12 Grim Old Place

Chapter 5
Date Started: 03-01-07
Pairing: EW MORE VOLDEMORTxSNAPE ( That is one of the worst pairings I can imagine...) Slight RonxHermione. Future DM/HP
Disclaimer: Yep. Don't own them. Wish I did...but nope. The idea wasn't even mine. It was Yami Bakura's. I had thought of something like this... but my idea was a lot stickier so I knew deep down I'd never write it. XD Yami Bakura

A/N - This was originally supposed to be Chapter 2... or at least the first part. XD Which is funny... cause... it's five. o_o;

***

The next couple days passed by slowly for Draco. Snape was coming and going, but always making the effort to talk to Draco or make sure everything was alright. Draco had slowly grown very accustomed to the older man and even came to miss him in his absence. It was odd. Though he had always admired Snape as his teacher and Head of Slytherin, he was begining to view Snape as something much more. Snape was kind when away from the school and not nearly as threatening.

Snape cooked, cleaned up, brought him clothes from the manor, all magically of course. He was more of a father than his own had ever been. His father wouldn't have even considered the thought of his son's discomfort. Snape constantly talked to him and made sure that everything was fine. They talked for hours on end until they were both tired and went to sleep. The only time Snape left him was to go get more food, go to the Order or because the burn in his arm beckoned him to the Dark Lord's side. He knew the day was coming, Snape was giving him reports. Thanks to sneakoscopes and kneazles and who knows what else the Order came to trust him again when he had given them even more information on the happenings of the Dark Lord. Draco was slowly begining to think less and less of the Dark Lord.

What sort of man wouldn't care about his loyal follower getting taken to prison? Who would kill someone's mother because they failed a task? He didn't have to see her dead body. There may never even be a body. His Father had spoken very clearly of things that he had done. Draco had wanted to do nothing more then wince and curl up as he listened. He'd been too conditioned to do that. Malfoy's don't show emotion. They are cold and calm in everything they do.

It was early on morning when Draco was wandering about the old house, searching for something to read or even an old picture to stare at for a few hours. Snape had left before Draco was awake and he was growing increasingly bored with himself. It wasn't fair that Snape was doing so many things while he had to sit around, alone, and scratch at his hurting arm.

A crack sounded and he turned around, glad to have his mentor returned but his mouth flew open. His eyes widened at the sight of his cousin's bright blue hair and the crazy previous teacher. Snape wasn't anywhere in sight and he tried to run for his wand when a red jet of light hit him on the back and he fell face forward, barely catching himself in time. "You!" He looked back but his cousin was laughing.

"Wotcher, Draco" Tonks said with a wink.

"Did you think you could get away that easily, ferret-Malfoy." The old man spoke, limping forward and eyeing up the fallen boy.

Draco frowned. He was surely going to be taken to somewhere and murdered for his attempted murder on Dumbledore. He was going to die. He would be taken to Harry Potter and killed instantly. Harry Potter would kill him for even considering the idea of killing Dumbledore. At least he would get to see his mot-

"Your thoughts are so morbid, Draco." Tonks grinned and leaned down, lightly poking the fallen boy, who wasn't even stunned and yet laid there like he couldn't move. "You do remember me, eh?"

"Father told me never to talk to you..." Draco said weakly. This may be the last person he ever talked to.

"Bah. Old Lucius can't do anything, can he? Bottled up in Azkaban." She gave a wink and Draco felt fleetingly that he might be okay as long as she was around. She was a family traitor but she was his cousin.

Moody returned with a loud clunking which made the floor vibrate slightly and Draco stood up, Tonks straightening beside him. "Found 'is wand. Let's get out of this place. Damn near depressing..." His eye swiveled around in the socket before fixing on Draco. "They're expecting you, boy. Ready to go?" Draco only looked mortified.

Moody gave an unamused grunt and narrowed his eyes before limping a short distance and apparating to who knows where.

"He took my wand." Draco frowned, knowing he really wouldn't be able to do any magic now. His wand would be destroyed and then he would be killed. Maybe even burned at the stake.

Tonks raised a brow but grabbed onto Draco fully, causing him to gasp and squirm until he felt his entire body feel like it was being squished against itself and the woman's body behind him as they apparated.

***

Voldemort was walking around slowly, the ragged cloak he wore trailing behind him and over the slightly damp grass. There seemed to be an eternal fog in the graveyard and it made Snape wonder all the more if he would ever truely know where he was at times like this.

"Ah, how I would have loved to torture the pathetic excuse for a Malfoy... Ah, well. Leaving him to his own defenses is good enough torture. He's probably completely mad with grief and fear! Such a beautiful thing, isn't it, Severus?"

"Very, My Lord."

Voldemort's lips curved slightly into a wicked attempt at a smile. "I only wish that you had not been the one to have to do the killing... Your knowledge of the Order of the Pheonix had proven helpful before. I can be assured that the aurors have no idea of where you go when you leave my side?"

Snape bowed his head slightly, it showed respect but he had simply not wanted to face Voldemort. "Of course not. I am not so stupid, My Lord."

"I know that...My Dear Severus..."

***

Harry was boredly cleaning the house up, since it seemed that Remus seriously lacked the skill needed to clean anything. He guessed house elves that weren't like Kreacher might have been helpful. Maybe he could get Dobby to come from Hogwarts to help.

