A/N: One giant disclaimer at the beginning, folks! I don't own Harry Potter or any of his lovely friends/enemies. And if they were real, I'd totally go all stalker-chic on Draco's beautiful behind. Sorry, that got a bit awkward just then. 0.o

In about half of these chapters, there is some VERY recognizable dialogue and (and a nearly identical scene in chapter 12) from the books; it's not mine, either. There are a handful of spells that I concocted on my own using Latin, Greek, and/or Spanish. Those ought to be fairly obvious, too, because if you search Google for them, they don't show up. Along with the recognizable scenes/conversations/etc., there are a couple of things I borrowed from the movies because they didn't exist in the book (once again, see chapter 12). Also, I mention flowers in chapters 14 and 16; they are real, and their healing properties in this story are the same in real life. Last thing you should note: Most of the time I write from Draco's POV. Chapters 9, 10, 13, 15, and 18 have different POVs for reasons you will understand when you read them.

To each and every one of you that has favorited, followed, and/or commented, THANK YOU! I originally started writing this just for myself, to see where it would take me. Your love and appreciation (and criticism) motivated me to finish, especially when my grandma died. Without you guys, I probably would have stopped writing this fic way back then.

All my love,

Raven

P.S. JKR is God.

Chapter One: Blood Traitor

"What is this?"

Draco listened to his mother speaking harshly with someone at the front door. He hoped to Salazar that she didn't let them in—whenever Snatchers showed up at Malfoy Manor, the Dark Lord soon followed. Draco hated him.

"We're here to see He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"

Draco shuddered. That voice belonged to Fenrir Greyback, the werewolf.

"Who are you?" Narcissa replied.

"You know me! Fenrir Greyback! We've caught Harry Potter!"

Draco stiffened. Of all the bloody fugitives, of course Greyback would have to be the one to find Potter. Damn. He hoped his mother wouldn't let them in.

"I know 'es swollen, ma'am, but it's 'im! If you look a bit closer, you'll see 'is scar. And this 'ere, see the girl? The Mudblood who's been traveling around with 'im, ma'am. There's no doubt it's 'im, and we've got 'is wand as well! 'Ere, ma'am— "

Draco's heart stopped. Surely Granger wasn't stupid enough to have actually been traveling with Potter. If he'd believed in a god, he would have been praying right now that Granger wasn't outside his house. As it was, he could only hold his breath and wait, wishing his mother would deny them entry.

"Bring them in."

Draco's shoulders slumped when he heard his mother's reply.

"Follow me," Narcissa said, coming closer to the drawing room. "My son, Draco, is home for his Easter holidays. If that is Harry Potter, he will know."

"What is this?" Lucius Malfoy asked as they entered the room.

Draco glanced at his father.

"They say they've got Potter," Narcissa replied. "Draco, come here."

Draco reluctantly stood up and approached his mother, who had been followed into the room by a group of filthy Snatchers and five people—well, one was a goblin—that were tied up. As soon as he approached the group, he recognized Harry. He'd been hit with a Stinging Jinx, but it was definitely him. Which meant that the bushy-haired girl beside him . . .

Shit.

"Well, boy?" Greyback snarled at him.

Draco didn't answer. He wouldn't give the werewolf the satisfaction of hearing the quiver of fear in his voice. If nothing else, at least his pride was still intact.

"Well, Draco?" Lucius pressed. "Is it? Is it Harry Potter?"

He licked his lips and opened his mouth. "I can't—I can't be sure," he finally said. He wasn't sure what would happen, but if by some miracle Potter was released, maybe Granger would be let go, too.

"But look at him carefully, look! Come closer!" Lucius was far too excited. It made Draco feel sick to his stomach. "Draco, if we are the ones who hand Potter over to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgiven!"

Draco scowled at his father. "I said I can't be sure," he snarled.

Lucius approached Harry and squinted at him. "There's something there. It could be the scar, stretched tight . . . Draco, come here. Look properly! What do you think?"

Draco rolled his eyes and got up in Harry's face. He knew, without a doubt, that the person in front of him was, indeed, Harry Potter. "I don't know," he finally said. He turned and walked to the fireplace and stood next to his mother.

"We had better be certain, Lucius," Narcissa called out. "Completely sure that it is Potter before we summon the Dark Lord. They say this is his—" She held a wand in her hands, examining it closely. "—but this wand does not match the Dark Lord's description . . . if we are mistaken, if we call him here for nothing . . . remember what he did to Rowle and Dolohov!"

"What about the Mudblood, then?"

