On a Night Like This

Disclaimer: everything belongs to JKR, I am making no money


Chapter Eleven: Do you know what I love the most?


Harry sat on the couch next to Draco Malfoy, thinking. Draco was reading a book and had not spoken in several hours. Ron and Ginny had been out to see their family at the Burrow and Hermione was having tea with Sirius. Their sudden friendship was a little odd but he was glad his godfather had a friend. Snape was quite occupied with his wife back and Remus spent all his spare time doting on Tonks. Sirius had been quite lonely lately, up until Hermione.

He suspected they were quickly becoming more than friends, which was strange to think but pleased him if it made both of his friends happy. There was too much going on to dwell on a silly age gap. It was enough if they were happy. He wondered idly if he would ever be happy. He still thought of Ginny. The love he had for her was unparalleled and would never cease, of that he was certain. There was something else now. Someone else had occupied his thoughts of late. He almost laughed to himself. He had a crush on Draco Malfoy! He knew nothing would come of it but he couldn’t get him out of his head.

He heard the door swing open and Ron and Ginny stumbled in, bleeding and bruised. Harry ran to Ginny and all thoughts of Draco were gone. She was crying and threw herself into Harry’s arms. “What happened?” The question finally came from Draco, who was helping Ron over to the couch. Shakily, Ron explained that they had been attacked on the street but he had managed to grab Ginny and apparate away.

They sat there for a moment, shaken. Even when they had been kidnapped before no one got hurt. It was hard for Harry to look at Ginny, bleeding on his shirt. He had broken up with her specifically to protect her from Voldemort. A lot of fucking good that did, if she was going to be attacked like this in broad daylight. “Ginny, Ginny,” Harry was quietly crying over and over. She had composed herself and was looking at him and smiling. “I don’t see any reason for you to cry,” she said. “I just can’t bear to think of anything happening to you,” he said breathlessly, burying his face in her red hair.

Ron sat next to Draco, who was regarding him sadly. “What do you want, ferret?” Ron sneered at him. Draco’s reply surprised him. He asked only if he was badly hurt. “I know what Deatheaters are capable of,” he drawled sarcastically. Ron was about to make a snide remark about him when he thought better of it. He said simply, “My arm.” He flinched when Draco rolled up the sleeve of his right arm. There was a large gash in it. “I’ll get something for it,” he said, rising and heading toward the kitchen.

He returned with a damp towel and a small vial. He uncorked it and gently rubbed the globular substance into the cut. Ron immediately felt better. “This should heal in a few hours,” he said quietly. He rubbed off the excess with a damp towel. Ron looked at him suspiciously. “Why are you being so nice to me? What are you playing at?” Draco stared at him. “Think about it Weasel. I don’t wish to make any more enemies than I already have. Besides, exactly when was the last time I was mean to you?”

Ron thought for a moment. Truly he could not exactly recall the last time Malfoy said a cross word to him. He had been so busy holding on to his prejudices that he hadn’t even noticed that he was no longer harassing him. In fact upon thinking about it, he had been rather nice to him. This was indeed a lot to think about.

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Early that afternoon the Order of the Phoenix was gathered in the living room of 12 Grimmauld Place. Well, most of the Order. Severus, Bella and Draco had all been summoned earlier. The Order was discussing the final battle, as customary lately. They knew that it was only a matter of days now.

They were strategizing for the battle, which was difficult because while they knew a lot, they still didn’t know exactly what the dark lord was planning.

Suddenly they were interrupted by the door slamming open. Harry thought to himself that nothing good can come of a door slamming, at least judging by their previous experiences. In walked four Deatheaters. The entire order had their wands drawn but Bella was faster, whipping her mask off. “Honestly,” she said, walking to the couch and swiping Minerva’s tea, “Where you expecting any rogue Deatheaters at your unplottable house?” Minerva harrumphed and said, “You can never be too careful.”

Severus slowly removed his mask and Draco did the same. Minerva was the first to point out that there was still one more waiting in the entryway. Severus hesitated for a moment. “I had to bring him back, Minerva. There is not much time.” She gasped at his implication but nodded and turned to address the Order.

“You all know that things are not always as they seem. We have three excellent spies for the Order who appear to all the rest of the world to be loyal Deatheaters. Many of you seem to be carefree children, and some of you are aurors here against ministry wishes. Please do not judge based on what you think that you know.”

The Deatheater removed his mask slowly to reveal an aristocratic face and long white-blonde hair. Lucius Malfoy stepped forward to stand with Severus and Draco. Surprisingly, Bella rose and looped her arm in his, looking up at him with reassurance.

Lucius thought that it would be wise to speak before the hexes in their eyes became real. “I am very sorry if I startled or upset any of you. I have worked against the dark lord since he forced me to make Draco take the mark. I will not lie to you: I am a power hungry man. I served Voldemort to gain power, but now it has come at too high a price. I was not willing to sacrifice my family.

I know you may doubt my loyalties. There is really nothing I can say to sway you then. But you should know that everyone standing with me believes, along with Minerva and the late Albus Dumbledore. If there is one thing that will help persuade you, it may be the fate of my wife. She was murdered by the dark lord to punish Draco and I for failing to kill Dumbledore.” He and Draco both visibly paled at this.

Ron was shocked. He seemed sincere enough. He already trusted Draco, though he felt bad he had never known about his mother. It must be awful for him to carry that kind of burden. He never thought he would see the day when he trusted one Malfoy, let alone two.

Bella ushered him back to the couch she was previously seated on and pushed him down next to Minerva. She squeezed into the tiny space left leaving her partway on Lucius’s lap. Strangely she winked at Severus upon doing this and he winked back.

Lucius sighed; looking around his gaze was still met with some animosity. He figured the best way to earn their trust was to throw himself into the resistance. “We have much work to do. The final battle is tonight.”


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Please review! Thanks to those of you that have, I know this chapter was short.
Do you know what I love the most? Is a Saves the day song.