Different Stops

'You are the most foul, loathsome little cockroach I have ever seen!' Hermione yelled shrilly at Malfoy, who was leaning idly against the fireplace in the Head Boy and Girl common room.

'Well, at least I'm not a bloody know-it-all,' Malfoy sneered, gliding gracefully across the room toward her.

'Obviously not, because you sure don't know how to talk to people,' she shot back, pulling herself up to her full height, hands on her hips, and looking very much like Mrs. Weasley. Malfoy was making the mistake of letting her get into full swing.

'What's that supposed to mean?' Malfoy asked, stomping over to her.

'That, a few minutes ago, was probably the hundredth time you've called me a Mudblood,' Hermione said angrily. 'That's not a term one usually hears in civilised conversation. Didn't your mother ever teach you how to behave towards girls?' Malfoy's face darkened.

'Don't you dare talk about my mother, Granger,' Malfoy hissed, his face tense.

'So, maybe you've got a heart deep down inside after all?' Hermione continued hotly, ignoring the fact that she was treading on dangerous ground. 'You seem to care for your mother,' she added more softly. 'Wouldn't she want you to treat me with a tad bit more respect?'

'I don't think my mother would give a damn about you,' Malfoy said through gritted teeth. 'I think she's a little too busy with her own well being to care about you. That, and you're a Mudblood.'

'What?! Well-being?' Hermione asked, startled, overlooking the fact that he had just called her Mudblood again.

Malfoy fell quiet. He turned away. 'Just leave me alone and we'll get along fine.'

Hermione let out a laugh. 'Us, get along?' she scoffed. 'And I don't understand about me leaving you alone, because you provoke any arguments we get into.'

'I'll argue with you as long as you like, Granger,' Malfoy chuckled. 'But you keep my mother out of it.'

As long as I like? Hermione thought. Is he flirting with me now?

'Why does your mother have to worry about her well-being?' Hermione asked again, unconsciously stepping closer to him.

Malfoy fell silent yet again. He sat down on the couch, not looking at Hermione.

She walked over to face him once more. 'Malfoy, I'm not having a go at your mother. Is she in danger?' she inquired, concerned.

'You have no idea what it's like being me,' Malfoy muttered. 'You may think you know everything about my life, but you know nothing about my mother, and how my father treats her.'

Hermione gasped, and Malfoy turned paler, realising what he had just admitted.

'Malfoy! That is serious! And I have never presume know anything about you. But why hasn't your mother filed for a divorce if your father treats her badly?'

'It's not that easy,' Malfoy said, coughing back tears. 'My parents are bound by more than their vows. There's a lot of magic behind it. Besides, if my mother ever left, my father -' he shuddered. '- I don't want to even think about it.'

Hermione sank down onto the opposite side of the couch. 'Malfoy, maybe... maybe there's some way we could get your mother out safely, and keep her safe too... Remember what Dumbledore told you, on the night that he died?'

'And what is that?' he asked, regarding hr suspiciously.

Hermione hesitated. Malfoy may be scared for his mother's life. I know he's a Death Eater only to save her, but does he still support the Dark Side anyway? 'Where do your loyalties lie?' she asked him, meeting his eyes with hers.

'What do you mean, my loyalties?' Malfoy asked, taken aback by the question.

'Loyalties...' Hermione repeated. 'Who do you stand by?'

'If you're asking whether or not I'm a Death Eater, the answer is yes. I'm sure your ickle friend, Saint Potter, acquainted you with that fact,' Malfoy told her. 'But if you're asking whether or not I support the Dark Lord, the answer is no.'

Hermione tensed, and her heart started beating more rapidly. Calm down, Hermione, she told herself. He said he doesn't support Voldemort. But he still called him the Dark Lord. 'I do already know that you're a Death Eater,' she admitted haughtily. 'But must you call Voldemort the Dark Lord?'

'What?' Malfoy asked, dumbfounded.

Hermione sighed loudly. 'Must you refer to him as the Dark Lord? Are you magically bound to say that?'

'Well, no, but,' Malfoy paused. He wasn't sure why he called him the Dark Lord. 'I guess I just grew up calling him that. Bit of a habit.'

