A/N: Hello again. (Looks sheepish) I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long. I have not abandoned this story, I have just been busy with school, work, family, etc. and some other obligations. But here is the much awaited chapter, including the reason Draco Malfoy is there (which was as much a surprise to me as it was to you – he just barged in and demanded to be in the story!). Also – no, I am not going to tell you yet how Harry is going to save his parents because I am evil like that. But fear not, it is a good and (hopefully) not overly elaborate plan. On with the show!

Disclaimer: Nothing that you recognize from the Harry Potter books is mine, most especially the quotes from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (written in italics) at the beginning of the chapter.

Thoughts and images swirled through Harry's mind at the sight of Draco Malfoy lying in the Hospital Wing bed, bloody and broken, staring horrified into the sad eyes of Albus Dumbledore. And though Harry was no Legilimens, he knew exactly what the blonde Slytherin was thinking:

"…I came on ahead. I – I've got a job to do."

"…Draco, Draco, you are not a killer."

"How do you know?"

…

"My dear boy, let us have no more pretense about that. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you first disarmed me, you would not have stopped for this pleasant chat about ways and means."

"I haven't got any options! I've got to do it! He'll kill me! He'll kill my whole family!"

…

"I did not dare speak to you of the mission with which I knew you had been entrusted, in case he used Legilimency against you. But now at last we can speak plainly to each other…No harm has been done, you have hurt nobody, though you are very lucky that your unintentional victims survived…I can help you, Draco…. Come over to the right side, Draco… you are not a killer…."

"But I got this far, didn't I? They thought I'd die in the attempt, but I'm here… and you're in my power… I'm the one with the wand…. You're at my mercy…"

"No, Draco. It is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now."

(A/N: excerpts from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Ch. 27 "The Lightening-Struck Tower", p. 585-592)

And with those memories foremost in Malfoy's mind, no doubt Dumbledore knew what the blonde was thinking as well.

"MALFOY!" Ron, who had overcome his surprise and decided to jump full speed into rage, lunged at the traitorous former Slytherin, breaking the silence.

"Petrificus Totalus," Harry cried, freezing Ron in mid-stride, causing him to crash to the floor.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, scandalized that Harry had hexed Ron. She ran to the redhead's side and freed him. Ron looked up at Harry from the floor in shock and betrayal.

"I take it, Mr. Potter, that you know this young man," Dumbledore said, the normal twinkle returning to his eyes, as he apparently set the memory of his own death that he had pulled from Malfoy's mind aside for now.

"I couldn't let you attack Malfoy, Ron. I know what he did in the past, and I know what happened that night. I was there." Malfoy looked shocked, and Harry turned to look him in the eyes, "He was going to turn back to the Light – I know it. If the other Death Eaters hadn't come when they did, no doubt the events of that night would have changed."

Harry turned back to Dumbledore. "Professor, this is Draco Malfoy. He's the son of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black. I don't know how he got here or why, but I know he has made some mistakes that he would undo if he could. Perhaps this is his chance."

"Potter? How – when – what the bloody hell is going on?"

Harry regarded him sternly, considered his options, and plowed ahead. "Malfoy, you are in 1976. You were sent back in time – I want to know how."

Malfoy seemed to take a moment to decide whether to answer or just give Harry his customary sneer and snide remark. Given the situation, the Slytherin choose the former. "After - that night - I was brought before the Dark Lord again. Severus had told me not to go, but I didn't know what else to do. The Dark Lord was so angry, despite the fact that his mission was accomplished. He Crucio'd me a few times, then He made me watch as He -" he paused and took several breaths, staring down at the crisp white hospital linens, "He tortured and killed my mother. I had done all of it for her, and He got what he wanted in the end, and he killed her anyway!" Malfoy cried, clearly trying to hold back tears.

Hermione gasped and brought her hands to her mouth. Ron was apparently stunned out of his anger again. Dumbledore looked upon Malfoy in sadness and pity, but Harry only looked resigned, as if he had expected this outcome.

