Disclaimer: I own nothing. J.K. Rowling owns it all.

Chapter Fifteen

Malfoy pocketed his wand, an action Harry took to mean that their conversation was over. Draco Malfoy just didn't speak to people without keeping a wand tip between that person and himself.

"We're not done here, Malfoy," Harry sneered.

"No, we're not. You've got a lot of explaining to do, Potter."

Malfoy ushered for Harry to follow him around the corner. Harry, against his better judgement, allowed himself to be steered to an empty classroom.

"Look, you can tell all your slimy friends what was in that note from Dumbledore. I don't care. It was nothing important and nothing that concerns — ."

"I think it concerns me a great deal, Potter," Malfoy flitted his wand, drawing a couple of desk chairs to him, "After all, I was mentioned in that friendly little note Dumbledore wrote you. How he pampers you – doesn't even send you to deliver a message without trying to make you feel involved by adding footnotes about what's going on with the rest of your fan club."

Harry's face burned. Malfoy's perceptiveness angered him, "They're not my fan club, and Dumbledore doesn't pamper me. However, I'm sure it perturbs you that someone exists that doesn't grovel at your feet all day — ."

"Shut-up, Scarhead — ."

"— You know, someone to clip your toenails and bleach your hair or count your father's money for you — ."

Malfoy whipped out his wand, "Don't you dare think you have the right to talk about my father, Potter!"

"Oh, bite your pompous tongue, Malfoy! You've spoken worse about my parents!"

Malfoy sighed heavily and slumped into one of the desk chairs, "True."

Harry eyed him warily, then he also took a seat, "So, what are we doing here?"

"I want to bargain with you, Potter."

"Why?" Harry asked, slowly, "And about what?"

"If my father taught me anything, he taught me that you don't always have to like the people you work with. You've met my father's colleagues, so you must realize they were not the most stimulating group — ."

"That's observant of you, but what is this — ."

"Patience, Potter," Malfoy snapped, "I'm getting there."

"Well, hurry up. I have to get back upstairs soon or they'll come down here."

"Yes, yes, I know. The prince can't come down the tower for long —. "

Harry angrily stood to leave.

"Wait," Malfoy sighed."

"If you want to make a deal, then you'll be civil, Malfoy," Harry threw himself back into the chair.

"Fine...here it is. I'm not so stupid that I haven't noticed that my father's collection of dark arts manuals and certain...personal writings...are missing from the estate."

Harry maintained a blank stare.

"I also haven't forgotten your little moment of stupidity outside the portrait when you described my father's coded signature."

"Civility, Malfoy," Harry growled.

"Oh, sorry — your art of genius when you revealed — to an enemy, might I add — that you are a Natural — ."

"You know what that is?" Harry interrupted.

Malfoy stroked his brow in irritation, "Of course, I know what it is. I think I might know a thing or two more about the Dark Lord than yourself."

"What has that got to do with Voldemort?"

"Say his name, increase his fame," Malfoy chanted viciously.

"Clever," Harry snorted, "What is that? Like a Death Eater bedtime rhyme?"

"I'm not a Death Eater," Malfoy spat.

"Could have fooled me."

"Civility, Potter."

"Fine, you're not a Death Eater. You just picnic with them."

"Something like that," Malfoy mused, "But don't look smug. You think you know so much about my background. Don't think that I don't know about the Order of the Phoenix."

Harry's expression darkened.

"That's right. It's not the secret club Dumbledore would have you believe. Pick my brain a little, you'll discover that Dumbledore's precious Order has a darker history than you might think..."

"I'm not staying if you're just going to blow that rubbish around," Harry said, "Now...what was this bargain you wanted? No guarantees I'll haggle though."

"I want access to my father's papers. Now, I do realize the content. Therefore.. I know that no member of the Order of the Phoenix is going to allow me to keep them. I just want to read them, and I'm willing to offer something in return."

Harry remained silent for a moment, thinking Malfoy's offer over. He knew what the letters and journals contained. However, he was fairly certain it was information Voldemort already had — but Draco might want. In a couple of the more recent journal entries, which he and Hermione had just begun to read, Lucius Malfoy referred to disturbing actions by his son. Harry was unsure what these might be, but he did recognize the family tensions. With his father's death, Malfoy might simply be looking to understand him, understand his past. Or he could be attempting to gain access to the Order's secure areas. One particular thought struck Harry sharply: Malfoy appeared to know things about the Order already. In the past, Harry had dismissed any information Malfoy hinted to, but in the past, Malfoy had not been lying in his hints: he had known about Sirius and his history with Harry's father.