'Well, in case you're wondering, calling Voldemort the "Dark Lord" is a sure give away of being a Death Eater,' Hermione said.

'I know,' Malfoy sighed, 'But you will note that Snape calls him the Dark Lord, and he's not exactly one of his loyal followers,' he smirked.

Hermione gasped out loud and gawped at him. Snape is still on our side? she thought wildly.

'Umm, well, anyhow,' Draco said nervously. 'Kind embarrassing how my head of house got caught out after killing Dumbledore.'

'I've known about Snape being a Death Eater since fourth year.'

'And you know that he hasn't been active, or associated with other Death Eaters until after the Tri-Wizard Tournament, right?'

'Yes,' Hermione said, smirking knowingly.

'Wait,' Malfoy said confusedly. 'How do you know all of this?'

It was Hermione's turn to be nervous. Great, I did what you aren't supposed to do. I let someone from the other side know that I know too much. 'Well, I am a know-it-all,' she said quickly to cover up.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow at her.

'How much, exactly, do you know about -er- Snape's loyalties?' Hermione asked.

'Enough to know that he was much too close to Dumbledore for the Dark-er, his liking,' Malfoy explained.

'Oh, for goodness sake, call him Voldemort,' Hermione said crossly. 'Fear of a name only increases the fear of a thing itself. And how much do you know about what Snape did for Dumbledore?'

'How much do you know, Miss Granger?' Malfoy smirked.

'Probably more than you,' she retorted. Oh dear. There he goes again with almost flirting.

'Oh really?' Malfoy asked, leaning closer to her. 'And how is it that I can obtain this information, Hermione?'

She blushed, and backed up into the arm of the couch. 'I see what you're doing,' she hissed. 'Trying to break down my defences to get that information. I'd rather die than betray my friends.' Ron already did she thought.

'As they would do for you, I'm sure?' Malfoy purred, still drawing nearer 'But I must correct you, I am not trying to break down your defences.'

Hermione was petrified with fear, unable to move. 'Then why are you coming so close? Why won't you just tell me how much you know and be done, Malfoy?' she asked in a low voice.

'Okay, I'll be honest with you,' Malfoy said, looking away just a bit. 'I did want information, but you must understand, I wouldn't have used it against you, or Snape. It's hard, being so young, in a troubled times, with a father who is a Death Eater and incarcerated in Azkaban, and a mother who was abused, while there's a war on. You have no idea. I try to get information from anyone, but it's hard when everyone thinks you're up to no good. And when You-Know-Who is waiting for the smallest excuse to kill you and your family.'

Hermione was still thinking. Should I trust him? Dumbledore did say, 'Draco, Draco, you are not a killer.' 'Well, when you suddenly call me by my first name, and start coming onto me, how can I help but think you're no good?'

'I'm sorry,' Malfoy apologised sincerely. 'I shouldn't have come onto you, but, tell me, what's wrong with me using your first name?'

Hermione was stunned. 'Well... You've never done that before...'

'If you don't want me to, then I won't, Granger,' Malfoy said casually.

'I...I don't think I mind,' Hermione said hesitantly. 'Draco.'

Draco smiled faintly. 'It's been a long time since I've been called that.'

'Well, anyway Dray-co, how do you know about Snape? And why would you not use information against him or... me?' Hermione asked, getting back on topic, so that maybe she could stop blushing.

'Well, Her-my-oh-nee, you'll find that I'm not s dumb as I look. You see, I've paid careful attention to Snape at school, and out of it. He was very close to Dumbledore, and V-Vol-d- he knows it.'

'So, why don't you tell him?' Hermione asked. 'Does Snape know that you know about all that?'

'Of course Snape doesn't know!' Draco yelled without meaning to. 'When am I supposed to tell him? I can't very well go up to him at Death Eater assembly and say, Oi! Professor! The Dark Lord is on to you!'

'Then, might I? If you told me where he lives...' Hermione suggested. If Malfoy tells me, I can tell McGonagall, and we can get to the bottom all this, and get Snape back in the Order.

'Well, I suppose so,' Draco said. 'But be careful who you tell.'

