Trademark smirks and Temperamental redheads

Chapter 25 - Decision of Fate (Seventh Year)

"Ginny!" Draco screamed, trying in vain for his feet to cooperate and carry him toward them. "No!"

Suddenly, a memory brushed past him and his head snapped up with a start. The OWLs in fifth year, hadn't Potter performed something to ward off Dementors? What was it called? Patronin, Patrous, Patronis! Damn it, how did the spell go? It was something about happy thoughts wasn't it?

Though he had lost his wand, Draco held tightly onto the wrist of his broken left arm and hauled it into a pointing position, ignoring the prickling pain shooting through his arm. Summoning his happiest memory, he aimed his finger at the Dementor. "Expectus Patronis!" he screamed.

Nothing.

Swearing, he began shouting an assortment of variations. Until finally, "Expecto Patronum!" Draco vaguely saw a wisp of something silvery emerge from the vicinity of his left hand before his vision clouded over and went black.

~~~

"Is he going to be alright? I mean Madame Pomfrey said he'd be fine, but ... look at him," Ginny whispered in a worried tone, her voice cracking as she tried to hold in a sob.

The boy lying on the bed may as well have been a ghost for how pale his skin looked, the only color on his face was the dozen swollen bruises. Luckily, his left arm had been mended and seemed to be fine.

"Alright? He'll need at least a week to recover and wake up, doing wandless magic like that, honestly," Hermione said in a reproachful tone.

"Hermione, I don't think this is helping. We're supposed to be comforting Ginny remember?" Harry whispered in her ear.

"Well it's true," Hermione insisted stubbornly. "Wandless magic is dangerous at the best of times. Even learned professors don't like to use wandless magic outside of simple tasks like lighting candles. It takes years of practice. Without a wand to channel his magic, he could have released his whole being with one spell."

"It's all my fault," Ginny whispered haltingly, biting down a sob. Tears pricked her vision and she fought to keep her emotions in check. "He did it so that Dementor wouldn't hurt me."

"I don't understand, your bracelet, it should have protected you," Harry mumbled half to himself.

"My bracelet? That reminds me. When the Dementor first found me, after the initial shock of the cold passed away. I had these visions, of you Harry, when you were talking to me."

"What's this about your bracelet?" Hermione asked with curiosity.

Harry began to explain, the Stag charm contained a powerful Protego charm that was supposed to protect Ginny if she was in danger. The power was supposed to be drawn from Harry's love for her, just like how Lily had saved him using her love for him; he blushed as he explained this but quickly moved on, not wanting to linger.

Hermione considered it for a few moments before comprehension lighted up her eyes. "I understand! A Dementor feeds off of other people's happiness and makes people relive their worst moments. So when the Dementor came towards Ginny and Harry's shield charm was activated, it wasn't enough. I mean the power of such charms are normally limited to small accidents or scaring away wild animals, not nearly powerful enough to counter a Dementor. So the Dementor used Harry's love, which was supposed to protect Ginny, and turned it into a burden, making Ginny feel guilt for it; suffocating her with that emotion."

"Well, that's the last time I try to show off my magical skills," Harry muttered with a sardonic smile.

"Don't feel guilty, Harry. I should be thanking you for making such an effort," Ginny replied, moving away from the bed towards Harry. To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a hug.

Harry, face filled with relief, hugged her close; and it was this scene that Draco awoke to a moment later.

"Isn't it bad enough I feel like I've had a hundred hippogriffs stomping on my chest? But, quite obviously not, as I have to wake up to the sight of you falling all over Saint Potter," a voice drawled weakly.

