What If

Draco woke up early in that morning. There was something bothering him, something that didn't let him sleep. But he was too tired to remember what it was. He stirred in his bed, kicked the sheer sheet off his body, then-

Then he remembered. That day he supposed to snuck into the headquarters of the Death Eaters. He groand loudly before sitting up.

Why had he agreed to do this? It was too risky. Potter wasn't worth it. Not to him.

But still he felt that he owes Potter that. Besides he had to realize that there really was something in what Granger had written him: if he did it, maybe the whole wizarding world would forgive him. Yeah, for the first time, Granger was right. Not that he was going to admit it ever.

The previous day they agreed to meet at the same Muggle pub. So Draco got ready and Apparated there. Granger and the two Weaslys were already there waiting slightly nervously for him.

"Let's get through it" he grumbled.

Hermione nodded silently and reached with both of her arms for Ron and Ginny. Draco looked questioningly at her.

"Hold on my shoulder. We're going to Apparate."

Draco wanted to protest. Shout taunts at the 'Mudblood', but he decided to keep quiet and obeyed the witch.

Granger Apparated them to a forest Draco immediately associated to the Forbidden Forest, but pushed the thought away. He didn't want to think of Hogwarts now. He had to concentrate. Trying to hide the trembling in his legs, walked after Granger, who cautiously slank deeper and deeper in the forest.

On their way, they didn't meet anyone. Draco had already started to doubt in their plan. What if they are in a wrong place? Or what if it was just a huge prank on him?

No, that couldn't be true. It wasn't a prank, was it?

Before Draco was totally distracted by the thought whether it was a prank or not, they arrived to a huge clearing. They all came to an abrupt halt.

So it really wasn't a prank.

They were all eyeing the field suspiciously, searching for any sign of the invisible shield.

"Shouldn't we wait for a bit?" Draco asked. "What if we are in a wrong place?" his voice almost sounded hopeful.

"Yeah, we could wait... but that would be pointless, wouldn't it? And we have to rescue Harry as quickly as possible. Before the Death Eaters decide to kill him."

"Right. I go then."

"Good luck, Malfoy! And we really are very grateful to you. We will be forever!"

"Okay, okay. I'll be back. I'll do everything as we planned."

Draco stepped out of the woods and started to walk slowly in the direction he presumed the shield. He could feel the magic. It made the air slightly trembling, his blood rushed in his veins, and his Mark-

His Mark started to move again. The black snake whirled endlessly between the skull's teeth, as if Voldemort was still alive. He felt nauseous. But he mustn't give up. He had to keep walking.

So he did. He slowly reached a spot where he could feel hotness radiating from something. He was near the shield. He closed his eyes and stepped forward. He felt something. As if he was trying to get through some kind of a membrane. The air was different. Somehow thicker. Then he felt the temperature rising. First it was just warm. But then it got hotter and hotter, until Draco could feel burning hot flames licking his body. He couldn't move. He couldn't step forward neither backwards.

"It doesn't work. The scars. It doesn't work." he thought.

When he accepted his destiny, that he would burn there alive, the flames suddenly disappeared and he could step through the shield. He looked back astonished but he couldn't see anything. Just the field and the edge of the forest, where he knew, three figure was nervously waiting for him.

He inhaled deeply and looked up to see a slightly ruined fortress before his eyes. The gates were wide open, and looking through them, he could see someone moving inside.

His Mark was still aching and whirling constantly as he stalked near the gates. He stopped at the gates and peered in to make sure no one would see him. When he looked in, he froze in astonishment. The inside of the fortress was the perfect imitation of Hogwarts. He could see the Entrance Hall in front of him and the huge door leading to the Great Hall. No, to the imitation of the Great Hall.

After the first effects of shock wore off, he realised, the Death Eaters' stupid adherence to Hogwarts, was his best luck.

Granger told him, that he had to find Potter. Knowing the Death Eaters, he only could assume that the boy had been locked into the dungeons or a place similar to a dungeon. Well... If the fortress really was enchanted to look like the Hogwarts castle - as a true Slytherin - it was the easiest task to do.

He snuck into the huge Entrance Hall and hid behind an armour. He could see Death Eaters lurking in the Great Hall. He waited until the Hall emptied, and carefully headed towards the stairs leading to the dungeons.

He could feel the adrenaline pulsing in his veins, blood throbbing so loudly in his ears that he was affraid, somebody would hear it. But nobody crossed his path. He was down in the dungeons. Passed the picture that - at Hogwarts - hid the Slytherin Common Room and walked slowly along the deserted corridor. He wasn't sure where he was going though.