'I won't tell a soul, except McGonagall. She needs to know, so that - well, I should tell her.'

'Not even Potter?' Draco asked curiously.

'Not even Harry,' Hermione told him earnestly. 'And... may I also suggest that you express your loyalties to McGonagall?'

'I suppose you won't take "no" for an answer?'

'Not a chance,' Hermione smiled. 'McGonagall will believe you. Just er - let me arrange for a meeting between the two of you.'

'You have a plan,' Draco assumed.

'When's good for you?' Hermione asked, glancing at the clock. It was nine-fifteen.

'Any time that we don't have classes, I suppose,' Draco said. 'Gives me a reason to avoid Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy.'

'How about now?'

'If I must,' Draco said, dragging himself to his feet. He offered his hand to Hermione to help her up.

'Thanks,' Hermione said softly, accepting it. His hand was warm, instead of ice-cold, as she had expected. Both of them let go rather quickly once Hermione had stood up. 'Wait here,' she said. She went into her bedroom, and produced a Patronus to send a message to McGonagall. She, Harry, Ron, and Ginny had all been taught how over the summer, as part of the extra protections system placed on them.

McGonagall came out of the fireplace just as Hermione re-entered the common room.

'You need to speak to me?' McGonagall asked Hermione.

'Draco does too,' Hermione said. She was nervous that McGonagall might yell at her.

'I see,' McGonagall said, in a low, serious tone. 'What is it, then?'

Draco looked away at the ground, so Hermione spoke first. 'He says that Snape is not loyal to Voldemort, and that Voldemort knows it,' she explained. McGonagall looked as if a bucket of ice-cold water had been thrown on her. Her face just seemed to get harder, and less easy to read, after the initial shock. 'Voldemort knows he is really loyal to Dumbledore and the Order.'

'And how would you know anything concerning these matters, Mr. Malfoy?' McGonagall asked, looking at him sharply.

Draco unbuttoned the end of his left sleeve, and pushed the sleeve up past his elbow, exposing the Dark Mark that was seared into his skin. 'I know you're aware of this,' he said, unwilling to meet her eyes. 'Potter wasn't lying.'

'Tell her,' Hermione softly prompted Draco, with tears in her eyes at the sight of his arm.

And slowly, but surely, the story came out. Hermione was nearly bawling by the end of it, and Draco looked pretty shaken up too.

Hermione sniffed and wiped her face with the sleeve of her while she watched McGonagall's face .

'So, you were forced come a Death Eater by Voldemort, though you do not support him, and are resolute in your decision not to use any information against Snape?' McGonagall asked slowly.

'Yes, ma'am,' Draco said quietly, avoiding her gaze again.

'Or me,' Hermione added quietly, immediately closing her mouth again, as McGonagall looked from her back to Draco again.

'Yes, or Hermione,' Draco reiterated.

McGonagall blinked, and paused, obviously processing the fact that Draco wouldn't give out information injurious to Hermione, and the fact that he had called her Hermione, not Mudblood or Granger.

'And just when did you decide not to harm Snape or Hermione?' McGonagall asked, using her given name since he had.

'A while ago,' Draco said.

'Do you want my help?' McGonagall asked, with unusual softness.

'Yes,' Draco said. He didn't like admitting that; not only did he want help, he needed it.

'Miss Granger, would you excuse us?' McGonagall ordered more than requested. Hermione nodded and turned to leave.

'No,' Draco said. 'She has got a right to stay.' McGonagall looked surprised, but didn't object further.

'First of all, how deep are you in V-Voldemort's circle, and what kind of crimes have you committed?' McGonagall asked bluntly.

'Well, my father was one of, er - Voldemort's most faithful followers, which would have made me high ranking, but after his fiasco down in the Department of Mysteries, and mine at the end of last year, I'm not actually that close, though I go to the same meetings as my Aunt Bellatrix and Uncle Rudolphus,' Draco answered. 'As for my crimes...' Draco looked at Hermione, and then back to McGonagall. 'I'm sure Potter has told you, but I was ordered by Voldemort to kill Dumbledore. In the process, I nearly killed Katie Bell and Ron Weasley, albeit unintentionally, I still hurt them badly. I put Madam Rosmerta under the Imperius Curse, I let Death Eaters into the school, allowing for the mutilation of Weasley's eldest brother, multiple injuries to other students, but was unable to kill Dumbledore myself. I couldn't do it. He offered me protection, for my mother and even father, under the Order.'

