Redemption
Crossroads
I gave an annoyed glare to the blond next to me. He was the most insufferable person on the face of the earth. "Blondie, is it possible for you to be something besides a colossal wise arse?"
He arched an annoying brow, "Is that a trick question?"
"See!" I exclaimed throwing my hands into the air. "There you go -being a wise arse!" When he stared at me as though I had gone mental for over a full minute, I glared. "What are you doing?"
"Refraining from making a smart arse comment on how completely daft you are Red," he shrugged before picking up my mug and taking a sniff. "Are you sure this is just tea?"
I glowered at him and snatched my drink back, "What I'm sure of, is that there are special places in hell for people like you."
He smirked, "Yeah, well I'm sure there are special helmets offered for people like you."
"Whatever," I rolled my eyes, "I know what you're trying to do and it won't work."
"What am I trying to do?" he inquired a bit too innocently.
I snorted, "You're trying to make me lose the game," I replied holding the PSP up in my left hand, "however it's not going to work -face it, I'm too good."
"You should be," he scoffed, "you've been hogging that thing since you got it. I thought it was supposed to be my Christmas present Red."
"It is Blondie," I shrugged, "but you just suck so bad on it that I've taken to showing you how it's done."
"I do not suck. In fact, I was actually doing really well until you pilfered it and took over. You don't even let me take it home with me at night."
"Yes I do," I replied indignantly, "you took it home just yesterday."
"True, but the only reason I was able to is because you were going home with me," he returned arching a brow.
I felt my face heat a bit, "Yeah well… you should have played it then."
His grin turned down to right wicked, "I was busy playing with something else."
"Shut up Draco," I blushed turning back to the game, "I'm trying to get past level fifteen, but I need to find the key to unlock the room with the boss first. You're messing with my concentration."
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"Am not."
I threw him a quick glare and went back to the game. A moment later, I jumped when his hand slid up my thigh. "What are you doing?!" I hissed.
He shrugged, "Showing you what it looks like when I mess with your concentration."
I grabbed his hand and moved it, "Well stop, Tiff's in the back."
Draco made a face and rolled his eyes, "You act like she doesn't know about us already."
"She doesn't, I mean…well… I haven't said anything…"
He didn't comment, but arched a mocking brow. Throwing him another glower, I turned back to the game. I heard Draco sigh and shift, leaning back against the cushions and couldn't resist taking a peek at him. He looked gorgeous as usual in a dark green sweater that fell a bit loosely on his broad shoulders, yet still accentuated his muscular build. His head was tipped back and resting on the pillows leaving his long neck exposed. When he swallowed, making his Adams apple jump, the urge to nibble on him was almost overwhelming.
"Hey you two," said Tiffany entering the living room; I quickly pulled my gaze from the blond and returned it to the game.
"Hey Tiff," I heard Draco say, shifting on the couch.
"Hey," I muttered distractedly, now focusing fully on killing the huge boss character in the room I had just opened. I frowned, `Where the hell did he get two missile launchers? I had already destroyed the other -cheating bastard.' I vaguely heard Tiffany chuckle.
"So Drac how goes it?"
"Don't call me that," Draco scoffed from next to me.
"What? I like the name Drac."
"I don't, it's stupid."
"It's a nickname."
"No, it's my name without the `o' at the end, which in essence makes it no longer my name."
Tiffany snorted, "That's not true. Besides, the name Drac is no worse than Blondie."
"I don't mind Blondie, I'm blond -however, I am not Drac so that has got to go," Draco retorted smugly.
"Suuuure, that's why you don't mind the name Blondie…" Tiffany replied; Draco shrugged. "Anyway Draco," she stressed his name.
"Yes Tiffany," he replied.
"What are you doing tonight?"
My head shot up, my gaze locked on the dark haired woman. Draco gave me a sideways look then looked back at Tiffany and shrugged.
"Nothing as of yet, why?"
"I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out," Tiffany smiled.
"With who?" I demanded, blushing when they both raised brows at me. "Not that I care," I muttered lamely, looking down at my game and noticing with some dismay that I was long since dead.
"Riiight," Tiffany grinned and Draco chuckled. "With me and a friend of mine," she replied, still smiling.
"Sounds okay," he commented, "what did you have in mind to do?"