Draco's stomach clenched at Greyback's words. He could hardly stand to hear the derogatory term anymore.

"Wait," Narcissa said. "Yes, she was in Madam Malkin's with Potter!"

Damn. He wanted to tell her to shut up.

"I saw her picture in the Prophet," she continued. "Look, Draco, isn't it the Granger girl?"

Draco gulped. "I . . . maybe . . . yeah."

"But then, that's the Weasley boy!" Lucius interjected. "It's them, Potter's friends—Draco, look at him. Isn't this Arthur Weasley's son, what's his name— "

Draco turned his back on his father. "Yeah, it could be."

Someone else entered the drawing room. The putrid stench of her perfume informed Draco that it was his deplorable Aunt Bellatrix.

"What's this? What's happened, Cissy?" Draco heard Bellatrix walk farther into the room. "But surely this is the Mudblood girl? This is Granger?"

No, Draco wanted to scream, it isn't her!

"Yes, yes, it's Granger," Lucius said eagerly. "And beside her, we think, Potter! Potter and his friends, caught at last!"

"Potter?" Bellatrix screeched with glee. "Are you sure? Well then, the Dark Lord must be informed at once!" Draco spun around in time to see her pull back her left sleeve and expose her Dark Mark. She reached toward it—

"I was about to call him!" Lucius said sullenly. Draco thought he sounded like a spoiled child. "I shall summon him, Bella. Potter has been brought to my house, and it is therefore upon my authority— "

"Your authority!" Bellatrix interrupted with a sneer. "You lost your authority when you lost your wand, Lucius!"

"In case you hadn't noticed, I've got a new wand. Besides, this is nothing to do with you, you did not capture the boy— "

"Begging your pardon, Mr. Malfoy," Greyback interrupted. "But it's us that caught Potter, and it's us that'll be claiming the gold."

Bellatrix laughed scornfully. "Take your bloody gold, scavenger— "

Draco frowned at the look on his aunt's face. She had stopped dead in the middle of her sentence, staring at something one of the Snatchers held. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father roll up his left sleeve in preparation to summon the Dark Lord.

"STOP!" Bellatrix screamed. "Do not touch it! We shall all perish if the Dark Lord comes now!"

Lucius froze with his finger hovering over his Mark.

"What is that?" Bellatrix demanded of the Snatcher.

"Sword," he mumbled.

"Give it to me!"

"No— "

Bellatrix flicked her wand at the Snatcher, and he fell to the floor, Stunned. She moved from one Snatcher to the next, Stunning each of them before they even had the chance to pull their own wands. As much as he hated her, Draco couldn't help but be impressed at her skill.

Bellatrix slowly approached Greyback, the sword's hilt now clutched tightly in her fist. "Where the hell did you get this sword?" she whispered menacingly.

"How dare you," Greyback sneered.

"Where did you find this sword?" Bellatrix demanded. "Snape sent it to my vault in Gringotts! How did you get it?"

"It was in their tent!" Greyback yelled.

Bellatrix moved away from the werewolf. He scowled at her angrily.

"Draco, move this scum outside. If you haven't got the guts to finish them, then leave them in the courtyard for me."

Draco frowned at his aunt. He hated when she ordered him around.

"Don't you dare speak to Draco like— " Narcissa snarled.

Bellatrix interrupted her. "Be quiet! This situation is graver than you can possibly imagine, Cissy! We have a very serious problem!"

Draco rolled his eyes again. She was always so overdramatic. He had no idea how the Dark Lord put up with her.

"If it is indeed Potter, he must not be harmed," Bellatrix muttered. "The Dark Lord wishes to dispose of Potter himself . . . But if he finds out . . . I must . . . I must know . . ." She turned to face Narcissa. "The prisoners must be placed in the cellar, while I think what to do!"

"This is my house, Bella," Narcissa snapped. "You don't give orders in my— "

"Do it!" Bellatrix screeched. "You have no idea of the danger we're in!"

Narcissa scowled, but turned to Greyback. "Take the prisoners down to the cellar."

"Wait!" Bellatrix shouted. "All except . . . except for the Mudblood."

Draco's heart constricted.

"No!" Ron shouted. "You can have me, keep me!"

Bellatrix hit him, hard. "If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next," she snarled. "Blood traitor is next to Mudblood in my book."

Draco watched warily as Bellatrix took a short silver knife from the pocket of her robes and cut Hermione loose from the others.

"Reckon she'll let me have a bit of the girl when she's finished with her?" Draco could hear Greyback saying as he shoved the other prisoners toward the cellar stairs. "I'd say I'll get a bite or two . . ."

