Draco refused to admit that he was paranoid, someone like Weasley wasn't worth his time, but he couldn't help but watch her whenever he could. Every sly whisper to a friend or smug look convinced him that she had told everyone about Harry and him, but over the days and then weeks, nothing ever came of it. No one asked him anything, and no rumours popped up, so Draco became certain that she was waiting for the right moment to utterly destroy him. James thought he was overreacting.
"She'd be a moron to not understand the danger it would put you in, and while she's a bit, eh, fiery, she's not outright cruel."
"I'm convinced she might be a moron," Draco grumbled.
Regulus opened his mouth to add something, then disappeared. Draco and James shared a knowing glance. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence now, but it was still unsettling.
James sighed and said, "I get it. You are determined not to like her, but we need the Room of Requirement. Regulus is getting worse."
Draco contemplated. He hated every second he had to spend with Weasley because she reminded him of the frustrations and insecurities of his sixth year, but Regulus was getting significantly worse and quickly. Whatever the veil had done to him was accelerating.
When Regulus didn't appear in the next five seconds, Draco decided. He gave James a stiff nod and said, "Fine." He would try to negotiate with Weasley again.
"I need the room," Draco told Weasley, causing James to groan at his callousness. Draco had found her in a corridor, dragged her away under the pretence that he needed her for an extra detention, and then shut them both in an empty classroom.
She looked at him, stunned. "Is there even a detention? Or is this a ploy to just get me to talk to you?"
"The latter," Draco admitted unhappily.
She scoffed. "You should know by now that I'd rather eat a skrewt than talk to you. Besides, I can't just give you the room."
James threw Draco another encouraging look, and Draco ground his teeth. "What did you say last time we talked? That everyone thought I wasn't the worst? Well, I am trying not to be the worst now, so bloody help me!"
"What are you trying to do?" she asked sceptically.
"Will you let me in the room if I tell you?"
She wavered. "I can't."
"You did before!"
"Before the detentions got this bad, but now there are always students in the room, lots of them. You sadistic Slytherins will take any opportunity to curse us. The Carrows are getting people seriously injured."
"I need the room," Draco repeated.
She narrowed her eyes. "Even if I wanted to help, I can't get everyone out, not for as long as I assume you'll need."
James sagged beside him, and Draco let out a frustrated sigh as he turned to leave.
"Wait. Maybe I can help with another solution? Fred and George aren't the only -"
Her tone was pitying, and Draco hated hearing that more than her usual irritation. He whirled on her, "Don't pretend to care! I am not spilling my secrets to a blood traitor just because you think you know me."
"Fuck you! You dragged me here! Sorry, I can't help being a better fucking person than you."
Draco growled, "I am trying to help Harry."
Her face twisted at that, but Draco couldn't tell if it was good or bad. "Unless you tell me how you are helping him, I am not helping you. I don't trust you."
Before Draco could do much else, she stormed off.
James strode up next to him. "Draco, I don't think I'll ever stop being amazed by how quickly you get people to dislike you. And just when she was treating you nicely."
"Nicely?!" Draco almost shouted. "She's just a prying bitch. She doesn't care. She's probably just using it as a way to get Harry back."
James started to reply, but Regulus spoke over him, "It's not worth it if she can't even get us into the room."
James looked between them. "How are you both like this? Making a friend is like pulling teeth to you two!"
Regulus shrugged. "Don't lie. You're fascinated by it." James opened his mouth to retort, but Regulus continued, "And your ego loves that you were outgoing enough to get close to us."
James flushed, "Well, yeah."
"You wouldn't even like Regulus if he was nice," Draco pointed out, and James blushed harder.
Regulus looked to Draco, "We still need a way to get to our bodies."
"I can't just waltz out of the castle," Draco said.
"Hogsmeade?" James suggested.
"Maybe, but it'll be too short. We should plan on going to the manor for Easter," Regulus said.
Draco absolutely hated that idea, but they barely accomplished anything when the next Hogsmeade visit came around. Kreacher had been watching over their bodies dutifully, although one quite a bit more lovingly than the other. Regulus was positioned peacefully on his bed, arms crossed with a blanket tucked neatly around him. It even looked like Kreacher had taken up brushing Regulus's hair while James had been dumped, limbs sprawled awkwardly, in the corner of the same room.
