A/N: Just so you know, this is an AU where, in HBP, Draco is asked to kill Hermione instead of Dumbledore. It was written for the Houses Competition

House: Slytherin

Category: Drabble

Prompts: Double Agent

Word count: 899

31/10/1996

She died anyway. So much for becoming a double agent. They never win, Snape thought bitterly.

On the other side of the castle, a door swung open to reveal a sixteen-year old boy. Many students had ventured into his office, but the Headmaster couldn't recall ever having seen any of them so distraught.

"Please, sit down, Mr. Malfoy."

The Slytherin didn't seem to hear him. He sunk to the ground, tears rolling down his cheeks. "He—I can't—He's threatening Mother!"

"Who?" Dumbledore asked.

In response, Draco rolled up his left sleeve, revealing the tell-tale Mark.

"What has he requested of you?" the Headmaster asked, horrified.

"I have to ki—kill Granger." he gulped. "If I don't, the Dark Lord will destroy me. But I—" he paused. "I can't do it." He looked up, and grey eyes met blue ones."Sir, I'm no killer."

"I know."

"Father would be so disappointed." He let out a strangled sound that sounded something like a laugh. "His son, Malfoy heir, unable to kill a Mudblood."

"You shall no longer use such words," the Headmaster said sharply. "My side, my rules."

"Muggle-born then. I will do what I must. I can't do without your help. I have to save myself."

"And Ms. Granger?"

"I assure you, I don't care for her. I may not be a killer, but I am no saint. Don't expect me to set up a Society for the Promotion of Muggle-born Welfare."

"I wasn't aware you were close enough with Ms. Granger to know about S.P.E.W."

"What's that? I assure you I'm not close enough with Granger to know about her little projects." Draco tried to sneer, but failed miserably, unable to conceal the slight blush that crept on to his face.

Dumbledore chuckled to himself. "Very well, Mr. Malfoy."

A heavy silence settled upon the room, and Draco's fear was palpable. It was one of the rare instances in which Dumbledore was at a loss for words. He wondered how, mere moments ago, he had managed to laugh.

Then the boy spoke, his voice a mere whisper. "Will you help me, sir? I—I'll do anything. Please."

"You are a Hogwarts student, and I feel it's my duty to protect you. I cannot refuse you my aid."

Draco nodded. "Thank you." The words sounded foreign to him.

"Thank you. Without you, we would have lost one of our best."

"I didn't do it for her!" he snapped. Then, more softly; "I'm no monster. I couldn't kill Hermione."

His use of her first name did not go unnoticed. "Of course, quite obviously, absolutely. Now, I think you would greatly benefit from a long conversation with your godfather."

"What?! He—He's—Why?!"

"You'll see. You'll see."

xxx

31/03/1997

Severus Snape was thinking of Draco. He could still remember his shock at discovering that the boy had sought Dumbledore's help. He had been impressed; the boy possessed a courage few had. He was also impressed at how good an actor the boy was. While the Professor never doubted Draco's sincerity behind closed doors, he was a very convincing double agent: in public, he sneered, he smirked, he insulted Muggle-Borns.

As a matter of fact, he insulted one Muggle-Born in particular. However, Snape often glanced at his godson, only to find him staring at the girl. She, on the other hand, seemed uninterested.

A few hours later, the sixth year students had N.E.W.T level Defence Against The Dark Arts. During the lesson, Snape looked up, only to find none other than Hermione Granger making furtive glances in the direction of the Malfoy heir.

Snape smirked. It would seem Ms. Granger wasn't uninterested, simply discreet. However, the Professor was never one for assumptions, and decided to test his theory.

At the end of the class, Snape asked for the two aforementioned students to stay back. After inventing some story about essays and homework, Snape dismissed them, but not before casting a silent Confundo on the Gryffindor, who tripped, falling onto Draco. They had both blushed furiously, staring into each other's eyes for a few moments.

The boy was the first to regain his senses. He seemed unsure of himself at first, but his expression quickly hardened.

"Watch it!" he growled. "Bitch!" he added, for good measure.

Hiding her confusion, she threw her head back, and laughed. "What makes you think that I would purposefully fall onto you, Death-Eater extraordinaire."

For reasons she couldn't fathom, Hermione saw hurt in the Slytherin's eyes. Before she could say anything, however, he stormed off.

Snape raised an eyebrow at the girl. "My, my, Ms. Granger! Surely, you of all people should know not to judge a book by its cover! Just because Mr. Malfoy dresses in black robes doesn't make him loyal to the Dark Lord. What if, for example, he had betrayed his own family to save your life, and was now madly in love with you, merely unable to express his feelings? You would never know."

Seeing her pale, he added, "It is only an example, however I didn't peg you as one to judge."

She was frozen, a look of horror on her face. "Perhaps I was mistaken…" Snape mused. "Perhaps you..."

However, Snape never finished that sentence, Hermione having bolted out of the room in the middle of it. He smirked. Maybe, double agents could win after all.