Hermione started crying again.

Draco couldn't look at her. He knew he had done very indecent things, horrible things, to her friends.

'Pull yourself together, Miss Granger,' McGonagall ordered.

Hermione looked like she was going to cry more, but she bit her lip to stop crying instead. She nodded, and breathed in slowly and deeply. Hermione bravely met Draco's gaze when he looked up from the ground. Not, of course, to pity, but just to meet it.

For once in his life, Draco didn't feel like someone was judging him. And that, more than anything, helped him relax.

'How do you feel about the job of a double agent?' McGonagall asked. 'Since Voldemort is on to Snape, and since Snape has never returned to the Order, Snape is useless as a spy. We could use another. One that could never be suspected.'

'Who is we?' Draco asked.

'The Order of the Phoenix,' McGonagall answered gravely.

'The what?' Draco asked.

'A secret organisation working against Voldemort, and headed, now, by me,' she told him. 'So, how do you feel about a double agent role?'

'To tell you the truth, I'm very nervous,' Draco said honestly. 'But I'm willing to do whatever I can to help the Order-of-the-whatever if my mother can be protected.'

'Order of the Phoenix,' Hermione reminded him.

'Yes, that,' Draco said.

'I hope you know, Mr. Malfoy, that we can't have anybody else in the Order harmed by information you give Voldemort. Or anyone else who is fighting against him in general,' McGonagall told him, with a bit of a twinkle in her eye. 'Not just Snape or Miss Granger.'

'Of course, Professor,' Draco said.

'Well, I will talk to you again soon, Mr. Malfoy,' McGonagall said in parting. 'I will leave you two to discuss whatever you need to, now.' She Flooed back through the fireplace. And was gone.

'You're scared of me, aren't you?' Draco said, looking at his feet anxiously.

Hermione didn't know what to say to him. 'I know you couldn't force yourself to murder Dumbledore, but you let Death Eaters into the castle! We had to fight them! What if there had been too many? Many innocent students would have been injured or killed,' she said steadily.

'I'm sorry,' Draco said quietly. 'But it's not like I had much of a choice.'

Hermione's eyes narrowed. 'And that's another thing. Why are you so sorry all of a sudden? And why do you suddenly care what I think, when just an hour ago, my opinion was lower than dirt?!'

'Because you care about the one thing that I care about more than my own life,' Draco said sadly. 'My mother. Most people would have just gone on and changed the subject, but you actually care, and you wouldn't let it go.'

Hermione was struck by his honesty. 'I was going to ask why I should trust you,' she told him bluntly. 'But now I won't. I'll trust you because you're willing to do anything to protect your mother, because you have love in your heart for her.'

'Just don't spread it around the school,' Draco chuckled. 'Don't want to ruin my reputation.'

'Goodness, no,' Hermione said, rolling her eyes. 'Couldn't tarnish the reputation of the prince of Slytherin.' Then she became more serious again. 'I won't tell a soul about what has happened here tonight,' she told him.

'And I won't tell anyone about the Order of the whatever, the fact that Snape was a spy for the Order, or that I'm now a spy for it,' Draco promised in return.

'I doubt you would tell anyone that you're a spy,' Hermione smirked. 'And it's the Order of the Phoenix. What can I do to make you remember that? You should be able to remember it if you're helping it,' she added exasperatedly.

'Well, if I'm not supposed to tell anyone about it, why would I need to remember its name?' Draco shot back.

'Because you won't seem very convincing to the members of the Order if you can't,' Hermione retorted. 'And how would that look?'

'That'd look bad wouldn't it?' Hermione nodded. 'Well then, how do you plan on getting me to memorise it?'

'You just keep on omitting the word "phoenix." It's not that hard. Just repeat it. Order of the Phoenix. You've yet to say it even once,' she told him.

