What If (Drarry)

3. The Debt

Dear Malfoy,

I know how you feel. It must be terrible to have such expectations. It must be really hard to be the enemy of both the dark and the light side. And believe me, I wouldn't ask you to do it, if I wasn't sure that you can do it-
You know what Harry means to us. Not to the world, not to the Ministry. But to us. We love him, and we want him back. We couldn't live with the fact that we didn't try anything to save him. So we're trying.
I know you don't like him. And I'm not asking you to do so. But he saved you from going to Azkaban. He did it because he saw something in you. He thought you are worth it. So please, think about it this way. Return him the favour. Not to us. To him. And if you'll do, not only he, but the whole wizarding world will be grateful to you...
Please contact us when you decided!

I'm sending you my best wishes,

̶M̶̶r̶̶s̶ ̶G̶̶r̶̶a̶̶n̶̶g̶̶e̶̶r̶̶-̶̶W̶̶e̶̶a̶̶s̶̶l̶̶e̶̶y̶
̶H̶̶e̶̶r̶̶m̶̶i̶̶o̶̶n̶̶e̶ ̶G̶̶r̶̶a̶̶n̶̶g̶̶e̶̶r̶̶-̶̶W̶̶e̶̶a̶̶s̶̶l̶̶e̶̶y̶
Granger

Draco stared blankly at the parchment. Granger had really written him a letter. A letter in which she's begging his help. The situation must be really bad. But he already decided, didn't he? He wouldn't help them. Potter only made his life a living hell. He, not helping to save the git's arse, is returning the favour.

But still. There was something in what Granger had written. Potter had saved him when he could simply let the Aurors take him to Azkaban. Though no one would have blamed him if he had let the 'Death Eater' thrown to prison. And yet, he'd saved him.

And yes, it was terrible to live in a world where everybody wanted him dead. But it was still better than being in Azkaban with his father and the other Death Eaters, surrounded with hundreds of Dementors.

But he'd already thanked Potter the favour. They agreed that none of them owes the other. They agreed not to bother each other anymore. It was some sort of a truce. Of course Draco still hated Potter with all of his heart, but now for another reason.

While he'd hated the stupid git because he'd been famous and he'd had friends and supporters, and everything Draco hadn't even dared to dream of, now he hated him because he'd saved him. Because - after Draco had done such terrible things to him and his friends - he could still put that aside and treat him as a human being. He hated him because - despite they agreed that they were done - he still felt somewhere deep that he owed Potter. He hated that the boy had saved him. And that's not a good reason to start a fight.

So Draco stayed silent. Let the anger, the defeat and all the guilty feelings spread in his veins, but he never let them out.

He sighed and crumpled Granger's letter annoyed. "Fine."

***

Granger,

Don't think your sentimental little letter had anything to do with my decision.
But fine. I considered the situation, and I may help you. But only to redeem my debt.
Meet me in the Leaky Cauldron tonight at eight o'clock. Don't bring those two annoying Weasleys, if it's possible.

Malfoy

***

"I said don't bring them." Draco exclaimed loudly when Hermione and the two Weasleys stepped into the inn.

"Sorry, but they are part of the plan just as you are. Besides they are Harry's friends. You can't expect them to stay home-"

"Fine, fine. Whatever. Just let's get through it. Quickly. Spit it out, why do you need me?"

"Here?"

"What's the problem, Weasley?"

"Malfoy, we can't tell it here. Anyone can hear us. It's already suspicious that we are here with you."

"Oh. So you need my help but still wouldn't want to show up in a Death Eater's company. Fine. I told you, Granger, not to bring them. But anyway-" he shrugged and turned around the leave.

"No, Malfoy, please don't leave. He didn't mean that. He just... You know, he's right. We can't talk about it here, because we don't want any one to find it out. But there's nothing to do with you or your past."

"Oh yeah, there's nothing." Ron murmured, but after Hermione shot him a dark glance, he chose to keep quiet.

"Then where do you want to talk?"

"Maybe we should go to our place."

"NO WAY!" came the simultaneous answer from Ron and Draco.

"Okay, okay. Then where should we go?"

"Maybe a Muggle pub? I know one not far from here" Ginny adviced quietly.

Hermione quirked an eybrow to Ron and Draco, and when both nodded gruffly, she let Ginny lead the way.

***

"So you say that Potter, our saint saviour Potter was unable to defend himself? He just simply let the Death Eaters drag him away?"

"Well if you put it that way-"

"That's not the point!" Ron roared startling a few peacefully drinking Muggles around. "He's in danger and we have to save him."

"Yeah, I've got it. But it's still ridiculous. Thousands of people worship Potter and say he's the most powerful wizard of his time, yet he couldn't... no, he didn't even try to defend himself."

"Malfoy, please, get over with it."

"Fine. So what do you want me to do?"

"First, you should get into the headquarters."

"First?" Draco echoed. "What else do you want from me?"

"You have to get us in."

For a couple of long moments there was thick silence. Hermione, Ron and Ginny carefully watched Malfoy's expressions changing, from clearly disgusted to thoughtful and then to something resembling to determined, as he tried to process everything he'd just heared.

"So the Mark is some sort of a password, right? Only those can get through the shield, who's got the Mark."

"Exactly."

"Well okay" he said. "But-"

He looked down at the table and refused to look up again.

"But?"

There's no way he tells them. Not them. If they found out... No, it's ridiculous.

"But there's a problem" he said finally, still staring at the table.

"What?"

A long pause. He uncosciously touched his forearm, where his Dark Mark lay unmoving under the fabric of his black shirt.

"Nothing" he said.

Ron quirked an eyebrow but didn't say anithing.

"Fine. We had to plan everything before the action." Hermione said.

***

While Ginny, Ron and Hermione Apparated home, it was nearly one in the morning. They were all exhausted, yet quite excited. They felt much more relieved that they could persuade Malfoy to help them, and they were sure, their plan was quite satisfing.

However they couldn't neglect Malfoy's sometimes secretive behavior, or his winces whenever they'd mentioned the Dark Mark as a password. They were worried. What was Malfoy keeping away from them? And why were they still worried that he would let them down? They should trust him, shouldn't they?

That night neither of them could sleep properly. They all tossed and turned in bed, and they all had terible nightmares about Harry. What if the plan goes wrong?