Their test of the day was to put the rings on each of the bodies and wait. They assumed it was an interaction with Draco's magic that made them appear to Draco, so if their magic was still in their bodies, maybe they could reanimate themselves. During the hours the test ran for, Draco impatiently explored Grimmauld but found nothing except cobwebs, grumpy paintings and some rotting floorboards.
When the day was almost over, he put both rings on and, both expectedly and disappointingly, Regulus and James reported that nothing happened. James insisted that it could be possible if they tweaked the runes, but Regulus was staunchly against changing the runes now. Tampering with the rings could destroy the seal on it.
They returned to Hogsmeade and barely made it through the castle gates as they shut. Regulus gave him a sad look as they walked; Draco needed to return to the manor.
The next weeks went too quickly. Every free moment was spent towards his goal to help Harry, and it wasn't just ridding Harry of his horcrux, although that's what took up most of the time. It was debating how to find basilisk venom, how to get the horcrux Bella had at Gringott's, and how to capture Nagini. His marks started to drop as he stopped doing assignments. It was a fine balance between putting in enough effort to not get detention and using as much time as he could towards research. His sleep was short and interrupted between late-night reading and nightmares due to the stress.
The only thing that didn't suffer was Quidditch. It was uncomfortable for Regulus and James to fly with him, but for some reason, they kept insisting on it, and Draco couldn't deny he felt better after flying. It was the only chance he got to clear his mind and let the three of them feel almost normal.
Surprisingly, Harry hadn't been spotted again. Draco had feared that the graveyard and then the subsequent visit to Lovegood had triggered a chain of bad luck, but Harry had wisened up, or more likely, Granger had. It was remarkable that Harry hadn't been seen, but it didn't ease Draco's nerves, knowing that anything could turn sour at a moment's notice.
Days before he was to return home for Easter, there was an attack on a Death Eater, McNair. Whatever resistance against the Dark Lord remained was weak, but the attack still frightened his mother. Draco feared she was going to forbid him from leaving Hogwarts, but at his insistence, she made a deal with Headmaster Snape to let him floo to the manor a day early, ensuring no one could anticipate him travelling.
Snape hadn't approached Draco since his claim that he was a traitor, and Draco had avoided him. He was becoming all the more certain that Snape was on Dumbledore's side and wanted to off Potter, he wouldn't be so obsessed with finding him otherwise. It was strange seeing him now, knowing that they weren't enemies but definitely weren't on the same side either.
"I was surprised by your request to return the manor," Snape said instead of a greeting.
"Are you denying the request?" Draco asked, nervous.
"No," Snape said, standing and passing Draco the floo powder. "What have you planned? Do you know where Potter is?"
"No. Is that all you think I am good for?" he asked, grabbing a handful of powder.
Snape responded seriously, "It is vital. If you want to help Potter, I need your assistance."
"I am helping Potter more than you are," Draco bit out, and he felt the frustration grow as he thought about how Snape could be planning Harry's slaughter. He should have kept his mouth shut, but he was never good at tempering his anger.
"I don't know what Dumbledore told you, but I am not letting Potter die despite whatever you think the Dark Lord bound to him."
Snape stood stunned, and then his face twisted with horror. It only affirmed Draco's suspicions; he knew about the horcruxes. "Stop -" Snape said wildly, reaching for Draco.
"Malfoy Manor!" Draco shouted clearly and stepped back into the flames. Snape was too slow, and Draco disappeared with a flash to his least favourite place in the world.
The manor was busier than it should have been. The Dark Lord had disappeared somewhere, and when Draco asked his mother, she said that he had been looking through Daily Prophets to judge Yaxley's ability to control his public image when he froze on one and promptly disapparated with a manic grin and without a word.
Despite his absence, people flocked to the manor. His father had taken up a new attempt to restore his reputation by questioning anyone who might have word of Potter. All sorts of seedy people came in and out, from Death Eaters to Snatchers, but thankfully, Draco wouldn't have to deal with it. He was planning on spending all of his waking hours at Grimmauld.