Draco shuddered. Not if he had anything to say about it.

"Draco, take these sacks of dung to the courtyard!" Bellatrix shouted at him.

He reluctantly pulled his wand from the back pocket of his jeans. He made eye contact with Hermione. Fear was written in every line of her body. Draco mouthed "I'm sorry" as he waved his wand toward the Stunned Snatchers. Their bodies levitated into the air, and he directed them out of the drawing room. He hurried as fast as he could to deposit the men in the courtyard, but he wasn't fast enough. When he stepped back into the kitchen, he could hear her screams echoing throughout the house. From in the basement, he could hear Ron bellowing her name. The weasel must really love her.

It took everything Draco had not to run back to the drawing room. He shoved down his feelings, placed his usual smirk back on his face, and swaggered his way through the house. But when he reentered the drawing room, he stopped cold. Hermione was lying on the floor near the sofa, and Bellatrix was straddling her.

"How did you get into my vault?" Bellatrix yelled, her face close to Hermione's.

"I swear—I swear we didn't," Hermione choked out. "We found it!"

"Liar!" Bellatrix pulled out her shiny knife again and lightly traced Hermione's lips with its tip. "Tell me who helped you!"

Hermione let out a sob. "Nobody! We found it in the woods!"

Draco found that he believed her. The tears streaming down her cheeks were no act.

Bellatrix yanked on Hermione's left arm and pinned it down with her knees. "Filthy Mudblood," she snarled. "The lot of you ought to be branded." She lowered her knife to the soft flesh beneath Hermione's elbow and began carving into it.

Draco flinched at Hermione's piercing screams. He tried not to care, he really did. But the longer Bellatrix hovered over her, the more Draco wanted to rip her blasted head from her body. Hermione's scream cut off with a low moan. Draco looked over at her again, and found that she had fallen unconscious. A part of him was grateful. Maybe Bellatrix would leave her alone now.

Bellatrix stood up and wiped her knife off on her robes. "She didn't last too long, did she?" she chuckled darkly, pulling out her wand and pointing it at Hermione's chest. "Too bad it won't last. Rennervate."

Hermione bolted into an upright position, panting. She curled her left arm to her torso protectively, flinching at the pain. She looked up at Bellatrix with wary eyes. Draco watched her silently, wishing that he could intervene. Bellatrix lifted her wand again.

"Crucio!" she roared.

Hermione's back arched, and her scream pierced all the way to the wispy remains of Draco's soul. He watched as her body fell back to the floor and twitched with the strength of Bellatrix's curse. If Bellatrix didn't release the spell soon, Hermione could suffer permanent damage. At the very second that Draco decided he was going to do something, Bellatrix lowered her wand to her side.

Draco's heart was pounding; the roaring in his ears blocked out all other sound. His sight was pulsing with red. He balled his hands into fists, warring between his pride and his feelings for her. But his parents were still in the room. How could he get Hermione out of here without them knowing?

"I'm going to ask you one more time," Bellatrix said dangerously. "How did you break into my Gringotts vault?"

Hermione gulped down air. "I'm not lying," she said desperately. "I swear, we found it in the woods."

Bellatrix glowered down at her. "I warned you," she growled. "Crucio!"

Hermione screamed louder this time. Spasms rocked through her body, making it look as though she was having a seizure. Bellatrix kept the spell coursing through Hermione's body until her muscles gave out from exhaustion. Still she screamed in pain, the spell's fire taking its course. A wicked grin split Bellatrix's face.

Draco was shaking, whether with fury or fear he wasn't sure. Something salty slid down his cheek, and he realized that his eyes had become glazed with tears. He blinked furiously, trying to clear his vision. He focused back on Hermione in time to see Bellatrix release the curse. But instead of backing away, she aimed her wand at Hermione's head. Draco watched, as if in slow motion, her mouth open and begin to form the words of the Killing Curse.

Something in him snapped. "No!" he roared, racing across the room and tackling his aunt.

Bellatrix's wand went flying to the other side of the room. She shoved Draco aside, screaming, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Draco reeled back and punched Bellatrix as hard as he could. Then he pulled out his wand and, with every ounce of magical energy he held, shouted, "Stupefy!"

Bellatrix and his parents all slumped to the floor, unconscious. Triumphant, Draco moved to Hermione's side. She was motionless, her head sagging to the side, but her eyes were open. He gently brushed the back of his hand across her cheek, and her eyes focused on him. Glancing around the room, Draco looked at his parents one last time. Instead of feeling loss, like he thought he would, he only felt disgust for what they had become. He refused to turn out like them. Carefully, he lifted Hermione into his arms, then he Disapparated from the mansion.