"You knew He would kill her, didn't you?" Malfoy asked Harry, without any of his usual malice, only sadness and curiosity.

Harry stared at him, saying nothing. Malfoy nodded his head in acceptance, knowing that there had been no escaping that fate for Narcissa Malfoy, no matter what her son had or hadn't done for Voldemort.

She was dead the moment Lucius was captured. Perhaps she was dead the moment she had married the man. It was all in the unchangeable past. If she didn't marry the man, Draco would not have been born, and Lucius Malfoy was too far gone, even now, to turn his back on Voldemort's promise of power.

Harry gave him a moment to collect himself, and then pressed on. "How did you escape, Malfoy? How did you end up here?"

"It was Snape. I was being held in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor. It's Unplottable and has many new wards and enchantments – the Ministry will never find it. The Dark Lord claimed possession of our lands and holdings as soon as my mother was dead. He said if my father objected he could come and claim them back. Then He laughed – He LAUGHED – like my father hadn't been loyal to Him even to that day, rotting away in Azkaban."

Malfoy shook his head, trying to get back on track. "They beat and tortured me a while, then late one night, I don't know how long I'd been there, Snape came to me and helped me escape. There was another man under a hood with him, I didn't know who he was at the time, but they acted like they were taking me out for 'special treatment' – I don't know what that meant, but the other Death Eaters seemed to know. They thought it was funny – how the mighty Malfoy heir had been brought low for his mistake. They didn't even question Snape.

"As soon as we were out of the Anti-Apparition wards, Snape allowed himself to be beaten and stunned. We had to make it look like he was overpowered by the other man, or the Dark Lord would be after him too. That's when we Disapparated to some old house by the sea, I don't know where we were. He treated my most immediate injuries, and gave me some potions to give me some strength for the trip. The man told me he had a plan to keep me safe, or at least as safe as I could be. He was sending me away where no one would know me. Clearly that was a lie, as here you are, Potter. At any rate, he told me how to cover the Dark Mark, and what to do if I was called. He then said to – oh Merlin, now I understand, I didn't at the time. He said I should start again, from the beginning, to make the future right, and to say hi to my new friends from him. He said he was my cousin –"

"Regalus Black," Harry said quietly, at the same time Malfoy did.

"Yes," Malfoy confirmed in a whisper. "So what happens now?"

Dumbledore, Hermione, and Ron seemed to have decided, along with Malfoy, that the decision rested with Harry. The Boy-Who-Lived thought long and hard about his options. He knew what Dumbledore had wanted to do for Malfoy, that night in the Astronomy Tower. He knew how he had always felt about Malfoy, just as he knew that the boy had changed. Maybe not completely, and maybe they would never get along. But you have to start somewhere…

Harry stuck out his hand. "Harry Potter."

Malfoy looked at him in shock. Regalus' words coming back to him again, and the memory of his own anger and humiliation at being slighted by Potter in first year. His mind made up, he took Harry's hand in his and shook it. "Draco Malfoy."

Hermione and Ron were stunned. They seemed torn between admiration at Harry for his innate nobility and capacity to forgive, and anger at befriending (or even attempting to) the boy who had tried to make their lives miserable for six years, and had helped bring about Dumbledore's death. Hermione was ready to follow Harry's lead on this, however. Despite the trap he had fallen into at the Department of Mysteries, she trusted Harry's instincts implicitly, especially after he had been right about everything last year. Ron seemed to feel the same way, and they both approached the bed (although Ron did so bit more grudgingly).

"Draco, these are my friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley." They all nodded in acknowledgment of each other. "I hope you realize that I and my friends give the same amount of respect we receive." Harry knew he needn't spell it out for his former nemesis – no more names, taunting, or hexing allowed.

On either side.