The first full day back, they had a moderately successful day with the bodies. James was encouraged by the fact that they had started setting up the house for whatever rituals they were going to start in the next few days, while Regulus was just relieved not to have disappeared throughout the afternoon. He was in the study, gathering books to take with them the following days, when a commotion broke out somewhere in the manor.
Knowing his father was intentionally allowing all sorts of filth inside, he forced his nerves down. The Dark Lord was away; there would be no meeting. It was some other disturbance. He was fine.
Not a minute later, his mother barged into the study. "Draco, come."
She strode forward and grabbed at his arm, but he pulled away sharply. "Why?"
"The Snatchers caught someone. They think it's Harry Potter," she said quickly.
Draco paled. "They think?"
"You know him better than us. His face is cursed."
Cursed? What had they done to him? He jerked forward, and she led him to the front of the manor. Regulus kept his neutral demeanour, although he seemed to walk more stiffly. James looked like he wanted to puke or punch someone or both. Harry's bloody, twisted face kept coming unwillingly into his mind, making his stomach curl.
The Snatchers had been stopped at the entryway. Bella had her wand pointed at them, arguing with the smallest man, but Draco didn't catch any of the words. He focused immediately on the restrained figures.
Granger and Weasley were unmistakable, and it looked like there was a goblin with them? But when his eyes fell on the figure in Greyback's arms, he knew without a doubt that Harry was caught. His mop of hair, the colour of his skin, the way he held himself defiantly despite a literal werewolf restraining him. Everything screamed Harry, but he understood why they had fetched him. A nasty stinging hex had hit Harry directly in the face, making all of his features budging and irregular.
"Draco, here," his father ordered. Draco slowly stepped closer, mind racing as to what to say.
"Is that really him?" James asked.
"Yes," Regulus said quickly and addressed Draco, "You can't let them know it's him. Say you need the spell to wear off."
"Well? Is it Potter?" His father asked urgently.
"Of course it's Potter," Greyback said, twisting Harry's arm so he could point at the stretched scar on his forehead. Harry gasped and sagged slightly at the motion before meeting Draco's gaze. It would have been hard for him to see, but he must have known Draco was there. His swollen face betrayed nothing about how he felt about that fact.
"I can't be sure," Draco said, taking a step back.
"But that's the scar!" Greyback said, pressing into Harry's forehead harder.
His father grabbed him painfully by the shoulders. "Draco, think hard. This could change everything."
"I am thinking," Draco snapped, "and I want to be certain. The Dark Lord will not be pleased with another distraction. We need the hex to wear off."
Bella stepped forward; she knew the truth to that statement. "Throw them in the cells then!" she said excitedly, swirling her wand and then pointing it in the direction of the basement. After a tense moment, his parents both agreed, but as the trio was pulled away, Bella pointed her wand at Granger. "But not this one. She had this little pouch, yes? Let's see what Potter's friends carry around with them." She seized the small purse from one of the Snatchers.
"Hey! That's ours!" the Snatcher shouted.
Bella stunned him with a flick of her wrist. "Not anymore."
Harry, Weasley, and the goblin were passed off to some Death Eaters and dragged away while Greyback approached Granger and said, "Let me take a few bites. She looks ripe."
"GET OFF HER!" Weasley shouted, but no one acknowledged that he'd said anything.
Bella led Greyback, who was pulling Granger with him, to the meeting room while Harry and Weasley were forcefully taken in the opposite direction. Draco stood dismayed, unsure of what to do next. How had Harry gotten himself into this position? He once again had the sickening sense that this was it for them. There was no way for both of them to get out of this.
"We need a plan," James said, quickly turning to Regulus.
"Kreacher," Regulus said shortly. "He can apparate in and out of the house. We wait for things to settle, sneak down to the basement, and get Kreacher to get Harry out."
Draco blinked. Regulus was once again, a bloody genius.
"Are you sure that'll work?" James asked, worried.
"I don't know," Regulus admitted, "I just thought of it, but it's the only thing I can think of that Draco might stand a chance of talking himself out of."