They all turned to see Draco awake and struggling to sit up; Ginny quickly rushed to his aid.

"You're awake! Already! Impossible!" Hermione gasped.

"Believe me, I wasn't thrilled to see your bushy hair at first sight either," Draco replied dryly.

"But wandless magic! You shouldn't be awake for at least a week," Hermione continued. "Unless...."

"Unless I used my finger to channel the magic. Which is exactly what I did Granger. Believe me, you're not the only one that visits the library. I knew that if I used my entire palm, chances are I wouldn't be alive right now, but by pointing at the Dementor, I successfully channeled the magic through it, so that my finger acted like a wand," Draco explained. His voice was thin and raspy and Ginny quickly handed him a glass of water. While he was drinking, Hermione was looking at him in a whole new light.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but, you are something, Malfoy."

"Hermione!" Harry hissed in an indignant voice.

"But it's true, the method he used is the same method Auror trainees are taught when they are learning wandless magic for the first time," Hermione said. "Anyway, I have to go, I left Ron to look after the first years, they're probably all over him by now."

She left the room leaving Harry and Ginny by Draco's bed.

"So, been getting it on while I was unconscious?" Draco said, his eyebrows raised as he glanced at Harry then Ginny in turn.

"You are so impossible!" Ginny said in an exasperated voice. She rapped him on the head sharply.

"Ow! You wench, I'm hurt!" Draco cried, holding a hand to his head.

"If one more, just one more insult comes out of your mouth Draco Malfoy, you can forget about ever reconciling with me again!" She walked off to refill his glass.

"Women!" Draco muttered, forgetting his company.

"Sex god of Hogwarts having relationship troubles?" Harry said in a low voice, his lips twitching into a grin.

"Shut up, Potter. And keep your distance from her," Draco replied.

"Wouldn't dream of doing anything else. But I thought you two weren't together anymore."

"Well you thought wrong, Potter."

Ginny returned with the glass of water and began fussing about Draco's bed sheets. Harry stood at the foot of the bed watching her until he was disturbed by Draco's sudden coughing fit. He looked up to see Draco giving him a meaningful look toward the door. Finally getting the hint, he backed away.

"Well, I should really go see if Hermione and Ron need some help. So er, I'll just be going then," Harry said quickly before scooting out the door.

"Not too bright is he?" Draco said, watching Harry go.

Ginny gave him a reproachful look before it turned into a grin at Draco's puppy dog eyes. "Stop that. You're lucky we were found right after you cast the Patronus, otherwise Merlin knows what would have happened."

"So my Patronus worked?" Draco asked grinning, unable to contain his excitement.

"It was a Dragon, chased the Dementor right down the corridor," Ginny replied, infected with his grin as well.

"Well obviously, what were you expecting? A ferret?"

"Something like that," Ginny teased before turning serious. "You shouldn't have risked your life like that. I don't know what I'd do if you were hurt...I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

They remained silent for a while as Draco composed his thoughts, thinking of how best to say what was on his mind. Gently, he took one of Ginny's hands and held it in his own.

"I joined the Death Eaters because I thought it was worth it if it could save my life. But when I saw that Dementor on you, realization hit me. Nothing's worth it if I can't have you in my life, to wake up to you in the mornings and hold you in my arms whenever I want to. I didn't want to lose you Ginny, you're the only thing good in my life and I swear I'll do anything to make sure you stay by my side."

