What If

"You just wanted to get shot of him, didn't you? Or do you really have something in mind?"

"Actually, yes, I do."

"Then fill us in."

"I don't know. I'm not sure. As I already told, I need to look up for it. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe not."

"You're never wrong" stated Ron and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Just give me some time, Ron. I swear you and Ginny will be the first one to whom I'll tell. But now I have to think about it carefully. I don't want to mess up everything, and don't want to give hope unless I'm sure there's something to be hopeful for."

"I know. I'll leave you alone."

With that Ron walked out to the kitchen and sat down to the table thoughtfully. Ginny followed him a moment later, just after she gave Hermione a light reassuring smile. She sat down opposite to her brother and looked at him. She desperately wanted to say something. Something they both could've hold on to, something reassuring, but she couldn't think of anything like that. Though he and Harry had broken up for a couple of years, she still cared for the boy. She wouldn't be able to beare if Harry was dead.

They both sat in silence, listening to their own heartbeats. It seemed to Ron just the same as the clock's ticking the day before. As if it taunted him, laughed at him.

He couldn't bear the silence any more. Startling Ginny, he slammed his fist to the table, then jumped up nervously and started pacing the kitchen. Knowing that Harry was probably alive made him feel better. But knowing that he couldn't do anything at the moment annoyed him to no end.

"Ron, please, calm down." said Ginny slightly annoyed.

"Calm down? Maybe you're not worried that your brother is trapped somewhere with a bunch of Death Eaters? Maybe you can calm down when Harry is might already dead?"

"No, Ron, how can you say that? I'm worried! I'm totally worried. It's just... we can't do anything right now. We're too, trapped. Trapped in our incapability. You pacing nervously and slamming your fist on the table doesn't make things easier. You're just annoying me."

"Me annoying you? The-"

"Ron! Calm down" came Hermione's voice, who'd just stepped in the kitchen.

"Now you, too? What's it with every one telling me to calm down?"

"Maybe you're a bit nervous. But anyway. I think I know it."

"Know what?" asked Ginny, not daring to believe that she thought at the same thing Hermione had meant.

"I know how to help Harry."

"Do you?"

"Well, there is a solution. It's very risky, there is a bigger chance to fail than to succeed, but I think... we should give it a try."

"Tell us!"

"You won't like it, Ron."

"I like every plan that gets Harry back alive. So?"

"Okay. So if our guesses are correct, there is a headquarter in that clearing where Harry and the Aurors were fighting, surrounded by some sort of wards. When Lucy told us about Rogers I remembered reading about something like that. A spell - often used to hide things or buildings from view - which keeps the unwanted away by flames. If you use this spell to hide something, you need to have a kind of password or a sign, so only those can get through this magical shield who know this code. Those who don't know the password but try to penetrate the shield, will burn themselves."

"So are you saying, that there's a burning shield around the Death Eaters' headquarters?"

"Exactly."

"But then, how is it possible that Harry is alive. He doesn't know the password, does he?"

"No, he doesn't. But in this case I think it's more complicated. It's a stronger and more dangerous variation of the spell I talked about. As we know, it doesn't only burns the victims, but completely burns them to death, kills them. And I think it's not a single password that makes it so effective. It's very dark magic."

"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked dreading the answer.

"I think the code is-" Hermione bit her lower lip for a few seconds, then looked down at her hand resting on the table and said "it's the Dark Mark."

For a brief moment there was complete silence in the kitchen. Then Ron spoke up first, hoisting his left brow questioningly. "I still don't get how Harry could survive... He doesn't have the Mark."

"No, he doesn't. But the Dark Mark is one of the darkest magic existing. And wearing it, having it burnt in your skin, only makes it stronger. It has it's own atmosphere, it gets into your system, flows in your veins. It's even in your cells. So when you touch someone, a part of this dark energy is transfered to their body. Lucy told us that a Death Eater dragged Harry through the ward. When he touched him, the Mark's atmosphere extended to Harry as well. That's how he didn't die. And that's why we can't get him out of there."

"Yeah. But then, who can? Only Death Eaters have the Mark."

"Exactly, we can't ask a Death Eater to bring us in!" exclaimed Ginny.

"Actually, we can. Not exactly a Death Eater. More like an ex-Death Eater."

"You can't be serious! NO. WAY."

"I warned you. You said, you like every plan that gets Harry out of there alive. It's our only chance. He's the only one."

"No. I don't trust him. What if he's still working to them?"

"You know he isn't. Ron, please! I'm not fond of this idea either, but that's the only chance to get Harry back."

"Wait! What are you two talking about? Who are you talking about?"

"Ginny. Hermione wants to ask Malfoy to help."

"No, I don't want, but we can't do anything else!"

"Malfoy? You mean Draco Malfoy? No way!"

Hermione sighed and dropped her head into her hands. "Think about it, please."

