Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter….man I hate these…

A/N- As I said before, sorry…but don't give up hope on me just yet! Enjoy!

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Draco turned over on his bed and looked out at the dark sky through the window. He had heard a noise, perhaps a faint 'pop,' he was sure of it. Cautiously, he stood and made his way towards the window and peered out. There, almost hidden in the darkness of the night stood a lone shadowy figure, just standing on the opposite side of Hermione's front gate. The shadow of what appeared to be a man looked as though it were waiting for something, but what?

Quietly Draco traveled down the hall towards the front door. The house was silent and dark, a floorboard under Draco's feet creaked as he stepped on it passing Hermione's room, worried that he might have woken her from the noise, Draco paused and stood still until her soft breathing inside of her room reassured him that she was still fast asleep.

The tall dark figure still stood waiting outside by the time Draco had managed to quietly slip out of the house. The reassurance of his wand tucked ready and waiting into his belt made the trip over to the man a lot easier. The man spoke once Draco was closer and at once he realized who it was.

"Nice improvement from your cell in Azkaban, eh Malfoy?"

"Extremely, Zabini." Malfoy growled back. He stopped several feet from his long time enemy and, only on occasion, his ally.

"We heard you had gotten out, word about your enemy travels fast when your in hiding." Blaise's voice was full of bitterness and hatred. He folded his arms across his chest as he spoke.

"Whose 'we'?" Draco asked also folding his arms.

"The remainders of our kind, loyal Death Eaters until the end. You wouldn't know anything about that though, would you, Malfoy. You blood traitor." Blaise spat at Draco's feet. It was all Draco could do from attacking him right there. How dare he call him a blood traitor?

"Who was the one that was thrown into Azkaban for his loyal service to the Dark Lord? It wasn't you, Zabini. You all so called 'loyal followers' went into hiding, like scared little animals. Do you think the Dark Lord would have approved of your behavior? Besides, it's only a matter of time before you are all found and killed anyways."

"A lot sooner than later, as I hear it." Blaise said quietly.

"What are you talking about?"

"I've told you, word gets around. You're working with them now. You're going to lead the Aurors to us in exchange for your freedom, isn't that right?" Draco could see Blaise's yellow eyes gleam in the darkness. They shone with rage.

Draco smirked, "I must say, you're as stupid as you look! And I don't have any idea what you mean." He could tell he was getting under the other man's skin, something he enjoyed doing.

"The other's seem to think you can still be trusted though." Blaise said after a moment, "I don't however, I know you're the same old Mudblood loving-"

"Is there a reason you're here?" Draco asked impatiently, "or did you just miss me?"

Blaise growled quietly, "the others, they sent me here to tell you," He hesitated, "that they are going to be waiting for the Aurors, and that once they think that they have us trapped, we are going to need your help to turn the tables."

"You want me to help set up a trap for the Aurors?"

"Yes, in fact we do. If you're still faithful, as you say you are, I'm sure you won't have any problems doing that, right?" Draco could hear the mocking behind Blaise's voice.

"Of course not." Draco said slowly. His mind was turning quickly trying to think of what to say, "But to tell the truth, the Aurors haven't even decided whether or not to go just yet-"

"Well then make sure they decide by tomorrow." Blaise interrupted, "because if the others find out you are double crossing us, believe me, you won't be able to run fast enough or far enough." Just as he turned to leave, he paused again and then turned back to Draco, "Your father also sends his regards."

Draco was taken aback, "my f-father is there?" he stammered.

"Yeah, wanted me to tell you that he's proud of you. Don't forget the plan, Malfoy." And with those last words, Blaise turned on the spot and disappeared.

Draco stood still for several moments. His father said he was proud of him? Had Blaise been talking about the same man? Surely he had to have been mistaken. But a rising feeling inside of Draco's chest kept telling him it was the real thing, but the sinking feeling inside his gut told him not to be absurd, it was all just wishful thinking, something that was just said to get Draco to do whatever his father wanted him to do. The approaching dawn finally urged Draco back inside the house.

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"Over there," Draco nodded his head in the direction of a great mountain of large boulders all piled against each other as if thrown haphazardly in the middle of the forest.

"That's the entrance?" Ron asked peering out from behind the bushel of shrubs he, Harry, Draco, Hermione, and five other Aurors were hiding behind.

"That's the one." Draco said in a monotone voice, he didn't bother to hide his boredom or dislike of being back on Hogwarts grounds. The group had been traveling all day through the thick trees and bushes. It was no easy journey, and none of them had ever really appreciated how big the forest actually was.

Harry gave Draco a shove, "so go ahead."

The two glared for a moment into each other's eyes, green against gray, until Draco let out a breath and pushed forward out of the brush. "What's this? Potter plans to use me as the bait?"

"Better you die then me." Harry responded.

"Boys, please," Hermione scolded, "This is a little bit more important then your silly childish fighting."

Draco stood at the entrance to the tunnels and then turned back to the group of hiding Aurors, "alright, I'm not dead yet, obviously no one's home." At those words, several heads popped up behind the bushes and the Aurors made their way cautiously towards Draco.

