It had been 6 weeks since the Death Eaters attack on the small house at the corner of Spinners End. The Death Eaters had killed most of the few people who had been staying there but had hesitated and decided to imprison one of them.

The Order had split their most vital members including Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Minerva McGonagall between different safe houses as leaders for others who wanted to fight.

They had recruited a fair amount of people since their defeat at Hogwarts. Recently they had begun planning their attacks on members of Voldemort's Army but hadn't near the numbers needed to defeat him.

Draco could hear the haunting screams from the basement of Malfoy Manor all through the dining room where Voldemort held a meeting.

"What is it you're planning to do with the mudblood, my lord?" Bella whispered directing the Dark Lords attention.

Draco had kept quiet about his thoughts on Hermione Granger since she'd arrived at the Manor. He knew she was being tortured and was almost killed every day, it hurt him to see her.

"I think we should kill her" Greyback shouted, other Death Eaters jeered and agreed with his suggestion.

"silence" Draco's firm voice was heard above theirs as they quietened down. Draco always stood by Voldemort's side, the Death Eaters knew not to disobey him.

"What's the point in keeping her alive? She hasn't willingly given us any information" Blaise Zabini spoke up. Blaise was one of Draco's closest friends along with Theo Nott, Pansy Parkinson and occasionally Astoria Greengrass.

"Shall we tell them our plan, Draco?" The dark lord turned to him for just a moment before returning his gaze on the Death Eaters.

With a single nod from Draco, Voldemort continued "Over the past 6 weeks, since the capture of the filthy mudblood, we have been trying to gather information about The Order"

Draco stepped in when the Dark Lord hesitated to speak "We've done everything to find out what she knows, we intend to keep her here, alive, knowing the order they'll attempt to rescue her and we'll get the rest of them and they'll be done with".

Bellatrix laughed. It was more of a loud, harsh cackle "Why can't we kill her and pretend she's alive?"

"no." Draco said quickly "She will be kept alive".

"How boring Draco" Bellatrix quietly walked over to him and traced his cheek with her finger. Draco felt she was attempting legilimency to get inside his head but he knew better than to let her.

"Enough Bella" the Dark Lord waved her away.

"Yes my Lord" She took a few steps back "I'll continue to torture her?" she questioned.

"You may do as you please aunt Bella I do not care, just don't kill her" Draco decided to leave the meeting as he heard more shrieks from the basement. Followed by Blaise Zabini, he disapparated to his apartment.

The apartment was quite big considering he lived alone, with an open plan kitchen/living room and 3 bedrooms.

It had probably been 2 minutes before Blaise Zabini marched through Draco's door. "Mate you can't just apparate with me? It takes forever to try and get here with all your stupid protection".

The apartment had multiple protection charms that only Draco could get through. "You're saying you'd prefer everyone could find us here?" Draco raised his eyebrow.

"No, I just think you could do me a favour and let me in on your protection thingy" Blaise made himself at home throwing his cloak down on a chair and rummaging through cupboards for leftover food. This wasn't usual to see from any of Draco's friends.

"can't," Draco said plainly

"You can you just don't want to" Blaise huffed.

"exactly," Draco replied

"So what's the deal with Granger?" Blaise asks as he grabs a bag of crisps from the cupboard.

"What are you talking about?" Draco responds cautiously.

"I know you mate, there's obviously something going on. You're like the person who wants everybody dead, now all of a sudden she can be kept alive?"

Draco's face grew serious, he knew Blaise would get the truth out of him eventually. "A couple of months back I talked to Andromeda and Kingsley, I told them about the probable attack on Spinner's End but evidently they didn't get everyone out in time, they told me to swear anyone who was imprisoned I wouldn't let them die"

Blaise stood with his eyes widened "YOU are working against the Dark Lord?" He started laughing whilst baking away.

"Zabini. I am trying to have a serious conversation with you"

"and I am trying to avoid it."

"Oh for fuck sake Blaise, you can't go running your mouth, okay? Nobody can know."

Blaise agreed "For sure I just I gotta tell Pansy she's been waiting for this"

"Absolutely not, you know he can use legilimency and find out I betrayed him, right?" Draco walked over and put his hand on Blaise's shoulder.

"I really need you to just be quiet until I figure out how to get Granger the fuck out of the Manor, I've been an idiot for the past few weeks" Draco felt himself get angry "I haven't done anything, I let her suffer because it was easy, and now she's as good as dead" he whispers.

"Calm down Draco" Blaise knew how riled up his friend could get and it was better not to antagonise him. "I won't tell anyone" he promised.

Draco nodded.

Draco decided that the sooner Granger got out of the Manor the better. It was 4 a.m. and Draco had apparated to an empty room in his old home.

He knew there would be a Death Eater or two around but was careful not to be seen. Slowly he crept downstairs to where Hermione Granger was kept.

Hermione didn't know what to think of the hooded figure walking towards her cell. She'd assumed somebody had come to hurt her as they always did.

Draco seldomly came down to see Granger because he knew how hurt she'd been and he hated seeing it.

Hermione sat in the back corner of the gloomy, cold cell. Her body seemed frail and small, her face was bruised, she was covered in cuts, some that had healed and some that hadn't.

"Granger?" Draco opened her cell and walked towards her "We have to leave, now."

Her voice was brittle and hoarse "Malfoy?"