Count Your Blessings

Dreamweaver – I already had bits and pieces of that chapter and it was one of my favorite bits. Dumbledore is always fun to write. =)
ancheto – Thank you for being so faithful. It’s readers like you who give me motivation to complete this story.
Redneck Passion – Yeah. I really like writing more comedic stories, mixed with angst, love, and etc. but sometimes a little dark fic is nice too. Thanks for reviewing!

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The Shrieking Shack had another reason for it to be occupied with screams. A row of Death Eaters stood around the bottom level of the shambled house in a complete circle. Lucius Malfoy held his wand out, pointing it downward at an unknown witch. He held a sneer on his face that looked as if a House-Elf had the gall to grab a stepping stool, climb it, and slap him clear across the face. His nostrils flared as he flicked his wand again, causing the witch to roll over and scream with pain. The subtle sounds of her snapping bones were over shadowed by her screams. When he lowered his wand, she breathed a sigh of relief but only long enough before she began weeping.

“I don’t know anything, I swear!” She cried loudly, her mousy brown hair draped over her face.

“Then we will just have to dig deeper,” Lucius replied lazily, flicking his wand again and a bright yellow light bathed the woman.

She let out horrified screams, her entire body arching off of the ground. The door to the Shrieking Shack blew open and Lucius stopped his assault as a large shadowy figure loomed in the door way.

“Perhaps, Malfoy, we should us other methods outside of torture,” came the voice of Severus Snape as he stepped through the threshold.

Lucius tilted his head up as if he just smelled something distinctively disgusting under his nose. His features softened some what when yet another shadow appeared beside Snape, who had parted the crowd and taken his place amongst them.

“Ah, Draco.” Lucius said proudly, puffing his chest out as Draco’s face became illuminated by the moon light.

“Father,” Draco replied with a curt nod, coming up to stand beside Snape.

He had stirred out of his peaceful slumber around one thirty in the morning, gently rolled a sleeping Hermione from his embrace and dressed silently. He barely made it to the dungeons before Snape appeared out of nowhere. At first, the Slytherin Potions Master asked Draco where he had been but soon realized they were going to be late.

Draco walked in silence alongside Snape, who constantly glanced down at the Slytherin. He opened his mouth as if to speak but clamped it shut every so often. Draco was in no mood to talk. Not only was he freezing his jingle bells off, but he wanted to get back to the Room of Requirement before Hermione woke up. Why? He simply liked watching her wake up.

He noticed how her eyes fluttered lightly before her right eyelid opened and then her left. She would stare up at him with a sweet gaze and as if his own face became focused in her vision, a smile would spread across her lips. He’d run his thumb down the side of her face, just as she’d turn and kiss his palm lightly. She was beautiful. Perfect in every way.

Now, he was standing in the least friendly of places. He didn’t dare look down. Part of him was curious but the other, more rational one was afraid. Afraid to see what he thought would be there. Dolores Umbridge shuddered as the door swung closed and she parted her eyes and noticed Snape first.

“Please, please!” She began to beg, attempting to crawl to Snape’s feet.

Draco could smell that she had soiled herself from the torture Lucius enacted on her and he averted his eyes. Her large puffy hand reached out for his foot; probably because it was closer, but Draco took an uneasy step back. Snape’s black coal eyes glanced at him for a brief second as if to tell him to calm down. Draco inhaled inwardly and screwed his face up to one of indifference.

“Silence!” Lucious snapped, holding his wand at her, “You WILL tell us exactly where they are located.”

“They?” Draco found himself asking; his bravery returning when Lucius looked smugly at him.

“The Dark Lord is interested in the capture of a few key members of the Order. Remus Lupin, Molly Weasley and, I believe you know this one, Hermione Granger.”

Draco nearly had a heart attack at that moment. He gripped onto his cloak tightly but kept his face stone cold. He merely quirked an eyebrow and spoke slowly, calculated.

“And what will we do with them, father? I hardly doubt Granger could give us any substantial details about the Order.”

He felt Snape’s eyes on him but shook off the queasy feeling his professor tended to give him whenever he spoke. Lucius pulled his wand back and pushed it into his cane. He rested both of his hands on the head of the cane and smirked at his son.

“It’s not just about the Order, son,” Lucius said with a hint of suspicion, causing Draco to stiffen slightly, “Granger may very well be the key to the downfall of Harry Potter. The Dark Lord has already spoken.”