With matters between the ex-rivals apparently sorted, Dumbledore declared that Draco would simply have to join them and complete his seventh year in the past. When asked what house he was in, Harry cut across his new – well, not quite - friend. "Gryffindor. Draco will be in Gryffindor with us."

Draco sputtered and looked scandalized at the very idea, but Dumbledore merely twinkled and told them he would make the arrangements while they sorted Draco's cover story. With that he strolled out of the Hospital Wing, humming quietly what sounded suspiciously like "Waterloo" by ABBA.

"What they hell, Potter? Do you honestly expect me to be a Gryffindor?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to, Draco. There are too many future Death Eaters in Slytherin in this time. One slip up and you could find yourself before Voldemort again. We can't allow him to learn about the future. Not him or ANY of them."

He looked meaningfully at the blonde, and Draco realized he couldn't stop his parents from becoming Voldemort's followers. Any major changes like that could have disastrous consequences, cost him even his own life. Harry was right – they were walking on dangerous ground while in the past. He'd simply have to suck it up and be – he shuddered – a Gryffindor.

"All right, Harry, but don't ask me to like it, or suddenly start spouting stupid Gryff ideals like bravery and kind-heartedness."

Harry smirked, startling the newest Lion at the similarity to his own favorite expression, "Trust me, Draco. The thought never crossed my mind."

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Two hours later, after many explanations, arguments and negotiations, and the completion of his treatment from Madame Pomfrey, the Trio led the newly christened Draco Bonnefoi to Gryffindor Tower. It would certainly be interesting to see how well the Snake survived in the Lion's Den.

They reminded him that he would have to keep his expressions of distaste for the décor and the occupants of Gryffindor Tower to himself, or risk making a great deal of enemies quickly, and likely waking to find his hair turned into purple fur and his skin covered in bright pink polka dots. Gryffs are always the best pranksters, and he would do well to remember it.

Harry also pulled him aside and made it clear that if Draco insulted (unprovoked) his father, godfather, or Remus in any way, he would find himself at the business end of Harry's wand again. And while the Golden Boy wasn't the greatest prankster, he knew a wide variety of very creative and long lasting jinxes and hexes that would bring the point across to Draco. He told him he could do what he wanted to Pettigrew, but the other Marauders might not like that.

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As soon as they were safely tucked away in the dorms, with all the Marauders off getting butterbeer from the kitchens, Harry told Draco that he would give him Gryffindor lessons if he couldn't figure it out on his own by the end of the next day. They couldn't afford major slip-ups. It would be tricky enough to explain his presence without arousing more suspicions.

Draco figured his best bet, loath though he was to admit it, was to follow Harry and the Weasel's (Gah! – can't call him that now – all right Ron's) lead. He would need all of his Slytherin cunning to pull off being a Gryffindor.

Thankfully, Draco actually did not look as much like his father as many people thought. He was a good mixture of both his parents, and hopefully his unique hair – which wasn't so unique given that both his parents had such light hair and were still at Hogwarts – wouldn't cause him to stand out too much.

Now, to just keep the most notorious pranksters in the known history of Hogwarts from discovering who he really was.

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Meanwhile, the Marauders were having discussions of their own.

They thought back to the scene they had witnessed before they came to the kitchens:

Harry, Ron and Hermione had been sitting in the common room for a little under twenty minutes. Harry was getting his arse handed to him in chess by Ron while Hermione watched. The Marauders were watching the game off and on, but mostly doing their own thing – Moony was reading, Padfoot and Prongs were quietly discussing a new section they had previously explored and would add to the Map, and Wormtail was asleep, drool forming a long line from his mouth to the floor.

McGonagall came in with a blonde boy, who seemed to look very out of place and nervous. She called for attention, and when the Mystery Trio – as the Marauders had taken to calling them – looked up, they all cried "Draco!" The blonde looked shocked to see them there, and the four teens immediately started talking to each other in low tones, while McGonagall announced that Draco Bonnefoi was a new transfer student seventh year, and had been sorted into Gryffindor.

