not Bella!" Draco shouted, and Harry's head whipped to look at him. "It's my other aunt. Andromeda Tonks."

"Draco?" He asked, pulling himself upright.

"What forget what I looked like already?"

"I couldn't forget your ugly mug," Harry said back on instinct.

Draco lunged forward and hugged him. He hadn't let himself hope for this moment - where Harry was in physically front of him and willing to banter.

"Get off," Harry bit out angrily and Draco lurched back like he'd been burned. In direct opposition to Draco's relief, Harry looked furious.

"Why are you here?" Harry challenged.

"I needed a way to talk to you. Warn you about things the Dark Lord plans and this was the first opportunity I could get," he spoke quickly. "See this parchment here? We can write to each other without anyone else seeing. You just have to say 'Nimbus 2001' to reveal the writing."

"You should have used Firebolt," he mumbled taking the paper Draco had thrust at him.

"It's overrated. The Nimbus models are far more reliable," Draco said trying to relieve the tension.

Harry looked between the parchment and Draco. "I don't understand. Does this mean you are a traitor?"

"I guess," Draco hadn't thought in those terms, but considering the Dark Lord would likely murder him if he ever knew he was here with Harry and made no effort to capture him, traitor was fitting.

"You'll be a spy for the Order?"

"No! I am just a spy for you." He immediately blushed at how dumb that sounded.

Harry looked at him blankly. "You killed Dumbledore."

Andy stood and said angrily, "What?" He'd forgotten her presence, being too absorbed by Harry speaking to him.

"I had to," Draco said quickly hoping to placate both.

"No, you didn't. I was there. He was trying to help you and you- you" Harry started to choke on the words.

"What do mean you were there?"

"Under the cloak. He cast a freezing charm on me rather than stop you from disarming him."

"You saw?" Draco's gut fell through the floor.

"What? Thought you could get away with it did you?"

Of course, he hadn't thought that, he'd just thought that Harry didn't have to witness murder. "No, but -"

"You ruined everything!" Harry interrupted, anger flaring. "Don't you understand that?"

"I did what I thought was right!"

"In what world was that right?"

Draco paused, not knowing how to explain it to Harry. Ted appeared suddenly in the room. "It's time. You need to get to the portkey." He walked up to Harry.

Draco needed more time. Harry could be as mad as he wanted to be, but he needed to listen to Draco if he was going to live through the next year. "Wait -"

"Let him go. He's not safe here," Regulus interrupted.

Harry froze looking at him. Draco ground his teeth, wanting to say something, but not sure what.

"Go," Draco said against his desire, knowing Regulus was ultimately right. Harry's safety was the most important thing.

Harry frowned and gripped the portkey.

"The parchment. Nimbus 2001," Draco reminded.

Harry looked down at the parchment clenched in his hand and said, agonised, "I don't know if I can trust you."

And Harry was gone.