Summary: Draco's been on the run for a year since the events of HBP. The Golden Trio have gained a bit of…experience in their quest to find the final horcruxes. I think of it as Underworld meets Harry Potter. Will Draco survive with this 'new Order'? A fair bit of action, a fair bit of angst/drama, and some humour.
Hermione's a bit OOC, but you'll find out why in later chapters. It's hard to be the bookworm when so many others things are taking up your time.
Lightning flashed. A cloaked figure looked around startled. It was an omen. They were coming for him. Springing for the dark, dusty cellar door in the alley, he heard the whoosh of wizards' cloaks fly by. His heart in his throat, he listened for their approach. Instead, his breath caught as something was different. Learning the sound of his pursuers had become habit and necessary for survival the past year. This sound was different. . .
Ready? he spoke in her head.
Strapping her gloves on, she nodded silently.
With a loud crack, four figures disappeared into the night.
She stared down dispassionately at the proceedings from her perch atop a building as she had schooled herself since her early departure from her life as she knew it. Crouched atop the rooftop she watched the masked, hooded figures stalk the empty streets. Harry quietly crept up on the one in the back, removing him silently and quickly. Followed smoothly by Ron swooping another out of sight.
Standing, Hermione knew her part had come. Muttering the incantation silently, she leaped to the ground, landing soundlessly in front of her quarry.
Immediately startled cries of "Mudblood" filled the air while wands were drawn. With a quick flick of her wrist, Hermione lifted the Death Eaters into the air, slamming them into the building on either side of the street. One prepared wizard lifted himself quickly, taking aim. Hermione rushed him diving forward and pushing off the ground with her hands, just missing the curse shot her way, landing behind her attacker. Spinning low, she swept his legs back out from under him, before kicking his wand out of his hand. Harry appeared near by, catching the wand immediately ducking as a curse shot his way.
Harry!
Ron threw Harry's would-be attacker aside just in time, Harry whipping his head around in time to see him go down. Meanwhile, Hermione threw down Bind-Chasers to hold the downed Death Eaters.
Enemy reinforcements appeared then, as the rest of the original Death Eaters stood, pointing their wands at the three. The heavens broke open then, pouring a torrent of rain down upon the heaving figures.
Surrounded, Hermione clenched her gloved hands, breathing deep, letting her power soak through to her fingers, channeling it.
Do it. He spoke in her head.
Her eyes flashing, she threw a blinding light charm straight at the ground. Simultaneously, Harry and Ron Disapparated, right before Hermione flung her arms out spinning to the ground, an arc of energy flowing out throwing the circle of Death Eaters backwards, knocking them out. Slowly, she stood amidst the fallen Death Eaters. Walking to the bound Death Eater, she looked down, not noticing the newly conscious Death Eater, leap up behind her. Flicking her gaze forward, she dove into the alleyway, as a curse flew from behind her, exploding the wall of the building.
She rolled to save herself from the brunt of the fall, stopping abruptly against the sharp edge of a broken cellar door. She opened her eyes and stared straight into startled gray ones. Years of memorizing facts, works, quotes, dates and spells and more recently, features, codes, techniques and runes, had her scanning her brain for a name to go with those eyes. Those eyes she knew of, for sure. Her eyes widened quickly with recognition. Pushing it aside, she remembered the imminent danger and leapt to her feet. Spinning, she saw Harry and Ron taking care of her assailant, bringing him down swiftly. She watched as Ron threw a Bind-Chaser down at him.
Other dark figures dressed similarly to Ron and Harry appeared around them, as the other Death Eaters regained consciousness. They were notorious for fleeing when outnumbered and the appearance of back-up from the Order was enough to drive them away. As the last free Death Eater Disapparated with a resounding POP! all the figures save for Harry, Ron and Hermione disappeared as well. Walking towards Harry, Hermione pulled out her wand, spoke the incantation and waved her wand in a circle before her face. A cloud of gold smoke appeared, forming Ginny's face amongst it.