"Well, I was thinking we could all go to see a film, then maybe hang out at a Muggle pub," Tiff said looking between Draco and I. "You know… like a double date."
"A double date?" we said in unison.
"Yeah," she replied rolling her eyes heavenward. "I mean, you guys are finally dating aren't you?"
"Told you she knew," muttered Draco.
"Shut up," I glared.
"So it's true, right? You guys are dating, aren't you?" Tiff asked looking between the two of us.
"Yes." "No." Draco and I said in unison.
Draco gave me a look, "What?"
"What did you say?" I frowned back.
"I said yes."
"Oh… well, I said no."
"Why?"
"Because we're not really dating… are we? I mean, we never agreed on anything like that."
"You're right, just because we have it off like rabbits doesn't mean we should date," he snorted.
I glared at him, "There's more to dating than shagging Malfoy."
He arched a brow, "Really like what? -Hanging out everyday, spending a shite load of time together? Having dinner and sometimes breakfast with one another? Taking the time to-"
"Shut up," I hissed rubbing my temples.
"Why, Red? Do you think it's that troublesome of an idea?"
"You don't?" I asked with a surprised look.
He gave a small hitch of his shoulders and looked at the fire, "I don't know -I mean, I guess the concept has grown on me. Especially since Christmas," he gave me a sideways look. "You haven't even thought about it?"
I released a shaky breath, "Well… of course I've thought about it…"
"But?"
"But… I don't see how it could work I mean our families-"
"You mean your family," he cut in arching a brow once more.
"Like your family would accept me," I retorted with a frown.
He shrugged, "Regardless, I'm an adult and I make my own decisions."
I gave an unlady like snort, "Please, you're just saying that because your family's on another continent right now."
"No, I'm saying it because it's true. Or did you forget the fact that my family didn't want me to move back here -yet I did. Because I'm an adult and I make my own choices regardless of their desires."
"Yeah well your family isn't as close as mine is." I glared, "You people probably hardly talked to one another when you lived in the same country so of course it's not big deal if you don't now that you're not."
Draco sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Look Red, I'm not going to argue with you. Do you want to be with me or not?"
"It's not that simple," I whispered harshly.
"It is that simple," he retorted just as severely.
"No it isn't. My family-"
"Is something that we'll worry about when the time comes," he sighed then pulled me into his arms. "Look Red, as crazy and unexpected as this is, I want to be with you and I know you feel the same. I know your family and friends won't like it, but it's not like we're going to start flooing over to people's houses and announcing it or anything. We'll just take it one day at a time."
I lay my head in the crook of his neck, "So you don't mind if we keep this between us -at least for a while," I finished quickly.
Draco gave me a small squeeze, "Of course I don't Red."
I grinned and pulled back, "Then I guess its official Blondie… we're dating."
"Fuckin' finally," said Tiffany.
My eyes snapped to her, I had forgotten she was there. The dark haired woman was sitting Indian style on the chair with an amused look on her face and a bowl of popcorn.
"Finally?" I asked, "You mean you're not mad?"
She rolled her eyes, "Please, I always knew it was only a matter of time before the two of you got together," she stated popping a few kernels into her mouth. "Though, I didn't know that you were the witch that he had shagged… well, until the night of the Christmas party that is."
My eyes widened, "How? I mean, when could you tell?"
She shrugged, "It was the look on your face when I made the comment about you not knowing how to please Draco."
"So the fight was about me," Draco said as more of a statement than a question. "Thought so -however there is one thing I do want to ask."
I made a face at him and Tiffany smiled, "What is it?" she inquired.
"Alright, this has been really bugging me for a minute…"
Our brows rose expectantly, "Well, Blonde? Come on, we don't have all day."
"Okay…" he sighed, his brows pulling together in thought before looking at me and then Tiffany. "Where… the hell did you get popcorn?"
Tiff and I burst into laughter; once it had subsided, Tiffany wiped her eyes and grinned at Draco. "I conjured it," she said with a wink.
I giggled and he rolled his eyes, "Riiight," Draco said, "well next time, conjure me a beer, will you."
Tiffany laughed and threw a pillow at his head.
**************************
I was roused from an unusually peaceful sleep by a loud banging at my front door. Sitting up, I groggily rubbed my eyes and frowned at my bedroom door.
