Chapter 02.Questions and decisions.

Draco was flying, he could feel the force of the air wiping his face and he was not alone, something big was beside him, Draco didn't know what it was but somehow he felt that it was really important for him to stay at its side, which was becoming increasingly hard. He was tired, soon he knew he wouldn't be able to fly anymore, but he must continue, something was following them close by, it was catching up with them and somehow Draco knew it was something very bad...

Malfoy woke up with a gasp and straightened in the bed, feeling like he was about to die. He took a deep intake of breath and waited for the world to stop spinning and the angst lingering from the dream to fade. After a while he collected himself enough to take a good look at his surroundings, panic started to made its way in his brain when he realized he didn't have a clue of where he was.

The room was big and dark, there was a big window at his left covered by a heavy curtain, he could see pale light trying to filter into the room, maybe it was day outside. Draco put panic into submission and got to his feet, the world swirled dangerously for a moment but he could walk over to the window and drew away the curtains.

He stared into the big garden that extended outside. It was in a clearly state of neglect, wild vines and weed grew everywhere around the statues and a big fountain, the boy couldn't distinguish the plants that used to grow there, but he could spot an abandoned garden table. It wasn't Malfoy manor but it was familiar, Draco felt like he had seen that garden before, probably in much better conditions. It was surrounded by a high wall; the boy couldn't see what was on the other side of it because of a heavy fog that seemed to surround the property.

Draco scowled and left the window to take a look at the room where he was, noticing also that he still was wearing his Hogwarts uniform, however this didn't seem to be Hogwarts, he couldn't picture a room like this inside the school. It was big, the floor was covered in a dusty carpet, the four poster bed was big and very old, a bare night table was on its right side, on the wall opposite the bed was a battered looking mantle piece and the frame of an old portrait which was empty now, on the other wall was a wooden wardrobe, big enough to cover half of it, and the door.

Malfoy looked at the door, he wanted to get out of the bedroom and discover where he was, his head was hurting a little and he still felt very tired. He wished he had any idea of what was happening, he tried to remember the last thing he had done before falling asleep and had a hard time doing it. A faint memory of him fighting verbally with professor Snape was all he got, although he couldn't remember the precise reason of the fight.

His headache increased a little and he sat on the bed side, wishing it to go. A loud double 'POP' made him lift his eyes and was surprised to see two house elves in front of him, both looking at him with large eyes, the oldest one spoke first.

"Master Malfoy sir, you awake."

The other immediately disappeared with another loud 'POP'. Draco scowled at the remaining elf, trying to remember if he had known it before, his pounding head not helping in the least.

"Who are you?" his voice was a bit rough and his scowl deepened at it.

"My name's Kreacher sir. Sir may not remind me. Sir was too young last time he visited."

"Really? And where exactly I am?"

The creature opened his mouth to answer but before any sound could came out of his mouth, the door opened and a flustered Harry Potter entered the room, Malfoy's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the Gryffindor.

"Malfoy, you're finally awake! We were starting to think you had some kind of spell on you!"

'Finally? Wait a second 'We'?'

Draco scowled again at the raven haired boy who ignored him and turned to the house elf.

"Kreacher, bring Malfoy something to eat and drink I'm sure he must be hungry after four days of sleep."

'What? That long?'

Malfoy could feel his mouth hanging open in surprise as the elf disappeared and Potter brought a chair that was beside the night table to sit in front of the dumbstruck Draco and stared at him.

"Well, how do you feel?"

Draco shut his mouth and immediately got into defensive mode.

"Why do you care Potter?" He snapped, managing to glare at the boy, Harry scowled and sighed.

"Look Malfoy I know that we don't get along at all, and that we despise each other, that doesn't have to change, but Dumbledore offered you help and I'm willing to offer it too."

Draco remained in the same position, his mind was trying to process what Potter was telling him, after a while he asked very carefully.

"Dumbledore offered me help? Why?"

Harry lifted an eyebrow.

"Well, you looked like you needed it, you were desperate and Dumbledore was offering you a way out... Malfoy?"

Draco was very pale. What the hell had happened?

"How exactly I arrived here Potter? This isn't Hogwarts."

Harry looked at him suspiciously.

"Well, I brought you here. I found you at Godric's Hollow and you collapsed in front of me."

