His only Need

As she entered the Head Girl's common room, she saw Ron fast asleep in an armchair, by the window, twitching in his dreams. She looked around the dimly lit room.

“Hi, Hermione.” She turned to the fireplace and looked directly at Harry.
“Harry,” she cried out and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. “So glad you’re back.” He gently stroked her back, smiling down at her.

“Couldn’t leave you all alone, but I see you haven’t been,” he grinned at her. “Oh, Harry… it's not like that… he’s not like before… he…. he,” and she told him what had happened in the last few weeks.

“So it’s true then!” Harry shook his head remarking that he was glad that HE didn’t have a leader who thought is fun to torture his soldiers for a mistake that could have cost the soldier his life. “Just shows that Voldie doesn’t care at all about his minions. They could be dying like flies around him, and he wouldn’t lift an eyebrow. Pure Evil.” The last words were thrown out like it left a bad taste in his mouth.


He sat down in a high-backed chair by the fire and Hermione went and sat on his lap, her legs thrown over the arm of the chair. “Are you back for sometime?” she asked him. “We got them, Hermione,” his eyes glowed with excitement. “We have all the Horcruxes. Voldemort is now as vulnerable as he’ll ever be.” He told her of Ron and his hunt for the Horcruxes all over the wizarding world, not even realizing that Hermione had fallen asleep in his lap with her head resting on his shoulder.

When she didn’t answer a question he realized she was fast asleep and he smiled when she let out a little snore. He loved her like a sister; she was one of the few people he knew would go through fire, to stand by his side in the fight against the Death Eaters and Voldemort. She had done it so many times already. If Malfoy broke her heart, he’d break every bone in his arrogant body.

He had been so lost in his own thoughts, that he didn’t hear Ron waking and walking over to the fireplace. “She’s all right, Harry?” Harry turned his head looking at Ron. “I think so, Ron. She seems to have forgiven Malfoy as well. The Order told us that he has been cleared and is not spying for the other side.”

The Order had given Malfoy no choice. If they were to help him, he had to prove that he had turned away from what he’d been taught and the only way they could trust him was if he would drink a vial of Veritaserum, of his own free will, before their interrogation. Malfoy had grabbed the vial throwing it back in one gulp screaming at the Order “ARE YOU SATISFIED!” then breaking the empty vial on the floor, angry that they didn’t trust that he really had turned away from his father and from Voldemort.

Under the influence of the serum he told them how he and Snape, after they had apparated outside the Hogwarts Gates, had joined the other Death Eaters meeting up with a complacent Voldemort that radiated with triumph over the death of one of his biggest enemies.

“Death Eaters! This is a glorious day… Albus Dumbledore is gone and so now Potter has no mentor to help and guide him… He’s weak without that old clown at his side… Let the war begin!”

The Death Eaters chanted their leaders’ praise, higher and higher, Voldemort laughing in the knowledge of his power. Raising his hand demanding their silence he called out. “Now where is young Malfoy?” with an evil sneer upon his face.

Draco was pushed into the centre of the crowd, a circle closing around him. Panic started creeping into his mind. He knew he had failed and knew that Voldemort always punished those who failed him.

“You disappoint me, Draco.” The dark lord coldly whispered “It was a simple task, the old wizard defenceless, and still you couldn’t kill him… Disappointing, Draco… You’re weak, soft! I can’t let this slip just because you are Lucius’ son.”

He pointed his wand at Draco, the young wizard’s eyes gleaming with fear, and shouted “Crucio!” Draco throwing himself to the ground grasping his own wand.

“Foolish boy,” Voldemort hissed “You think you have a chance against ME!"

Terrified, Draco tried to blast his opponent‘s wand from his hand, merely making the Dark Lord laugh and cast a binding curse, leaving Draco defenceless on the ground realizing what was coming. “Why didn’t any one stand up for him. Why didn’t Snape?”

“Crucio,” and then all he remembered was pain!

They had kept him body-bound for a couple of days, casting all sorts of curses in a random torture, till one night the curse that bound him was lifted and someone whispered, “Run,” and so he did, his body aching with every breath until he found himself strong enough to Apparate to his room a the Manor, quickly grabbing the most necessary things including a hooded cloak, the flooed to Borgin & Burkes.

Mr. Borgin looked astonished when Draco stumbled out of the fireplace. “Young Malfoy, what are you doing here?” he asked in a wondering voice. “N… Need a room… Pay well… extra for… for you not to tell!” Borgin smiled a greedy smile “Anything for a Malfoy, Young Sir. This way.” He had been hiding for almost a week, when he came back from the streets and heard Borgin wail in pain as someone demanded to know where Draco has hiding.

He had dropped the goods in his arms an made a run for it, only to hear the Death eaters curse and swear, chasing him down the street, and that was when he’d bumped in to Hermione, so the rest of it they knew!

All of this the Order had shared with Ron and Harry, before letting them visit Draco in search of Hermione. Ron still had he doubts about totally trusting Malfoy, but Harry was going to give him the benefit of the doubt, not that he would make him his new best friend but if Malfoy really had changed, he shouldn’t have to defend himself forever. Now that it looked like Hermione and Ferret-boy were dating, he and Ron had to TRY to be a little nicer to him.

Harry looked up at Ron and sighed… Poor, POOR Malfoy if he hurt their Hermione.


Draco was pacing a path in the floor. Would it change now that Potter and Weasel was back? Would she even visit him now that the golden trio was together again? And would she mind that he beat the crap out of Weasley?!? His jaw still hurt from the blow Weasley had thrown at him and for no good reason at all.

Did they think that he would hurt her? Never! Not if he could help it!

He stopped suddenly, struck by a terrible thought. What if they convinced her that she should stop visiting him? What if she decided to forget what they had begun? What if she regretted letting him kiss her? “Get a grip, Draco!” he angrily told him self. This was why he didn’t let a girl get that close… This waiting was driving him mental!

When Hermione woke that morning, she wondered how she had gotten to bed last night, and why she was still wearing her school-robes. She must have fallen asleep in Harry’s arms and he must have carried her to bed. How embarrassing! She remembered he was talking of Horcruxes, something about… Had he said…They got them all!

She jumped to her feet. Quickly changed her robes and ran to her common room hoping to find Harry and Ron still there, but the room was empty. She ran down the corridors heading to the Headmistress’ office, not taking notice of all the other students glaring after her, her thoughts tumbling quite fast inside her head.

If they had gotten all the Horcruxes, that meant that the Order was about to start the last battle against Voldemort. And that meant that Harry, and probably Ron, would be about to go on the most dangerous mission they had ever been on. This time she wouldn’t be left back, she wanted to join her two friends fighting the dark side.

As she turned the last corner she saw McGonagall walking briskly towards her. “Ahh... Miss Granger… Hermione, just the one I was looking for. I take it that Mr. Potter has told you the good news?” She smiled warmly at Hermione.

Hermione nodded “Headmistress, where are they now, they haven’t left without me, have they?”

“Oh, dear girl, no. All of the Order of the Phoenix are meeting tonight at Grimmauld Place, I expect to see you and Mr. Malfoy at my office at a quarter to twelve, then we’ll go together.”

Draco… She had totally forgotten about him… A feeling of guilt made her heart jump and the she turned bright red remembering what had happened the night before, before Harry and Ron had flooed in and interfered… She had said she was sorry and then just flooed out to follow Harry and Ron. What did that do to Malfoy? He must be going crazy…

”Headmistress, can I borrow your fireplace. I need to see Dra…. Malfoy. Think I’ve done something horrible.” McGonagall just nodded and looked after the girl running up the stairs, laughing and shaking her head, “Young love,” she sighed!