"We are going to have to mark the cave walls in order to find our way out," Ron said gathering his team together, "we are going to be splitting up into different teams, it'll cover more ground that way. If you see a Death Eater use stunning spells only. And whatever you do, don't lose the people in your teams, stay together." And with that the Aurors broke off into pairs and headed into the darkness of the caves.

"Alright, you think it's safe to just leave Malfoy tied up out here on a tree or something?" Ron asked smirking at Harry. Only he, Harry, Hermione and Draco remained on the outside of the cave.

"Hilarious, Weasley." Draco muttered rolling his eyes. Harry Sniggered. "I'll be more than willing to patiently wait right here for you to return…if you return."

"Well, I wouldn't want you to get too lonely out here all by yourself, Malfoy. No, I think it's better if we bring him in with us, that way we can keep an eye on him and he can't run off." Harry said to Ron who nodded in agreement.

"I'll go with him." Hermione said quickly, the three boys turned to her curiously.

"You and Malfoy alone underground and in the dark?" Ron said, a look of disgust clearly on his face, "No way, I don't like it."

"Honestly, boys!" Hermione said angrily, "I am a grown women and very capable of making my own decisions and taking car of myself, I've been doing it for a long time! I'm taking him!"

Hermione's outburst caught all of the boys a little off guard for a moment, "alright," Harry said hesitantly, "but stay close to Ron and my location." Hermione nodded and grabbed Draco harshly by the arm and pulled him into the cave.

"Wow, are you always this rough when you're angry?" Draco joked as darkness overtook the two. He could feel her nails digging into his arm, he leaned his face closer Hermione's and whispered, "Because I'll tell you, it's sort of a turn on."

Hermione shuddered at Draco's hot breath on the side of her face and quickly loosened her grip on him. "Sorry!" She said rather awkwardly and lit the tip of her wand. She could see Draco's smirking face in the dim light, only making her face grow more crimson.

They walked slowly down one dark tunnel after another, Hermione remembering to mark each with a bright green 'X' from her wand. They stayed silent for the most part, listening to the distant footsteps coming from the many tunnels around them, whether they were friend or foe, they did not know.

Draco began getting more nervous, how was he supposed to get Hermione out of this? He couldn't lead her into a trap, the others he didn't really care about, but he couldn't do anything that would harm Hermione, he wouldn't. He began thinking up excuses for them to turn back.

"We've gone down pretty far," he whispered from behind her, "we should probably head back up, I'll bet that the others are out by now."

Hermione didn't even turn to acknowledge him, but continued to walk forward, further into the dark abyss. "Come on Draco, we can't let the other's find all of the Death Eaters, don't you want to at least find one for ourselves?" she giggled a little at the thought.

Draco rolled his eyes, 'you're going to have your fair share in Death Eaters, Hermione don't you worry about that.' He thought with a grimace. He was about to make up another reason as to why they should retreat, when there came a terrible scream from up ahead somewhere. They both froze.

"Did you hear that?" Hermione asked, fear written all over her words. Draco merely nodded, guilt crushing his insides. "We have to go!" She began to run forward, but Draco quickly grabbed her arm, yanking her back.

"Draco, what-"

"I can't let you go, Hermione. We don't know what's out there."

Hermione struggled in Draco's tight grip, "One of the Aurors could be in trouble, Draco! We need to help! It could be Harry or Ron!" She struggled harder and Draco wrapped his arms tightly around her body, mostly to keep her from escaping, "please let go!" she cried.

"No! I'll go, but I need you to go back up to the forest and wait." Draco had to give Hermione some credit; despite her small features she was a persistent and strong woman!

He was barely keeping his grip on her, when another distraught scream echoed through the tunnel. That seemed to be the last straw for Hermione; she elbowed Draco hard in the stomach, causing him to instantly let go of her, and then ran forward down the tunnel.

Draco had not been prepared at all by Hermione's attack, and by the time he got air back into his lungs a few seconds later, the dim glow from her wand was already beginning to vanish in the darkness ahead. Cursing himself for not just stunning her in the first place, he took off running after her. Soon enough she would find out the truth about him.

The end of the tunnel opened up into a large and spacious dirt room. From the looks of it, Death Eater conferences were probably held in this area. Lit torches burned brightly from their holders all along the walls the room, causing a dramatic change on the eyes from being so long in the dark tunnels. Draco arrived just in time to see the Aurors herding the now wandless Death Eaters all into the middle of the room, and binding them with what seemed to be invisible rope. He instantly spotted Hermione, chest heaving, standing by Harry and Ron.

Harry turned to Draco as he entered, "Ah, glad you could make it, Malfoy. We were just getting ready to send your pals here back to Azkaban where they belong. Care to join?"

Draco opened his mouth to retort some insult or smart comment, but stopped when someone else called out to him.

"Draco! Draco, my son!"

Draco's eyes instantly searched the tight crowd of Death Eaters for his father. Standing close to the back of the group was Lucius Malfoy. Anger built inside Draco the longer he looked at his father's appearance. The man was somewhat malnourished and dirtier than Draco had ever seen him in his life. But the anger inside Draco was not focused on his father however, but on the Aurors surrounding him instead, and on the ministry for turning Lucius into this…this…filth.