'I think I know a better way of memorising it,' Draco said with a smile.

'How?' Hermione asked suspiciously.

'In between snog sessions, you could say the name, and I don't think I'd forget it too quickly,' Draco said, raising an eyebrow at her.

'Why would you want me tagging along on one of your dates?' Hermione dodged coyly.

'You seem to be on a different train of thought than I am,' he told her.

'No, we're on the same train, Draco,' Hermione said. 'I'm just getting off at a different stop.'

Draco frowned. 'What stop are you getting off at? Because the stop I'm getting off at is making me look like an arse.'

'Oh, but a very cute one,' Hermione laughed. She covered her mouth with her hand when she realised what she had just said.

'So, there are some hidden feelings, eh?' Draco grinned. 'A bit of unresolved sexual tension?'

'I haven't got feelings for you anymore that you have for me,' Hermione sputtered.

'You must really fancy me then,' he said, scooting next to her on the couch.

'What?' Hermione said, genuinely surprised. 'You, fancy me?'

'Could be,' Draco purred. 'There's only one way to find out.'

'And how is that?' Hermione whispered, unable to move.

'Well,' Draco said, moving toward her even closer. 'That would be by snogging me senseless.'

'Ah, yes, but you would have to snog me senseless back,' Hermione said in a low, sexy tone that was quite unlike her usual voice.

'I don't think that would be a problem,' he purred. Draco was now right next to her. He stared at her until she looked up at him.

Hermione looked deep into his eyes, and leaned over, pressing her lips against his. Her heart beat wildly as he pulled her to him.

Draco had to try hard not to smile. He had dreamt of this, but he had no idea it would feel this good, this right. He put one hand on her hip, pulling her as close to him as possible, while the other was caressing her cheek.

Hermione ran her hands through Draco's hair and around his neck. She ended up straddling him, with one leg on either side of his hips as he slid his tongue into her mouth.

Draco couldn't help himself anymore. His hand slid well below her hips. He places his hand on her arse, the other still on her cheek.

Hermione arched against Draco and gasped as he broke away from her mouth and trailed a line of searingly hot kisses down her throat. Then his mouth found hers again, and it was she this time that deepened the kiss.

Draco let his hands wander around her body. And Hermione didn't seem to mind. She gasped as Draco kissed her sensitive spots, and if he wasn't mistaken, she had moaned into his mouth as they kissed.

Hermione brought her arms from around Draco's neck and ran them down his chest, causing him to moan into her mouth. She pulled him closer to her, if that was even possible, considering that there was no space left between them now.

Draco somehow moved so that they feel back on the couch, him on top of her, and this time she wasn't sure who moaned.

Draco kissed her long and hard on the mouth again. His one hand was now at her hips again, tickling her sides. Hermione gasped into his mouth and Draco pushed himself against her. He moved to her neck, and made a path of kisses from just below her chin to just above the neckline of her shirt.

Hermione pulled back.

Draco sat up. He realised he was sitting on top of her, but ignored it. 'Too fast?' he asked.

Hermione nodded. 'Yes. We need to take it a bit slower.'

'I understand.' Draco climbed off of her, allowing her to sit up.

They were both breathing heavily. 'Order of the Phoenix,' Hermione whispered in his ear, a smile playing at her lips as she pulled back and watched his face.

'Order of the Phoenix,' he repeated, smiling along with her. 'I'm not going to be able to keep a straight face saying that ever again.'

'Me neither,' Hermione said softly.

'Well, Hermione,' Draco said. 'Would you care to accompany me to Hogsmeade this Saturday?'

'Shouldn't we keep this secret?' she reminded him. 'How could you be convincing as a Death Eater if you're seen with me?'

'Hmm...' Draco thought for a moment before agreeing. 'I guess you're right...' He thought again. 'Well, will you join me for dinner, here, in the common room, tomorrow night?'

'Of course,' Hermione accepted. 'But now, I'm going to bed, because we've got classes tomorrow, and double Transfiguration first thing in the morning.'

'See you tomorrow then,' Draco said. He kissed her hand and whispered, 'Sweet dreams.'

*~*~*~*