James nodded and bounced on his feet as they waited. Everyone else had followed to watch Bella's spectacle, so the moment he saw the two that had taken Harry and Weasley downstairs, he bolted.
As an extra measure, he disillusioned himself, but he was moving too fast to be quiet. His footsteps echoed as he rushed down the stairs, and as soon as he reached the bottom, Harry looked through the bars.
"Draco?" he whispered.
"Harry," Draco said, dropping to his knees and dropping the disillusionment.
"You better be able to get us out of this, Malfoy," Weasley said angrily.
"I am working on it," Draco growled. Weasley should be begging at Draco's feet for help.
"Can you open it?" Harry asked, gesturing towards the lock.
"No," Draco answered, "but you don't need it. Kreacher!"
A beat of silence and then a crack. "Yes, master?" the elf croaked.
"Get them out," Draco ordered.
"Wait! Them first!" Harry said, standing and motioning for the others in the back of the cell. Draco had forgotten about the wandmaker and the Lovegood girl.
"It's not the time to be a martyr," Draco said, frustrated. Harry met his gaze stubbornly. "I promise I'll send Kreacher with them after." Harry wavered but didn't give in.
The tension was broken by a sudden scream from above, a distinctly girlish scream, Granger's scream.
"HERMIONE!" Ron shouted. Harry paled, but his face turned hard.
"I am not leaving her."
"Please," Draco said. Harry knew how much he hated that word.
"Don't ask me to leave her," Harry said, voice tight. Draco needed to get Harry out, but he was too damn stubborn and too damn self-sacrificing. He didn't want to force Harry to do anything, but he would.
"The locket is in that bag," Harry added, and Draco froze, knowing that changed how dire this situation was. He couldn't risk Bella finding it.
"Draco -" Regulus started.
"I know," Draco snapped at Regulus, then turned to Potter. "Fine, leave in whatever order you choose. I will get the locket and try to get Granger thrown down here with you." Finally, he turned to James. "Watch him. Make sure he doesn't try to run upstairs."
"What?" James asked dumbly, but Draco didn't explain. James heard him, and he had been wanting this moment for a long time. If Harry was determined to die tonight, at least James would get a chance to meet him. He took off James's ring.
"I don't need Regulus," Harry said, and Ron jerked at the name, looking at them both like they'd gone mad.
"It's not Regulus," Draco said and shoved James's ring into Harry's hand. Harry looked down at it, confused, but still slid it on his finger without question.
Draco waited just long enough to see his eyes go comically wide and his mouth drop open before he rushed back up the stairs.
"Do you really think that was a good idea?" Regulus asked.
"I'm sick of secrets," Draco said, determined. He knew Harry deserved this knowledge.
At the top of the stairs, Draco realised he hadn't disillusioned himself again when he almost barrelled into Wormtail. The imp of a man recoiled at Draco's movements, but his brow furrowed.
"What were you doing down there?"
"Checking to make sure the fools did as I said," Draco said calmly. "What are you doing?"
"Bellatrix wants the redhead," he said nervously.
"She can't have him," Draco ordered.
Wormtail looked uneasy. "But -"
"I'll deal with Bella," Draco said firmly.
Wormtail nodded timidly, and Draco walked as fast as he could to where Granger's screams had started up again.
She was pinned to the middle of the table, Bella hovering over her and digging her wand into Granger's cheek. She looked terrified but otherwise well. No obvious injuries, and she wasn't going to pass out from pain anytime soon, Bella was drawing this out.
"Over there," Regulus said, pointing. Behind Bella was a growing pile of items that they had pulled out of Granger's purse. Draco walked closer. Bella had a good eye. She had already pulled out Harry's invisibility cloak along with the locket and other trinkets. Draco prayed she hadn't realised the significance. Right next to the pile laid three wands.
Regulus blinked out of existence at that moment, and Draco cursed mentally. He didn't know what Regulus was planning. He waited a minute, watching Bella question the girl, and realised he was going to have to do this on his own. There was no guarantee when Regulus would return.
Idea forming, he walked over and asked Bella, gesturing to the pile of loot, "What's all this?"
"She won't tell me!" Bella exclaimed, firing a cutting hex at Granger's cheek and making her gasp in pain.