At the end of the corridor he turned left. He knew - at Hogwarts - there would be small out-of-use classrooms and closets. Perfect places to lock Potter.

But he only found totally empty rooms. Disappointed, he turned back. Where could they hid Potter, then?

He stopped thoughtfully in the middle of the corridor, near to the Slytherin Common Room. Well, not the Slytherin Common Room, just the imitation of the picture that in Hogwarts hid the Common Room.

But then, what if there too was something behind the painting? He walked closer to it and observed it carefully. Maybe he would find something...

But he didn't. The painting looked exactly the same as the one in the school. Draco sighed and whispered "Slytherin".

Nothing happened.

"Salazar."

Nothing.

"Salazar Slytherin. Hogwarts. You Know Who. He Who Must Not Be Named. I don't know!" he shouted desperately. "Voldemort."

Still nothing happened. Draco slid down the floor, his face cupped between his two hands and tried to think hardly. What password would the Death Eaters use?

And then he knew. The Death Eaters who were so paranoid to be tracked, would never use a simple password. As they didn't use one with the shield.

Draco slowly stood up. Rolled up his sleeve and looked disgusted at his whirling Mark. He winced as he locked eyes with the skull's blank expression. Even in the dark he could see the scratches crossing it's face...

He shuddered. But he couldn't look away. He slowly held up his arm and pressed the Mark to the middle of the painting.

It was agonising. It was the same feeling as when he tried to enter the shield. The temperature rised, then burning flames emerged out of nothing. But again, as suddenly as they came, they disappeared and the painting slid open showing a room somehow resembling to the Slytherin Common Room. Yet it was somehow different. It was a circular room (just as in Hogwarts) but it was dark. There were no windows. The only light came from a single candle, but it was so pale. It could've extinguished at any moment.

When his eyes got used to the darkness, Draco looked around. At first he thought the room was empty. But then he heard a weak whimper and spotted a dark figure lying on the ground a few steps away from him.

"Potter?"

A whimper again.

"So you're here."

For a moment Draco hesitated. He didn't know what to do or how to feel. Since the first day he'd met Potter, he'd wanted to see him weak. He wanted to hear him begging for mercy, or more, he wanted to hear his incoherent whimpers...

But somehow now as he looked down at the dark, fragile body curled up on the freezing ground of a fortress, he couldn't feel any pleasure nor solemnity.

Something had changed when Potter saved him from going to Azkaban. Yes, he still hated him. But that feeling was somehow different. He hated him, because he got Draco trapped between two sides. But somewhere he was grateful for the boy not sending him to Azkaban. And as Draco stood in the dark prison with Potter lying in front of him nearly dead, and thought about it, he realized he hadn't hated Potter because he made him live in a terribl life. He hated the boy because he'd saved him. He'd put effort in saving Draco instead of letting him being arrested and dragged to Azkaban, getting what he deserved.

The realization hit Draco so suddenly, he almost fell on the floor.

"Maybe I'm the one who should lie here."

He dropped on his knees and shook Potter.

"Potter! Can you hear me? It's me, Malfoy. The Weasel and Granger... They are out there. They-"

"No" he thought.

"-we are going to rescue you. Can you hear me?"

He shook the boy again.

"Malfoy..."

"Yes, I'm here. Granger told me everything. That they want to kill you. And that they think that the Dark-"

"No, don't... say-"

"-Lord will... Don't say what?"

But it was late. The painting behind Draco's back swung open and two Death Eaters marched into the dark prison.

"Potter! What did you think? We told you not to say... Malfoy?"

Draco stood up shaking. He didn't dare to look into the Death Eater's eyes so he stared at his own shoes.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"He's spying on us. I told you. This boy is a traitor, aren't you? Came here to get information about Potter. Now Cru-"

"No! No, I'm not spying! I... I came here to... to join you. I-"

"You're lying!"

"No, I'm not! I heard Granger and Weasley talking about Potter. That he's missing. And... and I did some investigations and I found this place. So I-"

"I don't believe you."

"Chill, Amycus. Maybe he's not lying. After all, he found us. But tell me boy, what did you want to do with Potter? If you really came to join us, why didn't you came to us?"

"I... I know I made some mistake in the past. And I was afraid that if I just came here... Well, then you would just kill me immediately-"

"And you were right" sniggered one of the Death Eaters and pointed his wand at Draco, but the other didn't let him do anything.

"Go on!"

"Well, I... wanted to kill Potter. Because I thought if I killed him, you would forgive me. And you'd let me join you."

The Death Eaters looked thoughtful. Draco could only hope that they'd belived him.