"And what the hell I was doing there?"

He didn't even know where Godric's Hollow was. Potter gave him a look of incredulity.

"How I'm supposed to know? You came running out of nowhere and stopped just a few meters in front of me, and then you fainted. You seemed... well like you were running from something. You don't remember?"

Malfoy was starting to feel very frustrated, he couldn't remember being anywhere other than Hogwarts, worrying over a stupid piece of furniture that refused to cooperate. His headache was getting worse and he really wanted to know where he was and what had happened with his mission. But first he wanted to know why Potter was being so bloody nice!

"So, I lost consciousness and you brought me to a safe place? I don't believe it Potter. Where is this place?"

"Look Malfoy, maybe the idea of helping someone had never occurred to you, but I couldn't leave you in the middle of the street! You were in pretty bad shape and exhausted, and I believed someone was after you!"

"And you just helped the desperate soul in need? Always the bloody hero Potter?"

Harry groaned inwards, somehow he hadn't counted on Malfoy being his usual annoying prat. He had been willing to believe that maybe the boy had changed a little. Kreacher appeared with some sandwiches and pumpkin juice at that moment and Harry gladly took the opportunity to ignore what Malfoy had said.

"Thanks Kreacher. You can go now."

The elf gave a fast look over to Malfoy and then disappeared; the blond boy had not taken his eyes from the Gryffindor.

"Well? Why did you help me Potter?" Harry looked again at his companion, and scowled slightly.

"I just did it. Ok Malfoy? Maybe you would have left me to my own devices if it was me the one who needed help, but thankfully I'm not like you and as I said before, Dumbledore offered you protection and you were about to accept it. I'm sure you would have done it and I'm pretty sure that you still need help, so what about you stop being your usual spoiled brat self for a while? We can offer you a safe place."

Malfoy stared coldly at the green eyes in front of him, he didn't believe that Potter was offering him help out of the goodness of his heart, the boy and that old headmaster would surely want a little 'cooperation' from him, his headache was getting worse by the minute but he refused to acknowledge it, instead he smirked and said mockingly.

"Oh, yes Potter? And don't you even want to know who you are offering help to? Let me show you!"

Malfoy yanked away his left sleeve and presented his arm to Potter, the black haired boy looked at it and sighed, he offered an apologetic smile to Malfoy who was surprised to not have gotten the reaction he had expected.

"Yes, about that, I really should apologize to you. I was convinced that you would be too glad to take the mark and I didn't consider the possibility that you actually didn't want to. It's good that you have escaped it, if you accept our offer and stay here Voldemort wouldn't have any way to make you do anything, I really don't wish that fate to anyone, not even to you."

Malfoy got an ill feeling in the pit of his stomach; he cautiously lowered his eyes to stare at his very bare left wrist, his mouth went suddenly dry while he heard Potter continue talking.

"I want to apologize too for the curse I cast you when we were still in the school, I had no idea of what it was going to do and it was really stupid of me to have used it."

Malfoy nodded absentmindedly, not taking his eyes from his arm. At that moment they heard a voice calling for Harry and the dark haired boy stood up.

"Oh, that must be Remus; I have to tell the others that you are awake. Just try to eat a little ok? They probably would want to talk with you, and well, actually I want to ask you a few questions too. I'll be back in a while."

Malfoy nodded again and heard the door close when Potter got out. His head was pounding now and he was still trying to make sense of his unmarred wrist. This shouldn't be possible, how could it be? He remembered clearly having taking that damn mark, the pain it implied was not something he would ever forget in his entire life! The Dark Lord had forced it onto him so he could have a hold on Draco's actions and hunt him easily if the boy tried to escape. And now it was gone!

Mechanically, Draco reached for the pumpkin juice, he wasn't hungry just thirsty, and his head insisted in wanting to play the trumpet. Finally Draco accepted the fact that the Dark Mark was no longer with him, he couldn't help but feel immensely relieved by it, he didn't even want to know how it happened as long as it remained that way and the damned Dark Lord wouldn't find him.

He finished the pumpkin juice just in time to see Potter reappearing through the door followed by his one time DADA professor Remus Lupin. He frowned at the pair, wanting very much to tell them to sod off but then he remembered Potter mentioning the fact that there was other people in that place that would want to question him. He smirked to himself, of course they would want something from him, no one was going to offer him help for free and surely Dumbledore would want information. They were in for a surprise because Draco couldn't remember a thing that could be of importance to them.