Draco stared at his father’s cold gaze and tried to keep his heart still. He was sure everyone could hear the pounding against his chest, rattling to get out. He nodded and inhaled, flaring his nostrils. Lucius seemed convinced with Draco’s calm demeanor and went about business. He couldn’t even comprehend what happened throughout the meeting. He wanted to rush back to the castle and steal Hermione away, hide her from these men. Yet, he couldn’t find the nerve to move.

Snape ended up diving into Umbridge’s mind to find the whereabouts of everyone, but even she didn’t know everything. So much for her public bragging that she knew exactly where each Order member was, or who belonged to the Order. It was only a matter of time before he witnessed yet another death at the hands of his father. Lucius had enough of torturing Umbridge that he lazily flicked his wand and the flash of green light echoed across the windows.

The meeting lasted another hour before everyone shook hands. Lucius pulled Draco aside from the group, looking at his son’s face.

“You have been awfully quiet,” Lucius absentmindedly began groping the head of his serpent cane.

Draco shrugged, “Don’t think there was anything for me to say.”

“Hm,” Lucius nodded, bringing a hand to his son’s shoulder. Now was the time for some good old fashion, father to son advice. “You will be getting an owl soon with instructions.”

And that was it. Some fatherly advice, or lack there of. Draco just nodded and moved away from Lucius, heading toward the door where Snape was. He looked down at Draco and gave him a curt nod. They disappeared a moment later.

Draco said nothing as he and Snape made their way to the castle. His hands were clenched in his robes and he frowned at the snow as if it had called his mother a foul name. Snape cleared his throat, turning Draco’s attention to him.

“It..it is difficult,” Snape began, thinking over his words carefully, “That is, to be commanded to do something vile to some one you’ve know for years.”

“Heh, I hardly know Granger,” Draco said with a grim look, “What do I care if she’s hurt or not? Gives me another opportunity to excel, that’s what my father wants.”

“Your father doesn’t always know what’s always best.”

Draco stopped and looked seething at Snape, “And you think you do? How long have you been under the scrutiny of a man who thinks very little of your capabilities? Oh, that’s right, you haven’t. You have no clue what’s…”

“You and Granger are more than enemies, Draco. It doesn’t take legilimency to see that,” Snape said with a haughty tone.

“She’s nothing to me. A quick shag,” he said quietly, looking at the ground now. He frowned and took off down the corridor, heading to the dungeons.

“Draco,” Snape’s voice sounded softer and a tad bit worried. He grasped onto Draco’s arm and looked into his eyes.

Draco growled and pulled his arm free, “Sod off, Professor. I don’t need your pity.”

“Pity? You think I pity you?” Snape snorted, clearly ignoring the part where Draco told him to bugger off. “No. I do not. You are acting like a child.”

“A child? I am not a child,” He snapped quietly, glaring at a portrait until its occupant disappeared.

“Then stop acting like one. Your little stunt in front of your father nearly got Granger killed.”

“She’s going to be killed either way.”

“You do not know that.”

“Oh, don’t I? You were there, Snape. You heard them.” He poked Snape’s chest, “There is nothing I can do but you don’t understand anything do you? You think you’re trying to be my father but you’re not. Don’t bother trying to give me advice, I don’t need it. I don’t need you or anyone.”

He turned on his heel and walked quickly the other direction toward the room of requirement. Snape extended his hand out toward Draco’s back but lowered it and brought his fingers to his chin. He turned and walked back to his office, slamming the door shut.

Draco closed the door of the Room of Requirement and saw the small shape of Hermione in their large king sized bed. He leaned back against it and took a breath, running his hands over his face as he fought a disgruntled groan. He pulled his robes off and shifted into his pajama bottoms of silky black before crawling back into bed.

Hermione rolled over and shifted into his embrace, smiling lightly. She took a breath and ran her hand over his bare chest. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him, “You’re freezing.”

Draco wrapped an arm protectively around her, “Sorry.”

She looked up at him and a look of worry spread across her beautiful face, “Are you alright?”

He exhaled and nodded, “Yeah. Just thinking about how badly I beat you at chess today.” He forced his signature Malfoy grin, which caused Hermione to instantly relax.

“There’s always tomorrow and I plan on showing you exactly what I learned,” she teased, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He grinned, for real this time, and leaned over, “Really? How about you show me exactly what you learned now.”

He brought his lips to Hermione and rolled her over onto her back, bringing his hands to her sides and tickled her. She let out small cries of laugh between kisses until she pulled away. They laughed, his more forced than hers, as he grabbed onto another blanket and covered both of them before wrestling under the sheets. He’d make love to her for the third time that night before both fell into yet another slumber. His dreams were plagued by nightmares.