Black Pain

Harry simply stared at the door from which Lucius had so furiously departed, confusion swirling though his mind.

“Don’t you ever dare to utter the name of my deceased son again. You are not worthy!”

“Deceased?” he asked the air. Malfoy couldn’t possibly be dead, there were too many spells guarding him from Voldemort’s wrath. But then again, everyone who had crossed the bastard was now in a million pieces everywhere.

But the git was one of best that Harry had known at surviving. The fact that he had betrayed Voldemort, somehow managed to escape, hid in forests for about a month before managing to overcome his hatred of muggles so that he could blend in with them, attested to that. As much as Harry had the propensity to be prejudiced against the blond ferret, he couldn’t but help to be impressed when Malfoy first arrived at the Order’s doorstep.


”Ron, go see who it is would you?” Hermione snapped as their unknown guest knocked again.

“Why in the blooming heck can’t you do it?” the redhead snapped from his comfortable seat which he had stolen from Harry.

“Because unlike you, I am busy trying to research any other possible locations for the you know whats.” Hermione glared at Ron over the rim of the hefty book she was reading. Ron glared back and when Hermione’s head bent back down to continue reading, he stuck out his tongue.

“I saw that.” She snapped, her quill impatiently tapping the wooden table. Ron gave an apologetic shrug and heaved himself out of the large armchair.

“I maintain that she’s got eyes where there ain’t supposed to be. Don’t you dare steal my seat Harry.” Ron muttered mutinously. Hermione’s head tilted dangerously.

“And I maintain that you’ve got your brains where they ‘aint’ supposed to be. Up your-“

“Oh Bloody Bollocks no Harry!” but it was too late, Harry had already settled himself comfortably in Ron’s former seat. He grinned up at the fuming redhead.

“You snooze, you lose mate.” Ron’s annoyed retort was cut short by another trio of knocks on the door. Ron’s face turned dangerously red as he stormed to the door and ripped it open, “WHAT?!!!!”

Harry and Hermione looked at each other in confusion when they heard even more yells and scuffles coming from the corridor. Hermione dashed away and only until Harry heard her joining the fray did he reluctantly leave his seat. The scene that greeted him was Hermione slapping at two entwined bodies.

“Don’t you slap me ‘Mione. I am going to send this bastard off to hell.”

“Ron! Not here! And stop doing that, you might kill him!”

“Name one bad thing about that?”

“Well-well, that’s quite besides the point.”

“Unhand me right now Weasel!”

At that statement, Harry knew exactly what was going on and when Ron turned where Harry could finally see who he had in a headlock, he started laughing. Malfoy’s face was steadily turned redder as Ron was cutting his airsupply short while his normally prim hair was all around his face.

“Give me one bloody reason why I should.” Suddenly Ron found himself being flipped over Malfoy’s back. He stared up in shock at the quickly breathing Malfoy. Hermione worriedly flittered around the two while Harry quickly regained his senses. He pointed his wand at Malfoy, thinking the words ‘en gaurde!’ in his head.

“What are you doing here Malfoy?” The once slight blond snob had finally seemed to have grown up. He was now half a head taller than Harry, shoulders had broadened and he had the bad boy aristocrat look completely down. Harry almost took a step back, but his shock was interrupted by Ron swearing as he got to his feet.

“Where did you learn to do muggle fighting Malfoy?” he jabbed an accusatory finger in said blonde’s chest.

“I’m more concerned as to his purpose Ron.” Harry snapped, his wand back up at the blonde’s face.

“I’m here for shelter.” He said as if it was obvious.

“You-you-you’re here for shel-shelter?” Ron sputtered as Hermione walked around recasting the protective spells so that she could stay out of the impending cock fight, “What in the bloody hell makes you think that we would ever give you shelter?”

“I’ve nowhere else to go Weasel. I can assure you that this is my last resort.”

“Insulting your last resort won’t get you anywhere Malfoy,” Harry snapped, “Why would you need shelter? Just have little old Voldy take you in.”

“The Dark Lord?” Malfoy laughed mirthlessly, “Don’t be daft. I have almost every death eater in the country after my blood right now.”

“How are we supposed to believe you ferret?” Ron glared at him with more dislike, “For all we know, you could have led them right here!”

“Which begs me to ask Malfoy,” Hermione finally spoke up, “How did you find us? This location has hundreds of enchantments on it.”

“It was quite simple really. Get your giant friend inebriated.”

“Drunk.” Harry said to Ron’s puzzled face.

“You bastard! You drugged Hagrid!” Ron launched himself at the smirking blonde. Hermione quickly erected a shield between the two.

“Hardly. 5 firewhiskys do the job quite well. Don’t worry. I wiped his mind of the encounter. I suggest you do the same.”

“We trust Hagrid Malfoy.” Harry gritted his teeth

“Well alchohol can loosen any man’s tongue. Just your friend more than others.” Malfoy strode in and to the horror of the other two males in the room, sat down in the very chair that the two had been squabbling over.

“Harry,” Hermione muttered in his ear, “Malfoy might actually be telling the truth.”

“What?” he whirled around to face his friend, undisguised shock on his face.

“The Daily Prophet’s been inquiring about him. And you know what that normally means.”

“So you’ve finally come to the conclusion that the ministry’s now in the Dark Lord’s hands.” Malfoy smirked at them all but there was something different about it.

“You seem a smidge diminished Malfoy. Why the sudden change of heart?” Harry asked, his eyes narrowed.

The blonde stiffened before relaxing, his face so guarded that it was almost grimacing.

“I didn’t agree with the terms of my initiation.”

“Your initiation?” Ron looked confused, not exactly something new, “But I thought you were already a death eater.”

“Hm. I was in the stages of becoming one. The Dark Lord only wants the best. Do you really think that he would automatically bond one with him without testing them first?”

“Bond? You freaks are bonded?”

“RON” Hermione glared at the redhead, “The dark mark is one of the most complex forms of magic there is. It takes a lot of power to attempt even one but…”

“The Dark Lord is no ordinary wizard muggle,” Harry raised an eyebrow at the use of muggle instead of mudblood, “He has many death eaters at his disposal. But in order to be truly ‘worthy’ of a dark mark, there’s certain things you have to do. And let’s just say that there was another task that I would have to perform that the others wouldn’t if I indeed had become a death eater.”

“Like what?” Ron again displayed his complete lack of tact as he stared at the blonde. Malfoy glared at him, “That is none of your business.”

“You must have really not liked it in order to abandon your silk draperies so quickly Malfoy.” Harry commented quietly

“Or you’re just a chicken.” Ron cut in, his glare was back on his face, arms childishly crossed, “Honestly guys, why the hell is he still here?”

“I think we’ll keep him.” Harry sat down across from Malfoy, tapping his lip with his wand thoughtfully.

“For merlin sakes Harry we’re talking about Malfoy, not about a stray dog.” Hermione said quickly, shock evident on her face.

“Yeah Harry, why would you take him?” Ron asked, a big NO plastered all over his face.

“Curiousity killed the cat Potter?” Malfoy commented, a smirk accenting his face


Harry’s musings were interrupted by the door suddenly blasting open. He cringed at the look on the elder Malfoy’s face.


“Up Potter. The Dark Lord's got a bone to pick with you.”








-----
sorry this took so long guys
life has been insane
and not pleasantly