`Who the hell is that?' I thought, slipping out of the bed and throwing on a pair of sleep pants. My slightly blurry eyes went to the clock and I saw it was ten thirty in the morning. I groaned, I was normally up by now, but Ginny kept me up all last night. The woman had a sexual appetite to rival that of any man.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," I yelled when the banging sounded once more.
Grabbing my robe, I threw it on quickly and padded barefoot down the hall and to the door. `No wonder things didn't work with her and Potter,' I thought distractedly as I picked up one of her earrings off of the hall floor. `I doubt he would have the stamina to keep up with her.'
I smiled a bit at the thought, pocketing the earring before making it to the door and pulling it open. As if conjured by my thoughts, Harry Potter stood on the other side of the doorway, a frown on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. My first thought was `Shite, they found out about Ginny and I,' however, when I noticed that he was trying to neither hit, nor hex me, I realized that that couldn't be it and frowned.
"What do you want Potter?"
He glowered back, "To talk to you, may I come in?"
I arched a brow, "Are you mad? Why would I ever let you into my house?"
"Because I need to speak with you -privately," he ground out, his jaw clenching visibly.
I considered taunting him a bit more, but quickly realized that with my developing relationship with Ginny -it probably wasn't the smartest thing to get even further on Potter's bad side. Giving the other man a negligent shrug, I turned and walked back into the flat, leaving the door open for him to follow. I slouched lazily in one of the armchairs, my legs braced apart, my right hand lying on the arm, and my left arm bent with my head resting against one of my fingers.
When Potter walked into the flat, closing the door behind him and then looking around, I rolled my eyes and made a sweeping motion with my right hand. "You wanted to talk… talk."
"I…" he frowned and looked at the floor, his face twisting up into a grimace.
`Interesting,' I thought, it seemed whatever he had to talk about, he didn't particularly want to, which only served to intrigue me.
"Are we going to talk anytime soon Potter," he looked at me and I smirked. "Or should I order in?"
The other man huffed and bit his lip, quite possibly along with a retort. "Look Malfoy, I've been sent here on official Ministry business."
"Official you say?" I drawled lazily, "I'm beside myself with anticipation. Come now Potter, don't keep me dangling here, what does the Minister need?"
"What makes you think he needs something?" he frowned.
I rolled my eyes "You can't possibly be serious. It's quite obvious seeing as you're the one here. I can't be in trouble because you're way too subdued," I studied him, "-in fact you look like you're ready to pull your hair out from the frustration from not being able to tell me what you really think. So…" I shrugged, "that leaves two options -one, you're under an Imperious curse, or two -which I find more plausible- the Minister needs me in one piece because he wants or needs something from me."
Potter's brows furrowed and he looked at me as though he had never seen me before.
"What?" I glared, "I do have brains and common sense -in fact I graduated as one of the top of my class with excellent N.E.W.T. scores… then again, you probably knew that already."
"Why would I know what your N.E.W.T. scores were?" he glared.
"Please Potter, like your good friend Kingsley didn't tell you everything about our little meeting all those months ago," I sneered.
"Kingsley is a good Minister and for your information you prat -no, he didn't," he replied in the same tone.
I studied him intently for a minute before sighing, "Fine. -Look did you want some tea?" I inquired standing, "I'm going to make myself a cup so…"
Potter blinked surprised that the fight was over and shook his head, "I-uh, no…thanks."
I nodded and went to the kitchen, returning a moment later with a warm cup of tea. The dark haired man was still standing behind the couch, his hands in his pocket and his gaze roaming the living room.
"Have a seat," I commented resuming mine in the chair and indicating the couch with a dip of my head.
He hesitated for a minute before walking around the couch and sitting down on the soft dark green surface. He adjusted a few times before he seemed to finally get comfortable, I watched him expectantly.
"Well the reason I'm here, is… well you were correct," he flushed and I arched a brow. "The minister needs your assistance with a matter."
"And that would be?" I inquired taking a sip of my tea.
"We understand that you have recently been in touch with one, Michael Crabbe," Potter frowned.
My brows knitted together, "He contacted me several weeks ago; we met for drinks," I shrugged lightly, "I haven't seen him since… why?"
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, you see, we have reason to believe that Mr. Crabbe is involved with a class of underground Death Eaters, or as they've been calling themselves recently the `Underground Resurrection'."
