𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 | draco malfoy [6]

𝐗𝐈𝐈. ICY CHRISTMAS

Fred and George stood from their seats at the kitchen table. "Well, we're off to the village. There's a very pretty girl there who thinks my card tricks are something marvelous... almost like real magic..." He said, fake sighing.

Myself and Fred laughed before the latter turned to me. "Want to tag along? I'm sure we could find you a much better suitor than Malfoy." He smirked.

"As fun as it sounds, Harry and I promised Dumbledore we wouldn't wander while we're here," I shrugged.

And so, as Mrs. Weasley hurried off to the living room, and Fred and George disapparated, I turned back to my brother and Ron at the counter.

"Speaking of Dumbledore- are you two going to tell him what you heard Snape and Malfoy saying to each other?" Ron asked us.

I stayed quiet, but Harry nodded instantly. "Yep. I'm going to tell anyone that can stop it, Dumbledore included. Might have another word with your dad, too. Wish we could've heard what Malfoy's actually doing."

Harry and Ron's heads slowly turned to me, and I rolled my eyes. "Better luck next time. He won't tell Snape, he won't tell me. And, frankly, I don't want to push the subject. Our relationship is on thin ice anyways." I glared at them.

We all fell into silence, each thinking of our own things. I wished Hermione was here to talk to, but seeing as her and Ron still scowl at each other in the halls, she had gone to her own home for the holidays.

Talking to Mr. Weasley and other members of the Order was a fine and all idea in itself, but they'd just say the same thing they've said since day one. Snape's a part of the Order, Snape's just pretending, Snape's on our side. As if Snape is that good of an actor.

Either way, as much as I'd like to ignore it, Draco was definitely up to something. Maybe it involves being a Death Eater, maybe not. But I refuse to believe he's a Death Eater and has the Dark Mark until I have concrete evidence, and until I am forced to believe it.

He's only sixteen. He's a boy, still. He's a boy that's under a lot of pressure. A boy with a girl who cares too much about him. So much, even, that she'd ignore the signs pointing to him being Death Eater if it means she gets to keep the innocent boy she once knew.

When Christmas eve finally came around, Harry and I sat in the living room with Mr. Weasley, Lupin, and Tonks.

"Voldemort has chosen Draco Malfoy for a mission," Lupin said, repeating the sentence Harry had just said to the group.

"I know it sounds mad," Harry said quickly.

"Has it occurred to you, Harry, that Snape was simply pretending to offer Draco help so he could find out what he was up to?" Lupin said, and I turned to Harry, giving him an I told you so look.

"That's not what it sounded like," Harry said, ignoring me.

"Perhaps Harry's right, Remus," Tonks spoke up. "I mean to make an Unbreakable Vow-"

"It comes down to whether or not you trust Dumbledore's judgement," Lupin cut in. "Dumbledore trusts Snape, therefore, I do."

"Dumbledore can make mistakes, he said so himse-" Harry tried.

"You're blinded by hatred!" Lupin told Harry.

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are!" He took a deep breath. "People are disappearing, Harry, daily. We can only place our trust in a handful of people. If we start fighting amongst ourselves, we're doomed."

"Trust doesn't last all the time," I said quietly, my first time speaking since Harry told the others what we heard. All eyes looked at me. "Well, I'm just saying, Draco and I have trusted each other since day one."