Remus was trying at least. He only seemed to be moving things from one spot to the other and absolutely refused to throw anything away.

Harry sighed and shook his head. He loved Remus but he was a little helpless at this sort of thing.

Minerva walked into the room, caught sight of whatever Remus was trying to do and adjusted her robes to keep herself from saying something. "Potter... He's coming today."

Harry looked up from where he had finished washing some of the dishes. He? Ron? Oh... Malfoy. He made a face and continued to load the dishes into the cabinet. Just because deep down he knew that Malfoy would never kill Dumbledore, didn't mean that Malfoy wasn't Malfoy anymore. Not the spoiled little rich kid that thought he was better than everyone else.

McGonagall looked around again before turning to leave, offering Remus an encouraging smile.

***

Staring at the letter in his hands, Ron paced slightly. Of course he was in the wedding. He was one of the groom's men. All his brothers were. Pigwideon was still twittering excitedly around his room and it was getting on his nerves.

Ron huffed and sat down abruptly ontop of the few clothes he'd thrown from various places in the room. Ever since Hermione had been so upset over him not noticing her he felt the odd sense that he had to live up to her expectations. It was sad really, that he had to impress a girl that he was almost for afraid of than he fancied her.

He frowned and looked around before reaching under his bed and pulling out a small and old bag before stuffing the clothes not caring if it got wrinkled. He'd just spell it later if he needed or wanted to. At least he wouldn't have to think about the wedding once he got to Harry's. Hopefully.

He stood, pushing some of the red hair from his brow and grabbing some underwear. He really had no idea how long he'd be staying once he got there. It was frustrating. He kicked the dresser and gasped when a pair of doxies flew out from under it. His face went red from anger as he jerked the door open.

"FRED! GEOR GE!"

The twins who were sitting at the table eating breakfast each turned to the other. "Guess he found his going away present..."

***

There was a loud crack and Draco nearly fell foward when Tonks released him. She laughed lightly before reaching to ruffle the boy's blonde hair, to which he promptly gasped and began attempting to fix it.

Moody was already limping along the sidewalk, when Tonks turned to follow him. They both stopped and turned to look at Draco before a very damp looking Harry came out from behind him.

Draco could feel his body tense and his eyes widen as he stood there. This was a quiet neighborhood. Maybe Potter planned to take him away somewhere and kill him. Maybe they were going to bewitch one of the houses so that his screams couldn't be heard as he was tortured. This was it. He should be enjoying the air. Those few last breaths of fresh air. He steeled himself over, he'd remain unflinching for as long as possible. He told himself firmly that he would not, could not, scream for mercy. He still had his family's pride to uphold. Technically with his father in jail and his mother dead, he was the head of his household.

"Malfoy. Come here... hold my hand."

Draco's brows disappeared behind his hair. Bloody hell was that?

Harry sighed, rolling his eyes and holding out his hand. "Come on..."

Moody gave a grunt and said something that was completely incoherent as he turned and limped his way further up the street before completely disappearing from sight. Tonks smiled at Draco before turning to follow the man, she too completely vanishing in thin air.

Draco felt slightly faint. They hadn't apparated? There was no sound. What just happened?

Harry was standing there, but it was easy to see that he was slowly tensing up. "Come on, Malfoy. I have to give you permission since the house is mine and our Secret Keeper is..." he paused before looking to the side.

Draco understood. There must be some kind of enchantment... that had to be it. There was an enchanment so that when the through his body out to rot no one would see it. How horrid...

"Hurry up, Malfoy. I give you permission to enter so let's get this over with." Harry all but growled, green eyes narrowing behind his glasses.

Draco slowly stepped forward, swallowing but inwardly vowing that he would face his fate with every bit of Malfoy grace he had. He hesitantly lifted his hand to join Potter's, not bothering to hold tightly since Potter had given his hand a squeeze and walked forward. He didn't stop, he promised himself that he wouldn't. When Harry released his hand a few steps away he felt icy dread hit the pit of his stomach before looking up at a very old looking house. Surely, he would have noticed that before?

Harry turned and walked up the way to the house before entering, not bothering with paying any mind to Draco left standing on the walkway. He heard sounds from inside the house. If he ran for it now he would get away without being tortured...

Remus looked outside and raised a brow. "Are you going to stand outside all day?" He asked with a smile.

Draco felt all the blood seem to rush from his body in one go and slowly tipped to the side, the world going completely black.

---

A/N - This chapter is a little shorter than the others... and... HAHAHA Draco keeled over. I figured he would. The little wimp. Don't worry. He didn't get hurt. He was just paranoid and got scared and hey...Harry held his hand!(but that wasn't why he fainted) BUT... he's there. So... I can finally start building up to birthdays and weddings and DMxHP stuff. XD I had assumed he'd go there in chapter two... but... it took a lot to build up to it. I didn't want to just throw him there. I decided that I wanted Snape to go through stuff and Harry's understanding. I really need to sit and make myself a calender... yes... I do...

thrnbrooke - Your reviews always make me just want to bounce in my seat and start writing right then and there. :D

Yami Bakura - My chapter names are special. XD Yeah. I've went back to HBP about...twenty times while writing this. A lot of it went from memory but some of it I wanted to doublecheck before putting it in there.

Daft Fear - A new reviewer! I post pretty quickly... my chapters are kind of short, though. You're praise made me smile, though. :D I hope this was enough Draco for you. He's in this chapter a lot. XD