"Then put her with the others," Draco said, keeping his voice steady.
Bella pouted. "But we are having fun."
Draco dropped his voice, "If it is Potter down there, she'll slip up and call him by his name before the hex wears off."
Bella considered. "Give me another minute with her."
"Fine," Draco said, and Bella turned back towards Granger, pleased.
Draco made his way to the edge of the room again, pointedly avoiding his parents; he couldn't risk giving anything away. Bella's minute was almost up when movement caught his eye.
A flash of red hair burst from down the hall and then retreated again. Anxious, Draco excused himself to go look. Sure enough, Harry was physically restraining Weasley from going to stop Granger's screams.
"How the fuck did you get out?" Draco growled, "Anyone could see you!"
"Wormtail unlocked the door," Harry grunted as Weasley yanked forward again, hissing to be let go, "and then killed himself." Harry held up the rat's wand.
Draco looked at him blankly, but Kreacher appeared again with a crack before Draco could unpack that statement.
"Take them," Draco ordered. "I'll make sure the locket stays hidden," he told Harry.
"I am not leaving her," Harry said, and Weasley growled in agreement.
Draco met Harry's determined gaze and cursed again. Why did he have such a hard time telling Harry no? Harry wouldn't make this easy, but there was no way Draco was going to deal with two sacrificing Gryffindors.
"Take Weasley," Draco amended to Kreacher and Harry, realising Draco's decision, let go, not wanting to risk being apparated alongside them.
Weasley disappeared with a crack, leaving Draco alone with Harry. So much time had passed since they had properly been able to talk, just the two of them, that Draco suddenly felt self-conscious about what to say. It was nice to see Harry again. His face had almost returned to normal, and Draco was struck by how attractive that face was even when it was still a bit swollen.
Regulus made his reappearance at that moment, and Draco was comforted to not have to face Harry alone. Regulus glanced around frantically, but he had gotten good at reorientating himself.
Harry broke the silence and spoke quickly. "I know this isn't the time, but thank you." He gestured to James's ring and said softly, "I've wanted to meet my parents for as long as I can remember."
Draco swallowed.
Harry continued, voice getting tighter, "This isn't what I pictured, but -"
Draco interrupted, "Save it for when you aren't running for your life."
Harry smiled, blinking back the tears. He reached for James's ring. "He says you need him back. For Regulus."
Draco nodded and took the ring. James appeared, and his face crumpled. Regulus leaned over and whispered something to James, who nodded, and his eyes started to water. Something swelled in Draco, but it was quickly replaced by fear when Granger screamed again.
Harry stepped forward, Wormtail's wand raised.
Draco grabbed him and hissed, "Wait for Kreacher to return, you need to make a fast escape."
Harry composed himself and gave a reluctant nod. Draco moved towards the meeting room, hoping to distract Bella, but Harry grabbed his arm and asked, "You'll be okay?"
Draco met his gaze one last time, summoned all of his courage and said, "Of course." With Regulus and James beside him, he went back to confront Bella.
"It's been far more than a minute," Draco said, announcing his arrival again.
She spun gleefully, "Has it? Time flies when you are having fun." She clapped. "Greyback, why don't you take her, I won't say no if you decide to take a nibble along the way."
Greyback grinned hungrily, walking up to Granger, and Draco knew Harry wasn't going to wait for Kreacher. That was too direct of a threat.
Draco cast a silent tripping hex at Greyback as Potter yelled, "Expelliarimus!"
The red sparks hit Bella squarely, sending her wand flying right into Potter's outstretched hand as he ran for Granger.
"The locket!" Regulus shouted.
Draco fired off a curse, hoping it looked like he was aiming for Harry, and broke the table in half where Granger had been, and the new angle of the tabletop sent the locket, wands, cloak and purse sliding straight towards her.
"No!" Bella shouted, reaching for the objects, but the crack of the apparition distracted her. "You," Bella growled at Kreacher as he appeared and reached for Harry and Granger. Harry cast a shield as the remaining Death Eaters in the room recovered themselves and started to fire curses.