***

"I'll never understand why I agreed to do this."

"Because you want to save your best friend."

"Yeah, that's true. But why do I have to ask for Malfoy's help to do it?"

"Ah, Ron, we already talked about it yesterday. And you said you would come. So please, don't start it again."

"Okay, okay, I will shut up."

Ron grumplily walked beside Hermione and Ginny on an abadoned road leading to a vast building, that solemnly towered in front of them.

Reaching the Malfoy Manor's huge kissing gate, they all came to a halt.
The last time they spoke to Malfoy was back at Hogwarts. After the war, when the Ministry held trials for the captured Death Eaters, Harry cleared him. Malfoy thanked him in a brief letter, and sometimes they owled to each other but only if it was neccessary. Ron, Hermione and Ginny however still hated him. But that's not surprising. After all, it was always Harry, who had a thing for Malfoy.

Now however, the three stood by the gates of Malfoy Manor, determined to make the ex-Death Eater help them. Hermione tapped the gate with her wand. First nothing happened.

"They won't even let us in!" exclaimed Ron. "C'mon, go home! The git will never help us!"

"Shh, Ron! Wait a minute! They'll let us in. "

Ron started to mumble to himself, but stayed quiet. And Hermione had been right. Soon enough a tall figure appeared in the distance, gradually growing bigger as he neared the gates.

Malfoy stopped reluctantly in front of them, on the other side of the gate. "Weasleys" he nodded. "Granger."

"Erm... Hello, Malfoy" Hermione said, her voice slightly trembling. "Can you... Ah! We want to ask you-"

"Help us!" Ron blurted out so desperately, even he was surprised.

"Help you? Why would I do that?"

"Because... Because you are our only chance."

For a mere second Malfoy looked surprised, but he put back on his usual mask of indifference quickly.

"I-" he said slowly. "I wouldn't believe you, if I didn't know you'd never ask for my help if it wasn't true. So what is it?"

"Will you help?"

"I didn't say that. I asked what's this about."

"Please! Promise you'll help us!"

Malfoy didn't respond. Just stood indifferently at the gate, his hands tangled on his chest.

"Oh okay." Hermione sighed, knowing, she won't get Malfoy's word until she gives him enough information to decide. "Well, it's about Harry." she said slowly.

"What about Potter? Where is he?"

"That's it. We don't exactly know. I mean... we may know where he is, but we can't reach him."

"Speak a bit more intelligible. I can't understand a word."

"Harry's trapped somewhere with Death Eaters. And I hate to say it, but we need you to get him out of there" Ron said dryly.

"Go on. I still don't get why exactly do you need me. You're the heroes, Potter's golden sidekicks. Why can't you go and save him?"

"Because we don't have the Dark Mark."

Malfoy froze. He didn't expected such an answer. In fact he wasn't ready for hearing an answer like this. An answer that openly indicates that he was a Death Eater. He got fed up with that life! Every one want something from him because of the Mark on his forearm. Either his life, either other Death Eaters' names. Either his loyalty. On the dark side he was expected to kill. On the light side he was expected to be killed. And thanks to Saint Potter, now he was trapped between the two sides, everyone want him dead. He got fed up with this life, and got fed up that everybody thought of him as somebody who has the Mark on him.

"No way" he said, and without glancing on the three frozen figure, he turned back and headed towards the Manor.

"No! Malfoy please!"

"We beg you!"

"You owe him! He saved your life."

Hermione's last words rang in his ears constantly. He couldn't get them out of his head.

You owe him. He saved your life.

"No, he didn't save my life. He just thought he'd helped me. Maybe he did it for his image: 'The Boy Who Lived Twice forgives his enemies. What an honourable step from him'. Ridiculous" he thought. "But Granger is right. I owe him. I have to make his life a living hell, too."

With that he let a satisfied smile spread on his face, and lay down on his bed, his hands under his head, his gaze on the ceiling. "I won't help him. Enjoy his life on the dark side."

***

"It didn't go too well, did it?" asked Ron while walking back, away from the Malfoy Manor.

"Didn't go too well? It went terrible! We screwed up with our one and only chance!"

"No we didn't. He will help us. He just needs some time."

"Some time? Hermione, are you aware that Harry is trapped with Death Eaters who want to kill him as quickly as possible?! To be honest, I don't really understand why didn't they kill him immediately on the spot. But I'm glad they didn't. Irrespectively of that, we don't have time! I'd rather go and burn to death trying to save my best friend's life, than waiting for a git to consider if he wants to help."

"I know, Ron. I feel the same. But there's nothing we can do. We hope Harry's still alive, and Malfoy will come to his sense soon enough to save him."

"Hope. Well... that's not much."

"I know. Maybe I'll try to write a letter to Malfoy. Just to try and persuade him. But I don't know."