~~~

On the other side of the castle, a group of weary professors were busy assessing the damage caused by Voldemort's attack. While Draco and Ginny were in the dungeons, they had missed a spectacular battle between the creatures.

Professor Dumbledore silently observed the professors gathered around the table, many nursing broken limbs, bruises and frightening boils. Professor McGonagall's hair seemed to have gone two shades whiter making her age a decade in one night. Snape's eyes were sallow with large dark bags underneath, his face pulled tight. Professor Fitwick, with his miniature height, had managed mostly to stay out of harm's way, though he had been trampled on a few times in the chaos and sported the bruises and a broken nose to prove it. Hagrid sat in a corner of the room in hushed silence, his face barely recognizable through the swollen flesh; cut li;p and bruised cheekbones. His face resembled nothing more than a pile of bloody flesh. The pair of Giants that had been sent to attack the school had begun demolishing the Astronomy Tower when Hagrid had attempted to catch their attention and lead them into the forest. Once there, it became apparent Hagrid was no match for a pair of fully-grown Giants, being really only just bigger than a toothpick in their eyes. Luckily, before either Giant had a chance to dismember him, Grawp had shown up to defend his half brother in a very endearing manner.

The Thestrals had played a large part against the dark creatures and even the Dementors, of which all creatures were afraid of, were weary of the dark winged Thestrals. As they were naturally attracted to death and decay, it was easy for the Thestrals to track down the vampires and Dementors littering the school; threatening to devour them.

The House-elves remained invisible, ambushing unsuspecting Death Eaters and Veela with their age-old magic. Their other task was to protect the students in the best way they knew how; lock them up. Bewildered students were found locked up in the Room of Requirement, which had been turned into a makeshift common room with comfy chairs and desserts.

If anyone had anticipated the Centaurs to come to their aid, they would have been sorely disappointed. The half-man half-horse creatures had moved deep into the forest and out of sight as soon as the Dark Mark had appeared over the school. Even Firenze had departed from the castle, his expression sorrowful as he trotted to the edge of the forest, turning around one last time toward the school. "We are the watchers, the guardians of the past and the future. We do not interfere, must not...." he repeated this over and over to himself as he disappeared into the thick forest beyond.

When the last Death Eater had fled from Hogwarts with Fawkes' talons right behind him, the castle looked eerily incandescent beneath the moon. Portions of the castle lay in ruins, rubble and debris littering the floor. The Astronomy Tower had been partially torn down and the Great Hall now had a genuine skylight, its roof crumbling the four House tables beneath its weight. It would take a month to fix the damage and Dumbledore had no choice but to have all the students return home for a month.

So it was that Draco was heading home the next week, having recovered his energy. Ginny had been reluctant to leave his side, but at his urging, she had returned home with her family. A Death Eater meeting was scheduled and Draco was forced to attend despite still being weak. When he arrived, Snape was already there.

"My lord, I would have been more helpful if I had been fully aware of your plans. If I had known the Ministry was to be distracted, I'd have made more practical arrangements."

Voldemort eyed the oily haired professor carefully, his red slits narrowing further. Suddenly, he laughed, the sound chilling every occupant of the room to the bone. "Surely you did not think that I, who had meticulously researched all possible ways of bypassing death would make the same mistake twice? I will not allow myself to be betrayed, Severus.

"It was a masterful plan was it not? If there was a spy, I would unearth him, and if it be that all who are present are loyal to me, then Hogwarts would fall to me. But alas, it seems my faithful servants are not as faithful as they appear. I am disappointed, so very disappointed!" The last sentence came out in a furious roar and Draco could not help but shiver at the terror distilled in his heart.

"Severus!" Snape stood forward, standing still and betraying no sense of fear, though his face was pinched.

Voldemort stood and circled him, and Draco knew that he was using Legilimency even though he had not uttered the incantation. Snape suddenly trembled, his eyes becoming vacant as they stared into Voldemort's. After an eternity, Voldemort released him and Snape's breath returned to him in a whoosh of air.

On his throne once more, Voldemort searched the crowd carefully, selecting his next prey. "Draco!"

His heart pounding in his ears, Draco stepped forward and slowly removed his mask, awaiting his orders. This time from his throne, Voldemort caught Draco's gaze, his red eyes boring into the blond boy. Draco trembled slightly, feeling as if something had forced open his heart.

"I am loyal to the Lord, as my father before me, I shall serve the Dark Lord and devote to him my entire being." He chanted the phrase over and over in his mind, trying to create a protective barrier around his thoughts. Beads of perspiration dotted his forehead as an invisible force tried to distract him, pulling him toward the thoughts he was trying so hard to hide.

Suddenly, a flash of red, and in his mind he saw the Lord with Ginny in his grasp. Fear sliced through Draco and he felt his concentration ebbing away.

Just as Draco felt his Occlumency giving way, a loud commotion was heard. Voldemort tore away from Draco and turned around to find Death Eaters surrounding Snape. Someone had picked up an Order of the Phoenix badge that Snape had dropped. Draco flashed his Potions professor a thankful smile before replacing his mask.

"What is this?" Voldemort demanded.

Snape took his time to respond; demanding the badge back from another Death Eater, he strode forward to Voldemort's throne and delivered up the shiny piece of metal. "My Lord, I did not have the chance to tell you of this earlier in all the chaos. Dumbledore has finally allowed me to join the Order of the Phoenix. I shall be able to retrieve much more information for you after this."