Malfoy lifted his eyes to the werewolf and asked himself what they would do when it became obvious that he was no use to them, a noise at the door distracted him and he saw Madam Pomfrey entering the room followed closely by Alastor Moody and McGonagall. He sighed in resignation and forced himself to ignore the dull pain of his head and appear composed, Madam Pomfrey huffed and started to examine him, out of the corner of his eye he could see Moody approaching Potter.

"Mr. Potter, please wait outside."

The Gryffindor wasn't pleased with the request but nodded and complied. As soon as Harry was out of the room Malfoy felt himself relax a little. Good, at least Potter wasn't going to testify his humiliation; he hated to appear weak in front of the raven haired boy. Almost instantly though, he started to feel nervous. What if they decided that he was not worth the trouble? What was he going to do then? Potter had told him that Dumbledore had offered him protection. He wondered where the old man was and if he was going to appear when the interrogatory started.

Outside the room Harry paced the Hall impatiently, he had wanted to be there and listen to the questions, he wanted to know if the blond could give them useful information, preferably something that could lead them to Snape, but he also felt as if Malfoy was his responsibility, he had been truly worried when he had returned to Grimmauld place the day after he had brought the blond and had discovered that Malfoy hadn't yet woken up. That same day Moody had asked him to stay in the house for a couple of days because they had an emergency and almost the entirety of the Order had to go to some remote place to try and stop a werewolf attack, and they preferred to not leave Malfoy alone. Harry had accepted and he had watched over the blond the four days that he had remained unconscious. Harry had even called Madam Pomfrey again after the second day, but the woman had assured him that everything was alright and that they only had to wait.

So Harry had impatiently waited and he had stayed at Malfoy's bedside for sometime, willing the boy to open his eyes and looking at him more carefully. Malfoy had looked so vulnerable when he had been asleep, maybe that was why Harry had started to believe that the blond had changed somehow, and he still believed it, he could feel that Malfoy had changed even if the Slytherin was struggling to keep his façade in place, Harry was sure that something had changed.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his friends climbing up the stairs, he stopped his pacing and turned to the noise, soon Ron and Hermione appeared followed by Ginny.

"Harry! Tonks told us that Malfoy has woken up!" said Hermione, Harry nodded at her while Ginny wrapped her arms around him and he absentmindedly hugged her in return, then his attention returned to the Slytherin in question.

"Yes, McGonagall and the others are with him now."

"Gezz Harry! Sorry to have left you alone for a little while, but mom wanted us to be sure that we have practised every protection spell known!"

"Come on Ron, it wasn't that bad!" said Ginny, finally disentangling herself from Harry. "She just wants us to be prepared for everything."

"Yeah. Constant vigilance as Moody is always saying!" said Ron with a grin.

Harry smiled at them; the four friends had been bussing themselves with fixing the house and place the items that had been stolen by Mundungus Fletcher, the majority of which had been retrieved by Moody, to their proper places; though Harry and Ginny had been the ones to do most of the work, because Hermione and Ron had been lost in a world of their own.

Truth be told, Ginny was envious of her brother, she had wanted to be alone with Harry and get him to kiss her passionately, they should be taking advantage of their time together before he went away, but Harry had been evading her and since the night of Bill's wedding his mind was always wandering back to Malfoy, making conjectures about the events that could have lead to the blond falling exhausted at Harry's feet. Ginny had noticed Harry's change towards her and was getting really upset and blaming it all on Malfoy's reappearance, thinking that the boy had reminded Harry of Dumbledore's death and how dangerous the situation now was.

The truth however was that Harry had been changing his mind about Ginny since they got into the Hogwarts express for the last time. At first he had thought that he was worried about what could happen to her, but after some days of staying at The Burrow and getting free daily shows from Ron and Hermione snogging, seeing the constant interaction between Bill and Fleur, and the visits of Remus and Tonks, he had got a clearer picture of what if really meant to be in love, and he had started to ponder what he felt for Ginny.