"Nice work, Gin. They fall for it everytime."
Ginny's face nodded. "They're not known for bravery in the face of so many. How many did you get?"
Harry stood at her shoulder. "Three."
"Four." She shot Harry's a side glance. "Apparently, they really found him this time."
"Where?" asked Harry.
Pointing to the cellar door in the alley, Harry followed her direction.
Turning back to Ginny, Hermione spoke. "We're bringing them all back. No fatalities."
Ginny nodded. "We'll be ready for them."
Hermione nodded and Ginny disappeared in a puff of smoke. Turning she was greeted with the sight of Harry with his wand out, walking behind none other than Draco Malfoy.
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Draco listened to the chaos erupting outside. Never had this happened during these close encounters. He heard shouts of "Mudblood" and froze wondering if it could be who he thought it was. It couldn't be. This was the last month for school at Hogwarts, they had to still be there. If it was, things simply couldn't get any worse. As he wondered who he would rather die by, something slammed into his hiding place with a grunt. Stunned, Draco stared into the "Mudblood's" eyes and as he saw recognition in them, he knew he now didn't have that choice.
Just as suddenly, she disappeared. Her feet walking away were replaced by another pair. His hiding place revealed, Draco stared up and Potter, staring grimly down at him. Oh piss it.
Potter dragged him roughly out and to his feet, before shoving him forward, while pointing his wand at his back. Staring ahead he saw Granger turn to look at him. Blinking, he barely recognized her. She wore all black, as he had noticed Potter did too, and her hair was twice as long as last time he saw her. It was held back from her face in french-braids and hung soaked flat against her back. She wore a long-sleeved top that wrapped around her waist, tied at the side, matching her full length skirt, with a long slit up the side, revealing knee-high, buckled boots. He was unnerved to see her dispassionate stare. Waving her arm, Draco watched his wand shoot out of his robes and into her hand.
Just as stoically she spoke, "Let's go."
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Draco sat strapped to a chair in the middle of a small stone-walled room. He rested his head on the back of the chair. He looked through his eyelashes as the door creaked open, not bothering to move his head. It was the werewolf. Great.
"Mr. Malfoy, have you eaten?"
Draco frowned, but said nothing.
"I'll take that as a no. Dobby will bring you something. Do you have any questions?"
Draco finally lifted his head to look at him. His former professor looked even more ragged than ever.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"Me? No, I don't think so. Not to say others here will have such restraint. However, we believe you have information we will find useful, so there will be no killing for the foreseeable future."
"Where am I?"
"Somewhere safe. Voldemort will not find you here."
Draco snorted.
The door opened then and his former house-elf entered with a tray. He trembled a bit at the site of his former master, but strode up to him nonetheless.
"Ah, I will leave you to your feast. This room is magically sealed, so I suggest saving your strength for your interrogation. Miss Granger has requested that particular delight, and she's been repressing her anger for quite some time." A look of warning came into the werewolf's cheery countenance. "She's become like a daughter to me this past year. Get cheeky, then trust me that she will not be as kind as I have. There are things so much worse than death."
No shit.
"Well," once again his cheery self, "I'll leave you to it."
Then he was gone. Malfoy's arms were released from his bindings as Dobby set the tray on his lap. Glaring at the house-elf, Malfoy was surprised when the elf turned his nose up at him and glared back, before walking back out of the room with a humph.
Releasing a breath, Malfoy shook his head. He couldn't even intimidate a fucking house-elf. How pathetic. He dug into the food, starving. Never have experienced the pangs of starvation of even hunger, he couldn't believe how good the food tasted and how thankful he was for it. As he finished the last of it, his mind wandered to his "interrogation". They're really letting that muggle-born witch deal with him? It was ludicrous. Like he'd tell her anything.
The door slammed open. His tray disappeared from his lap and his arms were once again bound to the chair. Startled his gaze shot to the figure in the door. Oh shit. Granger stood there, looking as dispassionate as ever. Her unwavering stare at him was just as unnerving as before. She strode forward, a glass in hand. Stopping next to him, she put it up to his mouth.