"Underground Resurrection?" I nodded slowly and shrugged, "Catchy… but what does this have to do with me? Like I said, I haven't seen him since."
Potter nodded, "We know, we've been watching you both."
"Naturally," I snorted.
"It's standard procedure for any known former D.E.'s," he stated simply. "And like it or not Malfoy, you're the most high profile former D.E. out there."
"I feel honored," I drawled sarcastically.
Potter smirked, "Yes, well you always did like the spotlight."
"Actually, I got over that unfortunate affliction long ago," I sighed running a hand through my hair. "But back to the matter at hand, what does any of this have to do with me?"
"Well," he leaned back on the couch and studied me, "we've been following Mr. Crabbe for a while. Once we got wind that he had set up a meeting with you and found out where he was going we sent one of our lesser-known agents in as spy. To get what she could of the conversation between the two of you… I believe you saw her. She says you looked right at her when she entered…"
My brows furrowed in thought before it clicked, "The lady in pink?"
Potter nodded, "Yeah, well anyway she used an eavesdropping spell to tune in to your conversation, making sure to record the information that was important."
I sat the teacup on the table, my face flushing slightly as I recalled the conversation about Crabbe that I had had with his father. "Is that legal?" I frowned.
Potter shrugged, "When dealing with former and possible D.E.'s -yes. It is."
I sighed and leaned back in the chair, "So what? I mean I told him no, which you heard I'm sure."
"Yeah, we heard and… well, it was decent of you to not give up Ginny."
"I would never," I scowled. When Potter's brows rose, I schooled my features into a more passive expression. "So what's this about?"
He stared at me for a moment longer before continuing. "We need an inside man Malfoy. To find out what they're up to -what they have planned against me and if they're targeting anyone else…"
"And you want me to be that man?" I surmised.
He nodded, "They want you on their team and you, surprisingly enough," he added in a mutter before speaking normally once more, "seem to have gone on the straight and narrow. We have no "ins", we know some of the people who could be involved with this new movement due to our intelligence, but we need someone who can tell us more. We need a pair of ears and eyes in there."
I frowned, "So why me? I mean, don't you guys have like a shite load of agents for this type of thing?"
"Yes, but they're being very careful. They're not allowing people into their elite group unless you were previously a D.E. and have the dark mark to prove it." My right forearm flexed unconsciously and Potter's eyes shot to it, then back to my face. "Which we both know you do. Besides, they want you -that's rare, normally they just wait for people to come to them and then try to decide if they're worthy. -Which, by the by, they rarely are."
"So, basically I'm bait?"
"No, basically you'd be an agent."
I rolled my eyes, "Yeah right, why should I? I mean, this is my neck on the line and these aren't schoolboys Potter. They're dangerous and determined men, who- by the by, most likely hold several grudges against my father."
"I know, look it's for the good of the country. Do you really want those guys kicking off and starting another war?" he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "That doesn't sound like the actions of a Guardian Angel to me."
I stiffened and glared at him, "What?"
"I know," he stated with a shrug, "and no, Ginny didn't tell me. I'm an Auror, Malfoy. I sniff out people for a living. And when she hid your identity from me, I got even more intrigued -it took me about a week or so, but I finally put it together." He gave a smug grin. "It actually made sense, she didn't rat you out because she didn't want to upset Tiffany."
"And why didn't you?"
He shrugged again, "I decided to wait, see if you did anything else -maybe something worth arresting you for. I mean, you shouldn't be using your magic like that, but there are worse things you could have done than running around saving lives."
I gave a noncommittal grunt and leaned back in the seat.
"So what do you say Malfoy are you in or not?"
I stared at Potter for a few moments, he was right. Whatever they were up to was not good and I could possibly save a lot of lives if I helped to stop them. Besides, so far I've only been able to help Muggles. This would be a way for me to help them, wizards and witches alike. A real chance to redeem myself and show everyone that I had changed. I arched a brow at Potter before leaning forward in my chair.
"What do you need me to do?"
A.N. Well that's it for this chappy. Okay here's the deal. This story is complete, my beta has several chappys back to me, I've just been way to busy to update. I will be updating this story WEEKLY until it is done. If you are reading Facades, unfortunately, that story is NOT finished and as I mentioned RL has been really busy so I haven't had a chance to write more I will do my best to finish that story, but for now it's on break. Sorry…
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