He had ended up very confused. He liked Ginny, he wanted to keep her safe and happy, and he liked it when she was near him and the occasional kiss she gave him, but he was no longer sure if that was love. The way Bill and Fleur acted towards each other was... well, different. Harry discovered that he craved for solitude, nor once he had shared with Ginny his thoughts or the way he was feeling about the rest of the Order treating him as if he was still a child, he even got annoyed if he had been thinking about something important and Ginny suddenly interrupted him. It didn't bother him if she wanted to hug and kiss him, he felt ok with her, but it was not the same, when Remus and Tonks were lying on the couch on each others arms they radiated happiness, Harry doubted he felt that way when he was with Ginny, not even that relaxed.

But he didn't want to upset Ginny and so he didn't share his insights with her, telling himself that given sometime he will figure out how deep his feelings were. At the moment, the four teenagers went down to the kitchen to join Tonks for a snack while they waited for the interrogatory to finish.

Only a quarter of an hour later, the adults got into the kitchen and Harry was on his feet instantly, ready to ask what had happened, he restrained himself upon seeing the worried face of Lupin, Moody and McGonagall were arguing.

"I do not agree with the idea Alastor, we can't really trust him. It's an unnecessary risk!"

"Minerva, there's no other place where we could keep an eye on him at all times. Besides, I really doubt he could do any damage without his wand."

"But it is our meeting point! And sometimes we have left the house alone, you know that! Even without a wand we can't risk leaving him with only the house elves!"

"I agree on that point Moody." said Lupin while he sat beside Tonks. "You know how Kreacher is; even with specific instructions the creature could still make a nasty move on us."

Moody took a seat and seemed to be considering his companions words. Harry coughed significantly to draw attention to him and asked:

"What happened? Malfoy doesn't want to cooperate?" He was a little disappointed, he had been sure that Malfoy would be willing to give them information in exchange of protection. Moody turned to look at the raven-haired boy seriously.

"He can't very well do it. He had been obliviated."

The four teenagers were surprised to hear that, Ron even let out a loud "What?" and Harry sighed in frustration. It made sense after all, that explained why Malfoy was having a hard time getting hold of what Harry had been telling him.

"I don't think it would be wise to allow him to stay here." Said McGonagall seriously. "Even if he really had been running away there is a high probability that someone is looking for him. Either way he is a risk."

"And where do you propose we send him?" asked Tonks not looking at anyone in particular.

"Well," said Madam Pomfrey "I would say that Hogwarts would be ideal, but I really doubt the castle would let us inside itself any time soon."

"Wait a minute." Said Harry, getting somewhat alarmed. "What are you talking about? You are not going to help him?"

"We aren't saying that Harry." Said Remus hurriedly. "We are only pointing out the fact that he is a risk."

"But Dumbledore offered him help!" Harry was scandalized, he hadn't thought that there was the possibility that the rest of the Order wouldn't want to help Malfoy. Moody raised an eyebrow to him and said matter of factly:

"Well, he can't remember that now."

"That's not the point!" the boy snapped angrily "I was there too!"

"Yes Harry and I distinctly remember you telling us that Mr. Malfoy was the one who had been ordered to kill Albus Dumbledore." Said McGonagall.

"But he didn't do it! He couldn't do it, he's not a murderer! He was lowering his wand! He was about to accept Dumbledore's offer when the Death Eaters arrived!"

"Take it easy young man." Said Pomfrey in a conciliatory voice. "Minerva is only worried, the boy is a risk after all, we can help him but perhaps it would be preferable for him not to stay in this house, that's all."

"But why not?" Harry insisted "This is the safest place on England! Even more than Hogwarts! It's unplottable and no one can speak about it!"

"We can send him outside the country," Tonks proposed "maybe with Charlie now that he's going back to Romania to reunite with our supporters there."

"But," said Hermione doubtfully "the Death Eaters could follow him; wouldn't that be a greater risk?"

"I'm afraid, Miss Granger, that I would prefer him far away from here. If he's still on the dark side he can do greater damage here." McGonagall concluded; Harry was getting annoyed with her.

"But he's not! Voldemort was forcing him to do his biding, and he doesn't have the Dark Mark! Maybe he's fond of the dark arts but he doesn't want to follow Voldemort! We should be willing to attract more people to our side!"