Within seconds, they arrived just outside of Surrey. Draco wasn't sure exactly where the house was. He looked around for a moment, finally spotting a small wooded area next to a creek. He hurried over and set Hermione underneath a tree.

"Please, wait here. I'm going back for your friends," he pled.

Hermione nodded, still too weak to speak.

Draco flashed back to the manor. Everyone in the drawing room was still unconscious. He carefully walked through the halls, peering around each corner to make sure nobody was coming. It didn't take him long to reach the stairs to the cellar. He snuck a look to the door at the bottom of the stairs. Ugly old Wormtail was standing outside the door, wringing his hands. Greyback was with him. Draco stuck his wand around the corner and Stunned them. Wormtail dropped to the side, on top of Greyback, and Draco rushed down the stairs. He threw open the door.

"Come on," he yelled. "Potter, Weasley, let's go!"

Harry looked at him, perplexed. "Malfoy, what the hell?"

"Everyone upstairs is Stunned, but we've got to hurry. The spell won't last forever."

"Well, what about them?" Harry gestured towards three other people and the goblin in the cellar.

Draco examined them. He recognized them. The first was Mr. Ollivander, the wandmaker. One was another Gryffindor bloke—Dean, he thought his name was. The other was that crazy girl whose father owned the Quibbler. Luna. He didn't really care much about the goblin.

"Come on, then," Draco grumbled.

He waved them through the door and up the stairs. When they reached the main hall, Harry bolted for the drawing room again. Draco took off after him.

"Hey, Potter, where are you going?"

"I need that sword!" he shouted over his shoulder.

"Aw hell," Draco muttered.

He followed Harry to the door of the drawing room, Ron hot on his heels. Harry dashed over to where Bellatrix still lay and grabbed the sword from the floor. Then he hurried back to where Draco stood.

"Where's Hermione?" he demanded.

"What did you do to her?" Ron shouted.

"Shh!" Draco warned. "I already got her out of here. Come on, she's waiting."

Ron grabbed Draco's shoulder roughly and shoved him against the door frame. "What the hell are you doing, Malfoy?"

"I'm helping you, you bloody moron!" he snapped.

"But what do you get out of it? Why the hell would you want to help us? You're a damn Death Eater!"

"We can discuss this later," Draco snarled. "Right now we need to leave."

Ron scowled at him, but nodded his head sharply.

Draco led them back into the hall to where the others were waiting. "As much as this disgusts me, we have to hold hands," he grumbled.

"Eugh," Ron huffed. "I am not holding your hand."

"Just hold somebody's hand, Weasel."

Luna came up next to Draco. "Thank you for rescuing us, Draco." Then she slipped her hand into his and grabbed Ron's with the other. "Come on, boys."

Draco was slightly surprised at her immediate acceptance of him, but rather than question it, he made sure everyone was connected and Disapparated from Malfoy Manor for the last time. They appeared right on the bank of the creek where Draco had brought Hermione.

As soon as he set eyes on her, Ron bolted to Hermione's side. "Oh my God," he spluttered. "Are you all right? Oh my God."

Hermione took Ron's hand in hers. "I'll be fine."

Ron squeezed her hand. As he did, he happened to glance down at her arm. A snarl twisted his features and he turned to Draco angrily. "Who the bloody hell did this?" he yelled, gesturing to the word 'Mudblood' carved into her arm.

Draco sighed. "Bellatrix."

Ron surged to his feet. "Since I can't kill her, I'll settle for your pasty face. C'mere Malfoy!"

"Hey!" Draco stumbled backward. "I just fucking rescued your sorry ass!"

"Ron!" Hermione shouted. "Stop!"

He whirled on her. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't curse him into oblivion!"

"He saved my life," Hermione said wonderingly. She looked at Draco. "Why did you save my life?"

Draco shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Damn. He hadn't thought she'd question his actions. "Er," he managed.

"Whatever the reason, thank you Malfoy," Harry interrupted, shooting Ron a warning glare. "I suppose we part ways here, then."

Draco panicked. "Wait. You can't ditch me."

Harry frowned. "What are you talking about? Why not?"

"Don't you understand?" Draco snarled. "I saved your bloody lives! I went against my family to do it! They'll kill me if they ever see me again!"

Luna tilted her head to look at him. "That's an awful lot to sacrifice," she said dreamily. "What made you do it?"

"Not now, Lovegood!" Draco snapped.