"Oh? So sudden? After all these years the old fool has decided to recruit you. I must congratulate you," Voldemort hissed, his voice soft yet piercing. "Why it is though, that I sense, Severus, you are hiding something from me. Unforgivable! Crucio!"

Draco gritted his teeth as Snape's screams of agony filled the room, his body twitching uncontrollably on the floor. I should be doing something, Draco thought, clenching his teeth together as Snape let out a high-pitched shriek. But he knew that anything he did would only bring the wrath of Voldemort upon himself, and then Snape's actions would have been for nothing. The other Death Eaters crowded around Snape's writhing body, their cloaked forms emanating a hungry desire for Snape's desperate screams.

~~~

Shaken, and slightly stunned at what had happened, Draco followed his father silently out of the headquarters and into their awaiting carriage. As the horse-drawn chaise rattled along the road, Draco stared out the window with a blank expression, his gray eyes unseeing as the scenery passed by in a blur.

He followed his father through the Manor toward the library where Draco took his leave and turned towards his room. Thoughts swirling around his head, Draco slowed his steps before pausing and turning around to watch his father walk through the library doors. Compelled by unknown forces, he took a step toward his father's retreating back.

"...Dad," Draco called, just before Lucius turned to shut the library door. Surprised, the older man turned around with a questioning raise of his eyebrow. Though it had never been a strict rule that Draco refer to Lucius as 'Father', his son had never called him 'Dad' as far as Lucius could recollect. A little startled at his new title, Lucius motioned for Draco to follow him into the library.

Unusually subdued, Draco trailed his father through the library doors and shut them behind him, striding to the corner of the room where a decanter of whisky stood on a marble pedestal. Pouring two half glasses, Draco sat down on the lounge across from Lucius and passed him a glass.

Two pairs of gray eyes met and stared at each other for a long time, both so alike as to be mistaken for reflections of the other. "Dad," Draco began. "How do you know you've chosen the right path?"

Normally, this sort of speech would be considered insolence and Lucius would not hesitate to flare at his son. However, Lucius remained calm, slowly swirling his whisky without answering. Perhaps it was the way Draco was acting, his voice quiet and his expression lost, little a little boy searching for the light.

Finally, "Pride. A Malfoy's reputation is built on pride. It does not allow me to go back on my words. Once the decision has been made, a proud man will follow it to the very end, be it right or wrong."

Silence reigned the library for an intense minute as Draco swirled his own glass, his thoughts in a similar state to the churning liquid within.

"Was it the right choice?"

Without hesitation, Lucius caught Draco's eye, his expression hard with certainty and an overpowering sense of confidence. "Yes," he stated simply.

"Have I made the right choice?" Draco asked, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes were fixed on the table between them, and it was uncertain whom he had been asking. The question hovered between them for another pause.

"Have you made your choice?" Lucius countered. It was this seemingly innocent comment that snapped Draco from his reverie; he sat up, looking more alert as he considered his father's words. Perhaps his father was right, and now was the time to make his choice.

"Thank you, Dad," Draco said evenly as he stood up to go. This was a rare moment of father-son bonding for the Malfoys, and Draco had the feeling it would be their last. His father waved him away tiredly and headed for his writing desk.

~~~

Whether or not Lucius knew it, he had just pushed his son toward the biggest decision of Draco's life. Within an hour of returning to his room, Draco had drafted a letter to Dumbledore explaining what had happened to Snape and expressing his desire to take over the professor's role.

Acting as a double-agent meant the betrayal of his family, but he could not afford to dwell on that now. He kept Lucius' words in mind and constantly reminded himself of his pride, a reminder that would save his life many times in the years to come.

As Voldemort regained his lost power inch by inch, the Ministry shrank back accordingly, much to the outrage of the wizarding folk. All that kept the balance of power was the Order of the Phoenix, and even then it was a strained equilibrium.

Draco's position was an ironic one, a role of deceit built on a bond of trust. It was lonely and depressing, his sensitive role requiring him to be alert at all times, causing his time with Ginny to be tense and awkward.

It would be over soon, he assured himself, soon.