"Harry, please listen," said Remus in an effort to ease the boy "we have already made a mistake with Snape, we didn't trust Malfoy. I think he would be better in a place where someone can watch over him all the time."

"And boy," said Moody again "the truth is that while this house is unplottable and maybe the safest place in London right now, it is completely alone from time to time. And while I don't think that would be a problem if the boy really wants to stay alive and away from the Death Eaters, I must admit that is true that we can't trust him. Maybe if someone, who's not a house elf, were here to take care of the house. I really don't think that a wandless Malfoy could cause any major damage with a competent wizard in charge."

"But there's no one available at the moment." Said Minerva. "We have our hands full, and the Ministry of Magic is also pressuring us. Scrimgeour has the idea that we should know how to find You-know-who!"

"I'll do it." Said Harry, and his friends turned to look at him in disbelief. Moody looked at him incredously.

"You what boy?"

"I'll stay here. I can train here the same I can train in any other place."

Remus looked surprised at him.

"But Harry, I had thought that you didn't want to live in this house, and that you were comfortable with the Weasleys."

"Well, it is my house after all, I'm fine with the Weasleys but I'm a risk to them too..."

"Mate!"

"And I offered Malfoy help too! This is the only place where he could be safe, without the Dark Mark Voldemort wouldn't find him and he can't make Malfoy go to him either. And Malfoy can help us, maybe not with information, but we need as many supporters as we can get, with his knowledge of the dark arts he can even help me with the training!"

"Not without a wand." Muttered Ron scowling, Harry choose to ignore him for the moment, everybody else was silent for some seconds, finally Moody stood up.

"Well, it's settled then! You're right Potter, you can very well train here, and after all it would be a lot safer that way."

"But..." McGonagall didn't seem convinced. "Harry, are you sure you want to stay here with Mr. Malfoy? How can I know that the both of you wouldn't hex each other the moment we turn our backs?"

Harry blushed slightly but recovered quickly.

"Mmm, professor, he doesn't have a wand. Surely you don't think I will hex him if he's unarmed."

McGonagall only lifted an eyebrow to him, Harry's blush reappeared.

"Professor I wouldn't do it!" Harry managed to sound very offended and everyone smiled amusingly.

"Very well, if you're sure you want to do this. It's after all your house."

The woman finally agreed reluctantly, though truth be told, all the adults were pretty relieved by Harry's decision, in the last weeks the boy had grown restless and they all feared that he would do something stupid like run away and try to find Voldemort by himself. So they didn't really put a fight at Harry's request to baby-sit Malfoy, after all, what the blond could do without a wand?

"He'll be fine professor." Said Tonks. "Besides, he wouldn't be completely alone, we all will be here from time to time."

"All right then!" said Moody again. "Now we can return to our activities, I have to be at Diagon Alley. You Potter can tell Malfoy your terms of agreement as soon as he wakes up."

"What?" said Harry worriedly. "He's sleeping again? What's the matter with him?"

"Don't worry Harry" said Remus, seeing the anxiety in Harry's eyes, he knew the boy well enough to know that he would feel responsible for Malfoy's well being. "He reported a headache and Madam Pomfrey gave him a pain killer potion that put him to sleep, he should be awake in an hour or so."

Harry rolled his eyes, if Malfoy continued to be sick he would have to make sure to put some basic medical potions in the blonde's room, he won't be playing nurse any longer than necessary.

McGonagall, Pomfrey and Moody left, Lupin and Tonks were staying at the house for a couple of days more, so they said that Harry could go and retrieve the rest of his belongings from The Burrow, and the boy followed his friends to the floo system to do just that.

Harry had just stepped outside the fireplace in the Weasleys' living room when he was assaulted by a very flustered Ron.

"Harry mate! Why did you say that you are a risk to us? That's not true!"

Harry sighed, resigned to his fate, and looked to his best friend.

"Ron, we both know that I am. I don't want to put your family in any more danger."

"Harry, all of us are already in danger." Said Ginny seriously. "Having you with us is a comfort not a problem."

"Yes Harry! We are glad to have you here!"

"I know! Look, I really like to be here, but I think that right now it would be better if I train in Grimmauld place, besides, maybe Malfoy would remember something useful."

"He's Malfoy Harry!" said Ginny rolling her eyes. "Do you really think he'll really want to help?"