Luna shrugged and wandered down to the edge of the creek. Harry shared an uneasy look with Ron. Draco watched the lot of them, his heart racing, and having no idea what he'd do if they turned him away.

"Well, I suppose— " Harry started.

"No!" Ron shouted. "I will not spend any more time than necessary with that ass— "

"Ron!" Hermione hollered. "That's enough!"

He spun to face her. "Why the hell are you defending him?"

Hermione shakily pulled herself to her feet, leaning heavily against the tree for support. "He stopped Bellatrix from using the Killing Curse on me," she said strongly.

Draco heard Dean Thomas gasp loudly.

"But that doesn't mean he's on our side!" Ron argued.

"I'm on nobody's side!" Draco yelled.

"Still," Hermione said. "We can't just abandon him. We don't have to trust him, but if we leave him alone, he'll be killed. We owe him our lives. Come on."

Harry frowned. "Well, I suppose he could tag along for a little while."

Draco relaxed slightly. "Thanks for your generosity," he said sarcastically.

"Where will you go?" Dean asked Harry. "Where will I go?"

"You could come with me," Luna said in an airy voice. "I'm going to go home, and I'm certain Father would let you stay with us."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. Actually, we might go somewhere else once we meet up with him, for safety reasons, you understand."

Dean nodded.

"Well, I suppose that settles the question of where you'll go. What about you, Mr. Ollivander?" Harry turned to the old man.

"Do you know of anywhere that's safe right now, young man?" he rasped.

Harry looked around him. "Hey, I know this place." He turned to Draco. "Did you mean to come here?"

Draco nodded. "I didn't know exactly where you lived with the Muggles before, but I knew it was somewhere in Surrey."

"We could go back to Privet Drive," Harry said. "That was actually quite brilliant, Malfoy."

"Because I'm normally such a numbskull," Draco sneered.

Harry ignored him.

"Well," Luna said breezily, "shall we go then, Dean?"

"Right," he answered. "Harry, Ron, Hermione, you sure you'll be all right?"

Ron clapped Dean on the shoulder. "Yeah. Just stay safe, mate."

Dean extended his hand to Luna. "Whenever you're ready."

Luna took his hand with a dreamy smile on her face. "See you later, Harry," she said.

"Bye, Luna."

"Great," Draco grouched. "Can we get a move on now?"

"Just one second!" The goblin, who had remained silent throughout the entire journey thus far, finally spoke up.

Draco turned to him, eyebrows raised. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"I want that sword back!" the goblin said in his squeaky little voice. "It's goblin made, and it rightfully belongs to us!"

"Griphook," Harry said. "Can we get back to my aunt and uncle's house first?"

It was hard to determine what kind of mood the goblin was in because of his wrinkled face. "Fine," he said. "Just hurry."

Draco was surprised when Hermione extended a hand towards him. "Well, come on then. Let's get to Harry's house," she said softly.

Ron glared at Draco before he marched to Hermione's side. "Let's get this over with," he said, snatching the hand she had intended for Draco.

Harry moved to Ron's other side, followed by Mr. Ollivander and Griphook. They joined hands.

"Come on, Malfoy," Hermione said, extending her right hand.

Draco hesitated. He slowly moved towards her, wary that they would figure out his secret if he accepted her hand too readily. "I'd rather hold the goblin's hand," he muttered under his breath, hoping both that they would and would not hear him.

But it appeared nobody did, so, scowling, he took Hermione's hand. Harry Disapparated, bringing the group with him. They landed outside of a tidy house, surrounded by other identical houses. The number four was plastered on the front door. Draco eyed the house with scorn, but knowing he had nowhere else to go, didn't say anything.

Realizing he still held Hermione's hand, Draco flung it from him. "So," he said, trying to exude his usual swagger. "Are we going in or not?"

Harry swung the door open. The house was completely barren of furniture, and there was a thick layer of dust on every surface. It was obvious that nobody had lived here for months. Draco stomped inside, fighting the urge to insult the place into nothingness.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron said, helping her through the door. "Almost there."

"Malfoy, Griphook, Mr. Ollivander, there are rooms upstairs you can have." Harry waved them toward the stairs. "Ron, let's do what we can to patch Hermione up."

Draco wanted to protest—how could he let her out of his sight again?—but scowled and followed the others to the second floor. Griphook took the first room on the right. Draco continued down the hall and entered the last bedroom on the left, leaving Mr. Ollivander on his own. He closed the door and leaned against it, completely spent. He slid to the floor of the empty room and curled into a ball. The day's events coursed through his head, and he came to a devastating realization.

"I'm a blood traitor."