Of Choices and Regrets

The Request-

After a couple hours in the sole company of Draco, Natara tired against her will. In vain she tried to hide it, insisting that she was wide-awake and not at all ready for bed. Only an enormous yawn gave away her fatigue.

She unwillingly let Draco lead her upstairs and tuck her into bed, but was asleep before Draco even turned out the light. Softly closing the door and smiling to himself, Draco quietly padded down the stairs into the kitchen.

Finding himself quite alone, Draco rummaged around the kitchen for food. He had not had dinner, and he had been unable to grab the butterbear before Potter and his gang had burst in and interrogated him.

Having never had to make his own sandwich, Draco Malfoy never learned how to make a proper sandwich. He understood the basics- the concept, the physics. But he had never understood the joy of cooking, or even the purpose. This being known, it was no wonder that his creation was a pile of ingredients rather than a final product. Picking carefully at his homemade meal, Draco devoured the food and drained his cup of butterbear.

He still had not been told why they were holding him; he had no idea where he was even if he wanted to leave. He had promised Natara that he would be there when she woke up, but what about his mother?

He had told her that he would be back by dark, yet it had been dark for some hours. If he did not go back soon, she would grow worried and search for him to no avail. Potter was too smart and much too cautious to let a wandering person find his home. She would then be forced to go to the Dark Lord and tell him that Draco was missing. When Narcissa brought the news of what happened, the Dark Lord would punish her, for Draco was not allowed to leave the Malfoy Manor, much less go to France on holiday.

The door swung open silently, breaking Draco's disquiet reverie. Harry Potter strode into the room, heading straight for the table. He sat down across from Draco and folded his hands on the table before him, never breaking eye contact.

"We are at a crossroads, Malfoy." Harry began gravely.

Draco tilted his head slightly, wondering what would happen next, but he did not respond.

Taking this as an invitation to carry on, Harry Potter gave a sympathetic look that seemed to pierce Draco's mind, then continued.

"Obviously, we want you to be safe and on our side. Your concern for your family does you credit, but it has hindered your own life, truncated your own free will and suspended your own decisions. It is your decision, but we also need you for Natara, of course. She won't talk to any of us; she seemed rather listless before you came. I still do not understand it, but I have a feeling that I am not meant to.

"I realize that you probably want to go home, as your mother will be worrying. We can let you do this, but I want to first ask a favor of you. Actually, two favors, but the other goes without saying.

"Please do not mention this place or that we were here, which should be common sense. What happened here should stay here. I also want to suggest that you try to get out of missions for Voldemort, as you were not able to adequately hide your contempt last time, and someone will eventually notice that you do not actually do anything. This is for your safety as much as ours, you must understand. We would also ask of you, if you are willing, to stay in contact with us, or, more specifically, Natara."

Draco was startled. Whipping his head and displaying his best confused look, Malfoy sardonically mimicked Harry Potter. "Stay in contact with you? If I am willing? Are you joking? I will get killed if I get caught, and you know I will. I can't leave my house without people knowing, my mail is thoroughly checked to the point where no letter has gotten through yet, and do you really think that no one would notice? I would never be safe, which was what you claimed you wanted me to be. There's no way in hell that it will work."

Draco pushed himself away from the table and looked away, slightly shocked at what Potter was asking of him.

A soft cough by Harry drew his eye and mind back to the present. Potter reached into his pocket and gingerly extracted a small package wrapped in dull brown paper.

"This," Harry said softly, "was given to me in our fifth year. My dad and Serius Black used them to communicate during school, and the thought was that I could take my father's place. Unfortunately, I never got to use it before my godfather was killed by your aunt Bellatrix during the battle in the Department of Mysteries." Harry's voice petered out and his eyes lost their focus as he thought back on the painful memory.

Draco took the package out of Harry's outstretched hand and slid the object out of the paper. It was a small hand mirror, about the size of his fist. The handle was golden but other than that it was quite plain. Draco looked questioningly at Harry Potter, trying to decipher what he was supposed to do.

Harry sadly smiled. "It's a two-way mirror. I will give the other to Natara. All you have to do is say her name and, if she has with her, she will appear and you can talk as though you were with her. It is a little like the floo network, only secure and you do not actually go anywhere. No one else has anything like this, so no one will know what it is if they find it. I am sure people will think you really are that vain, and they wont suspect a think. Keep it on you at all times. We can track you that way, and contact you if we need to. If any of us appear, please answer our questions truthfully.

"I am not asking you to spy. I just want to stay in touch, and it helps that you are in a position that lets you get information that may be of use to us. All you have to do is go home as though nothing happened; act like you simply got lost. Can you do this for me, Malfoy? For Natara?"

Draco stared at his reflection. Could he do it? Was he strong enough, courageous enough? Absently, he nodded his agreement, as much saying that he would do it as he could do it.