"Well, maybe not in a normal basis, but now he needs us, it would be to his benefit if we win this war."

"I don't know Harry" Hermione said doubtfully "After all; it is Malfoy we are talking about, what if he decides that You-Know-Who is a suitable master after all?"

"He won't do it Hermione, I saw him in the Astronomy tower, and he was scared. Look, I don't trust him either, he's a spoiled prat and he's too fond of the dark arts for my comfort, I really doubt that we can be friends but we can prevent him from becoming another one of Voldemort's puppets."

"I suppose you have a point." Hermione agreed, Ron scowled at this, not very sure of it.

They heard Mrs. Weasley's voice calling from the kitchen and Ginny left them to go with her mother, Ron continued the conversation as soon as his sister was out of hearing range.

"I thought that you wanted to start your search mate."

Harry shrugged and answered.

"Yes, to tell you the truth I have been anxious to start it, but I have been thinking about it and Dumbledore said that I would have to be very careful and know my enemy as well as I could, so if I want to know where Voldemort would hide something so precious as an horcrux I have to do more research and learn more about him and the first time he gained power."

Upon hearing the word research Hermione's face brightened and Harry smiled at her, he knew she was going to like that part.

"Besides, it would be no use to go wandering through the entire England, Grimmauld place would be a perfect base, we can move to other places from there."

"And what about Godric's Hollow? You wanted to start from there." Asked Ron. Harry bitted his lower lip nervously.

"Oh, well... you see, actually that's where I found Malfoy."

Both Hermione and Ron stared wide eyed at him.

"What? You went there alone?" Ron almost yelled and Harry did frantic hushing sounds.

"Oh Harry! You should have waited for us!"

Hermione berated him, Harry was about to snap at them when Mrs. Weasley appeared, all flustered and worried, having been told by Ginny what had happened with Malfoy and Harry's decision.

The Gryffindor boy tried his best to ease Molly, and taking in account that she would be able to go and check on him whenever she wanted, she finally decided that it wasn't so bad an idea and that maybe Harry and his friends would be a good influence over the Malfoy boy, the teenagers really doubted that Malfoy would let himself be influenced by them but they kept their mouths shut.

Ron and Hermione ended up moving with Harry to Grimmauld place, and Ginny stayed at the Burrow to help her mother, she was a bit miffed that Harry would no longer be living with her. She had been counting on her mother to convince Harry to stay at the Burrow and let the Order take care of Malfoy. She didn't like the Slytherin and couldn't comprehend what help could he give them that they truly needed, he was only a nuisance and Ginny was sure that he would bring a lot of problems to them. She hoped that Harry would have the sense to not get tangled in the blonde's lies.

Severus Snape was reading in the study of his house at Spinner's end, but not the miserable small house that everybody saw, his study was in the real house, the house of the Princes, the one you can access to from a secret door in the kitchen of the decoy house. He had been there since the flight from Hogwarts, he had been there when the Aurors and some members of the Order had registered the battered house in search of something that could tell them where he could be, Snape had laughed at their expenses when one of them had asked how was it possible that a man like Severus Snape could live in a place like that.

They had registered what they thought was the entire house, even the two bedrooms upstairs and the tiny laboratory, without even realize that there was a hidden door in the little kitchen. It was really convenient that the only man outside the family who knew how to enter the real Prince Manor was dead.

It suited Snape really well that the Dark Lord had ordered him to disappear for a while, and even more that Pettigrew had been ordered to stay at the Lord's side, Snape despised immensely that coward traitor, and he preferred not to have to deal with him any more than necessary.

He looked at the big clock that was on a wall, frowning he put the book he was reading aside and stood up, making his way out of the study and into a long hall that leaded to a set of stairs, he climbed down getting into a dark cellar, he lighted his wand and continued walking towards the far wall on which a door could be seen. Behind the door was a passage that seemed to be dug in the rock. Snape continued walking and soon he reached a dead end and looked at the bare wall of granite in front of him. He smiled and reached out with his left hand to touch the cold stone. Until now all had been going according to plan, the problems had been kept at a minimum, soon he would have his revenge, he would retrieve what had been taken from him and the culprit will pay for it.

"Now boy, I know you're in the right place. Hurry up."