His thoughts were interrupted as one of the Aurors, Ernie MacMillan, thrust the captive wands into Draco's arms. "There ya' go, Malfoy, do somethin' useful and put these over there, would ya'?" He indicated to the opposite wall.

Grumbling, Draco hurried as quickly as he could to the far side of the room, careful not to look at the group of Death Eaters who believed he would be breaking them out any second now.

"Draco!" Lucius hissed squirming against the invisible bonds as best he could to reach his son. Draco paused, but did not look at his father, "Draco, now's the time!" He spoke in a harsh whisper so no one else could hear him.

"Oi, Malfoy!" Harry had seen Draco's halt and Lucius next to him speaking quietly, "keep moving, Malfoy! No conversing with the prisoners."

And then, before anyone had even realized what had happened, the jinx around the prisoners was broken, and the wands were flying out of Draco's hands and back into their owners'. The Death Eaters began to dissaperate and then reappear behind groups of Aurors, holding them at wand point.

"Drop your wands, all of you!" One of the Death Eaters called out, he grabbed Ron roughly from behind and placed his wand directly under Ron's chin. Slowly the Aurors began dropping their wands to the floor, where they were then summoned into a corner of the room, well away from their owners.

Draco looked around, everything had happened so quickly, he hadn't meant for this!

Suddenly, a dark low cackle sounded through out the room, echoing off the walls around them, making the noise almost magnified. It was a laugh Draco knew all too well. Lucius made his way into the middle of the room, so as to be seen and heard from everyone. He looked at all of the Aurors struggling being against their captors.

"Well, well, well," he said still chuckling slightly, "It looks like the tables have turned on our dear friends." He paused and then raised his voice slightly, "Wouldn't you say so, Draco?" All eyes turned to look at the blond young man, still standing awestruck towards the back of the room.

"I knew we couldn't trust you!" Harry was shouting angrily, struggling to get the strong hands that held him off. He received a sharp blow to the midsection and double over. Hermione screamed.

It wasn't until her scream that Draco finally caught up with what was happening. His eyes spotted her instantly; she was in the arms of Zabini, sobbing out of fear. "Harry, Harry, are you alright?" she called frantically to her friend.

Zabini backhanded her, "Be silent you filthy Mudblood!" he growled. Now all of Aurors began to shout out and struggle harder.

Draco made his way forward towards Hermione, anger couldn't even begin how to describe how he was feeling, he wanted to rip Blaise apart, piece-by-piece and watch him scream! But his mission came to an abrupt stop when a hand shot out in front of him blocking his way. Lucius Malfoy was once again standing in the way.

"I must say, Draco, we couldn't have done it with out you," he turned to face his son, his eyes flashed evilly, "and I think we all owe you a 'thank you', for helping us out of this little predicament." He sneered at his son. Laughter filled the room as the Death Eaters began all giving their thanks to Draco.

"I didn't do anything!" Draco growled at his father.

Lucius put a hand to Draco's cheek and patted it softly. Draco pulled instantly away from his father's touch, "Come now, Draco, don't be so modest! If you hadn't informed us that you were bringing the Aurors down here in the first place, we would all be on our way to Azkaban right now!"

The room once again filled with laughter. Draco opened his mouth to protest, but was interrupted by Lucius once more, "lets take our prisoners down into the cellars, shall we?" he called out and the Aurors began being pushed and kicked out of the room through one of the tunnel exits.

"Zabini, one moment, if you will" Lucius called to the Death Eater holding Hermione, Blaise turned and waited, "Why don't we let Draco help Ms Granger down to her cell, what do you think?"

Blaise smirked and pushed Hermione roughly at Draco, she stumbled, but he managed to catch her gently. "You know the way, Draco." Blaise said in a mocking voice.

Draco turned and led Hermione from the room, once they were in the tunnels again, Hermione yanked out of his grip, "I can walk myself!" she said angrily. Draco could tell she was still crying.

"Hermione, I didn't-" He reached out to grab her hand, there was a loud 'smack' as her hand connected with the side of his face. Draco took a step back a hand on his cheek, it hadn't hurt he was just shocked.

"I trusted you!" She cried and tried to hit him once more, but Draco firmly caught hold of both her wrists before any contact could be made. They struggled for a moment, before Draco finally overpowered her and pushed against the wall, holding her there.

"Hermione, stop!" He yelled angrily. She stopped struggling, but only cried harder. She didn't even look into his face, but only at the ground. "I didn't do this! I don't know how they knew we were coming, or how those wands got away from me, but I didn't do it!"

Hermione took several deep breaths before saying quietly; "take me to the others, Malfoy."

"Hermione-"

"Now!"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her, "fine," he growled and began leading her once more down the tunnel to where the cellars were.

Protective charms had been placed around the cells, so that no one could apparate in or out, and no magic could be used inside. Once they reached them, Draco unlocked the door with a flick of his wand. "I'm going to get you out of here." He whispered in her ear.

Hermione yanked free from Draco and marched into the dimly lit cell herself, without even a second glance behind her.

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A/N- Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Stay tuned for more! Don't forget to review! LPI3