"Drink," she ordered.
Draco looked from the glass to her. Her eyes blazed, daring him to defy her. Taking his chances, Draco took a sip then turned and spat it out. Retaliation happened swiftly. Without blinking, Granger took a step towards him and placed her booted heel on his crotch. The breath left Draco as he choked in pain. The glass was placed under his nose again and he looked up as he tried to slow his breathing to lessen the pain. Her eyes flashed in warning.
"Drink," she ordered again.
This time he did. Watching him swallow, she removed her boot and stepped back. She transfigured the glass into a chair and sat across from him.
He felt the light-headed sensation common with Veritaserum.
"Where is Snape?" she started.
"With You-Know-Who," Draco answered.
"Voldemort?"
"Yes."
"Why did he kill Dumbledore?"
"Because I couldn't."
"Why couldn't you?"
"I…I didn't want to."
"And you always get what you want, don't you," she muttered. "Why didn't you want to?"
"Because I'm not a killer."
"You had no problem with the idea of killing me. What was different then?"
"You're a muggle-born. You're not human and Muggles would like nothing more than to rid the world of wizards should they ever find out about us. It would be for survival."
"You're mother's life is in danger, is it not, because you failed to complete your task?"
Draco frowned. "Yes."
"And so is your own?"
"Yes."
"Now you are running for your life and your mother is most likely dead. Would not killing Dumbledore fall under the category of life-threatening?"
"Yes, I suppose."
"So I will ask again, what was so different about me?"
"I wouldn't have killed you."
"Hurt me though, yes?"
"Yes."
"You think that makes you any less despicable? Hurting people gladly but not killing them just makes you a coward."
Draco narrowed his gaze at her.
"So for all your Pure-Bloodedness," she continued, "you are still being hunted by your own?"
"Yes," though it was unnecessary to answer.
"So that means no matter your blood lines, it's your actions that determine your worth. Voldemort has declared you worthless because you could not carry out his wickedness, therefore you must die. I must die, simply because I have mixed blood. Did your mother ever teach you the term hypocrite?"
Having no choice, Draco spoke, "No."
"Where did Snape take you the night he killed Dumbledore?" she changed subjects.
"To V-Voldemort."
"Who else was there?"
"My mother, Bellatrix Lestrange and her husband, Fenrir, Crabbe and Goyle, Nott—"
"What happened?" she interrupted him.
"V-He said I failed him. That I disappointed him and my mother. He cast the Cruciatus curse on me. I could hear my mother sobbing. When he stopped, I stood. He said he should let Fenrir have me. I drew my wand. Nott, pointed his wand at me and my mother threw herself in front of me. She died…So I ran and Disapperated when I could. I've been on the run since then."
Granger was silent a moment. Then, "Where do your loyalties lie?"
"With myself."
"Do you still owe any allegiance to Voldemort?"
Draco shook his head. "None."
"What do you wish?"
"I…I wish for the chance to avenge my mother."
"You loved her?"
"Yes."
"Do you love your father?"
"Yes."
"Do you plan on breaking him out of Azkaban?"
"No."
"Why do you love him?"
"He is my father. The only one I have."
Granger nodded and stood.
"You will not attempt suicide if we give you a room with a bed to sleep in will you?"
"No, I will not."
"Harry and Ron will come by and show you to your room then."
"Granger."
She turned to look at him.
"Do I get a wand?"
"You don't need one here." She looked down for a moment. "I'm sorry about your mother." Looking back up at him from the door, she added, "You have more in common with Harry than you think."
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A/N: So this is also posted over at Coloured Grey; I know plagiarism is a problem in this fandom, so I just wanted to clear that up that I am in fact the same person;) Sorry if you don't like female empowerment fics. They kinda died off earlier on and I thought it was time for a return of one. She won't be perfect, you'll see it in the next chapter if you just review XD Flames in this fandom seem most useful in toasting marshmellows, and nothing else, or so I've read.