"You'll offer a couple of things. The first being some answers: why do want to read the letters?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes, "You may not know this, Potter, but my father recently died. I'm allowed personal reasons for wanting to read his journals."

"Fine. I'll arrange for you to read the journals...only."

"Don't worry...I don't want to know what my father wrote to his infamous crony. Just know that I know that there are letters, all right?"

"Noted," Harry snapped. Malfoy knew too much. "I guess our bargain's over. I have no problem with you reading your father's daily quibbles."

Malfoy cleared his throat, a small hint of nervousness, "I want access to the dark arts manuals as well."

"Impossible." Harry snorted, "That would be like giving a dueling opponent your wand."

"Yes. But you forget, Potter, you don't need your wand."

Malfoy was an idiot, "Of course I need my wand."

"Oh, drop this transparent facade," Malfoy snarled, "Naturals don't need wands."

Harry sighed, "I didn't know that."

"Boy, you are ignorant. Look, um...try a spell without it. Say lumos," Malfoy coached.

"Lumos," Harry said, dully.

Nothing happened.

"Do you have this attitude when you're fighting the Dark Lord because I can see why he gets closer to killing you every time!"

Harry boiled with rage, "For the last time — shut your mouth, Malfoy!"

Jerking himself from his chair, Harry paced the room out of anger, "You think you know so much! Talking about the Order like its some slumber party that Voldemort's going to trash with a couple of poorly aimed hexes! Talking about the Death Eaters like you're not involved! If there was ever wizard born to be a Death Eater – I think you're it!"

Malfoy didn't speak. Harry turned on him, "Are you just going to sit there while I attack you!"

Malfoy shook his head in disbelief, then gestured emphatically to his mouth.

"What!" Harry was becoming more irritated.

He made motions to indicate that he was trying to open his mouth but could not.

Enlightenment hit Harry, "Oh!" He pointed to Malfoy's mouth, "I did that?"

Malfoy threw up his hands, then glared oppressively at Harry.

"Oh, sorry. Open your mouth."

"Ladies and gentlemen...perhaps the slowest learner to ever enter these hallowed halls," Malfoy stretched his jaw, "Like paste. What'd I tell you?"

"Fine. You knew about the Natural thing," Harry conceded.

"Evidently, I know a lot of information useful to you."

Harry took a seat again, "You're still not seeing the dark arts manuals."

"Bargaining table's still open," Malfoy dramatically swept his cloak around him as he took his seat.

"What do you want with them anyway?"

"I know you're not an idiot, Potter, you know I'm not a Death Eater. You should have known that since first year. I tried to become acquainted with you. Do you honestly think that I would have spoken to my father's arch enemy civilly – knowing who he was — if I was what my father was? I'm not saying that I don't dislike certain aspects of your personality. You have a blind arrogance and a lack of shrewdness that is very dangerous to your health, but I think you're one of the few people who can understand why I need access to those books and...other resources that I can attain with your help. You would die to protect a few people who don't really matter, and I would die trying to run the Dark Lord into the ground. To destroy everything he's done, his entire past. I can't say that I'd do it for the right reasons, but I would do it. And I can find out how to, but I know that you have to do the deed. If you want to protect those people, you've got to get rid of him first, and your precious Order is very far from the right solution."

"How do I know that I can trust you?"

Malfoy rubbed his chin for several moments, "Naturals also have a very keen sense of intuition. That doesn't mean you recognize it or heed it, but think — have you ever really doubted me? Have you ever been certain that I was a Death Eater?"

Something he had once said to Ginny flashed into Harry's mind: ...Malfoy has a lot of choices to make, and we won't know what kind of person he is until he makes those choices. You don't have to hate him or think him evil, but don't put all your trust in him.

"Anything you read, I read," Harry said, sternly.

Malfoy nodded.

"And Hermione reads it too," Harry added as an afterthought.

"Fair enough," Malfoy grumbled, "Now get upstairs before Dumbledore comes down and punishes me for detaining you."

Harry gave a weak grin, then walked to the door. He turned around abruptly at the threshold, "Another thing – you are not to mention our agreement to any of the Slytherins."

"Of course not. I'd have to waste time defining 'agreement' for them first."

A/N: Hmm...I wonder if Harry has made a mistake in his choice of a new ally? I know this chapter was kinda boring but I wanted to be very meticulous in developing Harry and Draco's alliance. After all, only four pages ago they were enemies. Thanks for reading! Please review! God bless.