After she left, the Trio introduced this new guy, who many girls began to drool over, and each of the Marauders took in as much as they could.

"Oi, Harry! Who's that?" Came the shout from one Sirius Black.

Harry grinned, "Sirius, this is an old friend of mine, Draco Bonnefoi. Draco, these are our new friends, Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew – the Marauders."

Draco was stunned stupid for a moment. 'The infamous Azkaban escapee, and Harry's future Godfather! He looks so completely different from the wanted posters – I don't even recognize him! How did this carefree looking teen become the crafty and uncatchable animagus that defied the Ministry and the Dark Lord at the same time? And what about Harry's father – it's like looking into a mirror! And our future professor – he looks so different!'

A sharp elbow in his side brought him back to his senses. "It's nice to meet you. Harry's was just telling me about his new friends."

"Oh?" Sirius asked with blatant curiosity, "Are you from Harry's old school?"

Draco had already been filled in on the Trio's cover stories, and slipped into his role easily. "Yes. When they transferred here and I heard from others what a great place Hogwarts is, I begged my family to send me here as well."

James grinned. "Have you known Harry, Ron and Hermione long? Got any juicy gossip or embarrassing stories you can share?"

"Oh, yes!" Draco smirked evilly and Harry glared half-heartedly at him. He really was taking to Gryffindor quite easily. "Harry and I weren't always friends. We have a tendency to be very competitive, and we don't always see eye to eye. But we had reached a bit of an understanding just before he and his friends came here. Hopefully we can build on that now that I've also transferred to Hogwarts."

Harry snorted. "Perhaps we can Draco. And if you can keep your embarrassing stories about us to yourself, I can keep my stories about you to myself as well." With that said, Harry started up the stairs to the boys' dorm, letting out a cough that sounded quite a bit like 'Moody!'

Draco paled, then quickly excused himself and followed Harry upstairs.

They then decided a meeting was in order before they talked to Harry and Ron and – Draco – about what was going on, and volunteered to go on a kitchen run while he 'settled in.'

Once they had the butterbeers and food, they sat around the end of a long table to pow-wow.

"So, what do you think of this Draco fellow?" James began.

"He has the Black eyes," Peter noted right away.

"What?"

"The Black family, they're well known for having that shade of grey eyes. Like Padfoot's."

The other two turned to stare at Sirius for a long time, until he began to turn red and squirm uncomfortably. "Let's just agree he has grey eyes like mine, yeah?"

They all nodded and he continued, "I'll say this – they way he talks screams Pureblood. I've heard that drawl too many times in my life."

James turned to Remus. "Moony? What do you got?"

"Well, I could overhear part of their conversation before they introduced him to us. They were pretty shocked, and were asking him why he was there, and what had happened after they left, and stuff like that. Also, I could smell some salves and balms like the ones Pomfrey likes to use on my scratches and bruises. I think he was just released from the Hospital Wing."

"Hmmm," James pondered. "I was looking for them earlier, and someone said McG had called them away to meet with Dumbledore. Do you think Draco had anything to do with that? And if so, why did they seem so shocked to see him?"

"Prongs is right – they have yet another mystery to them with this 'Draco' character around. I'll keep my nose to the ground, but I have a feeling that most of that scene in the common room was an act. They want everyone to think they didn't know he was here. And if he knows them, and was sent here the same way they were, why didn't he come yesterday?" Sirius commented, lamenting the fact that they seemed to still have more questions than answers when it came to the time travelers.

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A/N: Bonnefoi: so that's a play on words. Malfoy roughly means "bad faith" and Bonnefoi is a corrupted version of "good faith." Because Draco is going to try to be a better man, or at least not be evil, and so they must have a little faith in him. I really liked that so I put it in here, but I'll be honest, I originally heard the name from another story: a Harry/Draco called "A Malfoy is Always Welcome" by Faire Weather. I just wanted to give credit where credit is due.