- tysm for 200 reads x

It was nearing daylight and Draco sat on his bed trying to suppress the memories of the very long, tiring and difficult past few days. He had just received a request from Voldemort about their newest mission which was never what he wanted to hear.

It had been 3 long days since Draco had taken Hermione from the Manor. He had been sleeping in another room so that Hermione could have his bedroom with the en-suite so she wouldn't need to leave it if she didn't want too.

He felt odd watching her sleep for the mere seconds before he woke her up.

"Granger?" He said whilst gently tapping her arm. She woke up somewhat alarmed.

"Malfoy? What time is it?" Hermione murmured rubbing her eyes.

"I just thought I'd tell you, Theo and I are needed," explained Draco.

"So you have to leave?" suspected Hermione sitting up in the bed.

"Yes, I don't know when we'll be back, likely sometime in the afternoon," said Draco.

Hermione nodded drowsily. She felt useless just sitting in the small room all day, she wanted to get out and fight. It was what she'd done for the years after the Battle of Hogwarts, she couldn't understand why she wasn't allowed to now.

As Draco left the room he met an enthusiastic Theo in the kitchen.

"You know what I just thought of," said Theo looking shocked at his own idea, "If you're staying in the guest room, Why can't I have yours?"

"You can't stay in there it's my room" sneered Draco while putting on his black cloak.

"But you don't stay in there?" said Theo more confused than ever.

"My apartment my rules," Draco opened the front door and stepped outside.

"Technically because I live here it's mine too" remembered Theo who followed his friend out the door, closing it behind him.

"That is not decided," Draco said disapparating to Malfoy Manor, where Lord Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters were waiting.

———————

Astoria Greengrass was waiting for Draco when he arrived "Hey baby" she leant up and brushed a kiss on his cheek "I haven't seen you in a while."

"I know, I'm sorry I've been busy," said Draco putting his arm around her whilst they walked to the large dining room.

Astoria smiled "Theo," she said, "I heard what happened with Daph, i'm sorry."

"It's okay Tori, I know she'll eventually get over me," said Theo giving the witch a hug.

"I thought you said she kicked you out?" smirked Draco turning to his friend.

"Minor details," said Theo shuffling past them while Astoria laughed.

However, when they arrived at the meeting everything seemed to get colder. There were quite a few Death Eaters sitting around the table, Draco didn't make eye contact with any of them.

Taking his seat on the right side of the Dark Lord, he asked; "What is it you want us to do my Lord?"

"Rodolphus has sent word from Azkaban, we are to go in and take the prisoners" snarled Voldemort giving Draco a look that meant it was Draco that had to do the task.

"How many will I take with me?" asked Draco.

"5"

"Zabini, Nott, Parkinson, Greengrass and Lestrange," said Draco, his eyes not leaving the spot on the wall he'd chosen to stare at several minutes ago.

"Leave now, you won't have long," said Voldemort rising from his seat at the top of the long, brown dining table, dismissing the Death Eaters.

Draco nodded and got up after him. Walking out of the hall followed by his team, he disapparated to as close to Azkaban he could get.

The dementors that guarded Azkaban had chosen to go back to guarding the prison after Voldemort defeated Harry Potter. They since had not taken his side again, hence why multiple Death Eaters were put in the prison not long ago.

"Right," said Draco turning around to those he'd chosen to fight with, "We'll go in pairs to each entrance and meet back at headquarters, wait for no one."

His fellow Death Eaters nodded and left the boy with Astoria Greengrass.

"You seem off Draco what's wrong?" asked Astoria as the two made their way to the main entrance of Azkaban Prison.

"Nothing's wrong, I don't know what you're talking about," said Draco quickly averting his eyes to the dark sky above them.

"Don't be daft I've known you for 19 years, something is wrong and I think I know what it is," said Astoria, "You don't want us to be together anymore." She smiled sadly "It's alright."

Draco's face dropped as he quickly turned to face her "What do you-" he was cut off by the dementors coming their way. It was difficult for the Death Eaters to defeat the dementors as none of them aside from Astoria could produce a Patronus spell.

As the dementors closed in on them she cast her charm and it formed into a small white mare, striking and enveloping the dementors into a blinding light.

"Beautiful every time" whispered Draco looking enchanted by the witch's magic.

Astoria grinned "let's go." They ran into the Prison avoiding the dementors flying towards them.