The locket hit Harry's hand, and Draco let out a breath as Kearcher grabbed him. Granger was grabbing the remaining stuff when Draco's gaze was pulled towards Bella. She pulled a knife from her sleeve, ready to throw. Draco had never seen her throw a knife, but something screamed in him that she was deadly with one, someone was getting hit.
Draco could have done a lot of things. He was a wizard with almost endless choices. He could have summoned a chair to catch the knife. Or better yet, Greyback. He could have cursed Bella. Or spelled the knife out of her grip. But instead, he stepped right in front of Bella as it left her hand.
Harry screamed, "Dra-" before it was cut off by a crack of apparition, and Draco's shoulder erupted in pain.
He didn't even try to catch himself as he fell to the floor. Bella screeched, and everyone was moving and shouting, but all Draco could focus on was the pain in his shoulder. He closed his eyes, trying to breathe, but his throat was clenched too tight. Every muscle in his body was too tight.
Time passed, and he became dizzy from the pain and lack of air. His shoulder flared with another sharp bolt of pain, causing him almost to pass out when it was replaced by a cold sensation. It felt wonderful in contrast to the fire he'd felt before, and it soothed him just enough to regulate his breathing. Prying open his eyes, he saw his mother leaning over him, gripping the knife she just pulled out of him.
"Bella?" he asked, glancing around.
"Stunned," his mother said harshly, throwing the dagger to the side and casting another spell on his shoulder.
He grunted at the spike of pain again and then sank further into the floor.
" - to say? Kreacher was just doing it 'cause he felt like it?" Regulus and James's voices were filtering in.
"He can put it in the ring," Regulus snapped.
"And literally stepping in front of the knife?"
"I -" Regulus sounded uncertain.
"What if Voldermort sees the locket in his mind?"
That made Regulus silent for a beat. Then Draco caught movement beside him. Regulus knelt near Draco as his mother kept fussing. He eyed the wound alarmingly.
Turning to look at Draco's face, Regulus swallowed and said, "You need to get out of the manor. It's too risky to stay."
Draco shivered; his body was unsettled by the idea. "My shoulder?" He asked Regulus.
"It will be fine," his mother answered.
Regulus grimaced, "It's bad, but you can keep it from killing you."
"I need to go," he whispered to his mother.
She nodded. "Let's get you to your room."
That wasn't what he meant, but he would settle for getting away from this room. She guided him to his feet, getting under his good arm. They were almost to the stairs when someone tried to stop them.
"He needs to give us answers, Narcissa!" Greyback yelled from behind them.
His mother didn't break pace as she turned her head and snarled, "He needs to rest. He was almost killed!"
"The Dark Lord needs to examine him," Greyback said.
His father appeared behind Greyback and shouted, "Are you calling my son a traitor?"
Greyback growled, something too quiet to hear in response, as his mother's grip tightened on him, and she started to walk faster. What he was about to do was a gamble, but if she truly cared about him…
"I need to get out of the manor," he whispered into her ear. She jerked. He lowered his voice more, "Please, help."
Greyback yelled, "Where are you taking him?"
She finally stopped and turned around to face them. "To rest. When the Dark Lord returns, Draco will be there," she said certainly.
James cursed, and Draco debated how to get free. She could easily overpower him in this state, but when his father and Greyback retreated, to his surprise, she led him to the kitchen, not the stairs. A minute later, they were at the door to the gardens.
"You're helping me out," Draco stated, realisation dawning on him - she knew why he needed to leave.
"Only if you promise me you'll stay alive," she said firmly.
"I will," Draco said, his head feeling fuzzy.
She led him to the edge of the wards and paused, giving him a moment to get his feet under him before releasing him. Her face was tight, but she still spoke steadily, "You're Dark Mark isn't functional, is it? You've disabled it?"
"Yes," Draco said, surprised. He hadn't realised she'd seen it.
"Then go."
Draco stumbled slightly, shoulder flaring again, but forced his way a dozen paces to the apparition point.
"Focus, Draco," Regulus said. "It's not the Cruciatuius curse. It won't hurt."
Draco nodded and steadied himself.
"You're getting out," James added. "You are finally free."
Exhausted, bloody and more determined than he had ever been for another apparition, Draco left Malfoy Manor behind.